App Shelf Blog - iPhone Reviews

Peggle Goes on 99¢ Sale!

2009-06-11T22:33:00.002-04:00

Category: games
Price: $4.99 on sale for $0.99
App Store Link: [Full]

PopCap's widely popular game Peggle has just gone on sale for 99¢ through Sunday, June 14th. This is a phenominal deal from PopCap (makers of Bejeweled) who normally keep their games priced around $4.99. While we haven't formally reviewed the game yet, we've definitely played it, and Peggle for iPhone is an excellent take on the computer version of the game. Peggle provides tons of fun and hours of entertainment. We at the App Shelf Blog highly recommend taking advantage of of this phenomenal sale!

Gameplay Video

~M@

The iPhone 3G S Price Confusion: Questions and Answers

2009-06-11T01:35:00.007-04:00

Elated Apple and iPhone fans poured out of Apple's 2009 World Wide Developer Conference Keynote buzzing about the announcement of a new iPhone 3G S release date slated for less than two weeks away and priced only at $199 or $299 for a 16 or 32 GB model respectively...

At least until they recalled Philip Schiller's words "for new and qualifying customers." That's when the confusion started. Couple that with popular news sites reporting that current iPhone 3G owners would have to pay and additional $200 over the announced price to upgrade, raising the cost to $399 (16GB), or $499 (32GB), elation soon became disappointment and frustration.

After the disheartening announcement, it didn’t take iPhone owners long to discover some small print at the bottom of Apple's iPhone 3G S page that reads: "for non-qualified customers, including existing AT&T customers who want to upgrade from another phone or replace an iPhone 3G, the price with a new two-year agreement is $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB)," and the frustration quickly turned to incredulity and anger.

To further the frustration, Apple’s iPhone 3G S page was reportedly quoting current owners inconsistent pricing. Finally, two days after the pricing debacle, things are starting to clear up.

After contacting both Apple and AT&T, I was told the official pricing scheme was as follows:

For new customers: $199 (16GB) $299 (32GB) – two year contract required.

For customers qualifying for a phone upgrade: $199 (16GB) $299 (32GB) – two year contract required. [There are various requirements to qualify for a free upgrade. No iPhone 3G customers will qualify at the date of launch. Talk to AT&T to find out when you qualify for a free upgrade]

For customers qualifying for an early upgrade: to $399 (16GB), or $499 (32GB) – new two year contract required + additional $18 dollar upgrade fee. [An early upgrade means you don’t qualify for an official free upgrade. Essentially, this is every current 3G owner]

For customers wanting non-contracted phone: $499 (8GB iPhone 3G only), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB) – NO contract required.

Finally, for customers that purchased an iPhone 3G within the last 30 days, contact AT&T immediately to find out your options. You have special options available to you.

For the launch on June 19, customers will be given the option to purchase their iPhone at either an Apple Store or AT&T Wireless location. The biggest notable difference from the previous two releases is that Apple is allowing for early reservations on their website (AT&T allows for early reservations made in-store). However, according to Apple’s website “Pre-authorization does not guarantee iPhone availability at an Apple Retail Store. iPhone is sold on a first-come, first-served basis.” This means that early registration may not mean much (other than giving Apple a general idea of how many iPhones to ship to each store). According to Apple Retail Stores, Apple hasn’t issued any specific plan for launch day to handle these reservations as of yet.

AT&T on the other hand already has a plan in place. They plan on forming two lines, one for those with reservations and one for those without. The line with reservations will be let into the store first, giving them priority for the new iPhone. Further details of this plan are laid out in this somewhat offical video:

If you plan on purchasing your iPhone from AT&T, check with your local store to confirm this plan and reserve your iPhone in-store ASAP

If you plan on getting your iPhone from Apple, seriously consider getting “pre-authorized from Apple’s iPhone 3G S website. While Apple hasn’t officially laid out any launch day plans, it’s quite possible they’ll follow suit with AT&T’s surprisingly organized-sounding plan.

And for those curious to know why you’ll have to pay a higher price to upgrade, the reason is relatively simple (though some might argue unfair). Apple technically retails the phones at $599 and $699. AT&T subsidizes the phones for their customers down to a lower price. This means that AT&T pays Apple the difference between Apple’s retail cost and the price “new customer” price (i.e. $400 dollars). This effectively starts AT&T with a $400 dollar loss for every new iPhone customer.

The reason AT&T is willing to do this is because they intend to make that money back with their $60+ per month plans over the duration of a 2-year contract. Because of the high cost AT&T pays for a subsidize iPhone, AT&T would make very little net profit by giving the full subsidized rate to a customer already locked in to a two year contract (basically it would be equivalent to knocking an additional 200 dollars off your current contract for free). Not only is this an unrealistic business move, but assuming that there will only be a limited number of iPhone 3G S’s at launch (i.e. that demand will be greater than supply), for every current iPhone 3G owner under contract AT&T gave a subsidized iPhone to (which is literally nothing more than a $200 dollar loss to them, because they already have them under contract), they would be sending away a potential new customer that would actually earn them profit.

In the end, AT&T is essentially (and theoretically) paying Apple $200 for every year by which you extend your current contract. If you’re a new customer, you’re creating a two-year contract, and therefore AT&T pays $400 of Apple’s retail price. For those who purchased an iPhone 3G at launch, if you upgrade, you’re essentially extending your contract by one additional year, so AT&T pays $200 of Apple’s retail price. If a customer wants to purchase the new iPhone without a contract, AT&T pays nothing, and sells the phone at Apple’s retail price.

I’m not saying that these prices are fair. After all, there’s something to be said for customer loyalty, but at least we know we’re being screwed for a reason.

~M@

Star Defense Review

2009-06-09T00:06:00.008-04:00

Category: games, tower defense
Price: $5.99
App Store Link: [Full] / no lite version

Review: Like it
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Apart from it's 3D environment and spherical maps, Star Defense is just your basic tower defense game. While the game is fun and enjoyable, there's definitely better available on the App Store. That said, if you've already exhausted games like, ElementalMonster TD, Sentinal: Mars Defense, Fieldrunners, Crystal Defenders, the Creeps and Geo Defense and are looking for another Tower Defense (TD) to get you through the day, Star Defense will fill the gap.

Star Defense is ngmoco's first attempt at a tower defense game. Since its original announcement several months back, Star Defense has managed to generate a great deal of hype. This is partially because of high expectations for ngmoco, the first gaming publisher to receive a grant from iFund, and partially because of ngmoco's past success on the App Store with well known games like Rolando, Topple 2, and Word Fu. With Star Defense's release (un)coincidently coming alongside the announcement of the new iPhone 3G S earlier today at Apple's WWDC '09, it's time to see if ngmoco's new app can meet its expectations...

...And sadly, I'm going to have to go a against the grain. While the app was well received by ign.com and met mixed if not somewhat favorable reviews at the popular iPhone gaming site touch arcade, I found that Star Defense did not live up its hype. In fact, side from the 3D environments and spherical (or cubed) maps, there isn't much here that hasn't been done better by a previously released iPhone tower defense app. If you take those honestly trivial details away, you're left with nothing more than a simple and basic tower defense app. Even the trailer for Star Defense makes it look more exciting than it actually is.

That said, just because Star Defense doesn't live up it's hype doesn't make it a bad game. In fact, as a basic TD, the game is quite fun (hence the "like it" rating). The controls are solid: touch swipe, pinch zoom, two-finger rotate, and drag 'n drop towers. The graphics are very good (though not as good as some reviews have given the game credit for in my opinion). The enemies and towers are well balanced. There's a very decent amount of playtime in campaign mode, as well as an endless mode with facebook/twitter leaderboards. The problem is that these are starter ingredients for any decent TD, not the unique selling point. For Star Defense, the only truly unique selling point is the 3D spherical maps, and even this concept doesn't come without it's problems. While we're on the subject, Star Defense has its fair share of problems.

First of all, the 3D maps are really nothing special; hypothetically, they're just flat maps wrapped around a sphere or cube, and all this does is prevent the player from seeing the entire map at once. I realize that's supposed to part of the fun, but again, as the games only unique selling point, it's not that impressive. Second, the game is missing a lot of standard features that have become widely expected in TD games; this is a major no-no since the tower defense genre is so prominent in the iPhone gaming community. These features include lack of any kind of tower placement grid. This means players have to "eyeball it," which is very hard, if not unrealistic, on a map you can zoom and scale. The lack of grid created planning problems for me on more than one occasion during play through. Sadly, another missing feature is the coveted fast forward button, so players have to prepare themselves for sitting through slow waves and/or repeated waves from failed missions. Another issue some players make take with the game are the noticeable tower limits in the right hand corner of the screen. Admittedly, these limits seemed to affect gameplay very little, but based on historical precedent, players don't like feeling limited. Additionally, there's no advanced upgrade system other than tower upgrades (i.e. no interest on your currency; no decisions on what towers to unlock; no gems gems to earn and spend after a perfect round)--nothing to give the game that extra depth. Finally, what happened to all the cool com-voices from the trailer? They are mysteriously absent from most (if not all) of the game. It's situations like this that great such great hype for an average (and then subsequently) disappointing game. These implied that there would be some kind major story arc or plot line to accompany the game, which simply isn't there.

Overall, Star Defense didn't live up to hype and anticipation surrounding its release. And while I don't think it's very to simply judge a game on the hype proceeding it, I do think it's fair to hold expectations for the app against similar previously released apps. Keeping in mind that ngmoco is one of iPhone's premier developers and publishers, I think it's also fair to hold high expectations for any ngmoco title, and frankly, Star Defense fell short of both sets of expectations. I know people want to jump on board because it's ngmoco--heck, I did, too--but again, being completely honest, if a friend new to iPhone TDs asked me to recommend some good TDs, this one would be towards the middle/bottom (excluding the unrealistically under-professional apps of course). games like, ElementalMonster TD, Sentinal: Mars Defense, Fieldrunners, Crystal Defenders, the Creeps and Geo Defense would come first. But if you're a gamer who's exhausted all those other TDs and are looking for an new one to temporarily satisfy your appetite, Star Defense can definitely fill that gap.

Click to Enlarge

Gameplay Video:

What I'd like to see in future updates: Interestingly enough, Star Defense in one of the first apps to publicly acknowledged its 3.0 ambition, meaning the developers have already promised future content obtainable through Apple's new In-App Purchasing System (met with mixed feelings by many). What we'd like to see in some of that content and upgrades: Optional placement grid; fast forward button; use of shake/tilt controls (something many might expect from ngmoco); more towers; advanced reward systems; add in a plot line, some cinematics, and if nothing else, those cool comm voices from the trailer!

~M@

DinoSmash Online

2009-06-07T02:53:00.003-04:00

Category: games, shooters, multiplayer, deathmatch,
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Love it
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Debatably the best online multiplayer deathmatch game currently on the app store. Easy to play, but hard to master. If you like multiplayer deathmatches, this is a must have; but if you don't want to take my word for it, there's a free lite version.

DinoSmash is an awesome, facepaced 2-D online deathmatch shooter. Players run, jump, and swing across various platforms while gunning for rivals. Offering four unique game modes, including deathmatch, team deathmatch, survivor, and capture the flag, Dinosmash keeps it simple with well implemented controls that are easy to pick-up for even the novice gamer. Yet even with in its simplicity, the app manages to offer a level of sophistication for dedicated players, challenging them to master the 5 various weapons, a double jump ability, and an incredibly useful grappling hook.

In its most recent update, the game offers character customization adding a bit of flare to the dinos along with several other great improvements, like the ability to zoom out with a tap of the screen (a very useful, yet overlooked ability). At its core, DinoSmash is an exceptionally smooth, polished, and fun 2-D multiplayer deathmatch extravaganza, and because you're playing against live players, the game never seems to get old.

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Gameplay Video:

~M@

The Sims™ 3

2009-06-06T00:21:00.003-04:00

Category: games, time management, simulation
Price: $9.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: If you're a fan of the Sims series, you'll probably enjoy the iPhone version. It should keep you busy with hours of playtime and objectives built in. However, it's worth noting that "build mode" is absent from this game. Players can still fully decorate, customize and upgrade their house, but cannot build a custom house (an oversight that might steer some fans away).
Replay Value: Very High

The Sims 3 for iPhone is a great casual player's game. In this version of the game, players control only one Sim that they create from scratch at the start of the game. Essentially, players help guide their Sim through daily life by making critical (and not so critical) choices for their Sims, such as where to work, what to eat, when to sleep, whom to fall in love with, and how to spend leisure time. The intended goal of the game is to help your Sim become successful and fulfill as many "wishes" as possible, though many gamers take pleasure in finding less conventional paths for their Sims.

