When I was younger, my favorite part of Christmas was getting an advent calendar that had a little piece of chocolate locked behind a cardboard door. Each day of December on the countdown to Christmas, I was allowed to open the day’s door and eat that chocolate. By the time I was probably getting too old for the calendar I would cheat and eat multiple days’ chocolates in one sitting.
1000 Heroz is, in so many ways, just like those advent calendars. It has been doling out one short speed-run focused level each day since its initial release roughly a week ago. That means that of this writing there are about seven levels to play, each of which takes roughly 20 seconds to run through. But while that doesn’t sound like much now, 1000 Heroz is a game with ambition.
That 1000 in the name? It refers to the number of daily changes that will eventually be available in the game. Which brings us back to the original anecdote I opened up this review with. Once you catch up and have completed the available levels, playing 1000 Heroz is a lot like opening up that advent calendar. Each day you know you’re getting another fun level to check out and try to set a great time for, and each day when you finish you have to wait for the next level.
I have never seen a game dispense content like this but it’s a fascinating way to go. 1000 Heroz backs up its quirky delivery method with concise, enjoyable gameplay, too. While levels are short they are filled with obstacles that make each level feel distinct from the last.
Despite how quickly they can be finished, even the swift ending plays into the depth of the gameplay. Each level in the game has three goal times. Finishing within the “gold” or best goal time gives players three stars. Similar to other apps, the game tracks how many stars you’ve collected throughout your run so you can judge your skill in levels that otherwise feel “easy” to complete.
1000 Heroz takes rankings a step further as well by leaving collectible “relics” in each level that players can accumulate in addition to gold pieces. All of these things, along with the speed times, are posted in the app as well as a global leaderboard so players can see exactly how they rank with other 1000 Heroz players.
The combination of a terrific ranking system, unique level disbursement method and solid platform gameplay makes 1000 Heroz one of the best app platformers I have ever played. If you think you can manage to withstand playing a game in short bursts, give 1000 Heroz a try. You might find you like it even better than a little piece of chocolate.
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