Review: Tiki Bar iPhone action game turns players into bar tenders

Today is April 15, which means that it's the last day for U.S. citizens to file their yearly income taxes. If thoughts of 1040s, Schedule Cs, and 1099s drive you to drink, may I suggest a less intoxicating alternative: Caldera Studios' new Tiki Bar game for iPhone.

If you happened to have played any of the Cookin' Mama games on Wii or DS then you'll get the basic concept. Players take the role as the bartender at a funky tiki bar. As patrons order drinks, the player has to pour, cut, squeeze, shake, mix and serve drinks using the iPhone touch screen and accelerometer. It's not only fun to play, but it's also fun to see other players furiously tilting and shaking their phones in order to beat the timer. More accurate and quicker mixing results in higher tips and more complex drinks being unlocked. Players can even earn a dancing tiki which can be called on to keep patrons entertained when the bar is packed.

The game not only plays well, but it's also visually pleasing, featuring lowbrow-styled artwork from Emmy Nominated Nate Funaro of Cartoon Network. The music, often an afterthought on iPhone games, features original exotica music by Marcus Baide.

To extend game play, players can buy additional bar tools within the game. The $0.99 Tiki Bar Matchbook adds flaming drinks, such as the Coconaut, Apple Passion, and Flame-O-Rama mode; buying the $0.99 blender unlocks drinks that require blending, such as the Pina Colada, Lava Flow, Frozen Daiquiri, Banana Daiquiri, Derby Daiquiri, Tasman Sea and Coconaut.

Tiki Bar has been rated for ages 17+ by Apple for references to alcohol.

Conclusion: Caldera Studio's Tiki Bar is a must-have game for anyone that loves tiki and particularly tiki drinks. The only this missing are the icy hand cramps.

$1.99

Download Tiki Bar at

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