Direct Link : Hammer Heads
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 6 Out of 10
Sound : 6 out of 10
Gameplay : 7 Out of 10
Longevity : 7 Out of 10
Overall : 6.5 Out of 10

I have to admit, the thought of a game, that’s basically a more in depth version of the freestanding arcade game, “Whack a Mole” didn’t fill me with too much anticipation, but as with all Astraware games, you have to reserve judgment until you’ve actually played the game.

So the aim of the game is relatively straight forward. When a gnome pops his head from out of a hole, tap his head with the stylus and that’s one less gnome to have to worry about, miss however or let the gnome get away and you miss the opportunity of a perfect score. As the game progresses, gnomes with different properties appear, forcing you to hit them multiple times or at a time when they are susceptible to attack.

The game is played in waves, with only a brief respite after each wave. Admittedly once you have become accustomed to the game play, the earlier levels can become a bit mind numbing, fortunately you can pickup the game play from the previous level you expired on. Throughout the game, you also collect coins left by the gnomes you bash, or left around in treasure chests. These coins come into play at varying points in the game, when a shop pops up instead of a gnome. Tap on it and you enter the shop, allowing you to optionally purchase items to help you in your quest. Some of these items have an unbelievable price on them, so somewhere in the game you must be able to collect a bucket load of coins, because so far I’ve only managed to afford the cheapest upgrade.

The graphics throughout are crisp and clear, as is the sound. Certainly they are not ground breaking by any means, but they are pleasing and very effective. The game play can end up pretty frantic at the later levels and is surely a good test for your hand eye co-ordination.

Conclusion : A great game to while away the odd break in everyday life. However prolonged use may make the game seem long in the tooth before too long.