May 31, 2012

Rocket Bunnies by Defiant Development

(4.7/5) Rocket Bunnies for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is an example of a rare occurrence in the app store- a completely original game. The characters, graphics, and concept and all original and unique to Rocket Bunnies. The game itself is very fun, and has a cute storyline full of- you guessed it- bunnies! You must fly through your rocket and tap on other planets to enter their orbit and feed the hungry rabbits. The game can become slightly repetitive, since the entire game is essentially the same with changes in level design. You have to pay attention to timing, because there are obstacles that get in your way such as mines, electric portals, and more. The music is comprised of catchy, fast-paced electric piano tunes, which is semi-fitting for the game. Overall, Rocket Bunnies is a great original game that is available on the app store for $0.99. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rocket-bunnies/id497870755?mt=8&ls=1

May 30, 2012

Duckers by Retro Dreamer

(4.9/5) Duckers for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game from the developers of the award-winning game Velocispider. In Duckers, you play as one of many adorable animals that want to find jewels and money. The game is very simple and easy to learn and master. You must drag a little blue fireball and aim how far and how much power to use while drilling underground. While going deeper, you'll want to collect things like gems, coins, andante collectables. The graphics, unlike Velocispider, have a very smooth and beautiful cartoonish style. Duckers has fun, cheerful music, and makes the game great for kids. The only downside of Duckers is earning coins. Coins in-game are very sparse, and don't have much value. You do have the option of in-app purchases to help you, though. You can use coins that you've earned to purchase new characters, worlds to explore, and useful power-ups. Overall, Duckers is a cute and fun game that is great for kids and adults alike. Duckers is available on the app store for free. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duckers/id433010312?ls=1&mt=8

May 29, 2012

Heroes Call by Defiant Development

(4.4/5) Heroes Call for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is an action RPG. The graphics are great, and resembles those of the Diablo series of games. The game is split into over 30 levels and 40 quests. The dialogue for each character is different, which encourages playing the game multiple times as different characters. You can start with one of two free characters, a priest or a knight. Each of the characters have their own advantages and disadvantages. The music makes every adventure feel all the more epic, which is awesome. The character is controlled by swipes and taps, which is an interesting control scheme for this type of game. The game is full of monsters to brutally kill with an assortment of weapons. You can edit the character's armor, weapons, and skills in the menus or after a level-up. After completing a mission, you can either wait for the next "summon" to be made, or you can pay with in-game coins (which can either be earned or purchased via in-app-purchases). Heroes Call is a great clone of the Diablo games for iOS, and is definitely worth checking out for free. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/heroes-call/id497600547?mt=8&ls=1

May 26, 2012

Extreme Skater by Miniclip.com

(3.9/5) Extreme Skater for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game almost exactly like one of Miniclip.com's iPhone games, iStunt 2. In Extreme Skater, you can play as one of many unlockable characters. The game's music is good, especially on the main menu. The graphics are essentially the same as iStunt 2, but with minor changes such as skateboards instead of snowboards. The game has 2 worlds with a bunch of levels, but each one takes only around a minute to complete. However, more levels and worlds will be added in the future. The game is controlled by tilting to do mid-air flips and wheelies, and by swipes and taps to perform tricks. Overall, Extreme Skater is almost exactly like iStunt 2, and it could even be considered a spin-off series. Extreme Skater is available on the app store for $0.99. http://appshopper.com/link/extreme-skater

May 25, 2012

Snabbit by TapCat

(4.2/5) Snabbit for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is the "spiritual successor" to TapCat's previous game, Snake Race (free). In Snabbit, you control the titular creature, a combination of a snake and a rabbit, to get to a finish line while collecting gems and stars. The gameplay is essentially the same as Snake Race- you make the snabbit turn by tapping on the left or right side of the screen. The game has a large amount of developer-made levels, and there is a level editor in the game. The music, which is the same in the menus and in the levels, sounds great. The graphics are much better than that of Snake Race. Snabbit is essentially a revamped version of the Snake Race in every aspect. Snabbit is available on the app store for $1.99. http://appshopper.com/link/snabbit

