smackBOTS

By Jason Philo on June 26th, 2009
Our Rating: :: MINDLESS FUN
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

SmackBOTS is a fun game for kids. Nothing entertains me more than a game I can dive right into without having to worry about strategy and story lines. The animation is simple, yet amusing and the game play is challenging in spite of the deceptively easy controls.

Intro
SmackBOTS is a fast-paced game easy enough to pick up and start playing with just enough details to make it something you may want to learn how to play better. Just like my son, I just want to start hitting things. This is also a good thing.

Gameplay
The game introduces you to a couple of robots gone wild in a secret base. It’s your job to defeat the evil robot. To do this you punch it. You punch by tapping on the right side and left side of the screen. Simple.

Though gameplay is simple I found it to be surprisingly difficult after the second level. I guess this is where the combo moves would come in. These moves are pretty tough to figure out, and I’m a bit handicapped in this area as I’ve never been patient enough to learn secret moves. Those that like learning those things will have a blast.

Going into ‘berserk’ mode allows you to assault your enemy, unleashing a maelstrom of fury. As you progress through the levels you have options of changing your robot’s appearance through selecting different styles and colors. The simple story line which accompanies the story is simple and amusing to follow between the mindless poundings you deliver to your enemies.

Likes
I love games that don’t have buttons. The developer takes advantage of the touch screen and uses this wisely. This makes it a great game for a child because they only have to know how to tap. Even my three-year-old can play this.

Being that this is an entertaining game for kids, this is a plus for parents that need that coveted quiet time now and again. They’re not going to come to you asking you how to play. Though they may ask you to help beat a level.

Dislikes
I don’t have major complaints about the game. I did find it a bit too challenging for a simple punch game once you get past the second level. It’s robots punching… how hard can this be? I eventually discovered a strategy that helped me; lots of right punches. I’m not really sure why this took me so long to figure out.

Being as there are combo secrets to be discovered, it would be great to have the ability to move my robot away from my opponent. I think this would allow the player more room to develop strategy and have some space for learning those combos.

Conclusion
All in all, this is a good game. It’s simplicity and mild sense of amusement make it a great game for those occasional waits we all experience throughout the day. At .99 you’re not going to lose any sleep over buyer’s remorse. At an undisclosed date in the future it will go up to $1.99, so I’d definitely grab it before the price goes up.

smackBOTS Free

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Buy Now: FREE

Our Rating: :: MINDLESS FUN
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2009-06-07 :: Category: Games