While I'd love to think I'm not the bitter
old-soul that my friends sometimes consider
me to be, I can't help but feel a bit sympathetic
as I load up a game like Whale Trail by ustwo
and grin like the Cheshire Cat for what seems
like hours and think 'Oh... this is what smiling
feels like?'.
OK, OK, I'm not THAT grumpy, but the point
remains that there's something positive to
be said for a game that had me babbling like
an incoherently excited 3 year old within
minutes of having loaded it.
This may have something to do with the presentation
of Whale Trail; redolent with colors and simple
shapes, the game invokes classic childhood
educational shows like Sesame Street, Play
School and others aired in the 80s.
It's possible a lot of the fun of Whale Trail
is predicated on having such a primal connection
to an age of innocence, but honestly, how
can you not love the cute characters; the
bright and clear colorful designs; and of
course the upbeat Ringo Starr-like theme song.
Some may drop off as soon as they realize
the game is yet another endless title, but
it would be unfair to simply ignore it on
this alone as Whale Trail's procedural level
creation provides enough variation to justify
a few playthroughs.
You play as Willow the Whale who is attempting
to escape Baron Von Barry's evil clutches
by riding a rainbow trail that allows Willow
to fly.
Touching the screen lifts you up, while holding
on at the apex will start a loop-the-loop,
giving you a chance to collect a few more
rainbow bubbles necessary to keep you aloft
and to increase your point multiplier.
Stars can be collected to activate a temporary
speed boost with invulnerability as well.
Unlike several recent titles, Whale Trail
doesn't feature in-game objectives tied to
bonuses, however there are a whopping 43 Game
Center achievements to aim for if you're looking
for some reason to keep playing.
Ultimately how long you stay for Whale Trail
is up to you, but this cute title is easily
worth picking up just to enjoy the simple,
fun gameplay at least once.
