No fun games

 I haven't found any really exciting new games to review or comment on, I've been looking, I think I've tried nearly twenty over the past week, but all to no avail. I thought that I had found a new running game, but it was too filled with ads. I don't mind an occasional ad, say a banner at the bottom when you first load it, or an occasional suggestion for another game, but when an app throws up two or three windows telling you to download this or that app, I get rid of it.
 I'm trying out a few games that hold promise, but nothing that I'm ready to mention on here just yet.With any luck it'll be just another day or two before I post with a fun game I can suggest.
 Until then, keep playing TempleRun2!

Tiny Tower

Tiny Tower, by NimbleBit in a very fun game. Quite similar to the old SimTower and Toot Tower from day gone by, you build a tower community from the ground up... well from the lobby up.
 Each floor supports one function (food, residential, retail, ect), it's up to you to decide what is going to be built on each floor, if you decide at a later time you want to change it, you can delete the floor (note, I haven't deleted a floor yet, I've only seen the option to do so. I do not know what happens when you delete a floor), you can also repaint any floor you want as often as you want to, which is a very nice option.
 Yo are in charge of filling up the stores (every kind of floor choice works like a store except residential), all you do is select the item to stock, wait until its ready and click on the stock button, assuming you have hired someone to work that store.
 You earn Tower bux when you accomplish certain things, like finding a person or adding a new floor, plus you occasionally earn a tower bux when you completely fill up a store, also certain times when you take a person up in the elevator they will reward you with a tower box.
 You'll also receive VIPs on occasion, you can store up to five VIPs in your lobby until you are ready to use them.
 Tiny Tower does allow you to buy tower bux, but it doesn't force you to, unlike so many 'free' games out there, Tiny Tower makes it easy enough to play completely free, which is one reason I heartily recommend it.

Note: I noticed that early on in the game you'll receive more Vips than you can use, while later on they will be few and far between. 

 Have you played Tiny Tower? What are your thoughts on it?

Apologies

I apologize for not posting in a more timely manor. Do to an injury I have been unable to comfortably type until yesterday. I will be writing at least two posts on Saturday.

Tetris on an iPad!

Finally! Finally there is a free Tetris game for iOS! Tetris Blitz is a fun take on Tetris, obviously challenged by touch, the designers have managed to find a way to keep it fun and yet easy to play.
 I've always loved playing Tetris on a computer, but now that I've got it on my iPad, I'm having a hard time playing all the games I want to.
 In Tetris Blitz you choose where you want the block that's falling by simply touching one of the spots that has an outline of the shape, there is an options to change the spots, which comes in handy. It's hard to properly describe this game in words, as the say, a picture is worth a thousand words... this game is equal to several thousand words. While this isn't quite as strategically thinking of a version, it's probably the best that can be done with touch.
 I heartily recommend this game for anyone who has wanted Tetris on an iOS device.

Suggestions for Temple Run2 or a new game

I really love Temple Run and Temple Run2, but there are two ideas I have for improvements. While I doubt that the developers of those games would ever read my blog, I'm still going to detail my two ideas just in case.
 I would love to see a whole game centered in the mine cart of Temple Run2. That is one part of the game that I love more than any other... if I die right before I reach the mine or while I'm in it, I'll use the 'Save Me' option if I have gems. That's really the only time I use that option.
I can easily see a whole game centered around that mine, there are many things that could be added to round it out, say, oh a cave in happening as you go down the tunnel, or perhaps some traps like poisoned darts. They could even go the Indiana Jones route and have a number of boulders rolling after you.
 The other idea I have, which maybe could be added to Temple Run2 (since they did just update it a week or so ago), would be a spot in the forest where there is a log swinging back and forth. I don't think that would be hard to add and I'd really enjoy it.
 Thanks for reading, and if you are the person in charge of developing games like Temple Run, feel free to use my ideas and improve on them. I'd love to hear what you think of my ideas.

One Epic Knight review

To finish out this week of Endless Running Games reviews, I offer you Simutronics' One epic Knight.
 This is an amazingly fun game, it's quite different from most of the other game I've reviewed this week.
 This game doesn't pay any attention to if you tilt your iPad, which can be hard to get used to if you've played a lot of Temple Run and other games where you move your character by tilting your device. But once you get used to it, One Epic Knight is quite fun. You swipe right or left to move your knight from side to side, you get to run between traps, slide under other traps and jump over collapsed areas of the floor.
 One thing that I've had happen to me all too often was that I'd jump over a pit when I didn't have too. Certain areas are higher or lower than the level you're on, which can make it tricky to keep going.
 All in all, I enjoyed this game as much as Temple Run.This game will remain on my iPad for the foreseeable future.
 Thanks for reading!

Temple run2 review update

Just download the update to temple run to try it out and it has some amazing new features. New obstacles make it very fun, I enjoyed the new features. I was amazed with all the different sawblade like obstacles in an update.

 In my mind this is just boosted temple run to up over the original temple run on my list of approved games. Temple run2 is giving the original temple run a... run for it's money so to speak. 

Warrior Run

 Since I didn't manage to post yesterday, I'm posting a second review tonight.
 Warrior Run is an interesting game. It's more of a cross between an old side scrolling game and an endless running game, as you get three lives.
 You take the warrior and jump from one floating isle to the next all while avoiding enemiy archers and dragons. It's easy to miss judge when to jump as the isles are several diferant sizes. If you run into an archer or a dragon you lose a life.
 It could be a fairly fun game, but I just didn't enjoy it. I can't pin down why I didn't enjoy it, maybe it was how the game flowed, it just didn't seem smooth enough, it played fine, the graphics were decent, but it just seemed like something was off. That's just my opinion, however, and I encourage you to consider trying it if you're looking for another game and want something different than most other games out there.
 Please comment if you've played Warrior Run.

