AppTapper Reviews

NHL 2K11: The AppStore's First Great Hockey Game is Here!

2010-08-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

It's been long over due (and I am understating this quite a bit mind you), but finally the AppStore's first great 3D hockey game has arrived. NHL 2K11 from 2K Sports and 2K China is a slam dunk sports game. It combines great graphics, a complete hockey experience, and a chilly, yet inviting, atmosphere. This is not to say there haven't been a few contenders for best hockey game on the AppStore what with Distinctive Developements' Hockey Nations 2010 [AppStore] and Nineth Dimension Studios' The Hockey Experiment [AppStore], but none have successfully captured the full hockey sim ambiance we have desperately been needing.

PIttsburgh Penguins is just one of the many teams you can choose from!

NHL 2K11 is quite a bit like the console version, minus a few features, and it does a great job of bringing the fun and excitement from the console version to the iDevices. Upon first playing this I immediately threw myself into the action via the "Quick Game" option. You start off choosing your team (in the lite version there are only two teams available for play. The Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks). Then you're taken to a settings menu where you can adjust the skill level, the period length, penalties, and other attributes. Once all your settings are to your liking the game loads and you can start kicking some butt! The game plays just like the console version except there is no deking, which I miss terribly, no commentary, and the crowd is not as enthusiastic. Not a major issue, but adding in commentary will help players feel more connected to the game.

Over Head Camera Angle

There are other game modes available as well, simply return to the main menu and tap the "Hit The Ice" button. This will take you to a menu that has 3 other game modes. Season, Free Skate, and Shootout. The Season mode allows you to setup a season containg either 41 or 82 games. You can also edit the series length and the OT options. After you choose the settings you can edit the players on your team by choosing "Front Office" and then any of these options; Scratched, Waive to Cut, Waive to Minors, Captain Status. You can also trade players, sign free agents, edit lines, and view the players injury statuses in this menu. Other modes available in the Season are Play/Schedule (where you can view upcoming games, and either play them or simulate them), Practice, Front Office (discussed above), Stats (view team standings, team stats, player leaders, rookie leaders, player stats), Awards, and another options menu (Game Style, Camera settings, Sound settings, Save/Load, and Season Options).

Change lines during game!

Now for the small, but still annoying issues. The framerate is very jumpy, and what I mean by this is that it does not stay constant throughout the whole game. Every so often I would experience a slight drop in the frame rate and as the game progressed the frame rate drops happened more consistantly. I have also experienced a few crashes, simply because the game uses to much memory, a simple update could fix both the frame rate drops, as well as the memory usage. Other than that the game runs very well on my iPod 2nd Gen. However 2K has stated that the game is not compatible with the original iPhone, iPhone 3G and the original iPod Touch, so If you have one of those devices make sure you understand that the game may not work on your device.

Faceoff!

The intro price has been set at $1.99 and at this stage this game could go for $9.99. I highly suggest you pick this up while it's at this price. Great graphics, very good performance (a few hiccups, but nothing to major), and a very fun atmosphere make NHL 2K11 the best and most immersive hockey game to date. I would have to rate this at 4.5 stars at this point.

NHL 2K11 on the AppStore
NHL 2K11 Lite on the AppStore

Gameplay Video:

The Mystery of the Crystal Portal

2010-08-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Join Nicole Rankwist in the search for her Father and a mysterious Crystal Portal. Like I-Spy only with a enthralling story line.

The Mystery of the Crystal Portal is another hidden objects game on the App Store. You follow the trail of your missing dad, find various items, and solve puzzles help you get closer to completing the mystery. The different environments you encounter through out the game are some of the most visually appealing I have ever seen.

The artwork in this game is really unique. The objects blend in quite nicely instead, of just looking like they were added when the pictures were done. Even though they can be a pain to find sometimes.The game is controlled by touch and drag. There are key items that need other items to open. Once you find one of these items, touch its counterpart on the key item and you're one step closer to completing the level. If you ever get stuck on a level, there are free hints available every few minutes. If those aren't enough, you can buy a pack of fifty hints via in-app purchase for $.99.

Overall, this game is a solid buy for those who are fans on this genre. It has a solid story, great artwork, and mind-bending puzzles. It'll provide you with a few hours of gameplay, but it has low replayability. I think the full price of $4.99 is a little steep, but it's currently on sale for $2.99.

The Mystery of the Crystal Portal on the AppStore

MotoGP 2010: A Dissapointment to Say The Least

2010-08-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Devs...You're doing it wrong. This is the year 2010 so why does this game look like some thing from a late 90's arcade room?

Lets start this review on a positive note then end it on a less positive one. The UI is decent, navigation is easy, and the sounds are well done. There are achievemets (Sadly only 15, which I find to be ridiculously low), and wallpapers of in game riders and tracks. The controls are the best part of the game when it's not suffering from lag, tilt left and right to steer your bike left and right. There are 2 game modes, Quick Race and Championship. Quick race throws you right into the action, just pick a racer and choose a track. Championship mode allows you to experience all the tracks of the 2010 MotoGP season while playing as one of the numerous riders. Before a race you have the option of prequalifying or jumping straight into the race, prequalifying allows you to start in a better position for the main race which gives you an advantage.

Now on to the dissapointing aspects of the game, and trust me there are a lot.

