We do get some odd aliens that crash land on our planet. In Cosmic Bump, these cute little critters need to collect fuel cells to get back into space, and their collection method is a strange one. One might even say inefficient. First they launch themselves into the air where they've set up all manner of pinball-esque contraptions to throw their bodies around until they've reached quota. Failure doesn't only mean being stranded, it also results in a sickening splat upon the hard pavement below.

The initial cannon firing is controlled by a drag of the finger to select the proper angle for propelling the little alien into the heavens. The cannon moves along a curve itself, and often a stream of fuel cells will indicate the best path to travel upwards. From there you're at the mercy of the physics engine and luck, except for a few instances. When flippers get introduced, a tap on the screen will flick them, and there are contraptions like the UFO, which require a tap to drop the alien from the top of the level over the desired horizontal location.

The design of the levels is such that for the most part you believe that there's a way to obtain all the fuel cells on your first go (as you have three aliens to achieve your task in each level). This is at least true for the early stages. As the game continues, elements like the flippers, bumpers, and curved surfaces add a greater factor of luck to the mix. It's kind of like a game of pinball in that regard. With the knowledge and skill behind you, you can manipulate the table to your liking, but there's always that rather significant chance that things won't go your way.

And with that in mind, the cute characters and contraptions aren't enough to keep you playing if you get frustrated by things not going your way trying to pass a level. When this happens, the name Cosmic Bump seems quite apt, as success can seem to rely on that special alignment of stars and planets. In all honesty it's really not as bad as that hyperbolic statement makes it out to be, but your enjoyment of the title will be tied to how you react to the luck involved.