Temple Run is a game developed for the iOS and Android platforms. It is developed by Imangi Studios. It is an "endless runner" game where the player controls a running character, and the character must avoid obstacles and enemies.
The App's Logo
Temple Run Main Menu
Temple Run[]
Plot[]
The underlying plot to the game is that the character, controlled by the player, steals a golden idol from an ancient Mayan temple. This causes the Evil Demon Monkeys to attempt to catch the player in order to get the idol back. The game begins when the player steals the idol and ends when the character is caught by the monkeys or hits an obstacle, at which point the idol is returned to the temple and the player can attempt to steal it again.
Gameplay[]
The game makes use of swiping controls to control the character. A swipe up makes the character jump, a swipe down makes the character slide, and a swipe to the side makes the character turn in that direction. In addition, the player can tilt the device, taking advantage of it's gyroscope capabilities to make the character move from side to side within the boundaries of the area to collect coins.
Features[]
There are many different features of the game that make Temple Run different. These include objectives and the store.
Objectives[]
Objectives are the Temple Run equivalent of in-game achievements that the player receives upon completing a certain task. Objectives range from scoring a certain point value to upgrading different powerups. Although there are 36 objectives in the game, only 22 of them are recognized as Game Center achievements.
Store[]
At the store, players can buy different items such as powerups, utilities, characters, and wallpapers for different amounts of coins. Powerups appear in game and change the aspect of the game. Utilities are one-use instant items that resurrect the player and boost them forward. The player can also play as different characters instead of just Guy Dangerous, the normal adventurer. People can also download wallpapers for Temple Run.
Game Center integration[]
Temple Run contains 22 achievements, all of which are also objectives. You can play for the top score on global and friend leaderboards.
Release Date[]
August 4, 2011
Programmer[]
The Temple Run programmers are wife and husband Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova, both of them are the producers of Imangi Studio in Washington D.C. Kiril Tchangov is the artist who created the beautiful graphics of the game. Temple Run was launched for 99 cents, but soon enough they released Temple Run as a freemium app, allowing in-game purchases through the store.
The eponymous temple
Temple Run 2 is a sequel to the original Temple Run and is the third installment of the Temple Run series. It was released for iOS on 17 January 2013 and for Android on 31 January 2013.
Temple Run 2[]
Gameplay[]
Temple Run 2 features a new scenario which mixes Asian style temples, grass paths through a forest, ziplines and mines. Instead of the three smaller demon monkeys in the first game, the player is chased by a single, much larger monkey.
Leveling[]
The leveling system has been revamped: you can no longer achieve multiple goals at once. Instead, a player can only complete three goals at any given time. For example, if the goal is to complete a 1000m run without tripping and you run 2500m, the only goal that will be accomplished is the 1000m one. You will need to complete the 2500m goal when it becomes available. This new system allows a player to fully complete the objectives over a longer time period.
There are two ways to increase one's score multiplier. One way is to buy an upgrade called "Score Multiplier" with the coins that you manage to collect. The second method is completing the goals throughout the game, which will then eventually raise your level.
Utilities[]
Head Start[]
Boosts from the first game are no longer buyable items; instead, the game will offer a Head Start at the start of a run whenever the player has 2,000 or more coins available. Activating it will boost you ahead 1000m. When a player has 10,000 or more coins, you can then get a Mega Head Start, which will boost you 2500m.
Save Me[]
After death, the game will offer a second chance (similar to the Angel Wings in Temple Run) in exchange for gems (1 gem for the first time in a run, 2 for the second, 4 for the third and so on). Since the number of gems required increases very quickly, it is wise to purchase upgrades for Save Me which reduce the number of gems required by up to 5 (although the minimum cost remains at 1 gem).
Abilities[]
- Coin Magnet (only the first part of the page is relevant)
- Boost Distance
- Power Meter
- Head Start
Power-ups[]
- Shield: Helps protect you from obstacles. (In Temple Run 1, it is called Invisibility, but in Temple Run 2, it is called Shield.) Unlike Invisibility, shield does not protect you from falling. Also, if you run into an obstacle, the Shield effect disappears but you will survive the obstacle.
- Coin Bonus: Instant 50 coin bonus (added to your running total for that run).
- Boost: Engages boost instantly.
