December 09, 2016 by macjeff
Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free
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December 08, 2016 by macjeff
Dropa! (Free) by Midnight Tea Studio is a puzzle game that is like a circular Tetris. If you enjoyed other puzzles like Swapperoo and Eklips, then you will get a kick out of Dropa!
When I was a kid, I remember spending hours on the old family computer running MS-DOS and playing whatever games were on the system at the time. This included classics like solitaire and Tetris, of course. I would literally sit on the computer for hours at a time playing Tetris, and this is what got me into puzzle games for pretty much the rest of my life (so far). So ever since then, I’ve had an affinity for puzzle games of all kinds, because they always get challenging and they’re stimulating for my mind so my brain doesn’t turn into mush while I’m at home. When the news of Dropa! hit my inbox earlier in the week, I was intrigued, because the game’s description reminded me exactly of Tetris, but with circular rings instead of lines. Naturally, I had to try it out for myself. While it does take some time to get used to, the game is a refreshing change of pace from the typical puzzle game fare that saturates the App Store marketplace.
In terms of visuals, Dropa! features a super minimal aesthetic that is sure to please fans of minimalist design. The game sports an inky black background so that the bright and vivid colors of the game pieces, rings, and other menu buttons pop out at you. And I’m not kidding when I mean that the game has a simple and clean design — it basically consists of basic geometric shapes like circles, dots, and lines. Despite this, it’s still visually pleasing. Animations are fairly smooth and fluid, so I had no lag issues on my iPhone 7. Dropa! also has a rather tranquil and soothing soundtrack in the background, which should help you unwind and relax on getting your next high score in the game. The only issue with the audio in Dropa! is the fact that it will turn down any background audio you have by 50 percent, which is annoying. Hopefully the developer can get this fixed in the future.
If you have played Tetris at any point in your lifetime, then you will be somewhat familiar with how Dropa! works. Players will always start from the first level in the game, and then as they rack up points by clearing out rings, then they will advance into later levels. The nice thing about Dropa! is the fact that the game does not impose a time limit on you and you have an unlimited number of lives, so it’s truly stress free. The game has an infinite amount of levels to go through, so you can completely play at your own pace, which is always nice when you just want to unwind. There is also a Daily Challenge mode if you want something new each and every day while competing with other players for the top spot on the leaderboards. Regardless of how you want to play Dropa!, there’s plenty of content to be had here.
Controls in Dropa! are rather simple, but does take some time to practice and master. In the center of the circular grid is a game piece that consists of colored dots that form a shape, like the tetrominos in Tetris. The circular grid is where you will be placing the pieces on, so that they fit into the circles, and once a ring is full, it is cleared out and you earn points. To rotate the piece, just tap on it in the center, and then when you find a place where it will fit, just drag it onto the empty circle slots. To rotate the grid, just drag it around with your finger. Once the piece is in place, it solidifies into a segment on the ring. Your goal is to make as many full rings as possible for points and to advance to the next level.
On top of that, make sure to keep an eye on the bottom dock, where you will see what the upcoming piece will be. This helps you plan strategically to get the most points as possible. If you’re stuck, you can also swap out the current piece for a different one by tapping on the button in the bottom left of the grid, but this will cost you 250 coins each time. Another tool available for you to use is to have the AI help you find a good spot for the piece you have right now, but again, it will cost you coins to make use of. For what it’s worth, the game gives you a generous amount of coins to start with, and there are plenty of opportunities to get more coins once you start playing the game.
If you’re impatient, though, you can always buy more coins through in-app purchases, which range from $0.99 to $19.99. There is also an IAP for ad-removal at $1.99, which you may want to consider if you like the game because the ads do get annoying.
I’ve only started playing Dropa! but so far I’m liking what the game offers. The minimalistic aesthetic is nice, the music is relaxing, and the controls are pretty easy to learn once you spend some time with it. As a big fan of Tetris growing up, it’s nice to see more games take that basic concept and give it a fresh new twist. However, I still think there is some room for improvement, as the rotation of the grid itself can be a bit jerky, so that should be made smoother in an update. And the game needs to not halve the volume of background audio, as this is one of the most annoying things a game can do (I’m also looking at you, Pokémon Go).
I recommend giving Dropa! a shot if you enjoy Tetris-inspired puzzle games and want something different in your puzzle game collection. You can find Dropa! on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free. There are in-app purchases for more coins and ad-removal.
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December 08, 2016 by macjeff
Weather Gods by Meyume Ltd delivers your weather information to your iPhone like never before and is sure to bring out the meteorologist in you.
Features:
Weather Gods is an app featuring just about any weather data you could possibly want, all in a visually appealing and easy-to-use manner.
Specifically, this app provides users with animated, real-time weather prediction information for their regions.
It also features info on moon phases and 24 hour weather charts, as well as international info such as world clocks. The app is best used in an area where you can listen to its sounds (or simply have headphones on hand when using this app); weather-specific sounds keep use of Weather Gods an entertaining experience.
I personally found the historic weather data displayed through the app to be particularly helpful; while weather predictions only project so far into the future, being able to look at past weather trends for a region conveniently provided some insight into what further down into the month looks like.
Although users who want pure data without fun graphics probably won’t be in to what Weather Gods has to offer, consumers who prefer a little more entertainment with their practical applications will surely be fans of this app.
Appearance and Layout:
Meyume Ltd touts this app to have impressive graphics, and I found that Weather Gods certainly lived up to this claim.
While most weather apps stick to minimal graphic details and clutter your screen with random ads, Weather Gods only features weather-related (or season-related) graphical displays.
The interactive layout of this app is also impressive, as it really makes it easy to find the information you’re hunting for quickly (but still through a lovely interface).
Overall, the developers of Weather Gods have done a terrific job with its appearance and layout and it’s probably its strongest feature.
Value:
There is no doubt that Weather Gods is a beautiful app. It makes getting weather updates an exciting, new experience–even if it’s just delivering info that you could easily get other places.
Its graphics are far above those of other weather apps. Still, at $3.99, this is definitely a considerably pricey weather app, limiting its target audience to only those consumers who really truly love to get their weather data regularly.
Of course as usual you get what you pay for. If you’re like many people who just want a quick check to see if it will rain today, most free apps will do the job. However, if you have more of an interest in the different aspects of your weather, Weather Gods is hard to beat.
Weather Gods requires iOS 10.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.
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December 08, 2016 by macjeff
Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free
credit : appadvice
December 08, 2016 by macjeff
If worrying over defending planet earth alone has gotten too mundane, then try out Yahub, Inc.‘s Mars Defence for a new challenge.
Free through the iTunes Store, this fun game keeps things fresh.
Features:
For fans of other tower defense games, this is one you have to check out.
Mars Defence is an excellent example of a well-designed, exciting and fun-to-play tower defense game.
Just like its name suggests, your aim in this app is to fend off martian invaders from attacking your mars colony; you do this through building towers and conquering levels, all while unlocking new tools and weapons to help you in your mission.
As a whole this game is wonderfully easy to learn to play; an optional instructional video at the start of the game really breaks down the basic of the app.
Even though your mission throughout the entire game is consistent overall, Mars Defense constantly felt like a fresh challenge as I played it, thanks to the ever changing supply of weapons and invaders as I worked through the levels.
This game brings together all the key aspects of a tower defense game, and does it in a way that makes it fun, exciting and addictive to play. Well done developers!
Appearance and Layout:
Trying out a new game can often make you feel pretty lost. Fortunately, this isn’t a problem in Mars Defence.
It’s a really intuitive game layout, so players will waste minimal time learning how to navigate through the app. At the same time, however, the graphic detail of Mars Defense is somewhat lacking.
While it’s understood that this is a free game with pretty basic graphics, it still would be appreciated to have a little more character thrown into the visual display of the game.
Still, the graphics of this app are arguably perfectly functional, and a lack of great detail doesn’t really detract from the overall fun of the game too much.
Value:
As mentioned before, this is a free game, and for that “price” it definitely has a lot to offer.
Mars Defence might not have the most exciting graphics, but other than that it has just about everything you want in a new game: fun storyline, affordable price tag, easy to navigate layout, and helpful instructional tutorial to start off.
The in-app variety makes you really feel like the developers were very intentional in their design of the game. Overall, Mars Defence is a solid addition to your favorite iOS device.
Mars Defence iPhone app requires iOS 8.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.
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