Zen Wars is based off a old arcade classic called Rampart which featured multi-phase tower defense gameplay. There are 3 different phases to every one turn you get in the game regardless of the mode. The first, the combat stage is where the player has about 15 seconds to fire on the opposing forces defenses and troops. Then you can rebuild your ramparts and walls to beef up your derisory. The final stage is where you can place down cannons in the available enclosed space. Now the catch is that you cant just put your defenses down wherever you want you have different shapes that are offered up each rebuilding period that you have to fit together to encircle your fortress. In your territory you can have up to three fortress which one of which you have to have completely encircled. The game comes packed with 3 different modes including a campaign mode. In the campaign mode you are put in the middle of certain scenarios that you have to overcome. Then in the survival mode 4 of those levels in the main campaign are available for unlimited play. Then comes the coup de grace the multiplayer mode. A total of 3 players can battle it up over Gamecenter trying to be the last one standing. A interesting feature is that voice chat is included so you can chat with people and make alliances in order to get farther in the round. For example if you want to win a round you can team up with another guy so your chances of winning are improved. Then after hes dead and out you can disband from the team and test your might against your former allie. Its definitely alot more fun against real people but the campaign mode is still good for practicing and developing your strategy’s for online.
Overall this is a great strategy game that is very fun to play and one of the most in depth strategy games for the ipod platform. I highly recommend this game, 4.5/5 stars!
Zombie Slaughter is a new swiping action game from Tapkee Games. In it, you will fight wave after wave of zombies. You’re given 3 difficulties, Easy, Medium, and Hard. On Medium and Hard Modes, you’ll need to figure out strategies to take out the hordes of zombies in order to beat the game, but in Easy mode, you can pretty much just learn the movements, and how to play the game without too much of a challenge.
There is no story in the game, and very little environmental change. As you progress through the levels of 3 waves each, the platforms you can jump on will grow, but apart from that, you won’t see much different between the levels. There’s 1 health pick-up for each wave you’ll go through, and once you reach level 2, you’ll be able to pick up a sword and slice away at the zombies for a limited amount of swipes. This lack of story, or extra modes can put some people off of the game, especially since there’s no online leaderboards, achievements, and actually, no scoring system at all.
This lack of content could very well be the downfall of the game. Which is sad, because Tapkee Games has built up a very decent base for a game. The rag doll physics work extremely well with the animations, and gravity + swipe physics of the game, and the random zombie spawning leads to different types of gameplay with each and every game. But it’s plat former aspect also makes me wish that the developer would have added some virtual buttons along with the current swipe controls, and Zombie Slaughter could also use some power-ups and maybe even a shop. If all of this was added, Tapkee Games would have one hell of a game on their hands.
The lack of content can be overlooked by the amazing, addictive, action-filled gameplay, but not for too long. The developer has realized this, and has mentioned on the Touch Arcade Forums that he will be adding more content, different environments, achievements, item-drops and more weapons, as well as an endless mode.
The game, right now, is $0.99, the perfect price for a “let’s check it out” kind of attitude, and it is worth checking out. The developer has given me 5 promo codes to share with our readers, so if you’re slightly interested in the game, and are one of the first to be reading this review, you can try and snag one of ‘em;
I am looking forward to future updates, and hope that this game gets more content. As it is now, I’m going to give it a rating of 2.5/5, but it has the potential to be a 4 or even 5 star game if the developer keeps working on it like he’s promised. Here’s hoping this game doesn’t fall into the huge bundle of games that have been forgotten by developers over the years.
Frozen Equilibrium is a new puzzle game from Suricatum. In it, you’ll be given more than 100 stages to solve. You’re thrown into an ice world where everything was in balance at zero, but this has been disturbed. Your goal is to set everything back to normal by pressing on one of nine blocks at a time, getting all blocks back to 0. When you press a block down, the block above it, below it, and the block on the right and on the left are pushed up, and this set of which blocks are effected changes as you go through the game. When you push on a block, the number decreases, for instance, from 2 to 1. The blocks that are effected around it are pushed up, for instance, from -2 to -1. You’re given a certain number of pushes to set all the blocks back to 0. It might sound a little complicated, but once you start playing, it’s really not.
The game is pretty original, as it’s taken the puzzle mechanics of games like All Up, and taken it a step further, and thrown a bunch of math into it. Now, with a game like this, content is almost as important as the gameplay, and with over 100 stages, it’s got plenty. The graphics are top notch, very polished, and with the music and effects, and nice physics of the ice blocks, it adds a lot to the atmosphere of the game, which you don’t see too often with puzzle games. Even though the atmosphere of a puzzle game doesn’t really add much to the gameplay, with Frozen Equilibrium, it’s helped add some story to the game.
