Posts tagged ground effect

Managed to scrape a third on level eleven yesterday while on the toilet. As I approached the finish line I was neck and neck with an AI ship and really didn’t know if I’d come third or fourth until the results screen appeared.

So, later, on the sofa, I tried level twelve. It’s very difficult, with some nasty twists and turns, but I’m getting there. After a couple of stop-start races where I got lapped I managed to get a solid fifth place. Shouldn’t be too much longer before I get in the top three.

Fantastic game, really it is.

Though technically pretty astonishing, this ekranoplan racing game didn’t grab me at all at first. I was flying around, skimming over the sea and ground, feeling like it was all a bit lifeless. The first race is just an oval, the second only slightly more interesting. A reasonable way to introduce people to the game, but not very interesting. The third race is more fun, but it still wasn’t grabbing me at all. The tilt to turn mechanics work fine, there’s a boost to use on straights, but it all felt a bit lacking, like a tech demo with a dull game bolted on.

Then I tried the fourth race. This puts you down at the edge of a small archipelago with a checkpoint on the other side. You can take the safe route round the islands, but that’s not going to help you get in the top three. (You unlock the next track by coming in third or better in the races.) Instead, you have to work out a good route between the checkpoints, then actually manage to fly around for three “laps” without crashing.

I found it incredibly difficult. It took me a long time to work out a route, then trying to do it without crashing was causing me all sorts of problems, due to some nasty turns. I spent a long time trying and failing to perfect it, then went back to basics and worked out a much safer route, which finally let me complete the race. It took me many, many goes, but it really made me appreciate the game.

Then level five comes along, which is much easier and offers a breather, then level six is harder again. I’m currently on level seven, which is another hard one. It’s a simple route, with checkpoints limiting the opportunities to take short cuts, but there’s one very tempting place where you can just about get over a rocky outcropping without crashing – but only if you get it just right. I can’t resist it, but crash in that spot and you’re pretty much done for. It’s a fine balancing act.

Highly recommended, though be prepared to let it grow on you. It’s not as immediate as some other games on the App Store, but it’s worth properly digging into.