First of all, it’s Icycle – not icicle or bicycle – and the game really stresses out the combination of these two terms in this very challenging game. As players control a character with a bicycle and almost nothing more, they must traverse the various levels that are filled to the brim with dangers and obstacles that range from the obvious to the very surprising. It will take a lot of coordination, timing, as well as patience to get ahead in this game, but the rewards are truly fulfilling. Get ready to bear the winter chill with Icycle: On Thin Ice and make sure to bundle up with this very comprehensive guide.
Gameplay
Icycle: On Thin Ice is a platforming game where players must be able to reach the destination without dying. This is not an easy feat as the landscape constantly shifts and there is danger everywhere in the form of cliffs, spikes, rolling boulders, and many more. There are also portals that will magically transport your character to different exits, as well as dream levels where gameplay becomes even more surreal. Players must navigate through the environment by riding your bicycle, jumping, and, in some cases, using your umbrella to slowly fall down into the next area.
Currency
Ice is the currency within Icycle: On Thin Ice. Players can earn ice by collecting them directly within the levels, and they can also be awarded once players are able to complete one or more of the four missions available within the stage. Ice is used to purchase and unlock items in the shop, and they also serve the purpose of adding spare tires to your inventory, which would allow you to continue with a level without losing progress. This latter way of spending ice can be disadvantageous, but can be a real life saver especially if you want to just finish a particularly tough level without having to start from the very beginning.
Missions
Different levels pose different challenges, and the main requirement is to come out at the other end in one piece. Don’t worry too much, though, as you would only have to restart the current screen should you die for as long as you have spare tires, for which you have three for each level. Otherwise, you will be forced to restart the stage from the beginning. Once players finish a level, the next stage will open up, although players can also choose to replay past stages in order to get more ice.
The game comprises of twenty missions that have four missions each. By finishing levels, players will automatically earn one snowflake. Other missions would require players to meet certain parameters like wearing certain costumes, finishing the stage without dying, and others. Getting all eighty snowflakes will open up the original game which you can now play on your device.
Shop
The shop is where players can spend their ice in order to get beneficial items. Each item costs a fair amount of ice, so make sure to save up so that you can spend them on the more useful ones such as an additional spare tire, the vacuum that will suck all ice within range, or the rose that will allow you to skip a particular hard area of the stage.
Costumes
Aside from powerups and other useful items, there are also different costumes that may be purchased. These range from new bicycles, hats, and even umbrellas that, aside from changing the way that you character looks, would also allow you to access special dream locations. Wearing the right costume is the only way to be able to play these stages, and certain costumes would have to be equipped in order to get snowflakes for particular levels as well.