Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Dave Flodine'
Dave waves goodbye to Appspy
Yup, it's come to that time. I originally said goodbye when I stepped down as editor in early 2010, before returning as a writer in mid 2011. I helped create Appspy, and the video and review format that has helped craft what I sincerely believe to be the best mobile review site on the internet. Well my time as a reviewer is now passed as I move onto another chapter of my life. I wish to thank all of our wonderful fans who contribute and have helped the site become what it has been. I'm sure there will be some interesting developments here in 2014, so be sure to stick around. And if you ever wish to discover what I'm up to, I'm only an internet search away! I hope you all had a wonderful…
Cabela’s Big Game Hunter Review
If you've ever tried one of those pro buck hunter games in the arcade, you know how surprisingly enjoyable hunting games can be. They lure us gamers in with the promise of points and the thrill of the chase. And, let's be honest, it can be quite novel to be shooting something other than humans for a change. Cabela's Big Game Hunter is a hunting sim from Cabela and Activision which provides a wide variety of locales, a host of wild game to shoot, and a decent arsenal of weaponry with w…
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Gravity Blocks - The Last Rotation Review
Meet the Gravity Blocks. There's the mint tea-obsessed Henry. There's Dr Zoidblock, who is working on a zombie vaccine. Blockman loves to recycle, while Blox gets a kick out of removing pesky wormholes. Each block appears in his own set of levels in Gravity Blocks: The Last Rotation, a block-puzzler which requires you to guide your square heroes to a goal by playing around with gravity. Usually you'll find yourself directing the lead block towards a dot on the screen. Other blocks als…
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Where's my Water 2 removes its energy system in recent update
In our review of Where's my Water 2, we harshly criticised the game for its freemium design, forcing the player to pay money or wait to play more of the game. Well it seems Disney has taken this feedback to heart. We weren't the only ones who felt this a horrible move in a great franchise, so now with the most recent update, the system is gone, and you can play Where's my Water 2 to your heart's content. It shows you that developers and publishers do listen to their feedback, and sometimes they even enact change because of it. That's one of the reasons we're here after all!…
Shadowmatic is looking fantastic (a rhyme!)
One of my favourite games on the iPhone is Blueprint 3D. There's something I find endlessly enjoyable about rotating seemingly abstract shapes until they create something. The upcoming Shadowmatic by Triada Studios looks to take that idea and extend it to fully three dimensional objects casting shadows on the wall. The result, while a little mind-bending looks like an absolute winner. Shadowmatic doesn't have a release date announced yet except for early 2014, so be sure to keep on the lookout. I know I will be!…
Kick the Ball! involves flick controlled destruction
When watching the trailer for Kick the Ball!, I got a bit of a Boom Blox vibe, and if you played that game, you should know how enjoyable physics based destruction can be. Well remove the explosions and use a soccer ball, and that's this game in a nutshell... and it looks like it just might be a fun ol' time. Kick the Ball! is $2.99 (AU) in the App Store right now, right at this moment! If you like what you saw, why not give it a try? [App Store Link]…
Blockswipe just looks like fast paced fun
The 'swipe the block to the goal' puzzle game isn't anything new, not by a longshot. However, I think once you watch this trailer of Blockswipe, you will be won over by its fast pace, simple visual design, and the music that accompanies all your swiping. Have a look now! Blockswipe looks to include plenty of content with its 150 levels, and is available now in the App Store for $0.99! Go forth and swipe those blocks today! [App Store Link]…
Nintendo looking to experiment with smartphones and tablets
If there's one prevailing line of discussion related to gaming I've heard more than any other this year, it's that Nintendo should change its status from a console manufacturer to a third party publisher. Basically, people think they should stop making consoles and handhelds, and put their games on other systems, and especially smartphones and tablets. "Think of how Pokemon would sell on the iPhone" the advocates of such change insist. However, while it seems like a good idea of the surface, one has to wonder about the financial validity of selling a game for a few dollars on iOS that you've been selling in the millions this year on 3DS handheld at a much higher retail price. Nintendo is…
Apple unveils its Games of the Year for 2013
It's that time of the year when everyone is compiling their best of the year lists, and Apple have just dropped theirs on the App Store. I think you will find the results surprising. In the category of iPhone games, the winner is Ridiculous Fishing, a game that recieved a high amount of critical praise, and a pretty glowing review from us earlier in the year. Congrats to Vlambeer and his tale of redemption! Runners up in this category were Simogo's Device 6, and Epoch 2 from Uppercut Games. I'm quite surprised to see Device 6 take the runner-up spot over Year Walk, as it seemed to be talked about a lot more, but there you go. And while we weren't as excited about Epoch 2 as others might ha…
Gling requires some circular logic to understand
...cause you're drawing circles to get the glow worm to the flower. Comedy! Anyways, check out this brief gameplay trailer for Gling. It's got a unique gameplay mechanic that has the potential to get downright devious in later levels. The game is available now, and is free. [App Store Link]…
Unlock every chapter for 69p / 99c in Ghost Trick holiday sale
Just a quick heads up for all you app spys out there. Ghost Trick Phantom Detective is, of course, free to download. Thus it cannot go on sale, and thus it will never show up on the handy little price drop widgit we have on the right of the screen there. I am here to tell you that Capcom have lowered the IAP meaning you can now unlock all the chapters for 69p / 99c. You heard that right folks - just under a dollar to own one of the more intriguing DS adventures that made its way to the iOS platform. If you're still on the fence, check out our review, or click our link below to take you to the iTunes page. [App Store Link]…
Despite its name, Urp! doesn't look like it will give you indigestion
Unless you watch the trailer and eat everything that it shows up! Hiyoo! Perhaps you should just watch the trailer... While the art is a bit stock standard, the level design looks quite impressive, using the different layers, and maze-like paths of the entire rotation of the level to the game's advantage. Exploring might be as enjoyable as solving the puzzles. Urp! is available in the App Store right now for $1.99 (AU) if you're interested. [App Store Link]…
With the release of a new trailer, Framed is looking pretty slick
News of Framed surfaced earlier on in the year. The concept of a game in which you rearrange comic panels in realtime to alter the events of a story seemed not only fresh, but I had concerns about how enjoyable or fluid such an experience would be. I think this latest trailer calms those fears. Take a look! No release date is announced outside of the vague 2014 at the end, but it looks like the time has been spent well, providing an interesting new play style with either a spy or detective thriller. We can't wait!…
Angry Birds celebrates its 4th birthday
Man, has it been four years already? To think that what has become one of the hottest games on the App Store was released around the same time as Appspy's launch (It was December 2009, but the actual date is kind of vague). Anyway, in celebration of its aviary powerhouse, Rovio is adding fifteen new levels to the original game. Sure to the dedicated fan, it won't take you long to plough through them, but it's the thought that counts. Happy Birthday Angry Birds! (For a treat, go and have a look at our review. It's back when I provided the video voiceover, and it was penned by a young upstart named Andrew) :)…
Colossatron: Massive World Threat to be unleashed on December 19th
Colossatron has waged war on humanity. We have known it was coming for sometime, and now what looks to be Halfbrick's flagship title for the year is set to explode onto iOS on December 19th. The player must aid the destructive force by attaching coloured space drops offs that will assist the creature in its obliteration of mankind. Destroy all seven continents, and you'll be able to make your way to Earth capital. Obviously, we at AppSpy are giddy with anctipation over this news, and we'll be here to give you the full scoop upon release. In the meantime, check out the announcement trailer below:…
