Hedgehog Launch Review

The crew over at Armor Games has a real knack for making addictive, simple games that manage to pile on the fun. Hedgehog Launch is one such title, and its appearance as an app is truly a welcome one. This little game is big on charm, gameplay and entertainment value.

As the title implies, Hedgehog Launch is all about launching a hedgehog, preferably into space. Players start with a catapult and must fling their furry mascot into the sky, bouncing him off platforms and picking up coins in order to upgrade their flying abilities. Additional cash lets you upgrade your hedgehog's launcher and thrusters, and eventually you can purchase a radar that helps you scout your surroundings, parachutes to slow descent or secondary thrusters that improve your elevation. The ultimate goal is to get the hedgehog into space in the fewest number of days possible, and the whole experience is an absolute treat.

What Armor Games has done so well is provide an experience where players want to come back again and again to beat their best scores without even realizing how much time they're sinking into the game. A single round can last only ten minutes, but it feels like it goes by in a flash and suddenly you look up two hours later and wonder where the time went. It's amazing how a game this simple can suck you in so easily.

In addition to all that the title also boasts Game Center support, complete with Achievements and a Leaderboard to see just where you rank in terms of your hedgehog flinging prowess. As if there weren't enough reason to keep playing for your own edification, the game also lets you check out how well your friends are doing and try and best them.

As I probe looking for a weakness in this title I really can't find anything bad to say. It's bad form for a reviewer not to find some fault with an app, but the developers deserve credit for putting together something really special. The game is easy enough for anyone to play yet deep enough to keep you coming back, and the super-low price tag makes this an easy impulse purchase. This is a terrific app, and one you'll likely enjoy substantially.