Parents' Guide to Head Ball 2

This odd little app is more "pong with creepy bobble heads" than what we call soccer, but it's fun nevertheless -- as long as you look past its flood of ads. By removing all of soccer's field maneuvers, Head Ball 2 boils things down to the game's most exciting part: scoring goals. Simple button controls help you move an oversized head with a single cleat-clad foot around the field. The controls take some getting used to, especially since your player can appear on either side of the screen. But once you get the hang of the controls, scoring goals is easy.

Or it would be, without the super powers. Super powers add an element of surprise and humor as your controls suddenly work backward or the ball bursts into flame. Obviously, players with more super powers have an advantage, and getting these powers means lots of play time and optional ad-watching. This gets tiresome, especially when you've watched the same three ads more than a few times. Also tiresome is the unreliable matchmaking. Often, it's hard to find an opponent to play, and when you do, it feels as if your opponent could be computer controlled. Still, even with these issues, Head Ball 2 is fun in a weird kind of way and a decent download if you've got a hankering to score some goals.