Bam!

Meow Meow Happy Fight



In short: A nonsensical top down shooter.

This is a silly that doesn’t really offer any excitement. It is just a top down dual stick (or single stick depending on your preference) featuring weird characters and lots of lasers. But these aren’t weird characters like Angry Birds or Om Nom (of Cut the Rope fame) because the game just doesn’t give them any personality. To be honest, it isn’t always obvious where any felines are, despite the game’s name. There also just isn’t any gameplay hook to make this at all interesting. Every level is governed only by a time limit. No lives, no health, no ammunition limits. So nobody dies! They just always respawn. The game also doesn’t appear to have any retina graphics, but to be fair, I guess the neon style does pop nicely.

Verdict: At full price ($2) this is a no-no. But if you like twin stick shooters, give it a look when it is on sale. Otherwise, check out BigPixel’s other iOS games, as they have quite a few better than this one.

I’ll be removing this.


Endless Road



In short: A modern and attractive take on the traffic dodging racing game.

This is a game that really packs a visual punch. It features a great minimalist style and nice effects; such as the way the road folds upwards from oblivion as you progress, and falls away in chunks behind you. The grey, white, black and red colour scheme reminds me of Mirror’s Edge actually… The game has an isometric viewpoint, but has fully 3D models, so it all looks fluid and crisp. Gameplay-wise, it is largely what you’d expect. There is traffic to dodge; trucks, cars and the like, as well as other hazards. There are slow/fast arrows on the road that act as advertised. There are a few things to spice it up though. There is a subway system that runs under the road, which you can sometimes enter. It is free of hazards, but you will need to make sure you exit it at or before the last exit otherwise you will crash. So its a classic risk/reward element. You also need to keep your speed at 80 (kilometres or miles, I can’t recall, but it doesn’t matter) otherwise you won’t keep up with the pace of the road as it falls away behind you. So avoiding traffic and slowdown arrows becomes vital. The game is endless, but you will pass through different stages of increasing difficulty as you go, and it does get pretty tricky after about 5km or so. The game also has a really great menus, something I will always mention, because I love a good, clear, attractive menu. In terms of content, there are a swathe of Game Centre achievements, leader-boards, and an objective system that rewards you with coinage which can be spent in the game’s shop. A shop filled with new cars, boosts, visual enhancements and so forth.

Verdict: Endless Road is a pretty full package, and certainly a step above the usual endless, time-waster fodder that fills the App Store.

I’ll be keeping this one.


Heist: The Score



In short: An authentic gangster themed on-rails shooter.

There really aren’t enough tommy-guns on the App Store. Thankfully Heist offers plenty of that. It is a simple game to play, you just need to aim by sliding your finger around, shoot by pressing on the right, and take cover by pressing on the left. Movement may be strictly on rails, but the game’s enemies have a habit of really pinning you down, so you don’t really feel that restricted by the controls as much as you do by your adversaries. You also usually have to choice of a couple of cover spots in one area, so you can dodge grenades or get a better shot by moving around. The game is really fuelled by it’s typical, but nonetheless entertaining story: You two companions argue about what exactly the bank is guarding, the organisation’s hierarchy, and things of that nature. One is the typical violent gangster, while the other is more sophisticated. The banter between the crooks is done with full voice acting, which is great. The game’s tutorial also deserves a shout out: It takes place in a car on the way to the bank and does a wicked job of introducing you to the characters and the controls. For example, your first shot fired is considered as ‘first-job nerves’ by your buddies. The graphics are great overall; the cars outside and the bank’s decor all looks very authentic. Admittedly, the character models are a little on the N64 side of things, with square heads, square hands and when they move occasional clipping occurs. However this is more than made up for by other touches, such as normally static objects like chairs, actually falling over when you shoot them. The only downside here is the lack of content. They are only seven chapters, and they all take place inside the bank, and there are no achievements or objectives to fulfil. But it is a solid game, well worth the asking price of 99 cents.

Verdict: As an overall package, this one is short an sweet. It isn’t an oft-updated keeper like some more casual iOS games, so just download it, enjoy it, and delete it.

I’ll be finishing it, then taking my own above advice.


King of Opera



In short: A decent, light-hearted, local multiplayer party game. Not something you see everyday on the platform.

This is a dead simple one. There are four (red, green, blue and orange) portly opera singers vying for the spotlight. You and up to three friends (or CPU opponents) need to bump each other off the circular stage and try and avoid the same happening to you, using only one button. The opera singer will rotate on the spot, and walk forward when you press your button. Once you’re in the spotlight, you’ll start boosting your score, and the light will follow you as you attempt to dodge the other singers. As well as this mode, there is ‘Phantom’ mode where the spotlight vanishes once gained, making it more of a capture-the-flag affar rather than king-of-the-hill. There is also a third mode called ‘Fat Lady’, where all four singers compete with a fat lady who is determined to hog the spotlight. The game is very whimsical, and the soaring “la-la-laaaaa”s are constantly punctuated by slapstick sound effects. This could be a great little distraction to play with friends, though it is probably suited to the largers screend of the iPad/Mini. At $2, it might be a little expensive for what it is. But at least it is a universal app.

Verdict: A neat little distraction that offers some muliplayer on a platform starved of it.

I’ll be keeping this.


Majesty



In short: An isometric kingdom building game in the vein of Age of Empires.

Unlike AoE though, you can’t control your people. You can build plenty of buildings, sure, anything from warrior guilds, to wizard guilds, to marketplaces, to blacksmith shops. But you cannot directly control people. Instead you must lure and entice them by placing monetary bounties on enemies (an ‘attack flag’ for warriors) or by placing a ‘scout flag’ on unexplored locations (for other adventurers). This is a really interesting mechanic that immediately changes this from a “God game” to a more realistic “ruler game”, because you’re powers come up against real-world limits. The game’s intro and ongoing story is pretty whimsical; detailing how the last king went insane due to his love of rats. But once you hit the actual game, its all serious: You’re worrying about what level of castle collects what amount of tax, how many warriors your guild can hold and so forth. It isn’t that confusing, because everything is laid out pretty well, but there is a lot to take in in a short space of time. The aims in each level are fairly basic, like defeat X and reach point X, but I imagine this will become more complex as you progress. On the audiovisual side, things are swell. The music is pretty naff, but passable, and the details on the visual are so crisp that you will quickly forget that you are really just playing on an isometric field. Screen real estate is at a real premium here though. Fonts are small, and everything feels a little hemmed in, so if you were to play this, I’d recommend doing so on an iPad. The game also uses a lot of double-taps to confirm things, which often means that after lining up a proposed building site, you accidentally move it a tad on that second tap. This is a little annoying, so again, I’d recommend an iPad, where there is greater margin for error.

There is a big negative though: Seriously, how shit is the tagline “SEVERAL DOZEN SPELLS”. Wow.

Verdict: Despite initial appearances, this is not a lighthearthed little title. It is in fact, deep and involved. So I wouldn’t recommend it to all, and I would advocate getting it on an iPad if you can. It is universal, so your $2 is probably well spent on any device.

I’ll be keeping this around for a little while.


Storm the Train



In short: A run-and-gun platformer. On a train.

This is an endless, high-score-chasing, and objective-fulfilling affair. You can move left and right, and also jump, double jump and shoot. But running along and blasting enemies, you will earn currency which can be spent in the (wait for it) in-game store! You will be able to complete objectives, such as reaching a certain distance, or killing a certain boss enemy, and gain more currency to buy more upgrades in the store. These include boosts and power-ups, like flying turrets that will aid you in your spree. It really is the typical iOS gaming circle of life, and like in so many games, it just feels like a revolving process without much soul. At least the visual themes make the game a little interesting: You are usually pitted against skeletons and zombies, but further on, you will be able to leap from the front of the train, onto the back of a new one, such as the ‘future train’, which features robots and other sci-fi enemies. Despite my cynical attitude to the game’s store and such, I have another gripe with the game’s jumping physics: Even in the air, you will keep up with the speeding train. I’ve heard discussion on this in real life, and I can’t remember if this correct real-world physics or not. Maybe it is just that I’ve been playing Donkey Kong Country Returns a lot lately, and there it works a little differently. Another big issue is the lack of retina graphics. The font used by the game is prompts is tiny; bordering on unreadable. I have an 4th generation iPod Touch, and there have been two iPhones and another iTouch model since then that also have retina displays, so it isn’t really acceptable on 2013. But maybe that is a bug at my end, because the screenshots look pretty good. The game does have all the Game Centre fruit, and it is free, so while it isn’t revolutionary, it might be worth a look.

Verdict: It is a decent little romp, but one of many, many romps that can be had on the App Store. Not something to get too excited over.

I’ll be removing this.


Spice Bandits



In short: A tower defence game that follows the usual conventions of the genre.

Like a lot of iOS games, this has an absurd premise. You are some sort of octopus-looking space pirates, and you really like plundering, especially if it means you find spice. Eventually, you need to come to Earth to get more spice, and that is where the game kicks off. Enthralling, huh? The mecanics are like any other tower defence game: You have a base, usually a ship of some sort, that has landed, and you must defend it from oncoming humans with a variety of turrets. You don’t actually fire the guns; the game is all about the strategy involved in placing the weapons on the map. Placing a gun will const you money, as will upgrading it, but you earn more dosh each time you blast a human. The spaces on the map are indicated by a hexagonal grid (rather than square in some games) that shows up when you decide to build a gun, and you are also told where the humans will enter the map from, so you need to place your defences thoughtfully between the entry point and you base. There is also magic that can be used by you, that acts in addition, and independently of your constructed defences. As you’d expect, there is also a shop where you can buy new guns and magic abilities.
The game is presented very well. Every level has its own theme, wrapped in the same great cartoon style. The menus are also really crisp, and extra kudos go to the game’s tutorial, which is both simple enough to understand and complex enough to be all you need to start the game immediately.

Personally, I have a long standing gripe with any sort of ‘wave’ gameplay. It is just too stop-start for my liking. The tower defence genre is also a bit too passive for my tastes. There’s a lot of setting up, but no involvement in the actual action. In fact, I’m letting the game wage it’s own war while I’m typing this post. Oh, its now over. And I won.

Verdict: The App Store is flooded with tower defence titles, and while it is visually appealing, I don’t see that there is anything new here. The game does nothing to alter my prejudices against TD games either, so I’d recommend it to TD fans only.

I’ll be giving this game a little time, because I feel that it actually pretty good: I just need to overcome my impatience and aversion to the genre.


Pony Trails



In short: Here’s an accurate description you wouldn’t expect; iOS’ answer to Pokemon Snap.

I expected this game to be a simple, casual affair culminating in the riding of a pony through the woods, thus allowing me to be comedic in my review. But that isn’t what Pony Trails offers. It is actually a surprisingly extensive photography game! Sure, you do ride a pony on a trial through different types of wilderness, but the idea is to stop along the trail, and snap some pictures of wildlife and scenery. These pictures are then scored by the game (as one, two or three star photos) and can then be compared and shared these socially if you wish. There are deer, bears, goats, skunks all lurking in the woodland trail alone. The actually process of taking the photos is surprisingly intricate, since photos are captured automatically, and will only do so when you are very still. So precision movement of the camera-controlling d-pad is needed. Unlike Pokemon Snap, you are a little limited in what you can take a photo of, rather than being free to take your own, potentially hilarious pictures, regardless of how terrible Oak considered them. The games controls, as stated, require preceision and are a little finicky, but overall they are bearable. Pony Trails  also has a shop with different saddles and reigns and other horse gear that offers bonuses: Like a quieter horse, or one that rides better at night (yes, there are day/night versions of each trail). Visually the game is also pretty darn sophisticated. It clocks in at under 90MB, and yet has a fully 3D world. Sadly, this means it didn’t run terribly well on my iTouch4, but it was serviceable.

Verdict: This is not the casual fare I expected. It really isn’t time-waster game, the opposite in fact. Sadly, the combination of required precision and touchy controls means isn’t really a great fit for the platform. It might be better on an iPad, but I think it is just to fiddly for my tastes.

I’ll be deleting this shortly I think, even though it is a real surprise package.


Critter Escape



In short: A competent line drawing strategy game.

All you need to do in this game, dear player, is guide your ‘critter’ (it looks like a potato with legs) to the exit of each level by drawing a line with your finger. Your critter will then set off. If he gets into trouble though, you can freeze time redraw the line at any time to avoid an enemy or obstacle. Each level has three objectives, and this forms the ubiquitous three-star scoring system. One is for completing the level, another is for collecting a red gem and the last if for being sneaky; remaining undetected by enemies. These can all be achieved in a single playthrough, but the idea is obviously to create some replay value. To my mind, the game moves a little fast when you draw lines, so you have make a conscious effort to move slowly. The detection of you finger is also a little buggy, but thankfully the game does a good job of evening out the kinks in your path. Visually, the game looks alright, though the colour palette is a wee bit bland, and it isn’t super smooth: There is a bot of lag here and there, and instant-restarts are sorely missed. Maybe it just isn’t optimised for my device. The content on offer here is pretty extensive. There must be easily over a hundred levels, and there are a swathe (thirty-six) Game Centre achievements to keep you occupied.

Verdict: It isn’t overly compelling, but it is a solid title nonetheless. Personally, I’m already covered for line drawing games, with titles like Flight Control, Flight Control Rocket, SPYmouse and Time Ducks, which I would recommend above this if it was a one-or-the-other choice.

I’ll be playing a little longer, but probably deleting this.


Infectonator



In short: A point-and-click of apocalyptic proportions.

The zombie apocalypse that is. It is your job to unleash your very own zombie virus across the globe, from Australia to Austria, China to Chile. In World Domination mode domination mode, that is how it goes down: You select a region, then by city, you gorge on the humans. The game’s mechanics are dead simple, to the point of boring if I’m honest. You just tap a spot, and watch the zombies go. It takes some strategy, and you need to infect a set number of humans before your zombies rot, but generally it isn’t too hard, especially when you employ the various power-ups that run along the base of the screen. Said power-ups can be bought in the game’s store, where you can spend coins (dropped by dead humans) on viral upgrades, boosts, and you can also raise the stats (like the lifespan, and speed) of your zombies. The game also features an Endless Mode, which just feeds you wave of ever-increasing humans to infect, and lets you stock up in the shop between waves. The game certainly deserves some props for its art. It features a pixellated retro look, that extends beyond the in=game sprites, to the menus, and to news-report-style statistics at the end of each level. The game also has eleven Game Centre achievements and also leader-boards, if you’re keen on earning bragging rights. Apparently this has only recently gone free-to-play, so there are ads, and this has annoyed some players who paid previously, judging by iTunes reviews.

Verdict: A well made, but ultimately repetitive zombie romp. At the (non-existent) asking price though, it is worth looking into.

I’ll be removing this shortly I think.


Extinction 3D



In short: More zombies! This time though, it is a 3D, top down, action affair.

Extinction offers and old-school GTA (pre III) experience, in a zombie infested environment. Visually, everything is three-dimensional, and the game takes place in 2019, but the actual gameplay is pretty rooted in the past. You just walk and shoot the undead, or drive and crush the undead. You also need to navigate the city with the GPS system, and locate survivors and transport them to the safe zone (a helicopter). Each game is endless, but you are scored on how many zombies you kill, and how many survivors you rescue. Getting a good score might unlock a better weapon for the next time you play. The game is riddled with inconsistencies: When driving, you will splatter a zombie even at snail’s pace, you can knock over trees but not lampposts, and you can idle happily in fire without dying.the game also has a terrible time deciding where to direct your gunshots when you on foot. Your little character jitters and jumps, and usually fires in the opposite direction to where he is facing. I guess fear does that to you. Or bugs. One of the two. Overall, the game feels like it lacks polish. The menus are blood stained and feature “hardcore” guitar riffs, which can’t help but give off a slightly ‘try-hard’ vibe. Not to mention the iTunes image gallery that features the tagline; “drive anything, kill everything.”

Verdict: A top down action game that leaves a lot to be desired. Like the zombies it wants you to hunt, Extinction lacks soul.

I’ll be deleting this promptly.


Ninja in a Barrel



In short: A 2D grid based puzzle game.

This is a fairly straightforward game to explain. You just simply swipe in one of four directions to roll the barrel to its goal(s). The goal is usually some sort of mushroom-looking enemy that you need to bump into. This will trigger the ninja to pop out of the barrels and slice the enemy to bits. Sometimes, there environmental hazards and other objects, like boxes which need to be slid from place to place in order to get to a certain spot. The aim it to finish each level in the least amount of moves, and you will be scored accordingly; between one and three stars. It actually requires a bit of thought to reach the goal in some levels, and fans of this sort of low-risk, inoffensive puzzle gameplay will have fun. That said, everything here has been done before, so it bring much anything much to the genre. The visuals are fairly decent, and the graphics will alter in different themed levels, such as the winter season pictured. The game is totally free, and as a result, there are some advertisements. But the payoff is pretty big: For your $0 you do get almost one hundred levels, so if you like the look of this, don’t hesitate.

Verdict: I’m not a huge fan of these sorts of games, so I’d pass. But for those who dig it, it is pretty generous.

I’ll be deleting this.


Captain Nova



In short: A short, slow retro platformer.

Captain Nova is a fairly standard experience. The idea is to navigate a series of levels and do three things: Avoid or stomp enemies, collect bolts, and at the end of each level, collect a piece of spacecraft to fix your crashed rocket. The enemies are all pretty much variants of what you see above, and the colours of the sky and the ground are constant. So it is then, pretty dull. The captain himself has a jump that is on par with Mario platformers, but his movement is pretty darn slow, so the game become a pretty monotonous affair. It is made all the more monotonous by the single chiptune that plays over and over again. I gather the game mush be pretty short, as there is no level select screen and no option to continue. Nor is there anything else on offer in the menu: The main menu simply has a ‘play’ button, and the pause menu offers only on/off controls for sound and music. I reached level seven before I ran out of lives, and to be honest, I won’t be going back.

All that said though, the game is a dollar, and it is a two-man project, so I won’t knock the developers for making this, as it plays fine, even if it isn’t overly exciting. Though there does seem to be one bug: The captain always starts levels jumping automatically, and I had to press the jump button to regain control of the jumps. Maybe he’s just super keen to fix his ship…

Verdict: An average little platformer. Take it or leave it.

I’ll be removing this.
_ _ _ _ _

Until next time!

Another week! Now also published on Potaku.

Jay & Silent Bob in: Too Fat To Fly



In short: A run-of-the-mill launching game.

This app follows a pretty simple formula; you direct your slingshot, and then after keeping an eye on the scrolling power gauge, release to fire. Then, as your man-cannonball flies through the air, and bounces along, there are objects will help and hinder his flight: Blue items provide another little launch, giving height and speed boosts, while yellow items slow him down, and red items will stop him completely. There are coins and money bags to collect, which can be spent in “The Stash”, which is again, the usual casual iOS in-game store. (Despite the endless possibilities of shop names, lots of games also use “stash”, notably Jetpack Joyride, so its pretty unoriginal). There’s the usual stuff in there: Boosts, gadgets, new slingshots, and also skins, most of which will increase distance and high scores. The only tweak to the usual launching shtick is that with each shot, there are five fireworks that can be used to boost the height of the flying dude. The game also has a slow motion mechanic that kicks in when a red object approaches, so it is pretty easy, too easy in fact, to get out of the way by using a firework.

The only really draw that this game offers, is the cartoon likeness of Jay and Silent Bob, who are characters from a weird canon of American comedy films including Clerks. I’ve seen a bit of said film, and it didn’t really appeal to me, so I don’t really find this game any more enticing. I might be missing some references, but even so, it seems like a pretty thin addition to the game. Furthermore, it appears that the game is based on a spin-off cartoons series, so it is an extra step away from the film(s) for fans. Aurally and visually, the game isn’t very exciting either, though the characters are a good representation of the aforementioned cartoon’s characters.

Verdict: A fairly bland and basic game that does nothing to advance the genre. Fans of the characters are about the only ones that should consider this, even though it is free.

I’ll be removing this this one.


