iSlash Review

When I first discovered iSlash I got pretty excited, as I soon realised it had the same principles as the arcade game Qix that I loved playing as a child.  In Qix and iSlash the aim is to cut the surface area into smaller and smaller pieces without drawing a line through any of the objects bouncing around inside.

The innovation with iSlash is of course the touch screen aspect.  The lines are now slashes drawn with your finger, therefore making it have a feudal Japanese style theme, because clearly Japanese Ninjas would be the only people capable of slashing such items.   It does work with the game but I personally feel it is a cheap move, the go to themes are either Ninjas or Zombies and both have been done to death.  Still it is only a theme and it is pretty slight as the objects could be anything and it would play the same.

The slicing much like in Fruit Ninja, makes you feel like you are in total control, the slashing is fluid and easy to manipulate.  Against the wooden backdrop of the level the game looks superb and brings something actually very basic to a whole new level.  It allows for you to become immersed into the environment.  However this immersion is necessary in order for you to concentrate enough to slice through the wood avoiding the throwing stars, whilst at the same time keeping them all contained within the same area.

The game takes both the players maximum level of patience and speed in order to complete all 80+ levels.  New content and star types have also been released in an update and more will follow in good time I am sure.  While having so many levels at your disposal is nice, the game does not let you skip a level if it is too frustrating.  This aspect did make me stop playing the game for a while as a few of the levels are very tricky. However the reward for progressing is not only the level unlocks and the achievements but as your progress, new power-ups are unlocked.  Later on you can slow down time, remove hazardous stars and invoke a few other powers.  The trouble with the power ups are that they require you to make a large slash and it is unclear on whether you will get them or not.

iSlash is a great reflex puzzle game, however if you were expecting a game in the lines of Fruit Ninja you are likely to be highly disappointed.  Whilst it is simple in concept the vast amount of levels will keep you occupied for a long time and while it is frustrating it is well worth the investment, at the equivalent of 99 cents you cannot go wrong here 5/5

Hired Gun Review

Hired Gun is yet another sub-standard game that has been released by Triniti Interactive on the iOS market.  There have been multiple games released by the company involving the same stick characters, all have been fairly poor and Hired Gun is sadly no exception.

You can tell that Hired Gun is trying to adapt a comic book style, like the stark black and white art of Frank Miller's Sin City series.  This is complimented by the music track and the seedy street view that you are searching for your target in.

The only spots of colour in the game are in your scope and the blood of your targets, which are both a vibrant red, everything else is back and white.  The visuals of the game are not amazing but equally they are on par with most app games.  The loading sounds and the sound of your gun firing are very much what you would expect and the soundtrack does its job.

Where this game fails is the control mechanism and the ludicrous time limit in which you have to kill all of your targets.

In the game you see a street with lots of people moving about within it, some in buildings others outside.  In the corner you have a picture of what all of your targets look like.  Every stickman has a hat by which you can identify them.  There are nine targets that you must kill on your first level and all are wearing the same hat.

To do this task you only have a mere 60 seconds.  While this may be possible if you were able to quickly snap to your targets you cannot.  In order to line up a shot you must move your cursor slowly and lazily in line with your target, by which time they have moved on.  At this point you are faced with a choice, wait and see if he comes back or try and find another target.

No matter your decision you will either lose to much time waiting around or have to come back and kill the guy anyway, hoping that he is back when you next visit.

If you do pass somehow you get to progress, however if you fail your score is based on how many targets you killed in what time.  For every target you kill you gain seconds and time, for ever civilian you kill you lose both seconds and time.  It is all very basic and if it was smoother it has the potential to be a fun little game.

If being a hit man is your thing, check out Contract Killer, which does this simulation more justice than Hired Gun, Contract Killer is also free, so you will be saving yourself time and disappointment.  Removing the slow and frustrating game play and replacing it with achievements, leaderboards and level progression, as well as varied missions.

Even though Hired Gun has style, no game can ever receive a good rating if it fails at actually being playable, let alone an enjoyable experience. 1/5

Ricky Wong on Taplay

After having played the series of Tappi Bear games made by Taplay, I managed to get an interview with one of the games designers Ricky Wong.  I asked him about developing apps and the Taplay game series.

