Commodore 64: Review

After being pulled from the app store awhile back, the Commodore 64 emulator is back again with new games and more fun than ever. Commodore 64 (C64) is the only fully licensed emulator for the iPhone. C64 contains 8 free games, ranging from Jack Attack to Jupiter Lander. A recent update to C64 that went live over Christmas added 2 new games for free, Bruce Lee and Laser Squid. The update also added the ability to purchase more games via in app purchases. Some of the games available for purchase are Uridium, Paradroid, Storm Lord, Nebulus and AlletKat. C64 is currently on sale for $2.99 for the holidays, down from its regular $4.99.

The controls are just like you remember them. The game is controlled via joystick on the bottom right hand corner and there is also an action button next to the joystick. There is also the option to move the joystick is you are a lefty. In portrait mode, the game is seen on a smaller screen, and there is room for the joystick. In Landscape, the game takes up the whole screen, and the buttons are icons instead. There is also a second option and that is to use a d-pad style control. To control the game, you only have to swipe in the general direction you want your person to go. The controls work fine, but can be a little unresponsive at times.



The graphics in this game are just as you remember them. The developer did not enhance the graphics for the iPhone, and I don’t think he should have. Playing this game makes you feel like you have gone back in time with the graphics and the simple gameplay. The graphics help give the user an authentic C64 experience, so I don’t think the developer should change a thing. The sounds also bring you back to your childhood, being the authentic C64 sounds.

The games that are included are: Dragons Den, Le Mans, International Basketball, International Soccer, International Tennis, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck and Jack Attack. I already talked about the new in app purchases, and the new free games. C64 now offers 10 free games from the original C64 for only $2.99. The in app purchases open up a whole new world of possibilities, because now more C64 developers might give rights to their games as long as it’s an in app purchase. You might soon see a lot more games available on the C64.



Overall the Commodore 64 emulator is a work of art. It is the only licensed emulator available on the app store. The developer obviously cared about the gaming community because instead of releasing an unlicensed game for jailbroken devices, he decided to work hard to make this available to everyone. The controls tend to be a little unresponsive at times, but you still get the authentic C64 feel. For a sale price of $2.99 I would suggest picking this game up if you want to remember the days you spent as a kid playing this game.

Overall 4/5 (authentic C64 feel)

Commodore 64 on the App Store.

Sniper Strike: Review

Sniper Strike is a fun 3D sniper game. Sniper Strike consists of 3 fun game modes. Arcade, where the goal is to kill the specified target. Protect the Flag- you have to stop the people from taking the flag. Massacre- where you just kill everyone within a matter of seconds. Sniper Strike is a great pick up and play game because the missions are very short. It is also a great game if you have the urge to kill people.

The controls in Sniper Strike are simple. You are already scoped in, all you need to do is pan with your finger, then fire using the button located in the bottom right hand corner. What I didn’t like about the controls was the fact that they are inverted. To move left you have to swipe right and vice-versa. This can be changed via the ingame menu. There is also a learning curve to the game. Because it takes time to move your finger to the fire button, you have to lead the target a little.



The gameplay is very fun and challenging. In Arcade mode they give you a target and you have to pick him out of the many people around. This was hard for me because a lot of people looked like the target and so I accidentally shot them. It takes a keen eye to be good at the arcade style of the game. There was Protect the Flag, which I found to be the most fun. It was just mindless killing of people going towards your flag. Finally there is massacre, which is for all you sociopaths that can’t stop killing people. You have a matter of seconds to kill everyone in sight. All three of these game modes take place on two different maps: desert and city.

Sniper Strike uses the new OpenFeint as an online score system. There are 6 leader boards, one for each task at each map. Sniper Strike also contains 21 achievements, but they only range from 10-50 points. Sniper Strike also contains a shop at the end of a level where you can purchase new guns. 5 different rifles and 2 equipment upgrades are available. These upgrades come in handy because they are more powerful and are able to get more 1 shot kills. With the default rifle, the only way to get a one shot kill is with a headshot. Each time you shoot a person, a health bar appears over them. You injure them by hitting them in the right place. You are able to hit them in the arm, leg, body, or head.



