Android – Iphone – Applications

There are basically two types of pool players, those who carefully line up each shot while weighing factors such as angles, velocity and table speed, and then those who simply whack the balls as hard as possible and hope for the best. If you fall into the latter camp then Power Pool may be just the game for you, as it eschews all the strategy and calculation of a traditional game of billiards in favor of fast-paced action.

Power Pool is a single-player affair, wherein you merely fire the cue ball around the extremely small table in the hopes of pocketing all the other balls. The game’s big twist is that some balls contain power-ups, and thus the whole experience is spiced up a bit. One upgrade may make your cue ball huge, allowing you to clear the table quickly, while another might set off an explosion that will send all the balls in the area rocketing out in all directions at top speed. These power-ups are the game’s saving grace, as without them this would be one of the most boring, mindless apps in existence. It’s still pretty mindless of course, but at least it’s not boring.

Unfortunately for Power Pool, after only a couple games most players will likely find the app tedious, offering little more than mindless action in short spurts. While there are Achievements and leader boards, so much of each round consists of little more than luck that a high score really doesn’t mean all that much. When a 3 year-old can easily post the same score as a 30 year-old, that doesn’t leave much to brag about.

Further hamstringing the game are the fidgety controls, which leave no room for finesse. Every shot is absolute full power, so good luck making the finer shots into corners and off the rails. Instead you’re likely to bounce the ball all over creation and chase the last ball or two around the table for a while as you try and just make the last blasted shot to clear the level. While the full-tilt speed works as an asset for the duration of most rounds, it also turns into a nasty liability at times.

The funny thing about this app is that Power Pool is already available for free at Ninja Kiwi’s website, making this version feel kind of redundant. This game is really only for those who absolutely adore Power Pool for one reason or another and feel the compulsion to take it with them everywhere they go; the rest of us aren’t missing out on much.

[ Power Pool Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by janyton \\ tags: balls, billiards, Game, Games, hamstringing, ipod, overall-rating, power, power-pool, review, snooker, table, whack-the-balls

The sport of mixed martial arts has exploded in the last five years. What was once a slightly more underground and under-exposed activity has now transformed into the multi-billion dollar industry that we see today. While replacing professional wrestling as the typical American household’s carnage of choice, MMA has been striving to receive even more mainstream exposure. Following in the footsteps of THQ’s UFC franchise, Electronic Arts have tried to recreate the visceral violence and brutality of the octagon with their own title, the very originally named MMA. Can the game live up to the pedigree of its star studded lineup, or are we looking at a drastically unprepared contender?

Right out of the gate it is impossible to ignore the downright stunning visuals. This is not your typical mobile offering and reflects a concerted effort to set a tremendously high bar for both appearance and animations. We are talking about PSP levels of polish here, the likes of which have been rarely approached on the iPhone. The character models appear lifelike, actions look fluid and the combat imparts the feeling of impact and intensity. Though there are several moments that distract from the immersion, such as the occasional clipping through the opposition during matches, everything seems genuine and authentic otherwise.

Unfortunately, the same attention to authenticity and quality cannot be said for the control scheme. The most glaring example of this is using the tilt controls to move your character left and right across the screen. Not only does this make for painfully awkward gameplay, but it also feels sluggish and unresponsive. Onscreen cues for punching, grappling and even kicking seem somewhat more fluid, but still seem to miss the mark and don’t necessarily mimic what would be considered to be the real action happening in the ring. EA stuck their neck out on this one, taking a definite risk with the control scheme, it just didn’t pay off this time out. Here is to hoping that they get a chance to try it again next season.

Speaking of the season, the career mode is where the meat of the MMA product resides. Here players will be able to design their own character, train them through a variety of different mini-games, and throw down with some of the biggest names in the sport. With genuine stars like Fedor Emelianenko, Jake Shields, and Alistair Overeem attached, this once again plays into the authenticity of what should have been a lackluster, unlicensed game. There is even in-match commentary, as is the case with every other sports game ever produced; it is a nice extra touch but grows repetitive far too quickly.

This should have been EA’s chance to plant a firm foothold in the landscape of portable mixed martial arts games, but sadly MMA feels like more of a misstep. While passable, this far under-delivers on the promise that a typical EA Sports title normally brings to the table. Maybe it is time for them to throw in the towel on this season and start fresh next year.

[ EA Sports MMA Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by assurance \\ tags: $4.99, career, control, ea-sports, Games, Iphone, iphone apps and games, martial-arts, mma, overall-rating, rating, review, sports, typical

Reckless Racing is the kind of game that makes you feel like a kid again, pure and simple. There is just something that is hard to put your finger on that takes you back to a time when classic coin-ops like Off Road were all the rage. Sure, it may be done up in a prettier package that is more appealing to this generation of gamer, but this is reminiscent of a simpler time when games were allowed to be both kooky and fun, all at the same time.

As opposed to many developers looking to take full advantage of the retina display and planting players in the cockpit of a vehicle, Reckless Racing quickly establishes a nostalgic feel by utilizing a third person camera. This is not to say that the visuals are anything less than smooth as silk, however. The cars are fairly well detailed against a strongly contrasting color palette used for the courses, resulting in vehicles looking very sharp on-screen.

The stellar appearance is complemented well by a solid track design that once again harkens back to the days of Off Road. Chaotic twists and turns will leave players reeling their first time through a course, but with practice, the limited track list will become second nature to navigate. Utilizing a wide variety of course layouts and locations, you could find yourself doing anything from bogging through a backwater mud pit to a hybrid on-road/off-road race.

