Features

• Dimensions: 11.5″ x 9.3″ x 2.0″
• Weight: 1.1 lb.
• Can handle your larger mobile device such as tablets, e-readers and netbooks, and the iPad inside the WaterField iPad Smart Case (our review) or Ultimate Sleevecase (our review).

About WaterField

No mass production or overseas workforce. WaterField bags are designed and made in San Francisco, where rent is high, labor is expensive and competition is intense. We wouldn’t go anywhere else!
web: http://www.sfbags.com/
twitter: @sfbags

Additional Product Images

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Post tags: Case, Gear, Gear Review, Hardware, iPad, Muzetto 10" Portable Bag, Review, Video, WaterField

Features

• Ultra thin, soft, and impact resistant carrying solution.
• Made from Incipio’s durable and rugged Next Generation Polymer
• Will not fade or become sticky
• Soft texture with matte finish
• Incipio Vanity Kit: including a surface protector and cleaning cloth
• Available in 6 Colors : Gunmetal, Black, Fuchsia Magenta, Bright Purple, Coral and Smoke*

*The $19.99 Smoke colored version appears to only be available at Walmart.

Additional Product Images

©2010, AppAddict.net. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags: Case, Gear, Gear Review, Hardware, Incipio, iPhone 4, NGP™ Matte, Review, Video

Samantha Swift and the Fountains of Fate (by MumboJumbo) is another game in my favorite genre of casual games: the hidden object games. These games take a vivid background scene and hide a hundred or more objects all over it, then ask you to find a select few. I have no idea why I’m so addicted to these, but I do know that the searching is rather soothing.

So what makes Samantha Swift stand out from other games in this genre? Well, that would be Sam, herself! She’s the cliché teenage adventurer who’s super smart and super capable. The game starts with an animation of her surfing away from secret agents on speed boats. I think that simple description is enough to set the proper mood here. The story to the game, of Samantha collecting priceless artifacts and hunting an evil woman who holds the key to immortality, is much more geared towards tweens. That said, if you can ignore the story, the gameplay it self is quite fun.

On each level, you’ll be searching for multiple items, including a lightning bolt (for an extra hint if you need it) and two swifts (which will unlock additional modes of play other than story mode if you find them all). Some items will move down to your inventory and can be used to find other objects later. You’ll go through about four or five lists of items for each scene before you finish it, which was a nice new twist that I’m not used to with other games in this genre. Since hidden object games have a habit of getting you stuck from time to time, the hint system used is very important. This game starts you off with one hint, and allows you to find an extra one in each level in the form of lightning bolts that are hidden as well. Also, you can click on the name of an object in the list, and it will show you the silhouette so you have a better idea of what you’re looking for.

I’ve noticed that a few hidden object titles try to spice their games up with puzzles from time to time. This one is no different. Like most others, the puzzles never have instructions, so be patient with them. Overall though, the puzzles in Samantha Swift are fairly simple and they can’t hold a torch to the one with the hardest puzzles (Amazon: Hidden Expedition).

In Conclusion

The story mode of Samantha Swift and the Fountains of Fate will take you about 5-8 hours to finish, so it’s a decent length for the genre. For the price, it feels a little short (or just too expensive). There are other modes, but they all use the same maps. A variety of additional content is available via DLC (with prices ranging from 99¢ to $9.99), but this will obviously cost you even more money. Overall, though, this is quite an enjoyable game, and I loved every minute of it!

Screenshots

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Post tags: iPad, MumboJumbo, Review, Samantha Swift and the Fountains of Fate

Plunderland demands a good deal of coordination from its players, resulting in a control scheme combining both tilt and touch that can take a little getting used to. Basic ship navigation is easy, simply tilting your device left or right will send your craft crashing over the waves in your desired direction. Dragging your finger on the ship will adjust a trajectory line showing where your cannon(s) will fire, release your finger to set the cannon balls a-flying. Sounds easy enough right? Well not when your in the middle of a storm and your ship is being furiously rocked back and forth by rapidly coming waves. This is where the controls start to break down a bit. A sticking point with some players, arguing that this is a flaw in the game’s design. Instead, I see this as a courageous move by Johnny Two Shoes toward instilling a bit of realism, without the seasickness. Sure, it can be frustrating at times, but who ever said a pirate’s life on the high seas was easy!

