Sonic the Hedgehog's many previous App Store exploits have all been ports of past favorites or newer multiplatform releases, so to see Sega pursue a brand new mobile experience in the form of Sonic Jump is encouraging. Granted, as you'll notice immediately from the screenshots, "new" may not be the best word to describe a title that pays very obvious tribute to Doodle Jump and its ilk. That's not necessarily a problem, as Namco Bandai showed that such a pairing can work wonders with Pac'n-Jump, but Sonic Jump doesn't quite find the sweet spot between its disparate origins.

After a lifetime spent running from left to right, it's certainly curious to see the speedy blue blur vertically leaping from platform to platform, but the colorful aesthetic impresses, and the core Doodle Jump mechanics feel right. You'll simply tilt the iPhone or iPad subtly to either side to guide him across the screen, evading large gaps as you aim to vault higher and higher, plus you can tap the screen to double-jump and reach even higher-up platforms.

Sonic Jump includes the requisite endless mode for each of its three zones, letting you continue upward and onward until you fall or run into the wrong end of a spike or enemy, with your high score tracked on Game Center. But it also introduces something unique in the form of short-form missions, which aim to emulate the classic Sonic levels of old. Each lasts about 45 seconds, letting you collect both rings and special icons as you seek the goal, and each zone culminates in a boss battle against the evil Dr. Eggman himself.

But the inclusion of iconic series gameplay elements blends uncomfortably with the casual bouncing approach that Sonic Jump mimics, and the result is initial confusion and eventual frustration. Having collected rings in tow gives you a second chance when injured, but the game uses that as an opportunity to ramp up the number of spike panels and floating enemies in range. Meanwhile, Sonic can spin and smash though enemies unharmed for a mere second after jumping, but then the spin stops and he's immediately vulnerable, which only adds to the number of unexpected hits and deaths.

I kept looking for that sweet spot between the happy-go-lucky jumping framework and the penalizing, old-school platform elements, but it never quite emerged. Most Sonic the Hedgehog games these days tend to elicit vehement response from players, positive or negative, but Sonic Jump is the rare exception that curiously makes little impact at all.

The bottom line. It's possible to successfully blend Doodle Jump and nostalgic heroes, but Sonic Jump doesn't quite find the necessary balance to pull it off.