It’s That Time Again

Rating 3.00 out of 5 [?]Now that we are in the first quarter of 2012, Technobrains.com will be moving forward with a new section and look. The official launch date has not been finalized yet but should be within the coming weeks. More diverse areas will be covered that relate to the broader range of [...]

Quick Look: The Train Episode 2 for iPhone

Despite the fact that adventure games seem to work quite well on portable devices, it’s still rather difficult to dig up many for the iOS platform that aren’t either ports of games from other platforms or room escape games. The Train is one such series that is unique to the iOS platform, and the commitment in raising the bar of quality in story and visuals can be seen between parts 1 and 2. I enjoyed the first installment, but this one was even better. Unfortunately, the interface sort of went the other direction a bit. I still think the game is worth trying if you’re an adventure game buff, but you’ll need a bit of patience to get around some of the issues that the controls have.

Review: Dragons Rage for iPhone / iPad

As much fun as it is to run around a fantasy world slaying dragons and other mythical creatures, sometimes it’s just as compelling to visit the other side of the story. For me this is especially true when it comes to dragons. Dragons Rage is rather interesting because instead of flying around terrorizing villages, for the most part you stay in one spot, simply rotating around a focal point to eliminate the enemies. The result is a high octane fire spewing fest that’s quite entertaining, though unbalanced difficulty settings between levels can often lead to frustration. Still, sometimes it’s good to be the dragon.

Review: Alien Hominid PDA Games for iPhone / iPad

I have been hoping for some time that The Behemoth would start developing for the iOS platform, and I got even more excited when I saw that they were releasing an Alien Hominid game. Unfortunately, PDA Games wasn’t quite what I was expecting from them. Thankfully my misgivings were completely unfounded, and this has turned out to be a great addition to the franchise. The graphics aren’t really what I’m used to from a Behemoth game, but the action is quick, crazy and addictive. Plus, the art style really does grow on you rather quickly. The game offers several levels free with IAP purchase for the rest, and it’s definitely worth your time to check out if you’re a platform game fan.

Review: A Christmas Game for iPhone / iPad

Every kid has had their Christmas obsession to which countless authoritative figures have ceremoniously dashed their hopes. None is probably quite as familiar as little Ralphie, however, who simply wanted a Red Ryder BB gun, to which he was constantly told “you’ll shoot your eye out”. A Christmas Game gives you a chance to make up for Ralphie’s Christmas day blunder as you shoot everything in sight with your trusted BB gun in your hands. The game makes a valiant attempt to help you step into the shoes of the boy who would best Black Bart and his band of thugs, but in the end it feels more “generic shooter” than “game inspired by a unique Christmas film”. It’s worth checking out for a few rounds of mindless BB destruction, but don’t expect to walk away singing “Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra” with a mischievous grin on your face.

Review: Ninja Fishing for iPhone

Like slicing and dicing games but getting tired of fruits and vegetables? Do you yearn for something a bit more than the traditional swiping action? Ninja Fishing might be just the diversion you’re looking for. Part object cutting and part deep sea fishing, this interesting mash-up will have you creating virtual sushi in no time. There is a nice selection of upgrades to work for, and you can even earn a trip to the exotic Dinosaur Island if you can earn enough money.

Review: XIII – Lost Identity for iPhone

XIII the game is more mysterious than it’s eponymous star. It’s a hidden object game when clearly it would be served better as a 3rd person action / stealth game. The hidden object engine is a bit flaky, and the mini-games are nothing exciting. Yet from the moment you start playing the story sucks you in and makes you want more. In fact, I’ve enjoyed the story enough that I’ve been willing to look past some of the inconveniences to keep on playing. Read on to see if this quest is worth undertaking…

Review: Happy Hills for iPhone

I thought I’d take a break from my regularly scheduled list of games to review to bring you some thoughts on a new puzzle game called Happy Hills. I started playing it just to see what it was like, and somewhere along the way I got addicted. It feels just a bit different than most other physics based puzzle games I’ve played on the iPhone, which is a good thing, and the hills are just so ridiculously cute that you can’t help but want to save them. If you’re like me then you might be getting just a tad sick of puzzle games at the moment, but this one is still worth checking out.

Quick Look: Cover The Sheep for iPhone

Ever wonder which falls faster – a wolf or a sheep? Well, there might not be completely accurate physics here, but Cover The Sheep could just help you answer that question. If not, at least you’ll have fun along the way. You must guide some poor sheep to safety using balloons, parachutes, and whatever gadgets are laying around on the playing field. Watch out for nasty wolves, collect tasty apples, and all will be well.

