Archive for the 'Action' Category

Direct Link : Atomic Battle Dragons
Publisher : Isotope244

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 9 Out of 10
Sound : 8.5 out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8.5 Out of 10
Overall : 8.5 Out of 10

Based on the old Atari arcade game Joust, this takes the basic gameplay and builds a story upon it, adding a whole new dimension to the game. If you haven’t guessed already, the basic idea behind the game is to fly your dragon and joust other dragons. You have to make sure your jousting pole is higher than your opponents to inflict damage, or it’s you on the end of a sharp stick. Once you have defeated a dragon, the rider will make his way to a regeneration pod. If you hit him before he reaches it, he will be defeated. Once all the dragons are defeated, you progress to the next level. There are 4 different zones to progress through, each comprising of 40 levels, so this is going to be no walk in the park.

What makes this game shine, is the story that unfolds during the game. This not only provides light relief, which is sometimes sorely needed after some levels, but it also makes you really feel involved in the game. Yes at times the dialog is a bit on the cheesy side, but it fits right in with the animation/graphics style, so is easily forgiven.

I have to admit, although I never played the original game in the arcades, I did play one of the many home computer versions, that surfaced in the mid 80’s. The one I remember most was for my beloved ZX Spectrum, from Rabbit Software. I actually remember this games exceptionally well, as a friend and I disassembled the code, to find out how it works and I’m still a huge geek, many moons later.

The big proviso of this games is the machine you are running it on, specifically the method for which you interact with the game. There are two modes. One has you using your devices D-Pad, or what ever equivalent you may have. On my Dell Axmin X50V, this isn’t the most ideal of control system, especially with a game like this, where the action can get a bit frantic. Fortunately the other method utilities a mix of control pad and screen taps. You basically use the screen to flap your wings and the control pad to direct either left and right. This latter method is the one that I found myself using most and becomes pretty intuitive pretty quickly.

Conclusion : This is a game that starts of pretty slowly, but even then you are going to struggle until you are used to controlling your character. The difficulty escalates pretty quickly, but not at a rate that becomes overwhelming. I love the graphics, which are slick and smooth and the sound, whilst fairly minimal, compliments the game nicely.

Direct Link : Hammer Heads
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 6 Out of 10
Sound : 6 out of 10
Gameplay : 7 Out of 10
Longevity : 7 Out of 10
Overall : 6.5 Out of 10

I have to admit, the thought of a game, that’s basically a more in depth version of the freestanding arcade game, “Whack a Mole” didn’t fill me with too much anticipation, but as with all Astraware games, you have to reserve judgment until you’ve actually played the game.

So the aim of the game is relatively straight forward. When a gnome pops his head from out of a hole, tap his head with the stylus and that’s one less gnome to have to worry about, miss however or let the gnome get away and you miss the opportunity of a perfect score. As the game progresses, gnomes with different properties appear, forcing you to hit them multiple times or at a time when they are susceptible to attack.

The game is played in waves, with only a brief respite after each wave. Admittedly once you have become accustomed to the game play, the earlier levels can become a bit mind numbing, fortunately you can pickup the game play from the previous level you expired on. Throughout the game, you also collect coins left by the gnomes you bash, or left around in treasure chests. These coins come into play at varying points in the game, when a shop pops up instead of a gnome. Tap on it and you enter the shop, allowing you to optionally purchase items to help you in your quest. Some of these items have an unbelievable price on them, so somewhere in the game you must be able to collect a bucket load of coins, because so far I’ve only managed to afford the cheapest upgrade.

The graphics throughout are crisp and clear, as is the sound. Certainly they are not ground breaking by any means, but they are pleasing and very effective. The game play can end up pretty frantic at the later levels and is surely a good test for your hand eye co-ordination.

Conclusion : A great game to while away the odd break in everyday life. However prolonged use may make the game seem long in the tooth before too long.

Direct Link : Galaxy Gate
Publisher : Inscenic

Price : $7.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 7 out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

You can always tell a good game. It’s the one that over the years, keeps coming back again and again. I’m not saying that as anything against Galaxy Gate, it just goes to prove that simple gameplay is sometimes much better than all the latest bells and whistles. Just take a look at Tetris for a case in point. In fact, I think that being able to describe a game in just a sentence or two, is a great testament to a games design.

