Zynga has leveled up once again, this time bringing its multiplayer proclivities to the endless runner genre. Running With Friends has debuted on the Canadian App Store, likely as a test run before the company opens it up to the rest of the world. This practice is becoming more common as the Canadian App Store demographic is remarkably similar to the United States but on a scale one tenth the size.
The game is similar to Temple Run or Subway Surfers, with three “columns” that you can switch between with a swipe. You’ll find yourself jumping (swipe up), sliding (swipe down) and pivoting along either axis by swiping left and right. The multiplayer element comes into play immediately after the tutorial; you can compete against Facebook friends or random opponents for points.
Like Zynga’s other games, you use gems, which can be earned by playing the game or purchased for real money, to gain advantages through powerups. For example, you can use an allotment of gems to save yourself when you run into a bull on the course.
Oh, did we mention that the game takes place during Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls? The characters are cute and the scenes repetitive — you can choose from three players to begin with and unlock countless others — but the game is, for all intents and purposes, one you’ve played before.
Unfortunately, unlike other endless runners, you must be connected to the internet to play Running With Friends, so don’t expect any subway running; stick with Subway Surfers instead for offline play.
Download Running With Friends for iOS.
Via: TouchArcade
