Office Jefk 1.3 7/19/11 Souped up Paper Toss **** iPhone Free IAP
If Paper Toss is a big time waster. This is the ultimate Paper Toss. It has many different office items to throw at the jerk. The jerk responds differently to what was thrown at him. The animation and sound effects is just awesome. The 2 rubber dart in the glasses sequence is definitely cool.
Flower Board 1.1 7/19/11 A mental workout. ***** iPhone Free
Tricky board game. Very polish graphics and animations. Nice use of touch interface but my finger sometimes moves the wrong piece which can really hurt you.It is a mini chess game in the sense that you need to think about you next two chains. Try to make bigger groups and chain back to back groups to improve your score. I know how to use the rainbow ball but not I am not getting a hang of the lighting ball yet. Anyways my first attempt in medium setting yielded 738. I can see many hours of gaming to try to boost my scoring. An excellent thinking game.
Rat Fishing 1.0 1.0 7/19/11 Don't miss out on this excellent original puzzler. ***** iPhone $0.99
Your objective is to place pieces of cheese to lure the rats out to drown, bomb, crush or cut them up. Accurate location and timing is needed to get the desired results.
This is one of the most difficult but yet fair puzzler on the iPhone. I am stuck at level 21 of 63. Nothing is hidden. Everything is in plain sight. You are not penalized by being a pixel off here and there. But yet you still need to think your way around to get rid of all the rats. The less cheese and time you use, the higher your score. Three hints are allowed. I am refraining from using any so far. Once you complete the game, you can go back to try to achieve gold in all levels. There are a ton of Open Feint achievements. I noticed one that says starve the rats. lol. For whatever reason, the Game Center achievements are eluding me.
The cocos2d Retinal graphics and animation is smooth and amicable. iPad x2 is quite enjoyable. Sound effects compliments the game well.
Original thoughtful gameplay requiring well thought out strategies makes this a stand out in a crowded puzzler game segment.
Baa! 1.0 7/18/11 A simple but worthwhile puzzler. **** iPhone $0.99
I installed and finished 55 levels (165 stars) in about 1 hour. I was interrupted with a call in the middle so probably less than 1 hour gameplay. There was one level that took a little long to get 3 stars but the rest were pretty easy. I would say easy for an adult. The graphics is smooth. Music is pleasing. So maybe market as a good puzzler for school aged children. Looks good on iPad x2. You should add iPad native support. I wonder how much more difficult the puzzles can get. A 3D version would be intriguing.
A lovely puzzler. I would rate the difficulty for school aged children. Takes an hour to complete all 165 stars for an adult. Graphics is smooth. Sound effects is pleasant. I don't mind some harder levels though.
Orbital Jumper 1.0.0 7/17/11 A fun futuristic jumper. ***** universal $0.99
Tired of infinite jumpers? This one has stages to complete so you can work your way through the game. You have to touch the screen to charge the jumper. The power ups are insane. You can move over to the adjacent step. So it is a it different than some classical jumper games.
Fast paced and great graphics. Thumbs up for iPad universal support.
Dollar Origami 3D 1.0.0 7/17/11 IAP warning. *** iPhone $0.99
The engine is great. Excellent smooth 3D graphics animations showing the creation of origami using a dollar bill. You even get to rotate the dollar bill around. Even looks crisp on iPad x2 graphics.
Limited shapes are included. You get to learn to fold a duck, a butterfly, and a heart. You will need IAP to get instructions for folding a ring, shirt and pants, or angel fish. Further shapes (hard) are to be announced.
Only 3 stars as I would expect at least one medium or hard shape included for a paid app. It should be free to demo the simple origamis. Charge for the medium and hard ones.
Developer indicated that the app will be free for a short time in the end of July. You may find out in their Facebook or twitter @LEARN2MAKE.
3D Dinosaur - Skeleton which you can zoom and turn 1.0 7/17/11 Hmm... My first 2 star rating! ** universal $1.99
Unfortunately, I am not impressed with the app. Graphics zooming and rotating is not that smooth (with iPad2). Maybe you have too much graphics data? Probably more skeletons will spice it up more.
Hyperlight 1.2.2 7/17/11 High speed tilt control arcade game. ***** universal $1.99
Maneuver your ship around a 3D appearing tilt board. Combining futuristic glow graphics, high energy sound effects, and and multiple power ups. It does get a bit confusing with so many different items and with more and more enemies appearing over time.
All leads to a to very exciting adrenaline pumping gameplay.
Aquarium Alarm Clock 1.0 7/17/11 Eye candy clock. **** universal $0.99
One of the most eye pleasing clock apps. Works with iPhone and iPad natively. At first I thought the alarm tone was too short but it was actually recurring until snoozed.
