iGame of the Week: Monster Dash
Monster Dash, from Halfbrick Studios, is an addictive platformer that successfully builds on the constant forward motion concept popularized by Canabalt. Alongside the randomly generated environments and obstacles, seen in numerous other titles in this genre, are weapons that give the game an added layer of depth. It all comes together into a solid package Canabalt fans should definitely check out.
Much like Canabalt, players are trying to survive as long as possible while constantly moving forward, gaining speed as they progress. The randomly generated environments and obstacles are nothing new, however Monster Dash expands on the idea by placing players in distinct settings with each playthrough. The areas repeat fairly quickly, but it's still a nice change of pace.
As mentioned above, Monster Dash's unique selling feature is the implementation of weapons into the Canabalt formula. Players jump and fire their weapon by tapping the left and right sides of the screen, respectively. This simple control scheme was used to great effect in Action Buggy, and works equally well in a Canabalt inspired format. The various weapons, ranging from a standard shotgun to an out-of-this-world lightening blast, are required to dispense with the enemies hellbent on halting your progress.
In terms of presentation, Monster Dash lacks the subtle touches that made Canabalt so spectacular, however that's not to say it's a poor experience. The changing settings help keep the game fresh, and having the soundtrack adapt to each setting is a welcome addition. That being said, the soundtrack isn't particularly memorable and the setting rotation is limited. Overall, Monster Dash's presentation is competent, but nothing exceptional.
Halfbrick Studios have successfully expanded on Canabalt's formula with Monster Dash. The game's implementation of weapons feels like a very natural evolution of the genre. The same addictive qualities that made other games before it such a success are present here.
Verdict: BUY
Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Genre: Platformer
Release Date: August 19th, 2010
Price: $0.99
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