Get Rollin' As The Giant Boulder Of Death

Giant Boulder of Death (Free) by [adult swim] is another addictive endless runner for your iOS device. However, as this is made by Pik Pok and adult swim, you can be sure that it’s as quirky as they come.

Endless runners, despite their simplicity, are some of the most addictive iOS games around. It’s the easy game mechanic that keeps us coming back for more, and each time we say, “I’ll do better this time.” I love these games, but most of the time, it’s usually the same thing. There’s been a trend of post-apocalyptic endless runners, the over-the-shoulder perspective, and plenty of others. However, I have to admit that I’m rather enjoying GBOD, simply because it is so darn charming.

What makes this a giant boulder of death? Because this boulder has a grudge, and he’s taking it out on the life below the mountain. How does a boulder have a grudge, or even come to life in the first place? I don’t know, but [adult swim] sure does. Who knows how they came up with this idea, but I love it anyways.

The graphics in this game are blocky on purpose, adding a layer of personality to the game. The boulder is big, bad, and bolder, and the environments are colorful, rich, and detailed. If you look closely during all of the crushing, you’ll see that while the buildings and fences look pretty normal, the humans and animals are blocky, as if they came from Minecraft. Animations in the game are smooth and fluid, just flowing together naturally. If you play with the sound on, then you will enjoy an off-beat folk music soundtrack with a hint of yodeling.

Like with all runners, there’s only one mode: get as far as you can before you, in this case, explode and split into a bunch of smaller boulders getting their last bit of revenge. The controls in the game are incredibly uncomplicated and intuitive. To steer your boulder, just tilt your device. To avoid obstacles like large rolling mines and spiky walls, just tap the screen to jump.

If you hit a wall or mine, then you will break, and your roll of devastation ends. You can also fall to your death, so be careful! The game allows you to continue your run, but you have to pay in the premium currency of purple gems. As you destroy stuff, you will fill up your power bar at the left, which increases the multiplier and then you become an Invinciboulder for a limited time when it’s full. Various missions are there to keep things fresh and give players something to strive for during each run. Completing these will reap valuable rewards.

Players will get points for rolling over trees, fences, animals, and people in the game, each worth their own value. There are also large gold coins that you can collect, which will be used to get upgrades for your boulder, making him a stronger, almost-unstoppable force to be reckoned with. Upgrades include things like jump height, steering speed, and the duration of the Invinciboulder. You can also get some boosts to make the run easier.

If you are ever running low on coins or gems, and don’t feel like grinding out for them, then you can purchase more of either via in-app purchases. The game also provides some free coins for following them on Twitter or liking their Facebook page. There is also full Game Center integration for leaderboards and hilariously named achievements.

So far, I am enjoying GBOD quite a bit, as I do with all endless runner games. I’m not sure how long it will keep me entertained for, though, as I have a tendency to forget about these games after a while. But I mean, who doesn’t like destroying stuff on a rampage? I’m sure this will keep me busy for quite some time, though, at least until I find my next addiction. My only dislike of the game is the fact that the Coin Doubler in-app purchase is $4.99 — I remember when things like this used to cost only $0.99 like in Jetpack Joyride. Kind of overpriced, in my opinion.

If you enjoy endless runners and games where destruction’s the name, then you will definitely like Giant Boulder of Death from [adult swim]. Roll your way to the App Store and get this as a universal app for free.