In real life, being chased by the fuzz is a prospect few would relish (I get palpitations at the thought of flashing lights when cruising in my Ford Fiesta). But in video games, being involved in a hot pursuit retains a breakneck-paced allure.
The makers of Busted! obviously agree, as they’ve crafted a relatively bold attempt to mash-up the cops and robbers genre with vintage S.T.U.N. Runner-style tunnel racing.
The randomly generated track is a twisty, gravity-defying rollercoaster that you spin around with carefree abandon and wild use of the boost.
This makes for a solid endless-runner, with an impressive sense of speed and a well-integrated use of online leaderboards, but one that lacks longevity once the initial rush wears off.
Tunnel visionThe circular streets of Busted!’s typically dystopian futurescape are lined with glowing orbs to collect, road blocks to swerve between, and overly zealous cops with an eye out for speeding citizens.
The game creates a dramatic first impression, thanks to its sharp neon-flecked graphics are sharp and buttery smooth frame-rate.
Even the tilt controls are well-calibrated, ensuring you zip around the tracks with stacks of confidence - although the overly dark lighting can be a hindrance
The cops are also surprisingly slow and easy to avoid, providing you’re prepared to take a few risks and slalom between roadblocks with the boost hammered down.
World tour
To help you survive a little longer each turn, there’s an upgrade system for you to splash your hard-earned collectable orbs on. From tougher shields to magnets that extend your orb-snatching reach, incrementally improving your vehicle provides the only real variety in the action.
Fortunately, the prominent integration with OpenFeint offers you the chance to check your score against players’ across the globe or just in your timezone. Competing against real folk adds a genuine desire to up your game (even if I never got above 400th place in Europe).
It’s unfortunate, then, that there are no other modes to master or different tracks to race, meaning Busted! will likely linger on your phone for about as long as a boy racer after a red light.