Total Score: 29.5
If you loved movie, The Secret Life of Pets (and who didn’t?), then you’ll love The Secret Lives of Pets: Unleashed. You get a chance to interact with the pets, hear their excitement, and earn points and prizes. This app would be fun if it just had the pets. Pets and a game equal tons of fun.
Price Rating = 5 Free. There are in-app purchases. When I tested this app I used the free version with no upgrades.
Ease of Use Rating = 5It was easy to understand and start playing immediately. It is basically a match the shape game.
Readability Rating = 5Some of the text is small, but it is readable. Most of the text and instructions are in a good size font. On an iPad they are perfect.
Will You Use It Rating = 5When you find time to relax and just want to have a little fun, this is just the app for you. A game that involves simple matching and interaction with the pets is a clear winner.
Downsides Rating = 0 I have not identified any downsides. It is a little slow to load at various times, but the graphics are amazing. Let me stress this is not an inconvenience.
Consumer Review Rating = 4.5 There have been about 2,500 reviews and they are overwhelmingly positive. The biggest complaint is that it was fairly easy to move from level to level.
Why Do You Need This App Rating = 5 First of all, it’s just plain fun. Second, because of the connection to the movie, it is likely to delight children (and adults). And, last, if you are in the older generation, there is some evidence that games lead to healthier brains.
- Getting started is easy. When you open the app it asks you how old you are. A slider allows you to adjust your age. I tested it at my real age and then as a 10-year-old and saw no difference. On that page you can read and accept the privacy and cookie policy. You can also connect via Facebook or Game Center.
- You start at level one and there are eleven levels in the first game. Tap on Max (Level 1) to start the game. There are many games and levels to explore.
- In Level one, making matches brings Max’s human, Katie, home. Once you have made enough matches it takes over and finishes the game for you and gives you a score. The sound effects are nice, both for the game and when Max excitedly says “she’s back.”
- There are a number of features to this app.
- Like all games there are special toys or treats to help earn more points and move you along to the next level. There are instructions along the way to help you make the best use of the toys to clear the board.
- There are also amusing options like turning up the heavy metal music with Leonard (the standard poodle) by matching toys.
- You can earn extra coins by playing fetch with Max. You can do this one time a day. You do have some coins to begin with and can buy toys to help you win the games more quickly.
- Playing the game earns extra rewards which appear in the doggy bag in the center of the screen.
- There aren’t a lot of icons in this app.
- The settings icon at the bottom right on your iPhone or at the bottom left on an iPad, allow you to see the user agreement, privacy & cookie rules and to disable shared usage. On this page you can also toggle the music on/off.
- A heart icon at the top tells you how many lives you have and allows you to buy more.
- The coin counter app, also at the top allows you to buy more coins.
I have gone over the basic functionality. There is a lot more to learn and explore. The Secret Life of Pets: Unleashed is one of those games that requires a small amount of skill and delivers a bunch of fun – regardless of your age. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
This app requires iOS 8.0 or later. It is compatible with an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. The app is developed by Electronic Arts, Inc.