"If there is an app for that"

Line It Up and Get the Perfect Shot in Cue[D]

November 08, 2016 by macjeff

Cue [D] ($1.99) by Spiel Studios is a fresh new take on the traditional game of billiards. Rather than going the classic cue sports game route, Cue[D] combines puzzles with pool for a welcome challenge, especially to fans of the genres.

While many people out there go to billiards clubs at least once a week, it’s not something that I do too often. But when I do hit up a local billiards place, I do enjoy a game of pool here and there with others, despite not being a pro at it (but the point is to have fun). There’s just something so satisfying about hitting the ball with the cue stick and hearing the clack of the white ball hitting another ball and then chaining off from that, and then watching them drop into the pocket holes of the table. Since I don’t go to the billiards clubs often, I take joy in playing various pool games on my phone, though I haven’t played any in a while. So when I saw Cue[D] on the App Store this week, I was intrigued and had to give it a shot, especially since it took pool and combined it with puzzle elements. Needless to say, it’s a fun and addicting distraction to have around.

Like standard puzzle games, Cue[D] is level-based and has 100 stages for you to go through from the get-go. There aren’t any different level packs or chapters — it’s all just one giant pack of puzzles, and you’ll have to go through them in order, though there is a bit of leniency here. Since the game unlocks around two stages after the one you are currently on, you can skip a stage if you’re stuck and (maybe) come back to it later. You only get five complete skips with the initial download, and more will have to be bought through in-app purchases, so use them wisely.

The levels are fairly linear but still give you a bit of leg room if you are super stuck and just need a breather. The goal of each stage is simple: strike all the lighted pegs on the table and then pot the ball. But watch out — you only have a limited number of moves available, which is shown on the hole that you need to get your ball into before you’re out of moves.

The controls in Cue[D] are simple and intuitive. Just use your finger and drag anywhere on the screen to bring up the light blue cue stick and aim your shot. The longer the stick is, the more power will be behind it. To strike the ball, just release your finger from the screen. While it’s probably best to wait until your ball stops moving for your next shot, the game does let you aim the ball even while it’s still in motion, so if you’re a super pro, then you can try to complete the level faster. You earn bronze, silver, or gold medals on each stage depending on how fast you are and how many shots you took, so less is more here.

I’ve only been playing Cue[D] since this morning while enjoying my coffee, and I must say that it’s hard to put down once you get into it. The graphics are simple enough and look alright, the music is quirky, and the controls are super easy for anyone to learn, even allowing one-handed play. I hope that more levels are added in the future, because this is a game that I’ll keep coming back to when I need my fill of pool and puzzles. I just wish that it didn’t have in-app purchases for more level skips, since the game is already a paid game in the first place, but I suppose I’m just being nit-picky there.

I recommend checking out Cue[D] if you are a fan of puzzles and pool. It’s a unique mix that works out well in the end. You can find Cue[D] on the App Store as a universal download for just $1.99. There are in-app purchases for more level skip if you need more.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

credit : appadvice

from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Infiltrate Mice Dungeons and Recover the Stars as Nekosan

November 08, 2016 by macjeff

Nekosan (Free) by 1Button SARL is a twitchy reflex platformer that is both challenging and cute. If you enjoy a good ol’ game of cat and mouse, and like to test your reflexes, then Nekosan is a fun little time waster. It is from the same guys who brought you other great gems, such as Bicolor and Mr Jump, so expectations are a bit high, considering their previous work.

These days, I don’t have a lot of time for full console games in my downtime, but thankfully I still have my iPhone games to play and enjoy when I have a few spare moments. For these quick chunks of downtime, I like to have a game that I can pick-up-and-play in short bursts throughout the day, rather than having to invest hours into in order to feel like I’m making any progress. This is one of the biggest reasons why I like puzzles on my iPhone, and even some quick platformer games. So naturally, when I heard of Nekosan from 1Button, I had to check it out — plus, how can I resist a game with cute cats and mice?

Visually speaking, Nekosan carries a minimalistic aesthetic that is delightful to the eyes. The game features solid background colors for each stage, but the layout of the level is essentially a cutout in the center of the background, with nice contrast due to the patterned backdrops in the cutouts. The cat and mice are fairly simple looking but still adorable, and there are nice, small details such as snow and grass that are layered on top of the platforms, floors, and spikes. The colors range from soft pastels to richer and bolder hues, but everything meshes together nicely. Animations in Nekosan are buttery smooth and fluid, so I had no issues with lag on my iPhone 7. The game soundtrack is rather upbeat and quirky, making it rather charming to listen to and fits the eccentric nature of the game well. To top things off, the sound effects are cute, and will bring a smile to your face, even if you’re failing at the levels.

Nekosan is a level-based platformer game, so players need to advance through it one stage at a time. At the moment, there are eight level packs to go through in Chapter A, and they consist of about 10 parts each. So while it may only seem like there are eight “levels,” you have to get through 10 challenging tests to complete it, so there is more than meets the eye here. You also only have a limited number of lives to start out with (nine lives to be exact), but you get refilled with some extra if you can get through all of the sections. The goal in each stage is to collect and recover all of the stars that the mice stole. Once all stars are in your possession, that means you can move on to the next stage. There are also secret fish that you can try to acquire as well, though it is not necessary in order to complete the stage. In fact, the fish are used to purchase other playable felines, but this is purely cosmetic. Your score on each level is determined by the amount of time that it took you to complete all of the stages in the level, so think of it like a speedrunner.

The controls are pretty simple and allow the game to be played with one hand, but it does take some time to get used to and master. With one tap, your cat will start moving forward in the direction it is facing. The cat stops once it hits a wall, and you can tap the screen again to have it go back the other way. If you tap on the screen while it is already in motion, you’ll have it jump. To reach high places, you will have to do continuous wall jumps, so once you’re on a wall, just tap again to jump in the opposite direction, and keep doing that until you get where you need to be. Eventually you will come across mice, and the trick to these critters are to avoid them, but if you need to, you can also jump on top of them and “squash” them for a few seconds, a la Mario-style. Again, the controls do take some time to get used to, and they are far from perfect, but I did find them to be rather responsive for the most part. It’s just the timing that has to be right on harder stages.

My only complaint about the controls is that the game does not include any guidance on how to play in the beginning, so players are left trying to figure things out on their own. I was confused at first, and only after tapping the screen did I manage to find out how to play. Usually I am not for handholding in video games and like to figure out stuff on my own, but this can’t be said for everyone. That’s why I think there should at least be some basic tutorial, even optional, that shows the ropes to all players, because otherwise, the controls are a bit confusing.

The game starts off pretty easy, but things get a bit more complicated as you get further along, since new obstacles and challenges are introduced at a gradual pace. For example, spikes are thrown at you early on, but like any good gamer knows, spikes are bad, so you have to avoid them or you will lose a life. Eventually, you’ll also stumble across floating switches to toggle walls, swarms of mice, moving platforms, crushing pillars, and much more. If you have had any experience with platformer games in general, then you know the drill. If not, well, it’s pretty straightforward.

Nekosan can be fairly difficult if you don’t take the time to practice, so be prepared to run out of lives a lot. If you run out of lives, you’ll have the opportunity to continue, but at a cost. Otherwise, if you opt to not continue, you’ll have to try the level again from the beginning, and hope you do better the next time.

One thing that bothered me about Nekosan is the abundance of ads. It seems like an ad pops up after every other stage you complete, and it interrupts your game flow, as they are rather abrupt. Fortunately, they aren’t video ads and you can dismiss them immediately, but they are still annoying. There is an in-app purchase to remove all ads for $2.99 though, so that is an option if you cannot stand them. Other in-app purchases include a pack of nine lives, keys to unlock levels you haven’t reached yet (if you’re stuck), and Maurice the pig, and these all cost you $0.99 a pop.

I’ve only had time to check out Nekosan this morning, but I’m enjoying it so far, aside from the overabundance of ads and unique control scheme. The minimalistic design is pleasing, the character are adorable, the music is fun to listen to, and the gameplay is rather challenging, as it combines reflexes, platformers, and a dash of puzzle (you still need to figure out how to clear a stage). I just hope to see ads to be less obnoxious in the future, and some kind of guide on the controls for new players. Otherwise, 1Button has done it again with a fun game to pass the time with.

I recommend giving Nekosan a try if you are into platformer puzzles with a dash of reflex testing. You can find Nekosan on the App Store as a universal download for the iPhone and iPad for free . There are in-app purchases, as well as an iMessage sticker pack included.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

credit : appadvice

from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

The Best iPhone Apps to Follow the U.S. Election’s Final Countdown

November 04, 2016 by macjeff

We have just days remaining until election season here in the United States is at long last over. Still, it seems like the controversies surrounding the Republican and Democratic candidates just won’t rest. Anything can happen in the days to come.

Whether you’re still undecided or passionately in favor of your preferred candidate, there is still time to get involved and stay in the know. Maybe we’re a little biased here at iPhoneHacks, but we think iPhone apps are a pretty good way to do that. Here are some of the best free ones in the App Store for keeping up with the election.

CNN Politics

CNN Politics has a fantastic app that combines the latest news on the election with in-depth poll averages and results from key battleground states. The design is clean and modern with tabs for insights, latest news from CNN and poll results. Plus, the CNN Poll of Polls gathers from four different national telephone polls, so it should be as unbiased as possible.

You can also sign up for notifications from CNN Politics. They’ll inform you of the latest poll results and news so you don’t have to check the app.

➤ CNN Politics in App Store (free)

We the People

We the People lets you get more social with your candidate of choice by joining its community of voters to ask questions and share ideas. You get to choose between Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. Post your opinions in the discussions board or comment on others. Plus, see news from the media and Twitter and a heatmap of how users are voting.

The app design isn’t as nice as CNN Politics, but the social aspect here is interesting and informative. Being able to communicate and peacefully exchange with even people of opposing views is a valuable feature.

➤ We the People in App Store (free)

VotePlz

If you haven’t registered to vote or want to check your status and eligibility, VotePlz will give you the hook-up. You can register to vote right within the app by scanning your driver’s license (or manually entering information) plus get your polling place and hours to vote on November 8 or earlier. If you can’t make it to vote, VotePlz can also get you information on how to obtain an absentee ballot to vote by mail ahead of time. Note that absentee ballots are not available without excuse in every state.

Time is ticking to register to vote though. If you’re interested in participating in the 2016 election, you should act quickly downloading the app and registering to vote. Then head to your polling place November 8 to seal the deal.

➤ VotePlz in App Store (free)

Hillary 2016

Are you #WithHer? Well then you need to get the free Hillary 2016 app. The app grants you your very own virtual campaign headquarters. You can navigate around your office to check messages, pick up the phone to invite friends to volunteer, view campaign videos on the television and more. It becomes a bit of a game when you swipe up to see your daily stack of cards and tasks to complete whether that’s quizzes, social media challenges or small donations. The more time you spend in the app completing these tasks, the more stars you earn to upgrade your HQ or get real-life discounts.

The app reminds me a bit of Microsoft Bob where the entire interface was a cartoon. It’s probably unnecessary to have the whole virtual headquarters, but I understand the developers wanting to turn the app into a game. It’s actually overall very nicely designed and offers a lot of fun challenges and resources to Clinton supporters.

➤ Hillary 2016 in App Store (free)

America First

If Trump is your guy, America First is the official app in support of his campaign. The app lets you take action by messaging friends, inviting them to join the app and spread the word, sign up to volunteer or donate, and watch campaign videos. America First also has a news feed with official posts and posts from other users that you can comment and like. The Info & Events tab has links to Donald Trump’s stances on a number of issues and his website. Plus the calendar of upcoming events includes rallies from both Trump and running mate Mike Pence.

Politics aside, it’s a pretty bad app though. It’s a bit laggy and the design isn’t even optimized for the larger screens of the iPhone 6, 6s and 7 or iPhone 6 Plus, 6s Plus and 7 Plus. Still, passionate Trump supporters should be pleased with the amount of resources available here.

➤ America First in App Store (free)

Let us know which one is your favorite app to follow the elections.

Conquer the sea in easyBoat, an arcade style shooter game for iPhone and iPad

October 24, 2016 by macjeff

EasyBoat is a new arcade-styled action shooter game for iPhone and iPad with a great balance of both fun and challenging game play.

It comes with clear inspiration from the sailing feature in the Zelda Wind Walker game for Nintendo devices, so if you’re familiar with it, you might like this release. Bundled together with fluid graphics and well-executed game mechanics, this is a game for people of all ages.

