by James Young

Created on: January 13, 2009   Last Updated: January 16, 2009

Springworld Challenge, a side scrolling obstacle course game, packs a few pleasant quirks in what would otherwise be the same old challenge of run and jump. Special effects are simplistic in appearance but show a sophistication of physics that's unexpected in arcade style play. Sound effects were the weakest point of Springworld, with nothing unique to the background sound, and music that at least wasn't irritating.

In Springworld the gamer takes a series of simple vehicles over a progression of courses that are gradually more challenging as the game unlocks. The leveling system requires that the player earn trophies at each level in order to advance. The game is not simply speed based-for those of us less adept there are chances to win trophies by avoiding damage and by completing the course in a fuel efficient manner. Those were important to me since I rarely got better than the bronze level speed trophy on any course. Progress takes skill and even a little bit of strategy, but isn't so difficult as to be impossible.

Surprises in the game included the complexity of the damage system. Each vehicle has several power and guidance systems which can be bent or destroyed during the play, affecting the operation of the vehicle in a common sense way. If the motor still runs but the wheels aren't to be seen, the car doesn't go; this interacts well with the course obstacles and damage-making traps. In many simple games you can almost see the number crunching behind the screen, but this one has a real world aspect that is fun to watch-caught in a trap gate my vehicle was crunched and smashed into so many tiny pieces that the repair function (which restores your transportation to full health at the cost of critical seconds) couldn't find enough to put it together again.

I enjoyed that multiple solutions to the courses were possible, allowing me to approach the goals with more than one plan and to devise strategies geared towards individual trophies. The winning point for me, though, was the careful development of the physics of the game. Without making the game too simple or too hard to be fun, Springworld's physics allow the player to do more than battle nonsensical controls.

I wouldn't buy it simply because I don't have time to play very much. It took up far more of my time today than I had to spare on it, which speaks well for the game. I pulled my partner into the testing process and we both had some good laughs. I give it 3/5. If you need a new laptop time killer this will do.

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