Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, App Review
The dark side of Skee-Ball for iPhone
I won't make any excuses, and I won't beat around the bush: I'm addicted to Skee-Ball [iTunes link], at least to the very-entertaining iPhone version from Freeverse. In fact, the reason I haven't written about it until now is that every time I get ready, I decide a little more "research" is in order, and I find myself on another Skee-bender. It's getting ridiculous, annoying my friends and upsetting my home life. I'd like to say, "I can stop whenever I want to," but I keep coming back to the warm glow of the LED scoreboard and the comforting sounds of wooden balls racking up just for me.
What makes Skee-Ball so entertaining for me is the realism of the gameplay. It sends me right back to my childhood; carnivals, arcades and Chuck E. Cheese's. The physics of the game are bafflingly realistic, with each roll responding to every nuance of the stroke or swing that launches it. Velocity, top and side-spin, friction... even the effects of bouncing off of the sides of the ramp or the edges of the cups feels natural. The prizes you can purchase with the tickets are reminiscent of the "big scores" of my youth: vampire fangs, bubble gum, fake moustaches, and glitter pencils. There's the occasional oddball prize, too (a banana, a robotic dog, a duck), presumably to remind you that it is, after all, just a game.
Balls can be rolled by holding your thumb on the ramp to aim, and then flipping the iPhone/iPod touch upwards to simulate a ball-throw. However, any seasoned Skee-Ball addict will tell you that the big points are in the alternate method, in which you just slide or flick your finger up the ramp toward the cups. Aim is achieved by carefully controlling the start and stop points of the flick, the speed between them, and then the kicker: curving the stroke causes spin, which can be a friend or a foe. Unless you disable the accelerometer in the preferences, you can also add spin after the ball is released, often leaving the player in ridiculous physical contortions as he or she tries to will the ball into a certain cup. The simulated laws of physics will defeat such endeavors, in most cases.
The addiction kicks in with the fact that you really can't lose... or win. Even the lowest score gets some tickets. Hitting a personal high score is like a gambling jackpot, it just makes you want to keep going. There's never a satisfying conclusion, just the constant knowledge that someone else already has a higher score -- and a lot more tickets -- than you.
Of course, I'm not alone. Skee-Ball reached the peak of the Top Paid Apps list on the App Store yesterday, the third #1 showing from Freeverse (preceded by Flick Fishing [iTunes link] and Moto Chaser [iTunes link]). We've even had some Skee-competition amongst the TUAW crew, and some scores that have humbled me greatly, despite the embarrassing amount of time I've dedicated to this game. As of this writing, Josh has trumped us all with his score of 4600, but I've heard tell of scores over 5000, maybe higher (what's your best? You'd better have screenshots to prove it).
It pains me to think that my brain may not let me rest until I've achieved at least that many points, and all of the tickets and worthless junk which accompany a time investment like that. I should probably delete this app before it becomes a serious problem... but just one more game, then I promise I'll turn out the lights, honey.
If you're willing to risk the lost hours of your life, check out Skee-Ball, $0.99US on the App Store. Don't say I didn't warn you.
As some commenters have pointed out, there's also the visually excellent Ramp Champ, which has some add-on packs for Halloween:
Gallery: Ramp Champ's new ramps
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John Williams said 4:11PM on 10-28-2009
I prefer RampChamp
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FoO said 5:02PM on 10-28-2009
Ramp Champ is /much/ better - and they keep coming up with awesome new add-in levels and prizes. I prefer the physics in Ramp Champ too.
Michael Rose said 5:37PM on 10-28-2009
http://www.tuaw.com/search/?q=ramp+champ&searchsubmit=&invocationType=wl-tuaw
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/08/25/first-look-ramp-champ-adds-carnival-fun-to-your-iphone/
jason said 3:06PM on 10-29-2009
If anyone's interested in working online, Here's my how to video on
youtube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtmJGx4Z8P0
steve said 4:14PM on 10-28-2009
I am totally addicted to this game. Right now my high score is 5,150... how do you take a screenshot on an iPod Touch? I am trying to get the special rare Unicorn Ball, which I've only seen once in the store.
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Tacoman said 8:09PM on 10-28-2009
Press the sleep/wake button and the home button at the same time. The screen will flash and the picture will appear in your Photos app.
steve said 8:14PM on 10-28-2009
Thanks Tacoman!
Jason said 4:17PM on 10-28-2009
I have to say that I also prefer Ramp Champ. The Icon Factory did an excellent job skinning it and it's not your normal skee-ball type of game. I think the only reason Skee-Ball came out on top is because of name recognition and advertising.
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Jonah G said 4:21PM on 10-28-2009
Booooooooo, Ramp Champ kicks Skee-Ball's ass!
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Ned said 4:23PM on 10-28-2009
@steve: To take a screenshot, just press the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time. The screen will flash and the screenshot will be in your Photos.
Ned.
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Galley said 4:32PM on 10-28-2009
Ramp Champ is much more challenging.
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bill said 4:38PM on 10-28-2009
You can take you time and aim precisely or you can quickly run your finger up 9 times as fast as possible, either way you will get good score. I've sat on the couch watching a football game on TV while blindly slashing upwards as quick as possible without looking at the screen. I was 500th the first day I owned the game. Something tells me the game mechanics need tweaking. Let's say, limiting it to one shot at a time. It is the opposite of Ramp Champ's impossibly fake and difficult (not in a challenging way) physics. Skee-Ball is TOO easy.
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Ramp Champ!! said 4:57PM on 10-28-2009
Ramp Champ FTW!!!
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Daniel Maccabee said 4:58PM on 10-28-2009
My highest score is 5220.
Here's the link to my screenshot on Flickr:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2490/4054005728_eda05912b4_o.jpg
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nugfoo said 5:33PM on 10-28-2009
Love this game! My best score is 6,070.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21221324@N08/4053339405/
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kc! said 5:36PM on 10-28-2009
Ramp Champ FTW!
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Mark Anderson said 11:01PM on 10-28-2009
Agreed 10 times over, Ramp Champ is the bomb.
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Eric said 6:14PM on 10-28-2009
Seriously Ramp Champ is sweet!
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Mark West said 6:32PM on 10-28-2009
Hi. My name is Mark and I'm a Skee-Ball addict. I've been clean and sober for about 47 hours but it ain't gonna last. The World Series starts tonight. I'll sit down to watch and the skee will call to me.
I play with the Brewski ball and the finger-flick. High score is 4860.
Sometimes I play with the balls that leave sparks. The physics are different. You don't get the good control. I like the heavier balls.
Ramp Champ doesn't give you the rush and is not as much fun.
Wait.....I hear the skee monkey calling.
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TonyD said 8:14PM on 10-28-2009
High score of 6140
here's a screen for you all
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42922208@N08/4054449812/
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