I'm a sucker for classic games and classic gameplay. Take Doom for instance, a game I've never been able to stop playing since its first release. But games come in all shapes and sizes and the classic side scroller is no exception. The concept is simple, dodge the obstacles. Jetpack Joyride borrows it's concept from games like iCopter, but adds a few twists. Substitute a helicopter for a guy with a jetpack and throw in a few vehicles and powerups and you have have a surefire winner don't you?

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Well that's the idea anyway, but does Jetpack Joyride succeed or is it a poor re-hash of a tired formula?

Gameplay

Thankfully no, Jetpack Joyride really is good old fashioned fun! As I've already touched on, it's a simple concept, dodge the obstacles in this side scroller to get as far as you can. On it's own, such gameplay can get boring which is why it's a relief to see the developers have added to this by giving you missions. Missions range from collect 300 coins in one game to cash in 3 tokens, purchase a powerup and use it, complete a game between a set distance, right through to the much harder ones like go 1750 metres without collecting any coins!

In fact the range of missions is so vast that you find yourself compelled to complete them. And what happens when you do? Why, you get to do them all over again. Replay value is a touchy subject in games, many fall short in this area. Yet the missions really make you want to continue. You can also purchase new jetpacks. You start with a machine gun one which puts on an impressive show while tearing up the lab as you fly. Purchases include a bubble gun jetpack, rainbow jetpack, afterburner jetpack and laser jetpack. Each comes with it's own impressive effects.

You can also buy new clothes, powerups and vehicle upgrades with the coins you build up by playing the game. Perhaps the most useful purchases are magnets for each of the vehicles like the Crazy Freakin' Teleporter or Bad As Hog (no that's not a typo, it really is Bad As, afterall the game is 3+). The magnets draw all nearby coins to you making future purchases easier to obtain.

Graphics

The graphics in Jetpack Joyride are clean, crisp and functional. There's no wow factor like Infinity Blade here, rather a more retro 80's game look with less pixellated graphics. The easiest way to tell is to have a look at the screenshots in this review. There's not much more I can say without sounding repetitive!

Sound

The music is repetitive but fitting for the game. You can turn it off and even listen to your own music while you play. However the retro tune does add to the character and charm of this game. Sound effects are crisp and punchy, there's no hiss or crackly sounds which would detract from the experience. Perhaps the strangest sounds come from the teleporter, it's hard to describe other than eerily hypnotic!

Final Thoughts

Jetpack Joyride is a simple game concept that you'd think you might get bored of but somehow you keep getting drawn back to play another 5 minutes. Then when you do, you keep thinking about that infamous "just one more go". Add in game centre integration, the missions and upgrades and this game is clearly about one thing, good old fashioned fun. In an age where many games try to impress with their graphics but forget about the gameplay, this is a refreshing break. Fun is ultimately what games are about and this one is no exception. It's well worth the 69p asking price.

Gameplay 9/10
Graphics 6/10
Sound 7/10

Overall 7.5/10