Time input can use some polish. Use Scroll wheels instead of text input. Needs an indicator of alarm set. Also I would prefer to put the Alarm Clock Settings as a separate button instead of inside the settings. Alarm snooze button could be a bit bigger. How about using the front facing camera to snooze?
But otherwise a worthy clock on your nightstand. I hope updates will make it even better.
Puzzle of the Dead 1.1 7/10/11 Sokoban with a twist. ***** iPhone $0.99
This is not your typical sokoban game. In addition to moving blocks you will have to place blocks in water and avoid different enemies. You will then collect spirits which unlock a key to open the gate to the next level.
Your scoring is not dependent to the number of steps you take but, rather, the time it takes to clear a level. You will be awarded bronze, silver or gold accordingly.
The first few levels get you acquainted to the elements. About a quarter of the way into the puzzles, you will need to put on your thinking cap.
Graphics is well done Sound is eery. Highly recommended for those who are into solving puzzles.
Office Attack 1.0.0 7/10/11 You can develop this in 48 hours? **** iPhone $0.99
Touch the roaches before they reach the bottom of the screen. There are 2 types of roaches (blue and white halo). You get more points by chaining the same type of roach in a row. No multitouch is allowed. The hand / fingers is annoying. May be you should have an option to turn that off. The fist is useful to an extent as you will be overwhelmed soon enough anyways.
The most impressive part. You guessed right. 48 hours of development. Put in another 48 hours and who knows how much more awesome this game will be. Very impressive.
Banditoo 1.0 7/10/11 Endless runner with many distractions **** iPad $0.99
You control the Baditoo who needs to shoot at sheriffs, collect coins (to be used for upgrades), all the while run fast enough to avoid being caught by a sheriff from behind AND not run into obstacles. You have 2 lives and if you trip, you lose one live. It is game over when you get caught by the sheriff.
The Good
Comical characters. Smooth play. Great western theme sound. Original gameplay which is quiet fun.
The Bad
The jump button is small and easily missed. I mean the iPad has plenty of screen space. You can swipe up but that is also hit and miss in practice. Please make the buttons larger and the swipe up more responsive. Also have an option to turn off the buttons since you really only need one set of controls.
The Ugly
Fortunately none.
Icarus-X 1.8 7/10/11 A seriously tough arcade shooter. ***** universal $1.99
Story
Shoot the space alien classic arcade game with 3D animation. It is like a modern version of the Galaga game. There are 2 campaigns. Classic is the original one and may be a little easier. Redux is the the more interesting updated campaign. You can play easy or regular modes. If you complete regular mode, you unlock hard mode (and then impossible mode). Each mode has 5 chapters. You have to complete one chapter to move on to the next. There is also a practice mode that slows things down so you can get a better feel of the alien formations.
Gameplay
You move your space ship by moving your finger around the screen. It auto fires when you are touching the screen, which is most of the time. In order to get a good score, you need to link your chains by not missing any alien in a formation. That way you bump up your multipliers. You also get power ups and extra lives if you complete your chains. Extra points are given if you don't lose a life during a chapter. You will lose power up when you die.
Graphics and sound
This is seriously one of the fastest paced arcade game I have see. Very detailed graphics on both iPhone and iPad. No hesitations whatsoever. The background sound is pumping the whole time.
Conclusion
Regular Redux mode is very difficult to complete. Easy mode is more entertaining. There is Game Center integration with leader boards and achievements. If you are a fan of Galaga, you will love this very challenging arcade shooter.
I save all documents in PDF on my desktop. I print a copy of web receipts on the Mac to PDF. Now I can do the same with my iPhone AND iPad!
All I needed to do is to open PRINT TO PDF. Switch back to whatever app that supports print function (Safari, Mail, iChromy tested). Hit print and a local notification box will pop up. It will direct you back to PRINT TO PDF to view the created PDF file. You can then email or open the PDF in other apps to modify or annotate, etc.
There are 3 main folders, "saved emails", "saved web pages", and "other prints." You can create sub folders but not additional main folders. You can also move PDFs from one folder to another.
Finally you do not need internet access. I turned on airplane mode and was able to print to PDF just fine. Highly recommended if you ever plan to save a web page receipt after making a web purchase on the iOS device. Save trees and lets you archive any web page or printable documents easily.
Bugs
1. Unicode file names are not displayed correctly. (name of web page)
Missing features
1. Rename file/folders.
2. DropBox/iCloud support (sync to a directory in DropBox/iCloud) in additional to email PDF.
3. Ability to create new root level folders.
4. Recognize browsers other than Safari and put the PDFs in the "saved web pages" folder instead of "other prints" folder. e.g. iChromy.
5. Recognize other email apps to PDFs put in "saved emails". e.g. mBoxMail.
6. announcements.html is missing on your site.
Stuntjump Tumbler 1.0 A running game with a twist. 6/29/11 **** $0.99
It is refreshing to see that you can keep playing a running game and not have to restart from the beginning if you miss a jump. Instead, you are only penalized with time. You can always go back and beat your own record later.
