If you’ve ever wondered what a 3D rendition of Angry Birds might be like, then you have your definitive answer with Catapult King, Chillingo’s physics-based knockdown fiesta with a medieval twist. It’s a stylish game, radiating with goof and charm, but it also brings a fair share of annoyances that hold it back from being exceptional.

Any way you slice it, Catapult King is shamelessly identical to Angry Birds. Sub in a catapult in place of a slingshot and big balls of steel in place of birds and you’re on the right track. In Catapult King, you’re tasked with lobbing these massive balls at enemy soldiers; hitting all of them with the provided shots will earn you victory, clearing the way to the next stage.

Playing Catapult King is easy enough; you adjust the catapult’s arc, pull the shot back, then release the ball at it’s target. Hitting walls in the right spots can bring down entire buildings and topple multiple soldiers at once, and some shots pack extra effects, like exploding on impact or splitting into smaller scattering rounds. Honestly, it’s all very familiar stuff. The game is enjoyable, though you may find it a bit tired if you’ve been keeping up with Angry Birds at all. Catapult King tries to mix things up by providing you with three different kinds of “magic” shots, but even those just end up feeling like an enchanted rehash of the Mighty Eagle.

Since we’re comparing Catapult King to Angry Birds (it’s tough not to), let’s be honest here: If you don’t like your first shot, you immediately start over, don’t you? Hey man, it’s okay. There’s no shame in it. I did it all the time in Angry Birds, and I found myself doing it just as much in Catapult King. Throughout these repeated restarts, I quickly discovered why Catapult King is ultimately inferior to the game it draws itself from: It just takes too damn long to start over. In Angry Birds, you can go right into a restart with all the quickness of a ninja, consecutive times if necessary, without much meaningful delay. Catapult King, on the other hand, is just slow enough on restart to be nagging and annoying.

Catapult King’s lack of finesse is, for me, its biggest flaw. In taking the Angry Birds formula into 3D territory, Catapult King suffers from all the pitfalls you might imagine would come from such a transition. Lining up shots can be tedious and finicky; trying to locate your targets behind walls and terrain can be frustrating. Honestly, Angry Birds just did a better job, nailing the formula so perfectly that Catapult King feels boggish and clunky by comparison.

Catapult King isn’t terrible, mind you. It’s simple fun and can be pretty satisfying when everything goes your way. Catapult King is best played in short bursts, as it can be fatiguing when compared to, you know, that other game. It just doesn’t hold up to extended play the way Angry Birds did. Despite that, there’s a lot of game here for $.99 and if you just can’t get enough of flinging things and knocking stuff down, then Catapult King may be just what the doctor ordered.

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