Besides the traditional Sims gameplay patterns of "eat, pee, shower, job, eat, entertain, sleep, and repeat," Sims 3 throws "wishes" into the mix to add a little variation to the old routine. Sims can have up to 4 wishes at a time that function as gameplay goals. These goals can be as simple as "catch a fish" to as odd as "sleep in three beds other than your own." This mechanic helps keep the game fresh and goal oriented. There are 73 possible wishes to discover and fulfill. In addition, the iPhone version offers 3 mini games (four if you count gardening, which I don't), including fishing, cooking, and repairing; each of which utilize the iPhone's unique platform strengths (tilt, shake, touch).

The game does have a few flaws. Despite the new mechanics, the gameplay still feels repetitive and/or empty at times. I often found myself with nothing exciting to do for several sim "hours" while waiting for sim work. It'd be great to see lots of random extra's in the game to pass the time. It'd also be nice to be able to control more than one Sim. the absence of build mode is a sad setback to the game. The controls are well designed, but take a bit of getting used to because the app disregards some traditional iPhone standards (e.g. instead of using pinch to zoom, players use a slider on the side of the screen). Yet when all things are said and done, none of these reasons (save maybe the absence of build mode) give cause to disregard the game. It's still an engrossing game with more replay value than most other premium apps and debatably worth the $9.99 asking price.

Obviously this game is not a direct port of the PC/MAC version; anyone expecting that kind of similarity to the computer version will be sorely disappointed. That said, EA did an excellent job on this toned down, mobile version. The game delivers the atmosphere and feel of the Sims series one should expect to find in a fun and graphically pleasing package.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future versions: House building mode; Fast Forward Button; Life Happiness Points to spend for fulfilling wishes (Like in the computer version); more goals; more characters; more objects; more mini games; basically... more!

~M@

Terminator Salvation - Review

2009-05-07T23:34:00.003-04:00

Catagory: Games, third-person shooter, action adventure
Price: $9.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it!
Replay Value: Once through w/ unlockables & achievements for replay (Medium Low)
Recommendation: If you're willing to drop the cash, get it. This game is exceptionally well made with truly premium price quality gameplay. The biggest complaint seems to be overall content, adding up to approximately 3-4 hours of total gameplay.

After months of preview shots, Terminator Salvation finally makes its way into the App Store. The game places players in the role of John Connor, Marcus Wright, Kyle Reese, and even the classic T-600 skeleton (the latter as an unlockable game mode) as they form the Resistance against Skynet in a exceptionally detailed post-apocalyptic world.

Terminator Salvation is one of those games that proves iPhone has real potential as true game system. Gameplay and graphics are brilliantly smooth and detailed. The game offers four possible control setups, including virtual d-pad and accelerometer options. Default setup has controls using a virtual d-pad for moment and touch-screen for directional look and aim (the defaults worked so well, I found no reason to change them). A more refined version of the Brothers In Arms controls might make a good comparison.

In addition to having everything you'd expect from a third person shooter, Terminator Salvation employs both a smart cover and smart targeting system that are very useful. First, for cover, players can run close to any barrier or wall to instantly duck for cover, popping out briefly only when the fire button is pressed. Smart targeting also cuts down on the frustration typical of many shooters; simply get the crosshair within a reasonable distance of your target and your gun will autolock on it.

Overall, the developers did a great job immersing players into the Terminator Salvation themed environment, including in-game cinematics (unfortunately with text instead of voice-over). Really there's not a lot to complain about here accept for a few nit-picky details except maybe the length of playtime and price. Yet even with that said, gamers expecting this kind of quality from an app need to start expecting to pay a little more out of pocket; quality doesn't typically come cheap.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: Bonus levels!

~M@

Azkend -- Review

2009-04-25T11:28:00.003-04:00

Category: adventure puzzle games
Price: 2.99 (introductory)
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite

Review: Love it!
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Azkend is an exceptional puzzler, breathing new life into the world of match-3 games. It incorporates a fun premise with great touch controls, unique power-ups, and hours of gameplay. If you're anything like us, you'll find this one hard to put down. I'd recommend this game to every match-3 fan (and just about anyone else)!

In adventure mode, Azkend begins with an intriguing story in an attempt to add some purpose to the game. Players take on the role of an Archaeologist on a journey to return an ancient artifact to the temple of time. The artifact, recently removed from its home has unleashed a terrible curse, and the only way to lift the curse is to make the long journey back to the temple on your own. Along the way, players reassemble broken talisman that, once unlocked, serve as helpful and devastating power-ups.

At the most basic level, gameplay consists of trying to solve a puzzle-board before time runs out... but there's so much more to it than that. To solve a board, players must activate every tile of the backdrop of the board. Tiles are activated when a match is made using an item resting on that tile. To make a match, players must make a chain of 3 or more items using touch controls; the selected items then disappear, the tiles activate, and new items slide down to take their place. To make the game more interesting, tiles can have special attributes such as being covered in tar, encased in ice, being locked, or requiring double activation. Once every tile has been activated, an artifact piece appears at the top of the game board, and players have to move it to the bottom by making matches below it (so it slides down). Onces players have retrieved the artifact piece, it's time to move to the next level.

In addition to these basics, there are several elements that aid layers of strategy to the game. Making smart moves can help players charge a lightening meter, which, when unleashed, activates random tiles (eventually, using this can be critical to activating hard to reach tiles). Players also unlock various talisman power-ups throughout their journey. At the beginning of each level, players can choose a talisman to help aid them in their quest, including the bomb, light, and avalanche talisman just to name a few . Different talisman can be useful on different levels depending on the shape of the game board.

In addition to the adventure mode, there's a fun survival mode thats fun for quick and casual play.

Overall the graphics, controls, gameplay and overall experience are superb. Anyone who thought match-based puzzle games were finished will be pleasantly surprised by Azkend. Once you pick up this app, you'll find it hard to put down--literally. Personally, I always found myself playing "Just one more level" until that "one more level" was 5 or 6 levels ago. I highly recommend this app to just about everyone! If you're interested, get it while it's at its introductory price of $2.99!

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Gameplay Video:

~M@

RO® -- Review

2009-04-18T15:20:00.003-04:00

Category: puzzle games
Price: 1.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Replay Value: Medium
Recommendation: RO® is a unique rotating puzzle game ideal for quick play. The game starts simple, but quickly becomes frustratingly fun. Definitely try the lite version first; if it wets your appetite for some more difficult puzzle, upgrade to the full.

RO® is a new style of puzzler for iPhone that relays on a series of rotating rings layered inside one another to re-align an image on screen. Players solve each puzzle by re-aligning the puzzle to its original position. As the puzzles progress, there are a few elements that make for increasingly difficult puzzles: First and most importantly, is the relationship between rings. Moving one ring may have an affect on several other ring-layers of the puzzle. These relationships become more complicated as the difficulty levels increase. Second is the number of rings; the more rings a puzzle has, the harder it is to solve. Finally, the background image can also affect difficulty level. Certain images are harder than other to visually align.

RO® is intended to be a quick play puzzler with simple touch controls (it can be easily controlled with one hand, using the thumb to rotate). The app definitely succeeds at this goal, making it ideal for on-the-fly play, such as while waiting in line at the supermarket. The inclusion of its auto save feature makes it simple to stop and start playing instantaneously.

Replay value is somewhat determined by the number of puzzles and will be the most fun on its first play through (though even I haven't made it through all the levels yet). That said, the developer added a bit of replay value by tracking time and number of moves used to complete a level, so you can always try to beat your own personal best.

Overall, RO® delivers what it promises. While the game itself isn't overly complex, it's great for a simple pick up and play puzzler. In addition, the game is visually appealing and fun--if not frustrating--to play. Give the lite version a go to get a taste for the app, and if you enjoy this unique, new style of puzzle, download the full version (which adds significant play time to the game).

Click to Enlarge

~M@

Hysteria Project

2009-04-10T13:53:00.006-04:00

Category: games, horror, choose your own adventure
Price: $1.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No lite version

Review: Adequate (with lots of potential)
Replay Value: Very Low
Recommendation: If you're interested in this app, I'd recommend trying it, despite the adequate review; just be sure you know what you're getting (see below).

Hysteria Project is the evolution of the classic "choose your own adventure" books. Of course, instead of books, we're now dealing with "an entirely filmed adventure." This particular app is the first in a series of episodes planned to be released (with no specified schedule), which means Hysteria Project, by itself, does not provide a complete story. In this reviewer's opinion, Hysteria Projects, in many respects, is both a failure and success (hence the adequate rating).

Before getting in to the pros and cons of the app, let's take a look at storyline and gameplay: Players are put behind the eyes of a kidnap victim (assumingly abducted by the mysterious and frightening serial killer that becomes the antagonist of the first episode). When the story begins, you awake finding yourself tied up, trapped within a wooden shack in the middle of a forest with only two things on your mind: escape and survival. Once you manage to spring yourself from the shed, you find yourself racing through the forest chased by a frightening and mysterious hooded figure brandishing an axe. What happens next is up to the player.

Much like players might expect from a choose your own adventure game, gameplay isn't anything overly complicated. Essentially, it consists of watching a video clip then making a choice (such as "try to run" or "find a hiding spot") from a selection menu. Occasionally during a video, the game will also ask players to touch a target on the screen to complete an action, such as moving a branch (failing to do so typically results in death). Should a choice result in death, players are not forced to start from the beginning, but rather, gameplay picks up from the video prior to the choice resulting in death.

Now that we've established that the premise and control system are fairly well designed, we can take a look at the pros and cons.

The Pros:
Hysteria Project sets out to create unique and frightening gameplay experience and does an excellent job of doing so. The foggy and shaky video, suspenseful storyline, and terrifying characters create a horrific atmosphere (and we mean that in a good way). Additionally, the soundtrack is exceptionally well made and playing Hysteria Project in the dark with headphones definitely adds to the experience. In fact, if your into suspense thrillers or horror films, playing this app for the experience alone is almost worth it.

The Cons:
Unfortunately, Hysteria Project has its share of setbacks. The game play lasts for only about 20-40 minutes (about 30 on average) and has very little replay value. The majority of this episode seems to be a lengthy forest chase, creating a very repetitive play experience; Honestly I could have been seeing the same video over and over for all I know. Additionally, more than anything else, it felt like the majority of my choices were based on which direction I should run (not the type of choices one typically looks for in choose your own adventure games).

I would have definitely like to had more strategical choices than "turn left or continue straight," the overall importance of these decisions seems rather arbitrary. In a choose your own adventure game, players should make important decisions based mostly on strategy, intuition, and a little bit of luck; in Hysteria Project, it felt like a lot of pointless decisions with a lot of luck and little strategy. Further, a good choose your own adventure game should have several paths and several outcomes, not all leading to death, and (though it's hard to be certain), I felt like my decisions were strongly forced in a specific direction.

While the overarching story seems strong, actual plot development is very slow, by the end of the game, players will know little more than what they started with. Rather than a 20 minute long chase, I would have much rather gotten more into the main plot. And even though the atmosphere of the game was creepy and scary, I very rarely (if ever) found myself jumping or startled. In a game like this, the developers need to make better use of the suspense they create. They should make better use of cheep tactics; for example: when you think you've safely hidden behind a tree, something should burst out and run across the screen (like a deer).

Overall, Hysteria Project does a great job setting up the horror movie environment, but is very much lacking in plot, depth, overall excitement (i.e. too much run, hide, run, hide), and storyline choices (they seem to force players down a specific path). Among other problems, gameplay feels very repetitive. If you like horror movies, the game might be worth trying just for the experience it creates, but if you're looking for an engaging plot with gameplay and strategic decision making depth, you'll probably be let down. All that said, the game and series both have a lot of future potential and we're not ready to give up on it yet.

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Developer Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates (or episodes): Skip button for video clips you've already played; bigger focus on storyline; multiple correct paths; more important/strategical choices as opposed to direction making decisions; A visual storyline map accessible at the main menu to show which paths you've chosen and missed (that allows you to explore alternate decisions after completing the game)--doing so would greatly increase replay value.

~M@

Monster Trucks Nitro -- Review

2009-04-06T16:32:00.007-04:00

Category: racing games
Price: $1:99 (introductory price)
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it (with potential)
Replay Value: Medium-Low
Recommendation: A fun, racing sidescroller game with unique controls, but too few levels. Unless you can't help yourself, wait for more levels.

Monster trucks nitro has met with some mixed impressions among downloaders, but the general consensus seems to be that it's a fun game with too few levels. The game offers 8 off-road stages with no changes of scenery and no unlockable stages. Players can eventually choose between 4 monster trucks; initially it's only 2, but more become available after earning some gold metals (first unlock at 4 golds, second at 8). While the new trucks are fun, its unfortunate that players only earn both after mastering every level of the game (you can't do better than 8 golds). It would be nice to get both trucks while they're still worth using.