Graphics is smooth. The levels are quite different and each requiring some forethought. You will likely have to replay at least a few times to get through them.
Interesting tilt and timed touch control. If you like a series mini challenges, this will serve you well with 60 levels of running and perfectly timed jumps.
Park In 1.1 6/29/11 Nice Puzzler. **** iPhone $0.99
Essentially you are matching colors by moving the boats with a minimum number of moves. Like chess, think a few steps ahead to avoid unnecessary moves.
I would consider earning stars in each levels as currently there is no way to tell if your score is a good one or just so so. Also may consider GC leader board for each level to get an idea how your score compare to others.
Otherwise a good thinking puzzle game. Hope to see some updates.
One more thing, add a sound effect after completing a level.
FrontCam Trap 1.0 Fun to experiment with. **** iPhone $0.99
A good concept. You sure can find out who unlocked your iPhone, with proof in your Dropbox folder! The password protected picture storage is also a nice touch.
The downside is that it is not particularly stealthy. The person who unlocked the phone will see the app screen stating FRONTCAM TRAP. I think the app should pause and go to a different screen after enabling so that when the phone is unlocked, it would look innocent and tapping the screen would exit the app.
Since iPad also has a front camera, why not make it a universal app?
Jump Angry Slime, Jump! A very well designed arcade game. **** iPhone $0.99
Excellent graphics, animation, and game design. You need to think your way around the castle and time your moves and shootings. Very satisfying to get through a level.
A minor issue I have is the dPad is very difficult to control precisely. Often I move up or down unintentionally. It tends to be less of an issue with practice. Another problem is that after losing three lives, you will have to start all over again. It would be much less frustrating if there are milestones that you can reach so you can continue on from.
A minor issue I have is the dPad is very difficult to control precisely. Often I move up or down unintentionally. It tends to be less of an issue with practice. Another problem is that after losing three lives, you will have to start all over again. It would be much less frustrating if there are milestones that you can reach so you can continue on from.
Period Diary (Menstrual Tracker) 1.3.1 6/26/11 Keeps good record. Accurate date predictions. No notifications. **** iPhone Free
This free version of Period Diary is indeed an excellent tool to record everything related to the monthly cycles. It has very a nice graphical interface with easy touch control. While it will make accurate predictions for future period, fertile, and ovulation dates, it falls short of alerting you or your loved one to such events. For that you will need the pro version.
The included forum access is a good idea but reading and responding on the cramped iPhone screen would not be my preferred way. Unfortunately there is no iPad native version either.
I would highly recommend this for casual use and get the pro version if you are planning a pregnancy.
Celerity 1.0 6/26/11 Are you 3D minded? ***** iPad $0.99
If you take a cube and rotate it around in it's x,y, and z axes, you can have 6 X 4 = 24 orientations. The trick is to visualize the 3D geometry and try to fit it into a given keyhole in the provided time frame. If you can do it in less time, you can press boost and zoom past the hole.
The initial puzzles are pretty straight forward and there are more than one orientations to fit the block. You have to visualize the red block to be lined up with the >>> arrows, something that the app tutorial doesn't tell you about.
There are 5 levels with presumably 100 puzzles per level since I haven't completed them all. You have 3 lives to get through what appears to be every 20 puzzles to get a "saved state." If not, you start from where you restarted.
The graphics is awesome and the 3D animation is smooth like butter, which gives a futuristic feel a la Tron. Overall great fun and good for stimulating your brain synapsis. I predict it will help your child's 3D perception. I can just imagine what 3D displays in the future will bring to this sort of gaming.
Password Sync 1.0 6/26/11 Simple and secure iPhone and iPad cloud password access. ***** universal $9.99
Many are graphically rich and have more bells and whistles. This one is simple yet effective. It stores your passwords in the cloud and syncs to your other iDevices under the same Google account authentication. No desktop syncing necessary. Another feature is that it has a master password and a pin to access your passwords (think PayPal app), which is nice as you don't need to type in a long complicated password each time when you want to look something up. Yet, you have peace of mind because others that got a hold of your iPhone or iPad will not be able to look up any sensitive data because they have to enter a pin each time an entry is accessed.
With that said, a little fancier interface would be welcomed.
Disclaimer: I beta tested this app but I am not affiliated with the developer.
Challenging Dot. 1.1 6/23/11 Mensa membership preferred. **** iPhone $0.99
For a puzzle game that does not test you on timing and reflexes, I will submit to you that this is one heck of a challenge. You goal is to start with one dot and move to an adjacent one so that eventually all lines are completed at least once and that is when the level will finish. You win if you get the minimum
required score specified for the level. You can earn additional stars if you can manage a higher than minimum required score.
