Overview
We gave you a sneak peek of Spring Fling, and now that it’s in the App Store, it’s time for the in-depth review. Spring Fling is a casual game comparable to Papi Jump and Doodle Jump. In those games the character constantly jumps, and you just control their movement by tilting.
Spring Fling changes the mechanic by requiring you to compress the spring each time you want it to jump. Drag down on the spring, aim to launch it in a certain direction, and release. Watch the spring propel skyward trying to reach as high as you can.
Features
Spring Fling contains five different worlds to spring through. Bounce up a tree, spring around a waterfall, or even launch up a sewer. AGON online high scores are provided for each of the worlds, as well as the top overall score in any area.
As you reach higher in the different worlds you can pick up multiple items to customize your spring.. There are five different hats, and eyewear, and three mustaches. Also there are rockets, balloons, and spring power boosts to collect to help your ascent.
In every level the spring power depletes over time, and with each jump. In some areas the board automatically rises, and you have to keep ahead of it. As you progress you will reach pit stops that replenish your spring power.
The Good
Spring Fling is a quick pick up and play game for anytime, anywhere for a few short minutes in your day. The gameplay is a fresh take on a tired genre that has been dominated by Doodle Jump. Having to compress the spring, aim, and launch adds to the difficulty rather than a constantly jumping character.
You travel quite high on Doodle Jump before it gets difficult. Not so in Spring Fling because there are so few platforms. There is only one platform per height, and most of the time you can’t see where the next ones will be at the highest limits, and you’re jumping blind.
Overall the game just provides variance instead of the same thing every time like in Doodle Jump. The controls worked perfectly allowing you to drag down anywhere on screen. Online high scores add reason to try to better your own scores.
The game looks great, from the various nicely designed moving backgrounds to the cute yellow spring itself. Each background has a lot of detail packed into them. You really connect when you have a customized spring, like my spring with a jester hat, with 3D glasses, and a handle bar moustache.
With five worlds there are also five deluxe soundtracks. Each soundtrack goes with the world you’re playing in, and have high variability, but all are nice to listen to. Intermixed is the sproing each time you jump.
The Bad
The only thing not to like about this game is that it’s short. When playing Doodle Jump, you bounce upwards and score tens of thousands of points taking about 10 minutes. In spring Fling my best score is 450, and it doesn’t take very long to lose.
Also there are no enemies to avoid or fire upon which really separates Doodle Jump. The game can be quite difficult as well, but really do you want an easy Doodle Jump clone.
The Verdict
Spring Fling exemplifies the casual game, and really does a great job to separate itself from similar games. The game provides multiple worlds to spring up, and it looks and sounds great while doing it. The drag to compress, and then aim and release to spring makes this game engaging.
The difficulty is definitely a good thing with sparse platforms, and purposeful limiting field of view. Spring Fling is worth $0.99, but I’m not too big of a fan of any of these types of games when there’s so much more you can do for $0.99 in the App Store.
***To win one of two promo codes. Please watch my inaugural voice-over video, and let me know what you think. How do you like having a voice over in the video? What do you think of the special bonus in the video?
The winners will be chosen randomly at the end of the day Today (11/4 at 11:59 PM PDT). There are two codes and there will be two separate winners. Download codes are only redeemable through US iTunes accounts. Please remember to include a valid email address so we can contact the winner.
Our Rating
Spring Fling
- Developer: SpringFling
- Category: Games
- Released: October 30th, 2009
(currently 1.1 (iPhone OS 3.0 Tested))
(currently 0.99)
I really like when there is a voice-over during gameplay videos, its nice to have that extra little bit of information to explain a little bit of what you are watching.
Now, as far as the accent… It was actually a bit distracting, because even before I hit the “6th Sense-style reveal” at the end of the video I was trying to figure out “where is this guy from?”. With a name lik Trevor, I suppose he could be British, but at times the accent sounded British and other times almost a bit Norwegian.
Anyways, nice video and I hope I win a code.
Please send me a copy
Video Looked Great
love the voice over.
The *content* of the voice over was very helpful, (I almost bought the game before I realised I had a chance to win it), but the accent is so ANNOYING!
It sounded like you started Australian, moved onto British, flicked to American momentarily, then settled on something almost Russian-Mafia-ish! What was that all about?!
I really liked the video. I think the voice over adds a quality that makes it interesting throughout especially for some of the more basic games. Also, the British accent was great I never even knew it was (spolier alert) put on until the end. Good Work I’m excited to hear more video voice overs.
Amazing game and a very good review about it. The voice-over is perfect, good job!
Voice over is great, helps with some context to what you are watching. Kill the accent though.
Developer here. Glad you guys like the game! Any suggestions you guys have will go directly into version 2. I plan on upgrading the game with fixes, additions, and other cool things that the community wants to see.
i like the voice over in the video
Dazzling. Is the word. ….. Great game
I usually like having voice-overs on reviews. It lets the reviewer explain the app (and maybe some background info, as well) in more detail that they could just show with a video of the app itself. I like the idea as a general rule, unless an app is clear by itself and the voice actually then takes away from the video.
Code please?!?
Voice-overs are ok. I prefer sentences and arrows.
What a fun video and a great review. I always love the reviews in general and a video with voice over really puts a nice added touch to the look of the game.
Keep it up, though I’m not so sure about the accent it does keep it interesting though :p
Thank you for the feedback on my video reviews. I will be sure to continue the voice-overs. Just minus the accent, only about once a month to be funny.
Our Spring Fling promo code winners are:
Bryan F
Kevin groce
Thanks again
-Trevor