What got you into making apps?    

We like to play games alot, I think that is the reason 
why most developers make games. 

The Tappi Bear series of games is not only cute but also highly
addictive. What was the inspiration behind it?

There are a few secrets that we use in designing Tappi Bear games

1) Easy to control, players no need to see the instructions.    

2) Easy to play but hard to be advance.

3) Target for kill time games, each game plays in only 1-3 minutes

4) Colorful theme/items

I think these are the elements to make the game highly addictive!

The Tappi Bear collections 1 and 2 are both packed with content and
achievements, why did you decide to release the individual games in
collections?                       

At the beginning of this project, we planned to make a series 
of standalone mini games. But after few games were released, some players 
suggested that we have an All in 1 version. So we decided to pack them up 
into a collection. 

All of the Tappi bear games offer a completely different game style,
which is your personal favourite Tappi Bear game? 

I like Kung Fu Battle and Tap Tap Jump!

Will we be seeing more Tappi Bear in the Future?

Yes of course, we try to launch new game/app every month. And 
we just submitted a new photo snap application for Tappi Bear. You can 

adding Tappi Bear icons in your snap shots.

You can check out Tappi Bear here.

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   

Kyle and Howard on SwipeTapTap

A while ago I played a game called SwipeTapTap, I loved the game so much, I just had to try and get an interview with the games creators.  I managed to contact Kyle Yamamoto and Howard Go, they both were kind enough to answer my interview questions and here is the result.

How did you get into making apps for the ipod?

We started working together in the end of 2010, but I (Kyle) started developing test projects to see what I could do mid-2010.  I had a list of about 50 ideas, but it wasn't until I met Howard before we could put together an idea worth releasing.  

Finding the right balance as a team is very important.  We both work well with each other, and we can understand each other very well when we brainstorm for ideas.   We also have a good idea of what we want in a game, so we will never release a product until we feel it meets our own quality criteria first.   

SwipeTapTap is a great memory / reaction game.  What was your inspiration when making it?

The intuitive interface that a good multitouch device is basically what inspired it.  The iPhone just begs to be touched in many, many ways, and a game that makes you enjoy the taps and swipes you can do with the iPhone makes you appreciate the device even more.

Why did you choose to make a motion game?

Basically the iPhone is the best motion game device, and there are still a lot of other things the iPhone can be used to do.

SwipeTapTap is proving to be a large success, especially in China and Hong Kong.  How does it feel to know that so many people are enjoying your game across the world?

It feels great and inspires us to make even more apps anyone can enjoy.

What do you have planned next?

We plan on doing a series of smaller casual games before we take on our bigger ideas.  Those ideas just need more time and seed money which is why we'll focus on the simpler and smaller but very cool projects first.

SwipeTapTap can be purchased here

Mochibits Website

Elementimals Review

Elementimals is a card based game on the iOS market place, which is both fun and simple.  The games simplicity makes it accessible to any iOS gamer.  Based on the Final Fantasy VII game Triple Triad, Elementimals is a mix of solitaire, pokemon and tic tac toe.  


The game consists of either a two player mode or a you vs the computer.  The main mode against the computer, allows you to rack up a win streak of games and eventually, if successful enough you can unlock another game mode.


All games consist of a 9 square area, in which you and the computer take turns to place, element-infused animal cards.  If the card you place has a higher number facing adjacent cards, then the losing cards are converted to your colour.  The player with the most cards at the end wins the game.


There is also an option to put element squares on, this decreases the power on all facings of a creature whose element does not match it by one point, however if it does match the creature they gain one point in power, to all of their facings.

Elementimals may not compare strategically to the games of Reiner Knizia that are available on the market place, but unlike a lot of the those games, Elementimals is simpler and will appeal to a much broader audience.  The games colourful design and wonderful artwork match the theme nicely, giving players a unique and engaging experience.


Elementimals is a must by game for anyone on the ipod, while simple the game is not as random as it first appears and as you play more games the deeper strategies begin to reveal themselves.

