Category Archives: platformer

NinJump Gets iPad Version and a Planned Content Expansion

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NinJump Gets iPad Version and a Planned Content Expansion is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Backflip Studios are going all-out in unleashing their lineup of freemium games onto the App Store. After launching Buganoids on both the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad last week, Backflip Studios is now going through their back catalog of games released this summer, with NinJump now getting an iPad version, appropriately called NinJump HD.

NinJump HD is the same game as the iPhone/iPod touch version, just now with graphics and gameplay optimized for the iPad. The game really does look much more detailed and crisp than the original version did scaled up to 2X. As well, for players who may have been playing on their iPad and may occasionally have missed a jump due to tapping on the blank part of the screen in 2X scaling, you won’t have this problem any more. While it may have been coincidental, I set a new high score the first time I played the iPad version.

Speaking of high scores, the game is similar to Buganoids where high scores are synchronized between the two versions, so you can track your high scores on whatever device you play on, as long as you use the same OpenFeint login. All the OpenFeint leaderboards are the same as the iPhone version, as evidenced by the over one million entries present before the iPad version was publicly available.

NinJump HD is currently free (with the possibility of being a paid download in the future, according to Backflip Studios), with $0.99 in-app purchase to remove ads, similar to other Backflip Studios freemium games. However, the game may go to paid at some point according to CEO Julian Farrior, so downloading it now is recommended. The gameplay is the same great addictive ninja jumping action that the iPhone version presented, just now in iPad form.

Backflip were also kind enough to drop some details on the future of NinJump. First, Android will be getting a free version of NinJump later this year. As well, a new paid version of NinJump will be released, expanding on what the original free version presented, featuring “new levels, enemies and other content, with plans to add frequent updates on a regular basis” according to Backflip Studios CEO Julian Farrior. NinJump fans could have a lot to look forward to in the coming months for their ninja jumping game of choice.

FREE!

NinJump – HD

iPad Only App – Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-09-21 :: Category: Games / Adventure

[ NinJump Gets iPad Version and a Planned Content Expansion is a post from 148Apps ]


Beyond Ynth! Review

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Beyond Ynth! Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website


Beyond Ynth!, the sequel to one of our favorite iDevice puzzlers, has been released by FDG Entertainment and is now available from the app store. Maintaining the charm and challenge of the original while making several enjoyable improvements, Beyond Ynth! has managed to captivate us just as strongly the second time around.

Beyond Ynth! Pros:

Outstanding audio [...]


Black Tie Adventure Review

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Black Tie Adventure Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: 7th Playground
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.4
Device Reviewed On: 3rd Gen iPod Touch

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

Overall Rating: 3.67 out of 5 stars

Black Tie Adventure is a platform game that relies on a quirky story and off-kilter premise, but comes out being quite enjoyable in the end. The game begins with a wedding between two individuals being interrupted by an evil snake. The snake uses its long body to wrap around and steal the entire wedding party and the bride, leaving the groom to head out to save them all. The grooms weapon of choice… a sunflower. I personally would be packing an assault rifle, but a sunflower would definitely be in my top 3.

Levels are well designed and the graphics are well done. Each level consists of three present boxes that contain some of the wedding party, various snakes that need to be irradiated, and a number of hearts that need to be gathered to obtain a gold medal. There are 4 worlds with a total of 32 stages which provides a whole lot of game for not a lot of investment. Depending on your skill level in platform games, there is an easy mode to ensure everyone fully enjoys the game. With boss fights and detailed levels, there is plenty to enjoy in Black Tie Adventure.

7th Playground has created a winning platform game here, and even with the quirky storyline, this game shines as an enjoyable adventure. Compared to two plumbers who spit fire and save princesses against a giant reptile and his children, I guess Black Tie Adventure is downright believable. Black Tie Adventure is available on the app store for $2.99.