The game offers players their choice of three Campaigns and a Survival mode, consisting of a three level tutorial, 2 seven-level campaigns and a survival mode with three increasing difficulties, each of which contain 10 waves of enemies. Each of these modes will require you to complete one level before the next is unlocked. As you progress through the game, you will also unlock a variety of upgrades which can be purchased using whatever of Peg Leg’s gold you have successfully recovered. These upgrades can be a better ship, cannon upgrade or a new bowspirit (with a special ability). Personally I felt the upgrades were a tad bit too easily obtainable. You could literally just keep on playing one of the more gold-filled levels over and over again until you had enough to buy whatever you wanted. Perhaps restricting them a little more until you’ve unlocked certain levels would make the game a little more challenging. Treasure hunters can also attempt to find the hidden “cod piece” (a cod’s head) hidden somewhere in each level as well. Always remember to to check for buried treasure, after all, you ARE a pirate!

From cannonball trajectories, to the ragdoll reactions of the pirates and sailors, the game’s physics engine seems to handle whatever you throw at it. Plunderland’s visuals are absolute gold. The stunning cartoon-style vector graphics, take full advantage of the iPhone 4’s Retina display. Almost a little reminiscent of the inhabitants of God Finger, they add a bit of levity and give the game a fantastic overall look and character. An expert blend of seagulls, crashing waves, wind and cannon ball blasts create the perfect aural stimulation and set the scene, drawing you in.

In Conclusion

In a time when the App Store is rapidly seeing title after title of the same re-skinned Doodle Jump or Bejewelled clone, it’s fantastic to see a game so fresh and original. Fun pickup and play gameplay, only slightly tainted by the amount of time it takes to master the controls and get your proper sea legs. The only things on my wishlist would obviously be even more campaigns and upgrades and a global leaderboard to be able to compare my treasure frecovery skills against my mateys. Arrr, what be you watiin’ for, grab your copy of Plunderland today! Aye, me parrot concurs.

NOTE: This review previously appeared on Games Uncovered.

Screenshots

Video

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Post tags: iPhone, iPod Touch, Johnny Two Shoes, Plunderland, Review

In addition to all of the units that you can purchase, you can upgrade your crossbow; damage and faster reload speed for the primary attack but also additional arrows; piercing that can hit multiple enemies, fiery arrows, multiple shot, multiple shot fire arrows, even boulders and bombs can be used against the enemy. Whilst the computer doesn’t have a crossbow it has a few units that you don’t; suicide bombers who try and rush your castle, and balloons that shoot arrows and fire arrows at your units and your castle. This makes the game fairly well balanced, in general.

Having said this, the user interface can be tiresome and clunky; the swipe to fire mechanic gets old quickly as you have to constantly do it every time you want to fire an arrow; even the auto fire scheme forces you to tap each time you want a shot fired which can wear out your fingers fairly quickly. Selecting weapons is more difficult than it should be too; you tap a button for a new weapon at the bottom of the screen and fire it, then you have to select a new weapon; it would have been so much better to have the game automatically revert you to the basic crossbow bolt as it’s the fastest to reload. Switching back and forth between weapons can get tedious for this reason and switching weapons becomes essential to take down the barrage of enemy units.

Playing your own units against the enemy fast becomes essential. Archers are some of the best support units as they can stand their ground in the middle of the screen firing arrows at the castle and enemy units if they get close; we also liked to deploy a catapult or two to bombard the enemy castle. If you get enough of your own units set up you can use the crossbow to take out the enemy units before they get to yours. You can also win a round by capturing the enemy flag; simply have a swordsman, axeman or horse cross the screen and let them take the flag automatically to your side of the screen. It’s entirely possible to win the game in either of these two ways just so long as you’re keeping an eye on your own health.

Medieval HD sports nine different environments which look stunning; it’s unfortunate that the game doesn’t utilise dynamic lighting because the pre-rendered castles stick out like a sore thumb on the night time backgrounds. And, your men don’t tend to carry the flag across the screen, merely just have it trailing behind them! But otherwise the presentation is really good—audio especially; it’s just a shame that the developer spoiled the beautifully presented interface with the functionality.

