G.G Series RUN & STRIKE Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

The next entry in the G.G series opts to branch out a bit and little something in the sports genre. While this works relatively well initially, the novelty of the gameplay soon wears off and it quickly becomes rather boring. G.G Series RUN & STRIKE is a decent arcade game, but players looking for anything more will be sorely disappointed.

The premise sees players take control of a tennis player as she practices hitting a tennis ball at a wall. The tennis player is well animated and the sound design is passable, but there's generally not much to see here. Obviously, it's quite simple and this works both for and against the game. On one hand, this allows the overall experience to be refined down to a pure, no frills gameplay experience that's immediately accessible and enjoyable. However, it feels like an early build of an upcoming game, due in no small part to how it wears out its welcome fairly quickly when it adds nothing new to the already simple gameplay.

The gameplay is relatively fast paced and is genuinely enjoyable for the first ten minutes, but then it quickly falls flat. The goal is to hit a ball at one of three specific targets on a brick wall and to keep the rally going for as long as possible. Missing the target damages and eventually destroys the wall, resulting in a lost ball and the end of a rally. With each successful return, the ball picks up speed and your score multiplier grows, with the score climbing much faster the closer you stand to the wall. Occasionally, items will drop in that either help or hinder your current run, such as a brick that repairs part of the wall or a banana peel that trips you.

G.G Series RUN & STRIKE Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

While the mechanics are rock solid for the most part, this entire game is - after all - limited to just hitting a tennis ball at a wall; that concept can only go so far. It's disappointing and somewhat puzzling that you never take on an actual opponent, as that could add a much needed amount of variety and diversity to an extremely barebones game. Problems with diminishing returns set in after hitting the ball off of the wall several hundred times and coming to the realization that the game has nothing more to offer. Unless a player really enjoys the gameplay, there's really no reason to continue playing this aside from simply getting an even higher score.

Conclusion

G.G Series RUN & STRIKE can be most accurately described as a game that follows its title to the letter; you run, you strike, and that's just about it. The mechanics and the gameplay are solid but don't have enough longevity to make the game anything more than a passing amusement that'll only keep the average gamer entertained for a short period of time. However, this is an arcade game first and foremost, meaning that expectations must be kept in check. We'd give this game a recommendation, but do bear in mind that G.G Series RUN & STRIKE will likely not give you as much bang for your buck as other games in this long running DSiWare series. You'll just about get what you pay for, but not much beyond that.