''Leap Day'' is a 2D level-based

platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...

developed and published by Nitrome, first released for

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...

and Android on May 11, 2016. Players must reach a Gold Cup at top of a

procedurally generated In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In ...

level by controlling a character which runs automatically, tapping on the screen to make the character jump in order to collect fruits, dodge enemies and hazards, and progress through the level. A new level is generated every day, with levels from previous days available to play after watching an advertisement. A sequel, titled ''Super Leap Day'', was released for

macOS macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and lapt ...

, and

tvOS tvOS (formerly known as Apple TV Software) is an operating system developed by Apple Inc. for the Apple TV, a digital media player. In the first-generation Apple TV, Apple TV Software was based on Mac OS X. Starting with the second-generation ...

devices on August 6, 2021, as part of the

Apple Arcade Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service offered by Apple Inc. It is available through a dedicated tab of the App Store on devices running iOS 13, tvOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later. The service launched on September 19 ...

subscription service. It features gameplay improvements, horizontal levels, and an updated vector art style, which differs from the pixel art used in the first game.

Gameplay

In ''Leap Day'', each level is generated using pre-made sections, with fifteen checkpoints placed throughout the level. The player must reach the Gold Cup at the end of a level, avoiding hazards such as spikes, blades, and a variety of enemies, while also collecting fruits which can be spent to activate checkpoints. At the end of each level, there is a section called the "End Zone", which does not use any pre-made chunks and is wholly unique to that day's level. Players will earn a cup depending on how far they have progressed through a level, receiving a bronze cup at checkpoint 10, a silver cup at checkpoint 5, and a gold cup for completing the level. The character runs automatically, requiring the player to tap on the screen to correctly time jumps and progress through the level. Each level is assigned one of several different themes which change the aesthetics, enemies, and objects which appear in the level. Themes include a medieval castle, a stormy cavern, a waterfall, a desert, a frozen temple with falling icicles, a sewer with toxic gas, and a casino with

pinball Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...

flippers and bumpers. Gifts can be earned by progressing through levels, which unlock different characters for the player to use.

Reception

''Leap Day'' received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator,

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

.{{Cite web, title=Leap Day, url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/leap-day, access-date=2021-08-18, website=Metacritic, language=en

TouchArcade ''TouchArcade'' is a mobile video game website that launched in 2008. Arnold Kim of ''MacRumors'' worked on the site and its editor-in-chief was Eli Hodapp from 2009 to 2019. ''TouchArcade'' has been recognized as one of the best mobile game ...

praised the game for its simple controls and approach to

in-app purchases Microtransactions, often abbreviated as mtx, are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransact ...

, writing "''Leap Day'' is the perfect pickup for people who want to find a new platformer to warn them by the fire."

References

2016 video games Android (operating system) games IOS games Platform games Nitrome games Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games using procedural generation