A great card game for the ipod, simple and engaging, Elementimals will keep you occupied for much longer than you probably intended. 5/5

Mr. Karoshi Review

Mr. Karoshi is an addictive puzzle platformer on the iOS marketplace.  Instead of the usual platforming experience, the aim of the game here is to kill the protagonist.  The depressed Japanese office worker longs to die and you must help him do so, by any means necessary.  Whether it is by throwing him onto spikes or setting up and intricate electrical circuit, you will kill him off and once you do the explosion of gore is strangely satisfying.


Karoshi's controls are simple and straight forward.  While they may not be intuitive for people who are not used to pressing virtual buttons, the standard iOS gamer should have no issue here.  During each level you must use these controls to direct Karoshi to interact with his surroundings, pushing boxes, firing guns and flipping switches.

The game contains fifty levels and each one looks superb on the iPod, with the games cute pixely retro charm.  The games graphics and sounds, go hand in hand with the games theme.  While the premise is dark it is also humorous and does not take itself seriously.  It is far removed from sleeping pills, or a rusty razor blade in a bath tub.  Along with these fifty levels there is also a bonus unlockable mini game.


The beauty of this game for myself personally, was the way in which some levels have multiple end-game scenarios and there are a number of ways to end Karoshi's bland and stressful existence.


Mr. Karoshi has a lot of charm and is unique in terms of what the iOS market place has to offer.  It is a must by, especially if you are a fan of puzzle games.


See the interview with the games creator, Jesse Venbrux here.


A unique and darkly humorous, puzzle platformer - 5/5

Tetris

When Tetris was first released as an App it was sold at a whopping $9.99 price mark, however due to competition and the cheap prices of most apps now days, it has dropped to 69p.

While Tetris is not the most creative thing that EA have ever brought out, they are well know for trying to make a quick wad of cash where ever they can. EA's Tetris lives up to this low standard.  EA have not only released Tetris here, but filled it with a truckload of content, so much so that the game does occasionally lag out or crash.

The visuals within Tetris are very bright, much more vibrant than most Tertis games.  Sometimes these colours create more of a distraction than a lasting appeal.  The game offers a variety of different modes for players to play, yet they are redundant.   The majority of people will just want to play the classic Tetris, that they know and love.  Those that want to check out these other game modes will be highly disappointed, as they are thrown together with little thought or care.

Due to EA being a mainstream company, one would expect a hallmark of quality here, and yet you can see far stronger games made by independent indie games designers.   All of the extra features are hindered by the games appealing execution and the long loading times are unforgivable.

There are far greater puzzle games out there some of which are even free.  Whether Tetris is a personal favourite or not, I would give this version a miss.

A lazy rushed port of a wonderful classic 1/5

Choco Run Review

Choco Run is a Guided Platformer, little choco is always running and you must tap the screen to make him jump.  Anyone that has played Super Meat Boy will find this game shockingly similar.  The controls may be different but there is no doubt that this is a Meat Boy clone.


To begin with the controls seem very strange and from the offset the game is hard.  While plaing Choco Run, you will die a lot and probably lose your temper every now and then.  This difficulty is not helped by the touch jump mechinism.  The longer you press the screen for the further Choco jumps.  Such a mechanism is highly frstrating at times as it makes it all to easy to blame your lack of skill on the game mechanic, rather than your own ability.


Choco Run has innovated which puts it high above most platformers, however it loses points for being a copy cat clone of Meat Boy, a cash in on an already established success.  If the game designers had had any confidence they would have at least made it look different.

The game is a viciously hard platformer that requires a lot patience, however unlike Meat Boy it lacks the charm and the graphics are a little basic and ugly.


A good effort but lacking in originality and decent art 3/5

Cliffed Review

Cliffed is yet onother get as far as you can game, before your inevitable elimination.  The aim of the game is to get as high or as low as possible before the scrolling map takes you off of the screen.


The innovation with Cliffed, is that play a solo game or compete with three other players.  Whilst this is a fun change it still offers the same kind of game play standard in most apps these days.  The multi player aspect is engaging and addictive and it has its own in game leaderboard.


