Best Iphone Apps Review

The iPad, is it really a gaming device? is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

With all the publicity about how the iPad is going to revolutionize various industries, everybody seems to forget about the industry that is currently practically supporting the iPod Touch (the current mini-version of the iPad minus the iWork and 3G capabilities): the gaming industry.  A hefty chunk of the top-selling apps in the App Store are games.

Could the iPad also be a competitor to portable gaming systems like the PSP or the Nintendo DS?  It does have a bigger screen with a better resolution, but it’s larger size is a bit of a hindrance when it comes to carrying the thing around.  I don’t see kids taking their iPads out of their backpack to play another round of Warcraft.

On the other hand, if lots of games changed their interfaces to make use of the larger screen (ie. head to head, board games, etc), then the iPad might bring something special to gaming, the ability for people to ’share’ the gaming experience while in the same room.  I think a lot of that has been lost since most video games currently are really solo acts.  The iPad’s larger screen definitely makes sharing the experience much more likely.

With some tweaking, all the current games in the App Store can run on the iPad.  But does having a larger form factor make the game any better than its smaller cousin the iTouch / iPhone?  I don’t think so.  Do you?

And then there is the price.  For $200 (iTouch, PSP, DS) you might be able to afford having a gaming system in your pocket.  For $500?  That price is a little high if you plan on using the iPad for just games.

I think the iPad will finally let the non-game apps take their place in the top spots.  I imagine that most people buying the iPad will do so for the other genres of apps outside of games.  Productivity, Educational, Medical, eBooks, and all those other non-gaming categories will most likely be the biggest hits for iPad users.

Perhaps now, a few more non-games will make the top 100 list.  What do you think?

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Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne is another great Dr. Reiner Knizia and Conlan Rios card game. Again, this is based off an actual card game that was published in 1995 to very favorable reviews. The game is themed after knights, estates and… round tables? Really, the theme is not so important because the game is pretty abstract like most of Dr. K’s games. I do love the period background music though. It’s a lute version of Scarborough Fair and it has me singing/mumbling subconsciously “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” all day. The newest update allows you to play your own music but I’ll be sticking to Simon and Garfunkel.

Knights of Charlemagne is a two player game that can either be played against several difficulties of AI or a second person on the same device. The basic idea is that you have ten estates in the playing field labeled 1 through 5 and colored blue, violet, green, red and orange. Each player is dealt a hand of eight knight cards, which have both numbers and colors, and plays one per turn. The knights can be played on estates with either the same number or color. The players take turns doing this until they run out of cards, at which point, the player with the most cards played to each estate, wins that estate. The different estates are worth different amounts and there are several bonuses to take into account, so all in all, Knights of Charlemagne is a pretty complex game. It definitely falls into the “easy to learn, hard to master” category.

The original card game plays with 2 to 4 players and from what I’ve read, a three person game is the sweet spot. I would love to see this implemented in the application. I guess we’ll just have to get the real life card game to experience the thrill of three player KoC. It would also be nice to play against people over the Internet, although the AI can still be pretty challenging.

Dr. K is really becoming one of my favorite game designers and not just in the iPhone and iPod Touch world. I challenge you to check out his games and not like them. Good luck. And don’t forget to throw Conlan some love as well for making these games possible on this platform.

When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning. -Dr. Reiner Knizia

iTunes Link – Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne
Version 1.1
Reviewed on iPhone 3GS OS 3.1.3

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Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne is another great Dr. Reiner Knizia and Conlan Rios card game. Again, this is based off an actual card game that was published in 1995 to very favorable reviews. The game is themed after knights, estates and… round tables? Really, the theme is not so important because the game is pretty abstract like most of Dr. K’s games. I do love the period background music though. It’s a lute version of Scarborough Fair and it has me singing/mumbling subconsciously “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” all day. The newest update allows you to play your own music but I’ll be sticking to Simon and Garfunkel.

Knights of Charlemagne is a two player game that can either be played against several difficulties of AI or a second person on the same device. The basic idea is that you have ten estates in the playing field labeled 1 through 5 and colored blue, violet, green, red and orange. Each player is dealt a hand of eight knight cards, which have both numbers and colors, and plays one per turn. The knights can be played on estates with either the same number or color. The players take turns doing this until they run out of cards, at which point, the player with the most cards played to each estate, wins that estate. The different estates are worth different amounts and there are several bonuses to take into account, so all in all, Knights of Charlemagne is a pretty complex game. It definitely falls into the “easy to learn, hard to master” category.

The original card game plays with 2 to 4 players and from what I’ve read, a three person game is the sweet spot. I would love to see this implemented in the application. I guess we’ll just have to get the real life card game to experience the thrill of three player KoC. It would also be nice to play against people over the Internet, although the AI can still be pretty challenging.

Dr. K is really becoming one of my favorite game designers and not just in the iPhone and iPod Touch world. I challenge you to check out his games and not like them. Good luck. And don’t forget to throw Conlan some love as well for making these games possible on this platform.

