Freebie Friday! (For 3/5/2010)

Alrighty, it’s Freebie Friday, and for the first one, I’d like to give you a few links to my favorite free iPhone apps and music downloads for this week. Also, I’m thinking about starting an iPhone Apps mailing list. Would you be interested in joining it if I do? The content will be somewhat similar to this post! Enjoy all the freebies and happy un-birthday! I threw in some Alice in Wonderland apps since Tim Burton’s movie is out today!

Coolibah is a very fun digital scrapbooking app! It was $12.99, but is now free! (with some limitations). There’s are a lot of beautiful scrapbook kits to choose from, made by professional designers. I personally love this app, especially when I’m on vacation. I can instantly create scrapbook pages and share them with my friends on social networks. My Review | iTunes

Wordcrasher Lite – play 4 levels for free! Make words out of the falling letters in the game. I like how the game pieces are like candies in a box. There’s great use of physics in this game. Full version is only 99 cents and well worth it. The developer has already started working on an iPad version with very beautiful graphics. My Review | iTunes

Angry Birds Lite – It’s a nice casual game where these angry birds get back at the pigs who stole their eggs. Catapult the birds and knock over all the pigs to advance to the next level. It’s a very simple concept, and very addicting as well. Lite version has 6 levels, and the full version has a ton of levels and is well worth the 99 cents!
My Review | iTunes | Full .99 cents

2Do Lite: A Stunning To Do List is an amazingly lovely task/to do list app. The user interface is simply beautiful. The lite version has a lot of capabilities. The full version is a bit expensive, but comes with more themes, calendars, colors, and backup.
iTunes

Alien Glyphs – A great puzzle-arcade game that tests how well your hand and eye coordination are. Match fast moving hieroglyphs to your given puzzle pieces. Great training for your eyes and shape recognition. (Free for limited time)
iTunes

Scoops – In honor of their release of a new game called Dizzypad, Scoops is free! Who doesn’t want to catch ice cream scoops in their cone? Catch as many as you can, but watch out for onions. You don’t want that on your ice cream! Also many other themes you can purchase in-app. Free for a limited time! iTunes

Touch Pets Dogs Go – is the best virtual pet app out there. Create, train, and feed your puppy! If you’ve played it before, this version will give you give you free puppy bucks, free 10 bowls of food, and also a White Rabbit Watch from the Alice in Wonderland collection!
My Review | iTunes

Alice in Wonderland Storybook — Enjoy the story of Alice in Wonderland in full color! The font is a bit small, but I love the classic illustrations in the app. The app is normally 99 cents, but is free until March 8, 2010.
iTunes

Alice Free Fall Lite – fall down, down the rabbit hole and catch some roses and powerups. But be aware of the falling cards and other obstacles! Try out the lite version for free. The full version is $2.99.
iTunes | Full $2.99

Alice in Wonderland – An Adventure Beyond The Mirror – is absolutely a fun adventure game, especially if you’re a big Alice! Journey with Alice and meet all your favorite characters from the story! Each one has their own special power that can help you finish the level. I’d recommend trying the lite version first before buying the full version for $4.99.
iTunes | iTunes ($4.99)

Alice in Wonderland Theme Song

Get the theme song from Alice in Wonderland by Danny Elfman for free! Available on Amazon, but US only.

Kina Grannis – Valentine — Kina’s Stairwells album released this week has already hit the billboard charts! She’s also making her hit single, Valentine, available for download on her website for free! Download now.

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iPhone App Review: TumbleDrop

Written By: Starfruit Games
Category: Games
Price: $1.99 | Free:

Size: 14.2 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.3
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

TumbleDrop is a sweet and adorable physics-based puzzle game that have you smiling when you start playing! The gameplay is easy, simply tap on the yellow shapes to make the pink star fall safely on the ground. Be careful though, one wrong move and your star can tumble down into the water.

The animation and graphics in this game are simply beautiful. Although the graphics seems simple, the attention to detail is what makes this game so great. Notice the facial expressions of all the shapes, especially the pink star. The music in the game reminds me a soothing children’s lullaby. Another small detail that makes the game very pleasant to play.

For every level you beat, you unlock another level in that set. There are currently 3 sets in the full version — beginner, medium, and hard. There are also 20 puzzles in each set, totaling 60 puzzles altogether. The developer promised to add more puzzles future updates for free.

The simple game concept, gentle music, and adorable graphics makes the gameplay very calm and relaxing. There are no ticking clocks, so take your time to solve the various puzzles. Once you finish all of the puzzles, you can go back and challenge yourself by only removing 2 or 3 shapes to earn a gold star medals. You can also earn pink heart medals by removing lots of shapes.

In the full version, there is also a Quick Play mode. The objective is to complete as many random levels as you can without failing (having the pink star fall in the water). If you do fail, the score starts over and you continue with another random puzzle.

A lite version of TumbleDrop is also available in the iTunes app store for free. 10 puzzles of various stages are available for you to try out in this version. Upgrade to the full version for 60+ puzzles and a quick play survival mode.

You can purchase TumbleDrop in the iTunes app store for $1.99, or try out the lite version for free. For more information on TumbleDrop, see their official website.

This article was originally published in Beatweek Magazine.

Game Trailer

Dr. Seuss iPhone Apps now 99 cents!

In honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday and NEA’s Read Across America Day, Oceanhouse Media is dropping all Dr. Seuss iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad apps to $0.99! Grab your favorite Dr. Seuss classic ebooks or camera apps. But hurry, this offer will last for one day only — today — Tuesday, March 2, 2010!

Dr. Seuss’s ABC (iTunes)

Have your child learn the ABC’s with this favorite classic book. It’s full of beautiful and colorful pages as well as fun animations.