First, I think it's important to note that the first 2 levels aren't very fun and don't make the best use of controls (basically training levels), so players shouldn't base their impressions of the game off solely the first two levels or risk missing out on the much more interesting later levels, such as "the loop."

Game play is very fun and unique, but not without its problems. Tilting the device controls the suspension of the trucks, allowing players to get the most out of their jumps and landings. Honestly, this seems to be the heart of the game. Players are also given acceleration, breaks, and cruise control, but I was able to gold all 8 levels without using the acceleration or breaks (just turned on cruise control). The developers should probably try to make better use of the break and acceleration controls or just remove them entirely (personally, I'd lean towards the latter choice).

As far as replay value goes, Monster Trucks Nitro offers some, but not much. Only about 6 of the 8 level offer any challenge or replay value, and most of those players would probably only play until they've achieved their gold metal. Basically, once you've golded all 8 levels, it's game over.

Overall, I think this game is a lot of fun and offers a unique perspective on the driving controls of the device. If your a monster truck fanatic, you'll want to purchase this app (though there should probably be more smashing involved somewhere), otherwise--though I think you'd get a large kick out of about 6 of the 8 levels--I'd recommend waiting to see if more levels come out.
That said, if you're pockets are lined, money's not an issue, and you're simply looking for enjoyable games, this one's meets and exceeds the criteria.

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Developer Video:

~M@

Crystal Defenders UPDATED! -- Review

2009-04-04T16:17:00.006-04:00

Category: tower defense games
Price: $7.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Love it
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: 2.0 Update makes this a great game! Play through the Lite; then upgrade to the full.

Square Enix has finally released the long awaited 2.0 update to their Crystal Defenders TD game. Crystal Defender's was one of the first premium tower defense games, designed by the makers of the popular Final Fantasy series and priced at a steep--at least for the app store--$7.99). If $7.99 sounds out of your price range, don't stop reading yet; the free lite version of the game will give you a good taste of the game and still provide a lot of fun.

The 2.0 Update has been long anticipated by fans and prospective buyers of the game and addresses many of the initial complaints, including the largest complaint: the game was ported and not at all designed to utilize the controls of the iPhone. In fact, the original version of the game only utilized half of the iPhone's screen; the other half was used as an over sized directional pad (i.e. joystick controller). I'm very happy to say that problem has been corrected. Squire Enix May have taken their time with the 2.0 update, but it was well worth the wait. The game has been completely redesigned to make excellent use of the full iPhone screen and touch controls. Additional improvements include slightly revamped graphics to enhance the overall feel and quality of the game, a new touch menu system to make navigation of the app simpler and faster, and a easy to use 4x fast forward button to speed up downtime. And finally, if for some reason you're a fan of the original set-up (though I'm not sure why anyone would be), you can choose to use the old control scheme.

Like most tower defense games, Crystal Defenders consists of strategically positioning specialized units, each with a different function, around a map in attempt to prevent ways of enemies from reaching your base (i.e the other side of the map). Crystal Defenders, however, is superior to many of its competitors in design, number/use of units, and specially abilities that can be purchased/used. I won't go as far as to say this is the best Tower Defense game available on the iPhone platform--I'm sure gamers would largely disagree about which TD app should have that title, but Crystal Defenders is definitely one of the best and in the running for that title.

Overall, this is a great game with lots of strategy, depth and replay value. Match that with the newly improved graphics and interface and this one is a definite winner! My recommendation is to start with the lite version and play through that. Then, if you want more and are willing to fork over $7.99, upgrade to the full version that includes additional, maps, units, and strategies! In my personal opinion, after playing through the Lite Version, you'll be persuaded to buy the full.

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What we'd like to see in future updates: More maps to keep the action coming. Endless Mode. Great work.

~M@

Frankenface

2009-04-02T08:45:00.009-04:00

Category: entertainment photography
Price: $1.99
App Store Link [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it.
Replay Value: Medium
Recommendation: This app might be a little high priced for the current market; That said, Frankenface can be a lot of fun to play with friends and family; more than I initially expected it to be. But be warned, it currently only works with iPhone.

Frankenface is an entertaining app that allows users to mix 'n' match faces using photos taken from the iPhone built-in camera. The app divides photos into there segments: hair & forehead, eyes & nose, and mouth & chin. Users can then swipe to slide segments back and forth to create "Frankenfaces" of their friends and family.

On a side note: while I was intending to review this app today anyway, I found it to be a very fitting time after last night's American Idol Ford Music Video release, entitled "Top 9: Mixed Up" (Click here for the video). This video perfectly demonstrates the concept of "Frankenface." In fact, After watching the video, I think that developers might want incorporate a full body "mask" for this app.

Honestly, this app will provide you with lots of laughs in large groups of friends or family. Imagine, mom's hair with dad's nose and mustache! Or your buddy's face with his girlfriend's hair! Or if you wanna get really creative, your pet's eyes & nose on your face (not that I'll ever admit to trying that)... in any case, the app definitely got a rise in a large group of people, and with the ability to shake the phone to create a random face combination, you never have to strain to hard to be creative. Finally, while the app is a lot of fun, and I think developers should be able to charge higher prices for their hard work, It's probably a fair assessment that in the given market, this app is about a dollar more expensive than it should be.

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Developer Video

What we'd like to see in future updates: Allow users to import photos from their photo library. Yes, I see the complications with profile angling and sizing, but giving the option couldn't hurt (and as an added bonus, it could open the app up for iPod Touch users as well!); Add a body switcher into the mix (head & neck, shoulders and torso, hips & legs). Stick with the swipe and get rid of the tap (I can't tell you how many times I accidentally changed a section I didn't mean to because of the tap control--very frustrating).

~M@

Photo Spot -- Review

2009-04-01T15:15:00.005-04:00

Category: Picture Games
Price: $0.99 (sale) $1.99 (regular)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Replay Value: Variable
Recommendation: Photo Spot is a fun "spot the difference" game with over 100 pairs of photos.

Photo Spot is a polished spot the difference game, plain and simple. Players race against the clock to find all four difference between two images before time runs out and the game is over. The touch control is very precise, but accurate; this helps eliminate cheating (along with a time penalty for a wrong guess). If players get stuck on an image, they are allowed 3 hints per game. Differences come in many different types, including missing pieces, color changes, size differences, just to name a few. The game keeps track of high scores so you can compete with your personal bests.

Additionally, the developer has notified us of a soon to be current update already submitted to the App Store with an expected release during the first week of April. This new update includes global high score charts and 25+ new images (with an additional 50 promised to follow within two weeks).

The replay value of the game might easily depend on how much you play it. If you spend hours playing, you may find yourself becoming too familiar with images for high replay value. However, if you have substantial periods of downtime between play, even with recurring images you might just find yourself frustrated trying to find that fourth difference (in a good way)!

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What we'd like to see in future updates: More and more image sets, of course!

~M@

Quick Draw -- Review

2009-03-31T22:15:00.003-04:00

Category: games, drawing
Price: $0.99 (sale) / $3.99 (regular)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Basically Pictionary for the iPhone. Typically a 2+ player game, but online play makes individual play possible and fun. If it sounds like your cup of tea, give the lite version a try.

Quick Draw brings the fun of classic drawing games, such as Pictionary and Win, Lose or Draw, to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Players have the option of playing offline (requires 2 or more people) or playing solo online over Wi-Fi, 3G, or Edge network.

Gameplay requires at least 2 people (which the online connection can easily supply); one person to be the drawer and another to be the guesser. The drawer has access to a blank screen, 7 colored pencils, plus an eraser and is given 60 seconds to get other players to guess their clue (provided by the app). In the online mode, the guessers type in their answers rather than shouting them out.

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Overall, my experience with the online gameplay was very positive. I never had problems getting into a group, especially if I was willing to play in the "General (lite)" room. Sometimes play in other rooms was hit or miss, but the player base seems to be getting larger and larger. Also makes for a fun pass 'n' play game with a couple of friends. If you like drawing games, I'd suggest purchasing this one while it's on sale!

What we'd like to see in future versions: Shake to erase entire screen; score keeping system in offline mode (online mode has one); offline speed mode (see how many clues your team can guess in 60 seconds); Possibly allow the game server to save random drawings, then allow users to download them into their device so they can play a single player "guessing" game where the clues draw out in front of them from the saved file.

~M@

Smack Boxing -- Review

2009-03-28T17:40:00.008-04:00

Category: boxing, games, sports
Price: $2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Fun Punch Out like boxing game that makes decent use of device. Give the lite version a try, but if you're a fan of the classic Nintendo Punch Out, you'll probably enjoy Smack Boxing.
Replay Value: Medium

Smack Boxing is one of the better boxing titles available on the App Store. It uses a silly but fun cartoonish approach similar to Nintendo's Punch Out, so if you're looking for realistic Pro Boxing, this might not be the game for you. That said, through smart use of touch, swipe, and tilt controls, Smack Boxing gives a pretty comprehensive boxing experience.

The app offers a 2d, third person boxing experience with fairly simple gameplay. Players see the back of their character and the front of their opponent. Players can move left and right (i.e. dodge) across the ring by tilting the device. Smack Boxing uses touch and swipe controls for its three attack moves: tap to throw a basic jab, swipe sideways to throw a hook, or swipe up to throw an uppercut. Left or right punches are determined respectively by the side of the screen players use to make the gesture. This simple set up allows for very natural feeling controls. The use of a "stamina bar" determines when players get "tired" and can't swing as fast. The use of a health bar determines when a player is knocked out. Players can win by scoring a 10-count knock out or TKO (triple knock out).

Players progress through the game buy unlocking different tiers (beat a majority of the boxers from the current tier to unlock the next) and different difficulty levels (easy, medium, hard, and insane). Each of the three tiers consists of two or three funny, cartoonish characters, including a fat Santa look-a-like, a pirate, and a zombie.

Overall, the game is very enjoyable. If the developers provide continual updates, the offers a lot of promise. Fans of the original Punch Out should enjoy this game.

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Gameplay Video

What we'd like to see in future updates: Shake device after knockout to stand back up; more opponents and tiers; multiplayer support; visual character customization; stat character customization (the opponents have stats... why not make a stat progression system for the players?).

~M@

Mega Man II -- Review

2009-03-26T08:55:00.010-04:00

Category: classic games, sidescroller, platformer, nintendo, capcom
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it! (except for one big problem: tiny screen and controls )
Recommendation: Great gameplay and exceptional port; very poor use of iPhone screen. (Read the very last paragraph after the pics and video for a more detailed recommendation)
Replay Value: High

It seems like we're starting to see more and more classic games roll out into the App Store. With the recent additions of Alien Abuse and Wolfenstine 3d, the iPhone is starting to fill the "retro" niche, as well. Needless to say we were excited when we learned that early this morning, Capcom decided to jump on-board by releasing their Nintendo classic, Mega Man II for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Mega Man II is a classic platformer action game originally released in the US 20 years ago in 1989 for the NES. Gameplay is fairly basic, but a lot of fun. Players control the protagonist, Mega Man, a cybernetic boy with a built-in arm cannon. Mega Man fights his way through 8 different specialized levels to defeat 8-different robo-bosses designed by the nefarious Dr. Wiley. Each boss has their own special power that, when beaten, can be added to Mega Man's arm cannon arsenal. After beating all the robo-henchmen and acquiring their weapons, Mega Man fights through several additional level to take on Dr. Wiley himself.

The game offers three difficulty modes--none of which seem quite as challenging as the original, but still fun to play. Game controls function almost exactly like the original Nintendo control. Players are given an on-screen joystick along with two buttons labeled "L" and "R" that shoot and jump respectively. Except for one major exception (see the next paragraph), Capcom did an excellent job with the touch controls. Unlike many other 2d sidescrollers on the iPhone, Capcom built multi-touch into the virtual control pad; this allows players to shift directions and jump while shooting (and vise versa) without taking their fingers off the screen. Will this may not seem significant at first, it's important to note that similar games will only recognize one virtual button at a time, often leaving players with a very limited feel of control (i.e. jump or shoot, but not both).

Unfortunately, the there is one or two major flaws to this near perfect port of the original. The first flaw is the poor use of the iPhone screen. In order to give the game an arcade-like feel, Capcom shrank the gameplay field to about 1/2 the size of the actual iPhone screen (placing the virtual joystick controls beneath). I believe that this may cause many gamers to feel a bit cheated with gameplay and fault Capcom with poor use of the device. The second major flaw is with a vertical confinement of the virtual joystick controls; because the game is played in the vertical orientation, the joystick and buttons are so close together that just about everyone will feel cramped when trying to move and utilize the buttons. The space is so confined that people with large thumbs physically may not be able to play game. Luckily, this is something that could easily be fixed with an update that allowed for horizontal orientation, and hopefully Capcom will respond quickly to the App Store feedback.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: Fuller use of screen; option for horizontal orientation; less cramped controls.

