4.5

As of this writing, Meowcenaries (as well as a few other Adult Swim games) are on sale in the App Store for $.99. If you like Adult Swim's brand of humor in your games, then now is the time to pick this one up.

Meowcenaries is an interesting mix of your standard strategy/action game and the phenomenon known as LOLCats. The idea behind the game is that you're a group of mercenary cartoon cats and you have to defeat "EvilCat" and his army of "Badkatz" but walking through the forest and shooting them. There are actually several sets of objectives in the game including the collection of "cheezburgers".

Game play is fairly simple as the standard movement controller appears on the bottom left of the screen and shooting controller appears on the bottom right. There is also a control in the bottom center for choose the sort of weapon the cats shoot (they start with a machine gun and other weapons can be collected in the game). The Settings Menu allows the user to even name the four mercenary cats in the game (you can use names like "Snowball" and "Mr. Fluffykins"). The game also has my favorite feature of being able to play iPod music in the background.

As one would expect from an Adult Swim game, it is just the right combination of cute and violent.  It can be slightly difficult to adjust to the controls as the shooting control also controls the direction the cats face, but after a few minutes of play it shouldn't be a big deal.

My one complaint about the game is not about the game itself. It's about the cartoon slide introduction to it. It goes along to fast and is difficult to read to get the game's premise. Either it should go more slowly or the user should be able to control the speed of it.

Overall, this game is a bargain at $.99. Recommended.

The sky is falling, and it looks like roof of the Pantheon... or was it a Delorean. Either way you are in big trouble and that is where The Incident, a new game from Big Bucket Software, starts. What is causing Smart Cars and gum ball machines to fall out of the air? That is all part of the mysterious fun that this game brings. What will you find when you climb the giant pile of cultural references? First let's take a look at how we got in this mess.

The Incident takes the strategy of giving no explanation for what is going on, they explain that it is in the players best interests to climb the growing pile and avoid being hit on the head by any falling objects. In this zany casual game it works perfectly to draw you into the already addictive gameplay in hopes of uncovering the cause, and maybe even stopping it.

The game itself is simple enough. You tilt the phone to move your character back and forth and tap to jump, avoiding falling objects or becoming buried under the pile. During the game there is the usual power-ups that lend a hand as well as some "power-downs" which will hinder your progress. The game is well suited for the casual gaming genre with frequent checkpoints and ample extra lives. There are also gems to collect, and achievements to bring you back for more. One entertaining feature is the trophies, which showcases all the objects that have causes your untimely demise.

The graphics in The Incident are the usual retro pixel graphics and the game comes with a rousing chip-tune soundtrack. More aggressive gamers should be aware that this game is not very difficult and pretty short. I completed the initial levels in a couple of hours, and while I still need to grab a few more gems, the game doesn't hold much new for repeat gamers if you are not into completing achievements like collecting coins and gems. The developer has stated that more content is coming and this has shown in past iPhone games to improve the value of a well executed game ten fold.

While I look forward to more challenges and even more cultural references, take a break from your doodle jumping, and your gravity hooking, and try your hand at this hybrid reaction/platformer game and I bet you will be sucked in as well. Just remember your helmet!
 

I managed to snag this game when it was on sale for two dollars.  It's still on sale for seven dollars which beats the usual ten dollar price.  It's worth it.

This may be the best implementation of the Doom franchise that I've played since the original.  Graphics are much smoother and more sophisticated than the previous versions, utilizing the full capabilities of the iPhone's graphical display.  As with all other versions, it's a first-person shooter with monsters and zombies.  Like Doom II RPG, there is some story (in a text format rather than sound) between moments of gunfire.

The game itself is great.  Motion is far more smooth and the monsters don't look like refugees from the 8-bit world (the app was specifically redesigned for the iPhone and iPod touch).  You tap different sections of the screen to shoot, reload and increase your health.  The iPhone's gyroscope is used to aim the crosshairs.  For pity's sake, don't keep forgetting to replenish your health like I do.

The game does have one nuance that I'm ambivalent about.  The player doesn't control where the shooter goes.  The game moves the character for you so that you can concentrate on shooting.  I'd rather have more control over where the character walks.  It's a minor issue, but worth mentioning.

