https://touchreviews.net iPhone, iPad Games, Apps, Reviews, News Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:57:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3 ‘All Star Quarterback’ for iPhone and iPad Now Available on the App Store https://touchreviews.net/all-star-quarterback-iphone-ipad-app-store/ https://touchreviews.net/all-star-quarterback-iphone-ipad-app-store/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2014 13:45:58 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=23358 Read More]]> Just in time for the new football season Full Fat is back with a new game called ‘All Star Quarterback’. Their previous hits include sports games such as Flick Soccer!, NFL Quarterback 13 and NFL Kicker 13.

You play as a rising Quarterback in a quest to make a dream career. The game features 32 teams and you make lifestyle and career decisions to rise to the top. If you’re a fan of real-life sports simulations then All Star Quarterback is certainly worth checking out.

Some of the features include:

Be sure you keep the energy levels of your player high, if you run low on energy you have to purchase energy drinks to keep going. Energy drinks can be bought with in-game currency which is earned as you play and get salary. Of course, you can use in-app purchase to advance by paying real money in exchange for in-game currency.

Mini-games help you train your player and increase fitness levels. However, technical and physical capabilities aren’t enough. You are also tasked with keeping high social ratings by engaging with fans, coach and media.

All Star Quarterback is a universal game available for both iPhone and iPad. Let us know what you think about the game in the comments below.

All Star Quarterback

by Full Fat

All Star Quarterback

Live the life of an All Star Quarterback! Lead your team to glory in the ultimate QB simulation. It's about the game, the money, the fame. Can you handle the pressure of the most valuable position on the field?

BE THE QUARTERBACK

Live the dream, call the shots in your QB life with real-time game reporting, making decisions that define your career.

"This twist on traditional sports games is surprisingly refreshing." - 148apps.com

Handle relationships with your coach, agent, fans and more. Train your abilities. Get drafted to new teams. Follow the twists and turns of a real football career. Win it all.

RUN THE SHOW

• Awesome real-time 3D plays in games
• Make game-changing and career-defining decisions
• Work your way up the depth chart
• Hit the gym in three workout mini-games
• Learn new plays on the practice field
• Impress your coach and the media
• Hire an agent and win over the fans
• Gain sponsors with missions and bonuses
• Buy real estate, cars, clothes and private jets
• Enjoy stunning high resolution HD graphics

JOIN THE FULL FAT COMMUNITY!
Visit: fullfat.com
Like: facebook.com/fullfatgames
Follow: twitter.com/fullfatgames
Subscribe: youtube.com/fullfatgames

Support: fullfat.com/support

1_Screenshot_iPhone5 2_Screenshot_iPhone5 3_Screenshot_iPhone5 ]]> https://touchreviews.net/all-star-quarterback-iphone-ipad-app-store/feed/ 0 AdvenChewers Review – Chew Your Way to the Top https://touchreviews.net/advenchewers-review/ https://touchreviews.net/advenchewers-review/#comments Mon, 14 Oct 2013 21:48:47 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=23093 Read More]]> IMG_0042

Ever thought chewing gum and adventure could make a deadly combination? If not, try AdvenChewers for iPhone and iPad from Warner Bros. to get a feel of a fast paced game where chewing bubble gum might just save your life.

You take on an adventurous trip to save your father from an evil general who obviously has evil plans. The back story plays very little role in the actual gameplay. Once you get started with the game your objective is to simply fly through the different environments while dodging obstacles.

The controls are very simple and the initial levels are slow-paced to help you get used to them. Your character chews on a bubble gum that gives it flying abilities. The ‘advenchewer’ keeps running continuously, you tap to make it jump or tap again and hold to inflate the bubble gum and fly. Your flying capability is limited to how big a bubble you inflate, hold for too long and the bubble will pop sending you down to the ground.

The continuous action of deciding to jump, flying or gliding as you dodge various obstacles makes the game quite challenging. In each level you need to find a maximum of three birds that also act as three extra lives. You lose a bird in the case of a failed attempt as you respawn back into the game. Summon a Phoenix by finding its feather and you can fly on its back as you become invincible.

As you continue your journey to find the evil general you will cross environments in different terrains. You start with a city view with high rise buildings and then progress to volcano, ice mountains and more. Flying goo and monkey robots act as obstacles in your path.

The complexity of levels will force you to equip yourself with special bubble gums. Use an electric gum to destroy anything that comes in your path, freeze gum to render everything powerless or soap gum to clean up the goo. There are many more special gums available in the game that manage to  give you that extra edge in completing the levels.

Scoring is based on number of coins collected, obstacles smashed, birds remaining and powerups used. There are many achievements to unlock in the game that can keep you coming back for more.

The game comes with a single career mode. I was able to complete 5 game worlds in less than two days. Even though one could play the levels again to collect all three birds to boost score however, more game modes could have been added.

An endless mode where you keep flying as obstacles came in faster would have been a perfect fit. Online mode where you race against your friends ghost would have also been a great value addition. With just a single career mode the game has limited replay value.

In addition to special bubble gums you can also buy gadgets to give you an edge in the game. These gadgets are costlier than the gums. This is where in-app purchases come in. You can buy extra coins in order to buy these gadgets or buy any number of special gums to aid you in clearing the levels.

AdvenChewers takes on a classic genre and bundles it with unique twists to create an addictive game. However, with limited modes it manages to burst its own bubble rather quickly.

[rating: 4/5] Click to view slideshow. ]]> https://touchreviews.net/advenchewers-review/feed/ 0 Rabbids Big Bang for iPhone and iPad Launching on October 17th https://touchreviews.net/rabbids-big-bang-iphone-ipad-october-17th/ https://touchreviews.net/rabbids-big-bang-iphone-ipad-october-17th/#comments Fri, 11 Oct 2013 12:04:43 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=23084 Read More]]> Rabbids Big Bang

Ubisoft is all set to launch Rabbids Big Bang for the iPhone and iPad on October 17th. It is a physics-based game where you get to control little mammals called Rabbids.

Rabbids belong to the race of bunnies that have evolved over a hundred years. The Earth is not enough for them so they are taking a journey to space to explore and make it their playground.

You get to pilot the Rabbids using jetpack boots and gravitational pull of the planets. The goal is to avoid accidents by flying around various obstacles.

The game will include 150 different missions including “crash-landing landing on planets, bouncing off of space cows and reaching specific speeds.” Ubisoft in a press release revealed that Rabbids Big Bang will include lots of customisation options such as upgrading jetpacks, dressing up Rabbids and much more.

Rabbids Big Bang for iPhone and iPad will be priced at $0.99. Ubisoft shared a few screenshots of the game with us. The 3D game environment reveals that you will collect bunny coins and you will have limited fuel to complete your journey around the planets.

Physics-based games have proved to be a popular genre on the App Store. Angry Birds has been one of the most successful series in this genre. In Angry Birds Space we saw the birds fighting the pigs in space.

We will have to wait for the launch of Rabbids on iPhone to see how exciting will the gameplay be and if it manages to get us addicted.

Click to view slideshow. ]]> https://touchreviews.net/rabbids-big-bang-iphone-ipad-october-17th/feed/ 0 Real Racing 3 Releasing on February 28, free-to-play https://touchreviews.net/real-racing-3-releasing-february-28-freetoplay/ https://touchreviews.net/real-racing-3-releasing-february-28-freetoplay/#comments Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:23:34 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=22107 Read More]]> Real Racing 3 free-to-play

Firemonkeys have announced that Real Racing 3 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch will be available for download on February 28th. The adrenaline rushing racing simulation has been widely popular on the App Store. The original Real Racing was developed by Firemint and then developers released the second version. The developers were then acquired by EA.

