New mashup revs up the competition in the App Store’s car game offerings
Price: $1.99/£1.99
Version: 1.3
Size: 108 MB
Platform: iPhone & iPad
Developer: Little Chicken Game Company
Despite the power of the iPhone, mobile games are generally still at their best when a developer takes a well-known style of play, and vastly simplifies it.
This is key to Rekt’s enjoyment. At the heart of things, the title is a straight-forward car game, but its influences are wide-ranging – some point towards recent console smash Rocket League, but without the balls, while others note the similarity to Tony Hawk’s Skateboarding games.
But the difference is, rather than focusing on ultra-complicated combinations, the points-scoring is largely based around a combination of ramp jumps, spins, flips and drifts. The spins and flips are done by driving off a ramp, and while airborne, swiping either up, down, or left or right. Easy peasy. However, landing, is another skill altogether. The cars are unstable and prone to landing awkwardly meaning timing is everything. If you land on the wrong end, that trick’s points disappear into the ether.
Another way in which the concept had been simplified is that the game only throws three goals at you at a time. This could be doing three backflips, it could be running a course, or it could simply be collecting the letters R-E-K-T. This approach means you don’t get overwhelmed by tasks, and each time you complete one another appears, so you can both drop in for a quick play, but also get lost in the goal-chasing for hours.
At this surface level, the game is hugely playable and even more enjoyable. The only place it really falls down is that currently there is only one arena… and it gets stale pretty quickly. However, the developers say a new arena is on its way. Secondly, although you can unlock new cars as you go by collecting points, they don’t really differentiate in speed or handling making they’re fairly arbitrary.
But it’s a solid start – there’s plenty of room in the future for developers to add multiplayer modes, computer players and other power-ups. Though we wouldn’t want this game’s wonderful simplicity compromised.
The pick-up-and-play value here is one of its best features, alongside its low price point and absence of micro-transactions. It’s also original without being unfamiliar, making it a more than welcome addition to the App Store.