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Monday, November 19, 2012

Play these Android games


Catan ($3.99)

Catan is the official electronic version of the great board game that our family regularly enjoys. The app originally came out on iOS and last year came out for Android. There is also an expansion called “Cities and Knights” that you can purchase in-app. The object of the game is to dominate the island through resources, settlements, building roads and cities. With these accomplishments you earn victory points and most games will go until the first person reaches 10 points. If you have played the board game you will have no problem with the mobile version.
The graphics are beautiful in the game, the menu system is nicely done and provides plenty of space to see the board. The game comes with a number of options, such as different boards and tile sets, modifying the number of victory points for a game, the number of players, and more. You can play against others locally but I prefer playing against the AI. You can only save one game at time. Overall it is fun game and for those who have never played the board game, there is a helpful tutorial and almanac to give you all of the basics.

The Tribez (Free)

I heard about this game a few months back so when it was released for Android, I had to give it a try. The Tribez is a city building game where you’re on an island and tasked to help the natives develop their village. The game takes you through and provides different quests, and even points you in the right direction if you need guidance.
The graphics and gameplay are well done and although there is a lot going on, you can easily keep up with the game actions. Thankfully, the omnipresent menu system does not take up a lot of screen real estate. Unlike many building games, you do not need social gaming friends to help you complete missions or get resources. Also, if you are patient you can play without having to spend any real money. I find myself checking in numerous times a day, doing quests and reorganizing the village.

Top Eleven Football Manager (Free)

If you enjoy soccer and team management games, then Top Eleven Football Manager is for you. It is a cross-platform game where you can play on Android, iOS, and Facebook. The mobile app is very good and can do most everything in the game, but to get the full experience you need to connect via Facebook. You start off with a group of players and your job is to manage and develop them into a successful soccer team. As manager you get to organize the players, formations, facilities, medical, and finances. When it comes to the actual soccer game, you are only a spectator as the computer runs the show. This game is truly for those who enjoy the strategy and business aspect of running a team.
A season runs for 30 actual days and your team will play anywhere from 1 to 3 games in a day, depending on your league(s). You can also arrange to play friendly matches with friends or simply work your players out to help them gain more experience. You can sign free agents if needed and upgrade the facilities to improve your team’s performance. The game is truly international and I find myself playing opponents from all over the world. It really is simple to keep up with once you get the hang of things. Now if you get super competitive, you can of course spend some real money to improve your players and team even more.

Crossworlds: the Flying City (Free)

Crossworlds: the Flying City is an interesting game. It is a cross between a hidden object and point-and-click adventure genres. Professor Dumbdore disappeared and his daughter Monica asks for your help to track him down. To do this you travel to four different worlds, solve puzzles, complete hidden object games to collect needed items and more. The story connects the different worlds together, but at times you can easily forget why you are there.
This is a free game but to you can only play so much of the story. To finish the full game/storyline, you will need to complete an in-app purchase. The graphics are quite nice in the game but at times the text seemed a bit small on my phone’s screen. After you play for a while, you earn some credits you can use to skip a puzzle if needed. The game comes with the option to have multiple profiles so you can let your kids, siblings, or friends have their own game if needed.
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The 3 Best Movie Based Android Games


Wreck It Ralph Android Game
Movie tie ins are always tricky. There’s the presumption in the minds of the buying public that the only reason that movie tie ins existence is movie studios’ insatiable greed.
Moreover, most of the novels and games that have released based on movies in the recent past have been downright atrocious, with developers trying to make a quick buckm and nothing else.

 
That has changed in the recent past though. Read on to find out about some of the better movie based games released recently.
 
Wreck-It Ralph
 
Yes, it’s barely been days since the movie (and its accompanying mobile game) was released, but this is a combination of 3 mini games that Disney has managed to cobble together to bring in a brilliant mix of retro arcade fun and contemporary excitement. Hero’s Duty, Fix-It Felix Jr. and Sweet Climber are all impressive in their own right (though Sweet Climber is decidedly less so than the others), and offer gamers a whole lot of bang for less than a buck!
 
