Hook Worlds

Last updated
Hook Worlds
Hook Worlds cover art.png
Developer(s) Rocketcat Games
Publisher(s) Rocketcat Games
Designer(s) Kepa Auwae
Programmer(s) Jeremy Orlando
Artist(s) Brandon Rhodes
Series Hook Champ
Platform(s) iOS, Android
Release
  • WW: December 16, 2010
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Hook Worlds, also known as Hook Swing Worlds, [1] is a platform game developed and published by Rocketcat Games for iOS. Released on December 16, 2010, Hook Worlds players levels using a grappling hook. The grappling hook was also present in Hook Worlds' predecessors, Hook Champ and Super QuickHook . [2] Hook Worlds is divided into four worlds: "Curse of the Watcher", "Dungeon Gunner", "CyberGnome 202X", [3] and "Hook Champ 1000". [4] The player controls a different character in each world.

Contents

The game was developed by a team of three: Kepa Auwae (design), Jeremy Orlando (programming), and Brandon Rhodes (art). [5] Hook Worlds received "generally favorable" reviews from critics. [6]

Gameplay

Gramps swinging across a forest in the game's first world, "Curse of the Watcher". Hook Worlds gameplay.jpeg
Gramps swinging across a forest in the game's first world, "Curse of the Watcher".

Hook Worlds is divided into four worlds, each of which has different gameplay gimmicks and different playing characters. In world one, players play as Theodore "Gramps" Hooker, [3] who has to run away from an evil spirit after his "sacred idol" was stolen. Gramps has a pair of rocket boots that allows him to propel forward when charged. In world two, players play as Zelle from Hook Champ, who has to avoid ghosts, that she can shoot using a revolver. The second world is high score-based and encourages players to collect coins. In world three, players play as Gnomey from Super QuickHook, who has the ability to change gravity. Gnomey has to escape from the Gnome Police, who attempt to capture Gnomey, as it's become illegal to be a gnome. The fourth world has similar gameplay to Hook Champ; players have to escape enemies who chase the player. Like world one, players have a pair of rocket boots in world four. The fourth world is designed to look like a Commodore 64 game. [2]

Development and release

Hook Worlds was developed by American company Rocketcat Games, consisting of Kepa Auwae, Jeremy Orlando, and Brandon Rhodes. Auwae designed the game, Orlando programmed it, and Rhodes was the lead artist. [5] Hook Worlds was developed with the intention of being Rocketcat Games' last 2D platformer to feature a grappling hook, as they wanted to move onto other genres. [3] In an interview with MTV, Auwae stated that inspiration for the game mostly came from other older games, due to them being "full of design lessons, unusual concepts, and cautionary tales." [7] Hook Worlds was designed to be accessible to most players, something Rocketcat Games thought they didn't do with the game's predecessors. [2]

Hook Worlds was announced by Rocketcat Games in September 2010. [8] Hook Worlds later released on December 16, 2010, for iOS. [9] Following its release, multiple updates for the game were released. [10] [11] [4]

The game was removed from the App Store following the iOS 11 update, which removed all 32-bit applications from iOS devices; [12] however, the game was re-released by GameClub on the same platform as a part of their service in July 2019. [13]

Reception

Hook Worlds received "generally favorable reviews" from critics according to review aggregator Metacritic, where it has a score of 83 out of 100, based on 7 reviews. [6] All of the game's worlds were received positively from critics; Jim Squires of GameZebo called the game a "great collection of fun and addictive survival games" and Jared Nelson of TouchArcade felt that the game was "basically 4 complete games in one" and stated that he "[loved] bouncing back and forth through all of them". [2]

In a review for Slide to Play, Andrew Podolsky called the game a "great deal", but wished for more depth. Podolsky felt that the first world was "deliberately easy" and called it a "dull race". Podolsky called the second world a "souped-up" variation of Halfbrick Studios' Monster Dash, stating that he "loved" the second world's set of levels, and noted it as his favorite of the four worlds. The third world was described as a "futuristic running game" and Podolsky called the upside-down swinging was "mind-blowing". For the fourth world, Podolsky felt that it had a "cool art style", but was lacking in gameplay. [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Trigon</i> 2002 video game

Star Trigon is a 2002 puzzle arcade game published in Japan by Namco. Ports for iPod, iOS devices and Windows were also released. In the game, the player controls one of three characters — Wataru Hoshi, Chuta Bigbang and Susumu Hori — the objective being to rescue creatures known as "Uchijins" by hopping from planet to planet to draw triangles and capture them. The player will automatically circle the planet they are on, requiring timed jumps to avoid falling off the playfield. It ran on the Namco System 10 hardware.

