The original Linerider Beta, well what can I say? It's the reason you are here, on this site, reading this drool. It is the reason there have been so many re-makes in the small amount of time it has been out. Like so many success stories before it, it is its simplicity that makes it great. You draw lines; a person on a sled rides them. What could be easier?
Forums like the one on this site are springing up all over the place, and are never short of activity, yet how could a game this simple have such a large fan-base? The reason again is a simple one. It allows so much creativity, while requiring the perfect amount of skill. You can draw anywhere, whether your lines be the simple scrawls we all started out drawing; or complex series' of loops and flips, surrounded by pixel perfect mountain ranges, caves and cities. You cringe as you watch your dude fly, praying under your breath that he will land safely, and not splat or fall to certain death.
Its following has taken the Internet by storm. There is something special about Linerider. The jaw-dropping videos found dotted around the Internet are awe-inspiring; some truly do take your breath away. The time people spend sitting in their rooms, fixed to their computer screens isn't quite as surprising though, when you consider how unbelievably addictive it is.
This small flash game, a mere 1.56mb, has put a smile on so many faces. It is a piece of gaming art in its own right. There is talk of it being released on DS. Some say it will soon cure cancer AND feed the millions of starving children in Africa. The latter two are unlikely, but if I can promise you anything, it is this: Linerider is the only game you will ever need. It's nothing special graphically, there are no fancy gradients, its got no storyline at all and there is only one dash of colour in the whole game, yet it is the most basic source of fun and enjoyment I have come across in my lifetime.
