Manok na Pula is cash-free online sabong with a dash of Pinoy humor
We Filipinos love chickens. We also love betting. I’m sure betting on cockfights is a favorite pastime of a relative of yours. It may be your dad, your uncle, your grandpa, or your tita. Whoever it is, there’s no denying that cockfighting is an integral part of Filipino culture.
So when the pandemic hit, everyone got bummed out that they can’t watch chickens fight anymore. A crucial part of Filipino culture was taken away from the masses. Oh, the horror!
And just like that, the popularity of online sabongs skyrocketed. But what if you aren’t liquid and have no cash to bet? This is where Manok na Pula comes in.
Manok na Pula is a game released originally back in 2019. It was developed by TATAY GAMES and currently boasts 1,000,000+ installations in the Google Playstore. If this is the first time you’ve heard of it, perhaps our review can help you decide:
How do you play?
A yassified chicken going against a naked chicken.
The gameplay is pretty simple: you have your own chicken going against an enemy chicken. You win by perfectly timing your tap and hope that lady luck is by your side (the latter being pre-defined by the way). There’s a campaign mode, an online PVP mode, a Versus Ostrich mode (it’s impossible to win if you didn’t grind for the better chickens), and hatching eggs.
You’re definitely a certified FIlipino if you get most of the references.
You can unlock other chickens, chat messages, new stadiums (fighting rings?), and upgrade chickens through the in-game currency. If you’re low on cash, there’s also a loaning system that gives you cash (you do have to pay it back) and rewards from watching ads.
It’s hilarious…
This one’s familiar… | Via TATAY GAmes
Manok na Pula encompasses typical Filipino comedy. It features puns, references, and comedic tropes that an ordinary Pinoy will surely get. Even my mom laughed at the game’s cheesy soundtrack and jokes.
…but gameplay is stale
Just like this chicken, the game may feel lifeless after a while.
However, besides being funny, the game is stale. There’s nothing much to accomplish besides collecting all chicken variants. Despite featuring leaderboards and online PVP, none of my friends utilize them as the game was primarily played offline.
Chicken Selection is great, though
Pretty delicious and definitely not a reference to my favorite lechon manok.
Despite the lack of gameplay depth, Manok na Pula still managed to make me play more from time to time. Unlocking chickens was addicting. Wouldn’t you want to get the Manok ni TAGURO and the mythical Sarimanok just to boast to your compadres?
Notable bugs
Despite losing multiple times, my money remained the same.
The game had a bug where I didn’t lose money after losing a match. Am I complaining? No, money bug is awesome. I wish this bug happened in real life. Will they patch it? Probably.
Besides that, tapping seems to be laggy, sometimes even not responsive. If your chicken was pretty beefed up then you’ve got nothing to worry about but if it’s not then it’s a sure way to lose.
Is Manok na Pula worth your time?
Hooray for Bisaya representation!
If you’re bored and just want to play a game to pass time, this game is for you. It’ll make you chuckle for a while and it won’t stress you out. Manok na Pula definitely encapsulates the little joys in life for most Filipinos. As such, give this Filipino-made game a try and help our local game development industry in the process.
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