Bouncy Hoops

NOTHING BUT TAP TAP TAP. Free with IAP | www.noodlecake.com

FOLLOWING ON IN the vein of games that describe their intent in the simplest terms in their title, Bouncy Hoops is a basketball game. It takes inspiration from the legendary Flappy Bird (both in name and gameplay), so if that drove you mad or filled you with happiness, read on or look away as you see fit. Tap the screen and the basketball bounces, no matter whether it’s on the ground or airborne, sailing upwards and sideways at the same velocity with each tap. Get your ball into the hoop and another backboard and ring appears on the opposite side of the screen. On and on it goes, until you either run foul of the shot clock if you’re playing in arcade mode, or run out of time in the timed mode. Become familiar with the game’s physics and you’ll soon pull off trick shots, earning bonuses to bolster your score. Your objective is simply to get as high a score as possible, so those bonuses are key. Getting the ball in the hoop just as time slows down and the buzzer trails off is thrilling, as is nailing multiple off-the-backboard or nothingbut-net shots. Bouncy Hoops is fine in short bursts, as the ads are egregious. Coins — collected during matches and for watching videos — unlock new balls and courts to play on, though these are cosmetic, with the core gameplay remaining the same from the first moment you tap to the last.