Angry Gran Run review

Angry Gran Run is another endless running game.
 You control Angry Gran, who's just escaped from the Angry Asylum, she might have broken out, but it's up to you to help her escape the streets, which can be filled with a wide variety of things, like construction, punks, aliens and dinosaurs to name a few. There are many other obstacles for you to avoid, which makes for plenty of fun.
It's not a bad game, the action is nice, it responds to swipes well, unlike some free games (both endless running and others).
The graphics are decent, it's more cartoonish than, say, Temple Run, but that's part of the allure of the game.
 While not my favorite endless running game, it makes a nice change from Temple Run every now and then.
What's your thoughts on Angry Gran Run?"

Run Sheldon review

 Another endless running game that I've found is Run Sheldon. In Run Sheldon you play Sheldon, a tortoise, in fact the same tortoise from the tortoise and hare story. The hare wants revenge for losing the race. It's not a bad game, you jump by swiping your finger, just as in all the endless running games.

 You collect coin as you run (nothing new in that), which you can use to continue playing (a novel idea) when you run into a rabbit, which happens a lot more than you'd think. There are a few bonuses and power ups like you'd expect, one of which gives you wings.

 The graphics are a bit more cartoonish, I think that it would appeal more to younger children. It's played in landscape instead of portrait mode, which is unique in my experience.

 While I didn't hate the game, it's doubtful that ill keep it on my iPad  much longer.

 I'll have another review tomorrow.

 Let me know if you've played Run Sheldon, I'd like to know what you thought about it.

Thanks for reading!

Review: Temple Run and Temple Run2

 A couple of months ago I discovered Temple Run and my life hasn't been the same since. Everyone reading this blog most likely already has played it, but just in case, here's a quick overview of the plot:
The premise is simple, your an explorer and you steal an idol from a ruined temple, but as soon as you do, you find yourself being chased by the creatures that have guarded it since it was built.  Of course you can run faster than the creatures, unless you trip or stumble, at which time the creatures will catch up, normally they don't kill you on the first stumble, you can leave them in the dust once more, but you will eventually lose, though with the powerups and bonuses, it can take quite a while to lose.
 Temple Run2 is similar, only with improved graphics and more ways to die. When I first downloaded Temple Run2 I didn't play it for over a month, I didn't think it would be able to hold a candle to the original Temple Run, but once I started playing it I was pleasantly surprised, I really enjoyed it, the parts in the mines while riding in an ore cart are amazing! It makes a nice break from the rest of the game. The 'zip lines' are also an interesting addition.
 While these both are in the genre of Endless Running games (which is just another way to say unwinnable), there is a way to (kind of) win! I figured out an easy way never to die, just read the first few words again "take the idol... if you dare!" The answer? Don't take the idol! It's not any fun, but it would keep you alive.
 Tomorrow I'll be delving into another Endless running game, with luck it'll be one you haven't heard of before!
 Feel free to comment, I'd love to hear what other people think about these games.

Coming reviews

Next week I'm focusing on the wonderful Endless Running games, such as Temple run and its ilk. I've got many thoughts about these games, plus one or two that I'll bet you haven't played yet! Or maybe you know of some I don't! Keep an eye on my blog next week, it'll be fun!

Pocket Village review

Created by Wooga, Pocket Village is a fun takeoff of a city building game.
 Set on a small plot of land, the villagers (called Pocketeers) explore and discover new plants, mine minerals and harvest wood and berries (from which they make bubble juice).
 While a fun, Freemium game, there are a few things which annoy me, such as the trader not always wanting what you have (though to be truthful, you can trash an offer and a new one will appear after a while), along with varying how long it can take to harvest resources (a huge tree takes an hour and a half, a huge mineral takes  two hours and a huge berry bush takes two and a half hours). But those things are easy to ignore once you get used to them.
 My only really complaint is that the game requires an Internet connection, not often a problem, but an inconvenience at times.
 You gain a diamond with every level up, which you can proceed to use on improvements in your buildings. You can also buy the diamonds, which is how they make money to put out new games of course.
 All in all, I have to give Pocket Village five stars out of six.

X-Baseball review

X-Baseball is a simple baseball hitting game. The graphics are simple 8bit style, nothing fancy, but the game play is fun!
 You only have three strikes, but if you hit a banana thrown at you, one of the strikes is erased. It's an easy game to play, you just have to tap the screen at the right time. It's a nice time waster, nice to kill some time with; nothing fancy, but well worth playing a few dozen times if not more.
I keep playing it on my iPad quite often.
 Let me know what you think.

Game plan

 My game plan in starting this blog is to talk about a few of the great free game apps available for iOS. I know that there must be other blogs out there with similar goals, but I just wanted to do this myself.
 I'm not sure how often I'll be posting, but I'll try to post at least twice a week.
 I'm only going to review games that I've played for at least an hour, but most likely they will be games I've played for several hours, I play some games way too long! They will also be free games, or Freemium games, as so many seem to be now.
 Please feel free to let me know what you think of my game plan, or if there are any games you'd recommend.
 Thanks for reading this!