Some games are enjoyable. Some games are hilarious. Some games I want to send to a deep level of hell for the torment of residents until the end of time. Stickman Balloon Jump is in the last category. I'll relent that it isn't because it's a horribly designed game. It's because it's terribly difficult. I'll also admit that I'm horribly cranky this Saturday. I have been all week. It might not be the game. It might be me. However, hearing the chipper app voice saying, "Game Over" every few seconds while my husband tests it makes me feel a little better about myself.
The premise of the game is simple enough. Touch the balloons for a spout of hot air to propel you into the air. The higher you go, the higher your score is. You can tilt the screen from side to side to make him move left and right. There are also power-ups available to purchase with diamonds earned throughout the game.
Many times while you're over the balloon, the stickman falls right through the hot air. I haven't found a rhyme or reason for why it sometimes catches and sometimes doesn't. That's what makes the game so difficult. My secondary tester also concurs that the game tends to be obnoxious in that regard.
While it's frustrating to not be able to progress in the game like you wish you would, it isn't exactly the reason to condemn a game to the realm of Hades. Well, that's where my personal prejudices in apps comes in to play. Everyone has their own personal preferences that determines the worth of an app in their eyes. For me, I expect my apps to be engaging and entertaining, but I don't want to have to fight for success. I play my games to entertain me for small stretches of time. It's not so fun when I have to spend most of my time fighting the game to progress in the slightest. I'll save the levels that are almost impossible to beat for when I'm sitting down to a console and can spend a few hours on it. I'm not a fan of having them on my phone.
What are your personal views about what you want in a game designed for your iDevices?
Stickman Balloon Jump is an iPhone app available at the AppStore for the awesome price of FREE!
