Rally Master Pro 3D Video Review

Watch the Rally Master Pro 3D review, by Fishlabs, video review here on YouTube.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Controls- 5/5

Gameplay- 3.5/5

Replay Value- 4/5

Overall- 7/10

Pros:

Excellent graphics

Fantastic Controls

First Rally Racing Game

Cons:

Lack of online multiplayer

Sometimes the roads are too narrow

Repetitive

Bottom Line: If you're a regular gamer, you'd want to stick to Need for Speed or Asphalt. Even with insane graphics and great controls, the gameplay isn't so great and the game gets repetitive. However if you enjoy Rally Racing games, Rally Master Pro is the way to go (I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!).

Rally Master, $4.99

Skater Nation Video Review

Watch the Skater Nation, by gameloft, video review here on YouTube

Scores:

Graphics: 4/5

Controls- 3.5/5

Gameplay- 5/5

Replay Value- 5/5

Overall- 8/10

Pros:

Beautiful graphics

A lot of replay value.

Cons:

Controls are not always responsive and aren't sensitive enough; takes time to get used to.

Bottom Line: Skater Nation is the best skating game on the app store and has many similarities to the Tony Hawk Series. If your'e looking for a 3D Open World skating game, look no further then Skater Nation.

Skater Nation, $6.99

Winners of the Wheeler's Treasure Contest!

The results are in, and these are the winners of the Wheeler's Treasure contest:

@Alex_Ferrigno

@adriangzz97

@dannyswrld

@wamid

@Ossamu

@unbluk

Congratulations! If you didn't win the app, you can always purchase it, since it's definitely worth its current price of just $.99!!

Link: Wheeler's Treasure, $.99

Win One of SIX Free Copies of Wheeler's Treasure!

We have received 6 codes for Wheeler's Treasure, courtesy of Two Lives Left Ltd., to give away to our lucky readers. (You guys!) Read on for our review of Wheeler's Treasure, and how to win yourself a free copy!

In Wheeler's Treasure, $1.99, you are a female pirate who must survive in a wheel spinning through a landscape, for as many "yarrds" as you can. There are pools of lava and acid, holes in the ground, and skeletons to harm you. There are cannon balls and bombs which can create holes in your wheel, which you can patch up with coins you earn along the way. Once you reach certain distances, you will find special items you can equip. These include a hook that allows you to grapple onto the wheel, portable healing water, and a stopwatch that can slow down time.

There are a few modes in the game. The main is adventure mode, where you try to get as far as possible. There is also a Rush mode, where you have to get to 300 yarrds with tons of enemies and pits. Wheeler's Treasure is OpenFeint enabled, so you can compete to get a higher score than your friends, or anyone else in the world. This means there's also various achievements, involving distance traveled, items unlocked, and more.

To control your female pirate, swipe in the direction you want her to move. If you swipe into the air, she jumps. At the end of the tutorial you unlock double-jump boots, and eventually you can unlock triple-jump boots. You also have the option for inverse swiping. Along with this option, there are tons of others, including to reverse the direction of the wheel's spin (I use this heavily, it's uncomfortable to go from right to left). However, there isn't the much-needed option to play as a male pirate.

This game has the "Doodle Jump Effect." Basically, this means, you feel the need to keep trying over and over again, just to beat your high score. Additionally, you can unlock scenes, which are 3D buildings you pass. All of these additions make the game extremely fun.

Pros:

Fluid Graphics

Extremely Addictive

Unlockable Items

OpenFeint (With a cool, skinned bottom bar)

Cons:

No Male Pirates

Bottom Line:

Wheeler's Treasure is highly recommended, and you might want to buy the game before the contest ends, just so you can play and enjoy the game early.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Sound/Music: 4.5/5

Replay Value: 5/5

Overall: 9.75/10 (not an average)

Link:

Wheeler's Treasure, $1.99

There are two easy ways to enter the contest.

1. Comment on this post saying one of the items that was added in this update. (Can be found on the iTunes Description on a computer) Along with the item, post either your Twitter account or email address, so we can contact you if you win.

2. Make sure you are following @zamzarvideo on Twitter, and ReTweet the following phrase (try not to use the built in RT API): "RT and Follow @zamzarvideo to win any of SIX promo codes for Wheeler's Treasure! To see details and a review, visit: http://rfly.me/whtrpc"

Full Contest Rules:

1. You must have a US iTunes account to redeem the codes. If you do not, you can still win, but make sure you have a plan with what to do with the code, within the iTunes User Agreement. (Basically, don't sell the codes, however, you may trade them on popular forums for other promo codes.)

2. You are only allowed the specified amount of entries per person, however you may tweet about the contest extra times to spread the word. :) Entries with multiple Twitter or email accounts is not permitted.

3. The contest will end on Sunday, December 13th, at 11:59 PM PST. The winners will be announced and the codes will be sent out shortly after. If in your time zone, it is already December 8th, but not yet the deadline, you may use your entries for that day.

Earthworm Jim Review

Earthworm Jim, a platforming video game from 1994, was wildly popular. While it hasn't received the success of Mario, it is known as a difficult platformer that provides hours of entertainment. I've never played the 1994 version, but I got a chance to try a re-vamped version of the game, developed by Gameloft, and released for the iPhone a few weeks ago.

