In theory, the best thing about the endless running genre is that it's endless - you can have unlimited entertainment for your money.
Conversely, the worst thing about the endless running genre is that there's no possible redemption if the core gameplay is flawed. If one bit's bad the whole game is bad, forever.
Need for speedThat's the problem with Action Driver, the latest casual offering from the ridiculously prolific minds at Donut Games - a publisher with more than its fair share of pick-up-and-play gems in its back catalogue.
Sadly, Action Driver isn't one of them, offering a highway sprint of miniscule thrills and mildly diverting spills as you pootle forwards in the single-minded pursuit of highscores.
You get points for gathering cash, overtaking fellow roadsters, and performing jumps over gaping abysses.
Meanwhile traffic cones, poorly-maintained road surfaces, and the odd tumbling boulder attempt to spice things up as you dodge and accelerate up the league tables - but they're pretty easy to avoid, assuming that the relentless mediocrity hasn't already caused you to nod off at the wheel.
Pimp my rideAction Driver does have a few nifty features. In typical Donut fashion, you get a decent number of Game Center achievements to plug your way through and the game handily informs you when anyone on your friends list manages to best your high score.
And, of course, it features Donut's usual appealing blend of chunky, colourful visuals and clean, crisp presentation.
On a basic level, Action Driver does exactly what it sets out to, offering a fairly mindless few minutes of tea break distraction.
But there are plenty more involving endless running games out there, and it's hard to recommend Action Driver when it's vying for your attention alongside gems like Off The Leash and Jetpack Joyride.