148Apps Main |
- Real Racing 2 HD Revs on the App Store — Optimized for iPad 2
- Metacritic Launches Movie Finder App
- Silicon Sisters’ School26 for iPad Preview GDC 2011
- Act of War: Urban Defense Review
- BusyBee: Social Networking for Freelancers
- “Camp Nowhere” Update for ZombieSmash! Coming
- Land-a Panda Review
- Ring Blade Review
- Defend The Farmstead With Chicken Balls
| Real Racing 2 HD Revs on the App Store — Optimized for iPad 2 Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:19 PM PST Firemint have done it again. Real Racing 2 HD hits on the eve of the iPad 2 launch. One of our highest rated games of all time, Real Racing 2 has been given the HD treatment just in time for the iPad 2 launch. Firemint have released Real Racing 2 HD to really show off what the iPad 2 can do. This version includes full screen anti-aliasing for an ultra sharp look. In addition, seven new career events are exclusive to Real Racing 2 HD. The feature that really stood out to me is one that more games need – your progress is synced between the iPhone and the iPad versions, ensuring that you can pick up just where you left off when you switch from one device to the next.  Hit the jump for more screen shots and full specs, direct from Firemint.
Real Racing 2 HD Real Racing 2 HD unique features Master all-new content No expense has been spared – Real Racing 2 HD is the most visually impressive game available for iPad 2. The high-performance hardware is pushed to the extreme with full-screen anti-aliasing, which delivers pristine, crisp graphics, and high-detail objects and surfaces that redefine the meaning of "realism". Get up close to your on-track opponents with translucent windows and fully-modeled vehicle interiors. Try to keep your eyes on the track as you blast around a special, high-definition version of Castellona, only possible on iPad. Precision steering and phenomenal handling Pioneering multiplayer [ Real Racing 2 HD Revs on the App Store — Optimized for iPad 2 is a post from 148Apps ] Apps mentioned in this post: Real Racing, Real Racing 2 HD |
| Metacritic Launches Movie Finder App Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:30 AM PST
Now, Metacritic is bringing its massive influence to the iPhone and iPad with a Movie Finder app. Movie Finder by Metacritic provides users with movies’ Metascores and displays showtimes for theaters anywhere in the US. You can also stand in front of your local movie theater and launch Movie Finder to have the app tell you what shows are playing, along with their accompanying review information. Finally, the app also lets you rate a movie or email or text your friends about it. Of the new app, Marc Doyle, Editor in Chief of Metacritic said,
Movie Finder by Metacritic is now available for free on the App Store.  Movie Finder by MetacriticiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Buy Now: FREE Released: 2011-03-08 :: Category: Entertainment [ Metacritic Launches Movie Finder App is a post from 148Apps ] Apps mentioned in this post: Movie Finder by Metacritic |
| Silicon Sisters’ School26 for iPad Preview GDC 2011 Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:30 AM PST
Silicon Sisters is a newly created development studio founded by women with a goal of creating games that can “tickle the female brain.” More than just pinkification, the studio aims to create games and apps that speak to women of all ages, using a thorough review of current research to create a game development bible that will inform the development process and subsequent games. Their first app, School26, is aimed at girls aged 10 – 16. It’s a game of social interations, in which the protagonist, Kate, navigates the social environment of a high school, making friends and helping her peers with a variety of real-world problems that may tweens and adolescents can face in our modern world. Created for the iPad, School 26 uses a variety of game and quiz mechanics to tell the story of Kate and her friends and hopefully help the girls playing the game learn better ways to get through their own school days as a result. The play build we were able to look at had a school locker dashboard, and involved some gameplay to help Kate and her two friends manage their own complicated and realistic friendships. There was a teen-magazine style quiz along with some dialogue response choices that we tapped our way through, hoping to calm an angry friend, and support another who needed some cheering up. The colorful, cartoon-y graphics rounded out a solid package, even for an early build. We’re looking forward to seeing more of this and future games from Silicon Sisters. Not only do we applaud the efforts to make games for a typically under served target population (pink isn’t how we make games for girls!), but to make them with style and fun only enhances the package. No doubt many people, kid and adult, male and female, can benefit from such an appealing experience, and more developers can take a note from the concept of research studies to inform their development process. [ Silicon Sisters’ School26 for iPad Preview GDC 2011 is a post from 148Apps ]  |
| Act of War: Urban Defense Review Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:04 AM PST  Act of War: Urban Defense ReviewBy Jennifer Allen on March 10th, 2011Our Rating:   :: NOT BADiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Act of War: Urban Defense is a pretty tough tower defense game but ultimately it’s really quite run of the mill.
