Major Mayhem

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m usually a little leery whenever I hear about any new release from Adult Swim Games. After all, we’re talking about Adult Swim here … the same channel that cracks me up weekly with shows like The Venture Bros. and Robot Chicken, while simultaneously making me switch the TV to anything else when an episode of something like Loiter Squad or Squidbillies rolls through. I’ve had the same reaction to Adult Swim’s library of games. When they hit the mark, like Monsters Ate My Condo or the classic Robot Unicorn Attack, these quirky titles are a blast to play. But other games like Hemp Tycoon and My Lil’ Bastard are cringe-worthy at best.

Enter Major Mayhem, the titular star of Adult Swim Games’ hit iOS game, now available for Android devices. When action calls, it has to leave Major Mayhem a message … because he’s too busy kicking ass to answer the phone. The world is descending into chaos, with ninjas, desert bandits, and even the Mafia popping up around the globe, the President sends in Major Mayhem to clean up the mess. Oh yeah, and the baddies also snatched up Mayhem’s girlfriend for good measure … just in case he needed a little more incentive to go trigger happy.

Major Mayhem is a cross between a cover-based and on-rails shooter. Each stage sees Major Mayhem running from Point A to Point B, finding places to take cover and take out enemy troops. From cover, the player taps the screen to poke his head out and shoot targets, quickly ducking back to avoid oncoming enemy fire. As Major Mayhem takes damage, he loses pieces of his clothing, starting with his hat, then losing his shirt, before ultimately losing his life. It reminds me, in some ways, of watching Sir Arthur take damage in the classic Ghosts n’ Goblins. Only Major Mayhem never gets knocked down to his boxers. Maybe he’s “going commando” while he’s going commando. Whatever the reason, it’s a solid three strikes and you’re out.

Although it’s a pretty straightforward and somewhat repetitive formula, the game never gets old for a few reasons. For starters, there are 150 different in-game objectives to strive for. Some of these are as simple as activating one of Mayhem’s special power-ups during a mission, while others a bit more complicated, like shooting the hats off of bodies or taking out a certain number of foes in one shot. These bonus objectives add a substantial amount of replay value to the game, along with the 100 achievements it offers for players to chase after.

While Major Mayhem may fall into the category of a “freemium” game, you can easily get everything out of the game without ever shelling out a dime. The in-game currency is easy to earn by simply playing through levels, sharing your score on Twitter or Facebook, accomplishing objectives, and leveling up in rank. The coins can be used to buy new weapons capable of mass destruction, new costumes for Mayhem (the “Mankini” outfit in particular definitely takes the cake), and power-up supplies. Coins can also be used to unlock new stages and game modes.

Major Mayhem is an addictive little shooter that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down. The game looks and sounds great, is good for plenty of laughs, and keeps the action coming whether you play it for a few minutes or a few hours. It’s a great addition to the Adult Swim Games lineup, and a definite must have for mobile gamers.