Coin Strike

Coin Strike is one of those games that explains itself in about ten seconds and then quietly eats your afternoon. You drag back on a coin, aim the arc, let go, and try to clear the board by knocking other pieces into pockets. The physics feel just weighty enough that a good shot is satisfying and a bad one is clearly your own fault.

What surprised me is how much depth hides under the simple flick. Later boards add bumpers, moving targets and chain setups where one well-placed hit clears four things at once. The game nudges you toward thinking a move ahead without ever lecturing you about it. Controls are one-thumb friendly, which makes it a perfect bus-ride game.

It isn't flawless. The difficulty spikes a little hard around the middle stages, and the menus look a touch plain. But the core loop is tight, the haptic feedback is lovely, and it loads instantly. For a free-to-download arcade game, Coin Strike punches well above its size.

What we liked

• One-thumb controls that feel precise
• Clever board layouts that reward planning
• Instant load, perfect for short sessions