The game starts slowly, which can be a turn off; however, once you purchase some upgrades and start to battle your way through the never-ending series of levels, it gets really fun. The only gripe that we have is that once you’ve purchased all of the upgrades then there isn’t much left to do; a disadvantage of the endless mode for any game.

In Conclusion

Overall, Medieval HD is well worth a purchase; it looks stunning and the versus style of the game is certainly refreshing. Whilst it may not have the longevity it definitely has the style, polish and gameplay to make it worth the purchase. If you’re not sure, certainly try the Lite version available from the App Store.

Screenshots

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Post tags: Brisk Mobile, iPad, Medieval HD, Reviews

]]> http://appaddict.net/2010/09/02/medieval-hd-a-stylish-castle-defence-game-worth-exploring/feed/ 0 http://appaddict.net/2010/08/29/fastar-proves-its-hip-to-be-square/ http://appaddict.net/2010/08/29/fastar-proves-its-hip-to-be-square/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:29:11 +0000 Jaden http://appaddict.net/?p=13574 It’s a rarity to see a perfect game come along, but Cat in a Box games has achieved the impossible with Fastar! They’ve also done it with one of the most creative premises I’ve seen in a long time.

Fastar! is an acronym. Normally, I hate acronyms, but this one is as awesome as the game itself. It stands for Fight Angry Squares: The Action RPG (an acronym inside an acronym has to violate SOME rule of grammar!). This very descriptive title says all it needs to. This game is an action RPG in which you fight squares, and boy are they angry! I understand if this sounds strange at first. Trust me, it is more fantastical than you can even imagine.

The game takes all of the sloppy, overdone angles out of the genre and isn’t ashamed to admit it. There’s no storyline, no map, no NPCs, and no experience system. You can run from left to right or right to left (the latter only returns you to the beginning of the level), you can swing your sword, and you can slightly jump. Jumping isn’t needed, but it can be fun for style-sake. Instead of experience, you can use money you get from killing squares to refill your health and upgrade your stats when you hit the periodic safe zones. Your character also has magic to use. At the beginning of the game, you can pick from about a dozen spells so you’ll have one to use on the level. You can even be extra bold and choose none if you’re tough enough to try.

So what of these squares that keep being mentioned? That’s right, I can read your thoughts. Be afraid. Well, the squares are the baddies in this game. They really are just squares of different colors and sizes. Based on the colors, they will attack in different patterns. Be afraid of the black and pink squares, and the largest purple ones. That’s all the warning I’ll give you on colors. Still, the simplicity grants the game some great character. I’m not sure what is about the fact that you are attacking abstract cuboidal objects, but it just makes the game more fun. Another great piece of flavor to the squares is that they’ll steal money from you if they beat you. It’s neat to see the tables get turned in games, and the levity takes the pain out of losing.

So what is the goal of Fastar? To finish the level. There are multiple difficulties (one where the squares can even use the same magic that you can), and several modes (24 in all!). While you can likely finish the easy mode in under five minutes, hard can take about fifteen or more. In the end, there’s a global leaderboard of people’s fastest finish times in each mode. You only get to post your three initials, so prepare for the return of that arcade champion, “SEX.”

The part where this game absolutely won me over was the customization it allows. Not only do you get a choice of your magic, you can totally recolor your character. My personal one is grey-scale, but I’ve seen several creative combinations on the leaderboard (which posts your character’s image by your initials). Also, the game has quite a few control options. This is great for a disabled person, like myself. I can’t count how many games I’ve purchased only to learn that I can’t play them because of my non-working hand. The four control schemes are:

• Tilt – Tilt the device to move, tap anywhere to attack.
• Swipe – Swipe to move, tap anywhere to attack.
• Gamepad – Buttons for left and right, tap anywhere else to attack.
• One-Handed – “Roll” a bar at the bottom to move, tap above the bar to attack.

It’s really nice to see a game remember that not everyone likes a particular scheme.

In Conclusion

Fastar! has become one of my favorite iPhone games ever released and has a coveted spot on my home page (along with Sneezies, Skee-Ball, Street Fighter IV, & Poker Quest). I’ve even gifted the app to every friend I have with an iPhone. I can’t recommend this title enough. Everyone with an iPhone should own it. (NOTE: At the time of publishing this review, Fastar! is still available for FREE on the App Store…so really, what are you waiting for?!)

