CHAOS RINGS

Square Enix is probably one of my all time favorite game companies. They are the makers of Final Fantasy, Tactics Ogre (*cough* make it for iOS *cough*), and many other awesome visually stunning and immersive games.

One of these happens to be Chaos Rings for iOS. If you ever played Final Fantasy you will be very familiar with this one. I'm not as versed in the Final Fantasy series as most so i don't know if this game plays off of the story form FF, but the game play and graphics makes it feel like just that.

I normally don't tend to care for stories in games much. Mostly because they are always poorly constructed, incredibly cliche or simply an after thought. Chaos Rings, like many Square Enix games are basically stories that are accompanied by an interactive game. As of writing this i have logged 8 hours in this. It may not seem much but to someone with a short attentions span such as my self that is incredible. I feel any game that you can get "time spent" out of is worth its weight in gold.

The game itself plays just like any FF game. You embark on an awesome epic journey. You run around and encounter random mobs. You use turn based style of fighting and level your characters along the way. Many items, gear and weapons to pimp your character with. And various spell and magic types of attacks available to customize your characters with. 

Chaos Rings is available for $12.99 ($15.99 iPad) at the App Store

Free Games for 9-29-2011

iPhone:
 Carrot War ($2.99 -> Free, 26.0 MB): Aliens have invaded rabbit planet, and it’s up to you to help the last band of brave rabbits by using the magic pen to destroy alien ships. Drawing lines with the magic pen will allow you to connect stars to destroy enemies, stop enemies, and rebound bullets. You’re also able to move the rabbit around the screen by tapping and dragging. The game includes 52 levels, four environments, and Game Center integration.

High Caliber Hunting ($0.99 -> Free, 108.5 MB): EA’s hunting simulation game has you tracking down and firing upon over 20 different types of wild game including deer, bear, moose, boar, and smaller critters like fox and rabbit. You’re able to hunt in up to six different locations during dawn, daytime, and dusk. The game also includes brand-name firearms, quick play and pass ‘n play modes, and a bullet-cam view.

Universal:
 Cubes vs. Spheres ($0.99 -> Free, 13.2 MB): The cubes are coming and you must do everything in your power to stop them from reaching your inner circle in this gorgeously simple arcade game. Cubes come at you from all directions, and to stop them you must flick different types of spheres at them. As you earn points and progress through the game, you’ll be able to acquire different and more powerful spheres. The game includes anti-aliased 3D graphics, six spherel types, and Game Center integration.

2XL Fleet Defense ($1.99 -> Free, 39.6 MB): Command your F-35 fighter jets in order to protect your carrier from the invading enemy in this strategy game. Attacking approaching fighter jets is as simple as tapping on them. After each wave you can land your F-35 to repair your carrier and ready it for the next attack. The credits you earn during battle can be used to upgrade your jets, carrier, and weapons. The game also includes Game Center integration.

iPad:
 Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey HD (Premium) ($6.99 -> Free, 180.5 MB): In this hidden objects game you must help Jennifer, a young marine biologist, win the Best Aquarium Award by discovering items at the bottom of different aquariums. The game includes over 1,000 items to find, three aquarium designs, 20 sea creatures, and Game Center integration.

Free Games 9-28-2011

iPhone: RocketBird World Tour ($0.99 -> Free, 18.6 MB): Explore the beautiful countryside as a bird with a rocket strapped to its back and see just how far you can go without crashing in this arcade game. You can pilot around trees, fences, and other obstacles by tilting your device. Achieve specific distances to earn stars and move on to the next level. The game also includes colorful cartoony graphics, teleporters, and Game Center integration.

The Oregon Trail ($0.99 -> Free, 299.2 MB): Embark on an epic journey over the Oregon Trail in this updated version of the classic Apple II educational game. Before setting out on your journey, you must decide what equipment and supplies you need to bring along. As you travel down the trail, you’ll need to make important decisions and hunt wild animals to ensure your party’s safety. The game includes completely random events, eight mini-games, side missions, and more.

