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

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: 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.

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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% [?]

CES 2010: AR Drone iPhone Video Game

I’m definitely putting this AR Drone iPhone video game on my list of must-see-at-CES-2010!

This is just amazing! In the game, you can fly a real UFO-like object in the air while running after imaginary monsters or fighter planes on their iphones. Wow!

This awesome beauty was created by Parrot, a French company that specialize in Bluetooth hands free system, digital photo frames, and wireless speakers. They now need to add iPhone games to their list!

For more information about this, see Telegraph.co.uk

Popularity: 1% [?]

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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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.

Popularity: 1% [?]

iPhone App Review: TouchPetsDogs

Name: Touch Pets Dogs (iTunes Link)
Written By: Ngmoco Inc
Category: Games
Price: Free

Size: 50.3 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Who can resist adopting a cute and cuddly virtual pet? Now you can have one right in your iPhone / iPod Touch with the Touch Pets Dogs app. With the power of the Plus Network, you can share your little puppy with all your friends too!

Touch Pets Dogs is a very well-written and polish iPhone app that’s enjoyable for the whole family. Adopt a puppy from one of 7 loveable breeds — Labrador, Portuguese Water Dog, West Highland Terrier, German Shepherd, Jack Russell, Dachshund, and even Robot Dog!

After you adopt your puppy, take good care of it by pampering it with clothes and showering it with plenty of accessories and toys. Don’t forget to train and educate your little pup as well. There are five career paths that your dog can take part in — Crimefighting, Rescue Dog, Scientist, Celebrity, and Politician. Be the ultimate dog and complete all 5!

You can also level your puppy in three categories: Caretaker Level, Trainer Level, and Social Level. To earn points in Caretaker level, take care of your puppy by feeding it, taking it out, and cleaning it daily. To earn points in Trainer category, be sure to play with your pup so it gets some exercise as well as teach it new tricks. For the social level, be sure to take it out on playdates to meet other dogs. Adopting another dog also helps with this as well. The maximum level for each category is 1000 and the higher the points you earn in each level, the more items you unlock that can be bought in the pet store.

Also earn puppy bucks by taking good care of your pup and keeping them happy. These puppy bucks can be traded in the pet store for food, clothes, career items, etc.

The winning aspect of this game is the social connection using the Plus+ network. The ability to take your puppy on a playdate with a friend’s dog is just a lot of fun! Just like with people in real life, dogs can build relationships with other dogs over time. If you want two dogs to fall in love, take them on plenty of playdates and keep them happy on those dates. Dogs tend to fight if you don’t watch them closely, and some just want to be friends. Each dog comes with its own personality and you get to figure out what works best for each dog.

There are currently five versions of Touch Pets Dogs — Touch Pets Dogs (Free), Touch Pets Dogs 10 (Free, usually 99 cents), Touch Pets Dogs 20 ($1.99), Touch Pets Dogs 120 ($9.99), and Touch Pets Dogs 400 ($29.99). The difference between these versions is the price and the amount of food available for your puppy. Your last bowl of food will get recharged every 15 minutes, or 1/10th every 1 and a half minutes. The advantage of buying a more expensive app is earning puppy bucks faster. 15 Bowls of food is equal to 20,000 puppy bucks. So you get to decorate your puppy without having to play as long. Your best choice right now is to get “Touch Pets Dogs 10″ since it is free right now plus you get 10 (plus 8) extra bowls of food. You can also purchase additional food later.

The game is near perfect, but it does have some small glitches. Sometimes, when training your pup with the agility ball, your dog will hop on it and get stuck in midair. You can remove the ball and the puppy would be floating. A way to clear this is by switching the environment.

Another drawback to the game is that you need internet connection in order to play. Your dog’s data and profiles are stored online so they can interact with other dogs on the Plus+ Network. I think a better way of doing this is to have some temporary data storage on the iPhone / iPod Touch for point keeping, and disable options like playdates when no internet connection is available. Maybe this can be added in a future release.

Also, when the game was first released, many complained that their dogs were always hungry and tired. This was quickly fixed and the food is recharged every 15 minutes now instead of 2 hours. Ngmoco Inc. did a great job listening to the community feedback.

So what are you waiting for? Download Touch Pets Dogs and raise your puppy now! For more information, see the official Touch Pets Dogs website.

This article was originally in iProng Magazine’s #55 issue.

