Summary
- Squad Busters, Supercell’s newest game, features characters from previous games and is a free-to-play battle royale with in-app purchases.
- The game offers player vs player and player vs environment mechanics, with the goal of building a squad to defeat others and claim gems.
- While the game lacks controller support, it is great for casual play with friends and has positive reviews despite heavy monetization.
Supercell’s newest battle royale, known as Squad Busters, is out today and stars many of the characters from the studio’s previous games, like Clash Royale and Boom Beach. The game has been in testing for some time, which is how we recently went hands-on with the Canadian pre-release. We confirmed that the game plays exactly how you’d expect a competitive Supercell game to play; that is to say, this is a free-to-play release chock-full of in-app purchases. Still, at the end of the day, if you’re looking for a game to jump into some quick matches with friends, Squad Busters fits the bill nicely now that it’s out for all.
Our recent hands-on video for Squad Busters (above) should shed some light on how the game plays on Android. As you can see, it is indeed a casual battle royale game. You have plenty of player vs player action in the mix, but there are also player vs environment mechanics that keep the gameplay interesting. The end goal? Build a squad and defeat competing squads to claim gems, which is how you’ll pay for upgrades to your team.
The monetization isn’t great
Which was expected of this free-to-play game
Of course, the game is monetized heavily as a free-to-play release, and so in-app purchases range all the way up to $99.99 per item, with paid season passes available as well. For now, it seems players are fine with this, as reviews on the Play Store are positive, though it’s hard to deny this type of monetization leans towards paying to win in what is, at its heart, a competitive game.
The touch controls are simple but work
But there is no controller support
The controls are solid, though you will have to use the touchscreen to play. Our main complaint is that the controls are a little too simple at times, and we sure would have appreciated built-in controller support, but sadly, there is none. While this allows for an even playfield, I’d prefer exact controls over streamlined matchmaking.
Getting started in Squad Busters: Everything you need to succeed in Supercell’s brawler
A survivalist’s guide to not getting busted
Squad Busters is still a good time for close gatherings
With a few friends, there is fun to be had
Overall, if you plan to play with a group of close friends, then the monetization in Squad Busters doesn’t matter; the game works perfectly fine as a party game for small gatherings, and since it’s free, anyone can install and get going. It’s only if you plan to truly compete online that you’ll be forced to deal with the game’s monetization. But you don’t have to take my word for it, so grab the install through the widget below and take a look for yourself. After all, Supercell isn’t a huge name in the mobile gaming scene by accident; its games are addictive and fun, and Squad Busters continues this trend with today’s launch.
