Groove Coaster is a rhythm game boiled down to its essence. Where Guitar Hero had multiple buttons and Rez married its interactive soundtrack to hardcore shooting mechanics, Groove Coaster is concerned entirely with keeping a beat using its simple one-touch controls to its advantage.
The premise is simple: an avatar careens down a prescribed path, and you tap or swipe the screen in conjunction with the music whenever it hits a dot. For about 10 seconds it seems boring -- and then a psychedelic light explosion of abstract shapes and colors begins to dance around like an interactive laser show.
The Space Invader avatar is a nice homage to developer's previous game, Space Invaders; Infinity Gene.
Suddenly, the most important thing in the universe is maintaining a steady rhythm by tapping in sync to the beat, and there's no time to look away. Much like a roller coaster alluded to in the title, its rigorous rhythms keep you transfixed, and any extra depth would only serve as an unnecessary distraction.
To Jupiter and beyond...
The bottom line. Groove Coaster's catchy electronic soundtrack, simple controls, and aesthetic presentation are like a rave that doesn't require drugs to enjoy. Give it a go.
iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third-or fourth-gen iPod touch, or iPad running iOS 4.2 or later.
Delightful soundtrack, accessible controls, and engrossing visuals.
Your thumb can get in the way at times, and sometimes there's too much happening on screen that it's easy to lose focus on your avatar.
