UltraDeep

Publisher: ViquaSoft  |  Cost: $0.99



Like vertical scrollers? Not me. But by luck I've ran across UltraDeep while it was free when I snatched it up. However, instead of going up this one dives down deep below to the depth of the Earth in search of female's best friend -- diamonds. Like Mega Jump we've reviewed, collecting $ $ $ is always fun.

The art style is your usual doodle graphics but it works for this game as the pace is fast and interesting. Your objective is to collect diamonds as you traverse deep down while avoiding fires and spikes.



By collecting enough diamonds your power gauge will fill up and you can tap the screen for special abilities that will help you get through the dangers coming your way. At the end of each level the diamonds you collect can actually be turned into other power-ups.



Although there are some different power ups you can collect along your way to get through the terrain and spikes, your biggest threat is actually the "ceiling" that keeps coming down. If you're too slow, you get crushed splat.



It's a pretty interesting game if you're a fan of vertical-scrollers and it will sure keep you going for a number of hours.

AppApps Rating

Game Play:
Money. Money. Money.

Graphics:
Slightly worst than my 5-year-old cousin

Mega Jump

Publisher: Get Set Games  |  Cost: FREE



Mega Jump is a well-polished vertical scroller. It's as simple as any other of its kind you try to reach as high as possible by tilting your iPhone to get through the obstacles in your way. Having said that, it's one of my favorite vertical scrollers to date and here's why.

Being an eye-candy whore the awesome graphics grabbed me instantly -- then being a sucker for all-things-cute the cuddly characters had me going for hours! But that's not all, Mega Jump offers a wide variety of elements in the game but yet it is so simple. Other vertical scrollers have obstacles that you'll run into or random platforms that you'll likely to miss. However, in Mega Jump there are COINS ($$$!!) that you have to collect -- each coin you collect, and only if you collect it, will propel you upward.

Sure feels better than hitting your face or missing that damned platform huh?


The coins you collect along the way gets translated into stars and with the stars you are able to unlock new contents such as power-ups or new OH-so-cuddly playable animals!



Aside from collecting coins you will also come across different power ups such as magnets which attracts coins to you automatically, or stars which propel you further than a coin would do, or some crazy stuff that just shoots you straight up for a long-time ignoring all obstacles in the way (my favorite), and a whole lot more:



Besides the fun mechanics of the game, there's also another interesting design in Mega Jump -- there are multiple levels like any other games, but each level is also "connected". Once you reach a certain height you can always come back and start from that height (level) afterwards. The vertical-world is one big connected theme park for your pleasure!

Like cute things? like money? like a well-polished vertical scroller game? Then download it now and you can have it all.

AppApps Rating

Game Play:
Simple, entertaining, and unlockables that keep you coming back for more

Graphics:
Don't think it supports Retina Display yet, but about as good as it gets!

Astronut

Publisher: Iconfactory; Cost: FREE (4 levels), in-game upgrade $1.99 (20 more levels)



Astronut is a vertical scroller for your iPhone from the Iconfactory. Astronut gives the player control over an astronaut floating through space. You control the Astronut, bouncing him between planets until he crosses the finish line. The app is also GameCenter-enabled, so you can tout your best scores across the Internet.




Gameplay

Controls are very simple in Astronut, with the player only able to move by jumping. The player jumps between rotating planets, using the rotation of the planets to aim for the next one. There is another feature called Boost which allows the player to jump a bit faster and kill enemies. The Boost button is on the opposite side of the screen from the Jump button, making it necessary to use 2 hands in cases where you need to use a Boost just after a Jump.  There is less emphasis on killing enemies than avoiding them.

The game offers bonus levels of floating through space to collect items and hearts.

I felt the gameplay to be a bit fiddly, but maybe that's just supposed to be part of the challenge.

Quality

The Iconfactory are well-known for their great production values and attention to detail and they don't disappoint here. The visual polish and overall user experience are superb and really make you feel like you are using a quality product. Everything down to the sound effects just drips with quality.



Conclusion

Even though Astronut is visually beautiful and simple, it just didn't really make me want to keep playing. The floating can be a bit awkward and uncontrolled. Even with all its charm and polish, the game didn't make me want to keep going and pay the $1.99 for the full version.

AppApps Rating

Game Play:Like an awkward Merry-Go-Round

Graphics:Great polish and style