Quick Look: Crocodile Crossing for iPhone

Are you ready for the next great pig adventure? No, it doesn’t have anything to do with some foul birds! It’s actually a fun casual game from Crawl Space Games where you help a bunch of pigs cross various bodies of water without getting eaten by a sinister crocodile. It’s simple enough for kids (or you adults who haven’t gotten far beyond solitaire), yet challenging enough for more advanced gamers as well. Crocodile Crossing proves once more that Crawl Space Games has lots of goodness to offer the casual gamer.

Quick Look: Amerzone Part 1 for iPhone

I’ve enjoyed adventure games for a long time, but Amerzone was one of those that just eluded my grasp for many years. I was quite excited that they finally ported it to the iPhone, yet even once I had the game installed on my device it took a while before I finally dug into it. Once I did I was met with a rather hum drum experience. Basic puzzles, little NPC interaction and a very short play time made part 1 of the Amerzone saga a lot less than I’d hoped for.

A Small Comment on Steve Jobs and Apple

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]It is early 1984 and I am sitting in front of my television watching Superbowl XVIII. A commercial comes on during half time and captures my attention. The commercial looks like a preview to a new Sci-Fi movie coming out but it is not until the very end that I realize that it’s a [...]

Sales On The Apple App Store

Looking for a few cheap or free games to play on your iPhone? How about a bundle that collects 5 top quality games in one tidy package for a mere 99 cents? Check out my quick rundown of sale items on the App Store, as well as some info about a new collection called the Corona Indie Bundle. Sure there are more comprehensive lists and lots more on sale, but these were just a few that I wanted to draw your attention to.

Quick Look: Mixzle for iPhone

There are lots of “sliding puzzle” or “15 puzzle” style games on the App Store, but the genre doesn’t personally appeal to me. Every once in a while, however, a developer uses the base mechanic of the sliding puzzle game and makes an interesting mash-up. Mixzle is one such case. While the fact that you’re locked into the sliding mechanic can sometimes get frustrating, the physics twist actually makes it worth playing.

Quick Look: After The Fall for iPhone

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]One thing I like about the collection of games under the ArianeSoft label is that it’s hard to look at any of them and say “this is clearly a clone of xxx”. After The Fall Puzzle is no exception to this rule. One might argue that it feels like Dungeon [...]

Games I Like on 9/16/11

For this week’s Games I Like I take a look at abused oranges, a bull in a china shop, and a little kid trapped in his crazy uncle’s laboratory. The key here is “puzzles”, and in two cases games that there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of because they are in genres that consistently feature the “same old stuff”. As always there’s some good stuff here, so read on and hopefully you’ll find something new to take home tonight.

Quick Look: Velocispider for iPhone

With a name like Retro Dreamer, one would expect nothing less than quality old school gaming from these guys. One look at Velocispider cements this theory. The audio and visual elements make the game look like a 80s console shooter with a facelift, and the game play should induce quite a bit of nostalgia in older gamers. Not to mention the fact that it’s just plain fun.

Quick Look: Monty And The Mugwumps for iPhone

The Corona SDK is a powerful tool that has given people with little programming background the ability to create some interesting iPhone games. One of the more recent efforts that has utilized this tool is Monty And The Mugwumps, a puzzle game about a hero that looks like a yellow asterisk trying to save all his little friends that have been captured by some goofy looking evil creatures. The game is deceptively simple looking, when in fact it is a challenging entry in the ever expanding action / puzzle game genre on the App Store.

Quick Look: Golden Axe III for iPhone

I love playing ports and emulated games, because so much of what is considered “classic gaming” is the stuff I grew up with as a kid. Golden Axe is no exception, as part one of the trilogy was the first game I owned when I bought my first SEGA Genesis. For that reason I enjoyed playing through that game on my iPod Touch. Part two was interesting because I don’t think I had played it before, and while not a revolution, it was certainly a step up from the first part. As I started playing the closer of the trilogy, however, I began to feel underwhelmed. With no prior experience on this game and the fact that it has now aged 15+ years… well, read on to get the whole picture…

Quick Look: Battle Bunny for iPhone

I was hoping Battle Bunny would be the start of a comeback for Pocket Monkey Games. Instead, it ends up being just a ho-hum entry in their growing collection of side scrolling, button mashing games that all start to feel the same after a while. It’s not their worst entry by far, but… well, just read on to find out…

Quick Look: Tapper Pro

Rating 4.33 out of 5 [?]  Tapper Pro is a game for iOS. You bounce a variety of balls in an attempt to keep them aloft. It doesn’t do that very well. I could end my review here, but I’m going to elaborate as much as I possibly can. Gameplay Tapper Pro, created by developer [...]

Rdio Reviewed

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]  I’m a music junkie. There, I’ve said it. I am constantly seeking my next fix in the way of a new artist, album, or obscure B-side that I’ve somehow passed over. Similar to other substance addicted individuals, I never find myself with the financial resources necessary to cater to [...]

