Geometry Dash

Geometry Dash
Developer(s)	Robert Topala
Publisher(s)	RobTop Games
Distributor(s)	Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Windows App Store, Steam
Platform(s)	iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Microsoft Windows, OS X
Release date(s)	2013, 2014 (Steam)
Genre(s)	Arcade, Music
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer

Geometry Dash is a 2013 mobile game and a Steam game developed by Sweden-based developer Robert Topala and also published by RobTopGames, which was founded by himself. It is a rhythm-based running game which currently has 18 levels, with each stage featuring unique background music. Although the player is not required to complete a level to advance to the next, they increase in difficulty. Other features of the game that exist in the latest versions are the level builder, map packs, user-created levels, secret coins, and a great variety of icons.

Topala also created a free version of the game, known simply as Geometry Dash Lite, which includes the first 8 levels of the full version up to now.^{[N 1]} This variant, excluding several features from the full version, does not feature the level builder or user-created levels. The full version was made available to Steam in late 2014.

Gameplay

Geometry Dash uses a simple tapping system to control a moving icon, which jumps up in the air when a player presses anywhere on the touchscreen and can be held down to constantly jump. Users cannot control the speed at which the icon is moving. The timing and rhythm are key parts of the game.

The object of the game is to complete the stage by reaching the end of the course; however, if the player crashes against an obstacle, he/she will have to start over from the beginning. All levels (with the exception of two in the full version) are unlocked from the start, so they can be played out of order. Spikes and other hazards are often present to make it extremely difficult for most beginners. Along the way, the player can collect up to three secret coins scattered in hidden or challenging areas to help unlock other features, like icons and achievements. At the top of the screen in the default mode, a progress bar can be seen showing how far a user has gone through the level; this can however be disabled if the player wishes. The colors of some objects in the game, and sometimes the background, can also depend on the icon colors themselves. The levels start out very plainly decorated, but as the levels get more difficult, part of the difficulty comes from distracting decorations and flashing, rotating, pulsing, and even invisible obstacles and background elements.

Geometry Dash has a practice mode that can be used for any level. Checkpoints are available in this mode, allowing for respawning without starting the level completely over. These checkpoints are marked by green, diamond-shaped gems. Practice mode unlocks different colors and icons for certain levels, when these are completed in said mode. The icon itself can change its form by going through differently shaped and colored portals. The portals, which the majority are circular in shape, also have the potential of altering the direction the character is moving, for example flipping gravity or mirroring the play area. The ability of the portal can also be determined by its color/shape. The five forms the character can take are a square, a ship/plane, a gravity ball, a UFO, and a triangular "wave". Portals can spawn a second similar icon with flipped gravity (sporting mirrored colors), or shrink the icon. There are also portals that affect the speed at which the player moves; although they adopt a triangular shape, these are still technically considered portals.

By unlocking several achievements, the player is rewarded with certain icons or colors, where they access the Icon Kit to customize their icon. There are 46 squares, 18 ships, 10 balls, 10 UFOs and 24 colors (available as primary and secondary colors) available as of update 1.9.

The Level Editor is available to those who have bought the full version ($1.99 USD). The user can create their own custom stages and make them public, allowing anyone else to play them. Note that you must be able to complete your own level (to "verify" it) in normal mode to ensure that it is actually possible to beat. Music that is used in official levels can be used; since Update 1.9, players can now also use music from Newgrounds.com for their custom levels. Other players rate custom levels based on its difficulty. The highest degree of difficulty is known as a Demon level, and as the name suggests, even a highly experienced player will almost certainly fail early on during his first run through. New icons can be unlocked by completing these levels (also the main levels) but with time and practice. Auto levels are also popular among the community, in which appropriately placed stage mechanics eliminate the need to tap the touchscreen to complete the level. Auto levels have earned themselves their own category in the online user-made level browser.

Level List

As of November 10, 2014, Geometry Dash has 18 official levels in the full version, and 8 levels in the lite version. 2 of the levels in the full version are initially locked and can only be unlocked upon collecting a certain number of secret coins.