The Cat In The Hat (iTunes)

Get the classic “That Cat in the Hat” ebook. Enjoy the beautiful artwork and animation as the book reads to you right on your iPhone / iPod Touch. It’s perfect for the little ones.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (iTunes)

Of all the Dr. Seuss apps available now, this is definitely my favorite! I just absolutely love the story and it can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. The narrator is wonderful and the animation and illustration is just lovely. I highly recommend it. Full Review..

Grinchmas! (iTunes)

Would you like to be Mr. Nice Grinch, or Mr. Mean Grinch? Here’s a fun game to either toss presents at the Who’s houses or snowballs at them instead! Full Review..

Dr. Suess’ Camera: The Cat in The Hat Edition (iTunes)

Take photos of your friends and disguise them as the mischievous cat in the hat! A fun app to make you smile with your favorite Cat in the Hat illustrations!

Dr. Seuss Camera: The Grinch Edition (iTunes)

Take photos and insert your favorite Grinch frames on your friends! You can be Mr. Nice Grinch, or a Mean one, or even one of the Who’s. Full Review..

Read more about Oceanhouse Media’s Dr. Seuss iPhone / iPod Touch apps!

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iPhone App Review: Riddim Ribbon

Name: Riddim Ribbon
Written By: Tapulous
Category: Games
Price: $1.99 (iTunes)

Size: 45.4 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.3
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

From the makers of Tap Tap Revenge comes the hit new iPhone/iPod Touch game, Riddim Ribbon! it’s like Tap Tap Revenge and your favorite race car game all rolled into one! Riddim Ribbon is a fast and upbeat game that any music lover would enjoy.

So let’s get this party started! You’re the DJ and the controls for the music mix are right in your hands! Tilt your device left, right, and up to the tunes of Black Eyed Peas, Tiësto, Benny Benassi, (and many more artists to be added soon) as you race down a curvy ribbon, gathering pebbles and hoops for points. When you reach a fork in your track, make a decision to go left or right for a different mix of the song. Jump over ramps to the effects level and give your song a more unique sound. Glide along the track, but be sure to stay away from obstacles that can slow you down!

Don’t be too intimidated playing this game the first few times. The game is easy to learn, but difficult to master at first. Once you get the hang of when to tilt the device during the curvy turns and jumps, it’s a lot of fun. Plus, the narrator is quite encouraging!

Each game is about 4-5 minutes, depending on what song you pick. The game comes with 3 great Black Eyed Peas tracks, including mixes of Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling, and Meet Me Halfway. For a limited time only, you can also get the mashup of “Imma Be/Rock That Body” for free with purchase. For each song, there are 2-3 mixes that can be played in your race to the finish line. At the end of the game, you can view your total points, your achievements, your top scores and dates of when you played, and how you compare to the global leaderboard. You can also share your score via email with your friends.

In-app purchases for 99 cents include various mixes of:
- Tiësto’s Louder Than Boom and Escape Me
- Benny Benassi’s Satisfaction

The game comes in three levels of difficulty — Easy, Medium, and Hard. You must mix up the previous level with an accuracy of 75% or better to unlock the next level. Harder levels include more twists, turns, jumps, and obstacles, both on and off the track.

One option I’d like added to the game is the ability to view the world-wide leaderboard at any time. Currently, you can only view it after you play the game. I personally like to see the scores I need to beat before playing the game. It’s just makes me more competitive.

Overall, the game is a lot of fun, especially if you love The Black Eyed Peas and racing games. The graphics and animation are great and makes you feel as if you are mixing the song. One note, your right hand may sometimes cover the speakers on your iPhone when playing. That’s not good since this game is music-based. I suggest picking up a game wheel accessory or a gamer’s case to enhance your gaming experience with Riddim Ribbon. Have fun, and happy dj-ing!

Riddim Ribbon is currently on sale for $1.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Video Trailer

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iPhone App Review: WordCrasher

Written By: Kevin Ng
Category: Games
Price: $0.99 | Free:

Size: 9.1 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.2
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

WordCrasher is one of the most addictive word games in the iTunes App store. Whether you love word games or not, you’ll fall in love with this one instantly.

The gameplay is quite simple. Colorful button-like game pieces with letters on them will fall into view. Simply tap on the game pieces to make words. If you make a mistake, tap on the orange X to clear the word or swipe to the left to clear one letter. If you make a word, tap on the green checkmark. You can also swipe downward to make letters fall faster. There are also two types of powerup — Time Freeze and Bomb. The “time freeze” powerup is helpful when you need a little more time to think about the words you’re creating and the “Bomb” is helpful when you need to clear the screen. You can create words using UK, International and US English spellings. Score big by making longer words or words with rare letters like “z” and “q.” Make as many words as you can before the screen fills up!

What’s magical about this game are the beautiful and colorful graphics as well as the realistic way the pieces fall and move in the game. Tilt the iPhone / iPod Touch and game pieces will fall and move around.

Two game modes are available in the full version — marathon and flood panic. In marathon mode, you make words with the game pieces falling down. When the screen fills up, the game is over. In flood panic, water and buoyancy are added to the equation. Game pieces are still falling down, but will float in water. The objective is to make longer words to lower the water level. Once the game pieces reach the top of the screen, the game is over.

WordCrasher uses the OpenFeint social gaming network to keep track of your scores and the leaderboard. Earn achievements and compete with your friends as well as gamers worldwide! Scoring categories include Flood Panic, Vocabulary, Marathon, and Word Score. You can even brag about your scores on Twitter and Facebook.

