Tag Archives: daily iphone app

Daily iPhone App: Amoebattle does RTS right

  By Mike Schramm | May 17, 2012 - 7:00 pm | iOS, iPad, iPhone
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Most takes on real-time strategy for the App Store have to corrupt the form in some way, yet some still turn out well (see Total War Battles for a a great RTS game that takes a different turn). But Amoebattle impressively does RTS as you expect it. You choose units, send them around exploring, and tap to attack or move through the fog of war in real-time.

There are nine different unit types to be discovered during the campaign, and each has its own attributes and abilities. The graphics are cute and colorful, but the tactics are hard to master -- especially near the end, when the game has no shortage of challenges to overcome.

Amoebattle is an excellent RTS title for Apple's touchscreen devices, something that a lot of RTS fans have dreamed about ever since the iPad was first announced. It's not perfect, but it doesn't skimp from RTS traditions, even on a mobile device, and it holds up to them well. The game is US$4.99, in a universal version, on the App Store now.

Daily iPhone App: Amoebattle does RTS right originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Amoebattle does RTS right

  By Mike Schramm | May 17, 2012 - 7:00 pm | iOS, iPad, iPhone
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Most takes on real-time strategy for the App Store have to corrupt the form in some way, yet some still turn out well (see Total War Battles for a a great RTS game that takes a different turn). But Amoebattle impressively does RTS as you expect it. You choose units, send them around exploring, and tap to attack or move through the fog of war in real-time.

There are nine different unit types to be discovered during the campaign, and each has its own attributes and abilities. The graphics are cute and colorful, but the tactics are hard to master -- especially near the end, when the game has no shortage of challenges to overcome.

Amoebattle is an excellent RTS title for Apple's touchscreen devices, something that a lot of RTS fans have dreamed about ever since the iPad was first announced. It's not perfect, but it doesn't skimp from RTS traditions, even on a mobile device, and it holds up to them well. The game is US$4.99, in a universal version, on the App Store now.

Daily iPhone App: Amoebattle does RTS right originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: This Could Hurt dodges danger with ease

  By Mike Schramm | May 15, 2012 - 12:00 am | iOS, iPhone
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I first saw Chillingo's latest title, This Could Hurt, at GDC earlier this year, and back then I didn't really get into it. It's a one-button title that I thought looked a little too simple. But after giving it a longer try post-release, there's actually a lot of surprising depth here. Yes, there's only one control (touch on the screen to make your character stand still), but developers Orange Agenda do an impressive job of wringing a whole lot of gameplay out of just that one mechanic.

As your character runs along, he'll come across lots of strange contraptions designed to hurt him, and the goal of the game is to time your stopping just right so that he isn't harmed by whatever dangers await him. There are powerups in the game, but they mostly just involve moving slower or faster, so really, the game is just a list of ways to test your timing skills. And that list is surprisingly long. There are forty levels in the game, and each one of them puts a new spin on ways to try and avoid getting hurt.

This Could Hurt does a whole lot with very little, and on the App Store, that's always impressive. It's available for 99 cents right now.

Daily iPhone App: This Could Hurt dodges danger with ease originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: This Could Hurt dodges danger with ease

  By Mike Schramm | May 15, 2012 - 12:00 am | iOS, iPhone
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I first saw Chillingo's latest title, This Could Hurt, at GDC earlier this year, and back then I didn't really get into it. It's a one-button title that I thought looked a little too simple. But after giving it a longer try post-release, there's actually a lot of surprising depth here. Yes, there's only one control (touch on the screen to make your character stand still), but developers Orange Agenda do an impressive job of wringing a whole lot of gameplay out of just that one mechanic.

As your character runs along, he'll come across lots of strange contraptions designed to hurt him, and the goal of the game is to time your stopping just right so that he isn't harmed by whatever dangers await him. There are powerups in the game, but they mostly just involve moving slower or faster, so really, the game is just a list of ways to test your timing skills. And that list is surprisingly long. There are forty levels in the game, and each one of them puts a new spin on ways to try and avoid getting hurt.

This Could Hurt does a whole lot with very little, and on the App Store, that's always impressive. It's available for 99 cents right now.

Daily iPhone App: This Could Hurt dodges danger with ease originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Swordigo hacks and slashes in 2D

  By Mike Schramm | May 12, 2012 - 1:00 am | iOS, iPad, iPhone
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Swordigo is a really impressive venture on iOS. It's a 2D-action platformer with a lot of nice RPG elements. In other words, it's a 2D Legend of Zelda title, and it lives up to that comparison quite well.

There are a few weak points. The graphics aren't exactly impressive though they do get the job done, and the story is barely there and hamstrung by some translation issues, I think. But neither of those things matters much, because the game is well designed. Every swing of your sword pops up XP into a meter, which feels very rewarding and makes the whole affair a lot of fun.

Plus, Swordigo is free today, so you should probably just go download it. It's a quality game anyway, but for zero dollars, it's a must-get.

Daily iPhone App: Swordigo hacks and slashes in 2D originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Off the Leash provides chaotic canine fun

  By Mike Schramm | May 11, 2012 - 2:00 am | iOS, iPhone
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Off the Leash is a game that arrived a little while ago on the iPhone, but it's gotten a few updates since I first played it, and it just so happens to be free on May 10. It's an endless runner, but instead of a side-scroller, it runs from the top down, and it's got a few new elements to this genre. First, it's time-based, so not only do you need to run for as far as possible, but your goal is to hit the next checkpoint within a certain time limit.

Second, as your little dog runs along, you can "recruit" other dogs to run with you, which up your speed but also make it harder to maneuver around. Eventually, you hit a boundary (the cops catch your little dog that's been running amuck), and then you start over again from the beginning.

