CrazyControl 2 from ChocobajiApps is a side-scrolling 2D action game that features a unique twist on that classic gameplay mechanic. And just like those older side scrolling games, CrazyControl 2 is often extremely, even frustratingly, difficult.

Unlike classic side scrollers, where users control the motion of their character in addition to jumping and special abilities, CrazyControl 2 controls your character's forward momentum for you. With the cutely animated sprites rushing full-speed ahead, it becomes your responsibility to make sure they jump over and slide under any obstacles that stand in their way. The controls for each action are intuitive, as users must swipe up on a character to make him jump, and can direct him to slide by simply swiping down.

The notion of a constantly moving in-game character is not a novel one on the iPhone, with a number of games following the popular Canabalt model with varying degrees of success. What makes CrazyControl 2 truly different is that users are expected to direct multiple characters at the same time.

The game starts with the screen cut in half, with each side devoted to a single character. Users must keep their eyes on both halves, flicking upward and downward to help each character avoid the game's obstacles. Dividing your attention in this manner is simple at first, but as the game and its obstacles become more complex, things start go get extraordinarily difficult.

The biggest difficulty comes from the fact that as you progress through the game, the number of characters increases, requiring you to continue splitting your attention between up to six simultaneously running characters. There are a considerable amount of obstacles to leap over and slide under before getting to that point, however, making CrazyControl 2 well worth its $0.99 pricetag in terms of gameplay hours.

Unfortunately, while CrazyControl 2's innovative gameplay mechanics are exciting at first, the game itself becomes tiresome well before receiving any of the additional characters. This is largely due to the fact that despite minor cosmetic differences, CrazyControl 2's levels are all extremely similar. The difficulty cranks up each time you progress to a new one, but with little actual difference in gameplay, the game doesn't give you much incentive to continue struggling through.

The addition of some light RPG elements, enabling you to purchase upgrades for your character, is a noble attempt at deepening and diversifying CrazyControl 2's rather repetitive gameplay. Unfortunately, aside from purchasing double and triple jumps for your characters (which are necessary to continue progressing), these upgrades do not affect gameplay in any meaningful way.

Characters in CrazyControl 2 are able to receive both short-range and long-range weapons, capable of blasting through incoming obstacles. But while these are meant to aide in gameplay, they actually have the unintended effect of making the game both more confusing and more difficult, as it is not always clear which obstacles will be taken out by various attacks. Even worse, it is impossible to know when the weapons will run out and you will need to start hopping again.

Another problem with CrazyControl 2 comes as a result of the iPhone's size. The game's graphics are crisp and clear enough to see what's going on, but unfortunately, the in-game characters are too small, making it difficult to swipe up or down on the right one. This issue is made even worse by the game's somewhat inconsistent reads, which will frequently result in the wrong character jumping or sliding. CrazyControl 2 also suffers from a problem that plagues many touch control games, in that human thumbs are not invisible, and frequently end up blocking incoming obstacles. Naturally, all of these problems become even more pronounced as more characters crowd onto the screen.

CrazyControl 2 features unique, innovative gameplay with cute, winning graphics, and a wealth of content for only $0.99. Unfortunately, due both to the game's design and some mechanical issues, CrazyControl 2 is far too difficult. While it might be acceptable for a few moments' diversion during the day, it is not a game that you would look forward to playing from start to finish. If you are a huge fan of side scrolling or "running" games, CrazyControl 2 might be worth a peek, but for the rest of us, it's a dollar that can be better spent elsewhere.

Final Score: C-