I was playing Canabalt last night and I swear that the escapee is based on the famous Michael Jackson. He is the only person that comes to mind (besides that chick from Mirrors Edge) that can jump from building to building without using a spiderweb, a hook or a hang-glider to ease the landing. This guy is pretty intense and I happen to know a thing or two about parkour, the suit he wears just gives it some extra class. I could not help but wonder where he was going and where he come from. I came up with something though, he was obviously the only person that didn’t call out during the chaos that you’ll notice as you play through the game. And this guy is just some thrill seeking closet-athlete who needed to have some fun, and by all means that is what this game is. This retro sci-fi fast paced side-scroller does everything but keep you on your toes, you’ll end up jumping and rolling all over those bird poop ridden rooftops. Your objective is to jump from building to building while trying not to fall into the spaces in between them in the process.
The touchscreen controls are simple, just touch the screen to jump and hope you make it to the other side. There is some precision involved but it’s pretty easy to get the hang of once you start. The game even works on lower end phones which is pretty cool, you only have to wait a few minutes for a proper start-up. The graphics own the pixelated look which is awesome, the falling debris and the planes or rockets that fly by are a pretty neat addition. Don’t bother trying to take the time out to enjoy any of the pretty scenery though because would you really want to look away while running full speed toward the edge of a building? Wearing slacks? I didn’t think so! Your character (the “escapee” or “the guy”) is always on th left side of the screen which means that you are always running right which narrows it down in a good way. The music is pretty good and it definitely matches the game since the whole thing feels like one prolonged action scene that doesn’t get old.
Canabalt happens to be the product of Adam Atomic (and others) who wanted to make a game that was easy and accessible by ripping out “All the things that are a barrier of entry to people who don’t usually play action games” he said. He explained in the film Indie Game: The Movie that since the game had only one button and that the objective was clear then Canabalt would be easy for anyone to pick up and play which I believe he has succeeded at doing. The game is available on the iPhone and Android app stores for $2.99 if you want it for those mobile purposes. You might want to take this one with you for pointers in case you somehow manage to find yourself in a similar situation. Just make sure you bring an mp3 with some pop music on it for some inspiration.
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