Android App Review: Jungle Monkey Saga

With a name like Jungle Monkey Saga, how could I not give this game a go? However, while this 2D platformer is fun enough as a diversion, it needs more to it to be a full game.

The fundamental elements of Jungle Monkey Saga will be pretty familiar to anyone who's played a 2D platformer before. Left-to-right travel? Check. Coins? Check. Um, platforms? Check.Your titular monkey runs across the screen at a constant speed, and your control over him is limited to tapping him to make him jump. Doing this in mid air will make him double jump, but you don't get a third (which I discovered to my dismay over a few chasms). While this doesn't seem like very much actual gameplay, there's enough challenge in timing the jumps correctly to make it engaging.

The problem is that really all there is. The levels change somewhat, but they're all just variations on bits to run on and bits to jump over, some of which have coins above them. Even with the constant challenge of jumping without falling, the whole thing quickly gets repetitive and samey.

The thing about sagas is that they've got a lot going on in them, right? Adventures and drama and I don't know, variation. While I'll happily concede this game has a jungle and a monkey, a saga it is not (and if I'm being honest even 'jungle' is being generous to the squared-off green lumps and log bridges that make up the levels). This feels like the first third of a game.

The graphics are fine for what they are, but not particularly eye-catching. It's a free game, so it's not like it's costing you anything, but even as far as free, shallow diversions go this one is just a bit shallower than I'd like.