App of the Week

Shaun the Sheep: Fleece Lightning 3 cert, Green Ant/Chillingo, iPad (also iPhone) ****

Shaun the Sheep: Fleece Lightning3 cert, Green Ant/Chillingo, iPad (also iPhone) ****

Shaun the Sheep, once a supporting character in A Close Shave, is now a fully fledged institution, with a series shown in more than 100 countries, a merchandising empire and now an app videogame. Not baaaad for a barnyard animal. Despite a startling resemblance to another app (Sheeple Chase), Fleece Lightning is a charming and compulsive 2D racer. Race downhill (scrolling from top to bottom) against the pigs, avoiding skittish livestock and obstacles along the way. Don’t expect races to last more than half a minute. Fleece Lightning may not be original, but it’s beautifully packaged with the Aardman show’s gentle music, adorable character design, amusing sound effects and the studio’s love for puns (levels have names like “Bridge too Baa” and “Swine Cone“). This is not only reasonably priced, but a chance to design your own tracks ensures that you won’t get fleeced. A sheer joy.