Monster Dash



In short: An 2D endless runner that has a bit in common with Halfbrick’s (the world-beating Aussie developer’s) other games.

This plays like any other 2D auto-running, shooting platformer: You’ve got a jump button, a shoot button, pick-ups scattered through the level and enemies and environmental hazards coming at you with ever increasing rapidity. The game is set in may locales, giving it a chance to show off its nice pixelly artwork. You will change areas every 1km that you run, through exceedingly diverse worlds like Zombie Metropolis, Demon Dynasty (running along the Great Wall) and Yeti Heights. Gameplay is exactly the same in each area, but the world (including enemies and objects) is re-skinned.
Each enemy has their own quirk that makes them challenging: Zombies can pop up from the ground, while vampires swoop in in bat form. The power-ups are fairly standard, but are good fun. SMGs and rocket launchers make an appearance, as do items that made it into latter Halfbrick games; the “bad as hog” and the famous “machine gun jetpack”. I keep making all these comparisons to other Halfbrick games because I think time will forget this creation, as it was totally usurped two years later by the master-class of iOS gaming that is Jetpack Joyride. But this remains a fun romp. The only issue is that the game freezes if you try and access Game Centre achievements (of which there are 26) from the menu, which is annoying but not deal-breaking.

Verdict: This game cannot exist now without being compared to Jetpack Joyride. If feels like a prequel to that game, rather than a game in it’s own right, which is a shame, because it is quite a bit of fun!

I’ll be keeping this for a little while, and racking up a few Game Centre achievements.


Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots



In short: A return to the winning fruit slashing formula.

Halfbrick had runaway success with Fruit Ninja, and you and me both could be forgiven for thinking that this tie-in with Dreamworks Puss in Boots would be nothing more than a dirty cash in. It is far more than this. FN:PIB is actually quite a robust companion to the orignial game, even if it falls just short of the titles ‘successor’ or ‘sequel’. Aside from the occasional appearance of the eponymous Puss, the use of some Spanish names and items, and cat-related stuff, the game retains it’s fruit slashing focus. (Mind you, I haven’t seen the Puss in Boots film, so I may be missing some references.) Unlike the first FN game, there are only two modes offered here. One is ‘Desperado’, which is the classic survival mode from the previous game, where you go on slashing until you deplete your three lives. If you’ve never played, it is just a swiping the screen affair, with points awarded for chopping more fruit with the one slice. Fruit must not fall out of sight un-sliced, and bombs must be avoided at all costs. The second mode is the all new ‘Bandito’ mode, which offers twelve challenges split into three rounds, and a final boss. These challenges expand significantly on the classic slice and dice gameplay: They some times impose tough time restrictions, or ask for only a certain fruit to be cut. There are also environmental hazards that fruit will bounce off (pictured), as well as fixed bombs that fruit passes around in patterns, fruit attached to balloons, and fruit hidden in opening doors that test your reflexes. In these levels, you will be scored on fruit sliced, accuracy, and reflexes. Since you have three lives in this mode, so you can make it to the boss fight even if you take a fail a few challenges. Bandito mode is where this game comes into it’s own, and actually become a worthy addition to the Fruit Ninja series. A game like this still needs online features to give it a bit of pulp, and thankfully all the Game Centre fruit are here; both short term and long achievements totalling 24, and leader-boards. The game also has the unlock system of the previous game, with new blades and backgrounds on offer as rewards for skilful play. Oh, and there are tomatoes! I don’t think those were in the original!

Verdict: Almost worthy of being called a sequel, this is certainly not a quick cash grab. Definitely worth getting for existing Fruit Ninja fans, and almost equally recommended for newcomers. Though it is unlikely to ever receive the post-release love (updates etc.) that Fruit Ninja has/is, so keep that in mind.

I’ll be keeping this.


Grooh



In short: An isometric, colour coding, puzzle game.

Grooh asks players to guide Grooh, a rotund teddy-like thing, through levels, one grid-space at a time. There are coloured tiles that need to be matched and ‘exploded’ to open a door at the end of the level, as well as boxes to be picked up and placed strategically depending on the puzzle. Grooh absorbs colour much like de Blob, and this is what causes the coloured tiles to explode like a landmine when he jumps off. This doesn’t really make much sense, but that’s how the game works. All this, despite the fact that the game scores you on your number of moves, awarding gold, silver or bronze depending on how economical you are with your movement. Grooh is, I suppose, a cute little character, and the whole game world is bright a clean. The animation is also pretty good, except there is a little to much of it, making this game an unnecessarily time consuming affair. I’m not sure if there are issues with translation, but the tutorial and later mid-game prompts have quite a few grammatical and tense errors, which is a nitpick, but it really irked me. Furthermore, Grooh is supposed to be talking in some of these prompts, and so nonsense sounds like “rrrh” and “rooh” have been added to the ends of words, which is even more annoying when you are trying to learn the ropes of the game. You also can’t skip tutorial pop-ups, even when you’re retrying the very same level. The game is also two dollars, which is more than the average game. But you do get close to 150 levels, Game Centre features and reliable performance, so it is a decent proposal for those interested. I gather it gets quite tricky later on too, judging by this screenshot.

Verdict: I’m not a huge fan of these types of games. But if you have the time, and don’t mind the silly languagerrrhhh, then Grooh is a safe bet.

I’ll be deleting this one shortly I think.


Spaceteam



In short: A zany, unique multiplayer experience.

This has to be one of the most original games I’ve seen on iOS. Spaceteam is a local multiplayer (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) game that pairs up to four iDevices together to fly a spacecraft. But this isn’t flying in a normal action-game sense; no, this is all about pressing buttons, flicking switches and twisting knobs. Player one will have a set of instructions to shout (in the real world) to players two, and vice versa. Each command must be enacted by the other player before the timer (the green bar pictured) runs out, otherwise it will be replaced by a new command, and the ship will take damage. As the game goes along, through a series of rounds with different controls, the pace quickens, until eventually things start to fall apart. Steam will issue from the instruments, things will fall off and hang precariously, and you might even need to wiggle your device to move a broken dangling knob. Eventually, despite frantic shouting, your ship will implode and it will be game over. This really is a lot of fun, and hilarity really does ensue as you play, largely thanks to the ridiculous names for you’ll need to shout for different buttons and levers, like “flushbypass” or “set prismneck to 4”. I’ve never played anything quite like this before. It is similar to when banter is exchanged in a multiplayer console game of, say, Super Smash Bros., yet it is a different experience because the banter and yelling is the core mechanic of Spaceteam.

Verdict: This is something you really should try out, even just once. It does require at least two iDevices, but thankfully it is a free game. If you do want to throw down some dosh, there are a few extras that can be purchased too.

I’ll be keeping this one for sure.


Ichi



In short: A beautifully simple puzzle game that requires good timing.

ichi is a game that is easy on the eye, and easy to control. But it will require much planning, or alternatively, quick reflexes. The yellow ball must be guided to each of the goals; the hollow yellow circles. The ball will rebound off any surface, except for the spikes, which will destroy it. After touching the screen, the ball will start moving, and further touches will rotate the red equilateral triangles. The aim of the game is to use the forty-five degree angles of these to direct the ball safely through each goal. Later on, other objects are introduced to spice things up, such at the breakable grey rock (pictured) and the swirly yellow portals (also pictured). The game features shimmering sketch visuals that are restricted to bright primary colours. It is an attractive, clean look that makes it easy to remember the game’s mechanics. So you can never really be confused, and any failures will be your own fault and not the game’s. The UI also lets you know how to achieve A, B and C ratings in each level, based on the number of rotations you make in each level. There are sixty levels and seventeen Game Centre achievements here, so there is a fair amount of content. Still, I might have criticised the usual $2 price, if it weren’t for the full level editor that is offered. This also means that there are currently 13089 user created levels (yes, there is a live tally in the menu, how cool) available to play. These can be played, rated, tagged with labels like “hard” “fun” “fast” “puzzle” and optionally, shared to Facebook. Most of the levels were pretty damn hard, so there is plenty more on offer for those who beat the games packaged levels.

Verdict: A well made package with great longevity. Definitely recommended.

I’ll be keeping this one and working through it.


Wizschool



In short: A combination of the classic match-three formula and other flimsy wizard stuff

Seriously, there are so many of these games on the App Store now, that combine match-three gameplay with some sort of over-arching story. Here, it isn’t done well. There are ‘cut-scenes’ or rather static images with dialogue, that feature cartoon witches with sexist body proportions, and there is also a map of Hogwarts a castle that will move you between levels. All of this stuff is boring and uninteresting, and just distracts from the game at hand: Making potions by matching things. Sadly the matching side of things isn’t much fun either. Apart from being potion-themed, with weird herbs, flowers, mushrooms and the like, it plays like every other bog-standard Bejeweled clone out there.

Verdict: I’m sure there are game that really do a good job of linking match-three with other mechanics but Wizschool fails to do so, and just isn’t very exciting in it’s own right. Pass.

I’ll be deleting this, and getting my matching-game fix Zookeeper Battle.


Squids Wild West



In short: A 2D top-down perspective game that successfully meshes action and turnbased strategy.

Like so many games on the App Store, the most famous of which is Angry Birds, this game too features a slingshot mechanic. The squids in your party, of which there are four, must use their tentacles to sling themselves in the direction of enemy crustaceans. Thanks to their array of sturdy headgear, they can defeat enemy crabs and lobsters and move onto the next level. However the game is strictly turn based, so while it is your turn, you must think methodically about how you can cause maximum damage before your enemy can move or attack you. This may mean pushing an enemy into a spike, or ricocheting your squid into multiple enemies with the one shot. I have no idea why the squids are in the Wild West, but since they are, this means that some of the squids can deal bonus damage with their pistol prowess, and it also means lots of cowboy hats. The hats aren’t just for show either, as there is a shop where better headgear (like hockey masks that increase defence) can be bought along with power-ups, and new squids can also be recruited. I imagine that as the game progresses, certain squid’s powers will need to be chosen and used strategically. One squid is a healer, for instance, so I’m sure that will come into play more. Each level will see you scored with the iOS-ubiquitous three star scoring system, with one awarded for completing the level within a certain amount of moves, one for keeping all squids alive, and then there is a third hidden star in each level. This game is actually a lot of fun. There’s also a lot of love gone into it: The artists have had great fun, the music is adventurous and twangy in places to suit the Wild West theme, and there is even a brilliant little quasi-3D title screen that uses accelerometer. Content wise, there are easily 60 levels, along with over 20 Game Centre achievements, and also bonus comics. Lots to look forward to.

Verdict: Despite all the zany characters and the generally absurd premise, this is quite a fun game, that manages a perfect balance of action and strategy. I played the original Squids, but I didn’t endear itself to me the way this has.

I’ll be playing through this.


Mad Skills BMX



In short: A surprisingly smooth, good looking, and challenging 2D racing game.

Upon first launch, this game could be dismissed as a port of the oft-seen flash game of bikes racing over bumpy courses, with shonky physics and much head splitting. However, this game is a step and a half above those. The visuals are really really nice. The riders are all drawn in a semi-anime cartoon style, and pop nicely on the retina display. The physics don’t feel at all shonky; there is no crazy stretching suspension, nor are quadruple back-flips encouraged. The controls are also fairly complex, or at least, the timing of certain movements is pivotal to winning a race, and takes some time to get used to. A touch on the left side of the screen will make your rider pedal, while an array of swipes on the right will perform jumps, flips, and speed-inducing wheelies. The game is also overflowing with content. There are plenty of tracks to race through already, and there are more on offer: One is free, one is for facebook fans, and the rest cost a buck. I’ve mentioned facebook there, and that is one annoyance I have: The game requires facebook for any type of leaderboards, which a real game breaker, since I think you could only go so long in a game like this without some sort of real-world benchmark for your race times. The reason for this is of course, the fact that the game is also on facebook. Stunts are also poorly implemented. There is almost no advantage in doing a flip, as the four seconds of adrenaline you gain (a speed boost) is nullified by the time spent in the air losing speed. The bigger issue is a lack of variety. Each race is just a time trial with you and a single CPU opponent facing off. There is no multiplayer and no stunt mode or anything. So I don’t think think this is type of game you could stick with until the end.

The game also had a crushingly hard tutorial, but thankfully this was replace with a simpler one in an update this week. So I won’t harp on about that.

Verdict: A good looking game that doesn’t reach it’s full potential, and is bogged down with facebook integration. It is free though, so if you don’t mind hooking up facey, go for it.

I’ll be deleting this one.


Word Derby



In short: A word building game that dabbles in horse racing.

Okay, even calling it a dabble is a stretch. The horse racing is really just a graphical representation of who is winning. Basically, all you need to do is make a word with twelve random letters, and one additional anchored starting letter. You are then scored, letter for letter, Scrabble style and also receive bonus points for how quickly you crafted that word. Then, it is your opponent’s (sourced from Facebook, usernames or randomly) turn to create a word with the same letter. Then the tiny bit of horse racing comes into play: You and your opponent are represented on horseback, and the points you score will propel you along the track toward the finish. Of course, there is in game currency, though it is pretty much an optional component of the game, and this is earned by placing bets on yourself to win. (You can select a never bet option which is a well considered addition, and slightly ironic since jockey’s aren’t supposed to bet on themselves.) The menu layout of this game is almost identical to Words With Friends. The only thing Word Derby has going for it is the ability to play against three other people in the same match. Though this means races will take a fairly long time. There aren’t a massive amount of people playing this either, so don’t expect to instantly find an opponent.

Verdict: A word game that does a few things different, but not really enough to stand out from the ever-growing crowd.

I’ll be deleting this one.


Galaxy On Fire II



In short: A 3D space shooter with all the bells and whistles.

This is one game that has taunted me for ages. It’s price travels almost fortnightly, visiting exotic locales like $10.49, $7.49, $5.49 and $0.99. So when it finally went free, I had to have it just out of spite, even though it is a whopping 440MB app. Now most of the time, it is pretty damn expensive, and the developers seem to know this; putting things like “TRUST THE MEDIA” (a hilarious statement) and “TRUST THE FANS” in the iTunes description. Now for free, this is a substantial game, but I wouldn’t be paying full price for it. I’ve mentioned before that iOS isn’t really suited to big 3D space games, as it is hard to get your bearings and sense of direction in an open, seemingly endless environment when you have your fingers obscuring the screen: There are swiping motions for speed and dodging as well as the virtual joystick and other buttons. The story isn’t too bad here: You are attacked by space pirates and marooned in an unfamiliar galaxy. Luckily, some alien has taken you in, and mining is the way you will accrue currency to upgrade your ship and repay the guy for saving you. Asteroids can be mined by your clunky (at first) ship. These contain crazy made-up elements like ‘orichalzine’, but also good old ‘gold’. You’ll also be ambushed by pirates during mining operations, in some cases you will deliberately set out to find their hideouts. The game has a GPS with a fast-forward system to help you get you to further locations quicker, but even then it is all a bit slow. As well as this story mode, which I should mention has a convenient-for-shared-devices five save slots, there is also a ‘Supernova Mode’: Which is a a friend-challenging minute long shoot-fest with leader-boards. It’s not a bad inclusion, but again, the controls aren’t really suited to speedy manoeuvres and precision shooting. One of the things this game seems to pride itself on are it’s visuals. These are pretty good, but don’t believe the iTunes description hype. It is well put together as a whole though. Menus look great and there is full voice acting in the campaign mode. The biggest let-down is that the game has ads! I’m not sure if it is to do with the current free offer, but if it was full price, that would be outrageous. There are also in-app purchases offered in GoF2, such as the usual $2 for 100,000 in-game dollars, then there are actual expansion packs, but these are getting up over $5 dollars, so they are just as expensive as the game.

Verdict: A good looking title that can’t feel a little bloated and slow. This genre isn’t really suited to iOS devices, in my opinion, and the developers seem to be forgetting that to compete in the App Store, your prices need to be cheap.

I’ll be deleting this one, and regaining half-a-gig, thank you very much.


Where’s My Holiday? / Where’s My Valentine?



In short: A free introduction to Disney’s Where’s My… puzzle games.

This is a demo basically. It offers six levels of both Where’s My Water? and it’s sequel Where’s My Perry? and runs with a vague seasonal theme; so it was Christmas with Holiday but has now updated to Valentine in February. Both games are all feature puzzles that require you, dear player, to manipulate each level so that water can flow to a certain point: Swampy (the crocodile in Water) needs it for a bath, while Perry (the duck in Perry) needs it to operate an elevator that takes him away to the next level. Often, this means that you will use your finger trace a path through dirt so that a pool of water will drain from point A to point B. Things are more complicated if you want to collect all the items (usually a little buried gnome thing) in each level. There are always three of these and this forms the typical three-star scoring system seen in so many iOS games. There are also a few other mechanics that add to the puzzles. For instance, in the Water levels, there is foliage that will grow when touched, and thus use up all your precious water before you can finish the level. In Perry levels, things are much more technological, with heat rays and ice rays that will zap bodies of water and either evaporate them or freeze them. All these puzzles are quite fun, and offer a similar level of casual engagement that iOS stalwarts like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds do. However the package, while totally free, is a little stingy: There are only 12 levels in total, and even if these are exclusive levels, and even though this has it’s own Game Centre listing and achievements, the game is just too riddled with advertisements. There are menu button ads for buying the full versions or Water and Perry, pop-up banners for the full versions, and also pop-ups for other random games. It is nice that there is a standalone demo for people to try, rather than littering the full games with IAPs, but I think they really could tone down the ads, or offer more than a dozen levels.

Verdict: A stingy introduction to what appears to be a great duo of puzzle games. It doesn’t offer a lot, but it is better than nothing, and allows players to try before they buy.

I’ll be deleting this one. But my interest in the series has been piqued.


EDGE Extended



In short: A great minimalistic, puzzle/platforming game that doesn’t render it’s predecessor null either.

Edge Extended builds on the foundations made by Edge. Both games feature a colourful cube that players navigate across blocky worlds as quickly as they can. The cube is moved with simple finger swipes in any given direction (diagonals, thanks to the isometric perspective) and the cube will continue in that direction until your finger is raised. As well as reaching the exit (a coloured square in the floor) in the fastest possible time, there are also coloured prisms to collect, the number of which varies from level to level. The number of prisms collected, the number of times the cube fell to it’s doom, and the speed at which the exit is reached, will give players a grade from A down to D. Levels often feature moving blocks, thin blocks that break, elevator blocks, portals, and even blocks that form together to make a robot that destroys the level as it moves. The game features stark grey-scale worlds, which helps payers to concentrate on the traps and puzzle ahead, and also allows the coloured cubes to really stand out. Differences between whites and greys will need to be noted by players, as this often signifies collapsible or moving blocks. The music is also fairly minimal, offering a quiet groovy techno vibe that suits the mood perfectly. Extended isn’t a huge leap forward from the first game, besides offering 44 more levels. However there is a slightly more dynamic camera here, that zooms in and out at pivotal moments, (one of the benefits of a new 3D engine) and there are new sneaky tricks in the levels that even players of EDGE won’t be familiar with.

Verdict: Overall, it is definitely worth getting for both new and old players. Extended is actually cheaper than the original too. Those without iOS and Android can also grab it in Steam, where both EDGE and Extended content is bundled together.

I’ll be keeping this one, and aiming to finish it.
_ _ _ _ _ _

Until next week!

On time this week! K, go!

Dungeon Story



In short: Another match-three plus game! (This genre seems to be exploding at the moment!)

