Jetpack Joyride Mobile App Review

Download Jetpack Joyride for Android and Itunes
Developed by HalfBrick Studios
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Review Rating: 8.5/10

Time to blow this pop-sickle stand! Literally! Jetpack Joyride starts out with a bang with you busting through a wall in what I can only guess is a top secret research lab with all the nerds running around in their lab coats. Luckily you have your handy dandy jetpack to help you run away as far as you can in this never ending laboratory distance mobile app game!

Jetpack Joyride at its foundation is a pretty basic game which follows the ever so popular distance genre trend. Basically, go as far as you can without dying or being stopped while collecting as much currency you can to spend on upgrades to help you go further. When typed out like that it seems like a terrible video game idea and makes us sound like hamsters on a wheel or something but the formula, as predictable as it is, really is addicting especially on mobile devices where you can play for a few minutes or rounds at a time.

While Jetpack Joyride follows the generic formula it does do it quite well. The jetpack idea in itself makes it stand out and a really fun game to play especially on touch screen devices, basically you can tap and hold down on the screen to kind of "hover" with your jetpack in order to avoid the various obstacles but it just feels so...natural to do. On top of that control point, Jetpack Joyride offers tons of features to keep you occupied and more importantly addicted. Among these features are first off the dangerous features which include lasers both stationary and mobile and heat seeking rockets. There are also collectible features including typical coins for currency in the shop but also vehicular upgrades such as a Bad As Hog, Gravity Suit, Lil' Stomper, and many more which really give a good variety to the game. On top of all those features are background features like the nerds running around, tumbleweeds, and all the backgrounds as you rush by (forests, labs, water scenes, it has it all!).

Of course with a distance based app there needs to be a big focus on an upgrade system of which Jetpack Joyride offers plenty. There are upgrades for clothing, jetpacks, vehicle, utilities and gadgets. Some of which are purely cosmetic and others do help you. The biggest problem I have with Jetpack Joyride, however, is that it is skewed towards micro-transactions to really get the good stuff. I know this should be expected and it is how the developer studios earn their money but I guess I'm just a stickler for full feature games for free...but I know I'm being unrealistic in today's market. But if you are unwilling to pay for the "good" items than even though Jetpack Joyride is a well made game with lots of potential replay value you won't play it that much as you'l get bored playing over and over with little reward.