99Games Special: Jigsaw Wild

iTunes Link

Jigsaw Wild is a puzzle game by 99Games. $1.99

Jigsaw Wild is a themed jigsaw app. I was quite surprised with the number of puzzles that you got for $1.99, more than 90 puzzles already on the app! I wondered how well a jigsaw game would go on the iPhone and this one delivered I believe. There are a few parts of the game that I would like to tweak but has a good variety of puzzles to complete.

The graphics of the puzzles are pretty good. The puzzles which you must solve are real life photos which are nice and detailed. Solving the puzzle is very smooth, when the right pieces are joined, they click together and can be moved around. One bit that could be worked on is that after selecting a picture to make, there is a section where it freezes and it doesn't allow you to start the photo when you choose.

The sounds in the menu are related to the theme of the app, in this case safari. There isn't much in game music, just little clicking sounds when the puzzle pieces are joined together. I almost had a heart attack when the puzzle shattered at the start! I recommend you have the sound not on full when you play this game ;)

The game is basically getting a puzzle and trying to finish it as fast as possible. With over 90 puzzles to try and beat your time at, it will take a while. To drag puzzle pieces just hold and drag your finger around the screen. The only trouble is when you have a few pieces left sometimes they are hidden behind the puzzle. I would like the already joined pieces to automatically be put in the background to make it easier. You can change your difficulty level by playing with 4 to 24 pieces to put together and rectangular or irregular puzzle pieces.

These games have a large replay factor and will keep you entertained for ages. The amount of puzzles have made the $1.99 worth it. Quite a good game, would be better if the couple of problems mentioned above were fixed. I am sure 99Games will improve the game and add more puzzles so a great buy.

Gameplay- 8/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Aqua Jigsaw

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, Within the hour the rules for the 99GAMES PROMO CODE BONANZA will be released!

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

99Games Special: Aqua Jigsaw

iTunes Link

Aqua Jigsaw is a puzzle game by 99Games. $1.99

Aqua Jigsaw is a themed jigsaw app. I was quite surprised with the number of puzzles that you got for $1.99, more than 75 puzzles already on the app! I wondered how well a jigsaw game would go on the iPhone and this one delivered I believe. There are a few parts of the game that I would like to tweak but has a good variety of puzzles to complete.

The graphics of the puzzles are pretty good. The puzzles which you must solve are real life photos which are nice and detailed. Solving the puzzle is very smooth, when the right pieces are joined, they click together and can be moved around. One bit that could be worked on is that after selecting a picture to make, there is a section where it freezes and it doesn't allow you to start the photo when you choose.

The sounds in the menu are related to the theme of the app, in this case underwater. There isn't much in game music, just little clicking sounds when the puzzle pieces are joined together. I almost had a heart attack when the puzzle shattered at the start! I recommend you have the sound not on full when you play this game ;)

The game is basically getting a puzzle and trying to finish it as fast as possible. With over 75 puzzles to try and beat your time at, it will take a while. To drag puzzle pieces just hold and drag your finger around the screen. The only trouble is when you have a few pieces left sometimes they are hidden behind the puzzle. I would like the already joined pieces to automatically be put in the background to make it easier. You can change your difficulty level by playing with 4 to 24 pieces to put together and rectangular or irregular puzzle pieces.

These games have a large replay factor and will keep you entertained for ages. The amount of puzzles have made the $1.99 worth it. Quite a good game, would be better if the couple of problems mentioned above were fixed. I am sure 99Games will improve the game and add more puzzles so a great buy.

Gameplay- 7/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6/10
Overall- 7/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Jigsaw Wild

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, The next review will be for games by 99Games, After all five are up expect a COMPETITION! Next up is Jigsaw Wild

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

99Games Special: Wordsworth

iTunes Link

Wordsworth is a word making game by 99Games. $1.99

Wordsworth is an addicting game where you must achieve certain point totals by creating words that link together on the grid. Everytime you achieve the required total you move up a level. This game is easy to go and play straight away. When the game finished downloading I automatically went to play the game and got the hang of it straight away.

The graphics are quite simple and expertly done. There is nothing over the top or in your face as it is not needed for a game like this. The game has a slick feel to it with the ease of making words.

There is a nice background music when playing the game. It is easy to listen to and most of the time I can't even notice that there is in game music. Sound effects for the game are used for everything in game and fit the app quite well. A nice option to turn off the background music while keeping the sound effects was recently implemented.

The game is played with letters on hexagonal tiles. Grids of 4x4, 5x5, 6x6 or 7x7 are used in the gameplay. These can be changed in the options. You must make words on the grid bigger than the minimum word length which you can set again the options. Three different game rules are used for any type of person. TWL which are the US rules. SOWPODS are the rules for all other English speaking countries, as they spell words differently (color, colour). ENABLE is the most researched and maintained word list, so both TWL and SOWPODS. When in trouble there are bomb words which are on a timer and will explode if not used in time. You have a chance to having green or gold tiles to come out as they have special multipliers to that letter.