Overall, WordCrasher is very easy to play, fun, and can be quite addictive. The well-polished graphics and physics in the game also makes it really stand out. The best part is, Kevin Ng, the game developer, has already started working on an iPad version of his game. With the faster processor and higher resolution of the iPad, he can use more realistic and detailed graphics without cluttering the game. Read his blog for more details.

For more information about WordCrasher, see their official website. The full version is on sale for only 99 cents. A lite version is also available which allows you to play four levels of marathon mode. Happy word-crashing!

This article was originally published in Beatweek Magazine.

Screenshots

Video Trailer

GameSalad – Create Games without Coding!

I attended MacWorld Expo 2010 recently and one of my favorite booths was GameSalad. They promised that I could make a game without any coding or programming at all. So yes, I was interested! I sat in for the beginner session to see how GameSalad works.

Photo by Albertech.net/@dragonal; Taken at MacWorld Expo 2010; I’m in the lower right!

GameSalad is the world’s most advanced game creation tool for non-programmers. With GameSalad, game makers of all levels can bring their ideas to life without programming a single line of code. Build games visually using a drag-and-drop interface along with a robust behavior system. Publish your games quickly and easy to the iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac Desktop, and the Web.

If you want to learn how to make games for the iPhone (or Mac), try out GameSalad. They had training sessions on the expo floor, which I thought was a lot of fun. Sessions ranged from beginner to advanced, and didn’t require any programming knowledge at all.. just a bit of creativity.

Basically, you can import your graphics (let’s called these actors) into the GameSalad software. Then you can place your actors onto the canvas (like the background) and add in other pieces in layers. Add behaviors to these ‘actors’ and you got yourself a game!

For the beginner session, we made a pinball game. We added the game’s background, along with the flippers, pegs, and pinballs. The flippers behaviors were control by the Left and Right Arrows. When clicked, the flippers would move up in an angle. If the ball touched a peg, points would be added up in a scoreboard.

The creation you create with GameSalad is all yours. This also means if you are creating an iPhone version of the game, an Apple Developer’s license is also require since you are publishing it under your account.

If you’re a graphic designer with an eye for games, definitely consider GameSalad. The software starts at $99 a year. I was able to create a simple pinball game in under 30 minutes… just imagine what you can do with just a little more time.

For more information, see GameSalad.com and follow them on Twitter.

Popularity: 1% [?]

iPhone App Review: Toy Story Mania

Name: Toy Story Mania
Written By: Walt Disney
Category: Games
Price: $4.99

Size: 50.5 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.0
Rate: 4 out of 5 Stars

Come one, come all. Step right up and play the Disney-inspired game called Toy Story Mania! If you’re an avid Disney fan, you have probably already been on the Toy Story Mania ride at Disney’s California Adventure (Anaheim) or Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Orlando). Now imagine all that fun packed right in the palm of your hands.

Just like the theme park ride, you’re taken to mini-games that are represented by their respective characters. Instead of pulling a string on a cannon, you swipe, shoot, flick, pop, and toss things at targets and gain points. Altogether, there are five mini games which include: Hammin’ Eggs, Buzz Lightyears’ Flying Tossers, Bo Pee’s Baaa-loon Pop, Green Army Men Shoot Camp, and Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery.

Choose a mini game by clicking on a toy. Each mini game has 12 stages. The stages are broken into levels of difficulty — easy, normal, and hard. Play each difficulty level in Challenge mode to unlock the next level up. There are two modes of gameplay — Challenge and Free Play. However, only levels you unlocked in Challenge Mode will be playable. Each difficulty level has 5 stages, where one is a bonus stage which unlocks a special item that you can purchase with tickets afterward. Each of these stages have their own unique challenge that you must complete to move onto the next stage.

Here is how the mini-games are played:

- Hammin’ Eggs: slingshot green eggs to hit moving targets on the farm.
- Buzz Lightyears’ Flying Tossers: flick rings to capture rockets and aliens!
- Bo Pee’s Baaa-loon Pop: tap and pop balloons. You have 5 darts, when you’re out of amo, shake to reload.
- Green Army Men Shoot Camp – position the cross-hair target on the plates, and tap to fire.
- Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery – tap on targets to fire suction-cup arrows at them. You’ll need to reload once you fire all 6 arrows.

You also collect tickets while playing the mini games. Trade them in for extra boosts in the mini games. For example, for the Hammin’ Eggs mini-game, you can get a slingshot that fires 3 eggs at one time.

As an added bonus, if you visit the Toy Story Mania attraction at Disney’s California Adventure or Hollywood Studios, the Toy Story wallpapers will unlock and you can save them to your device. This is the only part that would not work well with an iPod Touch since there is no wifi connection available.

The graphics and animation are excellent and will sure bring you back to those Disney memories. The controls on some of the mini games are a bit difficult, especially aiming for the much smaller targets. But then again, those are the ones that are worth the most points.

Overall, this game is well-worth the higher price tag. It packs a lot of games, fun, and action into a nice little app. I highly recommend it if you enjoy carnival games.

Toy Story Mania is available in the iTunes app store for $4.99.

