Shoot U!

Summary

Shoot U! is a physics game with an unusual concept:

All you need to do is shooting the little guy to hit the star, simple?

This drew my attention right off the bat and I spent way more time playing this game than I had initially intended to. Find out why in our test.

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As mentioned above, Shoot U! is a physics game in which your goal is to hit a red star with a little flying guy. This may sound a bit weird to you and even I had a hard time imagining what the game was really about. Looking at the screenshots and video should give you a clearer picture about what you have to do in this game.

With a single click, a little guy gets shot in the direction of where you clicked on the screen. You can even click on the screen several times in order to shoot out multiple little dudes. In many cases this technique is necessary for hitting your target. The goal is to get to the next level by hitting the red star. There are many obstacles along the way (they are outlined in black). To get around them you have to, for example, arch your shot in order to fly over any barriers and reach the goal at the same time. All green objects are moveable obstacles that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are blocks that need to be moved to allow your little guy to fly by. You'll also find spring boards and seesaws that help your little guy get to his red star target. The fewer shots you use to reach your star, the more points you'll get. Shoot U! Have over 62 levels to keep you busy.

All the action on your screen follows the laws of physics. The trajectory of your shot is determined by the distance and positioning of every click.

If the game concept still seems unclear to you, the video offers a much better explanation. In addition, a small tutorial explaining all the intricacies of the game guides you through the first couple of levels.

The game can be very addictive and I spent a whole lot of time playing it. Although I never quite understood the point behind shooting little figures all over the place, I found the graphics to be very cool (sketchbook style) and the game play very well done. Coming to think of it,  why don't I go and shoot off some more of these little flying guys myself. Maybe I can even get pass a couple more levels. 

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On the Shoot U! main menu you've got the following options:

• Play
• Customize
• Highscore
• More Games

In "Customize" you can change the appearance of the little guy you use as ammunition. You can select between three different characters: Robert, Panda, and Zombie. You are free to mix and match different body parts and create your own little flying creatures.

At the start of the game you can choose between three levels of difficulty: easy (25 levels), medium (22 levels), and hard (15 levels). There's a little lock icon next to every level you have yet to clear. You are not forced to play all the levels in any particular order. You are free to directly select which level you'd like to try.

During game play you have the following options:

• Try Again
• Sound On/Off
• Quit

It may be necessary to press "try again" if it is no longer possible to reach your star target.

Pressing "Quit" directs you back to the main menu.

Bottom line:

I am still unsure whether this test adequately explains how to play Shoot U! I don't know whether I've ever been so riveted by a game on my phone. If you're into physics-themed games or are simply curious, I recommend you try out the lite-version of Shoot U!
 

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Shoot U! runs smoothly on both the G1 and the Milestone.

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Shoot U! is available to download for $2.99 from the Android Market.