It definitely is one of those puzzle games that you’ll be bashing your head against a wall to figure out solutions for, but once you do, you feel kinda stupid for not figuring it out sooner. Levels ahead of the level you’re on are also unlocked, so if you’re having trouble with a stage, you can just skip it and come back to it later. This game desperately needs GameCenter leader boards and achievements, along with a scoring system. There are in-game achievements, but no way to see which ones you’ve unlocked, or what more of them are. There is, however, a 2 player ‘Dual’ mode, in which you and a friend can make puzzles for each other, whoever finishes the fastest wins, but again, there’s no online feature here, so you’ll be stuck trying to find a friend that’s willing to play a game that’s more like an IQ test with you. But for a stand-alone puzzle game, it’s one of the most challenging that I’ve ever played.
Frozen Equilibrium could use some online features, and a couple more game mechanics, but it’s a solid puzzle game for the iOS. If you’re a math freak, or just into puzzle games, this is a game that you’re sure to enjoy. For a buck, it’s got loads of content, and it’s definitely worth checking out.
iBlast Moki needs no real introduction, the physics-puzzle game from Godzilab is one of the most popular on the iOS, snagging the #2 game spot of all time on metacritic. So when iBlast Moki 2 was announced, everyone was eagerly anticipating this sequel, and for good reason. In iBlast Moki, you use bombs and other items to get Moki’s into the portal at the end of each level. The physics are amazing, the level design is top notch, and the environments are varied, and extremely vibrant. The sequel includes even more kinds of bombs and items to help the Moki’s reach the portals, the same amazing physics, even more interesting level design, and more vibrant environments, and it takes advantage of retina and HD display. There’s also a level editor and a level sharing service thrown in for endless hours of entertainment and fun.
In iBlast Moki 2, you’ll encounter some very interesting bombs, and you don’t need to play for hours to get into the new game mechanics. They are thrown at you almost from the beginning. Paint bombs that each have different characteristics, ropes, and balloons are some of the first you’ll see. There’s also objects that you can stick your Moki’s to in order to get them to the portals at the end of the levels. In the game, it’s your job to place bombs throughout the levels, and set them to go off at specific times in order to fling the Moki’s to the end while collecting all the flowers in each stage, and doing it as fast as you can. Your regular bombs are the ones that you’ll really have to play with trial and error getting the timing just right, making them explode at just the right time to send your characters off in another direction. This is done easily because the level resets every time you press the stop button in the lower left corner. The paint bombs, however, are more about where you place them, and timing isn’t really an issue with these. You’re given red, green, and orange bombs. The red acts as a bouncy liquid, and once your characters or any other objects touch it, they bounce up into the air. Green bombs act as glue, making your characters stick to whatever objects get covered in the liquid when the bomb goes off, and orange bombs act as turbo speed bombs, drawing your Moki to them, and shooting them forward at faster speeds.
Because iBlast Moki 2 is a physics-puzzle game, the physics are a huge part of it, and Godzilab has done an amazing job with them. Everything feels real, and sometimes it might seem like you’ll have to be a physics major in order to get the solutions on the first or second time through the level. I actually would not be surprised if Godzilab had some physics majors help them with this aspect of the game, as they’re done so perfectly. This, coupled with the superb level design, add a ton to the challenge of getting up on the high-score board that’s in-game in the pause menu. The top 3 scores for each level are shown, and if you’d like, you can pay 1 Moki coin, which you earn throughout the game, to see these top solutions. This, is something that’s already upsetting people. Some gamers work for hours on a level trying to get the best score they can, and then their solution, if one of the best, is saved to the server, and accessible to everyone for 1 Moki coin. Godzilab has commented on this issue, and said that they will come up with a fix for it in a future update, but until then, the best solutions for each level are there, ready to be seen by everyone, unless you play offline. This is the only bad issue I can find with iBlast Moki 2 though.
With 90 levels spread across 6 different environments, and a level editor that lets you share and download created levels, there’s pretty much endless gameplay. A cut-throat leaderboard helps immensely with the replay value, and like I’ve said, some people will spend hours with one level, and some might even spend weeks creating one. iBlast Moki 2 could very well end up being the best puzzle game in 2011, maybe even the best puzzle game for the iOS, period. The scoring mechanics are great, the graphics are cute and polished, physics are perfect, level design is mind bending, and the gameplay is endless. For $3, it’ll be pretty much impossible to find a better puzzle game out there. It’s highly recommended to fans of the genre, and new-comers to the scene alike, and is on sale for launch, so you can grab it now for a buck! The universal version is $3, and should shoot up to $5 soon. If you don’t have it yet, make sure you get it soon, because it’s going to be a game that you end up buying eventually after hearing everyone you know talk about it.
