Reviews:
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Sometimes one-button play, when done right, can be a compelling challenge despite the simplicity
Poosh XL falls into that pretty rare category of being a budget game with simple controls that would work fine on your phone but doesn’t make you feel like you’re slumming when running it on your dedicated gaming console. Honestly you’ll be too busy trying to concentrate on the timing and angle of your next move to care. The rules here are pretty simple: Don’t hit anything other than power-ups or your game is over. Simple, yes, but it’s tougher than you’d think given the game’s one-button controls. All you’re able to control is the angle of your movement and the power you’ll be propelled at. It’s the second part of that description that, as you get more in tune with the game, really complicates things. Your first impulse, as the aiming line sweeps back and forth in a wide arc, is to take your time and be patient, but given that there’s a wave of destruction that will catch up to you if you wait too long and that the longer you pause the more power you’ll be propelled with makes that a poor general strategy. Instead, success lies with being a bit more aggressive and going for quicker and somewhat smaller movements, setting yourself up for success or at least not making a big commitment that could put you near a wall or obstacle. The result is a game that may be simple in concept but will push your skills and patience as you simply try to attack it “just one more time” and get yourself further along. Throw in both specific (and TOUGH) challenge stages and global leaderboards and it’s a love letter to old-school arcade fans who appreciate something they can pick up for a few minutes and put down for a quick hit of action.
Justin Nation, Score:Nindie Choice! [8.0]