This is a game for anyone. The addictive gameplay will keep you coming back for more. 99Games listen to feedback and regularly tune the game to what the customers ask which is great. I would recommend you try the lite version and if you like it don't hesitate to buy it!

Gameplay- 8.5/10
Graphics- 7.5/10
Sound- 8/10
Overall- 8/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Imangi

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, The next two reviews will be for games by 99Games, After all five are up expect a COMPETITION! Next up is Aqua Jigsaw

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

99Games Special: Chess Lite

iTunes Link

Chess Lite is a Chess Game by 99Games. $0.99

Chess Lite is the simplified version of 99Games' Chess Pro. This review will be a bit different to other ones, as we will be comparing the Pro and Lite version.

The lite version is $3 cheaper than the pro version but is missing some features which you receive in the pro version. The difficulty level is stuck at medium, while the pro version has easy, medium and hard. The lite version is designed for beginners to chess so I would like to see an option to have easy or medium. In the lite version you can still play one and two player but there are no variants, just regular chess. The pro version has suicide and losers mode. Chess lite only has the 2d version of the chess while the pro version has the 2D version and two 3D versions.

Overall it is good for someone who just wants a cheap way to play chess. Unlimited games for 99 cents is a good deal. But if you want variety I suggest the Pro version

Gameplay- 8.5/10
Graphics- 7/10
Sound- 8/10
Overall- 8/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoy- Chess

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, The next three reviews will be for games by 99Games, After all five are up expect a COMPETITION! Next up is Wordsworth

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

99Games Special: Chess Pro

iTunes Link

Chess Pro is a Chess game by 99Games. $3.99

Chess Pro is tagged as the chess game for advanced players. With more options than the lite version, it will keep you coming back for more. Very easy to pick up and play for experienced chess players and beginners alike. There are many options to how you play your game. Three difficulty levels, Easy, Medium and Hard. Three variants of the game, Regular, Suicide and Losers. One and two player mode as well as three different boards available to play on.

I am very pleased with the graphics of the two 3D boards. The smallest detail in the game are picked up and is visually impressive to play. There is no waiting time in the game as the computer moves straight away. When you tap a button it loads whatever it is with lightning speed. With many competitors in the chess range, I believe the smoothness and look of this game is enough to play the other games out of the water.

The sound is pretty basic, small ring noises are made everytime a piece is moved. Instead of listening to their in-game music there is an option to listen to your own music, which I love. All apps I believe should have this option, there will always be someone who can't stand your music, no matter how good it is.

The menu is well set out and easy to find what you are looking for. The gameplay is pretty simple, after choosing your variants and difficulty level you play the game like you would normally. To move your pieces you click on the piece you wish to move and then circles pop up in the available spots, these blend in well with the board.

This game is for anyone interested or previously played chess. While it is recommended for advanced chess players, it has an easy mode for beginners which isn't on the lite version so I would recommend it to anyone. Great game, visually and for its gameplay.

Gameplay- 8.5/10
Graphics-9.5/10
Sound- 7.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Chess Lite

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, The next four reviews will be for games by 99Games, After all four are up expect a COMPETITION! Next up is Chess Lite

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

Spore Origins

iTunes Link

Spore Origins is a game of survival by Electronic Arts Nederland BV. $6.99

Spore Origins is the cell section of EA's Spore on PC, Mac and Wii. The game is very easy to pick up and play straight away. With only one option to start with, Evolution, the first few of the 30 levels explain how to play and what you must do to advance to the next level. The controls are very simple to understand, tilt the device in the desired way to make your Spore move around. This can take a few levels to master but ends up being very easy. In the practice level it starts with bubble bars on the horizontal and vertical axis to help you, I would like to see an option to have the bubble bar in game as it would be very helpful for beginners. Later on in the game an achievement is unlocked letting you play survival mode, which is based on the same concept of evolution.

The graphics in this game are very smooth considering all the stuff that is going on. Each creature has been designed to perfection, from how the seaweed floats in the water to the action of the jellyfish swimming in the water. The game doesn't freeze at all when things get hectic in the game such as eating eight tadpoles in a row, which I am very impressed with. The detail which can be made with an infinite number of choices in the creature editor are excellent also. There are 12 possible upgrades which can be made to the creature such as spikes and eyes and these look great.

The in game music suits it perfectly. A new age theme is used causing easy flowing music that is easy to listen to. The music fits the cell stage perfect and is one of the few games I like to play with the music on.