In Earthworm Jim, $4.99, you control a worm named Jim, who has a suit which gives him special abilities. You can jump, shoot a gun, and use yourself as a whip. The evil Psy-crow has stolen Princess What's-Her-Name (Yes, that is her name), and you must go through 16 levels in 10 different environments to save her. There are 12 types of enemies, and 9 bosses, which provide variety in the game. The graphics are exponentially improved from the 1994 version.

There are two ways to control Earthworm Jim. The first is analog stick, which allows you to move Earthworm Jim around by using an analog stick similar to the ones in Gangstar, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, and other Gameloft titles. The second format is a virtual D-Pad, similar to the one in Castle of Magic. In certain levels of the game, you use tilt controls to avoid incoming asteroids. From my experience, the D-Pad is the easiest to use, since it's annoying to have to drag in a direction on the analog stick. Players of the original game have said that the controls aren't precise enough, but they're fine for me.

The variety of Earthworm Jim is amazing. One level, you're battling a snowman in a hellish setting, the next, you're in underwater pipes chomping through enemies while riding on a hamster. There's even a boss level where you're Earthworm Jim, but you're helpless because you don't have your suit. The controls change based on the context of the game, and that's what makes it a perfect match for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The best, and worst part of the game is the difficulty. Earthworm Jim is ridiculously difficult, but not so difficult that hardcore gamers can't even beat one level. This lengthens the play time, since you usually have to try parts of the level over and over to figure out how to beat a section. This doesn't get tedious unless you just can't get your lasso to one hook, climb up one wall, etc. However, if you are a casual gamer, you might get frustrated easily.

Pros:

Great Re-Vamped Graphics

Precise Controls

Lots of Variety

High Difficulty

Cons:

Frustrating

Bottom Line:

If you're a hardcore gamer who loves platformers, Earthworm Jim is for you. However, the sheer difficulty of the game might deter the majority of iPhone and iPod Touch users.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 4/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Sound/Music: 4/5

Replay Value: 3/5

Overall: 8/10 (not an average)

Link:

Earthworm Jim, $4.99

If You Like Earthworm Jim, You May Also Enjoy:

Castle of Magic, $.99, Bounce On, $3.99

Ravensword: The Fallen King Video

The Ravensword: The Fallen King Review can be viewed here on youtube.

Scores:

Graphics- 4/5
Controls- 4/5
Gameplay- 5/5
Replay Value- 5/5
Sounds- 5/5

Overall- 9/10

Pros:

Lengthly gameplay
Open world 3D environment
Excellent Gameplay
Multiplayer/Expansion packs coming in the future

Cons:

Controls take some time to master
Graphics are excellent, but they definitely have some room for imrovement

Bottom Line: If you're looking for an open world 3D RPG for your iDevice, look no further then Ravensword. This high graphical RPG will provide you many hours of gameplay. Check it out.

Ravensword: The Fallen King, $6.99

Coming Soon: Mission: Deep Sea, Published by Chillingo

An intriguing upcoming title, Mission: Deep Sea, is coming the the App Store. In it, you play as a sea turtle underwater, and unearth a mystery throughout the course of a few "episodes." One of the most interesting parts is that you control by pinching. If you use an outwards pinch, you are propelled forward through the water. However, you're only controlling the turtle, the in-depth storyline is quoted here:

The use of animals for military purposes is as old as the history of war. Mankind has used animals for transportation, communication,
offense and defense purposes. The use of animals during wars however, has extreme cases like guided missile pigeons, killer dolphins and fire-starter monkeys. During 1950s and 60s, the golden age of parapsychology, the CIA conducted experiments on animals. During these researches of telepathic methods, the experiments to command animals with electromagnetic waves through implanted electrodes
were also conducted. Fortunately, direct usage of animals in wars is, now prohibited by animal rights.

Mission: Deep Sea takes place in the near future, where a neural-chip that enables the humans, command and feel the nervous system of primitive animals. In 2015, Snapstronics Incorporation’s n-chip, succeeds on reptiles due to their primitive brain structure. This provides a way to benefit from the perks of these, otherwise wild animals. The fitted n-chips, transports the nerve commands between partners, without interfering the autonomous systems like breathing and digestion. This way, the human partner with the pairing n-chip, is able to command to the muscular system of the animal, and feel what it feels like his own.

Sea turtles, populated with the help of cloning technology, and no longer being an endangered specie, have been fitted with n-chips, to form
human-turtle partnerships, and these partners started to be tested for various noncombatant tasks like search & rescue and reconnaissance.

In the first episode of Mission: Deep Sea, we get introduced to our partner Buddy, the sea turtle, and practice swimming, during various missions. Later on, during a mission in an ancient sunken city, we find ourselves in a story, where we discover reliefs about sea monsters, and their connections to REMICONN, the underwater research station which was shutdown in 1970s, because of an experiment gone wrong.

The first episode of the series, do not have too many levels, but because of scoring against the time, and global high score tables, the high score challenge will keep you in these underwater race tracks. An empathic connection is built during our time with our partner loggerhead, and with hidden messages throughout the game, an environmental awareness is raised. More importantly, a part of profits from this game is decided to be donated for the protection and conservation of sea turtles around the world.

New Games from This Week

Here are some big titles that came out this week:

A.D.D. - Addictive Dumb Distractions, $2.99:

A.D.D. has been in the approval process for 6 months now, and has finally gotten released. It is a game similar to WarioWare, with random mini-games popping up with little or no instructions.

Rogue Planet, $4.99:

Gameloft's newest title, Rogue Planet, is a turn based strategy game, developed by Agharta Studios. I've played the game hands on for a few minutes, and I have to say the story is very interesting, and the graphics are amazing. This is one of the first games I've played where I actually enjoy watching the cutscenes. More information on Rogue Planet coming soon in a review.

Stair Dismount, $2.99:

Stair Dismount is an interesting game by the creators of Zen Bound, where your goal is to make a dummy fall down various flights of stairs, maximizing damage. The graphics are incredibly good, and you can swipe or pinch to scroll and zoom around the falling dummy. You can take photos of the falling dummy in motion, in strange positions. Sadly, there aren't leaderboards in the first release, but it would be welcome to see who in the world can make the dummy suffer the most.

Other New Games: Cross Fingers, $.99, Battle for Wesnoth, $4.99, Ravensword: The Fallen King, $6.99 (Highly Recommended)

The Game of LIFE Review

The Game of LIFE is one of my favorite board games. The only problem I had with it is that it takes relatively long to play a game. My problems were solved when EA came out with The Game of LIFE for iPhone and iPod Touch. Now, this isn't the only board game by EA I love. They're churning them out, ranging from Monopoly to Boggle.

The Game of LIFE Classic Edition, $4.99, developed by EA, hosts a slew of features. You can play in six different languages, against a computer, or with your friends on the same device. This isn't your typical cell phone Game of LIFE. It's rendered in full 3D, with swiping motions to spin the wheel, views of the car pieces from above, and from behind/front, and fast forward options to skip through the other players' turns. This way, games can take 15 minutes instead of an hour.

The graphics in game are 3D and it makes the game come to life. The board isn't flat, there are hills, lakes, houses, and other different landmarks. The different sections of the map can even be snowing, or have moving water! This would not be possible in the board game, and EA definitely took advantage of the platform.

The game also has "Share the Wealth" cards, which range from cards that allow you to gamble with your money to gain some exponentially, or make opponents pay half of what you owe for landing on a spot.

However, even with all these additions, you won't like the game unless you like the board game. Even fans of the board game might be annoyed by the added features, and the somewhat confusing menu systems that allow you to buy stocks and more. It might not just be the same as holding the real money and pieces in the actual board game.

Pros:

3D Graphics With Elevation

iPhone-esque Swiping and Zooming

It's the Game of LIFE!

Cons:

Slightly Confusing Menus

Some Changes to Gameplay

Bottom Line:

If you really like the Game of LIFE, you should definitely buy the game. It may disappoint some fans, but it sure impressed me.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Controls: 4/5

Sound/Music: 4/5

Replay Value: 5/5

Overall: 8.5/10 (not an average)

Link:

The Game of LIFE, $4.99

If You Like the Game of LIFE, You May Also Enjoy:

Monopoly, $4.99, Boggle, $2.99, CLUE, $2.99, Trivial Pursuit, $4.99, Monopoly: Here and Now: The World Edition, $4.99

Asphalt 5 Review

TouchReview's first video review. Exciting, isn't it!? :).. While there are some minor flaws/errors, the review can help you decide whether or not to purchase Asphalt 5 by Gameloft.

Asphalt 5 Video Review

Pros:

Online Multiplayer
Unbeatable Graphics
Excellent Controls

Cons

Cop Chase mode is difficult

Scores:

Graphics- 5/5
Replay Value 5/5
Sound 5/5
Gameplay- 4/5
Controls- 5/5

Overall- 10/10

Asphalt 5, $6.99

Toy Bot Diaries Compiliation Review

The Toy Bot Diaries series is one of the most famous in the App Store. Recently, IUGO released a combination of the three games in one, which is an amazing deal for your money.

Toy Bot Diaries Compiliation, $3.99, by IUGO Mobile Entertainment Inc., is a physics based platformer where you are a small toy originating in a vending machine, and you must save your king, then eventually the world. There are three "Entries," each lasting an hour or so, if you don't try to collect the hidden phones scattered throughout the levels. At the end of each entry is a boss battle, with unique gameplay elements. The first entry is inside the vending machine and sewers, the second is out in the open world, and the third is in space, with some sections of zero gravity.

The controls are simple. Tilt to move, and touch on an area to grapple there, if it is a certain type of metal. You can also tap and hold to activate magnet boots, which stick to an object or wall. This allows for complex puzzles involving magnets, grappling, pushing objects, and other elements. Sometimes you even have to carry an object with your magnet boots to a different portion of the level to unlock a door.

The graphics are cartoony, and perfect for the game. When doing different actions, Toy Bot makes different facial expressions, which makes him seem very real. All the items and enemies are different from eachother, and almost each level you can see something new in the game.

Some of the levels aren't entirely linear, and it's sometimes hard to find your way around them, especially in the second entry. Some of the levels in the third game introduce "security camera" sections, where you are viewing your character on a monitor, and can press switches to clear your path to the exit. If you are interested in those types of games, IUGO has another game called Toy Bot Mini Missions, with multiple characters.

The music of the game, along with the sound effects, make you feel like you're in a vending machine, or space, or in a sewer. It's very well done, though the noise you hear when Toy Bot grapples can get annoying once you've heard it over and over, and over. (And over)

Pros:

Perfectly Fitting Graphics

Cheap for the Amount of Content

Almost Spot-On Controls

Cons:

Somewhat Repetitive Sound Effects

Levels Can Get Confusing

Bottom Line:

The cute graphics, storyline, and good controls featured in Toy Bot overcome its shortcomings by a long shot.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Sound/Music: 4/5

Replay Value: 3/5

Overall: 8.75/10 (not an average)

Link:

Toy Bot Diaries Compiliation, $3.99

If You Like Toy Bot Diaries, You May Also Enjoy:

Toy Bot Mini Missions, $3.99, Spy Bot Chronicles, $3.99, Bounce On, $3.99, Rolando 2, $4.99

This picture may look familiar to you. It's the Nazi Zombies level in Call of Duty: World at War. However, this may not.

It's the official iPhone port of the game, Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies. It features this one level, plus worldwide or local online multiplayer. It's $9.99, which is relatively steep for one map, but first impressions have been great, saying the online multiplayer is incredibly fun, and the controls are good. The graphics are supposedly better than Modern Combat: Sandstorm, by Gameloft. There will also be in-app purchases with new maps, soon. With the release of this, we may see premium, top tier games on the iPhone, and hopefully even a full-fledged port of Modern Warfare 2 (with lower level graphics of course) for $19.99 or $29.99. Would you buy that? Comment with your opinion.

Link:

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies, $9.99

2D Gravity Based Platformer Round Up! Gomi Vs. Soosiz!

It's not that often that you get two games, each with unique ideas, developed and published independently by two different entities, released in the same time frame, and happen to be very similar. Well, that's exactly what happened with the releases of Gomi and Soosiz. (Pronounced "Sue-sihz" I believe)

Gomi, $2.99, developed by the creator of the popular free game, Trace, is focused on leading different colored gelatinous blobs slowly through 8 worlds, collecting trash to make the world clean. You move around planetoids by tilting, and the gravity allows you to spin upside down, and every which way. (Similar to Super Mario Galaxy, but 2D) The graphics are hand drawn, and some think it adds charm to the game, while others think it makes the game look unprofessional and child-like. There are also special abilities which you can activate by tapping your Gomi, and you gain one for every world you beat. You can customize the shape, color, and ability of your Gomi to fit your playing style more. Gomi also features mini-games, all of which could probably be sold for $.99. The gameplay moves very slowly, and is more of a game for fans of strategy, not frantic action.

Pros:

8 Worlds

Good Controls

Relatively Fun

Cons:

Slow Paced

Childish Graphics

Soosiz, $2.99, by Touch Foo, is a game similar to Gomi, but you control your character, "Soosiz," throughout 8 worlds by using on-screen buttons, while trying to find mini versions of yourself. Soosiz is very fast paced, and involves puzzles with different buttons, spinning wheels of spikes, and more. It feels more like Mario than Gomi, and I actually find the game more entertaining than Mario. It feels even more like Mario because the controls are spot-on and incredibly precise. The graphics are clean, cartoonish, and perfect for the game. Small details, such as a scuba mask in the underwater world and a helmet in the space world add a lot to the polish of the game. There are power-ups in the form of Mini-Soosizes, which can make you faster (and gain more momentum for jumps), jump higher, or gain lives. Also, if you get 100 coins, you can activate invicibility.

Pros:

8 Worlds

Incredibly Fun

Perfect Controls

Cons:

Some Difficult Levels

Basically, if you want the slow, Katamari type game, choose Gomi. If you want the fast paced, Mario action game, choose Soosiz. Both are easily worth your money.

Scores:

Links:

Gomi, $2.99

Soosiz, $2.99

James Cameron's Avatar- Releasing on Dec. 15th for the App Store- First Video from Gameloft!

Avatar, the upcoming game based on the movie, developed by Gameloft, has just had the first gameplay video be released. The game takes place before the movie, with the main characters being Avatars, human-alien hybrids created to move the Na'vi, an alien race on the planet Pandora, out of valuable forests. In the iPhone game, you are one of the Na'vi, and fight back against the Avatars (and humans). The first video of the game was just released, on Gameloft's YouTube channel. As you can see from the video, the game features a similar engine to Gameloft's other games, and a view close to the Dungeon Hunter camera angle, but closer up. It features the same virtual analog stick as many of Gameloft's games, but of course with a new futuristic alien skin.

Since Gameloft chose not to allow the video to be embedded, the link to the gameplay video is below:

Avatar iPhone/iPod Touch Gameplay Video

In the video description, it also announces that the game will be released on December 15th, a few days before the movie.

Cliffed, Zombie Attack Second Wave, and Implode Released by IUGO!

Over the past few days, three new games by IUGO Mobile Entertainment have been released. The games are:

Cliffed, $1.99- Cliffed is a multiplayer centered game where your goal is to fall through holes in cliffs, using one of 12 characters, over 3G, EDGE, or WiFi. It includes IUGO's new VIP system to unlock the characters faster.

Zombie Attack! Second Wave, $3.99- The sequel to the popular tower defense game is here. You are a survivor of a zombie apocalypse, who must kill zombies using 7 different towers, on 4 different maps. The unique twist in this tower defense game is that you actually control the survivor while he plants the towers. Zombie Attack 2 also uses the VIP program, which allows you to unlock different "skins" for your survivor.

Implode!, $1.99- Implode is a demolition game, where you place dynamite in chalkboard themed structures, to make them collapse. There are two types of bombs, and three difficulties. The VIP program allows you to unlock a cheat that allows you to never lose. (but high scores are disabled.

The users' responses for the games are positive, but we'll have our say on the games soon.

Jelly Car 2- Now Published By Disney- is Out!

Jelly Car 2, the sequel to the wildly popular Jelly Car, is now available for the price of $.99. In the first, created by Walaber, you are a car made of a squishy material, in a world, also made of squishy material. You must progress and get to the goal. You could tap on your car to make it larger, and press left or right on the screen to move in that direction. Also tilt to adjust the weight pressured on your car. In the second, published by Disney, it seems that the grow power-up was replaced by balloon and "walking on walls" power-ups. There are also three new modes, including a level editor, car customization screen, and more. Based on the fact that the two games are published by Walaber and Disney, it's probable that Disney bought the rights to Jelly Car and hired the developers to create the sequel.

Here's the full list of features:

****************ALL NEW MODES!****************

CUSTOM MODE:
________________

• Create your own puzzles with the Custom Level Editor. Choose ramps, wheels, levers and more from over 40 items.
• Customize your JellyCar! Choose from multiple body styles and color combinations.

JELLY FACTORY:
________________

• Where does all this squishy goodness come from? The Jelly Factory, of course! In this puzzle game your goal is to guide the falling parts into matching chutes. Tap the levers to open different pathways to guide each part down the conveyor belts.

LONG JUMP:
____________

• You’re going for distance, so go for speed! Watch out for objects that can slow you down, and look for objects that can help give you a boost!

*************ALL NEW JELLY ABILITIES!*************

• Sticky Wheels: Activate Sticky Wheels and drive up walls!
• Balloon Ability: Activate Balloon Ability and float out of trouble!

Since its release less than 24 hours ago, Jelly Car 2 has risen to the #10 paid app spot, and is rising fast. From what the user reviews say, it seems that it's just as good as the first, if not better.

Links:

Jelly Car 2, $.99

Jelly Car, FREE

Asphalt 5 by Gameloft is Released!

Asphalt 5, a Burnout style racer by Gameloft was released yesterday for $6.99. It's the sequel to the popular Asphalt 4: Elite Racing, and I must say it improves every single aspect of the game. I've had some time to play the game, and I can already tell you, it doesn't disappoint.

THERE’S A DREAM CAR FOR YOU
Take a ride in over 30 of the fastest, most prestigious cars you’ve ever dreamed, from manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi and Ducati.

THE WORLD IS YOUR RACETRACK
Highly polished HD graphics let you see every detail and animation of the track as you speed over snow, mud, dirt and more in 12 beautiful locations around the world including St. Tropez, Aspen and Las Vegas. Discover hidden shortcuts and jump off ramps!

NEW WAYS TO PLAY
Challenge yourself to 8 different racing events including Drift Contest, Cop Chase, Time Attack, Duel Mode, Last Man Standing and Escape.

RIDE WITH THE PACK
Six-player Bluetooth and Online Multiplayer lets you compete against friends and anyone around the world in tournaments and join the Asphalt Academy on asphalt-5.com. Speed your way to the top of the online leaderboard!

THE SOUND OF SPEED
Tune your car radio to play your favorite songs stored on your iPhone/iPod touch during the race and let the music move you.

Link: Asphalt 5, $6.99

Derek Jeter: Real Baseball Review

Derek Jeter: Real Baseball is an impressive game by Gameloft that gives the full experience of baseball on your iPhone/iPod Touch. However, don’t purchase this title thinking you’ll be playing with the Mets or Yankees. Derek Jeter: Real Baseball has nothing to do with Derek Jeter or ‘real’ baseball. Even though it has fake teams, the game is still extremely amusing. Gameloft uses graphics and the excellent gameplay to compensate for what they are missing; legit teams/players.

Real Baseball, by Gameloft, offers two stadiums, and a variety of unauthentic teams. You can play from Rookie all the way to Legend. Several game modes are featured in Derek Jeter: Real Baseball. These include “Season Mode,” where you play 162 games, “Playoffs,” and “Home Run Contest,” where you see how many home runs you can hit. A Trophy Room is also available to view all the trophies you’ve earned (Hitter of the Year, Playoff Champion, etc.) These are just like achievements.

Controlling your character in Derek Jeter: Real Baseball is pretty simple. When batting, you have to options to hit the ball. You can simply hit the ball, once you have proper timing, or you can use the special slider to hit the ball. The slider is located on the right of the screen and you drag the icon down once ready and slide it back up when you choose to swing the bat. You can also steal bases and choose where you want your character to be (first base, home, etc.) When you are pitching, you first aim the ball (make sure it’s in the box, unless you want a “ball.”) Then you choose your pitch type (cutter, fastball, etc.) And then you’re good to go. You can tap a base on the mini map depending on where you want the ball to go. That’s controls in Derek Jeter: Real Baseball.

Graphics are fairly impressive in Real Baseball. They are some of the best the iPhone has to offer, when it comes to baseball games. The detail really blows me away. However, there definitely is room for improvement. I’m not asking for PS3 MLB 09’ graphics on an HD TV. But, the graphics aren’t at it’s best; they are the best for a baseball game though, just not best in general. It would be nice to see better graphics. The stadiums and the crowds don’t have much detail into it.

Therefore, Derek Jeter: Real Baseball isn’t so realistic, however, it is a very fun game. The gameplay is great and the game is just fun, in general. It would be nice to see authentic teams such as the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox, or even more stadiums. But Gameloft compensates for this by adding nice graphics and bringing a full baseball experience to iPhone.

Pros:

Decent graphics

Full baseball experience

Excellent gameplay

Game modes

Cons:

Unrealistic teams/stadiums

Poor commentary

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a baseball game that gives you full experience, Derek Jeter: Real Baseball is definitely the way to go. Without real teams or stadiums, the graphics, low price, and gameplay definitely add a lot of entertainment to this app.

Ratings:

Graphics: 4/5

Gameplay: 4.75/5

Controls: 5/5

Sound: 3/5

Replay Value: 3/5

Overall: 7/10 (not an average)

Derek Jeter: Real Baseball, $.99

Shrek Kart™ Review

Previously on TouchReviews.TK, we had a kart racer round up. Of the three, Cocoto Kart was the winner. But now, we have a new contender. While it may not be the best, it sure is one of the most polished and fun-to-play kart racers out there. It is: Shrek Kart™.

Shrek Kart™, $4.99, is an officially licensed Shrek kart racing game, developed and published by Gameloft. It boasts great 3D graphics, tons of power-ups, 11 characters, 15 tracks (including 3 battle mode tracks), 4 single player modes, and Local WiFi/Bluetooth multiplayer. All the items fit the theme of the movie(s), and the characters will be familiar, such as Shrek, Fiona, the Baby Ogres, and the Ghost of Lord Farquaad. The tracks include The Swamp, Far Far Away, and various other environments such as fire/lava, beach, or countryside. However, there are really only 8 true race tracks, because there are 4 "revisited" tracks which make you play through the track backwards. While this does feel like a new track, it still has the same environment and wouldn't be as exciting as getting to play in a new environment.

You can control the game using either tilt or touch control, touch allowing you to tap the sides of the screen to turn your kart. You can press the brake button(s) to slow down and eventually go into reverse, or quickly turn sideways while pressing it down to drift, then get a boost. The tilt controls aren't sensitive enough, and your kart is so big on the screen that it's sometimes hard to see where you're going. However, drifting with tilt controls is easy. If you use touch controls, it's easy to turn, but it's slightly awkward to drift.

The file size of the game is 105 MB, so it's relatively small for a Gameloft game, which is good if you're tight on storage. I've heard some complaints about frame rate in Shrek Kart on older generation devices, but since I've been playing on a 3rd Generation iPod Touch, I've been experiencing no problems at all. I have gotten a chance to try out the Bluetooth/Local WiFi multiplayer, and it is slightly slower than the regular mode, but still fun. I couldn't get the Bluetooth to connect, but Local WiFi works well. The only downside is that after every match, you have to set up the match again completely, so that means going into multiplayer, choosing your character, and starting the game again.

The battle mode of the game is similar to the version in Mario Kart. You drive around a somewhat circular arena (one of three), and gather power blocks, and try to attack other players. (In the offline mode, computers) You get a thumbs up for each time you hit someone, and a thumbs down for each time you get hit. These get added up at the end (positive for thumbs up, negative for thumbs down) and the winner is shown.

Those are all the features of the game, and now you must be wondering, "but is it fun?" Of course it is! It's probably the most fun kart racer on the iPhone after you get used to it. However, you would soon get frustrated at the fact that if you try to play any cup without finishing all of them with one player, you lose all your progress in it. For that reason, it's much more fun to play time trials than any other game mode.

Pros:

Great Graphics

15 Tracks (but 12 not counting "revisited" levels)

4 Single Player Modes

Local Multiplayer

Cons:

Shaky Controls

No Character Phrases from the Movies

Various Glitches/Bugs

Bottom Line:

Shrek Kart™ is one of the best kart racers out there, but is hindered by lower-than-average controls and progress issues.

Scores:

Graphics: 4.75/5

Gameplay: 4.75/5

Controls: 3/5

Sound: 4/5

Replay Value: 4/5

Overall: 9/10 (not an average)

Link: Shrek Kart, $4.99

If You Like Shrek Kart, You Also Might Enjoy: Cocoto Kart Online, $2.99, Krazy Kart Racing, $2.99, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, $2.99

Eliminate and Touch Pets: Dogs Are Finally Released (in Canada), Both Free!!

EDIT: Eliminate is now out for free WORLDWIDE!

