Temple Run: Oz (iOS)

Temple Run Oz (iOS | Android) is another movie-themed version of the mega-popular running game, but just like Temple Run Brave, the developers managed to add enough original content to make it worth your money.

In Temple Run Oz, you play as Oz while attempting to outrun the evil flying baboons from "Oz the Great and Powerful." Like Temple Run 2, you'll need to swipe to jump, turn, and slide under obstacles and you can tilt to move Oz from side to side on the path. But with this themed remake, the scenery has been completely redesigned to fit in with the movie, and there are new game elements you'll have to tackle in order to survive as long as possible. In other words, you're not just getting an older game with a new "skin"; Temple Run Oz uses the same core gameplay, but adds plenty to make the game unique on its own.

You start out in a lush forest, but you'll journey through several different worlds with unique obstacles as you run. You'll run through graveyards, magical forest settings, and balance precariously atop walls as you progress. But a strange thing I encountered was that when you're approaching a new world, a sign is shown on the path, then a progress bar appears and runs at the top as though the new level is loading. It wouldn't be a big deal, but in my testing, the progress bar only served as another distraction and I wondered why it needed to be on the screen at all. Whatever the reason, when the progress bar is up, you'll travel through a time-warp tunnel, then enter the new world on the other side.

As with all the Temple Run games, you'll collect coins as you run that can be used to buy power-ups, but some interesting mini-games within Temple Run Oz give you the opportunity to collect much more. The best of them occurs when occasionally you'll see Oz's iconic hot air balloon pass in front of your path, and if you go in the direction of the balloon, you'll be able to fly high over the surface. Up in the air, you can tilt to steer around giant obstacles while you collect long strings of coins that add up more quickly than they would on the ground. It's certainly not a ground-breaking mini-game, but makes for a nice break in the action and lets you fill up your coin supply.

As is usual in many games these days, you have the ability to pay real money to add to your coins so you can buy every upgrade you want. I find that grinding it out the old-fashioned way is more fun, but it's worthy of note that the option is there for you.

Overall, Temple Run Oz is enough of a departure from the original to warrant spending your 99 cents. Anyone who likes endless runners or who has enjoyed Temple Run games in the past should check out this game for the new worlds, obstacles, and mini-games.