Jetpack Joyride is the newest $0.99 title from Halfbrick Studios, the developers of Fruit Ninja, and they have returned with another title featuring their protagonist, Barry Steakfries. That normally sends a small chill down my spine because previous games involving this hero have been very simple casual titles that lack the polish of Fruit Ninja, but I’m proud to say that my initial assessment of this game was completely off. Within 15 seconds of loading it up, I knew that this was a completely different beast.
At its core, Jetpack Joyride looks like another running, jumping, and dodging arcade title, but it’s executed so well that it feels like a lot more. The game combines several gameplay types (in the form of vehicle pick-ups) that all rely on reflexes, and yet it never feels unfair during gameplay: getting into a vehicle clears all obstacles on screen, allowing you just enough time to get used to the new control scheme before more things start trying to kill you. Every single game has you flying to achieve missions, higher distance scores, and accumulating more cash.
Jetpack Joyride creates layers of delight: you start off with your jetpack, jump in a vehicle, crash and go back to your jetpack, die and use a slot machine for random bonuses, check your high score and stash, then restart to try out what you have just bought. It’s a cycle that’s both vicious and delicious, and it’s incredibly addicting.
It’s easy enough to come up with an addicting formula, but it takes a lot more talent and effort to pay attention to the little details and add heart, and that’s exactly what Halfbrick Studios have done here. Jetpack Joyride is one of those rare titles that’s instantly addicting while managing to become more endearing the more you play it.
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