by Mobile phone games are designed for instant gratification, and this philosophy is evident from the many games that are available for the handheld market. However, it is possible for a game designed to be played for short intervals to be ridiculously action-packed and fueled with energy, and that is exactly what Canabalt HD is. Canabalt has a unique history behind it; the game first came into conception back in 2009 as part of a 5-day experimental project by Adam Atomic. After spending two weekends designing the gameplay, drawing the art and working on the sound effects, Canabalt was launched on the internet and was met with a positive response.
This prompted interest from other parties into bringing its simple-yet-exciting style of gameplay to the handheld market, which is what led to the creation of a port for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Soon after its deployment on the iOS platform, the game was being remade for Android devices with redesigned art, 3D backgrounds and a global leaderboard system. The original Flash game has also been inducted into the Kongregate website’s suite of games, bringing with it achievements and leaderboard support.
For those who have never come across the title before, Canabalt is a game based on speedy and precise input, where the player must run and jump across rooftops in order to escape what appears to be an alien invasion. The catch is that your character will keep gathering speed, which pushes the player to maintain momentum with the random environmental elements that keep popping up. You’ll have to jump over gaps, smash through windows and obstacles, leap over debris falling from the sky, and race across crumbling buildings. Purpose of doing this is to make the highest score possible, making it similar to other games such as Mirror’s Edge 20 for the i0S. The game does a brilliant job of keeping you hooked with its addictive gameplay, and the catchy music composed by Danny Baranowsky further charges you up into darting across rooftops trying to stay alive. The visuals and sounds are of excellent quality, delivering a high-quality presentation through and through.
The game comes with the option of turning the HD effects on or off, and performance on handheld devices is great, though certain issues such as inconsistent controls and battery usage may irk some. For all those looking for a great game for their phones or online, Canabalt HD will keep you thoroughly entertained.
