Skiing Fred Review

By , on June 6, 2013
Last modified 10 years, 9 months ago


Skiing Fred
Download on the AppStore
3 out of 5

PROS

Vibrant cartoon landscape.
Unexpected hazards are welcome.

CONS

The controls are far too tight.
Problems switching between sprint and jump.
Normal endless runner fare.

VERDICT

Another endless runner that will provide some amusement to fans of the genre, but ultimately lacks the spark to leave an impression.


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If one were to categorise videogame characters based on luck, Dedalord games' Fred would certainly be among those at the extreme bad end of the spectrum. Having survived videogames based on falling while avoiding hazardous ways to die, and running while avoiding hazardous ways to die, we now have Skiing Fred, who must ski down a mountain, while avoiding hazardous ways to die.

This is another endless runner that's graduated from the Temple Run school of gameplay. You tilt the iPhone or iPad to slalom left and right. Tapping the screen will cause Fred to jump, and double jump. Holding down on the screen will cause you to accelerate, which is useful given the Grim Reaper is chasing you. However, the transition between sprint and jump is not ideal. Rather than Fred jumping when you release your finger from the screen, you have to disengage the sprint and tap once again to jump, which can be frustrating.

Also, given all the criticism we give game controls for being too loose, in the case of Skiing Fred opposite is true. The snowboard moves sluggishly across the screen, and, while it's easy to line up coins or swerve around obstacles, you don't have the freedom of movement you might expect as you slosh down the slopes of a mountain.

The game has a very vibrant cartoony aesthetic and atmosphere, allowing you to chuckle at the ridiculous spinning blades of death, pendulums, and acts of nature that seem engineered to ensure Fred doesn't make it past breakfast. Presentation aside, the progression of gameplay similar to that you'd find in any other endless runner title: die; use coins to buy upgrades from the shop; complete missions; rinse, repeat.

We've been saying this a lot with this genre, but it bears repeating: unless you're a die hard endless runner fan, Skiing Fred will give you the pretty much same experience you'd find in most of the competent entries in the genre. If torturing this poor kid is your reason for rising in the morning, than this latest entry in the series will probably amuse. Just don't let the fact that Skiing Fred isn't actually on skis put you off.

Screenshots

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