Screenshots

Game Trailer

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©2010, AppAddict.net. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Cat In A Box Games, Fastar!, iPhone, iPod Touch, Review

]]> http://appaddict.net/2010/08/29/fastar-proves-its-hip-to-be-square/feed/ 1 http://appaddict.net/2010/08/28/video-review-incase-convertible-book-jacket-for-ipad/ http://appaddict.net/2010/08/28/video-review-incase-convertible-book-jacket-for-ipad/#comments Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:06:27 +0000 Wil Parker http://appaddict.net/2010/08/28/video-review-incase-convertible-book-jacket-for-ipad/ Today I’m reviewing Incase’s Convertible Book Jacket for the iPad

Features

• Complete iPad protection
• Opens to function as a stand with multiple viewing positions
• Secure elastic band closure
• Direct access to all device features
• Available in Black and White

 

Special Offer Available on Incase’s Website

For a limited time, if you add a Car Charger ($24.95) or Combo Charger ($39.95) to your Convertible Book Jacket you get free ground shipping on your entire order.*
*Discount be applied when your order ships and will NOT be displayed during checkout.

Additional Product Images

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©2010, AppAddict.net. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Case, Convertible Book Jacket, Gear, Gear Review, Hardware, incase, iPad, Review, Video

]]> http://appaddict.net/2010/08/28/video-review-incase-convertible-book-jacket-for-ipad/feed/ 1 http://appaddict.net/2010/08/27/video-review-incase-slider-case-for-iphone-4/ http://appaddict.net/2010/08/27/video-review-incase-slider-case-for-iphone-4/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:42:23 +0000 Wil Parker http://appaddict.net/2010/08/27/video-review-incase-slider-case-for-iphone-4/ Today I take a look at Incase’s iPhone 4 version of their very popular Slider Case

Features

• Soft touch coating
• Durable hardshell construction
• Interior rubber guardrails for shock absorption
• Integrated glare reduction ring in camera cutout
• Direct access to all device features
• Available in 5 Colors : Black, White, Gun Metal, Raspberry and Mauve

Special Offer Available on incase’s Website

For a limited time, if you use promo code ‘IPHONE4′, Incase will give you FREE ground shipping.

Additional Product Images

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Post tags: Case, Gear, Gear Review, Hardware, incase, iPhone 4, Review, Slider, Video

]]> http://appaddict.net/2010/08/27/video-review-incase-slider-case-for-iphone-4/feed/ 0 http://appaddict.net/2010/08/23/solipskier-is-something-rather-special/ http://appaddict.net/2010/08/23/solipskier-is-something-rather-special/#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:44:00 +0000 Ben http://appaddict.net/?p=13287 Don’t let the monochrome environments of Solipskier throw you; the game really has to be experienced to be enjoyed. It takes the concept of 2D skiing to a whole new level by allowing you to control the bumps, jumps, sharp descents and uphill climbs simply by touching the screen. The game is constantly pushing you forward so it feels amazingly natural as you’re only directly controlling the elevation of the terrain and not the velocity or balance of your character.

Of course, there are things you can do to speed up the game lest the skier lose momentum. The goal is to pass through the green gates in order to gain some speed, whilst avoiding the red gates that kill you upon contact. There’s also areas that don’t allow you to draw terrain in them, so you must be going fairly fast—you must draw a ramp just before reaching the dead zone in order so that you don’t fall off the screen. In addition, you have what the game calls ‘tunnels’; large clusters of blue gates that can rocket both your speed and your score should you pass through the majority of them.

Do well and you’ll be rewarded; as your speed increases so does your chance to grab some big air. Big jumps are scored with a panel of three judges holding up cards at the bottom of the screen, and it’s usually at this point your score will start to increase very rapidly. You’ll know that you’re doing well when you’re going so fast that your headphones fall off and the fast paced rock stops abruptly; a really nice touch. Of course, when the gameplay is this good you can’t help yourself from taking another go; we can only attribute this to an idea that’s extraordinarily simple but executed perfectly. Indeed, you can [play it in your browser] with Flash; but with touch controls this good, why would you want to?