Recommendation: The game is incredibly faithful to the original, but makes very poor use of the device itself. While some players might quickly become frustrated with the cramped virtual controls (especially players with large thumbs), I was able to adapt to them after a few levels of play without many issues. My personal recommendation would be that if you can get past the small screen and the cramped controls (see the screen shots and video above to get a sense of the game), then this game is a lot of fun and worth the money. However, if you have particularly large thumbs, you might be out of luck until we see an update (and unfortunately, I'm quite serious about this).

~M@

Wolfenstein 3d Classic -- Review

2009-03-25T08:29:00.013-04:00

Category: first person shooter games, classics
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: An excellent port of the computer classic, and solid iPhone first person shooter; worth buying for any fan of the genre.
Replay value: High

Id's classic first person shooter, Wolfenstein 3d, has officially been released for the iPhone and iPod. As a predecessor to the legendary Doom (which is also scheduled to be realized to the App Store) Originally appearing in the early 90's, many gamers credit Wolfenstein 3d with pioneering the first-person shooter genre.

For those unfamiliar with the premise, gamers play as special agent B.J. Blazkowicz; your mission: to escape from Castle Wolfenstein and bring down the "twisted Nazi Regime" along the way. The app includes all six missions of the original game, totaling in 60 levels of action-packed exploration and slaughter. During the adventure, players will encounter secret passage ways, stolen Nazi treasure, a dangerous arsenal of weaponry, and countless villainous enemies and bosses (including the infamous MechaHilter).

Developers have created a new control system to accommodate the iPhone, which consists of several new schemes to choose from. The schemes include four variations of touch joystick controls and allow players to incorporate tilt for strafing or turning. Overall, the controls work better than one might expect for a first person shooter and allow significant customization. Currently the controls do not allow for tilt forward movement; this is an addition I would truly love to see. Once I got used to the tilt-to-strafe movements, several times I found myself instinctively trying to move forward with tilt. The greatest difference between iPhone and keyboard controls, in my opinion, is precision movement and aiming. These elements came naturally to the keyboard controls, but may take a little longer to get used to on iPhone (though I do believe it is possible to master).

Additional notable features include a new scrolling map that utilizes pinch controls; multiple difficulty levels; and episode & mission selection (including boss and secret levels).

Playing this game brought back a lot of great memories. The game transitions so well to the iPhone platform that newer gamers might not realize it was originally developed and published for PC. This is a great addition to the App Store.

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Gameplay Video:

~M@

Alien Abuse

2009-03-23T21:21:00.008-04:00

Category: games, sidescroller, shooter, aliens
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Fun game easily worth $0.99. Great for fans of the PC/Mac OS version. Be warned, however, that the aiming controls leave something to be desired (but developers have already promised an update fix).
Replay: High

Some gamers may already be familiar with this 90's classic, then called simply Abuse. Originally developed by Crack Dot Com and published for DOS and eventually remastered for Mac OS (by Bungie), Abuse became something of a cult classic and eventually fell into the public domain. Now Abuse has officially made its way to the iPhone and iPod Touch, renamed as Alien Abuse.
Gameplay is simple and straight forward, lacking any kind of storyline or depth other than to simply survive the maze-like levels and destroy aliens, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Abuse is a fun and easy to get into sidescroller that offers lots of "run and shoot" action. Players can collect many different and unique weapons and power-ups, including grenade launchers, heat-seeking rockets, plasma rifles, and "Death Frisbees,"as they attempt to progress through the levels and activate save points. According the the developers, Alien Abuse has more than 20 hours of gameplay packed in its $0.99 asking price (which is why replay value is rated as high).

Currently, the game suffers from somewhat clunky on-screen joystick controls that, honestly, work fine most of the time except for aiming. Alien Abuse uses a unique aiming mechanic for the sidescroller genre that dynamically allows players to shoot in virtually any direction on-screen, but unfortunately, with the current control setup , this feature is more of a hindrance than anything else. The clumsy on-screen joystick often causes it to be impossible to aim straight ahead--a necessity in Alien Abuse. Luckily, the developers have already promised that a software update is on the way to resolve the control issues. Possibly the most obvious control solution would be to use tilt for movement and joystick to aim weapons.

In any case, Alien Abuse is a fun, action-packed sidescroller and, in my opinion, worth the $0.99. As long as the developers make good on their promise, Alien Abuse is bound to only get better. That said, because of the retro feel and lack of depth, there may be some gamers who find themselves less than impressed by this title if they're expecting more than simply a decent run-and-shoot game.

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What we'd like to see in future updates: Control fixes: tilt movement; scoring system & leaderboards; multiplayer modes (like the Bungie version).

~M@

Let's Golf! -- Review

2009-03-22T01:00:00.000-04:00

Category: golf games; simulation
Price: $5.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Exceptional (Love it!)
Recommendation: Great Game. Exceptional Casual Play. Perfect for any Golf fan. If you've got the cash to spend, get it!
Replay Value: Very High

Gameloft does an exceptional job with their golf simulation game, Let's Golf! In fact, they did such a great job, that Let's Golf! has appeal for both causal golfers and gamers alike. Let's Golf! offers three different 18-hole courses (Fiji, England, USA) and one 9-hole course (Scotland), each with unique scenery and flavor. The game also offers 4 unique golfers, each with different skill sets and a customizable sense of style. Players can choose from 4 different modes: Instant Play mode, which consists of 3 random holes; Free Hole mode, where a player can choose to play through a full or half course; Tourniment mode, where players compete against computerized golfers for the best score; and Multiplayer mode.

To make Let's Golf! accomidate casual golfers and gamers alike, there are two different control styles: one designed for simple play, where the game makes recommended choices for players and uses a simple 2-tap system; and one for advanced players that functions more like a golf simulation game. Gameplay is incredably realistic, incorporating power, strength, accuracy, recovery, terrain, wind, slope and ball-spin. However, the intuitive user interface makes control easy and fun.

The replay value for the game is very high. Quick Instant Play mode allows users to play 3 random holes from the selection of 63, so it's rarely the same game twice. Tourniment mode has 3 different challenging levels (easy, medium, and hard), the last two of which require unlocking. Addtionally, playing through torniment mode unlocks extra clothing and items to help style your golfers. If all of that isn't enough, challanging a friend to Multiplayer mode (on either single or multiple devices) can add a fun competitive edge to game.

Overall, Let's Golf! is an exceptional game, perfectly designed for the touch platform, with great graphics, gamplay, and fun. While golfers will probably enjoy this game the most, I'd recommend this game to just about anyone.

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Gameplay Video:

~M@

Belowscape -- Review

2009-03-21T20:33:00.016-04:00

Category: survival games; shooters
Price: $2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Fun game with decent replay value. If you've overplayed some of the staples, such as Zombieville USA or iDracula, and are looking for something new, Belowscape might help satisfy your craving.
Replay Value: High

Belowscape is a fun retro twist on survival shooters in the same genre as iDracula. Players control a blue-triangle spaceship fighting against other various neon retro shapes (each with their own special properties). There are two different modes to the game, Survival and Rush, and the goal of each is to survive as long as possible while obtaining the highest score possible. The game includes a global leaderboard to encourage competition.

Where this game really shines is in its flexibility of control options. Players can choose from onscreen joysticks, tilt controls, point to move, and point to shoot; this means players can play how ever they feel most comfortable (I personally prefer the joysticks--very well done).

Overall, the game is well-designed, fun and enjoyable. And while their might not be much depth to the game itself, excellent controls and build-in competition help make up for it. Great game for anyone looking for a new survival shooter.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: power-ups (for added game depth).

~M@

3 Point Hoops® Basketball -- Review

2009-03-21T01:15:00.003-04:00

Category: sports games
Price: 2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Nothing too deep, just a great casual play game for sports fans. Worth it.
Replay value: Medium-High

The developers at Skyworks recently released 3 Point Hoops® Basketball to the App Store. Skyworks seems to be one of the leading developers in fun, quick, and casual sports games for the touch platform. You might recognize their name from some of their other popular app titles, including [Aracade Bowling] and [Arcade Hoops Basketball]--Both excellent games, and their new app 3 Point Hoops® Basketball is no exception.

Graphics are exceptional, and gamplay is simple but fun. Players attempt three-point shots from various spots around the line (9 spots with 5 balls each) trying to earn the highest score possible. The game makes excellent use of touch and swipe controls for shooting to give the game a fun and unique feel. Players can choose from two modes, Classic Mode and Sudden Death, and compete by listing their scores on local and global leaderboards.

Is this the kind of game that you'll sit and play on your couch for three hours at a time? No, probably not. But it is the kind of game you can quickly pullout and play while waiting around or standing in line, which makes it a good purchase in my opinion.

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You can view a video demo here: [skyworks]

What we'd like to see in future updates: A new two player mode of the classic basketball game "Horse."

~M@

Amazing Ninja Buddy -- Review

2009-03-20T00:22:00.007-04:00

Category: entertainment ninjas
Price: $0.99
App Store Link [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Has possibility, but not quite there yet.
Recommendation: Gets boring fast, but could be great with updates. One to watch.
Replay Value: Low

Amazing Ninja buddy is exactly what the title implies: your own personal ninja buddy! Upon launch, players will find a ninja standing somewhat patiently in front of them. The ninja will respond to your touch commands; you can make him jump, sit, roll, and disappear all with a few flicks or taps. Occasionally, the ninja will give you some "ninja advice," but the comments were very repetitive (and rarely ever came).

In addition, there are currently two mini games players can initiate with their ninja buddies. One is a very simplified Simon-esque matching game (except with ninja moves rather than tones and colors... and only 5 at a time. No more. No less). The second is a ninja star throwing game. With a flick of the wrist, you try to hit the ninja with a throwing star (not as fun as it sounds). Once players complete these games, they unlock 2 additional gestures.

At the moment, that's all there is to the app. Simply put, there needs to be more content here--much more--to justify the price. In its current incarnation, I think it's safe to say many users will bore of this app after their second 5-10 minute use (and that may be generous). Taking some notes from Nombie Zombie might really help Amazing Ninja Buddy. First, I'd like to see some unlockable accessories added to the game for the Ninja to interact with. I'd like to see a couple of new mini-games with more depth and replay value than the current ones. Additionally, I'd really love to hear the ninja talk more. He should easily offer 25+ clever (or funny) ninja tips. Finally, Ninja buddy needs to be way more interactive. The basic 6 or 7 gestures get very old very quickly.

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Gameplay Video:

All that said, there is definitely something good here. The concept's fun. The animation is strong. Now we just need more play value, and hopefully we'll get it in future updates.

~M@

Metal Gear Solid -- First Impressions Review

2009-03-18T00:23:00.007-04:00

Category: games, shooters
Price: 7.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Initial Impression -- Like it... I guess

Recommendation: Not your typical MGS gameplay, but still a strong app. Basically it's a glorified "touch 'n' shoot" along the lines of Wild West Guns, Time Crisis, and Shooter. And the 12 stages available at initial release only take about 45 mins to play through. Unless you're a die hard MGS fan or a die hard touch 'n' shoot fan, the steep $7.99 asking price will probably be a major deterrent, making the game not worth the price.

Replay Value: Medium-low

This one is definitely going to cause some controversy over the steep 7.99 price tag. It would seem gamers are paying more for the name than the gameplay. In this advanced release, games are given 12 of the eventual 20 levels (still, thats not very many considering the first 12 only took about 45 mins to complete). In this "touch 'n' shoot" style game, players will control Old Snake. Gameplay is fairly simple; basically players sit behind a wall for cover, and then pop up to shoot enemies when the timing is right.

The game had some fun & clever features; using pinch to switch to sniper mode, for example, is an excellent mechanic, and the touch controls are well done. The detailed storyline is fun, but at $7.99, I think most players will expect cinematics, not large paragraphs of text. Unfortunately, on the whole, there isn't much here that gamers haven't seen somewhere else. Players really only have 2 weapons to choose from (though a power-up offers a 1-time use 3rd weapon) The majority of the missions are very easy, though some of the later levels do offer a significant challenge.

Once you've been the game, however, you unlock Survival Mode. In Survival Mode, your life bar does not reset at the beginning of each level, and once it's gone, you have to start from the beginning (i.e. no continues). Survival Mode will be the hardcore gamers' true test of skill, but that said, the replay value of the levels are pretty low, so I can't imagine many players overly excited to go through the game a 2nd or 3rd time. This becomes even more of a problem when trying to purchase unlockable wallpapers; earning the cash to buy these requires multiple play-throughs.