Whenever I play a MotoGP branded game I am always impressed with the great graphics, the level of detail, great UI, and fantastic controls. However, when MotoGP came out for the iDevices I was severely dissapointed. Where do I start? Well I could start with the horrendous graphics, this is the year 2010 right? The graphics look like a motorcycle game from the early 2000's, granted this is the iDevice, but thats no excuse for the horrible quality being displayed here.

The next issue I have experienced playing this game was the consistent frame rate drops. Like I just mentioned the graphics are horrible (the riders, the bikes, the tracks, and the enviroments), and one would expect that because the graphics were bad the games performance would not be affected. Oh how wrong I was. The frame rate consistantly drops (It happened every 6 seconds, and sometimes more often than that) causing the game to lag and you to lose control of your bike. This is a HUGE issue for me especially considering the fact that I played this on the following devices; iPad, iPhone 4 (yes the the game ran horribly on the iPhone 4), iPhone 3gs, iPod touch 3rd, 2nd, and 1st gen. All devices experienced the same frame rate drops, and performance issues.

This is not merely a coinsidence as all devices were un-jailbroken and rebooted to clear all memory issues. So who is to blame for these let downs? Well to start; the developers, second the testers. It seems difficult to beleive that the publishers would let a game in this state to be released. Rushing a game like this is the dumbest possible move ever. MotoGP is not a game franchise known for crappy performance, shoddy programming, and ugly UI. Rather it is known for, beautiful landscapes, gorgeous tracks, amazing looking bikes and riders, and great performance.

This game is lacking in many areas, and I beg that the developers submit an update to address the performance issues, as well as update the graphics substantially. As a comparison, take a look at Trophylite Rally by 2XL games. The graphics for that game are astonishing, and it runs without any hiccups on my 2nd gen iPod Touch. So why can't the same be for this game?!

With the $2.99 pricetag this is not worth it at all. Wait for the devs to update the graphics ad the performance issues then maybe I will recomend it, but until then steer clear of MotoGP 2010 for the iDevices.

MotoGP 2010 on the AppStore

Finger Balance: Twister for Your Fingers

2010-08-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

Finger Balance, from Coconut Island, is a new physics game on the AppStore. Use your fingers to get the ball to the top safely.

In Finger Balance, you control a rod with a little ball on it. Your goal is to get the ball to the line on the top of the screen, without hitting any obstacles in your way. You put your fingers on each side of the rod and tilt the rod to make the ball go where you want it to go. The game has thirty levels, 10 easy, 10 normal, and 10 hard. The physics in this game are great.

The graphics in this game are great, and the controls are fairly easy to use. However the game can get a little frustrating. It will take time and patience to beat this game. It will keep you occupied for a while. New features and levels are promised for each month.

Overall I think this is a great game. It takes time to get acquainted with the controls, and it can get frustrating. I think it is a solid buy for $.99, but if you have a short fuse, I would advise you to say away from it.

Finger Balance on the AppStore

Drift Mania Canadian Championship: A Racing Game With Perfect Controls

2010-08-05T02:53:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do we find a $0.99 game with great graphics, great controls, and provides lots of fun. So when I recieved wind of DMCC (Ratrod Studios) I knew I had to check it out.

DMCC is a racing game that focuses on the drifting style of racing. Drifting involves throwing your vehicle around many corners to rack up the best score possible, it requires the use of the E-brake, and great steering. This game focuses primarily on the Canadian drift circuit which is currently in progress. You take in the role as a DMCC driver and your objective is to score the most points possible during a race. However, you're not racing against other racers, but by yourself. There are several tracks available as well as several kinds of cars. Each successive car is earned by getting first place in the previous race. Now Ratrod Studios has incorporated an ingenious control mechanic that allows for the best possible controls ever for a game like this. They call it the Variable Throttle System and it allows fine control over your cars speed while in corners and while out of corners. This control mechanic fits perfectly and works extremely well, I feel in control of my car throughout the entirety of the race and have never lost control or crashed.

The actual races don't feel normal, however, and I believe this is because of the physics of the cars. To me everything is to abnormal. The cars physics are just completely off and ditract from the overall experience of the game. For $.99 I shouldn't be picky, but this is a huge annoyance for me. This is supposed to represent the Canadian Drift Circuit, however, the lack of physics tuning is not doing it any justice. A few tweaks here and there of the physics engine could really send this to the top of the AppStore.

DMCC is a universal app, and runs at the native resolution on the iPad. As we are lacking any devices other than anything previous to the 3GS we cannot test it. However, the reviews are pretty much in favor of the game for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The general concensus is positive, however, DMCC has a little further to go before becoming great. Regardless of how we feel, for $.99 this is a great title. A definite recommendation for any racer fans out there, the Variable Throttle System allows beginner and hardcore gamers fine tune control over their car, and it makes for an excellent driving mechanic.

DMCC on the AppStore

Mad O Ball 3D: Ball Rolling at its Best

2010-08-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Mad O Ball 3D is a great universal app for your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. You have one objective, get the ball from point A, to point B.