Overall this game is fun and addicting. The challenges are both challenging and fun to play at the same time. The graphics look nice, and both the people and the environment are very detailed. I think that in an update the developer could add a hard mode, where if you hit the person once, they run away in fear. Another thing that could be added would be reactions of the people near your target. The people seem to ignore the person you shot. This game is worth the $1.99 price tag if you like sniping games. This game is a great arcade game, and I had a lot of fun playing it. If you are still on the fence, there is also a lite version available on the app store.

Sniper Strike on the App Store.

Sniper Strike Lite on the App Store.

Dead Strike: Review

Dead Strike is a 3D survival game that was released early today by Psychoz Interactive. The goal in Dead Strike is to get from one side of the city to the hospital on the other side of the city. You are trying to escape the effects of a virus that has turned the whole city into zombies. There are 9 different weapons that you can use to try and fend off the zombies. These guns range from a simple pistol to a powerful flamethrower.

The gameplay in Dead Strike is simple. Try to find your way to the hospital. What makes this game challenging and fun is the fact that you are being attacked by zombies and you have to fight them off. You fight them off using various weapons that can be bought using the in-game menu. There are 46 action packed levels in this game, and in each level the zombies get faster and stronger.



This game also includes a cheat menu. Users are able to type in cheat codes to help them. The various cheats range from unlocking everything to running faster or even invisibility. These cheats are activated by typing them in, and deactivated by typing them in again. The cheat code feature adds something to the game because it allows the average gamer to get farther in the game. However I found a lot of lag when using the “run faster” cheat, and so I turned this one off. The other cheats seem to work fine, with virtually no lag. I will not reveal any of the cheat codes in this review, but if you are interested in trying them out, you can find a list of them here: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=38638&highlight=Dead+strike.

The huge problem with this game, and the reason the final rating won’t be as high as it should be, is the controls. Each of the characters is controlled by a joystick, with a button to aim the gun, them when that is pressed a button to shoot and a reload button also appear. The problem with the controls is the aiming. You have to use the joystick to aim, and I find it very unresponsive. A better idea would be for the developer to implement an auto-aim feature like COD: Nazi Zombies. Another issue I had was having to press 2 separate buttons to shoot. I think that a better idea would be to just have a button to shoot, and a button to reload. Another thing is that this game lacks a tutorial. I think this should be added via update, along with a complete revamp of the control system. The developer could learn a lot about good controls by playing COD on the iPhone. Another issue I had was you are not able to switch you weapon unless you go to the menu. A simple fix would be taping the gun display in the top right to change guns.



I would love to be able to say this game was one of the best that the iPhone has to offer, but unfortunately due to control issues I have to say that the player should hold off on this game unless they really want to try it out. At a cheap price of $1.99, you won’t be losing a lot if you don’t like the game. The developer also promised a couple of future updates that would add wifi multiplayer (both local and worldwide). After the many complaints about the controls, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a quick revamp of the controls very soon. Overall, if the controls are fixed, this game could become very popular because of the great gameplay and gripping storyline. I really want to like this game, so I hope the developers respond to the control issues and release an update quickly. With an update, Dead Strike could because a very popular game.


Overall 2.5/5 (major control issues)


Dead Strike on the App Store.

Gyrotate Review

Gyrotate is GoosTrix’s first iPhone game. Gyrotate is a puzzle game that has you rotating 4 rows of shapes trying to match 4 shapes in a row. The goal is to lower the quota by matching shapes. Every time you make a match, the quota is reduced by 1 for each shape (4 for each match). To finish a level, you need to reduce all of the quotas to 0. There are three difficulties, so that everyone can play at the level they want. What makes this game hard is the fact that the levels are timed. There is a time bar and if it runs out, the game is over.