Let’s socialize! Want our Touch Pets Dogs to connect? Just add me on the Plus+ network. Look for “daynah.”

Game Trailer

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iPhone App Review: Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise

Name: Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise (iTunes)
Written By: ZIO Interactive, Inc
Category: Games
Price: $4.99 $2.99

Size: 47.0 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

“Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise” is such a treat for Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans! All of the favorite Sanrio characters such as My Melody, Badtz-Maru, Keroppi, Pochacco, Cinnamoroll and Corocorokuririn make special appearances along with Hello Kitty in the game.

“Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise” has two modes of gaming — Parachute Game and My Room Showcase. Both modes interact with each other, so you’ll find yourself switching back and forth after each stage.

The main objective is to help guide Hello Kitty downward with her parachute. In each level of the parachute game mode, you catapult Hello Kitty as high as you can. The higher Hello Kitty jumps, the more points are earned. When she starts gliding down, tilt the iPhone/iPod touch to help her parachute to safety. Collect apples and bonus items along the way, but be careful of the dangerous obstacles!

Be sure to collect plenty of apples to maintain Hello Kitty’s parachute power. The apples are similar to health points in other games. As long as her parachute power is not as zero, you can still parachute safely down and collect items. Bonus items include Hello Kitty’s friends, toys, cute items, decorations, and various backgrounds and flooring. These can all be use to decorate Hello Kitty’s room in the My Room Showcase mode.

There are 9 exciting stages total. Four must be unlocked from scoring high on previous stages. Clicking once on each stage will display the “Item Tracker.” The bright items are the ones you have already collected and the darken items are ones you have not.

All items collected in the Parachute game are stored in the My Room Showcase inventory. In the My Room Showcase mode, you can select the items you want to decorate Hello Kitty’s room. The 3D graphics used here are quite beautiful. There are so many items to collect in the game that you may find your room cluttered with cuteness!

There are two modes in My Room Showcase — showcase and design. You can toggle between the two by clicking on the hand icon in the top right. In design mode, you can touch and drag items to where you want them displayed. Let go of them item to drop it in place. To add more items, click on Menu -> Inventory. There are 60 items that can be collected throughout the game. Items that you collected will be bright. Items you have in your showcase will be highlighted in pink. Select items to be added in your showcase by tapping on them. A maximum of 20 items can be in the showcase at any one time, and only one background and one floor can be displayed.

Be sure to create stylish scenes, take a screenshot, and share them! The camera icon in the lower right corner will help you with this. Click on it, and tap the middle of the screen when you’re ready. This will take a photo of Hello Kitty’s room and save it to your camera roll. Six different songs are also available when viewing the Showcase mode. To access them, click on Menu -> Settings, and select the song. You may also adjust the volume of the music and effects here as well.

As an added bonus, if you score high enough in the Parachute games, you can unlock an extra “Sky High” mini-game. The object of this mini-game is to make Hello Kitty jump as high as you can. I don’t find this mini-game very addicting at all. You are scored only on the height of the jump, so it feels like a stripped down version of the Parachute game. A better mini-game might be an endless mode where Hello Kitty collects apples and bonus items. Once her parachute runs out of power, the mini game is over, and the score is calculated by how many items she picked up. Maybe this can be in the next version.

Overall, I’m quite impressed with “Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise.” The gameplay is really fun, challenging, and provides endless hours of playing. I’m also quite impressed with the game’s responsiveness to the tilt and touch of the user. The 3D graphics used in the showcase room are lovely, and girls will find themselves creating many variations of Hello Kitty’s room.

One small drawback to the game is that it does not respond to the Ring/Silent Switch on the iPhone. You must manually silent the game using the volume buttons.

For future developments, I’d like to see this game be more social. It could have an option to upload the screenshots and/or be part of the OpenFeint or Plus+ social game networks.

Every Hello Kitty fan should have this game. It’s available in the iTunes App store for $4.99 $2.99 (on sale now!) and is well-worth every penny. For more information about Hello Kitty Parachute, see http://hellokittyparachuteparadise.sanriotown.com

This article was originally published and featured in iProng Magazine Issue #54.

Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise Trailer

Related Links

• More Hello Kitty Electronics

Hello Kitty & Sanrio Goodies

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iPhone App Review: Dolphin Experience

Name: Dolphin Experience (iTunes Link)
Written By: Marc Weinstock
Category: Games
Price: $1.99

Size: 8.6 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1
Rate: 3 out of 5 Stars

Ever wanted to watch dolphins play in the ocean all day? “Dolphin Experience” takes you into that world, right in the palms of your hands. The best part is, you don’t even have to get wet!

Explore the virtual world of dolphins in the morning, midday, at sunset, and at midnight in three beautiful locations — a shallow lagoon, aquarium, and deep in the ocean. The scenes for each location changes accordingly for each time of the day.

There are a few ways you can interact with the dolphins. You can go snorkeling and be in the ocean with them. You can also play with them using beach balls or hoops, as well as make them jump on the boat and feed them. You can also request that they dance on the waters or do flips. You can also dangle a fish in the air and feed them that way.

What I really like about this app is the calm sounds of the dolphins playing while you interact with them. The detailed graphics are astounding and makes me feel like I’m right in the ocean with them.

Although the app is beautifully made, I still think there is some room for improvement.

• When trying to feed the dolphin, the fish dangles in the air, which looks very odd. Also, the dolphins never go for this type of feeding anyways.
• There are 3 locations * 4 times of the day = 12 different scenes. I think having additional environments would keep the game interesting.
• After playing a few rounds, it gets old too quickly. It would help if there was a better gameplay experience. Some ideas would be having some kind of point system to unlock items or features in the app.

The great news is, new features such as Voice & Name Recognition commands, unlockable environments, new interactive animals, and tricks will be added in future builds, so watch out for these!

Overall, it’s a lovely app for dolphin lovers. The sounds and graphics are quite enjoyable, especially when you just want to relax. I’m looking forward to the additional upgrades in the next versions.

“Dolphin Experience” is compatible with both the iPhone and iPod Touch. It is also available in the iTunes app store for $1.99.

This article was originally published and featured in iProng Magazine Issue #54.

Video Review by quickhitzlab

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iPhone App Review: Zombie Pizza

Name: Zombie Pizza (iTunes Link)
Written By: Appy
Category: Games
Price: $0.99

Size: 20.1 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.1
Rate: 4 out of 5 Stars

Zombies love to eat brains.. and pizza! Who knew? Zombie Pizza is a light-hearted horror puzzle game that is such a treat for this Halloween!

In the game, zombies have taken over the world! Unfortunately for Chef Zomboni, the pizzeria owner, he has also been infected, and has about 4 weeks before becoming one of the walking dead. In that time, he’ll be training you, his apprentice, in every aspect of the dark art of making Zombie Pizzas.

Under Chef Zomboni’s watchful eye, you will be creating pizzas to feed the hungry zombies by combining some of the most disgusting ingredients never tasted before on pizzas! Toss on some eyeballs, hearts, bones, guts, and brains onto the strange Zombie Pizzas to create combos like The Roadkill, The Split Dog, The Gut Buster, and the Stink Eye! Be sure to check out the cookbook for the pizza recipes! Some combination pizzas are worth more than others. The ones you can create are:

• The Gut buster – Four of a kind of any Topping
• The Road Kill – One of each kind of any Topping
• The Split Dog – Two of any one topping and two of any other topping.
• The Stink Eye – Pizzas that don’t fall into any of the above. These are worth $0 and make the zombies upset!

As you advance in the levels and weeks, zombies may also request special pizzas in their order. Create those for extra bonus points. Some zombies prefer broccoli. Some will get mad at you if you even dare to put vegetables on their pizzas! Some ingredients will be packaged in jars that require you to smash them open.

The ingredients are set on the fast-moving conveyor-belt. Drag ingredients onto your pizza. When your pizza creation is done, flick it into hole in the door to feed those pesky zombies! Make a bad pizza, and you’ll hear those zombies scream in disgust. Earn gold and silver medals and rack up dollars by creating pizzas with high-value recipes. But be sure to watch the Zombie Rage meter. If it reaches the top, the game is over, and you become their dinner!

Playing Zombie Pizza requires mastery of two basic movies — drag and flick. I love the puzzle aspect where you try to create only the pizzas in the recipe book or special orders. Anything else will be a Stink Eye and give your $0, not to mention, make the zombies very upset. The extra challenges in each level keep the game fresh and exciting. The creepy, yet hilarious sound effects and artwork is what gives the game its charm!

