There’s something about table tennis games that just works, especially on touchscreen. Swiping to thwack a tiny ball, angling your movements to add spin, darting to try and return the perfect shot – table tennis games can be absolutely brilliant. …
There’s something about table tennis games that just works, especially on touchscreen. Swiping to thwack a tiny ball, angling your movements to add spin, darting to try and return the perfect shot – table tennis games can be absolutely brilliant.
And Ping Pong Fury (download from the App Store or Play Store) is no different. It offers up edge-of-the-seat ball-thwacking in short, focused bursts. Throw in equipment collection, online multiplayer and some gorgeous graphics and you’re on to an absolute ace. Like the serve.
Essentially the game plays out in first-person. You’re in control of a hovering bat, pressing your finger on the screen to move it around. The first player to score five points is crowned the winner and gets the prize money and a pod full of goodies to open.
These pods contain cards, which represent your equipment. Get a new card to unlock a new piece, get duplicate cards to upgrade equipment that you’ve already got. If you’ve played Clash Royale – or, really, any mobile game in the last few years – you’re going to understand what’s what.
You gain fans through victories as well, and the more fans you’ve got at your back, the higher up the ranks you can go. There are bigger rewards in the higher leagues, but bigger penalties for failure as well – you’re wagering a chunk of your cash stash every time you play. Lose and it goes to your opponent.
The tennis itself is pretty darn impressive. Games are fast and engaging, and sometimes you can’t help but allow yourself a little fist pump when a powerful shot grazes the edge of the table and scores you a point. It lacks a little of the purity of Yakuto’s other table tennis game – Table Tennis Touch – but such is the nature of the monetization model Ping Pong Fury is using.
There are adverts here and there, as well as a season pass you can download. Unlocking things can be speeded up with gems, but if you’re patient you shouldn’t have to pay any real-life money to get the most out of Ping Pong Fury.
This is a fast-paced and entertaining sports game that embraces modern mobile game sensibilities. It’s a lot of fun, it can be frustrating at times, and you’re probably going to end up horribly addicted to it. Y’know, in the best way.
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