Getting one star is probably not too difficult for most initial levels but on some levels it becomes a lot harder to try to score an additional star (or two). Eventually through trial and error (and
lots of patience), you will be able to solve the puzzles one by one.
There are currently 4 X 20 = 80 levels with more levels planned. There is a bug where Page 4 is unlocked so I can definitely say that this game no picnic even though I have not technically unlocked those levels yet.
To conclude, from an intellectual standpoint, this is a excellent title, as long as you are not looking for fancy 3D graphics and tons of ear popping sound effects. There is enough gameplay that will last you many hours, until more levels are unleashed. And yes, please add Game Center Achievements.
Tower Defense®: Lost Earth HD 1.0.1 6/22/11 An instant Classic! ***** Universal $4.99
An alien themed TD with 40 levels at launch. With detailed graphics and animations, this has become an instant classic. This game is more like Creeps than Field Runners in that (so far for me) there is a set path for the enemies. I appreciate a universal release that also takes advantage of the iPad screen estate. I have a ton more levels to progress through but already can't help but look forward to the future maps, and towers planned.
One potential criticism is the "been there, done that" feel. AFAIK, Com2uS does not have a string of TD titles under their belt. I feel that they have done a fantastic job in creating something that is as good as any. I sincerely hope that they will take what they have learned in this title and eventually come out with a sequel that pushes new frontier in TD gaming.
Prison Mayhem HD 1.0 6/19/11 Do you have what it takes to manage prisoners in proper sequence? ***** iPad Free with IAP
The included 6 free levels is already very fun. You get to time manage food, reading, entertainment, and riots; while matching prison cell colors and cell
sizes. Similar to PvZ, the story mode gradually increases in complexity to get you up to speed to the various additional variables. I can only imagine that with more prisoner types and activities, the hectic level will sky rocket to mayhem level!
Great graphics and background sound combined with excellent gameplay makes it a 5 star gem for the iPad.
Disclaimer: This is a review of the free version.
ChocoRun 1.0 6/17/11 So you think you can play? ***** iPhone $0.99
The game is controlled with touching the creening. Not WHERE you touch it but WHEN you touch it. Sounds easy. But it's not, unless your timing is impeccable.
The Retinal graphics is smooth with great retro feel. Even though it is not iPad native, the X2 graphics is very crisp.
In case you forgot how much you struggled through the levels, your cumulative number of deaths is listed prominently in the title page to haunt you every time you open the game!
Kalimat 1.3.4 6/17/11 An evolutionary word game. **** iPhone $2.99
Fancy word game with built in dictionary to dispute any questionable words. You can chat or talk smack with online opponent. Remix mode rewards speed play and more.
Only gripe is no native iPad support. Hope to see that added soon!
iSundicator 2.0 6/16/11 A great outdoor companion. **** iPhone $0.99
Another reminder app. This one looks after your skin. I entered my particulars in the settings and based on
my GPS location, it says I have 10:54:00 sun time with SPF 30 at the beach and, without suscreen, it was only
00:21:00. Seems useful enough. The countdown timer continued to function while the app is backgrounded.
One issue I have is that sunblock needs to be re-applied every so often due to sweating or swimming. An app like
this should have some way to remind re-application of sunscreen.
CATAROK Lite 1.2.2 6/15/11 **** Aiming & Timing. iPhone Free
In order to complete a level, you have to aim a blue ball to knock the blue (not red) blocks off the platform. The blue ball increases in size over time so you have to time it for the right size at the right time. Each level requires a minimum score to advance.
This version demos the gameplay faithfully but lacks the bells and whistles (pun intended) of the full version. Try it and see if it matches your aiming and timing ability!
Hard Racing Lite 1.1 6/16/11 **** Cool graphics and scenery. iPhone Free
A little hard to see the road ahead, esp with the ad on top. This demo the full version has very good potential.
CATAROK Lite 1.2.2 6/15/11 **** Aiming & Timing. iPhone Free
In order to complete a level, you have to aim a blue ball to knock the blue (not red) blocks off the platform. The blue ball increases in size over time so you have to time it for the right size at the right time. Each level requires a minimum score to advance.
This version demos the gameplay faithfully but lacks the bells and whistles (pun intended) of the full version. Try it and see if it matches your aiming and timing ability!
Quick Mice - House Raid 1.0 6/15/11 Why I think this is an excellent whack-a-mice game. ***** iPhone $0.99
Many different sceneries.
Cute animations + Retinal graphics.
Some mice and hearts are slightly camouflaged.
Some mice, aka boss mice, are harder to hit than others.
All these adds up to an addictive gaming experience IMHO.
Action Cat 3D II Deluxe 1.1 6/14/11 Walkabout. *** iPhone $0.99
I think you can sell this as a "game" for kids. But the replay value is in doubt. I collected 25 charms and it tells me to go to the portal. Where is the portal? Then what? If I don't have patience, I am not sure if kids will.
