Possibly one of the best games ever made specifically for smartphones. Netflix distribution model aside, this is a game that successfully delivers on that promise from years ago of mobile gaming being a potentially big market for premium games, threatening the then thriving portable consoles, with its huge installbase and pick up and play accessibility. Unfortunately, as we all know, the mobile market has only gotten worse ever since, which is why it's a bit shocking to see such a creative and tightly packed game as POINPY be realeased as late as 2022.

The main reason i believe this is such a successful attempt at game design for mobile phones is that it perfectly matches familiar phone game pacing and framework (i.e.: endless runner, or in this case, climber) with mechanics and a level of polish rarely seen on such games, manifested in its brilliant implementation of roguelite elements, which brings real progression to a genre otherwise known for having no end goal, and its art direction and soundtrack. Honestly, the core gameplay mechanics (most probably inherited from Downwell, which i haven't played) with its inspired touch screen controls makes me believe this wouldn't feel out of place in the Nintendo DS library, specially given its Kirby-esque aesthetics.

There are a few rough edges here and there, which are mostly felt only on the higher levels. I'm aware this is supposed to be a compact game — the overtly minimalist presentation tells as much — and having fewer options is kinda the point, but limiting the player too much can make gameplay feel too restrained, which definitely happens as soon as Poinpy's upgrades are capped at 20, making any progress you made that doesn't directly put you into the end goal absolutely pointless. Having no way of improving the janky yet crucial ground pound mechanic to be more accurate, or to increase the number of hearts, or to get more upgrade slots, is a trap most roguelites would rather avoid, since making the player feel a little "OP" sometimes is part of the appeal of the genre.

But i can't really damn Moppin for that stuff when THAT ending cutscene shows up in my phone screen. It's not like this game has a gripping narrative or anything like that, but there's a bit of a Katamari-esque wackiness going on that gives it a lot of personality, most evident in the late game, which is something would NEVER expect from a phone game. This breed of surrealist aesthetics and the little additions such as the postgame challenges and the puzzle mode make the NDS title comparison a lot more apt. Very recommended if you miss this era of portable gaming and want something decent to play on your phone with no microtransactions or ads or endless grindy gameplay (still requires a Netflix subscription though, nothing's perfect).