The controls in this game are simple. You just use the touch screen to rotate the shapes into place. You can also create combos to reduce the quota even more. This game is not a pick up and play game. If you are good at the game it will take a good amount of time to complete. The good thing is that if you quit or get a text or call, the game automatically saves. This ensures that you won’t lose all your well earned progress.



The game takes some getting used to, but if you like puzzles then this game if for you. If you aren’t good, you can either adjust the difficulty level or use the hint button. The hint button highlights all of the shapes you need in order to meet the quota. The open-ended gameplay means that you go as far as your skill takes you.

My favorite part of any game is statistics. I love to see my stats during a game. The stats included in this game are: highest level, games played, playing time, and pieces matched. The stat I both like and dislike is the playing time. I love to see how long it takes to complete a single game, but I hate to see how long I’ve wasted playing a game.



Overall, Gyrotate is a great game if you love puzzles. Gyrotate is easy to learn and tough to master. The goal in the game is simple: just match the shapes. The gameplay is simple but entertaining. This game allows allows you to keep track of the time you have spent playing. This game is one of the better puzzle games that I have played, and it combines great graphics with a simple gameplay. At $.99, this game is well worth it. It will provide you with a few good hours of gameplay. The only issue is that it is directed towards puzzle lovers, so I suggest that only people who like games like Tetris and Bejeweled pick this one up.

Overall 4/5 (Great Puzzle game)

Gyrotate on the App Store.

Pig Rush: Review

Pig Rush is an addictive game for kids starring Jumpy the Pig. The goal is to get Jumpy as far away as possible from the farm. While running, Jumpy encounters dangers such as ravines, fires, and moving platforms. The longer you survive, the faster Jumpy gets, and the less time you have to react. Pig Rush is a great pick up and play game for kids and will keep you coming back to try and beat your high score.

In Pig Rush, the main point of the game is to get as far as possible. As Jumpy the pig, you have to jump from platform to platform. There are some simple obstacles that you have to conquer. There is a fire that will end the game if you hit it. You can pick up a fireman suit to protect yourself from it. The fireman suit is lost if you touch the fire, but it can be picked up again.



The controls in Pig Rush are simple. You tap the bottom of the screen to jump low. You tap the top of the screen to jump high. You can even double tap the top of the screen to go even farther. The game ends when you fail to make a jump or if you hit a fire without a fireman’s suit. The game gets harder over time, so don’t expect an easy game. There are levels that get increasingly difficult. You earn points based on how long you survive. There are online highscores via the developer, not OpenFeint. The online highscores help compare yourself to others around the world.



In a recent update, Pig Rush added a secret “Reindeer Rush” Christmas mode. I couldn’t find out how to activate it, but the developer said that the App Store description will reveal how on Christmas Eve. My best guess is that it is activated with the person’s name, but so far I have had no luck. I will definitely make sure to look up the description of the 24th so I can unlock this mode.

Overall, Pig Rush is a great game for kids of all ages. Pig Rush puts great graphics together with simple gameplay and easy to learn controls. Pig Rush is worth $.99 and is a great pick up and play game. I found myself wanting one more try every time I died. I highly recommend the game Pig Rush if you have a child or young relative.

Rating: 4.5/5 (great game for kids)

Pig Rush on the App Store.

iStunt Review

iStunt is a 2D physics based snowboarding game developed by Profusions Studios. You are a stunt man on a snowboard who has to clear various levels by reaching the green flag. The game consists of 18 different levels, and 2 game modes: Regular, and Time Trial. Regular mode is used to unlock levels, while time trial allows you to play the levels while being times. The levels have to be unlocked by beating previous levels, but you are able to skip 5 levels, so you can come back to a level later if it is too hard for you.
The controls in iStunt are fairly simple. Your snowboarder gains speed via gravity, you swipe up to jump, and swipe down (and hold) to crouch. The thing that sets iStunt apart from its competitors is the invert your device feature. On many levels, there is a change in gravity signaled by an arrow, when you successfully land a different way, the game has you invert your device. After you flip your device, the screen flips too, so you see everything right side up again. I found this feature to be both fun and challenging, because some levels have you flipping the screen quite often.