To build on what you have, you need to put in hints such as what direction to go to. Alternatively, let us zoom out so we can see where we are heading. It is no fun to have to avoid the dogs all the time. Let there be charms that can scare the dogs away, for a duration. Perhaps I have not seen enough to tell what else there is to it.
Rock Sliders 1.0 6/14/11 A cross between Skee-Ball and pool. ***** iPhone $1.99
This arcade style shuffleboard game requires a bit more strategy than playing Skee-Ball. While lacking in visual and sound effects in comparison, it more than makes up for it with 47 levels of challenging puzzle arcade gaming. The game requires good hand eye coordination so let the buyer beware.
Smart Alarm Clock: sleep cycles & noise recording 3.2 6/14/11 Tracks movement and noise while you sleep so you wake up refreshed. ***** iPhone $0.99
A high tech alarm clock that helps you wake up by monitoring your sleep stages using iPhone's accelerometer and microphone. It's smartness come from its ability to wake you
up during a light sleep stage. I would not bother with the other modes as they are no different than any other standard alarm clocks.
I find it choke full of features. It comes with 10 chillout and 10 wake-up melodies. If that is not enough, there is IAP for even more to choose from. Chillout melody is default to off, which is perfectly fine with my sleep habits. I can adjust the sensitivity of the accelerometer which, for my firm mattress,
is best left at maximum. Rolling about on my wife's side of mattress does not trigger the alarm.
It is by no means perfect. I would like to program different wake times on different days of the week, something the default iPhone clock app can handle quite well but a missing feature in this app. Overall, I am duly impressed with the innovative use of the iPhone hardware to rate it 5 stars.
Red Light Runner 1.0 6/13/11 You can't judge a book by its cover. Highly ADDICTIVE and FUN. ***** iPhone $0.99
Unbelievable but true. When I first looked at the screenshots, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to bother to install it on my iPhone. This game is really an excellent example of "you can't judge a game by its screeenshots."
You use a combination of quick taps, swipe, and shaking to advance you stickman across to the finish line to the right. Sounds easy but you have to time it just right and also beat the brown stickman. Well,
except in race 30 where basically you just run all the way to the end. This turns to be a good thing because race 29 was a *%@!& to get through.
Definitely a very FUN pick up and play game. Caveat emptor. Once I started race 1, I couldn't put down my iPhone until I finished race 30! YMMV. Beyond the fun factor, what's so good about Red Light, Green Light on the iPhone is the socially responsible game content subconsciously teaching your children to stop when the traffic light is red. FANTASTIC!
Security Camera 2.0 6/13/11 A zero config utility. **** Mac $4.99
I installed the app. Set the password. It started taking pictures of me at the desktop right away. Just like that. Zero configuration. If you just need to know if someone is messing with your Mac. It is perfect.
One limitation I did notice is that the password only protects the menu bar functionality. One can still delete the photos in the alias folder inside the DropBox folder. So it is not foolproof. It really needs to email the photos and, if possible, wifi derived location info for it to be useful to retrieve a burglarized computer.
Blackjack (3 Games) 1.2 6/11/11 Charting new territories in casino gaming. **** iPhone Free
The good news is you can WIN big. The bad news is, well, you can LOSE big. That may sound trivial but parents must be aware of the possibilities and exercise caution if their iPhone or iPad has this game loaded. That said, I think this is a whole new territory for the iOS devices. If successful, it will open door to other legalized gambling here in the UK.
The app interface is very well done. There is another blackjack game made by the same developer that has (5 in 1) in the title. I like the button spacing in this version much better but it sure would help to get Retinal and native iPad support. Music and sound effect is great. I think vertical and horizontal swiping would serve as a good alternative to tapping buttons for hit and stand.
Two blackjack games are available, blackjack switch and blackjack surrender. For whatever reason, classical blackjack game is omitted. Blackjack surrender is almost identical to the classical blackjack game and really is the same if you choose to not exercise the surrender option.
Looking forward to more innovations from Viaden Gaming.
Writing Kit 1.1 6/10/11 A useful web research tool. **** iPad $4.99
I have no experience in Markdown but was able to start using it with ease with the dedicated buttons. If I ever start doing more serious research on the iPad, this will be my go to app as it simplifies the search and copy from the web. DropBox manual sync works. Until iCloud comes along, this is the state of the art cloud computing.
I also have no experience in DuckDuckGo search engine. I suspect most people don't either. To search Google, start with !g; Google images, with !gi; Yahoo, with !y, etc. It works but was not the most intuitive. The app can make it a little bit easier to input !Bang.
A useful web research tool with a few rough edges. I am sure a few more updates will make it even more polished.
Amazing Machine 1.0 6/7/11 Put on your thinking cap, folks. ***** iPhone $0.99
Very intricate graphics. The ambience is sedate but the underlying physics game puzzle is very cerebral. It is more like a chess game. Think before you act! Some levels are really tricky but the difficulty is not strictly related to the level number.