The extremely anticipated titles, Eliminate, and Touch Pets: Dogs, by ngmoco:), have finally arrived in Canada. And they're both FREE. If you don't know what they are, let me catch you up:

• Eliminate is a first person shooter, and you are a robot employee of Arsenal Megacorp, and must test out their weapons, armor, and various other items in any of 5 different arenas. The main game mode is worldwide online multiplayer, and the game is released in Canada first to test out the servers. Since the game is free, ngmoco:) must have a form of income, right? Well, to earn credits online, to buy and upgrade your suits/weapons, you have to have energy at the time. You can buy additional energy for real money, but you don't have to. Your energy recharges a certain amount (Enough for about 8 games) every 240 minutes. (Though the time is not completely decided yet. The in-app purchases for Eliminate cost $1.99, $9.99, and $29.99, which give you high amounts of power cells, which allow you to play online and earn credits. You can also trade in each power cell for 1,000 credits. However, you still have to level up online to buy certain items. You must have a Plus+ account to play the game. (Or you can make one on the spot)
• Touch Pets: Dogs is another free title. It is similar to Nintendogs, and you must adopt and care for a dog, one of seven breeds. (Including a Robot Dog) You can make them become a certain profession, and train them to gain different skills. I have not gotten up to the career portion of the game yet, so I do not know what it is like. It has a system similar to Eliminate, but instead, it limits the time you play with your dog (kind of). You slowly gain "food bowls" over time, or can buy a premium version of the game with a lot of food bowls to start out with. Your progress is transferred to the other versions, because the Plus+ network, which is in both titles, allows it to sync with all of your Touch Pets games. You can also let your dog have "playdates" with your Plus+ friends' dog(s), and even while your dog is "away," you can still play with it!

So, that's the scoop, and hope you enjoy Eliminate and TouchPets: Dogs!

If you're wondering, ngmoco:) anticipates a worldwide release in a few days, since this is essentially just testing.

Links:

Eliminate, FREE (Only in Canada)

Touch Pets: Dogs, FREE (Only in Canada)

Dungeon Hunter Review

Enter a world filled with peculiar and unusual creatures such as zombies, skeletons, and loads of other monsters! You wake up in a strange place. Confused, you take a look around and see a fairy. Only dead people can see fairies. Hm. There’s only one explanation for that! Guide your character through a series of quests in a number of locations and destroy anything that comes in your path! Dungeon Hunter, one of the greatest RPG’s on iPhone!

Dungeon Hunter can be pretty much described in one word: ‘Diablo.’ Like 80% of Gameloft’s titles, Dungeon Hunter is based off another hit game. This RPG hack n’ slash game is phenomenal. There are hundreds of customization options for your character. Starting the game for the first time, you can choose from three different classes; “Warrior,” “Rogue,” and “Mage.” Warrior’s skill is strength. The class Rogue’s skill is dexterity. Finally, energy is Mage’s skill. A fairy is by your side to assist you on your task. She has special powers used to defeat enemies. Along with your fairy, you are given a weapon (daggers, swords, knifes, etc.) to destroy the creatures with. So many different armor and weapons are available to use. These items can also be sold for gold and you can use gold to purchase other items with the merchant.

Gameloft allows you to use one of two control methods. The first is the typical Gameloft style; joystick on the left and action buttons on the right. The joystick is to control your character’s movement (obviously.) There are three action buttons on the right. The one on the bottom is used to swing your weapon at an opponent. The middle one is to use your special. The uppermost button is to use your selected fairy’s power. There are five fairies each having their own unique power (you have to discover a fairy during different quests.) The second option is to tap the part of the screen you want your character to go and you are still given the three action buttons on the right. I tend to use the first control option when I am playing because it feels better then just tapping the screen; it feels as if you have more control over your character. However, something that really bothers me is the fact that the joystick can get unresponsive sometimes. Hopefully, Gameloft will address this issue in a future update.

To access your skills menu and view your character’s information, you select the button on the top left. Here, you can see what level you are on, your class, how many experience point you have, and your remaining points. Each time you level up (to level up you have to reach a certain number of experience points) you gain 2 points to increase your character’s skills. You can improve his Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Energy. Statistics are also available to look at. All the items you’ve collected can also be seen here. You can select the types of weapons or armor you want your character to have. Everything from your head to your foot can be customized. There is a number of “Special” you can choose from and each special can be leveled up. Your specials can be changed in-game by dragging the action button from left to right. Lastly, in this menu, if you are lost or are unaware of what you are doing, you can see what quest needs to be completed.

Graphics in Dungeon Hunter are astonishing. What Gameloft has accomplished is really pushing the limit. I’m astonished the iPhone can handle so many objects on a screen with gorgeous graphics. The game has no bugs or lags, playing on a 1^st generation iPod Touch.

Pros:

Consists of all RPG Elements

Excellent gameplay with interesting story

Lengthily game

Tons of items you can pick up

Detailed upgrades

Cons:

Unresponsive controls (at times.)

Bottom Line:

This deep RPG contains all the elements a hardcore RPG gamer is looking for. With a lot of replay value (3 classes to play with), several upgrades, and an interesting story, Dungeon Hunter is a must buy.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Controls: 4/5

Replay Value: 4/5

Overall: 10/10 (not an average)

Link: Dungeon Hunter, $6.99

Win Rocket Monkey For Free!! 3 Promo Codes to Give Away!

We have received 3 codes for Rocket Monkey, courtesy of "people operating technology," to give away to our lucky readers. (You!) Read on for the mini-review and how to enter...

