Weekend diversion: Rolando 2 for iPhone

I've found a game that's a wonderful distraction for an iPhone that's dedicated to email, Web surfing Excel attachments: ngmoco's amazing Rolando 2 – Quest for the Golden Orchid (iTunes). It's a $10 game for the iPhone and iPod touch that's rated 4+ stars in the App Store and yes, it's that good.

Rolando 2 is the sequel to the equally successful Rolando adventure game in which your goal is to roll (hence the name) a character through a series of adventures in which you collect prizes in interactive environments loaded with action and brain-teasing puzzles. Set in beaches, ruins, caverns and jungles, Rolando 2's rich 3D graphics courtesy of Simon Oliver’s HandCircus microstudio and pop illustrator Mikko Walamies and funky break-beat soundtrack by Mr. Scruff make R2 a compelling and engrossing distraction from the real world.

Rolando 2 features 46 levels and six unique chapters, each with its own visual style. ngmoco’s Plus+ Network harnesses iPhone OS 3.0's push notification technology allowing players to challenge friends to beat their score and compare scores on a global leaderboard.

What makes R2 exceptional is that it's easy to learn, play and get hooked. The controls are simple and it exploits the most unique aspects of game play on the iPhone and iPod touch -- namely its accelerometer and multi-touch display. The game allows you to touch, tilt and flick your way through adventures on land, sea and air making Rolando 2 the game to beat for 2009.

Five stars all the way.

More screenshots after the jump...