Tiki Totems 2 ($0.99 -> Free, 18.3 MB): The goal of the game is to remove all breakable blocks while keeping the totem safely within the confines of the screen and off of the ground. The game includes 288 levels, three modes, a level editor, and Game Center integration.

Robot Rampage ($0.99 -> Free, 20.1 MB): Release some of your aggression by controlling a robot on a rampage. This game of pure destruction allows you to punch, shoot, and stomp your way through city block after city block via swipe and touch controls. Military units will eventually try to stop you from flattening the whole city, so you’ll have to defend yourself from an onslaught of attacks. The game features multiple modes, power-ups, and Game Center integration.

iPad: Learn Guitar ($0.99 -> Free, 1.4 MB): Learn how to play guitar from YouTube’s most popular guitar teacher, Jen Trani. This introduction to playing guitar will take you through 27 video lessons that will help you identify parts of the guitar, learn strings and frets, read chord diagrams and guitar tabs, tune your guitar, and put chords together to form your first song.

RocketBird World Tour HD ($0.99 -> Free, 13.6 MB): Explore the beautiful countryside as a bird with a rocket strapped to its back and see just how far you can go without crashing in this arcade game. You can pilot around trees, fences, and other obstacles by tilting your device. Achieve specific distances to earn stars and move on to the next level. The game also includes colorful cartoony graphics, teleporters, and Game Center integration.

Free Games for 9-26-2011

iPhone:

Exhaust Thing ($0.99 -> Free, 19.8 MB): Stop the smoke creatures from eating away at our atmosphere in this frantic arcade game. Each level requires you to remove a specific number of smoke creatures from the air before they bust through the atmosphere by simply tapping on them. You can go around the globe by swiping your finger side to side to find all of the creatures, and you can zoom out by swiping down. The game includes two modes, loads of different creatures and power-ups, and Game Center integration.

Staunch Defense ($2.99 -> Free, 8.2 MB): Staunch Defense is a tower defense game with plenty of depth and strategy. Featuring 20 different towers, 6 buildings such as cottages and walls and a large number of technologies there are many ways you can approach each map. Each of the 24 maps has its own selection from the large variety of different enemies and thus requires its own strategy. 

Robot Wants Kitty ($0.99 -> Free, 4.9 MB): In this platformer you must help Robot upgrade his abilities in order to reach new targets and eventually get to Kitty. The game features on-screen controls, multiple modes and difficulty levels, and Game Center integration. Robot Wants Kitty is available for free for a limited time. It has a 4-star rating with a total of 374 ratings.
  Zombie Crisis 3: Killzone ($0.99 -> Free, 79.7 MB): Save the city by exterminating zombies using a wide variety of weapons in this dual-stick shooter. The game includes two characters, 25 weapons, four scenarios with over 200 waves of action, and Game Center integration.

Tangled 2 ($0.99 -> Free, 14.5 MB): A puzzle game where you are required to pull dots around the screen in order to untangle the streams connecting them. The game features three modes, 30 levels in normal mode, and OpenFeint integration.

Universal:
 Traffic Rush ($0.99 -> Free, 10.5 MB): Control the flow of traffic in order to avoid a massive pileup in this arcade game. You can stop vehicles in their tracks to allow the cross traffic to mosey on through with a simple tap of your finger. You can also swipe over a vehicle to give it a little extra boost of power and get it through the four-way crossing in haste. No matter which method you use, you simply can not let vehicles collide. The game includes two modes and Game Center integration.

Jelly Invaders ($0.99 -> Free, 42.1 MB): This arcade shooter requires you to destroy all of the Jelly Invaders by dragging your character from side to side and tapping to shoot. The invaders can only be destroyed by a matching jelly blast color, which is indicated by the color of your character. Shots can also be planned ahead thanks to the indicator in the top-left corner of the screen. The game features infinite waves of invaders and Game Center integration.

