New Potato Technologies have some interesting products, but none more interesting to us iPad owners then their new Classic Match Foosball. Let me try to explain how this works. There are basically two parts to this iPad game, first their free iPad app available from the iTunes store, and then their Classic Match Foosball table accessory that you purchase from them for a MSRP of $99.
The first thing you do when you receive the Foosball table accessory is to put it together. It’s not really difficult, the legs and eight push rods are all separate and must be connected to the table area itself. Once that’s done you now download the app from the iTunes store onto your iPad (Gen 1,2 or 3) and open up the application and slide the iPad into the the connector on the table top. The Classic Match Foosball table comes with a USB connector cable that allows you to charge and sync your iPad while it’s in the Foosball table.
You then choose your Foosball game, the uniform colors and skin and hair colors and even field types of the Foosball game on your iPad screen and when ready you just touch the start arrow and the game begins. The eight 2-axis control rods have elastomer grips that give you more control of the row of players then you would imagine you could have with such a short movement. They use optical technology for longer life and they can be removed for transport or storage. It’s a good idea to move each rod in and out as far as they go before you drop the first ball in order to set their range of movement on the iPad.
New Potato gives you real plastic scoring markers on each end of the table for a true Foosball table feel. The app gives you control over the sounds of the game, from fan noise to ball movements and the slapping of the ball and of course, the metal “bang” sound you get when you nail a ball in the goal. It adds to the reality aspect as much as anything does. When you score a goal, you’re treated to an instant replay of the goal from a different angle.
So how was the gameplay? I enjoyed it, but it took me quite a while before I got the feel of the smaller control rods and the small playing surface in general. It was sometimes a chore for me to locate the ball on the table unless I was right up close to the iPad instead of standing next to it in the normal position. I also found that from years of playing foosball in my local establishments, I was ready for the speed of a real foosball game and we all know that there is no way possible to duplicate this speed on the Classic Match Foosball table and app. I just had to make the adjustments to size and speed.
I think the game would be perfect for an age group of about 5-14 year olds. They’re small enough to fit two on each side of the table and they have no pre-conceived notions of what old-time foosball tables actually feel like. My grandson loved the gameplay and him and his little buddies played it for hours. Overall I think that Classic Match Foosball from New Potato Technologies is a solid family game purchase. It takes all full-sized iPads and the table accessory is a solid built unit.