- Score Bonus: Instant 500 point bonus (added to your score for that run).
- Magnet: Engages magnet instantly.
- Gem Bonus: Gives you 2 gems.
To activate any of these, you need to double-click anywhere on the screen when you see that the Power Meter, in the upper left corner of the screen, is glowing green. To fill the meter, the player will need to collect coins or pick up a couple of the larger gold coin power-ups. (The Power Meter ability can be upgraded with coins, which reduces the amount of time required for the meter to fill up.)
Objectives[]
- Novice Runner: Run 500 meters (In one run)
- Pocket Change: Collected 100 coins (In one run)
- Adventurer: Scored 25,000 points (In one run)
- Sprinter: Ran 1,000 meters
- Piggy Bank: Collected 250 coins
- Treasure Hunter: Scored 50,000 points
- Stingy: 250m collecting no coins
- High Roller: Scored 100,000 points
- Miser Run: 500m collecting no coins (In one run)
- Daily Dose: Completed a daily challenge
- Gem Collector: Found a gem
- Lump Sum: Collected 500 coins
- Cheat Death: Used a 'Save Me'
- Power Collector: Unlock a 2nd powerup
- Weakly Challenged: Completed a weekly Challenge
- Athlete: Ran 2,500 meters (In one run)
- Payday: Collected 750 coins (In one run)
- Allergic to gold: 1,000m collecting no coins
- 1/4 Million Club: Scored 250,000 points (In one run)
- Lucky Strike: Collected 2 gems in one run
- Couch to 5k: Collected 5,000 coins
- 5K Runner: Ran 5,000 meters
- Steady Feet: Ran 2,500m without tripping
- 1/2 Million Club: Scored 500,000 points (In one run)
- Head Start: Used a 'Head Start'
- Double Resurrection: Used 'Save Me' twice in one run
- Bonus Items: Collected 20 bonus items
- Money Bags: Collected 1,000 coins
- No Trip Runner: Ran 5,000m without tripping
- Daily Doses: 5consecutives Daily Challenges
- 9 Lives: Used 'Save Me' 9 times
- Temple Runner: Completed 100 Lifetime Runs
- Marathoner: 100,000 lifetime meters
- Artifact scavenger: Found 5 different Artifacts
- 10K Runner: Ran 10,000 meters
- Money Bin: Collected 2,500 coins
- Million Club: Scored 1,000,000 points (In one run)
- Minor Miner: 100,000 lifetime coins
- Speedy Start: Use 5 'Head Start'
- Fort Knox: Collected 5,000 coins
- A Week's Work: Completed all Weekly Challenges
- Archaeology 101: Found an Artifact
- All the rings!: Found all 10 artifact rings
- 2.5 Million Club: Scored 2,500,000 points
- The Spartan: 1 million without powerups (1,000,000 points without powerups)
- Jackpot: Collected 5 gems in one run
- Maskerade Party: Found all 10 Artifact Masks
- Daily dozen: 12 consecutive Daily Challenges
- 5 Million Club: Scored 5,000,000 points
- Circumnavigator: 1,000,000 lifetime meters
- Gold Miner: 500.000 Lifetime coins
- 10 Million Club: Scored 10,000,000 points
- Mega Runner: Complete 1.000 Lifetime Runs
- Midas Touch: 1,000,000 lifetime coins
- Infinirunner: 10,000,000 lifetime meters Pro Temple Runner: Completed 500 Lifetime Runs
Challenges[]
With a recent (June 2013) update, daily and weekly challenges have been implemented, which reward the player with coins or gems when completed.
Daily Challenges:
- Day 1: ??? As a reward for completing this you earn 250 coins
- Day 2: ??? As a reward for completing this, you get 500 coins
- Day 3: ??? As a reward for completing this, you get 750 coins
- Day 4: ??? As a reward for completing this, you get 1000 coins.
- Day 5: ??? As a reward for completing this, you get either a very large amount of coins or a medium amount of gems.
Weekly Challenges: There are always three weekly challenges. One will award a small amount of coins, another will award a larger amount of coins, and the final one will award gems.
