| Smash Hit | |
|---|---|
 App icon | |
| Developer(s) | Mediocre |
| Publisher(s) | Mediocre |
| Designer(s) | Henrik Johansson |
| Programmer(s) | Dennis Gustafsson |
| Artist(s) | Henrik Johansson |
| Composer(s) | Douglas Holmquist |
| Platform(s) | Android, iOS |
| Release | March 6, 2014 |
| Genre(s) | Rail shooter [1] |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Multi-player |
Smash Hit is a first-person rail shooter [1] developed by the Swedish indie game studio Mediocre, and released for iOS and Android smartphones.
Smash Hit is an abstract rail shooter in which the player travels forward at a constant speed, with dynamic music that changes as the player progresses. The player has to shoot metal balls to destroy glass obstacles, but must aim carefully with a limited supply of ammunition as the game ends if it ever depletes. [2] [3] Any collision with an obstacle results in the loss of ten balls. [4]
Obstacles can either be directly destroyed with the balls, [5] or otherwise moved out of the way by shooting a button. More balls can be gained by destroying blue glass crystals of various shapes. Players can earn power-ups and activate them for a certain amount of time. Each power-up gives a special effect when activated, such as giving the player an infinite supply of balls, turning all their balls explosive, or slowing time down.
There is a combo mechanic in which the player can destroy the same blue crystals used for gaining balls to regain a certain amount of ammunition. Destroying a consecutive sequence of crystals will increase the player's streak, allowing them to shoot as many as five balls at once while only using one ball in their ammunition. Missing a crystal or taking damage ends the multiball streak and resets the player's rate of fire to just one ball. [4]
Successful completion of the main campaign will lead to endless mode, a stage which is repeated infinitely until the player is out of balls.
On Metacritic, Smash Hit received a score of 80. [6] Common Sense Media gave the game 5 out of 5, praising it as "a therapeutic experience", and "utterly hypnotizing". [7]
In 2015, an adaptation of the game for Samsung Gear VR titled Smash Hit VR was released. [8]
The game would receive multiple major updates after its initial release in 2014, including adding new checkpoints and both new singleplayer and local mutliplayer game modes. [9] [10]
Rise of the Triad: Dark War is a first-person shooter video game, developed and published by Apogee Software in 1995. The player can choose one of five different characters to play as, each bearing unique attributes such as height, speed, and endurance. The game's story follows these five characters who have been sent to investigate a deadly cult, and soon become aware of a deadly plot to destroy a nearby city. Its remake was designed by Interceptor Entertainment and released by Apogee Games in 2013. The shareware version of the game is titled Rise of the Triad: The HUNT Begins.
Samba de Amigo is a rhythm game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game was released in arcades in December 1999, and for the Dreamcast video game console in 2000. A port for the Wii was also developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studios and released in 2008. Samba de Amigo draws on Latin American culture and its gameplay involves the player using controllers shaped like maracas to match a series of patterns displayed on-screen. The music is made of primarily popular Latin music songs rather than common or traditional samba. The game also features non-Latin pop songs.
Super Smash Bros. is a crossover platform fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objective which differs from that of traditional fighters, in that the aim is to increase damage counters and knock opponents off the stage instead of depleting life bars.
Far Cry Instincts is a 2005 first-person shooter game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Xbox. A remake of the original Microsoft Windows version of Far Cry, Instincts is less open-ended and more linear, due to the console's reduced processing power which prevents the full rendering of the Windows version's vast islands and landscape. However, Instincts adds new multiplayer modes, weapons, and 'feral abilities', the latter being reflected in the modified storyline. Ports of the game for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube were also planned, but were ultimately cancelled. Instincts received generally positive reviews from critics.
Boom Blox Bash Party, called Boom Blox Smash Party in non-English territories, is a puzzle video game by Electronic Arts for the Wii. The sequel to Boom Blox (2008), it was developed by EA Los Angeles and directed by filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The game features more than 400 levels, and players are able to download new levels and upload their own custom-created levels to share online.
Toy Story Racer is a 2001 kart racing game developed by Traveller's Tales and Tiertex Design Studios and published by Activision. It was based on the Toy Story franchise, primarily the first film. The game was released in March 2001 for the Game Boy Color and PlayStation systems. The PlayStation version received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic. In 2010, the PlayStation version was re-released on the PlayStation Store as a PS one Classic.
Superhot is an independent first-person shooter (FPS) video game developed and published by Superhot Team. Though the game follows traditional first-person shooter gameplay mechanics, with the player attempting to take out enemy targets using guns and other weapons, time within the game progresses at normal speed only when the player moves; this creates the opportunity for the player to assess their situation in slow motion and respond appropriately, making the gameplay similar to strategy video games. The game is presented in a minimalist art style, with enemies in red and weapons in black, in contrast to the otherwise white and grey environment.
