For any game developer creating a dynasty is the holy grail and with Temple Run having it’s 4th title released Imangi Studios have achieved infamy in an incredible short period of time. Not only this but they have single handedly defined the endless runner genre both on mobile and online. With appstores desperate to appear more popular than the other games like Temple Run are most welcome, generating some serious revenue and traffic. Now we’ve talked a lot about the game and you can even play  Temple Run Online on Gamepop and while we have reviewed each of the games individually (links to the reviews and games online at the bottom of this editorial) one thing we have yet to do is compare each of the different game releases.

How have we compared the different Temple Run titles?

We decided to break down each title into 4 simple sections to enable us to compare them as easily as possible (as with all comparisons it’s not bullet proof but it felt like a pretty logical approach to take). The sections are:

• Learnability – is it hard to learn to play? (sure it’s a made up word, it’s the internet after all!)
• Uniqueness – how unique is the game both compared to other games and each of the different Temple Run releases
• Pros – what’s good about the game
• Cons – what’s bad

Other bits of background to the comparison

Endless Runners

Temple Run was near enough the first “run forwards” game on mobile and online and therefore really defined the genre Endless Runner. Several other games have tried to copy this, probably most noticeable was Sega who made the natural jump from console to mobile with Sonic Dash. What makes them so compelling is the lack of fixed levels, the movement of tilting and swiping your screen to collect your coins and dodge obstacles, people love it. Sit in a commuter train in London today and I guarantee you’ll see someone playing an endless runner.

Are we biased?

Probably but we hope we don’t let it show.

So onto the comparison…

Temple Run – the first

As the first instalment the first Temple Run drew people into a new fast paced world of trickery and excitement. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the game is that it uses all the usable functions of a smart phone relying on finger swiping and tilting and this really increased peoples engagement levels beyond that of many other more traditional games. Indeed the reality is there is not much to do in the game apart from dodge stuff and collect coins.

The Original Temple Run Menu

The Original Temple run gameplay

Is it hard to learn?

The concept of endless running games is simple so there’s not much to learn except to play all the time. From time to time you’ll see how better you get at the game, it just takes practice. The original Temple Run is easy to learn due the fact that it’s simple. You only have to jump and swipe unlike other endless running games which require shooting, flying and similar stuff. I can say that Temple Run is probably the easiest one to play of all the 4 Temple Run’s. Obstacles are broken bridges, trees and those jumps from one part of the path to the other. Nothing complicated, right?

Uniqueness

Yep it sure was unique when it came out and then there’s the location and story. It gets you into the story of the old temples which are cursed by Demonic monkeys which for some reason keep chasing you all the time! You really need to watch your step. But as further the Temple Run’s go, the more unique they are but we’ll see more of that later in the comparison.

Pros

It’s pretty simple so it’s not hard to learn
Performance on mobile is very good due to it not being resource hungry
Genre defining
Huge player base

Cons

Not many features apart from dodging and collecting
Being the first game it came with a good number of bugs and glitches, tbh some of them were pretty fun though!

Temple Run Brave

This game is pretty much the same as the first Temple Run made except it has had the graphics enhanced and this time you are running away from a bear and not from those Demonic monkeys. The game is obviously fun as every Temple Run game ever made. Especially with those new features which have been implanted so you don’t get bored from swiping! The place where you are running is different than in previous Temple Run’s as you are placed in a rain forest, running away from a dangerous bear which is trying to get you down (well let’s be honest, he’s trying to eat you omnomnom!!!).

Temple run brave menu

Is it hard to learn?

The game doesn’t have many different aspect to the first game, but it does introduce a new element; you get the opportunity to shoot down targets which appear on the left and right side of your screen using a bow. You are able to shoot stuff for bonus points and this makes getting higher scores so much easier at the end of the run. When you get everything together, there’s not much to write about this game as it’s just a slight improvement of the previous ones.

Uniquesness

Honestly, the game doesn’t have so much uniquesness compared to the previous Temple Runs, because it’s pretty much similar except new characters and the new implented shooting system which grants you extra points. It is an improvment and we can say that it is unique on some ways but still.. When you get everything together you can say that, well, it is a good game, but it could’ve been improved much more.

Temple run brave gameplay

Pros

The new shooting system
New characters

Cons

Not much different from other Temple Runs
It should be free as it’s similar to other Temple Runs

Temple Run 2

We can say that Temple Run 2 is a pretty fun game, the good thing is that they have improved the graphics in Temple Run 2, making it look even more amazing and even more fun to play! But why should you play Temple Run 2 when there’s the original Temple Run?

