At first it's hard to see the appeal of a game like Squid Drop by Nor Eagle - all you can do is move back and forth while avoiding walls in an attempt to get a 'low score' (think 'high score', but negative because you're falling). After playing a few times and you'll eventually unlock point bonuses; then new areas; and before you know it hitting the New Game button is an adventure as you marvel at the potentially new treats you'll encounter.

By touching and swiping the screen you can fling your squid back and forth, making it relatively easy to avoid many of the hazards in your way. You only have one chance to survive in each run, though players can exploit their speed and accuracy to avoid some hazards as your squid can bypass them if he's moving fast enough. This is critical in later levels that feature bulky creatures trying to block your path, though try not to get too cocky as you can just as easily end your run prematurely if your aim is off even slightly.

The presentation is fairly simple, with most environments and enemies presented in a shadowy profile, while the background and special effects/items are rendered in simple colorful contrast. This isn't to say the visuals are boring though as many of the enemies you'll encounter can be quite creepy, with a hint of Lovecraftian inspiration (which is appropriate for the Cthulu-baby like creature you controls). Levels vary from simple walls, to mazes and other challenges including moving creatures that follow horizontal, vertical and even random paths.

For such a simple game, Squid Drop features a lot of variety, though its one true weakness is the inability to control some of these random variables. Some of the levels can be much easier than others to score on, while others are far more challenging, but not being able to set a threshold early on can make for a frustratingly unbalanced experience.

A great time waster for those who enjoy keeping things simple.