Game Review: Find the surfer that you hide inside you in Woody: Endless Summer
Have any of you tried surfing before? It is without doubt one of the most fun sports one could try on the sea but it is also dangerous and requires amazing skills to be able to tame the waves and be one with them. Although I’ve never tried it myself, Woody: Endless Summer managed to offer me some exciting and funny surfing moments in the form of an endless runner (or should I say surfer?). Developed by Brazilian team Nokia Institute of Technology, it promises a great play-time for those who don’t want to let go of the summer and want to enjoy a good arcade.
Gameplay
In Woody: Endless Runner you control a wakeboarding mutt named “Woody” and jump, spin, and dive in order to reach the top spot among the surfers. The controls are as simple as they can be; you tap to make a jump, you double tap to make a larger jump and by tapping more times you can make Woody dive under the sea in the form of a yoyo and release to bring him on the surface again.
By performing these actions Woody does tricks and jumps over rocks, small islands (basically a small sand hill with an exotic tree), or gliding over platforms, and maneuvering around dangerous obstacles. There are also speed-boost rings that reward you with speed if you jump through them. What matters more than anything, is that you make sure you jump on the right time to avoid collision with the obstacles that block your way. The same goes for diving too which is the hardest trick you can perform because you don’t know what will be on top when you resurface. It is however, a very useful trick that if you learn to use right could buy you time and help you avoid many obstacles.
When you begin you have 15 seconds to reach the next checkpoint which in return provides you with another 15 seconds until the next one. Every time you collide with obstacles or miss a jump you lose seconds so be careful. One more danger you will come across are the bombs and you can guess what happens if you don’t avoid them.
Of course there can’t be only obstacles in front you; while surfing you will come across a large number of coins (above the sea and underneath it) that wait to be collected, as well as power ups that help you move faster such as the Time Freeze that stops the clock and helps you reach a checkpoint without worrying of running out of time, the 2X Coins Multiplier that doubles the amount of collected coins, the Magnet that attracts coins to you and saves you the effort of trying to grab as many as you can, and more.
In-app Purchases
There are plenty coin bundles for you to purchase in Woody and you can use them at the shop to upgrade the power ups so that their effects will last longer and will be given even greater power, or to buy point multipliers, a Head Start and more. While it is true that all these options cost a lot of coins, the IAPs are completely optional and collecting coins in-game is not hard at all.
Graphics & Sounds
Woody is a 2D arcader with cartoony designs and beautiful bright colors. I especially love the way the sea is designed and colored as it gives off a very calming feeling. Woody himself is very funny and likable and I actually feel bad for him whenever he collides with obstacles. The music is upbeat and enjoyable and of course very summery.
Conclusion
Overall Woody: Endless Summer succeeds in keeping the player stuck to summer and let’s be honest, it’s hard to let go of it now that it is coming to an end. For an endless runner it scores quite high and it is only a bit frustrating when you collide on obstacle after obstacle. The fun in it is far greater and I believe that you will enjoy it as much as I did. In a sea (no pun intended) of endless arcaders, it is always nice to see a new approach. Let us know your thoughts and impressions in the comments below.
Download Woody: Endless Summer for iOS devices here.
Download Woody: Endless Summer for Android devices here.
Woody: Endless Summer screenshots (above) and trailer (below)