Overall, this game is fun and enjoyable for it's first playthrough--a whopping 45 minutes for 12 levels. Even when the developers add the additional 8 levels their promising, I can't imagine full gameplay being more than about two hours (at best). As one of the higher priced games on the App Store, I think Metal Gear Solid Touch may leave gamers disappointed with the brevity of the title . Unless you're a true MGS fan, you'd probably be better off steering clear of this title, and picking up a cheaper shooter with more content.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: More content; more levels; more weapons; adjustable crosshair movement sensitivity settings; cinematic (or at least narrated text).

~M@

Wheel of Fortune - Review

2009-03-17T16:10:00.006-04:00

Category: puzzle gameshow games
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Excellent translation from TV to iPhone; if you're a fan of the game, get it.
Replay Value: High

Sony Pictures Television has made the review for there app easy: it feel like you're actually playing the gameshow, and it's as simple as that. From the opening "Toss-up" rounds to the final bonus round, the game plays exactly like the TV version of Wheel of Fortune, including bonus spins, jackpot rounds, and mystery rounds. You can even land on the "million dollar" sliver in the middle of the Bankrupt section. Best of all, because of swipe controls, players can actually spin th wheel themselves! According to the developer the game boasts of 1000 puzzles.

If you don't have have time for a full game, Wheel of Fortune will save and pick up where you last left off. Or you can simple play a quick game with "Toss-up" Mode. Additionally, players can quickly skip cut-scenes to speed up the game. To add a little spice to the game, players can customize their own avatars, unlock trophies, and see their total winnings and career progression.

All that said, Wheel of Fortune does have it's weak areas. First, there's no voice announcer (though many people might see this as a plus as it probably speeds up the game). Also, there's a loophole that makes for easy cheating. When the gave saves in the middle of a puzzle, it defaults back to the beginning of the puzzle upon reload. So basically right before another player solves the puzzle, players can quit the game, reload, and solve the puzzle right from the start.

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future versions: Option for a voice announcer; virtual prizes to collect on wheel spins and bonus rounds.

~M@

Dapple -- Review

2009-03-16T10:07:00.007-04:00

Category: color-matching puzzle games
Price: $2.99 (sale) / $4.99 (regular)
App Store Link: [Full] / Lite Version Coming Soon

Review: Like it
Recommendation: An interesting twist on color-matching puzzle games; worth it for the one-device, two-player mode.
Replay Value: High

Dapple is a new take on the standard match-3 (or in this case match-4) puzzle game along the lines of Bejeweled and Puzzle Quest. However, instead of simply swapping gems, game play consists of removing colored paint blobs from the board by mixing paint colors together to create new colors (e.g. mixing red paint with a blue blob will make a purple blob).

At the beginning of each turn, players are given a random paint color on their paint brush. Players can then double tap a blob to mix it (and all connecting blobs of the same color) into a different color. If the new-colored blobs touch 3 or more blobs of the same color, they are removed from board and new blobs drop down. As blobs are removed, a progress bar is filled; when the bar is completely filled, players advance to the next level. The concept is actually very simple and easy to pick-up. To add a little bit of depth to the game, there are 2 types of power ups and 1 obstacle blob players can encounter. The "water drop" power-up destroys all adjacent blobs when it is triggered, and the "diamond" power-up destroys all blobs on the board of the same color when it is triggered. Brown-blobs of paint serve as obstacles; they're color cannot be altered (though they can be removed from the board by matching them with paint blobs the color of their visible core).

The game has 3 modes of play: Classic, Timed, and Versus, and it's the relatively unique Versus mode that makes this app really shine. Versus mode is played with one device. Opponents are given one standard-sized, shared game board, but can only make moves on their designated half. Players take turns making matches, and every time a player makes enough matches to fill his or her progress bar, they gain control control of an additional row of the board. the object is to take control of the entire board, or force your opponent into a position in which they have no more moves on their side of the board. This, in my opinion, was by far the most addicting part of the app.

Overall, Dapple is very similar to other color-match games, but offers a few new twists. If you're a fan of the genre and always looking for something new, you might enjoy this app. If you're sick of the genre, Classic and Timed mode probably won't offer you enough variation from other color-match games; the unique play-and-pass Versus Mode however still might be reason enough to buy the app. It's nice to find a few games out there with play-and-pass Versus Mode for when you're hanging-out with your less trendy, iPhone deficient friends.

As a final note, I think it's important to mention that with a few clever updates, Dapple definitely has the possibility of setting itself apart in the color-match genre and making itself a must-have app.

Click to Enlarge

Developer Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: 1-player versus mode competing against AI (this is the games strongest feature; utilize it!); more power-ups (especially in versus mode); more obstacles; more mode variations; anything else to make gameplay slightly more unique and exciting at higher levels.

~M@

1 vs 100™ -- Review

2009-03-12T22:20:00.015-04:00

Category: game show trivia games

Price: $4.99

App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it

Recommendation: Stays true to the game show. Fun & unique trivia game. Worth the money.

Replay Value: High

1 vs 100 is a trivia game based off the television game show of the same name. As the contestant, you answer a series of questions against a "mob" of 100 people (computer controlled). The goal of the game is to eliminate as many members of the mob as possible. Mob members are eliminated when they incorrectly answer a question. Players earn money for each member of the mob eliminated. The game ends when a player chooses to walk with the money or incorrectly answers a question, in which case the player's winnings are split among the remaining members of the mob. Like the now classic "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" game show, dollar values are tiered, meaning the longer contestants stay in the game, the more money they make per mob member eliminated. Also like Millionaire, contestants are given 3 "helps" including: "ask the mob," "poll the mob," and "trust the mob." These are very similar to Millionaire's "lifelines."

Overall, the game plays very smoothly. It's clear the that developers put extra effort into making players feel like actual contestants on the show. The host even announces the game for you. For those unfamiliar with the game show, it's still a very good trivia game with a fun twist. Personally, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a new trivia game willing to play the price. My only criticism of the game is that because it is so true to the real-life show, it sometimes feels unnecessarily slow and repetitive in it's delivery of questions (e.g always watching the board select the dollar value before every question, the host always saying his little spiel before every question, etc.) Players can tap through these screens, but even that adds unnecessary waiting if you're in the mood for quick trivia; however this could easily be fixed with a setting to toggle of waiting between questions.

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Developer Video:

What we'd like to see in the next update: The ability to speed up waiting between question rounds (possibly a settings toggle)

~M@

Attack From the Dead -- Review

2009-03-12T14:01:00.004-04:00

Category: survival shooter games, zombies
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: If you enjoy games like Zombie Invasion, you'll probably get a kick out of this app.
Replay Value: Medium

It seems that Touch gamers are obsessed with zombies. Or at least you'd think so based on the number of zombie killing games on the App Store. Attack From the Dead is another zombie killing, survival shooter similar to Zombie Invasion [App Store Link] [read our review], and I don't necessary mean that as a bad thing. In the wake of games like Resident Evil and House of the Dead, I think there's good reason people are obsessed with these games.

Attack From the Dead is fun addition to the line-up. The premise to the game sets up players as the sole surviver of a special-ops military team sent into a zombie infested town in order to retrieve a valuable scientist and any other survivors you might find along the way.

Gameplay is fairly simple, but has a bit more to it than Zombie Invasion. Like Zombie Invasion, zombies wander onto the screen, and you try to blow them away before they can reach your barrier. If you can survive the waves of zombies until daybreak, you are awarded 3 action points. You spend your action points to search building on the map (see the images below) for survivors, new weapons, and items to strengthen your barrier against the zombies. Your action points expire if you don't use them all, so you have to make smart decisions. There are multiple weapons to discover and any survivors you find will help you defend against the zombies. Once your action points are spent, you return to your barrier and prepare for the next night's onslaught.

Honestly, I found the game to be relatively enjoyable and possibly more fun than Zombie Invasion, which can tire out quickly. I also think this App should have a higher rating on the iTunes App Store; however there were a several elements that slightly affected gameplay and could be improved in future updates. I'll take a little bit of space to address some of these issues. First, you can walk your character up and down along the barrier to get better aim at some of the Zombies, but you can't shoot while moving; this should be fixed. The trajectories when aiming towards the bottom of the screen are cut unusually short, forcing players to walk all the way to the bottom to kill those incoming zombies; this should be fixed. A related problem is in overlap preference of zombies. Zombies die faster with headshots, but the overlap gives preference to zombies higher-up on the screen. This means if two zombies are neck and neck in the race for your barrier, you might be aiming for the lower zombies head, but preference will be given to the higher zombie, and you'll end up shooting the higher zombie in the knee instead of the lower zombie in the head; this definitely needs to be fixed.

End of game continues are another issue. players seem to be given unlimited continues, and at the beginning of a continue, all ammunition for every weapon you've found is restored; basically, this rewards players for dying (sometimes I found it easier to let myself die and start a round fresh with full ammo & barrier strength rather than to waste action points on repairing). This somehow needs to be addressed and might be accomplished by better balancing weapon ammo supplies (maybe zombies should drop supplies in addition to finding them in buildings). Maybe continues shouldn't be unlimited, but players can unlock additional continues.

Overall, I think this is a very enjoyable game that you will get your .99 cents worth out of. I would gladly recommend this game to anyone who has the extra cash and is looking for a fun zombie shooter game, but maybe not to those individuals who only have $0.99 to spend for the month or even week. The area where this game loses to Zombie Invasion is the lack of global leaderboards. It would be nice to see a survival mode with leaderboards added. I believe doing so would give this game a strong advantage over Zombie Invasion. Basically, as long as the developer supports this title with updates, I think it could become very strong. And finally a tip to players: If the zombies reach your barrier, shake your device to slash their heads off with one swipe of your blade! It makes a big difference, trust me.

Click to Enlarge

What we'd like to see in future updates: Basic UI improvements; balancing improvements; survival mode with global leaderboards (See above for more detail).

~M@

Topple 2 -- Review

2009-03-12T00:43:00.006-04:00

Category: puzzle games
Price: $2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version (though the original Topple is free [Topple Link])

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Try the original Topple; if you enjoy the mechanics, Topple 2 will blow you away.
Replay Value: High

The sequel to ngmoco's Topple--apply named Topple 2--has officially hit the App Store. The basics of Topple are simple: stack the Tetris-like pieces that fall from the sky as high as you can without toppling them over. Topple 2, however, adds several new twists to this already addicting concept, including upside-down stacking, platform balance, "power tower" (i.e. electric current), and rescue missions. These new modes are unlocked by playing through and conquering levels on the overworld map. After completing a zone (such as the upside-down stacking zone), it unlocks free play for that mode.

Other fun new additions include Versus and Challenge mode. Versus mode lets you race head to head against a live opponent on the same Wi-Fi network. Challenge mode lets you save & send your "ghost" to friends to battle against. Combine this with a slew of achievements to unlock and ngmoco has added another fun and addicting game to their ever-growing repertoire.

If you're unsure about purchasing Topple 2 at its current $2.99 asking price, try downloading the original free Topple which could essentially function as "Topple 2 Lite."

Click to Enlarge

~M@

Oregon Trail -- Review

2009-03-11T22:25:00.008-04:00

Catagory: games; education; classics
Price: $5.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: (See Below)
Replay Value: Medium-low

Oregon Trail is a touch-platform remake of the classic educational computer game (I personally remember playing the original version on the Apple II). This title might hold a bid of nostalgia for some gammers, taking them back to their elementary school days, and it's safe to say the game has evolved significantly since then. The graphics and gameplay are far superior; Gameloft did an excellent job incorporating the touch and tilt controls. And yet all this is done without sacrificing the classic feel of the original.

Players take on the role of a mid-nineteenth century family living as pioneers and traveling the famous Oregon Trail. Players must choose from 3 different professions when the game begins--the first of several significant choices players are forced to make on their journey. The purpose of the game is to survive the journey with as few casualties as possible, but many unforeseen events make that harder than it sounds. As the game progresses, players compete in several different mini games to keep gameplay fresh and much more interesting than the original Oregon Trail. Some of these games include, hunting, berry picking, fishing, gold sifting, telegraph sending, with a few more surprises along the way. Gameplay is mainly solid except for long loading times between almost every scene--a setback that might deter some less patient gamers.

The replay value for this game might be somewhat limited as the main story remains similar for every journey. That said, the initial play through value is fairly long and there are several elements that might motivate some to try the journey a second or third time (i.e. trying the different professions, etc.).

My recommendation for this title is somewhat complicated. First, I think it's a pretty solid choice for any person who is a fan of the original game. Next, keeping in mind this is technically an educational title, I think it might be a good purchase for a younger audience (say middle school; that is if the load times don't cause the kiddies to lose interest). However, as far as the casual gamer goes, if you're unfamiliar with the original, you may or may not find yourself put off by this game. It's not the most action-packed, fast-paced game you'll ever play, but it can be fun to create a family and see which members survive, which die of illness, and which get carried off by wild animals. Personally, as a fan of the original, I found the title to be very polished and enjoyable, even at the steep $5.99 price tag.

