TouchArcade: The developers at ustwo™ have unleashed their first full-fledged entry into the gaming category on the App Store in the form of Whale Trail [99¢]. Taking the simple mechanics from the popular cave-flying genre and wrapping them up in gobs of top-notch style and presentation, Whale Trail offers an experience that is practically like nothing else currently available on the iOS platform.
John Bedford (Modojo): One of the reasons Despicable Me: Minion Rush has enjoyed so much success on the App Store is the sheer amount of variety it offers players: multiple environments, more obstacles, boss-fights and far less repetition than you'll have come to expect from games in the genre. It's an awful lot like a proper video game, in other words.
Fortunately, Despicable Me isn't the only running game that offers up plenty of depth and variety. If you're done with the game and want someone new to get stuck into, here's our pick of the best runners with legs.
John Bedford (Modojo): When Whale Trail launched in October 2011 it did so to critical acclaim, receiving comprehensive coverage in both the specialist and mainstream media. The game was lauded for its psychedelic visuals, simple yet compelling gameplay, and an infectious soundtrack from the typically eccentric Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys.
Yet despite all of the exposure and plaudits, the game failed to turn a profit for developer ustwo. Earlier this month the studio released a revised edition of the game on the App Store, introducing a freemium business model that tied into fundamental changes to Whale Trail's gameplay.
It led to a flood of negative reviews on the App Store, particularly from those who had purchased the game in its original form and who now face the choice of either playing the revised version, or abandoning the title entirely. Recently, we got in touch with Matt 'Mills' Miller, co-founder of ustwo, to discuss the changes made to the game, the fan reaction to the new Whale Trail, and the advice he'd give now to budding developers.
The Quality Index champions the best endless-flying games on the iPhone.