As you progress in Cliffed you also unlock other characters depending on how far you get without failing.  there are also pick up characters and another earn't by referral.  All of these characters look wildly different, adding a to the games charm.  However despite their looks and size, no character is really any different from the last or has an advantage over another, while this keeps the game fair, what is the point?  While it is nice to unlock rewards these lack any sense of real achievement.

Graphically Cliffed looks great, the characters move fluidly and the backgrounds are top notch.  Every character moves with grace and they all have personality within their tiny sprites. 


Cliffed utilizes IUGO VIP for leaderboards, so it lacks both OpenFeint and GameCenter leaderboards and achievements.


Cliffed can be buggy at times but due to its fast pace and short game time, it is pretty forgiveable.


Overall due to graphical style and innovation, I give Cliffed a happy 4/5.

Interview with Peach Pellen on Corona

Peach Pellen is considered to be an expert when it comes to Corona SDK games development.  After being inspired by her tutorials on her website techority, I decided to seek her out and ask her some questions.

Overall, the interview turned out to be incredibly inspiring and it has encouraged me even more.  I hope it does the same to others that read it as well.

Firstly for those that don't know, what is a certified Corona SDK Developer and how did you rise to that title?

A lot of people ask me that and to be honest, I don't exactly know how one qualifies for the title. I know that three of the first people to get it were Jon Beebe, Ricardo Rauber and myself so I imagine, at least initially, it was about displaying a certain level of skill and/or contributing to the community in a meaningful way.
I like to tell people that to become certified they must "excel in the field of awesomeness".

What is it about Corona that makes you want to see it succeed?

I want it to succeed because it's powerful, beautiful, intuitive and unique - it lets someone who has never coded before get into making apps for iOS and Android in a very gentle way. It has a wonderful community that grows better, closer and more united every day.... but personally, for me, a lot of it has to do with Carlos Icaza.

The last SDK I used had management that did not care about me as a developer, they did not encourage me or motivate me and when I finally left it was because they made a choice that would have cost me money and my identity as a developer.

With Corona, with Ansca and with Carlos, I believe that users get an SDK to use that isn't going to suddenly pull the rug out from under them - they get someone at the top listening to them, working hard to see that they are happy and excited about what they do.

The entire Ansca Mobile team is fantastic and as a developer you need to feel secure in the tools you are using; confidence in your SDK inspires confidence in yourself.

Do you think it is possible for anyone to work with Corona and potentially make an app?
I absolutely do. I knew nothing about coding when I started with Corona. I didn't understand basic HTML. The last SDK I used was drag and drop, so that didn't help me. If you're passionate and driven you can go from having no idea to being able to put together a pretty solid little game within a month.

I should say too, it being easy doesn't mean it's not powerful or suitable for professionals - some of the stuff being made with Corona easily rival the biggest and best iPhone games out there done in Objective C.

What encouraged you to put up a website dedicated to helping others with Corona?That was a combination of two things, the first being the community. I knew I was going to be a permanent part of Corona almost immediately and I wanted to make the community a better place to be a part of. Support, a friendly familiar face, tutorials and advice were all things I thought could benefit everyone - and they did.

The second was that after all the support Carlos had given me I wanted to pass that forward. My work is a massive part of my life and his support therefore changed my life for the better; I wanted to do the same thing for others.

I never imagined that Techority would lead to me becoming a figure in the community let alone a part of Ansca but here I am, 9 odd months after starting out and barely a day goes by that I don't get some kind of fan mail. It's crazy - I still have trouble believing that this many people care about what I do. It's a real motivator for me.

What other services do you have to offer that could help people further?

I do training sessions both in person and over Skype, I can sometimes be hired to create apps (depending on my schedule), I do bug fixes and code snippets and I also sell templates - most of those are complete apps that people can learn from and modify for their own needs, although some people just change the graphics and upload them which is OK too. As of yet no one has used any graphics they shouldn't which is very impressive to me as I know it is a problem in other communities.


You can check out Peach's tutorials here on her website: techority

Also feel free to add her on Twitter (@peachpellen) 


But it doesn't stop there, Peach is also working on a Corona book to continue her quest in promoting its usefulness and helping others get to grips with it.