Latest blog entries (Page 2 of 4)
GTA Chinatown Wars Lite Now Up. Go Go Go!
by The Freeloader on 23rd Feb 2010
EDIT: Currently only available in some countries.
Yeah so it looks like there's a trial version of GTA:CTW up on the App Store. I'm guessing if you're reading this you were previously on the fence so nows the time. Clicky click.
Beneath a Steel Sky: Lite+ Now Available
by The Freeloader on 23rd Feb 2010
The rather superb Beneath a Steel Sky can now be sampled for free thanks to the new Lite+ edition which comes with the built in option to purchase the rest of the game.
Is it worth a download? Basicaly yeah, it is. Get on the case already! - LINK-O-MATIC
Try X2 Snowboarding For Free In "Boarding School"
by The Freeloader on 23rd Feb 2010
X2 Snowboarding is awesome. That said, we're all about free stuff so if you want to play it for free before you inevitably splash some cash then here's what you want to do.
Go to this page of the App Store and download the free X2 Snowboarding Boarding School game that acts as a demo.
Here's what we thought of the full version as taken from Chris' review...
X2 Snowboarding does a lot stuff right, hell it gets almost everything right. From the crisp and vivid graphics to the fluid animation and satisfying mix of racing and trick based gameplay. X2 Snowboarding is an easy recommendation. You really can tell that a lot of work and effort went into making this the best game in its genre on the App Store and the team should be commended for doing so. Even the soundtrack has been laboured over with licensed songs from the likes of Bonobo and Mr Scruff to name a couple. With this release X2 Games have simultaneously made themselves a force to be reckoned and crystallised their position as being one of those talented studios to keep an eye on over the coming year. We’re expecting great things.
Rasta Monkey Free For Three Days
by The Freeloader on 23rd Feb 2010
In order to celebrate the release of their new game E-Punk Nikato are making Rasta Monkey free for the next three days.
Here's what we thought of Rasta Monkey in our review...
"Built around a simple swing mechanic, Rasta Monkey is a platform game that uses branches as platforms, and swaps jumping for swinging. Essentially, the game is all about getting from A to B, and collecting as much fruit as you can along the way. Many will draw comparisons to Illusion Labs' Sway, although Rasta Monkey is a far simpler affair, both in terms of its gameplay and aesthetic. This is by no means a bad thing however, Rasta Monkey is still an incredibly challenging game, and although only clocking in at around two hours of play, there’s enough here to entice even the seasoned gamer.
Rasta Monkey isn’t the most in depth or technically impressive platformer available on the App Store, but most will fall in love with it regardless. The game just has a terrific vibe to it. The catchy reggae music is fantastic, and in combination with the clean visuals and genuinely hilarious dialogue, a really fun and vibrant atmosphere is created. Although the game may live in Sway’s shadow from a gameplay perspective, Rasta Monkey can still hold it’s head high as one of the App Store’s finest platformers."
So basically it's pretty good and well worth getting for free! Here's the download link.
And here's a video of the game in action. Enjoy!
Hilarious Phoenix Wright Strip Made Me LOL
by Chris Thomas on 25th Jan 2010
This made me laugh up a storm. Enjoy!
Jamin's (Christmas) Week in Games
by Jamin Smith on 4th Jan 2010
Christmas for me has always been synonomous with gaming. Whether this came in the form of a console I was expecting as a present when I was young, working in game related retail for a bit of extra cash, or simply wasting away the festive hours catching up on all the titles I hadn't had time to play over the year. This Crimbo was no different, and as well as putting some serious hours into a variety of PC and console titles, I played my fair share of iPhone games too.
In attempt to continue my weekly round up of iPhone games that didn't quite make the review section of the site, here's a rundown of what I've been occupying myself with this Christmas.
All Fridges are Psychotic
Sporting perhaps the best name of any game ever, All Fridges are Psychotic is a homage to the classic point and click adventure games of years gone by. Following the antics of the aspiring script writer Julius Brown, the plot quickly introduces Gustav Du Pont, a time travelling fridge that helps Julius achieve his dreams.
Truth be told, I'm not completely sold on the visuals, which take the scrappy child like art-direction to a whole new level (The artwork was drawn by Manda Rin from the band Bis, if that means anything to anybody). The script and narrative is fantastic however, and I found myself laughing out loud as I played the game. The game, internet and general geek culture woven into the dialogue will force a few laughs out of the right player. The puzzles are decent enough too, and anybody who knows a thing or two about the adventure genre will feel right at home.
