Switch Runner Demo

Arcade games can be extremely addictive if they are designed the right way, even if the gameplay mechanics are not very original. In fact, you can transpose a couple of classic ideas into a new environment and attract a lot of players, especially if you are aiming for the casual market. On the other hand, developers can achieve much more success by coming up with a few new ideas.

Switch Runner is a vertical runner in which your goal is to make it as far as possible and avoid dying on the way there. In short, you have to leap from one side to the other and somehow get past all the obstacles and the enemies that try to stop you. Although it’s not a difficult task in theory, things are much tougher in practice, especially if your reflexes aren’t sharp enough.

You get to choose the desired speed, which comes in handy if you want to start slow and learn the basics. There are multiple speed levels to pick from, and the difference between them is great enough for you to feel it. On the other hand, the speed is the only thing that changes, which is pretty annoying in a game such as this one. Thus, the levels remain the same, which means that the game becomes repetitive.

Given the fact that reaction time is key if you want to make it alive, the controls must be as responsive and accurate as possible, which they are, thankfully. Speaking of which, you also have to watch out for enemies, because they can shoot bullets at you and make your life really difficult. However, you can destroy them by switching sides once you are near them, although timing is yet again important.

As for the graphics, they look like cross between Tetris and Super Mario, but it doesn’t really matter, because you won’t have time to admire them. It would be nice to see something other than darkness, on the other hand, because there’s no atmosphere this way, just a long and featureless corridor that gets boring in a rush. The music isn’t bad, but it gets annoyingly repetitive once you die a couple of times.

In the end, Switch Runner could easily keep you busy for a while, but it lacks the content to do more than that. There are no new mechanics to learn, just a few challenges in regards to your reaction time.