iOS – Soctics League/HD App Review
Soccer tactics games on iOS just got a whole lot more engrossing with this compelling and addictive app.
Stats
Developer: Bitongo Ltd
Price: $0.99 / £0.69
Version: 1.0
Released/Updated: May 31, 2012
Size: 20.7 MB
Rated: 4+
Our Ratings
Graphics/Sound: 4/5
User Interface: 4/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Re-use/re-play value: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Price: $0.99/£0.69
What Is it?
New from developer Bitongo, Soctics League HD is game of tactics and skill that’s based on soccer but is vaguely reminiscent of air-hockey as the football can rebound off the touch-lines and goal-lines.
Continuing with the air-hockey analogy for a while, you use one or more players (up to a total of four) as ‘mallets’ to strike the football (or ‘puck’) with the aim to score a goal, and ultimately win the match.
There are some nice touches such being able to watch any of the moves again, over and over if necessay with the replay button, and you can either play against an online opponent, your iPad or a friend (you take turns in arranging your moves and then press the check button to watch it play out). This paid for version also allows you to challenge freinds using the Game Centre.
Is It Easy to Use?
Absolutely, yes it is. You arrange your moves by dragging the players from their current positions to where you intend them to move to, which results in a direction arrow (see above). You can adjust the course and length to replicate just how far and how swiftly the player will move, and thereby how hard the ball will be struck. But you can also adjust the size of the player, which also has a similar effect. At times you’ll be awarded binoculars to trace the predicted travel of the football, but as it’s a powerful advantage so access is limited.
Is It Fun?
Definitely, lots. One player must be used to strike the ball, ideally, but the other players can be used to either tackle (block) you opponent or to move into a position where the ball might be passed to or glance off from them, just as they might on a real pitch. None of this happens till you’ve hit the play button (the blue-coloured check-mark at the bottom of the screen (see above)) – doing so moves your players to those preset points and thus hopefully striking the ball. You repeat the process till either you or your opponent scores. If you get stuck, the app has a video tutorial built-in as well as a interactive tutorial, and there are even practice sessions (pitured above) to make sure you get the most from it.
Is It Pretty?
Some of the pitches look worn or muddy, presumably to impart a sense of realism to it all, it’s cool but maybe the developer will offer a fresh looking pitch as an option. There are some other neat touches though – your fanbase and accompanying chants) grow each time you play online and especially so if you start winning matches. And as well as league tables and a lobby (shown above) there’s a chat option so you can join in the conversation.
Should You Download It?
Yes, the standard version is just $0.99 / £0.69 to download and play for the iPhone/iPad, and there are no in-app purchases necessary. If you want to try it first to get an impression, a free iPad version (Soctics HD: Pocket Socker) and iPhone version, download here, exist but they do have adverts.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]
