Bitflip HD is an intriguing retooling of the match three game, breathing new life into a stale genre. The gameplay is well-designed, the music and sound effects contribute to the overall impact of the game, and the price of $.99 is just right. The only thing unfortunate about Bitflip HD is its annoying tendency to randomly crash or simply never complete its loading cycle. If the developers can correct these issues, they will have created one of the better puzzle games on the iPad.

Given their ubiquity, there seems little need to review the basic mechanics of a match three game. However, Bitflip HD mixes this up a bit by incorporating several new mechanics. The first is the “poptab,” an on-screen device that looks like, well, a pull tab from a Diet Coke. The Poptab has two two holes and can be moved to any position on the board and to any horizontal or vertical orientation. This mechanic subverts the typical match three device of “click two items to watch them switch places.” Here, the Poptab must be used to switch items on the grid, so two items are changed simultaneously, plus it can be flipped over, which also changes gameplay substantially. Each piece in Bitflip HD has two sides and a different color and/or pattern on each side. Both colors and patterns must match before they can be cleared from the board. It’s nothing truly revolutionary, but it’s enough of a variation to make Bitflip HD more interesting than the typical match three.

There are a variety of game variants included with Bitflip HD including “Pop,” where points are awarded based on the number of matches made in a pre-set time, and “Drop,” where disks continue to fall on top of other disks while you clear the screen – sort of Tetris meets Bejeweled. There are also a number of themes ready to go in the game, so you don’t have to settle for the initial basic look.

Taken as a whole, Bitflip HD is a solid puzzler that only suffers due to some annoying and random crashing issues. If the developer can fix these issues, it will be easy to recommend Bitflip HD to anyone who loves a good puzzle game.

[ Bitflip HD for iPad Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a review extolling the virtues of iSequence, a sophisticated new iPad app that allows musicians to construct full-scale songs from their touch screens. That app could be overwhelming to a first time user or a novice musician, but now soundTable fills that void by providing a simplified interface and learning curve for beginners wanting to create interesting electronic sequences.

As its name implies, all controls in soundTable are manipulated from one master screen. You can easily search sound banks to find the beats, synths and other sounds you want, then drag them to the middle of the screen – the “table” – where their volume, speed and direction can be manipulated using circular turntables that surround each individual sound. As you drag sounds to the main table, they “attach” themselves visually to a master control at the bottom of the screen. These attachment lines are actually representations of sound waves and they can be manipulated by attaching additional effects to them. Ultimately, you’ll likely have a half dozen or more mini turntables on screen at once, so it can get a little confusing and often difficult to fully control.

To be fair, though, the interface in soundTable is interesting and unique and easy enough to begin with. It would help if the developers included a comprehensive help file with the app, but you will have to settle for the info button, which merely describes what each set of buttons represents. That’s certainly enough to get you going, but as users continue playing with the app they are probably going to want more and better explanations.

The sounds available in soundTable are pretty standard, but fortunately the developers have included many, many more available for download free. You can sample each sound and decide if you want it, so you don’t have to litter your iPad’s precious drive space with unwanted sounds. Hopefully there will be additional sound packs released as the app reaches maturity. At only $0.99 for the app, I wouldn’t mind paying extra for more sounds.

Graphically, soundTable really impresses. With a variety of virtual turntables and sound waves going at one time, the interface of the app looks something like an art piece. It remains to be seen (and heard) what the most ambitious of users will be able to sonically do within the confines of the iPad’s screen.

At this point, soundTable is more of a toy than apps such as iSequence, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It represents a good first step for those just now venturing into the ambient unknown.

[ soundTable for iPad Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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I loved Battle Bears: Zombies! Regardless of the fact that its (surreal, bizarre, yet lovable and oddly accommodating) game play was limited, due to the main character’s (Oliver) stationary position/inability to move, taking out onslaughts of bright, colorful, lovable bears with a unique, equally colorful arsenal of upgradeable weaponry provided me with countless hours of psychedelic bliss.

Sadly though, what Battle Bears: Zombies! possessed in originality, it lacked in length and my campaign to spread as much rainbow-colored head stuffing across the playing field died prematurely. That said, I was delighted when I learned of Battle Bears – 1. Would SkyVu improve upon its original formula or abandon it for a gaming experience that’s better, stronger, faster (and more colorful)? They certainly have the technology.

Battle Bears -1 is a prequel to Battle Bears: Zombies! which provides players with insight into how Oliver came to be stranded in enemy territory, forced to take out wave-after-wave of colorful, touch-feely bears, called Huggables.

The game’s hilarious intro (which, along with the rest of its animated cut scenes, pay homage to classic cult movie favorites, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones) reveals the Battle Bears, in an effort to pay off their ship, have accepted a mission to a mysterious planet to recover mystical creatures for a client. During the mission, their ship is invaded by Huggables and the carnage game begins.

If nothing else, the developers at SkyVu are humorous and clever: The opening scene in the game mimics the original. However, once you move out from within the safety of your sandbags, everything changes; for the better.

Battle Bears – 1 takes place on the Battle Bear’s spaceship (the Ursa Major) and you play as Oliver, navigating throughout the ship eradicating it from waves of colorful Huggables and boss characters. In addition to retaining its colorful and vibrant game play, it now features an FPS perspective, with two control schemes, three modes of play: Campaign, Survival and Boss Trials and three difficulty levels: Warm Panda’s Milk (easy), Claws For Alarm (medium) and Barbearic (hard).

The default scheme displays two virtual analog sticks: the left (green), used for movement and the right (red) pulling double-duty for movement (navigating through areas with no enemies) and firing (navigating through areas with enemies).

