Crust is a 2D cave shooter which for me at least is reminiscent of similar games that I used to play some 25 to 30 years ago. This is not necessarily a bad thing however, in fact there and many retro games that are as, if not more, popular as they were when they were originally launched.
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.
[rating: 2/5]What we like
What to know
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.
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On Wednesday, iPhoneinCanada noted that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has submitted major revisions and renderings of their new spaceship like campus in Cupertino. The new campus is approximately 2.8 million square feet for up to 13,000 employees and will be the forefront of AAPL’s innovation in building large corporate campus.
The circular, spaceship style design is expected to be quite unique, especially as headquarters for a company such as Apple. Last June, Steve Jobs presented the original plans himself, describing it as:
It’s a pretty amazing building. It’s a little like a spaceship landed. It’s got this gorgeous courtyard in the middle… It’s a circle. It’s curved all the way around. If you build things, this is not the cheapest way to build something. There is not a straight piece of glass in this building. It’s all curved. We’ve used our experience making retail buildings all over the world now, and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass in the world for architectural use. And, we want to make the glass specifically for this building here. We can make it curve all the way around the building… It’s pretty cool.
The latest rendering of the building, pictured above, is not very different from others in the past, and remains unchanged, with the exception of a few changes here and there. The new plans submitted Wednesday, also include a detailed floor plan of how the 4 story building will be laid out.
If the new plans and rendering are accepted, with scheduled construction, the new campus could be completed by as early as 2015.
{via MacRumors}
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[rating: 3/5]
Galaxy Pirate Adventure Review: A beeeuuutiful game of space battles between ships. As the son of a pirate trader and it’s time for you to learn the business. You set off to develop your skills and learn to survive and thrive in space. First you learn to attack, then defend, and then (re)charge to keep your ship battle-ready.
There are several weapons at your disposal and more become available as you become more experienced. You choose a target, fire at will, and watch the status bar of the enemy ship drop – hopefully faster than your own. There is automatic targeting, so your focus is more on firing weapons than navigating your ship to an exact position. Your concentration is on balancing weakening and destroying the enemy with defending your own ship and keeping it operational.
Galaxy Pirate Adventure {$4.99} is a fully developed space-based game. And that may be a shortcoming. Trying to get all the features and information that is often displayed on 50” LED screens to work on an iPhone may not be the best fit. Since it wouldn’t work on the iPad (1st gen) I can’t say for sure, but I have to believe that the larger screen would be a bonus for this game. Perhaps almost required.
There’s plenty here to keep you moving forward. Additional star systems, kingdoms, star ports, crew members, ships, and items provide for a nearly infinite mix of play. About the time you think you have it mastered, a new ship is available that you have to learn all over again.
The graphics are amazing and fully exploit the retina display. Stunning is an overused term, but it really applies for this game. The music backdrop tends a bit to the minor keys and adds a bit of tension to the game. It’s almost suited for a horror flick, but it works with the environment.
This is a high-quality game that is worth the price. If you enjoy in-depth console games and like the space setting this one is a winner. It doesn’t hurt to have good eyesight too.
What we like:
What to know:
Gallery
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Spaceship Ion Review: The Earth Terran Space Navy in Pluto has been invaded by aliens and with no time to defend themselves they need your help. You are the most elite pilot around and you have been sent on a solo mission to attack them and buy Earth some time to defend themselves.
Spaceship Ion ($.99) is a shoot’em game with a story that unfolds has you progress through the levels. Use your pilot skills to fly the spaceship and shoot the missiles at the alien enemy.
Controlling your ship is easy. You can tilt your device or control with your finger. You are not limited to moving left or right you can also move forward and backwards. There is also no need to worry about tapping any buttons for firing the missiles either as these are launched continuously themselves.
Simply aim the shooting missiles at the aliens and you will destroy them. To kill large alien enemies and the main bosses use the smart missile to target lock the enemy. The whole time you have the alien locked your missile will keep firing until they die.
There are different missiles and lasers to destroy your enemy with. Items like Thor missiles for slow moving enemies, Lance missiles that pierce through the enemy and continue to hit them at the back and a DFF laser which can damage the aliens in seconds. All helpful in the many different situations you will come across.
