Video Game Character of the Month - February 2017 - Alto - Alto's Adventure

Video Game Character of the Month

February 2017
Alto
Alto's Adventure

Overview:

Does Alto actually like to snowboard? Is he tired of continually going down a mountain which seemingly never ends only to respawn at the top when he meets his unfortunate end? Maybe he enjoys it? We'll never know as, like many of the recipients of this award, he can't speak. 

Anyway, now for a bit of information on Alto:

He's in a 2D plane

Llamas are his life

He can fly with the aid of his scarf

He can break rocks by running through them

He can't survive chasm drops unless he has a magic pickaxe

He can't survive crashes without a magic helmet

He has an obsession with coins which appear on the mountainside 

He has a magnet which can help him pick up these coins

He has a llama horn which can bring stampedes of said llamas

He's a great, all-round snowboarder

He wears a Serape

He can do backflips while snowboarding

He can calm llamas down just by flying past them

The Elders don't really like him
He can sometimes achieve zen
He likes bunting

Origin of Alto:

Inspired by the likes of Journey, Monument Valley and an M.C Esher painting in terms of minimalist looks, Alto and the game were originally meant to encapsulate the feeling of snowboarding and how everything just seems to disappear when snowboarding. He is originally alone in the game, with you having to unlock other characters and he also can't fly or call a llama stampede. Good things come to those who wait I guess.

Evolution of Alto:

Alto can unlock and upgrade his magnet, hover, wingsuit and llama horn as well as by some helmets and pickaxes to get him out of difficult situations. More recently he unlocked the power to enter zen, allowing him to not die.

Games:

Alto's Adventure released (World Wide) on February 19th, 2015 on iOS/(World Wide) on February 11th, 2016 on Android and Kindle Fire/(World Wide) on July 8th, 2016 on Windows and Linux

Well, that's all on Alto but, as always, if I've missed something/made a mistake then please don't hesitate to comment! Also, if you have a suggestion for a future winner of the prestigious VGCOTM award then please comment that as well!

Thanks for reading, Satamer.