Time trial games seem to be all the rage now in drumming up excitement for product releases. Making use of this latest trend is Interparfums, teaming up with Merci-Michel to create a dynamic ball-steering course for their latest Montblanc Legend Blue fragrance. How does this iteration compare to so much previous competition though?
Aligning instantly to the perfume name, the track and environment is comprised of blue shaded blocks and tunnels, amped up to legendary status with glowing rings and vast brand representation littered around the course like advertisements at a Grand Prix. Testing out the experience on desktop and mobile, I surprisingly found the latter easier with touchable screen prompts more precise than their arrow key counterparts. Somewhat of a disappointment though was that the gyroscope of the phone had no effect, meaning you couldn’t steer the ball directly for a more immersive experience.
Navigating through the winding, twisting course, rails thankfully prevent you from falling off into oblivion. Of course hitting the side slows you down so the aim of the game is to stick to the centre, allowing you to consistently gather boost material before really letting loose.
Upon fully charging the boost meter, the hovering metallic ring encircling the sphere releases a stream of white energy, rocketing the little marble along. At this point a great sense of speed and energy is achieved with blurred visuals, lens flares, camera residue and speed dashes all heightening the intensity of the rush.
Upon conclusion of a lap, you are rewarded with your time, allowing you to retry to better yourself or share your score to the community. Whilst the visuals are dynamic and energising, the music is even more so. Racing games and trials often live and die by their soundtrack and thankfully, ‘The Run’ hits all the right notes — a chilled, easy-listening electronic backing track with wicked arcade sound effects reverberating as your boost rockets you forth.
A fun yet concise experience, the single track and repetitive tunes don’t outstay their welcome, and can be embraced and enjoyed for just the few attempts spent bettering your top score. Certainly appealing to the young-adult male demographic it is targeting, the product promotion via gamification resonates with the audience, deviating from the traditionally conceptual TV ads boasting celebs unnaturally intoxicated by the scent — a welcome change!
Brandon King Design 
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