Category Archives: Common Sense Media

App Review: Background Check App

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The privacy debate that springs up around Background Check App is an extensive one — but ultimately a useless one. While many object to how easy it now is for someone to learn what can be very private details of your life, the fact of the matter is the information has been available online for a long time. And it was inevitable that it would make its way to the mobile platform. That said, this app (from BeenVerified.com, which provides an identical service on the web) can sometimes dig deeper than you’d like it to — listing the names of relatives (though, apparently, not underage children) as well as home addresses and criminal records, along with your entire online footprint, including photos, videos, blogs, etc. The scary part is: The information isn’t always accurate, which can create a false impression that sometimes is unjustified.

There’s certainly a curiosity factor that goes with this sort of app, but it’s not something you want in a child’s hand. The reliability questions that go with the data could lead them to gossip about a teacher or friend’s parents having a criminal record, when it was, in fact, someone with a similar name. The app could, however, be a good way to show children that they can always be held accountable for their past — and that they should think twice (or even three times) before posting something online, since someone can always see it.

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App Review: Trainz Simulator

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Trainz Simulator is clearly aimed at true enthusiasts. For a general audience, the app can be described in a single word: Intimidating. Even in its easy mode, this app is complicated — certainly too complicated for young kids. For those who want to learn more about the locomotive world, though, there’s plenty to discover here. The app has a ton of options, including letting players create their own routes and environments. And the thorough collection of train types (and accompanying information about each) is a primer for newcomers.

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Game Review: Words With Friends (Facebook)

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Phone app fans of word games likely already knows about Words With Friends — but adding the popular Scrabble-like game to Facebook should make dwell times on the site soar. You can play multiple opponents simultaneously. And the more games you have going, the more likely you are to stick around. At its heart, the Facebook version is basically the same as the mobile version, but adds a couple new features like Brag Feeds (letting you gloat about triple word scores) and the ability to challenge friends directly through their news feeds.  For word aficionados, this is one Facebook that will be hard to resist.

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App Review: Roboto

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While Roboto has some control issues that might have you pulling out your hair from time to time, there’s no denying this is a very well done platform game. Graphically gorgeous, this app offers some truly fun twists (like areas where gravity is reversed). The game’s late ramp up in difficulty is a bit unexpected, though, and actually detracts from the pleasure of playing — especially when coupled with less than responsive controls. Still, there’s plenty to do in each level and the game certainly doesn’t rush you through it, boasting 30 levels. It’s not perfect, but it’s  darned good.

App Review: Cut the Rope: Experiments

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Om Nom hasn’t lost any of his charm. And Cut the Rope: Experiments proves that developer ZeptoLabs hasn’t lost any of its magic. Is this more of the same gameplay as the original Cut the Rope? Sure. However, there are some new mechanics, like a suction cup, but if you played the original, you won’t have any trouble getting into the groove here. That’s not a bad thing, though, if you’ve completed the original (and all of its add-ons). There’s a thin plot about Om Nom being examined by a genial scientist, who encourages and congratulates the player as you progress. But at its heart, this is a game that uses physics and puzzles wonderfully together and proudly carries on the legacy of its predecessor.

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App Review: Stickman BMX

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Physics-based games — even platformers like Stickman BMX — are incredibly dependent on the controls. If they’re done well, the games can be tons of fun. If they’re not, frustration often sets in. Unfortunately, they’re not spectacular with this app. The game takes a page from Sega’s Sonic series, in that it constantly moves you forward in a difficult series of courses, but to conquer them, you’re required to constantly press a pedal button, which is a quick way to get a sore wrist. It’s also directly responsible for many lost games if you’re not pressing fast enough. The game isn’t terrible, though. There are plenty of levels to explore and loads of replayability to gather all the medals. But ultimately, the control issues are likely to convince you to stop playing long before you get to that point.

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App Review: Trenches: Generals

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Trenches: Generals — a remake and upgrade of the iPhone Trenches game — certainly makes good use of the iPad’s screen size, but it comes with control issues that detract from the fun. And the complicated nature of the game further hurts it. Moving troops around is fairly easy at the beginning of a battle, but once they’re assembled in a trench, they huddle together, making it hard to select an individual soldier. And when you’re trying to upgrade that trench to a bunker, that can be critical. Also, the game has a decent tutorial, but ramps up the difficulty quickly, which will alienate newcomers to the strategy genre.

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App Review: Hungry Chicks

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If you’ve grown wary of any game that hints at “birds” in the title, you’re hardly to blame, but Hungry Chicks isn’t a knock-off of Angry Birds. It’s actually a fun, though ultimately forgettable, bite-sized gaming diversion. The game, tailored for the iPhone and iPod Touch, is more complex and challenging than it seems at first glance, adding a second bird to the mix after a few levels, which forces players to collect the right number of worms for their specific nests. The controls are a bit odd and take some getting used to, but work well enough. And avoiding the obstacles can be a fun brain-teaser. It’s not a game you’ll find yourself raving about, but it’s one you may find yourself playing to pass the time — and since it’s cheap, it’s a safe investment.

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App Review: Britannica Kids: Ancient Rome

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History can be boring — and the encyclopedia is seen by many as the product of a bygone era — but Britannica Kids: Ancient Rome is a wonderfully educational and entertaining way for kids to learn more about the Roman culture. There are the usual (and expected) walls of print, but they’re not the chief focus — and they’re extra helpful, highlighting difficult words and offering definitions so kids don’t get frustrated. But it’s games like the timed quiz, magic square, and puzzles that users are more likely to spend time with. While they’ll learn less with these than they will by reading, they will be engaged and spend more time with the app. It’s not cheap, but Britannica packs a lot of value in this one.

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Game Review: Pig Up!

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Though it’s a Facebook exclusive, Pig Up! is a game that could easily be played on any platform. And that, in itself, is an incredible achievement. But the game’s real strength is its utterly addictive nature. It’s the video game equivalent of a potato chip: Playing just once is nearly impossible. Fighting to top your friend’s scores adds a fun, safe competitive edge to the game. It also motivates you to improve, since a special flapple is deployed — giving you thousands of points and three extra flaps — whenever you pass the most recent high score set by your friends.

The game is still in preview/beta mode and PopCap will likely be adding new power-ups and perhaps new enemies, but even in its incomplete state it’s one of the best games on the social network site.

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