iPhone Series: Beer Bounce

Beer Bounce (Quarters) , from Publisher X, isn’t really what I would call a game. Instead, it’s more of a toy or something you might be able to have a little fun with or to distract you for a minute, but nothing that will hold your attention for too long or keep you coming back for more.

This "game" is very simple, and plays like a game of quarters. First, you get to choose a coin from one of nine countries, which is pretty cool, but the game plays the same no matter which coin you choose. Then you get to test your um, skills. To play, simply press and hold your finger on the coin and move it up and down. Then, when you have it in the position you want it, let go and the coin will be sent towards the beer mug in the middle of the table. The only skill that comes from the game is knowing how high you need to position the coin, and perhaps when to let go. While being held, the coin oscillates back and forth, so letting go mid-rotation will make it hit off the table differently, possibly altering the bounce and path. Your goal of course is to get the coin into the mug. If you get it in, congrats, if not, too bad. Then you get to try again…and again….and again….until you don’t feel like playing anymore. The game does keep track of all your tries and how many times you sink the coin in the mug, so at least it has that.


Luckily, the game makes things harder the better you do, for every time you sink a shot, the camera becomes more and more shaky, as if you were getting drunk, so that’s a nice effect. Unfortunately, this is all the game has to offer. There is only one locale to play in and no other glasses to play with, which is very unfortunate. It would have been nice to see some variety in the containers, and see some shot and wine glasses, as opposed to just the beer mug, which would have gave the game a little more depth and challenge. However, the game mixes things up a bit by position you closer and further from the mug on different tries, so you can’t simply remember the exact spot on where to place the coin on the screen, but there are only a couple of locations, so it is still easy.

The sound effects are also very repetitive and annoying, so you may want to lower the volume if you must play this game for an extended period of time. The graphics though, are actually really nice, with a pre-rendered, realistic looking bar for the background. To make this game better, Publisher X should have implemented a two player mode, with better score keeping, as well as allowing for different glasses to change the pace up. Also, it might have been a good idea to give the controls more depth, as you simply have to hold the coin, then let go, as opposed to flicking or using some kind of power meter. At $1.99, it may be wise for you to save your money for some apps and games that are actually worth your time and money.

Overall Score - 3/10

You can purchase Beer Bounce (Quarters) on iTunes.

Posted in collaboration with GamersPlatform.