Quick Look: Save Yammi for iPhone

Take one cute little creature, throw in a healthy dose of sweets and rope, and sprinkle with a generous portion of physics, and you end up with… Save Yammi. Of course you knew that because you saw the title of the review, but I bet you expected me to say something else! Anyway, this is certainly one of the most entertaining physics games I’ve played in a while, despite it’s similarities to another top ranking title that shall remain nameless (until you read the review). I would definitely recommend that you try and help Save Yammi…

Quick Look: The Train episode 1 for iPhone

With the newly released episode 2 on the App Store, I decided it was time to take a look at episode 1 of The Train. What I found was an intriguing foundation for a world of magic gone awry, a dictatorship waiting to be overthrown, and odd characters that begged to be explored further. The game is fairly short, and the puzzles are almost too difficult at times, but in the end I still found it to be an adventure worth taking.

Quick Look: Burn It All for iPhone

Rope, wood, and three different colors of flame – ah, the joys of virtual arson. Burn It All is a puzzle game from BulkyPix that challenges you to do just what the name implies. You must completely burn everything on the screen that can be set aflame, and you only have a certain amount of time to do it. Rocks, bats and water drops will try and stand in your way, but three different types of flame with different abilities will help you get the job done. And you’ll love every minute doing it.

Composing Music

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Ever since I purchased my first computer (Sinclair ZX-80) in 1980, I have been enthralled with the creation of synthetic music. The Sinclair ZX-80 had no music programs available but certainly the games did produce some amazing beeps and clicks at the time. Later on when Commodore became a household name, I [...]

Quick Look: HDMI Cable With “Active Technology”

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Are all cables created equal? I ask this simple question since the price of a HDMI cable can range from around $4.00 to $100.00 plus. From a simple visual inspection, most HDMI cables look very similar in that they have a common connector on each end, a specific length of cable [...]

Quick Look: Radical.FM Online Music Service

Rating 4.33 out of 5 [?]  I’m going to begin by saying that I haven’t gotten into online music for any length of time before being asked to review Radical.fm. The longest I used one was when I turned on iTunes’ Genius and Ping – and forgot about them. To be honest I prefer the [...]

Quick Look: Paper Munchers for iPhone

Paper Munchers is proof that the food chain works just fine, as long as it’s aided by a bomb every now and again. The big monsters are hungry, and it’s up to you to feed them as efficiently as you can. This is a different take on the physics puzzle concept that’s both fresh and fun. That is, of course, unless you run out of bombs. But, as a last resort, there are always in-app purchases for that.

Quick Look: Collision Effect for iPhone

My first inclination was to say that Collision Effect is like the Seinfeld of gaming – a whole lot of something about nothing. Then it dawned on me that it’s more like an interactive fireworks display with points. Now I don’t know what it is – except for the fact that it’s a whole lot of fun. The game can get really frantic, and that’s when it is at its best. The game is part action, part puzzle, and completely addictive.

Quick Look: Supermarket Scramble for iPhone

I’ve played many match 3 games before, and I’ve also enjoyed one or two grocery store time management games, but this is the first I’ve dabbled in a combination of the two. It turns out that the mix works quite well! There are a couple of limitations that the random nature of the food drop and the interface place on strategy, but overall the two concepts blend together nicely and actually make for a rather challenging game.

Games I Like on 7/20/11

I didn’t realize it as I was putting these entries together, but this edition of Games I Like contains fuzzy, more fuzzy, and just as fuzzy when it comes to the games’ characters. In Chuzzle you’ll spending your time popping a bunch of fuzzy creatures. Chicks Vs Kittens has you protecting your tree from a bunch of sneaking cats in one of the more original tower defense (if you can even call it that) style games I’ve seen. Finally, Panda Adventure is a puzzle game about a panda bear and its stars. All cool, all fun, and all fuzzy.

Digital Movie Editing

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]About 10 years ago, a 5 minute video with various modifications applied would have taken hours and in some cases days to process before you could save the completed video to the hard drive. Due to the requirement of fast processors, large amounts of memory, very large storage space and [...]

Happy Canada Day

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Today marks the 144th birthday of Canada. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose Canada as their first official visit abroad. This is a great honour for Canada and all Canadian’s to have Royalty present on Canada Day to celebrate this day together. Have a great Canada Day from all [...]

Random Reviews: The Crawl Space Games Edition

It’s time for another installment of Random Reviews, and this time I thought I’d take a look at a couple of cool casual games from Crawl Space Games. Globs is an interesting puzzle game where you’re goal is to get all the squares in a grid to contain globs of the same color. Float, on the other hand, lets you relive your childhood joy of bopping balloons to keep them up in the air. Two very different styles of game, but both are lots of fun and should keep you busy for a while.