Every time you destroy the aliens you are left credit tokens to collect. All the credit you build up can be used to buy improved and more powerful weapons. So make sure you pick them up as you go. Along the way you can collect power ups to help your gameplay. These power ups upgrade your weapons and can be upgraded a maximum of 4 times. If you lose a life though it is worth noting you lose 2x of your power ups on your weapons.
When you progress through the game you can unlock up to 12 medals. It will show you on screen when you do. Some of these medals then unlock new weapons to use against your enemy. There are 10 weapons to collect altogether.
Each level has its own theme and own unique bosses to be destroyed. In total there are 22 enemies and 8 bosses. There are also different modes to play normal, hard and very hard. You can unlock more weapons by completing the normal and hard mode.
I found the game very easy to control. I preferred the tap controls rather than tilting as you seemed to be able to get a more accurate control of the space ship. It was fast moving and the game keeps you on your toes with the aliens coming at you from all directions. The big bosses take a bit of beating but it’s not very difficult to win advance levels.
I loved the sound effects and music to the game. It was very suited and unlike most music playing games, it wasn’t annoying to have playing in the background. The graphics are very good and make the whole game experience enjoyable.
Due to the app been featured in New & Noteworthy in several regions Spaceship Ion is currently on offer with a 50% discount.
Pros:
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Gallery
Trailer
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It seems a visit to Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference at San Francisco’s Moscone Center wasn’t enough work for the company’s CEO this week, with Steve Jobs also attending a council meeting to present proposals for a new Apple campus in Cupertino.
To be built on the 150 acre old HP campus Apple bought earlier this year, the new home would house 13000 employees, up from the just less than 10000 currently housed at 1 Infinite Loop.
What stands out the most about the proposed building is its design. One large circular building, the proposed campus would be four floors-tall and feature its own under-ground parking to enable the surrounding areas to become home to newly planted trees and greenery.
Jobs called the structure a ‘spaceship’ and few looking at the designs would disagree.
When he offered to field questions, Jobs was faced with a councilor asking for free WiFi to be provided to Cupertino residents as part of the deal. A quick-thinking Jobs offered to provide such facilities if Apple were no longer required to pay taxes. We’re fairly sure which way that one will go!
If Apple’s plans get the go ahead they plan to begin construction next year and move into their new home in 2015. Now we know where all that money goes!
Check out the full 20 minute video for a insight into just what Apple has planned for its lucky employees and to witness yet another celebrity-style reception for the Apple co-founder and CEO.
{Source: 9to5 Mac}
]]> https://touchreviews.net/apple-planning-spaceship-campus-cupertino/feed/ 0Who hasn’t dreamed of being a spaceman or super hero before? Well now you have the opportunity to combine both those dreams into one as you take on the role of Captain Galactic in his quest to save the Universe.
Captain Galactic is a space based platformer where instead of running, jumping, collecting and defeating enemies along horizontal platforms you run around numerous planets using their gravitational pull, stick and launch yourself between them. All the usual platform tasks are here, collecting coins throughout the levels is a side task alongside the main task of rescuing people located through the levels and return them to your ship.
Captain Galactic iPhone Game
The controls are simple enough once you get used to them, the left hand slider controls the direction your character runs/flies around each planet, ether clockwise or anti-clockwise. While the button in the bottom right corner of the screen launches Captain Galactic out of orbit and from planet to planet.
The cartoon style graphics look good and while the levels look pretty similar they do all have their own distinct style. Cut scenes between each level tell the story of Captain Galactic’s attempt to save the universe and the story is told well enough.
Ultimately each level is the same, spin Captain Galactic around, pick up the coins, rescue the humans, kill the enemies and return to your spaceship and with bosses to defeat at the end of each set of levels this is everything a classic platformer needs to be.
Captain Galactic iPhone Game_1
Across 30 levels there’s enough to keep you going for quite a while although having said that there will be little replay value here although the numerous achievements adds a little more spice to events.
Captain Galactic is a single player game which will keep any platform game fan amused and entertained for 99c worth of time.
Price: $.99
The Good
The Not So Good
Reviewed By: Craig Willis
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