I’ll admit that I was a sceptic when I first heard about Unstoppabot since it was described as an “unholy hybrid of an infinite runner and a brain-tickling puzzle game”. But after watching the trailer, my fears were put to rest: this is not another (endless) runner! In fact, it’s not even endless, and instead of the typical run/jump/swipe of most runners, here the player is tasked with creating a safe path for this guy to traverse… and, ROBOTS!
Since there’s no slowing Unstoppabot down, apart from minor frame-rate drops on my iPad 2, you’ve got no choice but to make sure that he can bounce safely over obstacles and gaps. In an effort to separate the game from other runners, you’ll be doing some light ‘puzzle solving’ in terms of deciding which object to place where. These range from ‘normal’ items like spring platforms to more obscure stuff like UFOs, and you also have to figure out what to place where and when! Suffice it to say, this game will definitely put your reflexes to the test and chances are you’ll get your ass kicked at least a couple of times throughout the 14 levels. It’s a good thing that checkpoints are plentiful then, even if failure does mean losing a number of points. Guess you’d better keep him safe at all times if you’re going for that magical high score!
Unstoppabot provides an entirely new experience to mobile gaming by making you feel both dumb and slow while you’re on the bus or pooping.
The puzzle aspect is based around tiles and the game highlights useable areas, so you won’t be able to simply place objects wherever you want to; do make sure you place things ahead of time, however, or they won’t work! You’ll also have to think on your feet since mere seconds will often make the difference between Unstoppabot running along without a care in the world, and sliding past the point of no return, over the edge and/or into a wall. It may all sound a bit basic, but in practice, it’s actually both quite tricky and entertaining – even if the overall difficulty could be higher. There’s always take the unlockable ‘infinite mode’ though, where I’m sure the challenge will ramp up nicely, as you try your best to claim a spot on the leaderboard (via. Game Center)…
Did I mention this little SeeThrough Studios robot puzzle runner is available from iTunes for free? Wait, that’s not entirely true – there are ads, even if they only pop up after completing a few levels. I would rather have paid a buck or two instead, but maybe that’s just me… Whatever the case, for the price of $0.00 ads, you get 14 levels of puzzle runner fun, plus the unlockable ‘infinite mode’ for that extra challenge/high score chase.
