3PtHoops for iPhone is A Little Too Basic
By: Hillel Fuld
If you have been reading my reviews/blog posts, you know by now that I generally either love an app or I hate it. I have said on many occasions that I like apps that are simple and intuitive, and despise apps that have a steep learning curve. It has not happened too often that I tried an app and was torn between loving it and hating it.
That is the case with 3PtHoops by SkyWorks Interactive. Before I tell you about my dilemma, let me tell you a little bit about this app. It is a 3 point shooting game. The app has two modes; Classic Game and Sudden Death. Classic Game involves a standard three point contest, in which you shoot five shots from each point on the court and try to score as many as possible.
Sudden Death involves the same thing, but as soon as you miss your first shot, the game ends. Here is the thing, there really is not much involved in shooting the ball. In essence, this game is a glorified Paper Toss, with some nice graphics and a basketball instead of a piece of paper. The thing is, even in Paper Toss, there was the fan factor, which you would have to take into account when throwing the ball.
In 3PtHoops, there is nothing to factor in, you just need to shoot (or flick) the ball straight every time and pray it goes in. I found that I shot straight numerous times, yet somehow, the ball did not go in, while other times, I intentionally shot to the side and the ball went in. This leads me to believe that this game is all nice graphics and fun music.
This is where I am torn. I know I said I like simple apps, but this app pushes it a little too far. There really is nothing to it. Flick the ball in the direction of the basket and see how many times the ball goes in. There has to be something more, right? The site says the ball is thrown as hard as you flick it, and I found this to be true in most cases, but on numerous occasions, I barely touched the screen, and the ball was overshot. I must be missing something.
The bottom line with this app is that it is a good idea and it provides a fun interactive gaming experience, but I would say, if you are over the age of ten, you are going to want more from an iPhone game. So, to the developers I say, nice job on the graphics and the design, but time to mix it up a little, even if it is with something as small as a shot clock. This app needs more.
By the way, if for some reason, I missed something in this app, please let me know in the comments… However, judging by the video below in which the user does the same swiping movement every time with different results, I do not think I missed something.
Our Rating: 3/5
Developer: Skyworks
