EdgeJumper: App Review

       Our next review will cover the app called EdgeJumper.. It's a new Android app by a new developer at kyosuke25.com. I have been asked to do some testing so here goes. It's a simple jump from platform to platform game that scores you based on how close to the edge you jumped off. The closer you are to the edge the more points you are awarded. I believe if you don't jump excellent or perfect, then your jump counter reduces by one per jump. When you run out of jumps or you fall off the edge then it's game over. You can lose a couple of points if starting the jump way too early.

      Once the game is over you have the option of saving a name and sending it to the leaderboards. One feat that the smartphone app did accomplish is having and worldwide leaderboard where the highest recorded scores can be seen. Your name can be over about 24 characters(letters and number and possibly others). You can actually have a longer name or title than that but it will overlap with the first 24 characters starting from left to right. At the end of the game you don't have to submit your scores to look at the high scores.

     It's "Start" "Clear" and "Game Over" sign have a retro gaming look that reminds me of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I am unsure of what we cleared though as there doesn't seem to be any objectives or levels.



Suggestions: 

It looks similar to old classic Mario games.

         EdgeJumper is a working beginners project but it still needs a lot of finishing touches. First off, sound effects. As of now the current version has no sounds and no music. Then there is the background that is a flat blue color. Perhaps some hills can be in the lower part of the screen that moves across a lot slower than the floating platforms. Clouds can also help create the feeling of being in the air (besides the already sky blue background). It might affect the current high scores right now, but maybe the point system can be lowered by a lot. It doesn't take that many jumps to reach a million points. Different sound effects and color notices should pop up when different types of jumps are accomplished. There isn't a sense of reason for jumping across. However cool or ridiculous the reason for the bear to be jumping could quickly be made before the game starts or in the main menu. Although the scores and jumps left are easily readable, maybe they could have a little more design around them. If the height of the jumps can be controlled then obstacles could be added as well(along with an option to play in landscape orientation). The return button could be made to prompt to quit instead of automatically exiting the app.

       If some of these are already in consideration for updates, then please excuse my ideas. The current jumping application is a starting point that works without errors. However I feel that it still has a ways to go before it feels like a complete app. Good Luck.

    The FREE smartphone app can be downloaded HERE from Google Play. Give them feedback. Who knows, you may see your ideas implemented into future versions of the app. Thanks for reading and have a nice day.