iPhone games tend to work best when they are kept simple, and Trash of the World is a great example of just how minimal iPhone games can be. This is a game of throwing rolled up balls of paper into the bin. By flicking your finger up the screen you choose the angle of your throw, but you have to flick in time with the power slider at the side or your throws will be too short or too long.
That’s really all there is to the actual play of the game, but that’s not to say that it’s easy. Getting the flick just right takes practice, especially on the higher difficulties and if you don’t learn to compensate for the crosswind you will never get your trash in the can. It’s like a single hole golf game.
As if it was a case study in “small details which make game work,” Trash of the World turns its limited game-play into an entertaining and addictive diversion with nothing more than its scoring system. You are awarded a point when you get your rubbish in the bin, miss a throw and your score is reset to zero. It may be harsh but it’s always fair and it drives you on to improve your score better than any flashy congratulations screen or unlockable bonuses. Trash of the World also features Facebook and Twitter integration and friends lists to keep the interest in high score competition up.
The first level, the one available in the free version, is a pleasant street scene in what is probably New York. In the paid version you get four further environments to perform your rubbish throwing antics in. No doubt these locations have become the focus of the worldwide trash-tossing scene because of the nearby urban wind-socks.
Both the free and the paid versions make a great addition to the iPhone’s catalogue of 30 second gaming experiences, and to your iPhone’s folder of fun distractions.
