Tunnel Rush, put your reflexes to the test!

I don’t ask much of my mobile video games. Not because they don’t have much to offer –this has clearly been demonstrated time and time again– but because I tend to prefer video games with less ambition, simpler controls, and more immediate fun. Obviously, this is a personal opinion, but it’s these types of games that I tend to thoroughly enjoy and get hooked on. This is what happened with Tunnel Rush, a small Android game where your reflexes are constantly tested. 

In recent times, there’s been a certain regression in the world of video games towards more simpler forms. It’s an idea that comes directly from the times of arcades, where you found video games where losing was extremely common and even expected; a policy that existed to make us spend all the quarters we carried in our pockets. This is something that we find more in very specific market niches like indie PC games or mobile games. Gaming platforms where there’s a market for both powerful machines as well as more modest devices.

For this reason, video games like Tunnel Rush have become the norm. Games where fast reflexes are key to survive in a world where everything that touches you will instantly end the game. In these dangerous environments, you can find the different phases of Tunnel Rush – a black and white universe where anything that’s red will cause you harm.  A lot of harm. But at least it warns you in a traditional way, with the color that generally means danger.

This video game for Android gives you a first-person perspective as you pass though a series of worm holes where, as mentioned above, you have to move through passageways full of geometric objects that will destroy you with just a touch. The controls are simple given that you just have to move from side to side while you automatically move forward. You’re in constant motion and the more levels you pass, the more hazards you’ll face.

Every time you run into an obstacle, the game gives you the option to start over or start from the point of the crash. This second option always comes with an ad to watch. It’s true that this dynamic of mixing a difficult game with an abusive ad policy could be pretty toxic, but I don’t think it’s the case in Tunnel Rush. I should mention that the levels aren’t particularly long. As you advance, you’ll find some phases that last a bit longer, but you really won’t spend too long in any of them. Plus, each time you run into something, it’s more of a learning experience than a disappointment.

There’s a certain philosophy that’s necessary for this type of reflex-testing video game where death is a common element. Obviously you’re going to end up crashing. In fact, it’s a given. For this reason, you have to have a certain amount of patience with this “crash and start the level over” dynamic. The more frustrated you get with each crash, the more nervous you’ll get and the sooner you’ll crash into random object number 2,437 in your way. The key is to breath in … and breath out.

Tunnel Rush is not as difficult as it seems. Anyone who enjoys similar games will find here a fun game that will test your reflexes. Your objective is to get the highest score possible and that’s something you’ll continue to improve on as you advance through the different levels. That said, the music does end up becoming extremely repetitive. I ended up just putting the game on silent so I wouldn’t have to listen to the same melody over and over again. Setting the music aside, you’ll find here and endless video game that you can come back to any time you want to test your skills.

Tunnel Rush for Android on Uptodown [APK] | Download