I'm really not sure how die hard adventure fans will take to All Fridges are Psychotic, as there's a lot in the game that could potentially rub them the wrong way. As I don't class myself as a die hard adventure fan however, I can safely say I enjoyed the game.
Cross Fingers
Cross Fingers is the latest puzzle game from Mobigame, the masterminds behind Edge. The game challenges players to fit a selection of wooden shapes into a designated area, much like a jigsaw, but with the emphasis on shape rather than picture. The game introduces some really neat touch based mechanics which can literally involve crossing your fingers in order to complete successfully. Red shapes require sliding out the way in order to move the normal blocks past, but as soon as you take your finger off them, they slide back to their original position. In order to complete certain levels, you have to keep quite a few of these red blocks in place at once, requiring Twister like finger skills.
Cross Fingers has a really addictive nature to it, and once you understand how the game requires you to think, levels can be completed with relative ease. Thankfully, there are three difficulty levels, each with thirty levels, and the latter levels get very hard indeed. Puzzle fans will love Cross Fingers, and should snap it up as soon as possible.
Champions Online
I've been feeling the powerful urge to get stuck into an MMO recently, and refusing to return to WoW, I thought I'd try Champions Online. Giving players the opportunity to customise their hero in literally any way they could possibly think of, the game gives rise to some truly awesome looking characters. Mine was no exception, and is without a doubt the coolest looking super hero I've ever seen (pictured below).
After putting around twenty hours into the game, I've lost the drive to play much more. As a role playing experience, the game is certainly no match for Blizzards behemoth, but it was certainly fun for a while. I'll cancel my subscription shortly and continue waiting for The Old Republic...
I also played a fair bit of Modern Warfare 2, Borderlands and one of my favourite RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger. But I could wax lyrical about that those all day, so I'll stop writing while I've still got an evening left to enjoy.
That about wraps up this week's round up, hope all your Christmas's were as entertaining and relaxing as mine. Look out for more next week!
For more up to the date opinions on my game playing shenanigans, follow me on Twitter!
Jamin's Week in Games...
by Jamin Smith on 4th Dec 2009
Being the absurdly busy fellow that I am, I just don't have the time to review each and every iPhone game that I get sent. This sadly means that many of my fantastic opinions on the latest games go un-voiced, doomed to float around the expansive chasm of my mind for all eternity.
Here then, is the first of a weekly blog that attempts to solve this problem. A simple run-down of what I've been playing during the week; an offering of bite-sized opinions on the the smaller, lesser known games that couldn't make the front page of the site due to time restraints. Although I'll try to limit this to just iPhone games, the odd console game or two might find their way onto these pages too. I'll strive to update my blog every Friday with this feature.
Here we go then, this week I've been playing...
Pocketball (Big Bucket Software, $1.99)
Truth be told, I didn't go into Pocketball expecting great things, but the puzzle game designed by Matt Comi has caught me complelet off guard -- I'm hooked. A delightful physics-based puzzler that is addictive from the get-go. Pocketball has already stolen a fair few hours of my life, and I'm happy to give up a fair few more on top of that.
The objective couldn't be simpler. Guide a falling ball into it's correct pocket by drawing a series of ropes between pegs. Sounds simple on paper (and screen), but the difficulty soon ramps up, and you'll find yourself repeating the same level over and over again, adjusting the position of ropes to get the ball where it needs to go. This repetition doesn't get dull however, and is actually the source of the games addictive nature. With new mechanics introduced regularly, the game never gets stale and always remains challenging.
Recommended.
Headspin (Runloop, $0.99)
Runloop's quirky take on a line matching puzzle game turns the mechanic on its head, quite literally. A grid of nine robotic heads need to be adjusted so that all are facing forwards, which I can assure you is easier said than done. Dragging a finger upwards to spin a head will also spin the heads of every other robot in that column, and a sideways spin will rotate all heads in that row horizontally. Thinking in terms of rows and columns as well as in all three of our earthly dimensions is vital for success, and requires a different train of thought to that of similar puzzle games.
With three modes of play and global leaderboards, the game has a reasonable amount on offer, so long as the puzzle mechanic itself can entertain you for long enough. Headspin isn't fantastically innovative and the production values aren't as high as other puzzle games on the App-Store (although I have to admit the scrappy visuals did grown on me after spending a while with the game) but it's certainly worth a look for puzzle fans looking for a refreshing break from the norm.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Yes, the world and his mother are playing this game right now, and I'm no exception. I've yet to dip my toes into the icy waters of online-play, but the campaign mode is holding my attention more than well. As with every other game in the series, I'm playing through on Veteran from the get-go, which saves playing thorugh the campaign twice for extra achievements...
