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A highly acclaimed, addicting arcade game for your Android device

A highly acclaimed, addicting arcade game for your Android device

Vote: (471 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Imangi Studios

Version: 1.25.1

Works under: Android

Vote:

Program license

(471 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Imangi Studios

1.25.1

Works under:

Android

Pros

  • Sets a standard for endless runners
  • Free game with inoffensive microtransactions
  • Frantic and addictive gameplay

Cons

  • Level variety

Temple Run is not just a game but a phenomenon in the mobile space that everyone should experience.

Temple Run isn’t the first endless runner, but it may be the game that made the genre a household concept. For those unware, the goal of Temple Run is to run while navigating twisting paths, overcoming obstacles and collecting coins and power-ups. The publisher also lets you purchase coins with real money to accelerate your progress. This aspect of the game can be largely ignored, however.

The player controls the hero or heroine by swiping left to move left, swiping right to move right, swiping up to jump, swiping down to duck and slide and so forth. The game also supports tilting for devices that support it. Tilt can be used to augment the swipe controls or even instead of them.

The coins you collect can be spent on new avatars, power-ups and various other bonuses that can make your next run easier. That lets you collect even more coins and so the cycle continues. There are leaderboards to which your scores are posted. The game also has a social aspect so that lets you compare your scores against friends. This is certainly one area where the microtransactions can have a negative effect.

Temple Run performs very well on newer devices. It was, however, quite ambitious when first released. It only requires Android 2.3 after all. On an older machine, you may experience long load times and some stuttering when the action is chaotic, but newer machines alleviate all of that.

One area where Temple Run comes up short is in level variety. You’re essentially running the same level over and over again, and while there is diversity within that endless level, it does wear thin. This is shortcoming led to some fantastic changes in the sequel, Temple Run 2. Nevertheless, if you haven’t played this one yet, it’s a good place to start, at least for a while, before moving on to the sequel.

Pros

  • Sets a standard for endless runners
  • Free game with inoffensive microtransactions
  • Frantic and addictive gameplay

Cons

  • Level variety