The game has a few caveats; notably, you can’t pause whilst in the game, plus you can’t play your own music without starting a game, killing yourself and then muting the game’s sound; you of course then lose the sound effects. It would have been really good to have let you play your own music and then have it cut off as the headphones disappeared! The game does come with online high scoring though, powered by OpenFeint.

In Conclusion

It’s almost too easy to recommend Solipskier; what you’re getting here is a slick package that will play on both your iPad and your iPhone and some fantastic, fluid gameplay that’s a blast to experience. Overall, an excellent game and an excellent use of your $2.99. Right then, time for another round.

Screenshots

Gameplay Video

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Post tags: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mikengreg Games, Review, Solipskier

]]> http://appaddict.net/2010/08/23/solipskier-is-something-rather-special/feed/ 0 http://appaddict.net/2010/08/20/monorace-is-chock-full-of-one-wheeled-gravity-defying-fun/ http://appaddict.net/2010/08/20/monorace-is-chock-full-of-one-wheeled-gravity-defying-fun/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:09:43 +0000 Brett Nolan http://appaddict.net/?p=13110 Craneballs Studios’ 4th title, Monorace, is an addictive 2D side-scrolling racing game that flirts with the laws of gravity. The game features a simple, single button (or perhaps it’s more appropriate to say single tap) control scheme. You man the driver’s seat of a single-wheeled vehicle called a Monobike, which is capable of driving on either the floor or the ceiling. As your Monobike races forward along the track you just tap the screen to swap the bike’s polarity, which in turn causes your vehicle to jump to the nearest surface no matter if it means you’ll be driving with the top or bottom of your bike. The goal is simply to make it to the end of the track as quickly as possible whilst avoiding an onslaught of rapidly approaching obstacles. These hazards range from track outcroppings, holes in the track, spike pits or even stretches where this is no ceiling or there is no floor. If you hit an obstacle it will cost you some precious time (or worse).

The key to a successful run is airtime and staying toward the right side of the screen. While your bike is riding on either the ground or ceiling, there is a little bit of drag slowing you down. You start off in the center of the screen and each time you hit an obstacle, the resulting delay pushes your bike a little bit to the left. The farther left you are, the slower your bike will move. In order to lay down those really fast times, you need to pick up speed, which means keeping your Monobike off the track as much as possible, thereby reducing the friction and increasing the overall speed of your craft. If you get too far left, then your best bet is to ride over special “speed up” sections of the track or grab some clock pickups to reduce your final runtime by 0.1 seconds (each).

Before the race you must select a rider from the game’s three characters Big D., Jane and Gus. While they do not have any special abilities or traits which make one rider better than another, each does have a unique voice. The tracks are spread across 5 different themes which all look quite nice and offer a little bit of variety in scenery (not that you’ll really have time to take it in). The game’s included music tracks fit well with the theme of the game and will help you psyched up for the race.

Monorace’s OpenFeint support means that you can see how your race times stack up against your friends as well as send your best time(s) to your buddies with OpenFeint’s challenge request system and on the main menu screen you are presented with a tally of your challenge wins and losses.

Players can select from two different game modes, Career and Endless the former of which has two difficulty settings. Both of Careers mode’s difficulty options contain the same set of 40 unlockable tracks, but the speed of Racer is much faster. While the Beginner difficulty will help you get used to the gameplay, you’ll probably quickly find yourself switching over to the Racer levels as they offers a much more challenging and gratifying experience. Finally, Endless mode offers players a unique experience each time you play since the track is generated randomly. Basically the challenge here is to last as long as possible without blowing up, or running off the track.

In Conclusion

Once again Craneballs has delivered another somewhat quirky title deserving of a warning label reading: “WARNING: This game may cause you to lose track of time”. You’ll start off with one race and then before you know it an hour or more will have passed. The simplicity of the controls coupled with entertaining gameplay and elegant OpenFeint integration will have you racing down the track over and over and over again. For your $1.99 Monorace really offers two games in one, a satisfying time-based racing game as well as a challenging endurance last-longer style game. A always, I once again find myself highly recommending you check yet another fine title from Crandeballs Studios.

Screenshots

Trailer

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Post tags: Craneballs Studios, iPod Touch, Monorace, Review

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