The third installment of the racing simulation will be free-to-play. Real Racing 3 features “46 licensed vehicles covering 3 classes, a 22 car grid, real world tracks, 8 varied event types and 900+ events.” The freemium model will make the newest racing title from EA free to download and then unlock content either by advancing in the game or by buying in-game content.

Real Racing 3 was designed from the ground up to be a free to play experience. We are so excited about this game and wanted it to be accessible to everyone so we didn’t want there to be any barriers to entry.

The title features “Time Shifted” multiplayer mode, where you can compete with another players race even if they’re not online at the same time. What’s interesting about this feature is that your race could impact the other users’ time as you race to win.

The developers promise to “add more free and exciting content with every update.” Real Racing 3 is certainly one of the highly anticipated racing games on iOS for 2013 and it will be interesting to see how the freemium model works out for EA.

]]> https://touchreviews.net/real-racing-3-releasing-february-28-freetoplay/feed/ 1 Clash of Clans Updated with Level 6 troops, Local leaderboards, Defense and more https://touchreviews.net/clash-of-clans-updated-level-6-troops-local-leaderboards-defense/ https://touchreviews.net/clash-of-clans-updated-level-6-troops-local-leaderboards-defense/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:39:24 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=22025 Read More]]> clash of clans update level 6 troops

Clash of Clans for iPhone and iPad was updated today with new content. The real time strategy game from Supercell has been a huge hit on the App Store. Supercell and Backflip Studios were recently mentioned by Apple in their press release announcing 40 billion App Store downloads, two emerging game development studios that brought in over $100 million combined for their leading freemium titles.

The game is free-to-play where users have an option to pay for in-app purchases. Freemium titles on the App Store have proved to be a huge success. Clash of Clans has been consistently featured as number one Top Grossing app on Apple’s App Store.

The latest update version 3.25 brings new leaderboards, level 6 troops (barbarians, giants, archers and balloons), new air defenses and much more. The developers at Supercell have been very active at updating the game with new content. User reviews are mostly favorable and the game continues to top the charts.

If you love real time strategy games or war type games then Clash of Clans is certainly the game for you. It may not be for hardcore gamers but it is certainly fun for some casual play. If you’re a beginner or haven’t played any real time strategy games then Clash of Clans is an excellent start. Just one thing, be prepared to get addicted and soon you’ll know how much fun farming, donating and getting more trophies can be.

Love Clash of Clans? Have you unlocked all level 6 troops? Post a photo of level 6 troops in the comments section below and share your thoughts on the new update.

]]> https://touchreviews.net/clash-of-clans-updated-level-6-troops-local-leaderboards-defense/feed/ 0 Need For Speed Most Wanted for iPhone and iPad – Trailer Revealed https://touchreviews.net/need-for-speed-most-wanted-iphone-ipad-trailer-revealed/ https://touchreviews.net/need-for-speed-most-wanted-iphone-ipad-trailer-revealed/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:37:41 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=21350 Read More]]> Need for Speed Most Wanted iPhone iPad

EA Mobile has just released the first trailer for “Need For Speed Most Wanted” for iPhone and iPad. The game is a continuation of EA’s popular Need for Speed racing franchise. With Need for Speed Most Wanted EA aims to revive the ageing racing game.

Need For Speed Most Wanted features stunning dynamic physics-based collisions, exciting cop takedowns, and realistic visual damage. Be the most wanted in incredible real-world cars like the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, the Porsche 911 Carrera S, and many more!

The latest iteration has been developed by Firemonkeys, the same people who were behind Real Racing, Real Racing 2 and the upcoming Real Racing 3. With NFS Most Wanted you will experience an action packed arcade-style racing game. The game will be made available for iPhone and iPad later this month.

NFS Most Wanted will add new features like “over-the-top collision mechanics” which will result in detailed view of damages that can be caused by smashing into opponents car, walls or even cops.

… players can now accrue more detailed damage to their cars than ever before: every smash into walls, competitor cars, or pursuant cops creates an adrenaline-pumping frenzy of shattered windows, cracked headlights and flying parts.

The game will also bring real-time reflections that give a view of the game world, this feature was first showcased at Apple’s event when Real Racing 3 was previewed. The game is also expected to pack social and online features.

We are expecting more details and screenshots to be made available soon. Even though details are scarce the features planned for this release could certainly bring some freshness to the arcade-style racing genre.

Need for Speed Most Wanted Trailer

]]> https://touchreviews.net/need-for-speed-most-wanted-iphone-ipad-trailer-revealed/feed/ 0 Blast A Way Review – Explosive Fun https://touchreviews.net/blast-a-way-review/ https://touchreviews.net/blast-a-way-review/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2012 15:14:40 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=21307 Read More]]> plastic paranoia

IllusionLabs aren’t strangers to App Store success, with TouchGrind and Labyrinth just two of their titles that have been big hits they now attempt again with their new title Blast A Way. Blast A Way for iPhone and iPad is a colorful physics puzzler where your task is to rescue the 3 Boxies that have been left strewn across all 5 worlds and 80 levels.

So how do achieve this task? Its quite simple really, the answer is bombs! 6 different types of bombs to be exact that will blow things up, transport you, change colors and even rebuild previously exploded blocks. All of these actions will enable you to move around the levels and collect the previously mentioned Boxies who are stranded and are waiting for you to pick them up.

stone supreme

The physics of the game are pitch perfect. You navigate the levels with a variety of touch controls which allow you to zoom, rotate and focus on any area of the beautifully designed levels. You can then move your character by drawing a path for them to walk along and final you can throw a bomb by touching where you want it to land and choosing the angle to throw it.

Bomb placement is where the real skill is required, direction, angle and power will all influence the final location of the bomb and where the bomb lands will influence the effect that the bomb has on the Boxies, the environment and even you, especially if you are standing too close to the bomb when it explodes.

wood wonders

It’s nice that you aren’t restricted in the number of bombs that you have at your disposal especially as on some levels getting the bomb to where you need it to land can be pretty tricky.

The 5 worlds are themed on different materials including wood, metal, plastic and fabric and while the structure of the worlds are similar being all made out of a variety of geometric shapes the different materials make them look great. This is certainly the case on the retina displays of the iPhone 4S and the new iPad where they pop off the screen.

It’s frustrating that as a universal app there is no progression synchronization between devices and while there is Game Center integration the 7 achievements are a little disappointing and it would have been nice to see a little more creativity here.

Blast A Way is a wonderful new physics puzzler, at $4.99 it’s a little on the pricey side but you can always try 20 levels for free via Blast A Way Free to see if you like it before you buy it.

[rating: 4/5]

What we like

What to know

Blast A Way Gallery

plastic-paranoia_01 metal-mania_01 level-pack-menu fabric-fanatic_02 wood-wonders_02 wood wonders tutorial stone-supreme_02 level-select-menu fabric-fanatic_01 stone supreme plastic paranoia ]]> https://touchreviews.net/blast-a-way-review/feed/ 0 FIFA 13 Review – EA Sports Continues to Set the Standard for Sports Games https://touchreviews.net/fifa-13-review/ https://touchreviews.net/fifa-13-review/#comments Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:28:44 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=21199 Read More]]> FIFA 13 iPhone

FIFA 13 Review

It’s that time of year again when EA Sports come out with their annual upgrade to their FIFA franchise and this year is no difference as they release FIFA 13, their 13th iteration of the world wide soccer game. (Yes I’m calling it soccer, the whole world plays the game now and it’s just easier this way).

While previous versions of the FIFA franchise on iOS have sometimes seen minimal improvements outside of improved graphics and/or new features FIFA 13 has brought something to their iOS offering that people have been asking for for a long time and that’s the ability to play against other players over the Internet and not just those based locally.

While the old rivalries will continue to rage between the FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer fans, you generally either love or hate one or the other, the competition is clearly good for the players of each as they continue to push and innovate the graphics, gameplay and features and this continues to be the case.

