I'm not entirely sure whether Doodle Jump started the platform hopping craze on the iPhone, or whether it was just another take Icy Tower, but there is no denying it's incredibly addicting nature. Sega opted to test this theory out as well, by placing their famous blue hedgehog in a similar situation, except with all the tropes you'd come to expect from a Sonic game. So does this marriage of platform hopping with Sega's iconic mascot work in Sonic Jump's favor?
The gameplay isn't incredibly original by any means, as you simply have to tilt your device left and right in order to move Sonic around, with the goal of landing on platforms and climbing higher until you reach the end of each level. That's right, unlike Doodle Jump, the levels here aren't infinite. Instead, they're split up into various Zones (all iconic) that you'll have to make Sonic jump through.
You'll not only have to dodge familiar hazards like spikes, you'll also have various enemies to take out. In true Sonic fashion, you can only damage enemies if you're in ball form, which means they can only be damaged when you're propelled up. As soon as you start losing momentum and start falling toward the next platform, Sonic straightens himself out and is prone to damage and losing all his Rings. Luckily though, Sonic has a double jump which gives him an extra boost in height, but also allows him to do an extra attack.
Of course, the Sonic influence doesn't stop with the level design and Sonic himself. You'll have various power-ups such as the shield to block enemies, or the magnetic field to draw in rings. Springs that propell Sonic high in the air also make an appearance here.
At the end of each Zone is a boss battle where you have to take down Dr. Robotnik or Eggman, whichever you prefer, in one of his crazy machines. You'll have to dodge his attacks all the while making sure you don't fall to your doom, and then hit him where it hurts once he's vulnerable.
Each level also has three Star coins to collect. The initial levels don't try too hard to keep them out of reach, but as you progress, you'll have to definitely pull off some trick jumps in order to get them. The game also borrows the mission mechanic from Jetpack Joyride in which you're always tasked with new things to do, such as collect a certain amount of rings, destroy 40 enemies, finish a level under 40 seconds, etc. These will undoubtedly keep you glued to the game in hopes of getting them all.
There are various unlockables as well as helpful items to acquire during the game. As each mission is accomplished, you're awarded with Sonic emblems that will level you up. Once you reach a certain level, you can unlock the ability to purchase items such as a net that will save you from falling and failing a level, or even characters to play with such as Tails and Knuckles.
To round it off, the game looks absolutely gorgeous, with its vibrant colors and cel-shaded look. The game more closely resembles the Sonic Rush games on the DS and 3DS, albeit at a much higher resolution.
I honestly don't have a single negative thing to say about Sonic Jump. It's fun, addicting, gorgeous to look at and only $1.99 in the App Store, so unless you have some sort of aversion to blue, speedy hedgehogs, you should be downloading this right now.