Dungeon Story is like WarGames from a few weeks back, and like some others from prior weeks too probably, insofar as it combines match-three gameplay with an overarching game. You, a faceless adventurer, faces-off against other faceless opponents. The battles are decided entirely by how you match the threes. You and you’re opponent are only represented by an name and a health bar: i.e. “Skeleton 17/30.” The icons in the matching area offer similar functionality to most of these games; there are swords for attacking, coins to earn money, hearts to replenish health, and then there are also icicles and flames to perform magical elemental attacks. There are five dungeons to work through, though these are just a battle-until-you die affair. There are also quests you can accept in the alehouse or something, but these are really just thinly veiled objectives like ‘defeat fifteen enemies’ and the like. To be honest, all the games I’ve looked at in this genre prior to this, did a better job if integrating the match-three system with a greater story/game. But to be fair, it all works pretty well. You get to buy little perks from the randomly-appearing merchant, like the ability to deal damage with each turn, or replenish health each turn. However I still have a hurdle with the game, and this genre as a whole. Match-three games are simple, and addictive, so why do you make me wait thrice during what should be fast-paced gameplay: 1) for the enemy to ‘make their move’, 2) to deliver me an arbitrary ‘Skeleton attacked you’ message, and 3) for my health bar to deplete. I know it is part of the attempt at making an overarching RPG, but it ruins and insults the game’s own core mechanic.

Verdict: I’m sure match-three mechanics can be paired up with other mechanics in a game successfully, but not this time.

I’ll be deleting this one. Even though review have been pretty positive… I can’t see it getting hugely better as I go on.

I’ve persevered with this one a bit longer. I’ve got used to the pacing, the responses of enemies, so it doesn’t feel so slow now. I’m also noticing that in some battles, the board is refreshed on eah turn, which keeps things interesting and hampers your planning. The quests in the tavern actually have beneficial effects on your character, and the Game Centre achievements (of which there are a shock EIGHTY) are becoming quite motivating. I think I am changing my mind a little.


Crumble Zone



In short: A shooting game, a little like Asteroids but without the ability to move.

Instead, you are a stationary creature who is required to protect a small planet (or maybe it is an egg), from incoming planetoids/asteroids. If you let the egg/planet get destroyed, it is game over. As you shoot the space rocks, they will break down into smaller and smaller chunks, until finally they become colourful gems that you can collect. As well as a fire button, there are left/right movement buttons which allow you to move your little guy around the planet to aim or to collect gems. Said gems can be spend on power-ups, which I will discuss shortly. The game is basically endless, but you do progress through ‘levels’ of increasing difficulty, which means that there is an increasing in the size, speed and frequency of oncoming aggressor planets. From shooting larger planets, or ones with extra craters and even water on their surface, you may be rewarded with a power-up of some description. These power-ups seem to activate automatically and are usually a different weapon; one that is more powerful, fires faster, bullets that bounce, bullets that can orbit the planet for a few seconds destroying all it their path, or ones that creates a little gravity that pulls asteroids together for an easier shot. There is also a limited-time metal shield for your planet. Visually, the game has a very bloomy, hazy, and very green aesthetic. It looks nice but I’m not in love with it. I should mention though, that this game has excellent menus, with smooth animations and nice transition effects. (I’m a sucker for a good menu, remember). Overall though, this game does not really hold much appeal for me. But I recognise that what it does it does well.

Verdict: A smooth take on the 2D scrolling shooter thing, but not something that I would sink time into.

I’ll be deleting this shortly.


Bean’s Quest



In short: An adorable platformer that can be adapted to the abilities of most gamers.

Bean’s Quest starts like many platformers: A damsel is kidnapped! However, the game’s hero, some little Mexican, is also turned into a bean! This means that he cannot walk or run, only bounce through many perilous levels to save his lady. So players will be spending a lot of time jumping, and the mechanics are pretty floaty: You can easily make two noticeable changes of direction in a single bounce. But I soon adapted to this, and quickly focused my attention back on the platforming at hand. Each level has four goals, and this is where the game can either be straightforward tricky, depending on your ability and how you want to play. The obvious goal is to reach the goal in each level. Additionally, you will earn a badge for: a) collecting all gems, b) finding each level’s hidden axolotl, and c) completing the level without exceeding a prescribed number of bounces. Now, I’ve ordered these roughly in order of difficulty. Gems are easy to see, so you just need to make accurate jumps, and in places, take your time to make sure you collect them all. The placement of the axolotls varies, so they aren’t always easy to spot, and often take a really precise jump to reach. The limited-bounces thing is basically speed-running: Since you can’t actually run, completing the level in less bounces means you did it faster. Fulfilling this is a tough gig, as you will need to read Bean’s bounces like a book to fit into 1x1 gaps without using extra bounces. So there is a lot on offer in each level here, if you’re up for the task, and even if you’re not up for it, you’ll still have fun. The game rarely causes frustration, as there are checkpoints within levels that you will re-spawn at if you perish, though you will of course lose any gems you collected between the checkpoint and your demise. It is also hard to rebel against the bright and cute visuals/music, reminiscent of 16-bit era platformers. This is handy, because 50 levels would be a lot to work through if it wasn’t a fun experience. Speaking of levels, there is also a cute, zoomed out miniature level in the background of the stage select screens. How neat is that!

Verdict: A great platformer that is only as challenging as you want it to be. Highly recommended to all.

I’ll be playing through every level at least, and maybe testing myself on completing the additional challenges.


Run’n’Gun



In short: Another portrait-orientation runner, but with more shooting than usual.

That’s how it sounds anyway. Which is all I have to go on for this one, because it’s a crasher for me. A bit of loading screen is all I get before it goes. Apparently support for devices older than the iPhone5 was only added to the most recent update, so maybe kinks are still being ironed out. Or many I just got unlucky. Either way, it’s all up to you folks. It’s a free game, and only weighs in at 40 odd megabytes, so go check it out for yourself if you’re a fan of runners.

Verdict: null.

I’ll be deleting this, unless an update rolls in the the next few seconds.


Ghost Racer



In short: A fairly average top down racer.

I have enjoyed the odd top-down racer, but this one just feels very flat. You just race against the clock and against ghosts. The graphics too, are very flat: There doesn’t feel like there is much depth to the world, and everything looks pretty simplistic. Everything is here though, you get all the buttons, lap times, speedometer, and a map all packed onto a small screen, which is pretty good. I read somewhere that the car physics were actually quite deep, and so on, but I’m not really feeling it myself. It just feels to me that an unnecessary level of precision is required to race competently. I’ve never been a fan of sim-racing games, and I think top-down style races are better as more casual affairs myself.

Verdict: I would pass on this one unless you really have a thing for top-down and simulation racing games.

I’ll be deleting this.


The Blockheads



In short: Another open-ended world builder in the vein of Terraria/Minecraft.

This is much like last week’s Growtopia, however this game can be almost totally described as ‘Minecraft on a 2D pane.’ The 3D models scream Minecraft, as do the blocky characters and their movements. One of the things that differentiates The Blockheads is it’s perspective. The word around you exists on a 2D pane, however it is actually a globe, so you can keep walking in one direction and eventually wind up back where you started. It seems silly to offer 3D Minecraft visuals in a 2D pane when part of MC’s appeal is creating awe-inspiring creations that can be traversed and explored. I haven’t played enough Minecraft to comment on the crafting system, so I’m not sure how it compares, but here it is all about creating workbenches: A woodwork bench, a tool bench etcetera, that let you create their namesakes from resources like wood, dirt, fruit, flint, rock and so forth. Making tools will help you to harvest or mine resources more quickly and efficiently, but they will break in time. Everything in this game is controlled by tapping various spots. Tap above the earth to move to that spot, tap on a block of earth to dig, tap on a tree to cut it down. I don’t like this system personally; I’d much rather have the use of standard run/jump platformer controls. However, one cool feature of the control system is that it allows you to queue tasks. So you can instruct your dude to mine five squares, and then way over to the left, go and chop a tree. The downside of this is that there is a lot of waiting around. This isn’t an online MMO, so there’s nobody to talk to while you wait, and besides, your iDevice is likely to turn off the screen and lock itself in the time it takes you to get through a batch of tasks, so it can be a counter-intuitive system. There is a two player mode on offer here. I haven’t investigated it, but I presume two devices are used, as I can’t see this working on a shared device. Frankly, this game is a little slow for my liking. The movement and crafting all take a lot of time and leave the user with a progress bar to watch, and as I said, there is nothing else to do in the meantime. At least with Growtopia, you could leave the world, talk to someone, or just exit the game while you waited for things to grow.

Verdict: A decently looking crafting game, but might slow and nothing revolutionary. It is however, free, so go for it if you want.

I’ll be removing The Blockheads.


Cute Kill



In short: An fairly unexciting auto-shooting, shooting game.

The main idea here, is to outrun zombie hoards, and kill them while doing so. Yet, the core two aims; run and shoot are handled automatically. So there honestly isn’t a lot of fun to be had here. All you to is tilt your device to make the girl run in that direction, and occasionally hit the melee button when the undead get too close. The baby on here back does all the attacking, which is why this is called “Cute Kill”. But this baby with a gun isn’t at all cute. Maybe it could be in some different context, but here it feels like it is in slightly poor taste. This sort of thing doesn’t really bother me, but here there is just no context, so it seems highly unnecessary. The rest of the game if par for the course: Coins are earned, and used on upgrades, chiefly more and better guns. An extra negative mention has to be made of the controls, which, in both tilt and tap modes, are slow even on highest (default) sensitivity.

Verdict: A uninspired, largely boring shooter with unnecessary amounts of children.

I’ll be removing this.


Hyperwave



In short: A 2D space shoot-em-up.

This is a fairly standard shmup affair. Enemies come toward you on a scrolling pane that looks a little like the Guitar Hero fretboard thing. You shoot automatically, but you have the ability to move left and right, and also direct your fire in those directions, via two L/R d-pads on either side of the screen. there are also a variety of power-ups that will come your way that you must move toward to collect. Your health is shared with the line at the bottom of the screen, so letting an enemy touch you or the line will eventually spell game over. I don’t really understand why this game gives players the option to direct their fire, as most shmups just have you firing forwards only. As a result, the ship in Hyperwave feels much slower, and I find it hard to adjust to controlling the fire and the movement separately. On the graphical side of things, this is yet another game that uses the neon-outline style, albeit with different patterned backgrounds. (I think the pictured one is supposed to be circuitry?) Anywho, I don’t think it looks particularly attractive this time around. There are Game Centre achievements on offer, though they are few and basic; like pass word one, world two etcetera. There are seven worlds to work through, plus an endless mode to unlock. However I think it will become quite a repetitive affair to get through them all.

Verdict: A standard entry into the shmup genre. I think there are better things to drop two bucks on.

I’ll be removing this.


Car Jack Streets: Director’s Cut



In short: An top down, open-world game full of violence and crime.

The game starts off quite well. The story is actually quite clever: Your motivation to carry out missions is to earn enough dosh to pay off gambling debts. This also introduces an clever gameplay quirk that will keep you on your toes; payment is due in instalments. Missions seem to be varied, even in the early stages. Anything from carrying out hits to delivering stolen cars to a warehouse. The world city is open to you to explore, but thankfully there is also a well implemented GPS system that will point you to mission locales. Like the newer Grand Theft Auto games, you have a place to call your own. In the safe house you can escape the cops and also store your vehicle. There is a four-star wanted system that works just like GTA too: Blowing up cars and running down pedestrians will gradually increase it. If you die, you will wind up all better, but lighter in the hip-pocket, outside a hospital, again, just like GTA. Visually, the game features the top down, sprite based graphics reminiscent of (again) the Grand Theft Autos of old (I, II, London, Advance, etc.). Sadly, it is quite a dated look if you ask me, as they haven’t gone with a pixellated look or a crisp look, just some sort of blurry middle ground, and there is no real visual hook here to make things at all exciting for the eye. The game does have a few problems of its own that differentiate it from GTA. There are inconsistencies in AI behaviour; drivers rarely stop, and people can easily get stuck in corners trying to run away from you. When driving, you whiz through light posts as if they were transparent, but bushes and fire hydrants can be pulverised. Overall, the car physics feel a bit off, and this is not aided by the at times unresponsive controls. Even the confirm/advance-the-dialogue button during a scripted sequence is particularly finicky. The game just feels a little old and clunky, a fate shared by the old GTAs if you play them today.

Verdict: A game that just feels outdated. It also seems a little rich to slap ‘Director’s Cut’ on a title like this. But it is free (presumably to promote the the 3D sequel), so give it a look if you still enjoy the 2D GTAs and would like a decent story to go with it.

I’ll be removing this from my device.


Polyroll



In short: A retro styled platformer that borrows more from Sonic than Mario.

Indeed, many platformers see Mario as the franchise to borrow from, but Polyroll, borrows from Sonic, emphasising the “roll”. Just as Sonic spins lethally, so does the thing in Polyroll. You spin when you jump (B), and also on the ground when you press A. A more powerful ‘rocket roll’ can also be performed by holding A. The enemies that suffer the wrath of your rolls are fairly typical of all 2D platformers; creepy crawlies, and flying things along with environmental hazards like spikes. Mostly, enemies feel easier to defeat than in the standard Mario-derived pound-to-kill platformers, because you can just jump straight at enemies without needing to read their movements to get on top of them. Along the way, each level also has a few flowers, and jumping on these will you grant you a power of some sort, like limited time invincibility, deployable bombs, or the ability walk on spikes. Usually these are strategically place, are necessary to find the big gem from each level. So you will need to tread carefully and avoid losing any health, as this will also cancel the power-up. Unlike a lot of other platformers I’ve gone through so far, Polyroll does not reward speed, but rather exploration. Levels are big and open, with a multitude of paths to choose. Usually you will have to backtrack a little to find some gems or hidden collectibles. The game encourages you to seek these gems in a rather self-fulfilling way: Collecting ten gems will net you an extra hearth in your health bar, thus allowing you to take greater adventurous risks. There are 28 levels, but I am guessing that they will only get larger, and judging from the stage-selection screen, may potentially have multiple exits. The game’s retro art is also very nice to look at, offering bright worlds, and old school sprite animations.

Verdict: A solid retro platformer that definitely offers some fun. Despite getting it free, I think it looks to be worth it’s $2 price at the moment.

I’ll be playing through this one.


Cubed Rally Redline



In short: A cute isometric endless racer.

I only call this a racer because it features cars. But there isn’t any racing; this game revolves around survival, and chasing high scores. You control a car as it zooms along and isometric roadway. The game’s modes though, are 3D, so the game looks very smooth in motion. The car and track will rotate at corners, but the camera stays in a fixed position. There are five lanes for the car to travel in, and it is up to you to move the car between these lanes to stay safe. Game-ending enemies include moles (in the dirt), trees (anywhere), rocks (anywhere), barriers (anywhere), cows (anywhere and on the move), and lakes (which can sometimes be jumped if there is a ramp). Game-aiding collectibles include blue drift tokens, which allow the car to drift around corners and earn points, gold coins to use in the store, and fuel to sustain your drive. Ever so often, there will be a chequered strip across the road, and this indicates a checkpoint, which will ‘bank’ any coins that you have earned. As said, the coins can be used in shop to buy new cars. Cars have a rating from one to three stars, but I imagine that the differences are largely cosmetic, given the gameplay on offer. There is also an ‘emergency time brake’ at the bottom of the screen, which will allow you to slow down briefly when you need a bit longer to dodge an obstacle. Though the brake overheats and needs to be used sparingly. As you would expect with this being endless, there are objectives to complete as you play, though these, for better or worse, are tied to Game Centre achievements. So the game has a whopping 55 of them. Kudos are in order for the music here; bright catchy chiptunes abound. Sadly, this game is leaning toward being labelled ‘freemium’: There is a dollar IAP that will unlock a mode that features 20 time trials, and also remove ads. Granted, the adverts are pretty infrequent anyway, but it is always a little annoying to feel like you’re missing out on some of the action.

Verdict: A undeniable cute little endless driving game. Not overly deep, but it offers a little fun.

I’ll be deleting this soon though.


Rail Rush



In short: A 3D endless runner in a mine setting.

This is another typical into-the-screen 3D endless affair. The mine cart barrels along, but to keep it doing so, players will need to avoid various hazards by; leaning (left/right tilt), jumping (swipe up), ducking (swipe down) and jumping between different rails (swipe left/right). There are also gold nuggets and gems to collect to use in the (wait for it) SHOP, which offers a plethora of the regular power-ups that you would expect. The game is free, so it has a few ads. But that doesn’t really excuse the outrageously expensive in-app purchases. Like seriously; $5.49 for a new character that you will mostly only see the back of… Totally crazy. I’d hate to be a parent with a kid that liked this game… The game does look pretty good: But it must be lovely for Miniclip to be able to re-energise and re-monetise flash games on iOS. Overall, Rail Rush lacks the adrenaline of Temple Run, the undisputed king of these runners. It takes longer to speed up, and there are no no giant killer monkeys chasing you so, always feel like it is your own fault when you die. This game also uses any excuse to sent push notifications, so if you do decide to give this a try, I’d recommend denying push notification privileges.

Verdict: A competent game, but one that doesn’t bring anything new to the genre. Pass.

I’ll be deleting this.


Munch Time



In short: A physics puzzle game starring a hungry chameleon.

Quite simply, all the chameleon wants is food: The pink grub in each level. To reach it, you will have to grab onto flowers with his tongue. If you time your grabs and swings well, you will be able to collect three stars in each level, and this makes up the typical scoring system, although you are also scored in points based on your collecting abilities and your speed. The chameleon can obviously change colours too, so sometimes levels will feature different coloured flowers, and you will need to grab an orb of that colour before you can hope to grab onto a flower of that colour. Each flower is a single-swing only, adding to the strategy required, but some special flowers (i.e. pink) will swing you around forcefully and can be grabbed many times. The chameleon can also walk to a point by touching that point, but this is slower, and he will be stopped by the slightest edge, so swinging on the flowers is preferable if you want a decent score. Once you get close (maybe 1.5cm) to the grub, the chameleon will automatically grab it with his tongue, so again, it is best to utilise your swings to the fullest extent so that you can finish fastest. I expect that as the game goes on, more types of flowers, and perhaps different environmental factors will influence the gameplay, so I think this will be come quite the puzzler. As you can see, the game features the cartoon artwork that we have come to expect from many iOS games. But it looks nice and crisp and inoffensive. There are also twenty-one Game Centre achievements to display in your virtual cabinet as you progress through the game.

Verdict: While it is in a similar vein to plenty of other titles, Munch Time is a polished and fun experience. I’d go for it.

I’ll be playing through this one.
_ _ _ _ _ _

See you next week.

Late again, but it has been a busy week and all that.

Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD



In short: Another ‘too-big-for-iOS’ RPG.

Like ORC a few weeks back, this is another big game, with 3D environments and fairly complex gameplay; one of those titles that demonstrates how iOS is becoming a legitimate gaming platform and all that hoo-har. Now this is a big RPG experience, so I can’t really comment on the game’s variety, or difficulty at this stage. But all the expected features seem to be present: At the outset you can choose a race (human, elf, troll), a sex, and a class (warrior, paladin, rogue, ranger, mage) and also make a few facial feature alterations if you desire. Then in game, you have weapons and items to equip, stats to upgrade, things to craft, clothes/armour to wear and of course, quests to complete. The story is fairly generic at the moment: A dead father revealed to be more than a simple farmer, and a son setting out to follow his legacy as a mad-dog warrior and save a kingdom and such. The controls work as most 3D (graphics and perspective) iOS games do: There is a thumb-stick for movement, sliding motions anywhere for camera control, context sensitive buttons (for attacking or opening a door or talking) and and a quick access area to draw different weapons and the like from your pack. Visually the game looks pretty good. Models are a little simplistic, (hello N64 hands), but the game makes up for this with a pretty impressive draw distance. It also runs comfortable on an 4th generation iPod, even with about eight apps in the multi-tasking pane. Another really neat aspect of the game is it’s five save slots. This means that a whole family could all play on a single iPad if they wished, and all be different races and class, which is great!

I chose to be a ranger, so I am getting used to both close quarters and distance attacking. I’m not sure if the game will be intricate enough going forward to offer arrows with a greater range, but I imagine it will be, as better swords and shields are a given. Attacks automatically direct to what is targeted, but I am yet to test this mechanic is a truly heated battle where I am outnumbered. Apparently there is 30+ hours of game here, and I’ve seen screenshots that show horses, so fun times ahead hopefully! It is fairly hefty in size though, at 311MB, and it also is $3. But it is universal and it had cloud support.