FIFA 13 iPhone Game Review

Graphics ones again receive a boost that defies the size of the devices that you can play these games on. Player likenesses improve as FIFA continues to enjoy fully licensed players, teams and leagues from all around the world and the smoothness of the gameplay remains unaffected especially on the iPhone 5 that this was reviewed on and which is fully supported in full screen mode.

Controls have been tweaked in this release quite significantly however the new features don’t affect the core controls and instead the add and enhance what is an already well established control system.

A virtual d-pad on the left of the screen continues to provide directional control of your players while action buttons on the right side of the screen control the specific action that your chosen player will attempt, (I say attempt as based on your your skill and timing they don’t always come off), to complete.

It’s these action buttons that now include new features, firstly the ‘skill move’ button has been improved to provide more skill moves using a nine point grid around the button. Tapping the skill button and then making gestures up, down, left, right and around the skill move button will produce a variety of skill moves. And based on how you make the gesture will control whether you complete the skill to the left or two the right of the oncoming player.

FIFA 13 iPhone iPad

While most players will be happy just to jump in a test the controls for themselves I would highly recommend reviewing the inbuilt help videos that will show you what all the gestures are and how they are activated to make the full benefit of them.

You can also control you whole teams gameplay via in game gestures too, want to make your team play more defensively? Then swipe two fingers towards the end you are defending. Want to play a more attacking style? Then swipe two fingers toward the goal you are attacking. The ability to do this without having to stop the game and make the selections in the options menu makes for a much more fluid gaming experience.

Another new feature is the ability to call in a 2nd defender when we feel that you need it. While holding down the tackle button will automatically make your selected player attempted to tackle the opposing player pressing the ‘call 2nd defender’ button will automatically bring over additional help should you find yourself trying to defend Messi, Ronaldo or any other tricky player.

FIFA 13 iPhone review

These additional features add confirm able depth to the playing options for players to take advantage of while still ensuring that the game is easy to pickup and play for the newcomer to the franchise. And it needs to be said again that there are two many of these options to list here and you should view the in game help to learn them all.

The four game modes are still present, you can jump into a quick match, complete a league or cup from around the world in tournament mode, test your hand at club management in manager mode or play online.

Tournament mode continues to provide great value with even lower leagues from around the world being available, so if you want to play as lowly Southend United in the nPower League 2 in England you can. In total there are 67 trophies to be won in tournament mode and so to get a full trophy cabinet you’re going to have to play a lot of games.

FIFA 13 iPhone iPhone 5 review

Manager Mode adds additional depth to the game as you now have the ability to not only control the players but manager the whole club. From players contracts and club finances to keeping the board and supporters happy you are going to be juggling a lot of balls.

While this level of depth isn’t for everyone it does work well and provides a valid alternative to the management style games of Football Manager while providing the ability it take control of matters on the pitch too.

It also has to be said that EA have provided the ability to sync both Manager and Tournament modes using iCloud. This means that if you have this universal app running on multiple devices you can pick up on one device where you left off on another, that’s awesome.

We then come to the newly added online mode which has the potential of providing endless hours of game-play if done right. There are two ways to play online, 1 is in a quick match against a random opponent, the other is in a friendly against one of your friends.

Game-play is the same for both but if you play against a friend you win, draw, loss stats will be recorded against them so that you can prove who has the bragging rights.

FIFA 13 iPhone 5

I’ve played numerous times online and for the most part it’s been a great experience. I’ve never failed to be matched up with an opponent which suggests that there are a lot of people playing the game and while there have been a couple of disconnected games there is no way of telling whether that’s due to my opponent, network issues or a problem with the game itself.

The graphics appear a little toned down when playing online but it’s not something you notice in the thick of the action and games can be decided based on both players agreeing on the outcome. For example, it the game ends in a tie then you get to choose between ending the game in tie, extra-time or going straight to penalties.

Many hours could be lost in this mode especially if you have lots of friends who play the game too. It would be nice to have online leagues or tournaments to compete in but at this point that’s not available.

Both on and offline games provide a whole plethora of achievements, 79 to be exact, and they range from receiving no bookings during a match and scoring from long range to scoring a goal with your goal keeper and having a player score both an own goal and a goal in the correct goal!
While it’s great to have this number of achievements in the game it’s disappointing that EA continue not to link to Apples Game Centre achievements, continuing it use their own Origin network instead. Other games offer the option to link to both their own social gaming network as well as Game Centre and it would be nice to see EA do the same.

The daily challenges are a nice addition though were you get the opportunity to relive real matches, earn XP points to climb the social leader-boards.

FIFA 13 also enables you to share your greatest moments of skill and goals with the world via in-game integration with YouTube. Anytime you view a replay you will also get the opportunity to upload it to YouTube and given that the video is limited to just 9 seconds once you’ve authenticated your account once the sharing happens really quickly.

While some people may balk at the $6.99/4.99 price, this monster franchise continues to set the standard that other titles must aspire too and it’s worth every penny.

[rating: 4.5/5]

What we like

What to know

FIFA 13 for iPhone – Gallery

FIFA 13 iPhone 5 FIFA 13 iPhone FIFA 13 iPhone iPhone 5 review FIFA 13 iPhone review FIFA 13 iPhone iPad FIFA 13 iPhone Game Review ]]> https://touchreviews.net/fifa-13-review/feed/ 0 Rock(s) Rider Review – Fun and Challenging Racing Game on Two Wheels https://touchreviews.net/rocks-rider-review/ https://touchreviews.net/rocks-rider-review/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:00:50 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20891 Read More]]> Rocks Rider review_5

While car racing games dominate the App Store racing market there are those that prefer 2 wheeled transport and for those people there’s a new ride in town in the form of Rock(s) Rider, a new universal game that’s available in the App Store right now.

Rock(s) Rider is a trials based motorcycle game where your opponents are both a variety of obstacles and the clock and is based in a DaftPunk style warehouse full of ramps, jumps, loops and fireworks, yes fireworks!

If you’ve played Bike Baron before then you’ll have the basic idea of what you are in for here, however while Bike Baron is cartoon style arcade game, Rock(s) Racer is more of a simulator, with a few bells and whistles added for good measure.

Rocks Rider review

The graphics look great, from the line-drawn design on the I game navigation to the industrial graphics of the levels themselves you aren’t going to be disappointed and the pleasure is matched in the audio department too where a pumping soundtrack and great sounding audio effects create an environment which you’ll want to keep coming back to.

Despite the claustrophobic confines of the warehouse each level is packed with action and controlling your two wheeled chariot over and through these obstacles is fun, challenging and at times frustrating.

These frustrations come from some of the level designs which can often leave your motorcycle trapped in a position that it can’t get out of. Sure you can go back to your last check point but the fact that you can even get stuck is, as I mentioned before, frustrating.

That frustration aside the game is a lot of fun, the controls are accurate and have multiple configurations so that you can choose between virtual buttons and touch controls but a combination of them both too, add to that the ability to control the sensitivity of them means that you have no excuse to control your bike with skill and accuracy!

Rocks Rider review_4

And the bike responds well to these controls to and after a few rides you should be able to get the bike to do pretty much as you please. Of course that may sound like the challenge to the game is over at that point, you’d be wrong though as the real challenge comes not only from control the bike but from anticipating the tracks, collecting the relevant objects and finding the hidden objects too.

All of this takes place across 24 progressively difficult levels, bonus levels and additional levels promised at a later stage too, as you progress you will unlock features for your bike and character as well as a 3 wheeled bike that you can use on the bonus levels. Once you think you’ve mastered the various tracks though you’ll find yourself racing side by side with the bosses who are out to prevent you taking their crown.

