The best multiplayer games are downright addictive. Leveling systems, unlockable items, and new maps keep players coming back for more action. Zlapio on Poki is a simpler game, with nothing but one mode and one objective: slap your foes to death. Is it worth the price of admission? Considering it’s free and quite fun, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
If you’ve tried Agar.io, Slither.io, or one of many similar .io titles, you’ll be familiar with the concept of Zlapio. It’s a very straightforward multiplayer game without extensive rules or controls. One round of play can last anywhere between a few seconds and a few minutes. Advanced players can lose just as quickly as newbies, because everyone is just one hit away from death. But, this isn’t a morbid game; it’s an action-packed arcade sensation.
Momentum is the key to success in Zlapio. Every character swings a brightly colored mace around themselves, bashing anything nearby. You can drag the mace behind you, but it won’t do much good. In order to deal real damage, you must swing the mace in big circles, building up speed and power. Skilled players seem to know how to get the most strength out of a few revolutions. There’s a somewhat steep learning curve here, and practicing is the only way to get better. You can watch and learn from other players’ moves, but be careful—idle characters are easy targets.
Thanks to basic, 2D graphics, Zlapio runs smoothly on any relatively modern device. When testing the high-quality setting on an 8-year-old desktop PC, I didn’t experience any lag. The actual gameplay window isn’t terribly large, which might contribute to why it runs so well.
Zlapio also has an uncluttered interface, displaying only a few key elements during gameplay. The top-right corner of the screen shows the top 5 current scores, along with yours. The bottom-right section of the screen displays a very basic map. It’s not a radar view, so you can’t see the location of other players. However, the map tracks your current location relative to the entire arena. It’s useful for avoiding getting trapped along a wall. The bottom-left corner of the screen constantly updates to show how many gamers are in your arena and how many people are playing Zlapio around the world.
There is not much to customize in Zlapio, and that’s perfectly fine. You can type in a unique username before playing, so that others will remember you. There’s no registration process, meaning you can change your username at any time without hassle. There are also a bunch of different characters and maces, which are akin to the “skins” found in Agar.io and Slither.io. You can choose a character based on color or mace shape. Just like the free username selection, you are able to change your character at any time.
Zlapio is a highly competitive multiplayer game. Absolutely anyone can play, but not everyone will win. If you’re willing to learn the art of swinging a cartoon mace, this is the game for you.
