Jetpack Joyride

Pros

• - The game is now free on most consoles and devices.
• - With all of the upgrades available to earn, there's tons of replay value.
• - The developers have continued to add extra free content to the game.

Cons

• - Once all of the achievements have been obtained, they loop back to the start.
• - There isn't too much variation in the scenery.
• - Some upgrades like clothes have little to no effect on game play.

Jetpack Joyride is an action-packed, side-scrolling endless runner game released in 2011 by Half-Brick Studios. The immensely popular and award-winning game is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Playstation 3 and PSP.

The game begins with protagonist Barry Steakfries stealing a jet pack from a top secret laboratory. The player controls Barry by pressing down on the screen for touchscreen devices or pressing any button on the controller for the console versions.

The object of the game is to travel as far as you can while avoiding obstacles such as laser beams, missiles and zappers. In the process, you can collect coins to upgrade your equipment, making traveling the distance more fun and easier to accomplish. You can upgrade your jet pack, but it's purely aesthetic. There is also the ability to change clothes and wear things like helmets, but these upgrades also have no effect on game play. Items like magnets that attract more coins and shoes that make you run faster are must-haves if you plan to get a higher score.

Scattered throughout the levels are multi-colored boxes that supply Barry with various vehicles -- each having its own benefits and hindrances. From a robotic suit that tramples everything in its way, to a fire-breathing dragon that flies through the air, the transportation options are funny and useful.

When you perish, a slot machine mini-game pops up, allowing you a chance to salvage your game and Barry's life. You earn chances on the machine by collecting special spin tokens along the way. If you don't want to use spin tokens, you can cash them in for more coins to use toward upgrades. The prizes you can earn are bags of coins, explosives that send Barry barreling down the corridor a few more meters and extra turns to keep your current game running.

Pros

• - The game is now free on most consoles and devices.
• - With all of the upgrades available to earn, there's tons of replay value.
• - The developers have continued to add extra free content to the game.

Cons

• - Once all of the achievements have been obtained, they loop back to the start.
• - There isn't too much variation in the scenery.
• - Some upgrades like clothes have little to no effect on game play.