Crokinole 2D: A New Way to Practice Your Crokinole Game
As someone who has spent many years playing and studying Crokinole, I'm always interested when I come across something that can help players improve their game. So when I was given the opportunity to try Crokinole 2D, I was curious.
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| Crokinole 2D |
Could a digital version of Crokinole actually be useful to someone who already plays on a real board? After spending some time with it, I think the answer is yes.
Disclaimer: I was given free access to Crokinole 2D to evaluate the game. I was not paid to write this review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed about Crokinole 2D is that the developer has put a lot of effort into making the game behave like real Crokinole. And for me, that's extremely important. There are plenty of digital versions of traditional games, but if you're a serious Crokinole player, you quickly notice when something doesn't behave the way it should.
Crokinole 2D uses physics designed to reproduce the weight, friction and bounce of real Crokinole discs. And I have to say, it feels very accurate.
The way the discs move, collide and react to each other makes sense to someone who is familiar with a real Crokinole board. That's what really caught my attention.
My Favourite Feature: The Angles
But the part of Crokinole 2D that I like the most isn't simply playing a game. It's being able to practice shots and visualize angles.
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| What angle should I use? |
If you've played Crokinole for any length of time, you know that angles are extremely important. You look at the board, and you're constantly trying to figure out:
- What angle should I use?
- Where will my disc go after hitting the opponent's disc?
- Where will their disc end up?
- Can I get around the pegs?
- Can I make the take-out without leaving my opponent an easy shot?
- Can I use another disc to change the direction of my shot?
These are things that experienced players start seeing almost automatically. But developing that ability takes practice. That's why I really like Crokinole 2D. Seeing the Shot Before Making It
With Crokinole 2D, I can experiment. I can set up a shot and try one angle. Then I can try a slightly different angle and see how the disc reacts. I can repeat the same type of shot over and over. This allows me to visualize what is happening on the board. For me, that's the biggest advantage of the app.
I'm not saying that playing Crokinole on a tablet will replace practicing on a real Crokinole board. It won't. There is still no substitute for picking up a real disc, feeling the board and making the shot yourself. But Crokinole 2D gives me something different. It gives me a way to work on my understanding of angles when I don't have my Crokinole board in front of me.
Practice Mode
This is another feature that caught my attention. You don't have to sit down and play an entire game every time you open the app.
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| Practice Mode |
Crokinole 2D includes practice drills, including drills involving 20s and other specific shots. That's exactly the kind of feature I would like to see in a Crokinole training tool. If you're having trouble with a particular shot, you can concentrate on that shot instead of worrying about the score of an entire game.
- Practice it.
- Try a different angle.
- Try it again.
That's how we improve.
Play Against the Computer
Of course, you can also play a regular game. Crokinole 2D includes singles and doubles, with several levels of computer opponents. This is useful when you want to play a game but don't have someone sitting across the board from you.
You can start with an easier opponent and work your way up as your skills improve. And because the physics are so important to the game, playing against the computer can also allow you to see how different shots develop.
Play With Friends
If you have a tablet, Crokinole 2D becomes even more interesting.
The game allows local multiplayer, including singles and doubles, with players sharing the same device. In other words, you can pass the tablet around just as you would play around a real Crokinole board. It's obviously not the same experience as having a beautiful wooden board sitting on the table, but it's a convenient alternative. It could also be a fun way to introduce someone to Crokinole.
Choose How You Shoot
Crokinole 2D gives you different ways of controlling your shots. You can use direct flick controls or a pull-back-and-release method. I like having the choice. Everyone has a slightly different way of thinking about and making a Crokinole shot. What feels natural to one person might feel awkward to another. So having different control options is a nice touch.
Arcade Mode
If you're looking for something a little different, there's also an Arcade Mode. Instead of playing a traditional Crokinole game, you can take on timed challenges and try to achieve high scores. It's a nice change of pace. Sometimes you don't want to play a serious game. You just want to shoot some discs and have fun.
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| Arcade Mode |
Singles and Doubles
For those who play tournament-style Crokinole, it's nice to see that the game supports both singles and doubles.
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| Doubles |
The scoring system keeps track of things such as the score, hammer, discs and 20s. So it isn't just a simple target-shooting game. It attempts to reproduce the structure of an actual game of Crokinole.
What About Ads?
Here's another thing I like. Crokinole 2D doesn't rely on constant advertisements or a subscription model. It's a one-time purchase, so you can play without having advertisements interrupting your game. Personally, that's an approach I appreciate.
Is It a Replacement for a Real Crokinole Board?
No. And I don't think it is trying to be. There is nothing quite like sitting down at a real Crokinole board. The board itself, the discs, the sound and the physical feel are all part of Crokinole. But I don't think we should look at Crokinole 2D as a replacement. I look at it more as another tool for Crokinole players.
And for me, that tool has one particularly useful purpose: Learning to See the Angles
One of the things that separates a good Crokinole player from a beginner is the ability to look at the board and understand what is possible. You begin to see lines. You see rebounds. You see angles. You start thinking about where the discs will end up before you even make the shot.
Crokinole 2D allows me to practice that visualization.
That's my favourite part of the game.
The fact that the physics are so accurate makes this even more useful. I can experiment with an angle and see the result. Then I can adjust the angle and try again. It's almost like having a small Crokinole laboratory in my pocket.
My Final Thoughts
I've played enough Crokinole to know that a digital game has to get the basics right before I'll take it seriously. For me, Crokinole 2D does that. The physics are very accurate, the discs behave realistically, and there are plenty of options to keep you busy.
You can:
- Practice specific shots
- Work on your 20s
- Visualize angles
- Play singles
- Play doubles
- Play against the computer
- Play locally with other people
- Choose different shooting controls
- Try Arcade Mode
- Play on a phone or tablet
But if you ask me what I like most about it, my answer is simple:
The accuracy.
And because of that accuracy, I can use the game to practice and visualize Crokinole angles. For a Crokinole player, that's a pretty useful feature.
Crokinole Duel is currently available for Android devices through Google Play.
Join the Discussion: Have you played crokinole before? Share your experience in the comments below!
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