Hook Worlds

Hook Worlds, also known as Hook Swing Worlds,[1] is a mobile 2D platformer developed and published by Rocketcat Games for iOS devices. Initially released on December 16, 2010, Hook Worlds sees players traversing 4 different worlds, primarily using a grappling hook, something that was also present in Hook Worlds' predecessors, Hook Champ and Super QuickHook.[2] The game is divided into four worlds: Curse of the Watcher, Dungeon Gunner, CyberGnome 202X,[3] and Hook Champ 1000.[4] The player controls different characters in each world.

Hook Worlds
Developer(s)Rocketcat Games
Publisher(s)Rocketcat Games
Designer(s)Kepa Auwae
Programmer(s)Jeremy Orlando
Artist(s)Brandon Rhodes
SeriesHook Champ
Platform(s)iOS Android
Release
  • WW: December 16, 2010
Genre(s)2D platformer, endless runner
Mode(s)Single-player

The game was developed by a team of three people: Kepa Auwae, Jeremy Orlando, and Brandon Rhodes. Auwae designed the game, Orlando was the lead programmer, and Rhodes was the lead artist.[5] Hook Worlds received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, having a Metascore of 83/100 on review aggregator Metacritic.[6]

Gameplay
Gramps swinging across a forest in the game's first world, Curse of the Watcher.

Hook Worlds is divided into four worlds, each of which has different gameplay gimmicks and different playing characters. In world one, players play as Theodore "Gramps" Hooker,[3] who has to run away from an evil spirit after his "sacred idol" was stolen. Gramps has a pair of rocket boots that allows him to propel forward when charged. In world two, players play as Zelle from Hook Champ, who has to avoid ghosts, that she can shoot using a revolver. The second world is high score-based and encourages players to collect coins. In world three, players play as Gnomey from Super QuickHook, who has the ability to change gravity. Gnomey has to escape from the Gnome Police, who attempt to capture Gnomey, as it's become illegal to be a gnome. The fourth world has similar gameplay to Hook Champ; players have to escape enemies who chase the player. Like world one, players have a pair of rocket boots in world four. The fourth world is designed to look like a Commodore 64 game.[2]

The original iOS release featured integration with the social platform OpenFeint[2] and, later, the Game Center service.[4][7]

Development and release

Hook Worlds was developed by the three-man American company Rocketcat Games, consisting of Kepa Auwae, Jeremy Orlando, and Brandon Rhodes. Auwae designed the game, Orlando programmed it, and Rhodes was the lead artist.[5] Hook Worlds was developed with the intention of being Rocketcat Games' last 2D platformer to feature a grappling hook, as they wanted to move onto other genres.[3] In an interview with MTV, Auwae stated that inspiration for the game mostly came from other older games, due to them being "full of design lessons, unusual concepts, and cautionary tales."[8] Hook Worlds was designed to be accessible to most players, something Rocketcat Games thought they didn't do with the game's predecessors.[2]

Hook Worlds was first announced by Rocketcat Games in September 2010[9] and posted a gameplay video for the game later in October.[10] Leading up to the game's release, Rocketcat Games posted updates and concept arts on their blog, blog.rocketcat-games.[9] Hook Worlds later released on December 16, 2010, for iOS devices.[11] Following its release, multiple updates for the game was released.[7][12][4] The game was removed from the App Store following the iOS 11 update, which removed all 32-bit applications from iOS devices;[13] however, the game was re-released by GameClub on the same platform as a part of their service in July 2019.[14]

Reception

Hook Worlds received "generally favorable reviews" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic, where it has a Metascore of 83/100, based on 7 reviews.[6] All of the game's worlds were received positively from critics; Jim Squires of GameZebo called the game a "great collection of fun and addictive survival games" and Jared Nelson of TouchArcade felt that the game was "basically 4 complete games in one" and stated that he "[loved] bouncing back and forth through all of them".[2]

In a review for Slide to Play, Andrew Podolsky called the game a "great deal", but wished for more depth. Podolsky felt that the first world was "deliberately easy" and called it a "dull race". Podolsky called the second world a "souped-up" variation of Halfbrick Studios' Monster Dash, stating that he "loved" the second world's set of levels, and noted it as his favorite of the four worlds. The third world was described as a "futuristic running game" and Podolsky called the upside-down swinging was "mind-blowing". For the fourth world, Podolsky felt that it had a "cool art style", but was lacking in gameplay.[19]

Notes
  1. Based on 7 reviews.

References
  1. Brown, Mark (September 28, 2010). "Rocketcat announces 59p QuickHook iPhone sequel, Hook Swing Worlds". Pocket Gamer. Imagine Media. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. Nelson, Jared (December 18, 2010). "'Hook Worlds' Review – Hooking Invades the Endless Running Genre". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  3. Auwae, Kepa (September 25, 2010). "Hook Swing Worlds". Blogger. Rocketcat Games. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  4. Nelson, Jared (February 15, 2011). "'Hook Worlds' Updated with Fourth World, Game Center, and Of Course… New Hats!". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  5. "About the Developers". RocketCat Games. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  6. "Hook Worlds for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  7. Usher, Anthony (February 11, 2011). "Acclaimed iPhone platformer Hook Worlds updated with new world, Game Center". Pocket Gamer. Imagine Media. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  8. Cipriano, Jason (January 21, 2011). "'Hook Worlds' Dev on the Joy of Hats and the Death of MMOS - Developer Pop Quiz #19". MTV. ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  9. Nelson, Jared (September 26, 2010). "Rocketcat Announces New 99¢ Hooking Game 'Hook Swing Worlds'". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  10. Nelson, Jared (October 20, 2010). "First Footage of Upcoming 'Hook Worlds' from Rocketcat Games". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  11. "Hook Worlds - GameClub". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  12. Davis, Justin (January 18, 2012). "App Store Update: October 21". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  13. Funnell, Rob (September 20, 2017). "A List of the Best iPhone Games That Will Die With iOS 11: Your Guide to the 32-Bit Appocalypse". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  14. Nelson, Jared (July 22, 2019). "Rocketcat's 'Hook Worlds' is Now Available in GameClub's Early Access Program". TouchArcade. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  15. Rigney, Ryan (December 21, 2010). "Hook Worlds". GamePro. International Data Group. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  16. Squires, Jim (December 20, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". GameZebo. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  17. Brown, Mark (December 20, 2010). "Hook Worlds". Pocket Gamer. Imagine Media. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  18. Nesvadba, Andrew (December 16, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". AppSpy. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  19. Podolsky, Andrew (December 15, 2010). "Hook Worlds Review". Slide to Play. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
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