Licensed games, whether they be for a movie, TV show, book, or a brand always make gamers raise their eyebrows with caution. It's not the idea of marketing tie-ins, but more that in about ninety five percent of cases, these games are absolutely terrible. Isn't it funny then that when a brand spends the time and effort to make a truly engaging game, the idea of the brand tie-in seems almost quaint? That's exactly what we have here with Penny Skateboards, and their game Penny Time.

Anyone who's played Bit.Trip Runner will immediately understand how to play Penny Time, but for the rest of you, allow us to explain. This is a platformer, where all the jumps and dodging are tied to the game's soundtrack. Seeing that you play a skateboarder, the moves in this game are the ollie, the hippy jump, and the power slide. See, your skateboard has the ability to freeze time so each level has you avoiding frozen in time obstacles on the way to your destination. Each move is performed with a directional swipe of the finger, and the move needed is color coded as you approach it in the level. Swiping in time with the music will net greater rewards depending on what section you're in.

The levels follow a pattern of easy basic point grabbing followed by a section dedicated to raising your multiplier. These sections are broken up by checkpoint dodos who each have five skateboards for use should you happen to stack it. At the end of each act is a pig. At this point you can cash in your current score by swiping back on the screen, or you can risk your pot for greater rewards overall, but if you mess up, that score is gone. This creates a rather intense risk verses reward in the level, that players aiming for achievements and high scores will have to come to terms with.

The visuals sport a rather simple yet striking block colored 3D style that seems a little off at first, but warms on you as you travel through the frozen landscapes. The music is beat driven to help with gameplay, but the tracks are groovy without being obnoxious. Five levels may not seem like much content, but with the two difficulties, oncoming content in updates, and what is needed to fully complete each level, there's more than enough value for money here.

Really the only criticism is a bit of a hefty one in that swipes don't always seem to register. Nothing is worse than jamming along to the groove you've worked yourself into only to be taken out of it by a failed up or forward swipe. Mileage may vary on other people's devices, but even with this in mind, Penny Time has a solid sense of charm, style, and fun that we here at AppSpy can easily recommend to all.