App Review: The Wars by Clickgamer.com with Tips

The Wars by Clickgamer.com is an awesome game that will have you addicted for days. The goal of the game is to take out your enemy’s base. That seems simple enough, but what about when they are stronger, they have more money, and they have turrets.  It gets a little more difficult.

You begin the game with 150 gold pieces, no experience, and very low tech cavemen. Your base is positioned on the left side of the screen. To get warriors, you must buy them with your gold. For every enemy that your warriors kill, they get the money that the enemy was worth. So if a club holder is killed, the team that killed him would receive 15 gold pieces because that is how much gold it cost to buy him. Besides the ability to just buy men, you can buy turrets and additional turret stands. When you buy a warrior, they exit your base and head towards the enemy’s base.  If an enemy comes between your warrior and their base, he will attack them until he dies or until the enemy dies.

Every so often the enemies will destroy you and cause you to run out of money. In these situations, you must use your special weapon. The special weapon is a powerful attack that devastates your enemy’s warriors.  It is an attack the moves across the whole screen and hits enemies at random. This attack does not necessarily kill every enemy, but it can help turn the tables in your favor. The special attack does not cost money, but it does take a long time to reload. The turrets can also be a miracle during devastating times. It fires continuously once the enemies are in range until they are killed. Turrets are very expensive and can be very useful when the game gets tough. After you kill a lot of enemies, your base will be able to be upgraded. First you start with a caveman cave, then you move to a castle, and eventually you have nuclear robots. Just be sure to watch for the meter next to your money to blink with a small exclamation point.  This exclamation let’s you know you are ready to upgrade.

There are 3 levels of difficulty.  Each is fun to play and play again. With most games, once you beat an easy level it is no longer fun. I like to play on the easy level to see how bad I can devastate my enemy. The hard difficulty is harder in the sense that your enemies can kill you faster than you can kill them, and they begin to be more strategic in their attacks.

The Wars is a perfect remake of the online version I used to love. The graphics are great and the game play is smooth. I would recommend this game to anyone. For only a dollar, it is a steal. An update is on the way to offer ten difficult game levels and more defensive weapons. One thing I would very strongly suggest to the developer is to make a multiplayer mode over WiFi and Bluetooth.  A multiplayer mode would be very fun and add a lot of possibilities for long car rides.

The Wars Tips:

1. The most important thing I have learned is to save your money. It looks tempting to buy the shiny turret, but after one upgrade, these turrets have no affect on your enemies.
2. Place warriors that can throw things behind direct contact warriors. Warriors that throw things have weak armor and can easily be destroyed, but they blow a punch with every throw.
3. Upgrade as soon as possible. This will make you substantially stronger than your enemy if only for a minute or two.

Developer’s Website: http://www.clickgamer.com/

App Review: Castle Of Magic by Gameloft

Castle Of Magic by Gameloft is an amazing platform game with great graphics and exciting game play. The story starts with a young boy and girl who play so many video games that they break their gaming system. Without any video games to play, they are forced to find some other way to pass the time. So, they head down to the beach where they find a treasure chest. When the treasure chest opens, however, instead of finding gold and jewels, the two children are sucked into a swirling vortex. When the young boy wakes up, he is in a strange room alone. Suddenly, the evil magician, Nefastax appears, and he has the young girl, Jenny, locked up in a cage. To save Jenny from the evil Nefastax, you must hunt him down in this strange new magical world using the magical powers you now possess. You must learn spells such as lightning, fire, and others. To stop you along the way are monsters. You start with only three lives, but have the chance to earn more along the way.

The controls for Castle of Magic are easy to pick up. There is a D-pad in the lower left corner of the screen that controls your direction. To jump, press the boot in the lower right hand side of the screen. This button will let you perform three different motions depending on how you tap it. One tap for a single jump, two taps for a double jump making you go higher, and if you hold the button after a jump, you can open up your cloak to glide through the air. To shoot at enemies, tap the weapon button next to the jump button. There are bonuses placed all throughout the level that give you better weapons, higher jumps, and extra lives. There are also magic books that you can look at. Each of these books will teach you something about your powers or provide you with a tip.

The gems throughout the level are very important to helping you survive. The more gems you have, the more life you have. When you are hit by an enemy, you lose some of your gems. If you move quickly, sometimes you can recover some of them before they disappear off the screen. If you run out of these precious jewels, you lose one of your lives. Like many other platform games, when you lose a life, you will have to start again from the last checkpoint that you passed. If you exit the game, however, you will have to start at the beginning of the level. Be especially careful of vortexes that you see throughout the level. Enemies enter the level through these. They can catch you off guard.

These graphics are phenomenal and the game play is one of the best I’ve seen for a platform game. After Gameloft released this game, they realized the main character had no name. They are giving the players a chance to name the character. The winner gets an iPod Nano. Submit your name entry on Twitter or Facebook. Entry details can be found in the iTunes App Store and in the Castle of Magic game. I would recommend this game to anyone that loves magic, platformers, or just a great game.

