Game Reviews

Type:Rider

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Type:Rider
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It's not often you find a casual game that teaches you something, but that's exactly what Type:Rider sets out to do. This stylish font-based platformer sends you on a journey through the history of the printed word, controlling a pair of connected black dots over fonts, fires, and floods.

The game is well put-together, and it doesn't force knowledge down your throat. There are a few frustrations here and there, but overall it's a solid platforming package with a neat educational bent that offers up a decent chunk of fun.

Word climber

The controls are simple. You press on the left of the screen to go left and the right to go right. Tapping on the opposite side of the screen to the one you're pressing performs a jump. It works reasonably well, but there are occasions when you'll get stuck on a bit of scenery and have to finagle your way out.

Each of the levels is based on a period in the history of print, and is split into a number of smaller sections. There are asterisks to collect that tell you more about the era, as well as an entire alphabet to cobble together.

There's a decent sense of progression to the game, and each of the sections has a distinct theme. One level set in the American west sees you leaping into mine cars, latching on to steam locomotives, and dodging the attentions of a crosshair.

Little puzzles abound, usually involving getting a third orb into a slot to unlock a gate. They're not supremely taxing, but they add a little extra to the core of the game, and keep you on your toes.

Letter jumper

Sometimes the controls are a little on the clumsy side, and there are a couple of difficulty spikes that add more frustration than anything else, but taken as a whole there's an awful lot to like about Type:Rider.

It's innovative, engaging, and clearly built by a team who are passionate about the subject matter. This is a platformer that's different enough to stand out from the pack, and enjoyable enough to warrant a chunk of your attention.

Type:Rider

A solid and entertaining platformer, Type:Rider has a few niggling problems, but it's still worth a look
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.