Is Pocket Creatures for the iPad, Worth Downloading?

Since I was a kid, I always had a thing for pocket pets, you know those silly little key-chain Tamagotchi toys that you had as a kid. They were always fun, watching your little pet grow up, then inevitably die, no matter how much attention you paid it.

I initially went to the App Store on my iPad looking for a pocket pet for my iPad due to the fact that I enjoy downloading pointless random garb for my device. I came across Pocket Creatures for free, so naturally I did not hesitate to download it.

The game starts off really cutesy and frankly would not be something a guy would really want to have stored on his iPad. Children and women however may find this one to be space hog worthy.
First you must tap an egg and hatch your creature. From there you give the fluffy little thing some customization, like color, and a name. Customizing does not really go all to far and wide, everything is vague, but simplicity is what gets the game rolling.

After that you and your creature are sitting in a small cave like setting. I was hoping later on my little guy would be able to find furniture, or that I could make or buy it, to try and spruce up my drab surroundings. No such luck; but outside of my cave door there was something I have never been given in a pocket pet game. That being a lush, colorful little forest for my creature to romp around in.

Well maybe not romp around in, but you can move him about the screen by double tapping, and you can find other hidden creatures in which you must lure out with food in order to put them to use. Each hidden creature comes packed with a benefit. The ant eater is lured out of his log by placing an ant nearby. You can then fill him with water at the lake, and water gardens to grow fruits, flowers or trees. You can then use these fruits, or plants to feed your creature.

At first though I did not need to water anything, and most of the creatures I did find had no purpose for me at the very beginning. The game has a mini built in tutorial at first that is helpful, but after it is over, you are left alone to figure out what bugs lure out what creatures, and it is up to you to figure out what purposes they hold.

As you learn the ropes in the game more, you become more aware of what it takes to get things rolling, otherwise you will just sit there bored.

Your creature has taste preferences, but you can alter those preferences easily by petting the creature while it eats, or slapping it. You can slap the creature into hating apples, or pet him into loving them. It's an odd little extra, but neat nonetheless.

Other creatures you can lure out in the forest become helpful tools, such as the platypus which you can pick up and use as a shovel to plant seeds, or dig around the yard for treasures.

Music and Sounds:
 
Pocket Creatures has a light hum drum sound playing in the background, and you will hear birds chirp and other noises which matches up to the environment very well. Nothing spectacular, but at the same time, there are no annoying noises either. Just your average forest like tune.

Graphics:
 
Everything as far as graphics go in Pocket Creatures is done really nicely. Your forest environment is crisp with bright colors, and your creature looks cool too. Details naturally are not very jaw dropping, but for a free game, I have to admit, I was impressed.

Overall:
 
All in all the game provides entertainment, which from personal experience, many free game applications downright stink. Pocket Creatures however will be one of those games you will go back to again and again to check up on your creatures status, and to maybe torture a few animals in the forest.
While the game lacks certain features on content I'd like to see added, as it is right now, I would definitely suggest it for a download while it is still free! So go ahead and get it!