[ Black Tie Adventure Review is a post from 148Apps ]


Mirror’s Edge for iPhone Review

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Mirror’s Edge for iPhone Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website


Mirror’s Edge, EA’s highly-anticipated and extra long-awaited parkour-style platformer, is finally available from the app store for use on your iPhone/iPod. Featuring intuitive swipe controls, elaborate level design, and non-stop action, Mirror’s Edge was well worth the wait.

Mirror’s Edge Pros:

Stunning urban settings
Great soundtrack
Intuitive swipe gesture controls
Non-stop action with acrobatic maneuvers
Speed Run mode with global leaderboards

Mirror’s [...]


Mirror’s Edge Review

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Mirror’s Edge Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: EA Mobile
Price: $4.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 3G

Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.81 out of 5 stars

Better late than never. Mirror’s Edge has been a long time coming for the iPhone, having finally been released almost 4 months after the iPad version was released. Mirror’s Edge is an adaptation of the eponymous console game, which has you playing as Faith, a ‘Runner’ who deftly navigates urban landscapes trying to get to her goal. There’s a storyline similar to the console version, but it is largely irrelevant here, as the only hints of it are in the scrolling text sections between levels. All the levels largely only differ in setting, as the goal in each level is the same – get to the end without dying from falling, bullets, or high-temperature steam. Of course, getting to the end of each level means performing acrobatic maneuvers to get over or under obstacles, stringing together wall runs, trying to discover the hidden messenger bags spread throughout the levels, all while trying to complete the levels as quickly as possible.

Mirror’s Edge’s platforming is fantastic. This was the strongest element of the console version, but now that the game is a 2D sidescroller, you can now enjoy the experience of the game without the nausea of the first person view, which makes this game feel far more like the pure parkour platformer that it can be. The striking visual aesthetic is also perfectly represented, with the city scenes all looking amazing. The game also runs very well, even on the iPhone 3G on iOS 4.0, with only minimal slowdown. The controls also are based on swiping gestures, not tapping virtual buttons, and while the running is often frustrating if you’re trying to stop to stand still, it makes chaining together long runs very intuitive.

Mirror’s Edge’s crucial flaw? It is very short. How short is it? My iPhone 3G’s battery wasn’t even halfway drained when I finished playing in a straight through session. There are only 12 short levels, with the only replay value coming from completing the levels for speed runs. As well, while combat is a lesser focus than it was in the console games, it’s still incredibly annoying, as it largely only breaks up the pace of the game. Also? The game ends on an incredibly anticlimactic note, similar to Splinter Cell: Conviction. Look, I know that you’re bound to what the console game’s storyline does, but that is no excuse for such an abrupt and unsatisfying endpoint to any game.

Mirror’s Edge may be short, and not fully rid of the horrid combat that has brought its other incarnations down, but it still is a fantastic agile urban platformer that shines more than it ever did on the consoles. It needs more content and more tweaking, but as far as it stands, Mirror’s Edge is a fun albeit brief platformer for the iPhone. Even it did take a while to finally hit the smaller devices.

[ Mirror’s Edge Review is a post from 148Apps ]


Ultimate Spider Man: Total Mayhem Review

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Ultimate Spider Man: Total Mayhem Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: Gameloft
Price: $6.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0

Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 4.38 out of 5 stars

Based on the alternate-universe version of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem impresses from the get go.

Let’s dispense with the obvious and cliche criticism right off the bat, however: real buttons are important. Virtual D-Pads, Analog sticks and buttons are not the same as real physical buttons. That is the handicap that all console-level video games must contend with when created for or ported to the iOS platform. The precision of a real honest-to-goodness button or analog stick goes an exceptionally long way in making games like Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem work on portable consoles like the PSP or the DS.

It’s surprising, then, how well this Gameloft video game plays on the iPhone. Aside from a slipped thumb or two during frantic gameplay, the controls weather their virtual existence well, allowing for solid 3D platforming and beat-em-up gameplay. Fighting through hordes of baddies en route to the big boss — in the shape of a well known villain from the Ultimate Spider-Man universe — rarely feels tiring, instead allowing the gamer to become one with the console and the game in a way most iOS games rarely do.