What makes this feel the most like it is from a purer time in gaming are the controls. With five different setups to tickle your fancy, ranging from a standard steering wheel to tilt controls, players are bound to find a scheme that best fits their play style. In no time they will be pulling hairpin turns and leaving the competition in the dust. A solid frame rate helps to make the usually temperamental touch screen controls seen precise and impressively responsive. This is what racing should feel like on an iOS device.

If there is one thing that Reckless Racing has in spades, it is personality. From the moment that you hear the soundtrack strike the first chord on banjo, you get the feeling that if you traveled any further south you could marry a sibling. Featuring a wide range of vehicles including a muscle car, tractor trailer, and even a dune buggy, players will feel right at home with the good ‘ol boys. Just be sure not to cause too much damage while you are breaking in the track. It would be unfortunate to have to have to outrun Boss Hogg again.

EA has done a solid job in assuring that Reckless Racing oozes with southern charm, while still delivering a solid, well-polished racing experience. You don’t even have to be a racing fan to enjoy a game like this. All you will need is a pulse and a competitive spirit. So buckle in, you could be in for one heck of a bumpy ride.

[ Reckless Racing Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by zulu \\ tags: $2.99, controls, Games, Iphone, iphone apps and games, overall-rating, racing, rating, reckless, reckless-racing, review

Pocket World At War really isn’t an easy game to categorize. On one hand, the game uses conventional RTS gameplay and could easily get bunched in with the masses of RTS games, but on the other hand the game feels like a game of RISK, just without the dice.

The basic concept of the game is that you are the allied commander in a collection of famous/semi-famous WW2 battles. Instead of using some kind of complicated 3D interface, the game uses what looks like the satellite image of a location, showing you the entire battlefield in a fairly small space. You are given a handful of units, all of which resemble RISK pieces but move like they are in Command and Conquer. Like RISK, the units represent a grouping of units (i.e. 600 tanks, 750 infantrymen) and are much stronger in numbers.

Movement in the game is all controlled by line drawing, meaning that you can easily flank enemy units by grabbing two or more units and drawing lines to either side. The line between RTS and board game really gets crossed in the battle sequences. Winning a battle (or the war for that matter) comes down to either killing all the units within or by demoralizing them. Troop morale is affected by all sorts of factors, including base fortifications (if you put infantry on a base, represented by a square, it gets a morale and defensive bonus), how many units you have backing it up, and how long it has been fighting. Once a unit is demoralized, it cannot fight any longer and must retreat so that it can regain some morale.

Because of the morale points, huge troop blocks can sometimes be defeated by much smaller units that are flanking. To make sure you win each battle, you have to make sure that you don’t get flanked and are not besieging a city. You also have to have clear retreat lines in case your unit is demoralized and can’t continue the fight. A demoralized unit in the thick of battle is the absolute worst thing that can happen because those troops are really just walking dead.

Winning each level requires you to either demoralize all the enemy troops, kill all the enemy troops, or a combination of both. Most of the levels provide a fairly tough challenge due to you being outnumbered, but by using smart troop movement and tactical flanking, all the levels are winnable.

As far as game length goes, Pocket World At War is fairly shallow with only 15 levels, but it does get hard enough at the end, so you probably won’t beat the game in a flash. There is no multiplayer added and only a handful of Game Center achievements, so once the game is over, it’s really over. For a dollar, though, the whole of Pocket World At War is certainly entertaining enough to be worthy of your time. It could use a few more levels and maybe some more varied unit types, but it is certainly worth buying if you are a fan of the genre (or genres). There is definitely a ton of strategy glory to be had here.

[ Pocket World At War Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by [email protected] \\ tags: Game, Games, iphone apps and games, levels, overall-rating, pocket world at war, pocket-world, rating, replay-value, time, units

While physical board games are bordering on a thing of the past, Jamzu proves that there’s still plenty of life left when you put the board game concept on the iPhone. The game is a breath of fresh air and will likely be greatly enjoyed by those looking for a deep, competitive title.

The game is played with two players (either two humans or a human vs the CPU) on a chess-style board. Each player is given six “runners” which must be moved in a straight line from one side of the board to another. Also positioned on the board are twelve “jammers,” which move diagonally and primarily serve to block runners from making it to their goal. Players take turns rolling a die and then moving either a runner or jammer the prescribed number of spaces. First one to clear all their runners off the board wins.

The concept is simple, but the strategy behind the game is anything but. Players must carefully weigh their options on every move and decide whether to move an open runner for the goal, clear a jammer out of their way or place a jammer in the path of their opponent. The game requires a lot of lateral thinking and some serious strategy, and the fact that players are rolling dice each turn adds a substantial degree of chance and luck.

It’s likely newcomers will find Jamzu overwhelming, a fact which is only exacerbated by the long, dry and completely non-interactive tutorial. While the concepts of the game are simple enough, figuring out how to most effectively move pieces and where on the board to focus can prove exceptionally challenging. Thankfully, the game employs a hint mode which allows players to roll and then see the most effective move every turn while they learn. Even so, Jamzu may ultimately prove too complex for many, but strategic board gamers who are tired of playing Chess will have a blast.

They say there are no new ideas anymore, but Jamzu blows that notion completely out of the water. With elements of Chess, Checkers and Backgammon all coming together to create something entirely unique, Jamzu is a treat for anyone who can reach the “aha” moment and learn to play effectively.

[ Jamzu Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by iieevvn \\ tags: Application, backgammon, behind-the-game, board, checkers, chess, device-reviewed, Game, Games, goal, Iphone, ipod, jamzu, overall-rating, water