Run Run Super V: an endless runner with jets, and giant robots

Here’s something that’s old, but gold—sentai—which is what Philippine indie studio Altitude Games’ latest runner runner game, Run Run Super V is all about. In case you’re new to the term, think Power Rangers or Hikari Sentai Maskman.

We gave you a preview of the game from Casual Connect Asia 2014, but now that the game has finally been released, let’s take a closer look.

(See: Philippines’ pioneering studio Anino Games partners with Globe Telecommunications, returns with its own game after a decade)

Running? Check.

As the name suggests, Run Run Super V involves a lot of, well, running. You play as the red super sentai hero as he runs across the city, collecting coins (because superheroes need money for survival just like the rest of us), picking up items, avoiding obstacles, and slaying Negatron’s henchmen. Once in a while, you get to ride a jet, too, so you can collect more coins in the sky and shoot enemies.

When the game first came out on mobile, the controls were very difficult. You had to tap anywhere on the left side of the screen to jump and tap on the right side of the screen to attack. It sounds easy on paper, but it was really quite confusing in practice. Altitude Games eventually rolled out an update that let players jump by tapping anywhere on the screen. If armed, your character automatically attacks upon enemy encounter. This made the game easier and less frustrating.

(See: 5 things that give a running game its speed)

Every stage gives you a set of objectives to complete to move on to the next. You’re asked to collect a certain amount of coins, run a given distance, or kill a certain number of enemies. You don’t have to worry about starting over when you die because your progress is carried over to your next attempt on the stage unless you quit. The running part of the game doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, but what makes this game’s big payoff is that you eventually get to control your own super robot.

Giant robot? Super check.

This is where the runner part ends and where my favorite part of the game begins. After all, when you say super sentai, there has to be a giant robot, which Altitude Games made the right call to include. At certain levels of the game, you control a giant robot equipped with five different skills of your choice. You can punch, slash, fire missiles, heal up, or put up a shield to name a few.

Right now, you can only play in single player mode, but the game is planning to add a multiplayer feature where you and your friends can team up. Each skill is assigned to one of the team members’ vehicles which make up your super robot. And although I haven’t gotten the chance to try the multiplayer feature yet, it’s does seem to be a fun way to test friendships and your internet connection.