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Category: Entertainment
Seller: Jermaine Clarke
Requirements: iPhone 2.2 software update
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 2.7 MB
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Price: $0.99

Nunchaku is quite a different application. When I first played around with it, I was slightly disappointed by its lack of features, but it’s a decent application to show off the accelerometer and for a quick burst of fun.

Interface

There’s not a lot to talk about in regards to the application’s design itself. There’s no menu or options, and the instructions are limited to a single line. That’s alright though, because all you’re required to do is swing your iPhone or iPod touch around. The visual representation of the nun-chucks themselves is brilliant. The image is realistic with an authentic feel, although it’s clear that the image has been hinged in one specific place, as the chain also stays completely straight. A white background refers all attention to the nun-chucks themselves, but when you’re using the application, you’re not really looking at the screen.

The App’s Application

You are more likely to find enjoyment from Nunchaku if you’re into martial arts. While I happily played around with it for a few minutes, I soon became bored of the looped sound effects and lack of gameplay. The sound effects, however, are the best part of the app. They truly represent the swinging motion of the nun-chucks on the chain, and the sound when you swing it, of hitting someone, is realistic (not so much that your family becomes scared of going near you, though).

Final Thoughts

Because of this application’s basic features, there’s not a lot I can say other than what’s already been mentioned. It’s a fun app to play around with when you’re with friends, and to show off the accelerometer. If this feature was incorporated into a game—say, in a fight scene where you use the nun-chucks to defeat an opponent with true swinging motion—then it would be a lot more interesting. For what it aims to do, it does it well. There’s nothing wrong with it in that sense, but for now, I can only see it being a gimmick to show off your iPhone/iPod touch.

One more thing I will say, though. You may want to use a case on your iPhone/iPod touch when you’re playing around on Nunchaku. I became…a little enthusiastic while playing with it this morning—it’s easy to let go of the iPhone when you’re swinging around, pretending to be fighting with Jackie Chan.