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Developer Video:

What I'd like to see in future updates: Faster loading times; increased replay value; a lower price tag.

~M@

Blackbeard's Assault & 5 Fingers Games Bundle -- Review

2009-03-10T22:36:00.011-04:00

Blackbeard's Assult:
Category: action puzzle games, shooter
Price: $1.99 individually OR 4.99 in the 5 Fingers Games Bundle
App Store Link: [Full - individual] / [Free Lite Version] / [Full - 5 Fingers Games Bundle]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Try it; if you like it, consider getting the bundle for 3 dollars more.
Replay Value: Medium

Blackbeard's Assault is a fast-paced puzzle shooter similar to Puzzloop (but at a much more reasonable price). Gameplay consists of removing cannon-balls as they travel down a track towards your goal--"X" marks the spot. Balls are removed when players match 3 or more by aiming & shooting cannon balls of matching colors. Several power-ups add an extra element of fun and strategy to the game (While the game is definitely easy enough to pick up and play, I suggest reading the rules as they will make you a better player). Additionally, adventure mode adds a brief storyline to the game. In every level, players are given 2 or more loaded cannons to alternate between (a fun variation from Puzzloop). Overall, Blackbeards Assault is a very enjoyable game.

Interestingly enough, Blackbeard's Assaut is not new to the iPhone, but what brought it back to our attention (and hopefully the attention of our readers) was its inclusion in the newly released 5 Fingers games Bundle [App Store Link]. The Bundle combines the full version of 5 different games from 5 different developers in one standalone app, and all at a decent savings from the purchase price of the originals. The included apps are Blackbeard's Assault, Burnball, Chopper, Sneezies, and Up There. Individually, these apps retail for a total of 9.95, but in the bundle, players pay only 4.99 for entire selection of games.

The concept of bundles like this are particularly interesting for several reasons; maybe most notably because not only do they offer significant savings to buyers, but they also help conserve on app space on the touch devices--a big bonus for those who constantly have all of their 9 pages filled. The bundle concept might also help smaller developers who have a hard time charging $0.99 for their app; combining several of these apps in a $0.99 package might encourage purchase.

There are some concerns that go along with bundling like this, however. One such concern is the handling of updates. Apple has made it simple for developers to add quick updates to their applications, but it would seem that these bundles might complicate that process. Developers would be forced to collaborate anytime they plan on releasing an update to anyone of the single apps... or possible risk foregoing updates all together. All-in-all, bundling apps has definite longer-term potential for the App Store.

5 Fingers Games Bundle:

Images of Blackbeard's Assault:
Blackbeard's Assault Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates of Blackbeard's Assault: Some sort of endless/survival more for each map (to compete for high scores); potentially some kind of Wi-Fi versus/battle mode (alone the lines of Bust-a-Move); and of course more levels.

~M@

Bounce On -- Review

2009-03-09T23:16:00.010-04:00

Category: platform games, side scroller
Price $3.99 (currently on sale for $1.99)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Love it
Recommendation: One of the best side-scrolling games for iPhone. If you like classic Super Mario Bros. games, buy it.
Replay Value: High

With the game Bounce On, Team Phobic proves that it's possible to bring fun and dynamic side-scrolling action to the touch platform--a genre where many other developers were much less successful. At the most basic level, Bounce On will remind gamers of the classic Super Mario Bros. Players control a red bouncy ball with personality (and blinking eyes) that is trying to find its way back home. The game makes good use tilt controls for movement and uses the entire screen as the jump button. As players roll their way through the various levels trying to make their way home, they must stomp bad guys, find power-ups, and collect gems. In addition to the standard completion goals, each level comes with a time-challenge that allows players to earn bronze, silver, or gold metals, thus adding to the replay value.

The game makes uses of an "overworld" map--similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3--and offers players multiple paths to reaching the "door" to the next world. Currently the game consists of 2 worlds with over 30 levels of play. The developers promise more worlds to come as free updates with world 3 near completion.

Overall, I've found the game to be very enjoyable and entertaining. While the price is higher than the typical $0.99 most developers are being bullied towards, the game offers very significant playtime for the price. I highly recommend this app to anyone who's been itching for a Mario-style game on their iPhone. If you're skeptical, give the lite version a try first. Great work Team Phobic!

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Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: Addition of a second "button" for additional functionality (i.e. touching the right side of the screen makes Bounce jump; touching the left side of the screen should make him do something else with the proper power-up. I'm not sure what exactly, lets just say he needs something like fireballs, a cape, or a raccoon tail... okay, maybe not those specifically, but something along this lines.)

~MR

Zombie Nombie - Review

2009-03-08T23:23:00.004-04:00

Category: entertainment, games, zombies
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: If you've ever fantasized about owning a pet zombie head, buy this app! ( Great game for Pocket God fans)
Replay Value: High (especially if developers provide frequent updates)

Have you ever wanted to own a zombie head for a pet? Well than Zombie Nombie might just be the app for you! The app itself is very simple, but very entertaining. On launch, users will find a floating zombie head that they can spin, poke, prod, bounce, or "torment" in any number of ways. And if a plain zombie head gets to boring after a while, users can customize the look of their zombie with a plethora of accessories; in fact, the more you play with your zombie, the more accessories you unlock.

Users can also unlock additional skins for their zombie by playing Spin the Zombie--a game that basically consists of repeatedly spinning the zombie head and poking him in the face (a surprisingly addicting game, especially when you learn that earn certain scores is what lets you unlock that various skins). I honestly must have spent hours spinning the zombie head trying to unlock skins (I know that sounds like a bad euphemism, but I mean it quite literally).

In addition to everything else, Zombie Nombie can act as an egg timer (a little random, but why not?). Overall, Zombie Nombie is a very entertaining app worth the price... but buyers need to remember, this is more of an entertainment app than it is a game (in the same fashion as Pocket God). Hopefully the developers plan on supporting this app with updates!

Click to Enlarge

Developer Video:

What we'd like to see if future updates: More skins; more accessories; more games to play with nombie zombie; more ways to interact with him; more random expressions/comments from the zombie; and last (but not least), Zombie Nombie's head to explode when the egg timer runs out!

~M@

Watchmen: Justice is Coming -- First Impressions

2009-03-07T00:19:00.007-05:00

Category: games, mmorpg, social networking, rpg
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Pending
Recommendation: Keep an eye on it, but don't buy until they get the kinks worked out.
Replay Value: High (when working)

With WATCHMEN: Justice is Coming's offical release today, many have been experiencing numerous technical difficulties trying to log in and/or stay connected to game's server (which is required for play). Needless to say, this has left many players somewhat frustrated with the game. While we must recommend waiting until the kinks are worked out to purchase the game, we can give you some initial impressions based on our very limited gameplay experience.

The game is essentially an MMORPG (Massive Multilayer Online Role Playing Game) and takes place entirely online (you must have internet connection to play). Set in 1975 New York, players control a unique and customizable "costumed hero" in a time when such vigilantism is outlawed. Players wander the streets, looking to level their character by searching the city, fighting criminals, completing storyline tasks, or fighting other live players. As players search the city, they find costume pieces hidden about. These additions can be used to fully customize the characters look (ideally making every character original).

In addition to customizing a character's look, players can customize their character's statistics and fighting abilities as well. Fights in the game use a turn-based system where each round both combatants choose an attack from their arsenal and then watch it play out. The winner is awarded experience and prestige. Players can also chat with other players and add them to their friends list.

The graphics and overall atmosphere of the game are exceptional, but even if developers do get all the kinks worked out, it seems like the game will require a certain amount of patiences with all various loading times between scenes, fights, and locations. That said, if the developers can get the kinks worked out, this could be quite an accomplishment for the touch platform. The controls and menu system are actually very well done, making the game easy to control. We're definitely excited about the possibilities here. We'll keep an eye on this one and update the review if developers manage to make some progress. Until then, here are some screen shots from the game:

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~M@

Aurora Feint ||: Tower Puzzles -- Review

2009-03-07T00:00:00.003-05:00

Category: Puzzle
Price: 0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love It
Recommendation: An innovative puzzle game that uses both the touch screen and motion controls effectively.
Replay Value: Medium

Aurora Feint II: Tower Puzzles is a great puzzle game. The basic premise is that you are scaling a tower trying to make it to the top. In order to achieve this feat you need to solve the puzzle on each floor. To solve each puzzle you must move the balls to match at least 3 other balls of the same color, at which point the balls will disappear. When moving the balls you have two options, first you can move one ball at a time with your finger or you can move all the balls at once by rotating your device. Of course if you had unlimited moves the game would be way to easy, so each level has a limited number of moves that you can perform before you lose.

Graphically Tower Puzzles looks beautiful. The background is great and not distracting. The motion is fluid. The colors are vibrant. It's just beautiful. The music is also very pleasing to the ear.

As far as replayability goes there are two ways to look at it. You'll probably only get one play through out of it so that would lead to very low replayability. The other way to look at it is that there are 37 puzzles to solve and you will get stuck on at least one of them (I've gotten stuck on 3 so far that I had to look for a solution for.) It's one of those games that, until you've beaten all 37 levels you'll play for a while, get frustrated, leave, come back later with a fresh head (or a solution), and move on.

The only real problem that I found with it was when they introduced the mechanic of performing two moves quickly together (i.e. moving the ball so it falls but then rotating the screen so it doesn't reach the bottom) as this is not explained and you may not have run into this mechanism earlier in the game.

Overall I can recommend a buy for this game if you like puzzle games because you will get at least a buck's worth of play out of it.

- John

Crazy Penguin Catapult

2009-03-05T23:06:00.007-05:00

Catagory: strategy games
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite]

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Worth the $4.99 price tag, but try the lite version first to be sure.
Replay Value: Medium-High

Crazy Penguin Catapult is immensely fun and entertaining. Players control a rag-tag squad of cute penguin troops on a mission to recover their kidnapped brethren from the clutches of the tyrannical polar bears. At the start of each of the 30+ levels, players must launch their penguins into action by catapulting them through a narrow opening. Then, based on the number of successful catapults, players bomb the polar bears with bouncing penguins. Players can earn stars to help upgrade the penguins on their mission. Stars can be earned by meeting the minimum requirements for each level (i.e. the number of polar bears demolished), and additional stars can be earned by taking out all the bears. Upgrades include things like flaming penguins, ninja penguins, exploding penguins, etc.

Additionally, the game comes with a bonus strategy mini-game in which players take turns with the AI competing for neighboring territories.

All in all this game is a lot of fun with very decent replay value. I personally found it hard to put down. In fact, Digital Chocolate Inc. should take it as a complement that their biggest criticism is that the game doesn't have enough levels. The game does, in fact, have many levels; it's just so much fun, however, that it leaves players wanting more. If we're lucky, maybe Digital Chocolate will eventually give it to us. Great game. Try it, then buy it.

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Gameplay Video

Note: this is not the iPhone version, but the differences are negligible.

~M@

Speed Fiend -- Review

2009-03-04T22:10:00.004-05:00

Category: card games
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: If you're a fan of the card game Speed, this game is worth the $0.99. If you've never played Speed or are skeptical, try the free version.
Replay Value: High

The Touch platform is perfect for an incarnation of the "classic" card game Speed, and Speed Fiend proves it. Just like in the real game, players must race against their opponent (either AI or another person) to empty their 17-card hand into either of two piles on the playing field and must be played in ascending or descending order (e.g. 2-3-4-5-4-3-4-5-6). Speed (and Speed Fiend) is a fast-paced game with no turns; players simply play their hands as quickly as possible.

Where Speed Fiend really shines is in its simple and intuitive touch controls. Players must tap the starting cards to "flip them," drag their cards to the pile before their opponent, and tap the deck to refill their hand. Simply put, this app actually feels like your playing the original card
game.

The full version includes 9 skill levels, one and two-player modes, and a few choices for card backings. The app is very well done, I think fans of the classic "Speed" will be hard pressed to find a better, more realistic version. Highly enjoyable.

Click to Enlarge

Gameplay Video:

~M@

Kindle for iPhone - Review

2009-03-04T01:23:00.003-05:00

Category: utilities, ebooks, readers
Price: Free
App Store Link: [Full]

Review: Love it (though room for improvements)
Recommendation: Possibly the definitive eReader. If you like to read, get it.
Ease of use: Good
Frequency of use: Casual

It's finally here--Kindle... for the iPhone and iPod touch. This FREE app essentially turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into an Amazon Kindle eReader (a $359 dollar value). This long-awaited app allows users to read and store Kindle ebooks right on their touch device. This app has many of the same features as other ebook readers, such as adjustable font size, bookmarking, and tables of contents. However, the big difference between Kindle and other readers is that Kindle has access to an instantly downloadable library of over 240,000 titles, including a vast number of popular titles and new releases (most at reasonable prices--9.99 or less). And Kindle for iPhone delivers it all in a very pretty package.