Mad O Ball 3D is a great ball-rolling game for your iDevice. You are put in charge of getting your ball to the destination, safely and as quickly as possible. The game is set across four worlds, and there are 32 tracks to race on. The tracks are set around beautiful environments, and it really looks good on your device. You unlock new features and tracks as you play. The controls are handled by accelerometer and the touchscreen. Touch the on-screen buttons, and tilt your device to control the ball. The physics are really great on this game. There are a variety of challenges so that all gamers are able to enjoy the game. It also includes Open Feint challenges so you can challenge your friends.

There isn't really much more I can say about this game. The graphics are great, the sound is amazing, and the gameplay is fantastic. It'll keep you glued to your screen. It is worth every penny.

Mad O Ball 3D on the AppStore.

Magnetic Shaving Derby: Who knew Shaving Could Be So Fun?

2010-08-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Magnetic Shaving Derby, or MSD, is a unique game on the AppStore. Who knew shaving could ever be so fun?

Magnetic Shaving Derby is a game in which you shave a man's face by moving a magnet around and the razor will follow. The game has two modes, Time Trail and Score Attack. In the Time Trail mode, you shave the face as fast as you can. The more you cut him, the faster his hair grows back. In the Score Attack mode you have three minutes to shave as much as possible with hair growing back almost instantly. A meter at the bottom of the screen shows how much blood is lost. If that meter empties before the time is up, it's an instant game over. The game has numerous power-ups that adds to the fun. For instance, dragging your razor across a cucumber puts two slices over your eyes. There are many more but I haven't found them all yet.

You have the option to use tilt or touch controls. Both of them work fluidity. The graphics are nice, and the gameplay is great, you'll have a blast playing it.

Magnetic Shaving Derby is a great game. I really couldn't find anything bad about it. It'll keep you entertained for a while, and the silly gameplay will keep you coming back for more.

Magnetic Shaving Derby on the AppStore.

Helsing's Fire Review

2010-07-20T11:54:00.001-07:00

Helsing's Fire is a scorching new puzzle addition to the AppStore. Your objective, to burn the heck out of monsters. Fun, challenging, rewarding. Helsing's Fire promises not to dissapoint.

Helsing's Fire by Ratloop and Clickgamer is a new puzzle game in which you place torches, and use tonics to destroy evil monsters. You play the partnership of Van Helsing, and his assistant Raffton. Your goal is free the world from evil monsters, and destroy the leader,Dracula. The game is set across 90 different levels, and you'll have to defeat 13 types of monsters.The game play requires you to move a torch across the screen to illuminate the monsters, once you have the torch placed you use the tonics to destroy them. Illuminate certain monsters at a time to get rid of them. If you illuminate a different colored monster and hit them with a wrong colored tonic, they will grow stronger. You get a limited amount of tonics at the beginning of each level. This will require thinking. The game plays very smooth, and the graphics look great. Crystal is included for achievements, and score tracking.

Survival mode is timed where you have to destroy the monsters as quickly, and efficiently as possible. The monster are sometimes wrapped in multi-colored layered shields. This can become frustrating at times, and requires you to use your brain. Not to mention the ghost that can only be seen in the shadows.

Overall, this is a great game. I recommend to anyone that owns an iPhone or an iPod Touch. It'll be a great addiction to you collection, and you'll have a blast playing it.

Helsing's Fire on the AppStore

Veggie Samurai

2010-07-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

I hate to say it, but I play Veggie Samurai more than I play Fruit Ninja.Veggie Samurai is one of the many clones in the in the AppStore. Some do it bad, others not so much.

Veggie Samurai by QuantumSquid is a game in which you have to slash n' dash veggies. Although it may be similar to Fruit Ninja, it has one feature that sets it apart from it, the ability to multi-slice. Veggie Samurai brings that familiar food-slicing gameplay you may already know and love, while the new multi-slice feature adds much more. Multi-slicing is executed by cutting the vegetable more than once.The aim of the game is to chop as many vegetables as you can. The controls are easy to learn. All you do is just swipe across the screen to cut the veggies.The game includes two modes, "Samurai ' and "Harmony" mode which are basically the same as the "Classic" and "Zen" mode in Fruit Ninja. In Samurai mode you chop as many vegetables as you can. You avoid poison bottles that appear on-screen, if you hit one the game is over. In the Harmony mode you slice as many vegetables as you can in 2 minutes. The graphics in this game are nice. The game runs at a slow rate and the vegetables sometimes fell clunky. The replayability is excellent, you will never get bored.

Overall, this game plays great, looks great, but is not very original, in fact the only thing that is different from Fruit Ninja is the multi-slice, and interactive menu's. I think it's a great deal for $0.99, but if you already have Fruit Ninja, I would advise you to stay away.

Veggie Samurai on the AppStore

Doodle Sky: The Last Doodle Game You Will Ever Play

2010-07-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

The last doodle game you will every need to play has finally arrived. Doodle Sky available on the appstore!!!

Uwingame has added to the growing onslaught of doodle games, however they have done so in a unique way. Setting them apart from the very crowded doodle genre is their game Doodle Sky. To us this is an entirely new type of game. It heavily borrows from Flight Control in term of game mechanics, draw a path and the ship follows it. Though Doodle Sky takes things in a whole new direction. You draw a path (more like gesture) and the ship heads that way. Now Uwingame has decided to throw in some enemies, different ships, splosions, and the like. In turn creating a whole different atmoshpere than we are used to seeing in doodle games.