I haven't the time to offer anything more on the game than this, but it's fantastic, and I'm off to play some more right now.
-
I've also been playing Skater Nation and Oh My Word! 2, but expect more in-depth reviews of these to hit the main site in the next few days.
More next week.
For more up to the date opinions on my game playing shenanigans, follow me on Twitter!
Black Friday
by Kelsey Hoff on 27th Nov 2009
From all of us at Pocket Monkey Games to all of you out there, a very happy (belated) Thanksgiving! I had planned to write this blog yesterday, but ah, you know how it goes. The cooking, the prepping, the eating, and the sluggish excuses for movement after the meal...it just didn't get done. But I'm hoping you all had a great time with great food.
And for those of you in other counties, well, shoulda been here. ;)
So today is a very special holiday all on its own: Black Friday. A day where you're all hoping to cop a few deals. Pocket Monkey Games has just what you need to break you out of that post-Thanksgiving daze: A sweet deal on Finger Slinger! Our weekend sale is still up through the end of today. Just $.99 to get you (or at least your gaming finger) moving again. Better yet, you won't even have to fight the crowds to get your game! Just visit the AppStore for some instant gratificaiton.
So hop on it, folks! Get your hands on this game and when you do, comment and tell me what you think! I'd love to know. :)
Happy Black Friday!
PS. PMG CEO Kris Jones and I had an epic TwitPic battle to see who had the nicest Thanksgiving dinner. You can see our pictures, and vote for who you'd rather have Thanksgiving with, on our Twitter accounts. Mine @PocketKelsey and his @Kristoferjones.
Collection Snaps, Novemeber '09
by Jamin Smith on 23rd Nov 2009
The best thing about having a blog is the audience that comes with it. I happen to be somewhat of a game collector and take every opportunity I can to show it off to the world. Granted, it's not a massive collection, but it's slowly getting bigger. A while back I posted some pictures of my collection as it was in the process of moving rooms. As a little follow up to that post, I thought I'd post some updated snaps of the collection in it's new home. The pictures don't show the collection in its entirety, as much of it won't actually fit in the new cabinet, but it gives you the general idea.
There and Back Again...
by Jamin Smith on 22nd Nov 2009
Kia Ora! Those who peruse the pages of AppGamer.net on a regular basis (and are familiar with our staff and writers) may have noticed that I haven’t posted in some time. The reason for my lack of contribution is due to the fact I was off gallivanting across the globe in search of adventure and excitement. Proof below.
Thankfully, I didn’t lose touch with what was happening in the iWorld completely whilst I was gone. Armed with my trusty iPhone, I was able to catch up on all the latest news whenever I came across a WiFi hotspot. When the never ending coach, train and plane journeys started getting too much, I hit the App Store to stock up on new games to save me from inevitable death by boredom. The excellent geoDefense was the saviour of most of my travelling within Australia (I even managed to bash out a review while I was in Perth), and when Beneath a Steel Sky was released I couldn’t resist splashing out on a copy even though I had a promo code waiting for me in my inbox. I also played a fair bit of Craneballs studios latest title; 33rd Division, which is undeniably the most refined and enjoyable time management game the App Store currently has on offer.
I also need to take this opportunity to apologise to the (literally) hundreds of publishers and developers whose emails have gone un-answered whilst I’ve been gone. I'm back now however, and will endeavour to answer every email I receive hence-forth. So drop me a line!
Admittedly this hasn’t been the most interesting of blog posts, but my fingers have been itching to get back to the keyboard, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get back into the swing of things. Must be off now though, I have a mammoth pile of games to catch up on, and they're not going to play themselves.
Finger Sling
by Kelsey Hoff on 18th Nov 2009
Excuse my absence, dear readers. Us here at PMG have been working on games, games, games for the last few weeks and I'm pleased to bring you info on a brand new game as well as an update on Nerdzilla.