Developer: Atari Price: $2.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4 Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 3.19 out of 5 stars Tower Defense titles tap into the primal part of your brain that focuses completely on protecting your home, or in the case of many of these games, your base. I’ve got no proof of this of course. It could be utter nonsense but it makes sense to me. Everyone wants to protect what matters and when a game tells you that x place is important, you listen.
The weapons themselves are fearsome enough. At its most basic, you have sandbags to block the way and provide some firepower. The more money you have to assign to things, the better the weapons. Eventually you’ll end up with the likes of anti tank sentry towers, rocket systems and even Howitzers. In turn, your enemies get better too with even stealth units coming at you after a while too. Fortunately you can upgrade your weaker units providing you’ve got enough money. It’s all just how you’d expect really. The only real quirk is what makes Act of War: Urban Defense so challenging. The enemies don’t follow one set path. You’re given the location of where they start and where they want to go, but you’ll be tested by their non linear pathing. They’re quite happy to go around things and you can’t easily block them in like you can in Plants vs. Zombies for example. The 10 different backdrops/levels on offer quickly get rather difficult because of this and you really have to adjust conventional strategies to succeed. Unfortunately though, other than this change in the formula, Act of War: Urban Defense is very typical of the genre. If you’re mad keen on Tower Defense games, you’ll find enjoyment here but don’t expect to find originality. This is a very by the book game. [ Act of War: Urban Defense Review is a post from 148Apps ]  Act of War: Urban DefenseiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Buy Now: $2.99 Our Rating: Released: 2011-02-25 :: Category: Games / Adventure :: NOT BADRead Our Full Review >> Apps mentioned in this post: Act of War: Urban Defense |
| BusyBee: Social Networking for Freelancers Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:30 AM PST What do worker bees and freelancers have in common? Well, they both strive to stay busy. I don’t know why the bees do it (instinct I guess), but I know freelancers usually love their job, and they always need the money. BusyBee is an iPhone app that aims to keep freelancers busy by creating a social network for worker bees (freelancers) and lead bees (users looking for services). Basically, you can list yourself as a contractor, create a profile, and keep in touch with other small businesses and freelancers, or you can log in and search your area for specific services (writer, mechanic, artist, etc.) and find a list of workers. It is more interactive than a typical job search, and it allows users to connect with each other instantly via phone or chat. Some of the highlighted features include:
BusyBee features: So, if you’re a freelancer, contractor, or small business, or you are just someone looking for special services then BusyBee might be the right tool for the job. At any rate, it’s a free app, and I can see it being very useful in some circles. [ BusyBee: Social Networking for Freelancers is a post from 148Apps ] Apps mentioned in this post: BusyBee |
| “Camp Nowhere” Update for ZombieSmash! Coming Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:30 AM PST
Camp Nowhere doubles the content of the original game. The update includes a second full-length campaign mode with 30 new days to survive. Furthermore, the studio has added a number of new zombie types, including dynamite-strapped zombies that explode, strong zombies and a towering boss to defeat. The update also features new visual effects, such as fireworks that launch zombies into the air and head inflation effects that balloon zombie heads until they explode. The developer has also implemented parallax scrolling effects, which add depth to the game’s graphics. Camp Nowhere also brings Twitter connectivity to the experience, allowing you to “share your best smashes with the world,” according to the developer. "Although Camp Nowhere is technically an update to ZombieSmash!, calling it one doesn't really capture the scale of the new content… we prefer to think of it as a completely free sequel which we've put months of work into, " said Dr. Matthias Höchsmann, co-founder of Gamedoctors. "Our fans have been incredibly supportive over the past year, and this is our way of saying 'thank you.' Can't wait to see what you all think of the new campaign!" The original ZombieSmash! debuted on the iTunes App Store last year to much acclaim. We reviewed it and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The goal of the game is to defend your house from an onslaught of the walking dead by flicking zombies and strategically using special weapons, such as pistols, landmines and wrecking balls to take out zombies. The game features what its developer calls a “splatter engine,” so as you maim zombies you’ll see their limbs and blood fly into the air. Despite the gore, the cartoon visuals keep things lighthearted – well as lighthearted as things can be when there are guts everywhere. Look for Camp Nowhere on the App Store this April, and check out a collection of screenshots from the update below. [ “Camp Nowhere” Update for ZombieSmash! Coming is a post from 148Apps ]  |
| Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:04 AM PST  Land-a Panda ReviewBy Carter Dotson on March 10th, 2011Our Rating: :: LOVE WILL TEAR US APARTiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Land-a Panda is a physics puzzler that has you trying to launch a panda through cannons, collecting stars on the way to rejoining his lady panda companion.