There are 2 game modes, Free and Death Mode. Death Mode is available as DLC (not sure on the price as we received it unlocked) and 8 ships available for command 3 of which have to be purchased. Free mode has 15 levels, each with a different task, that get increasingly more difficult as you progress. Like we mentioned earlier the game play is very different from the majority of doodle games on the appstore.

Your objective to to complete the mission, and get the highest score possible. There is also a rating system based on how fast, or how well you complete a mission. You can get up to 3 stars (The rating of 3 means you did very well, 2 means not so well, and 1 means you shouldn't quit your day job). Like we have also mentioned you can choose from either of the 5 included ships, each successive one needs to be unlocked by progressing through the game, or the 3 DLC ships. Each ship has different stats, and some even have a Unique feature, such as immediate turning, and stealth.

In the main menu there is a Glory section, in this section is where you can purchase new ships, view your achievements, and get a look at enemies you have faced. The game has Facebook and Twitter integration that allows you to upload your best scores to your your friends and followers. For the price of free you have to be crazy not to pick this up. It's a refreshing take on the doodle genre and does it's best to keep you entertained. We enjoyed it so much and have to say that it is the best doodle game on the appstore, and at a price of free it's a steal. Pick this up now or forever miss out on the best doodle experience available on the AppStore

Doodle Sky on the AppStore

WordZynga

2010-06-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

I find myself screaming WordZynga more than anyone person should, and that's because this app is a mixture orFamily Feud, and Scrabble. The new word game from MT Apps that combines my favorite t.v. show and board game into one amazing app!!
WordZynga, such a fun word, and it makes for even a more fun game. It’s like Family Feud mixed with Scrabble. You’re given a certain amount letters from a word, and it’s your job to guess the word that awards the most points. However, this is not as easy as it seems, not in the least. For some words there are over 300 possibilities. Now I’m no dictionary aficionado so I can easily say that this game will challenge you every step of the way.

It’s addictive. I don’t know why I find myself so attracted to this game, it could be the simple yet fun atmosphere the developers have created, or the well made UI, or even the challenge I face playing it. What ever the reason is, it has me hooked and I end up playing this game A LOT more than I should be. However, there is a downside though that I find beyond extreme in terms of annoyance, and that is the fact that the keyboard layout is not QWERTY!!!! As a moonlight journalist and a daytime programmer, I am always on my keyboard and I am very uncomfortable with any other layout other than QWERTY. A few hours (or days) and this issue could be fixed. This issue is something that would easily deter consumers from purchasing this game, to me, this is a huge problem, and it needs to be fixed. But sometimes I get distracted by the numerous amount of backgrounds. Like frogs and fire, and denim cloth, etc.

MT Apps has, in my opinion, created an experience worth far more than $.99. WordZynga is fun, easy to use and navigate, and provides hours of endless word-guessing-frustration causing fun. WordZynga is available now for $.99.

Aqueduct Exclusive Preview!!

2010-06-26T23:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a fan of puzzle games as I prefer to be entertained, rather than have to think. However, the Kieffer Bros. have changed my perspective, and furthermore turned me on to a new genre of gaming.
I have seen the light, so to speak, and Aqueduct has become my saving grace. The three man game studio based in Appleton is well known for creating well polished and highly addictive puzzle games for the iPhone, and this is sure to follow suite.

Aqueduct is a new addictive puzzler that combines sliding puzzle mechanics with pipe connecting mechanics. The result is nothing less than amazing. Check out the official trailer is below.

When we received the privilege of playing this game I was skeptical. I saw a very intriguing art style, but, as is the norm in my case, the art style only masks the horrible, the unoriginal, and the highly boring gameplay. Luckily enough, this was not the case. The game offers up a large amount of levels, some easy and some difficult, an addictive gameplay experience, and a fun atmosphere.

The objective is simple, arrange the pipes in such a way that restores the flow of water to the the other pipe. The idea may be simple, but the actual gameplay is not. Throughout each level there are obstacles that require you to think outside of the box. Immovable pipes, rocks, and warp points, to name a few. There are plenty of stages with many levels in each, providing hours of fun. I have to give this game 5  out of 5 as it truly represents polish and enjoyable gameplay. It's difficult to say anything negative about this game and I hope you all pick it up for $2.99 when it debuts on the AppStore! Also expect a full review when it goes live.

Daredevil Dave!

2010-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

Think Evil Knievel mixed with rag doll physics, touch controls, and of course the iPhone. The result is Daredevil Dave (Lite). By far the best side-scrolling ramp-jumping mayhem-causing game on the AppStore.
Developed by MDigitaMedia Dave's game is very polished, very well done, and a hell-of-a-lot of fun. The game features two game modes, Tour and Injury Mode. Tour mode requires you to land 18 jumps that get increasingly more difficult as you progress further. When you land a jump you receive a payment and a bonus (the bonus depending on how accurately you landed on the landing ramp). If you fail and crash, you are required to pay the hospital bills. If you crash too many times and you run out of money, then the tour is over and you have to start it all over again. But don't worry, a practice mode is offered that allows you to practice the jump (only unlocked jumps can be practiced, and you unlock newer jumps by completing older ones). In Injury Mode you have the same jumps, but your objective is to rack up the largest hospital bill possible. For $.99 this game offers up a large amount of content and fun. There are plenty of jumps, some easy and some challenging, but still fun.

