Impossible Road
{{Short description|2013 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = Impossible Road icon.png
| caption = App icon
| developer = Wonderful Lasers
| publisher = Wonderful Lasers
| released = {{Ubl|iOS|May 9, 2013|Android|April 8, 2014}}
| genre = Action
| modes = Single-player
| engine = Unity
| director = Kevin Ng
}}
Impossible Road is a 2013 action video game developed and published by the Canadian indie studio Wonderful Lasers. It was released for iOS in 2013, and later for Android. A follow-up published by Rogue Games, Super Impossible Road, was released for Windows on May 11, 2016, as one of the launch titles for Apple Arcade on September 19, 2019, for Nintendo Switch on December 9, 2021, and for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 8, 2022.{{cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2019-09-16 |title=Apple Arcade hands-on — dozens of original cartoon games aimed at family players |url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/09/16/apple-arcade-hands-on-dozens-of-original-cartoon-games-aimed-at-family-players/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113074326/https://venturebeat.com/2019/09/16/apple-arcade-hands-on-dozens-of-original-cartoon-games-aimed-at-family-players/ |archive-date=November 13, 2021 |access-date=2021-11-13 |work=VentureBeat}}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-11 |title=Super Impossible Road launches December 9 for Switch, in early 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and PC |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/super-impossible-road-launches-december-9-for-switch-in-early-2022-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-and-pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808143311/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/super-impossible-road-launches-december-9-for-switch-in-early-2022-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-and-pc |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Super Impossible Road gets release date for current gen consoles |url=https://www.altchar.com/game-news/super-impossible-road-gets-release-date-for-current-gen-consoles-awljT9q5HWNP |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808143307/https://www.altchar.com/game-news/super-impossible-road-gets-release-date-for-current-gen-consoles-awljT9q5HWNP |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=www.altchar.com |language=en}} A true sequel, Impossible Road 2, was announced to be in development for Windows in December 2023.{{Cite web |title=Impossible Road 2 on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1066520/Impossible_Road_2/ |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}
Gameplay
File:ImpossibleRoadgameplay.png
The player is tasked with keeping a white ball (called "The Vessel"){{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/31/impossible-road-review|title=Impossible Road Review|last=Larsen|first=Luke|date=2013-05-31|website=IGN|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-13|archive-date=October 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003101136/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/31/impossible-road-review|url-status=live}} on the road for as long as possible without falling off.{{Cite news|url=http://www.slidetoplay.com/impossible-road-review/|title=Impossible Road Review {{!}} Slide to Play|date=2013-05-15|work=Slide to Play|access-date=2017-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302091332/http://www.slidetoplay.com/impossible-road-review/|archive-date=2019-03-02|url-status=dead}} The road has procedurally generated twists, turns{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamezebo.com/2013/05/10/impossible-road-review/|title=IMPOSSIBLE ROAD Review|last=Rose|first=Mike|date=2013-05-10|website=Gamezebo|access-date=2017-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113205858/https://www.gamezebo.com/2013/05/10/impossible-road-review/|archive-date=2021-11-13|url-status=live}} and dives and is endless. The player controls the ball by tapping (with two fingers){{Cite news|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/impossible-road/|title=Impossible Road Review|last=Brown|first=Mark|work=Pocket Gamer|date=2013-05-09|access-date=2017-05-13|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113074329/https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/impossible-road/|url-status=live}} left or right on the screen. Each time the player passes a numbered checkpoint line, the player gains a point (several if they missed some checkpoints in between). The player can "cheat" and fall off the road and land on a road section further on the road. When the player dies (after several seconds of free fall), the player is presented with the option to play again. The player can see how many checkpoint lines they crossed and how many they skipped.
