Smash Fest: Much More Fun Than I Expected

First impressions

Smash Fest is not normally the type of game I would choose to download. I tend to think of games like this as being very much "hit and hope"—fire something at a pile of objects and hope that enough of them fall over.

However, an advert for Smash Fest appeared while I was playing another game and gave me the chance to try it. Rather unexpectedly, I found it great fun and ended up downloading it and playing quite a few levels.

How it works

Each level presents you with a pile of blocks, boxes, tins or other targets balanced on a platform. You use the cannon at the bottom of the screen to fire balls at the structure, with the aim of knocking everything off.

You only have a certain number of balls available, so although you can fire them quite quickly, you cannot simply tap the screen endlessly and hope for the best. You need to clear the target before your supply runs out.

The early levels are fairly straightforward, but the structures gradually become larger and more awkward. Some objects are positioned in ways that make them much harder to dislodge, so the levels do become more challenging as you progress.

More strategy than I expected

Although my first impression was that it would be purely a hit-and-hope game, there is actually some strategy involved.

Where you aim makes a considerable difference. Hitting the centre of a block may move just that one object, whereas aiming at the right supporting point can destabilise an entire section of the structure.

I have found that firing several balls rapidly at the bottom of a pile can be particularly effective. Once the supports begin to move, the weight of everything above helps bring much more of the structure crashing down. It is extremely satisfying when one well-placed burst causes the whole pile to collapse.

Of course, enthusiasm can sometimes work against you. I have lost a few lives by becoming slightly overactive with my finger tapping and firing more balls than I really needed. It is very easy to get carried away once everything starts flying.

The sound and graphics

The graphics are bright, colourful and very well suited to the fast-paced gameplay. The beach setting gives the game a cheerful appearance, while the different stacks and targets stop every level from looking exactly the same.

I particularly like the way the targets go flying across the screen when you hit them. The balls ricochet in different directions, blocks tumble from the platform, and objects disappear into the distance. It gives each successful hit a real sense of impact.

This is also one game that benefits from having the sound switched on. The crashes, bangs and smashing noises make the action much more entertaining. It adds to the slightly chaotic feeling and makes a good shot even more satisfying.

A quick burst of fun

Smash Fest is not a slow, thoughtful puzzle that I would sit and study for a long time. It is the game I choose when I want something quick, lively and energetic.

You can play a level without needing to remember a complicated set of rules or work through a lengthy challenge. You simply aim, fire and enjoy the destruction. At the same time, there is just enough skill involved in choosing where to aim and how quickly to fire to stop it from feeling completely mindless.

The short levels also make it very easy to pick up when you only have a few spare minutes—although, as with many mobile games, one quick level can easily turn into several.

One thing I would improve

The rapid-fire controls are part of what makes Smash Fest enjoyable, but they can also make it easy to waste balls accidentally. When the action becomes hectic, one enthusiastic tap can quickly turn into several shots.

A little more control over the speed of firing—or a clearer indication that a shot has already been launched—might help prevent those accidental losses without taking away the game's fast pace.

Final thoughts

Smash Fest surprised me. It looked like a simple hit-and-hope game, but there is more strategy involved than I initially expected. Finding the right place to strike a structure can make the difference between moving one block and bringing down the entire pile.

The colourful graphics, exaggerated movement and satisfying sound effects all add to the fun. Watching targets scatter across the screen and vanish into the distance gives each level a real "kapow" feeling.

It may not be my usual type of game, but I have genuinely enjoyed it and completed far more levels than I expected. Smash Fest has become my go-to game whenever I want a quick adrenaline rush and a few minutes of fast-paced, noisy fun.

If you like this kind of game

Smash Fest sits at the arcade end of the casual spectrum, and our roundup of the best match-3 and casual puzzle games covers plenty of neighbours that trade the cannon for a little more thinking. Funnily enough, the last two games I reviewed also arrived via an advert in something else — Fluffy Drop is the gentle, sleepy opposite of Smash Fest, while Amaze Go lands somewhere in between with its tangled arrow boards.

And if a few minutes of noisy destruction leaves you wanting one calm, tidy challenge to finish on, Pairdle is our own daily word puzzle — one board a day, no lives, and nothing goes flying off the screen.

By Suzette Simons, Logic Loft Games