Hyper Jump

Camel Games is no stranger to the Android having produced some of its best games. With their current library of titles I'm puzzled as to why they don't yet seem to have a website to better market their wares. It's also been interesting to see them grow in terms of quality and Hyper Jump is another example of their experience.

Hyper Jump is another jumping game based on the premise introduced by Doodle Jump, and I'm pleased to see that it does do something different. However, before we get there let me say that the graphics and sound on this titles are very well executed. The background, unlike its inspriration, is very colorful and pretty. And the 'ahhhhh' sound of climbing is really very well done along with the cha-ching of gathering coins and so forth. Controls are flawless with the simple tilt left and right control scheme that makes this game so good on mobile devices. The game play is as smooth as silk and Hyper Jump is a pretty game to look at.

The premise of the game is that you're trying to jump as high as you can. As you jump you are trying to collect coins (and other power ups). Coins are not only points, but also act as energy to fly higher... in fact, I'd say the little guy in this game flies more so than jumps. If you're out of energy you fall and MUST touch a coin on the way down to get more energy and that's where the game is different. There are no platforms to land on or wait on while you think of your next move. This game has you going and going and going until the end which, for me, arrives very quickly. My current high score is a paltry 3,993 with 59,224 currently occupying the top spot on the global leader board by a solid margin.

I do wish this game had instructions... but I'm sounding like a broken record with that complaint. If it did, I wouldn't have to figure out that the number in the upper left is how many coins have been collected... upper right is your height... and your score is equal to 5 times the number of coins collected plus your height. It would also be nice to know what power ups are available, the exact difference between the red and gold coins (are reds worth 5 or something?), ...etc so I could play instead of having to experiment to figure out something that could (and should) have been communicated. The game also offers different characters... one has one eye and the other has two eyes. Is there any real difference between the two? And how about the scene that is coming soon... will it change the game or will it be just art work?

As for the game, it is both excellent and enjoyable despite me having to figure out the 'rules'. It is well worth the $1.99 introductory price tag (although that seems like a good price to keep the game at to me). 5/5 stars for something that has and will keep me coming back for more.