Quick Look: Treasure Seekers 3 – Follow The Ghosts for iPhone

It seems you can’t keep a good treasure hunter down. Nelly and Tom are back for yet another globetrotting adventure. This one starts out as a quest to recover a missing jewel, but quickly turns into a mission to settle supernatural forces around the world. It’s certainly a worth successor to the Treasure Seekers franchise, with it’s nice blend of puzzle solving, hidden object scavenging and mini puzzle distractions. It would be nice if it weren’t so hard to find your objectives on screen sometimes, but otherwise it provides for quite an enjoyable romp.

Quick Look: Front Runner for iPhone

Scrolling shooters are getting to be a dime a dozen these days on the App Store, so it takes something a little bit special to stand out from the crowd. Front Runner is charming and actually has a pretty decent upgrade system, but it doesn’t really offer anything new in the way of game mechanics. The bigger problem, however, is that there are some nasty bugs that get in the way of truly enjoying the experience. Still, if you can weather the problems and are really in the mood for another shooter, you could certainly do worse than Front Runner.

Games I Like on 6/6/2011

This edition of Games I Like features Rampage gone doodle, a lite version of a cool shooter, and time management for the girls (and guys who are manly enough to admit they play girlie games). These aren’t exactly the best examples of games in their genres, but they certainly kept me entertained long enough for me to write about them!

Quick Look: Turtle Fly for iPhone

In the movie UHF Weird Al posited that turtles were nature’s suction cups, but have you ever seen one fly? Now’s your chance with Turtle Fly for the iPhone. This is another in the growing line of “animals artificially geared up to fly as far as they can” style games, but it has enough going for it to make it worth trying even if you’ve experienced some of the others. There are a significant number of upgrades to work on, and the graphics are pretty cool. How far can you make this turtle fly…

Another One Bites the Dust – Cisco Flip Camera

Rating 3.67 out of 5 [?]Approximately 1 1/2 years ago, I came into possession of The Flip camera. This was a great little video camera that took good video with very little effort. I used it almost on a weekly bases for about 6 months. Nowadays it is gathering dust along with many of my other devices.  [...]

Independent Mobile Game Developers Need Bucks

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Independent game developers have always struggled with financing their ideas to meet the demands of hardware and software purchases plus the ongoing training costs. Also, it is not easy to market a great idea with little or no funds available. Now independent developers have the ability to tap into a [...]

Hardware DIY Fun Using an Android Tablet

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]For those of you looking for something completely different to do with your Android tablet can now use Googles recently announced Android ADK (Android Open Source Accessory Development Kit). The ADK is software toolkit that allows software developers to incorporate the addition of hardware in software development. By using an [...]

Not Sure You Need an iPad Then This May Help

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?] For those of you that miss the good old days of playing video games like Asteroids, Centipede, and Battlezone at the arcade can now relive the excitement with just a $99.00 USD add-on for the Apple iPad. The iCade adapter unit transforms the iPad into an arcade quality video gaming system. [...]

Quick Look: Neon Mania for iPhone

Let’s be honest – did you ever think you’d be playing a game based off the simple concept of tracing pictures? Me either, but that’s the theme behind Neon Mania from Vivid Games. Turns out it makes for a pretty decent casual gaming experience. Anyone looking for some action is probably going to be bored, but if you’ve decided that it’s time to expand your horizons beyond solitaire and Minesweeper, this might be a good place to start.

Quick Look: Desertic for iPhone

You still won’t see pigs flying yet, but there are cows with wings in this crazy action game from the iPhone / iPod Touch. In Desertic your mission is simply to keep up to three plants at a time growing. You’ll have a blistering sun, exploding cactus and more trying to keep you from this goal, however. If you’re looking for something silly and a bit different, Desertic is probably a good choice for you.

Games I Like On 5/7/2011

From line drawing dice to planets and ping pong balls, this edition’s selections cover a wide spectrum of topics. Each of these games takes a slightly different perspective on their genres, and each one is quite enjoyable. And, for all of you who might be concerned, no animals were hurt in the making of the first game. It is just make believe, after all.

Random Reviews: The Underwater Edition

In this second installment of my revitalized Random Reviews column I take a look at two “survive as long as you can” style games. Both of them have another thing in common – they take place under the water. The first is called Squid Drop, and features a little squid that just wants to see the bottom of the ocean. The second is The Fish Dies In The End and, well, you can guess how this story ends. Read on to see how I felt about these aquatic adventures…

Random Reviews: The SEGA Sequels Edition

Random Selections are back (though with a slight name change), and this week’s edition features two of the most recently released games in SEGA’s line of Genesis emulations. Both Streets Of Rage 2 and Golden Axe 2 are classics (as are the series as a whole), but SoR 2 has certainly held up better over the course of time. Still, if you’re looking for a blast from the past these are both fun rides, and it gives the younger gamers a feel for what gaming was like “back in your day”.