Verdict: A full-blown, and good looking RPG that shows promise even in the early stages. I need more time to give a definitive verdict, but all is well at present.

I’ll be adventuring onward!


Guide The Light



In short: A puzzle game of mirror moving and light directing.

This one follows a tried and true formula. I’m sure most people will have seen these kinds of games and know how they work. Basically, there is a light source, and a goal for the light to reach. The play must move 45 degree mirrors around a grib based level so that the light can reach it’s destination. Once this is done, the little cave explorer, who is usually somewhere on screen, will be able to progress to previously unaccessibile treasures. As the game goes along, things become more complex. Not just mirrors, but also boxes that switch incoming light sources, and other obstacles that will destroy the little wannabe Indiana Jones. In some levels too, there are enemies that chase the adventurer, so you are against the clock to finish the level, or perhaps trap the enemy. Visually, the game does seem a bit bland, but I guess that’s the price of exploring pyramid caves. For your dollar, you’ll get 50 levels and a raft of Game Centre achievements, so it is a fairly decent package.

Verdict: I’ve recently played quite a few of these types of puzzles in The Heist (of MacHeist fame), so I’m not particularly enthused. That said, I recognise that this is a well made game. Probably worth a look if you like this type of puzzler.

I’ll be deleting this one.


Freeze!



In short: A puzzler based on the rotation of mazes.

Many moons ago here, I had a look at a game called Cado. It was a simple tilt controlled maze game. Freeze! is much the same. There is a ball thing that you must escort safely to the exit in each level. This is done by rotating the level so that all obstacles; sharp edges, razor blades, spikes etcetera, are avoided. Freeze! also introduces an additional mechanic; it’s namesake. You have the ability to halt time by hitting ‘freeze’ button. You can then rotate the level freely with the ball held in place. This adds an extra level of strategy, as some levels have no freeze button, some have limited uses, and then there are also rewards (achievements) for challenging yourself by not using freezes. As you can see above, the game has a distinctive black and white noire-ish style. With a story driven game, it would be an atmospheric style, but since it is a puzzle game and light on narrative, it just looks nice. Thankfully, the game’s controls are entirely touch based, so you don’t have to look like you’re doing the hot potato if you’re playing on public transport. The only real downside is the amount of content. Despite costing a dollar, you only get 25 levels, and the next 25 will set you back another buck. This won’t aid it in competition with the almost infinitely generous games like Angry Birds.

Verdict: A well polished puzzler. Definitely worth trying if it is free, but I wouldn’t pay for the game and IAPs just to get a few levels to go on with.

I’ll be playing through the first 25 levels, but then removing this one.


Luxor Evolved



In short: A non-linear, ball shooting, matching game.

That was a confusing description. I’m not sure if there is a name for this type of game, but I’ve played things like this before. Basically, there is a snakelike track of coloured orbs, that travels slowly along, and you need to shoot orbs into the chain to match three or more of the same coloured orb. When colours are matched, those orbs vanish, allowing the chain to be replenished. If you can’t, or are slow to match colours, then the chain will reach the end of the track and it will be game over. This being “evolved”, the gameplay is mixed up across levels: Sometimes the tracks are more intricate, sometimes levels are balls-to-the-wall hard but only ask you to survive for a minute. There are also a variety of power-ups awarded for mammoth combos: A slowing of time, a stopping of time, or a beam that destroys all things. As a further extension to the gameplay, you will also sometimes have to catch these power-ups as the fall by sliding your shooter left and right. The game features that all to common geometric neon-outline look, but it holds up pretty well. The controls are a little too simple at times: Aiming is a slide-anywhere-on-the-screen affair, and shooting is tap-anywhere, so sometimes you can undo your own precision aiming just by trying to shoot.

Verdict: A surprisingly variety filled take on this type of matching-shooting game. It is fun but not thrilling. Might be worth a look.

I’ll be playing a little more I guess.


ORBITAL



In short: Another neon shooter thing.

But this time, it is uses a portrait perspective, and calls for angular strategy rather than matching. The cannon at the bottom of the screen moves back and forth on its own. When you touch, it will fire an orb that will bounce of the edges of the playing field, and eventually come to a halt with a number 3 inside of it. Hitting that orb with another will cause it to become a 2, and so forth until it becomes a 0 and vanishes. So as you keep firing, the number of orbs increase, and it becomes harder to navigate the angles required to make the hit you intend. Once an orb crosses the ‘death line’ (pictured: just above the cannon) it is game over. There are three modes of play: Firstly there is ‘Gravity’ (pictured) where each shot will curve around other orbs. Secondly, ‘Pure’, where orbs have no gravitational pull and shots travel in a straight line. Third, there is ‘Supernova’ where movement is straight, but you control the movement of the cannon, and as a result of your extra power, the orbs count down from 5 instead of 3. This is a unique take on the orb shooting puzzler. It is nice to see something other than the Frozen Bubble type of colour matching. It also requires a bit of strategy and planning of your shots. However it is really annoying that the size of an orb is totally random. I could be huge or tiny. I think the game would work far better if it introduced a mechanic that, say, increased the size of an orb for each second that you wait to fire the cannon. Then the scoring could be adjusted to also reward the destruction of larger orbs. This would force players to think faster, but wouldn’t leave them at the mercy of randomness. Classic risk/reward no? If you did really like this game, there is plenty to keep you playing, as there is an online leader-board and also a PvP challenge system, though it isn’t affiliated with Game Centre at all.

Verdict: A neat little game, but not overly addictive. The randomness of orbs sizing is also a bit of a deal-breaker for me.

I’ll be removing this.


Another Dream



In short: A visually deranged matching game.

Despite being labelled as a game featuring dream like elements, this is far more unrealistic and demonic than any of my own dreams. I hope nobody has dreams like this! Anyway, the visuals are certainly unique and the whole game maintains a magic-infused-steampunk feeling throughout. Art aside though, this is just a matching game. Chains of two or more of the same falling object need to be matched, and longer chains with more objects will net a greater score. The chains however will be broken by any object hitting the chain or an object in the chain, so you are rewarded for speed as well as size. More matches will charge the blue meter on the near-bottom right, while any object that falls out of sight unmatched, will fill the red meter in the new-bottom left. The falling objects include lots of weird things like fireflies, teddies, eyeballs, skulls, clocks and masks. Sometimes there are special objects like dandelion puffs, which must be tapped and not matched, and demonic-grim-reaper things which should be avoided at all costs. Each level uses these items differently to mix up the gameplay. So one level might be littered with falling reapers, and you just need to survive for a minute, while another level might ask you to match 100 fireflies. As you progress through the levels of the ‘story’ mode, you will unlock other free play and endless modes. You will also earn dosh to spend on spells, (which are pictured at the bottom the screen), and these enable you to do things like slow time or rewind a few seconds. Although the gameplay is mixed up in each level, I think I would find it repetitive after a while. It is after all a well worn formula. Sadly this game has no Game Centre presence, so you won’t be challenging your friends any time soon.

Verdict: Another Dream is pretty atmospheric, and deranged art is great. But at the full price of $2, it’s fairly standard gameplay mechanics are a bit of a let down.

I’ll be deleting this soon methinks.


Asension: Chronicle of the Godslayer



In short: A deck (of cards) building strategy game.

I’ve played a couple of these things before, but they’ve never really appealed to me. In the real world too, I’ve only ever collected Pokemon cards, and then battled on only a few occasions. I am just trying to flag in advance that this genre really isn’t my cup of tea. Ascension is exceedingly complex to my mind. I won’t try to explain the rule in depth, so it will suffice to say that there are three sorts of powers; attack power, capture power and honour. Honour is earned by defeating other cards and from oher special moves, and it the main governer of the score ar the close of a match. The other powers are largely self explanitiory; attack power will defeat opposition cards while capture power will let you posess cards form the deck for use in play later. Matches are rather long and even the tutorial had me a little befuddled. The cards that appear in each match are also random, so there is no collection or sense of connection that might come from collecting cards in the real world. There is also rather a lot happening on the screen, and the game also requires a lot of dragging to move cards, so I think that this game is better suited to an iPad. The dragging thing is actually a bit of a design flaw in itself: Often it is clear that there is only one move applicable, and yet you still have to drag card x from point a to point b.

Verdict: A deep, to the point of confusing, card game that requires a keener mind than mine, and an iPad. In searching for an image, I’ve discovered this is an actual card game! So I’m sure it makes a lot more sense in real life, and with a nice big playing surface. The app is six bucks anyway, so the physical thing is probably better in the long run for potential fans.

I’ll be removing this.


Age of Zombies Anniversary



In short: A humorous twin-stick shooter.

The controls and the gameplay don’t really need explaining. This controls like a standard twin-shick shooter and the only additional button is a grenade-throw button. There are random crates that appear in each level, and these offer better weapons like SMGs, shotguns and buzzsaws for a limited time. Players are scored based on how much they kill, how little they die, and by racking up zombie blasting combos. As in many of Halfbrick’s games, you you play as Barry Steakfries, who is out to defeat the hordes of undead that have been unleashed across time by an evil professor genius. The story is funny, not really laugh-out-loud stuff, but it makes fun of time travel, zombie, and evil genius clichés. As well as the straight up story mode, there is a survival mode, and plenty of Game Centre achievements to conquer and leader-boards to climb. This being the “Anniversary” edition, it is upgraded for retina displays, so 2D zombie stomping looks about as as pretty as it can.

Verdict: I think that sadly, this game is a victim of it’s developer’s own hight standards. After playing Halfbrick’s other classics like Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, this older title doesn’t quite feel as good. But it is a competent and fun shooter in it’s own right.

I’ll be playing this through, as I haven’t played a twin-stick shoter in a while.


nozoku



In short: A number-based puzzle game.

At a quick glance, this looks a bit like Sudoku, however the mechanics are fairly different. The aim of each level is to reach zero. When two touching numbers are pressed, the smaller of the two will be subtracted from the larger, and the remaining number will take the place of the bigger integer. The only way a tile can be moved a space without a subtraction taking place, is if it is swapped with a zero tile. By nutting it out, you should only be left with a few greyed-out “0” tiles, and thus will have complete the level. It is a little difficult to explain, but that is the gist of how it works. As you go on, the levels have their numbers placed in more widespread and difficult positions, and from what I gather from screenshots, there are also other types of tiles that may result in addition or different movement. Though I haven’t reached that stage myself. I’m perfectly fine with mathematical games, but this one didn’t really grab me.

Verdict: Sudoku is pure maths, and I think I would prefer the raw numbers to the added gameplay that nozoku introduces. Real maths buffs might like this though.

I’ll be removing this one.


Pizza Vs. Skeletons



In short: A stylish and variety packed action/brawler/platformer.

It is rare that I worry about spoiling a game in my weekly opinion-giving, but with this title I will be wary. Put simply, after the first few levels, you could not forsee the crazy variety (tweaks to gameplay, enemy types, level goals), that will come your way in latter levels. PvS is a hard game to describe. The name only really describes two things; the protagonist (the giant pizza) and the enemies (spear-wielding skeletons, and other skeletal foes). It is basically a platformer; you move and stomp enemies. But as it has a very close camera perspective, it uses gyro controls for movement, it doesn’t always ask you to move from left to right, and it sometimes requires you destroy enemies to even progress to an new area within a level. By tapping at various junctures, you can have your pizza jump, slam enemies, and also double jump. So there; it incorporates a lot of elements. It truly is your pizza as well, because you can spent the money earned in each level on different accessories for your pizza: Different crusts and toppings, and then facial features like moustaches, glasses and hats, with varying levels of hilarity. As the words “pizza with a top hat” would suggest, this game has a very wacky style. But it looks gorgeous (see above!!). The art all has a hand-draw look, and remains stylistically consistent throughout the game, even though the environments and enemies change. The tilt controls take a bit of getting used to, but eventually you will realise that they are perfectly tuned to the game, and the floaty jumping of your pizza. Judging by the Game Centre achievements, there are one hundred levels here, and as I said at the outset, these are sure to be packed with tons of variety.

Verdict: I got this during a free, which was a huge boon, because the game is normally $5. I’d say it is worth it, but I suppose it stops it quite reaching the must-have status of Angry Birds or Cut the Rope.

I’ll be playing through this for sure.


Super Knights



In short: An endless game of swinging and gem collecting.

You could question “why” about many things in this game; why knights, why gems, why giant thieving birds. But it seems to be the norm for many iOS games to just pick weird shit and run with it. I guess if the game is fun it doesn’t matter. Thankfully, Super Knights is quite fun, though I have no idea why. It is a pretty simple game; just press the grapple button to grab on to a swing point, and press another button to reverse the swing direction. Otherwise, the knight will happily bounce off the floor and walls. The only other aims are to collect gems, and avoid enemies. You will get bonuses for collecting a group of same-coloured gems, and also for rescuing trapped princess that sometimes appear. Toward the end of each ‘level’ (there are levels, but this is an endless game), the aforementioned giant birds will appear and nick all the gems left on screen. By hitting them you will add to your score. Then a really big bird will appear, and carry you to the next level where you start all over again. For your efforts in each game, you receive coins… [insert usual description of in-game store] so yeah, other characters, boosts and so forth. Like your typical endless game, there are also objectives to complete; score X, do X, buy X. This will level you up and earn you a new knightly title, as well as grant you access to stuff in the shop. Visually, this is again fairly; typical, bright, colourful. The same adjectives can be used to describe the music.

Kudos are lost here for another annoying tutorial that when introducing the store, gives you bonus coins, but then forces you to buy something you may not want in the store. (This is an ongoing bitch I have with games.)

Verdict: A fairly typical casual/time-waster/high-score-chasing game. At the moment I am finding it quite fun for some reason.

I’ll be playing it a bit, until I get over it.


Bitter Sam



In short: “A vertical action-puzzler that’s all about physics-based descending.” - from it’s website. Just about as convoluted as my own descriptions!

Sam is attached to a rope for whatever reason, and as he descends through each level, you dear player, must tilt the device to keep him unharmed. In each level there are three gems to collect. Sometimes there is a cute pig that Sam can grab, and this will give him a one-off shield, allowing him to bust through rock obstacles unharmed. Sometimes this is a simple second chance, and other times you must sacrifice the pig to reach a gem. There are also razor sharp obstacles (pictured) that threaten not only Sam, but his rope too. If the rope is cut, Sam also perishes, so this adds an extra level of strategy as the levels increase in difficulty. There is also a rope protector power-up (pictured) that will shield the rope for a limited time, and again, this is sometimes just a safety blanket, and other times it must by collected to get through a tough spot. No doubt there are other powers for me to discover in latter levels, but to be honest I don’t feel much drive to discover them. I think it is supposed to be a parody of some of iOS’ tropes: So the game features cartoon graphics, but unlike the happy vibe of many other casual games, Sam’s expression remains miserable, as he descends downward. The game has Game Centre leader-boards, but no achievements, which I think is a huge oversight, as some ironic parodies (if that is indeed the game’s intent) would be fitting for achievements.

Verdict: Sam eponymous doesn’t really give a damn, so its hard for me to be enthusiastic either. An average title really.

I’ll be deleting this.


Growtopia



In short: A 2D platforming MMO with Minecraftian/Terrarian elements.

There are now plenty of games that feature lo-fi graphic in either 2D or 3D, and emphasise creativity, crafting and craziness. Growtopia is another of these, but it differentiates itself by being tailored for mobile platforms, and also by it’s unique crafting mechanics. In the same way you use an axe in Terraria, you can punch stuff to break it in Growtopia. By breaking dirt, you many be rewarded with dirt, a dirt seed, a gem, or nothing and the same goes for nearly every other type of object. Seeds can be planted to create trees that will flower with that item. Though there is no guarantee of exactly what a tree will provide; some may grow the seed, some the object, some gems, or some a mixture. This randomness makes it more important that you make good choices about how and what you plant or use, so that you get the maximum output. Seeds can also be combined (“spliced”) to make new trees; for example a dirt seed and a rock seed will create grass tree. This chain continues upward from bare-bone materials like dirt and lava to bathtubs, bricks and toilets as well as wearable garments like pants and hats. There are also signs you can create to leave messages for others, and you can also make doors to provide access to spaces within worlds and between worlds. The gems, mentioned earlier, are the game’s currency, and can be used to buy more inventory space, rare seeds or locks.

Why would you need a lock? Well, this is an MMO after all! There are plenty of people running around in busier worlds, interrupting your farming, pushing you into lava, or smashing the platform you are standing on. Few people are as friendly as in the screenshot. But thankfully you can create your own world, and eventually, you will be able to secure with a lock, from all but your list of allowed buddies. I’ve managed to buy a 10sq lock and with a system of doors, I have secured my own world. This means I can craft, farm and mine in peace. However it does feel lonely without others, so I think it is better to try and play this as a social game.

The game, admittedly, has a cluttered interface. There are movement buttons, and attack button, a jump button, plus speech and menu buttons, as well as inventory shortcuts, the full inventory, and also little notifications of server announcements, player speech and a slow network warning indicator. This is a lot for an iPhone/iPod/Android phone screen to cram in! Thankfully different panels can be dragged in and out of view, once you figure out how it all works, so it becomes far less intimidating over time. Alternatively, you can play on a tablet since the app is universal. It also features its own (optional) GrowID account that allows you to sync your progress across devices and platforms. Neat!

The game is still in development stages, so servers are frequently down, and updates are rolling in daily, and usually, there are under 1000 people online. So if you you’re interested in this, I’d say jump right in while it is still growing. It is impossible to remember what seeds should be spliced, so I recommend a guide/wiki for anyone interested in jumping in.

Verdict: Growtopia is not easy to get a handle on. It takes a while to get used to the game’s mechanics, and requires some grinding to get set up. But for those who enjoy sandbox building games, it is a winner.

I’ll be playing this, and trying to drum up interest on the forums.
_ _ _ _ _ _

Adios!

Week the tenth:

Wimp: Who Stole My Pants?



In short: A platformer that uses just about every mechanic know to the genre.

Like most platformers, there is a nonsensical story and one or two McGuffins: In Wimp, a green blobby thing needs to find his undies in each level to open the exit, and there are three toilet rolls to collect in each level too. Each level contains hazards, which include, but are not limited to, pools of acid, other blobby things, moving and/or spiked platforms. Wimp travels around in a little bubble, and you can use this to stick on to almost any surface, allowing you to work through in the physics/puzzle elements of the game: Tipping platforms, moving and stacking boxes, and swinging on ropes. In other levels, Wimp can receive powers, like the ability to become a flying fireball (a-la Human Torch in Fantastic Four).  By collecting the aforementioned toilet rolls, you are then rated from 0-3 rolls (just like the three star system), but you are also awarded a scored based on your pace and the number of times you perish. There are no ‘lives’ here, nor is there a health system. Death is instant and total, but Wimp will re-spawn a few paces back. This means frustration is minimal, and I’m sure this will be beneficial going forward into harder levels. Despite the fact that this game uses so many different mechanics; the physics elements, power-ups as well as encouraging both speed running and collection in each level, it feels totally coherent. The physics are tight, and the controls work without a hitch. There are over fifty levels, forty-four Game Centre achievements, (well balanced between specific and long-term goals), and leader boards, so content is not an issue. Nor is price: At just a buck, this is a very competent, visually appealing, and fun title.

Verdict: A platformer that uses just about every mechanic know to the genre: And successfully crafts a truly winning game. Hop to it!

I’ll be adding this to my list of excellent platformers; Mos Speedrun, League of Evil, etcetera, and playing it to completion.


I Love Squares



In short: A slower more precise take on the falling-blocks puzzler genre.