Screenshots

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Valentine iPhone Apps

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate with your sweetheart than with iPhone apps? ;) Here is my top 5 Valentine iPhone App list:

Makeout Mania – fun game where you play a mischievous cupid and fire arrows at high school kids to make them kiss and fall in love with one another. There’s also a yearbook that you can read to figure out who likes who (for more points). It’s quite a funny game and is such a bargain at 99 cents. (iTunes)

Sweethearts – send your sweet a special treat, a special virtual treat that is. Necco is promoting their new sweetheart candy flavors, and what better way to do it than in a very adorable app? Create a box of 5 candies that you can tweet to your sweet. The app is free but requires a Twitter account to share your boxes of candy. (Full Review | iTunes)

Valentine’s Daymation (Special Edition Daymation Lite) — is a special day-to-day calendar with a countdown to Valentine’s day. You can leave little sticky notes in an assortment of colors. You can even put notes in the desk. This app is free in the iTunes App Store. (iTunes)
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StickerJam Hearts – add cute hearts and valentine stickers to your photos. The user interface can be improved, but it’s a nice app to use to decorate your photos. (iTunes)
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Love Poem Generator – Are you having writer’s block? Do you want to write a love poem, but just don’t know where to start? No worries, the Love Poem Generator can help you get started. Put together a love poem and email it to your sweet within a few minutes. (iTunes)

Popularity: 2% [?]

iPhone App Review: Super Monkey Ball 2

Name: Super Monkey Ball 2 (iTunes)
Written By: Sega
Category: Games
Price: $9.99 $4.99

Size: 74.8 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Last December, Sega launched Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It’s an amazing followup to the popular original game! If you’re a Super Monkey Ball fan, you’ll be happy to know that SMB 2 has some significant improvements over first version of the game. The graphics are highly impressive. The rolling monkeys are now truly in 3D. And the tilt-meter is much more accurate to the movement and position of the iPhone/iPod Touch, which makes controlling your monkey character much easier.

The concept of the game is very simple. Tilt your iPhone/iPod touch to guide your monkey to the goal. Collect bananas along the way and keep your monkey from falling off the edge of the track. The tracks are are challenging as before, but there’s much greater control with you and the accelerator. There are 115 tracks to play, so the game can keep you occupied for quite some time.

In the main game, you have a few modes to choose from — Single Player, Multiplayer, and Practice. In practice mode, a random track will be chosen for you to play. In Single Player mode, collect bananas and rack up points to unlock new tracks. Multiplayer mode is a fun way to play with your friends! Go head-to-head using a wifi connection. Players take turns selecting up to 5 tracks to compete in. Player with the most points wins.

While you are playing, you may also notice a small video icon on the lower left corner. This option allows you to record and save your gameplays. You can save up to 10 of these videos and can view them in the “View Replays” option. It’s a very cool feature, and I hope there’s a way to export the videos in the future.

There is also a mini game called “Monkey Bowling” where you can take turns rolling the monkeys to knock over pins. Multiplayer mode is also available, but only one iPhone/iPod Touch device is needed. Two other mini games — Monkey Golf and Monkey Target — will be available in the near future as a free update.

Overall, the controls are smooth and accurately reflect the player’s movement. Super Monkey Ball 2 is really fun and entertaining, and will keep you occupied for hours and hours. Take the monkeys — Aiai, Baby, Meemee, Gongon — out for a spin!

Learn more about Super Monkey Ball 2 for iPhone and iPod touch in the App Store.

This article was originally published in iProng Magazine.

Popularity: 1% [?]

TouchPetsDogs – 3 Pups!

I’ve been playing Touch Pets Dogs for the iPhone for a long time now — every since it was released in the iTunes App store. But this is the first time I ran into this bug. I actually LIKE this bug though! Usually you can only play with at most two dogs at the same time. I somehow got three on the screen. :)

I was finishing up one of the careers that needed a Crimefighting Dog. So I clicked on partner dog and selected a crimefighting one. Then I found out I didn’t have enough money to buy the career tool, so I hit cancel. And somehow, all three dogs — two are mine, and one was a friend’s (crimefighting dog) — appeared on my screen. I was able to move and play with each one of them!

Anyhow, here’s my pet Gizmo’s career status. He’s almost done with Crime Fighting school… I’m waiting for the Alien career to be added next.

And here’s my Plus+ status for TouchPetDogs. I’m an Advanced Mega Superstar Owner… I already maxed out on the achievements. heh

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iPhone App Review: Talking Carl

Talking Carl is a very simple iPhone / iPod Touch app that stars Carl, a cute and cuddly square blob that repeats everything you say.. I mean everything! Touch him and see his funny reactions. You can poke his eyes, tickle his tummy, and even make him burp. This is a great little app for parties and young kids.

See Chris Pirillo’s video demo of the app below. If that doesn’t make you want to buy the app, I don’t know what would. :) It’s nicely priced at only 99 cents.

Note: iPod Touch users must use earphones with a mic for this app to work.

You can purchase it in the iTunes app store.

Video Demo with Chris Pirillo

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Video: Touch Pets Dogs

I just love playing Touch Pets Dogs! It’s quite fun and addicting! My puppies need care every day. This game is like an advanced version of the old tamagotchi pets. I’ve already maxed out on all the levels –> Advanced Mega Superstar Owner — so now all there’s left to do is earn puppy bucks and buy lots of doggie clothes and accessories. :)

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download the app for free (iTunes Link). Then once you sign up for the Plus+ network (mobile game social network), you can add me as a friend – daynah. The social part is really something. If you have a playdate with my dog, my phone will bark. :)

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Fun Holiday iPhone Apps

Get into the holiday spirit with all these fun winter iPhone / iPod Touch apps! These are just a handful I tried out. Feel free to let me know what holiday apps are your favorite so I can try them too! :)

Snow Brawlin. Risoo the squirrel needs your help! A group of rogue rodents have taken over his area. And with the season’s nut shortage, there’s only one way to settle this. Snowball fight! It’s a fun game that will get your quick fingers tapping and heart laughing. The game is free but you can purchase in-app extra three lives for 99 cents. The pro version comes with the extra lives. (iTunes: Pro Version | Free)