Preview: Gears for iPhone

Ball rolling games like Marble Madness are a natural fit for the iPhone (though I’m still waiting for that one), but even the good ones were all starting to feel somewhat the same. Gears is ready to break that mold. A full 3D environment, levels that stretch horizontally and vertically, and difficulty settings to challenge even the most hardcore gamer should give this game a broad range of appeal. I know I’m hooked.

Quick Look: Animal Pop for iPhone

So what do you get when you combine bubbles, cute forest critters, and gadgets that seem like they came out of the ACME offense catalog? Why you get Animal Pop, of course! This fun match 3 style game adds a couple of neat twists to the formula, and despite only having one game play mode does a good job of holding your attention. You probably won’t play it for hours on end, but it makes for a nice filler when you’re not looking for a deep experience. It’s also a good game for kids to play.

Quick Look: Sparkle The Game for iPhone

I like the marble popper genre, though I don’t get overly excited when a new entry arrives. There really hasn’t been one that caught my attention since Aqua Pearls… that is, of course, until I finally tried Sparkle The Game. I have enjoyed this game so much, and it seems like these past few days I’ve ended up playing it no matter what I started out to do on my device. If you haven’t tried it yet, maybe now’s the time!

GIVEAWAY: A Free Copy of WiFi2HiFi to 3 Lucky iPhone Users

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?] NOTE: GIVEAWAY DEADLINE EXTENDED to April 24, 2011. Technobrains is giving away licenses of WiFi2HiFi to 3 lucky iPhone users. WiFi2HiFi for iPhone is a new app allowing users to stream computer’s music to any audio dock or home music system connected to your iPhone. Some of the features [...]

Games I Like on 4/3/2011

It’s been a while, but I’m finally back with another installment of Games I Like. This time there’s no common thread, other than the fact that I enjoy all of the games. So what are the 3D tank, snowball zombie slayer and exploding hero games that I covered? Read on to find out…

Quick Look: Ninja, Please! for iPhone

I had high hopes for this game. The idea of insulting deadly assassins alone should have been worth the price of admission. Ironically, the game was pretty much what I had hoped it would be. Sadly, there’s one overriding issue that makes all I had hoped for not worthwhile. Read on to find out what’s got me bummed about Ninja, Please!

Quick Look: Chop Chop Caveman for iPhone

The Chop Chop Universe is back and better than ever with its sixth installment – Chop Chop Caveman. This is the perfect combination of platform and light puzzle solving for the player that’s somewhere between a complete n00b and a hardcore veteran. The graphics are awesome, the music is good, and it’s an all around fun time to be had. Plus the game is universal, so you can enjoy some prehistoric stomping on both your iPhone and iPad.

Quick Look: Tiny Wings for iPhone

If you’ve not heard of Tiny Wings by now then you’re probably the type of person that doesn’t play much more than solitaire or minesweeper on their mobile devices. While it might not have been for long, this little gem managed to dethrone the mighty Angry Birds and make it to a #1 spot in the App Store charts on iTunes. The honor was well deserved, as Tiny Wings took a simple concept and managed to make it into one of the most addictive games I had played in quite a while (and I play a LOT of games on my iPod Touch). Read on to find out why the game hypnotized me so…

Quick Look: Escape Rosecliff Island for iPhone

One thing I’ve enjoyed about more recent hidden object games is their tendency to drift towards traditional adventure games in terms of game play. However, it’s still nice to play a good old fashioned “hidden objects as the focus” style of game, and that’s exactly what Escape Rosecliff Island is. The visuals are very nice, the mini-games are amusing and don’t get in the way, and the item hunting is challenging but not frustrating (for the most part).

Quick Look: Dark Woods for iPhone

Dark Woods is a “reboot” of a game I reviewed in 2009 called Mystical Woods. I really want to like the Woods series, and I was pleasantly surprised by the improvements in Dark Woods over Mystical Woods. Still, the game is lacking that special something it needs to make it to the next level. So what is that “something”? Read on to find out…

Quick Look: Burn The Rope for iPhone

So are you tired of Angry Birds and Cut The Rope, and think you’ve extinguished all of your choices? Turns out you’re in luck, because a while back Big Blue Bubble released a little gem called Burn The Rope. Now while you might think by the name that it’s a blatant ripoff of something else, it just so happens that Burn The Rope is quite unlike any other puzzle game I’ve played on my iOS device – I’m sure you’ll find out the same. Keep reading to see what Burn The Rope has in store for you…

Quick Look: Knight’s Rush for iPhone

The folks at MoreGames Entertainment have done a wonderful job of making relatively simple concepts entertaining, and Knight’s Rush is certainly no exception to the rule. This is the third game in the “knights” series, and it is just as fun as the other two. The world is quite fetching, the game play is hectic and fun, and the character customization is surprisingly deep for this style of game play. If you haven’t tried this rush yet, you’re definitely missing out.

