Review: FS5 Touch Hockey

[razorianfly]

Ever since the App Store launched, we've seen many developers attempt to design 'the' retro table hockey title for the touch platform.
Many have tried, some have even (in my opinion) failed.

FlipSide5's Touch hockey is one of the better titles.
There are currently a slurry of hockey applications on the store, including the likes of:

Air Hockey by Acceleroto
[App Store]

Air Hockey Fingertip Sports by Sea Lion Games
[App Store]

Air Hockey by Personae Studios
[App Store]

Hockey by IKkooN
[App Store]

However, just a few days ago, FlipSide located in Virginia, (just outside of Washington DC) and developer of Tic-Tac-Touch [App Store] and Touch4 [App Store],
released it's attempt at Hockey for iPhone. Touch Hockey [App Store].

Compared to the competition, it's a no-brainer.

Gameplay
As expected, the game consists of one puc, and two players. As default you play against your device,
although in settings this can be changed to reflect two physical players and something pretty damn hot - Wifi multi-player.

• One Player

• Two Players

• Wifi Local Multiplayer

The aim of table hockey is to get the central puc past your opponent and into the goal on the opposite side of the board.
They also have to try and get the puc past you and into the goal on your side of the board.

Visuals
One of (if not the best) Hockey title for the touch platform to date.
Well designed, not over done unlike most related applications.
Smooth animation of puc and playing pieces.

Game Settings

• Choose the number of players

• Select Wifi multi-player

• Choose the amount of points you or your opponent has to reach (05, 07, 09 or 011)

• Choose size of both goals [Update]

• Toggle sound (On/Off)

Extras
One thing I really did dig about this title was 'Instant Replay'. Touch Hockey will provide an instant video replay
(replying your last successful shot you made) if it feels it was worthy of it -
allowing you to bask in the ambiance of that winning shot once more.

Finally, Price.
FlipSide5 have a few titles on the store now, and most of which have two versions attached to them.
A free version, and a charged version. This version of Touch Hockey I'm featuring (and have linked to) is FREE.
FlipSide5 have marked the application title as 'FS5 Touch Hockey (FREE)' which by looking at the history of their previous releases on the store,
suggests they may have a charged version in the pipeline.

On the other hand, they may decide to raise the price of this version at some point - so I'd get it while you can!

FS5 have contacted me and stated they have no intentions of charging for this version of Touch Hockey.[Update]

Supports: iPhone Classic, iPhone 3G, iPod touch and iPod touch Generation 2.0

Grab your Copy: [Touch Hockey]

I am in no way related to or associated with FlipSide5 Inc.
I review applications because I enjoy doing so ​

 

[TopToffee]

will give this a go... It'll have to go some to surpass my addiction to the acceleroto version.

 

[TopToffee]

ok... had a play with it, and all I can really say is...

are you SURE you're not affiliated with the makers of this game? Each to their own opinion and all, but this isn't even CLOSE to Acceleroto.

 

[razorianfly]

As Ive said above, and I'll say it again:

I am in no way affiliated (or associated) with FlipSide5 Inc.
I blog and write application reviews just for fun.

While reviewing Touch Hockey, I thought it warranted the review above.

R-Fly

 

[TopToffee]

I was only really joking about the affiliation, I just was thoroughly unimpressed with the app though...

The major thing was the movement of the puck - it seemed so slow and friction-y... kinda like playing air hockey when the blowers aren't working in real life... I also found the replay feature very annoying, because it tended to pick really daft shots to show again...

The one thing that I *did* like (which I'd like to see acceleroto implement) was the ability to position the puck before each point if it was your "serve"

Other than that, I'm afraid it was a big thumbs down from me. Oh, not that it matters, but the icon's pretty ugly too imho.

 

[redgaz26]

i really love touch4 by theses guys! just got it today! not only can you play someone on your network you can play anyone anywhere on the internet which is very cool.

 

[razorianfly]

Oh, not that it matters, but the icon's pretty ugly too imho.

Abit off topic, but ..

You say it doesn't matter, I covered this recently. It seems App Store customers may be basing purchase decisions solely based on the applications icon quality.
I personally don't mind this icon, ok yes it could be better, but I have to admit, usually if it doesn't have a great icon, or the quality of the icon is noticeably low, it doesn't get a look in.

Surely it's not just me .. - This is the iPhone, we have standards, right?

R-Fly

 

[tongteh]

my little comment about this application.. i deleted it after 3 games... went back to air hockey...

 

[Michael CM1]

Much better than the other air hockey game I downloaded. It's not something that will entertain me for days on end, but it can blow 5 minutes. What can you ask for from a free app?

 

[BergerFan]

Abit off topic, but ..

You say it doesn't matter, I covered this recently. It seems App Store customers may be basing purchase decisions solely based on the applications icon quality.
I personally don't mind this icon, ok yes it could be better, but I have to admit, usually if it doesn't have a great icon, or the quality of the icon is noticeably low, it doesn't get a look in.

Surely it's not just me .. - This is the iPhone, we have standards, right?

R-Fly

I'm fussy about icons too. That's why I don't put webclips onto my home screens, if they don't have a decent icon, lol.
I like icons to be relatively simple, and have done effort put into them. It's sometimes a sign of a decent app(not always tho).
If they look like a button I can press, all the better.
The new Air Sharing icon is one that I like a lot.

 

[stevearm]

Yeah right you're not affiliated!

I can't believe anyone actually believed you! This is the most obvious 'here's a plug for my app' post on here! There's nothing wrong with doing so anyway, just be honest.

Personally, I deleted the app straight away. Not very fun, hard to use, not a great UI, graphics aren't wonderful. I'm sure other people will like it though, but it's just not for me.

 

[Michael CM1]

I'm fussy about icons too. That's why I don't put webclips onto my home screens, if they don't have a decent icon, lol.
I like icons to be relatively simple, and have done effort put into them. It's sometimes a sign of a decent app(not always tho).
If they look like a button I can press, all the better.
The new Air Sharing icon is one that I like a lot.

Same here. That's one item that should really be addressed in one of the next firmware upgrades. I added the Quicken Online Web clip to my home screen, but it's just a garbled bunch of text. The New York Times, USA Today and CNN all had no trouble getting icons when you do Web clips. C'mon, Quicken folks!

 

[kyto]

Yeah right you're not affiliated!

I can't believe anyone actually believed you! This is the most obvious 'here's a plug for my app' post on here! There's nothing wrong with doing so anyway, just be honest.

Personally, I deleted the app straight away. Not very fun, hard to use, not a great UI, graphics aren't wonderful. I'm sure other people will like it though, but it's just not for me.

Just because it is a good review about a game means he is affiliated? IMO The game is very fun, isn't laggy or anything...