While I'd love to think I'm not the bitter old-soul that my friends sometimes consider me to be, I can't help but feel a bit sympathetic as I load up a game like Whale Trail by ustwo and grin like the Cheshire Cat for what seems like hours and think 'Oh... this is what smiling feels like?'. OK, OK, I'm not THAT grumpy, but the point remains that there's something positive to be said for a game that had me babbling like an incoherently excited 3 year old within minutes of having loaded it.

This may have something to do with the presentation of Whale Trail; redolent with colors and simple shapes, the game invokes classic childhood educational shows like Sesame Street, Play School and others aired in the 80s. It's possible a lot of the fun of Whale Trail is predicated on having such a primal connection to an age of innocence, but honestly, how can you not love the cute characters; the bright and clear colorful designs; and of course the upbeat Ringo Starr-like theme song.

Some may drop off as soon as they realize the game is yet another endless title, but it would be unfair to simply ignore it on this alone as Whale Trail's procedural level creation provides enough variation to justify a few playthroughs.

You play as Willow the Whale who is attempting to escape Baron Von Barry's evil clutches by riding a rainbow trail that allows Willow to fly. Touching the screen lifts you up, while holding on at the apex will start a loop-the-loop, giving you a chance to collect a few more rainbow bubbles necessary to keep you aloft and to increase your point multiplier. Stars can be collected to activate a temporary speed boost with invulnerability as well.

Unlike several recent titles, Whale Trail doesn't feature in-game objectives tied to bonuses, however there are a whopping 43 Game Center achievements to aim for if you're looking for some reason to keep playing.

Ultimately how long you stay for Whale Trail is up to you, but this cute title is easily worth picking up just to enjoy the simple, fun gameplay at least once.