Quick Look: Air Supply 1bit Run for iPhone

By now I figured I’d be bored with the whole “run as far as you can” genre of games, but as it turns out some of them are actually improving on the concept. My latest addiction in this arena is Air Supply, and just by looking at it you’d think it took a step backwards in the visual department. However, the graphics are actually pretty slick, the music is awesome, and the game is just plain fun. Now if you need actual details, simply read on…

Pedal Juice by Sanyo

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]As a guitarist who used to read far too many guitar magazines, I have gone through my fair share of stompboxes. While they vary widely in size, shape, and function, they all have a common requirement: power. There are a number of power source options on the market these days [...]

Quick Look: Clumsy Bob for iPhone

The “distance running” genre has exploded on the App Store, and like so many crowded categories it often gets hard to distinguish one game from another. Clumsy Bob certainly sticks out from the crowd thanks to a few subtle difference like (1) Bob is an elephant, (2) he jumps instead of runs, and (3) there are rats that can eat him whole. These are just a few of the nifty elements to be found in this cute take on the genre. Unfortunately, there’s also one issue that could make Clumsy Bob a bit of a party pooper. Read on to see why not everything is coming up roses in Bob’s world…

Quick Look: Blast Monkeys for iPhone

What do you get when a developer writes a game because they want to, and not because they are concerned about being the “next big thing”? You get Blast Monkeys, of course. The irony of this is that given some spit and polish, I think this could be the “next big thing”. Maybe it’s too short in it’s current incarnation to tell, but personally, this is one of the most enjoyable puzzle games I’ve played in quite a while. And since it’s free, you don’t have to take my word for it – try it yourself and see.

Quick Look: Eggs In Space for iPhone

I’ve tackled a lot of extraterrestrial foes in games, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve had to deal with alien eggs. Turns out they’re a pushover-easy if you know how to handle them just right. Sorry, I crack myself up with these bad puns. Let me just wipe the egg of my face and direct you to the review. Bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you?

Quick Look: Bubble Pets for iPhone

In my opinion the Whack-A-Mole genre has been pretty stale from day one. There have been a couple of exceptions, however, the latest one being Bubble Pets. This take on the concept is not only fun, but it pays a nice homage to old school computer games and NES era music. Bubble Pets is a must for both forthright and closet casual gamers.

Preview: League Of Evil (lite) for iPhone

One mad scientist is bad enough, but when they get together to form a league, they must be stopped! So it goes in League Of Evil, and it’s up to you to do the stopping. I’d be really surprised if this game wasn’t meant to pay homage to the NES era Mega Man games, but even if it wasn’t Mega Man fans will love it. Other people that like platform games should get a kick out of it as well.

Quick Look: Hysteria Project for iPhone

The Hysteria Project is interactive FMV horror done right. The video looks good, the setting is quite creepy, and the interactive elements are well suited to the small screen of the iPhone. This game has been around for a while, but was pulled temporarily and then resurfaced in anticipation of part 2. If you haven’t partaken of this project yet, now is the perfect time to do so.

Quick Look: Wackylands Boss for iPhone

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be the nasty, feared final boss of a video game, now’s your chance to find out with Wackylands Boss from Chillingo. You’ll take on the role of a fledgling bad guy and work your way up to head boss by taking out all the innocents and stopping the other monsters that get in your way. As you progress you’ll be able to morph your monster and give it equipment to bolster it’s badness. Can you become the ultimate villain? If not, you can at least have fun trying.

Random Selections: The Final Edition

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time for new reviews of games new and old. In this edition of Random Selections I take a look at two war themed games released by Pocket Monkey Games, one of which involves zombies. How can you go wrong with that, right? Just check out my reviews to see.

Quick Look: Super Blast 2 for iPhone

The developers behind Super Blast 2 first wowed me with their inaugural iPhone effort Bloomies. It’s not that Bloomies was an outstanding game, but rather that they managed to keep me engrossed by a fairly basic plant simulator. As a result I had high hopes for Super Blast 2. What I got was a pretty typical shooter with graphical inspirations from Bloomies and some decent but “seen ‘em before” power ups. Consequently, Super Blast 2 ends up not being much of a super blast.

Games I Like on 12/31/2010

There were a lot of good games in 2010, and one genre I’ve really grown to appreciate over the year is the running game. For this edition of Games I Like I took a look at three such games – Pig Rush, Canabalt and Lame Castle. Enjoy, and see you in the new year!

Year in Review 2010 Quick Look for iPhone

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?] January Rail Adventures Arctic Shuffle 2 Gas Tycoon Imp or Oaf Digit Defenders Retro Fighter Gold Miner Joe Ten Pin Championship Bowling Starball Skee-Ball Watermelon! February Dead Man’s Dungeon iGuardian APPDOPE Website Hellkid Twice! Daisy Mae’s Alien Buffet Radial 50 Arachnadoodle Thumpies Meltdown – Radioactive Platformer Slugwars March Tilt [...]