There are many gaps that you need to clear in iStunt, and the good thing is that you can earn extra points by tilting your device and performing either back flips or front flips. You also get points based on how good your landing is. You can share how many points you got via OpenFeint. iStunt only has leaderboards, not achievements, so you can compare how you did on a level to people around the world. I would like to see achievements added with an update. These achievements could be something like: completing 5 levels, completing Regular mode, or even finish a level in less than 30 seconds.

iStunt has a couple of bonuses that can be picked up. There are stars that increase your score if they are picked up. The snowboarders speed can be increase with a boost. The boost helps you get up a large hill, or gain speed before a jump. Finally, there is a gravity button which I talked about earlier. The gravity button adds a lot to the game, and it is the game’s best feature. I would like to see a slow motion button in an update to this game because sometimes when changing gravity quickly, there isn’t much time to react.
Overall, iStunt is a great 2D physics based racing experience. The game reminds me a lot of the online game Line Rider 2. iStunt uses the iPhone’s accelerometer in a unique way, which sets it apart from the other physics based racers. In the future I would like to see a level editor, achievements, and more powerups, but if that doesn’t happen this game is fine the way it is. I highly recommend getting this game because it will provide you with a unique gaming experience, and it will also provide that “one more try” feeling when you cannot beat a level. iStunt is one of the best line racing games for the iPhone, and is well worth $.99.

Rating: 5/5 (Why are you still reading? JUST GET THIS APP)
iStunt on the App Store.

Red Block Remover: Review

Red Block Remover is developed by Stacey Bennett and available on the app store for $1.99. The point of this game is to remove all the red blocks and not lose any green blocks. This game starts off very easy with a short tutorial that really helps you get the feel for the game. This game has over 100 increasingly difficult levels. I got through most of the game but I can say that some of the higher levels take a lot of thinking.





One of the issues I had with this game is there is nothing to play for. The stages are set up in level packs, with each level pack having 9 levels. This would be fine if they were slowly unlocked like Implode for example, but unfortunately you can play the hardest level right from the beginning. I think that the levels should be slowly unlocked, but that’s for the developer to decide.
Another issue I had with this game is there is no menu. After the initial load screen the game just throws you into the level packs. I think that it would make the game look better if there was a menu. Finally, there is the load time. The load time is horrible because any time you fail a puzzle, there is a small loading circle on the bottom right hand corner. It takes about 2-3 seconds for the puzzle to load up again, which is a decent amount of time, but I feel like something is missing, like a box that says you failed and tap to try again. I think the loading circle needs to go. It could be replaced with a load bar on the initial menu, but inside the game it shouldn’t be present. It also, checks the solution with a small green bar in the lower left, but on the iTunes description it said this issue was being addressed in the upcoming update.





However, the gameplay is quality. I loved the fact that I got addicted an always wanted that “one more try.” This game is great for a pick up and play type game, and there is a distinct learning curve that will keep even the best gamer thinking. The puzzles go from stationary parts to moving parts, and all of the different puzzles require different strategies. This game also gets frequent updates with more levels, so even if you finish all of the included levels, more are always on the way.
Overall this game is a fun pick up and play type game, but would benefit immensely from an update that makes the levels unlockable. Right now, there is really nothing to play for. That aside this game is really fun. I recommend this game to any puzzle fan. Even at the current price of $1.99 I would say this game is worth it because of the frequent updates and gameplay. After a few issues are fixed, this game will become even better.

