Doodle Jump has had a presence in the Windows Phone Store for some time and a few weeks ago, the Windows Phone game recently received a facelift. The Doodler has gone rogue and taken on the role of Batman with the release of Doodle Jump DC.
Game play follows suit as the original but has you facing a variety of Batman's archenemies. Power-ups are also Batman themed with batarangs, batcopters and a bat jetpack.
Available for low-memory Windows Phones, Doodle Jump DC is an enjoyable time waster of a game and the new DC Comics theme is a nice refresh of the original. While the game has been out for a bit, we thought it was worth taking a closer look.
The main menu for Doodle Jump DC offers options to start game play, view your gaming achievements, access the game's settings and access the game's upgrade store. You can also pull up any news for the game by tapping on the "news" tab at the bottom of the gaming screen.
Doodle Jump DC's settings cover the basics such as sound levels as well as the option to turn off the directional shooting (for batarangs). You can also choose between auto and manual calibration for your Windows Phone tilt sensors. Directional shooting allows you to shoot your batarangs at angles and when turned off, you can only shoot straight up.
The game's store has a few upgrades available for purchase with the crystals you collect during game play. You can buy or upgrade a jetpack, a shield, a trampoline and a batcopter. You can also use the crystals get a head start with the game and advance your character up a level in experience.
Again, game play follows suit with the original Doodle Jump game. Doodler begins bouncing from platform to platform to see how high he can progress up the screen. You can tilt your Windows Phone left or right to guide him in the corresponding direction.
Some platforms will have crystals that can be collected and spent in the gaming store and you will also find springs on other platforms to give Doodler a boost in his jump. Some of the platforms are solid, some will break under the weight of Doodler and others move around the screen. You can jump Doodler off the right side of the screen and have him re-enter game play from the left side (and vice versa).
As Doodler advances up the gaming screen, he will encounter many of the villains that have made Gotham infamous. You have Bane, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, the Joker and more to contend with. You can toss batarangs at these villains to take them out before they can ruin Doodler's day.
Your previous high scores will be marked on the gaming screen to offer a little historical reference for your game play. Every so often a new feature, such as extending your cape to glide, will come into play and tutorial directions will appear much like a bat signal to explain how to use the new feature.
Overall Impression
Doodle Jump DC is an enjoyable remake of the original. The Batman costume and gadgets breathes new life into this classic mobile game. Game play is just as challenging as it is with the original, maybe a touch more.
I would have liked to have seen more costumes available from more DC Comic Book heroes but based on the description in the Windows Phone Store, we may see more Hero installments in the future with Doodle Jump. I wouldn't mind seeing Marvel get into this action as well.
Doodle Jump DC is a free, ad-supported Windows Phone game with the ad banners quietly running across the bottom of the screen. If you prefer an ad-free gaming experience, you can remove the ads through a $.99 in-app purchase.
If you are looking for an enjoyable time waster of a game or want to revive your Doodle Jump experience, Doodle Jump DC is worth the download.