Off the Leash is great fun. The graphics are colorful and funny, the game's tilt-to-steer challenge is tough but not overwhelming at all, and especially at the low price, it's a great game to have on your iPhone. Definitely give it a download.

Daily iPhone App: Off the Leash provides chaotic canine fun originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Consmr makes grocery comparisons easy

  By Mike Schramm | May 10, 2012 - 2:30 am | iOS, iPhone
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Consmr is another barcode scanner app that just released on the App Store that's targeted at groceries and pharmacy products. There are lots of barcode apps out there: ShopSavvy is one of the more popular, and we've covered RedLaser before, and all of these work pretty much the same: Aim your iPhone's camera at a barcode, and immediately get pricing, reviews, comparisons or even coupons all designed for whatever you've scanned.

If you've already found an app like this that you like, I don't know if Consmr has enough in it to pull you away. There are lots of other apps specifically for grocery shopping that offer plenty of solid features. But Consmr is free and easy to use, and it will deliver all of the information you need about whatever products you put under the scanner.

It can be very helpful, for example, to get some tips about competitive products while in the aisles at the grocery store, and Consmr will definitely do that. I worry a little bit about the objectivity of the app's listings (bigger brands such as Pepsi tend to show up easily while browsing, which makes me wonder, in perhaps a paranoid way, whether or not these listings are being manipulated for advertising purposes). But it's a free download and worth a look if you want a little more information or insight on what's going into your grocery cart.

Daily iPhone App: Consmr makes grocery comparisons easy originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 09 May 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: 100 Rogues is no-frills RPG fun

  By Mike Schramm | May 8, 2012 - 8:30 pm | iOS, iPad, iPhone
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I've already written about how much Junk Jack helped me out on my multiple flights back from Europe recently, and the other iOS game that really kept me moving from airport to airport on that trip was 100 Rogues, a roguelike RPG that arrived on the App Store a while ago. It just recently got an update with yet another new class, but if you like the turn-based exploration and combat of roguelike dungeon crawlers at all, this is the best example of the genre I've seen on iOS.

Controls are simple -- just tap to move or attack, depending on the context. The graphics are simple and colorful, but get all the information across that you need. And I liked the game's depth -- not only can you of course kill monsters and collect loot, but there are some fun elements in there as well, like ranged combat, thrown attacks, and even things like earning bonuses on weapons after you use them for a while.

100 Rogues is a great game, and delivers exactly what you want from a roguelike: straightforward turn-based RPG action. It's on the App Store now, in a universal version, for just 99 cents.

Daily iPhone App: 100 Rogues is no-frills RPG fun originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 08 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Escape from Age of Monsters runs on

  By Mike Schramm | May 7, 2012 - 10:00 pm | iOS, iPhone
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You may remember Age of Monsters -- it was a really simple game put together by developers working with artist Jeff Matsuda, featuring some really gnarly art and some rock/paper/scissors game mechanics. Now, Matsuda and his team have come back to iOS for a second title, this time called Escape from Age of Monsters. This game is based in the same world, and features the same wild art, but is a running game in the style of Canabalt rather than an RPS title.

It's still very simple, and that's almost too bad -- with art as colorful as what's used here, you almost expect a little more from the game mechanics. However, it's a quality running game with that same wild style: There are children running behind you that count as your "lives" in a morbid kind of way, and you are faced with red and blue walls that you have to punch through with certain colors to keep going. Get caught three times, and the game is over, with the goal being to run as far as possible before that. There are boss levels and powerups to find, too, if you get far enough.

If you like Matsuda's style, you'll love the art, and the music in the game isn't bad either. For 99 cents, it's worth a try, especially if you like the running game genre. I'm a little disappointed that Massive Joe Studios hasn't gone for more -- the gameplay on these two titles hasn't matched up to the quality of the art being used.

Daily iPhone App: Escape from Age of Monsters runs on originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Junk Jack builds something special

  By Mike Schramm | May 3, 2012 - 1:00 pm | iOS, iPad, iPhone
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I have flown over 6,000 miles in the last two days -- on Monday, I left Prague to fly back to London, and then yesterday, I jumped on a plane to come back home to Los Angeles. And through it all, Junk Jack was there for me. The game has been out for a while now, and you might have passed over it previously as a 2D Minecraft or Terraria clone (which it basically is). But especially with the recent update, Junk Jack has carved out a major niche of its own, and it now stands as the best sandbox game I've ever played on a mobile device.

You may know how these games work by now. You start in a wild, untamed world with nothing, and then start digging down to see what kinds of resources you can find and structures you can build. Crafting is a big part of the gameplay, with your first items being axes and swords made out of wood, but you can eventually work up to making clocks out of iron, and with the latest update, even weaving and coloring wool, and planting and growing food to cook. Controls are simple (just tap to break blocks, and drag to move around), and though I've built a huge maze of mines throughout my two flights, it's still surprisingly easy to find my way around. I'm still uncovering new treasures and resources constantly even after ten or twelve hours of gameplay.

The one issue I've had is the game's recipe system. It uses the PC-based Minecraft's "workbench layout" method, which creates interesting depth, but often requires looking up recipes elsewhere, or having to flip back and forth through the in-game manual quite a bit. Inventory management is also kind of a pain on the iPhone's small screen. Just because you have so much stuff, some auto-sort buttons would be helpful.

The latest update also sends Junk Jack universal, which makes the game a must-play. It's well worth the US$2.99. If you, too, have any big plans coming up that require a huge and deep distraction, just look to Junk Jack.

Daily iPhone App: Junk Jack builds something special originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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