Windows Phone Central's Roundup of Target Games
Target games for your Windows Phone can be a fun way to pass the time with and that is the focus of this week's WPCentral Roundup. From target practice with a bow or rifle to tossing darts, these games can test your concentration and aim.
We searched the Windows Phone Store with the keyword "target" and tried a handful of the games out and picked five gaming titles that stood out to us. Some we've seen before while the others were new experiences. We left a few on the cutting room floor and if we missed your favorite Windows Phone target game, as always, you can toss out your recommendation in the comments.
Throw the Knife (free): Throw the Knife is an interesting target game from XIMAD with two gaming modes where you test your skills at knife throwing; Arcade and Hit the Target. The knife throw is accomplished by swiping at the screen in the direction of your target. Longer, faster swipes sends the knife further.
The Arcade Mode has a stuffed doll strapped to a spinning wheel and your job is to nail flies for points with your throwing knives without hitting the doll. Some flies have special abilities like reverse the wheels rotation, speed up the rotation, activate a protective shield for the doll, etc. Hit the doll three times and the game is over.
Hit the Target Mode has a series of pop-up and flying targets for you to nail with your throwing knives. You have 80 seconds to hit as many targets as possible. The smaller the target, the more points scored. Oh, if you miss four targets and the game ends regardless of how much time is on the clock.
There is a third mode, Blood Mode, that can be purchased within the game and adds a more graphic version of the Arcade Mode to the mix. The Blood Mode will run you $.99 and you can remove the ads for $2.99. Both options can be purchased within the game.
Throw the Knife is a free, ad supported game that you can find here at the Windows Phone Store.
Archer (free): Archer is a simple target game that places you behind a bow. Three game modes are in play; Single, VS Mode, and Training Mode. You shoot your bow by tapping/holding the arrow and sliding backwards to pull on the arrow. Slide your touch to aim and release the screen to release your arrow. As you progress through the game, the wind on the target range will pick up and you'll need to adjust your shot accordingly.
Single Mode is a multi-level game where you are up against the clock. You have twenty seconds to shoot as many arrows as possible and if you reach the score goal, you advance to the next level. The further you advance the more challenging the shots become.
The VS Mode is a pass and play game to see who can score the most points. Training Mode gives you twenty seconds to see how many points you can score just for practice sakes.
Archer is a well drawn out game and when the wind picks up, it can be rather challenging. Archer is a free, ad supported game that you can find here at the Windows Phone Store.
Marksman Range(free): Marksman Range is a surprisingly nice target app that has you punching holes in paper targets with a rifle. You have the traditional rifle targets, zombie targets to shoot at and even a game of rifle golf. You start at the beginner level with the basic time trials and as your score improves, more games and weapons become unlocked.
Aiming is done with a virtual joystick and firing button sends your rounds down range. Rifles range from an M-16 to a .22 caliber rifle which are equipped with a variety of scopes and iron sights.
Animations are really nice with your last round fired followed down range in slow motion. The developer did a good job simulating the ballistics of each shot and the impact rifle recoil has in re-acquiring proper aim.
If you like rifle marksmanship, Marksman Range is worth a try. It is a free, ad supported game and you can find Marksman Range here at the Windows Phone Store.
Tap Shot (trial/$.99): I guess you could call Tap Shot an oldie but a goodie for our Windows Phone. The game has been around since October of 2011 and is a nice time waster.
Tap Shot has three levels of difficulty where you tap to shoot a variety of targets. Depending on the level, the targets range from pop-up targets to flying vultures. You have thirty seconds to take out as many targets as possible.
Graphics are nice, game play challenging and if you have thirty seconds to spare Tap Shot is a good choice of games to spend it with. Score enough points and you may find yourself at the top of the online leaderboards.
There is a free trial available for Tap Shot with the full version running $.99. You can find Tap Shot here at the Windows Phone Store.
Darts Arena Online (free/$2.99): Looking for a good game of darts...take a look at Darts Arena Online. It is a turn-based, online game of darts where you can challenge others to a friendly game.
Darts Arena Online includes 301, 501, Cricket, Round the Clock and Baseball dart games. Controls for the dart throw include flicking the screen or stop bars. With the stop bars you tap the screen to set the horizontal aim and again to set the vertical aim.
In the settings you create your account (free) and from there you can play a random opponent from other Darts Arena players, a friend from your contacts, or the practice dummy.
Graphics are nice and the game challenging enough to keep you interested. The only downside, which is typical of any turn based multi-player game is that if your opponent takes forever to complete their turn, the game can get a little stale. But that's really no fault of the game.
There is a free, ad-supported trial version available to let you try before you buy. The full, ad-free version of Darts Arena is currently running $2.99. You can find it all here at the Windows Phone Store.
Targets games can be a fun way to pass the time with. Great time wasters if you will.
Unlike shooter games where you are tasked with defending a position or obliterating your enemy, target games tend to rely more on accuracy, timing and speed. This is just a sampling and there are plenty more target games available in the Windows Phone Store. If you have a favorite Windows Phone target game, feel free to share your recommendations in the comments.
