Archibald's Adventures

Platform game with action and logic rolled in to one! You are Archibald, a skateboarder, who gets stuck in a pipe (within a mansion of an inventor). You have to find your way through each area by getting from the start position to the exit door. This door can be locked on certain levels and requires you to solve puzzles to unlock it.

This game is fun! This game takes you through really simple levels that get progressively harder. As you go through the levels it teaches you how to play so its fun to learn. The controls to move cute Archibald are on the bottom of the screen but you can just tap the screen to move him. This is really easy and uses the iPhone's screen space well. The graphics are colourful, the music is upbeat, the style of the different levels make you want to see what's on the next level. Sometimes there are monsters, poisons, plants, all kinds of creatures and pitfalls to stop you leaving.

This is the game your kids will 'borrow' your iPhone for. The movement on the skateboard by Archibald is simple yet when he does a flip or a jump its always fun to watch. What is particularly great about this game is that there are places to save your progress so you don't have to start at the beginning. This makes it far more enjoyable then those games where you have to re-do areas over and over again when you die. Most levels have a puzzle within it that you need to solve. This can be trying to work out an 'unlock sequence' to unlock the exit door. There is a fireworks celebration when you complete each level to celebrate your progress. I didn't want to put this game down! There are 8 different areas of the mansion to go through with 16 levels in each, so plenty of game play (more than 100 levels). There are also hidden levels within those.

Once you get past a number of levels, you start to get other items to help you with your journey out. There is a bubble that you can control to help you push buttons, or even carry crates by sticking it on top of one! You can exit to the main menu screen at any time, or restart the level you are on. Also you can choose the levels you want to play and repeat them as well. This game really has considered the player and offers all the features that make a really enjoyable experience with none of the frustrations.

The only way to improve this game would be to keep adding more levels. Maybe develop an entire second version of this game, or perhaps to incorporate the accelerometer so you could navigate the bubbles and other items by tilting rather than using your finger. But these are minor and I'm just being greedy!

[youtube gKEatFX-sAo]

This is a game that you will love if you have any platform gaming experience but also young gamers new to the style. The character is cute and the levels, though simple in their design keep you wondering what's next. You won't be able to put this game down!