Can Knockdown 2 is a collection of three minigames: In the first game, you get five balls, and face a bunch of cans neatly stacked on a shelf. You have to throw a ball at the cans and knock them down. Knock all the cans down (in one shot, ideally), and you can move to the next level.
You get only one new ball per level, so if you take more than one shot to finish a level, you’re that much closer to striking out. Each new level has more cans, and pretty soon “special” cans start appearing, too--some are filled with powerful explosives, while others grant you an extra ball.
The two other modes are timed. The “target mode” (my name, not the game's) gives you an unlimited supply of balls, which you have to lob at randomly placed targets. It’s easy to hit a target anywhere; if you manage to hit the bull’s-eye, though, the target breaks with a satisfying crunch, giving you five extra points.
In the other timed mode you need to hit cans that launch into the air, clay-pigeon style. To me, this is the hardest mode the game has to offer. You need to calculate the trajectories of the ball and the can, and have them somehow meet midair. The task can be quite challenging.
The game’s menu system is built like a minigame in itself, where you throw a ball at one of four large boxes to enter the game mode you wish to play. If you noticed that I listed three game modes but mentioned four boxes, you’re right: The fourth box is a link that takes you to one of the company’s other games on the Android Market. This marketing gimmick appears even on the paid version of Can Knockdown 2, and is really the only thing I don’t like about the title.
All in all, it’s a fun, addictive game. The basic mechanics are simple, but take time to master. Here’s hoping the next version won’t have any marketing tricks up its sleeve.
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