Developer’s Website: http://www.gameloft.com/iphone-games/castle-of-magic/

App Review: Bomberman Touch 2 - Volcano Party by Hudson

Bomberman Touch 2 – Volcano Party by Hudson is an awesome game that feels like an addition to the original. The goal of the game is to move through the caves and escape without being killed by the monsters or the lava. There are tons of power-ups including tornadoes, armies, speed upgrades, and bomb upgrades.  When it was first released in the iTunes App Store, many people complained that the controls were too hard to use.   Well, the people at Hudson listened.   Just recently they released an update that makes the controls for the game much better.

It used to be that to move your bomber, you placed your finger on the screen and motioned in the direction you wanted to go. The recent update has added a basic D-Pad to the lower left hand side of the screen.  This method of controlling is much easier to use and much less frustrating.  To lay out a bomb, tap the bomb icon in the bottom right of the screen. Collecting power-ups is just like the original.  Simply walk on top of them. With the release of 3.0, you can now go head to head or play in co-op mode with your friends via Bluetooth.

To make Bomberman a hit, your classic battles are also included just like the original only with more levels and power-ups. Walk around destroying blocks in your way to get to your friends and trap them with bombs to win. Bomberman Touch 2 is an awesome game that works flawlessly with Bluetooth. It is a great addition to your list of apps. With all the levels included in Bomberman, this is sure to be one of your favorite apps.

Developer’s Website: http://www.dothehudson.net/en/app/bomberman-touch2/

App Review: DrawRace by RedLynx Ltd

DrawRace by RedLynx Ltd is the first racing game where you draw your own path around the track. You simply draw a line, and your car follows it. You must beat the computer to unlock the next levels. The computer steadily gets more difficult to beat. This seems like all fun and no challenge, but there’s the twist.  Real physics are put into this game.  The speed at which your finger is moving when you draw the path determines the speed at which your car will drive around the track.  If you go around a corner too fast, you will skid out of the way and it will slow you down. You can choose to race around with the computer, or you can race with 2 or 3 players on the same iPod.

Once you have destroyed your friends or the computer, you can upload your scores to the online server and see how you place with people all around the world. DrawRace is a very simple game with great physics, challenging computers, and tons of well designed graphics.

Developer’s Website: http://www.drawrace.com/

App Review: Hero of Sparta by Gameloft

Hero of Sparta by Gameloft is a great action game with very smooth gameplay. You are the King of Sparta and it is your job to protect the city from dangerous monsters from Olympus to Hades. Do you have what it takes to defeat enemies like the Cyclopes and Cerberus?

The controls on this game are very similar to Assassin’s Creed. You use a joystick to walk around and a shield and sword button to kill your enemies. Every once in a while as you are walking, a force field will pop up and keep you trapped inside of it with some enemies. You must kill the enemies to escape. While you are fighting, doing multiple hits at once will cause your player to perform combo attacks. To jump up cliffs and do various other things, watch for the button on the side to pop up. If you ever feel like you don’t know where to go, look up at the arrow, it will show you the way.

There are a total of eight levels that increase in difficulty. You can earn up to five types of weapons in the game. You can always go back and replay levels if you want to.

Hero of Sparta is a great game for anyone that loves action adventure games. This is a lengthy game that will suit any type of gamer.

Hero of Sparta is $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.gameloft.com/iphone-games/hero-of-sparta/

App Review: Topple 2 by ngmoco, Inc.

Topple 2 by ngmoco, Inc. is a fun block stacking game with great graphics and smooth physics. The goal of the game is to stack odd shaped blocks to a certain height within the time limit. Once you have passed a certain height line, you can continue on for up to a 5X bonus.  You can get rewards for stacking the blocks in a short amount of time.

To stack the blocks, touch the block and drag it to the place you would like to set it. If you want to rotate your block, touch it with one finger and move another finger in a circular motion. If your tower begins to fall over, you can touch parts of the tower and push it back to where you would like it. If you ever feel like the block you’ve been given isn’t right, throw it off the side and get a new one. You can only lose up to a total of 4 blocks during the game.

There are many different game modes. In the balance mode, you must balance the blocks evenly to help keep the tower from falling over. Another mode is the reverse mode. In this mode, you are underwater and have to stack the blocks beneath one another. This may seem very easy and maybe even pointless, but it is very challenging. One of the last game modes is rescue.  In this mode, you must stack the blocks up to a golden egg in the sky. Then you must slowly tap away the blocks to lower the egg slowly to the ground. If the egg hits the ground too hard, you fail and have to restart.

Topple 2 offers a great theme with awesome character facial expressions.  You can even choose your own iPod music to listen to while you play. This app does require that you update to  OS 3.0.  So if you haven’t upgraded yet, now is the time. Topple 2 is a fun game with a high replay value and the chance to compete against your friends over WiFi.

Topple 2 is $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://topple2.ngmoco.com/

App Review: F.A.S.T. — Fleet Air Superiority Training! by SGN

F.A.S.T. – Fleet Air Superiority Training! by SGN is the best dog fighter airplane game in the App Store. The world is on the brink of war and you must be trained quickly to fly a fighter jet and to take out enemy ships.  F.A.S.T. doesn’t waste any time getting you started. As soon as you start a mission, the game calibrates the level flying plane to the position you are holding your device. To move your ship, simply tilt your device left, right, forward, or back. Enemy ships are shown by a red arrow on your radar giving you the direction and distance to the enemy. You can even tell whether they are at an altitude above or below you by the solidness or faintness of the plane on the radar.

