Momentum Games, developers of well-known, high-quality titles like Pocket Mini Golf 2 (see review & comparison here), has just come up with a remarkable, new, platform-like game. Since there are very few really good platformer games for the Pocket PC (SuperTux, Gold Miner Joe, the free OpenJazz, Bayside Studios' Quigley's Quest 1.10, the not-sold-any-more Rayman Ultimate by Gameloft or the non-WM5-compliant, now-free Tommy Kombat come to mind as examples, in addition to N.I’s great Retro Games collection and the to-be-released Titus’ Prehistorik clone Prehistoric), I gave it a test ride right away.



While the game isn’t exactly a traditional platform game (unlike the above-listed games) but more of a logic / puzzle game (in this respect it’s a bit like, for example, Lemmings, Cavemen, AIM productions’ Tmax or Astraware’s Mazera, reviewed in the Roundup of All Pocket PC Games Part I). It is also slightly similar to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Jet Pac (screenshot here), one of the favourite games of my childhood.


Availability

The game is available HERE, costs $15.95 and has a perfectly playable trial version.

Compatibility

I’ve tested it on my WM5 Dell Axim x51v (A12), WM2003SE VGA Pocket Loox 720 and 5-year-old (!) Pocket PC 2002 Compaq iPAQ 3660 (yes, Pocket PC 2002 compliance is VERY rare with new titles!). It worked flawlessly on all these devices. It’s also compatible with square-screen devices and also has MS Smartphone and desktop Windows versions.

Visuals

They’re pretty good: the game, just like the new version of Pocket Mini Golf, supports hi-res VGA. On these devices, it looks pretty cool. The “thrust” effects (see the screenshot above) are pretty cool too, a bit like those of 4Pockets (the most known, excellent Pocket PC game developer company to use movement effects like these.)

Music / sounds

While the music is pretty cool, it’s pretty repetitive (as with Momentum Games’ other titles in general – they should pay more attention to less repetitive in-game music with better quality) and played back at a low quality and in mono.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a “traditional” platform game, you may be disappointed with this title. Still, give it a try.

If you more like platformer-like games where thinking is more necessary (in the Tmax / Mazera / Lemmings / Cavemen way), definitely give this title a try.

Microsoft MVP - Mobile Devices, 2006, 2007. See my PPC & SP blog HERE.

    

I think this game has some of the best graphics I have seen. However, it didn't really keep my attention very long. There isn't a lot of thinking involved and it is mearly a game of jumping and flying. It is a great game to show off the VGA screen of the x51v though!

I totally agree. Not much to the game, though lots of eye-candy. More like a simplistic platform game with high resolution graphics. Just my opinion, though.

Let me disagree. There IS a lot of thinking and pre-planning involved, unlike with most traditional platformers. It's only with pre-planning that you can pass a level.

Microsoft MVP - Mobile Devices, 2006, 2007. See my PPC & SP blog HERE.

    

Yep...totally agree. This game gets more complex with the later levels, pre-planning of when to start charging your jump/jetpack are required and the levels become more puzzle orientated. You have to work out which switches to flip and in what order so that electrical currents are not blocking your progress. You also have the added complexity of radioactive gremlins which you need to avoid.

Trust me...give the full version a go and you'll see how an apparently simple game is actually a real brain teaser. It has the added advantage of being easy to play with one hand...no fussy controls like a lot of mobile games have.