As a testament of its somewhat addictive nature, I rallied and finished all 55 supplied levels, but with user designed levels and you can create your own levels, there is virtually limitless gameplay.
Overall a very polished physics puzzle game for the more mature audience. A nice diversion from the other casual gaming.
Mooniz 1.1.48 6/6/11 A mixed bag. *** iPhone $0.99
The overall graphics and sound effect is cute and fun. I agree the
gameplay is a little hard. My wife, who is an expert in Birzzle HD, can only get to level 5 so far on a few tries. Granted she has not used any coins to get power ups. Spoke too soon, she got the "extra time" power up and now just got to level 6. I really don't see paying for coins for casual gaming so I am glad at least can we can collect an extra 1000 coins every 6 hours. I would rather see that you can earn more coins and not worry about running out quickly. So far we are no running out of coins so that's a good thing. Make it a little more forgiving and a little tweak on the reward system will go a long way.
ToDo Lists 1.2 6/4/11 Simple yet effective. ***** Mac $1.99
Lately I keep forget to do things. Could be I am too busy or just dementia setting in. One thing I do remember is to try out many different to do apps on the iPhone, iPad and the Mac. Most are very complicated and before long I just don't bother to keep using it. So the cycle continues with more tasks get missed.
ToDo Lists is just a simple list. But in bright color on the monitor that can stay on top (floating).
It would be nice to be able to sync to the cloud. Toodledo would be great. iCal is not on the cloud. ropBox is only from Mac to Mac. I still want iPhone and iPad integration.
Overall I am very excited about getting things done. It might just work for you as well.
Bang Bang BOOM! ~ Shooting Gallery 1.0 Delicious graphics but deceptively challenging. **** iPhone $0.99
Having tried out the Speed Round version, I decided to give the Shooting Gallery a go. Overall a fun duck shooting game with good use of the touch control. The graphics is excellent. Even on an iPad 2 X2 mode, the retro pixel look is nice and clear. As you progress past the first round, the flying fowls are getting more pesky, some requiring two hits to hunt down. You can shoot the crate to get a few more rounds of bullet. Try as I may, I was unable to get past the first few rounds to get a chance to shoot at the balloons.
There is room for improvement. First and foremost, add a beginner's mode so it can be enjoyed more as a casual game. Consider making the target size (touch area as oppose to bird size) bigger, slow down the movement and directional changes or add more powerful weapons. Second, include background music and / or allow iTunes music as an option. Third, rather than touching the bottom left of screen to reload, how about using a swiping gesture. Lastly, I may not have progressed far enough along the game to appreciate this but please add more animal targets and power ups to mix things up.
An otherwise excellent game marred with limited replayability. The devs promised "more modes and achievements in updates coming soon!" in the app description. I am definitely looking forward to the next hunting season! I just hope that it is right around the corner.
BLACKJACK (5 GAMES) 1.3 6/1/11 Blackjack just doesn't get much better than this! ***** $1.99 universal
The best computer blackjack game I have played with and now I can play anywhere on an iPad (or iPhone/iPod)! I loved the classy background music and having a dealer's voice is the kicker. "Insurance?" That is WAY cool. I can use this to hone my card game skills or just enjoy the casual
game play. Through this game I even learned about pontoon, a British variant of the game.
I do note that there is no multi player mode. Then again if I am playing with my friends, it would be silly to whip out the iPad.
One minor quibble. Even on the iPad, the hit, stand and double buttons are a little on the small side. That is not to say you would miss hit the wrong button easily. Better yet, consider adding swipe control in future updates such you can swipe down to hit, or swipe right and left to stand. As it is, it is well worth the low price of admission, guaranteeing hours and hours of Blackjack excitement. A MUST get if you love the game of Blackjack!
Craps 3D 1.1 6/2/11 Seeing is believing. ***** $2.99 universal
I have read the reviews and I am playing on an iPad 2 today. No crashes for me. Having recently tried Blackjack from the same developer, I have high hopes and Viaden Mobile certainly does not
disappoint. This casino game entry is very polished with the same EYE POPPING high quality graphics, in this case 3D panning of the craps table no less, adding delightful classy background music, and don't forget the user selectable male or female dealer's voice, which, in my opinion, is the killer feature and makes the game so much more enjoyable.
The developers went beyond realistic gameplay and even catered for the beginners with comprehensive documentation of how to play, strategy, and history of craps in the US, making it a no brainer for
anyone ranging from the absolute beginner to the seasoned gambler who has any inkling of desire to play the game of craps. So the real question is, if you are reading this, what are you waiting for? Take the plunge into the world of craps today with this affordable and well designed game. As a bonus I can playing this on my iPhone also.
