TUAW's Daily App: I Must Run

The popularity of Canabalt seems to have spawned a whole genre of games on the App Store. I remain a fan of Monster Dash, and Tomena Sanner is another fascinating spin on the very basic one-button gameplay. Now here comes I Must Run, another running-style game that has you as a character running on a 2D field, trying to avoid gaps and obstacles by jumping and punching your way through.

Despite the fact that this borrows a lot (if not actually everything) from Canabalt and its followers, there's no denying that "IMR" (as developer Gamelion Studios calls it in a teasing FAQ on the app's description) has its own verve as well. The style is very well done. You play a prisoner running from a prison, and there's a little more story here (some of it in the form of a motion comic) than the other games that tend to go more arcade-style. Gamelion promises there's an end to this one, though good luck trying to get to it.

There are also a few gameplay tweaks. You can punch through obstacles and duck under overhangs, so if you want to beat the whole thing, you'll really have to stay on your toes (or fingers, as the case may be). I Must Run is only US$0.99 on the App Store right now, and it's earning some nice buzz around the gaming community. Looks like there might be room for a few more running titles on the App Store yet.