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Retro-styled 'Hook Champ' Gets Third Update

posted January 16th, 2010 11:14 AM EST by Blake Patterson in $2.99, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Platform

hook champ update 3 screenOne of our very favorite iPhone games -- one that we come back to and actually play "for fun" (perish the thought!) -- is Rocketcat Games' Hook Champ [App Store], which we reviewed back in October.  We discussed the game in detail with Rocketcat's own Kepa Auwae in TouchArcade Podcast #9. He gave us a look at what went into the making of the title and assured us that Rocketcat intends to keep the game very much alive down the road, with updates and enhancements.

Fans of the title will be pleased to hear that the first update since our discussion with Kepa (and the third update to the game since its release) has just hit the App Store.

Features as listed by the developer:

  • New challenge level set: The Forbidden Hats! Put your hooking skills to the test like never before!
  • New 'simple' ghost mode allows you to gauge your progress when racing a friend or competing against your own best time without being distracted by the in-game avatar.
  • New cosmetic-only DLC character: Bounty Hunter Zelle! Zelle is equal to Gunny in abilities, but has her own sense of style and new dialog. Zelle also features her own collection of incredibly fashionable hats!
  • Change: Rope lengths tweaked to create a smoother experience for beginning players.
  • Bugfix: Personal best run ghosts now saved even if ghost display is turned off.
  • Bugfix: The Addiction hat achievements and Celebrity local scores achievements should be properly awarded now.
  • Performance: Stunning performance enhancements across the board on both older model iPhone/iPod Touch devices and newer 3GS models!
  • Even more hats!

What's more, Rocketcat tells us that Update 4 should be available around the end of this month and will feature a number of new, more causal levels featuring John Gore of Minigore, who will shoot his enemies Bionic Commando-style. A new "Duel System" will also appear in the next update.

Have a look at the game in action. (Video is prior to Update 3)


[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

As we said in our review, Hook Champ is an absolutely fantastic game that all fans of retro styled sidescrollers should own. If you've not added this one to your game library as yet, now's the perfect time. At least give the free, lite version [App Store] a swing.

And hats off to Rocketcat Games for keeping this one going strong.

App Store Link: Hook Champ, $2.99

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  • http://www.runningwithscissorsgame.com Chris

    this game is awesome.. anyone on the fence about it.. get it today! (you'll need to get the first rope updates for it to start to get really fun.. i think they've mitigated this a bit for this update)

  • http://www.runningwithscissorsgame.com Chris

    this game is awesome.. anyone on the fence about it.. get it today! (you'll need to get the first rope updates for it to start to get really fun.. i think they've mitigated this a bit for this update)

  • http://www.blakespot.com Blake Patterson

    Excellent point. I was unimpressed by what I thought was a poor rope physics system before I got two or three rope updates in. It's all intentional. Rough gear at first, then it's on to a perfect hook experience.

    Get those rope updates as soon as you can, players.

  • http://www.blakespot.com Blake Patterson

    Excellent point. I was unimpressed by what I thought was a poor rope physics system before I got two or three rope updates in. It's all intentional. Rough gear at first, then it's on to a perfect hook experience.

    Get those rope updates as soon as you can, players.

  • rich_952000

    I agree, I come back to Hook Champ...for fun :D This game sat on my phone for about a month I didn't really play it with all the hype and buzz from the big developers games. Then I decided to play it and have been "hooked" since then. This game is a prime example that it certainly takes only great gameplay to make a great game, no 200 mb file size needed. (the game takes up under 10 mb).

  • rich_952000

    I agree, I come back to Hook Champ...for fun :D This game sat on my phone for about a month I didn't really play it with all the hype and buzz from the big developers games. Then I decided to play it and have been "hooked" since then. This game is a prime example that it certainly takes only great gameplay to make a great game, no 200 mb file size needed. (the game takes up under 10 mb).

  • Mr Crazy

    Great update and love the background in the new levels, but i can't even beat the first new level and i beaten all levels before this update!

  • Mr Crazy

    Great update and love the background in the new levels, but i can't even beat the first new level and i beaten all levels before this update!

  • darkHorse

    Sounds awesome! Any news if they are going to give away the game for free, even just for one day?

  • darkHorse

    Sounds awesome! Any news if they are going to give away the game for free, even just for one day?

  • http://www.blakespot.com Blake Patterson

    There is a free, lite version...

  • http://www.blakespot.com Blake Patterson

    There is a free, lite version...

  • rich_952000

    Doubtful. The game appears to be selling well and if you read through the forum thread, there's alot of pressure on the developer by people who've purchased the game, not to price drop the game.

  • rich_952000

    Doubtful. The game appears to be selling well and if you read through the forum thread, there\'s alot of pressure on the developer by people who\'ve purchased the game, not to price drop the game.

  • Hasan

    I just can't get past the crappy graphics. :(

  • Hasan

    I just can't get past the crappy graphics. :(

  • ImNoSuperMan

    No wonder I didnt fell in love with it in my first try. Didnt really love it and thought maybe it wasnt for me. Should give it a little more time now I guess. :)

  • ImNoSuperMan

    No wonder I didnt fell in love with it in my first try. Didnt really love it and thought maybe it wasnt for me. Should give it a little more time now I guess. :)

  • rich_952000

    For sure. The game, IMO, goes from meh to "give me more!" within upgrading your hook and rope just a few times each. The shop is an excellent element introduced in this unique platformer.