Each level leads you to take on multiple enemies in the forms of sea ghosts and flying monsters. Each time you unlock a new level, it comes with a new theme and different monsters; with this come new attacks, challenges, and difficulties.

Throughout these levels, you will want to use your dash attack to take out the ghosts and collect cannon ammunition. You can then tap on flying enemies to take them out with your cannon. You can carry 6 cannonballs at one time, so you will need to restock when you get low by taking out more ammunition-bearing ghosts as you play.

While some flying enemies are more violent than others, you also need to make sure you avoid running into any of the ghosts at the same time. Both post a threat to your health. You’re given three lives, but each time you touch a ghost, run into a wall, or get hit by a flying enemy, you lose a life.

Fortunately, you can power through kill streaks to power up your shield, which helps reduce damage from enemy impacts. Your shield power is indicated by the green bar below your health indicator.

As you near the ends of level waves, you’ll also have to defeat bosses, all of which try to make survival as hard as possible for you.

Boss health is displayed at the top center of the interface when you’re fighting one, and depending on the boss, they must be weakened in different ways.

To watch how the game works, you can check out the demo video from the game developer below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9oxNb2qOjI?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

You can download easyBoat for free from the App Store, but it feels very much like a free trial as is. A $0.99 in-app purchase unlocks a number of features, such as:

• Saving your in-game progress
• Upgrading speed and offense by 25%
• Instantly reviving yourself without ads if you die
• Enabling retry mode
• Increasing cannon capacity to 9 balls instead of 6

After playing easyBoat myself, I found the game entertaining. Without the in-app purchase however, it felt a little bit repetitive after a while. If you want a diverse game experience where you don’t have to start over every time you launch the game, be prepared to cough up the dollar.

After you try easyBoat, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below!

How to Set Philips Hue Lights to Slowly Fade Out on Your iPhone

October 12, 2016 by macjeff

After the first week of setting up Philips Hue lights in my bedroom, I was fantasizing about an ability to have them slowly fade out at night. I thought perhaps it could signal me to start getting nice and sleepy for bed. Well, it turns out this is totally possible and fairly easy to set up — and the end result is pure relaxation.

If you haven’t bought the Philips Hue lights, then you can get started by buying the starter kit on Amazon which comes with 2 bulbs + Hue Bridge hub. All you need is the free Philips Hue app for iPhone and of course some working Hue lights to control. You can set the amount of time it takes to fade, what time they begin to fade, and even have the lights fade in as well. Here’s how.

How to Fade Out Philips Hue Lights

Open the Philips Hue app to view your list of connected lights or organized rooms. In the bottom navigation bar, tap the Routines tab.

You’ll see three presets: Home & Away, Wake up, and Go to sleep. For our purposes, tap the “Go to sleep” one. If for whatever reason you want your lights to fade out even if you are not going to sleep, you can still select this preset.

Tap the + icon at the bottom right to begin a new “Go to sleep” routine. By default, this routine will change the color temperature of your lights to a warmer hue and gradually fade them out for the amount of time you specify. This only affects lights that are already turned on at the time the routine begins. Additionally, if you don’t have Hue lights that support color temperature, your white bulbs will just fade out without changing color.

Select the time you want the fade out to begin as well as the days that this routine should be active. Then tap Fade out to choose the amount of time you want the lights to fade out for. You can choose either 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 60 minutes.

Tap Where? to select up to four rooms where you want this routine to take place, or choose Home for your entire residence. Finally, tap Save at the top right to complete your fade out routine.

Create Your Own Custom Routine

If you want different amounts of time to fade out your lights or don’t want the warmer hue, you should create your own routine instead of using the “Go to sleep” preset.

To do this, tap “My routines” on the main Routines tab. Press the + icon to begin crafting yours. Once again, you need to pick a time for the fade out to begin and the days this goes into effect.

However, you now have options for both types of fade. You can have these lights go on instantly at the specified time, or fade in/out for a period of time. Tap Fade to choose a period of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 minutes or instant. If all the lights in the room are on, the effect works as a fade-out. If they’re all off, the effect works to fade them in.

Lastly, select either your entire Home or the individual rooms where this routine applies and tap Save.