In Crust for iPhone and iPad you take charge of a spaceship which has to negotiate the tight and dangerous confines of the caverns to clear them and move through the 9 levels. Only 9 levels is a little disappointing especially for newer gamers that may not fully appreciate the retro styling and game-play. However the 2 multi-player modes certainly extends the reach of the game and adds additional value, more on that later.

The single player mode certainly gets you prepared for the challenges that you will find as it includes a basic tutorial of how to control the ship, fire your selectable weapons and complete the required tasks.

The controls take a little getting used to, a virtual joystick on the left of the screen controls both the direction and speed of your craft while multiple buttons done the left side of the screen enable you to access your weapons. This can be a little tricky, esp. on the iPad in the heat of battle as you will have to move your fingers up and down the full height of the screen which can result in failing to engage the enemy for a vital split second that can render you dead!

You have a choice of ships on each level, each with their own positive and negative aspects including the number of weapons, speed of cooldown and shields and this choice can have a significant effect on the outcome of each level so choose wisely.

While the single player mode provides only limited enjoyment it does prepare you for the multi-player options that can take place online against up to 7 additional players or on a single device in split screen mode where you can enjoy twice the fun on a single device as you play cooperatively through the campaign mode.

The online cross platform multi-player mode certainly promises to offer added value to the game with multiple game types, unfortunately though each time I’ve played the multi-player version of the game there has never been more than 1 other person available in a game which has limited the promise of a massive online multi-player gun-fight.

Crust will certainly appeal to some players who are looking for some retro cave shooting fun but at $2.99 for a universal app with a limited single player mode and only a few players in the online version of the game there are better alternatives out there for everyone.

What we like

• Co-operative, single device mode
• Retro styling

What to know

• Limited online multi-player
• Short campaign mode
• Graphics with limited appeal

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.

FishStar Review: Located in a colourful marine world shoot the passing fish to score points and unlock new challenges.

To play the game you shoot at the fish to score points. You do this by tapping the screen where you want your shooter to hit. When you see a fish if you tap on or near the fish it will shoot in that spot. You need to remember though that if the fish is a fast swimmer it may have moved by the time you hit it. So you need to plan slightly where you think it might be heading and aim the shooter accordingly.

You can then use your fishing score points to play Wheel Of Fortune. When playing you might win more coins or get a challenge to win coins. These challenges can be mermaids or bubbles. For the mermaid challenge there are different mermaids with different awards and obstacles. Lucy who you can just shoot at, Medea who is protected by a shell wall which you need to break and Lucia who needs protection from an evil shark. Achieve all these and you earn more coins to play with.

If you get the bubble challenge it is a mixture of bubbles and coins to shoot at. Using the thornback fish if you shoot and pop the bubbles there are bonus coins inside to win. All of these adding up to your normal scoring points and giving you more coins to play with.

You get 100 coins to play, each coin lets you shoot once. When you have used all your coins up you then have to either make sure you hit and score more coins, wait until the next free coins are available or you can buy additional coins in packs of 300, 1000 or 2000 all at different price range. The coins don’t actually last that long though so you do need to make sure you earn the extra coins if you don’t want to stop playing or pay for any more.

The marine world and fish are all very colourful and eye catching. Although the game is suitable for any age it is sure to please a child and is easy enough for them to play on their own.

Pros

• Fun game for all ages.
• Colourful eyecatching graphics.

Cons

• Coins are used quickly and not ideal having to wait for the next available ones.