Trash Invasion Review

Game: Trash Invasion
Genre: Collect-athon, Educational
System: Android (also available for itch.io and Amazon Games)
Developer|Publisher: Different Way Games
Age Rating: US E
Price: UK £0 | US $0 | EU €0
Release Date: October 16th, 2020

Trash Invasion is a mobile game by Different Way Games. The theme of this game is all about trash and recycling and is meant to be an informational game for kids and teens to learn more about greening, recycling, and the proper disposal of trash.

The Story and Gameplay

Trash Invasion is all about trash and how it has come to life. The world is being overrun by its own refuse, and players need to not only pick up trash and recycling and put it in the right bins, but also fight trash monsters, destroy non-recyclables, and earn points.

Each stage has its own theme, like cleaning up the desert or the ocean or making the city streets less trashy. There is a box in the center with a label displaying what kind of trash or recycling can go in each container. Players lose points or hearts if they put incorrect trash in the bins. They can destroy any trash that doesn’t go in any of the bins in front of them. Trash will continuously spawn while the timer is active, giving players the opportunity to score a nearly unlimited number of points in a single round.

Pros of Trash Invasion

This game looks fabulous. The graphics are good and the play is somewhat smooth. Loading screens and points total screens have facts about trash, recycling. It also includes how players can do their part to cut down on the invasive trash problem happening in the real world.

Unlike more educational games, this one doesn’t talk down to you or overdo the tutorial. It feels like a “real” game instead of those educational games that put the “education” bit of the game before the “entertainment” part.

Cons of Trash Invasion

Unfortunately for Trash Invasion, it’s very difficult to play well. Some of the trash is similar-looking. This can be confusing as to what the item is made of (is this glass plastic or glass? The game doesn’t say). Also, each item has a hitbox that can be hit by other trash items. This means if you are moving an item to the bin, you can unknowingly interact with trash falling from the top of the screen.

This means that sometimes, a rebounding trash item can be pushed into the bin with the help of the item you are holding, making the player lose points or hearts. This happened so many times to me that I was frustrated with the whole game and just wanted to stop playing it.

The trash items on the ground can be hard to pick from with your finger. A stylus or the ability to play this with a mouse would have made picking which item I was trying to grab a little easier. My fat fingers just couldn’t seem to ever get the item I was aiming for.

Conclusion

Trash Invasion is a clever way of teaching with games. I liked the look of the game. The artwork is fabulous, and the music and look are everything I want from a phone game. The quick levels mean you can play whenever you get a moment, which is the best part of Android titles in my opinion.

However, the interaction problems made this game too hard to play without the use of a stylus or a mouse. I just lost points many times for not having a skinnier finger. Overall, the game is worth giving a try and has a great message. But it can be incredibly trying for those just wanting to play on their phones with their hands.

Final Verdict: I Like it.