Skyward is an elegant and addictive one touch game that delights and infuriates in equal measure.

Simple spinning

All this endless, high-score chasing game asks you to do is make your way as far as possible down a narrow ledge. However, rather than simply walking an avatar forward, you must control two orbiting disks as they swing their way down the path. One disk is planted in place and acts as an anchor while the other orbits around it. A single tap then stops the rotating sphere, starting the other one spinning.

Every step you take forward sees the beautiful, Monument Valley-inspired, isometric world drop away behind you, with each block destroyed added to your score.

Well, that’s the theory at least

Though the task is relatively simple and the disks rotate at a fairly sedate pace, you will regularly and infuriatingly find yourself tapping the screen early, missing the route forward, and watching as your circular ward plummets from view. This ends your current run. Luckily, along the way there are shortcuts to be had and special blocks to land on which can speed up, slow down, and reverse the orbit of you disks.

These tiny additions to the simple structure of Skyward make the high-score chasing all the more fun, creating an eagerness to get straight back into the action and take if for another spin… even if sometimes the adverts slow down the restart process.

A beautiful addiction

With so many clones on the market, especially in the free-to-play space, it is a real breath of fresh air to stumble upon such a novel, well executed, and beautiful idea. The fact that it is free is simply an extra bonus, as Skyward is one game you should definitely download.