Geometry Dash
| Geometry Dash | |
|---|---|
 Geometry Dash icon | |
| Developer(s) | Robert Topala |
| Publisher(s) | RobTop Games |
| Platform(s) | iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Microsoft Windows, OS X |
| Release date(s) |
iOS, Android 13 August 2013 Microsoft Windows 22 December 2014 |
| Genre(s) | Arcade, Music, Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Geometry Dash is a 2013 mobile and Steam game developed by Sweden-based developer Robert Topala, and published by his own company RobTop Games. It is a rhythm-based running game which currently has 20 levels. Each level features unique background music. Other features of the game include a level editor, map packs, user-created levels, secret coins, and a great variety of icons and game modes, as well as user coins and a secret vault in the latest versions.
Gameplay
Geometry Dash uses a simple tapping/clicking system to control different vehicles that react when a player presses anywhere on the touchscreen (space/up key(s), mouse, or "A" button if playing on the Steam version) and can be held down to constantly interact (on some vehicles). Users cannot control the speed at which the icon is moving, the only way to change speed is by touching a speed changing portal. The timing and rhythm of the in-game music are key parts of the game, often in relation to each other.
The object of the game is to complete a level by reaching its end; however, if the player dies at an obstacle, they will have to start over from the beginning.[1] All levels (with the exception of three in the full version) are unlocked from the start, so they can be played out of order. Along the way, the player can collect up to three secret coins in each official level, which are scattered in either hidden or challenging areas.
The icon can take up to six separate forms, which behave differently with each interaction.[1] Forms themselves can be changed with six separate portals, while the behaviour of these forms can be changed further with portals that include size portals, which change the size of the icon, mirror portals, which mirrors the game view, gravity portals, which change the gravity of the icon, double portals, that duplicates a reversed, anti-gravity version of the icon, and 4 speed portals that change the speed of the icon. All of these features give a variety of ways to play the game.
Achievements
The game features achievements, these can be unlocked in several ways, such as: getting a certain number of stars, completing certain Demon-rated levels, completing official levels, adding friends, liking or disliking online levels, rating custom levels, etc.; plus secret achievements unlocked though undisclosed means.
By unlocking achievements, the player is rewarded with certain icons or colors, where they access the Icon Kit to customize their icon. The player can also unlock other customization features, namely a selection of trails behind icons and a secondary color glow around the icon's black border.[2]
Secret Vault
The game features a secret vault that can be unlocked by getting 10 silver user coins, and it is a screen with a text box where you can input codes that can be found from deciphering tricky riddles and unlock secret achievements (that unlock new icons, trails, etc.). It can be accessed by going to Settings and clicking on the yellow (or gray if you haven't gotten 10 silver coins yet) lock.
In future updates, the game will include a new secret vault, with codes (as said by RobTop) harder to get.
Game levels
Geometry Dash features 20 official levels, 17 of which are playable from the start. Each level has rewards when completing them.[1] 3 Secret Coins can be found in each official level, for a total of 60, these secret coins unlock 3 secret levels: 10 unlock Clubstep, 20 unlock Theory of Everything 2, and 30 unlock Deadlocked. (Until Update 2.0, Clubstep required twenty coins to unlock, and Theory Of Everything 2 required thirty coins to unlock.)
These levels range wildly in difficulty; while some can be beaten by anyone, some require thousands of attempts to master and complete. Online levels can get even harder than the official levels, as repeatedly proven by the creators of these online levels. Over time, the "difficulty cap" has risen and risen to reach new heights each update, especially in 2.0 with levels constantly coming out.
Levels are classified by difficulty, from Auto (Easy in the official levels) to Demon; in order of the levels' addition to the game, somewhat but not completely in order of difficulty.
The stars represent the difficulty and the number of stars the player gets when completing that level. Also, official levels are worth more stars than custom levels. For example, Demon levels are rated 14 (as in Clubstep and Theory of Everything 2) to 15 stars (as in Deadlocked) for official levels, but only 10 stars in the custom one.
Geometry Dash has a practice mode that can be used for any level. Checkpoints are available in this mode, allowing for restarting at checkpoints instead of the very beginning.[2] These checkpoints are marked by green, diamond-shaped gems, resembling those from The Sims series.
Custom levels
Besides the twenty official levels, the game supports custom levels. To access these custom levels, the player must have the full version. Notable objects that can be used include blocks, rings, jump pads, portals, spikes, and user coins among others. Coins that are verified can be collected for new icons, or to be used to unlock the vault.
The player must be able to complete their own level with all coins in normal mode in order to ensure that it is actually possible to beat. A level can be verified in separate attempts such as completing a run through in one attempt and then collecting coins in another; however any changes made to the level will make it unverified. These levels can either have the same music already in the game or custom music from Newgrounds.[2]
Each user-created level has a unique ID, which can be used to play the level without searching its name. As similar to the official levels, user-created levels are classified by difficulty, which is decided by RobTop, by players or "level mods" who can send a level to RobTop to be rated. Unlike official levels, they cannot be played offline unless they were previously downloaded.
Development and Release
According to Robert Topala, the game began as a project that could have moved in any direction. He made the remark, "There was really no detailed plan... it simply started as a template with a cube that could crash and jump.[3]" He previously developed it for the computer, but later altered his plan and made attempts to make it a mobile game. Topala was allegedly inspired by Super Mario Bros.-style platformers. He took about four months to create the game and take it to the App Store and Google Play. In the beta version, the game was called Geometry Jump, but was suddenly changed.
Upon its release, Geometry Dash had just seven levels, which are now currently free to play on the game's free version, alongside three other levels released in later updates in the full version (Time Machine, Cycles and xStep). It would soon gain serious popularity around the world, especially Canada, where it achieved the title as the most popular paid iPhone app in June 2014.[4] There are two free versions of the game, one being "Geometry Dash Lite" which currently (as of update 2.1) includes the first 10 levels from the full version and "Geometry Dash Meltdown" which currently (as of update 1.0) includes 3 levels made to showcase the 2.0 features to those who do not own the full version. On 19 December 2015, RobTop released Geometry Dash Meltdown on iOS and Android. [5]
References
- 1 2 3 "Geometry Dash Review". Softpedia. Andrei Dobra. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Geometry Dash Review". Bio Gamer Girl. E.J. Smith. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ↑ "Smart strategies fuel Geometry Dash's slow jog to success". Cult Of Mac. Luke Dormehl. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
- ↑ "Geometry dash top paid app in Canada". Thestar.com. The Canadian Press. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
- ↑ "RobTopGames official account". Twitter. RobTopGames. 19 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.