Overall
3.5/5 Quality Puzzle Experience

Red Block Remover on the App Store

Seed 1-Rise of Darkness Review

Seed 1- Rise of Darkness (Seed for short) is an RPG game. You start off as an unskilled apprentice. You rise through the ranks by completing various types of missions. You can discover new weapons, skills, and spells. Eventually you can become a powerful hero. I usually do not like RPG games because I feel that they are not fun. Seed however changed that thought for me. The map in Seed is huge, with over 20 unique towns to explore, it is obvious that the developer put a lot of time into creating the game.

The thing I like most about this game is the amount of customization. You are able to customize your character with various appearances. You can also buy different weapons and potions in the store. The weapons are important, because sometimes different weapons work better for different monsters. The potions were more important in my mind because they helped at just the right time. Some potions restore health. Some transport you to the closest town. Others cure poison and some even refine armor. You earn money in Seed by completing challenges.

In most RPG games the controls are hard to learn. In Seed however, there is a nice help section that is 12 pages long. This really helps you to learn the controls. The help section explains the controls, how to level up, equipment, elements, and time. However even though the help section is good, there is still a learning curve to the game. The thing that irked me the most was the fact that when a mission began, you had to find the destination by yourself. This should not be a problem for RPG pros, but for a person like me, who doesn't have much RPG experience, it seemed very hard.



The map size is just plain huge. The description claims that there is over 30 unique towns to explore. I think this is a good estimation because looking at the in game map, I can see that the playing area is huge. The only problem is that when going off screen to a different area, the loading time is very long.

Overall Seed is a great RPG game. Seed has so much customization it is ridiculous. You can customize almost everything in this game. The only problem I had with this game was that I thought it was a little confusing when it came to the missions. Also, I had to search through the menu to find out how to equip my character with weapons. Other than that I think this game is a must have for only $2.99. This game, in my mind, is better than Zenonia. This game is a must have for any fan of RPG games.

Overall 4.5/5

A must have if you are a fan of RPG games.

Seed 1-Rise of Darkness on the App Store.

Stickman Dan's Dreamfall

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stickman-dans-dreamfall/id342881154?mt=8


Stickman Dan's Dreamfall is a game in which you play as Dan. Dan is in a dream where he is endlessly falling through the air. Your goal is to collect all the clothes that appear. You have to do this while avoiding obstacles such as balloons, planes, and birds. You have 5 lives, and when all 5 lives are lost, the game ends. Your score is increased by 5 points everytime you collect a clothing item. This game is good for a pick up and play game, but unfortunatly is missing some crucial elements that would make this game better.

This game is missing a list of highscores. Not only does it not have online highscores (which is good for a type of game like this), but it doesnt even include a personal highscore list. I had to keep track myself what my best score was. Another suggestion i would make to the developer is to make the help button more visible. The help button is located in the top right hand corner of the screen, and i had trouble finding it at first.

The gameplay is simple. Try to pick up as many pieces of clothing as possible. When you first start the game, you see a black screen until you tap. That is when Dan appears. This had me confused at first because i thought the game had frozen. I exited the game a couple of times until i found out that i have to tap on the screen. A simple fix to this would be to have the words "tap to start playing" appear on the screen. Another problem i had was with the controls. The controls say to drag Dan around, but if you tap anywhere on the screen, Dan suddenly moves there. It became harder once i figured out the controls because my finger usually covered Dan. This type of game would be perfect for the iphone's accelerometer, but that option was not included. The graphics are handdrawn, and fit in nicly with the game. However some people might think they are a little too simple, and if you are looking for a game with top-notch graphics than this game is not for you.



The music was fun and upbeat at frist. It really sounded good to me. But as i got farther into the game and spent more time listening to it, it really began to annoy me. I think the developer could put some other music tracks in this game, because listening to the same music the whole game gets a little boring. Also noticibly absent was the abitity to play your own music, even when the sound is muted. The only option is to either have to sound on or off.

