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5th Cell's Run Roo Run goes universal, free for a week
Run Roo Run, the best game you're likely to play on your iOS device about a kangaroo bouncing on tires, is free for the next week on the App Store, as Apple's "Free App of the Week." We recommended it without reservation at its outrageous regular price of 99 whole cents, so we are even less hesitant to tell you to pick up the touch-based platformer for free.That free download will work on your iPhone and your iPad, as along with the freebie announcement, 5th Cell has updated Run Roo Run to be a universal app. It just got that much easier to recommend.
Daily iPad App: Run Roo Run HD
5th Cell is the developer behind the very popular Scribblenauts (which was released on iOS to great acclaim last year, and just had a new level pack update), and it recently brought a new title to the App Store called Run Roo Run. 2D platforming is a genre that's almost as old as videogames themselves (Mario, who you may know, is the grandfather of jumping around on 2D platforms), and as far as I'm concerned, Run Roo Run is a master class in 2D platforming design. It also has the added benefit of being a running title of sorts, and a puzzle game as well. The idea is that you, as Roo, a very cute Australian kangaroo, have lost a little blue buddy, and it's your job to jump across the Aussie landscape, over and around various obstacles, to save your friend. But your run is broken up into a series of stages that consist of one screen each, and so the goal is to keep the constantly running Roo jumping at just the right times to make it to the end of the screen and onto the next one. The action starts simple, but soon double jumps are added, and then the ability to slow Roo down or speed him up, and then you can swing on things, and just like Cut the Rope, a series of relatively simple elements can be combined into some very ingenious puzzles. Also like Cut the Rope, all of the action is crystal clear to see and understand, and the colorful graphics (especially on the iPad's HD version) and very chill Aussie soundtrack make this one a pleasure to play through. It's well polished, excellently designed, and for a 2D platforming fan like myself, every new stage is like another dish at an all-you-can-eat jumping buffet. And every level is timed and rewarded with gold, silver, or bronze medals, so there's lots of drive, even once you've conquered a simple one, to go back and do it perfectly the first time around. Run Roo Run is a great title, and shows that 5th Cell has really fallen in love with Apple's platform (of course, the big sales from Scribblenauts probably didn't hurt that emotion, either). It's available for 99 cents on iPhone, or for $1.99 on the iPad, with over 420 levels included, more showing up every week, and the option to buy some extra power-ups or convenience items via in-app purchase. Don't pass this one up, whatever you do.
Portabliss: Run Roo Run (iOS)
Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Run Roo Run. I was delighted to be able to bring you the first look at 5th Cell's new iOS game, Run Roo Run. I'm even more delighted to be able to report, after playing it for a few days, that it's totally fun. It's a simple platformer that avoids the problems so many iOS platform games face, by combining a traditional-style platformer with auto-run mechanics. The levels are smaller and more carefully designed than most auto-runners, so you still have tricky, precise jumps planned out by an evil genius, but protagonist Roo runs automatically like in a Canabalt-type game, sparing you the heartbreak of having to deal with virtual directional controls.
'Run Roo Run' available now on iOS, from Scribblenauts dev
Run Roo Run, 5th Cell's recently announced "micro-platformer," is available now through the iOS App Store. The "auto-run" game, featuring a kangaroo crossing Australia to find her joey, is the first of four titles the studio plans to launch this year.
5th Cell planning four games for 2012, including Hybrid
While talking to 5th Cell creative director Jeremiah Slaczka about the new iOS game Run Roo Run, I couldn't help but check in regarding the developer's delayed XBLA shooter Hybrid. "Hybrid is coming along great," Slaczka told me. "The game has been heavily refined since we gave the first hands-on at GDC last year. All the same core concepts are there, but there's a lot of new surprises we want to show off. We'll be revealing a lot very soon actually." Slaczka said that Hybrid is one of four new games 5th Cell expects to release this year. "Run Roo Run will be our first and Hybrid may or may not be our next, we'll see." Slaczka remained adamant that Hybrid would make a 2012 release. "We may be using Source Engine," he said, "but that doesn't mean we adhere to Valve Time."
5th Cell introduces Run Roo Run, its new weekly iOS platformer
How do you follow a game like Scribblenauts, in which you can make and do almost anything? For developer 5th Cell, the answer is to make a game in which you can only do one thing: jump. Run Roo Run for iPhone and iPad, coming this Thursday, is a "micro-platformer" about a kangaroo crossing the suspiciously dangerous landscape of Australia in search of her joey. We've got the first media, along with details from 5th Cell.%Gallery-143773%