Arctic Shuffle 2 is a cute and cuddly penguin puzzler that’s perfect if you enjoy short casual games. Object is to aim penguins to land on a target by bouncing off ice and other things. Earn loads of points and post them on the leaderboard. It’s available for only 99 cents in the iTunes App store. (iTunes: Full | Lite | Full Review)

Touch Pets Dogs 10 Food Grr is another version of Touch Pets Dogs, but it gives you 10 free bowls of food for your virtual puppy! Dress your little pup in the cutest winter clothes as you run around a winter wonderland! Lots a wonderful suprises int he game, as well as daily offers for free stuff. The game has amazing graphics and is fun for the whole family. Best of all, it’s free! (iTunes | Full Review)

Prep & Landing. Disney’s Prep & Landing takes you through the Kringle Academy to earn your place in the elite unit of elves that prepare homes for Santa on Christmas eve! There are three mini games — Deployment, Sparkle Ball Practice, and Ski Jump. Fun and worth the 99 cents! (iTunes | Full Review)

Grinchmas let’s you play the part of Mr. Grinch on Christmas Day. If you’re feeling like a mean grinch, you can throw snowballs at the houses in Who-ville. If you’re feeling like Mr. Nice Grinch, you can shower the houses with gifts! Great fun for the whole family. App is on sale now for just 99 cents! (iTunes | Full Review)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – Dr. Seuss is the first official Dr. Seuss ebook and it’s tons of fun! You have the option of the book reading to you, or reading it yourself. The pages are filled with the original book artwork and the animation is just spectacular. It’s perfect for young children learning how to read, and big kids who loved this book as a child. Definitely a must-buy for any Grinch fan! Currently $3.99 but well-worth it. (iTunes | Full Review)

Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition is a fun way to add some whimsical Grinch-graphics to your photos. Just select a Grinch card and snap a photo! It’s really fun on unsuspecting people when you snap their photo and it turns out green! There are 23 different frames in all. The app is currently $1.99 in the app store, was $2.99. (iTunes | Full Review)

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy the movie! Help Scrat collect acorns while avoiding dangerous obstacles and enemies along the way! Game features characters like Prehistoric pals Manny, Ellie, Diego, Sid and Scratte join Scrat throughout game play. Usually $4.99, this game is on sale for Christmas for only 99 cents! (iTunes)

Elf Jumpers. Help guide the elves to land on chimneys! Avoid dangerous obstacles and get all those presents to the good boys and girls. The audio sounds are just hilarious. The app is currently Free in the app store. (iTunes)
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Coca-Cola Virtual Christmas Lights is a nice way to add some sparkle to your holiday photos! Add lights, holiday symbols and more with this app. You can also post it and share with the world your photo. It’s currently in the iTunes app store for free. (iTunes)
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Holiday Smash. If you enjoy bouncing ping pong balls off of a launch pad, you’ll love this! Smash the lights as fast as you can. For this holiday edition, the lights are in the shape of Santa, Snowman, Christmas Tree, Snowflake, Fireplace, Candy Canes, and more! Currently Free in the iTunes app store! (iTunes)

Triazzle Holiday. A great little puzzler to tickle your brain cells during the holiday season. Move triangle puzzle pieces around to match up the ornaments, dradles, light bulbs, nut crackers, and more! Great sounds and animation to brighten your day. Triazzle Holiday is available in the iTunes App store for just 99 cents. (iTunes)

Santa Rush. Digital Chocolate makes a lot of fun rollercoaster games, and this one is just as fun as the others. Your rollercoaster-ride is Santa and he’s taking a few elves with him in the other carts. Guide the rollercoaster carts to safety without losing anyone to advance to the next level! Fun and free! (iTunes)

Crazy Penguin Christmas is the holiday version of Crazy Penguin Catapult 1 and 2. Help save Santa and the elves from mean polar bears by catapulting penguins to the rescue. The app is currently 99 cents, but I suggest trying the Lite version first to see if you like it.
(iTunes: Full | Lite)

Naughty or Nice? Christmas Detective is a simple app that scans a person’s photo and determines if they’re naughty or nice! Once the photo is analyzed, a “naughty” or “nice” banner is placed on the photo. There is also the option of posting the photo on Facebook and/or Twitter! This app may be a handy tool during the holidays. It’s currently on sale for 99 cents. (iTunes)

Scrooge’s Tip Calculator. Of course you should tip generously to your server(s), but this app makes it a lot of fun. What would Scrooge tip if he was eating with you? There are four levels of tipping – from a generous Christmas Spirit to a Scroogey mood. This app is currently in the iTunes app store for Free! (iTunes)

Santa’s Sack. Angry animals have stolen all of Santa’s presents! Help Santa get them all back by tiling the iPhone / iPod Touch and catching all the present in his big red sack! It’s a silly game with fun music. Available in the app store for free! (iTunes)
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Popularity: 1% [?]

Wii Game Review: Wii Fit Plus

If you’re a computer-chair potato like me, you know it’s hard to fit in any exercise (or movement for that matter) into your daily schedule. But Wii Fit Plus is a fantastic game to help motivate you to exercise. This is a nice upgrade from the previous version. If you already own Wii Fit and the balancing board, you only need the $20 game upgrade. If you don’t own it at all, you can buy the complete package for only $89.99 (on sale on Amazon – save $10).

Wii Fit Plus still uses the previous User Interface — which is good because it’s easy to use and it’s very familiar to Wii Fit owners. Additional features include a calorie count — so you can keep track of how many calories your burn after each exercise and throughout the entire workout. There are 15 new training games (which are my favorites) that will have you flapping your arms, running, and even do karate moves! It’s not only fun to play, it’s also hilarious to watch!