Sniper Elite is a tactical shooter video game series developed by Rebellion Developments. It is a third-person tactical shooter that emphasises a less direct approach to combat, encouraging the player as a sniper to use stealth and keep distance from enemy soldiers.
PinOut is a pinball video game developed by the Swedish indie game studio Mediocre. It was released in October 2016 for Android and iOS. The goal of the game is to propel a ball as far as possible before time runs out. After the first 7 levels the endless mode begins.
Danger Zone is a video game developed by Three Fields Entertainment. The game involves driving vehicles at high speeds into various traffic situations to cause as much damage as possible. It is directly inspired by the Crash mode in the various Burnout games developed by Criterion Games, which the founders of Three Fields had been a part of prior to founding their own studio. It was released in May 2017 on Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 systems, and in October 2017 for Xbox One.
Beat Saber is a virtual reality rhythm game developed by Slovaks Ján Ilavský, Vladimír Hrinčár, and Peter Hrinčár. The game was published by Czech game developer Beat Games. It takes place in many different surrealistic neon environments and features the player slicing blocks representing musical beats with a pair of brightly-colored sabers. Following an early access release in May 2018, the game was officially released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on May 21, 2019, and for the Meta Quest in standalone mode.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted is a 2019 virtual reality (VR) survival horror video game developed by Steel Wool Studios and Scott Cawthon. It is an anthology of different minigames based on the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise, where the player must complete tasks without being jumpscared by homicidal animatronic characters. The minigames are composed of virtual reality adaptations of the main entries in the series in addition to several new experiences. Hidden inside the levels are coins that allow the player to unlock collectable objects and cassette tapes that provide insight into the game's metafictional plot.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is a virtual reality first-person shooter survival horror game for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, and Oculus Rift, developed by Skydance Interactive in partnership with Skybound Entertainment. It is based on the comic book series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. Initially released on Steam and Oculus platform on January 23, 2020, it was released on PlayStation VR in May 2020. Additionally, the title was ported to Oculus Quest in October 2020, alongside PICO 4 in January 2023.
Pistol Whip is a 2019 virtual reality video game developed and published by Cloudhead Games. The game is a stage based shooter where the player automatically moves through the level and has to defeat enemies to the music. The game was released for Oculus Quest and Microsoft Windows on November 7, 2019. A PlayStation 4 port released in July 2020. Since February 2023 it is also supported on the PlayStation 5.
Endless runner or infinite runner is a subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible. The method by which the game level or environment appears to continuously spawn before the player is an example of procedural generation. The genre exploded on mobile platforms following the success of Doodle Jump, Canabalt, and Temple Run being other popular examples. Its popularity is attributed to its simple gameplay that works well on touchscreen devices.
Population: One is a 2020 online virtual reality battle royale developed and published by BigBox VR for the Oculus Quest 2 and Steam video game digital distribution service. Population: ONE was released on October 22, 2020. The game's development was a result of the studio wanting to create a game that would highlight the immersive capabilities of virtual reality. The game pioneered a vertical combat system that allows players to climb anything they can see, and then glide across the map. In 2021 the publisher of Population:One was acquired by Meta. The game generated more than 10 million USD revenue in the first four months after its launch.
Moss: Book II is a 2022 virtual reality adventure game developed and published by American video game development studio Polyarc. A sequel to Moss, the game follows Quill as she ventures though the land to battle the arcane to save the land of Moss. Moss: Book II was released in March 2022 for PlayStation 4 via PlayStation VR before receiving Meta Quest 2 and Windows ports later that year. A PlayStation 5 version via PlayStation VR2 was released in February 2023.
Archangel is a virtual reality first-person shooter game for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Oculus Quest, developed and published by Skydance Interactive. A free update titled Archangel: Hellfire was released in 2018.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution is a virtual reality first-person shooter survival horror game for SteamVR, PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest 2. Developed by Skydance Interactive in partnership with Skybound Entertainment, it is a sequel to The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and based on the comic book series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. The game was released in December 2022 for the Meta Quest 2 and PICO 4, while planned for PlayStation VR2 and Steam in March 2023.
Smash Drums is a virtual reality (VR) rhythm game developed and published by PotamWorks SAS. The game was released for the Meta Quest platform on 2 December 2021. The game involves playing drums to the beat of rock songs and destroying various environments. The game has 54 songs and nine environments, and can be played in single-player or multiplayer modes. The game was a finalist for the AIXR 2021 “VR Game of the Year” award
