Inside Social Games

Somehow, there is something pathetically therapeutic and enjoyable to watch others get hurt in comical ways. Everyone is guilty of laughing at other people’s pain, whether it is laughing at a baseball to the groin on America’s Funniest Home Videos, or just watching someone fall out of a chair because they leaned back too far. Whatever the case, it’s always an enjoyable time, and one made all the more satisfying when it is someone you know..

The game is Kickmania, and it is truly a kick ass game (pun intended). The game is nothing complex. As soon as you start the application you are presented with a dummy that has the face of President George Bush (no pun intended). Okay, so now what? Well, the game is simple enough: you angle your foot, adjust the elevation, wait for the power meter to reach its apex, and give Mr. President a good old kick in the pants.

After kicking the dummy, you get to watch it soar through the air with rag doll animation as it crashes through brick walls and, if you have them, a few explosive charges. Once the dummy lands, you get your distance score, and if you kicked them far enough get to post it on their Facebook profile.

This is where the social aspect really comes into play. One of the key draws to Kickmania, is that you can take any of your friends pictures, and place their face in the dummy helmet, and after kicking their ass far enough, you get to post it on their profile and link them to the video replay claiming that you now “own” their ass. Of course, you are not limited to just your friends, but can also kick the ass of any random person that has played the game. Furthermore, the more asses you kick and own, the higher you move up in the leaderboards, thus adding a small competitive element to the game as well.

Each kick costs $100 in “Kick Ass Bonus Coins.” This currency is used not only to kick people around, but also to buy cosmetic rewards, or to give as gifts to other players. Initially, you start out with an ugly, hairy foot, but as you earn money, you can upgrade this to different types of shoes and boots.

Money in the game isn’t exactly hard to come by either. Not only can you earn 3,000 coins daily just by logging it, but you can earn them by inviting friends, sharing replay videos, trying ad offers, or flat out buying them with your phone or PayPal.

While it isn’t a very deep game, Kickmania is just simple fun. The developers have taken a very basic concept and presented it in such a way that it is enjoyable to use. The rag doll animation adds a sense of personality to each kick, and the use of your friend’s pictures gives each usage a personal touch. Moreover, while the game doesn’t allow you to play with others, the ability to share your “owning” with your victims really adds a great way to have some extra fun with your online friends. It just goes to show, that even the simplest of ideas can be fun if presented in the proper light.