<i>8-Bit Rebellion!</i> 2010 video game

8-Bit Rebellion! is a massively multiplayer online, and single player, video game released and based on the American rock band, Linkin Park for iOS.

<i>Tapper World Tour</i> 2011 video game

Tapper World Tour is a reinterpretation of the 1983 Bally Midway arcade game Tapper for iOS. Players take the role of a bartender with the goal of serving drinks and collecting empty glasses and tips from a demanding group of patrons. The game was developed by Square One Studios and published by WB Games.

<i>Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night</i> 2010 video game

Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night is a 2010 Castlevania puzzle game featuring Alucard and other Castlevania: Symphony of the Night characters for iOS and Windows Phone. It retells the story of Symphony of the Night. It features a role-playing game system and touched up sprites. The game was released on iOS on July 21, 2010, and for Windows Phone on January 18, 2011.

<i>Game Dev Story</i> 1997 simulation video game

Game Dev Story is a simulation video game developed and published by Kairosoft for Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. It was released for Windows in April 1997, on iOS and Android on October 9, 2010, for Windows Phone on July 6, 2015, for Nintendo Switch on October 11, 2018, on PlayStation 4 on February 11, 2021, on Steam on March 27, 2022, and on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on September 15, 2023. The game follows a player-controlled video game company and its attempts to expand into a sales powerhouse over time. As a simulation, the game and the direction of the company is controlled by the player, following a parallel timeline of the video game industry and its history. The game was released to positive reviews, with many reviewers focusing on Game Dev Story's addictive aspects and its witty references to video game pop culture.

<i>Monster Trucks Nitro</i> 2008 video game

Monster Trucks Nitro is a series of platform racing video games developed by Ubisoft RedLynx. The first game in the series, Monster Trucks Nitro was released on December 19, 2008 for the Flash, Windows and Mac OS X platforms and on March 27, 2009 for the iOS platform. A sequel, entitled Monster Trucks Nitro 2, was released on April 5, 2010 exclusively for the iOS platform.

<i>Super Mega Worm</i> 2010 video game

Super Mega Worm is an action video game developed by computer game developer Deceased Pixel. The game was first released for Apple's iOS in August 2010.

<i>Mikey Hooks</i> 2013 video game

Mikey Hooks is an iOS game by BeaverTap Games, and released on August 8, 2013. It is part of the Mikey series of games, which includes Mikey Boots and Mikey Shorts.

<i>Punch Quest</i> 2012 video game

Punch Quest is an endless runner/beat-em-up game for iOS and Android developed by Canadian studio Madgarden and published by Rocketcat Games (iOS) and Noodlecake Studios (Android).

<i>Pixn Love Rush</i> 2010 video game

Pix'n Love Rush is a platform game released for iOS, PlayStation Portable, and Ouya in 2010-2013. An updated version called Pix'n Love Rush DX was released only for iOS on December 16, 2010.

<i>Hook Champ</i> 2009 mobile platforming video game

Hook Champ is an iOS game developed by American studio Rocketcat Games and released on October 4, 2009. A sequel, Super QuickHook, was released on June 17, 2010, while Hook Worlds was released on December 16, 2010.

<i>Need for Speed: No Limits</i> 2015 racing video game

Need for Speed: No Limits is a free-to-play racing game for iOS and Android, and a mobile installment in the Need for Speed video game series, developed by Firemonkeys Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It is the twenty-first installment in the franchise, the franchise's second free-to-play title, as well as the franchise's first original title made for mobile devices, unlike past mobile games in the series that were adaptations or companions of various Need for Speed games. It was released on September 30, 2015.

<i>Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition</i> 2014 video game

Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition is a remake of the Black Isle Studios' 2000 role-playing video game Icewind Dale and its expansions Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster. Enhanced Edition was developed by Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog, and published by Atari for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android.

<i>Altos Adventure</i> 2015 video game

Alto's Adventure is a 2015 endless runner snowboarding video game developed by Team Alto and published by Snowman (iOS) and Noodlecake Studios (Android). The player-character automatically moves to the right of the screen through procedurally generated landscapes. The player taps the screen to jump and perform tricks (backflips), and works towards goals, competitive high scores, and upgrades. Snowman, a Toronto-based, three-person indie development team, previously worked on productivity apps before Alto's Adventure. The game was made to emulate the ethereal atmosphere of snowboarding, and was inspired by Ski Safari (2012), Tiny Wings (2012), Jetpack Joyride (2011), Journey (2012), Monument Valley (2014), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (2000), and Windosill (2009).

TouchArcade is a mobile games journalism website. It was launched in 2008 as a sister site of MacRumors by its founder Arnold Kim and Blake Patterson. TouchArcade also hosts a forum and a weekly podcast.

<i>Survivalcraft</i> Sandbox video game

Survivalcraft is a 2011 open sandbox video game developed by Marcin Igor Kalicinski under the brand Candy Rufus Games. Following early test versions, it was released on 16 November 2011 for the Windows Phone, and is also available for Android, iOS, and Microsoft Windows. The game is set on a deserted island in an open world, where the player collects resources and items that can be made into survival tools. The game has six different game modes: Survival, Challenging, Cruel, Harmless, Adventure, and Creative. The first four involve the player gathering necessary resources to stay alive. The Creative mode gives the player unlimited items and health, and the Adventure mode is used for quest and parkour maps.

<i>The Quest</i> (2006 video game) 2006 video game

The Quest is a role-playing video game developed by Hungarian studio Redshift for PDAs in 2006. The game was ported to modern mobile devices three years later, and a remastered version was released in 2016. The remastered version added support for Microsoft Windows and macOS.

<i>Super QuickHook</i> 2010 2D platforming game

Super QuickHook is a 2010 mobile 2D platform game developed and published by Rocketcat Games. The game released on June 17, 2010, for iOS devices, with an Android port releasing later on July 23, 2015. The game is a spiritual successor to 2009's Hook Champ, and follows its playing characters traversing two-dimensional levels, primarily using a grappling hook.

<i>Death Road to Canada</i> 2016 video game

Death Road to Canada is a 2016 roguelike video game developed by Rocketcat Games and Madgarden, and published by Rocketcat. Set during a zombie apocalypse, the player attempts to guide a group of survivors from Florida to "the last zombie-free nation" of Canada. The game released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on July 22, 2016, with later releases for iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

<i>Cat Bird</i> 2017 mobile game

Cat Bird is a 2017 mobile puzzle-platformer developed and published by Ryan Carag, under the pseudonym Raiyumi, for Android and iOS. The game revolves around Cat Bird, a cross between a cat and a bird, who is trying to get back to its home planet by travelling through portals at the end of each level. Cat Bird's main gimmick is being able to glide upon jumping, which can be used to overcome obstacles within the levels. The game encourages replayability by counting the player's deaths instead of giving the player lives.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Mark (September 28, 2010). "Rocketcat announces 59p QuickHook iPhone sequel, Hook Swing Worlds". Pocket Gamer . Steel Media. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Nelson, Jared (December 18, 2010). "'Hook Worlds' Review – Hooking Invades the Endless Running Genre". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Auwae, Kepa (September 25, 2010). "Hook Swing Worlds". Blogger . Rocketcat Games. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Nelson, Jared (February 15, 2011). "'Hook Worlds' Updated with Fourth World, Game Center, and Of Course… New Hats!". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "About the Developers". RocketCat Games. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "Hook Worlds for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 10, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  7. ↑ Cipriano, Jason (January 21, 2011). "'Hook Worlds' Dev on the Joy of Hats and the Death of MMOS - Developer Pop Quiz #19". MTV . ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  8. ↑ Nelson, Jared (September 26, 2010). "Rocketcat Announces New 99¢ Hooking Game 'Hook Swing Worlds'". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Hook Worlds - GameClub". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  10. ↑ Usher, Anthony (February 11, 2011). "Acclaimed iPhone platformer Hook Worlds updated with new world, Game Center". Pocket Gamer . Steel Media. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ Davis, Justin (January 18, 2012). "App Store Update: October 21". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  12. ↑ Funnell, Rob (September 20, 2017). "A List of the Best iPhone Games That Will Die With iOS 11: Your Guide to the 32-Bit Appocalypse". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  13. ↑ Nelson, Jared (July 22, 2019). "Rocketcat's 'Hook Worlds' is Now Available in GameClub's Early Access Program". TouchArcade . Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ Rigney, Ryan (December 21, 2010). "Hook Worlds". GamePro . International Data Group. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  15. ↑ Squires, Jim (December 20, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". GameZebo . Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  16. ↑ Brown, Mark (December 20, 2010). "Hook Worlds". Pocket Gamer . Steel Media. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  17. ↑ Nesvadba, Andrew (December 16, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". AppSpy. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  18. 1 2 Podolsky, Andrew (December 15, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". Slide to Play. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.