PES 2011 delivers hours of footy fun on-the-go for high-end Droid owners

Platform: Android

RATING
3 out of 5

PRICE
$6.78

TASTY
The only realistic, truly “deep” soccer experience to be had on your Android device. In a class all by itself!

BUMMER
Be sure to check the tech requirements before attempting to install this beast. PES 2011 only runs on the very latest, most powerful Android devices. If you own an original Droid dating back even 4-6 months, you’ll be out of luck. Can only be purchased through a PC Web browser; unable to find the app using phone-based marketplace apps at time of review.

COOL
Includes access to UEFA Club competitions, featuring the very best European club teams, and an unrivaled True Flow control system to make it easy to get into the action with a very small learning curve for new players.

SIMILAR APPS IN THE MARKETPLACE:
Football FreeKick (soccer)
Soccer Superstars
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Button Football (Soccer)

Read all of my Apple iPad and Google Android application reviews at Appolicious and Yahoo! Tech.

As an early adopter of the Android platform, it’s hard not to be disappointed when a stellar title like PES 2011 Pro Evolution Soccer comes along, only to discover that it’s only playable by owners of the very latest hardware.

After some serious begging, I was able to get a friend to loan me his Evo long enough to play and review the app, but was disappointed knowing that this will preclude hundreds of thousands of our readers from getting to experience the app.

Those serious concerns aside, PES 2011 is without a doubt one of the very best games available in the Android Marketplace today. The character models are spot-on, the soccer fields are immaculately rendered, and the action is intense from start to finish. Anyone with a serious soccer addiction, right on down to a mom or dad with a child in a youth soccer league, will find the app to be immediately playable, and instantly addictive.

It’s clear that the developers at Konami spent a serious amount of time programming and perfecting the built-in True Flow control system. It takes full advantage of your device’s accelerometer and AI-assisted touch controls.

It’s easier than ever to jump from player to player, make your way up and down the field, kick the ball towards another player or the goal, all without a lengthy learning curve.

And once you’re ready to go beyond these “easy” controls, you can easily swap in an on-screen D-pad and other play buttons. No matter which control scheme you choose, the mini-map of the field at the bottom center of the screen will help you see where your players are at any given time, and a quick glance may mean the difference between passing for an easy goal or soloing a failed goal attempt.

For serious fans, PES 2011 also includes access to UEFA Club competitions, featuring the very best European club teams. Throw in dyamic crowd sound effects, spot-on opponent AI, and a screen-filling experience, and you’ve got yourself a must-have game for every high-end Android owner.