Smash Hit Review

Developer: Mediocre AB Price: FREE Version Reviewed: 1.0.1 App Reviewed on: iPhone 5s

Graphics / Sound [rating:90/100] Gameplay [rating:85/100] Playtime [rating:80/100] Replay Value [rating:85/100]

[rating:overall]

Endless runner games are a dime-a-dozen these days, running the gamut from highly addictive to boringly derivative. Smash Hit definitely leans toward the former of these rather than the latter with its fresh take on the popular genre.

The basic premise of Smash Hit is to progress through an “otherworldly dimension” of structures, obstacles, and barriers while throwing metal balls at anything made out of glass - and players will find lots of glass to smash! Hitting crystals rewards players with more balls, which will be sorely needed to continue to progress farther and farther through the glass-filled world. Hitting 10 or more crystals in a row awards players with multiballs, which allows them to throw two, three, or more balls at a time for the price of one. Players have to keep track of how many balls are left and try to accumulate as many as possible along the way, because the game ends when the last ball is thrown.

Smash Hit is a gratifying game, to say the least. The metal balls react as if they have some heft to them, and glass shatters realistically with a satisfying sound that just doesn’t get old. That’s part of the challenge for players, too – It’s easy to get caught up in breaking everything that moves and suddenly realize that the supply of balls is dangerously low. So while players may enjoy smashing everything, that’s not always the best strategy for getting as far as possible.

The music in Smash Hit is beautifully atmospheric and it syncs well with the game, growing more intense as the barricades and crystals begin to pile up and backing off as the playing field relaxes and spaces out. While headphones are by no means essential for play, this is definitely a game that benefits from wearing them – players will feel even more immersed in the music and smashing sounds as they are drawn in to “just one more try.”

Checkpoints are reached as one progresses through the game, and purchasing the Premium version with a $1.99 in-app purchase will allow players to restart at those checkpoints rather than back at the beginning. The premium upgrade also allows them to synch progress across multiple devices via iCloud support. Kudos to the developers for allowing users to play the game for free, but offering a better experience for those who want it via the in-app purchase. This is IAPs done well.

Smash Hit is a great game for anyone who likes the genre, but who is looking for something fresh. Its name may seem a bit presumptuous, but with its clever twist on the endless-runner style and the smashing fun that doesn’t quickly get old, Smash Hit lives up to its own name and may certainly become just that – a smash hit.