Legends of Yore Full ($1.99 -> Free, 3.5 MB): This casual rogue-like dungeon crawler allows you to choose from three different character classes and then go on tons of different quests to collect loot and slay your enemies. The game features retro graphics, on-screen controls, all kinds of spells, and the ability to upgrade your character in a variety of ways.

STAR COMMAND: Sci-Fi meets GameDev Story for iOS

I came across this little gem on KickStarter. It appears to be something I have missed out or never heard of in the past but I am impressed. Its called Star Command and it appears to be a adventure simulation (?) which highly resembles the Star Trek franchise. You have your collection of Star fleet looking people (even red shirts!) and an assortment of crazy aliens.

Its still hard to say what the game-play will be like. There are some screenshots but no actual in-game footage yet. But just from the looks of it I am very excited and following them closely.

If you would like more information on this game visit the developrs site at: starcommandgame.com or if you would like to support them personally and add a contribution to their development head over tho their kick started page: KickStarter As of right now it looks like they are on schedule for funding with almost 150%

Helsing's Fire

Helsing's Fire is an odd and overlooked puzzle game. The rules are easy to learn and controls are intuitive. You basically have these awesome colored potions which cause a flash of light. You position your flare within line-of-sight of the monsters and "pooof!"

Then it starts to get interesting. You have to start matching colors with monsters, some come after you and have barriers you must break. Overall the complexity adds on very nicely providing a challenge with each set of levels.

The art and feel of Helsing's Fire is quite unique. Its somewhat retro yet has a very fun and welcoming feel. The game play is solid and controls are simple enough to play casually with one hand. The individual levels are fairly short but there are an incredible amount of them. This is one of those little perfect games to play casually when you feel like you might have to walk away and do other things.

Helsing's Fire is available for $0.99 from the App Store.

Free Games for 9-23-2011

iPhone:

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12 ($4.99 -> Free, 289.0 MB): Tee off from the championship tees on eight of the most well-known golf courses in the latest iteration of EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour. You can play as or alongside Tiger Woods as well as many other PGA tour greats. The game also includes 20 mini-games, the ability to earn cash to upgrade your golfer, and precise swing controls.

RC Plane ($0.99 -> Free, 20.0 MB): Pilot one of two realistic RC planes through the country side in this simulation game. The terrain contains a variety of obstacles, allowing you to really put your skills to the test. The game features three and four channel controller configurations, three camera angles, an in-game store where you can purchase new planes, and much more.


Universal:

Bowling Ninja - Tappi Bear ($0.99 -> Free, 4.4 MB): Your a ninja bear. You have a bowling ball. And you are bing confronted by other ninja bears that want to give you donuts! Throw bowling balls at ninja bears. Features colorful graphics, ninjas and Game Center integration.


Cross Fingers ($0.99 -> Free, 9.9 MB): An easy on the eyes Tangram puzzle game where you are rewarded for combining pieces and completing levels in the shortest time possible. The game features 390 levels, the ability to skip levels, and Game Center integration.
iPad:

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12 for iPad ($6.99 -> Free, 286.3 MB): Tee off from the championship tees on eight of the most well-known golf courses in the latest iteration of EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour. You can play as or alongside Tiger Woods as well as many other PGA tour greats. The game also includes 20 mini-games, the ability to earn cash to upgrade your golfer, and precise swing controls.

Free Games for 9-22-2011

iPhone:

Asteroid Dust ($0.99 -> Free, 3.6 MB): Asteroid Dust is a fast paced arcade game inspired by one of the all time classic greats. Enhanced with modern full HD graphics and mutiple touch control systems, rotate, thrust and blast your way through the asteroid fields. Use your shields for emergencies and collect weapon upgrades to even the odds up as the levels get faster and more challenging.

Universal:

Warp Dash ($0.99 -> Free, 27.4 MB): Jump into one of three different jet-powered vehicles and race through a never-ending grid filled with obstacles while trying to collect triangles to earn points. Collecting triangles alone doesn’t score you points –you’ll have to deposit them by jumping through gates. The more triangles you have before jumping through a gate, the more points you’ll score. The game includes tilt control, techno music, and Game Center integration.

