I am a self-admitted non-fan of soccer, but a fan of soccer video games. You’ll never see a soccer match on my home television, but you may see the virtual thing on my Xbox 360. Mobits Button Soccer does not require you to be a fan of soccer at all. This game will no doubt appeal to fans of the real thing, but the beauty of this game is its simplistic, yet addictive gameplay and how it should appeal to everyone, from people who aren’t fans of the sport to the hardcore soccer fan.
Training
Before jumping right into a game, you’ll want to try out the training section. In here, you will find ten quick how-to’s that will show you just how to play this game. Covered in this mode is passing, kicking, defending, goalkeeping, and everything else you’ll need to have a shot against the computer or your friends.
I found the eighth training activity (Long range kick) to be a bit tricky, mainly because I couldn’t pass it. I also wasn’t allowed to skip to the final two sessions. You must complete each one before moving on to the next one. I found that a bit annoying and unnecessary.
Settings
There are four settings that can be changed prior to the game, including delays, pauses, and the option to save games automatically upon exiting. I would recommend turning the "save game on exit" option on. I was in the middle of a game when I received a text. I forgot to save my game before I closed the app to view the text and lost my progress. I’m glad this option is there.
Gameplay
You have three gameplay options – One Player, Two Player, and LAN Play. I can only speak on the One Player mode as I was not able to partner up with a friend for this review.
Controlling the action on the field takes some getting used to, but is quite intuitive once you get the hang of it. You move (kick) the ball by tapping and holding your finger over one of the players. Flick your finger in the opposite direction of where you want to aim the ball. For a dribble, do it very lightly. For a short pass, put a little more oomph into it. For a screaming kick that sails over the goalie and into the net, give it all you got.
You’ll find that, after playing for the first time, the training mode doesn’t adequately prepare you for the actual game (unless, of course, the final two training modes cover it). After playing a few matches, you’ll start to get the hang of it. Watching how the computer dribbles, passes, shoots, and defends will definitely alter your approach.
I did find it difficult to dribble as well as the computer did, but I will no doubt improve over time with more practice.
One quirk I did have with the game is how you go about continuing a match. There are three options on the main screen, including start match, settings, and training. I think there should be a fourth: continue match. It’s not that you can’t continue a match (all you have to do is act like you’re starting a new match, and you’ll be given the option to continue your previous contest), but it would make more sense to have the option on the main screen.
Graphics / Aesthetics
One of my biggest pet peeves about many iPhone apps and games is poor design and/or grammar (sorry, but it’s the journalist in me). I’m happy to say that, despite a few minor grammatical errors, this app feels very polished. The menus are clean and simple, and the entire game is easy to navigate. My favorite touch was the little flags that represented each ‘player’ on the field.
Overall Impressions
The learning curve on this game appears to be a bit high, but the fun doesn’t stop while you’re heading around that curve. This is a fun soccer game that will appeal to many different people. I recommend that you check it out.
*** Mobits provided a promo code to Just Another iPhone Blog for the review of Mobits Button Soccer. For further information regarding our site’s review policies, please see the "About" page.
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TAGS: iPhone sports games
