Some of the most excellent iOS games have very, very simple premises. “Smash Hit” is one of them. You have a number of ball bearings, which you tap the screen to shoot to destroy glass obstacles in your way or to collect more balls. If you hit an object, you lose 10 balls. Score is based on how far you get. Simple. Addictive. Amazing.

The graphics in “Smash Hit” are very well done, reminiscent of the old visions of what Virtual Reality would look like; think Lawnmower Man or the Animus from “Assassin’s Creed.” The game speeds up as you progress, giving you an easy learning curve. It also has checkpoints, allowing you to re-start from somewhere deeper in the game should you so desire. Its mechanics are easy to learn, intuitive and extremely difficult to master. “Smash Hit” offers much in the way of replay value, and the monetization of the game is subtle and non-invasive.

Unlike a lot of modern, simple games, “Smash Hit” does not punish the player for leaving in the middle of the game or not playing for a few days at a time. You can leave in the middle of ploughing your way through a level and not come back for days and you will return to exactly where you left off. There is no energy or stamina, so you can play as frequently, or with as little frequency, as you like without being punished.

It is, in fact, very difficult to criticize this game. It would be almost impossible to improve the game in any way without making it something else entirely. Perhaps more power-ups or more variety would be good. A better musical score. But at that point you are nitpicking. “Smash Hit” is simply a very good distraction, precisely what it was designed to be.

So, if you have a few moments and some time to waste, pick up this game. It is free, easy and fun, which is more than you can say for a lot of things out there.