"If there is an app for that"

Don't Get Greedy as You Hunt for Treasure in Temple of Spikes

March 06, 2018 by RSS Feed

Temple of Spikes: The Legend ($5.99) by Tigrido is a tough-as-nails platformer that puts your reflexes to the test. If you enjoyed other challenging games recently, such as Thumper: Pocket Edition and Lichtspeer, then Temple of Spikes is another worthy addition to your collection.

As a person who grew up in the '90s, I can definitely say that platformers always have a special place in my heart. I had the NES and Sega Genesis consoles when I was a kid, so I have fond memories of playing whatever games my parents got me at the time, which were usually platformers. To this day, I love platformers, and I don't think that's ever going to change. While I prefer physical buttons for the genre, I still like to check out what platformers are on the App Store, so Temple of Spikes piqued my interest over the weekend. It's a solid game with just a few quirks.

$4.99

Thumper: Pocket Edition

Drool LLC

$3.99

Lichtspeer

Noodlecake Studios Inc

Visually speaking, Temple of Spikes is beautiful with a unique 2D pixelated art style that serves as a nice homage to classic platformer games. It's a nice mix of 8 and 16-bit graphics, and the environments presented in the game are lush and wonderfully detailed. The colors in Temple of Spikes are a great mix of bright and vibrant with muted, earthy tones. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no issues of lag or choppy frame rates on my iPhone 8 Plus. The game's soundtrack is pretty fitting with an adventurous overtone that is reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the like. Overall, the developer did a great job with the visual and audio design of Temple of Spikes: The Legend.

Like many other platformer games, Temple of Spikes is level-based. At the moment, there are 30 levels, which you can easily see on the world map. However, even though it's only 30 stages, the game supposedly holds at least 50 hours of gameplay, so if you want a lengthy game, then this is a good contender. The goal in each level is to help an archaeologist explore the labyrinth of an ancient temple, find all of the riches that await you, and then make it out alive.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. The temple is full of spikes (obviously), lasers, dark critters, and many other dangers and traps. There are even challenging boss battles that await you. Your only guidance is the ghost of the treasure hunter that came across the temple before you. Each level is split up into several parts, but there are save points that serve as checkpoints, so if you die, you can just pick up from the last save point.

The controls in the game are simple enough, but the buttons do feel a bit clunky at times and not as responsive as I'd like. In the bottom left area are two directional buttons for moving left and right. In the bottom right are buttons for jumping, accessing time control powers from artifacts (slowdown, rewind), and other actions, like attacking and placing bombs once you unlock it.

My problem with the controls is the fact that the default placement of the buttons floats slightly above the bottom of the screen. Because of this, your fingers will actually cover up where your character is, so it's hard to see where you're going and what's coming up.

You can customize the touch controls in the settings by dragging where you want the buttons to be, or scaling them so the touch area is larger. However, even when I customized the controls, it still didn't feel quite right, and sometimes the buttons didn't seem to register my input properly, so I ended up dying due to unresponsive controls.

The default character in Temple of Spikes is the archaeologist. However, as you play, you'll collect coins, which you can spend on new playable characters. Some characters will have unique abilities, like collecting faraway items or keeping more blue hearts (time control power), so they'll have their own play style you'll need to adapt to. The better the character, the more it will cost to unlock. There are no in-app purchases in the game either, so you'll have to save up those pennies.

A speedrun hardcore platformer with cute retro graphics juxtaposed to extremely difficult level layouts.

The Good

Temple of Spikes is true to the developer's description of a "hardcore" platformer. The game has moments that require fast thinking, reflexes, and skill to get through, and it's definitely not for the faint-of-heart. The graphics look stunning on Retina screens, and the music is quirky and delightful to hear. The humor in the dialogue is a nice touch as well, all things considered.

The Bad

As challenging as Temple of Spikes is, the controls need to be better for it to be great. The default layout doesn't work too well with me, and even with the option to customize, it takes a lot of tinkering around to get it right, which seems to be more trouble than it's worth, at least for me. I think it just needs better optimization overall to match the hardcore skill level that the game requires. Hopefully this is addressed in future updates.

The verdict

Despite the flaws in the controls, I'm still finding Temple of Spikes to be a fun and challenging game. The visuals are cute and detailed, the music is excellent, and the difficulty is just right for what's considered to be "hardcore." It's not incredibly easy, but it's also not overwhelmingly hard. It's a good balance, in my opinion. The wide roster of characters also adds a lot of replay value to the game, especially since each one has their own unique traits. I just hope to see the controls better optimized in the future.

Temple of Spikes is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $5.99. There are no in-app purchases.

8.4

OVERALL

Graphics 9

Gameplay 9

Replayability 8.5

Sound/Music 8.5

Game Controls 7

$5.99

Temple of Spikes: The Legend

Tigrido

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Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 03/06/2018

March 06, 2018 by RSS Feed

Legacy 2 - The Ancient Curse , Happy Rabbits Stickers , Life Lapse Video Story Creator and more

iPhone:

Life Lapse Video Story Creator ( $1.99 → Free ) Bolandia Creative Inc. Life Lapse simplifies the time lapse creation process. Start a project by either capturing short video clips or photos, and Life Lapse will automatically assemble your content. You’re then able to apply different filters, adjust playback speed, change video dimensions, and add music. Life Lapse includes five songs in its built-in library in order to help avoid copyright issues, reminders, and the ability to share projects directly to Facebook or Instagram.

Universal:

Legacy 2 - The Ancient Curse ( $1.99 → Free ) David Adrian Play as an archaeologist on a mission to find your sibling who has gone missing in an ancient pyramid. The pyramid is littered with riddles and puzzles that need to be solved in order to move on to the next room. The fully 3-D visuals allow you to explore the rooms with swipe gestures and taps.

Happy Rabbits Stickers ( $0.99 → Free ) Shelley Gammon Happy Rabbits Stickers is an homage to the creator’s pet rabbit, Weber the Wonder Bunny. This collection of 15 stickers will leave you and your friends feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The rabbits will help you express yourself in a wide variety of ways. Just peel and stick.

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Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 03/05/2018

March 05, 2018 by RSS Feed

RAL - color palette , ReliCam , Midnight Feast and more

iPad:

Midnight Feast ( $2.99 → Free ) Slap Happy Larry This is a story about a girl named Roya who is excited to stay up late for something called the Midnight Feast. It touches on themes like drought and its impact on food security, imagination, and escapism. The scarier elements can be disabled for young readers. The digital book includes 44 pages filled with interactive elements, narration, and hand-drawn artwork.

Stickyboard 2 ( $4.99 → Free ) Qrayon, LLC Sticky notes of different sizes and colors can be created by double-tapping on the whiteboard. They can also be moved and resized with a tap and drag of your finger. You're able to select and organize multiple sticky notes by first dragging your finger over them, and then using three-finger swipe gestures to choose a layout. The app also includes the ability to write on the whiteboard with different colored markers, undo and redo, a gallery view, and the ability to share your stickies as a PDF or text.

Universal:

RAL - color palette ( $3.99 → Free ) Stanislau Karaleuski RAL is the industry standard in terms of international color matching. It allows you to browse RAL Classic and RAL Effect color palettes, or you can search for something specific. Each color includes RGB, HEX, and CMYK data that can be favorited and shared. You’re also able to view an indoor scene with a color splashed on a wall.

ReliCam ( $0.99 → Free ) Lee Searle ReliCam allows you to take the best possible photos. It provides you with manual control over focus, ISO, shutter speed, and zoom. Slide your finger left or right to adjust each parameter or use the fine tune controls. ReliCam also provides helpful grid lines when necessary. All captured photos and videos are directly saved to your library.

Subtraction Flash Cards Match Math Games for Kids ( $3.99 → Free ) Eggroll Games LLC Subtraction Flashcard Match Games creates a fun environment for your child to practice subtraction in with its eye-popping visuals and positive encouragement. Your child can work on matching problems to their answers or matching problems to other problems. The difficulty can be adjusted by changing the number range and by showing the cards or keeping them face down. The game also includes a bubble popping reward after each round.

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Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 03/04/2018

March 04, 2018 by RSS Feed

Cowculator - Friends, Not Food , Brainbean - Brain Games , Wordid - Word Game and more

iPad:

Brainbean - Brain Games ( $2.99 → Free ) Tanner Christensen Brainbean contains a collection of eight puzzle, memory, drawing, and word games that will play with your brain. The games are all based on scientific creative exercises, and last only about a minute each. They’ll help build creative confidence, test your working memory, boost problem solving skills, and much more all while providing oodles of entertainment.

