Written By: Daniel Scott

Whack Attack! Games ($1.99)

In a nutshell the game is built for memorization and quick reflexes via touch controls. I own a few of these games already, either free or I sniped a code off of twitter (hint). Honestly the replay value is evident the second go-round, it’s just the same with the notion of beating your old score for bragging rights with yourself. At least with this specific app, there are three games in one: Blast-a-Mole, Match-a Mole, and Memory Attack. That being said the app has some depth featuring unlockable content from visual themes, sound sets, to music through a ticket earning system. Huh! So for a $1.99 price tag, you are given 3 games, with unlockable content. Good sell point, good replay value!

However, as a casual gamer denying the fact I am more of a hardcore gamer, I need to peel back the onion a bit and analyze the game a little closer before I let go of my virtual 2 dollar bill y’all.

Presentation:

The game can’t sell on deep content alone. Whack Attack! Games at first glance is a flash game ported to the iphone. I tend to be critical on the artwork and graphics. I like flash games in a pinch, but I would never pay for one. To twist the knife in a little deeper the game reminds me of those pesky flash banners where I think I’ll win something expensive, then dragged through endless surveys, subscriptions and so on. Brutal. So from the outside looking in, mmmmeh, I’ll pass. But don’t let the art think it’s garbage. There’s more to this game and reasons why I sincerely like this title.

Controls:

Simple touch screen controls give it a pick up and play appeal. Nothing wrong with that, response time is awesome. In the three games given, I am prompt on how to play. Though it’s not needed after the first time it’s nice to have directions in case I have a frontal lobotomy relapse and forget how to play. A side note on controls, there is an option screen for further adjustments to the game’s music and sund effects. As always, I prefer the music turned down and the effects turned up. Old habits are hard to break I guess.

Gameplay:

Since the controls are touch-based, it’s easy enough for a child to play. Not that my kids need an iphone or ipod touch, but this game might buy me some nap time or better yet brief silence. Why I brought up my kids is for the next reason: the tickets earned by playing the game. When I take my older daughter to a game of miniature golf, I can’t pry her out of the ticket games unless I think of a good bribe I can deliver later on. That’s what makes this game worth while. You are given an amount of tickets based on your skill, just like at that giant rodent’s arcade with bad pizza (that place wrecks my insides, ugh). With the tickets, the unlockables can be achieved. One in particular is the third game. At launch, you only have two to choose from, Blast-a-Mole and Memory Attack. The third is Match-a-Mole, unlocked at 5,000 tickets. All three games have unlockable themes, tones or background music. Earn tickets, unlock more features. Although it’s not as deep as what I am used to, it’s still a good feature and should be practiced by other developers.

Blast-a-mole, the first game and the one featured in the icon artwork is quite fun. Each level tap 30 moles only with targets on their chests. The challenge is it speeds up per level and adds more holes or more moles, raising the bar of difficulty. There are a few that pop up with no targets. Accidentally tap or whack one, you lose a heart. Lose three and you game ends.

Memory Attack is basically Simon from my childhood. I played that game to death. I owe that game a hugh amount of credit to my uncanny ability to memorize lengthy tone and light patterns. It’s pure simple fun, again not too difficult. Miss the sequence and lose a heart. Lose three hearts and your game is over. One side note on this game, the hearts in Memory Attack seem to reset after each level unlike the first game when the heart is spent, it’s gone for the duration of the game.

Match-a-Mole, the third game, unlocked after earning 5,000 tickets is a spin off of the Blast-a-Mole game. The first level starts with four holes, two pairs of costume wearing moles. They appear for a second or two, then hide in the ground. The goal is to tap on the holes where the matches are hiding. Again, miss three times, game is over. What makes this a challenge is if the moles don’t match, they go back into hiding. So a few levels later, I am dealing with a plethora of holes and different costumes, making the game worth while and worth the unlocking.

Sound:

The effects and music is good for the game, but campy like a flash game. I’m not expecting surround sound or over produced tones in this app, and too many bells and whistles can ruin a title and make it annoying.

Updates I’d like to see:

More unlockables, more content. There’s only a handful, and I can understand why. Deep content will sell the game further.

Online Features. Always a plus in any game on this platform. Possibly a place to get one of a kind prizes or random themes only found outside the app.

Facebook Connection. That will give the game some more exposure to my friends and they will inquire about the game.

In conclusion, I’d say this is the one to get for this type of game. I’d give it a 7.375 out of 10 based on content and easy controls. The art doesn’t thrill me, but the playability is outstanding. At $1.99 for three games, it’s a steal given the unlockable feature and easy-to-learn touch controls. Don’t let the graphics fool you into passing up on this gem.