Once the enemy is in your view, fire away. You have an unlimited number of rounds in your miniguns, but the enemy is much harder to hit with these bullets. If you have the enemy in view, and you want to end it fast, shoot a missile at your opponent and watch them fall. First, you must obtain a lock on the enemy ship by lining up your ship with theirs.  Enemies that are far away have more time to maneuver away and thus can more easily evade the missile. In the top of the screen, you can also see alternate views of your ship.

There are 30 missions with a smooth learning curve. As you complete missions, you will unlock ships. You can dog fight with your friends over WiFi in a 1-on-1 game or a 2-on-2 game. To easily connect with multiple friends, you can create rooms and hook up with your friends. You can also take on players all over the world by playing over the Internet.  I found that playing F.A.S.T. over Bluetooth worked extremely well.  The games are very well synchronized with no lagging.  Unfortunately, first generation iPod Touches do not have Bluetooth, and second generation iPod Touch owners must upgrade to OS 3.0 to enable it.  If you have it on your device, though, Bluetooth is the way to go.

F.A.S.T. is not an easy game to play.  It does take some practice and a high level of skill to master.  However, it is well worth the time and effort.  F.A.S.T. is a great game that makes use of every part of the iPhone.  It will keep you and your friends entertained for hours on end.

F.A.S.T. is $3.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.sgn.com/

App Review: MLB.com At Bat 2009 by MLB.com

MLB.com At Bat 2009 by MLB.com is an awesome way to keep track of all your favorite baseball teams on the go. There are so many features in this app that it is hard to cover all of them. You can view stats, play by plays, and even watch live games.

Live games allows you to watch up to two baseball games per day. Each of these games will be streamed live to your iPhone/iPod Touch, but you must have the 3.0 software update. These games look great.  That app displays the video in the highest quality possible over your connection.

Another great feature is the Gameday Audio. This allows you to listen on to the radio coverage of the game of your choice. You can listen to either the Home or the Visiting team’s radio station. While you listen to the Gameday Audio, you can also watch Gameday. Gameday will allow you to see where each and every pitch goes. It will also supply a summary for every single play that happens on the field. If you want to see one of the plays in action after it happens, you can go to the Video Highlights section. This will allow you to watch any of the significant plays that happened during the game.

An hour after the game is over, you can watch video highlights and recaps of the game. Every game, even those not featured for live coverage, have video highlights and game recaps.

MLB.com at bat 2009 is a must have for any sports fan. Whether you like to watch the game or listen to the radio, this is a great app. I only wish that there were an app like this for all the other sports. MLB.com at Bat 2009 is definitely worth the $9.99, and makes great use of the 3.0 OS capabilities.

MLB.com at bat 2009 is $9.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/iphone/

App Review: Short Hand by LizzardWerks

Have you ever sent your boss a text or email using texting shortcuts on accident? Short Hand by LizzardWerks fixes this problem by changing your shortcuts into written out words and sentences. The great thing about this app is that you get to add shortcuts, delete shortcuts, and move them around with a simple motion.  It keeps you from embarrassing yourself and saves you time too.

To use a shortcut in a message, simply write out the shortcut you have created and press the space button. The app will exchange the shortcut for the written out word or sentence you previously specified. With Short Hand, you can even type up your address or business contact information with a shortcut as simple as “adr.” If you want a space in your business title or address, place a double comma in your shortcut key.

You can use Short Hand to post a comment on Twitter, email a friend, or write information on other apps made by LizzardWerks in a fraction of the time it took before. To reply to a friend’s email, press reply in your email.  Then, exit the app and start up Short Hand. Press mail, and your reply will begin.

Short Hand is a great app that will cut down your typing time and make you a more productive person, even if you only know text talk. This is a very useful app for anyone that uses their iPod or iPhone to type.

Short Hand is $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.lizzardwerks.com/

App Review: Ragdoll Blaster - A Physics Puzzler by Backflip Studios

Ragdoll Blaster – A Physics Puzzler by Backflip Studios is a great puzzle that feels like a game. The goal of the game is to use the least amount of ragdolls that you can to launch one of them into a red target. You shoot the ragdolls out of a cannon. Some blocks are breakable, and others are firm. The cool thing about this game is that, in some levels, the target moves. You have to really use your brain to setup the levels just right to win.

To shoot your cannon, tap on the screen in the direction you wish to shoot. The farther your finger taps away from the cannon, the more power that the blast will have. You can shoot as many ragdolls as you want, but you may not be able to beat your friends’ scores. Some levels require you to break down large structures, or use catapults.

Ragdoll Blaster is a great physics puzzler that will keep you entertained for a long time. This game has great replay value and requires some brain power. Ragdoll Blaster is one of the best puzzlers I have played, and it’s a game! This is a great buy with over 70 challenging levels with a smooth learning curve.

Ragdoll Blaster – A Physics Puzzler is $1.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.backflipstudios.com/ragdollblaster/

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