Magnetic Sports Soccer [rating: 5/5]
The proliferation of sports games in the App Store means most sports have great content and almost every angle has been covered. When a unique take on a game comes along it’s a refreshing break from the many clones found in the iPhone environment. I am happy to report that Magnetic Sports Soccer from BulkyPix and Revo Solutions is just such a unique take. At its core it is a foosball / table soccer game variant but its distinctive take makes it stand out from the rest.
Magnetic Sports Soccer presents a soccer field with players in a familiar foosball-like arrangement. However, instead of being controlled in groups, individual players are free to move and play the ball. The ball is passed and shot by pulling back on the player in possession and pointing him either at the net when attempting to score or at the another player on your team to pass. The further you pull back on the player, the harder the ball will be released when you let go of them. An arrow points out from the player to indicate direction and speed. The wrinkle in game play is that, as the name implies, there is a magnetic attraction between the ball and players. Pass the ball between teammates without enough force and the ball will be drawn to an opposing player. Pass with too much force and miss a teammate and possession may likewise pass to the other team. The level of precision and strategy demanded by the game is surprising, welcome, and a great addition.
Varied game play is a welcome strong point of Magnetic Sports Soccer. Some games in the App Store offer, at best, perhaps one or two ways to experience the game. This is fine for a while but can quickly cause the game to be worn out. You will not quickly bore of Magnetic Sports Soccer. This game offers no less than two variations of single player and 4 variations of multi player interaction. The multi player variants are especially compelling. Playing against a person is infinitely better than playing against a computer and this game offers the ability to play with two people on one device, through the local Wi-Fi network, through a Bluetooth connection, or an online component that allows you to play over the Internet! You’ll never run out of ways to play this game.
The other extras this game provides are excellent as well. Online high scores and achievements are provided by the wildly popular OpenFeint system and you can connect to your Facebook account to interact with friends. The graphics are excellent and the sounds really add to ambiance of the game.
The only suggestion for improvement I would be tempted to add would be additional levels or arena options. This game already provides varying levels of difficulting and several different arenas. Adding more arenas and allowing the player to vary the size of the teams involved would be a nice addition to an already great game.
You may be tempted to bypass Magnetic Sports Soccer if you pass it by in the App Store. Don’t. This is a fun, compelling, and replayable take on a foosball / table soccer theme. You’ll enjoy ever minute of the game and not regret the purchase.
The Good
- Game play is compelling
- Varied game play makes it replayable
- OpenFeint and Facebook Connect support
The Not So Good
- More arenas or varied team sizes would be a welcome addition.
Reviewed by: Erin Peterson
Magnetic Sports Soccer Multiplayer
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1dqFsnD4N4]
Price: $2.99 (iTunes Store) as of 13 Jan
Version reviewed: 1.0
Size: 9.6 MB
Seller: BULKYPIX