Description: Container Truck is an Android game that focuses on bringing the fun of having to load container trucks to your smartphone or tablet. The main aim of the game is to load up your cargo and then drive the truck to its destination across town. The bulk of the game however is carefully loading cargo onto the trailer using the crane, which can be a lot of fun especially if you’ve always wanted to play around with one. Using 3D graphics and multiple camera angles, Container Truck gives players all the tools necessary in order to experience the loading of trucks and such. How much fun is something like this? Read on as I try to find out.
How it Works: You’ll first need to download Container Truck from the Play Store and from there you’ll be able to start playing the game.
All you need to do is to choose a level and the game sort of thrusts you into things without much instruction. However, things are fairly straightforward. You’ll need to use the controls to move the crane’s boom forward and backwards and then move the magnet up and down.
You can change the view by hitting the camera button which will enable you to pick up cargo with more precision and then successfully load it onto the container.
Once you have the cargo loaded onto the truck, you’ll need to drive the truck to the designated area to drop off the cargo. I found the steering wheel to be very difficult to use here, but I guess it just needs time to get used to.
At the end of each level, you’re given a score on how well you did.
As you play, you’ll be given points for doing things smoothly and such, but if you drop cargo or crash you’ll be given negative points.
Opinion: The overall concept and gameplay of Container Truck is a good deal of fun however, there are a number of issues holding it back. For one thing, the textures are of very low resolution and they don’t look great on tablets at all, but the cars and truck look decent enough. As for the controls, they’re fairly easy to use when controlling the crane but they fall apart when trying to drive the truck to its destination. It’s a shame that the controls are a little finicky as the game does play well once you’re into the swing of things. With a little more polish and attention to detail though, Container Truck would be a lot more fun.
Ratings
- Speed (3.5/5) – Despite using a powerful tablet, I found the game ran okay using the crane but became somewhat jumpy when driving the truck.
- Features (4/5) – It’s packed with some decent features and there appears to be a food variety of levels on offer, so there’s little to complain about here. As well, piloting the crane is genuine fun.
- Theme (3/5) – The 3D assets for the truck and cargo are all fairly good but the rest of the city and background seem murky and washed out, which is a shame.
- Overall (3.5/5) – With some extra polish, higher resolution assets and better controls when driving, Container Truck would be a much better game. The gameplay is fine and should appeal to a lot of people it just needs some improvements here and there.
Pros
- Container Truck’s concept is a fun one and with so many other simulation games out there, it’s clearly a popular type of game.
- Controlling the crane is a lot of fun and while there appears to be a lot of control it all comes together fairly well with some good precision.
- Differing cargo and different amounts offer different challenges when moving from one level to another and there’s a decent amount of gameplay here.
- For those that games where skill and finesse are required, Container Truck is a game that will appeal greatly.
Cons
- Needs higher resolution assets for the game to stand out as the backdrop and other 3D assets are a little drab.
- Driving the truck is fairly difficult and clunky which is a shame as the crane’s controls are comprehensive and precise.
Conclusion: Overall, I got the impression that Container Truck is a game that feels a little unfinished, and one that has a lot going for it. With some added graphics and more attention to how the truck handles, Container Truck could become a really good game. However, until then it seems like the best part of the game is the crane part of things which is good fun for those looking for a change of pace and something that require skill and precision.