I’m going to tell you why, the new power ups make the game so much fun, even more fun than Temple Run. Yes, it’s not the classic one, but hey! it has new features. There’s just one thing, that’s getting in the way, the graphics are much better which means that your phone is going to go through a hard time when you are playing it, of course, if you have a medium/high-end phone, then you’ll be playing it without any problems! This is the same whether you are using an Android based phone or an iPhone.

Temple Run 2 menu and gameplay

Is it hard to learn?

If you’ve played the previous Temple Run then you won’t find it hard to learn the game. The thing is, you just have to learn all the new amazing power-ups which are implented into the game because they are obviously much more different then the ones in Temple Run.
Also, you’ll need to get used to the new enhanced graphics and lots of new details which will be shown on your mobile phone screen! Also, I have forgot to mention that you’ll need to get used to the new menu, icons, characters and similar!

Uniquesness

Well, Temple Run 2 is not really unique compared to Temple Run, because only some minor changes have been made which means that everything stays the same except the changes i’ve mentioned above. Unlike the other Temple Runs which have much more features to offer! However there are things that make it a better game than Temple Run.

Pros

New details, powerups (super fun!) and graphics
Less bugs than in the previous version

Cons

The game requires better specced mobile phones due to it’s graphics

Temple Run Oz

This game is amazing. I would like to say that this game would be so much fun for kids, because, first of all, Disney is involved in making this game, and as you all know, Disney makes some amazing stuff, even the cartoon on which we all grew up. Not only that but it’s based on one of the greatest films of all time; The Wizard of Oz and if you’re anything like us you will have sat enthralled watching the newly released Oz: The Great and the Powerful starring Mila Kunis.

Temple run oz menu

But the special thing making it fun is the new features which have been added, such as flying in a hot air baloon through the sky and at the same time collecting coins for your new powerups and similar. The graphics have been enhanced a lot and the level of details as well making it so enjoyable that everyone would be interested into trying it! It includes bunch of new traps which make the gameplay amazing and you’ll be in action in every second of playing.

Is it hard to learn?

Well, this game is a little bit harder, but a little bit easier at the same time. The fact that you are able to revive yourself by using a Diamond is great.. Imagine you are getting so close to your new high score and then you fall, but don’t worry, there’s the revive option which places you into a bubble and gets you immortality for some time. The new traps can be kinda confusing bit it’s very similar to those old tree traps, holes and similar. So, i would say that it’s not that hard to learn, you just need to get used to it.

Uniquesness

Temple Run Oz is an extremely unique game providing you with two options, to fly and to run. Which means that it can be an endless flyer as well, ha! No, all jokes aside, the game is uniquely made and it provides you with fantastic graphics, just like being in an actual fairy tale. It kinda reminds you on those old Disney movies you used to watch back in your childhood. Well, so it’s also unique because it’s the first game based on the up-coming Disney movie called, obviously, Oz and hopefully it’l attract lots of mobile phone game fans, Disney fans and similar and actually grant Disney some extra viewers for the new amazing movie!

Temple Run Oz gameplay

Pros

Amazing and stunning graphics
New and exciting ways to move through the game
Hot air baloons (they’re just cool)
It’s based on the latest part (Oz: The Great and the Powerful) of one of the greatest movies of all time, the Wizard of Oz

Cons

The amazing graphics require more expensive phones
At this moment, it’s not free

The Gamepop.co Conclusion

You know what this is actually a pretty impossible task to pick the best Temple Run title but we have been helped by both Imangi and by you the readers and gamers who have been busy answering this question for us. But before we come onto that how have Imangi helped us? By making Temple Run Oz. It’s simply amazing and has taken the both the series and the endless runner genre to new heights. Now onto our readers, in our latest  Gamepop.co (still running) we asked which of the titles our readers and players preferred. Their response? 52% voted in favour of Temple Run 2 with Temple Run Oz in 3rd place with 12% behind Temple Run which got 28% of the vote. This could be largely due to the fact Oz is not free.

Ok so I guess we need to commit to a winner. What, no drum roll?  Meh…

Our winner is Temple Run 2!

We picked Temple Run 2 simply because it improved things and enabled Temple Run Oz to build upon those improvements to create something incredible with new ideas, features and well, just a whole lot more awesome!

Other bits and pieces

Here are the links so you can play Temple Run online, Temple Run 2 online and read reviews about Temple Run Oz. And if you are anything like our 90,000 Facebook fans then you would love to know how to play Temple Run and all the different titles on your pc when you’re at home or if you simply don’t have a smart phone. Simply follow this links and you will find all the instructions on how to play temple run on your pc.