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Cut the Rope: Best game since Angry Birds?

That's a bold statement, but I think this physics-oriented puzzle game might just have the right cutesy-clever stuff to fill the void left by those dang birds.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
Cut the Rope may not look like much, but I guarantee you it's the most fun you've had since Angry Birds.
Cut the Rope may not look like much, but I guarantee you it's the most fun you've had since Angry Birds. TouchArcade

Ever since tearing through the 15 new Angry Birds levels released last week (which took all of about 20 minutes), I've been in a bit of a funk.

I mean, let's face it, once you've finished the game, there's little appeal in flinging the same birds at the same pigs. And new levels are too few and far between.

Where's the next pig thing? (Sorry, next big thing.) Where's the clever new game that can satisfy my craving for cutesy characters and whimsical, physics-oriented action? Where is the successor to Angry Birds?

It's right here: Chillingo's Cut the Rope. Like Angry Birds, it has a weird, rather unexciting premise. Like Angry Birds, it's incredibly easy to learn. And, like Angry Birds, it's impossible to stop once you start.

It goes like this: a cute little green monster, Om Nom, wants candy. The candy is attached to a series of ropes you slice with your finger. To complete a level, you need to figure out which ropes to cut, and when, to swing the candy into his mouth--collecting as many stars as possible in the process.

Guys, you had me at "Om Nom."

As you progress, the levels get more challenging with the addition of various tools and obstacles. For example, there are bubbles that make the candy float, air cushions that blow the candy along a desired trajectory, and so on.

Although the core gameplay mechanics have nothing in common with Angry Birds, there's a lot about Cut the Rope that's similar. Levels are grouped together in locked sets, and with each level you complete, you're awarded 1 to 3 stars. And let's not forget the colorful, cartoonish graphics and sound effects.

The game supports both Crystal and Game Center for online leaderboards and achievement tracking. It's priced at 99 cents for the iPhone/iPod version and $1.99 for iPad HD.

Time will tell if Cut the Rope can really challenge Angry Birds for App Store supremacy. I think it stands the best chance of any game I've played to date. Your thoughts? Have you found a "slicing" game you like better?