When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning. -Dr. Reiner Knizia

iTunes Link – Reiner Knizia’s Knights of Charlemagne
Version 1.1
Reviewed on iPhone 3GS OS 3.1.3

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Cram in the Investment Terms with Finance Study Guide is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Price: $2.99    Score: 9/10    By Michelle Schusterman

This app is just like its name – straight to the point.

Finance Study Guide, designed by Good Mark’s Study Guides, is aimed at students and business professionals who want a quick resource for basic financial information.

I say “basic”, but take that with a grain of salt. I’m no financial expert, and a lot of the material this app provides is new stuff for me. However, the language is clear, without any confusing jargon, and within the first few minutes I learned quite a bit of new information.

What I do understand is what makes a good educational app – a user-friendly format and clear purpose. And Finance Study Guide gets an A on both. There are five menus to choose from at the bottom; Study Guide, Questions, Exercises, Formulas, and Definitions. The Study Guide is split into several categories, a few of which have their own sub-categories. The definitions, graphs and formulas provided are easy to understand and perfect as a study aid right before an exam.

Questions is a great way to quiz yourself – read the question, guess the answer, then tap “next” to see if you were right. The Exercises sections is also helpful, providing real situations for you to analyze. For example: you are given a scenario with investment information, and asked to figure out what the company’s balance sheet would look like at the end of the first period.

Many of the categories in the Study Guide contain formulas, of course – this is finance, after all. The Formulas section lists each one, perfect for a last minute cram session or as a quick reference. And the Definitions section is set up alphabetically – tap “L” to see the definitions of terms like “Lead Manager” and “Leverage Effect.”

I’ve seen a few study guides in the past that supply great info, but it’s not nearly as easy to navigate as Finance Study Guide. The bottom line? If you’re taking a finance class, this $2.99 investment is one definitely worth making.

Finance Study Guide requires iPhone OS 3.1.2 or later and is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

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Aardvark Puzzle Trivia 2 – Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

I’m a self-styled trivia fiend. I love knowing about the little, interesting things on a wide variety of topics and I feed on bits and bytes of information, however useless they may be, from a long list of sources. I’m also crazy about words. It gives me great pleasure to learn new words, their meanings, their etymologies, their uses. It’s no wonder then that I love games that combine these two inclinations of mine. Add another staple in my list of favorite things–the iPhone–and you have a winning recipe…Read More

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Astraware Casino – iPhone App Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Astraware Casino ($0.99)

Version – 1.03

REVIEW – “A casino game that is almost as addicting as the real thing!”

I had someone just the other day that said he was looking for a good casino app. He wanted to be able to play slots, blackjack, poker, etc on his iPhone. I honestly had never used any apps like this on my iPhone, but after i had hunted around for a little while I stumbled upon Astraware Casino and was instantly hooked!  This game offers the entire experience.  There is no need to have 4 or 5 different apps to play your favorite casino games because they’re all here in one game for just $0.99!

Astraware Casino is a simple app that is stuffed full with a variety of different games to play!  When you open up the app the main screen is an overview of a casino with captions around all of the different games that you can play!  Touching any of them will take you directly to that game and get you started.  The games are all fairly simple to just start playing, but there are instructions on how to play each game that you can access by touching “Instructions” at the bottom of the screen while playing a game.

At the bottom of the screen is a menu that always contains an “options” button that will let you change a few basic settings that apply to different games. This the same bar that will contain the “instructions” button as well as some other buttons in certain screens.  The games themselves are definitely fun.  I particularly enjoyed the Slots game and of course a little Texas Hold’em.  I would say that the AI in some of the games could use a little work, but what do expect honestly from a $0.99 app with this many great games in it?

This game also incorporates OpenFeint’s social interface into the app.  This means that as you play you can get “achievements” for doing various things like winning a lot of money or just playing a lot of games. It also means that your friends will be able to see what achievements you’ve gotten in-game and even chat with you using OpenFeint’s social interface!

Another great feature of this game is that it keeps track of your stats on all of the games you play.  From the main screen if you touch the “Statistics” button at the bottom of the screen you’ll see a list of all the games you can play.  Touching any of them will take you to a screen that will show how many games you’ve played, how much money you’ve won and how much money you’ve wagered playing that game!  There is also a bank where you can put money that won’t fit in your wallet and/or even overdraft a little should you run out of money to play!  Of course since it’s not real money you can reset how much you have at any time to the original amount that you started with.

If you love playing casino games, but don’t like spending all of your real money, you will probably really enjoy this app!  While yes it is possible to play some of these games live with real people, it’s very nice to be able to quickly jump in and out of games, and not have to worry about people waiting on you.  For just $0.99 it’s hard to find a better value in the App Store because this game offers virtually endless replay value!  If you like games of chance and skill you will probably enjoy Astraware Casino!  So what are you waiting for?  Head to the App Store and check it out today!

- David H.

Download Now!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Developer – Astraware Limited

URL: http://www.astraware.com/iphone/casino

© 2010, iPhone app reviews. All rights reserved. AppShouter LLC

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‘Astro Ranch’ Finally Blasts Off is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Tag Games' much anticipated Astro Ranch has just come out. We previewed the game just last week.

