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Chicken & Egg Review
Golden Axe II Review
Bunny The Zombie Slayer Review
White iPhone 4 To Be Released Tomorrow
Mobigame Releases “Bulletproof” To Support Amnesty International
Exclusive Video Of New Social Game Fish Tales
Lens•Lab Review
Get Motivated For National Bike Month With iMapMyRIDE

Chicken & Egg Review

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 01:03 PM PDT

Chicken & Egg Review

By Jennifer Allen on April 27th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: EGGSCELLENT
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Chicken & Egg is a cute yet challenging puzzle game

Developer: Donut Games
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.10
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4

Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.88 out of 5 stars

Chicken & Egg provides an interesting mix of Pac-Man style collecting along with logic puzzling, all bundled up with an Eastery twist.

That’s quite an intriguing combination isn’t it? Granted the Pac-Man feeling isn’t quite what you would expect but the vibe is certainly there. You have to slide the easter eggs to the other eggs of the same color. Do this with all of them and you progress to the next level. It sounds simple enough and at first it is. As is always customary with such games though, things get trickier. The eggs slide until they hit something that stops them which can make positioning them correctly tricky. As the levels progress, so do the obstacles with spikes getting in the way relatively quickly as well as posts, crates and arrow ramps that direct the eggs. Plus you only have a set number of turns to complete the level in.

To add a further challenge, you’re awarded stars depending on how well you do in each level. This is where the Pac-Man vibe appears. You have to collect up dots by sliding over them. The key here is to collect them all while also making your way to the other egg. It’s really not as easy as it sounds so it adds a great challenge to an otherwise relatively simple game.

With 75 levels in all, if you set out to 3 star each of them, you’re going to be here a while which makes for great value. There’s also a bonus game in the form of Egg Juggler, whereby you tap the screen to bounce eggs up the screen to catch stars. You wouldn’t pay for a game like this but as a free extra, it’s good fun for five minutes.

Overall, Chicken & Egg is good fun, even though it’s not Easter any more. It’s a simple concept but one that throws a fair few challenges your way making for a satisfying experience. It’s also great to see more Universal apps at a low price point.

[ Chicken & Egg Review is a post from 148Apps ]

Chicken & Egg

Buy Now: $0.99

Our Rating:

:: EGGSCELLENT
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-04-27 :: Category: Games

Apps mentioned in this post: Chicken & Egg

Golden Axe II Review

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:30 PM PDT

Golden Axe II Review

By Jennifer Allen on April 27th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: NOSTALGIC
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Golden Axe 2 is nostalgic fun for veterans but newcomers might not understand what all the fuss is about.

Developer: Sega
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4

Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.56 out of 5 stars

Walking down memory lane is something that we’ve all done with a sense of glee. Sega appreciates this and has done a fantastic job of converting some true classics to the iOS devices such as Sonic, Streets of Rage and Golden Axe. So it makes sense to see Golden Axe 2 appear as well, and what a fine conversion it is.

The gameplay is the same as ever. Players choose one of three fighters (a barbarian man, Amazonian woman and a dwarf) then hack and slash their way through the seven levels on offer. It’ll only take a couple of hours to complete admittedly but they’re an enjoyable couple of hours. A virtual d-pad and buttons dictate the action and it’s easy to control throughout. One button jumps, another slashes and the third unleashes the special magical attack that can be built up by collecting magic potions. At the end of each stage, you come across a form of boss battle which adds a bit more of a challenge. You can also hop on some mounts in order to have an extra edge in battle.

It’s all simple enough and certainly indicative of its early 1990s origins but there’s still an addictive quality to it. The original release was most enjoyable when played alongside another player. Fortunately you can still do that here with multiplayer available through bluetooth connectivity.

Golden Axe 2 is showing its age a little now at nearly 20 years but it’s still fun. If you’ve never played the title before then $3 might feel a little steep for only a few hours of fun, but if you’ve been here before, you’ll just be so pleased that your memories weren’t just rose tinted, they were the truth. It’s a retro classic you’ll be pleased to have in your collection.

[ Golden Axe II Review is a post from 148Apps ]

Golden Axe 2

Buy Now: $2.99

Our Rating:

:: NOSTALGIC
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-04-26 :: Category: Games

Apps mentioned in this post: , Golden Axe, Golden Axe 2

Bunny The Zombie Slayer Review

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:19 PM PDT

Bunny The Zombie Slayer Review

By Blake Grundman on April 27th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: BUNNY FIGHTS BACK!
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Fend off hordes of rabid zombies using the most logical weapon at your disposal: Easter Eggs?

