iPhone App: Radial 50

September 17th, 2009

Radial 50

= 2 stars

Best described as Breakout in the round with a diamond in the center, and your paddle zooming around the perimeter. Hit the central diamond to pass to the next level.

The Good

Simple game play and controls – within thirty seconds you know how to play. Just move your finger up or down on a control strip, and the paddle slides around the perimeter of a circle clockwise or counter clockwise. Keep the ball within the playing field and hitting the blocks nested within concentric circles. Hit the diamond at the center to complete the level.
Kinda cool background music.

The Bad

The somewhat unique concept doesn’t automatically lead to an awesome game; after several levels, it’s unclear whether it improves over traditional Breakout, save for the ball occasionally speeding through to the other side of the board.
Lack of variety eventually left me wondering when something cool would happen; say, crazy powerups or bricks with different characteristics. Remember Arkanoid?
A distracting, cartoony background image that rotates along with your paddle.

Conclusion

Interesting concept results in an average game. If you enjoy spinning in circles and not really going anywhere in particular, this game’s for you.

iTunes App Store Link: