Run Boggo Run!

This high-energy single-player endless runner has an interesting twist -- the main character's ultimate goal is to avoid stress, but while it's fun, its pace could actually raise anxiety. In Run Boggo Run!, anxiety takes numerous forms, including the hulking Stress Monster, a blob-like creature that's always just a few paces behind you, getting larger as it runs. Players may feel overwhelmed by the amount of tasks they need to execute at the same time -- such as swiping to swerve around a series of rocks and also trying to fire the giant bath bomb in the corner of the screen at the Stress Monster to shrink it. If they miss, the monster may catch up with Boggo, but if they don't focus on avoiding the boulders in their path, they may meet the same outcome -- a very sudden Valley of Despair death. As a result, rounds can be quite short, and players need to be OK with trying more than once to finish them. In addition to surviving, they'll need to check off a few goals in each round, which can range from collecting items to fending creatures off. The game doesn't penalize you for repeating a round multiple times, though, if the process ends up taking some time.

Because the game moves so fast, quick responses are key -- yet the controls don't always seem to be sensitive enough to allow the necessary reaction. The app unfortunately doesn't offer difficulty level choices, which could help players ease into the experience. Things start off fast and furious and generally stay that way, which ironically can make the gameplay start to feel like it's dragging, despite the speed you're moving at, because you have to keep replaying the same round. Run Boggo Run! may not be a game players spend weeks trying to master -- they'll likely level out or get tired of trying to advance by then. But if you’re OK with trying to figure out how to correct your previous errors and find the high-intensity pace exciting, Run Boggo Run! can provide some lighthearted fun.