Quick Look: Song Shaker for iPhone

It’s time to shake, rattle and roll with GameGou’s latest iPhone offering, Song Shaker. In this unique game you shake your way to victory as you try to reproduce your favorite songs with rhythmic accuracy. Don’t worry if you don’t know the notes, however, the game takes care of that part for you. I love the concept, but I think the whole shake mechanic could use some tweaking.

Quick Look: Clock Blocks for iPhone

To all those who say Flash is bad for the iPhone, I would direct them to games like this. Clock Blocks is a unique action / puzzle game that’s quick to pick up, hard to put down, and yes, has it’s origin in the world of Flash. I hope we see more quality Flash games like this ported to the iOS platform.

Review: Heart Wizard From AWS – Advanced Wellness Solutions

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]  Over three years ago, I had the opportunity to review the emWave Personal Stress Reliever. This is a portable handheld device that allows you to monitor your heartrate and control your overall stress level. Another product that has come across my desk is the Heart Wizard. This product also [...]

Quick Look: Go Usagi for iPhone

Go Usagi brings us a variation of a nice little puzzle type we haven’t seen in a while: the “redirect to the exit” style puzzle. The game features a bunch of cute little rabbits that are trying to escape, and often a group of mean (but somewhat cute anyway) aliens that are trying to stop them. Everybody is in constant motion, and it’s your job to route the rabbits to the exit on each level while keeping the aliens away. It’ll take keen observation and proper planning, but I’m sure you’re up to the task.

Are Readers Comments Important to a Website?

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]I feel that readers comments are very important and I have put together a short survey form consisting of only 11 questions. Please take a few moments to answer these simple questions. No specific personal information is required or requested. Please click HERE to fill in our survey. Thank you very [...]

How to Effectively Purchase Electronic Equipment

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]At least once a year, we all consider the purchase of some kind of electronic device. Be it a mobile device, home entertainment product, handyman tools or something for the kitchen. When we budget for these products, many of you will not include accessories as an essential cost in the original [...]

QUICK LOOK: Bose L1 Compact System for Musical Keyboards

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Buying electronic equipment has always been a challenge for those with a limited budget. Many of us tend to forget or do not take into consideration the added cost of accessories that are critical for the long term enjoyment of a given device. This holds true with musical keyboards. Higher end musical [...]

MSI: Analog Synths in the Digital World

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]I recently did a QUICK LOOK on the MEEBLIP mono synth unit. This is a sound processing unit that produces the late 70′s to early 80′s analog style like digital sounds. I was intrigued by this unit since it has the ability to save your sound creations where the original analog [...]

Quick Look: MEEBLIP Mono Digital Synth Module

Rating 4.33 out of 5 [?] All I can is WOW! A digital synth module that provides the ability to create 80′s analog synth style mono sounds quickly and play them via a MIDI keyboard. This is something that is certainly lacking from many synths on the marketplace the past decade or so. I grew [...]

Quick Look: Thin and Sexy MP3 Player From Sony

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]       Sony Mp3 Player The 16GB S Series Walkman® Video MP3 Player from Sony is more than just a music player. It sports a 2.0 inch TFT color display that also plays videos ( QVGA 240 X 320).  Comes with a built-in FM radio and a pair of [...]

Quick Look: Cowon X7 MP3 Player

Rating 3.50 out of 5 [?] Cowonx7 MP3 Player Cowon X7 MP3 player This unit is much more than a MP3 player with a large screen. The Cowon X7 is a complete multimedia player with a 4.3 inch 16 million color TFT touch screen. Comes with 2 GB of flash operating memory and at least [...]

GPS Wednesdays – Unique GPS Uses

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Whenever we think of GPS, we automatically associate this with an in car mappng and routing system. A GPS is much more than that and most consumers in North America are not fully aware of its true capabilities yet. A GPS is much more than just finding your way around or [...]

PDA Tuesdays – Where are the Personal Digital Assistants Nowadays?

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]More and more companies are producing Smartphones and moving away from the PDA market. What used to be a very popular category for organizing personal and business data is now quickly becoming a thing of the past. The Apple iPod Touch is probably the only successful none phone based handheld productivity [...]

Pet Peeve – Why Do Electrical Plugs Rarely Fit Into the Sockets?

Rating 4.00 out of 5 [?]Ever since we started to see the two pronged electrical plug (Type A) with the neutral line being wider, I have had issues with them. These redesigned plugs were created for the plug to be inserted in one orientation only. The outlet and plug are polarized to prevent devices that do not [...]

Quick Look: Vikings Row! for iPhone

Apparently their coffers weren’t as tight as they thought, because some poor Vikings have lost a night’s worth of plundering. In Vikings Row! it’s up to you to help them recover their gold by guiding their ship through 48 perilous levels. There’s a lot to like about this game, but the control scheme was enough to put a bad taste in my mouth.

