3D 'Air Hockey Pro' is Realistic and Fun
posted December 24th, 2008 1:14 PM CST by Blake Patterson in $0.99, Reviews, Sports, iPhone games, iPod touch games
Sean McNamara has just released Air Hockey Pro [App Store] for the iPhone and iPod touch. Air hockey fans may see this game as an early Christmas present, as it captures the overall look and feel of air hockey better than any other App Store offering.
Features as listed by the developer:
- 3D graphics
- Realistic physics
- Easy to play, difficult to master
- Adjustable AI skill level, choose a level that's right for you
- Currently 3 tables to choose from
- 2D top down views are cramped and don't do this game justice! The 3D environment will immerse you in the game
- Everything built to scale so it looks, feels, and plays like an Air Hockey game should
I have to agree with the developer's sentiments regarding 2D air hockey titles in the App Store. Regardless how much polish the top-down games have, there's a cramped feeling to the gameplay in most of the games out there. Touch-controlled Air Hockey Pro indeed conveys an accurate sense of scale which goes a long way towards setting it apart from its peers. Adding to the feeling of realism is a subtle viewpoint "sway" as the puck bounces about the table.
Air Hockey Pro is currently the best game of air hockey to be had on the iPhone and well worth its $0.99 App Store price tag.
[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]
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December 24th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
This one will be so sweet if they can add multi-player (over wifi of course)
December 24th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
It's a good game, I've noticed a bug if you "trap" the puck in the bottom left corner, it "jumps" forward.
Also, (this might be intentional) your "handle" isnt quite under your finger, so it feels a little weired but you get used to it.
Worth the 60p!! my girlfriend likes it, so that's a bonus!!!
December 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Looks solid
December 24th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Amazing and smooth 3D engine. It could include at least a simple statistics (winnings/losses) just to make it a bit more interesting…
December 24th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I keep getting the "jumping" bug as well — it happens all the time when you trap the puck.
Increasing the difficulty doesn't seem to be all that much harder.
Other than that, this is definitely the best air hockey app in the store ATM.
December 24th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
without multiplayer it is still clone like all others.
do not dare to buy it before they will release mp, if they won't just take free one it's the same.
December 24th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
From the Developer's site:
"Thanks to those who have sent in feedback! Work is already underway on an update. The next version will include:
•More realistic puck sounds
•Customizable victory score
•Unlockable content (new table styles!)
•Miscellaneous tweaks + improvements
•I will begin to tackle multi-player gameplay over Wi-Fi after that.
Air Hockey Pro is now available within the iTunes app store!!
What started off as an evening playing around with the iPhone SDK turned into this. Thanks to the entire fam for the testing + feedback."
December 25th, 2008 at 1:27 am
This is a really great game. Thirty seconds in I was already enjoying it more than the free air hockey game I'd downloaded before. Sure, it could use more stuff, but it's a solid time waster as is.
I especially like how the sight line shifts slightly to follow the puck. It's barely noticeable when you're playing, but it's there, and I think it really adds to the realism of the game.
December 25th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Overall feel is fantastic, but I have 2 big complaints:
1: Physics are partly very bad, mostly I just have to
touch the puck to accelerate it to high speed, feels very strange.
2: I hate the type of controls where my pad (or ship or whatever) moves far more than my finger, this ruined Sky Thunder and they fixed it. The pad really has to stay exactly above the finger, then it would feel right.
December 25th, 2008 at 2:38 am
@ your personal robot
I agree with the technical points you address.
I also think a few aesthetic/polishing features could be addressed:
1 The menu should have some ambience music, and feedback sounds when selection are made. The silence just seems odd.
2. The pad contrast against the pony table needs to be improved. On the classic table as well, the opponent pad is sometime difficult to discern well when it is fully illuminated by light (usually when it is near its goal).
Nonetheless, I have replaced the other two air hockey games on my iphone with this one. Bring on the WIFI!
December 25th, 2008 at 3:02 am
..also game should remember settings when you close out and return to it.
December 25th, 2008 at 10:20 am
All great input everyone. I will incorporate these suggestions into the game. I'm also working on a fix for the occasional puck jumping bug. Will have an update rolled out asap!
December 25th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Great to hear Sean! Definitely enjoying it so far — but with a few tweaks, it will be perfect.
December 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Sean,
Thanks for checking in.
A few other suggestions.
Wrt Carlos's statistics incorporation: perhaps you could incorporate that into a career mode of teams competing in the NHL, where different tables are unlocked as you move towards the finals.
You might also allow some customization of the paddle color (I think red would be better on the classic table, for example). Maybe simple vertical stripe options as well.
Finally, I wonder whether you could do anything with the "room". Rather than a simple grey background, perhaps something unobtrusive with at least a floor and walls…perhaps a hockey stick thrown into the mix in a corner of the room as well.
Great work!
December 27th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Also noted (n=1) that the game appeared to slow down, rather than pause completely when an SMS text was received.