Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Peter Willington'
MSX shooter Zanac has received a stunningly good port on iOS
Classic games don't often get treated very well when a company ports them over to mobiles, but D4 Enterprise has blown me away with its treatment of Compile's legendary shoot-em-up Zanac, which has just been released on iOS. In Zanac, you pilot the AFX-6502 Zanac as you try to overcome the System, a race of bio-droids who are planning on destroying all of humanity. The game is generally recognised as a significant step forward for the shmup genre, and one step closer to the bullet-hell titles so popular today - the action is fast and explosive, there are plenty of power-ups, and enemies attack you from both air and land. This iOS version of Zanac is a straight port of the original MSX v…
ShmupHands-on with Primitives Puzzle in Time, the minimalist puzzler that pits you against the clock
Like many brilliant iOS games that have come before it, the core idea of Primitives Puzzle in Time is a simple one: drag a line from a starting point to a finish collecting stars along the way. And like those brilliant iOS game, there's a twist: you're against the clock, which only ticks down if you're drawing a line. Objects in the world only move when you do, opening and closing windows that represent your best opportunity to complete the dozens of stages included in the download. Believe me, nabbing all three stars in a stage is no mean feat. Primitives Puzzle in Time is minimal in its presentation, but a titanic challenge, and humongous fun. Take a look at my video for info.…
Hands-on with Why Does It Spin?, the action puzzler that will leave you spinning
In Why Does It Spin? you control a slowly rotating stick and must guide it through an obstacle course without touching the sides. It's a bit Operation, a tad Marble Madness, and a whole lot Kuru Kuru Kururin. Never mind what its influences are though, because the important thing you should know is that I really liked what I played of Why Does It Spin? during my hands-on time with it. Here's why.…
Monster Hunter Explore is coming to iOS and Android in 2015
Monster Hunter Explore is a game about battling monsters, finding treasures and artefacts, and then battling bigger monsters than the monsters you fought before. It's free-to-play, is coming to iOS and Android, will be available in 2015, and I'm incredibly keen to see more. Now here's where things get a bit hazy: Monster Hunter Explore is set to be a "re-born" version of Monster Hunter Smart, a Japan-only release on iOS. How exactly it's going to be "re-born" is a bit of a mystery. And here's where things get a bit disappointing: the Capcom rep I reached out to for information on a Western release for Monster Hunter Explore stated that currently "this title is confirmed only for Japan".…
Hands-on with Airheads Jump, the colourful auto-jumper with the angriest Tikis you've ever seen
If you're going to make an auto-jumper in the style of a Doodle Jump or Sonic Jump Fever, then you'd best make darned sure it's highly polished and has something a little new to offer fans of the genre. Tactile Entertainment is set to launch Airheads Jump on the 14th of August, and from what I've seen so far, it certainly nails the former. As you'll see in the gameplay video below, its colourful palette and cheery characters (except for some ever-so angry Tikis) is complimented by the fun and bright soundtrack, plus tilt controls that work wonderfully. There are 100+ levels to master, and a free-to-play system that doesn't feel restrictive, but from what I've played to this point, the gam…
BioShock will surface on iOS this summer, and we have the first video
Any gamer worth their (sea)salt will likely already be very familiar with the universe of BioShock, and the underwater utopia that is Rapture. But if you've yet to explore the gorgeous and intricately detailed art deco depths of Andrew Ryan's gift to the world (or if you just fancy revisiting it), then you're in luck: BioShock is coming to iOS. The good news is that this port is the full original game of BioShock, and has had its controls optimized for touchscreens, while also supporting MFi controllers. It's also set to be a premium title, so there won't be any free-to-play shenanigans going on here. The bad news is that you'll need a relatively modern device to cope with the strains t…
New Shadowgate trailer reveals evil warlock lord Talimar the Black
If you're a fan of cult classic adventure series Shadowgate, you'll likely be well aware that it's currently being rebooted for iOS and Android (plus PC and Mac). You've probably already seen this side-by-side comparison video of the NES outing and the new version. This weekend, developer Zojoi released a new cinematic trailer focusing on arch villain Talimar the Black, and it's got us even more keen on returning to Castle Shadowgate and the lands of Tyragon. The game is set to be released on August 21st, and will feature the franchise's trademark puzzle solving and decision making. If you're yet to play an entry in the series be warned: the Shadowgate games are not for the faint-hearted…
