Simple Yet Addictive Gameplay
As I mentioned with Sonic Dash, endless runner-style games on mobile devices can easily be rebranded with any popular character or franchise, so this element does not have much impact on the score of these games. Temple Run has a fairly simple premise: the player steals an idol at the start of the game, after which some wild and slightly strange monkeys start running behind him. Players have to move forward by jumping, going through terrain changes, and sliding under low-hanging trees while also collecting coins, which come in handy for upgrades and unlocks.
Power-Ups and Progression System
The gameplay itself is quite engaging and fast-paced, with the speed gradually increasing over time. Players can jump when they swipe up, slide down when they swipe, and turn left or right when they swipe left. Tilting the phone makes the character move slightly left or right, as coins are in three positions — left, right, and center. When power-ups are available, they can be activated by tapping below the score and coin counter. Overall the controls are simple and easy to understand, but left/right swipes sometimes don’t register properly, causing the run to keep ending.
The power-up and upgrade system is also good, which allows players to go on longer runs when they collect gems to upgrade their power-ups. You can upgrade every power-up properly without spending real-world money, and all this happens naturally if you play the game regularly. Since the game doesn’t have a proper end goal, progress is limited to just upgrading power-ups and achieving score multipliers.
Visuals and Sound Design
In terms of graphics, Temple Run feels quite simple, with some textures just plainly pasted on trees and rocks. But this is not a big issue for a mobile game, and the visuals are good enough that the player can easily understand what is happening. I do miss the musical accompaniment a bit, because during the gameplay there are only some beating drums and the sound of monkeys screaming when your character slows down.
Overall Experience and Replay Value
Overall, Temple Run is an interesting and fun endless runner that has a wide appeal on mobile and offers easy-to-understand gameplay. Yes, it doesn’t have boss battles or branded characters like Sonic Dash, but still there are a lot of things to do, and the difficulty increases as the run gets longer. Because there is a sequel to this game too, I may return to the series – it will be interesting to see what kind of improvements have been made.