Review: Croquet - Right Through The Wickets
by Staff Writer
October 8, 2010
Overview
The classic game you play on your lawn, Croquet, you can now play on you iDevice. Whack the ball through the wickets from one end to the other all with 3D modeling, and the ability to play without having to mow your grass first. The game is universal for iPad and retina displays, and it incorporates Game Center.
Features
You can play single player against a computer opponent on three types of difficulty. There is also same device multiplayer, and online multiplayer against anyone around the world using Game Center. Game Center is also used for online high scores and achievements.The Good
The game offers the realistic game of Croquet just in digital form. You line up your shot, pull back on the power meter, and watch the ball head toward all the wickets. The game uses the standard set up of the criss-cross loop through the course down to one stick, and back up again to the finish stick.
The game is easy to control, and it really looks great on the retina display or iPad. The grass field looks nice, and there is a suburbia and coastal location to play in which change the surroundings. Game Center achievements give you incentive to play single player mode.
You can pass and play with someone next to you, but the best multiplayer is the Game Center head to head play. You can connect with friends or auto match with other players around the world.
The Bad
The control method is too easy once you realize that you line up the arrow in the bottom left corner so it's directed in the center of the wicket. You pull back to shoot knowing your ball is right on target. It does take a little to get used to, aiming in the bottom right, and it would be nice to see just a directional arrow out in front of the ball. Since the game is so easy to control, and it's not very challenging, and you're just going through the motions of the course. The fun of Croquet is lost without the challenge of the unknown of your shot, or variations in the surface. The computer player is easy to beat, even on hard.
The Game Center multiplayer is nice in concept, but because this app is rarely known it's tough to even find an auto match. Granted this is by no fault of the developer, but just one thing to be aware of. There is a good soundtrack in the menus, but once in game there are no sounds besides the hitting of the balls.
