Following the 'visuals-focused' sprint which got me to this point...
I've decided to change pace and focus on core gameplay. Two player mechanics have been prototyped.
Down Slam
Swiping down allows the player to do a quick drop at any time. This can be used to avoid high hanging obstacles or used consecutively to slam down on multiple enemies.
This ability was a good way to increase pace and give additional mobility to the player.
Tap Mode
While the fictional context of this ability is not fully fleshed out, Tap Mode slows down time and allows the player to tap to kill special enemies. Tap Mode is activated by grabbing power-ups which are found mid-air.
There were initially some concerns about whether this mode would feel too divergent from the rest of the gameplay. Fortunately, the need to jump to get the power-ups creates a smooth transition to composite both types of gameplay.