Speed Hiker is a simple, easy to pick up game that has you trying to master gravity and timing. It is very similar to Tiny Wings in which you touch and hold the screen to drop and release to jump/fly through the air. The trick is touching at the right time to hit the downslope of the hill. If you hit the upslope you’ll slow right down and have to build up more speed. There are a couple of differences that give Speed Hiker high replay value. The first is the ability to upgrade your hiker and increase abilities.
Upgrades can be purchased with coins collected during the game, and whatever those blue jewels are. The blue jewels are earned by placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the races. If you can’t wait to unlock the next hiker or you need more boosts right now, you can also use an in app purchase to buy coins and jewels. Which brings me to the other reason why Speed Hiker will keep you coming back. Multiplayer…all the time.
The game is always multiplayer. You play against 4 other players who are presumably close to the same level. I haven’t figured out how the players are selected yet but I think it could be based on time played. You can see the progress bar at the top of the screen. In this screenshot from BlackBerry World, the hiker is in last place and trailing the leader by 100 meters. I would love to see the ability to add friends and play private games or tournaments for more jewels or something.
