The iOS appstore is often touted as the largest of its kind, yet it is far less often to find in it a new title that bears mentioning. Sure, we have those AAA iOS releases every now and again that lights the appstore ablaze, but those smaller titles that take an idea and do something unique with it are far too rare. Developer Birgit Stock just might have one such title on their hands with Hoppetee! Although Hoppetee! on its surface seems to be a generic, and common, endless runner, it only takes one look at the beautiful art direction to shake that feeling.
Hoppetee! tells the tale of a clumsy grasshopper who wants nothing more than to fly. Riding astride a red and white bouncing ball, Hoppetee racing across gorgeous hand-drawn environments collecting musical notes and fireflies. The latter is especially important when day turns to night, as Hoppetee must use those fireflies to light up the darkness, allowing him to continue on his journey. Holding a finger down on the screen readies the courageous grasshopper’s jump which executes upon release, and a mid-air hold or tap, will send Hoppetee plunging towards the ground. Collecting more musical notes and fireflies in order to race through a greater number of nights isn’t the only objective, as the game will give players unique tasks to accomplish throughout each attempt, but the real star here is the art and overall tone of the game.
Simply put, Hoppetee is a beautiful and consistently adorable title. Contrary to the typical frenetic fast-passed musical tone and graphical styling of traditional endless runners, Hoppetee is calm, serene, and peaceful. The soundtrack is almost meditative in its styling, and that art…it’s reminiscent of titles like Rayman Jungle Run, and that’s a very, very good thing. If Hoppetee! is any indication, Birgit Stock is a developer you should keep your eye on, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