The game plays out as a typical in media res comic-book story, complete with snappy patter voiceovers as Spider-Man is tasked with both figuring out what the heck is going on in his city as well as beating up an endless array of minions both large and small on his way to larger boss battles with the likes of Electro, Rhino, The Sandman, and Green Goblin, to name a few. While the story isn’t going to win any awards for originality or pathos, it serves as enough of a backdrop to explain the gaming goings-on just fine.

What sets this game above many other iOS beat-em-up games is the solidity of the fighting mechanics. The animations are solid, smooth, and incredibly quick. Spider-Man punches, kicks and — better yet — avoids injury from the bad guys around him with nary a stutter or frame rate drop. Here is a clever system for anticipating offensive damage from foes: a Spider-sense icon appears, allowing players to tap and avoid the damage, sometimes even concluding the dodge with a fully animated counter-attack that’s all Spider-Man. The developers obviously thought through the thematic elements of Spider-Man’s fighting style and adapted it to the smoothly rendered battle animations made possible by the faster processor speeds in the newer iPhone and other iOS devices. Another very welcome mechanic is an auto attack focus; in other words, when players tap the fist/attack virtual button, Spidey goes straight for the nearest bad guy, wihtout the need for a cumbersome aiming or camera mechanic.

Speaking of camera, the game does fall prey to similar and typical camera issues. It’s a game-controlled camera, rather than player-controllable, which lends itself to a smaller portable title like this, but can create some awkward moments when platforming or attempting to attack specific targets. It’s not a deal breaker, as it’s rather infrequent, but the awkward camera angles can take a player out of the moment at times, making for a less than optimal immersive experience.

Add to the above a solid experience point upgrade system (collect red dots for XP, turn in for various ability upgrades), high quality voiceover and menu UI systems, and plenty of extras and achievements (collect comic books in game for artwork un-lockables, earn trophies for higher point scores). iOS gamers now have a serious superhero game that can compete with the best that the game-only devices can offer without breaking a Spider-sweat. Players will forget that they are playing an iPhone game, and instead concentrate on the fact that they are playing a Spider-Man game, as long as those same players can handle the virtual button system and ignore any quirky camera issues or low-interest storyline — three critiques that have been leveled at many other games on both iOS and other gaming platforms. The fighting and avoiding mechanics are a delight to watch and effect as a player, while the high quality production makes the game a must-own for any gaming or Spider-Man fan.

[ Ultimate Spider Man: Total Mayhem Review is a post from 148Apps ]


Frogatto Review

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Frogatto Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: Lost Pixel Studios
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0.1

Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.81 out of 5 stars

Frogatto is an old-school platformer starring a charismatic frog and lots of running and jumping. Though the control scheme isn’t perfect, the game itself oozes classic charm and presents a surprisingly satisfying platforming experience.

In Frogatto, you lead your amphibious character through a series of challenges. Mostly, you’ll be helping the townsfolk with various tasks that range from cleaning up some ants to saving the entire village! Frogatto is far from defenseless: he can run, jump, ground-pound, and swallow his enemies with his tongue. Much like Yoshi, Frogatto’s tongue sucks up enemies. You can’t kill them that way, however; you’ve got to spit them out, firing them at either an enemy (which kills them) or the ground (which stuns them, leaving them vulnerable to a ground-pound).

The 30 levels are varied and fun, with plenty of interesting tricks, moving platforms, wall-kick areas, and pretty much everything else you’d expect from a 2-D platformer. Enemies pack a lot of variety, too, and the boss battles are creative. The dialogue provides a welcome bout of humor, though the story is simple.

Graphics and sound are great, too: the pixel art is lovingly rendered, and it really gives this modern game a classic feel.

The controls, while not perfect, are usable. Four arrows are used for movement; A, B, and an action button are used for licking, jumping, and interacting with townsfolk or objects. The virtual D-pad feels a bit weird and makes precision a little tricky, but it’s certainly not the worst one I’ve used, either.

