Jetpack Joyride

Halfbrick get it. The Australian developer have been perfecting the iOS game since 2010 with the likes of the ever popular, Fruit Ninja. One simple control; swipe the screen with your finger. In Jetpack Joyride, you take on the role of Barry Steakfries (who is somewhat of a mascot for Halfbrick now) as he makes his way to his dead-end job and looks as downtrodden as many feel in his situation. However, Barry spots a laboratory working on a machine-gun jetpack (as you do) and decides to take this opportunity to have a little fun.

Jetpack Joyride is another game that takes the one-touch gameplay method and does it so superbly. You start at the beginning of the level and see how far you can get without losing your one life. Like Tiny Wings, there is only ONE level and that ONE level is the game, with the objective being, to get as far in said level as you can. The jetpack (the same one as in Halfbrick’s Monster Dash) is your ticket to grabbing as many coins, power ups and whatnot as you can. You avoid lasers, electric beams and missiles by using your rocket fuelled apparatus to great effect. There is no shooting at beams or enemies, you just simply touch the screen to make Barry fly!

But if it was simply a jetpack you controlled, I think it might get a little boring, which is why it’s cool to see Halfbrick expanding the game with other “vehicles” to use instead of your jetpack. By progressing through the level, you collect power ups such as; a motorbike, a gravity suit and a big fire-breathing dragon to name a few of the add-ons.

The “missions” in the game add another cherry on top. Stuff like, “play 3 games”, “high five 10 scientists”, “brush past 10 red lights in one level”. These types of things make the game more than just, “get as far as you possibly can”, however, that is obviously the main crux of the game with online leaderboards and the hope of beating your friend’s score!

But Joyride doesn’t stop there, at the end of every level there is a slot machine where, if you’ve collected “spin tokens”, you can have a whirl that might lead to a power up for the next game, more coins or something else. Then there’s your Stash. This is where you can put those coins to use. You can buy upgrades to your vehicles or just give Barry a nice new haircut!

It is one of the best uses of touch on iPhone that I’ve come across and a steal at its price. There is so much in this game that it kept me coming back for, “just one more go”…an hour passes and then you realise your chicken kiev is burned. Curses! I said it the beginning and I’ll say it again, Halfbrick get it.

Colm Ahern