If you enjoy fast-moving puzzle games, I think you’ll like this one. It’s quite a deal for only 99 cents in the iTunes App store. The game is available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Be sure to feed your zombies pizza today… if you want to live to see another day…

This article was published in iProng Magazine 53rd issue.

Game Trailer

Related Links

• Zombie Pizza by Appy Entertainment
• Lite Version of Zombie Pizza (iTunes Link)
• Zombie Pizza iTunes Link

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World of Goo

World of Goo just turned ONE, and to celebrate, the game is on sale! You can purchase the game for whatever you think it’s worth. It’s normally $20. Get it now! This offer lasts until October 25th, 2009!

Here’s a trailer for the game:

Related Links

• Buy World of Goo

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iPhone App Review: Big Top 10

Name: Big Top 10 (iTunes Link) (Lite Version)
Written By: Bight Games
Category: Games
Price: $0.99

Size: 9.1 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.2
Rate: 4 out of 5 Stars

Big Top 10 is an addictive, challenging, yet simple puzzle game that you’ll find yourself playing over and over again. A 5×5 board displays the numbers 0 – 9, along with some bonuses, and negative numbers too. The object of the game is to simply drag and select the numbers so they add up to 10. The longer the selections, the more points you will earn. Your selection of numbers must be continuous on the board and diagonals are not allowed.

For example, you can select “9 + 1″, “3 + 4 + 3″, and “1 + 4 + 5.”

You can also take advantage of the zeroes and negative numbers to create even longer selections. For example, “0 + 3 + (-3) + 4 + 6.”

Power-ups are also available, which include a clock that will freeze time for 5 seconds (or in verses mode, will freeze your opponent for 3 seconds), a bomb which destroys numbers around it (and you are awarded extra points), Double points, and a star that reduces the numbers on the board to allow longer selections. If you’re stuck, you can also shake the iphone/ipod touch (or click on shuffle) to get a fresh new board. And to top it all off, the twist to the game is the 59 seconds you initially start off with.

You need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to play with another opponent. You have 2 minutes to go head to head with each other in the “Verses” mode. The player with the most points win. If you make a selection with the clock, the opponent’s screen will freeze for 3 seconds. It’s highly addictive, and a lot more fun playing with another person.

To make the game more social, Big Top 10 also uses OpenFeint to bring to you the global leaderboards as well as your friends’ game statuses. You can also integrate Twitter and Facebook and play and compare scores.

Click on “Scores” to view your personal top 10 scores, records you set, and various achievement awards. The graphics and music are beautifully done and gives a nostalgic feeling of the old big top circuses. This is what really completes the gaming package.

There is also a Big Top 10 Lite version for you to test out. You have all the features of the full version except for earning more time, head-to-head verses play, and global scores integration. For just 99 cents and hours of playtime, this game is definitely well-worth it!

This article was originally published in iProng Magazine.

Big Top 10 Trailer

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iPhone App Review: Ramp Champ

Name: Ramp Champ (iTunes Link)
Written By: Icon Factory and DS MediaLabs
Category: Games
Price: $1.99 (Plus 2 Optional Add-Ons – $0.99 each)

Size: 16.7 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.1
Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Remember the classic boardwalk games like skee-ball and knock ‘em over? Now you can have them right in the palm of your hands! Ramp Champ is a new iPhone / iPod Touch game that adds an interesting twist to these classics.

You can journey deep into the ocean, battle space aliens, play with dolphins and unicorns, fight ninjas, and so much more in this exciting new game. Ramp Champ comes with four built-in skee-ball-like ramps. For each ramp, you are given 9 balls to roll. The object of the game is to knock down various objects (clowns, aliens, ninjas, etc.). Each object is worth a certain number of points. Aim for a high score and rack up points for tickets. Test your finger-rolling skills and redeem your tickets for virtual trinkets.

To keep the game interesting, each ramp also has 3 different set of goals that you can accomplish. For each goal you complete, you will get a trophy. When you reach the first goal, you’ll get a bronze trophy for that ramp. When you reach the second goal, you’ll get upgraded to a silver trophy for that ramp, and then a gold tropy for reaching the third goal. You’ll find yourself coming back for more to complete all the goals (which may seem very impossible at times!)