Developer: Hothead Games
Price: $0.99
Version: 1.0
App Reviewed on: iPhone 4

Graphics / Sound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Zombies are beginning to invade every aspect of gaming. Heck, these days you can find them in first person shooters, tower defense and even gardens! Is there anything that is sacred anymore? Even the sanctity of the Easter season has been tainted by the recent release of Hothead Games’ Bunny The Zombie Slayer. But really, when you contemplate the holiday it makes all the sense in the world to have zombies appear in an Easter game, after all, doesn’t the holiday pretty much celebrate the best known zombie in the history of mankind?

With subject matter that would seem to lend itself more towards the dark and melodramatic, Hothead has instead opted to take the lighthearted and humorous approach that they have used in many of their past console games such as DeathSpank and the Penny Arcade Adventures series. On flip side of that discussion, the simplistic game design in and of itself seems like a dramatic about face from their traditionally complex structures, but this turns out to work very well in their favor.

Employing a structure of tiered attacks from zombies, ala Plants vs. Zombies, the player, who also happens to be a cartoon Easter bunny, launches colored eggs at the meandering mindless masses using only a single slingshot. Apparently these eggs share many properties with heavy artillery, because on contact they decimate any creatures that get in their way. Just be sure to aim for the head, because that is the only way to survive in the game’s later stages.

Wave after wave of creatures in any number of different fantastical costumes will make their way towards the children that you’re trying so desperately to protect. As the wave count climbs the speed of the undead will skyrocket, as well as the sheer number of attackers. This is when the super attacks will come in the most handy, allowing you to dispatch huge amounts of enemies with a single press of the screen.

Games like Bunny The Zombie Slayer are an amusing illustration of how fun simplistic themed games can be successful as long as players are not fixated on an extended experience. When the longest play sessions will most likely last fifteen minutes at most, these are the perfect bite sized experiences for iOS consumers. Give the title a download and you will not regret it, well at least until the next zombie infestation occurs.

[ Bunny The Zombie Slayer Review is a post from 148Apps ]

Bunny the Zombie Slayer™

Buy Now: $0.99

Our Rating:

:: BUNNY FIGHTS BACK!
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-04-26 :: Category: Games

Apps mentioned in this post: Bunny the Zombie Slayer™

White iPhone 4 To Be Released Tomorrow

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:17 PM PDT

Finally, the white iPhone 4 is to be released! Tomorrow in fact. How exciting. Patient iPhone fans have been waiting for their beloved white version since the release of the iPhone 4 last summer. Now you’ve got a choice. Go with the sleek standard black color or the shiny and sexy new white edition. I daren’t be too positive about the lovely white version, my black iPhone 4 might get upset.

The launch is set to hit a number of territories starting with the US and UK tomorrow with much of Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan to follow shortly.

In the US a suggested retail price of $199 has been given for the 16B model and $299 for the 32GB model alongside a 2 year contract through the Apple Store at Apple’s retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

In the UK, O2 and Three have confirmed they’ll be stocking it in their stores and online for Pay Monthly customers. Tariffs will be the same as the Black iPhone with O2′s offers starting from £21.50 a month (with an upfront cost of £304.99) and Three’s starting at £25 a month with an upfront cost of £229.

Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone have yet to confirm their launch details but we’ll be sure to keep you informed.

[Source: Apple]

[ White iPhone 4 To Be Released Tomorrow is a post from 148Apps ]

Mobigame Releases “Bulletproof” To Support Amnesty International

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Gaming is rarely used to advance social causes. Most games with violence in them are presented without comment, and they rarely make a comment on real-world violence, or any other major social issues. However, developer Amnesty International has partnered with French game developer Mobigame, known for games like Edge, Cross Fingers, and Perfect Cell, to release Bulletproof for iOS. The purpose of the game is primarily to raise awareness and revenue for Amnesty International. The game lets you sign up for Amnesty International’s email newsletter and all revenues for the $0.99 game will be going to Amnesty International, and the game was made pro bono by Mobigame.

Bulletproof has you trying to stop bullets fired at a man condemned to death by firing squad, with 10 levels. You must tap the bullets as they come in to stop them, with later levels bringing more bullets at faster rates. There are 10 levels to play, and the app is universal, with Retina Display support. Mobigame have been going the universal app route for most of their games nowadays, with Cross Fingers having also recently gotten an update to support the iPad.

