Temple Run for Android Review

The popular adventure game, Temple Run, finally became available for Android devices in March 2012. As expected, Android users flocked to it, creating a record 1 million downloads in just 3 days. The game, which had first released for iOS in August 2011, was a runaway hit on that platform, becoming the top downloaded iOS app in December 2011 and top grossing iOS app.

The game revolves around a group of explorers who steal an idol from a temple. The game starts immediately after the idol is stolen and the explorers are being pursued by a group of demonic monkeys through the temple. There are seven different characters in the game, which differ in their appearance and the sounds they make. One of the characters will be controllable by the player. The default character is a red-headed man, Guy Dangerous. The objective of the game is to survive by running away from the pursuing monkeys, while avoiding the different obstacles on the path. To avoid obstacles like cracks, cliffs, mossy rocks and burning arches, the player must slide his fingers to jump, duck and turn the character. Along the way the user can collect coins and bonus items. The coins collected by the user can be spent in the game store to unlock the other characters, get new wallpapers and upgrades. Upgrades include increasing the value of the coins you collect and additional powers for your character such as the power to go through obstacles without needing to avoid them. You can also buy all this from the store using real cash.

The extremely detailed and dimensional environment of the game makes it look very realistic, as befitting a game from the famed Imangi Studios. Controls are simple and navigation is easy, the sound effects and graphics are crisp and awesome. No game is complete these days without social integration; in Temple Run, it comes in the form of tweeting your score from the game. There is even a feature that’s missing from the iOS – the ability to set the sensitivity of your gestures. The game is ad-free and released for Android in a freemium model. It is free to play and makes money through the purchase of coins by players from the game store.

Cons, as of now, include that the game is buggy and crashes multiple times. It also takes a heavy toll on the battery of the device. Hopefully, future updates will  soon sort out these bugs.

In short, an addictive adventure genre game with amazing graphics that every fan of adventure-genre games must try.