When you are getting ready for your jump you have are provided with the distance of the jump and the angle of your take-off ramp. You are allowed to adjust the angle of your take-off ramp if you so choose. The lowest angle is 18˚ and the highest is 25˚. When you have adjusted the angle of the ramp, you are sent to the first person view of Daredevil Dave. To your right there is a throttle bar (much like the ones found on actual motorbikes) which you use to accelerate and decelerate. Pulling down on the throttle bar makes your bike speed up, and letting go cause the bike to decelerate. The angle of your ramp plays a huge role in landing the jump safely, likewise the speed of your bike also plays a huge role in landing the jump safely. You must keep your bike at the correct speed according to the ramp angle in order to land. Any mess-up will send you careening into the obstacles you're jumping over or the ramp its self.

Graphically the game is mediocre, I would have liked to see better background textures rather than the bleachers and crowd. I would also like to see a choice in bikes rather than the default one. An update including more ramps would be the first priority for the developer. After beating the game 3x over I find my self longing for more.

The sounds in the game are fairly accurate especially for a game at this price, and Dave's witty comments add a sense of humor to the game lightening the mood.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)
Graphics: 
Gameplay: 
Replay Value: 
Sound: 
Overall:

Screenshots:

Robin of Locksley by Mudloop!!

2010-06-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received the privilege of previewing Mudloop's newest game "Robin of Locksley" Reminiscent of Bowman (The popular flash game) Robin of Locksley will provide hours upon hours of entertainment for the casual gamer as well as the hardcore gamer.

The first words to come out of my mouth after playing this game were "Wow" and "Not coming off of my iPod." Think of the most addicting game you have ever played, now multiply that addictiveness by 150% and your result is Robin of Locksley. To me this game is a mixture of a castle defense game and Bowman where your obejctive is to keep soldiers (Some on Segways) from destroying village huts. To defend your village you are armed with your trusty bow and arrow, but have no fear, as there are power-up's placed along the viewing area that grant more arrows or super powers. Double tap on the right side of the screen (or left depending on the orientation) to scroll futher down the viewing area inorder to gain a better perspective as to where the enemies are.

Some special arrows include:
Double Arrows: When shoot you have two arrows instead of one.
Nuke Arrows: When they impact the ground or a person a large explosion occurs killing any soldier within its' range.
Magnet Arrows: When fired they automatically hone in on an enemy soldier and kill him.

To fire the arrows just tap, hold, pull back, and let go. The farther you pull back the faster the arrow shoots. Aiming does get a little tricky, adjusting the angle of your bow to obtain headshots is not as easy as it seems. However, it is worth the effort, as headshots grant more points than regular shots.

Robin of Locksley truly represents what can be accomplished when developers show dedication and ingenuity. This will be an instant purchase for myself and I expect for everyone else as well. Expect this game to hit the shelves in the coming weeks.

Trophylite Rally by 2XL

2010-06-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

2XL Games recently released Trophylite Rally into the AppStore, now while this game may seem like the perfect rally racing game, we found it to be a large disappointment.
Priced at $7.99 (for the iPhone) this game is a graphical powerhouse. In a demo provided by one of the team members, it was said that 2XL is using a revolutionary rendering engine that allows tens of thousands of polygons to be rendered as only a few thousand. This makes for highly detailed landscapes and great looking vehicles. We here at AppTapper were amazed by these graphics, so much so, that we neglected to review the game in its entirety. After a complete play through of the game we have come to realize that the graphics are the only enjoyable thing about this game. The first problem we noticed was the crashing. After a long race the app will occasionally crash, requiring you to redo the race. The second problem we noticed was the extreme lack of content. There are plenty of races, however they don't provide much. The tracks all look similar, the AI is dumbed down to nothing, and the controls are way too easy. Now were not hardcore gamers here, but we know when a game is too easy. We had to turn off steering assist in an attempt to make this game more exciting, sadly it did not work. I played through the game a second time to insure that I had not missed a single thing, and to make sure that my opinion was not hindered in any way. While playing through this game a second time I noticed the animations are a bit stale. When landing, your truck lands with a simple thump. Now I am no off-road rally expert but I am quite sure that trucks don't land in a simple thump. They bounce around a bit before straightening out, and the controls are not as easy to use when you land from a large jump. I beg of 2XL to change the landings as this is a huge eyesore for me. The sounds in the game are very well done, the engine sounds are great and the co-driver sounds and timing are spot on. All in all there are not that many positives about this game, the graphics and sound are the only upsides for me, there's not that much content and for $7.99 I expected A LOT more. Here is a small breakdown of the game.

Content wise this game is lacking a substantial amount. I would have liked to see a story behind the career mode. The ability to customize the vehicles (more so than just the liveries), adjusting gear ratios, softness and hardness of the suspension ect. I would have also like to see a greater variety in track design, rather than the simple desert setting that you constantly find yourself in. Rally races occur all over the world and I personally believe that street courses and supercross (mixture of street and dirt courses) would have been well suited here.

The AI is in need for some tweaking, in the Amateur mode it's quite difficult to not get in the top three (I myself obtained first place in every single race, of every single difficulty). 2XL offers a brake and gas pedal, but frankly there's no need for the brake pedal right now. Your constantly pressing on the gas pedal, and you are not challenged with anything that requires you to slow down.

