You play as a little cartoon spider with googly eyes

Arachnadoodle is a cute little game for the iPhone or iPod Touch. You play as a little cartoon spider with googly eyes who must jump and bounce his way around the screen to connect a series of pins forming a web.

The spider’s jumps are controlled very simply. Touch him and an arrow appears, then slide your finger around on the screen to alter the direction and power of the leap.

The spider has a limited number of jumps and each pin must be connected before you can progress to the next level. At the end of each level a swarm of flies traverse the screen to the triumphant trumpets of The Ride of the Valkyries. Depending on the number of pins you’ve managed to connect, your web will receive a strength rating, and the number of flies that become ensnared in the web will vary as a result.

Flies mean points, so the more that you can capture the better. Your score for a level is increased if you have managed to complete it without using up all of your jumps, and the strength of the web will also give you some extra points.

Even more can be gained if you manage to link several pins at once or hit the bonus flies that inhabit the screen. There are also flies that will earn you extra jumps; a valuable helping hand in some of the more difficult levels.

The first few levels are very simple, but as you play through the game there are many obstacles to contend with, from frazzling light bulbs to evil hovering bugs that explode on contact taking half of your carefully constructed web with them. Some of the pins begin to behave differently, and there are other obstacles such as sticky furniture that are a mixture of help and hindrance.

The graphics are cute, and the spider is unfailingly enthusiastic, issuing little cheers for the sheer joy of ricocheting around the screen. The rest of the in-game music is inoffensive, and fades pleasantly into the background (apart from Wagner’s epic fanfare).

There are 32 levels to play through, and to do so in one sitting would take around an hour and a half, but there is great replay value in Arachnadoodle. The challenge lies in achieving the highest score possible for each level through strategic jumping, and this will see you retrying a level several times to better your points total.

In short, Arachnadoodle is a fun little game that’s well worth its 59p price tag in the app store. The concept is simple and it’s well executed, with a bouncy upbeat feel.