One of the largest advantages of Kindle is the ease of purchasing quality content wirelessly directly to your device. While the app itself does not allow users to shop for content, the app directs users to the Kindle page using Safari Mobile where books can be purchased with amazon.com 1-click. Then as soon as users launch Kindle for iPhone, their purchases are automatically downloaded. The release of Kindle for iPhone finally makes iPhone and iPod Touch viable platforms for eReaders. In fact, it might not be too much of a stretch to say this app will make convince many prospective Kindle users to pick-up an iPod Touch instead of a Kindle. Especially when considering the cost of a Kindle 2 ($360) to the cost of an iPod Touch ($229, $299, and $399).

Now that we've gushed over Kindle for iPhone, lets address some of the short comings. Kindle for iPhone is noticeably missing some of key features of Kindle and Kindle 2 Devices, such as annotations and voiced reading to name a couple. Additionally, it would be nice to be able to access the Kindle store directly from the app itself. All of these features could be easily implemented with a little work from Amazon; however, one must wonder how much effort Amazon will put into improving this app when it will be direct competition with their own Kindle device. Only time will tell.

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What we'd like to see in future updates: Annotations; voiced reading; direct Kindle store access; scrolling text
~M@

Snake XT -- Flash Review

2009-03-03T23:55:00.006-05:00

Category: games, snake, classics
Price: Free (temporarly) $1.99 Regularly
App Store Link: [Free-Full]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: Get it while its FREE! Especially if you like classic "snake" games.
Replay: Medium-High

This is a contemporary version of the classic snake games. For those unfamiliar with snake, players control a continually growing snake, the object of the game is to survive the game as long as possible without running into anything (which gets progressively more difficult the bigger your snake gets). The game features arcade and challenge mode. In arcade mode you travel an overmap of 28 levels, trying to collect more pieces with each level. In challenge mode, you try to stay alive as long as possible.

The graphics for the game are fairly solid and the touch-point controls offer an interesting twist on the genre. As part of their upcoming features, the developers are boasting "Exclusive Snake Multiplayer, where two players complete for tail pieces on one board and different animals like Rattlers, Boas, Anacondas and Pythons."

Overall, this is a fun game with decent replay value, and--temporarily--at a price you can't beat-- Free!

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Developer Video:

~M@

Buster Boy -- Review

2009-03-03T14:46:00.008-05:00

Category: Arcade, survival
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Adequate
Recommendation: Not a bad game, but you can probably find something better for $0.99
Replay Value: Medium

According to the Developer, Buster Boy is based on 1989 Arcade Classic "Buster Bros." So if you're a fan of the game, Buster Boy might be worth looking at.

Buster Boy isn't a bad game by any means; it has decent graphics, stunning backgrounds, fun music, and smooth gameplay. In fact, the gameplay can be very addictive. Players control a boy in downtown Tokyo and must move him back and forth across the screen dogging bouncing balls. The goal is to survive to as high a level as possible, and players do so by popping the bouncing balls with a vertical beam that shoots from Buster Boy. Each time a large ball is popped, it divides into smaller bubbles until it can divide no more. There are a couple of power-ups to alter your beam. And that's the game in a nutshell. It can be addictive, and I'd consider recommending it for anyone who wants a very simple game with a bit of replay value. A single game can go very quickly depending on your level of skill.

The problem with this game (and games similar to this one) is that the App Store market has pressured so many developers to sell their apps at $0.99 that consumers can probably find a better game for the same price.

Click to Enlarge

Developer Video:

~M@

Black Shades -- Review

2009-03-02T20:39:00.015-05:00

Category: Games
Price: 0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Impartial
Recommendation: Wait and see on update.
Replay Value: It does keep track of a high score so you can go back to try and beat previous scores.

The basic concept of this game is that you have been charged with protecting a very important person (VIP) from the forces of evil. To help you in this quest you have been given several weapons as well as a few psychic abilities. The first is an intent guage which will tell you when a person intends to shoot your VIP, the unfortunate thing is you can't tell when someone is going to make a melee attack on your VIP, such as trying to choke him to death. The other power given to you is the ability to slow time giving you the time to aim your shot.

Graphics are a little blocky and generic, but didn't really affect gameplay. Obviously if a version with better graphics came around it couldn't hurt.

The controls are probably the best and worst part of this game. To move forward you tilt the iPhone forward, to move backwards you tilt back, to strafe left or right just tilt the iPhone in that direction. You use your finger to aim up, down, left, or right. Moving around is quite easy however the aiming can be quite touchy at times ending up with you looking at the sky or at your feet. Which, to tell you the truth, other than when I was crouching, I only found the up and down motion to be inconvenient as I found no enemies hiding above or below me.

Gameplay went smooth until I actually had to shoot something. Even when I would slow down time and be right in front of the person, it would still miss a lot of the time. The instructions off the main menu were great as they let you know what you're supposed to do in general, but the in game instructions were horrible. While the general rule of protect the VIP always applied, a lot of times I couldn't even find the VIP unless he started next to me. Also there were several times when I wouldn't find the VIP but would still complete the level.

Another problem with the gameplay is the transitioning between levels, or lack thereof. For the first five levels I actually thought I was on the first level and just failing it until I restarted and saw that five levels were complete. I later learned that when the screen flashed green before the reset it indicated success while a flash of red meant failure.

Overall, this game has a very good concept and once you get the controls down is fun to play. Hopefully in the future it will address some of the problems listed above, at which point it would be a definite buy.

Here are some sample images:

Developer Video

~John

February App Round-up

2009-03-02T16:47:00.005-05:00

At the end of every month, I like to do an app round-up that looks at a few of the best apps we've seen throughout the preceding month.

If I could only buy one game this month it would be:
Sway [click for review] [App Store link]

Close Runner-ups from an assortment of genres:
1. Zen Bound [click for review] [App Store link]
2. iDracula [click for review] [App Store link]
3. Heavy Mach. [click for review] [App Store link]
4. WordFu [click for review] [App Store link]
5. Ben Stein It's Trivial [click for review] [App Store link]

Best utility reviewed in February: Knee Cap[click for review] [App Store link]

We already have some March reviews up; looking forward to the rest of March!
~M@

EventHorizon -- Review

2009-03-02T13:38:00.008-05:00

Category: Utilities, productivity, calendar, organizer, to-do list
Price: 2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Very Useful (Love it)
Recommendation: Worth it. Great organizer/to-do app. Compatible to the $9.99 app "Things"
Ease of Use: Good
Frequency of Use: Multiple times a day

EventHorizon is a productivity utility that functions as a date book and to-do list, easily making itself an afforable alternative to the renowned $9.99 app "Things." In fact, in some ways, EventHorizon is superior to things. For example, the ability to create your own categories and add your own icons to the developer's already thorough library is a wonderful feature of this app.

EventHorizon is simple to use. First, it automatically imports important dates you may have stored in your contacts, such as birthday's and anniversaries (this can be toggled off in settings). Next, any time you wish to add an event or to-do, you simply click the add button and fill in a Calender-style info sheet, and EventHorizon will automatically prioritize, keep track of your dates, and offer you reminders. In fact, the "reminders" tab on the app makes it easy to scroll down and see all of your important tasks by due date and/or catagory.

Overall, EventHorizon is an exceptional productivity app worthy of comparison to much more expensive apps. It's very well organized, easy to use, and extremely customizable. If you're looking for a reasonably priced productivity app, EventHorizon is highly recommended.

What we'd like to see in future updates: A way to "check off" completed events; logging of completed events; easier access to deleting unwanted events; a "smart" past due "catagory" that automatically filters in "past due" items that aren't checked off; 12-hour time display on the event entry page.

~M@

Lock 'n' Roll -- Review

2009-03-01T13:55:00.011-05:00

Category: Dice and Puzzle Games

Price $2.99
App Store Link: [Full Pro] / [Free Ad Supported]

Review: Love it

Recommendation: Definitely try the free version; Consider upgrading to the pro
Replay Value: High

Lock 'n' Roll is a dice-based puzzle game, designed for quick, enjoyable play. A single game typically takes less than five minutes, making it ideal for casual play during downtime.

Gameplay consists of placing different colored dice on a 4-by-4 gameboard; once the board is full and no more dice can be placed, the game is over. The goal is to score as many points as possible by matching various combinations of four dice, either by number or color. Each turn players are given four random dice that they must place in an empty slot on the board. Once dice are placed, they cannot be moved, forcing players to make the best of the situation.

There are 20 different scoring positions on the gameboard that are totaled at the end of each round. Like poker, certain combinations score higher than other, such as four-of-a-kind. Additionally, scoring certain combinations will remove dice from the gameboard, allowing play to continue longer and additional points to be scored. If enough points are scored, players are given wild cards to place over dice. These cards make the dice their most valuable possibility for scoring purposes. All of these different elements combined make for an incredibly complex game in a simple package.

Overall, Lock 'n' Roll is a very addictive game that's fun and quick to play, but hard to put down.

Here are shots from a sample game:

Click to Enlarge

Developer Video:

~M@

WordFu - Flash Review

2009-02-27T12:16:00.009-05:00

Category: Word Games
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [No Lite Version]

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Great if you're looking for a fast-paced word game OR a versus word game!
Replay Value: High

Another word game hits the App Store, but this one comes out swinging--literally. Enter ngmoco's Word Fu, the long awaited word game combines dice-rolling and word creation for a play-style that seems a mix of MotionX Poker and Boggle, all with a Kung Fu twist.

The app is a fast-paced word game challenging players to make as many words as possible before time runs out. Creating words gives players time bonuses and power-ups. The overall goal of single player is to earn belts (yellow, green, black, etc.), achievements, and beat previous high scores.

Where Word Fu really shines is in its head-to-head versus mode, which require two devices and a Wi-Fi connection, in versus mode, you're literally battling your opponent to make the most/best words and get the higher score.

All that, said we feel there is still a lot of unexplored possibility for this game that could easily make it the best word game for iPhone / iPod Touch. We've listed many of these below in our "What we'd like to see" section.Click to Enlarge

Developer Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: Training mode (no timer); word definitions; player against AI versus mode; More power-ups. Unlockable Themes/Dice (like MotionX)

~M@

Heavy Mach. - Quick Review

2009-02-27T01:43:00.000-05:00

Category: tank games, action, side-scrolling
Price $0.99 (sale)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite]

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Grab it now while it's on sale!
Replay Value: Medium-High

Heavy Mach is one of the best side-scrolling action games to date on the touch platform. The graphics won't dissappoint, and it makes full use of tilt and touch controls. Players control a fully upgradeable tank and must push through 6 stages and 30 levels of mechanical mayhem (with more on the way, according to the developer). A slew of different weapons and power-ups add versatility to the game, and there are enough baddies and bosses to keep players on their toes.

The difficulty of the game seems overly easy at first, allowing players to acclimate to the controls--move the tank with tilt control and aim using thumb or finger; however the level of difficulty quickly intensifies as the game progresses. As players kill enemies, they gain experience and level up, at which point they must make choices on how to upgrade their tank; this adds a fun element of customization to the game.

Overall Heavy Mach. provides intense action, excellent implementation, hours of game play, and most importantly, tons of fun. If you like side scrollers, action games, or war games, this app is smart purchase... especially while it's on sale for $0.99; but if you find yourself feeling skeptical, give the free lite version a try first.

Click to Enlarge

Game Play Video:

~M@

Knee Cap - Review

2009-02-26T23:46:00.007-05:00

Category: finance utilities
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Useful (Like it)
Recommendation: Good app for college students, business folks, or anyone on the go.
Ease of Use: Excellent
Frequency of Use: Daily

Impleo Software's Knee Cap is a basic day-to-day debt tracking utility with a simple, but smart user interface. The quick, easy-to-use interface is the heart of this app, making it ideal for busy individuals on-the-go, such as college students, business folk, or anyone else who might do a lot of back-and-forth borrowing/lending.

Within a matter of seconds, users can launch the app, see the total worth of their outstanding debts or loans, and add a new entry complete with dollar amount, name, date, and transaction. And to make entering data easier, the app can pull in names directly from your iphone/ipod touch contacts.

If you've been looking for something simple to keep track of all your debts, this app might be worth shelling out the bucks.

