Bees Knees Apps: Jetpack Joyride

Jetpack Joyride (Halfbrick) is your basic side scrolling obstacle-based game.  Your character is a failing salesman who stumbles upon a secret laboratory who is developing a prototype machine gun powered jetpack.  Pretty straightforward.

As you don your deadly jetpack, you need to maneuver your way through super-charged electric barriers, dodge horizontal laser systems and evade homing missiles.  There are even coins to collect along the way. You can see that these scientists do not want their new toy flying out the front door.

Why is this any different than the helicopter game on Addicting Games?

First of all, it's a mobile app you can take anywhere.  Second, the detailed cartoon graphics bring colorful and eye-catching visuals.  Third, and the most important, Jetpack includes special power-up vehicles that creates a whole new dynamic to gameplay.

Other than your average machine gun jetpack, your character can pick up special vehicles that allow you to teleport, breathe fire, stomp, reverse gravity, eat more coins, and ride like a badass.  These vehicles all have different gameplay mechanics so you always need to change the way you navigate passed obstacles.

Mr. Snuggles, a mechanical fire-breathing dragon, automatically floats upward and holding a finger on the screen brings him down while breathing fire on panicked scientists.

The Hog, a motorcycle, travels quickly across the ground while you automatically terminate scientists and have to hop over barriers.

And, the teleporter has a guided location beacon in which you can instantly materialize yourself to a new location.

These are only to name a few. Jetpack also has special coins you can collect during your airtime adventure which can be used once you crash and burn in a mini slot based game.  You can win extra coins, exploding bomb boosts, 750m headstarts and a second chance to continue or previous game.

Jetpack also has fun store option which allows you to spend your collected coins on vehicle upgrades, special power-ups and a plethora of outfits.  I believe the Super-Saiyan hair is somewhere a little over 9000. "Damn it."

Jetpack Joyride is free to install and comes connected to Apple's Game Center so you can keep track of your high scores and achievements against friends.  I recommend it and would love to see if anyone can beat my 3495m high score.  Please share your high scores below to shame me.