May 23, 2012

Slingshot Racing by Crescent Moon Games

(4.8/5) Slingshot Racing for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is yet another amazing game published by Crescent Moon Games. The graphics and visuals are amazing, both in the menus and during gameplay. The game's graphics are beautiful on any device, and make the game stand out. The music, composed by Studio96, sounds great in-game during races. The races can be played either in single-player mode, which has 16 worlds, each one having 4 levels with high replay value, or in a multiplayer mode that can be played with either bots or other people. Disappointingly, there is no online multiplayer, or even local multiplayer. The controls in Slingshot Racing are unique. You must use one finger to tap and hold in order for your car to send out a rope and latch on to spinning machines. When you release your finger, the car will be launched off in the direction the car was spinning in like a slingshot (hence the game's title). Overall, Slingshot Racing is a game that you should definitely check out because of its awesome graphics, addictive gameplay, and good music. Slingshot Racing is available on the app store for $0.99. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slingshot-racing/id516349924?ls=1&mt=8

May 22, 2012

Tick Flick by Glitch Game Studios

(3.8/5) Tick Flick for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game that is less-than-stellar. The game has long loading times, which will last 2-3 seconds each time. The graphics are okay, with customizable menu backgrounds and cute "ticks" to be launched. The game has 80 levels of launching a "tick" from a barrel. You must drag from the barrel to choose where to launch the tick to and how powerful the shot should be, while attempting to find a way to collect all of the stars in each level. While dragging, your thumb will cover up most of the line showing you the ticks' path. The music is eerie, and seems unfitting in my opinion. Overall, Tick Flick is a game with potential that has yet to be reached. The controls and music could be changed for the better, along with the icon. Tick Flick is available on the app store for $0.99. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tick-flick/id525349181?mt=8&ls=1

May 20, 2012

Missile Monkey by Munsey Clan Games LLC

(4.1/5) Missile Monkey for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game that I enjoy mainly because of its graphics. You control a monkey flying a plane in the jungle, dropping bombs on "scary" orange balloons that an evil gorilla placed all over the place. The gameplay is fairly simple, the monkey flies across the screen, and you have to drop bombs to move boxes and pop the balloons. The bombs are controlled with two on-screen buttons, one for dropping bombs, and one for making them shoot forward in a line. The graphics really are what makes Missile Monkey stand out. The Unity 3D powered graphics look stunning on retina display devices, and definitely provide depth to the gameplay. The jungle-themed music and sounds are a nice touch. Overall, Missile Monkey has good graphics, but it pulled down by its slightly tedious and repetitive gameplay. Missile Monkey is available on the app store for $0.99. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/missile-monkey/id521659388?mt=8&ls=1

May 19, 2012

Polymer by Whitaker Trebella

(4.7/5) Polymer for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a puzzle game with elements similar to a Rubik's Cube. Being absolutely horrible with Rubik's Cubes, I had a bit of trouble with Polymer. You have to link together pieces of the titular "polymers" by sliding the rows of pieces up and down. The colors confused me at first due to not reading the tutorial carefully enough, so be sure not to skip through too quickly. The music, which is one reason the game is great, is composed by Whitaker Trebella himself, who has composed soundtracks for many other games. The graphics are simple but nice, and you can purchase extra color schemes for your pieces by unlocking them or or purchasing them via in-app-purchases. The same goes for the alternate game modes. There could be a lot less IAP for a game that costs $1.99, but supporting the developer is good too. Polymer is a great game for experts (and non-experts) of Rubik's Cubes and other sliding puzzles, has great music, and is available on the app store for $1.99. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/polymer/id499490016?mt=8&ls=1

