Graffiti Grinder is a recent addition to the endless runner genre of games available for our Windows Phone and Windows devices. The game has you playing the role of a graffiti tagger on roller skates.
You will have to jump from platform to platform, collect coins and dodge a range of dangers to see how far you can go before you wipe out or the Anti-Graffiti Squad catches you. Graphics are nicely drawn up, gaming controls are simple and game play is surprisingly challenging.
After spending a little time with Graffiti Grinder from both a Windows Phone and Windows 10 tablet, it comes across as a decent time waster.
Your primary menu for Graffiti Grinder offers up a handful of options that include jumping into game play, visiting the game's store, viewing the local leaderboard, viewing your gaming challenges, playing the tutorial and viewing the game's credit.
The game shop has a small collection of upgrades and power-ups that might help your graffiti skater survive a little longer. Settings with Graffiti Grinder are minimal, accessible from the main menu and include muting the sound/music.
The game mechanics for Graffiti Grinder are equally as minimal with tapping the left side of the screen to have your skater dive and tapping the right side of the screen to have him jump. The game lacks on-screen buttons and you will need to concentrate on the lower corners of the screen to activate the controls.
The game is played from a profile view with your skater jumping from platform to platform. You have rats, bats, angry pedestrians and steam pipes to avoid. If you lose momentum, the Anti-Graffiti Squad will appear and you will have to make jump flawlessly to distance yourself from the Squad member.
As you jump, your skater will begin tagging the walls around him. There is also graffiti boosts that will randomly appear during game play. These boosts include a burst of speed, a magnet that attracts coins and wings that will let your skater jump further. You can upgrade the duration of these boosts with store purchases using the coins you collect during game play.
While the goal is to travel as far as possible, Graffiti Grinder does have a series of challenges. You can review your challenge progress from the game's main menu.
Overall Impression
The more I played Graffiti Grinder, the more the game grew on me. While available for both Windows 10 devices and Windows Phones, the game plays out a little better from the smaller screen. The on-screen controls aren't too bad from a 7" tablet but when you get much larger, things can get a little cumbersome.
Graphics with Graffiti Grinder are nicely drawn up and game play can be rather challenging. The game pace starts out quick and doesn't slow down and the Anti-Graffiti Squad is relentless once they get you in their sights.
The only complaint I have with Graffiti Grinder is the use of full-screen ads. They are not as frequent as other games and does offer an alternative to the ad banners. Still, they can be somewhat annoying and I would have rather seen ad banners on the menu screens instead.
Graffiti Grinder may not be everyone's cup of soup but if you like to pass the time with endless runner games, it is worth trying.