I’m giving iBlast Moki 2 a score of 5/5, with a strong recommendation to get it now.
Get ready for a new 8 Bit game that requires strategy and quick reflexes. That game is 8 Bit HD Plus [$0.99 (iPad Only)] by Dumadu Games. In this game you control Speedy a Petite Car and try to save it from the unstoppable enemies. As you play through this never ending game your goal is to try to get as much fruit as possible. You can also gain lives by picking up the 1 UP power-up, but you can only hold up to 9 lives (sort of like a cat). During this game you have to dodge the enemies by tapping on the left side of the screen to move left and the right side to move right. There
is 3 different modes to play through. You can play through 2 track, 3 track, or 4 track mode. Each mode gradually gets faster and with more tracks to dodge enemies that definitely makes the game harder. When you first boot up the game the only track unlocked will be the 2 track mode. The other 2 tracks require you to collect a certain amount of fruits to unlock them. It takes 500 fruits to unlock the 3 track and 1500 fruits to unlock the 4 track mode. That’s pretty much all there is to this game. It’s a simple but yet addictive game that you could spends hours on. I did find an issue when I booted up the game though. There was actually ads on the main menu in a paid game. Which is definitely a no-no in my book. It seems to have been resolved though. I haven’t seen any ads since. I also have one suggestion. It would be great if there were other power-ups in the game that allowed you to freeze the enemies or make Speedy indestructible. That would definitely make the game a hit! Overall I found this game to be really simple, but extremely fun at the same time. The 8 Bit graphics are very nice and the gameplay will have you thinking through the entire game. My final rating is 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a fun little game for your iPad that’s inexpensive then check out 8 Bit HD Plus for $0.99 by Dumadu Games here.
Mobigame announced via Twitter that their new iOS game EDGE Extended is going to be out this wednesday 25. Also releasing wednesday night is Contre Jour (should have been released early july), a physics based something from Mokus (also French, like Mobigame) where you can modify the terrain to move our hero, Petit, from portal to portal. Watch the video to get a look at its awesome-ness:
Im eagerly awaiting both games. And expect full reviews for both by end of the week. For me, this is the best wednesday night ever for iOS.
Firemint (the creators of the excellent iOS games Real Racing and Real Racing 2) released a trailer for the new upcoming game with gameplay, due this summer…
Hey Feed Me Oil fans, theres a new game for you right around the corner, coming out this wednesday 25, called Sprinkle (by MediocreGameStudios). Check this video below (by TheGameTrail):
Ruffled: Feathers Rising is a free-roam 3D game from Pixelloop. In it, you play a bird set on taking revenge on the humans for invading their land. Just so happens that the only way you can take revenge on them is by covering them in feces, which actually makes for a pretty good game.
You’re given 5 different areas to exact your revenge; Residential, City Park, College Campus, Construction Yard and Downtown. Each is a huge open world in which you get to fly around collecting worms and gold pieces, flying through time circles, and nose-diving down to dump poo on unsuspecting people and cars. You’ll have different amounts of time for each level, starting at 5 minutes, and going up to 10, to rack up as many points and achievements as you can. There’s also practice modes for each level, which let you fly around, getting to know the layout of the level. Collecting worms adds to the amount of poop you get to drop on people and cars, while flying through rings extends your level time. You’ve got a rage meter at the bottom of the screen that rises with each successfully landed poo, and once it’s filled, the time stands still, and your points multiply. Entering Rage Mode is the only real way to get awesome scores.
Each level is filled with pedestrians and cars, and are pretty big. Flying around is done automatically, and you control your flight by pressing and dragging on the left side of the screen. The controls work reasonably well, but adding tilt controls would really help give the player the feeling of flight. The right side of the screen is tapped on when you want to drop one on someone. Each time you do, the camera follows your poop until it hits an object. This makes crashing into random objects in the world a pretty common occurrence unless you can manage to keep steering your bird while the camera is locked on your poop.
The graphics in Ruffled are pretty good. Environments are varied and detailed quite well considering how big they are. Walking and driving animations are a little funny looking, but they work. You can tell that each moving object is following a strict lined out path, but this does make it easier to plan your attacks and follow people around. The game runs relatively smooth, and hasn’t crashed or lagged out on me once. The music and effects fit the game and add to the atmosphere very nicely.
One thing I love about this game is that you can play it one of two ways. You can go achievement hunting, exploring the levels as thoroughly as possible, picking up every item you see. Or you can focus more on pooping on the people and cars, flying around in Rage Mode, and going for a high-score. I also love how each level is progressively longer than the last, and all unlocked from the moment you start up the game. So you can pick a level depending on how much time you want to spend playing the game.
