2008 Competition Results: (4:A Game For Helen)

2nd Place – Whack A Monty Mole – Total: 302

Ian:

Welcome to the most tedious game of the competition so far.

Whilst dripping with bright and shiny visuals, and loaded with a truckload of charm and charisma, and several earfuls of fun carnival style sound effects and music, the game manages to be as banal and dull as running a “Guess how many jelly beans are in the jar” stall on a travelling funfair.

The object of the main game is simply to whack a set number of moles on their heads with a simulated large wooden mallet. In a fairground this could be fun, with a potential prize reward for doffing the most moles, but on a pc, without the gimmick of a real mallet, then unless you’re under 10 or have difficulty with more interesting concepts, then you are going to be reaching for the exit button pretty quickly.

However, this game wasn’t created for me. WhackAMonty was designed for people that are less able than myself, so my thoughts aren’t particularly valid. However, I’m reviewing this game and they’re not, so I can only go on with my own opinion. Which is, that it’s got everything it needs to be a hit, except fun. It’s tedious. Tiresome. Boring. Whacking identikit mole after mole after mole, even with mini-game intermissions, is just not fun. In fact, I’d say that some of the mini-games are more interesting than the main game.

I’m sure the target audience (and very young people) will love the game, but I’d rather play something a little less basic. Sorry.

66%

Geekay:

Tonight Matthew, I’m going to me Timmy Mallet.  I feel a strange cruelty towards little furry animals, but don’t call the Feds yet as I want another shot.

Team STIMFLA return for a bash at the Game for Helen category.  I tell you, they have struck the nail on the head with this old carnival classic.

This game needs no introduction, we’ve all held our hammer in our hands and gave it a good old battering. The more furry things you see, the more frantic you get – just like real life.

Within the extremely limited contraints, the squad have presented probably the most cartoony and colourful game of the competition. The graphics are gorgeous, the game handles as good as a PC version of a physical interactive game can. The music also really suits the game and is infectious. There are a good amount of accessibility options that should cater for most.

I like the way that it’s made to look like in an amusement arcade.  You’re not just seeing your own playfield, you see the machines either side of you. It seems strangly suited to be sitting bewtween Q-bert and Time Pilot, like it should be there.  Subtle touches like this give a more all round experience.

Yes, the game is indeed limited.  To best try and rectify this, the game has a few options.  One of the more notable variants is that of Simon.  If you’re tired of hitting moles, then try and test your memory with a light sequencer.

One for the kids.

74%

Spray:

We had hoped that Games For Helen would turn up a few good games, but I’ve been amazed as to how popular and successful this category has been.

We asked for not just remakes of computer games, but for anything remotely arcade related and whack-a-mole hit the nail on the head – so to speak.

With one switch, two switch and auto hammer options as well as standard mouse control, this more than qualifies for the category, but is it any good?

Well, the needless brain smashing of furry blighters is always a good way to win points with me, but this has more to it than pointless violence. Different game modes, fantastic sound effects and a cheeky tie-in with Monty Mole make this most simple of side-show entertainments an addictive and fun computer game. We expect nothing less of Ovine do we?

With almost flawless use of accessibility features and more entertainment value than should be physically possible with such a game, I think we can safely stick a little tick next to this one and move on. Until next time I fancy some mammal based bashing, obviously.

74%

Oogy:

Or, as I wish they would have called this game, “Monty’s a Whacko”. But I didn’t come here to name the game, I came here to review it, so here we go.

This game is good. It’s not hard to grasp the concept of this game either. There are moles, and you get to whack them. On the head. With a hammer. Case closed. Except that there’s a little more to it than that. You can’t just whack everywhere willy-nilly, too many mis-whacks and it’s game over for you, sir. There are also angry moles popping up regularly, and these must not be whacked, because if you do, time gets deducted. And when time runs out, it’s all over. Luckily the sick moles (as I think they are sick, they sure look like it) that pop up increase your time if you get a chance to whack them.

The graphics are very good. At times the screen gets a bit crowded and I’m wondering if that should’ve been tuned down a bit, seeing as the game is intended for people with special needs. The sound is also good, though the sound effects volume by default is a bit on the loud side.

Controls are okay, I’ve used the mouse, and it almost feels as if there’s a bit of a delay between the movement of the mouse and the movement of the cursor on screen. I’m not sure if this is a dwell-click issue, but it felt a bit off to me. I got used to it rather quickly though.

It’s a fun little game, not just for people looking for OneSwitch games, but for all youngsters I think. A very nice addition indeed.

88%

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