Tiny Invaders Review

Your spacecraft crash lands on Earth and you quickly go about selecting a victim. You work your way into the maze of their circulatory system and navigate to make sure the whole system gets infected. A couple of germs are sent out from the host invader to spread the infection. They must scoop up the white blood cells and return them to the host alien. When all the white blood cells are consumed, the infection is complete.

The mazes look simple enough, until you learn that you can only carry so many white blood cells at a time and you have to return to the home-base alien to drop them off. You’ll need to plan ahead to throw the switches in the tracks to allow you to return to base and then back out again to get the rest of the cargo. Only when all the white blood cells are consumed and brought back to the alien is the infection of that level complete. There are 60 levels and it would take quite a bit for the game to get repetitive. Changing just one switch changes the whole strategy for a level.

Each of the mazes is timed. Before you begin you are shown the time you will have to beat to earn one, two, or three stars on the level. There is a clock in the corner of the screen you can keep an eye on if you’re gunning for a specific time. You can push your germs along the track to make them go faster. And you can work to improve your times, as these are what mark your standing on the Game Center leader boards.

The cartoon characters and sickening colors give this game a comical appeal. And while there is 50s-style-scifi spacey music, the game is mostly silent when you get to the mazes. I’m not sure sound effects would be a good thing there anyway given the setting of the game (intestines, brains, and the like).

Tiny Invaders {$0.99} is a quirky take on a track-style game. It’s amusing story and exciting game play keeps you spreading the fun level by level. A great game for casual gamers and youngsters, and also for folks who want to test their strategy skills and push for better and better times.

Pros:

• Creepily fun and easily understood story and mission
• Based on the simple concept of throwing switches on tracks
• Tests your timing skills to throw switches and avoid defenses

Cons:

• A little bit of background music for the mazes wouldn’t hurt

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EDGE Extended Review

EDGE Extended {$.99} doesn’t fit into any category that I know of; I’ve not seen the likes of it before. I suppose it’s a bit like Monkey Ball in a cube format. Though the instructions say to use your finger to move your cube, it’s the accelerometer that controls its movement.

Tilt your device and your cube begins to roll. You need to navigate the 3D maze without falling off into the abyss. Your cube can climb, but only one square at a time. Your mission is to pick up prisms along the way as you work towards the colored square that marks the end point. Simple enough, right?

Nothing simple about this game, however. The path can be narrow. Blocks can move in and out, pushing you over the edge. Moving platforms can scrape you off if you’re not quick about it. It’s a test of your quick-response balanced with a steady hand lest your cube roll a bit too much.

The simple concept of the game is reflected in the stark, simple visuals. It could be described as Amish with its bright colors on a black background, but that would belie its futuristic feel. The robotic voice and techno music are closer to its heart.

EDGE Extended is one game that takes advantage of all that iOS devices have to offer – beautiful visuals, great music, accelerometer control, Game Center integration, and simplicity. To fully appreciate this game you have to see it in motion for yourself.

Pros:

• Futuristic look and feel
• Instant, intuitive understanding of game control and mission
• Good balance of difficulty and command of accelerometer

Cons:

• None!

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