The PLL made some news this week, releasing the beta version of PLL Top Shelf, the PLL’s first ever mobile game. Thanks to Mike Rabil, we have known for a few weeks now that a mobile game would be coming soon, but the beta version was just finally released on the app store.
PLL Top Shelf was created with the help of Carlos Sunseri, developer of other mobile lacrosse games, like College Lacrosse 2014, College Lacrosse 2019, and Lacrosse Arcade 2014. It’s a target-practice-type lacrosse game where players hit targets on goal. It starts out with five targets, one in each corner, and then one in the middle. Once you finish the five targets, that’s when the game gets a little more difficult.
The next “level” of PLL Top Shelf involves moving targets. A new spot to aim appears after you hit each moving target, and you have to hit the target before it passes the crossbar. As you continue, it goes from one moving target to multiple targets at a time. During this portion, the game ends if you miss a shot. There are also power ups you can earn while playing: an explosion, which will clear all targets currently on goal, and a fire shot, which seems to give you a faster shot for 10 seconds.
You collect coins after each time you play PLL Top Shelf, earning one coin for every target hit. These coins can be used to buy sticks and other characters. You start the game with Kyle Harrison, but you can use coins to buy Paul Rabil, Matt Rambo, Myles Jones, Josh Byrne, Colin Heacock, Grant Ament, Bryan Costabile, and Ryan Brown. Each player has a home, away, and 2019 PLL All-Star jersey option (All-Star jerseys are only available for players who participated in 2019 PLL All-Star Game). You can also buy sticks, which are for aesthetic purposes only, and you can also earn sticks if you play for a certain number of days in a row.
High scores are posted on the leaderboard, so you can compete against friends on your Apple Game Center and players all over the world, then challenge yourself to beat their high scores.
Overall, PLL Top Shelf is a simple yet fun game. It’s still in its beta version, so I’m sure some of the kinks will be fixed soon (like the aiming, you have to tap slightly above the target in order to hit it), but it’s still a good start and is definitely designed for the younger PLL fan. It may not be the big fancy lacrosse game that fans want, but you have to start somewhere. If the PLL has success with Top Shelf, it might pave the way for a more in depth, EA Sports-type lacrosse game that most fans long for.