Universal:

Cowculator - Friends, Not Food ( $0.99 → Free ) Siraprapa Kridakorn Cowculator can show you just how much water, grain, forest land, CO2 equivalent, and animal lives you have saved by going vegan. Simply enter the day, month, and year you went vegan, and all of the data will instantly update. Tap on a category to view more equivalent data. The app also includes metric support, notifications, and two icons to choose from.

Wordid - Word Game ( $0.99 → Free ) Tanner Christensen Wordid is simple, casual fun. In each game you’re provided with 60 seconds and a jumble of letters. You must drag and drop the letters into the spaces at the top in order to create valid four-letter words as quickly as possible. Each valid word will earn you points, stickers, and additional time on the clock. You’ll also be provided with a new set of letters. Keep the game going for as long as you can to climb the leaderboards.

Blox 3D World Creator ( $2.99 → Free ) Arjun Gupte Your child is able to start off with a blank canvas or they can choose from one of the six other pre-built worlds. Designing new structures and adding animated objects is as simple as tapping on an open spot within the world. Blox 3D World Creator includes everything from basic building blocks to animated wildlife. Your child can also change the time of day within their little world.

Blox 3D ( $2.99 → Free ) Arjun Gupte Blox 3D’s intuitive control scheme allows anyone to create. You start off with a single block, and you can build from there by tapping and pulling to create new blocks. Make sure to create your base and move upwards first, otherwise it can be difficult to navigate the blocks. The blocks can be rotated with a swipe and zoomed in on with a pinch. Double tap to delete any blocks you’ve created. Your creations can be played out within the app or saved to your photo library.

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Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 03/03/2018

March 03, 2018 by RSS Feed

Wa Kingyo - Goldfish Pond , Anim8:3D Character Animation Made Easy , Prompts - Beat Writers Block and more

Universal:

Wa Kingyo - Goldfish Pond ( $0.99 → Free ) Masataka Hakozaki You’re able to populate your pond with up to four goldfish. You can adjust the size of your little swimming friends and choose from 10 different color combinations. You’re also able to interact with them by tapping on the surface of the water and scattering different types of bait. Shake your iDevice to cause waves and remove any debris from the surface of the water. The app also includes a sleep timer, and 11 background patterns to choose from.

Anim8:3D Character Animation Made Easy ( $3.99 → Free ) Arjun Gupte Anim8 allows you to animate five fully rigged 3-D characters including bipeds, a dinosaur, and a quadruped. Models have up to 30 points of articulation, and can be manipulated with simple gestures. Onion skinning allows you to see previous poses and plan out your next poses. You’re able to record and share your animations via Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

Prompts - Beat Writers Block ( $2.99 → Free ) Tanner Christensen Prompts presents you with a creative writing prompt or starting line every single time you create a new entry. If you start to feel stuck, tap the lightning bolt icon to receive a new prompt for inspiration. Entries can be saved to the in-app library or shared via email, Twitter, or Facebook. The app also includes adjustable font size, more than 300,000 starting lines, custom writing stats, tags, and daily goals.

Oflow - For Creative Ideas ( $0.99 → Free ) Tanner Christensen It includes more than 150 proven methods to be more creative. Methods are presented at random, but you may continuously refresh the page to receive new ones by shaking your iDevice. The app also allows you to bookmark your favorite methods, take notes, and share your methods and notes via email, Twitter, Facebook, or Evernote.

Picsew - Screenshot Stitching ( $0.99 → Free ) Liming Mo Picsew is all about simplicity. You’re able to grab multiple screenshots or photos from your library or camera roll and have them stitched together automatically. This functionality is great for merging chat history, long web pages, tweets, and more. Of course, you can also manually adjust the horizontal or vertical stitching if need be. The app includes the ability to add your own custom watermark as well.

Dr. Panda Restaurant 2 ( $2.99 → Free ) Dr. Panda Ltd Dr. Panda’s Restaurant 2 gives your child the freedom to prepare food just how they want to. They’re able to choose from 20 different ingredients, and then chop, bake, boil, sauté, and fry their dish to perfection. There are no limits to what your child is able to do and no scores to keep. Just pure fun! After a dish is complete, your child can serve it up and see how their customers react. The app also includes a vegetarian mode.

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