Boonce mixes bouncing balls and canons for imaginative indie game play

Published by at

Boonce is a gem of an idie game that combines hand-drawn graphics, and a mellow sound track, with a first rate game concept. Essentially it's a 2D, physic based, puzzle game that sees you firing bouncing balls, from a canon, at various types of targets. Some targets must be hit directly, while others can only be hit after a ball has bounced off a surface. 

There are, of course, various obstacles to avoid, and tricky-to-reach nooks and crannies. The key skill in the game is in deciding where to aim, and how much power to give, each canon shot. As the game progresses additional game play elements are added, such as anti-gravity fields, teleporters, and more complex obstacles types, which help keep the game fresh and engaging. 

From the carefully crafted levels, to the built in tutorial system, and settings for colour blind users, it is obvious that the game has been lovingly put together, with the kind of attention to detail that makes you want to seek out the developer and shake him by the hand.  
   

  
Boonce has 208 levels spread across 4 decks. The initial levels are relatively easy, but things quickly get more difficult, and some of the later levels are definitely going to cause some wailing and teeth gnashing (as all good level-based games should), but they are all, as the game's developer notes in this Reddit post, technically possible:

"Every level is possible, and it's possible to get gold medals on all of them. I doubt anyone ever will, though. It's too hard. I can't even finish all of the levels, never mind Gold them. My son can finish them all, as he should since he designed them. He can't Gold them all, but they're all logically possible."

Boonce is available for download from the Windows Phone Store. The game usually cost £0.79 / €0.99 / $0.99, but it is currently available for free. That's because it's been nominated for Windows Phone game of the year in the Pocket Gamer awards and the developer is keen to encourage people to download and try the game, in the hope of garnering some extra votes. Seems like a fair exchange to us!

Via: Windows Phone DailyReddit (/r/windowsphone)

Source / Credit: Windows Phone Store