As mentioned, Ramp Champ comes with four themed ramps — Clown Town, Breakwater Bay, Space Swarm, The Icon Garden. Clown Town is like the classic “Knock ‘em Down” carnival game where you throw balls at clowns, cans, and ducks. Breakwater Bay brings you close to the ocean floor where you can see seahorses, clams, and sharks. Space Swarm has the feel of Space Invaders, and The Icon Garden has the feel of your favorite old school Mac icons.

Ramp Champ also has the option of purchasing add-ons within the game for 99 cents. Currently, there are two add-ons available. The Adventure Pack comes with the Ninja Attack & Tiki Island ramps and the Challenge Pack comes with Happy Place (dolphins and unicorns) & Molar Madness ramps. Each of these ramps also add their own virtual trinkets as well as trophies. Purchasing them is also quite easy. Simply click on “Add-ons” at the bottom of the screen, select your add-on pack, and confirm your purchase by clicking on “Buy.”

After collecting your tickets, click on “Redeem” at the bottom and pick an item that you like. Note, you will have one page with 9 trinkets for each ramp you have. Select an item by tapping on it and then tap “Redeem.” This will add your new item to your loot! To view all of your goodies, click on “Loot” and you will see shelves with all of your virtual trinkets. Tap on “Trophies” on the top right and you’ll see the shelves with all of your trophies.

IconFactory (the makers of Twitterific) and DSMediaLabs did an amazing job with Ramp Champ. The selection of music puts you in the mood to get some cotton candy and head down to the county fair. And as you change ramps, the music just takes you into the specific scene. The attention to details is quite remarkable as well. The scuffs on some of the ramps were just brilliant, as well as the animation of the tickets rolling out.

Ramp Champ is a highly enjoyable game that’s fun, challenging, yet easy to learn. The user interface is simply beautiful. It will surely put a smile on your face every time you play it. iPhone OS 3.0 is required to play Ramp Champ, and you may purchase it in the iTunes App store for $1.99.

This article was originally posted in iProng Magazine. Many thanks to Hollywood Mac Guru for introducing me to this game!

Game Screenshots

Game Preview from Touch Arcade

Below are Ramp Champ Video game previews by Touch Arcade. You can see how addictive the game can be!

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iPhone App Review: Pac-Man Remix

Name: Pac-Man Remix (iTunes Link)
Written By: Namco Networks America
Category: Games
Price: $5.99 $4.99
Size: 11.3 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch
Version: 1.0.0
Rate: 4 out of 5 Stars

Pac-Man fans will greatly enjoy the newly released Pac-Man Remix game for the iPhone and iPod touch! The object of the game hasn’t changed much. Pac-Man still eats dots, power pellets, and ghosts when they turn blue. He still also gets chased by the ghosts when they’re not blue and loses a life if they catch him. The addition of the 3D graphics and fun animations adds a whole new dimension to the game. As an added twist, the Remix version has exclusive features like boss battles, stage-specific gadgets, and power-up items!

Pac-Man is stranded on an island full of ghostly enemies — big and small. The island is divided into 6 different sections. Within each section are 5 different levels, which means there are 30 different levels altogether. The last level of each island section is the big boss battle. Before playing each level, a short colorful clip shows you the challenges you will face in the next stage. Although, with only 30 levels, gameplay seems a bit short.
Read more

Popularity: 2% [?]

iPhone App Review: Rolando 2

Name: Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid (iTunes Link)
Written By: ngmoco, Inc.
Category: Games
Price: $9.99
Size: 56.1 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch / (iPhone OS 2.2.1 and later)
Version: 1.1
Rate: 5 Stars

The sequel to one of the best iPhone games has arrived, jammed packed with even more fun than ever before! “Rolando 2: The Quest for the Golden Orchid” takes us back to the days of pirates and their quest leads us through tropical beaches, ancient ruins, volcanic caverns, and jungles. The new cast of characters in this adventure/puzzle game will surely make you smile!

As the story goes, Sir Richard Buttons-Smthe, a brave young Rolando, returns home to the Kingdom of Rolando to report of his adventures to the King and Queen. As he tells the Sages of his adventures, they suddenly fall ill, showing symptoms of the Kilgorean Flu. Sir Richard mentions that the only cure for it is the “fabled Golden Orchid, atop the great Mount on the Isle of Fontanis.” So the King sends him back to the boat, along with a new team of Rolandos and that’s how their adventure begin.
Read more

Popularity: 2% [?]

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