Graphics wise this game is phenomenal, smooth framerate on my 2nd generation iPod Touch. I did encounter a bit of lag but it lasted less than a second. There are numerous trucks to choose from, all in different colors, the tracks (though they all look similar) are nicely done.

There are 3 game modes available, Arcade, Career, and Multiplayer. Arcade is just a quick race against other NPCs (Non player characters). Career is, like the name suggests, a career with 3 difficulty levels Amateur, Semi Pro, and Pro. Multiplayer allows you to play online against players from around the world (I have had the game since it was released and I have not seen even 1 online session). Also available is a records section that allows you too view your statistics and achievements.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)
Graphics: 
Gameplay: 
Replay Value: 
Sound: 
Overall: 

Final Verdict: Not worth the hefty $7.99 price tag. It seems more like a technical demo rather than an actual game. 2XL can do much better than this and I beg of them to add more content. Content in the form of customization of your truck (In every aspect, suspension, liveries, ect.). I would also like to see more variety of tracks, rather than just a desert I would like to see city tracks, and supercross tracks (mixture of street and dirt). This game has huge potential, and it's a shame that 2XL didn't do better. I recommend you pick it up it if it goes on sale, only if it is under $3.99.

Trophylite Rally on the AppStore (Now $4.99)

Hit N' Run Review

2010-06-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hit N' Run: Cube Runner Meets Asphalt

Hit N' Run is a cube runner style game that involves weaving through traffic at extremely high speeds all the while trying to crash your car into another one with the same color. But each time you hit that similarly colored car, your color changes, forcing you to look for a new colored car while still weaving through traffic. But if you hit a differently colored car, you slow down and damage your car. If you think this sounds different, intense, and strangely addicting? I agree.

Gameplay:

You control the car by tilting your iDevice, and there is the option to increase speed via touch controls or tilt controls. The object of the game is to weave in and out of traffic, while engaging in a color-matching game with the other cars on the road. To make things more interesting, the developers decided to put in 2 shoulders that slow you down, which you can use as a last resort to avoid slower vehicles. They even put powerups periodically on the side of the road, such as speed boosts and a "ghost mode" (This allows you to drive through any car on the road). There are three modes, sprint (a quick speed test that takes about a minute), free ride (endless mode, where the objective is to see how far you can go), and time tria (Where your objective is to be the allotted timel. There is a scoring system for each one which integrates itself with AGON online. There are also two game difficulties: Normal and Advanced, with advanced obviously being the more difficult, adding more cars onto an already highly congested highway.

Graphics:

The slew of different colors in Hit N' Run make the game feel upbeat and vibrant, and while there is a nice 3d engine, the cars do not have many textures. The motorcycle seen in game, is a bit 2 dimensional, but that's just me being picky.

Sound:

Sound is not a major element in this game, the one soundtrack does add to the intensity quite nicely. The sound effects for cars and crashes are also quite nice and are dubbed very well.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)

Gameplay: 

Graphics: 

Sound: 

Replay Value: 

Entertainment: 

Overall: 

Final Verdict: For $.99 this game is very well done, it is very addicting and I highly recommend it to any gamer.

Alien Space Preview

2010-05-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

Alien Space is a space shooter game currently under development by Owens Rodriguez for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Judging from the screenshots and the gameplay video I can say with ease that this is an Insta-Buy for myself and my staff. Alien Space is reminiscent of Space Miner: Space Ore Bust, but, in my opinion, Alien Space better graphics, particle effects, and explosions. We will have a review as soon as this hits the AppStore.

We haven't recieved much more info on the game as of yet (mainly due to the fact it's still in the alpha stage), but that will change soon as the dev gets closer to finishing the game. Below are some screenshots and and a gameplay video, enjoy!

Gameplay Video:

Screenshots:

Ultra Kid: Mystery of the Mutant's Preview

2010-05-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Exclusive 'Ultra Kid: Mystery of the Mutants' Preview – A Platformer From the Makers of "Ravensword"

Crescent Moon Games, creators of Ravensword: The Fallen King just pulled the curtain from their upcoming space-themed 3D / 2.5D platform game, Ultra Kid: Mystery of the Mutants.

Inspired by fantastic games like MegaMan, Kid Icarus, and Super Mario Galaxy and others, Ultra Kid will have players flying their rockets through space to land on different moons and planets, where they will find crazy creatures to fight and dark tunnels to explore.

With a mixture of both 2.5D and 3D platforming, you'll collect weapons and suit upgrades as you progress through the game to help you complete your main mission of saving the galaxy from Dr. Ridalin, who we've been assured is quite evil. Ultra Kid is still in development, and while details are vague right now, we expect to learn quite a bit more about the game in the upcoming weeks.

Screenshots:

Warpgate

2010-05-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

Space, the last uncharted horizon, is wide open for those who have the power to take it. Get ready for one of the most anticipated games to hit the iTunes AppStore.

