We previously covered Temple Run: Brave when it was released for the iPhone and iPad in June. At the time of release, Temple Run: Brave cost $0.99 from the App Store. Thanks to Apple’s App of The Week promotion the game is now free to play this week. Temple Run: Brave is more than a promotion for the Disney/Pixar film. It’s a fully fledged Temple Run game that even introduces new elements, such as archery, along with Princess Merida’s voice and likeness.

Temple Run Brave is a graphical step up from the original Temple Run, though it does not run in full resolution on the retina iPad. (Click through to expand)

Of course, while Temple Run: Brave may be free to play, that doesn’t mean the game has no way of parting you from your money. The game will greet you with 2500 free coins, and you can also keep every coin you painstakingly collect in game, but if you want to unlock costumes, power ups, single use utilities or special backgrounds immediately you can also buy coins. 2500 coins is $0.99, $25000 coins is $4.99, and it’s possible to buy a package of 200000 coins for $19.99, though I’m not sure what you’d do with that much gold. That said, it never feels necessary to enjoy the game as even mediocre runs award usable amounts of gold.

If you’re a fan of Temple Run but not familiar with the movie, seeing Brave is not a prerequisite for enjoying the game. Voice acting is minimal and the branding is cosmetic. On the flip side, if you love Brave but aren’t a huge fan of Temple Run, this means there’s not a lot for you here. If Pixar’s talented writers maybe included a few quips for Billy Connolly to read at the end of a run, for example, it could have turned a good game into a great one.

While the game is fun, it doesn’t deal with Brave as deeply as the partnership with Disney could have allowed.

Download Temple Run: Brave for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch – FREE this week [iTunes App Store]

What’s your favorite ‘run forever’ game? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.