Leaderboards and 40 achievements are provided via GameCenter integration which provide additional challenge to the game and while it’s a Universal app there is no synchronization of your progress between devices.

Rock(s) Rider, despite its frustrations, is a fun and challenging game, if you like you racing action on two wheels then this could be $2.99 well spent.

[rating: 4/5]

What we like

What to know

]]> https://touchreviews.net/rocks-rider-review/feed/ 0 Spy vs Spy Review – Retro Gaming that proves that if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it https://touchreviews.net/spy-vs-spy-review/ https://touchreviews.net/spy-vs-spy-review/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:27:44 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20877 Read More]]> Spy vs Spy

Back in 1961 Mad Magazine published the first in a hugely popular cartoon strip going by the title Spy vs Spy. 23 years later after they were used in a variety of media and advertisements the Spy vs Spy video game was released to much critical acclaim. And now First Star Software have brought it to iOS for a whole new generation to enjoy the classic title.

The aim in Spy vs Spy is to hunt down the 4 special objects in the form of your passport, money, a key and the secret plans place them all in your suitcase and escape to your plane before you adversary does the same, it’s just that simple, get to the plane before your opponent will win you the level.

There are 24 levels in total, with many of them new to this version of the game, and each of the levels are based in progressively larger embassy’s that eventually become a rabbit warren of rooms and countless doors for you to hunt through.

People who know the Spy vs Spy cartoon strip will feel perfectly at home in the game, it’s perfectly recreated and whether you play it in the 8 bit retro version or the modern retina display the graphics look great. The style doesn’t lend itself to eye-popping graphics but they look great and sell the game expertly.

Spy vs Spy iPhone

While you are hunting through the cabinets, cupboards, hat-stands, tv’s and other pieces of furniture you will often bump into your Spy opponent and when you do you have the option to fight him or to run away. If you beat the other spy you will get the opportunity to grab whatever he was carrying at the time. Choose your battles based on what you have to lose, and gain!

Hunting for the 4 artifacts is not just a game of hide-n-seek though, there are booby traps throughout the various embassy’s and unless you have the correct item to defeat the booby trap you will be killed, only to re-spawn later with any objects that you previously had, lost.

The single player game is fun in itself, it’s when you play the multi-player option though either locally via wi-fi/bluetooth or globally via the Game Center integration is where the real fun begins as defeating a ‘real’ spy is much more satisfying the defeating a cpu one.

Spy vs Spy iPad

The only flaw is the controls, while I like the idea of a floating d-pad to control your Spy, meaning that you can touch the screen anywhere to move your Spy, it’s not as responsive as I would like and sometimes getting the alignment of your character right so that you can search an item of furniture or get through a door can sometimes be a little frustrating.

Spy vs Spy is a universal app and is currently only 99 cents in the App Store, whether you are new to Spy vs Spy of want to revisit a classic game from yesterday year Spy vs Spy will be a dollar well spent.

[rating: 4.5/5]

What we like

What to know

]]> https://touchreviews.net/spy-vs-spy-review/feed/ 0 Walking Dead: The Game Review – As Close to Being in the Show As You Can Get https://touchreviews.net/walking-dead-game-review/ https://touchreviews.net/walking-dead-game-review/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:11:22 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20869 Read More]]> Walking Dead The Game

Back in 1996 I played the original Playstation game, Resident Evil. It was the first game that actually had me on the edge of my seat and literally jump out of it at times too. Ever since then I’ve been hunting for a game to re-create the same atmosphere. Despite valiant attempts however by such games as F.E.A.R. and Condemend, I’ve never found one that quite hits the mark in the same way. That is until now.

Walking Dead: The Game, to give it its full title is a point and click adventure game that follows the storyline of the Walking Dead comic book series. If you are more familiar with the TV series you’ll still know what’s going on even though the TV show used some ‘creative license’ when bringing it so successfully to the big screen.

The cell shaded comic book style graphics do a great service to the comic book series and along with the awesome atmospheric soundtrack and possibly some of the best voice acting in an iOS game, if not any game, that I’ve seen Walking Dead: The Game sucks you in from the moment you start it. (The game recommends that you use headphones to play the game and I couldn’t agree more.)

Walking Dead The Game Review

You take the role of Lee Everett while be transported in the back of a police car you manage to find yourself free after the car hits a walker. From this point on it’s you and a collection of other non-walkers that you get introduced to along the way against the ever growing numbers of undead that walk the earth.

The interactions with the walkers is impressively done to ensure maximum shock value and excitement as they attempt to take your life and that of the people that you band together with.

The game moves along at a good pace and this is helped by the way that the storyline and the action sequences where you control the action are intertwined. The controls are easy to pick up, move Lee around the screen to investigate the environment is a simple case of dragging your finger across the screen while objects that can be interacted with are highlighted.

This may initially appear to make the game seem rather linear, however, thanks to the short time limits that you are given to make your decisions and how these decisions affect the gameplay that’s certainly not the case.

The characters interactions are expertly done and as mentioned before the voice acting is so good you sometimes forget that you are playing a game and not watching a movie. Decisions of how to interact with the other characters and what to say to them are given as a set of choices and making the wrong one, in the allotted time could have catastrophic ramifications.

Walking Dead The Game iPhone iPad

The game is a universal app but unfortunately there is no syncing of your progress so you can’t jump between playing on the two devices which would have been nice. Some people may baulk at the price too as not only is the app a cent shy of $5 that will only get you the first episode, subsequent 4 episodes will set you back an additional $4.99 each, or $14.99 if you buy them all at the same time.

Personally the price doesn’t put me off and therefore I would highly recommend that your shell out the initial $4.99 for episode one, enjoy a thoroughly engrossing and atmospheric game and then decide whether you want to purchase the additional episodes.

Some, but not all, people are reporting issues with performance especially on older devices, I reviewed Walking Dead: The Game on both an iPad 3 and an iPhone 4S with no such issues.

[rating: 4.5/5]

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/walking-dead-game-review/feed/ 1 Mad Skills BMX Review – Pedal Your Way to Fun Filled Racing https://touchreviews.net/mad-skills-bmx-review/ https://touchreviews.net/mad-skills-bmx-review/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 05:41:35 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20860 Read More]]> Mad Skills BMXIf you’ve been watching the Olympics which just recently finished you may be familiar to the excitement that took place on the BMX track. If so then Mad Skills BMX could be just the game you are looking for as it recreates the experience on your iPhone or iPad in a universal app that is available in the App Store right now for just 99 cents.

If you’ve already played turborilla’s other title Mad Skills Motocross then you will be pretty familiar with the game-play here although it’s a slimmed down version, both in the fact that you are using pedal power and in some of the features.

The game includes 40 different tracks and the first 11 will provide you with all you need to know about how to power and control your BMX. Controls are simple touch screen controls which you control using just two fingers via the left and right side of the screen.

Mad Skills BMX 3

With these controls you get to manage the pedalling and the positioning on the bike which will enable you to wheelie, flip and ride the bumps at the fastest pace you can, and speed is of the essence as each race is against another competitor and it’s winner takes all.

The tracks are set across a variety of environments including the concrete of inner city, the desert and the forest and while the graphics are good it’s the physics of the game-play which really makes this game what it is.

I can’t begin to imagine what it takes to translate the physics of riding a bike in real life to the small screen and it’s obviously not easy as many have tried and failed, however, whatever it is Turborilla have found it as it feels great to ride and even crash in Mad Skills BMX.

Mad Skills BMX a

The art to winning the game is to keep your momentum up, hit the jump to early, or too late will result in giving your opponent all they need to take advantage and disappear off of the side scrolling screen. If you take a considerable lead over your opponent or find yourself behind you can see how far you are in-front or behind them via the gauge in the top left corner. You’ll have to respond quickly though if you are going to catch up.

Completing tracks will ultimately unlock the subsequent Intermediate, Expert and Pro levels through the single player mode of the game, you can upload your scores to compare them against your Facebook friends and post your scores to Twitter also. The Facebook leaderboards do add a degree of competitiveness but the promised GameCenter integration with the next update should improve that even further.

If you are looking for the tournament features that are available in this games big brother title Mad Skills Motocross then you are going to be disappointed as they haven’t found there way into this title yet but that doesn’t take away from the fun that can be had playing with yourself!

Mad Skills BMX 2d

More tracks are promised via future updates and if you don’t want to have to win your way through the existing tracks to unlock them you can unlock them via inapp purchase. You can also purchase custom bikes and riders should it take your fancy.

Mad Skills BMX {App Store, $.99} is an enjoyable game and while the addition of ghost riders to compete against would make the game even more addictive it’s still pretty addictive without it.

[rating: 4/5]

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/mad-skills-bmx-review/feed/ 0 CSR Racing for iPhone and iPad – Quick Look https://touchreviews.net/csr-racing-iphone-ipad/ https://touchreviews.net/csr-racing-iphone-ipad/#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:32:33 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20434 Read More]]> CSR Racing

A new racing game has hit the App Store this week from NaturalMotion who already have the popular Backbreaker range of games under their belts.

CSR Racing for iPhone and iPad has two distinct differences from many other racing games in the App Store. Firstly, the racing in question is city street drag racing where you pot your wits against other cars of a short distance to see who can accelerate the fastest.

The second distinctive feature of CSR Racing is the fact that it is one of the first racing games to use the freemium model. This means that while it’s a free app to download there are multiple opportunities to spend your real money via in-app purchase, more of that later.

The game is possibly one of the most beautiful racing games available for iOS and that’s certainly the case in regard to the multiple vehicles in the game which pop of the screen in glorious technicolor. All the cars are customizable to allowing you to put own creative spin on your drive.

The racing is pretty simple and is more a test of timing and reactions, as there is no steering involved your focus is on changing gear at the optimum moment and using your turbo.

This may seem all rather basic but it’s actually good fun as you attempt to out sprint your generally bigger and better opponents.

Progress in CSR Racing see’s you challenge a variety of city crews as you compete against them via increasingly difficult races. To get your vehicle into a position where it can challenge the various crews you can race in other events to earn cash and gold.

It’s this use of cash and gold that can become increasingly frustrating as the balance between progress and in-app purchase is heavily balanced in the favor of the later.

Yes, you can progress through the game without spending a penny but in it’s current form it will take you a long time to earn enough money to challenge the top players not only because of the cost to upgrade and buy vehicles but also because gas is in limited supply and it can only be earned by either inviting friends to play or waiting for time to re-fill your tank.

The freemium model is clearly one that works but in CSR Racing the balance is clearly set incorrectly which causes frustration and annoyance.

From a gaming perspective CSR Racing is a success, from a monetary perspective it’s a complete failure. I would recommend taking a look but be warned that you will either need to be patient or be willing to dip your hand into your wallet on a regular basis.

]]> https://touchreviews.net/csr-racing-iphone-ipad/feed/ 4 Darkside for iPhone and iPad – Quick Look https://touchreviews.net/darkside-iphone-ipad/ https://touchreviews.net/darkside-iphone-ipad/#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:11:36 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20410 Read More]]>

Darkside is the second iOS title from developer Clockwook Pixels and if you have a soft spot for the retro game Asteroids then Darkside may be worth a look.

For those of you under 30 Asteroids is a 2 dimensional space shooter where you control a 4 line spaceship surrounded by spinning asteroids with your only option to spin and shoot your way through them.

While Asteroids still stands the test of time Darkside brings it into the 21st century with gorgeous retina display graphics, firework like explosions and a thumping aural experience.

Each level is based on a planet which you spin around and using the left virtual analog stick while shooting a full 360 degrees using the right virtual analog stick. The controls are simple and effective and allow you to navigate the busy planet at speed which is something you’ll need if you plan to progress through the levels.

You single weapon soon finds itself as little help against the huge asteroids that are bombarding you but luckily a variety of power-ups will provide you with just what you need to blast through the levels.

The game comes in three flavors, Arcade, Mission and Survival modes which add slightly different challenges to the main concept. Arcade is included in as part of the free universal app while a single in-app purchase will unlock the additional two modes.

If you are looking for a shooter that fires up the senses or want to relive the memories of yesterday year then you can’t go far wrong with Darkside that has a built-in trial period thanks to the 99 cent in-app purchase.

]]> https://touchreviews.net/darkside-iphone-ipad/feed/ 0 Soctics League: Online Multiplayer Pocket Soccer Game Review https://touchreviews.net/soctics-league-online-multiplayer-pocket-soccer-review/ https://touchreviews.net/soctics-league-online-multiplayer-pocket-soccer-review/#comments Tue, 26 Jun 2012 19:20:21 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20390 Read More]]> As a child I spent many hours playing a game called Subbuteo, a soccer game where you flicked little plastic soccer players around a fabric pitch to score goals, other people played foosball where the aim of the game was the same although this time your man spun on wooden rods.

Soctics League is a hybrid of these two games and while the aim remains the same, to score more goals than your opponent, you control your players by pointing them in the direction you wish them to go in before launching them all at once to push the ball into your opponents net.

To begin with the process felt a little alien, you can play the game with either 3 or 4 ‘players’ and they are placed on either side of the pitch. Before the game starts you have the opportunity to place your ‘players’ anywhere on your half of the pitch, after that however control moves to directing power and direction by placing arrows out of each of them.

While you’ll be predicting the direction of the ball most of the times you do also get a limited number of binoculars that will give you a visible line of where the ball is going to go, this doesn’t take into account you opponents moves though so it’s path is not guarenteed.

While your doing this your opponent, either iPhone AI, a friend or an online player are doing the same and once you’ve all set your moves all the players will move at the same time and the ball will hopefully move towards you opponents goal.

While there is a basic training mode you can really perfect your skills playing against the iPhone AI player before taking the online challenge which is where the real fun begins as you pit your wits against a real player. The online game moves along quickly as you are limited to how long you ponder your next move, and ponder you must as you have to consider both attacking your opponents goal and defending your own.

You can play friendly games online but also play league games. The league games will enter you into the Soctics League which is won by the player with the most points each week.

Each game is a best of three so you may fine things over pretty quickly, however it can turn into a mind bending game of chess if you find a defensive opponent. This is where it gets fun though and the game shows its strength as a real brain teasing challenge.

Soctics League is not going to win any awards for its sound and graphics, it’s pretty basic where both those items are concerned but that’s also not a problem as the game is more about the mental challenge than its great looks.

It’s also a little rough around the edges still, the app crashes at times for no apparent reason and sometimes menu’s don’t work either but Soctics League does have the underlying gameplay that could keep this on your iPhone for some time to come. The developers seem to be active too so who knows what updates they have up their sleeves.

Soctics League is available in the App Store now for $1.99 and if you are looking for something a little different this could be the game for you.

[rating: 3/5]

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/soctics-league-online-multiplayer-pocket-soccer-review/feed/ 0 N.O.V.A. 3 Review – FPS That Sets the Standard in Mobile Multiplayer Online Gaming https://touchreviews.net/nova-3-review-fps-sets-standard-mobile-multiplayer-online-gaming/ https://touchreviews.net/nova-3-review-fps-sets-standard-mobile-multiplayer-online-gaming/#comments Sun, 27 May 2012 14:56:42 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20188 Read More]]> Gameloft have been churning out mobile games for a while now and for the most part they’ve been pushing the mobile gaming envelope especially when it comes to the graphics and N.O.V.A. 3 is no different. Does the gameplay match the beautiful and rich environments though?

N.O.V.A. 3 as the name suggests is the third in the the first person shooter series which follows the explosive exploits of Kal Wardin as he fights for no lesser prize than humankind itself. If you haven’t played either of the previous N.O.V.A. that’s not a problem, (although you may go back to them after playing this), as the game stands on its own and the short intro will soon get you up to speed.

As previously mentioned the whole look of N.O.V.A. 3 is completely immersive as the rich, massive, interactive environments are a pleasure to behold. Starting in and around the derelict buildings of San Francisco, through alien spacecraft and an explosive fire and ice wasteland the worlds look incredible.

As we’ve all come to learn though, games require more than just graphics to be a success and N.O.V.A. 3 is more than just eye-candy, in fact it’s one of the closest experiences to having a console in your pocket that I’ve ever played on a mobile device.

The audio helps this with the overall experience too, from powerful gun-shots and explosions to great voice acting and background music the aural experiences is excellent, especially if you listen with headphones.

The action comes fast and furious, right from the start and you will need fast fingers to keep yourself alive. These fast fingers have to be balanced with the amount of ammunition you have as supplies are limited especially if you don’t want to if you don’t want to increase the cost of the game by stumping up more of your hard earned money to upgrade your weapons and abilities.

The downside of the scarce ammunition though is exacerbated by some less than perfect controls. There’s nothing substantially different in N.O.V.A. 3 from other first person shooters but they feel unpolished and the limited customization ensures that we will have to spend quite a while with them before you feel at ease.

Spending time with N.O.V.A. 3 though is something you will want to do though as the rewards are worth it. A compelling, if short, campaign mode is great to play but the addition of not only a local wi-fi multiplayer but also an online version, via Gameloft LIVE, is going to have you hooked for months.

Six different multiplayer game modes as well as weekly tournaments keeps things interesting and as long as you put in the time to learn your skills so that you aren’t re-spawning every 30 seconds the online modes ultimately make N.O.V.A. 3 {$6.99} a very rewarding experience.

All this comes at a price, not the $7 that it’ll cost you in the App Store, that’s a bargain, but the 1.5 GB of storage space that it will take up on your iOS device. You may need to manage some space before installing this monster!

There are games that push the limit of mobile gaming and make other companies step up, N.O.V.A. 3 is one of those games and you don’t want to miss the bandwagon.

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[rating: 4.5/5] ]]> https://touchreviews.net/nova-3-review-fps-sets-standard-mobile-multiplayer-online-gaming/feed/ 1 Burnout Crash Review – A Smashing Way To Wait For the Full Version of Burnout! https://touchreviews.net/burnout-crash-review/ https://touchreviews.net/burnout-crash-review/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 16:48:00 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=20001 Read More]]>

Burnout Crash Review

One of the most eagerly anticipated games has finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad. But while the wait is finally over it may not be what some players of the massively successful franchise want.

Burnouts first journey onto iOS is in the from of the mini game, Burnout Crash, that has already made it onto the PlayStation and XBox Arcade. So instead of a full-on 3D crash-fest of mangled metal, you have the pleasure of playing God, (or should that be the Devil), in a crashtastic onslaught of exploding cars, trucks and every other type of vehicle you can think of.

The 2D top-down view looks great, across a massive 18 different junctions the detail pops of the screen and the whole environment is interactive so not only can you destroy the vehicles but also blow up the surrounding buildings, parked cars and pretty much anything that burns.

Each of the 18 junctions have three different game modes so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to hone your skills and have plenty to keep coming back for as each of the have 5 stars to be collected based on high scores and other side-goals such as performing special moves or destroying certain items.

The 3 modes are Rush Hour, Pile Up and Road Block and while they all take place on the same junctions they require slightly different techniques to succeed. Rush Hour puts you up against the clock to destroy as much as you can while Pile Up tasks you to crash as many vehicles as possible and then keep them blazing. Road Block meanwhile is as simple as blocking any vehicles from driving off the screen, lose 5 and it’s game over.

All of the modes provide special vehicles too that offer a variety of challenges. Stop a Pizza delivery truck and you get to spin the lotto wheel a win a bonus item while stopping the bank truck will rain down bags of money on you.

Like all great games Burnout Crash is easy to learn but difficult to master. Controls aid this as all that’s required is a swipe to move your car or truck while a tap of your vehicle will cause it to explode once the burnout bar is maximized of course.

There are 7 cars and trucks to unlock and each one offer a slightly different balance of power and control, switching between these vehicles can offer different opportunities to grab all 5 stars on each level and you will often find yourself heading back to earlier levels with better cars to grab all the available stars.

While causing all of this mayhem you are blasted with a cacophony sound and a great set of songs from the 80’s. I certainly recommend playing this game with headphones in to get the best sound experience and so that you don’t annoy anyone sitting around you!

Unfortunately the multi-player option that they provide in the form of Autolog, is a little disappointing. It certainly works and you can send challenges to your friends but no ability to play against other players in real time is a real disappointment. And while GameCenter integration is included there are no leaderboards, just 20 achievements to be unlocked.

That being said, I do keep coming back to Burnout Crash to unlock more levels and to go back and gain more stars, it could just be so much better if the social aspects of the game worked better.

Burnout Crash is a universal game and is available in the App Store, despite its shortcomings it’s still a recommended purchase.

[rating: 4.5/5]

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/burnout-crash-review/feed/ 0 Rolling Dice is No Gamble with Dice with Buddies for iPhone and iPad https://touchreviews.net/dice-with-buddies-review/ https://touchreviews.net/dice-with-buddies-review/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 14:14:29 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19995 Read More]]> Dice With Buddies Review

If as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the people over at Zynga must be very flattered indeed and must be doing something right. The latest company to be inspired by the success of Zynga’s ‘…with Friends’ series is Stofle Designs with their version of Yahtzee called ‘Dice with Buddies’.

Despite the obvious influences Stofle haven’t rested on their laurels, instead they have produced a highly polished and playable game with both turn based online and local game-play for two-people.

If you have ever played Yahtzee before then you will feel perfectly at home in Dice with Buddies. The game consists of rolling 5 dice to complete different sets. From 3, 4 and 5 of a kind and groups of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6’s to straights, full house and the always useful chance option if you’ve not played Yahtzee before a basic understanding of the hands in Poker will also see you through.

The game is nicely laid out, you can see all your available combinations listed down the page and your opponents alongside them too. This allows you to easily see what combinations you have remaining and how you are doing compared to your opponents. While the layout is usable yet compact on the iPhone on the iPad with its larger real estate is even better with no scrolling required.

The updates come thick and fast with push notifications working well to inform you when it’s your turn to play and you can have multiple games running at the same time. In game notifications are all well managed meaning that you don’t have to navigate away from the game screen to play multiple games.

The game integrates with Facebook allowing you to easily play with your Facebook friends and brag about your success to your wall. There is no Twitter or GameCenter integration though which is a shame as achievements, if not leaderboards, would be a nice addition. There are in-game stats though so you can see how well you are doing including such as your highest score, average score, wins and wins percentage.

Of course no game would be where it is without in app purchases and Dice with Buddies is no different. You can buy bonus rolls from 99c to $100 (seriously!) and these will enable you to have extra rolls of your dice to get the combinations you need, however, these are certainly not required and not buying them certainly doesn’t make the game any poorer.

Dice with Buddies is a universal game which is a great feature if you have both devices, and the game comes in both paid and free versions. If you’re a fan of these types of social games and prefer numbers to letters then Dice with Buddies is a must.

[rating: 4.5/5]
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]]> https://touchreviews.net/dice-with-buddies-review/feed/ 1 Shark Dash Review – A Fun Physics Game with Plenty of Bite https://touchreviews.net/shark-dash-review/ https://touchreviews.net/shark-dash-review/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 13:57:43 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19989 Read More]]>

Shark Dash Review

In the world of gaming anything goes, so a back story of a group of sharks hanging out happily in a bathtub before being joined by a noisy group of rubber ducks and helping them take revenge on them is perfectly normal, right?

