by B. Rock

Created on: November 11, 2008   Last Updated: October 10, 2011

Somersault has a simple premise. This little dude (Bally) bounces around the screen, and you draw bouncy planks to help direct him.

Along the way, you collect coins, avoid danger and sometimes race against a side-scrolling screen edge of doom. Somersault is entertaining to be sure, but in the long run it failed to hold my attention.

* Ease of Play (4/5) *

A high point for Somersault is the ease of play and the simplicity of the game mechanics. The player interacts with the game with one simple move - clicking the mouse to draw a line across the screen. This determines how far and at what angle Bally will bounce across the screen.

This is pretty well explained in the introductory level. As you're drawing a line, the game projects a guide so that you can see the path the little guy will take after hitting the board. This helps eliminate uncertainty, and makes the game a lot more predictable for the novice.

* Graphics and Sound (3/5) *

The graphics are nice, but nothing to write home about. Some of the objects are overly simplistic-looking, and some extra effort could have gone into designing these re-usable items (glasses in the kitchen, thorns on branches, mushroom-like things inside a tree).

The sound effects are OK, but the music leaves a lot to be desired. Little games like this thrive on addictive, pace-setting music, and Somersault's soundtrack is kind of bland.

* Addictiveness (2/5) *

When I play a game like this, the number-one thing I want is addictiveness. I want to be compelled to keep playing and to keep trying to beat the high score.

At first, Somersault seemed very promising. I liked the puzzle-like aspect, where you could methodically take your time, bounce around the entire board and collect all of the rings.

Some of the levels are more like side-scrolling action games, though, and you end up in a race against the clock to get to the end. This reduces your ability to get a high score and collect all of the rings.

To be sure, adding a difficulty element is good. But instead of rushing the player, that can be accomplished through more hazards and obstacles. After being rushed through a level by a side-scrolling screen, I didn't feel the need to go back and do it again to get a higher score.

* Overall (3/5) *

Overall, I'd say the game earns an average three out of five stars. It was entertaining to play, but it lacked the addictive nature that this type of game needs to hold my attention. It's worth taking the time to try out some of the free levels, but I wouldn't pay money to buy it.

It's biggest weakness is that it feels at times like a puzzle game, and at others like an action game. If the designer had stuck to one or the other, Somersault would be a much stronger game.

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