Overall this game could use some work. It does say in the itunes description it is the developer's very first game, so i am hoping for improvements. The developer could start by adding either a personal highscore list, or he could implement open feint. Open feint is a good way to gain some sales, because many people buy games for the acheivements. Another thing the developer should add is the ability for a user to play his or her own music. The developer could also put in some more music tracks to increase the variety of music. At a price of $1.99, I am not sure this is worth the money just yet. I think that the buyer should hold off until an update comes out that fixes these issues. FInally, I think that with some improvements and updates, this game could sell. But right now, i would hold off on purchasing it.

Overall: 2/5

Needs some work

Trigger Happy Christmas

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trigger-happy-christmas/id339282261?mt=8

Trigger Happy Christmas is a pick up and play, side-scrolling action packed shooter. It is made by the same developer that brought you Inkvaders. The story is that Santa's elves went mad and are trying to steal all of the presents. The sleigh is driven by rudolph and randomly drops presents and powerups all over the place. The elves come in waves from left and right, and they try to steal the presents. There is a "Tele-Present 2000" that is in the middle. Your job as Santa is to defend all the presents you pick up. To pick up a dropped present, one must run to it and tap the screen to pick it up. There are waves of presents and elves and in order to advance to the next wave, one must collect a stack of 5 presents. This goal seems easy at first but as the waves get higher, the elves are stronger, the presents are sparse, and the elves tend to be good at stealing. The part that makes this game very difficult is the fact that you only have one life. If an elf touches you, the game is over. This can be frustrating for the average gamer, but I find that I can get a pretty good score with only one life.

The developer doesn't leave the player totally alone however. There are 3 weapon upgrades in addition to the shotgun you start with (unlimited ammo). There is a flamethrower (limited ammo), a machine gun (limited ammo), and a bazzoka (limited ammo). All of these guns have their own strengths and weaknesses, but i will leave that to the player to find out. There are also a number of powerups. Those include invulnerability, double score, double damage, 500 points, and freeze elves. These items are picked up with a tap on the screen also.

The developer also included online highscores via AGON. This was a plus for me because I love to be able to see how good I do as compared to the rest of the world. Also, via AGON, there are 12 achievements, ranging from killing a certain number of elves to getting past a certain score. You can also send electronic greeting cards from within the game. There are four designs, and you can e-mail them to anyone.

The only issue that I found with the game is that there is only one mode of gameplay (survival). But this wasnt too much of a problem because the survival mode is well worth the $.99. Also, the developer has promised updates, plus they have already submitted the 1..1 update that includes Rudolf as a playable character!

Trigger Happy Christmas is, and will be the best Christmas themed game in the App Store. The gameplay combined with the holiday music is a great combination. It’s a fresh take on Christmas themed games, and is just so well made. The hilarious theme combined with the fun and engaging gameplay make this an easy recommendation.


Gameplay 9/10
Graphics 8.5/10
Sound 10/10

Overal 9/10

This game comes highly reccomended and you will not be dissapointed with it

Upcoming Game: Guerrilla Bob

Guerrilla Bob is an upcoming duel-stick shooter for the iphone. The developer released this gameplay video...



Guerrilla Bob is an action pack duel-stick shooter starring Guerrilla Bob. This game comes with 3 guns, all with unlimited ammo. As you can see in the video there are moving platforms, powerups, and unlike minigore, this game is actually a story. This game will probably be priced anywhere from $1.99 to $3.99, and the developer said that it will probably be submitted soon, so you should be able to get your hands on this game mid-January.

Call of Duty: World at War: Nazi Zombies (iphone)

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/call-duty-world-at-war-zombies/id338057689?mt=8

Call of Duty: World at War. We all know it as the game that defined World War 2 shooters and introduced the world to some of the most fun and popular survival gameplay of the decade with an unlockable most know as Nazi Zombies. It gained so much popularity, that when new multiplayer map packs were released, they included new Nazi Zombie maps. Now it's on the iPhone, but will the greatness translate well? Read on to find out.


