Review

Flick Kick Football is a simple football game allowing players to recreate the excitement of scoring goals over and over again. The app utilises an intuitive flick control method to kick the ball and aim for the goal all in one motion. It is highly responsive to user input, particularly when compared with other football games analysed in our review. For these reasons, we have tagged this app as 'pick-up and play' for people living with dementia.

A strong feature of the app is the choice of game modes available, including ‘Arcade’, ‘Bullseye’, ‘Skillshot’ and ‘Time Attack’. Each mode presents a different challenge, from targeting skills in ‘Bullseye’ to coping with time pressure in ‘Time Attack’, therefore users should be able to find a mode that is suitable for their ability level. The app includes an extensive ‘How To Play’ section, followed by an optional practice mode allowing the user to work on their shooting skills and become familiarised with the control method. The game also has a multiplayer mode, enabling users to play against online competitors or in the 'pass & play' format against someone in the room.

We would recommend paying £1.99 for the premium version of the app, as the presence of adverts in the free version can be disruptive. The main problems we have identified with the app is the relatively low number of gameplay accessibility options in comparison to many of our other recommended apps, and the presence of In-App Purchases in both the free and premium versions. With regards to the latter, these In-App Purchases simply provide customisable ball, kit and crowd designs and do not impact on the gameplay itself. They are also contained away from the core gameplay through a separate menu, therefore if users are not interested in these features, they can be easily ignored. 

Tip: In-App Purchases do require a password before completion, but they can be completely restricted on your device, if preferred. For information on how to do this for the Apple iPad, read our step-by-step guide.

Recommended settings

From the app's launch screen, tap on Options to access the game settings. These are our recommended settings:

• Sound (user preference)

• Goal Camera (tap to toggle Off/On)

Return to the main menu and tap Play! for a single player game or Multiplayer for a two-player game. 

For a single player game, we recommend the game mode Bullseye as it is easier than other modes in that there are no goalkeepers or defenders acting as obstacles. For greater challenge, try selecting Arcade, Skillshot or Time Attack.