Time Surfer Review Kumobiuss Endless Glider is a Blast from the Past
Theres no denying Kumobiuss Time Surfer [$0.99] owes a lot to Tiny Wings [$0.99 / $2.99 (HD)]. It has the same swoopy hills, the same leap-and-glide movement, and the same joy of flight. After that, things go a bit off the proverbial rails.
If the 80s exploded all over Tiny Wings, wed be part way there. Time Surfer is a glorious mess of bright colors, pixel art and the most upbeat of chiptunes. Its more than that, though. Take the calm simplicity of Tiny Wings, crank up the speed, stick it in space and add a dozen good ways to die. Not so calm, but death is just a state of mind: you can turn it around with the rewind button.
The rewind button is key to the whole Time Surfer experience�youd only be half a time surfer without it. As you surf you collect gems; these add to a pool you can use for a bit of quick time travel. You can only head back a few seconds, even at full power, but thats often enough to save yourself from death or a bad jump.
More than that, time travel lets you be creative. Given the usual laws of physics, it might be impossible to grab a certain powerup and also manage a perfect curve on your next jump. You, however, arent limited to the usual laws of physics. Grab that powerup, then rewind and line yourself up for the perfect jump. You have the power.
The advantage is necessary, because Time Surfer is pretty unforgiving. Not only are there pits and spikes out to straight-up kill you�the end of the universe is on your tail. If you start flubbing your jumps and losing speed the end will catch up to you. It can be difficult to tell exactly how far ahead of it youre running, a hassle when compared to Tiny Wings cut-and-dry night cycle, but you can always rest assured that if youre not doing your best then death wont be far off.
If its taking too long, you can take the alternative of swiping through the main screen until you find Hell Mode. Feel like you dont see the cute "Death by spikes" graphic often enough? This is where youll get over that. Hell Mode does away with the scattered pits and instead has spikes everywhere. Everywhere. Its horrifying.
On the rest of the replayability front, missions abound, as do unlockables. Time Surfer gives you cake�you collect it while you play, and earn it whenever you complete a mission. Its used to pay for a collection of fantastic cosmetic options (Im saving up for the "police box" skin). Thatd keep it utterly lacking in controversy but for the pet system.
Im a sucker for pets, and Time Surfer has such cute ones to share. One unlocks whenever you complete a batch of missions, and each has a more impressive ability than the last. From boosting your speed to plucking you out of a pit, these pets prove their worth again and again�its just that you have to pay for their services each and every time by feeding them some of your hard-earned cake. None of the pets make or break the game, but it does all feel a touch mercenary. At least I can afford to keep my little buddy the Axolotl along with me every time. Ive wanted to hang out with that dude since Beans Quest [$0.99].
Lets get back to this Tiny Wings thing for a second, though. Time Surfer is far beyond being a lazy retread. The basic mechanical action is the same�touch the screen to pull in tight and gain speed, release to fly� as is the goal. Otherwise, it feels strikingly different to play. Time Surfer is fast, stressful, and intense. These are not words that one would use to describe Tiny Wings. There is no analog to skipping over planets, aliens and asteroids, picking up more and more speed and then launching yourself off the next jump to keep the chain going.
On the flip side, this game has nothing to compare to Tiny Wings most excellent sensation of soaring. Fly high enough and youll squish up at the top of the screen for a while. Its uncomfortably confining. Similarly, some of the areas youll pass through in a run of Time Surfer are choppy, full of short little jumps that are absolute momentum-killers if you dont play perfectly. Its not always a rush of glorious speed. When it is, its intoxicating.
Before playing Time Surfer, I was a little bummed out that Kumobius was making something in the vein of someone elses classic. That feeling is gone. I get something new and different from playing Time Surfer, a rush that proves there was untapped potential in the formula. The game is vicious, its ridiculous, and it looks like something that came off a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper. Execution is half the battle, and Time Surfer nails it.
App Store Link: Time Surfer, $0.99 (Universal)
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