Seismologists don't have an accurate means of predicting when an earthquake will hit a particular area, but they can definitely tell us how big a shake was after the fact. The same can be said of a handful of iPhone games, which slipped under the radar only to emerge as surprisingly big titles.
Shaky Summit could easily serve as such an example of an unpredictable big one.
Gearing up as a mountaineer,
Shaky Summit pits you against another climber in races to the top of ten peaks. Along the route are a number of obstacles from fallen logs, massive boulders, puddles of mud and water, and even avalanches of snow. Earthquakes activate these traps, triggered by judicious taps of the touchscreen. The goal is to maximize the number of stumbles your opponent suffers on the climb by means of these obstacles. In turn, this increases your lead and bolsters your chance of reaching the
summit first.
Both you and your competitor can instigate a quake, although timing is of the essence. Some obstacles require a larger shake for activation, which demands careful timing. Additionally, you're limited to the frequency at which you start an earthquake. Should you trip up yourself on an obstacle, you aren't able to immediate instigate a quake; moreover, you can't shake several out in immediate succession.
These limitations, as well as the random placement of obstacles along the climb, give
Shaky Summit a tactical tinge. Despite being a race, the game is more about planning your strategy for using obstacles to win. You never concern yourself with moving your climber or steering them; instead, it's all about opening up a lead using earthquakes as a weapon.
It's an interesting and inventive approach. Instead of thrusting you into a twitchy race, you compete in a more deliberate tactical climb. Not only does it make for better portable gaming, but it's also a different sort of fun. Unfortunately, things are so simplified that it feels shallow. There's nothing to do beyond timing execution of your earthquakes. Some stretches of a climb involve no interaction, leaving you to stare at the screen for several moments with nothing to do. You can give your climber a boost by tapping the stamina gauge on the edge of the screen, although you must only do so sparingly since it recharges slowly.
Countering that simplicity are visuals and wealth of content that are practically glacial – cool and enormous.
Shaky Summit employs a hand-drawn aesthetic that is nothing but stylish. Three levels of difficulty, medals for each race, and three distinct characters provide plenty of gameplay. Head-to-head multiplayer on a single handset, as well as an bonus character and extra costumes ensure there's incentive to revisit.
While it would be fantastic to see more complexity added to this rather plain premise,
Shaky Summit really does well in what it offers. The simplicity of its gameplay makes it ideal for portable play and its wealth of content ensures a great value. It doesn't radically shake up the system, yet manages to climb above the rest.
