Dash Legends review - Endless runner meets moba?

Multiplayer competition has breathed fresh life into the tried and true endless runner.

Umbrella Games' Dash Legends seeks to perfect that formula with an accessible game that's incredibly fun from the get-go, but has enough depth to keep you coming back again and again.

The aim of the game is to race three other players to the finish line, using any means necessary. Select up to three power ups, or Artifacts, before the race starts.

Run to the hills

There are dozens to choose from, from offensive weapons like a giant hammer that crushes surrounding enemies or flaming arrows, to the more subtle poison pits and boots that increase your speed.

The races themselves are long enough that you'll have to think hard on how you're going to take out your opponents, but just short enough that you can speed through two or three matches while waiting for the bus.

Each level presents procedurally generated platforming challenges, including, but certainly not limited to, spike pits, poison gas, and angry scarab beetles.

It's tricky navigating these obstacles when you're also trying to dodge a bladed boomerang tossed at you from the player behind. But the controls are so smooth and responsive, you'll rarely feel as though things are unfair or poorly balanced.

At the start of the game, you can choose from a few starter heroes, with the opportunity to pay gold to unlock more. While these individual heroes are a fun touch, there isn't a whole lot to set them apart save for their pets.

It feels like an idea that wasn't fully fleshed out, but luckily the game's other elements easily make up for this.

The sheer variety in the Artifacts makes for some fun strategy -you'll want to choose a group of skills that work together well, but are also suited to the particular environment you'll be racing through.

Learning how and when to best use these abilities, too, takes some experimenting that makes racing all the more satisfying. You'll unlock more abilities as you level up and earn more Artifacts.

IAPs are present, but the free to play mechanics are not overbearing. The game is a delight to play without spending a dime if you so choose.

There are plenty of free opportunities to get new items and equipment for your characters. Items are bought in bundles, and you won't know what you get until you spend the cash.

However, coins are easy to come by thanks to daily challenges, and you can even get free bundles by watching brief ads.

Run for your life

Some of the menus are a bit confusing - if you want to buy new items for you character, you have to click on the tiny plus sign next to your inventory, which might not be super intuitive.

The lack of tutorials may see you stumbling around trying to figure out these minor logistics early on.

I also experienced some stability issues when playing this on an iPhone. The game tends to close when browsing the character management screens, and it wouldn't run at all on my Android phone.

When it works, though, Dash Legends is a fantastic competitive endless runner. Competition is kept even between all players, thanks to the clever power up system, meaning gameplay is fun for beginners and veteran players alike.

The controls are well designed, and there's enough depth and customisation options to keep you hooked for quite some time.

Dash Legends review - Endless runner meets moba?

When it works, Dash Legends is a swift and satisfying PvP challenge with lots to explore.
Score