Ricky Carmichael's Motocross Matchup Pro ($2.99 -> Free, 111 MB): So you think you have what it takes to ride with the big boys? Well, here is your chance to step up and prove it! Try to own your friends and rivals in this newest installment from the team that brought you the hits 2XL Supercross, 2XL ATV Offroad and X Games Snocross. Ricky Carmichael's Motocross Matchup is an all-new racing game where it's just you against online competitors from around the globe! This includes the chance to bang bars with some of the best in the business, including Ricky Carmichael himself!

iPad:

The Rise of Atlantis HD (Premium) ($6.99 -> Free, 64.3 MB): Bring the legendary continent of Atlantis back to the surface by making your way through 77 challenging levels in this match-3 game. It features seven artifacts to assemble and an expansive storyline that will keep you busy for hours.

Great Idea, Crap Execution

This is a pretty novel idea, Converse is a language translator but not just any translator. It allows two people to use is simultaneously use it in order to converse back and forth in real time. The users are presented with two split keyboards which face each individual and allows both parties to type back and forth.

Now.... there are a few reviewers who are raving about it, however there are key aspects of this app that should be addressed. These all come from actual travel experience and bringing the iPad with me on international trips.

First of all, this app requires an internet connection. Good and dandy, but in my travels I find myself without any connection more times than not. Where there is wifi, i usually am able to find English speaking people. If you are however on a train station platform in some little village... your SOL.

Second point: I don't know how many people approach you randomly speaking a foreign language and then asking you to couple with a device they shove in front of you. This might be acceptable in technologically acceptable society such as Japan, but try doing this in Guatemala and you will either get robbed or encounter blank expressions. People are usually in a hurry and don't have time to learn or spend valuable time coupled with you and your device.

And lastly, this app will give you a rough, literal translation. Its great if you want to point at a "dog" or a "chair", however working at one of the worlds largest translation companies i can say that once you start using sentences, context becomes a very big and important thing. Dis you mean "can" as in aluminum beverage holder or the word meaning "able to"... language is tricky. I would suggest Google translate. Its not 100% spot on, but id does contextualize content to a degree... and it's free.

Converse is available for $.99 from the App Store

Free Games for 9-20-2011

iPhone:

Hotel Dash ($2.99 -> Free, 80.3 MB): This is your chance to build a thriving business by renovating and managing hotels all over Dinertown. The game features all of the time management action you have come to expect from Playfirst’s games, but with the added challenge of building vertically. It includes 40 levels, loads of upgrades, and Game Center integration.

Hotel Dash is available for free for a limited time. It has a 4.5-star rating with a total of 31550 ratings.

Hard Racing ($0.99 -> Free, 37.9 MB): Get behind the wheel of a classic Camaro and speed around three different tracks in this top-down racing game. It includes on-screen controls, eight events, three camera views, and a funky 70′s soundtrack.

Hard Racing is available for free for a limited time. It has a 4-star rating with a total of 10 ratings.

VS. Racing ($0.99 -> Free, 20.0 MB): An arcade racing game that allows you to compete against AI opponents, or you can race against up to six of your friends locally via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The game includes three different control schemes including a unique and responsive tilt method. It also includes 34 races, six tracks, a time attack mode, and Facebook integration.

VS. Racing is available for free today only (09/20). It has a 3.5-star rating with a total of 76 ratings.

X-Plane for iPad

X-Plane for iPad has to be by far the coolest things I have put on my iPad. Have you ever played a flight sim? And I do mean a real flight sim... something of the order of Microsoft Flight Simulator? Well this is just that... a full blown flight sim on your iOS device.

What I love about the iPad version is that there are more than enough choices for planes to choose form. I expected 5 or so but they give you crap load, everything from airliners, to helicopters to gliders to fighter jets! Even the space shuttle! Everything from ISS docking to re-entry. Not satisfied? They throw in a multitude of real life locations (and a few not) to fly in. Want to take on the challenge of taking off a 787 from O'hare and try landing it at some tiny po'dunk regional airport? Well with this you can... I will tell you though... you have to start the decent in the fields before...

