Crimson: Steam Pirates Review

Normally keeping to only reviewing games that are available to play on my ipod, I decided to branch out a little after having played Crimson: Steam Pirates on my friends iPad.  This was due to the the games importance, as it is the first game to be developed by Bungie, the company behind the Halo series on the Xbox and PC.

As it is their first financed project into the iOS market, I felt it necessary to review their venture.   


In this swashbuckling adventure you play as a pirate sailing the rough steampunky seas.  The game mixes various turn-based elements, making it feel like a board game mixed with something like Rebirth of Fortune.   The game has you taking control of the protagonist Thomas Blood, a renowned pirate, who has a flair for the ladies as well as a chest full of treasure.

In the game take charge of his ships and direct them in a turn-based manner by dragging your finger to form paths.  In combat you can do all the things that you would want to do as a pirate, including broadsiding and boarding vessels.  When a vessel is boarded the gameplay changes.  Once a ship is boarded, you then take charge of your ships crew in a different turn based combat mode.  There are over twenty unique units in this mode each with their own forms of combat and varied statistics.  This mode could be a separate game in its own right as I found it the most enjoyable part. 


You can tell that this has been made by a main stream developer as it knocks the hell out of most ipod game competition.  Graphically it well designed and nice to look at. It has a unique style and is as individual as Halo is to the first person shooter genre.

To fully experience the game, players must invest $1.99, but this small investment is well worth the expense.  With the introduction of more ships, aircraft, submaries and generally more of everything, you would be foolish not to buy the upgrade.


If you like turn based games, then this is a must for anyone with an iPad.


A well designed and deep turn based strategy game by the developers of the Halo series 5/5

Super Drill Panic Review

Super Drill panic is the second iOS game to be released by the development team Orangepixel.  In making Super Drill Panic Orangepixel have taken a step away from Meganoid, their well received platformer, and moved into the racing platformer genre.

The game is level based and you must direct your character using the accelerometer, to the bottom of the level before they lose all of their lives.  Each area on the map consists of 5 levels and on each level there is three different objectives to be met, these are level completion, chest collection and coin collecting.  Once all three of these targets have been met, the level is 100% complete.  The initial map with the Indiana Jones character is 3 areas long and once completed, there is an arcade mode in which you go on infinitely until you die.

Once all of that little chaps levels are complete the thief is unlocked.  The thief's levels are harder and more complex in their design, keeping the player held back for much longer than the first characters.

Both characters have a total of 15 levels and an arcade mode each, along with personal item upgrades for each one.

Super Drill Panic is as addictive as it is charming.  This game will keep you occupied for a long time and is a must buy for anyone with an ipod, especially since at the moment it is free.

If Meganoid is anything to go by, expect there to be further content added in good time.

Super Drill Panic is a superb race game with a lot of charm 5/5   

SwipeTapTap Giveaway

Kyle and Howard from Mochibits have been kind enough to give away three copies of SwipeTapTap.

Retweet the competition message at theappkingdom twitter and follow for a chance to win!


The Tweet looks like this: