Leap Quest, by Punkbots, is one of the few 3D platformers for the iPhone. There’s a reason why there aren’t that many: it’s hard to get the controls right.

To address that dilemma, Leap Quest has incorporated many types of control modes: D-Pad, Tilt, and Flick & Drag. The developers have stated that their preferred choice is Flick & Drag, and we’ve have found that this affords the most control. There are further sensitivity settings for each control method, which means if you’re willing to spend a lot of time tweaking to get the controls just right, you’ll likely have more fun with the game.

The game stars a little golden flower ball that you must direct over a series of floating platforms. Along the way, you’ll encounter different enemy types, power-ups, extra-bounce platforms, and other standard elements. A rising level of water serves as pressure to move between platforms as fast as possible.

The game has a series of levels that can be unlocked once you reach the end of the previous level, as well as several endless modes. We found the game rather repetitive after a while, because there’s little that’s very challenging or tricky once you master the controls. If you can’t figure out how to move your character with nuance, however, it will be like banging your head repeatedly into a wall.

The visuals, sound, and overall presentation are serviceable. We’d like Leap Quest to have some more interesting setpieces later on in the game, but because it’s a 3D platformer, this may be a little hard. If you’re a fan of 3D platforming and are willing to spend some time experimenting with the controls, this game may be worth it at $1.99.

Leapquest gets our AppSmile 3-Dimple rating: