iPhone

[04.02.15] Hyperkin reveals April Fools’ Day Joke, ‘SmartBoy,’ is actually real

 

Hyperkin

Hyperkin

April 1 is the most frustrating day on the internet. Not simply because of all of the pranks, but rather because it causes you to question everything announced that day. Of course, some are obviously jokes from the get-go, such as Redbox’s Petbox, but then there are others that make you take a second guess, such as the Amazon Dash button. At first glance, “SmartBoy” appears to fall right into the former category and that assumption was, technically, right… sort of. According to the press release that independent hardware developer, Hyperkin, put out on April 1, “SmartBoy” was planned to be just an April Fools’ Day joke, but quickly became something real.

The “SmartBoy” is currently being developed as an attachment for the iPhone 6 Plus with plans for more devices at a later date. The device will fit around the entire bottom half of the iPhone6, plugging the phone in like a cartridge. On the back of the device will be a port that will accept both Gameboy and Gameboy Color cartridges. It will also feature an eight-way D-pad, A and B buttons, start and select buttons, and an included 5-hour battery that can be charged through the phone. The Phone’s screen will be used to output the gameplay and is planned to upscale it as well. It will also include a cheat database and save states.

The device will launch in only the “classic 80s grey,” but could have more colors later on. It will have an exclusive app bundled with it that allows the device to operate and provides the cheats and save features. As of right now, the “SmartBoy” is 100% in concept phase, but Hyperkin is committed to the project.

"We wanted to create a retro device that can be easily adapted into any modern gamer's arsenal of devices," said Hyperkin's product developer, Chris Gallizzi.

There is currently no planned release date for the “SmartBoy.”

[06.15.12] 'Angry Birds Seasons' update adds new water levels

Rovio

Rovio

Back in March, Rovio decided to take "Angry Birds" where no birds had dared to go before with the launch of "Angy Birds Space". This month, they're at it again with a free update to the "Angry Birds Seasons" that features a new set of levels and all new under-water physics. It won't cost you anything if you already paid the original $0.99 price tag on the game. All you need to do is head to your favorite app store and download the update. The best part is, it's available now!

"Piglantis" features 30 additional levels which bring in a blend of traditional "Angry Birds" physics mixed with some water physics. The key thing to remember is that all the birds float, so launching them under water has the same effect as pushing a beach ball below the surface. Their arch nemesis, the pigs, tend to act more like rocks. If you knock one into the ocean, they'll sink down to the bottom, and hopefully break.

There aren't any new birds this time around, seeing as it's only a game update and not a standalone title, but there are additional items to destroy to go along with the new physics. If you manage to hit a fish while flying underwater, they will give you some points just like any other environmental object that's destroyed. You can follow the links below to your respective store to purchase or update!

iTunes

Google Play

Amazon AppStore

Anthony Ortale writes news and reviews on behalf of Examiner.com. He does so much gaming in his spare time, it’s practically a full time job! If you like what you read here, please subscribe to his articles! You can also follow Tony on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook! If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email Tony any time at ortale.anthony@gmail.com, he would love to hear from you

[04.28.12] Review: 'Where’s My Water?'

Creature Feep

Creature Feep

Where's My Water?

Rating:

5 Stars

After making quite the splash as the Amazon Free App of the Day back in December of 2011, Where’s My Water? has continued its success since then across both the Android and iPhone platforms. This innovative puzzler, surprisingly from Disney, features well over 250 levels, two separate story lines, and plenty of bonus items to collect. Swampy, our poor alligator protagonist, just simply wants to take a bath to clean up for his love interest Allie; however, the dastardly Cranky has foiled his plans for relaxation and cleanliness by destroying the pipes that deliver water to his tub. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to traverse the sewers and wipe away sand, dirt, or whatever else gets in your way to carefully transport water to Swampy’s living quarters. Don’t forget to pick up some rubber duckies on the way, because everyone knows bath time isn’t complete without a little yellow squeaking companion.

The Fun Stuff:

Puzzle games may be an oversaturated category in the mobile gaming market, but the geniuses at Creature Feep boldly decided to drop the use of word puzzles and forgo flinging animals at each other in favor of a very original and clever game mechanic. Although attempting to utilize the flow of liquids is almost foreign to game design, that concept of understanding the basic physics of the flow of water is something that everyone learns and understands from a very young age. Creature Feep zeroed in on that knowledge and designed a game that’s accessible to almost everyone capable of handling the devices the game is on. You simply drag your finger through dirt to remove portions of it allowing liquid to flow through winding pathways to ultimately land in the severed end of the pipe connecting directly to Swampy’s bathtub. It’s simple, intuitive, and very unique, as is the subject matter of the game.

It’s not too often you hear “adorable” used in the same sentence with “alligators”, but Creature Feep has worked some Disney magic and created a little alligator named Swampy you really care about. It helps that all of the graphics from the game match the typical animated art style from Disney’s repertoire. Between the shower curtain loading screen and the various rubber duckies wearing lab coats, capes, and hats; there is plenty of charm to go around. If collecting things is your favorite, there’s plenty of achievements to unlock throughout the game. Additionally, a la Disney’s The Little Mermaid, there are also plenty of trinkets to collect, with everything from a miniature Statue and an old radio to the basics such as a bar of soap and floss, all of which unlock bonus levels.

These bonus levels have an entirely unique game mechanic, different yet from everything else included in Where’s My Water? Although still affecting the flow of water, it’s now done by rotating your phone around as opposed to letting gravity take its natural course. Although this is never featured later in the game, the normal game mode does have more than just swiping away dirt. There will be switches, moving parts, pipe systems, different liquids to use in various combinations, and even the clever use of steam. All-in-all, there’s plenty to do and enough variety that you’ll never get bored.

The Frustrating Stuff:

In a very abnormal decision Disney and Creature Feep have decided to release a free version which contains extra levels not available in the full version of the game. The decision to withhold content from paying users in favor of giving it exclusively to those who didn’t runs completely against the grain, none-the-less it can be forgiven seeing as it’s free and anyone who purchased the full version can also download the free version. Still, this could be a bit troubling to some who want to add those twenty levels to their already staggering list of accomplishments from the full game.

Bottom Line:

Where’s My Water? has everything going for it. It’s incredibly unique, flawlessly designed, and as if there wasn’t enough content already, more is continuously being added. This game is definitely on the “must have” list for mobile games. If you’re hesitant, you can always check out the aforementioned free version first (links below), but soon you’ll realize that the $0.99 asking price for the full game is highway robbery. As an added bonus, you can also get a free $1 in Amazon MP3 credit if you buy the full version – as of April 28, 2012 – although there’s no word on how long that deal will last.

Google Play

Where’s My Water? Free

Where’s My Water? Full Game

Amazon App Store

Where’s My Water? Free

Where’s My Water? Full Game

iTunes

Where’s My Water? Free

Where’s My Water? Full Game

Where’s My Water? was developed by Creature Feep and published by Disney Mobile. It’s available for both Android and iOS devices for $0.99

Anthony Ortale writes news and reviews on behalf of Examiner.com. He does so much gaming in his spare time, it’s practically a full time job! If you like what you read here, please subscribe to his articles! You can also follow Tony on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook! If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email Tony any time at ortale.anthony@gmail.com, he would love to hear from you

[04.12.12] Review: 'Tiny Tower'

Mobage

Mobage

Tiny Tower for Android

Rating:

5 Stars

After taking the iPhone by storm, Tiny Tower finally made its way to Android courtesy of publisher and social gaming platform Mobage. It’s Sim Tower meets Farmville topped off with some beautiful pixelated graphics and inherently addictive gameplay. Your ultimate goal is to build a thriving community contained entirely within one skyscraper. Maintain your shops and take care of your ‘bitizens’; and you’ll be on your way to a successful tower. With a design so simple and obvious, you’ll be smacking yourself wondering why you didn’t come up with it first! But does addictive gameplay translate to quality game content?

The Fun Stuff:

Sim Tower may have been more of a cult hit, but there’s no denying the power simulation game had through the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Tiny Tower manages to pull the best parts of those simulations games with the exhilarating theme of Sim Tower. What could be more exciting than owning the next Trump Tower? The idea of building that next empire was something that everyone could relate to, and once it was available in game form, everyone latched to it. The developers of Tiny Tower recognized that and did an excellent job of tapping into that natural human desire and giving you the perfect opportunity to satisfy it.

They also recognized the spell that games such as Farmville has had over everyone. Micromanagement and real time strategy themes are interwoven with extensive waiting times that allow, or rather require, you check back frequently to maintain your items. What’s most satisfying about Tiny Tower is that there is no requirement to play. In games such as Farmville, if you don’t tend to your crops within a certain amount of time, the crops will wilt and your entire harvest will be lost. Sure, this may be true in real life, but what they seem to fail to realize is that Farmville isn’t real life, it’s a video game. Tiny Tower’s developers were kind enough to acknowledge that you may, in fact, have a life, and thus whatever task you perform will be patiently awaiting your arrival whether it be 6 hours or 6 weeks later.

This is incredibly satisfying as it allows you to play on your time, not theirs, and this makes any game infinitely more desirable. It allows you to play as little or as much as you want. Of course, there is incentive for playing an extended period of time, but if you only have a couple minutes to pop in, you can restock some items and maybe build a new floor, then head back to reality and let everything happen in the background. Should you choose to stick around, you have a few options. There is constantly people that need elevator rides, for which you will be tipped a generous amount of coins. You may also be occasionally graced by the presence of a V.I.P. who can instantly fill empty apartments, cut down on construction or stocking time, or increase sales to a floor either by directly purchasing all of an item or just attracting lots of bitizens to the floor. There’s also a “Where’s Waldo” type game that challenges to find a bitizen in your tower for various ridiculous, but goofy, reasons.

Although some of Tiny Tower’s charm comes from its pixelated graphics – a sort of throwback to gaming juggernauts of yesteryear – the majority of it comes from all the other intricate details woven into the fabric of the game. There are numerous costumes you can adorn your citizens with, various missions to complete, and plenty of in-game achievements to collect. There’s even a tiny little social network you can check called BitBook, which will give you an idea of your bitizens feelings in regards to things taking place in the tower. Should you choose, you have the power to rename all the apartments and stores to whatever you please. All in all, it gives you a true sense of community inside your tower and gives you the drive to make it as successful as possible.

The Frustrating Stuff:

The frustrations with Tiny Tower are rather… tiny. The most obnoxious quirk is also its greatest asset – the long time spent waiting for things to happen. It does give you the courtesy of setting many things to process and then leaving to take care of other things in real life, however as you get into the later levels of the game, the wait times are almost too much. Around just level 50, you’re looking at about a 24-hour wait for construction of a new floor. That’s an entire day of your life, should you choose not to speed it up with ‘Tower Bux’, one of the in-game currencies. When you have a strong desire to complete something in the game, this extensive wait time can be incredibly frustrating. Still, it’s necessary for the basic mechanics of the game.

There’s also no ability to play offline. At first, this detail may go overlooked, seeing as we’re in a world that’s constantly connected however there are some concerns with a set up like this. The first of which is that no technology is perfect, and occasionally signals are lost and networks go down. This completely bars access to the game, albeit probably not for an extended period of time. There’s also concern for those who are just trying to save precious battery life. Being constantly connected to the internet can put serious strain on your battery, regardless of whether it’s the cellular network or WiFi. Fortunately, Tiny Tower itself uses virtually no battery itself, especially in comparison to any other game on the market which eats your battery alive.

The only other thing that will have you steaming up your screen is the aforementioned search-and-find game with your bitizens. More often than not, the guy or gal you’re looking for has conveniently wandered out of sight on the screen. This is ok when you have just a few floors, as it challenges your memory; however, once you’ve built tons of floors, the expectation that you memorize every single bitizens’ location is entirely absurd. You’ll find yourself having to make multiple passes up and down the tower before they walk back. Alternately, you can just start clicking on each floor one by one until you make your way to them.

Bottom Line:

If you haven’t downloaded Tiny Tower yet, you should. It’s an absolute must-have for your phone, and the best part is it’s completely free! It’s a masterpiece and sits right up there as one of the best games to ever grace the portable platform. The addictive gameplay will constantly have you coming back for more, and seeing as you can’t really ‘win’ Tiny Tower, the sky is the limit!

Tiny Tower for Android

Tiny Towerfor iPhone

Anthony Ortale writes news and reviews on behalf of Examiner.com. He does so much gaming in his spare time, it’s practically a full time job! If you like what you read here, please subscribe to his articles! You can also follow Tony on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook! If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email Tony any time at ortale.anthony@gmail.com, he would love to hear from you!