Wii Fit Plus also comes with new yoga and strength training moves. Any position yoga or strength training you didn’t unlock in the previous game will be unlocked in Wii Fit Plus. Wii Fit Plus routines can be set up so you would do exercises designed to improve specific ares. This is done by combining activities.

Changing players during the game has also become is much easier! In the original game, you would have to close your session, and then select the new player. In Wii Fit Plus, you can simply click on “Change Player” and the next player can start playing the same game. Best of all, all of your data transfers nicely over into the new game.

With the new improvements and additional games, I highly recommend this game for parties and individuals who need a fun way to be more active. I give it a 9 out 10 stars. Below is a more detailed review of each individual new mini game in Wii Fit Plus.

Reviews of each new Wii Fit Plus Training Game

The new Wii Fit Plus Training games are a lot of fun! They combine aspects of the original Aerobics and Balance games in the previous version. The wide range of mini games are quite impressive. Here are my reviews of each of the 15 new mini games.

Perfect 10 – In this game, you want to add up the numbers to 10 (in easy mode) by wiggling your tush to hit bouncing balls that add up to 10. This is a great mental and booty exercise game. Finish it to unlock the advanced level — adding numbers up to 15.

Obstacle Course – This one is definitely my favorite because it’s not a short game, and you do feel like you’re running an obstacle course on American Gladiators, or something similar to that. Run by walking quickly on the balance board. When you need to jump bend your knees and stand up. The balance board will pick up the weight shift. Be sure not to JUMP or remove your feet from the balance board. This will cause you to start the course over. This took me a while to get use to, but after the 3rd time, I finally got the hang of not jumping off the board. It’s a great workout that requires quick thinking and a steady pace.

Bird’s-Eye Bulls-Eye – If there’s one game you have to sit out and watch someone play, this is it! You become a bird and the object is to land on various targets to earn more time on your clock. The more time you earn, the more time you have to reach other targets on the land (and water). Flying to these targets will require you to flap your wings and stand still when you hover over a target. Little flaps will help guide you slightly upward when near a target, and big flaps will guide you farther. You really feel like a bird playing this! Unlock the advance level to fly over water and even to the top of mountains and blimps! Warning – be sure to stretch a lot, else your shoulders will be hurting afterward. Humans don’t normally work these wing muscles much. ;)

Driving Range – allows you to work on your golf moves. Turn the Wii Balance board to the side, and use the Wii Remote to swing. The game will show you how balance you are and correct your position. There’s no time limit, so relax and keep golfing. You can also take practice shots before each ball.

Skateboard Arena – is very fun once you get the hang of it! You turn the Wii board around and stand on it like a skateboard. Skate over lights to earn points and even go up ramps! The more points you earn, the more levels you can skate in. If you skate board starts slowing down, step off with one foot and push (just like a real skateboad) to gain momentum.

Snowball Fight – is definitely one of my favorites. You are snowball fighting against a whole army of Mii’s. Well, not really, but when you’re by yourself, it seems like an army! Hide behind a shield, but peek out to throw snowballs at your opponents. Step to the left to peek out on the left side, and step to the right to peek to the right. But be careful not to get hit with snowballs! Use your Wii Remote and aim at your opponents. Press down to throw snowballs at them!

Rhythm Kung Fu – is really cute. I’m a bit off rhythm for the faster moves, but I love how you can use the Wii Nunchuk and Wii Remote to mimic the moves. It’s a big improvement over Rhythm Boxing. I like how you can watch the Mii’s and just follow their moves right after instead of waiting for them to complete full moves.

Island Cycling – this is another one of my favorites. Although I’m not really on a bike, the moves you have to mimic does feel like I was riding on one. Just take fast steps on the balance board to move your bike faster, and use the Wii remote to maneuver the bike to the left or right. The object of this game is to capture all the flags on the island. There is no time limit, so you can go as quickly or slowly as you like. This game also gives you the chance to go and explore all parts of the Wii Fit Island. It’s incredibly scenic and fun indeed. Once you captured all 12 flags, head toward the finish line and then unlock the advance mode — 22 flags. Boy does this game work out those leg muscles!

Segway Circuit – this game is awesome and so much fun! You can zone out and feel like you’re really on a Segway! There’s a giant gopher on the loose, stealing all of the beach balls. The object of the game is ride around quickly and pop all of the beach balls. At the very end, chase the gopher around and pop the last beach ball. Be careful because he’s quick! Jump on ramps on your Segway to gain speed. Use the Wii Remote to steer to the left or right. And balance yourself on the board as you would on a Seqway. Very fun if you enjoy quick games.

Tilt City – the object of the game is to make the falling balls land in their matching colored-canister. Sounds easy right? There are two levels of boards that you control. The top one is controlled by holding the Wii remote on it’s side. The second level are controlled by your feet using the balance board. It gets pretty tricky with multiple balls dropping down. Quick hand-eye-feet coordination is needed to score high! Quite fun and challenging!

Rhythm Parade – you use the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuk as your batons and you march down the streets in a marching band. Raise your ‘baton’ as you see lights coming down either side of the screen. This is not my favorite mini games because my feet and hand coordination is quite off. Once I get the hand motions down, my feet are off rhythm. Try it! Maybe you’ll have better luck than me.

Big Top Juggling – tests your balance skills. Balance yourself on a big ball as you use the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuk to juggle balls tossed at you. It’s not one of my favorite — probably because I keep falling off the ball. But I’ll give it another try soon.

Table Tilt Plus – I simply adored the original Table Tilt games. This game tests your balance and speed. The new version is much more difficult because balls now have the ability to land on poppers that launch them onto a higher pedestal. It’s very challenging as you have to control where the ball lands as well.