Hands-on with Monster Snack, the colour matching auto-flyer where you try to escape a gigantic fish
Monster Snack is an auto-runner with a small twist: to keep running (well, flying) you need to match the colour of the gems flying past your ship, to the colour of your engine. On paper that might be quite an easy task, but as you begin hurtling forward at great speeds, with the ever-present threat of a giant fish behind you that just waiting for you to run out of power so it can eat you whole, it's a whole lot trickier. Here's my hands-on with Monster Snack, which is out right now on iPhone and iPad.…
Hands-on with Sentinel 4: Dark Star, the sci-fi tower defence game for iPhone and iPad
The tower defence genre has quietened down a little over recent months and years, but for a while there you couldn't browse through any of the “top games” lists on the various app stores without running into one. Sentinel 4: Dark Star is the long-awaited sequel to much-loved tower defence game Sentinel 3: Homeworld, which came out way back in 2010. And even though the build I went hands-on with for this preview video was early, it's shaping up like it's definitely going to please the hardcore fans of the genre.…
Hands-on with Blood Bowl, the totally confusing adaptation of the classic Games Workshop tabletop game
I have been playing video games for a quarter of a century now, and I have been covering them in an editorial capacity for coming up on 6 years. I'm well-versed at how games work, and I've played plenty of duds. But I can't recall any I've played, certainly in recent memory, that have left me as bewildered and confused as this iPad and Android tablet adaptation of Blood Bowl. It's an accurate take on the Games Workshop game that inspired it - a game I used to love playing as a teenager - but in hiding away so many of the systems that govern play, Blood Bowl gives so little information to the player that you struggle to understand why a throw succeeded or failed, why one die is better than…
Hands-on with Epic Arena, the 3D strategy board game that pits Order against Chaos
If you prefer your board games digital, and like both strategy and collectible card games, then Epic Arena is probably one for you to check out. It's free-to-play, nicely presented, and provides plenty of challenges to tackle. Both human and computer opponents are on offer, with lots of special missions to flex your creativite muscles when it comes to quickly winning battles. I had a quick go with Epic Arena, here's what happened.…
Hands-on with Re-Volt 2, the F2P iOS RC racer
Initially created by Acclaim Entertainment - hands up if you remember those guys - the Re-Volt series has quite the storied history, if you go looking for it. But today we're talking about Re-Volt 2, the recently released free-to-play racer for your mobile telephone or tablet computing device. After spending a little time with it I've found the freemium elements to be a little intrusive at times, but the decent vehicle handling, fun bonus items, and oodles of content help make up for the energy system and focus on grind.…
Please note: top-notch music game Deemo is your free iOS app of the week
"Please note"? Get it? Because Deemo is a music game? Suit yourself, the important thing to take away from my fantastic article title actually comes after the hilarious play on words: Deemo is now available for nothing. It's currently being featured by Apple as part of its weekly app giveaway, so you can pick up this delightful-yet-haunting music game completely free of charge. At review we said "if you enjoy rhythm games you owe it to yourself to try Deemo", and who are we to argue? [App Store link]…
Hands-on with MZR, the fast-paced maze game that makes me feel like Sandra Bullock
I get all giddy about MZR in this hands-on with the game, for a number of reason. Primarily it's a superb and extremely fast maze game, where you need to determine which of the multiple paths that fire out from your starting position, will reach their goals the fastest. On top of this, the presentation is in another league. Simultaneously retro and ultra modern in both its visual design and soundtrack, it's phenomenally good looking in motion. Plus, as I point out in the video at one point, MZR makes me feel like Sandra Bullock. It's that good, so take a look.…
Blood Bowl touches down on iPad and Android tablets as a premium release, but there's a catch
Blood Bowl is a fantastic concept for a game: warring factions of races put down their swords and shields for a few hours to clobber one another in a sport that's reminiscent of American football (if American football featured magic, brutal injuries, and more than a little foul play). Originally developed as a tabletop game set in the Warhammer universe, there have been umpteen digital editions of Blood Bowl, but only now is a version headed to iPad and Android tablets. There's a Solo Player mode for quick matches, and the Campaign mode is a full tournament in which to earn experience to improve your team. If you're after some multiplayer fun times then you'll be able to play local hotse…