A later update allowed the player to select a color scheme (theme) and have more accurate 3D Touch controls.{{Cite web|url=http://toucharcade.com/2016/01/21/impossible-road-gets-3d-touch-and-themes-in-new-update/|title='Impossible Road' Gets 3D Touch and Themes in New Update|date=2016-01-21|website=TouchArcade|access-date=2017-05-13|archive-date=December 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212202655/http://toucharcade.com/2016/01/21/impossible-road-gets-3d-touch-and-themes-in-new-update/|url-status=live}}
Development and release
Impossible Road was developed entirely by the Canadian indie developer Kevin Ng, who had previous experience at Rockstar Games and Electronic Arts. The developer drew his inspiration mainly from Stunt Car Racer, a racing game of his childhood that featured tracks similar to this game's "roller coaster"-like ones, and was also influenced by Super Hexagon, the Rainbow Road, courses of the Mario Kart series, Wipeout, and Super Monkey Ball. Ng appreciated the minimalist aspect found in some games and chose that for his because it "strips everything down and lets you get to the important stuff. It keeps you honest as a designer". Thinking minimally thus became his challenge, and during development, he decided in favor of the blue-and-white graphics with the ball taking up negative space and against adding power-ups. He also opposed and resisted monetizing the game via microtransactions. The "cheating" mechanic was implemented when he tested a working prototype of the game and found that jumping off and on the track was too enjoyable to penalize.{{cite web|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/impossible-road-developer-kevin-ng-talks-inspirations-cheating-future-plans-and-/|title=Impossible Road developer Kevin Ng talks inspirations, cheating, future plans, and more|last=Usher|first=Anthony|work=Pocket Gamer|date=2013-05-09|access-date=2021-11-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.appgefahren.de/entwickler-im-interview-impossible-road-70309.html|title=Entwickler im Interview: Impossible Road|language=German|trans-title=Developer in interview: Impossible Road|author=Fabian|work=Appgefahren.de|date=2013-05-14|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113074327/https://www.appgefahren.de/entwickler-im-interview-impossible-road-70309.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/we-ask-indies-kevin-ng-creator-of-impossible-road-going-full-indie|title=We Ask Indies: Kevin Ng, creator of Impossible Road going full indie|last=Saraintaris|first=Nico|work=Gamasutra|date=2014-03-12|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825055047/https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/NicoSaraintaris/20140312/212909/We_Ask_Indies_Kevin_Ng_creator_of_Impossible_Road_going_full_indie.php|archive-date=2021-08-25|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/ps4s-new-exclusive-super-impossible-road-all-about-cheating/|title=PS4's new exclusive, Super Impossible Road, is all about the cheating|last=Willington|first=Peter|work=GamesRadar+|date=2015-07-07|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113074326/https://www.gamesradar.com/ps4s-new-exclusive-super-impossible-road-all-about-cheating/|url-status=live}} The game was released for iOS on May 9, 2013,{{cite web|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/fancy-taking-a-trip-down-impossible-road-on-iphone-and-ipad-from-midnight-tonigh/|title=Fancy taking a trip down Impossible Road on iPhone and iPad from midnight tonight?|last=Slater|first=Harry|work=Pocket Gamer|date=2013-05-08|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113061637/https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/fancy-taking-a-trip-down-impossible-road-on-iphone-and-ipad-from-midnight-tonigh/|archive-date=2021-11-13|url-status=live}} and it was made available for Android on April 8, 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/silver-award-winning-stylish-score-chasing-game-impossible-road-will-spiral-onto/|title=Silver Award-winning stylish score-chasing game Impossible Road will spiral onto Android on April 8th|last=Priestman|first=Chris|work=Pocket Gamer|date=2014-04-02|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113061220/https://www.pocketgamer.com/impossible-road/silver-award-winning-stylish-score-chasing-game-impossible-road-will-spiral-onto/|archive-date=2021-11-13|url-status=live}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| Edge = 9/10{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/EDGE_Magazine_July_2013|title=Impossible Road|magazine=Edge|date=July 2013|access-date=2021-11-13|issue=255|page=124}}
| rev1 = Paste
| rev1Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/mobile-game/mobile-game-of-the-week-impossible-road-ios/|title=Mobile Game of the Week: Impossible Road (iOS)|last=Martin|first=Garrett|work=Paste|date=2013-05-13|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113070145/https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/mobile-game/mobile-game-of-the-week-impossible-road-ios/|archive-date=2021-11-13|url-status=live}}
}}
On Metacritic, the game received "generally favorable" reviews based on 15 critics.{{cite web |title=Impossible Road |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/impossible-road/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520143015/https://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/impossible-road |archive-date=May 20, 2019 |accessdate=January 5, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive}} TouchArcade gave the game 4.5 stars out of 5 stars praising the game's music and minimalism.{{cite web |url=https://toucharcade.com/2013/07/02/impossible-road-review/ |title='Impossible Road' Review – The Game that Lives Up to its Name |last=Burnett |first=Karl |date=2013-07-02 |website=TouchArcade |accessdate=2017-05-13 |archive-date=August 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806150001/https://toucharcade.com/2013/07/02/impossible-road-review/ |url-status=live }}
Several reviewers also compared the game to Super Hexagon{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-21-impossible-road-review|title=Impossible Road review|last=Schilling|first=Chris|date=2013-06-21|website=Eurogamer|language=en-UK|access-date=2017-05-13}} and Rainbow Road from the Mario Kart series. Impossible Road was a runner-up for the British Academy Scotland Award of 2013 in the games category.{{cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/ceremony/nominees-winners/british-academy-scotland-awards-winners-in-2013|title=British Academy Scotland Awards: Winners in 2013|work=British Academy Scotland Awards|date=2013-11-17|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103161642/https://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/ceremony/nominees-winners/british-academy-scotland-awards-winners-in-2013|archive-date=2014-11-03|url-status=live}} It was also a runner-up for Apple's award for the iPad game of the year in 2013, which was won by Frogmind's Badland.{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/17/5219420/apple-names-ridiculous-fishing-badland-its-2013-games-of-the-year|title=Apple names Ridiculous Fishing, Badland its 2013 games of the year|last=Corriea|first=Alexa Ray|work=Polygon|date=2013-12-07|access-date=2021-11-13|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113074326/https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/17/5219420/apple-names-ridiculous-fishing-badland-its-2013-games-of-the-year|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.wonderful-lasers.com/other-games/}}
- {{MobyGames|/118865/impossible-road/}}
Category:Android (operating system) games
Category:Single-player video games