Balance Bubble Plus – I got really good at the original game, and this version just took me by surprised! It’s quite difficult once you enter the dark cave and try to balance and maneuver around monsters in there. This works your eye and feet coordination and is quite challenging.

Basic Run Plus – is very similar to the basic run in the original Wii Fit aerobics games. However, you’re running with a cat at the beginning of the game instead of a dog, and the path is different. At the end of the run, there’s a short quiz to test how observant you are. So be sure to check out your surroundings as your run. Do well, and unlock the long run mode.

For videos of each of these games, see the official Wii Fit Plus website.

Fun for the Whole Family

Another thing that I really love about this game is how all of mini games tie together into one big Wii Fit Island! If you played the previous version of Wii Fit, you’ll notice that they used the same landscape — the land you see when you run around on the track. In Wii Fit Plus, when you’re running or biking, you’ll see the same course but with the addition of a much more land. The Wii Fit island is very nice and peaceful and you can roam all around it in the Island Cycling game.

Read more about Wii Fit on their official website. You can also purchase the game with or without the balance board on Amazon. The one with the balance board is currently on sale — save $10!

One more thing, since my family and friends are always over and playing games, I highly suggest getting a Wii Fit Balance Board Silicone Sleeve for your balance board. It makes cleaning the board much easier and comes in an array of colors! And if you don’t have a Wii Gaming System yet, go get one!

Feel free to leave a comment or questions below. I’m reviewing this game because it is one of my favorite games. The views expressed in this blog post are my own and do not necessarily represent Nintendo.

Related Posts and Links

• Purchase Wii Fit Plus Upgrade for $19.96
• Purchase Wii Fit Plus and Balance Board for $89.99 (Save $10)
• Purchase Wii Gaming System for $199.99 (was $250.00)
• Got my Wii Fit!
• Wii Fit Hula Hoops
• My Wii Fit Profile

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iPhone App Review: Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition

Name: Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition (iTunes Link)
Written By: Oceanhouse Media
Category: Photography
Price: $2.99 $1.99

Size: 6.8 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition is a fun way to add some whimsical Grinch-graphics to your photos. Just select a Grinch card and snap a photo! It’s especially fun when you take photos of people and show them a green grinch-like version of themselves!

With 23 different frames to choose from, creating greeting cards have never been so easy and fun! Choose from various Grinch frames, Cindy-Lou Who, Max and more. Cards can be easily emailed and saved to your photo library.

Features include:
- Over 20 cards to choose from. Grinchmas cards are based on original artwork by Dr. Seuss.
- Add your photo in character face cutouts or stand along side them.
- Camera timer can be set to 2 or 10 seconds
- Edit and add whimsical borders and stamps to your cards
- Add fun stamps to further customize your cards. Stamps can be moved, rotated, and deleted.
- Cards can be saved to your photo library and emailed to your family and friends.
- Load photos from your library and edit. Drag, resize, and rotate to make the right fit.

For a Grinchy fun time in Who-ville, take along your Dr. Seuss Camera and snap away! The “Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition” is available in the iTunes app store for $2.99 $1.99.

This review was originally published in iProng Magazine issue #56.

Disclaimer: I’ve received a promo code for “Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition” iPhone app from Oceanhouse Media in exchange for a review.

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iPhone App Review: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Name: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (iTunes Link)
Written By: Oceanhouse Media
Category: Books
Price: $3.99

Size: 9.6 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.1
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without the Grinch. If you haven’t read the book yet, there’s a fabulous app that will read it to you! And if you have read it, you’ll love all the memories this app brings to you and your little ones.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” is the first official Dr. Seuss ebook and it’s tons of fun! You have the option of the book reading to you, or reading it yourself. The pages are filled with the original book artwork and the animation is just spectacular. It’s perfect for young children learning how to read, and big kids who loved this book as a child.

In the “Read to me” mode, the book will read to you. As it reads, the words are highlighted in red.

In the “Read it myself” mode, the audio is turned off. If you would like to hear the audio, simply tap on the text and the app will start reading that phrase.

There is also another fun and interactive element in the app. If you tap on the page’s illustrations, the object or item’s name will appear in big red letters, and a voice will say what it is. This app is a great reading tool for children just learning how to read as well as big kids like you and me! It’s definitely a must-have for any Grinch fan. The iPhone/iPod Touch app is currently on sale for $3.99 and well-worth it.

This review was originally published in iProng Magazine issue #56.

Disclaimer: I’ve received a promo code for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” iPhone app from Oceanhouse Media in exchange for a review.

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iPhone App Review: Arctic Shuffle 2

Name: Arctic Shuffle 2 (iTunes: Full Version | Free Lite Version)
Written By: Zinc Roe Design
Category: Games
Price: 99 cents, with option for in-app purchases for 99 cents each. (two are available)

Size: 10.2 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.2
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

Arctic Shuffle 2 is a cute and exciting puzzle game that will have you playing for hours! Chill out with the cuddly penguins as you aim and slide them across the ice to land on the target! Be sure to watch out for obstacles that can hurt your precious penguin.

The game has 10 stages in each level of difficulty – beginner, easy, medium, hard, expert — that’s 50 different puzzles to solve! In addition, there are also two optional add-on packs for 99 cents, which include 24 extra stage each.

The scoring system for each stage is based on three parts — difficulty, penguins survived, and time bonus. Your total score are tallied up and added into the online leaderboard using AGON Online service. Compare scores with all players, people near you, and your friends. There’s even an option to post your scores on Twitter and Facebook.

The challenges and adorable graphics in Arctic Shuffle 2 keeps you coming back for more! Try it Arctic Shuffle 2 Lite for free. It comes with 10 levels. If you enjoy it purchase Arctic Shuffle 2 in the iTunes app store for only 99 cents.