The gaming pedigree of Inscenic, Galaxy Gate’s publisher cannot be denied. They are the company behind one of one favorite Pocket PC games of all time, Warring Nations, so it was with nervous excitement that I installed the game. OK so this is no Warring Nation, but it’s not designed to be. This is a puzzle game, pure and simple, but that’s about the only simple thing in this devious game.

The basic premise of the game is to collect all the gems in a 9×7 grid. However if it was as simple as that, you’d probably only play this game a couple of time. The 9×7 grid is filled with crates that can contain either contain gems or bombs. You must determine what they contain, by firing your laser across a row or column. If it hits a gem, the laser beam will deflect and change colour, to either green, blue, or red. If it hits a bomb, the beam will still deflect and change to yellow. Your job is to collect all the gems and mark all the bombs for deactivation. Whilst the gameplay is deceptively simple, it soon progresses at a rapid pace. I like to think I’m pretty good at these games, but man I’m not half as good as I thought I was, but you know what they say, practice makes perfect.

As always the presentation is top notch. The graphics are bright and colourful, if a little on the simplistic side. The sound is also very well done, with some great spot effects and some really groovy music. Registered users also get a game editor, allowing them to create their own levels. The only niggly point I had with the whole game is that I would often click on a bomb location, without first having the bomb locater selected, thus ending my game. If there were some kind of confirmation before clicking on each square, that would be a good way to prevent this, but you’d need a way to switch that off, if it got too annoying.

Conclusion : This is one of those games, where you just need one more go. At just $7.95 this is a must buy, as it will keep you entertained for hours.

Direct Link : Ultimate Bowling Fighter
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 8 Out of 10
Sound : 7 Out of 10
Gameplay : 7 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

Bowling is a game that’s been done many times on mobile devices, especially cell phones. The game principles are very easy to implement on a mobile device, but Ultimate Bowling Fighter is unlike any version I’ve played before. From the opening screen you can’t help being impressed by the graphics, which are extremely well done. The sounds is also very complimentary, especially the driving music on the opening screen.

When starting a new game, you have the choice of solo game, which allows you to have a single game with no opponents; Tournament, where you try to beat the computer controlled opponents to become the champion and Multiplayer where you can play up to 3 additional players.

Tournament is probably mode that will be played most of all. Select the player you wish to play as. There’s Ryo from Japan, Kelly from the USA, Jos� from Spain and Maya from Brazil. There’s also an additional player that you can unlock later in the game. Each player has a different special hit, which is enabled when you bowl a bowl at full power. Each player also has a different weight, which further goes to vary the gameplay.

There are two methods of game control; Stylus Control and Gauge Control.For anyone that has played one of the many golf games available, the gauge control will be familiar. You first select the direction, by stopping the gauge when you want the ball to go. Stop it in the centre and it will go straight and similarly for the left and right. The gauge determines the power of the shot and you select this in a similar way. The other control method, gauge control, is very simple to use. You basically drag on the screen from the players feet to the top of the screen, adding left or right sweep to control the spin direction. This is a much more intuitive way to control, but I don’t seem to be able to have much influence on the balls speed in comparison to the gauge method.

The gameplay is very nicely balanced and the tournament progresses at a nice pace. My best at a single game is 164, so lots of room for improvement.

Conclusion : This is the best looking bowling game I have played and it’s playability isn’t too shabby either. There’s quite a bit of variation, that all goes to add to the longevity of the game.

Direct Link : Chuzzle
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 7 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

Take some cute balls of cuddliness. Add them to a puzzle with a basic premise. Give four different modes of play and what are you left with? Mmmm, corset wearing, grid filling Tribbles? No Chuzzle of course.

OK, so Chuzzle isn’t going to win any awards for originality, but it more than makes up for that with sheer playability. Chuzzles of different colours, fill a 6×6 grid. The basic idea of the game is to slide a row or column to make a group of 3 Chuzzles or more. Where this game differs from games of a similar style, is you can slide a row or column the total width or height of the grid, Chuzzles can wrap to the other side of the screen, but the move only sticks if a group of three or more is made.

There are four modes of play.

• Classic Chuzzle : match the Chuzzles and watch them pop to gain a high score
• Speed Chuzzle : play against the clock to match Chuzzles until time runs out
• Mind Bender : solve the Chuzzle puzzles to match the pattern on screen
• Zen Chuzzle : a gentle endless game where you match Chuzzles to earn magical charms

There is also a special Bechuzzled mode to unlock, but how you do this, I don’t know. I imagine it has something to do with the different trophies you can win during the course of a game that get added to your trophy cabinet. The trophies are awarded for feats such as playing an entire game without hints; making a triple combo and popping seven Chuzzles as one group.

During the game you’ll encounter Chuzzles with different properties, Giant Chuzzles; Super Chuzzles and Rainbow Chuzzles which all carry their own special effects and bonuses.

Conclusion : For all puzzle fiends, Chuzzle has a very interesting twist on this style of puzzle game. With four different modes of play and an additional fifth mode to unlock, there is plenty of lasting gameplay. Graphics and sound are very nicely done and enhance the game playing experience nicely.

Direct Link : Super Miners
Publisher : Infinite Dreams

Price : $9.98

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 9 Out of 10
Overall : 8 Out of 10

Ah my childhood days are once again rekindled. Super Miners has the same basic premise as that age old game Boulderdash. The idea of the game is to travel around each of the 100 scrolling screens, collection all of the gems there are dispersed liberally. Where Super Miner differs is that a well as having all of the modern features of a modern day incarnation, it also features a whole range of power ups, befitting a super hero/heroin. Yes you play through the many levels as either Rusty(female) or Drill(male). Whilst the different characters have no gameplay differences, it’s nice to see girls being given the opportunity to play as girls.

One feature I really love is the in game tutorial. Yes there is a 17 page user guide available on the website, but there’s nothing like learning how to play a game, whilst actually playing the game. So you begin the game by going through the tutorial levels. This gives a nice slow introduction to the mechanics of the game, but don’t be fooled, it still requires some thinking and manual dexterity to proceed to the next level.

Each level comprises of a virtual screen that is larger than the physical screen. This screen scrolls around as you move to reveal the previously hidden elements of the level. Jewels are distributed around the screen for you to collect. Once you have collected the pre-requisite amount, a green swirling mist appears, move over this and you have completed the level. Collecting jewels isn’t child’s play. They along with rocks and boulders can fall on you, ending that attempt at the level. The further you get into the game, the harder the levels become. As with Boulderdash you can push single rocks out of your way, but unlike Boulderdash, you can also be bestowed with many other powers, once you collect the power-ups dotted around the levels. These power-ups include fireballs, magic ball, teleports, ghosts portals and many others. To further spice things up a big, the levels are also timed. Run out of time and you are out of luck.

Conclusion : This is an absolute gem(oops no pun intended) of a game. The graphics whilst small, are very well done and the sound enhances the game nicely. With over 100 levels of gameplay, it’s going to take a while to complete this game, especially with the additional multiplayer options.

Direct Link : Billiard Master 2
Publisher : Mobirate

Price : $14.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 6 Out of 10
Gameplay : 7 Out of 10
Longevity : 6 Out of 10
Overall : 6.5 Out of 10

I love a good pool game. It’s great to be able to fire up Billiard Master 2 and reel off a couple of frames. The only thing missing is a few beers and the dim lighting. Whilst Billiard Master is a great implementation of Pool, it does lack in a couple of areas.

With all pool games I’ve played before, it’s always been possible to rotate the screen, which is great when you are playing down the table from top to bottom. This feature is sadly missing. Also I do have a concern with the longevity, as I found it pretty easy to beat the computer on all three levels of 8 ball, however I have always been relatively good at these kind of games. I’m used to UK rules, so 9 ball isn’t my forte, but it may provide an extra level of difficulty. This could have been a truly excellent version with some kind of league against varying levels of computer players.

