Atmospug Review

Atmospug, the Cloud Jumping Dog is kind of like an endless runner but also not. For one thing, it has more to do with timing your jumps than running – blindly racing through stages will ensure a swift and hasty death. More significantly, it's different because you can create your own game, kind of, courtesy of ‘Level Chain’.

Level Chain is, to use a marketing term, Atmospug, the Cloud Jumping Dog's USP (unique selling point). At the end of each level you can choose to slot in a new level to follow it. You're given a few choices and a quick screenshot of what to expect, then you have to decide what to check out next. It's a cool idea and one that means you feel like you have a more personalized experience. You can share your plans with others too, adding a collaborative feeling to things.

The game itself is fairly typical of an iOS based platforming game. You have two buttons – one that dictates a long but low jump while the other is high but short. You have to get Atmospug to the safety of his dog house by jumping from cloud to cloud and avoiding the many obstacles flung your way, courtesy of an angry mob of cats. It's not easy though, with timing being everything, and progression can be a little slow at times.

Without Level Chain, it'd probably feel a little too derivative to play for very long, but thanks to its innovative way of dealing with new levels Atmospug, the Cloud Jumping Dog feels slightly fresher than most. It might be tough going at times, but you'll be intrigued to see what you can do next – and that's a good reason to carry on.