Let’s face it, most have us have always wanted to know what is beyond our world. We sometimes look at the stars and wonder if we really are the only creatures in the galaxy. Well for the Minimar that curiously has become a reality. From Cwerki Studios comes this new iOS game.

Min: A Space Adventure begins with the story of the Minimar. An alien race that were once at war with each other before their scientists discovered they could tap into the energy of their small planet named Min. Instead of using this new knowledge for evil, they have fitted their beach ball sized planet with a rocket dubbed the Core-Canon and have begun to use this for space exploration.

The gameplay for Min: A Space Adventure begins as a simple one. Throughout the game you control the planet Min through a series of 3D tunnels each with their own dangers and obstacles. You have your boost and stop buttons to move your planet and you navigate the direction you want to go by touching on any part of the screen. The point is to navigate each level carefully to reach the end, all the while picking up cMats. At times when traversing through levels, you will have the opportunity to go off path to collect more and extra bonuses. Which begs the question at times, “Do you continue to finish the level quickly, or take the risk for more rewards?”

These cMats will act as your currency and from the customization screen you are able to fit your own Min with different upgrades such as core stabilizers, magnets to help collect more cMats, rocket boosts, the ability to stop sooner or “dead stop” and so forth. cMats can also be used to open up other levels or for special designs for Min such as volcanos, extra rockets and others, each with strengths and weaknesses. Upgrading your Min will give you a chance to speed-run through levels for a change to get on their global leader boards.

The graphics and level design here are also done very well. At times multiple hazards can come from different angles which can turn your screen into a variable of different colors and shapes. Boulders, flying rocks and even maybe a strange creature or two may show up in an attempt to destroy your planet. It can become a bit overwhelming at times, having so much on the screen happen, that you might lose track of direction at certain points.

The music and sound is also one to take notice of. From the opening song which plays out in a way of making you feel that you are in some classic space adventure, to the quirkiness of the laboratory/customization menu. You can also hear the Minimar at certain times, such as concern when your planet is getting hit by an object, to the applause from when you finish a level. Plug some headphones into the device of your choice when playing to experience the full effect.

Now while it is possible to play the game on some older iOS devices such as iPhone 4 and such, I did experience lag and some slowdown when playing on these. The game really is optimized for the best experience for iPhone 4G, 2^nd Generation iPads and so forth, so if you do decide to try it on an older model, you might have to prepare yourself to experience some of what I claimed earlier. And this rings true especially when attempting speed runs through some of the levels or, as I mentioned earlier, when multiple hazards are around you.

In overall Min: A Space Adventure is a great game that at times might lead to some frustration, but still one to experience. And did I mention one of the best parts of all: IT’S FREE (at the time of this writing). Completely free to download and own. So if you own an iOS device, there really shouldn’t be any reason at all for you at least to give this game a try.

Min: A Space Adventure gets a 8/10