I am a sucker for quaint little platforming games so when this synopsis for Go Go Pogogirl! was given to me by developer Ratilaika Games, how could I refuse?
“PogoGirl is a pogo champion living on Pogo Island. She’s fun-loving, happy and easy-going but one fateful night, her favourite pogo stick is stolen from its case. Distressed, Pogo Girl grabs a spare pogo stick and gives chase, bouncing after the thief throughout the night and day – across the whole island in order to get her treasure back and strive to do the right thing by helping others. So, the exciting adventure begins, and an impressive challenge unfolds. “
How accurate is that summary though? Let’s see.
Spring into action
You control the titular character through various zones; Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Much like other platform games from yesteryear, each of these are split by stages and culminate with a boss battle.
The graphics are this game’s most obvious plus-point. A lot of love and care has been put into the characters and the backgrounds. The small little details really make it a joy to look at. It is a beautiful looking, graphically simple game, reminiscent of old SNES and Megadrive era platformers.
The game mechanics have your character constantly bouncing so although the controls are considerably basic, there is a little adjusting for bigger jumps or for bouncing on enemies’ heads. This can be challenging and frustrating in equal measures.
The gameplay is as simple as you would expect; bounce around the levels, collecting gems and dispatching enemies along the way. As the game progresses, little variances in your abilities are required such as the need to triple bounce or supercharge your pogo. The way they are introduced are very intuitive and break up the repetitive nature of the game.
Wake me up before you Pogo!
And the game is repetitive. Even with the little nuances, the game, by its nature is remarkably simple, perhaps too simple for the more seasoned gamer. But this is more by design than a design fault.
Speaking of repetitive, the background music can change from cute to very annoying depending on how long you play for. Each zone has a different tune but it is on a constant loop. There is a nice little touch where the sound becomes muffled when you are underwater which shows that the developers are paying attention to the little things.
The game is also short, with each stage taking less than 3 minutes if you plough through. However, the game also rewards exploration, and offers rewards for those who want to 100% it. At the end of each stage, you get a coin based on how many gems you collect, how many super gems you collect and if you managed to complete the level without dying. A nice addition for completists out there.
Will Go Go Pogogirl! change your life? No. Will the gameplay or graphics amaze you? No. But you will have fun and it is suitable for gamers of all ages and at a price point of €4.99 it is well worth jumping on.
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