Who doesn’t like a simple game every now and then? Between all of the gritty shooter, sim racers, and survival games that get me stressed out, it’s sometimes nice to take it easy with a game that won’t get the blood pressure rising. Enter, Smoots Summer Games.
On the surface, Smoots Summer Games looks like a WiiSports knock-off. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that it is exactly that, albeit without motion controls and that typical Nintendo charm that only Ninty can pull off. The developers here have had a good shot at it, though, and it hits more than it misses.
The game is split into three different modes. You’ve got your Championship, which is the main portion of the game where you’ll test your skills against the A.I or some friends. Then there’ the practice mode where you can hone your skills, and finally the Challenge mode, which is the most frustrating out of the lot. You basically have to work your way through a set number of disciplines without failing, otherwise you’ll have to start again. Bit of a ball ache, but a decent challenge and easy enough once you’ve mastered the controls and the timings.
Championship is the main course, and it’s here that I spent most of my time bashing away furiously at my controller. Sometimes out of necessity, other times out of annoyance.
The sports themselves are really, really simple to play. Running sports only need you to smash the X button to go fast and maintain your speed. Others, such as the javelin throw, the shot put and the long jump add a little more to the mix. You’ll get your speed up by mashing the X and O buttons, and then once you’ve hit your target speed you need to tap the R1 button to launch at the right angle. Hold it too long and you’ll send your javelin soaring for the stars but only going a few paltry meters forward, don’t tap it long enough and you’ll have your shot put ball heading straight for the ground. You need to find the perfect angle, or as close to it as you can get, to get a decent score under your belt. Again, it’s really simple and once you’ve had a few mishaps you’ll finally understand the controls.
That’s all there is to it, really. There’s local multiplayer out of the box, but no online. I can’t say I really mind the lack of online – these kind of games tend to be more fun when you can punch your mate sitting next to you for winning too often. I must admit that I partook in some underhanded tactics to get some much-needed wins in. This included slapping the controller away from my competitor, and even resorting to standing in front of the TV. I’m scum, I know.
Smoots Summer Games is a very simple, and very cheap game. By that I mean it’s not going to break the piggy bank. The overall quality is somewhat lacking, but the graphics do enough to be enjoyable. Sweet and simple. It won’t keep you coming back all summer long, but if you’ve got a mate or two round your house and you’re struggling to find a couch multiplayer game, Smoots will do fine for an hour or two. If you’ve got kids, even better. It’s so simple that a little tyke could pick up the controller and be entertained on those rainy summer holiday days.
Smoots Summer Games PS4 Review
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Overall - Not Bad - 5/105/10
Summary
Smoots Summer Games is an inoffensive little game with simple controls and plenty to do. It won’t be your game of the summer, but if you can get a couple of mates around it’ll keep you occupied for an hour or two.
Review Disclaimer: This review was carried out using a copy of the game provided by the publisher. For more information, please read our Review Policy.
Reviewed using PS4 Pro.