Line Birds 1.0 6/1/11 Beautifully designed. Great animations. Deceptively challenging. **** $0.99 iPhone
I love the simple yet very dramatic Retinal quality graphics and easy going background sound.
It is pretty much impossible to keep blue Kirby at the same altitude so instead you will be bouncing him up and down like a yo yo.
Somebody better leave some hints as to how to master this game because even with easy mode it is pretty hard for me to make much progress. I am only able to unlock orange Pablo (500 meters) but the next one is at 7000 meters! Either this is my nemesis or I suspect Robert will tweak the game play a bit in suture updates to make it more to the liking of casual gamers.
CosmoNutz 1.0 5/28/11 Advanced puzzler. Not for the timid. ***** $2.99 iPad
According to wikipedia, Soko is Japanese for warehouse and Sokoban means warehouseman. The original gameplay is a man pushing boxes around in the warehouse. CosmoNutz has themed it with cartoon space characters with lovely 3D animations and sound effects. Under the hood is a very complex puzzle genre that is akin to playing chess because you have to think many steps ahead to solve the puzzle.
Coincidentally, I am in the middle of playing The Heist and, of the four types of puzzles present, this is the type that I enjoyed the most. So with 300 levels (as oppose to 15 X 4 puzzle types in the Heist), I will have fun till next year. lol
Match Pairs - Memory Game for Kids with Cute Cards 1.2 5/28/11 Excellent memory game for the young ones. ****
There are very few games on iPad that I would recommend to young children. Memory Pairs is one that stands out. It takes advantage of the large iPad touch screen and features cute images, high resolution graphics, enticing sound effects and a familiar pair matching gameplay. It is likely that memory can be enhanced with prolonged repetitive playing. How many games can you make that claim?
Please add background music option and improve on the high score
registration mechanism. The lack of automatic high score registration is frustrating. Can you imagine having a five year old entering his or her name after every round? Consider having a dedicated push button for each child in your family that they can press rather than having type in a name after each session.
Bang Bang BOOM! ~ Speed Round 1.0 5/28/11 *** Free
This an ad-free trial version of Bang Bang BOOM! ~ Shooting Gallery. After downloading this, you will get to shoot about 50 ducks for 45 seconds. It demos the basic game play well. Hit 6 ducks and reload. Repeat. The game features smooth non-Retinal graphics and good touch control. Try it and get the full version if you like it.
3 stars for lack of game content. Look forward to checking the full version.
Hemispheres - Duel Your Brain 1.1 Well done for an interesting game concept. **** $0.99
Played with iPad2. I really enjoyed playing it the first time. The graphics and control is top notch. The idea is that left brain handle words, logic, numbers, etc and the right brain specializes in rhythm, spatial awareness, imagination, color, etc. I find it quite fitting that the math challenge is laid out on the left side and the color quiz on the right. :)
The inclusion of Game Center support and Achievements is great. It may be interesting to list the actual break down between math and color scores in the Game Center leader board. In spite of this, replay value is a little on the weak side. My suggestion is to design additional left and right brain challenges for future updates. On the plus side, this game in theory may be used as a training tool for young children whose brain function is still developing.
Another minor criticism is the lack of background music. Perhaps different music/sound effects can be implemented to aid (or impede) the player's progress.
In Case of Fire 1.0 5/28/11 A challenging touch and tap puzzle game. **** $0.99
This game reminds of the Game and Watch LCD handhelds of yesteryear. The first few levels are frankly, for a lack of better word, boring. But don't give up yet! Once you get to level 1-10, things get decidedly more interesting.
The latter levels require impeccable timing and can be rather frustrating. Fortunately, you can skip one level and still explore the rest of the game.
The touch control is a little finicky and sometimes confuses between tapping and swiping. I would also welcome some additional voices and sound effects.
The developer is encouraging feedbacks so they would add more levels in future updates. I would not hesitate to give this one a try if you like a challenging pick up game, particularly for those blessed with good timing.
Angry Hipsters 1.0 5/28/11 Can't help but to lol at this game ! ***** $0.99
Think of this as a wacky version of Angry Birds. Yes, the theme is somewhat violent but it is done in a humorous way. Controls are excellent. The sound tracks works wonderfully. There are enough levels to keep you entertained while bringing a big smile in you and your friends' face because it is just so funny! Looking forward to even more hipsters, levels and sound tracks in future updates.
If you like casual bird gaming, don't hesitate to give this one a try.
Fish vs Birds 1.1 5/28/11 Slice and tap to keep your "fish" safe. *** $0.99
The initial screen is confusing. Why is Help called Super Easy Mode? A little humor is fine but not when people cannot even get started playing. I would add an intro before the first play. There are so many items on the screen that would make it hard to figure out what to do without some instructions. The yellow bird looks like an angel fish. Star fish and octopus are technically not fish. Once the items are clearly identified then one can reasonably start enjoying the game.
