"If there is an app for that"

Vertical Divide

March 18, 2016 by macjeff

Vertical Divide ($2.99) by Emmet Morris is a new number puzzle game that will keep your brain stimulated for hours to come. If you are a fan of other games like Threes! and The Mesh, then you will love Vertical Divide.

As you have probably guessed from what I do here at AppAdvice, I definitely consider myself a word person, and not a big fan of numbers, personally. However, one of my favorite game types are puzzles, and my love of puzzle games does not stop me from trying the numerical ones, even though I am probably terrible compared to many other players out there. My scores in Threes! are abysmal compared to what I’ve seen some of my friends get, and I always end up failing on The Mesh at around the same point. Still, that doesn’t stop me from playing and just having a good time, so naturally, I was excited when I first heard about Vertical Divide.

The visuals in Vertical Divide are simple and clean, which should appeal to all of the minimalists out there. In fact, the game has a style that is very reminiscent of Threes!, which may rub off the wrong way for some, but I believe the developer is just drawing heavy inspiration from one of the most popular iOS games ever made. For me, I don’t mind the “inspiration,” because it just works well. Vertical Divide features a lot of whitespace, grays, and soft pink and blue number tiles that contrast nicely against the background. Animations in the game are smooth and fluid, and the upbeat, quirky soundtrack is rather pleasant to listen to. Overall, the heavily-influenced design of Vertical Divide is familiar and comforting, despite the completely different gameplay involved.

There are two game modes in Vertical Divide: Classic and Strategy. While the gameplay remains the same in both, there is just one difference: Classic spawns blocks at random, and Strategy has a specific sequence for the spawning blocks. I would recommend starting out with Classic before attempting Strategy, as the game does take a bit of getting used to before you understand the basics. In fact, Vertical Divide has a rather drawn out tutorial in the beginning to explain how the game works, so I endorse reading it thoroughly to get the basics.

Essentially, the board will start out with some pink “1” blocks. The game spawns blue blocks at the top, and you need to move them by dragging your finger horizontally on the screen, then release to drop the blue tile on the board in the column you want. The blue blocks need to be placed on each other so that the bottom one will be divided by the top one. You can also combine blue blocks that are next to each other so that they are a larger number, but then you also need to divide by a large number as well. The division result will then remove that many pink blocks underneath. However, if you don’t divide evenly, the remainder gets added back on the board as pink blocks. Once the board is filled to the top and you can no longer make any moves, then it is game over.

I know — it all sounds a bit confusing at first, but once you see the game in action and try a few rounds, you’ll pick it up quickly. But don’t be fooled by the simplistic appearance, as the game is much more challenging than it looks. Despite only having two game modes, the game has a high amount of replay value, since you’ll keep coming back in attempts to beat your previous high score. There is also Game Center integration for leaderboards so you can compete with friends.

I’ve only just started Vertical Divide recently, but so far I’m enjoying the challenge that the game brings, despite not being a big numbers person to begin with. The game looks great with the minimal aesthetics, the music is fun to listen to, and the unique gameplay is interesting and refreshing. The only thing I don’t like about the game is the fact that you can’t see which column you’re going in without looking at the top, and sometimes a slight adjustment in your positioning results in the number tile going in the wrong column. I hope the developer considers optimizing the controls, as it would lead to less frustration down the road. For now, though, you just have to be very careful with where you’re putting that number down.

I recommend giving Vertical Divide a try if you’re in the mood for a simple but challenging numerical puzzle. You can get Vertical Divide on the App Store as a universal download on the iPhone and iPad for just $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.

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

Blackbox - think outside the box

March 18, 2016 by macjeff

Blackbox - think outside the box (Free) by Ryan McLeod is a new kind of puzzle game that has you thinking of creative new ways to solve puzzles without ever touching the screen. If you’re tired of the same old puzzle games on iOS, then Blackbox is something refreshing and different.

If you have followed my work here at AppAdvice, then you will know that I can’t help but love a good puzzle game. However, over the years, it seems that puzzles have become a tried-and-true genre, where developers go with the same old gameplay concepts and challenges, just don’t in a slightly different way. None of them have brought something completely different to the table in terms of iOS gaming, so while I love the genre, sometimes it starts to feel a bit stale. So when I got a message in my inbox regarding a new puzzle game that makes you think outside of the box, I was intrigued — what could this possibly mean? Turns out that Blackbox is a puzzle game that is unlike anything you’ve ever played before. So take what you know about puzzles on iOS and throw it out the window, because none of that will help you with this unique twist to the genre.