Warpgate is a space trading and combat simulation game, that's perfectly suited for all iDevices. What makes the game so intriguing is the open-world mechanics and quest based objectives to convey and underlying story line. What I found to be the coolest aspect of this game is that there are hundreds of quests that you can choose to embark on if you wish to veer away from the main story line. Being action oriented, combat mechanics are often considered quite complex. However, in Warpgate combat and training are quite simple, using only a few taps to navigate and perform actions. The camera is adjusted with pinches and double-taps. Graphic wise the game is a bit lackluster. Many of the game's models are rendered as simply as possible, but the well textured vehicles are fit well in to the game's futuristic setting. Despite the simplistic combat controls, engaging other ships will zoom in on the battlefield where you can watch the ships elegantly dance around each other in real time. The 2D background artwork ranges from complex, to quite simple, and makes the most out of the minimalistic user interface. Warpgate's music is undoubtedly suited for this game, littered with upbeat orchestral symphonies and light rock anthems that never get old and rids users of the need for the 3.0 music library feature.

Breakdown of Warpgate:

Gameplay:
Warpgate does a great job of revamping the space trader, combat simulation genre. Its an extremely well made game that has tons of replay value. The game, for me, lasted about 23 hours (Mainly because I wanted to complete as many quests as possible), and I never got board. The sound adds to the sci-fi atmosphere, as well as the 2D backgrounds, text font, ship designs, and solar systems. One of the coolest aspects that set this game apart from the rest is the always-changing faction standings. You constantly have to watch out for unfriendly factions, or else they will attack you (This can be most frustrating when first starting the game, because you have such a weak ship and few weapons). Also available are 3 DLC packages. You can purchase a ship, 100,000 Credits, and 10,000 Credits.

Sound:
The sounds in this game are fantastic, the music fits perfectly, the weapon sounds are amazing, and everything about the sound aspect game was done perfectly.

Graphics:
The graphics are well done and are about as good as they need to be so this game runs smoothly on older gen devices. When I played this on the iPad I kept thinking to myself that Freeverse should have really pushed the limit on what the iPad can handle graphics wise. All in all I'm not too impressed with the graphics of this game, Freeverse could have really outdone themselves, however, they decided to play it safe.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)
Graphics: 
Gameplay: 
Replay Value: 
Sound:  (I would give 's if i could)
Entertainment: 
Overall: 

Final Verdict: It's a great game and it's available for $4.99. If you don't buy Warpgate now you will miss out on one of the greatest games on the AppStore. Everything about it (short of the graphics) screams quality, it has tremendous replay value, and a lot of entertaining content. At $4.99 its an absolute steal, Warpgate is worth every penny you spend.

Warpgate on the AppStore

Warpgate Gameplay

Screenshots:

Libra Balance

2010-05-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

There are many tilt based games in the AppStore but not many 3D ones. So when I heard about Libra Balance I had to check it out.

This game has a simple task, get all the balls into the hole, yet it's not as easy as it seems. Not easy at all. Also included are a variety of map packs, ranging from simple hills and bumps to fully 3D objects. This is a very well made game, however it has a few downsides. The soundtrack is just a looping sound consisting of a fast paced drum beat and faced paced elevator music. The controls are very well designed, however the physics engine needs some tweaking. I find it odd that i can tilt my device to the left at a very steep angle yet the balls slowly roll down. A simple update fixing the physics engine as well as adding some new music would make this app one of the best.

Breakdown of Libra Balance:

Graphics:
The 3D graphics are extremely well done for this game and I commend the developers for that. However I would like to see some 3GS specific features, like adding OpenGL 2.0 features (Water shaders anyone?). If this game comes to the iPad I would love to see some higher resolution textures. The game runs very smooth on my iPod Touch 2g and I don't think anyone should have problems running this app.

Sound:
As I stated before the music could use some fresh new tracks. The game sounds are well done and are dubbed perfectly.

Entertainment:
There aren't many games like this on the AppStore and it for that reason why the entertainment is very high. However, after a prolonged period of time the game kind of loses it's fun, and I find my self playing the other apps on my iPod. The difficulty level increases when you advanced to higher skilled maps which, for me, increases the replay value substantially. There are new themes coming soon which will add to the overall fun of the game.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)
Graphics: 
Gameplay: 
Replay Value: 
Sound: 
Entertainment: 
Overall: 

Final Verdict: For and indie developer this game is really well made. Its fun and challenging. It provides a decent amount of entertainment and its for that reason that I suggest you get it. It's only $1.99 so its not too expensive.

Libra Balance on the AppStore

Libra Balance Gameplay

Screenshots:

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2

2010-05-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 is now available on the Appstore!!

In this second installment of the series, Crash is back and ready to kick some Cortex butt!

The first game seemed to be lacking a lot; online multiplayer, great graphics, and wider cast of characters. However in the sequel Activision steps it up and provides customers with, by far, the greatest kart racer on the iPhone. The graphics have been totally revamped and give this game the zany "Bandicoot-esque" feeling that was lacking in the first game. They have also provided us with a number of game modes, and online multiplayer!!!!!!

Breakdown of CBNK2:

Game Modes:

Mission:
Mission mode will take you through all twelve tracks in turn. Each track has a specific objective to accomplish. You can only advance to the next track by completing the objective, and by finishing third or better in the race. By successfully completing objectives and placing highly in the races you'll raise your rating and unlock additional characters and karts.

Cup:
A cup consist of three tracks, played in succession. After each track, points are awarded depending on how well you place. At the end of the cup, the scores are summarized and whoever has the most points is declared the winner. By placing well in cups, you have the chance to unlock new game modes and tracks.

