It’s winter, it’s cold, and you want to play cornhole. And that’s why smartphones have apps! I downloaded four of the top free cornhole games for iPhone and spent some time playing each game. If you’re looking for your next gaming addiction, one of these could be it.
Game 1: Ultimate Cornhole 3D
The first game offers single player, two player, and time attack. Time attack is a time 30-second game with eight bags total. It’s good practice, but I prefer the 1 player option for a night of smartphone gaming. This is the first time I’ve ever played a game like cornhole on a phone, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s very simple. You can see most of the bag, as if you’re holding it by your waist, at the bottom center of the screen. You hold your finger on the bag and swipe your finger forward to throw the bag. The length of the line represents the distance of the throw. There is a small wind meter on the screen, showing MPH and direction, and the wind changes slightly with every toss. The change in the wind keeps you on your toes! It’s hard to find your rhythm when it goes from 9 MPH East to 4MPH West between throws.
One of the reason I prefer the P1 and P2 games is the graphics. The perspective follows the bag through the toss and there is another graphic after each bag to show your score/foul. The biggest reason, though, is for some reason, the slide of the bags on the board seemed a lot more realistic. The timed attack felt more like the bags just hit the board with a “thud” and that was it. In the versus games, it feels more real. It also, somewhat embarrassingly, took me five games to get a bag through the hole on timed attack.
Cancellation scoring is used in this game and you play to 21. There are two free boards to choose from, but you have to buy custom bags or custom boards. You can also pay to play ads free.
I lost.
Game 2: Corso’s Cornhole Challenge
This game, which is all Home Depot-themed, only allows you to play single player unless you create an account. I created an account, so I was able to play single player, find Facebook friends, or lookup an opponent by username. If you choose single player without selecting an opponent you know, you can choose from normal, intermediate, and expert. I may be pretty good at cornhole in real life, but I am new to cornhole for the iPhone, so I selected normal. You can also choose from two sets of boards and what background you use. (You have a backyard, a beach, or a parking lot tailgate.) There are no other customization options.
Like Ultimate Cornhole 3D, these graphics follow through with your throw. You have a different angle of the bag though. It is further out, as if you’re holding it further in front of you, and consequently, I thought it was a little easier to guide on my toss. There’s more bounce than slide and the wind stays fairly consistent throught he game rather than changing with each throw. This let me find more of a rhythm to my throw, as I would in each real life game.
One of the most realistic parts of this game is how sassy your computerized opponent can be. I heard things like, “Boo-yah!” and, “Are we aiming at the same board?” You can turn this off, but I enjoyed it.
In this game, points do not cancel. You play to 21, regardless of rounds.
I won!
Game 3: Pocket Cornhole
Choice number three has background music! There is also a typo in the game’s instructions (“ammount”) and there is no definition of how to win, but I made an effort not to hold this against the app before giving it a try.
This game gives you 1 player and 2 player options. If you select 1 player, you have the option of practice, time attack, and vs. computer (with the choice of amateur or pro). You can also choose between a yard and a stadium’s parking lot for your game’s location. There are 6 bag colors and 9 board designs to choose from. (I chose teal & red and the football field board in “my” backyard.)
The perspective in this game is similar to the past two games. It’s sort of an in-between of each, with a full bag shown toward the bottom. However, in this game, it isn’t the same swipe or flick to release the bag. You hold your finger on the bag to fill the “power meter” on the left of the screen and the slide your finger forward to toss the bag, keeping the angle of the swipe and strength & direction of wind in mind. It felt trickier than the first two games when I first started, but I actually came to like it and performed the best on this game. (I learned the hard way… the bag will catch fire if you throw it on the grill.)
As with the past two games, you play to 21. This game uses cancellation scoring. And you get fireworks when you score!
I lost.
Game 4: Holiday Cornhole
When you start this game, catchy Christmas music and all, you are given a notice that you must purchase the game within the app store to play a full 21 innings or to get an “easy” mode. I had no issues with the free version, but I will probably purchase the app if I keep playing!
There’s no customization on this one, but I am okay with that because it was probably my favorite of the four games I tried. I’ve decided this is my favorite for two reasons. 1. This game has the same hold and flick option to throw the bag, but Holiday Cornhole will also let you swing your phone, as if you’re actualling holding and throwing the bag. This made the game a lot more fun. Be careful though! It’s sensitive and I actually dropped a few bags by swinging my arm back too far. 2. What really sets this game apart, considering it is the simplest with no wind, props, or customized options, is the wise-cracking elves. They actually had me laughing out loud, especially when they told me to “lay off the eggnog.” With this comes the best graphics depending on where your bag lands and how you score. (Another reason to buy the app… even more wise-cracking elves!)
This fourth game also has the most competitive scoring. You have to score exactly 21; if you go over, your score is reset to 15.
All in all, this was a fun experiment and I’d recommend all four games for different reasons. If you didn’t join a winter league and are looking to play cornhole during the winter months, this is a great way to do so! Also, reach out to us on Facebook and let us know if you have any virtual cornhole games you like more than the four we’ve listed. I’d love to give them a try.
Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Contact
