Angry Birds : Seasons

The sequel to the behemoth that is the Angry Birds sensation is now live on the Android Games market. Its already shot to the top of the charts even getting above the original Angry Birds game. But is it worth they hype? Is it any better than the original? Firstly let me say that this sequel is no radical reinvention but an evolution of what was already existing, but in fairness the game was already fantastic.

In many ways the biggest challenge this game faced was to keep the gameplay both fresh and challenging. ~The only major addition to the gameplay is the addition of snow, which does add to some of the levels, but overall is not a huge addition. The most inventive way Rovio (the developer) has gone about this is to utilise an advent calender method to unlock the christmas levels. What happens is that another level is available to play after another day passes, by limiting the gameplay its extending the amount of time you will spend on it. However this model only workd when in conjuction with the more traditional method of unlocking level which Seasons has with its halloween themed levels. The challenges are still inventive and the three star rating is still hard enough to grasp, to warrant another round of gameplay. Read the rest of this entry »

Labyrinth

Labyrinth is a game that is an update of one of the oldest games ever. Guiding a ball to tend goal while avoiding the interim holes in the course. And so here it is on Android Games. The main problem with the original game was not that it required physical skill but rather that it was continually stuck with one level design.

Replacing the physical actions of tilting the playing surface, this game using the accelerometer to control the ball. Its a good substitute and one that works with the game quite well. However because of this sensitive control scheme this doesn’t lend itself well to playing in a vehicle such as a car or train, because one little twitch will ruin your game.

Graphically its not an outstanding game but the animation is smooth and the wooden textures nicely done to a high level of detail. The shadowing of the ball is also shows an extra touch of effort has gone into the game. The presentation is done through in-game menus. All of which are clear and concise to use of somewhat bland. Not a negative point but one that could have been improved upon. Read the rest of this entry »

Crazy Snowboard

Crazy snowboard is one of those Android Games, that you are sure is a port from a console, but it turns out it is actually an original game from the ground up. That’s not to say that it doesn’t borrow from other games – the Tony Hawks series being the most prime example – but it has both an old-school familiar arcade feel and a modern mobile aspect to it as well.

One of the first things that will strike is the graphics of the game, it has all the smooth animations and framerate of a top-level game, with the backdrop always being nicely featured and the courses being littered with well detailed ramps and trees. While it is not on the same level as the console games it does remind me of early dreamcast games and others from that era. The presentation is simple with the front end menu being simple and clear and the different missions being easily accessible. The adds a professional feel to the game. Read the rest of this entry »

Shift

The late, great Michael Jackson once said “it don’t matter if you’re black or white.”

Having played Shift on Android, I’d go a little further and say that it’s preferable if you can flip between the two.

Naturally, I’m not talking about racial differences. I’m referring to the two-tone mirror-image world portrayed in Armor Games’s ingenious Flash game conversion.

All there in black and white

Swapping colours in this platform puzzler is more than a matter of aesthetic preference. Read the rest of this entry »

Dungeon Defenders: First Wave

There’s little more exciting than receiving a new gadget or piece of technology, as many of you will no doubt attest following the annual exchange of gifts.

When that gadget replaces an older version, the first thing we tend to do is compare. The improvements stand out as revelatory, while the areas in which it fails to improve, or where the product appears to regress, hurt all the more.

While Dungeon Defenders: First Wave is an impressively ambitious game with visuals situated on the bleeding edge of Android technology, some of the mistakes it makes hark back to the early days of smartphone gaming.

Getting all defensive

At the game’s heart is an innovative combination of action-RPG and tower defence mechanics. Alternating between building and combat phases, your chosen hero takes on the joint-responsibility of general and foot soldier. Read the rest of this entry »