Home » Apps with tag 'physics'
Mikey Shorts Review
I almost feel sick of needing to make the point so often, but if you're going to make a platformer, you need to make the core gameplay (that is to say, running and jumping) feel good. In some cases it's a matter of responsiveness from the controls, and in others its anything from the physics to the character animations, but in Mikey Shorts by BeaverTap, none of these things are a problem. In fact you'd be forgiven for thinking someone from Rocketcat Games ran away with someone from Ra…
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Mad Skills BMX Review
One of the biggest hurdle to overcome when trying to create a competitive title such as Mad Skills BMX is in being able to make it approachable for casual players while still catering to the hardcore crowd. Turborilla's solution was an elegant one - focus on the flow of the controls and the feel of smoothly sailing through the air to nail that perfect landing, and newcomers or veterans alike will be hooked. Virtual controls are history in Mad Skill BMX and players can choose to either…
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Chimpact Review
OK. We all know that monkeys love bananas. Did you also know they apparently share our trait for greed when it comes to diamonds? The higher you go in the treetops, the more of these shiny gems are ripe for the taking. That's Chimpact in a nut shell... or should we say banana skin? There are canopies in the canopy the can be flung with your finger to slingshot the simian through each level. Each stage has a linear path with a couple hidden areas ripe with bananas or gems. If you follo…
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Splash !!! Review
As strange as some of the scenarios created for these physics puzzle games are, it's amazing how many of them make the gameplay that follows more bizarre when all they were trying to do was create a context to explain everything going on. In Splash you control a panda riding atop a bubble that can be filled with water. The goal of each stage is to collect the rubber duckies strewn about, and deliver them safely to the wading pool. The reason for all this is that the panda has lost his…
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Mad Cows Review
So we've had Angry Birds, now we have Mad Cows. What's next? Perturbed Kangaroos? Confused Marmosets? Well let's stop giving designers ideas and delve into a pretty blatant Angry Birds clone. Oh yes there are some differences, including the addition of a multiplayer component, but this is the type of game you've seen and played many times before. You have six animals to choose from. Each have their own levels, and each have a special ability. It's interesting because instead of having…
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Jar on a Bar Review
It's sometimes really interesting what constitutes a genre on the app store. For instance, the physics puzzle genre has bloomed over the last couple years, and as such now has its own sub-genres, one of which Jar on a Bar is a part of. Let's call it the physics removal sub-genre. Like Finger Physics, the player has to remove objects from the screen in order to allow an item (in this case a fish stuck in its bowl) to safely descend to the welcoming ground below (so that the fish can hop…
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Amazing Alex Review
If you're not already aware of it, this isn't the first time we've seen Amazing Alex on the App Store. Those who owned an iPad around mid last year should be aware of Casey's Contraptions (CC) by Snappy Touch and Mystery Coconut - its Rube Goldberg inspired physics gameplay wasn't new, but it was seriously addictive. The game was subsequently bought out by Rovio, of Angry Birds fame, touched up, and now we have Amazing Alex for the iPhone and iPad. In this iteration you play as Alex,…
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Bridge The Gap 2 Review
If Bridge the Gap 2 has taught me anything, it's that pirates are capable of only the most rudimentary physical abilities. If you want them to not fall down chasms to their untimely demise, they need the invisible hand of a pirate engineer to place wooden poles, barrels and boxes down so they can not only get to their precious flag, but collect any gold coins along the way. Pirates do love their booty after all. Each level gives you a set number of resources to use, and a limited sele…
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Pinball Maniacs: Cartoon Pinball Adventure Review
Pinball Maniacs is a pinball game where getting a high score really isn't that important. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes there still is a high score recorded when play has ended, but you're not playing for points. You're playing for coins and rubies. You expect some of the design to shift when a game is freemium, but to shift pinball away from high scores? Well it's a bold move if nothing else. Let's explore further. You start with one table, the other being unlocked by rubies, wi…
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Nihilumbra Review
Much speculation has been made over just why 'Indie' games manage to remain compelling despite their often formulaic design, but it's their simplicity of concept and focus on execution that keep me coming back for more. Nihilumbra by BEAUTIFUN GAMES is the sort of title you'd foist on to your friends under the guise of wanting to share the emotional roller-coaster ride, but the real thrill doesn't begin until you've completed the game. You play as Born, a creature spawned of the Void,…
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Puzzle-Rocket Review
Those poor sight seeing aliens. They're out and about in the universe enjoying themselves when they're hit upon by a meteor storm. It's time for damage control. Help guide the aliens to their rescue ships with the use of paddles that deflect, bounce, drip, and contain all manner of other strange properties as you navigate around the meteor fields. One of the most amusing things about Puzzle Rocket is also one of the most horrifying if you stop to think about it. The goal of each stage…
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Expand it! Review
Expand It is a real eye-opener. Apparently not only were there dinosaurs that resembled what we today call rudimentary shapes, but one of the favorite past-times of these prehistoric abominations was to absorb rainbow streams to obtain a euphoric state of being. It wasn't the ice age, volcanoes, or a meteor that defeated the dinosaurs, it was simply hallucinogens. The goal of each level is pretty simple. At least one of the dinosaurs has to stay in the warm glow of the rainbow sparkle…
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Bridge Constructor Review
When approaching a genre that is already quite niche and well represented by a few shining titles, it behooves a new entry to bring something new to the table. Bridge Constructor by Headup Games makes its mark by challenging players to make bridges that occasionally feel less than intuitive despite the generally realistic physics applied to them. The first major challenge you'll have to overcome is in the actual construction of the bridges themselves, with anchor points being the only…
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Ichi Review
Often a physics puzzler can be too fiddly with its positioning and line drawing isn't always precise depending on how large your fingers are, but tapping, now there's a control that works without fail. 'ichi' by Stolen Couch Games follows the golden rule of puzzlers - keep it simple, make it challenging. With only a single tap you can change the layout of each of the puzzle-room's elements, either rotating blocks; phasing them in and out of existence; or even creating temporary barrie…
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Rocket Fox Review
Sometimes a game can fail to come together, even if most of its individual parts aren't particularly lacking in polish, due to one critical feature failing to deliver. Despite the cute premise, presentation and fun gameplay ideas in Rocket Fox by Namco Bandai, the controls fall horribly short of what the game deserves. As the cute foxy protagonist 'Guy' you must set alight all of the rocket-flowers by bouncing on them. Each flower has a different effect, ranging from bouncing you high…
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