However all is not doom and gloom. One feature that I have not seen on any other pool implementation is player versus player, via Bluetooth. This opens up a whole new area of play. I didn’t a get chance to test the Bluetooth play, but if the play is as smooth as regular play, I forsee no problems.

Conclusion : This is a nice polished version of pool, but with the lack of a table rotation feature and long term challenge, it does look a little pricey.

Direct Link : Enigmo
Publisher : Aspyr

Price : $14.99

Special Requirements : Dell X50V/X51V Only

Graphics : 9 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 9 Out of 10
Overall : 8.5 Out of 10

It seems good game ideas never die, they just lie forgotten until some bright spark, realizes what a good idea they were and resurrects them. Enigmo is a case in point. For anyone that remembers the excellent series of games in the 90s called Contraption, Enigmo will certainly be no stranger. In fact this is the second game of it’s ilk reviewed on “Games for PPC” so far, the other being Obulis, but this time the objective centers around fluids and not balls.

Let me get this caveat out of the way before going any further. This game is only available for the Dell Axim X50V and I assume X51V, this is due to the game requiring the extra graphics power that the Axim offers. Yes folks, not only is this a visually stunning game, but it’s in 3D, taking advantage of the Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator.

So what does Enigmo have in store. The basic premise of the game is to use various kinds of bumpers and slides to direct the different fluids (oil, water and lava) into their respective containers. With over 50 levels to complete and a whole host of additional levels to download from the website, this is a game that’s going to keep you occupied for a long, long time.

Nearly everything in this game has been well thought out, from the graphics and sound, to the gameplay and gaming levels. I’ve been playing this game on and off for a couple of weeks and I’m still only on level 10. I do however wish this game had some tutorial levels and indeed any kind of in game instructions. This almost led me to giving up on the game, but with a little perseverance, I slowly managed to work out what I need to do. If I had to think of any criticism, it’s that the positioning of the bumpers and slides can be a little fiddly. I also had a problem, in that a couple of times, a bumper or slide would disappear from the selection area on the left of the screen and place itself somewhere on the screen, my problem was then finding it.

For a game requiring the extra power of the Dell Axim X50V, it runs remarkably smoothly. The game launches very quickly and the gameplay itself is very smooth.

Conclusion : This is an excellent game for all puzzle lovers. I have to say, this is one of the most visually stimulating games I’ve seen in a long time . It’s a well rounded game, with lots of longevity.

Direct Link : Ultimate Football
Publisher : Smart Mobile Games

Price : $14.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 9 Out of 10
Overall : 8 Out of 10

Wow, two soccer games in quick succession, but they couldn’t be more radically different.

Ultimate Football takes the more traditional soccer route. Now I’ve said before that the Pocket PC isn’t the most ideal device for playing action games, but this more like an action game with a more thought based twist. Yes you play your team against the opponent and have to slot as many goals past his goalie, whilst keeping the ball out of your goal, but through the clever use of the stylus, the pace of the game is different, which means it’s a really great way to play.

From the kick off, your player nearest the centre has a big red arrow mark, indicating he is the player you are controlling and the direction you need to go for the opponents goal. You then tap on the screen where you want your player to go. If you have the ball and you click on another one of your players, the ball will be passed to him, but it will not neccessarily fall directly at his feet, you will then need to ensure he intercepts the pass, sometimes having to beat the opponent to the ball.

Whilst the graphics are nothing to write home about, they are very functional and the sound helps to add to the whole atmosphere. You also have the option of how you wish to view the play. You can either view from a side on birdseye view or a more conventional player view. I prefer the later as it gives you the chance to see the players goal before you when you shoot and hopefully score.

When you wish to play a game you can either choose:

• Tutorial : Get a brief tutorial on various aspects of the game
• Single match : Choose from Novice, Amateur, Semi-Pro, Pro and Champion skill levels, and select between 3 and 10 minutes per half. To further add to the configuration options, you can also select from 4 different formations and 3 different levels of aggression.
• League: where you have to play between 1 - 6 divisions with between 5 and 20 teams in each division. You also get to choose whether you wish to play in the English league or the Italian league.
• Demo : View the Pocket PC playing a game with itself.

