Ryan O’Bryan’s New App Addiction – Hill Climb Racing [REVIEW]

If you have time to kill, or simply don't feel like doing anything productive for some time, Hill Climb Racing by app makers, Fingersoft is a must have for your Android or iOS device! And it's free!

I have literally sat for well over an hour playing this game. It's beauty lies in its simplicity. It's what they call a "physics-based" game meaning it uses the old an-object-in-motion-will-stay-in-motion and what-goes-up-must-come-down principles of physics.

You play as Newton Bill (no doubt a tip of the hat to Sir Isaac Newton), an uphill racer ready to tackle any and all terrains using one of seven vehicles at his disposal, including, but not limited to a jeep, a monster truck, and a tank.

The goal is simple, travel as far as you can on each terrain, all the while picking up coins you can use to unlock other courses and vehicles, as well as upgrading the suspension, tires, engine, and four wheel drive of said vehicles. Additional coins can be obtained by reaching built in achievements on each course (traveling 1,200 meters without crashing, for example), successfully landing a front or back flip, and catching some crazy air time. One good run can score you well over 100,000 coins.

The controls are simple. Want to go forward? Press the gas pedal on the lower right hand corner of the screen. Accidentally jumped over a few coins and want to go back to get them? Press and hold the brake pedal on the lower left hand side of the screen. The pedals are also used to perform the aforementioned front and back flips if you dare give them a try.

The game does require some on-the-fly thinking. It's not just a slam on the gas and see how far you make it game. Each vehicle is equipped with a gas tank, represented by a gauge under the distance measurement in the upper left hand corner. Run out of gas and it's game over. Fortunately, there are gas refills sprinkled throughout each course, however these may be tucked away on the downslope of a hill, so if you decide to slam on the gas and launch yourself into the air, you run the risk of leaping over a gas tank which could come back to bite you later on if another refill doesn't pop up when you need it.

As with any game, the courses each offer their own set of qualities and challenges that must be overcome in order to advance as far as possible. For example, the Desert and Arctic landscapes each offer traction issues for your vehicle, while the Moon landscape offers little in the way of gravity which makes for some great airtime and the ability to do several continuous flips which can add up to a ton of coins in the bank quick, but presents the issue of floating over gas refills.

Then there's the issue of Newton Bill himself, specifically his neck, which apparently is made of paper mâché. The slightest touch of Bill's head causes his neck to crumble instantly ending your run. This lack-of-adequate-bone-structure is put to the test in the Cave and Mars landscapes where you have to navigate the course with a roof over your head. This is made even more difficult in the Cave with the sometimes narrow valley's. Go too fast downhill and the wheels on Bill's vehicle will lose contact with the ground, bringing his head (and that pathetic neck) dangerously close to the top.

What makes Hill Climb Racer addictive to me my own desire to better each run. I'm sitting just 100-200 meters away from the next goal on a few of the levels right now. Like any good game, knowing I'm so close to the goal just drives my desire to play the game over and over again. Then when I reach the goal, I want to keep going in an attempt to reach the next goal. It's a vicious cycle, but one I don't mind being caught up in.

Next time you find yourself waiting at the doctor's office or wherever, download Hill Climb Racer from Fingersoft. I promise you they'll be calling your name before you know it. The problem is, you may let others jump in front of you so you can keep playing the game.

Download Hill Climb Racing for free at Google Play or the App Store.