Retro-themed games are commonplace on Google Play these days, thanks largely to the fact that gamers love to embrace hallmarks of the past - such as pixel-heavy visuals, unforgiving gameplay and chiptune-style music.
This means there's quite a bit of bandwagon-jumping going on, of which Bionfly is particularly guilty. It has all the ingredients to make a compelling experience - a simple premise, vintage-style graphics, and an infectious soundtrack - but it never really comes together as convincingly as it should.
Robot rockPlaced in the role of a robot who can fly for short distances, you have to get to the exit without hitting one of the many hazards that dot each level.
You can move left and right, and tapping the on-screen button causes your android avatar to levitate. The power of flight only lasts for a short period, at which point you come plummeting back down to Earth and have to wait for it to recharge.
Along the way you'll see golden nuggets (referred to in the game as 'Onyx') which can be collected to enhance your score. The number collected is tallied up at the conclusion of each level, as is your best time. Aside from seeing what the next stage brings, these two factors are your sole motivation for playing Bionfly.
Nuts and boltsThe game gets challenging quite quickly, and a lot of deaths feel unfair. The in-game camera often fails to keep up with your character, leading to many fatalities from you hitting spikes that remain unseen until it's far too late.
Bionfly ends up being a rather frustrating piece of software that doesn't offer enough entertainment to keep your playing beyond a few minutes, even if you're absolutely potty about old skool gaming.