All in all? Frogatto is a platformer with an old-school style, a lovable character, and some great level designs. If you’re a platforming fan, you should be well pleased with this new entrant in the arena. Frogatto doesn’t introduce much innovation, but it is nevertheless a fun, polished title.

[ Frogatto Review is a post from 148Apps ]


Pix’n Love Rush

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Pix’n Love Rush is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: Bulkypix
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Device Reviewed On: iPad, iPhone 3G
Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Pix’n Love Rush is an endless platformer that is comprised of random arrangements of level segments in which you attempt to collect destroy enemies, all while not taking damage by hitting enemies or falling off of the screen and avoiding the negative value coins. You want to increase your multiplier by collecting those coins and destroying all the enemies in a level, as this is a game all about attaining high scores.

At first, you’ll just be trying to survive the whole 5 minutes in the accurately-titled 5 Minute Mode. As you start to learn the layouts of certain level segments and how your jumping and firing physics work, you’ll learn how to keep your score multiplier very high and complete sections perfectly, granting you lucrative score bonuses. You’ll soon creep closer and closer to the 1,000,000 point barrier that will unlock the game’s Infinite Mode, which goes on until you die and features a different set of themes than the 5 Minute Mode.

Of course, talking just about the gameplay does a big disservice to the game’s graphics and sound, which are all inspired by retro gaming, particularly ’80s and early 90s handheld gaming, and the game’s graphics and sound radically transform as you increase your multiplier, like one theme that resembles the original Game Boy, complete with green backgrounds and grayscale characters. The game also looks especially fantastic on the iPad in 2X mode; there’s an iPad version in development, but even if you just pick up the current iPhone release, it is perfectly playable and still exceptional visually on the iPad, as well as having the benefit of being playable across multiple devices.

The biggest issue with Pix’n Love Rush is that the graphical effects can get to be very distracting, particularly when you transition from one to the next, as the color schemes all change and it may take you a second to reorient yourself, and considering how often the game requires twitch precision, you can’t afford to be thrown off like this. It takes a lot of time with the game to get used to the distracting transitions. As well, your scores don’t submit to OpenFeint unless you get a million points, and the OpenFeint menu is buried as a tiny button in the High Scores menu.

However, Pix’n Love Rush’s initial visual distractions don’t detract from the game’s innate quality. The game is visually a treat when it isn’t distracting and its individually separated level segments differentiate it from other endless platformers. The game’s difficulty is also set up in a way for you to be able to learn it and become good at it after a few plays, but mastery takes continued practice. Fans of retro gaming and endless platformers can’t go wrong with Pix’n Love Rush’s uniquely appealing package even in a genre that’s becoming increasingly crowded on the App Store.

[ Pix’n Love Rush is a post from 148Apps ]


Qwak Review

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Qwak Review is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Developer: Qwakers
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0

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

Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.88 out of 5 stars

“Qwak” is a game with a long, long history. Originally designed for the BBC Micro and later ported to the Amiga, Qwak is a relic of the 90’s…but the original creator is hoping to breathe new life into it with the iPhone version. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this charismatic puzzle / platforming game, and whether or not you’re familiar with the original version, Qwak is a delightful addition to any iPhone library.

In Qwak, you control a duck (ha, funny) in his travels throughout many, many “scenes”, all stuffed full of various elements. Fruits and gems give you bonus points, while power-up potions might yield extra armor or a high-jump ability. Enemies jump, fly, and bounce. Keys unlock treasure chests, and eventually the exit gate…take too long to reach the exit, and spiky balls will rain down in a hailstorm of certain doom. It’s an insanely frenetic game, and every inch of space is packed with something or other.

Your duck can run, jump, and fire eggs, which are used to attack the bad guys. Controls are touch-based. Two arrows in the bottom-left control horizontal movement, while the right side hosts a jump button and an egg-firing button. I was immediately struck by how ridiculously responsive the little duck is. Everything in Qwak moves incredibly fluidly, and the duck is no exception.

