App Attack is a weekly series where we search the App Store and Google Play Store for the best apps of the week. Check out App Attack every Sunday for the latest.
Can’t get enough of the break-dancing hot dog emoji on Snapchat? We can’t either. But if your Snapchat viewers don’t find it funny anymore, we’ve got an app this week that might replace your need to use the filter 24/7.
Dancing Hot Dog is a mobile game that has absolutely no affiliation with Snapchat but the developer — Ketchapp Games — clearly isn’t afraid of trouble because these hot dogs look almost identical. The hot dog in this game basically has the exact same cartoonish design as Snapchat’s — ketchup and mustard squiggles, with weird green lining underneath the bun I assume is relish or pickles.
The app took the Snapchat filter and gave it the complete college frat bro makeover — sporting a gold chain, glasses, a snapback, and laced up sneakers. It gets better — the app store description mentions he’s “super-swaggy” and the EDM background music also contributes to my theory that this game is themed around a college house party.
The point is simple — tap to jump on the platforms and stack as many as you can in attempt to crown yourself as the “top hot dog jumper.” The blocks come in from both the left and right side of the screen in all different sizes, so you have jump on top of them before they float away. You can see your score update in real time at the top of the screen as the blocks continue to pile up, but if you land too far on the edge the hot dog falls off and you’re back to square one.
- 1. Unlock prizes to customize the graphics.
- 2. Collect as many ketchup bottles as you can throughout the game.
- 3. Tap to jump on the platform in order to stack as many as possible.
Every so often, a block will include a ketchup bottle that gets added to your collection and you can use them as currency to purchase customizable items. The first gift I spent 200 ketchup bottles on turned the standard blue and purple color scheme into cute rubber ducks instead. Since the prizes are labeled with a question mark, you won’t know what design scheme you’ll get but can always switch back to existing ones if you don’t like it.
As for the level of difficulty, Dancing Hot Dog isn’t as easy as I thought it would be for an app that’s based around a dancing hot dog. Even though all you have to do is tap every time the platform comes along, it would be more enjoyable if it allowed you to have more control over the jumps. Since the blocks are all different sizes, long jumps aren’t always needed and it’s ultimately what leads hot dog bro to his demise.
Sadly, the dancing hot dog doesn’t dance very well. He only sticks to one move by holding his arms up and wobbling — I was disappointed to see it didn’t include his well-renowned break dancing moves from the Snapchat filter. On a separate note, it’s a little creepy that even when he falls from more than 20 blocks above, he never loses the smile on his face.
Regardless of how frustrating the game might get, it’s definitely addicting. Since it’s so mindless, I found myself playing over and over just to beat my high score. Its available for free on iOS and Android with ads included but if you really love playing it that much, you can also purchase the full version without them for $2.