There’s enough replayability to keep Ruffled on your device for some time, but without online leaderboards, you’ll only be able to beat your own previous scores. There’s also no story beyond the first intro images. It’s be great if after you finished a level, you’d get a cut-scene or series of images having the bird flying back to the flock, and telling of his wild escapades and achievements. If animations were cleared up, the story was expanded on, online functionality was added, tilt controls were thrown in, and the performance was cleaned up a tad, this would be one hell of a game. It does have Universal support going for it, so you can experience the great environments on both your iPod and iPad in the same resolution, and $2.99 for this open-world free-roam game is a pretty decent price. I do have high hopes for the game though, as the developers are active on the Touch Arcade Forums, and listening intently to iTunes AppStore reviews.
Ruffled: Feathers Rising is going to get a 3.5 out of 5 stars from me
Hello again, this time im here reviewing the game The Blocks Cometh by Canadian indie developer Halfbot. Before I told you about the controversy surrounding the EDGE trademark, and today I bring you something similar. Not long before this game was released on the AppStore, a clone of it appeared. It was indeed a bad game and made some headlines, but it all ended well with the game being removed by Apple.
The Blocks Cometh is a endless jumping game, but with a twist, as you climb trough falling crates, so you have to avoid them as well as use them to reach higher. When i first found out about this game, I thought it was going to be uncontrolled chaos, with crates continually falling and you jumping between them while falling at a fast pace, but instead we got a slower game… I’m not saying its bad, actually this game stands above the genre because its original, fun, has a lovely pixel-art artwork and the controls are spot-on.
The game comes with 4 modes:
Classic: The normal mode, you unlock most of the stuff playing here.
Casual: Perfect for casual gamers, you have 3 lives, making it easier. Offers players a less aggressive experience
Arcade: where hardcore gamers will get challenged to new heights. Also with 3 lives.
Gamebot: And IAP ($0.99) that lets you play is if you were playing in a GameBoy. Visuals and sound have been tweaked to meet the older feel. Its the screenshot on the right.
So no matter what kind of player you are, you will find your place in this app. As you can see, its very complete and offers plenty for you to play with. The game modes are all very similar and based on the same premise, but the core concept of the game is so strong, you wont really care about it.
As I said earlier, gameplay consists of climbing while avoiding falling crates, and you have a gun to eliminate crates that left you stuck in the middle (just remember to don’t get crushed). I like to get stuck on purpose and then try to get a solution, all this while the screen get filled and the game gains momentum as we get higher and higher. Another good thing about it is that every 100 meters climbed, the game get faster and faster and faster each time you reach new heights. Perfect for both quick and a long sessions to entertain you on the go.
And again good news, as the game controls are perfect. You can choose between playing with the iPhone in vertical or horizontal posisiton. The fist one is the original and the last one is the best one, as the borders of the screen serves the button better, leaving a bigger viewable screen, and that’s always welcome, specially in this type of games. You can also choose between tilting and a dpad.
Replayabitity is big, apart from the 3 modes available from the beginning, you have a total of 9 unlockable characters – plus the Gamebot character if you bought the IAP. And they unlock by doing specific things that the games wants you to, like climbing 10,000 meters in total to unlock the League of Evil character (a crossover they did with League of Evil devs, something i would like to see more). All character have different jump, speed and attack stats, so they are different and you can find one that fits you abilities better. Theres one of every jumping taste. Theres also leaderboards, one for each mode displaying your total height, and 32 achievements to collect. As you can see, its very complete and offer plenty for you to play with. I like to compare myself with my friends, this gives the game a healthy competition, as long term appeal. This app has survived every app mas deletion Ive done so far, and it doesn’t seem that it will go away any time soon.
If you are a fan of this endless jumping genre and yet you don’t have The Blocks Cometh, i recommending you to add it to your collection: is different and cool, and with the multiple character to unlock, it will keep you entertained for a long time.
The game comes packed with 3 different modes including a campaign mode. In the campaign mode you are put in the middle of certain scenarios that you have to overcome. Then in the survival mode 4 of those levels in the main campaign are available for unlimited play. Then comes the coup de grace the multiplayer mode. A total of 3 players can battle it up over Gamecenter trying to be the last one standing. A interesting feature is that voice chat is included so you can chat with people and make alliances in order to get farther in the round. For example if you want to win a round you can team up with another guy so your chances of winning are improved. Then after hes dead and out you can disband from the team and test your might against your former allie. Its definitely alot more fun against real people but the campaign mode is still good for practicing and developing your strategy’s for online.
