Tacape

The random mix of cards kids get could make winning challenging, but the technical issues and bland visuals will leave kids unimpressed. Tacape opens with a story, told from the perspective of a sister looking for her brother -- or her brother, depending on which character you choose. Facing off against apparitions such as a child-eating goat and enchanted bull, kids select from several cards they've been given. Each lists an action and can either help them protect themselves from attacks or launch some of their own. They have four energy units, or points, per turn to use on moves. Once they've put all possible cards into play, they need to tap a button to indicate their turn is done. Kids will unlock other cards and boost their energy with rest and other options as they play.

While the card-based battle format has potential, the game contains a number of distracting design issues. There's limited screen space, so cards you're dealt are crammed together at the bottom of the screen and can be difficult to read. Nearby opponents and other elements can overlap with cards, making multiple items unclear. The game controls also aren't consistently smooth, and tactical cards don't always work. The tutorial doesn't explain several elements clearly -- such as why you choose from two images to initiate a new battle, or how those two options differ. Advancing the story seems arbitrary as well, because kids are often taken to another set of battles instead of story chapters. Since you get a new set of cards in each turn, you can't strategize much -- kids' performance depends on the luck of the draw. The app's perhaps most noticeable issue, though, is its pace, which is way too slow. Between that, the uncertainty about game features, and the unimpressive battles, kids may not feel trying Tacape, let alone buying the full game, would be a worthwhile investment.