Pity the poor Inspector. For years he’s chased Jake, Tricky and Fresh through countless tunnels and over millions of trains, tallying a lifetime’s worth of bumps and bruises. But try as he might, there’s no stopping those Subway Surfers.
Launched in 2012, the endless runner has proven to be one of the most enduring and influential games on the App Store. And with good reason.
The breakout hit is a finely tuned package that bursts with colour and charisma. Here’s why we keep sliding back to gaming’s fastest subway…
It’s perfectly polished
Subway Surfers helped define the infinite runner genre: jump, slide and dodge past obstacles, collect goodies and keep it up for as long as possible. But the game really hits its stride with its impeccable execution. Swapping lanes and leaping from train to train is never a guess thanks to tight, responsive controls, while bright, colourful graphics make Subway Surfers a fine fit for gamers of all ages.
It’s loaded with character
Graffiti artist Jake may have kicked off the subway surfing, but he’s made dozens of friends over the years. Stick with go-to characters such as Spike and Tagbot or score new, limited-time runners introduced in frequent updates. There’s even a ninja, a zombie and a dinosaur – and like their comrades, they can ride a hoverboard for maximum coolness.
It loves to travel
Subway Surfers never sits still. Every three or four weeks, the game whisks players to a new stop on a whirlwind World Tour. The crowded streets of Las Vegas, the romantic canals of Venice, the busy markets of Marrakech – you’ll dash past them all, and maybe a bustling space station too. And with each stop comes new goodies to collect and quests to fulfill. Where will it take you next?