Artifacts[]
Rings[]
- Infinite Loop
- Angel Wings
- Twisted Root
- Floating Island
- Sky Clasp
- Demon Claw
- Ruby Shard
- Cave's Maw
- Mistic Rocks
- Idol's curse
Masks[]
- Fire Breather
- Infinite Seeker
- Traveling Tiki
- Skyward Scream
- Serpent's Smile
- Silent Menace
- Jade Monster
- The Gatekeeper
- Demon Skull
- Face of the Idol
Christmas[]
Collecting all five unlocks Santa hat.
Tactics[]
A selection of tactics:
Upgrades[]
"Upgrade in the following priorities:
- Coin value
- Coin Magnet / Boost
- Power Meter / Pickup Spawn
- Score Multiplier / Save Me / Shield Duration
- Head Start (I'd say the least important ability)"
Unlocking Characters[]
"The only character really worth unlocking is Scarlett Fox. I unlocked Barry Bones for coins bonus, but it's very small, it doesn't increase your power meter (unlike similar coin power-ups on the map). Karma Lee is not worth upgrading too. Her power up gives you 500 bonus points, while Boost runs you through a distance of ~400 meters, times the multiplier gives you over 20000 points at once."
Gem Farming[]
Upon reaching level 9 you unlock the Gem Bonus ability. If you power this with gems (2 per boost) then you are awarded a 5 Gem bonus immediately on hitting your boost meter. Use this technique to farm gems for use with Save Me.
Gameplay Powerups[]
Ignore the shield, it's not that useful; instead focus on collecting the Coin Magnet or Boost. Have your character equipped with the alternative (Boost or Coin Magnet) and then use both powerups at the same time. Your character will then run through the map whilst collecting every coin. This is the same as purchasing the Usain Bolt character for his 'Bolt Boost' ability.
Power-Ups: more detail[]
Collecting power-ups is not affected by the tilt of your device. You can collect power-ups on top of hills by jumping just before the top. Power-ups above the slope itself (leading to the top of the hill) cannot be collected, so don't even try. Some power-ups are placed in awkward positions where collecting them will lead to death, e.g. you jump to collect a power-up and then fall in the gap in front. Only the Boost power-up is worth collecting in such cases (as it allows you to survive the next obstacle). Power-ups, as well as slide-under obstacles, can be jumped over in very rare cases (e.g. jumping from top of the hill while on boost).
Shield[]
Worst Situation
It only protects you from obstacles such as roofs, fire, trees, spiky wheels, wooden trippers (in the Narrows) etc. It does NOT protect you from falling! It only protects you from one obstacle. Useful in the situation pictured here (it protects from the spikes, but not from the river).
Coin Magnet[]
Very helpful power-up, as you don't need to tilt your device so much. It can drag coins from other turns while on the railways. Works perfectly with Boost.
Large Coin[]
Fills your Power Meter by approximately 1/3 and gives you 50 coins.
This is very helpful because it can fill your meter.
Gem[]
Gives you a gem. Gems are used to revive with Save Me.
Typical fails[]
Fast turns are very dangerous as surviving depends on how quickly you can react.
(Prior to a June 2013 update, it was not uncommon to encounter two jumping obstacles back-to-back, as in the picture above. It required extreme precision to land between the two and then immediately jump again, a Shield or Boost power-up, or you could not be such a panzy and just jump them both.)
Other information[]
- While sliding on the rope, relax. Tilt your device to get coins. Nothing can happen to you.
- Railways (in mines) are probably the easiest part of Temple Run. Simply tilt your device to one of the sides and keep it there until you need to tilt it to the other side (to get coins or to turn), and duck to avoid obstacles. The worst thing you can do is to keep your device straight. I wouldn't recommend you using Boost there, as you'll probably miss most coins and as it's such an easy part. Consider railways as a chance for you to refill your Power Meter. (Best thing here is to get it filled and upon the end collect Coin Magnet).
- There is a semi-tilt! If you slightly tilt your device to the left (or right), you are able to collect coins from both central and left (or right) lines! Remember this when on Boost, as adjusting there is difficult. But if semi-tilt is used, you have a chance of collecting 2/3 of all coins.
- Infinirunner is probably a life-time goal for most players. Ask your friends, siblings, relatives, and grandparents for help! Usain Bolt has a Jamaican accent. Barry Bones eats chocolate. Guy Dangerous eats burgers. Scarlett Fox eats pizza.