Corona-built “HoPiKo” hits the ground running

30 September 2015

Corona-built “HoPiKo” hits the ground running

September set the bar pretty high for Corona-built apps. On September 24, Frozen Gun Studios released “Freeze! 2 – Brothers” (iOS/Android), the sequel to “Freeze! – The Escape” which achieved more than 11 million freemium downloads.

On the very same day, Laser Dog Games, the studio who developed the award-winning game ALONE, released the highly-anticipated speed run platformer HoPiKo, currently available for iOS and Android. Immediately, HoPiKo achieved both the coveted #1 spot in the “Best New Games” category and an “Editors’ Choice” award from Apple’s U.S. App Store.

Speed and then some

HoPiKo is all about speed! Using a simple, intuitive touch-swipe control scheme, players must guide the hero through and around a twisted maze of hazards and obstacles, ultimately aiming to strike a dagger through the heart of the evil “Nanobyte virus” — and just when you imagine that you’ve seen this type of game before, HoPiKo mixes up the tried-and-true speed platformer genre with some new twists:

5-stage mini-runs

HoPiKo features hundreds of hand-crafted levels bundled into 5-stage mini-runs, meaning that you must complete a series of 5 quick, lightning-paced runs to advance to the next stage. This “driving achievement” formula keeps the game pace flying and addiction level peaked.

Fast and brutal gameplay

From the moment you begin a mini-run, HoPiKo challenges your responsiveness, reaction time, and hand-eye coordination, and it doesn’t stop until you’ve finished the entire run. This is not a game which allows you to think and ponder your next move — if you hesitate, you die!

Back to the classics

Visually, HoPiKo takes you back to the classics of 8-bit gaming, featuring a pixel art style reminiscent of the Nintendo gaming systems of old. HoPiKo matches this theme on the audio front, featuring 8-bit style sound effects and a chiptune soundtrack composed entirely on an original Nintendo Game Boy.

Press and praise

As mentioned above, HoPiKo received both the coveted #1 spot in “Best New Games” and an “Editors’ Choice” award from Apple’s U.S. App Store. In addition, HoPiKo has been very well received in the mobile gaming press, including Pocket Gamer, Gamezebo, and AppAdvice.

If you’re still wondering what all the buzz is about, check out the HoPiKo website and download the game for either iOS or Android.