Graphics/Sound:The graphics in this game are just astounding, along with the sound. The graphics make it feel like a console game designed for a system like the PSP and not a music device or a phone. The "Nacht der Untoten" map has been recreated PERFECTLY down to the last detail. I have been unable to find any part of the level missing or incomplete, and this is a map I have alot of experience with. All the window locations, prop placement, and even outside environments have been exactly ported to your portable device. The models are well done too, with each zombie and weapon having their own distinct movements and looks to them. The zombies are exactly like they were on the console: twitching and hungry. The weapon models are half of the reason this feels so professional and console-worthy. Each gun has its own look, feel, and even reload animations taken directly from the full game. The sounds are great too, with all the sounds in the console version, down to the creepy voice that plays when you get a pickup, recreated exactly. The zombies sound perfectly like their console counterparts, and when playing with headphones on, can make you feel a bit paranoid. The framerate is smooth on higher-end devices, but has minor lag on the iPod Touch 1G. The lag is noticeable, but not gamebreaking. This isn't much of an issue, and will not deduct points because the game was intended for higher-end devices.Overall: 9/10


Controls/Playability:The game controls pretty well overall. There are three methods of control: Swipe, which is the control scheme that Gameloft shooter fans should know well, Dual Stick mode, where there is a movement stick and a camera stick, and a Tilt mode, where you tilt to aim the crosshairs, similar to Doom Resurrection, but with movement. At first, Dual Stick was the most popular, and feels the best to me overall, but lately Tilt mode has gained some good feedback. Set the sensitivity well, and any control scheme could work. All have their issues, but overall they work well. My biggest complaint is the size of the control sticks. They feel a bit small, and I find myself missing the area of control. On the other hand, I sometimes find myself hitting the fire button on Dual Stick rather than hitting the target button. Also, the sensitivity of the weapon switch button is a bit tough to use. I'll find myself reloading instead of changing weapons sometimes. It just takes some getting used to. Also, the crosshairs snap to zombies when they are near your sights. It's similar to the feature included in Sandstorm, but much more sensitive. Also, when you go into targeting mode, the sights stay snapped onto the targeted zombie, making it much less frusterating to get a headshot. The knife button works well, and I've never had a single problem getting it to respond. Overall, the controls work well, but are not up to the standards of games like Sandstorm. Until you get used to them, they are a bit of a hassle though.Overall: 7/10


Gameplay:This game is just amazing. It's just a work of art on the iPhone gameplay wise. It feels EXACTLY like the console version, and I mean EXACTLY. The gameplay has been recreated perfectly down to the last detail. Everything you remember in the console edition is there, and functional. There's actually additions to this, with things like the radio, achievements, and leaderboards. The online is existant, yet buggy. This is only the 1.0.0 version though, and I'm sure Vivendi will work to get rid of the bugs. Currently, there are two big bugs in the game. First, players randomly disconnect from games online. Without warning, a player will become disconnected from the server. The Ray gun issue was fixed in an update and now works like it is supposed to. I would also like to add that some of the console version's weapons are missing, such as the sniper rifles, M1 Garand, and MG40. Gripes aside, this game is just mind-blowing. Take the game you know and love, and just make it portable. While it may be missing a few guns, everything feels exactly the same. For those who don't know, Nazi Zombies is a mode in World at War where you fend off zombies as long as possible in a location, boarding up windows and buying weapons, until your inevitable death. It's a survival game to see who can get the highest score. You can go it alone or with up to 4 partners. It all comes together amazingly well, and really is a tough to duplicate experience. But Call of Duty: Zombies has taken this experience and merely moved it flawlessly to the iPhone. There are many videos of this online. It really has come a long way since the days of Brothers in Arms and Zombie Mangle. Overall, this is the greatest FPS experience I have had on a portable device in a long time.Overall: 9.5/10