Like any game that features geometric shapes and falling rectangles, I <3 Squares will be compared to Tetris. The rules of engagement here are a little more complex though. Here you create square shapes from border pieces to clear the rows/columns/cells, rather than preformed blocks. Levels start out with universal while edges to build on, with more complex random pieces and coloured ones in Hardcore mode. Once you form a square, or another shape will either all red, or all blue pieces (and the universal white pieces if necessary) that area will clear, and everything above will drop down. To begin with, you have 20 moves before a new random row of white pieces is added, but this number decreases steadily as you progress in each game. It takes more planning than Tetris,  because while obviously nothing moves diagonally, each of the pieces needs to fit between other to slot in where you need it to. So you might need two columns width to slot in a specific piece. It is tough to explain, but after the tutorial, you quickly come to grips with how it works. To me, It feels like less skill is required here than in Tetris. Of course, there is planning required here, but since there is no urgency (you direct the blocks from the outset, they do not fall), it feels like chance plays a greater role than skill. Although there are only four possible pieces, there is no forewarning of incoming pieces as there is in Tetris. There are Game Centre achievement here too, but the game is largely fuelled by a desire to beat high scores.

Verdict: A challenging puzzler that offers something a little different, though it won’t suit all comers.

I’ll be playing a bit more to see if I can get a better, but I doubt I’ll last long.


101 Airborne



In short: A  old school top down shooter with modern paint.

The graphics are pretty good, but sadly you appreciate the 3D models more in the menu (hangar) than you do in the game itself. Does offer quite a challenge. Need to get close to enemies to collect money and health they might drop after you shoot them.

Verdict: A nice gesture, but not really a nice game. I’d avoid unless you think you’ll be skiing a slope of nostalgia.

I’ll be removing this.


Call of Snakes



In short: A vague, 2D squad-based action game.

Visually, this game looks like one of those 2D turn based strategy game set on a grid, with anime-styled sprites to boot. It is not, however, one of these games. It is basically an action game. You have a party of six little anime styled guys, one is a healer, another is a melee expert, another has ranged attacks and so forth. You pick one of these to lead your party, while the others will appear during the game as hostages in need of rescue. Once in the game, all you do is swipe in the direction you want to move, and your party will make ninety degree turns in that direction. That’s it: They all fire automatically, but you need to be facing the right direction, roughly. Roughly being the key word here, because characters don’t move in a grid, and some fire diagonally while others don’t. There is a highlighted area around your character showing their range of attack, but there are other squares around the place, so it is not always clear. Plus, hit an enemy or a wall, and you’re dead. Your whole party. So this is where the “snakes” part comes in to play: The game is governed by the same rules as the classic Snake! Yes, it took me a while to realise this, but I still don’t think it helps the game much. I doesn’t follow the strict grid movement that Snake does, and sprites do not always take up a square as would expect.

Verdict: By being limited to Snake controls despite my character’s abilities to attack, I felt I had little control over the game. I would pass on this one.

I’ll be removing this.


Surveillant



In short: A first-person, 3D stealth action game.

This game gives players a simple goal: Reach the CCTV camera in each level, by navigating a course of block. However, one must avoid being in the line of sight of the camera, lest it’s deadly laser tear you a veritable new one! That is all there is to it. If the laser comes your way, you try and run behind a block. (I think red blocks indicate that the camera has line-of-sight to that spot.) To walk to a spot, you simply tap there, and camera movement is hadled with the gyroscope. Sadly, those gyro controls are exceedingly finicky, and I see no option to choose an alternative control method, nor adjust sensitivity, which is a deal breaker for me. The graphics are pretty bland, even though it is deliberately low-fi. I gather this is developed by a one man team, so I shouldn’t be to scathing.

Verdict: Surveillant feels a bit loose for my liking, but if you can get past the controls, I think there is plenty of content.

I’ll be removing this.


Pocket Trucks



In short: A 2D action racing game with all the bells and whistles.

Most would have played a game like this before; a combination of platforming and racing. The player has four essential controls; accelerate, brake/reverse, rotate left, rotate right. In addition to this, there is also power-up button, used to perform jumps or briefly fly, with the spring and wing powers respectively. The requirement of each level, is to finish in under X time to reach a one, two or three star ranking. Overall speed, the collecting of bolts and the performing of tricks will also net you experience points. Bolts can be spent on new cars or upgrades in the store, and levelling up with XP will let you access new items. The default car is a jacked up taxi, and the second unlock is a forklift, and the customisation options are equally zany. So there is plenty of light-hearted variety in the cars, and this is also found in the tracks. The 3D environments are all bright and bubbly. Some levels are set in forests, some in deserts, and others indoors, with everyday objects in the background that remind you why these are “pocket” trucks. The biggest issue with this game is the lack of an instant restart feature; games like this really cry out for it. The physics also don’t feel overly fluid, a issue not aided by the fact that each course is angular: Loops are clearly made out of diagonal parts. The level and bolts requirements to buy upgrades feel a little excessive. Though there are twenty levels in the first cup alone, so there could be something like eighty levels in total, which means there are plenty of opportunities to accrue bolts and XP without getting too bored.

Verdict: I find myself comparing this to RedLynx Motoheroz, a game I unashamedly love. And overall Pocket Trucks is just not as tight or as focussed. If you don’t have MH on the brain like I do, then this would be a worthier investment.

I’ll be removing this soon, but I will give it a chance, because it is a great package overall.


Texting of the Bread



In short: A shooter controlled by frenzied texting.

Like those online flash tutorials, this game asks you to be precise and fast with your typing, though through the texting interface of iOS. Gingerbread men are overrunning the world, and in order to shoot them all down, you will need to be quick with your fingers. Your avatar will fire his/her gun each time you press a (correct) letter, so the first gingerbread man will be killed after you type “h-a-n-d”, then the next will fall after “s-o-l-o” and so forth. Failing to defeat an enemy before it reaches you will result in loss of health. After a while the game started play tricks on me. I found myself with two competing urges: One, to type the word quickly and correctly, and two, to have the words in order to make a coherent dialogue. See, there often is a dialogue like; “how am I supposed to even shoot this…” and so forth. But because some enemy types move faster than others, and I may make errors, the order of the words becomes skewed. So while I know that I need to type green highlighted-word, I may want to type the word that came next in the dialogue, or the word that is closest to me. So somehow, a simple typing fest becomes a strange action/puzzle game. It really is a very clever and very original concept, even if the visuals, both technically and artistically, are a little lacking. There are also a few random bugs that cause the game to crash.

Verdict: Not the sort of game I think would stick with, but it deserves huge kudos for originality and is certainly worth looking at.

I’ll be playing a little more.


War of Eclipse



In short: A strange turn based strategy, driven by one core gameplay mechanic.

That core mechanic, is the classic ‘power gauge’. You know the one; often used in sports games to determine the power of a shot or swing or attack. In your spacecraft, you face off against enemies using this same mechanic, over and over. The gauge moves back and forth at various speeds depending on the situation, and you must tap at the right time to unleash the most powerful attack; or any attack at all. Each bar features an larger (therefore easier) grey ‘hit’ zone, as well as a smaller (ergo harder), dark grey ‘critical hit’. The game is sort of turn based; you get two chances with the power gauge before the enemy ship attacks you, although, if you take to long, the enemy can sneak in another blow. As a reward for consecutive hits, you might get a chance to unleash your mega weapon, which transforms the power gauge into a percentage marker, and challenges you to ‘charge’ it as much as you can (max 200%), without overheating it. After each battle you will earn money and experience, which allows you to level up, and also repair and upgrade your ship. As you would expect from the gameplay, the story is fairly light on; you just need to take on all these enemies. But at least they are pretty cool; often looking like aircraft with demon parts attached. Each battle is also presented somewhat like a card collecting game; grading the enemy’s type and rarity. As you can see above, the game is also visually striking, with eight bit graphics and an old Gameboy-esque colour palette. This developer, Game Stew, has a habit of making these sorts of games. There is one called Tower of Fortune which features a knight scaling a castle, rather than spaceships, and it relies on a random gambling system (a-la pokies) instead of the power gauge.

Verdict: A very quirky title, that is probably worth looking at just for simple but unique game mechanics. It appears to be free still, so have a stab at it.

I’ll be fiddling with this a little more I think, but I’m not sure that my attention will be sustained in the long term.


Super Snack Time



In short: A fairly basic slingshot shooter.

This is another in a list of many games that have iDevices held in the portrait position, and ask for objects to be pulled back with a finger, and released toward enemies of some description. The enemies here are different fruits, although they are so heavily personified with cartoon eyeballs and the like, that they hardly look like fruit. Unlike some other games, you only have a single projectile to shoot, (a little hedgehog?) but this is returned after every shot. So you have infinite chances to take out all the fruit, provided you don’t let more than three escape the screen, as you only have three hearths in your health metre. This also dictates your rating at the end of each level (1-3 stars), though you also earn a score and currency for your efforts. Enemies move in both directions across your field of vision, and some require multiple hits to defeat. You are also encouraged to hit more enemies with a single shot, and a five-hit combo will result in a huge explosion. There are bombs to hit which take out many fruits at once, or ice that freezes fruit, and there are also limited-time power-ups like a cannon ability. As you would expect, there is a store where coins can be spent to upgrade the aforementioned power-ups. In conjunction with this, there are a plethora of the typical offers and incentives; free coins for FB/Tweets, free coins for watching ads, daily rewards for opening the app, and IAPs. It also costs energy to play. You only have limited energy, so if you fail to beat a level, you’ll eventually run out of puff, and have to have a break or pay up. This isn’t a bad game considering it is free: There are 60+ levels, plus an arcade mode, and there really isn’t a pay-wall. So I guess the plugs for social sharing and the like are acceptable. I just didn’t really dig the gameplay, as it is fairly derivative. And while it is the perfect game to jump in-and-out of, multitasking is inconsistent at best, which is a pain in the arse.

Verdict: Perhaps it is appropriate that Under the game’s icon it says ‘Snack Time’, because there really isn’t anything super about this game. But it is popular and free, so maybe give it a crack if you are in need of something to play.

I’ll be removing this I think.


A Cloudy Adventure



In short: A puzzle game that has you harnessing the winds.

The aim of the game, is to cause the name of the game. The eponymous cloud himself is incapable of having an adventure, or in fact, moving at all. Your job is to use other characters to blow Cloudy to his goal; a red ball in each level. Characters can be dragged around freely at any time, but can only blow in certain directions, left, up etcetera, and you must use them wisely to navigate the various platforms that hinder your movement. Each level also has hidden cheese to collect. (Why cheese I have no idea). These are placed randomly in the air and only appear for a second every so often, so you have to try and remember their position. Often times too, levels do not allow you to move Cloudy left at all, so a very deft touch is required, lest you wish to restart the level. If Cloudy is close to a source of air he will move much faster, so the game requires a lot of trial and error, and patience. I have just played through a similar quirky puzzler, with an equally stupid protagonist, on Steam called Eets. I enjoyed the game, and I played it to completion, but I don’t think I want something this fiddly on my iPod.

Verdict: A game that requires time and patience. A little to finicky for me.

I’ll be removing this.


Snowjinks



In short: A pretty, 3D, Christmas themed gallery shooter.

This game is a lot like Uppercut’s other gallery shooting game, Epoch. In fact, it is almost just a reskin! But at least it is an attractive one: Since it is also running on the Unreal engine, there are some very nice models as well as smooth animations and effects. It is only 41MB in size, but I think the engine does ask a bit from older devices like mine, (read: lag), so be aware of that. The game play here is fairly simple. Directional swipes will have you taking cover (down), (pictured), emerging from cover (up) and also dodging left and right. A tap on an enemies will have you hurling a snowball in their direction, but you will need to move quickly before they return fire. Some enemies are one-hit-KOs, while others take a little more perseverance. There are also coins that appear randomly and after an enemy is defeated, and these can also be collected with a tap, and used later in the store to buy cosmetic upgrades (hats) and also various booster items like fireballs. Sometimes presents or treasure chests will also appear, and hitting these with a snowball will reward you will a boost of some description, like extra coins or stronger snowballs. After defeating all the enemies in one area, you will move onto another snow laden cottage or hillside, so the game is essentially endless. There is health meter at the top of the screen, but despite appearances, it is very much a ‘bar’, rather than four lives. In other words, you can get half hit or grazed by a snowball, so this really encourages you to keep on dodging, even at the very last second.

Verdict: An attractive game, that offers a fun diversion. Since the festive season has passed, the game is free, so I’d recommend checking it out. For previous players of Epoch though, (like myself), don’t expect anything new.

I’ll be removing this shortly.


Dragon Island



In short: iOS’ answer to Pokemon(?)

You travel between villages, towns, and areas of wilderness. Along the way, you can capture creatures, and train them to battle against other creatures using a variety of attacks. On paper then, Dragon Island sounds a lot like Pokemon. When you play it though, it does feel similar, but also different. Rather than aiming to beat loads of other trainers, you have smaller quests to fulfil. Some do involve defeating others in duels, but there are also other types of quests, like clearing monsters from an area, or simply capturing monsters for the sake of it. Unlike Pokemon, there is no free movement in over-world, you simply select an area on the map to teleport there. Battles also work a little differently. It is still turn based, but each of your monsters has a chance to attack. So it is much easier to win in a random encounter, because it could be three against one. Capturing works as expected; though rather than Pokeballs, you can use more expensive ‘cards’ that will guarantee capture, or you can just work down the enemy’s health bar. As for the creatures you catch, they seem fairly well designed; though they have a massive range from dragons to tigers to birds to fairy-things to goblins to bugs. (They do, as far as I can tell, also evolve at some juncture.) They are perhaps a little inconsistent in their visual style when compared to Nintendo’s efforts, but that is being picky. The interface is a little different, perhaps slightly more clunky, than PKMN. Attacks work in the manner expected; some deal damage, others will raise your statistics, and some are hypnotic or paralytic. The music is perhaps where the greatest individual similarity lies; it is remarkably similar in tone and style to that of the Pocket Monsters games.

Verdict: A game that looks like it can deliver a solid Pokemon fix on Apple’s platform. Outside of the comparisons, this is a turn-based strategy come RPG game. It is the kind of thing you can play without paying too much attention, yet I think if you want to go deep, you can.

I’ll be keeping this. I think it will take a little time to form a complete judgement: There are things I don’t fully understand yet. It also takes balls to tread in Pokemon’s territory, so this deserves a little attention.


Sonic Jump



In short: Sonic takes on the ‘jump’ genre.

Like all games in of this ilk, you must navigate the protagonist (in this case SEGA’s famous blue hedgehog) upward through a maze of enemies and bounce on platforms of varying stability. Sonic can be guided left and right by tilting your device, and if he vanishes on the right, he will slide back in on the left of the screen. Touching the screen will make him double jump, or if pressed on a power-up icon, unleash said power-up. If you fail to guide Sonic to a platform, he will fall to his death, and you will have to start the level again. Like in the side-scrolling games, Sonic attacks when he jumps, so this is how you defeat enemies, like giant wasps (pictured) and crabs and caterpillars. Again like the normal Sonic games, you also need to collect rings. If you land on an enemy, you will lose all the rings you have, and if you have no rings, you will die. As well as providing life, the rings can be spent in the game’s store, on the typical boost items like a head start, a safety net, or ring magnet. There are two modes of play; story and arcade. It is a bit rich to call any mode of a jumping game ‘story’, but it seems that you end up freeing cats and other animals when you defeat Eggman at the halfway and end level of each area. There are twelve ‘acts’ (levels) in each area, two of which (6 & 12) are boss battles against Eggman. There are four different areas, (Green Hill Zone, Mountain Zone etc.), with another promised, so there are plenty of levels to work through. If you get tired of these, you can jump into endless mode, which is randomly generated from the themes of each story zone, and try to reach greater heights than your Game Centre friends. Speaking of Game Centre, the game does have a few achievements, though these are secondary to the objectives that the game challenges you to complete. These are fairly typical, like ‘use X power X times’ or ‘defeat X enemies’, but it keeps the game ticking, and allows you to level up; allowing access to more boosts in the store, and also extra characters like Shadow and Tails. There also appears to be some sort of global goal system that also offers bonuses to all players, however this seems a little buggy at the moment, and doesn’t properly connect with the SEGA website or whatever, so hopefully that gets fixed soon. Visually, the game has a crisp vibrant style, which you would expect. But it finds a happy medium between the older Sonic games and the new Sonic 4+ games.

Verdict: I don’t know why Sonic is jumping instead of running, but f*ck it. This really is a step above in this genre, so give it a shot

I’ll be playing through the story and completing as many objectives as I can.
_  _  _  _  _

So week ten… That means I’ve gone through 130 apps! Wowee!

I pick games totally at random, but I made sure I had really positive experiences to start and then end this tenth week with. Thank you to those still reading.

It has been a pretty hot week, even in the south eastern extremities of the country, so what better time to try out another thirteen apps:

Alien Hatchi



In short: A retro virtual pet with an modern look.

This one requires a bit of back story. Just under a year ago, Portable Pixels released a virtual pet app that was a lot like the Tamagotchis and Digimons of old, however it was perfectly adapted to iOS, and had a few little tricks of its own. Fast forward to now, and they’ve released a more modern take on the virtual pet with Alien Hatchi. Sadly, this version has no nostalgic value, and almost no charm like the retro Hatchi. Now that the visuals have been modernised, it looks bland. The animations also leave much to be desired; rather than reading a book as the pet did before, it just absorbs a lot of Matrix-esque digits. It is also much less fleshed out compared to the original. There are less interesting things to buy in the store, there are no mini-games to play and there are also no online battles; an awesome feature recently added to Hatchi. The only big introduction to the formula is ‘fuel’, which is the new currency, and is earned hourly and also by moving your hatchi (calculated via Location Services), which is a neat idea, but not one I’m interested in. There are also swags of out-of-context sci-fi movie titles used as as the names of various achievements, just because it is “Alien” Hatchi. How irksome.

Verdict: A unnecessary update to a formula that worked brilliantly already.

I’ll be deleting this one and sticking to regular Hatchi.


Super Monsters Ate My Condo



In short: A crazy, frantic vertical matching game.

You might remember back in week x, I reviewed the game Monsters Ate My Condo. Now here is its surprise sequel. Super MAMC retains all of the same gameplay elements; apartments of different colours are matched, from a basic colour to bronze, through gold, and diamond. Monsters pertaining to each colour still occupy the borders of the screen and offer you bonuses for feeding them their favourite colours. Rounds are still two minutes long, and there are still leader-board to climb and achievements to strive for. The biggest addition to the sequel is that is has been more iOS-ified, with a store, currency system, and a system of levelling up by completing objectives (a-la Jetpack Joyride). In the store there are obviously boosts, like extra time and score multipliers, and there are also hats to buy for the monsters that will increase the bonuses they offer. The actual gameplay has only been tweaked slightly, with the addition of new condos such as piggy banks that boost your coin collecting abilities. The same wacky visual style remains, though all the effects have been improved and everything looks a little nicer. The original game was a very pure experience, so at times this feels bloated. But once you start chasing down high scores, you’ll soon forget any issues you might have.

Verdict: Despite the alterations, this remains an unnecessary sequel. It obviously usurps the original, even if did not need to.

I’ll be keeping this as my matching game of choice.


Kunundrum



In short: A neon infused maze solving puzzle game.

In each level of Kunundrum, there are a number of coloured balls each with a correspondingly coloured goal. The player’s job is to navigate the mazes, and place each ball in the goal in the least moves possible. Controls are a simple matter of swiping balls in the desired direction. The balls will continue to move in their given direction until they hit a wall, an obstruction, another ball, or a booster tile (pictured). Despite this simple description, and the fairly minimalistic neon stylings of the game, it quickly ramps up. Levels become unforgiving; as one wrong move will trap a ball in an inescapable trap, and force you to restart and try to remember all the correct moves before you buggered it up. There are a whopping 180 levels to work through, and I am sure they will become unbareably complex. I must also mention that the menus are excellent, offering multiple ways to press or swipe to select something, so it really feels fluid; a little like you’re playing with Tony Stark’s or Minority Report’s computer interfaces. Yes, I do enjoy a good menu. To round out the package, there are 38 Game Centre achievements, though the defunct OpenFeint service is still supported in-game, which means Kunundrum might not have been updated for a while; so iPhone 5 users beware.

