The Jump: Escape to the City

Whatever you say about app games, one thing’s for sure: they’ve opened a lot of doors for indie developers. As in the days of the Commodore 64, start-ups can make simple, playable games without competing with mega-budget triple-A titles. Take

The Jump: Escape the City.

A product of

Dublin

developers Gone Gaming,

The Jump

is a slick, fun little app game that makes good use of mobile devices’ limited power. With strong shades of the

Wipeout

franchise, it’s a futuristic racer where you outrun the cops in a dystopian city. Power-ups can revive you, make you invincible and more, but you have to contend with barriers and giant potholes. Although it’s a simple game, there are nice trimmings: For instance, I like how everything slows down for a moment while you choose your power- up. There’s also a great soundtrack of hip-hop, trance and electronica.

The Jump

is free, albeit with optional micro- transactions; pay to upgrade, or to buy coins that can be used for power-ups.