The Impossible Game Review

9.0

Review Score:

Annoyingly addictive. Frustratingly fun. Desperately difficult. Three phrases which describe The Impossible Game perfectly. Developed by FlukeDude, The Impossible Game became an Xbox Live Indie Game hit but now it is available on the Apple App store for download on the iPhone, iPod and iPad. This review is primarily focused towards the app version however the Xbox version is very close to this version.

The game is a simplistic platformer set to the noise of a thumping dance tune, which really fits with the game regardless of if you like that sort of music or not. This music changes to a somewhat more plain tune if you enter the “Practice Mode”, this mode being activated if you place a flag along your way. Obviously this makes the game easier because instead of starting from the beginning of the game you get placed back at your flag.

Of course the game isn’t “impossible” to beat but it is damned difficult, even testing the patience of the calmest people. Learning using practice mode makes the game mode slightly easier since you know the course but it’s still easy to fail. I’ve only managed to reach 35% of the level using practice mode.

The difficulty of the game makes the game seem far longer than it actually is, so once you’ve completed it you’ll probably be left with a bit of an empty feeling. Since the game is on the app store there is great potential to expand the game as it can be updated easily therefore it would be nice to see a new level added once every few months or so. Then again the game has a few extra features, medals and stats.

Simplicity is the key to this game, the graphics of the game are fresh and appealing. The controls are the simplest feature, all you need to do is tap the screen! The soundtrack is also fresh with no vocals and is perfectly balanced to fit the game.

There are only four medals in the game, these all take some time to unlock so could keep you playing a little longer but they will most likely be obtained whilst playing normally. Stats allows you to see the progress you’ve made using practice mode and normal mode. Stats also lets you see your total jumps and total attempts, this could be improved if a scoreboard system was implanted whereby you can compare scores with friends. An extra little feature allows you to post your scores to Twitter or Facebook.

Overall, the game is a great boredom buster and it engages you both mentally and physically. If you have little to no patience do not buy this game, it will only end in a broken device and possibly a crack in your wall when you throw it after failing for the 50th consecutive time. For $0.99/£0.59 it’s well worth a go, however if you’re still unsure try the browser based demo or wait for the upcoming lite version to be released on the appstore.

Keep an eye on FlukeDude for his forthcoming projects one of which is called “Sci-Fi” which is to be a four player party game. Why not follow him on Twitter too?

NXT Score: 9/10

Pros

• Smooth design, soundtrack and gameplay
• Addictive & enjoyable
• Easy controls

Cons

• Nothing to do once completed