November 29, 1972: Pong first made it’s grand debut. September 2010: Pong ’72 for iOS debuts…except a lot smaller…and a LOT less quarters.It was the first video game to achieve commercial success, and set the precedence for what could be done.It was the beginning of social gaming. The way of the future. Flash forward almost 40 years and you can still enjoy the same game without the quarters.
Pong ’72
Pong ’72 is like its predecessor in every way…except its size (and no need for a pocket full of quarters).
It comes with 3 game modes: One-Player, Two-Player and Volley Challenge. Upon opening the app, you get the classic, “Pong” 8-bit screen. It’s nothing special, but absolutely a well-produced replica of the original Pong.
One-Player
Coming in 3 levels of difficulty (easy, medium & hard), one-player mode is classic, time-killing digital ping pong. For each level of difficulty, the computer challenger is spot-on for its description.
- “Easy” is no challenge for a weekend gamer but a lot of fun and great practice.
- “Medium” provides more challenge, but is still beatable by anyone with gaming background.
- “Hard” is for those of us who wear our sweatbands and tennis shorts. The true challenger.
Two-Player
Two-player is a lot of fun, but RIDICULOUSLY DIFFICULT for anyone playing on an iPod Touch or iPhone. The two players have to physically be touching the device at the same time to play.
I imagine (because I don’t own one…yet) that two-player Pong would be a blast on the iPad because of the larger touch screen.
Volley Challenge
There’s not a whole lot of use for Volley Challenge, unless you’re interested in seeing how many times you can volley against the wall. It keeps track of your volley count, which can be a lot of fun if you want to challenge a friend to see who has the better record.
Other Thoughts
Interface has colors!
The interface is basic pong. However, if you want to change the color of the paddles, ball, border and score, you can click the wrench in the bottom right corner to adjust it.
Handling
I figured out pretty early that you can have your finger almost off the touch-screen to move the paddle (alright, alright, I actually had my finger ON the paddle to begin with) making it very easy to ensure the paddle connects with the ball. This is really the only crucial pointer I can give, as this is by far, the most simple and addictive game ever.
Price Point: Free
That’s right people! Pong ’72 weighs in for the price of $0.00. Seriously…no catch. Get it while it’s hot!
iOS Pong FTW
All in all, this is a fun, addictive, and challenging game. Wives, if your husband comes home after days of being gone with a 3 day stubble and sweat-stained wrist-bands, he’s now re-addicted to Pong, but don’t worry, it could be worse.