Verdict: A fun, challenging puzzler with plenty of value. Definitely worth a look.

I’ll be working my way through this title.


Spirit



In short: Another neon infused game, this time an action title.

This game looks and feels a lot like Geometry Wars; it is top down and takes place on a grid, and visually it echoes the neon styling also. But rather than a shooter, this is a game of survival. To destroy enemies, you must travel in a circle around them, which creates a sort of interdimensional portal or black hole, that sucks them away. It sounds simple enough, but you must of course avoid touching enemies which is not an easy task considering that they move in a variety of ways: Some follow you, some move in a pattern across the grid, and others simple float along. There are three modes of gameplay  here; classic (which I just outlined) as well as HECTIC (which adds more and faster enemies) and also pulse. Pulse changes things up, as it removes your ability to create portals, replacing it with random orbs that appear randomly, and touching these opens the portals instead. The controls are simple and work well; a virtual joystick appears wherever you touch.

Verdict: A fun game that is easy to play, and offers a nice distraction. Worth checking out.

I’ll be keeping around for a little while.


Spirits



In short: A smooth, relaxed puzzle platformer.

No, not a typo! Two similar names, but two very different games. This game is a 2D sidescrolling puzzler in which you control tree spirits. These spirits rise from a starting point, ansdfrom there you must direct them to then end goal. The little spirits will jump automatically from cliff edges but not over obstacles, so the player must sacrifice a few spirits to save the rest. this is done by selecting a spirit, and transforming it into something useful like a windy cloud to blow the spirits across a crevasse or a spinning boulder to smash a path down through the earth. There are plenty of these forms to choose from, but they vary from level to level. The aim is use as few spirits as possible, and ergo, save more of them, much like workd of goo. Controls are as you’d expect; just touch to select various options. Visually the game looks great with a very warm and glowy style that suits the game’s name and organic feeling.

Verdict: A very atmospheric little game. There is nothing remotely frustrating about it, so a good one to play on public transport perhaps.

I’ll be playing through this.


Tiny Troopers



In short: A 3D-down shooter that employs move-to-point controls.

In Tiny Troopers, you control various members of the armed forces in small groups or solo. They must be directed by your touch; to shoot enemies, collect health or dog-tags, and reach extraction points. There are many other games out there like this, such as the Call of Mini series, but this one thankfully sets itself apart with it’s method of control, and the missions, which are full of variety. Some levels are a race to the extraction point, others require you to destroy all enemies and/or buildings, some require you to survive waves of enemies, and some even require you to escort NPC characters like war journalists to safety. Performing well in each mission will net you currency (the name of which escapes me at the moment) and this can be used to buy new soldiers who have different weapon proficiencies. As well as the missions, there is a zombie mode, which simply challenges you to survive as many waves as you can. I know I said that this game is set apart by its controls, but I think I would have preferred dual stick controls that all the other elevated-perspective shooters use. It seems counter intuitive to have to drag objects like grenades onto the screen when I could just have my soldier face in a direction and push a button. It also makes it harder to move stealthily or retreat from the line of fire. There is also no way to pan the camera, so you are forced to take small movements forward and flick to a basic map. This also means that if your unit of soldiers splits on the way to a point, you cannot move between the groups, which really leaves you in the dark, and is a bit frustrating. Other than those gripes, the visuals are fine, but nothing over and above others of the same ilk.

Verdict: A solid game, but the controls may annoy some like myself. Regardless, give it a raz since it is free at the present time.

I’ll be removing this one I think.


Monstaaa!



In short: A game of precision tilting.

The aim of the game is pretty simple; to keep red bugs alive long enough to feed them to the purple monster. This means avoiding hazards like spikes (the red horn things pictured) and fires. This is done by simple tilting the device, and an (optional) handy gravity indication arrow will help you keep moving in the right direction. Other than that, some levels have partially hidden dinosaur bones to collect, but this appears to be simply for the sake of collection. Visually, the game has a very earthy vibe, with losts of caves and crevasses, but it is nothing awe inspiring. The control options are pretty thorough, allowing you to calibrate the device in flat or tilted positions, but I just really do not enjoy these types of games.

Verdict: If you don’t mind tilting your device around, you might enjoy this one.

I’ll be removing this.


KOTOMON



In short: A strange little 2D action game.

The idea here is, as a red Tellytubbly lookalike, to run around grabbing little spherical creatures and propelling them at enemies to kill them. Effectively, it is ten pin bowling from there on in, as you score combos for knocking down more enemies with one little fella. The world is full of hills, so you need to accommodate this topology as you navigate toward the end of the level. Apparently there is some rhythm stuff involved here, but I don’t really see anything beyond the slight intermingling sounds of the soundtrack and the defeated enemies. You move your character (called Kotomon) via a virtual analogue stick that appears anywhere in the lower half of the screen. Surprisingly, the 3D world can be easily explored even though the game uses a strictly portrait orientation. However I would prefer a fixed analogue stick, as I have a hard time telling whether I am moving at full speed or not, as the Kotomon is quite slow. Further problems arise from the controls too, as it is all purely touch-based, with a tap to shoot, hold to drop and pinch to zoom. It soon becomes tiresome and confusing. The graphics are also mighty bland and uninspired and furthermore, there is no retina display support, at least not on my device. There are also no leader-boards or achievements or anything of that nature. I also have an issue with the name of this game. Anything with “MON” at the end immediately makes me think of Pokemon, and it doesn’t help that there are little creatures that you can control in this game too… Now I just want to play Pokemon!

Verdict: A strange game that feels like it misses the mark, whatever that mark is… Steer clear.

I’ll be deleting this from my iPod.


Wordament



In short: A grid based word finding game.

It looks fairly innocuous, but there are a few very neat features that this came has that trumps many others in the genre. The biggest one is that this is a Microsoft game, and it links to Xbox Live! That’s right, just log on it and there are fifty points to add to you gamerscore from playing. Thankfully though, for those like myself, there is the option to simply play as a guest. It plays like any other grid based word game; just slide your finger around to make words. Letters all have a points value, so longer words with more uncommon letters will net you more points, just like Scrabble. There is also the occasional tile with two letters together, and not just Q/U but also more practical ones like N/E. Each game lasts for two minute, with an interval of 40 seconds between games. In the interval, you are instantly shown how you compare to everyone else in the world, who has also just played the same board. You are shown your average time/word ratio, how many words you found out of all the possibilities, how many points you scored, and a list of all your found and undiscovered words. You can also take a squiz at the leader-board and see how you fared. I’ve played a few of these games, and no other game is that thorough and that fast in it’s ability to compare you against the rest of the game’s players, so it is a brilliant feature. Since there is no menu to speak of, just an endless supply of games and intervals, this game is also highly addictive. Visually, it is all pretty clean and square, much like Windows Phone OS, and yes, it is on that platform too. There is one constant banner ad, but the game is designed around it so it is fairly unobtrusive. Plus, it is usually just a three-frame thing advertising Telstra, so it doesn’t offer much distraction.

Verdict: A great word finding game, that costs nothing and really makes you feel connected.

I’ll be keeping this as my word hunting game of choice.


Fishbowl Racer



In short: A auto-scrolling platformer that has you controlling two.

On paper, this sounds like it could be a unique and challenging platformer: You control a fishbowl on wheels, and also the fish that resides in said bowl, and you will need to balance the jumps of both. In practise however, it just doesn’t seem to work. It doesn’t feel like controlling two things at once is problematic, it feels like the mechanics are off. The cart jumps in a sluggish manner, and I found myself constantly crashing before I’d even amassed five points, let alone the combos (earned by keeping the fish out of the bowl for longer by jumping him separately) that the game suggested. This is also a totally barebones game; just a random endless level each time you play. Levels to beat, no daily challenges to speak of. My luck with Donut Games continues to go downhill.

Verdict: I’d avoid this one.

I’ll be deleting.


Santa Rockstar - Metal Xmas



In short: A Christmas-themed rhythm game.

Since it is still kinda the festive season, I thought I’d squeeze in this one. Santa Rockstar plays much music games Guitar Hero, Rockband, and also the iOS game TapTap. Notes of four different colours scroll down the screen toward you, and you need to press and hold them for the correct amount of time. There is also even a rock power mechanic where every note turns electric blue - just like Guitar Hero. Since the game is played with the iDevice in portrait orientation, there isn’t a hell of a lot of room for my thumbs on the fret buttons, but that will differ for everybody. There are three levels of difficulty depending on how well you can keep time to the rocking carols. And yes, the songs are actually pretty cool. Hearing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘Silent Night’ as a squealing guitar solo is pretty cool, even if the fact that these are carols means that this game can only really hope to be a brief amusement. There are probably about twenty tracks to play through, and you can upgrade Santa’s guitar with score increasing boosts, or even pay to play as a gingerbread man. The only real downside to the game is that the menus are a little messy, and Facebook sharing is pushed a little too hard.

Verdict: A fun and well made laugh, but a laugh all the same.

I’ll be playing a few more songs, but ultimately deleting this.


ARDefender 2



In short: An fluid and action packed take on the tower defence genre.

I was worried that this would be another of my ‘crasher’ apps, but after one day of crashing after about a minute, it decided to magically start working properly. Now, the original ARDefender was pretty basic: Apart from the hook of augmented reality, it was a fairly basic. This time around, all the bells and whistles are included. There are proper levels to progress through, rather than just waves, and there is a great variety in the types of defensive towers you can build, and these are easily upgraded mid-battle, thanks to the coins dropped by dead enemies. Like all TD games, there is a central point to defend, and here it is your generator. Unlike other TD games though, you are not restricted to a grid, you are merely alerted to where enemies will appear, and it is then up to you to decide how best to defend yourself. The actual AR feature is entirely optional this time around. With it turned off, you have the ability to pan, zoom, and rotate your viewpoint with one or two fingers. With AR on, your generator is placed on the tag (a series of dots that you can draw anywhere or print), and have to move your device around. So AR play is best suited to flat surfaces that you can get at least 180 degrees around; i.e. a table. From the look of it, there are at least fifty levels in the game, which is more than enough, since this is a a free app. There are plenty of IAPs, but I’m not sure if there is a strict pay-wall, and from what I’ve experienced so far, the game is not at all pushy in that regard, which is a plus.

Verdict: A decent TD game that is worth a look for free, even if it remains fairly basic, with wave-based enemies etcetera. Be aware of potential teething problems too.

I’ll be fiddling with this, but probably not following through with proper play.


ControlCraft




In short: A 2D point capturing game.

Each level of ControlCraft features multiple teams that vie for control of every point. (The player is always blue, and faces off against reds greens and yellows.) each team has at least one point to begin with, and from there must direct their footmen to seize the others. The value of the troops in each point automatically grows over time, so a soldier worth 3 might enter a point, and then leave later worth 18. He will then be able to capture enemy points worth 17 or less. Strategy comes into play when you realise that there are often multiple pathways to each point, and leaving a point to take an enemy one may leave you vulnerable. However you must attack eventually, otherwise the strength of enemy points will grow ad-nauseum. The concept here is pretty cool, and the games asks for thought as well as speed. However the controls annoyed me. Troops are moved by sliding from A to B, but the line indicating your proposed direction isn’t particularly clear against the silhouette-style graphics. This meant that I was doing far too much frantic swiping for my liking, considering the strategy I needed to employ.

Verdict: Not really my type of strategy game. I think I prefer them a bit slower.

I’ll be keeping this as my matching game of choice.
_  _  _  _  _  _

Same time again next week!

So I had this in drafts and forgot to publish… Anyway, here it is. I’ll make sure the next one is on time (Sunday).

Action Driver



In short: A primitive endless driving game.

At best, this game feels archaic. I and you, if you’ve read this over the weeks, will know Donut games have featured a certain retro style, but this time, it has been translated to much larger sprites and it just looks bad. The game is, quite simply, boring. Slide up and down on the left to turn the car left and right, and press on the right to boost. At some point, you’ll collect some $$, which serves no purpose outside of the scores, and at another point, you will crash. That is it. Just this one endless mode and a few achievements.

Verdict: Compared to what others can offer for 99c, this isn’t even worth it as a freebie.

I’ll be running this off the road. Ew.


Voodoo Friends



In short: A 2D adventure puzzle game.

In Voodoo Friends is a game where you control a little voodoo doll (Newton) and some other creatures. The idea of the game is to make your way through levels and collect yarn to make Yarnzilla (bleh). There is no jumping ability, so you will need to use ladders to climb and use a miniature umbrella to float safely down from high places, or land on something soft to break your fall. You control more than one protagonist in each level, so you will need to use them in tandem; for example, the big character (Bacon) can break through soft ground and also catch Newton when he falls from a height. Now I won’t beat about the bush here: This game should have been a platformer. The game is made difficult and tedious by the move from point-to-point control mechanics that it employs. You are just poking at the screen constantly, to switch characters, to head toward a ladder, and it is so very very inefficient. Standard platformer controls would have worked fine, and there is evidence of this type of game working with those controls, see Super Lemonade Factory. Voodoo Friends also crashes a bit too often to be acceptable, and there are occasionally fullscreen advertisement popups

Verdict: A potentially neat one player co-op style game that sadly chose the wrong control scheme.

I’ll be removing this one.


Beyond Ynth



In short: A unique and very challenging puzzle platformer.

Beyond Ynth is all about boxes. You use them to make your way through a level with your little ladybug protagonist. The boxes vary is size and shape, but are always hollow, and offer their own internal platforming. The main mechanic of the game is your ability to rotate boxes by walking into a corner (pictured), at which time the usual left or right arrow button becomes a rotate icon. By rotating all these boxes, you enable yourself to exit a square, or move the square to link up with another square, and so forth until you reach the exit. Some boxes feature things like springs, and you will need to use these to make your way out, or around an enemy. There are nonessential collectible gems hidden in each level, and while these aren’t exactly well hidden, they are strategically placed, so that even in the early levels I find myself at a loss, trying to find a way to rotate a certain bot without crushing the gem. Considering how tricky it was even in the rearly stages, I think that this is not the game for the faint hearted or the easily frustrated. Thankfully, there is an instant rewind feature, as well as YouTube solution video links in the pause menu, so this should keep frustration at bay, even if one section of a level become a timesink. There are a few things to get used to in terms if your movement. It seems to me that you are expected to stand on and jump from places that you don’t really fit on, such as the ends of the platforms in the picture above. This is seems like a weird choice, as we have become accustomed to consistency the sizes of platforms and characters over the years. As for the looks, the game is simple and clean, though the map screen is very pretty and there are some nice in-game effects, such as a slight screen shake when you flip a big box, and the way that acorns also fall from the sky.

Verdict: A tough game that will only get tougher as you play. But there are over 50 levels for your $2, so I’d say give it a crack.

I’ll be puzzling my way through this one.


Verticus



In short: A semi-endless falling game.

I’ll start by saying that my mileage with this game was fairly short, due to a lot of lag, as well as long and plentiful loading. What I did play though, had all the usual trappings of the endless genre: Obstacles to dodge, boosts to grab, and currencies to collect and spend on upgrades such as powerups and extra armour or health. Despite having the draw-card of Stan Lee’s name (comic book legend), which is even squeezed into the app’s icon, there isn’t much in the was of artistic goodness aside from a short introductory sequence. Any semblance of a story is also obliterated pretty quickly, because the same army commander who asserts that “earth need your help” also reminds you to collect orbs and power coins to spend in the store. The basic guise is that you need to save the world by falling through from the sky, through the clouds, and down into the earth’s core, where you need to stop a bomb going off. Since there are a lot of cloudy areas and a lot of cave-like areas below the earth’s crust, this game looks pretty bland most of the time, except for the short section where you fall down through the city high-rise (pictured). I imagine this section is a lot more like that other falling game AaAAAaaaAAhhhHHhhhh! or whatever it is called. Verticus also lets itself down by pushing social sharing to hard. At each launch of the game, I was asked by a pop-up to connect with Facebook, and there are also reminders to do this in the menus. I hate it when developers do this. I wish they would just respect the fact that maybe not everyone wants or needs to share everything.

Verdict: There are probably better platforms to experience this on, but even then I doubt this will be a particularly earth shattering experience.

I’ll be removing this.


Negative Nimbus



In short: A side-scroller that will test your reflexes on both thumbs.

In Negative Nimbus, you control a cloud which is fitting, since nimbus is apparently Latin for ‘dark cloud’… Anyway, the idea is that you need to rain on flowers, and only the flowers, to make them bloom. By touching nimbus, you can make him hold in his rain, and therefore avoid raining on the parade of a wacky group of other characters who don’t need watering; like a bumblebee having a picnic on a rug with a loaf of bread or a hot-dog toasting a marshmallow over a fire (pictured). Yeah, bit strange. Soon enough, some flowers are obscured from the rain they crave by mounds of dirt, so you will need to tap said mounds to remove them and expose the flowers. This means that you need to control nimbus on the left and look for covered flowers on the right at the same time, keeping in mind that the more combinations of flowers you water without fault, the faster the screen scrolls along. It gets pretty hectic pretty quickly. The scoring system (typical three-star affair) is also harsher than most. To get three stars in a level, you will actually need to finish a level without any errors at all! There are also hats to unlock for nimbus, and a few comics. Thankfully, these are traditional unlocks; no stores or currencies here. One of the downsides of this game is that there is a list of objectives that work like Game Centre achievements, and then there are also the eighteen Game Centre achievements. These would probably be better consolidated into one. There is also no retina display support, from what I can tell, though the menu buttons might be at a pinch.

Verdict: A sidescrolling game that rewards you for being fast, and offers you a challenge if you want one. If you aren’t looking for the kind of game that asks for perfection to get 3 star rankings, then it probably isn’t for you. Yet if you don’t chase perfection, the game is probably pretty underwhelming. So it is a funny one.

I’ll be playing more, but I don’t know if I will get out what I put in if I try and nail each level.


Plight of the Zombie



In short: A line drawing strategy game featuring Crag the zombie.

Like Spy Mouse or Flight Control, there is a specific end point to reach. In POTZ, the aim is to infect all of the humans in each level, and there are also three brains to be eaten in each level, effectively creating the typical a three star scoring system. Some of the humans carry guns, so it is best to plan your route to avoid them. Though in some cases, you will need to sacrifice some of your zombie horde to get a bite at that last survivor. Yes, horde! Because each time you infect a human, you then have control of them too, and you can draw separate paths of attack for each of your zombies. Unlike a lot of other these line drawing games, there is a lot more flexibility: Zombies can be stopped mid shuffle, and paths can be redrawn at any time. This game also sets itself apart from the reams of other zombie-related games on the App Store, by avoiding a lot of clichés. Controlling a zombies rather than the humans is one thing, and unlike other games like Infect Them All, the surviving humans aren’t weak or stupid, so this really is a proper strategy game. It also looks great, offering top down 3D graphics, that again, set it apart from other line-draw-ers which are mostly 2D. It is also a full package; with over fifty levels and eighteen Game Centre achievements.

Verdict: Price by iOS standards at $3, but a must have on sale.

I’ll be playing through this one.


Totem Runner



In short: A stunning auto-running platformer.

I’ll start with what hit me first: This game truly is quite a sight to behold. The graphics are silhouette like, and have a very futuristic (Tron-esque) vibe, yet also feel very organic. The lighting effects are great, and the animation is as smooth as butter, allowing for some stylish slow-motion moments. The main idea of the game is to navigate each level using three distinct forms that you can switch between at any time: A wild boar(?), an eagle and a human. The human is the weakest, he can only run and use his powers to make grass grow behind him. As you grow more grass, three flowers will begin to form and bloom in the HUD, and this creates a unique version of the typical 3-star scoring system. When an obstruction appears at ground level, you must switch to the boar thing, as he can charge and defeat enemies or pesky vines. When the ground collapses or a hovering enemy appears, you must switch to the eagle in order to survive, as he can fly up and down to dodge. There are also purple gems to collect. These, surprisingly, are non-essential, but each time you collect fifty of them, you will be able to activate the dragon from; an limited-time immortal form that also cultivates the all important grass. There are five checkpoints placed strategically along each level, and this helps to make long levels tolerable, and also limits frustration. The controls are fine, and you have to option of accelerometer or button controls for the eagle, which is a very thorough touch. As most games from top publishers like Chillingo, this has to full bottle of leaderboards and achievements, and twenty gorgeous levels.

