Crescent Moon Games is going to publish the Android-exclusive platformer Reed by PXLink on iOS later this year, and it’s going to have iOS gamers wondering what else on Android they’re missing out on. The game’s a bit similar in theme to Cat Bird (Free), though I only bring this title up as a reference, since Reed pre-dates the game. In each level, you have to collect a large floating cube in order to unlock the exit, while trying to survive spikes, dart shooters, breakaway platforms, and wandering enemies. The game does promise some tricky platforming sections, and your only real tool is a double jump, but the game boasts quick restarts so you can get right back in the action after you die.
Reed‘s pixel art is quite impressive. The game has somewhat of a low-resolution, blocky look with thick outlines, but the art still appears incredibly detailed. The game does look like it’s behind an Instagram filter the entire time with the color usage, but it gives the game a different look from the similar Cat Bird. The animation in particular is impressive. The developer put a lot of time and work into making the cube that players have to collect in each level the most impressive object in the game. The cube looks and feels important, and satisfying to collect.
Reed is a fun and challenging platformer, great for pick-up-and-play sessions, or for sitting down and trying to tackle a bunch of platforming challenges for a couple hours. And it comes in at the criminally low price of $0.99. Reed should garner attention from Apple and the iOS gaming community, so why wasn’t it on iOS already? Well, apparently the developer only had Android and PC, which made it difficult to release for iOS, since that requires a Mac specifically. And if a developer is making games primarily for the love and not necessarily as a business, well, maybe buying a Mac to release on iOS isn’t the highest priority. Also consider that a game might easily not make its costs for porting and hardware back if it doesn’t gain any traction!
What this means is that Android has plenty of hidden gems to find, as the sheer number of developers that might not have Macs and just want to release a mobile game for fun is incredibly high. Reed shows that some of these titles have the kind of quality that makes them well worth your time and money. If you have an Android device, you can play the game right now for only $0.99. If you don’t have an Android, keep an eye out for the Crescent Moon-published iOS release later this year, and check out the thread in the TouchArcade Upcoming Games forum for more details.