Rocket Monkey, $.99, is a game where you guide a monkey through space, in between two groups of rocks. Asteroids are all over the area, and you have to avoid them while moving forward. If you hit them or the top and bottom of the screen, you lose. To go up, press and hold on the screen, and to go down, wait for the monkey to drop. The controls are implemented well, and are very easy to use. As you get further in the asteroid belt, the asteroids start moving up and down, and appear more frequently. Once you get really far in, it becomes a frenzy and you finally crash. However, the game is so addictive that you just want to keep playing it over and over. (Also the fact that there's a contest going on, but I'll talk about that later.) The graphics in the game are incredibly good, everything is animated in 3D, and the framerate is great. A few things that could be added in updates are speed boosts, different obstacles, checkpoints every 1000 points, and different game modes, such as one where you have to avoid asteroids and collect fuel.

Once you lose a game, the fun isn't over. You can submit your score online, and compare it with your friends and everyone in the world with Open Feint. There are also achievements that can be unlocked, some based on distance in one game, and pure skill, and others for total distance if you aren't amazing at the game. Now, this increases the replay value dramatically, but the contest going on currently gives you even more motivation to keep playing. The goal of the contest, originally posted here, is to be the first person to get a score of 5000. The prize: A $200 iTunes Gift Card! This promo code giveaway probably won't be over by then, so if you want a chance, buy the game and keep playing. However, my current top score is only 2032 (Try to beat me on Open Feint, I'm ZamZar), so I'm not sure if someone will even get to 5000 by the time the promo codes get sent out.

Overall: 9/10

Link: Rocket Monkey, $.99

Now, back to the contest. There are two ways you can enter:

1. Comment on this post saying the gaming network Rocket Monkey uses for Achievements and Leaderboards. (Hint: Check the iTunes Description or the Mini-Review above for the answer) Also post either your Twitter account or your email address so we can contact you if you win.

2. Make sure you are following @TouchReviewsTK on Twitter, and ReTweet the following phrase: "RT and Follow @TouchReviewsTK to win one of three FREE PROMO CODES for Rocket Monkey! To see more details visit: http://rfly.me/rmpcc" You can ReTweet this message 5 times a day for extra entries!

Full Contest Rules:

1. You must have a US iTunes account to redeem the codes. If you do not, you can do whatever you want with the code that is within iTunes' User Agreement.

2. Only the specified amount of entries per person. Entering with multiple Twitter or email accounts is not allowed.

3. The contest will end on Tuesday, October 20th, at 11:59 PM PST. If in your time zone it is October 21st, you may enter the extra times for that day.

That's it, and good luck winning the promo codes!

Tweetie 2- Vastly Improved Twitter Client- Now Available!

There are lots of Twitter clients available on the App Store, including my personal favorite, Tweetie. A few days ago, its sequel was released, Tweetie 2, and has skyrocketed to the #2 Paid App position in the US. It has a completely new interface, and is ultra-fast. It has tons of new features, including Geo-Location, threaded Direct Messages, and mass follow/unfollow. There is now no reason not to get Tweetie 2!

Link: Tweetie 2, $2.99

Shrek Kart by Gameloft is Out!

Shrek Kart, a great looking kart racing game by Gameloft, has just been released for $4.99! Features include:

• 4 SINGLEPLAYER MODES: Single Race, Tournament, Challenges and Arena modes
• LOCAL MULTIPLAYER MODE: Challenge your friends to eat your dust via Wi-Fi (with up to 6 players) and Bluetooth (2 players)!
• MILES OF RACING FUN with 19 cups in the Tournament mode and 72 challenges to face!
• 10 UNIQUE KARTS: Each character has custom built his or her own vehicle, each with a special ability and different characteristics.
• 11 DEFENSIVE & OFFENSIVE POWER-UPS: Drop the Cow That Jumped Over the Moon on an opponent or shoo away those Angry Bees by wiping off the screen with your finger!
• 15 TRACKS (12 Speedways & 3 Arenas): Beautiful 3D environments from throughout the Kingdom, from Shrek’s home in The Swamp to the palm-lined streets of Far Far Away.
• MORE THAN 10 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS: Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Ogre Triplets, Puss In Boots, Gingy, 3 Little Pigs, Pinocchio, Big Bad Wolf and the Ghost of Lord Farquaad!
• iPod LIBRARY ACCESS: Rock out to your own personal soundtrack while you speed towards the Finish Line! (Works with the OS 3.0 software update.)

Link: Shrek Kart, $4.99

Rally Master Pro Preview

Rally Master Pro is an upcoming highly-aniticpated game by FishLabs which was first previewed some time ago. It has extremely high graphics, as Touch Arcade recieved a BETA build of the title on iPhone...



It's said to include approximately 27 action-packed tracks, weather toggles for sun, rain and snow and controls with touch and tilt movement. This title has recieved high ratings for regular mobile devices, and to bring it to the iPhone will make it even better, I can assure you.

Here are some extra screens:







Here's from Fishlabs:

Depending on the track surface and weather, a variety of dust, spray, and even dirt particles will be generated for each individual tire. The various kinds of particles act quite differently. On dry, dusty tracks the car leaves a massive cloud of dust while racing through a forest on a rainy day you can literrally see the mud flying.
….
Thanks to the high-powered 3D chips (OpenGL graphics acceleration) in the iPhone, we can light the vehicle in a variety of ways, depending on the weather: with lots of light and shadows when it’s sunny, diffuse when the sky is overcast, and correspondingly dim in rain and storm.

This game is expected this Autumn.