Find it on Google Play
 
The Dark Knight Rises
 

Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster finale in the humongously popular Dark Knight trilogy managed to rake in the bucks alright, but there was a vocal minority that had plenty of issues with the movie overall. No such problem for the folks at Gameloft though, as their The Dark Knight Rises game for Android (and iOS) did quite well, and was a lot of fun to boot.
 
Find it on Google Play
 
Angry Birds Star Wars
 

While Rovio did a decent job with Angry Birds Rio, their just launched Star Wars tie in comes hot on the heels of Lucasfilm (and the Star Wars franchise) being controversially taken over by Disney. Disney may not have much to worry about, as from the looks of it, Star Wars is a brand that can still do little wrong plenty of years down the line, given that Angry Birds Star Wars has managed to do a great job of tapping into every geek’s nostalgia while being a far more innovative iteration of the Angry Birds franchise than Rio was.
 
Find it on Google Play
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Review: Shadowgun: DeadZone


Madfinger Games comfortably sits among a small handful of iOS and Android developers that can push mobile graphics to the limit.  Time and again, the studio delivers a visual experience that looks almost as good as the stuff we’ve seen on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.  Graphics, of course, can only take a game so far, and nowhere is this more evident than with Shadowgun: DeadZone, Madfinger’s newest creation.  We can see where the company wants to go with this title.  Whether or not it’ll get there remains to be seen.
With this in mind, DeadZone is a third-person multiplayer-focused shooter.  Up to 10 players can wage war across two modes (Deathmatch, Zone Control) via online connection, and a research option lets them unlock the more high-powered weapons over time.  It’s basically a console lite experience in your pocket, but with touch controls.
What’s Hot
When it works, Shadowgun: DeadZone provides frantic multiplayer mayhem.  Sure, the modes are fairly standard compared to other games, but there’s something cool about seeing this on an iPad.  The virtual controls work just fine, with a left analog stick to move, the right side for manipulating the camera, and assorted buttons to shoot and roll.  Grenades are a great way to score double kills, and more effective guns improve the fun, considerably.
Of course, this being a game from Madfinger, the graphics are top notch.  Granted, DeadZone has a very Gears of War vibe design wise, but the futuristic environments and character models will have plenty of curious passersby doing a double take.
What’s Not
Prepare for lag, and lots of it.  Players teleport around the maps, making them tough to hit.  Of course, joining a match may take awhile, as the game appears to have server issues.  What’s more, although Madfinger offers a premium subscription (this costs actual money) that adds voice chat, this feature doesn’t seem to work all that well.
The Verdict: A Work In Progress
At this point, Shadowgun: DeadZone’s biggest selling point is the fact that it’s free, which means you don’t have to waste a couple bucks to find out it’s broken.  Thankfully, Madfinger is aware of the various issues and has an update on the way.  We think the game is worth a look, but it should provide a better experience weeks from now. Be on the lookout for that update.
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Best 5 android apps


Have you checked Google Play this week for the newest apps? If you haven’t – we did it for you. Here are our top five downloaded android apps this week.

1. Angry Birds Star Wars

Download: Google Play

Rovio finally realesed Star Wars – the latest edition of the wildly popular game Angry Birds. It’s on Google Play – absolutely free give it a try and let us know what you think of it!

2. Fingers Vs Knife 3D

Download: Google Play
Don’t lose your fingers! It’s all you need to know when you choose to play this deadly game. It requires you to concentrate and hit only to the spaces between your fingers, because you surely don’t want to know what is like to lose your finger! Download it now for free at Google Play.

3. Virtual Dentist

Download: Google Play
Have you ever wanted to know what is like to be a dentist? Now’s you’re chance – strap your patient in the chair, grab your drill and drill off those decayed teeth till they explode and the patient dies..!

4. Lie Detector HD, Polygraph HD

Download: Google Play
Another great app – legendary Lie Detector with now over 1 million downloads! It detects if you are lying or not by the changes in blood pressure, pulse, sweat production and finger temperature. Just put your thumb on the scanner keep telling the truth and then remove your thumb after the scan. You will be surprised!

5. Shipwrecked

Download: Google Play
Over 500000 downloads last week!
Shipwrecked is an adventurous, magical and romantic game, which lets you explore the mysterious jungle and discover hidden secrets of the island! Turn your desert into a paradise, explore artifacts, discover lost civilizations. But be careful! You’re not alone on this island…
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