JuJu Ball

There's no single way to do touchscreen platforming controls right.

When you pick up a controller you almost instinctively know which buttons do what. On your phone it's a case of the game spending the first level or so explaining how to get from A to B.

On-screen buttons, taps, swipes, tilts, and all manner of variations and combinations have been tried. Some of them work, some of them don't.

JuJu Ball is an attempt to do something a little different. It doesn't really work, but it's a valiant attempt all the same.

The game sees you taking control of a ball. Probably a JuJu ball. You're rolling around reasonably good looking levels, collecting gems, jumping over gaps, and generally doing the sort of thing you'd expect to do in a platformer.

You roll right by pushing on the left of the screen, left by pushing on the right, and jump using an Angry Birds-style drag and release catapult swipe.

Tapping on the sides of the screen makes you do a quick shift in the opposite direction, which is handy for nudging your way to the edge of a platform or correcting a jump if you're going to fall short.

You need to drag and release quite high up the screen, especially for larger jumps, or you won't be able to get enough power into your leap. You need to be careful with your rolls as well, or you're likely to tumble into an abyss.

There are checkpoints scattered around the levels, and gems and other gewgaws to pick up as well. The only really fresh feeling thing in the game is the controls, but they're not strong enough to carry the experience.

Nothing quite clicks together, and JuJu Ball lacks that polish that sets the very best App Store games apart.

The controls get fiddly pretty quickly, and there's a clumsiness to proceedings that it's hard to get over.

There's some fun to be had here, and it's worth picking up just to give the controls a try - but don't expect to be bowled over.