Data Wing is a deceiving arcade game with a ton of heart [Game of the Week]

Data Wing may look like a simple arcade game, but the app has a surprising amount of depth.

What appears to be an endless-runner, is actually a really fun racing title with a brilliant story.

The game was developed by the Australian video game designer Dan Vogt. He helped found Halfbrick Studios of Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride fame — he’s not with Halfbrick anymore, but his latest game is just as remarkable.

Data Wing begins by teaching the user how to play. Players can fly around a free space, learning to turn by touching the left and right sides of the screen.

This is also the player’s first taste of the inertia that affects the ship. There is a heavy sense of pushback that comes with controlling the vessel that’s a bit convoluted to start with, but it becomes really fun to use once you get the hang of it.

The best way to fly in the game is to drift along a wall. This gives the player does a speed boost and it’s incredibly satisfying.

Most of the races are standard time trials where you’re racing against a range of ghost ships, but there are some levels that play out with small missions or tasks in the middle of them.

All of this solid gameplay wouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is without a good story tying it all together.

As the game begins the player is introduced to the main narrator. It teaches the user they’re a vessel in a computer that’s used for data transfer. Within the game’s world and during every race, the player is moving data from one location in the virtual space to another.

Data Wing’s writing is on the mark, each character makes sense in the world and adds a lot of fun to the gameplay.

I’ll avoid spoiling the story since it’s incredibly well done. It’s fairly short and linear, yet also 100 percent worth it. As the player progresses they begin to gain access to some of the data they’re transferring, and things get more intriguing from there.

All of this provides a decent amount of depth, twists and heart to make this little game a standout amongst the sea of regular arcade titles.

Data Wing is available for free on iOS and Android.