Conclusion : Please do not be put off with the basic graphics of this game. The gameplay options are extensive and the actual gameplay is great. This is an excellent for sports afficianado. Now if this had a VGA options, I would be drooling at the mouth.

Direct Link : Master Kick
Publisher : INDUSTRY Entertainment

Price : $14.95

Genre : Sport/Action

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 5 Out of 10
Overall : 7 Out of 10

I must admit I have never considered the possibility, that there could be a Pocket PC version of table football/fooseball, but in the matter of a few weeks, this is the second game I’ve seen. I approached this game with a sense of skepticism, but I have to say after playing for a while, it really is rather good.

The gameplay is just what you’d expect. The control mechanism is well thought out, but I have some reservations about constantly pumping the hardware buttons. That aside though, the gameplay is pretty fluid and is exactly how you’d imagine it to play. You move your men up and down using either the d-pad, or slide the stylus (or your finger) up and down on the screen. You spin the men by clicking on either the Select, Contact or Home button. Depending on how long you hold the button, determines how strongly you spin your men.

There are two different gameplay options, either single game, where once you’ve selected who you want to play as, you then select one of the remaining 5 opponents. The other mode is League, where you play all the other teams, hoping to finish at the top of the league. My only concern is that while this provides an excellent way to while away a few minutes, the league mode doesn’t really offer much depth, as you only play each team once. It would have been great, if the other mode was some kind of knock out competition, where you first have to qualify and then scrape through each round to reach the final. Failing that, if you at least had to play each team twice that would be better.

There are also two different modes of play. You can either play a timed game where the winner is the one with the most goals after 3 minutes, or play until one of the players reaches 5 goals.

Conclusion : Whilst this is an excellent implementation of the game on the Pocket PC, the long term playability is a factor. If you love to switch on and have a quick game with some frantic action this is a must buy. If however you like a game with a little more depth, then you may want to try this out first.

Direct Link : My Little Tank
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 7 out of 10
Sound : 8 out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 7 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

ATTENTION!!! ARE YOU READY TO DRIVE SOLDIER? GO!!! Wow every boys fantasy come true. OK, that’s not quite accurate, but I must say I’ve always fancied myself as a tank driver and now I’ve got my chance. Thinking back though, I did drive a tank a bit in the 70s with Atari’s Tank Battle. Oh yeah and I also drove a tank in the 80s in Atari’s Battlezone. The 90s were a lean period for tanks, but now we’re in the Noughties, Astraware have me back behind the wheel (or is it sticks) with My Little Tank.

First off, let me say congratulations to Astraware. Not only do they support the standard 240×320 display and the VGA 480×640 display, they also support the new 240×240 display, all within the same installed program. This is excellent news as I sometimes like to revert back to 240×320 for gameplay reasons. Let’s hope more developers do the same.

So what’s the game all about then. The basic premise of the game is to drive your tank around and blow up things. I said basic premise as there’s a lot more to the gameplay than that. As the levels (and there’s 60 of them) progress, the enemies get more and more aggressive and require more than 1 shot to destroy. The game also covers numerous terrains that scroll as you move and you encounter 5 different types of enemy tank.

As the game unfolds you also come across different power ups, that give your tank additional powers, for a limited time:

• Smart Bombs - Destroy all enemies within a given range.
• Life Bonuses - Regenerate your tank
• Speed ups - Give your tanks some additional speed.
• Invincibility - Makes your tank invincible
• Weapons Upgrades - Gives your tanks some additional weapons
• Freeze Bonuses - Freezes all opponents

Pocket PC’s weren’t really designed to play action games, but with some careful thought when designing games, many of the limitations can be overcome. With My Little Tank, you can either use the conventional control, i.e. the D-pad and the hardware buttons or you can use the stylus on the screen to tell your tank where you want it to go and then use the hardware buttons for firing. On the Dell X50v i much prefer the stylus approach, but some other Pocket PCs have the controls perfectly arranged for this kind of game.

Conclusion : This is a little gem of a game. The presentation is very well done and the gameplay is spot on. This game should provide quite the long term challenge. I would have liked an additional hard level, just to give the seasoned gamer an additional challenge, once the game has been completed.