The game I'm playing all weekend: Leo's Fortune
With its stunning visuals and compelling plot, this remarkable game (currently for iOS only) joins the ranks of classic platformers like Limbo and The Cave.
How do you like your platform games? Slow and methodical? Fast and furious? Leo's Fortune (iOS, $4.99) falls somewhere in between, combining the exploration and puzzle-solving aspects of games like Limbo with the slip-sliding coin-collecting requirements of a Sonic 4.
Titular hero Leo looks like Sesame Street's Grover, but with a bushy mustache and no body. Yep: In this game you play a furry head. One that speaks with a Russian accent. Your goal: reclaim your stolen treasure, one gold coin at a time.
It's pretty standard fare, plot-wise, but Leo's Fortune is one of the most dazzling platform games I've seen, with graphics that rival recent-gen consoles. And the accompanying soundtrack is marvelous, adding just the right atmosphere to your quest.
Movement consists of simple left-right sliding (controlled by sliding your left thumb back and forth) and "inflating," which happens when you slide your right thumb up. Inflated Leo's eyes bug out comically, and he's able to jump and/or float as needed. (You can also slide your right thumb down to bounce or dive.)
There are 24 levels in the game, each packed with challenging physics-based puzzles. At various times you'll tilt levers, press buttons, avoid spinning spikes, use gravity to your advantage, and so on.
Leo's Fortune reminds me a lot of Badland, but I'd say it can stand toe-to-toe (make that head-to-head) with any platformer currently available for iOS. Speaking of which, that's the only place you can play the game for now, but an Android version is in the works -- though the developers couldn't say when it would be ready.
For those of you lucky enough to play it now, Leo's Fortune is well worth the $5 price of admission. I'll be playing this one all weekend.
What platform games do you like best?