Zeke In Orbit Gets A Makeover, Plus A Chance To Win
Zeke in Orbit ($0.99) by Brendan Wood is a physics-based puzzle game that requires you to use inertia to drag, swing and launch Zeke, the space traveling dog, around various obstacles and ultimately, through the portal to another universe. It is available for $0.99 for the iPhone/iPod touch or $1.99 for the iPad-optimized HD version. Recently updated to include modern retro graphics, this game is out of this world.
Your hero, Zeke, is on his way to adventure. Donning a protective space bubble, he is trying to collect as many dog bone treats as possible while traveling across the galaxy. There are nodes that you must touch so an electric pulse will reach out and attach to Zeke’s bubble, pulling him toward it. With proper timing, you can help Zeke snatch up his treats and make it to the portal where he will be transported to another part of the galaxy.
The physics premise involves the inertia of traveling in a weightless environment while being flung around by electrical pulses. Imagine swinging from rope-to-rope in a jungle. Now imagine being weightless while doing that. One wrong move and you can be on a non-stop flight to nowhere. Luckily, the nodes in Zeke in Orbit reach far enough to grab him from all the way across the screen, making it always possible for him to move. The hard part is getting the nodes to move him in the right direction.
There are six different galaxies with 10 levels each. New obstacles are incorporated into the game every five levels and there is always more than one way to successfully complete each level. You earn points based on how many bones you collect, as well as how fast you can make it through the level.
Overall, this game is challenging and interesting. The graphic design makes you think you are about to play a children’s game, but the difficulty of each level makes you realize it is so much more. At only $0.99 for the iPhone/iPod touch or $1.99 for the iPad-optimized HD version, there is no reason not to start playing this game right now. If you would like to win an iPhone/iPod touch copy, please comment below. Contest ends Monday, August 22, at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