Time Attack:
In time attack, it's just you against the clock trying to get the best total time possible. The very best time is stored as a ghost race, and exact replication of the movements of the kart throughout the level, showing you your position relative to the best run race. The best total race times for each track are stored in the Records section.

Eliminator:
The rules of the eliminator mode are as simple as the are brutal: each lap, the last placed character is kicked from the race and the last character remaining is the winner.

Collector:
In collector mode, some crystals are placed in each track. The objective is to gather as many as possible: the player who crosses the finishing lime with the most wins. You'll also need to keep track of a timer. Fail to reach the goal before the timer hits zero and you lose! You can snag crystals from others by hitting them with bombs, TNT, or missiles.

Arcade Mode:
In arcade mode, you'll race through all twelve tracks, one after another but you'll only have a certain time allotted to complete all of them. If the timer counting down reaches zero, the game is over. However, to aid you there are time extension points, restoring a portion of the timer, in each track, and you'll receive a few additional seconds between tracks.

Skill Mode:
In skill mode, you will be awarded points for wild jumps, long drifts and for shaving as much time off your total as possible. The best scores for each track are stored in the records section.

Multiplayer:
Multiplayer lets you race against other players, all over the world, in collector, eliminator, and versus races. To play a multiplayer game, either create your own game room and act as game host or join an existing game room as a guest. The game host selects the track and game mode. All players can select their own characters and kart.

Sound:
The game has a very fun and zany soundtrack which fits perfectly for this game.

Graphics:
The graphics have been totally revamped this time around and will surely not disappoint.

Ratings (Out of 5 's):

Gameplay: 
Graphics: 
Sound: 
Entertainment: 
Replay Value: 
Overall: 

Final Verict:
This game is top notch, Activision has really outdone themselves for this sequel. It has great replayability, and its highly entertaining. The animated checkered flag background on every menu really adds the the over all fun of this game. It's not worth the $9.99 but if and when the price drops I highly recommend picking it up.

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 on the Appstore

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 Gameplay

Screenshots:

Splinter Cell: Conviction

2010-05-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sam Fisher is back, and he's not in a good mood.

Splinter Cell: Conviction was released this past week and all I can say is, wow. Gameloft has struck gold [graphically]with their newest addition to the AppStore. From the onset it is clear that Splinter Cell: Conviction is one of the better looking games on the AppStore. This can be attributed mainly to the amazing level designs and smooth game play. But don't let the game fool you, err, I mean don't let the graphics fool you. The story line, though somewhat engaging, is a little lackluster. The cycling cliches and predictable plot twists keep players at a distance instead of fully immersing them in the game. As with most 3rd person shooters (TPS) in the Appstore, Sam is controlled via a virtual control stick and on-screen buttons. The action buttons are context sensitive and change from firing your gun to grappling enemies when close up.

Breakdown of Splinter Cell: Conviction

Gameplay Mechanics:
This game has some really cool gameplay mechanics that set it apart from any other TPS on the appstore. For one there's the "shooting out street light so enemies can spot you" trick. This is extremely helpful when you are low on ammo and have to resort to your hand to hand combat skills. Shooting out the streetlights, obviously, makes everything dark. Enemies have a hard time spotting you which gives you the upper hand. The Mark and Execute feature is by far one of my more favorite aspects of the game. When this feature is active it places red dots above enemies heads, when prompted an action button appears with a reticule in it. Pressing this action button allows Sam to kill all enemies with dots above their heads with one shot. The Last Known Position feature is my second favorite aspect. When your spotted by enemies a white shadow of Sam is displayed on the screen. This shadow indicates where your enemies last saw you, and naturally the enemies will head toward that position. Knowing this you can stay one step ahead of your attackers.

Sound: The music tracks are outstanding, every music track fits whats happening as it's happening. The gunshots and combat sounds are also amazing.

Entertainment:
Because there is nothing like it on the AppStore I find this game highly entertaining, and it has great replay value

Problems:
There are a few issues I found in this game that hinder the fun I could be having. The main issues is the AI. On the easiest difficulty you can stand right in front of an enemy without him noticing, on the hardest difficulty you can do the same thing (Though not as easily). Casual gamers and even those new to the iDevice platform will find the hardest difficulty the most fun. For me the difficulty should mimic the title. Cadet should be the easiest, Agent should be the middle difficulty, not too hard, yet not too difficult. The Splinter Cell difficulty should be hard, though its not. A simple update that tweaks the AI algorithm can easily fix this issue. The second issue I encountered is lag. The game plays well but ever so often I experience moments of lag that completely ruin any offensive attack i've planned. Now this could be because of the device i'm using (iPod Touch 2g), but I doubt it seeing as how users playing the game on their iPhone 3GS have also experienced substantial lag.

Ratings (Out of 5 's)
Graphics: 
Gameplay: 
Replay Value: 
Sound: 
Entertainment: 
Overall: 

Final Verdict: Though it is a port of the console version this game isn't completely what I was expecting. It may fall short in a few areas but it more than makes up for it in gameplay mechanics and entertainment. The price is set at $9.99 and as of right now this game is worth it. I recommend picking this up immediatley, don't miss out!!

Splinter Cell Conviction on the AppStore

Splinter Cell Gameplay

Screenshots: