"If there is an app for that"

Can You Survive Long Enough to Become Champion of Penarium?

May 09, 2017 by RSS Feed

Penarium ($1.99) by Team17 Software Ltd is a arena arcade game that puts the spotlight on a sinister circus in town where the contestants are forced to entertain a rather sadistic crowd. If you enjoyed games like the classic Super Crate Box, then you will love what Penarium has to offer.

Life has been getting a bit stressful for me lately, so I usually like to dive into some good old video games to take my mind off of things. While I have been leaning towards playing whatever I can on my Nintendo Switch, I still make time for iOS games every so often throughout the day. Usually, I prefer to relax with some puzzles, but sometimes I just need the fast-paced action of arcade games to keep me occupied for a while. With arcade games, I prefer ones that have a simple concept and are easy to pick-up-and-play in short bursts or even longer play sessions, depending on how I’m feeling at the moment. When I saw Penarium on the App Store over the past few days, I knew that it was something I had to have, because it seems to have everything I love — retro graphics, action, explosions, and just downright zany. Now that I finally have my hands on it, I have to say that it does not disappoint in the slightest.

Visually, Penarium is gorgeous largely thanks to the vintage pixelated art style that it features. If you played the classic 16-bit games of yesteryear, then you will feel right at home with Penarium’s animated cutscenes and graphical style. Even the text shown in the dialogue boxes and cutscenes is pixelated, though it’s a bit harder to read on my iPhone 7’s smaller screen, at least for my eyes. Penarium has a rich, earth-tone color scheme that fits well with the overall theme of a crazy traveling circus, and animations are buttery smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 7. There is also a rather fitting circus theme song that plays throughout the game that is fun to listen to, and the sound effects are top notch. Overall, the developers did an excellent job with Penarium’s visual and audio design, because honestly, it’s reason enough to get the game — the gameplay is just icing on the cake.

Even though Penarium is an arcade game at its core, it does have a level-based Campaign mode that is entertaining as well. For the campaign, each level will feature a different challenge that players must complete before it’s cleared, and then you can move on to the next stage. There are two more circuses to unlock after the first one, though it will take some mastery of the game before you can get access to them. Since there are no ways to skip a level, the campaign is super linear and requires skill to beat all challenges. These missions consist of smashing a certain number of barrels, getting enough potions into each cauldron, and more. It’s always different and new traps get introduced at a gradual pace along the way to spice things up.

If you opt for the Arcade mode, it’s just a high score chaser where you see how many barrels you can smash before you die in some hilarious way by the deadly traps that are laid out all over the stage. Make sure to collect the coins that drop from smashed barrels, because you can buy power-up cards in the shop. Regardless of the way you play this game, both modes are enjoyable in their own unique ways, so you can play either one when the mood calls for it.

The objective for both modes is pretty clear cut: survive as long as you can by avoiding the deadly traps that the ringmaster has set up while smashing the barrels or collecting other items (dependent on challenge). If you get hit by a trap or fall off the stage platforms, then it’s game over.

Controls in Penarium are simple enough for anyone to understand, and it’s all rather intuitive and responsive too. In the bottom left corner will be two buttons for moving left and right. The bottom right will have the button to jump, and thanks to the amazing power of being in the circus, you have the ability to double jump by tapping the button twice. The game also wraps the edges, so you go from one end of the stage to the other when you go behind the curtain, unless the deadly spike trap bumper is there. I found the controls to be incredibly well done, as the placement and position feels perfect, and the responsiveness is high.

I’ve only started Penarium today, but I’m already in love with it. The graphics are stunning and take me back to my childhood days, and the circus theme music is both dastardly and charming at the same time, somehow. It’s also hard to find platformer style games that nail down the controls, but Penarium did a great job with them, because they feel like perfection as it is, though you can customize them in the settings. The gameplay mechanic itself is rather fun and frantic, so it’s a great way to test your skills, and there are no in-app purchases or extras. On top of it all, the game is fairly humorous thanks to the wacky ways that Willy can die for the audience, and the ringmaster has some funny bits of dialogue as well. Overall, Penarium is just a fantastic game that should not be missed.

I recommend grabbing Penarium if you’re a fan of arena arcade games, or just want a game that is just as good as Super Crate Box. You can find Penarium on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $1.99. There are no in-app purchases.

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from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 05/09/2017

May 09, 2017 by RSS Feed

Dawn of Crafting , Truth or Dare⋆ , Grand Canyon National Park Field Guide and more

Universal:

Dawn of Crafting ( $0.99 → Free ) Goktug Yilmaz Civilization is at a crossroads. It’s your job to bring it into the light by building entire villages from scratch. To do so, you’ll be tasked with crafting items and mastering 15 important skills. You’ll have to discover recipes through trial and error, and craft major inventions to ensure survival. Dawn of Crafting introduces new mechanics over its hours upon hours of gameplay, so just sit back and enjoy. The game also includes iCloud syncing, three save slots, and achievements and leaderboards.

Truth or Dare⋆ ( $2.99 → Free ) Dragon Game Studio Truth or Dare is loaded with hundreds of truths and exciting dares. It offers multiple game modes to ensure the whole family can join in on the fun. Simply select a mode, tap on truth or dare, and read the card. You’re able to skip cards with a swipe.

Grand Canyon National Park Field Guide ( $3.99 → Free ) ParksConnect The Grand Canyon has stunning views, and hidden within are a wide variety of plant and animal species to discover. This field guide will help you identify more than 50 plants and animals. Each entry includes an in-depth description, photos, field notes, safety tips, ecological status, and a distribution chart so you know where to look.

Sleepy Fan - Get Restful Sleep with fan and white noise sounds ( $1.99 → Free ) Franz Bruckhoff Like Taptanium’s other apps, Sleepy Fan is all about the high quality audio. It’s encoded in 256 kbps AAC, making it truly sound like a fan is spinning in the background. You’re able to choose from an oscillating, ceiling, or desk fan, and you can mix in and tweak white, pink, and brown noise. Just sit back, get comfortable, and then tap on the fan to get the blades spinning!

Hack RUN ( $0.99 → Free ) i273, LLC Hack Run is about as old school as you can get. You’re required to use command prompts to dig deeper into the system, and you’ll be rewarded for discovering new information. The game includes more than 50 levels, a list of your achievements, and tips and tricks in case you get stuck.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free

Research Heirlooms with StuffSavvy

May 09, 2017 by RSS Feed

StuffSavvy is perfect for anyone wanting to research their old treasures, heirlooms and that weird thing in the basement your grandmother left you.

While not meant to replace an official appraisal, this app can still provide you with a quick estimate of the value of an item.

Features:

If you’ve ever felt less than “savvy” about your collection of “stuff,” this cool app, by Apjam Ltd, is here to help.

Users simply submit a photo of whatever item they are curious about by uploading it to the app. If you like you can also add a self-written description.

A “Savvy Specialist” will then provide you with an emailed, detailed description of the item and its worth within 24 hours; this service costs $4.99 per item inquiry submitted.

Testing out StuffSavvy, I found this “24-hour turnaround to be true; I was emailed once my item was submitted, with a follow-up email soon after that gave me detailed information about the history, estimated retail value, and predicted rarity of my item.

The whole process was seamlessly smooth, and I got the information I wanted in a quick, convenient manner.  

Appearance and Layout:

Easily my favorite part of this app was its design. StuffSavvy features an incredibly easy to use layout.

First time users should have no difficulty with navigating through this app. Because the intended use of this app is fairly straightforward, the layout of the app is very straightforward as well.

Using the app is really only done for one end of the exchange (when you submit a photo with/without an item description), and all communication regarding the collectable is relayed to you via email.

Because of this, the layout of StuffSavvy is very, very simple to understand.

The example photographs and general graphics of the app are very tastefully chosen, making using StuffSavvy an aesthetically pleasing experience overall.

Value:

StuffSavvy is free to download. However, actually utilizing the features of the app costs users about $5 per inquiry, and at that rate, researching a closet full of collectables would certainly add up to a fairly significant fee.

If you’re selective, though, the value of the items will far outweigh the cost of finding out what they’re worth.

Still, for users who wish to sell items but don’t want to take the time to research current prices themselves, StuffSavvy could be a very useful app.

Overall, its features and design are great, and it is extremely useful in the right context.

That being said, the fee associated with finding out about your “stuff” might make you think twice before actually using it for every little thing lying around.

StuffSavvy requires iOS 9.1 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

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Source link:http://www.theiphoneappreview.com/2017/05/stuffsavvy-iphone-app-review/

Help a Penguin Take Flight in Pengy Has a Dream

May 08, 2017 by RSS Feed

Pengy Has a Dream ($2.99) by h8games is an endearing infinite flyer about a small penguin with big dreams. If you loved other endless runner games like Tiny Wings, Alto’s Adventure, and even Ski Safari 2, and you can’t resist cute animals like me, then you’ll want to have Pengy Has a Dream in your iOS game collection.

When Apple first launched the App Store back in 2008, I remember one of the best game genres for the platform at the time was the infinite runner, especially when you had true gems like Canabalt. Over the years, we had more and more infinite runners with different variations, but they were all pretty much the same — get as far as you can to get a new high score. The charm of the endless runner has been worn down in recent times, from what I’ve noticed, and they definitely aren’t as popular as they once were. However, after having a break from the genre, I think it’s nice to come back to it every now and then, which is why I was drawn in to Pengy Has a Dream when I saw it on the App Store. For what it’s worth, the game does not disappoint for your quick mobile gaming fixes.

Visually speaking, Pengy Has a Dream is gorgeous with a mixture of polished modern graphics that are somewhat reminiscent of low-poly design aesthetics due to the jaggedness of some visual elements. And because the game is about a penguin and his dreams, everything looks rather cartoonish and whimsical, which only adds to the charm. The colors in the game range from soft pastels to muted earthy tones to bold and vibrant hues, all of which are rather appealing to the eyes when you think about it. The lighting and shadows are also done nicely, giving the game much more depth than what shows up on the initial surface. There are animated cutscenes in Pengy Has a Dream that are done rather well, and are fun to watch as they tell players about how Pengy explores his options for making his dreams come true. Animations in the game are buttery smooth and fluid, so I had no issues with lag on my iPhone 7. A playful jingle serves as the game’s soundtrack, and while it does get a bit repetitive after a while, it still adds another nice layer of charm to the package. The sound effects are adorable as well, as you get to hear Pengy himself let out little squeaks of happiness as he takes flight. The developers did a pretty great job with the visual and audio design of Pengy Has a Dream, considering that it’s their first App Store release.

Since the game is an infinite runner (or in this case, a flyer), there’s only one game mode and the objective is as clear cut as they come: get as far as you can with Pengy before you touch the ground and then it’s game over. Your score is dependent on how far you manage to “fly,” and there are a handful of different goals that you can attempt to do to keep things interesting. These objectives will be shown in the bottom left corner of the screen as you play, so you can easily keep track of your progress to completing them (three are shown at a time). Additionally, after you reach certain thresholds, you also unlock different wardrobe pieces for Pengy, giving him a fresh new look whenever you play.

Controls in Pengy Has a Dream are intuitive and responsive. While they’re pretty straightforward, it does take some time to practice and master them if you want to be efficient at the game and get the best possible score. In case you didn’t already know, Pengy is a penguin and we all know penguins can’t fly. However, penguins can slide on ice, and that’s exactly how Pengy plans to take flight to achieve his dreams. Players will draw ice on the screen with their finger, and when Pengy lands on these ice slicks, he slides and then will fly off. You repeat the process of drawing ice to get him as far as you can while exploring different landscapes that he’s never seen before. But keep an eye out on that bar at the top of the screen, as it tells you how much ice you can draw — if the gauge is empty, you’re out of ice and need to collect snowflakes to refill your ice supply, so watch out. Keep your eyes peeled for ice slicks that are already on the ground, though, as he can slide off of those as well, and even use ramps and trampolines to gain some extra momentum. However, the moment Pengy touches the ground or snow, then that flight ends, so try and keep him in the air as long as possible!

While I’ve only started playing Pengy Has a Dream this morning, I’m finding the experience to be rather enjoyable so far. I know that infinite runner style games have gotten a bit tiresome over the years, but I feel like Pengy brings in a unique gameplay concept that makes it a bit more challenging than the typical infinite runner, since you only have a limited supply of ice to get you as far as possible. It requires a bit of practice to get good at this game because of the resource management, but it’s still fun and a great gem to play for quick game sessions. Plus, the delightful cartoon-style graphics are fun to look at as you play, the sounds are soothing, and the controls are perfectly optimized for touch screen devices. Pengy Has a Dream is a great addition to anyone’s mobile game collection.

I recommend Pengy Has a Dream to anyone who is a fan of cute animals and intuitive quick-play games. You can find Pengy Has a Dream on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.

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from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Keep Your Medical Records in One Place with My Medi Recs

May 08, 2017 by RSS Feed

Keeping track of your medical history can be a daunting task, especially if you suffer from a chronic condition that requires you to to visit the doctor frequently.

Technology is advancing rapidly in the way of making your medical records readily available to you, but luckily there are ways to keep information at your fingertips.

My Medi Recs is a highly comprehensive medical record tracking app for iPhone that’s also incredibly easy to use.

Developed by FNJ Software, this app was specially designed for sufferers of rare or complicated medical ailments.

Concept and Functionality:

Whether you prefer comprehensive doctor’s notes, a handwritten journal, or other means of medical tracking, keeping everything together and organized can be difficult and tiresome. My Medi Recs was created out of necessity by a patient for patients as a way to keep tabs on treatments.

As stated earlier, My Medi Recs is incredibly easy to use and navigate. I really like the fact that the app puts everything on one menu.

This makes it very easy to locate specific sections so you can show a doctor or take notes. When it comes to entering and tracking medical records, you can be as vague or as specific as you like.

Personally I think you should take full advantage of everything the app offers in terms of tracking allergies, doctor information, diagnosis notes, etc.

It might take you a little while to get everything entered into the app once you download it, but it’s time well spent.

Features:

From tracking emergency contacts to being able to add photos to diagnosis notes, My Medi Recs has pretty much everything covered.

I couldn’t think of a single thing that it was lacking in terms of record-keeping, which is pretty impressive.

The well designed medical records app even includes a place for you to store links and other information pertaining to any of your ailments.

People who suffer from chronic conditions often spend a lot of time researching them, and I think it’s very helpful to be able to keep links and documentation in one spot.

Value:

My Medi Recs is available to download from the App Store for $9.99 and is designed for iPhone.

The price may seem a bit high at first, but as the developer notes, “A percentage (20%) of all profits are given to FMDSA and Scleroderma- therefore we, FNJ Software, would like to thank you for helping FMD and Scleroderma sufferers.”

In the end it all boils down to what you think the app could do for you. I do wish users could access a trial version to see if it’s right for them, but it’s a small price to pay for keeping all of your medical data in one spot.

My Medi Recs requires iOS 10.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Source link:http://www.theiphoneappreview.com/2017/05/my-medi-recs-iphone-app/