Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Andrew Nesvadba'
Karateka Review
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and accept that even heroes can make mistakes. Some would argue that Jordan Mechner has made several in his time, but the remake of Karateka (his break-out title from 1984) is definitely amongst them. Where the original was a relatively simple affair of fighting opponent after opponent using a joystick and two (or one) button setup. The game was praised for its fluid combat and clever use of tension to motivate players to save Mariko - it was…
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Pumped: BMX Review
Pumped: BMX by Yeah Us! isn't the first bike-themed time-trial and trick-scoring racer we've seen, and I doubt it will be the last, but what it lacks in concept originality, it makes up for in complexity. It may sound like I'm giving the game grief, but complexity isn't inherently a bad thing - in fact, when implemented competently (which is true of this title) it makes for a rewarding experience as you nail those jumps, pull off a few tricks, and glide to the end feeling like you jus…
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Time Surfer Review
Amongst the auto-running genre's many niggling faults, there's always the sneaking thought that you could have completed a run much better if only you hadn't screwed up by a fraction of a second. Time Surfer by Kumobius hangs on to that idea and says, 'Fine, go back and fix your mistake, but it's only going to get harder.' The game takes its cues from the Tiny Wings playbook, granting players control of a character that must 'surf' the hills by using a simple single-touch control of a…
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Honorable Mentions and People's Choice - 2012
We at AppSpy are always ready to admit that our particular tastes when it comes to games may not match the broader spectrum of gamers out there - for one there's a very broad demographic of people to cater for ranging from the young to the old, different cultures, and personal likes and dislikes. The following is a quick list of the runners-up - games that only barely missed the Top 10 and worth picking up. Tentacles: Enter The Dolphin JAZZ: Trump's Journey Ski Safari Shark Dash Nihilumbra Squids Wild West Knights of Pen & Paper Super Hexagon Puzzlejuice Reckless Racing 2 Lastly, there were a lot of submissions, some more verbose than others, but the following are the ou…
AppSpy's Top 10 iOS Games of 2012 - Part 2
2012 was the first full year of reviewing Apps that I experienced since working at AppSpy, and as a year of gaming in general it was quite impressive. We had a number of developers successfully port their games over by adapting their control schemes (like The World Ends With You: Solo Remix and Bastion), and on the complete other side of the spectrum we had engaging quick to play Indie titles like Super Hexagon, and Catch-22. The game to copy and clone this last year was definitely Temple Run with a glut of 3D imitators. Meanwhile the 2D endless runner genre continued on strong with many titles trying to be the next Jetpack Joyride. We saw sequels and follow-ups from studios that released t…
Top 10AppSpy's Top 10 iOS Games of 2012 - Part 1
As you may have already noticed, we're doing things a little differently this year. Seeing as Dave is contributing just as much to the year's reviews, we've decided to split the Top 10 in to two personal Top 5's. I know, it's unorthodox, but as always there's no order and we'll have plenty of runners up in a follow-up video to sate your thirst. For now lets check out AppSpy Andrew's 'Top 5 iOS Games for 2012'. Punch Quest by Rocketcat Games and Madgarden There are times when a developer creates a game that's almost too good. It sounds crazy, but imagine a title so addictive; so engaging thanks to its almost manic sense of variety, that you have no need to delve in to the paid-for option…
Joe Danger Review
The original Joe Danger for the PSN was a heck of a ride - fluid, fast and packed full of collectables and objectives to complete, it was joy to play. Now Hello Games have brought their stunt-riding racer-come-high-scorer to the App Store and while it can take some getting used to the manic pace, Joe Danger Touch is no less addictive or fun than its bigger brother. Where the original title had more of an exploratory edge to its gameplay (akin to a hybrid of Excitebike and Trials HD),…
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More Juicy Site Updates!
Good news everyone! Our hard working techies have been mashing together keyboards and wrestling PCs down with network cables (or so is my understanding of these things) and the end result is a working RSS feed. How does this help you? For starters our Twitter and Facebook feeds are back at full speed, so make sure you follow us! Secondly, if you're an RSS afficionado, then you may need to re-add our feed to make sure it's behaving properly - you can use the link above to get things rolling (http://www.appspy.com/rss). Lastly, we have two important updates in the pipeline. We know you've been keen to get updates on when your flagged games get discounted, and Mike should have the system ac…
FAA's Free App of the Day – Blink Walk
We're working together with the team at Free App Alliance to highlight a great free app for you to check out everyday. "Blink Walk is a gorgeous-looking obstacle-packed endless-running title that boasts monochromatic Limbo-esque visuals. In this title, you take on the role of a three-year-old girl who travels to a strange and desolate dreamworld packed with dangerous enemies and hazards. Unlike in most endless-running titles, though, you can't jump over, duck under, or shoot your way through the many dangers that litter your path in Blink Walk. You can, however, close your eyes (for a limited time) and cover the game's world in a veil of darkness. This allows you to bypass hazards…
FAA's Free App of the Day – Shark Dash
We're working together with the team at Free App Alliance to highlight a great free app for you to check out everyday. Today's title has a special place in AppSpy's collection of reviews as it completely defied expectations from Gameloft for 2012. A genuinely fun physics puzzler that we heartily recommend. "In Gameloft's Silver Award-winning physics-puzzler, you're tasked with helping a young plastic shark and his gang of miffed sea critters battle it out with a gang of ruthless rubber duckies. You do this across more than 96 levels and four colourful environments by launching your water-dwelling creatures through the air in the direction of their foes. Along the way, you can nab co…
Top 3 iOS Games for December 2012
The Top 3 Games for December always feels like a bit of a tease when everyone knows the Top 10 for 2012 is just around the corner, but we've got to fulfill our obligations and chief amongst these is letting people know what's worth grabbing right now. So lets cut to the chase and showcase AppSpy.com's Top 3 iOS Games for December, 2012. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour (Gameloft) $6.99 Univ. After having about a month's worth of distance to consider Gameloft's latest entry in its modern-day shooter series, Zero Hour remains a solid shooter worth picking up, even if it doesn't match the highs of previous releases. Gameloft have deployed this title with the practiced skill that comes from having…
Hundreds Review
Semi Secret Software have a knack for minimalism. Their cult smash-hit Canabalt set the world ablaze as it refined and defined the auto-runner genre, remaining a steadfast favorite despite refusing to bow to and add the bloating of later popular titles. Hundreds is no less simplistic, visually or conceptually, but fans of both puzzle titles and skill-testers will quite literally have their hands full with this game. All you have to do to pass the level is to inflate one or more circle…
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Friday News Wrap-Up 4 January 2013
This week's Wrap-Up may be small, but that's because we've got lots in store over the next week as we announce our Top 3 games for December 2012, and then dive right in to the one you've all been waiting for - our Top 10 for 2012. So lets not delay and jump in to the Friday News Wrap-Up for the 4th of January, 2013. iPhone5Mod EX Hybrid Controller - Suspiciously familiar For many the transition to a touch-only based system is unfamiliar, all the more-so because it's often tied to motion-based controls too. Being out of your depth is never fun, so iPhone5Mod have developed a somewhat familiar control system to connect to your iOS device via Bluetooth 3.0. Whether you strap on a keyboard…
FAA's Free App of the Day – Blueprint 3D
We're working together with the team at Free App Alliance to highlight a great free app for you to check out everyday. Today's puzzler is a frantic puzzler that we absolutely adored - just like a more-ish snack it may only take seconds to complete a level in Blueprint 3D, but it's next to impossible to stop at just one. "In this critically acclaimed puzzle game, you're tasked with manipulating a mess of lines in order to construct a variety of interesting blueprint drawings. You do this over 300 levels that come in themed packs. These packs include Architecture, Medieval, Electronics, and Space. There are even blueprints that feature iOS-powered gadgets, so keep your eyes peeled for…
FAA's Free App of the Day – Swordigo
We're working together with the team at Free App Alliance to highlight a great free app for you to check out everyday. Today we bring you a game that scored a coveted 5/5 on our site thanks to it's brilliant non-stop action platforming that evokes shades of Zelda and even Metroid. "Touch Foo's Swordigo is a side-scrolling action-platformer in which you take on the role of blade-wielding adventurer. This game's colourful fantasy world is packed with explorable dungeons and towns, as well as collectible treasures and plenty of pesky monsters that'll attempt to put a dampener on your day. Thankfully, you're pretty skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and you can use powerful magic spells to…
