Arcade Darts Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

System: PSP (Minis)	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Icon Games	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Icon Games	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: June 29, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

The final mode I checked out is was the multiplayer mode, which allowed two people to take turns throwing virtual darts on the PSP.

Arcade Darts screenshot

The two-player mode is structured like the practice mode and allowed you to select the gameplay type as well as the conditions of play (number of sets, legs, etc.). Once you’ve set the rules, playing with a friend is as easy as passing the PSP between two people.

If you decide to go through the different modes and complete the tournament and career modes, you can unlock bonus content, including different dart boards, playing venues, and new avatars. While this unlockable content isn't the most amazing thing, it does provide some replay value and makes this mini a great value for virtual dart enthusiasts.

As far as production values go, Arcade Darts is a mixed bag. The visuals aren't bad, and the dart animations look decent, even if the environments are bland. However, the sound in the game is awful. The game's soundtrack is comprised of a single tune that loops so many times, you can actually hear the loop winding down and then picking back up again. If you do decide to pick this title up, I would turn the sound down immediately to prevent yourself from going crazy.

Arcade Darts is a good effort. I applaud the developers for including a plethora of game variations, modes, PS3 compatibility, and unlockable content. However, the game's dart throwing system really sinks this title and makes the included content feel repetitive instead of new. I'm sure developing a game based on darts is a challenging process. Although, by making the method of throwing the darts almost entirely mathematical (and only introducing the "miss" variable a few times per round), the game simply becomes a test of how regularly you can press a button. This just doesn't make for great gameplay.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.6

Graphics
The animations are passable, but the dart boards offer little variation in design.

3.0

Control
The dart controls are not very intuitive but can be mastered with some practice.

1.3

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The music is repetitive and becomes grating after only a few minutes.

2.2

Play Value
Although there are plenty of modes, the dart-throwing mechanic gets dull after only a few minutes.

2.3

Overall Rating - Poor
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Varied play modes including Practice, Versus, Arcade, Career, and Custom Tournament play.

Six different game variations including 701, 501, 301, Cricket, Around the Clock, and Around the Clock Reverse.

Two-player multiplayer: play with friends and family in versus play modes.

Unlock player rewards featuring lots of dart board designs, flights, and dart sets to discover and five vibrant high detail match venues to explore.

Special career mode: ; start at the bottom and progress from rookie to pro with the ultimate goal of becoming the World’s best player and earn special rewards, trophies, and secrets along the way.