Flick Soccer

Flick Soccer by Full Fat for the iPhone is also available on the iPad as ‘Flick Soccer HD’. This is a very simple to play and innovative soccer game where the object is to hit a target and score goals.

This app is one of the most popular apps on the app store, and no wonder as it is a highly addictive 3D goal making game which relies on feel and touch.

There are many modes available in the game and we’ll run through them here. Firstly, at the top of the menu screen there is a ‘Quickshot’ mode. In this mode you have to aim for a target in the goal. You have to get the ball past the goalkeeper into the goal to start with and if you hit the blue circle you get 1 second added to your time, 2 seconds added for the white circle hit and 3 seconds added for a red bull’s eye hit. With ‘Quickshot’ you have a limited amount of time, so you have to make your shots really count at the beginning, as the target gets smaller as you progress. The goalkeeper also gets progressively more active and skilled, as well as presenting you with more difficult angles when taking your shots at goal. After your ‘Quickshot’ session has ended you will be given a level score – if you score 8 or above you are doing really well, but a 6 or a 7 is respectable too.

Throughout the game, you’ll want to apply ‘Aftertouch’ to bend or alter the path of the ball to confuse the goalkeeper. If you shoot straight then the goalkeeper will have more chance of saving your goal. The harder you flick the ball the more speed is imparted onto the ball. I found that shooting at just off of the correct angle to the target, but then correcting the path of the ball to the target was best, as the goalkeeper is confused and you still have a method for reaching the target. If you flick to the sides after taking the shot it imparts bend onto the ball, and if you flick up or down it obviously causes the ball to bend upwards or downwards. Curved shots gain more points. Long range shots are worth more points also.

A really innovative soccer game that is original.

‘Endurance’ mode is perhaps my favourite mode in the game. In this mode you are given 3 balls and you have to not only score a goal but also make sure you hit the target as one of your ball lives will be taken away if you miss. There are bonus circles that appear in the goal to hit, but they are not easy to hit as they move as well as the target. If you hit the bull’s eye you can claim an extra ball. Defenders are added as you progress and you have to wait for the target to be in an area where you think you can avoid the keeper and the defenders. As with ‘Quickshot’ more you are awarded a level rating.

‘Challenge’ more is the main mode of the game and . . . you guessed it, you have to complete challenges, ranging from trainee level up to superstar level. Depending on your performance, you will be awarded bronze, silver or gold star awards.

‘Crossbar’ is quite a bizarre and fun level where you have to hit the crossbar to score points. There will be two defenders, but no goalie for you avoid. If you hit the crossbar multiple times you will score extra points. There are also mini targets that move across the crossbar, such as ‘X2’ points upgrades. At the end of this level you will be given a score, as this mode is all about getting the maximum possible amount of points that you can.

‘Smash It!’ is another quirky level where you have to smash glass panels within the goal mouth and clear all five levels as fast as you possibly can. The panes of glass go into a split pane design as you go up the five levels and defenders are added to make it more awkward. This is a score based level.

The game is very straight forward; however, the developer has covered all bases by providing a tutorial with the game located at the bottom of the screen (the question mark icon). I should imagine that only people with hangovers would ever need to go through this tutorial as there are tips throughout the game to help you along. The object of the game is explained not only in the title of the game, but also in the icon – you flick the ball at the target.

In all, nice 3D game graphics, a simple to grasp interface on the main screen. Really sensitive control of the ball and good in-game instructions throughout the game. This game I’m going to include in the ‘Featured Apps’ section of AppReviews4U as it is a really solidly programmed, addictive and novel game worthy of a download. And of course it’s a completely free soccer game!