Overall, it's a game worth owning if you're into science-fictiony first-person shooters.  If you can't afford it now, just wait until the next sale.

Admittedly, I'm not a regular watcher of the AMC show 'Mad Men,' although I've caught an episode or two.  However, I do like the Cocktail Culture app for the iPhone that is affiliated with the program for several reasons.

First, the price. It's tough to argue with free. The most it will cost you is time and iPhone space. Unless, of course, you download the additional drink mixtures for $1.99.

Second, the concept. The idea behind the game is to select the correct glass and contents to mix each drink. You also have to perform certain tasks via your iPhone to make sure the cocktail comes out correct (such as shaking your device for mixing or squeezing the lime slice for a Vodka Gimlet).  The app also lets you know which characters prefer which drinks and a history of the drink on the show.

This app could double as an interactive bartender's guide. If you can't actually attend bartending school, imagine the ability to create drinks without actually holding a drink. It's a very clever idea.

Finally, the ability to "drink" your creations. In the Cocktail Guide, the user can see a finished version of each alcoholic beverage. If you tip the device to the side, the app simulates the glass being emptied. For those alcoholics that can't afford alcohol, this is a great substitute.

My only (admittedly minor) issue with the app is the need to pay to get additional drinks.  However, it's still overall cheaper than any bartender's guide.  You can even compete to see how your bartending skills match up with other players.  Recommended!

As with many other movies before it, 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' has gotten its own iPhone game called Pilgrim's Punch Out.  It's free and it's very retro.

The game is (likely intentionally) reminiscent of the game 'Punch Out' from the 1980's.  The graphics intentionally emulate 8-bit games, and has the look and feel of one of those old arcade classics.  The objective is to beat up each of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to win her heart.

Game play is fairly simple.  You touch certain parts of the screen or swipe certain parts of the screen to block or punch.  The objective is to knock out the evil ex-boyfriend before they knock you out.  There is also a way for each side to use a special video-game-like weapon in the fight (Scott has a flaming sword).

As of this writing, I've only played two of the seven levels and the game doesn't feel that tough to beat.  It probably isn't since it's really only intended as promotion for the upcoming movie.  The game has a decent help section for those who can't figure it out as well as several movie promotion sections.

For those who like retro-style arcade games, this game is a steal.  In fact, even if you're not a fan of retro games or the Scott Pilgrim franchise, it's tough to argue with the price of free.  For a cute boxing game with a fantasy twist, I'd recommend Pilgrim's Punch Out.

What do you get when you take your basic top down shooter arcade game, get rid of the entire level except the boss, and then multiply the bullets on the screen, and give your ship a giant laser? Well, you would then have cult classic rRootage. This action game, released by Kenta Cho of ABA games, charmed the hearts of gamers on the Mac and PC, and is now available for the iPhone from Fraglab.

To be honest, this game has been ported once to the iphone during the early days of the app store. This official re-release, aims to be a more faithful rendition of the computer version, as well as implementing online scores, and iOS 4 compatibility. In rRootage, you control a green rotating cylinder with a red dot in the middle . Your mission is to destroy the giant geometric boss at the top of the screen while he, in turn, fires the very definition of "barrage of bullets" at you. The term I think this game coined was "Bullet Hell", and that is a very accurate assessment of the game. The only saving grace is that your ship can only be destroyed by the solid dots in the middle of the bullets and only if they hit the dot in the middle of your ship. This advantage only gives you a fighting chance since the bullet barrages grow increasingly dense and the fire patterns become more complicated.

Each boss has two forms which gives you a short break in the action during a level. Each level has five waves, and ten levels per game type so you will have no shortage of gameplay.

The normal mode is as described above, while a PSY mode lets you scrape bullets to gain invisibility for a short period of time. IKA mode lets you collect bullets of the same color as you. Those can then be fired back at the boss from your laser, while the GW mode gives you a force field to deflect bullets back at the enemy. These game modes add a lot of depth and playability that will keep you coming back for more. rRootage is a classic shooter with a unique style and one that should not be missed on the iPhone.

Tom is a Tom cat, or so we are lead to believe.   He lives inside your phone just waiting for you to interact with him.

Besides always being there when you need a cat, Tom loves to interact with you.

If you pet him, he purrs. Poke him in various body parts and he winces and let's out a yell.  You can even pour Tom a glass of milk, and he'll drink it, Say anything to Tom, and he’ll repeat it back to you with a higher (aka “chipmunk”) voice.

All the actions you can perform on Tom--Petting, poking, and especially talking--each made my daughter giggle; and she was able to figure it out with out any instructions. While pouring the milk isn’t nearly as intuitive, it’s cute just the same.

My daughter’s favorite feature was definitely saying things and hearing Tom repeat them back; this one feature that made my daughter so giddy that she had to show everyone.  While this is feature very similar to the Alvin and the Chimpunks, Talking Carl, and a number of different apps, Talking Tom's graphics are one of the best and there is more 'interaction' in this app.

Ninja—the ancient Asian assassin skilled in the way of using the sword

Fruit—A tasty and health food.

Put them together and what do you get? Fruit Ninja! The idea is incredibly simple—using your ninja skills slice fruit that is in the air.   You slice the fruit by swiping your finger accross the screen.  There are 2 modes of play—zen, and classic.

In zen mode, you play against a clock to see how much to see how much fruit you can slice in 90 seconds. In classic mode, there isn’t a timer, but need to watch out for bombs and prickly fruit. Missing 3 pieces of fruit ends the game as well.

From game play, to selecting items, and navigating menus; the metaphor of ‘slicing’ is used.   The ‘environment’ of the game ties together nicely—the music has a bit of an Asian bend with some relaxing ‘birds’ and chirping sounds in the background. There are a variety of blades and backgrounds that can be earned (and then selected) by accomplishing certain tasks. For example, slice 40 bananas and get the ‘disco’ blade.  At the end of each game is a cute little ‘fruit fact’ which does help to ‘enlighten’ your inner ninja.

The game will definitely not get your heart pounding nor will it make you scream “I need to play it now!”, but fruit Ninja is a light hearted fun filled game for the casual gamer.

Finally, this great Dilbert Mobile app is being offered for free.  Hallelujah!  The app was originally $3.99 and allowed a user to read virtually any Dilbert strip from the last two decades.

If you have ever worked in an office you know that Scott Adams' strip pretty much nails the ludicrous nature of the corporate atmosphere.  Dilbert is an engineer at an unnamed corporation with a clueless boss, a lazy co-worker and some pets named Dogbert, Catbert and Ratbert.

The app is fairly simple.  It automatically goes to today's strip, but you can view a calendar to go to any strip historically back to 1991.  You can also choose a random comic and mark whichever ones you particularly enjoy as favorites so you can go back to them later.  A data or WiFi connection is mandatory for the use of this app.

My only complaint about the app, which is admittedly minor, is that one must scroll through the months to get to a particular date.  There should be a way of directly inputting a date.  The app does come with a decent help menu for figuring out the subtle nuances of this fairly straightforward viewer.

Other than that, however, the app is as near to perfect as any app for the iPhone and iPod touch could be.  I own a few Dilbert collections and now they're no longer necessary.  I have the entire Dilbert library at my fingertips.  It's an evil scheme worthy of Dogbert.

Apps like Hipstamatic are a good reason to upgrade your iPod Touch to an iPhone.  I like the idea of carrying a camera emulator with my iPhone which gives me a lot of control over the type and quality of pictures that I can take.

The app emulates the picture quality of different types of cameras, flashes, lenses and film, usually the sort that art photographers use.  The app is pretty intuitive to use and has excellent instructional pop-ups.  You choose the lens by swiping your finger across the camera face.  Then, you can pick your film by hitting the icon in the lower left corner.  

Photos, once taken, can be shared on Facebook or Flickr or sent via e-mail.  Hipstamatic also runs occasional contests via the app for the best version of a particular type of photo (such as poses).

I do have one minor complaint, the price says "starting at "$1.99", which comes with three different lenses, flashes and film types, but it costs an additional $3.96 to get all the other optional items available in the app (around six of each option).

I am a huge fan of this app.  If you have the two to six bucks to spare, I recommend it.  It makes picture-taking on the iPhone much more fun, and with all of the camera options, gives me a lot to play with in the pictures I take.