Gun Truck is an immensely simple game. While at times this would be an issue, it actually proves to be quite entertaining. The kind of thing to play during those free five minute sessions that pop up throughout the day. Even if, ultimately, the gameplay never really changes.

The idea is that the player must protect the planet from alien invasion. They have one fairly basic weapon at their disposal and a constantly spinning planet to help them negotiate the hordes. Timing is of the essence here, as one can’t control the planet’s trajectory. Success is dictated by the player’s ability to fire shots at just the right time in order to take out the enemies that are approaching.

Timing those shots isn’t just important because of the speed at which the enemies approach, but because of the combos that can be built up. Hit enemies four or more times in a row and a new item is given to the player. These items help increase one’s firepower in a number of different ways. While one power-up might just cause a burst of energy to go flying across the screen, another gives one a permanent boost to their firepower. It can make all the difference to success.

The key then is to remain accurate yet speedy – something that isn’t necessarily easy here. That’s also where the most satisfaction stems from. Gun Truck doesn’t get more complicated than that, yet it’s still fun to try to improve each time.

Eventually the novelty will fade and comes with the realization that one’s probably reached the highest score they’re going to manage, but it’s quite fun while it lasts. For a free app, surely that’s all one can ask for?