Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
These days, if you're going to make an endless runner you better have a gimmick that will
drag people in. Stylish Dash by playus soft seems to take this idea to heart, though building
a game almost entirely out of gimmicks might be taking things too far.
Tap to jump; tap mid-air to double-jump; tap and hold a third time to fly - by now this
sort of control scheme is pretty much ingrained in the iOS gamer's consciousness, but it's
great to see the addition of a 'flying' system as this gives players a chance to not only
save themselves but to reach power-ups that are out of reach. Oh yes... the game's 'randomization'
system is fond of throwing items out of your reach and you can expect to see that precious
bonus star or speed-boost floating high above or even BELOW the platform you're on. Dashing
has also been added to the game, giving players another option for traversing long gaps and
to break through one-hit-kill obstacles that pop up now and then.
It's hard to criticize the visuals of Stylish Dash as they are exactly that - stylish. The
use of a 2.5D scrolling world works wonderfully as it's paired with flashy special effects
that make you feel like every minor achievement is worthy of praise. Unfortunately the variety
of its levels is limited to essentially re-skinning the world, though each area adds additional
'quests' that can be used to earn points that can then be spent on aesthetic upgrades for
your character. Two alternative game modes are also available, though one these feels
eerily similar to an old-school hand-held LCD 'racer' - something I'd rather not be
reminded about.
Stylish Dash is an ultra-polished runner that provides a lot of incentives for players to
keep coming back for more, but beyond the gimmicks it lacks the same addictive charm
of other similar titles. Definitely worth grabbing if you're after something a bit flashier
than the usual 'retro' titles.