TAP TAP ARCADE 2 Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

RCMADIAX returns, this time with TAP TAP ARCADE 2 for the Wii U eShop. Don't let the name fool you, as promising as it may sound this one doesn't quite live up to the name. With such a title naturally one would expect a compilation of games. Oddly, though, TAP TAP ARCADE 2 only includes two - just like the original TAP TAP ARCADE. The first is SKEASY, which has been previously released by RCMADIAX as a standalone eShop title, and the other is called VOLCANO.

The premise of SKEASY is to guide a skier, in the guise of a triangle, down a mountain - much like the classic PC game, SkiFree. The player must tap the control pad left and right to maintain a relatively straight line in order to avoid trees. There are no interesting sights along the way, trees pass by until eventually your luck runs dry and you're presented with your final score.

TAP TAP ARCADE 2 Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

There are no jumps, no bears to chase you and no ski lifts to avoid. It's just a triangle and an endless mountain filled with some basic graphics that represent trees and falling snow. What you're initially presented with is the limit of this game. There's not much to edge the player on but to top their existing high score, so it's attraction is possibly as a time passer, as indicated in our original review.

VOLCANO stars a mysterious rectangular character who must jump from platform to platform to avoid rising lava. This game is rather frustrating due to the auto-run feature; the troubles arise when attempting to reach higher platforms placed in awkward positions. With no control over movement, making a transition to the next platform on a higher spot feels like an impossible challenge. The best chance of success is by using the cape to glide for a brief moment, and ensuring the double jump is well timed.

There's nothing else to it. You keep jumping until the lava catches up. Aesthetically, VOLCANO is on the same level as SKEASY. It features a dull moving background, supported by a plain selection of colours. There's barely any music present in Volcano, although the single chip-tune track featured in SKEASY is probably one of the standouts of the entire package. There's really nothing to spur the player on in VOLCANO except frustrating gameplay and beating the existing high score - just like in SKEASY.

Conclusion

TAP TAP ARCADE 2 does not seem like a package that offers enough for its grand title. Both SKEASY and VOLCANO are incredibly minimalistic in design and are likely to entertain players for a few minutes each. There are plenty of vastly superior alternatives to these games available elsewhere.