Click to Enlarge

~M@

Ben Stein It's Trivial - Quick Review

2009-02-26T10:19:00.010-05:00

Category: trivia games
Price $2.99 (sale)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Over all Review: Like it
Category Review: Love it
Recommendation: Try before buy it. If you're looking for a good trivia game, this could be it.
Replay Value: High

Ben Stein It's Trivial is a simple, but well-polished trivia game. In this single player trivia game, players compete in a three 10-question rounds that grow progressively more difficult. Every time you get a question correct, you score points and "climb the vine" towards a bonus question. If answered correctly, the bonus question gives your a x5 score multiplier for the rest of the current round. And while answering correctly earns you rewards, answering incorrectly earns you trash talk from Stein, himself. Giving enough wrong answers causes you to "fall off the vine" and ends the game early. Players have 4 trivia categories to choose from: Popular Culture, Sports, Natural Wonders, and Random Steinage.

The game offers some long term goals, too. You can use your accumulated points to make Cheex the Monkey, Ben's co-host, steal Ben's stuff--everything from his lawn-gnome to the suit off his back. And in case that's not enough, Developer's are offering the first 100 players to steal stein's mansion a Ben Stein-autographed diploma inducting them into the "Hall of Stein." Here's the link details in case you're interested: www.bensteinitstrivial.com According the the site, one lucky random winner will get to face off against Stein, himself, during a live broadcast event.

Overall, this seems to be a polished trivia game with some unique marketing.

Click to Enlarge

~M@

geoDefense - Quick Review

2009-02-26T00:19:00.006-05:00

Category: games, tower defense
Price: $0.99 (introductory price)
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: A smart buy for Tower Defense fans
Replay Value: Medium-Low

Since its initial launch, the App Store has seen a barrage of tower defense games. Some of the well-known front runners in this category include now famous titles such as Fieldrunners and TapDefense. But as the number of apps grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to sift through all of the TD-style muck to find new and outstanding TD apps. However geoDefense maybe one such app. At a cheap $0.99, geoDefense offers gamers 30 unique levels of play and 5 different upgradable towers to choose from. The sound and graphics are retro with a contemporary beef-up--very remincent of a laser-light show.

According to the developer each level is a unique, balanced puzzle with its own set of rules "that you have to actually beat it by out-thinking it." To help players out, useful hint screens are displayed before most levels that offer a bit of insight on strategy or technique. Overall, the game is another standout in the TD genre and, in this reviewer's opinion, well worth the $0.99. Unfortunately, the lack of an endless mode detracts from the long-term replay value of the game, but at the cheap cost, it's worth overlooking.

Click Images to Enlarge

Gameplay Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates: endless modes.

~M@

Sway - Review

2009-02-25T13:51:00.009-05:00

Category: games, adventure, platformer
Price: 4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Buy it
Replay Value: Medium-High

I'll admit, I was skeptical when I downloaded Sway... But after only a few minutes of game play, I was a believer. Sway has you swinging your way across 15 unique levels of fun. You start off as Lizzie, but eventually unlock up to 6 additional characters (my favorite is the ninja!) by rescuing them. The game challenges you to collect "stars" throughout each board, while trying to beat the level as quickly as possible. The progressive bronze, silver, or gold medal ranking system adds some extra replay value to what would typically be considered a "once-through" kind of game.

That said, Sway is a blast to play. I sat down to play it, and the minutes, which quickly turned into hours, just flew by (I almost missed an important appointment!) The control and movement system are incredibly unique; characters swing around the board, holding on by either their left (red) or right (green) hand. Players control which hand is holding on by touching the respective side of the screen. Players swing the characters by moving their thumbs along the screen. Characters can grab on to just about any part of the board, but if players accidentally remove both thumbs from the screen--you guessed it--the characters fall to their doom. But it's all good, players have unlimited lives to mess around with!

If you're anything like me, you'll be swinging and flinging your character across the stage before you know it, praying for something--anything--to latch on to. If money isn't an issue, buy this game. Great work illusion labs.

click for larger image

Developer Video:

What We'd Like to See: Updates with more levels. Maybe the introduction of bad guys and power ups. And possible hidden content in each level accessible only by harnessing the different strength's of the individual characters (might add additional replay value).

~M@

Zen Bound - Flash Review

2009-02-25T01:40:00.010-05:00

Category: Puzzle game, zen, relaxation, meditation
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Watch the video below; if it appeals to you, it might be worth the steep price.
Replay Value: Medium-High for the game itself; High for the experience

When you launch the app, it reads "designed for headphones," and it means it! One of the most defining elements of this slow-paced, meditative puzzle game is the soundtrack by "Ghost Monkey." In fact, the developers are so proud of it, that customers are given a free complementary copy of the track via download. But a great soundtrack is not all this game boasts. The breathtaking graphics, crisp sounds, and intuitive touch controls add a level of realism to the game that will leave you in a trance.

The game has two modes ("trees"), Reflection and Challenge, encompassing 51 levels, in which players use a combination of multi-touch & tilt controls to wrap cords around 3D wooden cutouts in order to "paint" them. Sound slow? According to Secret Exit and Chillingo, it's meant to; developers say the game is meant to be more relaxing than frustrating. But don't let that disclaimer fool you, the game offers a significant amount of challange and fun. So if you're willing to break the bank for a little peace of mind, then dim the lights, grab your iphone, a pair of headphones, and launch Zen Bound. You'll find yourself lost to the experience in no time.

Click Images to Enlarge

Developer Video:

What we'd like to see: A lite version that demos a level or two for those who need a little convincing to spend 5 bucks!

~M@

Zombie Invasion - Flash Review

2009-02-24T23:53:00.010-05:00

Category: Survival, Action, Zombie, Shooter, Games

Price: $0.99

App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Verson

Review: Like it

Recommendation: Buy it

Replay Value: High

If you happen to frequent any of the touch gaming sites, than you've probably seen the ads for Zombie Invasion. And while the app store is definitely not experiencing a shortage of zombie-killing games, this one is worth a good look. The premise and application are simple; you stand alone with a pistol, grenade, and any other weapon a corpse might drop, and blast the hell out zombies that swarm you in waves (called "days"). The longer you survive, the more zombies you kill. The more zombies you kill, the more points you get. The more points you get, the higher your score will be on the in-app national leader board.

Your ranking on the leader boards gives you your score ranking for the day, month, and entire history of the game. The game is simple, easy to pick up and play, entertaining, and offers high replay value thanks to the leader boards. Definitely worth the $0.99 if survival games are your cup of tea.

Click Images to Enlarge

What we'd like to see in future updates: More types of zombies, more weapons & power-ups, more frequent drops, randomized drops, changes in scenery.

Stitch'em Words - Review

2009-02-24T10:21:00.012-05:00

Category: word game, puzzle game
Price $2.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it (could love it with a few improvements)
Recommendation: Worth considering if the description sounds fun, and you don't mind the low replay value.
Replay Value: Low

Sentence Review: By incorporating words and pictures, Stitch'em Words puts a unique spin on an old concept, making Stitch'em one of the most original word games on the App Store.

Pros: Truly unique word game; strong implementation; fun to play
Cons: No random puzzles; cost

In Depth Review: Stitch'em Words may be the most original word game in the App Store. Like most other word games, you are given a series of letters and asked to make the most combinations of words possible. Unlike other word games, picture tiles are thrown into the mix, and players need to make new word combinations using both the letter and picture tiles: For example: h+&=hand. Stitch'em Words also offers fun bonus rounds to change up the pace from traditional gameplay.

Unfortunately, the game does have one major pitfall: The puzzles aren't randomized; rather, they are ordered. While the game does auto-save to hold your position, this means you're limited to a set number of puzzles. And should you ever lose your saved game for any reason, you have to start back from the beginning, solving puzzles you've already solved (and that gets repetitive quickly)

If you don't mind spending $2.99, are looking for a fun new twist on the word game genre, and don't mind the not-so-randomized arrangement of the game, then this is probably the game for you!
What we'd like to see in a future update: Randomized puzzles.
~M@

Moxie - Review

2009-02-23T19:19:00.010-05:00

Category: word games
Price: $1.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it
Recommendation: If you're into word games, Moxie is a nice addition
Replay Value: High (different game every time)

Blue Ox Technologies Ltd. describes Moxie as "a word game that's different from anything else on the App Store." And Moxie is different; unlike most of the word games on the App Store, you're not trying to make as many word combinations as possible out of the given letters. Instead, players are given 52 random letter tiles one at a time. You attempt to place your tiles on the game board to make words, and much like Scrabble, each tile has its own point value. Once you create a word, you're challenged to overlay tiles attempting to create a new word with each tile. If you place a tile on existing word and fail to create a new word with it, you've "twaddled" and lose points. Conversely, if you manage to create a special "moxie" word (basically animal names), you gain bonus points.

Every turn, you're presented with one of your 52 tiles until you run out. You can choose to pass on a tile if you don't wish to play it, but once you pass it, you can't get it back. Planning is paramount. To demonstrate these simple (yet seemingly confusing) rules, here are a series of pictures demonstrating the progress of a single game of Moxie (notice how the board & score progress. You can tell how many turns have passed by the number of tiles left):

Click Images to Enlarge

Because the tiles are random, every game is different. The only goal of the game is to get the highest score possible, and maybe beat your old high scores. A game only takes a few minutes, and the absence of an obnoxious timer makes the game easy to pick up and play casually no matter where you're at. While action driven games may not be drawn to this game, it's a pretty safe bet for any word game fan.

Developer Video:

~M@

Sheep Abduction - Flash Review

2009-02-21T00:20:00.006-05:00

Catagory: Adventure Puzzle Game
Price: 2.99 (sale)
App Store Link: [Full]

Review: Like it
Recommendation: worth considering if you enjoy planning & puzzle games; no lite version.
Replay Value: Once through (low)

Sheep abduction is a unique and clever addition to the stratagy puzzle genre. Great graphics and cute characters. The game combines planning and problem-solving with manual dexterity and a fun premise, all to create a challenging game (sometimes frustratingly so). You control an alien-piloted UFO, and the goal of the game is to get the sheep to the crop circles, avoiding circumventing, or utilizing the numerous obstacles in your way. Obstacles include wolves, windmills, birds, and ponds of water, just to name a few.

If you enjoy problem-solving puzzle games, you'll probably get a kick out of this game; though if you're interested, I'd suggest trying to snag it at a sale price.

Gameplay Video:

--posted from my iphone

iDracula - Quick Review

2009-02-20T12:11:00.011-05:00

Catagory: games action adventure shooter survival vampires zombies
Price: $0.99 introductory; $2.99 regularly
App Store Link: [Full]

Rating: Love it
Recommendation: Buy it
Replay Value: High

stay alive--but it's harder than it sounds. The goal seems to be to stay alive long enouChillingo's iDracula delivers intense high-stakes fun. As a vampire hunter turned prey, players struggle to move around, kill monsters, collect items, earn special abilities (perks), and justgh to collect omens (items dropped by vampires) to improve your score rank, which persists through death.

Gameplay currently consists of multiple monsters, 6 weapons, tons of power-ups (perks), 2 gamplay modes, a a developer promise of more on the way.

The look of the game is Diablo-esque, and the unique & original control style works very well and is easy to master. In fact, overall, the look, feel, and control style of this game are some of the best on the touch platform. If you're a fan of any part of this genre, this is a must buy.

Developer Video:

-- Posted From My iPhone

Zombieville USA - Flash Review

2009-02-19T03:05:00.012-05:00

Catagory: games survial action adventure zombie
Price $2.99
App Store Link: [Full]

Review: Love it
Recommendation: Buy it
Replay Value: Medium-high

Awesome zombie-slaughtering, gore-gushing, sidescrolling survival game. The app offers great graphics, 15 weapons, lots of zombies and a decent challenge. While there are no national leaderboards to compete on, you can try to beat your personal best and 'splode some zombies in the process. The game, though sometimes repetitive, is easy to pick up and play and offers fairly high replay value. A full review to come.

Gameplay Video:

-- Posted From My iPhone

About Us

2009-02-17T10:25:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone:

Welcome to the App Shelf Blog. The App Shelf Blog is dedicated to providing quality reviews of iPhone and iPod Touch apps, games, products, and news.

Here at the App Shelf Blog, we do our best to keep readers up to date on important new releases, old favorites, and hidden gems. We also do our best to keep our reviews honest, unbiased, and fair. While we welcome and encourage the support of any and all developers and advertisers, we strive to be uncompromising in our obligation of honesty and loyalty to our readers; this means we don't shy away from giving negative reviews when necessary.

In addition to our focus on reviewing mainstream apps, we also focus on reviewing smaller independently developed apps, hopefully giving individuals a chance to get their apps noticed among an ever-growing sea.

Comments, discussion, and feedback are welcome on all posts (but will be moderated as necessary).

Thanks for reading,
M@

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Please note that we will look at all promos given, but we cannot guarantee your app will be reviewed (or promise a specific time frame). We do, however, try to review as many mainstream AND independent apps as possible. We also remind developers that we strive to give honest and impartial reviews; further, any review given is based upon our opinion and impression of the current version of the app (current at the time of review).

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