The Oscars are getting high-tech
– and going multi-screen.
As Hollywood gears up for its biggest night, the countdown clock is ticking on the official app of the Academy Awards – Oscar Backstage Pass. Build in collaboration with ABC, the ambitious project (which works with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad) hopes to serve as a second screen for viewers, giving them access to live camera feeds before, during and after the event.
Not since Angry Birds first hit the App Store 
has a title so captivated the iAudience, and Tiny Wings deserves the praise. It’s a game whose success lies in its simplicity — the controls consist solely of touching the screen at the right time. That might sound a bit thin, but this is the type of game you’ll find yourself playing for long, long periods. It is, in many ways, Zen-like. Beyond the core gameplay, there’s an added bonus: the various islands you’ll explore change every day, giving the title an incredible amount of replayability, as you can’t simply learn a pattern and repeat it time and again. Tiny Wings is one of those rare games that makes you feel good as you play, letting you root for the chubbly little bird on screen and share his joy when he takes to the sky.
There’s really not much that doesn’t work — and work 
well — in Infinity Field. The game is a throwback to the glory days of arcade gaming, with the polish and beauty of today’s console generation. The gameplay is simple: enemies appear and you dispatch them as quickly as possible. Along the way, you might pick up an extra life or new way to shoot them down. The screen comes alive with color as the enemies — a collection of amorphous geometric shapes — explode in bursts when they’re shot, much like fireworks. The only potential downside is the frenetic pace of the game, which could be overwhelming for someone used to a slower style of play. If that’s not an issue for you, though, this is one of the most enjoyable arcade/action games around.
As it does with so many of its titles, Shadow 
Guardian HD is Gameloft’s attempt to clone Uncharted, a hit PlayStation 3 fanchise, for iDevices. And while on some technical levels, this app succeeds — the graphics are gorgeous for the iPad platform and it has the requisite blend of jumping, action, and puzzles — it ultimately falls short. What holds the Uncharted series together is a nuanced story with characters you care about. That’s not present here and the game’s flaws are enhanced because of it. The pacing is fine and the combat’s not bad, but without anything tying them together, Shadow Guardian HD ultimately is a mere shadow of a much better title.
Take Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Star Fox, put 
them in a blender and stir and you’ll probably come out with something like Star Battalion HD. The game doesn’t have an ounce of originality, but as a space shooter it’s not a bad title. Graphics, as they generally are with Gameloft titles, are well done, and the action is well paced and solid. Getting used to controlling your ship with the iPad’s gyroscope is a bit tricky, but players can shift to a stick control if it proves too distracting. There are also a wide variety of environments. The lack of competitive multiplayer is something of a drawback and some control bugs drag the game down a bit, but ultimately, this is an app that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a solid space combat game.
When the makers of Cartoon Wars set out to make a sequel, 
they decided not to simply copy the formula that was successful the first time around — and that bet has paid off with Cartoon Wars – Gunner. The game is feature-rich and blends action and adventure with role-playing elements, as you decide which weapons to upgrade and which to buy. The inclusion of magic items helps shake up the nonstop shooting, but only a little bit. Ultimately, the gameplay does tend to wear thin as you do the same thing again and again — only with different weapons. Also, while the controls are acceptable, they tend to get stuck occasionally, which is frustrating. The game is a fun diversion and good for short play periods, but not something you’ll want to play for hours at a time.
Ruckus Media does a great job with children’s tales, and 
this version of The Three Little Pigs, told by Holly Hunter is another winner, but comes with one concerning factor. On the plus side, Hunter’s reading of the story is charming and engaging and the artwork that accompanies the video is wonderful. The ability to read and record the story in your own voice is another smart addition — as it lets parents tell a story to their kids even when they’re not around. The concern arises from the wolf’s smooth-talking come-on lines to the pigs, which are followed by his violent reactions to their rejections; and could bring to mind some thoughts of an abusive suitor. It makes this book not quite perfect.
Chicken Math is based around a pretty simple concept, but 
that simplicity is a big part of what makes the game work well — and on so many levels. Children who are just learning to count can learn to do so in a fun, non-stressful way, but parents who want to put their own math skills to the test can ramp up the difficulty enough to keep them on their toes. The onscreen animation is very rudimentary, but the gameplay makes it easy to look beyond that. And the fact that this is an educational game that doesn’t feel like it’s forcing you to learn makes it a good tool for parents looking to help their kids grasp the concept of complex addition.
Somas Games has already made an Olivia game that targets very 
young childen with Olivia, so it’s nice to see them aim a little bit older with OLIVIA the Great. The game won’t be too challenging to anyone over the age of eight, but younger kids will enjoy the search for hidden objects and the tricks Olivia performs when the mimic-the-finger-swipes shown on screen. The early puzzles are easy even for younger kids, but later puzzles tend to be a bit more complicated, which might frustrate some children. However, the varied difficulty makes the game accessable to a wider age range of players.
There’s a tendency in role playing games to 
overcomplicate things. Battleheart takes the opposite path. By lowering the barrier to entry, Mika Mobile has created an imminently accessible title that’s incredibly charming. The cartoon-like appearance of the characters might lead some to believe this is a game only for kids, but there’s actually a fair bit of strategy required — as entering the later stages with the wrong combination of characters will result in certain defeat. Controlling the battle is done with a series of finger swipes, which is easy to pick up and keeps players involved in the game without overwhelming them. The lack of any sort of story is a bit disappointing and at some point among the 30 levels, things do get a bit repetitive, but this is still a must buy for anyone with a remote interest in the genre.
Chris Morris: Journalist 