Mobile Gaming Month: Temple Run

Game: Temple Run
Platform: Android
Developer: Imangi Studios
Release Date: 27th March 2012

As I mentioned with Sonic Dash, endless runner style games on mobile devices have the potential to be rebranded for use with whatever characters and franchises are popular, and so that particular element of these games won't have too much impact on their score. Temple Run has a simple premise; players steal an idol at the beginning of them game, causing them to be chased by a pack of wild, somewhat deformed monkeys. By negotiating jumps, changes in terrain and low hanging trees the goal is to make it as far as possible, whilst collecting coins which can be put towards various upgrades and unlocks.

The gameplay action itself is engaging and fast paced, with a gradual increase in speed as time elapses. Players can swipe upwards to jump, downwards to slide under obstacles, or from side to side to turn a corner. Tilting the phone will change the character's position in the lane slightly, as coins are positioned on the left, right and in the centre. Where its possible to use powerups, they can be tapped from just under the score, and coin counter. Overall the controls work well and are simple to understand though occasionally left/right swipes don't seem to get recognised, resulting in a shortened run.

The powerup and upgrade system is generally good, allowing players to extend their runs as they collect more gems by way of improving the powerups found during each run. It's possible to optimally upgrade each powerup without having to spend any real-world cash, and it'll come naturally as long as you're playing the game anyway. As there's no real end goal, the only progress markers seem to be upgrading each powerup, and achievements which increase the score multiplier.

Graphically Temple Run has a simplistic feel overall, with some textures almost completely obviously pasted onto trees or rocks. It's not too much of an issue for a mobile game though, and the visuals are ample to tell what's going on. I'd have appreciated a little musical accompaniment to gameplay, but all that's given to players is some beating drums and the screaming of the chasing monkeys if your characters slows down too much.

Overall Temple Run is an interesting little endless runner for mobile that has a wide general appeal and easy to pick up gameplay. While it doesn't have the boss battles or brand appeal of Sonic Dash, there's still a fair amount to do, and a nice difficulty curve as runs continue. As there's a sequel, I might have to return to the series in a little while; it'll certainly be interesting to see what improvements have been made.

Rating: 65/100
Grade: C