Developer: ABig Pixel Studios Price: $0.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Device Reviewed On: iPod touch 4G, iPAd Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The game looks absolutely fantastic on either the Retina Display or the iPad’s screen with the HD version (which also provides a wider view of the action). It’s just so colorful and full of detail. The gameplay is really fun – getting to shoot around cannons reminds me at times of the Sonic games and some of those levels. The level design does often challenge you, and there are the occasional ingenious moments, like when launching into the playing field becomes part of the game’s timing elements. The game also makes sure to appropriately introduce elements gradually as you play it, so you don’t feel too overwhelmed when you have to deal with a bunch of different cannon types at once. As well, the game comes with OpenFeint and Game Center support for achievements and leaderboards integrated into the game.
This physics puzzler is great to look at, and fun to play, if not a bit challenging. But, it wouldn’t be much of a puzzler if it didn’t puzzle you, I suppose. The cannon mechanic is fun to play with, and with promises of more content coming in the future, this is one worth looking at if you’re sick of launching birds, and want some more controlled launches of adorable pandas.  Land-a Panda HDiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad Buy Now: $1.99 Released: 2011-03-10 :: Category: Games / Family [ Land-a Panda Review is a post from 148Apps ]  Land-a PandaiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Buy Now: $0.99 Our Rating: Released: 2011-03-10 :: Category: Games / Family :: LOVE WILL TEAR US APARTRead Our Full Review >> Apps mentioned in this post: Land-a Panda, Land-a Panda HD |
| Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:04 AM PST  Ring Blade ReviewBy Jennifer Allen on March 10th, 2011Our Rating: :: THRILLINGiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Ring Blade offers an original control system and an impressive graphical style, as well as bullet hell fun.
Developer: Mind Trip Studios Price: $0.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4 Graphics / Sound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 3.81 out of 5 stars Innovation in arcade shooters feels hard to come by. While so many bullet hell shooters are brilliant, they don’t strictly offer anything different to the last, certainly not when it comes to something as pivotal as a control system. That’s not to say that they’re not great, and there are some great shooters on the App store, but it is nice to play something a little different from the norm. Ring Blade offers just that with not only an original way of controlling the action but a funky graphical style too.
It’s all a pretty cool way of doing things and Ring Blade does a good job of easing you in gently before getting really hectic. The tribal tattoo style used for all the graphics is great and really makes a change from the more typical creatures that you see in these kind of games. Some of the bosses are particularly fearsome to look at. There are 30 levels in all but it would have been quite nice to have had more to play such as an Endless mode for example. Having said that, it’ll take you a while to get through the 30 levels unless you’re a true master of bullet hell games. Ring Blade is a great concept and a great twist on the bullet hell formula. At its low price, it really is worth a shot and you’ll no doubt find yourself impressed by the graphical style. [ Ring Blade Review is a post from 148Apps ]  Ring BladeiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Buy Now: $0.99 Our Rating: Released: 2011-03-08 :: Category: Games / Action :: THRILLINGRead Our Full Review >> Apps mentioned in this post: Ring Blade |
| Defend The Farmstead With Chicken Balls Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:04 AM PST
The gameplay trailer reveals that the game uses an Angry Birds launching mechanic, but it also includes innovative elements from such classics as Peggle, Pinball, and Pachinko. Lovers of quirky physics based puzzle games should be in for a treat. Chicken Balls certainly appears to have what it takes to be a great success in the app store, and we’ll all find out soon enough because the game is slated to release on March 15th. [ Defend The Farmstead With Chicken Balls is a post from 148Apps ]  |
Metacritic is perhaps the single largest aggregator of “entertainment” reviews, tracking online buzz for movies, games, music, and more. Metacritic’s enormous popularity is largely due to its publication of “Metascores”—a score out of 100 calculated by weighing and comparing “trustworthy” reviews of a particular item that lets readers determine the overall critical opinion of something at a quick glance.
Act of War: Urban Defense doesn’t try for humor nor gimmicks. It focuses on all out war. You won’t see any zombies, you won’t see any South Park characters, all you’ll be playing with are missiles of varying sizes as you defeat the horde of tanks coming at you. There’s not even a plot to keep track of. It’s all pretty streamlined. 
Rather than the conventional way of holding your finger to the screen in order to fire and generally getting your finger a little in the way of seeing what’s going on, Ring Blade offers a system that means you can easily see what’s going on. Your ship (or whatever it’s meant to be – I’m not sure admittedly!) is located at the bottom of the screen and you move the object around with your finger in the customary manner. Being located at the bottom means that you never feel like you’re restricting what you can see. Firing is done in a more interesting manner than usual with a flick mechanism controlling the bullets or Ring Blade as it’s known here. As you flick the Ring Blade, you can direct it in the direction of walls so that it bounces off thus flying around and inflicting more damage than before. As you’d expect, a series of power ups can be acquired too which is always handy. 
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