On the whole, each “scene” in Qwak is a lot of fun to play, and while death lurks around every corner, the game doesn’t punish you severely for dying. Many times I would willingly sacrifice lives just to figure out what would happen if I tried this…or maybe that. The fast pace means that it’s a lot of fun, and it’s hard not to smile as giant fruit rains from the sky…


Regarding Qwak’s build quality, I didn’t find any problems. The graphics and sound effects are both good, with a nice retro flair that you’d expect. The game provides two features that I really appreciate: a tutorial section for newbies like me and, for more experienced players, a “later levels” button which lets you jump into hard levels…once you unlock them, of course.

Overall, Qwak is a really fun platformer packed full of ridiculous nonsense. There’s nothing remotely resembling a story and it’s certainly a little weird, but Qwak doesn’t need to conform; it’s just a cheerful puzzle-platformer, content with itself. Simple, lengthy, vibrant, and just plain fun to play, Qwak is certainly worth a look.

[ Qwak Review is a post from 148Apps ]


Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Back in App Store After Brief Hiatus

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Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Back in App Store After Brief Hiatus is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Gameloft’s iPhone adaptation of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within ran into a bit of bad luck upon its recent release, and was recalled from the App Store following the discovery of a major bug.

Today, the issues have been resolved, and a glitch-free Prince of Persia: Warrior Within ($9.99) is now available for purchase.

Warrior Within follows up on the events of the popular 2003 platformer Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, and finds the Prince in a somewhat darker mood than series fans might expect. Though the original console version of Warrior Within was criticized for its moody aesthetic, the platforming and fighting elements won widespread acclaim, and the game remains a solid entry in the Sands of Time trilogy.

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within features 12 chapters filled with puzzles, climactic fight scenes, and acrobatic platforming.


Bulkypix and Pastagames Launch Retro-Styled Platformer Pix’n Love Rush

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Bulkypix and Pastagames Launch Retro-Styled Platformer Pix’n Love Rush is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

App Store publisher Bulkypix and indie developer Pastagames have teamed up to bring the retro-inspired platformer Pix’n Love Rush ($0.99) to the iPhone and iPod Touch.

If you keep up on your Xbox Live Indie Games (and I don’t blame you if you don’t), you may recognize Pix’n Love Rush as being reminiscent of Pastagames’ highly-rated XBL Indies platformer 03 Pixel. Both games star the same main character, and both feature similar gameplay.

In Pix’n Love Rush, players run, jump, and shoot throughout 125 levels. The object? Collect coins and earn high scores so that the main character can buy some cake. I fully support this endeavor.

Pix’n Love Rush also includes a selection of seven skins, many of which are inspired by gaming platforms from the past. The screen above shows off a skin obviously inspired by the Game Boy, for instance, while another simulates the Virtual Boy’s searing black-and-red color scheme. Pastagames notes that additional levels and skins will be available in free future updates.


Capcom Reveals Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights II, 1942: First Strike for iPhone

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Capcom Reveals Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights II, 1942: First Strike for iPhone is a post from: Best Iphone Apps Review Website

Capcom has announced the upcoming release of two iPhone-exclusive titles based on its classic arcade franchises 1942 and Ghosts ‘n Goblins.

1942: First Strike, which features art and gameplay elements borrowed from the recent series sequel 1942: Joint Strike for Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, is a vertically-scrolling shooter featuring three playable aircraft.

First Strike offers three different control schemes — tilt, touch, and virtual d-pad — and includes eight levels, four boss fights, and online leaderboards.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights II follows up on the original Gold Knights released in the App Store last year. Like its predecessor, Gold Knights II blends 3D characters and backgrounds with classic 2D platforming action.

Arthur and alternate playable character Perceval return for the sequel. Arthur boasts an arsenal of six weapons, while Perceval can charge up each of his three weapons for powerful attacks that can quickly take out the game’s difficult bosses.

1942: First Strike and Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights II will be released in the App Store later this year.