Verdict: A brilliant package, and a must-have-total-steal for a dollar. Don’t hesitate.

I’ll be playing through this gleefully.


Fish Heroes



In short: A cute 3D undersea launching game.

Like Catapault King a few weeks back, this game has you launching projectiles at enemies inside square fortresses. This time though, the setting is underwater, and it is clownfish against the tyranny of sharks and other nasties. The aime is pretty simple; destroy the enemy and as much of their blocky fortresses as possible, using the least shots. As expected, there are different types of materials used by the enemy: Glass, which breaks easily, wood, and the sturdiest, stone. Unlike other launching games int this vein, you aren’t restricted to a single point to attack from. the whole world can be rotated freely. The vibe of this game is pretty chilled. It all looks clean, if not particularly exciting. There are nice touches like a small school of fish flitting past in the foreground. All the fish are stylised into blocky shapes, which is a unique look I guess, but it stops the world from feeling as organic as it could.

Verdict: I’d stick to Catapault King, as it is a bit more challenging amd better looking.

I’ll be skdvfoinsdfv


Fin Friends



In short: Continuing the fish theme, but this time we have an endless runner.

This one features all the hallmarks of the iOS runner: collectible currency, a store with boosts. however it is also a little more highscore driven: as you swim along you may find small nets, and touching these will release some smaller fish, your fin friends. These guys will give you an extra life, allowing you to take one hit from an enemy puffer or jelly fish. But if you can hang onto them, there are little coral reefs every so often, and the wee fishies will head home here, and give you a substantial score boost. this is a pretty simple little mechanic, but one that really adds something to an otherwise standard game. like ast weeks Glowfish, this is another underwater game that looks fantastic. here, all everything looks as if it is made from Playdoh, and there are some great little touches, such as the way your fish’s googly little eyes blink unevenly. Very Pixar-esque.

Verdict: It doesn’t set the world on fire, but it at least does a few things a little differently.

I’ll be removing it though.


Conway’s Inferno




In short: A retro styled puzzler that parodies the Game of Life.

This is a funny little one. The idea is to use a few tools; fire, and a zombie amongst them, to annihilate a population of little organisms that look like Pac-men. Like the cellular automata/Game of Life, things will spread in certain patterns, and the aim in each of the twenty levels is to use tools like fire (which spreads through trees) and the zombie virus (which spreads through water) in such a way that they continue to spread until everything is dead. The retro style is fine by me usually, but it occasionally this is a little to bland and small. This is also a fairly bare-bones port, with no online features.

Verdict: A clever little game that is short and sweet, but best of all, free.

I’ll be playing this one through. I can’t see a reason not to.


Chimpact



In short: A 2D (2D pane, with maybe a few 3D models) launching game set in the jungle.

This is a solid and well made game. The mechanics work fine; pull back for power, move for direction. It is graphically pretty, the protagonist is well animated and cute, and there are plenty of levels spread across two modes of play. One mode is a simple affair of collecting bananas as currency along with gems to unlock further levels, while the other challenges you to replay the levels and meet additional challenges like enemies and restrictive time limits. Despite this, there isn’t really any danger. The enemies are easily navigated, and loss of life means only loss of currency. As a result the game slips slightly away from ‘fun’ and more towards ‘too easy’. The only hard parts are some awful difficulty spikes, where exceedingly precise shots are required to avoid falling back to the very bottom of the level. There are plenty of Game Centre achievements, though this need to be better spread. In my first half and hour or so playing, I was inundated with achievements! This is a great motivator, but as these dry up, so does the motivation. There are also the sounds of both elephants and kookaburras in the jungle with the chimps. Where ever the f*ck the world of Chimpact is, it must be an animal haven with magical climates.

Verdict: A sloid game with plenty on offer for a buck.

I’ll be trying to play through this one.


Cats Away!



In short: A arcade-ish game of cat abduction.

This is a weird little one. You control a typical cartoon UFO, and this UFO emits a beam, which you will use to abducts cats. Right… I guess it is cute enough, but it is a pretty shallow and ultimately unrewarding game. Most games allow for the fact that some of your thumb or finger will obscure some of the screen. This one doesn’t. As as result I often found it difficult to tell when the cats are actually captured in the beam of my UFO. This meant that I frequently failed to catch the set number of cats in the time limit. Oh dear, how very disappointing.

Verdict: A shallow game that nerfs it’s own controls. Avoid.

I’ll be removing this. I already have, in fact.


ARC Squadron



In short: A 3D on-rails space shooter.

In ARC Squadron, you take charge of a ship, and blast your enemies out of the sky. There are over 30 levels, and you are scored out of four for your performance in each. Points are also awarded for your performance, and these can be used on new ships, ship skins and weaponry upgrades. This game is very easy on the eye. The galaxies you fly through are populated with well modelled asteroids and enemies, and lightning and explosion effects look great. Thankfully the Unreal engine doesn’t feel as bloated as it has in the past; everything runs pretty swimmingly, and 327MB isn’t too hefty a storage-price to pay for something with this level of visual fidelity. The gameplay is simple but fun. You simply swipe around to move the ship along it’s predetermined path, and it will automatically fire its guns when you aim the reticule (which stays connected to the ship’s position) lines up with an enemy. Cool barrel rolls can also be performed with a fast movement, and more powerful rockets can be fired by tapping. The on-rails nature of the game made me feel a bit disconnected. I couldn’t really control the ship, and I didn’t feel a great sense of speed. I also have issues with the tutorial, as it tells you to “flick the screen” to move when it would clearly be better described by ‘swipe’ or ‘slide’. Something to be wary of is the price. This game was US$6 at some stage, but is now free. It has heaps of IAPs, and may now even be a total ‘freemium’ experience, so just be aware.

I don’t like to nitpick, but I am sick to death of (iOS) games that ruin their own stories. No matter how corny or short or shallow a tale is, at least show it some respect! ARC Squadron is another one of those games that says: ‘Welcome to the fleet, we are fighting X in galaxy Y and need to defend Z and by the way VISIT THE STORE TO BUY NEW SHIPS!’ I mean, it is really really easy to have upgrades and all that and have it work with the narrative; just look at Anomaly Warzone Earth. A game where you command units, and upgrade them using resources you find, but you are aware of this in a way that does not break the story.

Verdict: A pretty and fun space shooting experience. Just don’t expect to be blown away, and keep an eye on the wallet.

I’ll be playing a little more, but probably deleting.

_ _ _ _ _ _

Adios amigos!

Week six! Here we go with another thirteen games! No crashers this week either!

Quarrel DX



In short: A game of strategic wordplay.

So this game combines the movement of units on a map with Scrabble-esque word creation. You need to move your troops from tile to tile on a map, and in order to take over a patch of land, you must create a better word than your opponent in under a minute. There are eight letters in each word-off, but you’ll only be able to create words that are the same length as your number of troops. So you might have 5 troops while your opponent has 7, so your word length is limited, and you will need to try and be clever and use high scoring letters like K and X and Q (a-la Scrabble) if you manage to get a few of those. The winner of the overall match then, is whoever captures all of the times on the map. This all sounds great, and it is a very well made game, with solid mechanics and bright colourful visuals. But, and this is a big but for me, it is so slooow. I like my word games to fast and bite sized: Load up, make a word, press OK, quit, and wait for my opponent to respond. But in Quarrel Deluxe, you have to watch the AI think, watch the AI fight, and watch all the animations at the end of a round when your troops throw letter tiles at the enemy, and your avatar jumps for joy. The tutorial is also terrible; it is long-winded and holds your hand far too tightly. If I’d paid three bucks for this, I would be frustrated.

Verdict: A well executed but slow word game.

I’ll be sticking to my other B.D. Backlog discovery; Letterpress.


Mos Speedrun



In short: A stripped back platformer that requires precision and a cool head.

This platformer has a lot in common with last week’s League of Evil. Both feature a similar retro aesthetic, both feature ghosts of your last attempt when you restart a level, and both get pretty hard. Mos Speedrun though, is even more basic. You can move and jump, the end. No double jumping, no wall jumping and no way to attack. However, you can swim: An oxygen metre appears when you submerge. So, with out extra abilities, this is purely a game of survival, and boils down to precision movements; avoiding all manner of insect enemies, lava pits, and also miniature zombies. It is worth noting that the jump mechanic is slightly analogue in the Mario sense, that is, a longer button hold will result in a slightly higher jump. Despite the name, speed-running is only one of the aims of the game. Each level has 4 badges to collect: One for simply finishing the level, one for collecting all the level’s coins, another for finding the level’s hidden skull, and of course one for beating the speed-run time. There are 35 levels, divided into 6 chapters. So there isn’t a massive amount of levels, but even someone with crazy thumb skills will need to play each level at least twice to collect all of the badges. There are also extensive achievements, far more than League of Evil, so even when you die, you’ll still have the perverse reward of gaining death related achievements and the like. There are also a few ghosts hidden in the levels, and these unlock costumes for the game’s protagonist (whom I think is a ladybug), and these are quite neat really: Things like an 80’s fluro purple jogging outfit or a bee costume.

The only real problem with this game is that the name. It makes me think of Mos Eisley… And the cantina band. Doo doo doo, doo doo doo, doo  doo doo dee-doo doo doo!

Verdict: A brilliant little platformer that is easy on the eye, on the wallet, but not so easy to beat.

I’ll be playing through this one, and enjoying the frustration.


Commando Jack



In short: A mesh of tower defence and on rails shooting.

You, as Commander Jack, have been tasked with the.. task.. of saving earth from aliens. You do this by plonking your turret down in front of an alien portal, and shooting down waves of said extraterrestrial invaders. As well as taking them on with your turret, like an on rails FPS, you can also revert to an overhead grid view. In this view, you can place automatic turrets and other more advanced artillery to help you tackle the spawning waves. As you’d expect, weaponry can be upgraded via in game currency and different weapons are better suited to different types of alien attackers. I personally find the prospect of the combination of enemy ‘waves’ (30 waves in level 1 alone) AND tower defence positively yawn inducing. The first person action also does little to spice things up. Loading times are also rather long, almost obscenely so.

Verdict: Avoid this one. I don’t like the genre, but even so, I think there are better examples of it out there.

I’ll be giving this commando an immediate dishonourable discharge.


Monkey Flight



In short: Another in the genre (who’s title I may have invented) of ‘launching’ games.

Yes, the tradition of a Donut Games game each week continues! Thankfully, they are back in full arcadey flight in Monkey Flight… (Even though this is an older title…)The above image demonstrates the gameplay aptly: There is a simple pull back, aim, and fire mechanic. The objective it to collect as much fruit as possible, and there are tons of levels, each with their own topography, obstacles, and designated number of fruit to collect. The monkey will bounce and cartwheel happily for a while but will eventually run out of steam, and this spells the game over. Obstacles like mud pits and rocks will halt the monkey immediately, while clouds and elephants will provide extra bounce. Monkey also has two reserve jumps, and these can be used to get monkey jumping again after he runs out of puff, or to extend an existing jump and avoid a hazard. Some levels are really quite large, so after the initial launching of the monkey, you will find yourself with nothing to do but watch. Yet, I didn’t find this boring, as I was constantly trying to evaluate the angle of my aim to see if I would successfully reach a juicy group of fruits. I was also on tenterhooks, waiting to use my extra jump if needed. This is also one of the more fleshed out Donut titles, with challenge (50 levels), arcade and lite modes, as well as Game Centre integration.

Verdict: A fun time-waster that manages to keep your attention even when you have no control.

I’ll be aiming to beat each challenge level.


Burrito Bison



In short: Again, a launch and bounce game.

Similar to the previous game, this is rather hands-off bouncing game. The bison though, unlike the monkey, has the potential to bounce endlessly. And rather than collect fruit, he prefers to pound on gummy bears. There are also the usual trappings of endless games, like a currency system and boost items/abilities, but other than that, it is pretty much the same as Monkey Flight. I have not idea why the bison just doesn’t eat his way out of candy land, as it would be more entertaining to watch to be honest. I’m really not a fan of this one.

Verdict: Acceptable in its original flash form maybe, but the port to iOS feels largely pointless, and just a product of a monetisation strategy.

I’ll be moving on to bigger and better things.


Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor



In short: A unique game, perhaps best described as a ‘2D adventure platformer.’

One glance at Metacritic shows that I’m not the only one who has trouble classing this game in any genre. It really is a unique experience. The player controls a spider in a follow-my-finger movement style, and has the ability to jump with a swipe, and attach webs with a touch. Prober webs can be formed by creating geometric shapes from single web threads, and these can be used to trap a variety of bugs, which in turn, can be ingested to replenish silk and create more webs. Once a certain amount of bugs have been caught, a portal to exit the level will appear. The word of Bryce Manor that you explot is a gorgeous, sketchy-style 2D world, and it feel very organic and perfectly suited to the world of insect life. This is also one of those games with an inobtrusive menu. After loading, you’re straight into the game, no modes to select, no ads to avoid. Love it.

Verdict: A unique game of exploration, platforming and puzzling. Definitley recommended.

I’ll be gladly spinning my way throught this excellent game.


Amateur Surgeon 2



In short: A cartoony game of slicing and dicing.

I expected this to be a fast an furious race against the clock, with precise swipes and other such gestures required to save lives. What I found was a far more blaise, lighthearted, and weirdly dialogue and story-heavy game. I though the only acknowledgement of “amateur” would be me as the player, but it turns out there is a whole (overly quirky and rather unnecessary) story about a guy called Alan Probe and these are told via “cutscenes” (static toons with text). The other thing is, there really isn’t a lot of precision required, and the touch controls feel a tad unresponsive at times. Stitches can be completed with a vague squiggle, for example. Ultrasound can also be used to locate problematic objects trapped underneath the skin, yet when I make an incision on the area it indicated, the the cut appears about a centremetre away, and at a different angle. I admire the personality given by the origanal art style, but it isn’t a style I dig personally.

Verdict: I think this misses the mark. It lacks the accuracy needed for this type of game.

I’ll be discharging this one.


Mighty Mouse



In short: An entry into the crowded genre of sidescrossing one touch games.

Here, you control the mouse equivalent of superman, and obviously you’ll want to use your powers to collect cheese, avoid off cheese, and eventually save the helpless femme mousey. And of course bash a few evil rats in helicopters along the way. There’s not much more to say; you just touch the screen to fly higher, or let go to fly lower. I didn’t actually realise that this was a cartoon that has been around since 1942! So, at least I learned something from this little game. I guess it also explains why it is made by ‘CBS Interactive’ (US television network!?)

Verdict: Meh.

I’ll be trapping this mouse. And leaving him for the cat of deletion.


Light The Night



In short: Another entry into the crowded genre of sidescrossing one touch games.

To offset the negativity of the previous game, here is a very similar game, but done very well this time! Instead of cheese, you collect lumens (like any good bug at nightime; you seek light, hence the game’s title), and rather than rats, your enemies are other grasshoppers and crickets as well as flower buds. There are also glowing dandelions that give you a short speed boost, and hitting the water at the bottom of the screen will also result in you drowning, and ending your run. This game plays much faster than Mighty Mouse,  and is thus much more satisfying to play. It also takes a leaf out of the Jetpack Joyride book, offering a currency system (the lumens you collect in each run), as well as a full system of objectives to complete, a levelling system and a store chock full of boosts and upgrades. As well as the standard mode, called ‘adventure’, there is an additional ‘rush’ mode. Annoyingly, this requires Facebook permissions; access to my basic info and friends list. Now, I am normally a bit adverse to Facebook, lest an app decides to spam on my wall. However, this one seems pretty kosher, even if all the mode does is swap your health bar for a time trial against a ghost. Visually, I have no complaints. This is a nice looking game. The music too is also very nice; at the moment, since the game has been updated for Christmas, there are some cool down-tempo carols playing.

Verdict: A great sidescrolling runner with all bells and whistles that you’d expect. Not quite as good as Jetpack Joyride but definitely of the same ilk.

I’ll be keeping this one around for a good while I think.


Megacity



In short: A unique grid-based, line-clearing, combo-amassing puzzler.

This game plays like Tetris, with time halted, and the world rotated 90 degrees clockwise. The bricks have also been replaced with buildings. And a points system added. The row on the far left needs to be cleared but reaching a certain amount of points. Different types of building appear randomly on the far left of screen, and like in some variations of Tetris, you can save one for later. Each building will do something different to the value of the squares surrounding it. A police station will at +1 to the entire rown, while a municipal building will add +1 the column on it’s left but -1 from the column on it’s right. It is a fairly complex system, but there are no time pressures to speak of, so you can take your time and learn the ropes. I literally thought this would be an isometric city building game, so I was very (pleasantly) surprised with what this actually turned out to be. The only real downside for me is the lazy Game Centre achievements, which are all fairly uninspired and all worth 100 points.

Verdict: A great, addictive puzzler, which can be played at your own pace.

I’ll be building moar cities!


Gears



In short: A gorgeous 3D ball rolling game.

Like any rolling game, this one is about control. Knowing when to slow down, speed up, and how to not fall into the abyss below. Of course there are also collectible gem things in each level. Aside from the normal tilt controls that you’d expect in this type of game, there are also slide controls. To my mind, the choice to use one over the other makes it feel totally different. With tilt controls, it feels like you are the ball, which touch controls make you feel like the hand of god, commanding the ball to slow or quicken. I am so glad that both methods have been included, as many don’t. There are also difficulty levels, which is a little strange. Normally I’d expect levels to become progressively harder in a game like this, but these don’t inhibit your movements or anything; they just control the number of lives and impose time limits. From an audiovisual standpoint, this game is a beauty. The visuals are gorgeous; great detail, great lighting and a really happy-steampunk vibe. There’s lots of machinery, but it isn’t drab. Oh, yeah, and that is why the game is called Gears; because a lot of your time is spent balancing precariously on rotating cogs. There is a great sense of depth too, so you can see the platforms below (which you’ll sometimes need to fall on to) and rather than just fading to black, you can see all the way down to where all the piping and machinery meets the floor. The music is also a winner; very orchestral and reminiscent of Harry Potter scores.

Verdict: A well made game, and easily a stand out it the maze/ball-rolling category. $2 puts it at a higher peg than many, but I reckon it is worth it. Otherwise, don’t hesitate during a sale.

I’ll be playing through this, and experimenting with the pressures of higher difficulties.


Babel Rising 3D



In short: A tower defence type game, where you actually attack a tower.

It really does take the piss out of the “tower” defence genre. The player is basically God in Babel Rising and the aim of the game is to stop the workers of ancient civilisations from building their towers, by smiting them with various superpowers. As exciting as this sounds, the early levels don’t do a very good job of explaining things, and so these semi-tutorial levels are rather boring. There is also too much focus on in game currency for my liking: Watch this ad for coins, like these partners of Facebook on for more coins, all just to afford new powers and abilities. While it is pretty cool to have total omni-God-powers, I feel quite powerless to be honest, as the touch controls feels unresponsive a lot of the time. This is a real hindrance because this game is a real tap-fest. Tap tap tapping; to attack individual units, and other multiple finger taps for other powers. Admittedly, this might only be a problem on my device. It may be a far more enjoyable experience on iPad or on PC.

Verdict: I would say pass on this one. But if you are tempted, have a go with the PC or tablet versions.

I’ll be striking this one down.


Mustachio: The Adventure



In short: A 3D platformer starring a ball with rabbit ears and a moustache.

This plays like any run of the mill platformer. Movement is controlled by an on screen analogue stick and players have the ability to jump, double jump and stomp on enemies. Continuing in the tried and true gameplay, there are coins to collect in each level, plus a few hidden totems to hoard. This game runs on the Unreal engine, of which I am not really a fan of on iOS. This, like other games on ‘big’ engines like UDK, doesn’t run so well, at least on my device. It is a little framey, and there isn’t a lot of compensation from the visuals, which are nice, but really nothing special. Next to the intense 2D platformers on the device that I have played in this and previous weeks, this feels bloated and sluggish.

