It's no surprise that plenty of app developers want to take advantage of the Fortnite and Minecraft craze by making a game that feels on-par with either game but with a random gimmick or a name that vaguely implies the theme of the game. And the prominence of these games can be best explained with the fact that they're much easier to develop for mobile devices and won't jeopardize sales had they been given physical copies or used more premium platforms to present their content (also the reason why they use ads compared to the apps made by larger developers). Anyone can simply install a game on their phone or tablet, try it out for a while, and either enjoy the game for what it is or poke fun of its controls as well as any other flaws found from within. Can the same be said for Pixel Gun 3D: FPS Shooter & Battle Royale?

Features

After you install Pixel Gun 3D, you will be greeted with the many features it has to offer. Let's first go over the clans of the game; players can team up with each other and eventually rise to the higher divisions of the game. Along the way, you will encounter prizes that will benefit you in the long run, especially when you're customizing your fort to protect your team against PvE Sieges. Additionally, you will be creating a tank that allows you to raid other forts and take what belongs to them. As you take over enemy territories, you will soon have nearly everything on the game's map even while you earn valor points as well as money from the lands you already own.

The selection of weapons would normally comprise of the typical variety you'd expect from first-person shooters and battle royale games, but it's the quantity that makes Pixel Gun 3D stand out for a mobile app; it comprises over 800 weapons to choose from, comprising of melee weapons like a medieval sword or a ranged weapon such as the Dark Matter Generator. There are also up to 40 gadgets to take advantage of, whether they solve specific quests in-game or defend you when taking down opponents isn't enough.

Given how much it's influenced by the likes of Minecraft and Fortnite, expect to find a huge selection of skins to wear. They help players stand out from each other and could be customized in the skin editor. In terms of the selection itself, you have the option to either be based on a pre-established figure or wear suits that would seem a little more unique in terms of appearance. As for the Skin Editor itself, it's shocking to see how responsive the option is, considering most games in the same tier Pixel Gun 3D is in would normally have notorious user interference. It's good to see both the customizability feel limitless while the controls remain smooth as always.

There's more to discuss with the game modes, which include the standard Battle Royale and Raids, but there are also other games to try out like the Death Match and the Duels. The selection of games to check out is not only good for a game of this tier, but it's also good that they're capable of rotating the brawls every week (the same feature can be said about the maps players can explore). One of the more popular game modes of Pixel Gun 3D is the zombie-survival campaign, which will put players to the test in who will kill the most zombies and who will make it through the end. When the larger game modes are getting tiresome, there are 10 minigames to try out in the meantime. Players from around the world can come together and test their skills in other forms of competition, whether it's the Glider Rush or the Sniper Tournament.

Pro's and Con's

Pixel Gun 3D certainly has quite the quantity when it comes to the features it presents, especially considering how most games in the same tier tend to feel half-baked by comparison. It also works well when you consider how much variety there is to begin with; the weapons found in the game provide players with different methods of fighting. The game modes are also welcome for anyone wanting to set the main missions aside and try some other tasks for a while (also elevates Pixel Gun 3D to a fairly professional status for a mobile game). The best part is that the controls are actually smooth, and they're not going to interfere with how you play the game. The button layout makes sense, the controls are responsive, and nothing gets in the way whatsoever.

That being said, Pixel Gun 3D is not a perfect game. In terms of the elephant in the room, the aesthetics are undeniable copies of Minecraft and Fortnite (especially the former). The aesthetics certainly aren't going to ruin the quality of the game, so this might come off as more of a nitpick. What might ruin the experience for some is the pay-to-win mechanics, which is expected for a game like this despite being fairly notorious if there are some assets that aren't accessible without paying for them. The most annoying part of the game is when you enter a battle where your team is about to lose; it's going to affect your points if you end up getting involved in such a situation (especially if you have a valuable amount of points that you don't want to lose).

Conclusion

Pixel Gun 3D is a fairly decent amalgamation of the ideas and aesthetics that both Minecraft and Fortnite are known for, which is surprising given the reputation that similar offerings tend to have among reviewers. The app is at least well-made in terms of its gameplay mechanics, and there are a handful of features to keep players interested. It's not a perfect game, and some will be turned off by the obvious copy of design choices, but for what it is, no one will feel too bad if they were to install Pixel Gun 3D. It's certainly better than most apps trying to capitalize on the mobile-game-with-blocky-characters bandwagon, and it's also one of the instances where the trailer's visual quality doesn't contrast from the actual gameplay!