There's something almost sacred about the platformer. There's a formula in place that seems almost immutable: The character runs around the screen (automatically in the case of some) and the player can jump (all the better to reach new areas and avoid or crush enemies). Purple Cape by Lastmoon Games and Forest Moon Games throws out such old-fashioned ideas and tries something entirely new - you don't move at all unless you're jumping.

In a way this is the kind of concept that only works because you're using a touch-screen interface, and as a result it presents a refreshingly novel way to think about each stage and how to approach them.

Swiping will cause your caped frog to launch in the direction of your swipe. Multiple swipe can keep him aloft or bring him crashing to the ground at break-neck speed, and as long as he doesn't land on something dangerous he'll stick to it. To make things interesting, the world itself is largely interactive, with basic physics allowing the weight and momentum of your frog to push platforms around; swing on conveniently located ropes; ride rafts and trolleys; and in a dangerous twist, allows bombs and other hazardous objects to be bounced around the screen.

To offset the freedom of movement you're provided via swiping, a 'power bar' will deplete each time you swipe; run it down and it's game over. If you've been saving the copious amounts of coins earned on each stage you can purchase manually-activated power-ups such as an energy potion (as well as the ever-popular magnetic field and shield) from the in-game store.

As you can imagine, such a store seems out of place for a paid-for title, and hints at what may have originally been a freemium release can be sniffed out - the need to purchase additional heart containers and hearts for them (you only receive one heart automatically per level) seems otherwise out of place.

These concerns aside, the game also offers a range of outfits to equip, each one changing the way 'Purple Cape' jumps and attacks (ranging from swapping out his tongue for a sword, to spitting out fireballs). While they're not needed to finish the game, it does add even more variety to the combination of stages on offer.

As an experimental platformer, Purple Cape manages to execute its concept in a way that remains familiar to genre fans, while feeling entirely unique. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy games that do things a little differently.