No one wants to pay for a game you can play only once. It's like buying a movie that expires after you watch it once. Fortunately, this should not present an issue here. Even with only one map, people are saying that they have played multiple times and still felt like it was new. Even the single player mode doesn't get old, as you can change your strategy every time to better your old score. The random box also keeps things fresh as you never know what weapon you'll get. Plus, the achievements will have you playing over and over again, trying to get them all. Unfortunately, it does not currently use Plus+ or OpenFeint, which would make the achievements a bit more important. With promised maps coming for DLC, you'll be playing it for a long time.Overall: 9/10


FINAL SCORE: 9/10: AMAZING

Minigore: Episode 3

Minigore episode 3 was released into the appstore yesterday. This update brings several new playable characters in to the mix as well two characters that are unlocked via a 99¢ in-app purchase. A grenade launcher, upgradeable weapons, and a day/night cycle were added as well.


Character list (and number of kills it takes to obtain them)

1. John Gore (free)
2. Jerry Gore (100 Kills)
3. Evan Hsu (14,000 Kills)
4. Enviro Bear (32,000 Kills)
5. Xmas Gore (100,000 Kills)
6. Sensei Evan (1,000,000 Kills)
7. Kid Gore (DLC...$.99)
8. Santa (DLC...$.99)

The minigore developer has already announced the following features for Episode 4: Co-op over wifi and bluetooth, 4 new characters (Lizzie and Ninja man from Sway, the redneck from Zombieville, and another one yet to be revealed), an entirely new level (assumed to be the graveyard level), and zombies. There are also some secrets that have yet to be revealed.

Skater Nation

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skater-nation/id341850697?mt=8

Skater Nation is a game made by gameloft and available on the appstore for $6.99. Skater Nation is a copy of Tony Hawk for the gamecube. SN is the first good skateboarding simulator to hit the app store. SN is an open-world skateboarding game which really puts the other skateboarding titles available on the platform to shame when it comes to overall depth and complexity. Skater Nation was made using the same game engine made for Gangstar. In SN you have a 3d open environment with multiple locations, from a beach to a construction sight. One of my favorite things about this game is the fact that you can go to any of the 10 major locations using a GPS, and there is no load time in between.

There are 2 modes of play: Career and Free Skate. Much of your time will be spent in Career mode because you have the ability to free skate. Career mode offers many different challenges from racing around a park, to trying to beat high scores, and even collecting skateboards. Career mode also allows the player to unlock different skateboards, wheels, and trucks. Each of the items has its pros and cons. If you are able to complete career mode, you unlock 2 additional players. Be advised that the challenges can be hard and frustrating. Skater Nation is not for the casual gamer, unless you want to spend $7 on free skate. Free skate just allows the player to casually skate around the city and practice moves. There is no time limit and no restrictions.

You might ask...how big is the map? The city in Skater Nation is about half the size of the city in Gangstar. There aren't as many buildings either. Instead, everything is placed so you can preform tricks. Unlike Gangstar, there are only a few cars, and other than the people who you get the missions from, there are no other skateboarders. While this might be good in the real life, the city seems to be deserted.

The controls in Skater Nation take some time to get used to. The controls consist of a joystick and an a and b button. The controls sometimes are unresponsive, and i find that sometimes my finger slides off the joystick a lot. It takes awhile to learn all of the tricks, and sometimes you find the tricks hard to pull off. There is over 30 different tricks and grabs available. I feel that more tricks could be implemented, but 30 seems like enough. While the library of tricks you can do is nowhere near as vast as modern console skateboarding games, all the main grind types and board flips are in place. Skater Nation has a combo system that will be familiar to anyone who has played a skateboarding game before, with strings of tricks that can be tied together with manuals for massive point totals.

While the game itself was cool enough, what really blew me away was the replay editor. Much like Skate, you will be able to rewind the last 3-4 minutes of gameplay to save replays of cool tricks, jumps, or combos you were able to pull off. These replays can then be uploaded to YouTube. You first have to link your youtube account to google or else it will not work.

(note: missing is the ability to play your own music)

Overall I give this game a 9.5/10

Gameplay 9.5/10

Sound 9/10

Visuals 9.5/10