GeoDefense is a fantastic Tower Defense game that is sure to be a favorite app for anyone who makes the good decision to purchase this low-cost, high-return arcade-style game. The graphics are reminiscent of the glory days of Tron, but with a new millennium polish and style. The gameplay is incredibly challenging, but also very addicting. The Apple store description likens the gameplay strategizing to that of chess, and it’s a perfect comparison.

Players are given some basic instruction at the start of each level, but not enough to make anything easy. Play starts with information about how many waves of vector creeps you will be fighting, how many lives you have, and how much cash you are being given to purchase arms for your tower defense. Tips are somewhat vague, but applicable at the start of each level. The actual pace of the game moves very quickly, as each wave of Creeps comes out faster than the last, and faster from one level to the next.

The goal of geoDefense is to defend your base by combating waves of “Creeps” before losing all your lives. A female computer voice counts down your lives lost as those Creeps that get past the defense towers you’ve placed along the playfield beside the Creep path storm into the main base. If you do fail, pithy remarks, such as “Failure is an option,” flash on the screen.

There are brilliant firework-like explosions when Creeps storm your tower, as well as when Creeps are shot down by your defending towers. Money and points are earned for each destroyed Creep. Money is then used to purchase additional defense towers to place on your playfield, or to upgrade existing towers, with a total of five tower types and seven upgrades each.

One problem that occurs on occasion is the accidental misplacement of a defensive tower. In this case, players have the option to sell the tower at a lower price than it was purchased for. It would be nice if a timed undo option could be added, though, because on occasion the tower drops without reason, it seems.

You must complete one level, starting in the beginning levels, before being able to advance to the next level. If unable to successfully complete a level, players are able to restart that same level indefinitely. This is good, because it often takes a few tries to master the proper placement and purchase of the towers. There are three different Modes of play - Easy Levels, Medium Levels, and Hard Levels - for a total of 30 levels.

The graphics and sound effects on this game are half the fun. It truly is enjoyable to see the old-school style computer grid, action arcade game. The voice of the computer adds to the futuristic gaming aesthetic, as does the arcade style explosions and gun firing sounds. The visual appeal of the fireworks displays as the playfield warps from the impact of the blasts adds yet another level of graphic creativity.

This game is well worth its nominal fee. It is fun, challenging, addictive, and visually appealing. The only drawback is the limited instructions and how they are released (one level at a time). It would be nice to have an option to view all of the instructions at once, or at least to be able to pause the game and re-read instructions given at that level. But overall, this game promises endless playing time and fantastic gaming appeal at a truly great price.

Pros:

• Incredible graphics
• Fantastic, challenging gameplay
• Great price for a great game

Cons:

• Minimal instructions
• Some issues with tower placement

Score: 9/10

Price: 1.99c

geoDefense on iTunes

If you think the name of this game sounds crazy, wait until you play it. By far one of the most creative, entertaining and amusing games available, Plants vs. Zombies the app (adapted from PopCap Games original PC version) delivers hours and hours of zombie killing fun. When Plants vs. Zombies was originally released in its Apple App form in February 2010, it had a record breaking introductory sales period. And it’s no wonder why. This game is packed with level after level of addictive gameplay, and the graphics and sound offer cartoon-like humor and zaniness that is sure to be a hit with tower-defense game fans.

The ingenuity used to develop Plants vs. Zombies is phenomenal. The attention to detail in the graphics, and sense of humor behind each zombie character makes this game experience laugh out loud fun. There are pole-vaulting zombies, football player zombies - even a tribute to Michael Jackson and his Thriller gang of zombies! Players must protect their homes by using botanical wonders to slow-down or destroy advancing zombie mobs, and some levels even have players employing carnival skills - like Whack-a-Zombie - to take down the living dead enemy.

There really can’t be enough said about the comedic value of this game. Take, for instance, an example from the player’s almanac, which is earned after one of the early levels of the game. The almanac contains information about the various plant and zombie species currently available in the game. The plant entries include basic gameplay information, such as level and range of damage each is able to inflict, as well as some background information about the particular plant; for example, Threepeater is a three-headed pea plant shooter that “likes reading, backgammon and long periods of immobility in the park.” There are so many examples of the silliness that you find in this game, and part of the fun is finding each new and crazier treat throughout your zombie destroying adventures.

Playing the game requires some tactical planning, as each level presents new challenges in physical landscape (the addition of a swimming pool means aquatic plants are added to your collection of zombie-killing greens and seeds), night fighting (limits the amount of sunshine available to grow your seeds, but planting sunflowers helps that problem), and the capabilities of each type of zombie. You are able to choose six seed and plant types to use in your war against the zombie mob, but deciding which to choose is complicated by factors such as the amount of sunshine each needs (sunshine is collected along with coins during play at each level). When you have earned enough money, you are also able to purchase additional seed pods.

Plants vs. Zombie’s is pretty much a learn-as-you-go game (as yet another example of the game’s sense of humor, the Help section is written by the zombies and suggests that when the zombies show up you don’t need to do anything but sit there). But learning the game is relatively easy, and the instructions offered with each new type of plant earned are helpful. You are able to repeat failed levels, and the game saves your progress at each close.

A really great feature of the game is that once you best all of the initial Adventure levels, you gain access to the Quick Play menu with even more zombie fun. And if you do decide to go back and re-try your hand at the Adventure play, your local zombie expert and guide Crazy Dave mixes up the play for you at each level. This game is truly an endless amount of fun!