Now when it comes to gaming, I don't really have the patience to sit in front of the screen and watch the clouds go by as I fly from one city to the next...but I'm sure there are enough pilots and flight sim enthusiasts who are. I will say that this "game" is interesting enough for me to attempt some landings which is more than what I expected from it.

The nice thing about the iPad version of this game, is that you get several versions of the iPhone game bundled together in one. You might spend $10 on the iPad version, but the iPhone versions are $5 each, meaning that with the iPad version your getting 6 or seven versions. Its really a great deal.

X-Plane for iPad is available for $9.99 from the App Store

Plants vs. Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies is what I would consider the classic mobile game experience. I know this game existed before the mobile gaming market exploded into what it is today, but this game was amazing back then, was amazing when it went mobile, and still kicks ass today.

Plant vs. Zombies is the most epic of all defense/attack games. The game has you protecting your back yard from zombies: your ammunition? A deadly variety of plants! You plop the plants down strategically in order to fend of waves of zombies with different abilities... like the zombie with a cone on its head... how he got the cone nobody is really sure... or why he wears it... all we know is that he has extra protection form your plants.

The game features a wonderful balance in game play and a very high fun factor. The replay-ability of this game is very high due to the plants and zombies you unlock, as well as different mini-games you get when you finish the game. Its meant to be played several times and even then the developer continues to add more features.

My only gripe about this wonderful amazing game is the developer does not maintain its iPhone and iPad version in sync. Even though I like many people bought both just to have, it seems like the iPhone version has come out with two really big updates adding new content, mini-games, and other fun things. The iPad version however lags behind with nothing but what it originally was. Don't get me wrong ts still an amazing game well worth the asking price... but I'm just saying... would be nice for the iPad version to get updated.

Overall this game deserves to be in the Hall of Fame of games. Not just iOS (i think it already claimed that title) but all platforms.

Plants vs. Zombies is available for $2.99 from the App Store. ($6.99 for the iPad)

Free Games for 9-19-2011

iPhone:

Temple Run ($0.99 -> Free, 20.0 MB): An original endless running game created by popular indie developer, Imangi Studios. In Temple Run, you’re required to control your character by swiping in different directions to jump, slide, and turn, and you can tilt your device to grab coins on each side of the path. What makes this game even more unique is the camera placement, which is just above and behind your character. The game includes a variety of upgrades and power-ups to purchase, all kinds of different objectives, and Game Center integration.

Temple Run is available for free today only (09/19). It has a 5-star rating with a total of 459 ratings.

Tactical Warrior ($2.99 -> Free, 19.7 MB): Battle man and beast in this simple but well designed turn-based RPG. Choose your warrior class and then head out on an adventure to collect new items and upgrade your characters. The campaign mode features three difficulty levels, 60 items, and over 100 battles. The game also includes a multiplayer skirmish mode, and Game Center integration.

Tactical Warrior is available for free today only (09/19). It has a 4.5-star rating with a total of 59 ratings.

Universal:

Critter Quitter ($0.99 -> Free, 41.5 MB): Bash, squish, and dispose of creepy critters in any way possible to keep them from eating you out of house and home in this fast-paced arcade game. Critters approach from all angles and with different strategies, so you must not only squish them with the tip of your finger but also deploy other items such as sprays and frogs to keep them from your food. The game includes 30 levels, 12 power-ups, and Game Center integration.

Critter Quitter is available for free today only (09/19). It has a 5-star rating with a total of 8 ratings.

Explodables ($0.99 -> Free, 12.8 MB): Fireworks of varying colors launch from the bottom of the screen and it’s up to you to tap a specific kind within a specific area of the screen to earn big points and create colorful displays. The game includes two modes, the ability to apply permanent and temporary upgrades, and Game Center integration.

Explodables is available for free for a limited time. It has a 5-star rating with a total of 8 ratings.