Wind-Up Knight 2

This platformer is fun, just like its mobile roots, but it's really made to be a game that's only played or best enjoyed in small bursts. Some people get up in the morning, hit the snooze bar, and eventually drag themselves through the day. Others hit the ground running and don't stop 'til the day is done. Sir Sprint, star of the endless runner Wind-Up Knight 2, is unquestionably one of the latter. The titular Wind-Up Knight won't stop moving until his stamina runs out or he reaches the end of each of the game's more than 40 stages. It's a simple premise, instantly familiar to anyone who's played any of the countless endless runner games on mobile devices. Admittedly, there's something more comfortable about playing a game like this with physical controls, as opposed to swiping a phone/tablet touchscreen. There's less of a margin of error and better timing when you're using dedicated jump and attack buttons. Early on, it almost makes the game too easy, but the difficulty ramps up relatively quickly, especially if players try to complete each stage's goal-specific sub-quests.

One of the problems with many endless runner games is that, by the nature of their design, they're a bit repetitive. They're meant to be played in shorter bursts, with players trying to outdo themselves in each playthrough. Wind-Up Knight 2 is no different. While the obstacles do change around with each stage, and even the environments change a bit to mix things up, the core gameplay doesn't really vary. And once you've figured out the pattern of a stage, there's not much reason to replay it, unless you think you can shave a half a second or so off your time. Even so, in bite-sized chunks, Wind-Up Knight 2 is a relatively inexpensive way to pass the time, with just enough charm and humor to keep things from ever feeling stale.