All Entries Tagged With: "rating-kiss"

Companions in Review – All for one and one for all!

When the iPad first arrived on the scene many called it “just a big iPod Touch”. To which others often replied “Well, yeah!” Indeed even if in principal it IS just a big iPod Touch, the real estate of 9.7 inches is much much more comfortable to play with than that of the iPhone’s 3.5″. And it makes such games as Companions – a real-time tactical strategy/RPG game – possible.

Anooki Jump in Review – Yes, We Do Need Another Jumping Game

Every time I start up a new “infinite jump” game, the first thing I ask myself is “do we really need another infinite jump game?”  Unfortunately, by and large the answer to that question ends up being no.  Thankfully, however, there are times where a game manages to elude the negative response to the aforementioned query, and Anooki Jump is one such game.  The developers of Anooki Jump have managed to turn simplicity into art, and in the process made an extremely entertaining game as well.  Move over Doodle Jump, Anooki is the infinite jumper for me.

Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe in Review – It’s time to HoMMnify your iPhone once more!

One of my first ever reviews for TMA was of Palm Heroes Classic, an adaptation of the legendary classic Heroes of Might and Magic 3, for the iPhone. Of course, having been originally developed for Windows Mobile, it had its flaws – mostly on the interface side. Still even in those early App Store day, it offered a unique experience on par with the classic desktop Strategy/RPG. But time doesn’t stand still and now almost 2 years later, the developers have released the sequel Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe for iPhone, this time built from the ground up for the iOS.

Save Yammi in Review – Draw a rope, feed an octopus!

When Cut the Rope (TMA Review) was first released in late 2010, it was simply out of this world, if only because Angry Birds finally had its hegemony challenged. And the game wasn’t all that bad either. Of course it couldn’t help but inspire competition; some have been downright clones, while others were of the more creative variety. The latter has just spawned an interesting concept, something like an anti-cut the rope in Save Yammi.

Anodia in Review – A Brick Breaker… Where Are The Bricks?

I used to start out reviews of Arkanoid style games with something along the lines of “I’m not a real fan of this genre, but…”.  The more I play this type of game on mobile devices, however, the more I realize that it can actually be quite entertaining, provided it brings something a bit different to the table.  Welcome to the world of Anodia.  You can’t get much different from your average brick breaker than to make a brick breaker with no bricks!  Unique level designs and a couple of interesting power ups set this Arkanoid clone above the rest, including Arkanoid itself.

Groove Coaster in Review – The Beat Is Mighty Fine

I’m not what you’d call a die hard fan of rhythm games, but there have been occasions where I’ve been quite intrigued with the concept – Thumpies (TMA Review) comes to mind in this regards.  I’m proud to say that I can now add Groove Coaster to that small list of games.  As I’ve been playing this new release from Taito I’ve tried to wrap my mind around how to describe it, and the truth is it’s not all that easy.  However you want to look at it, though, it’s one of the most engaging rhythm games I’ve ever played.  The best part is that even when you don’t care for the tracks, the game is still fun.

Angry Business Man in Review – A Case Of Simpler Is Better

I’m beginning to feel like a broken record, but the reality is that a game in the App Store these days has to stand out to have any chance at success.  Luckily, Angry Business Man is a very different sort of constant running game.  The premise is simple: the bus failed to stop and pick you up, so now you have to catch it.  The game handles the running for you, and the only obstacle to worry about are randomly placed traffic cones that you jump by tapping on the screen.  There are two things that make Angry Business Man a bit different game play wise.  The first is that the landscape is 360 degrees.  Yes, you might not want to play with headphones on, because you’ll often find yourself rotating your device such that headphones will simply get tangled.

Jack Of All Tribes in Review – The Master Of Most?

Well they’ve managed to do it again.  Every time I get a game from G5 Entertainment to review I’m just a bit concerned that it’s going to fall into the “been there, done that” category.  So far it has been needless worry, however, and Jack of All Tribes is no exception to that rule.  This TM game takes a little different approach to the subject, where instead of having one central focus to work on, you’re jumping from one part of the island to the next, building up everything in your path.  It’s just different enough to feel fresh, and the overall atmosphere is fun and playful in a way that really sucks you in.

Storm In A Teacup in Review – Would You Like Sugar With That?

There’s been a lot of positive buzz about Storm in a Teacup, both before and after the first time I attempted to play it.  After muddling through the first 2 levels I just didn’t get the appeal of the game.  Luckily I had committed to reviewing it, so I forced myself to pick it back up and move on to level 3.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that this is one of the best platform games I’ve got on my device right now.  I think the visuals sometimes border on amateurish, and I’ll get to the music later, but overall I am so glad I stuck with it to see what the game had to offer.

Review: Transfer Pictures & Photos Wirelessly between iDevices – Redux

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Photo Sender	MediaTransfer	PhotoSync

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A few months ago I reviewed three nice universal apps that streamline the transfer of photos between iDevices and your desktop (see TMA review). Since then I’ve kept my eyes open and found a few more which are also noteworthy. These are quite different apps from each other with unique features that you might find appealing.

Photo Sender – Similar to the previously reviewed Photo Transfer app. What makes it stand out is its ability to add some simple effects plus do in-app down-sizing for quicker transfers.

MediaTransfer – Perfect for the person who takes lots of snapshots and just wants to periodically dump new ones to a folder his or her computer without any fuss — and it’s FAST!

PhotoSync – Lots of options and a very nice user interface. The best transfer app I’ve seen for sending and receiving photos and videos between devices and other services.