Our newest game has been submitted and we're anticipating its arrival in iTunes perhaps this weekend (fingers crossed, no pun intended). The game is called Finger Sling and I'm tempted to describe it as castle defense although that would be sorely misleading. You've got a ball in the center of the screen being bombarded by other balls all trying to push it outside of the ring it's sitting it. You've gotta keep this from happening by slinging YET ANOTHER ball at oncoming projectiles. The game is all about reflexes and smooth game play, something I'm sure you'll be able to get into. In fact, some people have already gotten into it. From one previewer:
"...A unique gameplay experience which is reminiscent of the early iPhone games that made the platform so enjoyable with its intuitive touch control interactivity."
We here at Pocket Monkey love this game and we're willing to bet the money we've invested in it that you'll love it too. But in case you need a little more persuasion, here are some pictures and even A VIDEO for your curious eyes:
And pictures!
Of course, Finger Sling comes equipped with OpenFeint so you can unlock achievements enhancing your game play experience. So be on the look out for this game. If enough of you are curious about it, we may even do an opening weekend promotion/discount. Sound good?
Now, I told you I'd keep you updated on Nerdzila. We got a call from Apple saying that they don't promote violence in a school setting (they must not have ever been part of a hazing fraternity). SO we've gotta change up our style! Therefore, I'm posing this question to you intelligent game lovers: If you could slap nerds in a non-school-related-environment, where would you slap them?
I'll also leave you with this next question: HAVE ANY OF YOU PLAYED THE NEW LEFT 4 DEAD 2 YET?! HOW WAS IT?! I definitely plan on crashing CEO Kris Jones' house to play that game night and day. Unless you all tell me its terrible. In which case, I will still play it out of sheer loyalty.
Eliminate. Perhaps Not For Me.
by Chris Thomas on 3rd Nov 2009
Caution: the following rant is based on first impressions and represents my opinions formed after roughly 10 to 15 minutes of gameplay.
So I've been spending a little time with Eliminate (Ngmoco's free to play FPS) and I'm left wondering if I'm playing the same game as everyone else. All I hear is how great it is but my experience so far has been quite far off the mark.
Firstly the graphics seem rather underwhelming, particularly the environments which are some of the most forgetable arenas I've played in in recent years. I understand that this is probably intentional to keep the game running smoothly during online play, and that is totally cool by me, at least it would be if I could connect to a game and maintain any kind of decent framerate. That is when the game connects me at all. Maybe the server isn't so responsive here in the UK?
The worst offender for me are the controls which are at best a screwed up confused variant of Gameloft's superb Modern Combat control scheme and at worst too unwieldy to shoot a barn door with and feel like you have any kind of precision. The virtual stick that controls movement is so far into the middle of the screen and feels so unresponsive that my thumb inadvertently ends up sliding directly over the action in the middle of the screen obscuring my view. The stick could be moved almost a centimeter to the left extremity of the screen. I know it sounds picky but a centimeter is a crap-load in screen real estate when your whole vision is no more than 11cm wide.
For me to even consider dropping money on power-cells or any kind of in-game DLC for that matter I have to be seriously involved in the core experience AND I have to be enticed into caring about other players perception of me within the game. Eliminate's shonky frame rate and awkward controls take me so far out of the experience that paying money and investing in upgrades are the last thing on my agenda. Evidently I'm in the minority though as Eliminate climbs up the Top Grossing charts. And good for them! They have taken a risk and it is paying off, I just wish I could get into it and enjoy it the way everyone else seems to be. I shall perservere...
Oh one more thing, if I want to play against Bots offline why can't I set the number of bots? Why can't I set the difficulty level? Why can't I shoot this fricking barn door?!*le sigh*
Nerdzilla Stands Up for Cool Kids Everywhere
by Kelsey Hoff on 26th Oct 2009
Allow me to introduce you to my new, favorite game from Pocket Monkey: Nerdzilla!
This game is a whack-o-mole type game where you have to slap the nerds who keep raising their hands in class, making us cooler, but obviously less-intelligent people, look bad in front of the professor. Each level is a class that must be passed and they get harder and harder as these nerds start wising up to your attacks. They'll start using books to block your hits and some of the little rascals will even need to be slapped an extra time just because they're so resilient.
NOW, I know some of your brains are ticking, telling you things like, "Wait a second...I got straight A's in my advanced Trigonometry class and my Organic Chemistry class...am I possibly, per chance, per tiny whim, one of these so called 'nerds' to which Kelsey is referring?"
My answer: YES. YOU ARE. Why on earth would you take ADVANCED TRIGONOMETRY?! YOU TRYIN' TO MAKE ME LOOK BAD IN FRONT OF MY PEEPS?!