May 14, 2012

The Sandbox by Bulkypix

(5/5) The Sandbox for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game great for creating and sharing worlds and pixel art creations. The game has two modes (story and free), a level editor, and a place to download and play other players' creations. The game's pixel art graphics allow for the creation of your own pixel art. There are quite a few "elements" to use in your creations, some allowing you to make intricate circuits and the like. You can also even modify the temperature of the world, causing things like lava forming, wood burning, snow falling, etc. The game's currency, "mana", is used to purchase new elements that you have discovered in the story mode. Speaking of the different modes, story mode allows you to read some dialogue and get help with puzzles and discovering elements. Free mode is where you can really use your imagination, in order to create anything, with no restraints. Overall, The Sandbox is a great virtual sandbox game with social sharing options, awesome possibilities for creations, and good visuals. You can't beat the price of $0.00, so go and check out The Sandbox on the app store! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-sandbox/id520777858?mt=8&ls=1

May 13, 2012

Saving Private Sheep 2 by Bulkypix

(4.7/5) Saving Private Sheep 2 for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is the long-awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed Saving Private Sheep. Unlike the first game in the series, where you had to destroy blocks to help the sheep escape from hungry wolves, Saving Private Sheep 2 is a more Angry Birds-like game. You must launch spiked hedgehogs from sheep to sheep (using slingshots, of course) in order to hit the wolf, free the sheep from the wolfs' bowels, and complete the level. Each level will take multiple tries to get all of the coins and the star in each level, since some levels must be beaten in a certain amount of time. The game has a great level editor, where players can create and share levels that they make. Because of this, there is no shortage of levels, even when the official levels are completed. The hedgehogs are launched by pulling back on the slingshots, like Angry Birds. Saving Private Sheep 2's music is good, with "army-style" music, similar to the first game. Overall, Saving Private Sheep 2 is a great sequel to the already awesome Saving Private Sheep, and introduces new gameplay types to the series. Saving Private Sheep 2 is available in the app store for $0.99. http://itunes.apple.com/app/saving-private-sheep-2/id496586096?mt=8

Lightopus by Bulkypix

(4.9/5) Lightopus for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game from Bulkypix with amazing visuals and audio. The game has you control the titular "lightopus" as you swim around each zone,collecting "bulbies" and defeating enemies. The graphics in Lightopus are absolutely stunning. The characters all have vivid and bright neon outlines, and the backgrounds have blurred shapes and lines. The game's controls aren't great, which is probably my only complaint. Both control methods (swiping and a virtual d-pad) are very small on the screen of an iPhone or iPod Touch, causing the Lightopus to be hard to control. The music in Lightopus is cheerful and has a fast beat, which is great. Overall, Lightopus is definitely a game I would reccomend. If only the controls were bigger and easier to use... Lightopus is available on the app store for $2.99. http://itunes.apple.com/app/lightopus/id501334567?mt=8

May 11, 2012

Pinch Peeps by Everplay Interactive

(4.5/5) Pinch Peeps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is the third game published by Everplay. Pinch Peeps, unlike Everplay's other games full of amazing pixel art, has colorful, crisp, and cute graphics. The characters are adorable, and the overall gameplay is very kid-friendly. The game has you pinch "peeps" together (hence the title) and make them disappear in a burst of stars. The game has a timed mode and an endless mode, both being pretty much the same. The controls of pinching can be annoying sometimes on iPhones or iPod Touches, and the pinched are occasionally not recognized. The music is very cutesy, and is fun to listen to. Overall, Pinch Peeps is a very addictive and cute kid-friendly game available for $0.99 on the App Store. http://itunes.apple.com/app/pinch-peeps/id513847077?mt=8

May 8, 2012

Bullistic Unleashed by Millipede Creative

(3.7/5) Bullistic Unleashed for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is a game that is full of crude but hilarious humor. The game is very similar to Angry Birds, but instead of launching birds with a slingshot, you launch bulls by their *ahem* testicles. However, once you play Bullistic Unleashed, you'll never go back to flinging birds. The game is full of mall-crushing action, along with a cool soundtrack and great, colorful graphics. The game is enjoyable, but not suitable for children. Bullistic Unleashed is a game that could have a more original concept, but is saved by it's graphics, music, and adult humor. http://itunes.apple.com/app/bullistic-unleashed/id484297299?mt=8