Visually speaking, Blackbox is very simple and fairly barebones, to be honest. It goes along well with the clean and flat aesthetic of modern day iOS, and fans of minimal design will fall in love. Blackbox, as the name suggests, features a crisp, black background that fills the entire screen, and neon lines, shapes, and dots contrast nicely against the darkness. There isn’t much else to the game’s graphics other than that, but the animations are fluid and smooth, making for a seamless playing experience. The game has no sounds or music, but that doesn’t detract from the experience at all — in fact, it adds to it.

Blackbox has over 50 distinctive puzzles for players to solve. They are not split up into various chapters like other games. Instead, they are color-coded, and you unlock more available puzzles as you solve other ones. The colors each have a different meaning, but one thing is for certain: they all utilize some aspect of your iPhone’s hardware, so you’re going to have to really understand how your device works in order to solve the puzzles.

The controls in Blackbox are special, because you will never use the screen to solve anything. You can tap on the screen to pause and return to the level select screen, or perform a 3D Touch on a compatible device to quickly go back home. But for actually solving the puzzles, you will have to figure out what the puzzle is asking you to do, and make use of the component on your iPhone to solve it. This ranges from using the device gyroscope and accelerometer to get colors on the screen to go where you need them to, using the mirror to reverse what is on the screen, adjusting the brightness of your device, tinkering around with the buttons and headphone jack, blowing into the microphone, and much more. This is just a sample of what I’ve tried so far, and I’m just a few puzzles in.

While the game certainly has a new perspective on puzzles, be prepared — some of these can be rather maddening at first, so you’ll have to return to it at a later time to solve if you can’t figure it out immediately. The game also has some hints that you can use, though they should be kept as a last resort when you just can’t seem to figure out what to do. Blackbox is a challenging puzzle game that requires brainpower, time, patience, and perspective to solve.

I’m still fairly early on in Blackbox, but I am in love with it so far. As a big fan of puzzles, this is the most invigorating new game I’ve played in a while due to the exclusive gameplay concept and controls. Plus, the minimalist visuals and text look fantastic on the screen. The developer is also actively looking for user feedback, so if you find something broken or have ideas for new challenges, make sure to let the developer know.

I highly recommend giving Blackbox a try if you haven’t already. It’s great to see someone come up with something that has yet to be done in the iOS gaming world until now.

Blackbox – think outside the box is available on the App Store as a free download for your iPhone only. There are in-app purchases for hints and an all-level unlock.

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

Sparkwave

March 18, 2016 by macjeff

Sparkwave (Free) by Crescent Moon Games is a fast-paced hex-style twitch reflex arcade game. If you enjoyed games like Pivvot, HEX:99, and SHREDD, then you will get a kick out of Sparkwave. Be warned — these twitch reflex games are definitely not for the faint of heart.

Ever since Super Hexagon, I’ve fallen in love with the challenge of the twitch reflex genre, and while they can be infuriating most of the time, I still keep coming back to them. I think that the mobile platform is perfect for the genre, due to the simplistic controls provided by touch screens and the fact that a lot of games are best enjoyed in short bursts throughout the day. Whenever I have a few moments to spare, I like being able to pick up my phone, launch a twitch reflex game, and test my reflexes for a few minutes at a time. For me, it’s fun and it’s rather nice when you’re able to best your own previous high score because you’ve been doing better at the game over time. That’s why twitch reflex games will always have a spot on my iPhone, so when I heard that Crescent Moon Games was coming out with a new addition to the genre last week, I had to check it out myself.

Sparkwave, like many other games in the genre, features a gorgeous, minimalistic art style that looks sharp and crisp on Retina screens. While the game starts out with a dark colored background with light specks that represent stars, the colors change as you get further along the tracks. The background colors range from darker tones to more vivid hues, but they all have rather nice color gradients that go together seamlessly. In the foreground will be hexagons of many different sizes that appear as you move, forming a trail for you to follow in your spark-covered ship. Even though there can be many colors appearing on the screen at various times, your ship will always be recognizable due to the bright, contrasting color. Animations in Sparkwave are smooth and fluid, which is absolutely necessary for a twitch reflex game, of course. There is a quirky EDM soundtrack that is fun to listen to, and will appeal to fans of the EDM genre. Sound effects add a nice finishing touch to the game’s audio package.

As with most twitch reflex games, Sparkwave only has one game mode, and it is essentially an endless run to see how long you can survive. The objective is to fly as far as you can without hitting annoying obstacles (dark tiles) that show up along the way. The game moves quickly, and the track will form as you go, so it can be rather unpredictable at times, especially when you encounter random angle shifts that change the direction of the entire path, forcing you to react rapidly. There are crystals to collect along the way, which can be used to purchase additional spark colors for your ship, or some booster items from the shop. Since the game is free, it does show ads every now and then between runs, and you get five free continues per day at the cost of watching a video ad. If the ads bother you that much, you can always opt to get the in-app purchase for removing ads.

Controls in Sparkwave are simple enough: tap the left half of the screen to steer your ship to the left, and tap the right half to go right — you will move forward automatically. You can do short taps to move just a little bit, or hold your finger down to move continuously in that direction. But since the track moves rapidly and can shift position at any time, I would recommend sticking with quick, short taps for better control.

I’ve only spent a short amount of time with Sparkwave so far over the weekend, but I’m finding it to be an enjoyable twitch reflex game when I need my fix. The visuals are sleek and gorgeous, the music is fun, and the fast-paced gameplay means it’s addictive and challenging at the same time. However, if you’re the type of person who will rage quickly at these types of games, then it probably isn’t something you need to go grab, but if you want a challenge test of reflexes then it’s a great addition to your collection. I just wish that the game was a bit less ad-heavy and didn’t have restrictions on the number of continues you’re allowed per day. I’ve also noticed some crashes after viewing an ad to continue, which is annoying and can be frustrating, so hopefully the developers fix that in the near future.

Despite the minor flaws, Sparkwave is a delightful game for fans of the twitch reflex genre. You can find Sparkwave on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free with in-app purchases.

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

Waste in Space - Endless Arcade Shooter

March 18, 2016 by macjeff

Waste in Space - Endless Arcade Shooter (Free) by Marco Tormento is an endless arcade shooter that also throws in ragdoll physics into the mix for a unique and hectic game that will keep you busy for some time. If you enjoy being out in space, ragdoll physics, and shooting up garbage, then this game is the right mix for you.

Even though I’ve gone through hundreds of iOS games in the past several years, some of the ones that I just keep coming back to are endless arcade games because, well, they are just downright tons of fun. These are the games that you can pick-up-and-play at any time, even if it is just a few moments to spare, and you can put them down just as easily when needed. These are not lengthy games, so they’re perfect for playing in short bursts throughout the day, and that’s always something I’m looking for in a mobile game. Plus, having a sense of humor doesn’t hurt either. So when the news of Waste in Space hit my inbox a week ago, I was intrigued because it combined pretty much everything I would want in a mobile arcade game.

The graphics in Waste In Space are a bit crudely drawn, giving it a jagged, cartoonish aesthetic that reminds me a bit of “South Park.” Despite the rough look, the animations are fairly smooth and fluid, which is always necessary since there is plenty of ragdoll physics involved here. The background color is always going to be rather dark, considering that you’re out in space, but the asteroids, floating bits of trash, coins, and the space station that you launch out from are all bright and vivid, contrasting nicely with the dark and cold reaches of space. The upbeat and quirky soundtrack is fun to listen to, and will help lift your mood for such a fun and lighthearted game. The sound effects are a nice touch too.

With Waste In Space, there is only one game mode and the goal is to swing through the asteroids and shoot the trash before they fall down onto Earth. I mean, yeah, sending all the garbage on the planet into orbit in space will get rid of it for now, but that stuff has got to come back down at some point, right? And that’s exactly what’s happening in Waste In Space. You get points for each piece of trash that you manage to destroy, with the larger ones nabbing you more points, of course. Other ways to earn points involve doing sick tricks and performing combos to maximize the points earned, and there is a ranking system with missions to complete in order to level up. You get some nice rewards for completing these tasks, so always make sure to look them over and strive to achieve them during each run.

The controls in Waste In Space are simple and intuitive, requiring just one touch on the screen to do anything. To make use of your character’s grappling hook, just tap-and-hold on the screen to latch on to the nearest asteroid. When you see pieces of trash floating around, just do quick taps on the screen to shoot and destroy them. Your ammo supply is finite, though, so you’ll have to try to acquire more along the way. If you have a boost power-up item, just slide your finger across the screen to activate it.

In addition to the trash floating around space, there are coins that you can collect as well. These coins are also earned by watching videos (it’s a free download, after all) and daily gifts, similar to games like Crossy Road. The coins are used to get prizes, which can be either new characters or gravity hats, both of which have their own special attributes. So not only do new characters and hats change your aesthetic, but they also change up the gameplay a bit.

I’ve only spent a little time with Waste In Space so far, but I’m enjoying the game quite a bit. The visuals are cute and humorous, the music is catchy, and the intuitive controls are super easy to pick up, but can be difficult to master. The gameplay is fun, crazy, and challenging, so you’ll always be coming back to the game in order to try and best your own scores. This is just a lighthearted game that anyone can enjoy, and it also has a nice lesson — that trash isn’t really going away just because you send it up to space.

I recommend giving Waste In Space a try if you’re looking for a fun time wasting arcade game this week. You can get Waste In Space – Endless Arcade Shooter on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free with in-app purchases.

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

Spiral Splatter

March 18, 2016 by macjeff

Spiral Splatter (Free) by Thumbspire Inc. is a deceptively simple arcade puzzle game that will keep you occupied for hours on end. If you enjoyed games like Primitives, then you will like what Spiral Splatter brings to the table.

In my spare time, I like to play video games. I have several different consoles at home, as well as handheld units, where I like to play my lengthy games. However, when it comes to iOS games, I could always go for either an arcade or puzzle game where I can just spend a few minutes playing it throughout the day. It’s the arcade games that keep my reflexes sharp and on point, while the puzzles stimulate my brain so it doesn’t completely turn to mush by the end of the day. Naturally, when you combine the two genres, you end up with a challenging, fast-paced puzzle that will keep you on your toes throughout the entire time. That’s why when I heard of Spiral Splatter, I was intrigued and had to check it out for myself.

Visually, Spiral Splatter is pretty simple and clean, which will definitely appeal to the minimalists out there. The game features brightly colored backgrounds with subtle color gradients, and contrasting white and black lines and objects in the foreground. The background colors represent the chapter that you’re in, so you can see your progression as you play. As you make mistakes, the screen will flicker red, and when you crash into a wall or obstacle and die, the entire screen shakes a bit and you leave a splatter behind. So as you die continuously by making the same mistake, the level becomes covered in paint splatters, almost like it’s a tribute to your failure (but it’s okay, really. Animations are smooth and fluid in the game, and there is a soothing, atmospheric soundtrack that is best experienced with a good pair of earbuds. The sound effects can be rather abrupt and sudden as you make mistakes, which serves as a nice disparity when compared to the tranquil music.

Right now, there are 11 different “stages” in Spiral Splatter, which are actually chapters. Each of these stages is broken up into about 10 levels each (the first only contains six), and like many games, it goes with a star system, so players can earn up to three stars on each level, depending on performance. The objective is simple: get the white ball to the target by guiding it through a maze. However, don’t be fooled — the game gets trickier and harder as you progress. Stars are earned by how fast you complete the stage, so the faster you are, without making mistakes, the better. Some levels are also longer than others, and there are checkpoints that let you start from that point, instead of the beginning, if you die. However, when you crash and die, you don’t necessarily have to restart the level, since you just re-spawn, but the timer keeps going. If you prefer to try again without making an error, then you can just restart.

The controls in Spiral Splatter are simple and intuitive. To move the ball through the labyrinths, just drag it through with your finger. While that sounds easy enough, be warned — your finger will partially block your view, which can cause you to get too close to the walls — this is when the screen will flicker red. But if you go too fast into a wall, then your ball shatters and you’ll have to try again from the last re-spawn point, or start over if you want to restart for a perfect attempt. As you get through the stages, new elements get introduced, such as lasers that need deactivating before you can pass, warping portals, moving walls, and much more. When you throw in the timer part, the game is incredibly challenging, since your finger naturally blocks part of the screen, and being rushed certainly leads to some unwanted crashes and splatters all over the maze. To add to the hectic action of the game, you don’t want to be too slow either — the ghost will catch up to you this way.

The only downside to Spiral Splatter is the fact that it is a free game, so there will be ads. These video ads will be shown after every few stages, and sometimes even when you just want to restart. It is a bit jarring to the whole experience, to say the least. To unlock and gain access to the other stages in the game, you need to have a certain amount of stars from previous levels. But if you are impatient, you can get unlock stages through in-app purchases of $0.99 a pop, and even get rid of ads with a separate IAP of $1.99. Another option is the $4.99 IAP that unlocks all stages and removes ads.

So far I’m enjoying Spiral Splatter. The visuals are simplistic but beautiful, the music is rather calming, though the sound effects add a bit of stress to the air, and the controls are simple but tricky. You have to be precise with your finger tracing in order to not mess up on the path, and the timers give a sense of urgency to it all, making it tricky to get the coveted three stars on every level. Still, the game holds rather high replay value, since you’ll want to come back and get all of those precious stars, and you can see how fast you are compared to your Game Center friends when it comes to completing a full stage. I just wish the ads weren’t so obnoxious at times, because it detracts from the overall experience. But I suppose that’s the reason why there are in-app purchases.

I recommend checking out Spiral Splatter if you’re in the mood for a challenging arcade puzzle game that tests your skills and makes you think at the same time. You can get Spiral Splatter on the App Store as a universal download for the iPhone and iPad for free with in-app purchases.

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