Luckily, reality is not a requirement in most games these days, in fact quite often the more bizarre the story the better, and that’s certainly the case for Shark Dash.

The game uses the now traditional 3 star rule to progress through the almost 100 levels over 4 different environments, (i.e. bathtubs), and these are achieved by eating all the ducks, collecting all the coins and doing this within the given number of shots.

Each level is played within the confines of a bathtub and is viewed as a sideways cut through including, bubbles, plughole, and all of the usually bathtime accoutrements that you would expect to see around the side of a bath. The graphics are solid and are certainly in keeping with the cute and fun style of the game as is the music which in is light and jaunty.

Controls are easy to learn but the levels can be difficult to master especially if you aim to get 3 stars in every single level. Collect the coins and stars is a simple task of pulling back on the shark’s tail and launching him in the direction that you desire. Your shark will pick up coins and the rubber ducks as he passes over through them, ducks will also float along the top of the water so as long as you knock them into the water and there is nothing blocking their path then they will willingly swim into your jaws.

As you progress through the 100 levels additional obstacles will be put between you and the ducks, these include salt sticks, soap, pipes, chains and a host of other things which all affect the physics of the game. The physics are additionally affected by the water in the bath so you will have to take that into consideration if your plan of attack takes you underwater, rather than over it.

Some of the objects that you’ll need to overcome will require sharks with different skills and as you progress you’ll get to unlock Sawy, Hammy and Scuby who all have skills associated to their names.

As with the majority of these games, if you don’t want to put the work into unlocking all of the levels by competing all the stars and earning coins then you can purchase coins to spend on unlocking levels, sharks and undo’s that will allow you to rewind a shot it didn’t quite go according to plan.

As if completing the 100 levels wasn’t enough there are 24 achievements to unlock and another 24 missions to keep you entertained. Unfortunately these don’t synchronise with GameCenter so there’s no way to compare your scores and achievements with your friends.

Shark Dash is a universal app and is available from the App Store now for just 99 cents. Grab it now for hours of fun, with a bite!

[rating: 4.5/5]
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]]> https://touchreviews.net/shark-dash-review/feed/ 0 Madcoaster Review – A Fast Paced Roller Coaster Ride https://touchreviews.net/madcoaster-review/ https://touchreviews.net/madcoaster-review/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 13:44:44 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19847 Read More]]>

Madcoaster Review

If you are one of the millions of players who downloaded and lost hours of their lives playing Jetpack Joyride then I may have a new game to break that addiction.

Madcoaster from App Store dominators Chillingo is a new universal game where you control a roller coaster train on a never ending journey through multiple lands in order to collect as many coins and travel as far as you can with all your lives intact.

The game has a great cartoon look to it and the multiple lands look great as you speed through them. The game starts with just a few ‘themes’ enabled which you travel through for 1,000 meters at a time. Should you complete 1,000 meters you will continue on through another ‘theme’ until you run out of lives.

The themes are based on different events and locations, so one moment you may find yourself zooming past panda’s in a Japanese themed environment and the next past pumpkins in a Halloween inspired theme. Additional themes can also be unlocked via in app purchase or by reaching 10,000 meters in the game. The in-app purchases are nicely positioned meaning that you don’t have to keep on buying them.

Your roller coaster carts have no speed control but things get pretty crazy straight out of the traps and you’ll need fast fingers as you leap gaps, loop the loop, and move up and down tracks.

As you fly along the rails you can pick up coins and smash though a variety of animals, the only thing that can kill you is falling off the track though, in fact smashing through the animals that are standing on the tracks or hitting birds that are flying past the tracks earn you rewards rather than hinder you.

All these things contribute to the variety of objectives that are set for you on each run and clearing these objectives will provide upgraded carts for you to ride. Not that these carts have any additional features, instead they just look different to prior carts, it would be nice to have power ups to make your cart faster or jump higher.

The game has that addictive quality that makes you want to try one more time to beat your current high-score or complete one more of the 30 achievements that are available via Chillingo’s social gaming network Crystal, or the GameCenter integration.

Madcoaster is a Universal app and is available from the App Store for just 99c so grab it while you can.

[rating: 4/5]
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]]> https://touchreviews.net/madcoaster-review/feed/ 0 The Simpsons – Tapped Out for iPhone and iPad – Quick Look https://touchreviews.net/simpsons-tapped-out/ https://touchreviews.net/simpsons-tapped-out/#comments Sat, 03 Mar 2012 21:59:21 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19664 Read More]]>

The Simpsons – Tapped Out

Homer Simpson has never been one to turn his back on a freebie and now he’s giving back with ‘The Simpsons – Tapped Out’, EA’s entry into the freemium market place.

In typical Homer action he is distracted during his shift while playing on his MyPad with disastrous consequences in that he destroys Springfield, leaving you and Homer to bring it back to it’s former glories.

For those of you familiar with the show you won’t be disappointed as all your favorite characters and locations are there and it’s been written with the same irreverent humor as the TV show itself. In fact it also pokes fun at itself and the freemium model of gameplay which is nice to see.

For those who have played these types of games before there isn’t too much new here but it’s clearly grabbing a lot of peoples attention as over the first few days of its launch it’s be hit by various connectivity issues which has prevented the game from being played at times.

I’m sure these issues will be addressed however and everyone will be back helping Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie to rebuild Springfield. This is done via the usually variety of tasks which can all be completed without handing over a dime. However, should you want to speed things up a little you can purchase additional donuts via in-app purchases.

Now I have nothing against the freemium model, I’ve been addicted to Tiny Tower in my time and as long as the balance is set correctly it can work well. However, while the in-app purchases start at $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99 the top price is $99.99 for 2400 donuts and while I’ll all not impinging on other players freedom, surely nobody should be allowed to spend $100 on an in-app purcahse!

If you are a fan of the Simpons and this type of game in general then you should certainly give Simpsons – Tapped Out a look as it has everything a game like this should have. However, just don’t buy 2400 donuts however much you think Homer would like them!

The Simpsons – Tapped Out is available in the App Store now for free.

]]> https://touchreviews.net/simpsons-tapped-out/feed/ 12 My Little Garden Review https://touchreviews.net/my-little-garden-review/ https://touchreviews.net/my-little-garden-review/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:32:53 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19068 Read More]]>

Create your own magical garden with My Little Garden for iPhone.

Brought to you by Qubic Games My Little Garden is a fun garden simulator for your iPhone. Plant and grow flowers in your magical garden completing tasks and achievements along the way.

You are in control of the little garden fairy. Help her plant flowers and vegetables that she can sell or use in tasks to earn coins. To start with you are given a small piece of the garden. In this area start planting flowers to sell.

When you have a flower starting to grow then you have to start looking after it. You do this by giving it water, light and fertilizer. When you tap on the plant you are growing it will display icons for you to choose what action you want to do. Tap on the one you need and the little fairy will help.

You then look after the plant keeping it happy until it is fully grown. When it is ready you then have the option to sell the plant or if you have accepted a task, use it for that. You do not have to do tasks but they will earn you coins which you can use to expnad your garden and buy more items. So for example one of the tasks I had was from a visiting hamster who needed some carrots to be delivered. So once you have accepted this task you then need to start growing that product and be ready to give him his order. Once you do you will be rewarded for it and also unlock more plants.

The coins you earn can be used to buy from the range of 18 different plants. You can also choose to decorate your garden with stones and ornaments like gnomes and a magic bench. There are many to select and all costing different amounts. There are also pets that you can purchase. These are all very friendly and helpful in their own unique way. The cat helps increase the water, light and fertilizer a plant has and then there are other pets like frogs who will sprinkle the plants with water for you. You can also use magic on your plants which speeds up the growing process. Magic rain, Magic sun and Murky mist.