Random Selections: The “No Cute Mascots” Puzzle Edition

Can you believe that there are puzzle games that don’t feature goofy, whacked out creatures? I know, I was shocked too Anyway, today’s Random Selections deals with two such puzzle games. One involves slicing up an object into smaller, equal parts, and the other is a new take on the match 3 genre. Both are fun, and there isn’t a mascot to be seen.

Universal Remote Controller on the Cheap

Rating 4.50 out of 5 [?]Sony, JVC, Akai, Onkyo, Marantz, McIntosh, Harman/Kardon, Denon, NAD, Nakamichi and Bang & Olufsen to name a few are manufacturers of hi-end quality home entertainment electronics. Most are not your typical brands seen in most homes due to the higher cost. With that being said, there are still a large number of users of these brands world [...]

Quick Look: mScribble for iPhone

I’m sure that when you were younger, a good number of you used to wave your hands in the air like you were directing the triumphant finale of a master symphony orchestra set. mScribble for your iPhone / iPod Touch does you one better, as it lets you create music with the swipe of a finger. I don’t normally get into apps that aren’t games, but mScribble has a certain something that keeps drawing you in.

Quick Look: Drop Dead for iPhone

I’m sure I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again – match 3 games are a dime a dozen on the App Store (yeah, I know the lowest you can go is 99 cents). Still, I find myself inexplicably drawn to the concept, and feel the need to try every one out that I can get my hands on. Drop Dead heightened the necessity by having a zombie theme. There’s nothing really original about the game, but it does what it does well, and the zombies are just really cool.

Preview: Aqua Pearls for iPhone

Coming soon to an iPhone / iPod Touch near you – Aqua Pearls from G5 Entertainment. At first glance it might seem like just another one of those pearl matching games, but don’t let that fool you. Beyond the cool underwater atmosphere lurks a couple of game play modes that are fairly new to the genre. You may think you’ve had your fill of this type of game, but you might want to think again.

Quick Look: Dice Tower for iPhone

Usually tower building games test your twitch reflex by having you drop sections from above and try and keep an ever leaning structure in balance. Dice Tower takes a more intellectual approach to the subject, using dice and simple rules to govern where the dice can be placed. If you’d like more of a cerebral challenge when it comes to the virtual construction business, Dice Tower is the place to be. I wonder when Donald Trump’s gonna move in?

Quick Look: The Secret Of Grisly Manor for iPhone

I love getting promo codes for no reason, though I rarely take a code if I don’t know what it’s for. In this case it came from a trusted friend, however, so I decided to give it a shot. Turns out the code was for The Secret Of Grisly Manor, and I have no regrets for my greedy claim. The adventure’s a bit short, but it’s loads of fun and looks really sharp. If you like adventure games I’d seriously consider giving it a shot.

Random Selections: The Random Edition

In my latest edition of Random Selections I do something a bit novel – I look at two completely random selections! One features a little boy conquering his fear of rogue toys, quaintly known as Little Hero. The other tells the tale of a “heroine” that robs graves to get rich, appropriately named Graves Robber. So what did I think? Read on to find out…

Games I Like on 10/9/10

This edition of Games I Like features crusaders, ragdoll frogs and a spunky little ninja that can channel animal powers. Two of the games are free, so you’re no worse for the wear trying them even if you don’t think I’m right. Regardless, I give Robin Hood: Hero Of Hope, Froggy Launcher and Ninjump a Recommended, as I do with all Games I Like.

Quick Look: Dust Off Your Old Cassette Tapes With the Tape Express Plus

So when was the last time you listened to something on a cassette tape?

With digital music having taken over the marketplace, the old cassette tapes are no longer something worth keeping. Some of you may still have some old cassette tapes with rare songs that are either not available in digital format or hard to find. Now you can preserve these old cassette tapes and transform them into digital format very easily. Ion Audio has created the Tape Express Plus which allows you to quickly transfer your cassette tapes to digital audio format (mp3).

Quick Look: Tappi Bear All In 1 for iPhone

I don’t normally look at kids’ games because I don’t let my kids use my iPod Touch and I obviously don’t relate too much to them any more. I’m a big fan of TaPlay, however, so when they sent me a code for Tappi Bear All In 1 I decided to give it a go. I think it would be a great game for younger kids, and it might even keep the parents occupied for a few minutes every now and again after the kids go to sleep.

Random Selections: The eBook Edition

In the latest installment of Random Selections I deviate a bit from my usual ramblings about games and take a look at two eBooks – The Cat In The Hat from Oceanhouse Media and issue 1 of Pocket God Comics. The two stories have very different presentations, and I have quite different thoughts about each of them. Read on to see what I thought…