Tag Archives: iphone

App review: Chuzzle

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The team at PopCap Games knows how to make ultra-addictive, truly fun games — and Chuzzle is no exception. What’s ironic about that is the similarities between this and the company’s better-known Bejeweled are numerous (both are, at their heart, match-3 games), but ultimately Chuzzle feels unique. It’s charming, engaging, and very well designed. The game slowly ramps up the difficulty, but at such a methodical pace that it never seems to get too hard. It’s a bit expensive at $2.99 (but still worthwhile); keep an eye out for a bargain, as the game is sometimes discounted.

Read more at Common Sense Media


Game coin goes mobile

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As social gaming companies get snatched for ever-escalating amounts, the wave of acquisitions and investment money has turned to makers of mobile videogames.

Over the last two weeks, there have been three substantial buyouts and investments in the mobile market — and the transactions could signal the beginning of a larger trend in use of mobile devices for gaming.

Read more at Daily Variety

App review: Super Mega Worm

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Super Mega Worm doesn’t take itself the least bit seriously — and that’s what makes it so fun. The deliberately archaic graphics and the ripped-from-a-cheesy-1950s-horror-film premise add to the kitsch factor. While technically violent — in that you’re killing tiny people – it doesn’t seem realistic. If you like the idea of being a super-ravenous, all powerful bad guy, this is the app for you.

Read more at Common Sense Media


App Review: Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus

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Shooters are hard to pull off on the iPhone, but Gameloft has done a terrific job with Modern Combat 2. The graphics are sharp (especially for folks using an iDevice with a Retina screen). The action is tense and well-paced. And the missions are varied. There is, however, a fair bit of predictability — particularly for players who have put in some time with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, from which this app borrows quite liberally. It is, however, a realistic portrayal of violence and isn’t something that is meant for kids.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: My Town

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My Town has quickly become one of the most popular location-based apps around, with more than 4.5 million users. It has achieved this success by moving beyond simple check-ins and adding a fun gaming element to the app. That said, it’s not something that’s suitable for younger users — or even young teens. While the privacy issues are not as worrying as apps like Fourquare and InCrowd, there’s still the potential for users to inadvertantly reveal their location to strangers.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: 1 Little Boy

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1 Little Boy is not just good. It’s wonderful. The story is basic, but the twist that the entire trip has occured in a child’s imagination is a great way to encourage your kids to dream. The apps enhances the story with gorgeous artwork and a bare-bones approach to letting the story unfold. It’s one of the few apps that allows parents to record their own voice to narrate the story, which makes it more personal for young readers. The price is a little higher than we’d like, but it’s by no means excessive. This is a wonderful addition to your app collection if you have young children.

Read more at Common Sense Media


App Review: JumpStart Preschool Magic of Learning 1

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Knowledge Adventure has a strong reputation as a kid’s software creator for a reason. Through the JumpStart brand, the company has honed learning exercises into fun games – and the JumpStart Preschool Magic of Learning 1 proudly continues that tradition. The games are challenging, but not too difficult and are full of educational opportunities for young children. While geared toward younger users, a few of the games — especially Bug Catcher — might even appeal to slightly older children.

Read more at Common Sense Media


App Review: My Very First App

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My Very First App is good at what it does, but unfortunately, it doesn’t do an awful lot. The color identification games it offers are useful and have varying degrees of difficulty, making the app useful for a range of age groups. And Eric Carle’s distinctive artwork is, as always, wonderful to look at, but you’re paying a premium for it here. From a strictly educational standpoint, you can get a more complete set of learning tools for the same amount somewhere else. But if you’re a fan of Carle and willing to pay a bit extra for it, this app will easily satisfy you.

Read more at Common Sense Media


App review: Gangstar: Miami Vindication

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Gangstar: Miami Vindication desperately wants to be confused with Grand Theft Auto. The game apes many of the best known characteristics of the Rockstar Games title, but fails to get the most important right: Story. GTA typically comes with an engaging plotline, but there’s nothing memorable here. The main character is a compilation of bad-guy clichés, stealing cars, urinating out in the open, and talking tough. It’s far from the worst clone on the market, but if you want to play Grand Theft Auto, just buy the real thing.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App review: Library Of Congress – Virtual Tour

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Even if you’ve visited the Library Of Congress, this app is an exceptional tool to help you get a better sense of the history and magnificence of the world’s largest library. It’s an invaluable tool for students researching the facility and would even be useful for self-guided tours. Beyond information about the library itself, the app offers several related links for each subject (which go to the LOC web site). These are helpful, but it would have been nice to have this information included (and formatted) as part of the app, rather than an external link, which detracts slightly from the experience.

Read more at Common Sense Media