I agree reducing difficulty (1.2) would be welcomed. I suppose multitouch (1.2) may help as well. Overall gameplay is fun and enjoyable. With better instructions and minor tweaking, this game can be made a lot better. Looking forward to updates soon.
Perfect Slice HD 1.0 5/28/11 Strangely appealing for such a simple game play. **** $2.99
The iPad touch screen is well suited to slicing game action. There are two categories of slicing games.
First, there is the arcade type game as exemplified by Fruit Ninja where quick reflexes and good hand
eye coordination is necessary to win. The other type would including Perfect slice and Slice It! Here,
precision is paramount. It is perhaps more suited to the younger gamer who gets to explorer different
geometries.
Perfect Slice HD has a very polished game interface. The only objective is to slice things into equal
halves with a single slice. The graphics is very appealing. There are two game modes. Straight line
slicing and free hand slicing. Overall look and feel should be appealing to all age groups. On the
other hand, Slice it! should appeal to the younger audience.
Bottom line is if you are looking for a precision slicing game for iPad for different age groups. Perfect
Slice would fit the bill quite well.
Tweakon 1.2 5/26/11 Almost there ...
I was impressed enough with the light version (see below). But the full version offer the power user even more features. Convenient picture uploading via Bit.ly, lists, trends,etc. Of course no ads. I must confess that I am not enough of a power user to take advantage of all these bells and whistles, yet. Personally I probably won't seriously consider using any twitter clients that doesn't support Timeline sync across devices. It would have been nice if Twitter supports that officially but as it stands, it is up to the third party developers. Being a 1.0 product, I think there is a lot of potential. Let hope Timeline sync is on the radar.
All-in Pedometer 2.1.4 5/13/11 A great indoor workout companion.
In the world of pedometers, there are ones that are specialized for indoor use and others that is best suited for outdoor use. The lack of GPS integration means this app is ideal for indoor use such as working out on treadmills and elliptical machines. The reason being GPS doesn't work indoors and consumes battery. As soon as I installed it, I took my iPhone to the gym and it was very accurate on
the treadmill. It even worked, more or less, on the exercise bicycle. Over time I will have a detailed track record of my workout.
The iPhone background operation is limited but the app pseudo lock the screen when placed in the pocket. I would not recommend keeping it running for more than an hour or two or you will start seeing battery running down. Personally I don't spend more than 30 min per workout session. For dissenters, just remember no apps on iPhone will track your workout all day long. YMMV.
Tweakon - Lite 1.2 5/25/11 It has everything I need, but ...
I like that it clearly indicates what is read and what is new. Compare to other clients that I have used, I can read selected tweets and be able to skip those and only look at the unread ones later. Overall it has everything I need. However I do use both an iPhone and and iPad. The good news is that this app is universal. But then there is no timeline sync across devices. Hopefully that is something that can be implemented with future updates. For single device usage, this will serve most purposes for most people.
Sketch Hockey 1.0.1 5/24/11 5 stars gem.I guess my reflex is not insanely fast because I can get through the arcade mode to insane!! one ball and then keep getting my ass kicked by the AI. This is a very good use of touch control. The only other game that uses line draw afaik was Spazcon HD. This game is by far more action packed.
Ultimately this kind of game is best in vs mode. The AI is either too easy or too hard. However the iPhone screen is cramped so local wifi would be better for vs mode or a iPad native version would be even better.
Noty & Moky 50 in 1 HD 5/24/11 mini games galore !
Great graphics and sound effects. Interesting game play with many, I mean many, mini games.
This game is more suitable for younger kids. Problem is they may not know the objectives from the simple instructions. Eventually they will either figure it out or will have to turn to their older siblings or parents for help. Just
be forewarned. Otherwise it is great value and many hours of non-violent
game play. Recommended.
AntiMal 1.0 5/23/11 A retro style quick finger tapping game.For originality, it deserves 5 stars.
For retro styling, that would be subjective. I give it 5 stars for
having a variety of viruses, each with different properties.
For game play, I would knock it down a notch to 4 stars. Why?
Once you get close to 6000 points, it get much much harder. It
would be better to be able to wipe the screen with some special
viral antidote. The one strike and you are out is perhaps a little
harsh. The other problem is that some virus types are so hard to see that you feel like you are
dead for no reason. Not sure if there is a solution but perhaps make it audible while not visible.
I also question why make it scroll right to left horizontally. I would simply turn it sideways to
play like a top to bottom scrolling game like most games are designed.
Overall a commendable fast finger tapping game.
Relievos 1.0.2 5/22/11 OMG - this app is awesome!The best use of touch + camera + gyro on your iPhone/iPod. Bar none. You have too see it to believe it!
I am very much looking forward to the iPad version for easier photo manipulation. Please include a way to open photo attachment from the mail app so we are not stuck with the lousy iPad 2 camera. Thanks.