All the meus for each section are kept on a side bar to the right and it is very easy to use and follow. If you do need some help or forget a task then there is a diary. There you will find a help section and a reminder of the current task you are doing. You can also use this menu section to purchase more coins, gold or hearts via in-app purchases.

The game is suitable for all ages. The animals and plants are animated and make great cheery, happy noises. It would definitely appeal to a young person. You can design the garden as big or as small as you like. So how challenging you make it is up to you. It is a great game to play that is a refreshing change from the usual farmville type of games currently available. There is no need to be popping in and out of the game constantly to see if your plant is growing. You can play it at your own pace.

The only thing that I could see players requesting is the ability to visit friends and their gardens. This could be done by adding Game Center integration and then tasks and achievements could be added in there to compete with your friends.

Touch Reviews [rating: 4/5]
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]]> https://touchreviews.net/my-little-garden-review/feed/ 0 Hangman Hollywood for iPhone Review https://touchreviews.net/hangman-hollywood-iphone-review/ https://touchreviews.net/hangman-hollywood-iphone-review/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:37:07 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=19038 Read More]]> Hangman Hollywood Review for iPhone

Brought to you by Manipal Digital Systems Hangman Hollywood is just like the classic game of Hangman. With this particular game you choose from a selection of genres from different Hollywood films.

When you first start the game if you want to choose a certain genre you will have to go to options first otherwise the game will randomly play all. Within the options you can choose from the nine available which one you want to play. Just tap to highlight them.

Once you have done that it will then take you to the game to start playing. Soon as the game is displayed you have 60 seconds to guess the word. Your time starts to decrease straight away. For anyone who has never played hangman before, how to play is easy. You must guess the word and in this case, something related to a hollywood film. You do this by guessing one letter at a time. If it is right it will place the letter in the word, if it is wrong you lose one of your nine lives. If you lose all your lives you will meet an early death. The same goes if you run out of time. So guess quickly and you will live.

The little hanging man makes happy little noises if you get it right. If you get it wrong he doesn’t sound happy at all. Which is to be expected when he’s got a noose tighting around his neck.

The game is free and is great for a quick pick up and play when you need to kill five minutes. It does have advertisements at the bottom which you do get used to. It would be nice though if there was an option to pay to go ad free.

At the moment the game does not have any Game Center integretion so there is therefore no challenge with other players. The game doesn’t even have a score board to keep record of the best scored time. At the moment you just play and have to remember how quick you did it. So while it is great to play on your own there is nothing there to keep the player interested and coming back for more. With this kind of feature added it could become a fun and challenging game.

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/hangman-hollywood-iphone-review/feed/ 0 Mini Motor Racing Review: A Pocket Full of Mini Racing Perfection https://touchreviews.net/mini-motor-racing-review-pocket-full-mini-racing-perfection/ https://touchreviews.net/mini-motor-racing-review-pocket-full-mini-racing-perfection/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:34:35 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=18899 Read More]]> Mini Motor Racing Review-1

[rating: 4.5/5]

Mini Motor Racing Review: I’ve always been a fan of racing games, especially on iPhone and iPad, the realism of Real Racing 2, the frantic action of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing and the top down rocket-fest that is Death Rally, I’ve liked them all but also always looking forward to seeing the latest thing. In this case it’s Mini Motor Racing from The Binary Mill.

Mini Motor Racing (MMR) is another top down racer where it’s all about speed, speed and more speed and small but detailed tracks in a variety of surfaces and weather conditions.

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Obviously I wanted to dive straight in and after a visually impressive intro sequence I jumped into a quick race. There are a couple of control mechanisms and the first I was introduced to was a virtual steering wheel that I didn’t get on with and sadly came last in my first race. After that though I changed to the second control option and the wins started coming.

Moving into the Career Mode I choose my first car, gave it a paint job and headed out onto the track again. This time each race rewards you with a cash prize and extra money can be picked up along the way along with additional nitro’s that can help give you the edge over your 5 virtual opponents.

The tracks look great, they are full of detail and the light reflects off of the track and cars beautifully, not that you will have to much time to look at it as your speed around the track fighting for first place. The range of weather and day/night affects add extra quality to the overall look of the game too.

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Each cup consists of 4 tracks, with the game containing 20 different tracks in total, and completing the cup will move you onto the next one. While I was able to progress though many of the cups without having to spend my hard earned winnings on upgrades I soon found that I was unable to keep up and had to splash the cash on both better cars and upgrades.

Each car handles differently and so a couple of races may be required to pick up the feel of the new car. Add the car upgrades and the paint jumps and you get a car the looks and handles just as you like.

As you progress through your career you’ll unlock tracks and cars inspired by Fruit Ninja and the holiday season, the Fruit Ninja tracks especially are awesome and it’s great to see game cross-overs.

While the huge career mode will keep you going for quite a while as will the local wifi and bluetooth multi-player modes which will enable you to race your dream machines against your friends for Mini Motor Racing bragging rights.

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Those bragging rights can also be fought over via the Game Center integration which provides leaderboards for all 22 tracks and 16 achievements, all of which means you should find yourself playing Mini Motor Racing for quite a while.

One news new feature for those of you playing MMR on iOS 5 is the ability to synchronise your data to the iCloud so that you can play between multiple devices and not lose any progress. Unfortunately however as this is not a universal application you won’t be able to sync your data between your iPhone and iPad and with no obvious differences between the two versions that is a little frustrating.

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At $1.99 Mini Motor Racing will provide a fun, challenging and entertaining addition to your iPhone collection of games and comes highly recommended.

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]]> https://touchreviews.net/mini-motor-racing-review-pocket-full-mini-racing-perfection/feed/ 3 Evertales Review for iPhone: A Sweet Fantasy Game https://touchreviews.net/evertales-review-iphone-fantasy-game/ https://touchreviews.net/evertales-review-iphone-fantasy-game/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:28:01 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=18742 Read More]]> Evertales Review-1

[rating: 4.5/5]

Evertales Review: A great fantasy based game that seems to have found a sweet spot suited to the small screen.

Evertales {$1.99} is the story of heros battling enemies. Whether warrior, archer, or wizard you have a choice of characters, and their weapons, available to thwart attacks. What makes Evertales distinct is that you can switch your hero at any time. You will need to understand the strengths of each character and call upon their special talents at appropriate times to clear the obstacles in your path.

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It’s part of the opening narration, but your overall mission really isn’t that clear. But if you’re familiar with fantasy games you’ll be comfortable setting out to do quests and battle bosses. The game starts out with a few short instructions on how to control your character and moves quickly from the tutorial mode. Your controls consist of your attack, a jump, and switching characters. Simple enough, but the challenge is to deploy them at the right time.

A notable feature of the game is that it allows you to choose between action buttons and swipe controls as a control method. You may find you prefer one or the other depending on what you are used to. It is nice to have the choice as controls can make or break a game experience. Some iOS-based games try to have identical copies of the game interface from other platforms, which sometimes doesn’t work so well. Evertales has stripped out all the unnecessary interface components but left the right amount to make it feel clean and simple.

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One of the best parts of the game is the sound effects. The soundbed is mostly natural sounds, but the utterances of the characters and the tone of the narrator is distinctly humorous. The environments you find yourself in are beautiful and intriguing. The visuals are detailed and compelling, but not overwhelming.

Evertales is a fantasy game. As a fantasy game it is implied that it should let you escape into its world. Evertales manages to do this with its touch of humor and simple controls that allow you to focus on the characters and their opponents. It’s going to be a place to lose yourself time and time again.

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