Alto's Adventure

In no particular order I picked one game from the list of games I've already written on. So here are my notes on Alto's Adventure, a wonderful 2D downhill snowboarding game for mobile devices.

Clarity: Can easily tell how fast you are going just by the length of the scarf behind the player.

Motivation: Tricks because they give you points and speed with which to do more/better tricks.

Reaction: Jumps require a certain amount of timing and sometimes twitch reaction to catch a jump or rail.

Satisfaction: Landing a trick gives you a speed boost and a shield.

Game Feel: Flags fall off of the ropes you grind on to make it feel more real. Also when you land a trick or crush a rock the phone vibrates.

Strategy: Tricks are rewarding but are also risky because you can't always see what is coming.

Fantasy: Snowboarding theme goes well with the mechanics. The game translates the feeling of adrenaline from landing a trick by giving you a speed boost and a shield.