Super Ping Pong Trick Shot review
Marking developer SIMS Co., Ltd. and publisher Starsign’s first Nintendo Switch game, Super Ping Pong Trick Shot is actually the third Ping Pong Trick Shot title after two previous 3DS entries. The rules are basic (get the ping pong ball into a glass) and the graphics are even more-so. The least said about the soundtrack the better (think a 70′s British supermarket open late). It’s gameplay where it matters most however and boy, do Starsign deliver the goods.
Super Ping Pong Trick Shot has both one and two player modes with single player featuring Challenge Mode and Score Attack, with two player featuring just Battle Mode. Challenge Mode gives you 15 balls per stage to attempt to get into the glass (some stages require the ball to go in three times, most the once) with the player controlling both the direction and speed of the ball (think an old ZX Spectrum snooker game). You can also rotate the camera a full 360º.
Where Ping Pong Trick Shot succeeds where others fail (*cough* Touch Battle Tank *cough*) is the pure variety and thought put into each stage with a number of obstacles that can either help or hinder your progress. Fortunately none ‘kill’ the game as there are often multiple ways to complete each stage. You can also continue wherever you left off when you lose all 15 balls (the only ‘setback’ is the game not showing your last movements on the first go of your continue).
Score Attack features the same 80 stages as Challenge Mode and again imposes no time limit on the player, but differs from the default mode in allowing you to use all 15 shots in order to try and amass the highest score. Battle Mode has just the 10 stages with both you and your opponent competing in real-time against each (with time limit this time) in order to out-score the other. An absolute great addition to single player that plays well with the dual Joy-Con of the Nintendo Switch.
Another great touch is the game including both touch screen and motion controls (you can play with my preferred choice – buttons – still). Super Ping Pong Trick Shot can be forgiven for its terrible graphics and for its far worse soundtrack (and even for the lack of HD Rumble) by its brilliant gameplay. The only real issue (and a big one at that) is the game totalling just 80 stages in single player mode which most players would’ve sailed through in a couple of hours or so.
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