Sonic Jump (iOS) Review
Look at him… mocking me with that thumbs up.
If there weren’t enough platform jumping games in the App Store, Sonic Jump is here to fill that void. Sonic is back as his coin collecting self, this time on iOS, ready to take on evil Dr. Eggman once more. This title has been called many things since its release on October 17. SEGA announced on their blog that they were excited for “Sonic’s first-ever game developed specifically for mobile platforms.” However, neither of these statements acknowledge that Sonic Jump is actually a remake of a game under the same name released on the Sega Mobile service in 2005. But, while it is a remake, the updates might make it a purchase worth considering.
Story
Sonic Jump is quite plainly a rehash of the same old fight against Dr. Robotnik in a different form. Before each stage, players are given a glimpse of a short comic which seems to explain that the evil villain of the Sonic franchise is back, this time kidnapping animal friends and flying them off into the sky. Naturally there is only one way to stop him: Sonic, and his unlockable friends Tails and Knuckles, must use the appearing platforms to chase him down, defeat him and thus foil his evil plan once more.
Gameplay
Players can jump their way through 36 levels in Story Mode or see how high they can get compared to their friends in Arcade Mode. Veterans of the franchise will be pleased to see more familiar faces than just the main villain as a variety of enemies will try and knock you back to the beginning of the level. To make overcoming these obstacles easier, players can use the precious coins they have collected to buy upgrades and items. In the event that you suck, you could always use your hard earned real money to unlock everything, but where’s the fun in that?
There’s two kinds of ice platforms with cracks: Ones you can jump off of and ones you fall through.
Though the game begins with a few items available, more are unlocked with each level gained. It is not only the selection of items that depends on your level, but the two alternate characters as well. Levels are gained by completing a variety of missions from having to complete so many double jumps to defeating Dr. Eggman for the first time (which is as easy as hitting him three times mid-jump). With an excellent learning curve, the game starts out so easy it bores you, but stick around and you’ll be spiking your iPhone at the pavement soon enough. This game is definitely Case Advised.
Graphics
The updated graphics in this version of Sonic Jump look sleek on the iPhone. Even in HD, SEGA has ensured that Sonic holds to his cartoony roots. Fans of the series will not be disappointed as the environment looks crisp and smooth while still being “Sonic.”
Sound
By the time gamers reach the end of the first zone they will be ready to hear a different tune. While the soundtrack to Sonic Jump is catchy, it can be a bit repetitive as the same song plays over and over again on each stage in a zone. They will also noticed that there is a very noticeable absence of music between stages. Other than that, there is little to complain about except for the occasional glitch in which players will lose game sound effects which can be fixed by simply closing and reopening the game which is hardly a big issue on iOS.
Overall
Priced at $1.99, Sonic Jump may be a bit pricey for what buyers are getting. However, for those who absolutely must have everything Sonic, have at it; everyone else should probably wait for the price to drop to $0.99. While fun and challenging, it’s been a long time since a game in the franchise has truly lived up to traditional Sonic the Hedgehog run though slopes and loop-de-loops and it seems that is going to continue. Perhaps it’s unfair to judge a game for iOS by such high standards, but the wait will continue.
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Miranda L Visser
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