  • rich_952000

    For sure. The game, IMO, goes from meh to "give me more!" within upgrading your hook and rope just a few times each. The shop is an excellent element introduced in this unique platformer.

  • http://www.rocketcat-games.com/ Kepa

    We actually smoothed out the rope lengths for new players. Now the starter rope length is about as strong as it used to be 2 or 3 upgrades in. The final rope upgrade is about the same, so the end result is that there's no waiting to get a smooth swinging experience.

    We'll be updating the Lite version to also have this by the end of the month, along with giving the Lite all the Openfeint and ghost stuff.

  • http://www.rocketcat-games.com/ Kepa

    We actually smoothed out the rope lengths for new players. Now the starter rope length is about as strong as it used to be 2 or 3 upgrades in. The final rope upgrade is about the same, so the end result is that there's no waiting to get a smooth swinging experience.

    We'll be updating the Lite version to also have this by the end of the month, along with giving the Lite all the Openfeint and ghost stuff.

  • Acadiaaaaa

    Crappy? Fooey you.

  • Acadiaaaaa

    Crappy? Fooey you.

  • http://klicktock.com Matthew

    If you don't buy Hook Champ - you're part of the problem! :)

  • http://klicktock.com Matthew

    If you don't buy Hook Champ - you're part of the problem! :)

  • http://www.kreofina.pl tomek

    hey, Ive just downloaded this latest update but didnt find these new level set anywhere.... am I missing something?

    BTW. I am hooked (oh irony) with your game and hope you will develop it. I'd really love to see more level sets since this is the core of the game not additional characters which actually change a little. I am ready to pay hefty price for level DLC anytime you post it and I am sure I am not the only one.

  • http://www.kreofina.pl tomek

    hey, Ive just downloaded this latest update but didnt find these new level set anywhere.... am I missing something?

    BTW. I am hooked (oh irony) with your game and hope you will develop it. I'd really love to see more level sets since this is the core of the game not additional characters which actually change a little. I am ready to pay hefty price for level DLC anytime you post it and I am sure I am not the only one.

  • Ben

    you need to buy the map from the store. Good luck with the levels! I can't even beat one.

  • Ben

    you need to buy the map from the store. Good luck with the levels! I can't even beat one.

  • http://evolv.cc jason

    I love this game, but the 4th level of the bull statue causes my iphone (3g) to drop the framerate whenever the lava is in the stage. this didn't happen before this update. maybe i'll try powercycling my phone, but for an update that touted speed improvements, i'm not seeing it. I still love this game though. can't get enough hats.

  • http://evolv.cc jason

    I love this game, but the 4th level of the bull statue causes my iphone (3g) to drop the framerate whenever the lava is in the stage. this didn't happen before this update. maybe i'll try powercycling my phone, but for an update that touted speed improvements, i'm not seeing it. I still love this game though. can't get enough hats.

  • TrueAxis

    I bought this game a couple of days ago... It took awhile to get use to the controls but once mastered I started to enjoy playing the game and I am now addicted to it!

  • TrueAxis

    I bought this game a couple of days ago... It took awhile to get use to the controls but once mastered I started to enjoy playing the game and I am now addicted to it!

  • http://www.rocketcat-games.com/ Kepa

    This lag thing is driving us nuts. It would be easy to fix if everyone was having the problem. It turns out the problem is rare, so it's hard to fix.

    We're trying to track it down, you can help by posting as many details as you can about your lag problem to the hook champ forum thread. Jailbreaking status, when the lag occurs exactly (sounds like it occurs when you see lava particles?), what character and hook you're using, any minor detail you can think of.

  • http://www.rocketcat-games.com/ Kepa

    This lag thing is driving us nuts. It would be easy to fix if everyone was having the problem. It turns out the problem is rare, so it's hard to fix.

    We're trying to track it down, you can help by posting as many details as you can about your lag problem to the hook champ forum thread. Jailbreaking status, when the lag occurs exactly (sounds like it occurs when you see lava particles?), what character and hook you're using, any minor detail you can think of.

  • Graham

    Hi Kepa - Love the new levels!

    I too, have gotten some lag - in The Stone Hatbox, towards the very end where there is a long sequence of rings surrounded by lava.

    I've been using Gunny, with The Grapplin' Cannon (though it happened before I bought that) and a variety of hats. The phone is a 3GS, 32gb, not jailbroken. I thought it was possibly because I hadn't restarted the phone in a while, but it persisted after I tried doing that. The phone's memory is pretty close to being full, with maybe 1 gb free, and is pretty loaded up with apps (11 pages are full, with only a few empty spots). Usually I don't listen to the iPod music while playing.

    Hope that's helpful in some way. Great work with the awesome new levels - they're tough, but the added challenge is appreciated! Still trying to beat the wall of flames, though...

  • Graham

    Hi Kepa - Love the new levels!

    I too, have gotten some lag - in The Stone Hatbox, towards the very end where there is a long sequence of rings surrounded by lava.

    I've been using Gunny, with The Grapplin' Cannon (though it happened before I bought that) and a variety of hats. The phone is a 3GS, 32gb, not jailbroken. I thought it was possibly because I hadn't restarted the phone in a while, but it persisted after I tried doing that. The phone's memory is pretty close to being full, with maybe 1 gb free, and is pretty loaded up with apps (11 pages are full, with only a few empty spots). Usually I don't listen to the iPod music while playing.

    Hope that's helpful in some way. Great work with the awesome new levels - they're tough, but the added challenge is appreciated! Still trying to beat the wall of flames, though...


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