It's cool, it's cool, because you'll enjoy this game too. Nerds, not only will you be able to show off your excellent hand-eye coordination skills, but you can also assuage your insatiable need to get passing grades by Acing each level with an A for your excellent self-hate.
For all you cool kids out there: Well, I'm sure you don't need to be lectured on the pros of beating that kid that made you look bad in front of your woman, Susan Packard, in the 7th grade.
Here's a little tip: I find that naming each nerd really helps you get into the game. I've named every single one "Chad" because all the Engineers I can think of that I don't appreciate are named Chad. Erics, Ryans, and Jasons are OK in my book. Sorry Chads!
Here's a couple screenshots for you to feast your eyes upon.
This game is great just because it is so extremely addictive and the drive to get a better grade at each level really keeps you going. I couldn't put it down until I was a straight A student. Also, this game comes with OpenFeint and unlockable achievements. If you want more information about Nerdzilla and it's progress through the endless tunnel that is Apple, please follow me on Twitter @PocketKelsey
A Swingaling Thing
by Kelsey Hoff on 16th Oct 2009
Hopefully, you’ve all heard by now that Pocket Monkey Games has come out with a new game called Swingaling. Hopefully, you’ve all purchased a copy (right?). If you haven’t, let me tell you a bit about the game to whet your appetite because it’s a super rad game.
With Swingaling we were looking to change a lot of things: Art, game play, everything. The art is most noticeably different. It’s a cutesy, rounded, colorful style that allows you to really get into the idea of flinging a squirrel-like-ball through the trees into a cracked out dust bunny (didn’t I tell you this game was rad?).
Picture Doodle Jump, but in horizontal fashion. Your objective is to gain yardage and avoid baddies by swinging from tree top to tree top. We’ve adopted the casual “pick up and play” style Doodle Jump taught us to love and formed it into a game of our own.
Here’s a couple pictures of said cute-squirrell-ball.
I’m going to claim Slugston, a slug tied to a propeller, as my favorite baddie. He’s cute and angry!
Our concept designer, Koreena, and I want you to see an inside look at our game production that you won’t have seen anywhere else. Voilà! Our first rough draft drawings of the characters!
To see how our game has evolved, you’ll have to buy the game to see for yourself. And we’ve got a sweet deal for you if you’re planning on looking into Swingaling. This game normally goes for $.99, but on MONDAY the 19th ONLY, PMG will be giving you a chance to download it FOR FREE in the App Store. Yep. Fo’ free. So set your iPhone alarms for Monday and grab yourself a free game :) And then tell your friends.
Hopefully this promotion will get you excited for PMG’s OTHER upcoming games, one of which being Nerdzilla, which I’ll write about on my next post.
If any of you have purchased Swingaling, leave a comment! That way we'll know who you are, find you, and love on you. Bet on it.
As always, follow me on twitter @pocketkelsey
xoxo K
Hello Brave New World
by Kelsey Hoff on 15th Oct 2009
Hello readers! Welcome to my personal blog about all things cool, iDevice related and otherwise. This being the first blog, I’ll take the freebie pass and introduce myself to you. It’ll be much like one of those extremely annoying surveys you’d find on a myspace bulletin, but you don’t have to pass it on (if you don’t want to)
My name is Kelsey Hoff.
I live in beautiful, spectacular, Portland, Oregon. Yes, therefore I like rain.
I’m 21 and it’s awesome.
I work for Pocket Monkey Games with CEO Kris Jones.
In fact, he and his wife live right down the street from me.
I like Apple. A lot. To me they can do no wrong.
Except when they neglect game designers and take weeks to approve your game simply because they’re working on a new update to their software. PUL-LEASE!
My iPhone and I are best friends. It's name is Cherry.
I like Apps that are artistic and unique. The artwork is everything to me.
If another game that copies Flight Control comes out and makes it big, I will have lost faith in the iDevice community.
I guarantee you that I can school you at Soul Caliber. I basically rule that game.
When I need artistic inspiration, I sit down and play Castle Crashers.
I really hope Castle Crashers comes to the iDevice very soon.
I have a pet parakeet and I am teaching him to say everything he says in an English accent, in honor of Chris Thomas. And because I like English accents.
I like to cook. It's super rad.
I'm also a professional photographer.
Some of you may already know me from Pocket Monkey Games and, well, some of you may not know me at all. But I look forward to informing you, my dear readers, on all things iDevice related. And of course, all things cool, as previously stated.
xoxo K
PS - Follow me on twitter! @pocketkelsey