It’s great to see gaming used for causes beyond just pure entertainment – this app being used to help make money for an organization that Mobigame supports. Gaming as a platform for sending messages or supporting causes seems like a huge step forward for the medium of gaming as something that can entertain in an interactive way, while also having something bigger to say about society. The App Store is also a great place for more games like this to potentially spread, given the ability for smaller games to be produced at smaller budgets, instead of the challenges of making more financially risky games on the larger consoles. Bulletproof is available on the App Store now.

Buy Now: $0.00
Released: 2011-04-26 :: Category:

[ Mobigame Releases “Bulletproof” To Support Amnesty International is a post from 148Apps ]

Apps mentioned in this post: Cross Fingers, Edge, Perfect Cell

Exclusive Video Of New Social Game Fish Tales

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 07:30 AM PDT

The kind folks over at Everywhere Inc have sent us over an exclusive sneak preview video of their latest social gaming experience, Fish Tales which is set to be released in the coming days.

The game sets you the task of collecting hundreds of fishes while learning their stories as you progress. You can explore various customizable new seas with different scenery and music, as well as watch each character evolve into different forms.

Looking at the gameplay video, Fish Tales looks set to be a pretty attractive social game to look at too. Do make sure to check it out once it launches as it sounds pretty original compared to other social games, especially when it comes to the evolution idea.

Fish Tales will be available soon for both the iPhone and iPad and at a grand price of absolutely nothing, zilch, nada.

While you’re waiting, check out the video below as well as Fish Tales’ Facebook page.

[ Exclusive Video Of New Social Game Fish Tales is a post from 148Apps ]

Lens•Lab Review

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:03 AM PDT

Lens•Lab Review

By Jennifer Allen on April 27th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: USEFUL
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Lens•Lab offers a great way of determining the best settings to use when taking photos.

Developer: Jeff Menter
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4

iPhone Integration Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
User Interface Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Re-use Value Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Lens•Lab has a slightly steep learning curve if you’re a photography newbie. It’s a curve you’d do very well to master though. For more experienced photographers, Lens•Lab will appear immediately useful and for good reason too. It’s an app that enables you to simulate how the settings of your camera and its lenses can affect your photos. Depth of field and field of view makes a huge difference so it takes that into account along with aperture, focal length and focal distance.

All these terms might sound a little overwhelming if you’re still new to using a DSLR such as I am, but it’s a huge help in improving your photos. Lens•Lab does do a great job of teaching you all of this. Besides the very simple interface enabling you to configure all manners of scenarios, there’s also an extensive guide. This guide not only explains the importance of Depth of Field but also clearly lays out what aperture, focal length and focal distance affect.

Lens•Lab is clearly a niche app but it’s one that’s potentially useful to all photographers. All relevant settings are there with a range of different information overlays available as well as the ability to adjust the sensor size for your camera and measurements to either the Metric or Imperial system. It’s very simple to drag the bars around in order to adjust the three settings and to see how it affects the focus of the photo.

While you’re learning, it’s a great help. Even if you know what you’re doing, it’s a very useful way of double checking. As the guide helpfully points out, you could even use it to help you decide on a lens purchase, quickly being able to see clearly what to expect from your potential purchase. For the price Lens•Lab is a surefire hit in the photographer’s virtual toolbag. I know I’ll be consulting it regularly while I practice my skills this summer.

[ Lens•Lab Review is a post from 148Apps ]

Lens•Lab

Buy Now: $0.99

Our Rating:

:: USEFUL
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-04-26 :: Category: Photography

Apps mentioned in this post: Lens•Lab

Get Motivated For National Bike Month With iMapMyRIDE

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:03 AM PDT

Did you know that May is National Bike Month in the USA? If the weather’s anything like it is here in the UK, it’s perfect biking weather too.

But how do you track your cycling workout? Use iMapMyRIDE of course! The app uses your iPhone’s GPS to track your average pace and speed in order to log and analyze how you’re doing. Plus there’s an interactive map feature so you can keep track of your routes as well as your friends.

It’s easy to set up and use with a couple of simple taps stopping and starting the timer, plus it automatically uploads the data to your iMapMyRIDE account. As is increasingly customary with such apps, you can also set it to automatically let people know via Twitter and Facebook how you’re doing.

The standard iMapMyRIDE is a free download that’s ad supported or you can download the $4.99 version and have the added benefit of iPod integration, geo tagging photo functionality and no more ads.

And don’t forget to cycle plenty in May! Apps like this are sure to motivate you.