Tag Archives: app review

App Review: Tower Defense: Lost Earth

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The fact that the name of Tower Defense: Lost Earth has people talking more than the game is a worrisome sign, but it’s one the developer brought on itself by trademarking the genre. That mini-controversy aside, this is actually a very solid addition to the category. The game is welcoming to newcomers and has a wide variety of weapons to choose from. And it offers enough modes that even genre veterans will be sufficiently challenged that they’ll have fun.

The resource management portion of the game is well done and the challenge mode is particularly fun. The story in the campaign mode is disposable, though. And despite it all, there’s a feeling of having been here before. Also, the fact that the developer charges $4 more for the universal app ($4.99 for the version that works on iPad and iPhone vs. 99 cents for this iPhone/iPod Touch only version) seems excessively greedy.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Video Time Machine

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There may be no bigger time sink in the app store than Video Time Machine. The 10,000 videos in a variety of categories (from ads and news clips to music videos and movie trailers) kick-start a nostalgic feeling that prompts you to watch “just one more.” At its heart, it’s entirely dependent on YouTube uploaders, but developer Original Victories has handpicked some of the most representative of the eras. Just as fascinating are the historical videos, which show actual footage of the Titanic or the first sound ever recorded. It’s an app that’s easy to get lost in — and one where you absolutely won’t mind it when that happens.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Build A Car

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Build A Car is a trainwreck. It is a buggy, uninspiring, slapped together piece of software that would be a waste of your time if it was free. As it stands, though, it’s a waste of both time and money. The controls are sloppy. The magnetic qualities of elements is baffling (hover a wheel or another vehicle body over one on screen and they stick together and cannot be separated). And even if you do create a fun vehicle, all you can do is stare at it, then trash it and start over. This app is simply not worth a moment’s consideration — no matter how much of a vehicle enthusiast your little one might be.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Disney Comics

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Comics are a big part of Disney’s empire, so their entry into the eComic market was inevitable. Thankfully, they added a Disney touch to Disney Comics, making it useful and entertaining. Readers can flip through the comics at their own pace or enable a slideshow that focuses on one frame at a time, letting people see enlarged images and words. Some comics come with sound effects, as well. And the controls let people set the pace of the slideshow — as well as choose whether they want to hear sounds.

The selection of free comics is minimal, but they’re meant as an appetizer. The selection of comics that can be purchased inside the application is decent, but not complete. Disney plans to add two books per week, it says. Some users have complained about bugs and other errors, but updates to the app are intended to addressed this. It’s a good comic app with plenty of reasonably priced comics — though the ones at $2.99 and $3.99 are harder to justify.

App Review: Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

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A good arcade kart-racer is a rare thing, and Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is a bright light in the iDevice world. The game is universal, letting you play on iPad or iPhone/iPod Touch and has all the necessary elements of a fun kart racer — colorful characters, winding courses, mystery boxes that contain power-ups to either help you speed up your kart or slow down an opponents, and even a good online mode. The game has four single-player modes with plenty to unlock, giving it a longevity that’s rare in apps, and a good brief tutorial that never wears out its welcome. It’s a wonderful addition to the App Store, but we would have preferred it kept its initial $1.99 promotional price instead of the $4.99 charged at the time of this review.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: iStunt 2 – Snowboard

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Originally a flash game for the PC, iStunt 2 has transitioned well to the iOS world. While it’s hardly advanced, the game can be a fun for players with patience, offering a wide number of challenges and checkpoints (so that when you inevitably fail at one of those challenges, you don’t have to start over from the beginning). The difficulty is a factor, though — as the game gets hard fast. And the violence levels increase dramatically (and unexpectedly) as you get further into the game. It all looks great, is easy to control and is loaded with over 40 levels, which is a bit more heft than you might expect from a title like this. Paying for a game that can be played for free online might seem a little odd, but consider it a tarriff for being able to play while you’re on the go.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Call of Mini: Zombies

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Call of Mini: Zombies certainly offers players plenty of options in terms of firepower and characters, but ultimately it’s another “me too” title that cribs the gameplay style of another title. The juxtaposition of the grim-faced but toy-like characters (and zombies) with the copious amounts of blood feels like the old Joe Camel ads — something that’s meant for an older audience that’s being targeted at kids. Even for older players, though, the game falls flat, with no co-op or multiplayer mode — and just two maps that you explore again and again. In an overcrowded genre, this app really fails to stand out.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Epic War TD – iPad Edition

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Tower defense games are a dime a dozen these days, but Epic War TD stands out for a few reasons. The app’s randomly generated enemies mean no game is ever the same. You may face a relatively light armored wave or a brutally tough one, but you never know what’s coming next — something that makes you think on your feet. There are also copious levels and waves to keep even the expert player occupied for hours. And the enemies are visually distinctive, versus the often generic waves other tower defense games use. It’s gory — and definitely not something for young kids — but it’s a mature take on an old genre that manages to make a game style that was in danger of becoming dull exciting once again.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Pudding Panic

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While it might be a little too intense for younger players, Pudding Panic is a downright cute game with some wonderful puzzles. The protagonist pudding — named J. Jitters — is empathetic, and the witches and skeletons, while not scary on sight, can cause you to jump when they surprise you. If Jitters is scared too many times, he’ll fall from his car and the game ends. You’re able to fight back with everything from noisemakers to a jack-in-the-box to even things out, adding another layer of fun absurdity to the game. While the game does get pretty difficult, the pacing is good and players are gently eased into the new levels. The graphics are wonderful as is the music — throw in a hefty collection of levels and it’s a wonderful deal, regardless of which version you choose.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Demolition Dash HD

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Good arcade games have characters that exude personality — and the stubbly little ‘zilla in Demolition Dash HD loaded with it. It takes what could be a standard clone of the “destroy everything in your path” type of arcade game and makes it memorable and fun. With your monster’s almost childlike roar and singleminded mentality, you’ll have fun wrecking major cities of the world as he rampages through town. Beyond this, the game has a wonderful soundtrack and bright artistic style to bring it further to life. The add-on commercialization through Facebook coupon codes is distracting and seems out of place, but not enough to take away from the fun factor. A non-HD version of the game is available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Either way, it’s money well spent.

Read more at Common Sense Media