Level Name	Difficulty	Stars collected upon completion	Music Composer
1. Stereo Madness	Easy	1	ForeverBound
2. Back On Track	Easy	2	DJVI
3. Polargeist	Normal	3	Step
4. Dry Out	Normal	4	DJVI
5. Base After Base	Hard	5	DJVI
6. Can't Let Go	Hard	6	DJVI
7. Jumper	Harder	7	Waterflame
8. Time Machine	Harder	8	Waterflame
9. Cycles*	Harder	9	DJVI
10. xStep*	Insane	10	DJVI
11. Clutterfunk*	Insane	11	Waterflame
12. Theory of Everything*	Insane	12	DJ-Nate
13. Electroman Adventures*	Insane	10	Waterflame
14. Clubstep**	Demon	14	DJ-Nate
15. Electrodynamix*	Insane	12	DJ-Nate
16. Hexagon Force*	Insane	12	Waterflame
17. Blast Processing*	Harder	10	Waterflame
18. Theory of Everything 2**	Demon	14	DJ-Nate

* Available only in the full version

** Unlockable and available only in the full version

Custom levels

With the addition of the level editor, owners of the full version of Geometry Dash can create their own unique levels, usually with the same music already in the game or with custom music from Newgrounds.

As similar to the official levels, user-created levels are classified by difficulty, usually rated by the users that play the level.

Unofficial levels are included in map packs which give you 3-10 stars and a Secret Coin after completing the levels included in them (2 Secret Coins if the map pack is rated Demon).

Unlike official levels, they cannot be played offline unless they were previously downloaded. The saved levels can then be played offline by pressing the button at the right in the main menu, then going to "Saved".

In addition, users can create levels very long levels, where the limit is very hard to reach, resulting in types of levels dubbed "tiny" and "short", with "tiny" lasting not even 30 seconds. The lengths of the standard levels by RobTop generally fall between 1.5–2 minutes.

Many user-created levels are "v2" of a preexisting level. It is not uncommon to see custom levels titled with "vX" in the online level library. They use the same music, are styled the same, and have similar jump patterns, but are often much harder than the originals.

Icon Kit

The Icon Kit is a feature for cosmetically modifying the player's form of their 'icon' in Geometry Dash. Although there is no physical difference to gameplay, the player can select from a variety of visually appealing options, including icons for the cube, ship, ball and UFO all with their own unique icons. Colours can also be applied to make unique creations consisting of a primary and secondary color. However, the two chosen colours remain consistent between all forms, disallowing multiple color schemes.

Music

Each level of Geometry Dash features a unique soundtrack, which the level is named after. The soundtracks are generally between 3–4 minutes long, but each level is generally between 1.5–2 minutes long, so the songs are usually cut. However, if a user creates a custom level and desires a full soundtrack to an existing shortened song, they can go on Newgrounds and find the entire track.

List

1. Stereo Madness - ForeverBound
2. Back On Track - DJVI
3. Polargeist - Step
4. Dry Out - DJVI
5. Base After Base - DJVI
6. Can't Let Go - DJVI
7. Jumper - Waterflame
8. Time Machine - Waterflame
9. Cycles - DJVI
10. xStep - DJVI
11. Clutterfunk - Waterflame
12. Theory of Everything - DJ-Nate
13. Electroman Adventures - Waterflame
14. Clubstep - DJ-Nate
15. Electrodynamix - DJ-Nate
16. Hexagon Force - Waterflame
17. Blast Processing - Waterflame
18. Theory of Everything 2 - DJ-Nate

• Stay Inside Me - OcularNebula

Note: "Stay Inside Me" is the universal extra soundtrack used for any and all practice mode attempts in levels.

Development and Release

According to Robert Topala, the game Geometry Dash began as a project that could have moved in any direction. He made the remark, "There was really no detailed plan... it simply started as a template with a cube that could crash and jump." He previously developed it for the computer, but later altered his plan and made attempts to make it a mobile game. Topala was allegedly inspired by Super Mario Bros.-style platformers. He took about four months to create the game and take it to the App Store. Upon its release, Geometry Dash had just seven levels,^[1] which are now included in the lite version. It would soon gain serious popularity around the world, especially Canada, where it achieved the title as the most popular paid iPhone app in June 2014.This game was based on color zen

References

External links

• RobTopGames Official Website