The basic premise of the game involves the character you choose at the beginning crash landing in to a neighborhood filled with aliens who surprisingly enough are more than willing to get you started with a house to live in, a barn to keep all your stuff in, and a plot of land for you to raise your various crops and livestock. The interface is all touch driven, and works surprisingly well with how many different things in the game are controlled with very similar gestures.

During our early time with it, Astro Ranch seems to be a surprisingly deep game. Here's a hands on video of the gameplay:

We're spending more time with the title as we speak, but impressions are starting to roll into our forums.

App Store Link: Astro Ranch, $2.99

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Internet Alert is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Internet Alert, from Modern Digital Media AB, is about as straightforward an app as you can imagine. Its purpose is amazingly simple: to notify you whenever a web page is updated. 

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Legal Maps Cultivates your Cannabis is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Price: FREE    Score: 8/10    By Steve Beaudry

Medical marijuana is legal in four states, so if you find yourself California, Nevada, Oregon or Montana and in need of a bud, Legal Maps by WeedMaps will show you the way.

With Legal Maps you can find the doctors and dispensaries that are closest to your current location using the iPhone’s GPS. It does its job well and cleanly, but the clear disadvantage, which can be expected from any app of its kind, is that it’s limited by the bounds of the law. For example, I happen to live in Florida. In order to fill my prescription, I would have to travel clear across the country for this app to be of any practical use.

Still, there is something to be said for the practicality of such an app for those Americans who are within those bounds. I couldn’t tell you how difficult it is to find these places on your own since I’ve never actually tried, but if you need to get your hands on some medical marijuana, this app will seriously cut down on research time. You can give reviews, find other people who share your enthusiasm and even connect to Facebook through their accompanying website and wave your legal product in front of all your friends across the country.

There’s not much more to say about the app since it really is pretty straight forward. If you have a legal marijuana prescription to either acquire or fill, you can use this app completely free to find the doctors and the shops you need.

Legal Maps requires iPhone OS 3.1.2 or later and is compatible with both iPhone and iPod Touch.

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App Sale: Compression is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Compression is on sale for free – normally $1.99
Compression is a snazzy, Dr. Mario – style tetris game that I reviewed a few months back.

It’s casual, fun and pretty easy to pick up and play. There’s also a new $0.99 in-app purchase that unlocks another addictive game mode. A recent update fixed some of the issues with the first version, giving you another reason why you should definitely pick up this game while it’s on sale.

iTunes Link – Compression

Version 1.1

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News From Chillingo is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Two pieces of news from Chillingo today. The first bit is quite exciting, because it feeds my incurable craving for great game trailers.

Radio Flare REDUX – New Game Trailer
I put up a video for Radio Flare REDUX before showing the differences between the original and the sequel, but this new trailer really looks like a white-knuckle affair. Check it out, it looks really good!

Assault Squadron

The second bit of news is of a new Chillingo title, Assault Squadron. Assault Squadron is a new sci-fi shoot-em-up that looks to be very pretty. It boasts a custom built graphics engine that pumps out 60 fps. I’ll leave the rest of the description up to the developer.

“The Global Defense Force (GDF) reports that Earth is under attack by a hostile, unidentified vessel containing thousands of enemy craft. Striking with unwavering precision, the invasion destroys key defensive facilities to leave Earth and its inhabitants at the mercy of fearsome alien attackers.

You are a part of the Assault Squadron, an elite tactical space combat force dispatched by the Federal Alliance to defeat the alien enemy. Assault Squadron’s explosive sci-fi missions and in-depth storyline will thrill shoot-‘em-up fans and casual players as they battle to save the Earth.”

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Chillingo Readies 2D Space Shooter ‘Assault Squadron’ is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

It looks like Chillingo's on a bit of a shooter roll, here lately.  They've just given the heads up on the upcoming fast-pace 2D scrolling shooter Assault Squadron, developed by The Binary Mill.

The Global Defense Force (GDF) reports that Earth is under attack by a hostile, unidentified vessel containing thousands of enemy craft. Striking with unwavering precision, the invasion destroys key defensive facilities to leave Earth and its inhabitants at the mercy of fearsome alien attackers.

You are a part of the Assault Squadron, an elite tactical space combat force dispatched by the Federal Alliance to defeat the alien enemy. Assault Squadron’s explosive sci-fi missions and in-depth storyline will thrill shoot-‘em-up fans and casual players as they battle to save the Earth.

The game offers a choice of four different ships, each with its own set of abilities and weapons systems that can be upgraded to dish out the kill with an arsenal including vulcan cannons, torpedo missiles, spiral grenades, and tri-vortex bombs, with attacks that can be chained together to deliver devastating, high-scoring combo attacks.

On-screen action runs at a smooth 60 frames-per-second across both a Campaign Mode and a quick-play Arcade mode, each offering three difficulty settings and set against a licensed trance soundtrack. Ship control is handled via four different modes: Touch 1:1, Touch 2,5:1, Tilt Control, and Virtual Joystick. The whole thing is tied together with Chillingo's Crystal leaderboards and achievements system.

Let's hope this one is as nice as it sounds. We'll bring further details on Assault Squadron as we get them. Stay tuned.

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