Verdict: Maybe it will run perfectly on new devices, but even then, I think this would be one to miss.

I’ll be deleting it.
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This is the last blog before Christmas, so have a good one and I’ll see you on the 30th!

I totally forgot to publish this, but I promise I got through the thirteen by Sunday!

Granny Smith



In short: An auto-running platformer starring a cane wielding geriatric on rollerskates.

For some reason, I expected this to be a strategy game where apples are grown. How wrong I was… With her cane, granny can hook onto ziplines (pictured), and she can also jump. The objective is to beat the villainous kid (pictured) to the apples, of which there are three to collect in each level. The other main gameplay hook is that gran automatically rotates when you press/hold the jump button, so in order to maintain speed, you need to land her backflips perfectly. As such, this actually plays a lot like Ski Safari, the Aussie made App Store chart topper. Both also have upgrades to purchase with in game currency. The only real difference is that Granny Smith has levels to progress through, while Ski Safari is an endless runner. Maybe it is unfair of me to sandwich them together, but they really felt similar to me, and despite the nice atmosphere that granny brings to this type of game, I think Ski Safari is a cheaper and better option.

Verdict: Nothing revolutionary for the runner or platformer genre, but don’t let it pass youby on sale.

I’ll be playing through this I think.


Lumi



In short: A generally whimsical little plaformer.

On top of standard plaforming movements, the glowing circles pictured can be used to launch Lumi and propel him to collectible fireflies, and eventually, the exit of the level. Often, the collected fireflies need to be used to light up trees, and the lighting of said trees allows you to exit the level. It also serves as a measure of your exploring/collecting ability, as each tree require fifteen fireflies. Levels are often quite long, but thankfully there are checkpoints.There are also wind tunnels that change up your movement and also increase the pace of the game. In fact the variety of pace in this game is a really great: In one level you will lazily bounce about, without a care, collecting fireflies. Then next level, you’re being chased by a big demonic dragon thing, and there’s no time for precision collecting. The game looks very nice. Its all blurry and mystical in a cute way. There are also some great, oddly specific achievements that will keep you playing in alternate ways.

Verdict: A very stylish platformer for the $2 asking price, especially if the planned updates come to fruition.

I’ll be playing through Lumi.


Tone Sphere



In short: A simple rhythm game that doesn’t quite hit the right notes.

All that is required here, is for the player to hit, sometimes hold, and occasionally slide the pink target things as they appear. Trouble is, each hit only makes a popping/clap noise, which may or may not fit in with the music at all. So unlike Guitar Hero or RockBand, you don’t actually feel as is you’re making the music, or even making any impact on the music. It is just a glorified whack-a-mole with your finger, and a bunch of technopop or jPop tracks just happen to be playing in the background. The presentation of this is pretty good, but overall it is a missed opportunity.

Verdict: A good looking package, but a little out of time and out of tune.

I’ll be removing this, regrettably.


BLiP



In short: A platformer starring a square, where momentum is key.

Yes, its all about momentum, which makes this game unique. Move left, move right, but the square cannot jump. So you must cleverly use trampolines to bounce toward your goals (stars that need to be collected to open the exit), and also use downhill and uphill spots to gain or reduce the momentum of the square. I really like the way this plays, even if the physics of the square are slightly off. The minimalistic style (always black foreground with a coloured background as pictures) are nice, and a change from the myriad of ‘retro’ styled platformers seen in appland.

Verdict: Still not a brilliant game, but different enough to be worth a look.

I’ll be playing this one through.


Paracute



In short: A cutesy game of falling and collecting love hearts. Nawww.

Another week, another Donut Games game. Same menu system, same visual style. Rather than a sidescroller though, this game features a parachuting teddy bear, who instead falls. Your job is to collect as many hearts as possible, by moving left and right, without hitting any enemies or walls. At the end of each level there is a cushion to land on. And that’s basically how it goes down. After about 10 levels, yo’ll likely find yourself looking for an extra gameplay hook. Lo and behold, you receive two in quick succession. One, quite literally, is a hook. You can hook your parachute to arrest your fall and collect more hearts. The other hook is a second character, one that travels parallel to teddy, but shares it’s movements. The second thing (maybe its a bat, I dunno) collects its own hearts and will eventually become impaled, but ted will continue on unharmed. Thanks to these new elements, the game takes a turn for the better, to the point that I actually recommend it. The package is pretty threadbare, but there are 40 levels and achievments abound.

Verdict: Definitely work looking at, and a great time-waster if it goes free again.

I’ll be playing through the levels, then deleting.


Qwak



In short: Port of a port of a port of a really old collect-a-thon platformer.

So you’re a duck… Running away from walruses? I think they’re walruses… Anyway this is a weird one. It comes to us from 1989 (originally), and since I wasn’t around then, there is no sense of nostalgia to help me overcome the archaic vibe it gives off. It is a fixed perspective platformer, and you, as the duck, are required to collect copious amounts of fruit and also keys to escape the levels. At first, I just didn’t dig it personally, but it has an undeniable charm, and has, against my will, grown on me. There are tons of levels and Game Centre achievements, so it remains to be seen if I will remain interested or not.

Verdict: I’d say pass on this one, there are much better platformers on iOS. But if it goes free or if you remember the original fondly, you might wanna get it.

I’ll be keeping this a bit longer.


Electric Tentacle



In short: Another 2D, auto-side-scrolling endless runner.

Like all of them, you chase high-scores and collect stars to spend on boosts and upgrades. Again too, there are unnecessarily cute characters. The thing in this one… Well, it looks as if a Magneton and a panda have mated. I guess the controls offer soemthing a little different; basically a charged connection joins from where you touch, to the panda thing, and he will do his best to follow your finger. However this takes up energy, so half the time you’ll just have to let Pandaton drift along on his own, and he’ll probably hit one of the stupid red mines that follow you. You can destroy these mines/enemies by tapping them when they’re mouths are open, but if you miss slightly it will register as a normal touch, and Pandathingy will try and go there, and probably die. So it is a bit frustrating in the end. One point of note is the game’s music, which as you can hear, is stupidly catchy.

Verdict: A pretty meh entry into the 2D runner genre. Leave it.

I’ll be deleting this.


AXL Full Boost



In short: A 3D spaceship racer. (Not sure if it is A.X.L. or Axle)…

Unlike the loved space racers like Wipeout or F-Zero, the player is inhibited by necessary guff: I’ll consult the sales pitch to explain: “Join the championship: get ready to boost and unveil the truth beneath corporate plots!” Corporate plots? No thanks. Its bad enough that I have to hear about the ‘new energy source’ that allows the spaceships to exist. I’d just like to race at a high velocity please. The game also has a dicky font in places, and as far as I can tell, the retina display is not utilised on the iPod Touch 4 that I’m playing on, even though the app is universal. Those are nitpicks I guess, but there is one serious issue though; tilt only controls. I found them to work fine, but it really is criminal to leave out some sort of alternative option. Other than those criticisms, the game is pretty good. Your craft will flip out extra panels and fins to either boost or slow you down, and orbs collected on the track allow you to perform said boosts. As one would expect, there are plenty of cups to vie for, as well as free runs and exhibition races.

Verdict: A solid title, but not a must have.

I’ll be taking this one for a few more spins.


Min - A Space Adventure



In short: A quirky 3D tunnel crawling game.

This is one of those silly games that make no sense whatsoever. Players take control of the earth, which is strapped to a giant rocket. The earth would then like to be piloted through some very drab tunnels and collect tokens. It is just weird, I don’t understand it, and I don’t like it. Controls also feel a bit off and I found it hard to judge my movements, thus, I crashed a lot. It also looks, as I said, very drab. Brown everywhere.

Verdict: Definitely avoid this one.

I’ll be deleting this pronto.


Night Flight



In short: Another week, another crasher.

Yes, my apologies for including another crasher, but these are my legitimate experiences. I gather this is some sort of endless runner, where you launch a purple teddy bear in a plane out into the wide world. At night.

Verdict: It crashes when I select “play”. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

I’ll be keeping an eye open in case there is an update.

Blobster



In short: Part physics puzzler, part platformer.

So basically, this works like a platformer. Pressing on the edges of the screen moves the blob in that direction. There are starry things to collect, which increase the size and power of blobby, enemies to avoid, and an exit warp pipe to reach. However the twist is, that the blob can be grabbed and pulled, allowing you to launch him skyward. This really opens up the game, and makes it similar, but also very different to any other slingshot game or any other platformer. The controls are a bit of a pain though, if I’m honest. I’m used to keeping my fingers fairly fixed when playing a platformer, but since this requires Blobby to be pulled and launched, I have to move my thumb away from the direction buttons, and then immediately back again to guide him in mid air, which is hardly ideal when speedy reactions are required. The package is full one though, with lots of levels and also an endless high-score based mode. The game is clean and simple visually, though it isn’t overly attractive

Verdict: Control annoyances aside, Blobster is a unique and thorough package.

I’ll be playing more, but probably not all the way through.


Puzzle Craft



In short: A hybridisation of town building, resource management and match three puzzles.

Yes, this must be a growing genre; match three mini-games inside another metagame. I’ve already covered one in week two, Angel Salvation, and I believe there are others like the acclaimed 1000000 which markets itself as “a Dungeon Crawling RPG Matching Game”. Anyway, the guise here is that you need to build a town; with villagers, farmers, smiths, miners, etcetera and in order to gather the resources, you must play match-three. Match-three in the corn fields, match-three in the caves. Pairing trees gets you wood, wheat gets bread, and so on. You can then buy and sell resources, or craft it into tools like shovels or scythes to aid you in the matching. By creating revenue you can keep the village growing, the profits growing and so on in to infinity. Now by no means is this a bad game. The two genres work well together. But as someone who has binges of matching games, I found it annoying each round was, and the settlement building stuff just felt like it was in the way. You’re also required to collect taxes every few hours, and notifications will remind you of this. So it isn’t really suited to the way I like to play these matching games; to get hooked for a bit, and then move on.

Verdict: My qualms are very much personal, so I think this would be worth a shot for most people.

I’ll be sticking with other matching games like Zookeeper.


Glowfish



In short: A freer, prettier and more underwater version of Snake.

Controlling the glowfish, it is your task, dear player, to rescue the little sea urchin things. They will then follow you in a line, a-la Snake, but can also use them as an offensive spinning shield, and defeat the mean creatures of the seas, like jellyfish. As you grow your little sea crew, you will be able to defeat larger and larger monsters, allowing you to reach the shelly abodes of your little friends, and deliver them safely home, before exiting the level. There are lots of achievements to collect and over 30 levels to play through, which have secret areas of their own. This is a rather pretty game, easily the nicest to look at this week! Despite this being a full version, I do find myself meeting full screen adverts after each level, but these are fairly inoffensive.

Verdict: A beautiful and often relaxing underwater adventure. Well worth your time.

I’ll be playing through this one!
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Same time next week, yo!

A day late, aye, but I’m sure nobody really cares. Whatever; lets kick off:

Here’s what I’ve knocked off this week, ending December 9th!


Infinite Warrior



In short: A good looking, but ultimately shallow slashing experience.

On face value, this appears to be another entry in the recent trend of iOS games that place style slightly ahead of substance; graphic ahead of gameplay; visuals over variety. Titles like Batman Arkham City Lockdown, Avengers Initiative, and Infinity Blade are games often mentioned in this category: Ultimately they play fine, but are more focused on visual flourishes. This game however, doesn’t even play fine. It is basically a glorified Fruit Ninja, with less player choices. You are given a direction to swipe in for each passing enemy (of which there are only about 5 different types), and if you fail to take them down you die instantly. Sure, you can buy swords and armour, but to what end? This is all about repetition and timing. It looks good thanks to the Unity engine, but it just isn’t very fun.

Verdict: Unless I’m missing something here, this is a definite pass.

I’ll be removing this.


I Like Flies



In short: A silly little thing, probably made for kids.

I downloaded this one on a whim. Twas a new game that launched for free, so I though why not? Now I realise there are plenty of answers to that question. Firstly the story; a cow develops a taste for insects. The gameplay: Rudimentary at best, with rather dodgy tilt controls. The whole game is really  left up to chance, as there is no way to manipulate the flies that you try desperately to reach with your cow tongue.

Verdict: Broken and silly.

I’ll be deleting pronto.


Prince Penny



In short: A cute as a button runner.

This game started off with some very nice art, moody piano tunes, and a brief story about a dilapidated kingdom. I thought I might be in for something unusual, but then came an injection of bog-standardness. A gyro-controlled runner where you collect coins. That currency in turn buys boosts. Its been done plenty of times before, and plenty of times better. Prince Penny looks cute, but banner ads and unresponsive controls drag it below par. It also lacks the sense of speed that makes the genre’s stalwarts, like Temple Run, so addictive and entertaining.

Verdict: Pass on this.

I’ll be saying goodbye to Penny.


Rat On A Scooter XL



In short: A side scrolling runner come platformer.

Like all Donut Games games, this has the same visual style and the identical menu layout. Normally I am a fan of their games, but this is one of the worst. It features a combination of gameplay elements seen in later rat games; Rat On A Snowboard and Rat On A Skateboard. But it just doesn’t just have the same feeling of speed and fun as those two titles. The scooter can’t perform tricks like the other game’s vehicles, but absurdly, you can still perform grinds, even on a Vespa-style scooter. There are a fair few modes in the game, but unlike many of the other Donut Games games, there are no set levels to beat, only variations on fairly bland endless levels, focussed on either collecting food or avoiding hazards.

Verdict: Donut games have their charms, but there are far better ones, so grab one of them next time there is a sale.

I’ll be sticking with the plentiful supply of better Donut titles.


Evolush



In short: A side scrolling runner that evolves as you play.

This runner, is actually six runners in one. It roughly progresses through the evolution of man, from fish thing to lizard thing to monkey thing and so forth. The mechanics also change with each evolution. The lizard can only jump, but the monkey can double jump and sprint. It is a unique method of mixing up the gameplay, and it really sets it apart from the usual runners where upgrades and abilities can be purchased to change the gameplay. The game does feel a little underdone though. The visual style is cartoony, but doesn’t really appeal to me and the game is also missing the achievements or objectives that could really drive it along. It also crashes too often for my liking.

Verdict: A neat idea, not so well executed.

I’ll be playing a little more, just to see what each evolution brings, but ultimately, deletion awaits.


Saving Private Sheep 2



In short: Another in the crowded slingshot genre. Oh, and ads. Ads everywhere

In my first 30 seconds playing, I faced two advertisements for Jackpot Slots, one being a pop up banner, and the other in a quasi iOS notification. This was followed by a full screen ad for Ninja Toss… From there on in, there were also small banner ads in loading screens, in menus, and in level scorecards. There was also an annoying issue with locked rotation, that had me constantly 180-ing my device in my hands between loading screens and menus. Plus, retina-graphics as an in game download? What is this, 2009? I also don’t even understand the name of this game… There are sheep using slingshots to fire hedgehogs at a wolf, and hopefully also to collect a few coins on the way… The only reference to the military is the fact that the sheep are wearing camouflage helmets. As for the game, when I finally got to it… A fairly basic slingshot game.

Verdict: Avoid. There are far better slingshot games in the App Store. For something very like this, but oodles better, I’d recommend Adult Swim’s Snoticles.

I’ll be burning it with fire.


Monkey Labour



In short: An old school Game and Watch style game.

Having never played any G&Ws myself, I can’t be sure if this is an exact clone of something, but I don’t think it is. For this kind of game to hold up properly today, I think it needs a few more modes and other sweeteners. However it is totally free after all, so that pretty swell.

Verdict: A nice little amusement for the (non-existent) price of admission

I’ll be removing this, but after I’ve worked at a few more achievements.


League of Evil



In short: Another retro styled platformer, but a good one.

There isn’t an ounce of fat in this package. It’s just a dinky-die, well designed platformer. You have the ability to jump, double jump, and punch, and your objective is to take out evil scientists, and any soldiers in your way. There are a whopping 169 levels to play through, leaderboards for the speedy, and 17 achievements for the collectors. Despite being ported from the wonderful world of Flash games, the controls hold up fine on the touchscreen, and they feel really responsive.

Verdict: A really winner in the retro platformer category, and great for those who like to speed run.

I’ll be glad to play through this one.


Nightmarium



In short: A game that oozes style, literally.

Yes, the artwork for this game is pretty impressive. The gameplay however, is a bit sketchy. Players are required to keep the little girl safe and soundly sleeping, by killing off all the nightmarish creatures that populate the screen from the sides inward. This is done by a variety of tapping, slicing and shaking touch-inputs. That’s about the extent of it though. Lots of tappy-swipy action. It just isn’t a great deal of fun, which is a shame since the artwork and the soundtrack are quite swell.

Verdict: Worth a quick look,

I’ll be removing this.


Project: Mayhem



In short: A low fi, fast paced, 2D platforming experience.

Negative points first: This game is ugly, and and the controls at times, feel floaty and loose. But that can be overlooked, because it is so damn quick. Yep, this one has taken a leaf out of the Meat Boy book. Movement is fast. Restarts are instant. Premature death is an assurance. However, there restrictions are recognised, and players can spend the (easily attained) in game currency to purchase level skips and double-jump abilities to keep things moving, and hopefully also keep frustration to an minimum. Oh, and you can always buy a top hat, of that helps. There are over 100 levels to die in, as your little lab-created-green-blob tries to escape, and thirty-seven achievements and oodles of leaderboards to climb for those on the Game Centre bandwagon. There are also quite a few ‘coming soon’ features, so things will only get better from here!

Verdict: Not as tight as the competition, but a fast, fun platformer nonetheless.

I’ll be keeping this one, playing, and looking forward to new levels.


Catapult King



In short: If Angry Birds was in Camelot and in 3D.

Unlike good ol’ Saving Private Sheep up there, this game wastes no time getting down to business! There is no menu, as such, (only the level select screen) and the game just plops you in Level 1, which is great. Basically, you need to shoot big rocks from your catapult and destroy some bad knights, as well as the towers of wooden boxes on which they stand. The aim is to achieve the usual 3 star ranking (or rather a gold crown in this case) and you can additionally use power-ups to help better visualise your trajectory and so forth. The graphics are bright and colourful, and you get a chance to pan around the world a bit, so you can really appreciate it all, right down to the individual petals on flowers. There are eighty levels and there is full Game Centre support, so there is also plenty of content to complete the package.

Verdict: Just about a must have game, considering the content, lack of ads and the price; free.

I’ll be playing through.


They Need to Be Fed

In short: A platformer that feels like a Super Mario Galaxy de-make.

Truly, that is how it feels. You can leap across the invisible gravitational fields produced by the spheres (pictured), and harness those forces, to collect the odd crystal and eventually reach the goal of the level. Said goal is to be eaten by a monster, but I won’t let that dampen what is an enjoyable platforming experience! :P The graphics are minimalistis, clean, and crisp, all big pluses for mobile gaming in my opinion. Right now, there are eleven worlds, each with seven levels, and a bonus one. This is a great number, because you can play in small chunks and still be rewarded with a feeling of progress and accomplishment. Thirty-six unlockable achievements round out this great little package, and there are promises of more level packs to come.

Verdict: At $3 for the HD/Universal app, it isn’t cheap by App Store standards, but you get what you pay for… Or get what you wait for, if you’re a freebie/sale hound like yours truly.

I’ll be getting back to it, because, THEY NEED TO BE FED!


On The Wind



In short: A game where—CRASH.

Yerp. Sorry to be a wowser by including this, but I’m merely recording my honest experiences with these games. This game just hangs on the loading screen. It sounds like a cool game: The player controls the wind like Flower, but in 2D. The semi retro world is ever scrolling, and leaves must be collected by the fingertip. Hopefully I’ll actually get to play it at some point.

Verdict: Have a look on your own device. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

I’ll be deleting it.
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Adios! See you next time!