App of My Eye » Space

Powerboat Challenge 3D

Art — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:04:23 +0000

A few years back, I saw a game called Galaxy on Fire 3D on a cellphone and I was speechless. Up to that point, I believed that the cutting edge of mobile games could only reach the height of retread arcade classics, slices to chunks of 16-bit turn-based games, and passable web games. Another homerun derby or soccer goal kick game anybody? Crickets. Obviously, I’m talking about the early days of J2ME and BREW when even a good game’s release required both a bended knee and puckered lips for the backends of carrier reps, who mysteriously got their houses renovated in the process. Business ethics anyone? Crickets again. Anyway, even though the version of Galaxy on Fire 3D that I tried out was on Symbian, I nevertheless realized that the times were a-changing and mobile games as we knew it were about to evolve. Fast forward to the present day and well, while technology has gotten way, way better, only a small percentage of games is living up to expectations. However, FISHLABS remains strong like bull bringing not only its classic Galaxy on Fire 3D to the iPhone, but also contenders like Powerboat Challenge 3D, a powerboat racing game filled with non-stop arcade fun and lots of personality. With four characters to choose from, four different venues to play in, and so many tuning options, you’ll see why this dev leads the pack, while everyone else just follows. Reminiscent of EA’s Burnout series and like racing titles, in which unlocking is a big part of gameplay, this release further solidifies FISHLABS’ reputation as one of the top quality gamemakers in the industry, who you can trust with each purchase. Always recommended. Price: $3.99.

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Evacuation

Art — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:48:40 +0000

Remember Aliens when Ripley opened the cargo bay doors, which led to the Alien Queen getting sucked into space by the vacuum? Come to think of it, that happened in Alien as well as Alien Resurrection. This is probably why Alien³ was the worst of the four movies. Anyway, let me let you in on a little secret: those aren’t really movies. Instead, all three movies (let’s not count Alien³) are blueprints for this clever game created by Bennett Foddy and Ryan Chisholm. Evacuation is one part strategy game and one part puzzle game in a sci-fi setting with a duel objective for success: get rid of the aliens and save the crew. Tap any color door to simultaneously open other like-colored doors to position aliens and crew members into desired areas. With the timely opening of the cargo bay doors, you too can be a hero just like Ripley. However, once you lose all your crew, it’s “GAME OVER, MAN! GAME OVER!” Cool graphics and a creative premise make this a game not to miss. Price: 99¢.

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PewPew

Art — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:13:20 +0000

When I saw the iTunes page for this game and realized that the developer was most likely of French descent, I couldn’t help but think of Pepe Le Pew from Looney Tunes. Sorry Jean-Francois! Jokes aside, I finally figured out that the title of the game, PewPew, is meant to be the sound of lasers being fired like in old arcade games, which this app does a tremendous job of paying homage to. Duh! Yes, I’m that thick. Visually reminiscent of the original Battlezone, Asteroids, and Tempest as well as more recent releases like Geometry Wars, PewPew offers excellent arcade action in two modes, Dodge This and Assault, which are rather self-explanatory. Playing more like the old Crystal Quest on the Mac and Robotron 2084 than Asteroids, the biggest praise we have for this game is it’s controls, which are very responsive and just feels great overall. If not THE best controls that we’ve ever had in an iPhone game, definitely one of the best. Other publishers/developers should take note. A must-have app for every level of gamer and amazingly, it’s free. Price: Free.

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