In between the two sticks is a rectangular-shaped safety button, which, when active, allows players to move using both sticks without firing a weapon. While this could be somewhat irritating to some, I found it effective and enjoyable and had no problems adapting to it. If your safety is on and you enter a new room, it automatically disengages. Once a room is cleared, it will re-engage.

The second mode contains only the left, green analog stick. Instead of using a second analog stick on the right, players use their thumb to move and fire by touching the screen. The safety mechanism works the same for both modes. I really like this virtual control scheme; I played the game using both modes and found each effective, easy and fun to use.

The game’s display screen also features an in-game map, which will drop down as you clear a room, for help navigating throughout the ship.

The beginning of the game cleverly incorporates tutorial information into the game play. Once you learn the basics, which takes all of about 5 seconds, you’ll be blowing away furry foes en masse, ad nauseam.

The only faults I could find with this game is the redundant scenery of the Ursa Major’s bowels and the limited/lack of weaponry Oliver has access to, especially when compared with Battle Bears: Zombies!. Oliver’s new weapons are still fun to use, however, and the intense game play (you’ll be swarmed by different colors/types of Huggables) more than makes up for the above.

Speaking of Huggables, they’re still very colorful and come in different sizes and attack types. While playing this game, you’ll come to realize that their attack strategy/motto is “There’s Safety in Numbers,” as they will SWARM all over you if you fail to mow them down with extreme prejudice, so don’t be conservative with your weaponry/power ups; apply liberally as needed.

Despite its flaws, Battle Bears – 1 is a successful, improved prequel to the original. Its game play, saturated with intense action, colorful graphics and humor, is fun and satisfying. Regardless of whether or not you played the first version, you’ll no doubt enjoy this game, which is a virtual pot of gold at the end of SkyVu’s rainbow

[ Battle Bears -1 Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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[ Komos Review is a post from 148Apps ]

ROK Lingo Translation

App developer: Rok Media
Website: http://www.rokent.com/

ROK Media has created a simple but very useful App that translates any text into several languages and recites them aloud on your iPhone for traveling, communication, business – you name it.

This App could not be simpler. Insert your text on top, select which language to translate it into and the text appears below, with the option to hear the App speak it to you. The languages included in version 2 are English, French, Spanish, German, Turkish and Catalan.

From what I could tell each Language had its own built-in female voice that read the translated text, however because I’m not as fluent in French or Spanish as I’d like to be, I couldn’t really tell if the pronunciations were correct or not. It’s probably safe to assume that a native speaker would be able to figure out what you are saying by you mimicking the voice – or you could always play the audio for whomever you’re trying to communicate with. Although, you could always show them the translated text as well. So there’s a multitude of uses for this program.

An addition use that I didn’t realize until much later was that English is one of the included Languages that you can Translate to. Meaning, that if you find some street sign, instructions, or information in one of the supported languages you can translate it back to English with this App too.

Also, fantastic news for speakers of the other languages, because this is the perfect App for traveling to English Speaking countries – the audio speaking voice of the English Speaker is crystal clear – as good as any Text to Audio I’ve ever heard.

Right now Rok has the Lingo Translation App on sale for 1/2 off – only $0.99 so you should pick it up while now, while it’s still cheap. You never know when you’ll need it, especially if you travel often!

~ChantelleJoy
Follow Me: @ChantelleJoytwt

© 2010, iPhone and iPad app reviews. All rights reserved. An expedite fee may have been paid for some reviews. We work diligently to ensure that this does not affect the content of the review and strive to keep the journalistic integrity intact. All reviews are the personal opinion of the reviewer.

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A slick top-down racer where you have to collect fuel and smash other vehicles! Check the comments for promo codes.

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App developer: Blue Fusion Technologies
Website: http://www.bluefusiongames.com/

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a new game App that does something different, has a different game play, or simply is a new idea to the App Marketplace. I was surprised by, and totally impressed by this App.

There’s a fantastic tutorial when you begin, explaining the game play, which is that you need to press the right colors, and launch your colors in order to defeat the Martian Invaders before they reach you. Obvious homage to Space Invaders with a tricky and fun twist. The tutorial was detailed and explained everything from how to defend against single-color ships, and multicolor ships. You have special weapons that you can use to either freeze the attackers, or by demolishing an entire section (although these special weapons will not work with each other, which is fair.)

Other than the fantastic graphics (which I’ve stated before, and will state again, are a rarity sometimes in 99 cent apps), the game play is smooth and easy to do. On the point of the graphics, and design, it’s an obvious throwback to retro 70’s style games and I think it suits this particular game, and this genre in general great.

Something else that impressed me about this App is that it contains 40 levels. Forty. This app was only launched a few days ago and already in contains more levels than most Apps in this price range which have had months, if not years of additions and updates.

The levels get progressively more difficult, but that’s a given. The game is intuitive in the same way the guitar-hero, tap-tap revolution is, which is a welcome change from regular shooter games. This game is definitely geared at people who wouldn’t regularly pick up a ‘Space’ style game, and I think that anyone who enjoys combo or color-tap related games would enjoy this just as much.

Additionally the App features OpenFeint, a welcome addition to any game on the iPad. Although I’ve been using games with OpenFeint for a while, I’ve never bothered to actually sign-up or keep track of my high-scores through it, this game might change that as it is so much fun I find I’m wanting to play it more and more, I should keep track of my progress.

Please do check this one out – it’s only a dollar and I think that if it even sounds like it will appeal to you, you won’t be disappointed.

~ChantelleJoy
Tweet Me: @ChantelleJoytwt

© 2010, iPhone and iPad app reviews. All rights reserved. An expedite fee may have been paid for some reviews. We work diligently to ensure that this does not affect the content of the review and strive to keep the journalistic integrity intact. All reviews are the personal opinion of the reviewer.

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