The menu has a simple, easy to look at lay out which doesn't go over the top. There options to play either the Evolution or Survival mode. The creatures button shows which creatures you have currently made and currently playing with. You can have 10 creatures going at one time. For the codeword to razorianfly's contest, it is the nineteenth word in the next paragraph, good luck. The achievements show achievements that you have completed in game, they are hidden until you have unlocked them. Options will let you change the music levels and to calibrate your tilt levels to improve how easy it is for you. Help will tell you about everything in the game, such as how to use the creature editor controls or the objective of evolution mode.

The gameplay in evolution mode is to eat your way through 30 levels. Every 5 levels is an extended level where you must negotiate your way through a maze filled with creatures and get to the end. Getting past the maze puts you onto the next zone filled with new creatures The levels in between are designed so you eat creatures smaller than you to fill up the DNA bar which is on the top left of the screen. As you progress through the game, your Spore gets bigger and you can eat more creatures. The last three levels are boss levels where you must destroy large creatures in order to finish the game. Dieing in the game is by getting stung, attacked or shot at by other creatures and losing all your hearts. Survival mode is all about eating the little pills and evading the creatures which come onto the screen. You keep going until you die. The creature editor is very detailed and responds to each little touch. The color, pattern and weapons and size on your Spore can all be edited by pinching, pulling, poking and dragging parts on the screen.

There is some replay factor in the game by creating more Spore creatures and completing the game over and over again to unlock all the achievements. The game is good for casual players with the simple process of eat or be eaten, while being really addictive at the same time. Boss and maze levels will stretch the most experience gamer, while having fun at the same time. The game is very well done, I would like to see add ons or more Spore versions on the iDevices such as later stages in the Spore's life. Worth the sale price of $6.99

Graphics- 9/10
Gameplay- 7.5/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Pacman?

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, The next two days I will be away due to a family member being in hospital hundreds of miles away, I must fly to visit them expect Monday's and Tuesday's Review to be released as soon as I get back- Coming on return- Smiles and Sneezies

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »

Texas Hold'em

iTunes Link

Texas Hold'em is a poker game by Apple Inc. $4.99

Texas Hold'em is Apple's only game on the App Store to this date and is the premier poker game available on the App Store. It is essentially the upgraded version of the click wheel game of the same name. The game is easy to pick-up and play for people who have previously played the game but may be difficult for first timers. The instructions are somewhat helpful to the people who are new to poker, showing the hand rankings and how to fold, bet etc. but it doesn't explain about what the Flop, Turn and River are so they may not know what its all for. There are ten different venues to play at, starting from the garage where it is free to enter, but winning gets you very little profit, all the way up to playing in the big league where the entry fee is a hefty total but the rewards make it worth the risk.

Apple didn't let anything be less than perfect in this game. This can be seen by the visually stunning graphics during game play. Instead of having cartoon figures as your opponents, they are real people who have been filmed and placed in the game to show betting, folding and angry when you take all their chips. The smoothness of these actions is also remarkably good and doesn't freeze the game. The only downside to this realistic feel is the background. All ten venues are computer generated. It would be nice to see real places completing the real feel. When the device is held sideways the game comes turns into a poker table which only shows the avatars of people you are playing against, but it allows you to have your own character.

The sound in the game is also very well done. All the actions made during the hand have a sound that matches to them right down to dealing out the cards of moving the chips into the pot. Again, this adds to the realistic feel of the entire game. Background music is played on all of the games and has a nice tune to it and doesn't get irritating after hours of it.

The menu has large, clear buttons for the different options. There is single player mode where you choose the location that you can play your game at. There is multiplayer so you can play friends and family over the same Wi-Fi network, not to play people from around the world. The settings option allows you to change the effects volume, the game music volume and other little tweaks which can help you enjoy the game more. Your statistics are shown for both single player and multiplayer, showing the number of games you have played as well as what percentage of them you came 1st, 2nd or 3rd in. It also shows the biggest pot that you have won. Lastly the help button is there to give you tips on how to play the game, such as what to do to fold or show emotions, and the hand rankings.

The gameplay is quite simple once you know how to play the game. Once you start the game you have two options of how to play it, either the slower but visually better first person game or the faster birds eye view game. Whichever one you choose to do makes no difference, just depends on your personal choices. You start the game with nine players around the table and you bet, call and fold until you are the last player or until you are eliminated by having no more chips left. In the higher stake games the game will involve two tables where you need to finish in the top 3 on the first table before taking a certain number of chips depending on where you finished to table 2.

As this is a gambling game, the game has a huge replay factor. Getting to the last table isn't easy and you will be spending hours on the game before reaching it. This is a great card game and would appeal to any poker players, card players or people who have alot of patience and nerve. This is the best poker style game I have seen on the app store and would certainly be your first choice if you were interested in getting a poker game.

Graphics- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 8/10
Sound- 9/10
Overall- 9/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Live Poker

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews and some ideas to improve the reviews will be appreciated! Stay tuned, Tomorrow is the first of the real reviews and a competition to celebrate it!- Spore Origins

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Read more »