This article was originally published and featured in iProng Magazine.

Disclaimer: I’ve received a promo code for “Arctic Shuffle 2″ iPhone app from Zinc Roe Design in exchange for a review.

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iPhone App Review: Grinchmas

Name: Grinchmas (iTunes Link)
Written By: Oceanhouse Media
Category: Games
Price: $1.99

Size: 5.7 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

If you’re looking for a casual holiday game, this one will surely hit the spot! “Grinchmas” let’s you play the part of Mr. Grinch on Christmas Day. If you’re feeling like a mean grinch, you can throw snowballs at the houses in Who-ville. If you’re feeling like Mr. Nice Grinch, you can shower the houses with gifts!

The game is pretty simple. There are two gaming modes — Mean Grinch or Merry Grinch.

In “Mean Grinch” mode, the houses in Who-ville are making too much noise for the Grinch. Splat each noisy Who house with a snowball to quiet them down. Do this by simply swiping the phone / iPod Touch. Keep throwing snowballs and see how long you can last!

In “Merry Grinch” mode, the object is to deliver matching colored presents to the Who houses within 2 minutes. Swipe the iPhone / iPod Touch to toss the presents. As each present gets delivered, the Grinch’s heart grows bigger and bigger. The Grinch’s heart grows smaller if the present and house colors are mismatched. How big can you make his heart grow?

The two modes are both simple and fun. I find that aiming at the houses can be a tough though. It may just be because I need a lot of practice. The speed and accuracy of the swipe will determine if the snowball/present hit the right house.

Grinchmas It’s fun for the whole family, even big kids like you! Grinchmas is available in the iTunes App store for just $1.99!

This review was originally published in iProng Magazine issue #56.

Disclaimer: I’ve received a promo code for “Grinchmas” iPhone app from Oceanhouse Media in exchange for a review.

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iPhone App Review: Flipside

Name: Flipside (iTunes)
Written By: Igloo Games
Category: Games
Price: $2.99

Size: 8.9 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1.1
Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars

Looking for some super puzzle fun? Try FlipSide! FlipSide is a challenging and fast-moving puzzle game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Imagine if Tetris was crossed with match 3, with better colors, sounds, and graphics and you got FlipSide.

Matching pieces fall with a symbol on each side — near side (your side) and far side (you opponent’s side). The object of the game is to create at least 3 matches on your side. You have the option of flipping the pieces over by tapping on them. You can also drag falling pieces over to different columns. Match pieces horizontally or vertically to get points!

The best part about this puzzle game is the various modes you can play in. Modes include Tutorial, Survival, Puzzle, Vs. com, and peer-to-peer (bluetooth).

There is a small learning curve for this game, but the tutorial mode gets you started quickly. It’s simple to follow and explains the game quite easily. I personally would play the tutorial mode a few times before jumping into the other modes.

In Survival Mode, you can play until the screen is filled up with pieces. There are over 20 stages in both Normal and Expert mode.

In Puzzle Mode, the object is to flip or move the pieces so they all disappear (without the addition of new pieces). This mode requires the most amount of thinking and isn’t timed. There are 20 stages in both Easy and Medium modes.

In Verses mode, you play against other players (the computer) and both sides is able to flip pieces to match what’s on their side. There are 5 other players — each one with their own characteristics and strategies. Each player also has 5 different levels to complete. The higher the level, the faster the pieces fall and the more competitive the player gets! Win two games at each level to move onto the next challenge.

You can also Play with a friend using bluetooth! This is similar to the Verses Mode, except it’s against a friend. You’ll see pieces they flip over and move around, and they see your moves as well.

The graphics are beautifully done and the sounds are just hilarious. I also enjoy how Igloo Software incorporates graphics from their previous games into the next.

This game is great for your brain muscles. You have to think fast and plan a strategy. And best of all, it’s highly addictive.

So how big of a match can you get? The bigger the match, the more points you’ll get! Flipside is available in the iTunes app store for just $2.99.

Note: This app review was recently published in iProng Magazine and Flipside has won iProng’s Best Puzzle App of 2009 Award!

FlipSide Video Trailer

iProng Best Puzzle App of 2009 Award

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iPhone App Review: Disney’s Prep & Landing

Get into the holiday spirit and help Santa on the most important night ever! ABC brings to you Disney’s Prep & Landing, a new television special airing Tuesday, December 8th at 8:30/7:30c. Along with that comes a cute iPhone / iPod Touch app to spread holiday cheer!

You get to play Lanny, the Christmas elf, as he joins the Kringle Training Academy to become part of the elite unit of elves that prepare homes for Santa on Christmas Eve! Practice in these great mini games: Deployment, Sparkle Ball Practice, and Ski Jump.

In Deployment, you hop off of Santa’s sleigh and parachute down. But be careful! Avoid the toy airplanes, balloons and birds that may be i your way. catch the candy canes and presents to earn rewards!

You never know who’s awake and creeping downstairs anticipating Santa’s arrival! In Sparkle Ball Practice, toss sparkle balls to put eagre children and puppies to sleep.

There are lots of houses for Santa to visit on Christmas Eve, so in Ski Jump, you get to jump from rooftop to rooftop to catch special ornaments that increase your time to prepare for homes for Santa! Watch out for chimneys and snow pits!

This app also comes with some extra holiday fun. Santa has a special scanner to know if you’re naughty or nice, a compass, and a world map!

All in all, if you like fun little mini games, this is a great app to have. Play it while you watch Disney’s “Prep & Landing” tonight!

The app is available in the itunes store for just 99 cents.

If you’re in the US, you can view the video on hulu.

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