Top Run
- February 10, 2020
- Katata Games
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreTop Run is endless runner with platformer elements. It has everything we love: neon, pixel art, a bit of outrun, tiny piece of synthwave, scanlines, VHS effects.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a vibrant 80s aesthetic with enjoyable visuals and a catchy synthwave soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Top Run offers a satisfying sense of progression through unlockable features, skins, and missions that encourage repeated play.
- It's a fun and entertaining runner that can serve as a great time-killer, especially for fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including glitches with enemy behavior and frustrating 'buddy time' mechanics that can disrupt gameplay.
- Many players find the missions and upgrades to be repetitive and grindy, lacking sufficient variety to keep them engaged over time.
- The game feels like a mobile port with limited customization options and design choices that don't meet the expectations of PC gamers.
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its retro vibe and beautiful soundtrack that complements the visuals, while others find it repetitive and lacking in quality. Critics argue that the music fails to compete with better options available for free, and some describe it as annoying or insufficient for the game's length. Overall, while the aesthetic and references are appreciated, the soundtrack's execution leaves much to be desired.
“Nice runner with cool retro vibe aesthetics and soundtrack!”
“First off, the game has great visuals and music, plus there's lots of cool '80s references (mainly movies and cartoons).”
“I really like the graphic style and the soundtrack is beautiful!”
“The game is a lazy 2D retro pixel endless runner (with platforming and shooter elements) as you run across a 1980's cityscape listening to annoying music.”
“If the business plan for a game is to compete with Spotify, which is free and has effectively unlimited music, all of which is better than the music here, it's failed before it even started.”
“Too bad the soundtrack isn't available.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a vibrant 80s aesthetic, featuring neon colors and retro pixel art that evoke nostalgia for the era. Coupled with a catchy synth soundtrack and numerous pop culture references, the visuals create an engaging and immersive experience that resonates with fans of retro gaming. Overall, the graphics are praised for their charm and ability to transport players back to the 80s.
“First off, the game has great visuals and music, plus there's lots of cool '80s references (mainly movies and cartoons).”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“Soaked in 80's kid nostalgia, getting addicted to running further and further with your pet pooch in a VHS-grained world, grinding out points for upgrades, aesthetic decorations, and costumes.”
“The main selling point is the 80s aesthetic, with lots of neon and cheesy synth rock and pop culture references.”
- story7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is primarily driven by a mission system that offers simple objectives, such as defeating enemies or rescuing allies, which can enhance gameplay strategy. However, players express frustration with the reliance on luck for mission completion and the limitations of having only three active missions at a time, which can hinder progress. Additionally, unexpected triggers like "buddy time" can disrupt critical moments, adding to the overall challenge and frustration.
“Missions are too often dependent on luck (getting 3 of a specific powerup in a run for instance), and you only ever have three active missions at a time, meaning you will only be able to make progress for those three missions until you get new ones (with a few exceptions).”
“The 'buddy time' minigame activates on its own, and can make you miss a mission critical boss or powerup.”
“I often found myself getting frustrated at first, such as when 'the floor is lava' is triggered while I'm in mid-jump and can't possibly get to safe ground, or when I'm about to kill an enemy that counts towards a mission goal only to have 'buddy time' trigger before my projectile hits the enemy.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay combines casual runner elements with engaging platform mechanics, featuring a neon theme reminiscent of "Back to the Future." Players earn pixels to unlock skins for themselves and their dogs, which provide various buffs, extend power-up durations, and enhance pixel value after covering certain distances. Overall, it offers a unique and enjoyable experience that blends different genres effectively.
“The pixels you earn during gameplay can be spent on skins for you and your dog (in a nice touch, your skins come with different buffs), extending the effective time of power-ups, and allowing you to trigger pixels being worth double (and eventually triple) after a certain distance is run.”
“It's a runner with very interesting platform mechanics.”
“Casual runner spiced with platformer + neon theme + mechanics = if Back to the Future had a runner game, this would be it.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
“The controls are unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.”
“The level design is uninspired, with little variation that makes each run feel the same.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of Top Run has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that it is a poorly executed mobile port rather than a genuine PC game. The game's simplistic design and repetitive elements contribute to the perception of it being a lazy attempt to profit from players.
“Top Run is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The game is a lazy 2D retro pixel endless runner (with platforming and shooter elements) as you run across a 1980s cityscape listening to annoying music.”
“The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every corner you turn, there's another paywall or microtransaction waiting to drain your wallet.”
“I can't believe how much they charge for basic features that should be included in the game. It feels like they prioritized profit over player experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game offers good value for money, its replayability is considered limited due to unexciting rewards, which may not incentivize players to return after completing it.
“8.5/10 — good value for money/fair price tag, but replay value is quite limited with not-so-interesting rewards in return!”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game nostalgic and engaging, as they enjoy running with their pet in a retro-inspired world while accumulating points for upgrades, decorations, and costumes. The experience is described as addictive, tapping into a sense of 80s childhood nostalgia.
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and rewards are minimal.”
“The grind is tedious and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find myself spending hours grinding for resources, but it often feels like I'm just wasting my time.”