It’s easy to understand why so many fans of Plants vs Zombie’s from its PC days were anxiously awaiting the Apple App version of this super fun and crazy game. PopCap Games has once again produced an addictively popular game at an affordable price. For anyone who is not used to this type of adventure style game, learning the strategy behind the use of the various plants may be a slight challenge, but it’s easy to catch-on and completely entertaining. Plants vs. Zombies is a definite must-add app!

Pros:

• Very amusing storyline, humor throughout
• Excellent graphics
• Great gameplay
• Great hidden treasure to unlock along the way
• Well-worth the minimal investment

Cons:

• A little confusing to learn at first

Score: 10/10

Price: $2.99

Plants vs. Zombies on iTunes

Crystal Defenders was Square-Enix’s first foray onto the iPhone (originally a mobile phone game, it also later appeared as downloadable content for the 360 and Wii, with a PS3 version forthcoming), and was a solid, though unspectacular tower defense game. Their follow-up effort is Vanguard Storm, a game that is far more unique, and ultimately far better than its predecessor. It’s been developed for the iPhone from the ground up, and is currently an iPhone exclusive, at least at the moment.

Where the original was a standard tower defense game seen dozens of times, Vanguard Storm is a completely fresh take on the genre, combining tower defense with a grid-based strategy game akin to Square’s Final Fantasy Tactics series. To keep things fast and furious though, Vanguard Storm runs in real time, forcing you to make quick tactical decisions based on the layout of the approaching hordes and the forces available for your use.

Unlike the typical tower defense game which has a defined path that enemies use to wend their way through the level, with your troops scattered along its route, Vanguard Storm is a grid based game, taking place on an 8X4 playing field. The right half of the field contains your troops, and you cannot advance them beyond the half way point. The enemies advance from the left side of the screen 1 row at a time, with the goal of breaking through your defences and reaching the far right side of the screen (naturally they CAN pass the half way point), in which case you fail the mission.

The grid based setup and play mechanics reminded me very much of the Mega Man Battle Network games on the GBA, which had a similar grid based setup. Each of your troop types, of which there are 8, have varying attack ranges and excel against certain types of enemies while proving ineffective against others. So not only do you have to set your troops up in the correct formation to take advantage of their attack ranges, you also have to ensure they’re attacking the proper enemies.

The touch screen is used to move your troops around, and their attack ranges are shown at all times, making the task of quickly positioning your troops in real-time much easier. A timer counts down on-screen as you carry out your turn, and if it runs out, your troops will be stuck in their current position.

The graphics haven’t seen much of an upgrade from the original, which is somewhat disappointing given it was designed from the ground up for the iPhone, but it does include plenty of snazzy special effects and explosions for attacks, and the characters and enemies animate more than they did in the original.

The music is outstanding and lives up to the high standards that many Square-Enix fans have for the company’s soundtracks. Many of the tracks are remixes from the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance games, and perfectly complement the setting and pace of the game.

Fans of tower defense and strategy are in for a real treat with Vanguard Storm. The game mechanics are superb, and the only thing missing is more. More troops, more enemies, and more maps and missions will only help elevate this game even further. As it is though, this is a challenging and fun game that shouldn’t be missed.

Pros:

• New gameplay mechanics give a much needed boost to the series
• Exceptional music

Cons:

• Could use a little more of everything

Score: 9/10

Price - $4.99

Crystal Defenders - Vanguard Storm on iTunes

Crystal Defenders is a tower defense game, and I believe the first iPhone game released by the venerable Square-Enix. Crystal Defenders is set in the world of Ivalice, which was the setting for numerous other Final Fantasy games including Final Fantasy 12 and its DS spinoff Revenant Wings, as well as the three Final Fantasy Tactics games. Crystal Defenders has also been ported to the downloadable services of all three consoles, while its sequel Vanguard Storm is an iPhone exclusive (at least at present).

Crystal Defenders was originally a mobile phone game (which are much more popular in Japan than elsewhere in the world), and as such doesn’t quite pack the graphical punch you might expect from a gaming giant like Square-Enix who is renowned for the graphical detail their games possess. Crystal Defenders is by no means an unattractive game, it’s more than serviceable, with bright environments, and cute sprites, but there’s a decided lack of detail and animation as a result of its straight port from mobile phones.

For tower defense fans, Crystal Defenders is a fairly straightforward romp. Monsters are after your crystals stashed on the other side of the map and it’s your job to stop them from reaching them. The monsters attack en masse, in waves, and follow a predetermined path through each of the dozen different levels. Your job is to position various troops around the path to help wipe them out. Different troops have different areas of attack and are more effective against certain creatures as opposed to others. You have a selection of different classes available to use, including mages, soldiers, archers, and monks, all of which look just like their counterparts in the Final Fantasy Tactics games. As you progress through the levels, more and more classes will become available to use, as well as different races, such as Moogles and Bangaa. You can also collect gems which can raise the stats of your troops to help them deal with the increasingly tougher hordes of foes.

While it’s a simple premise and easy to pick up, the trick is in learning how your forces react to the enemies streaming by. The AI is not ‘smart’ (and that’s not to say the AI is bad, but that it is meant to act predictably so that you can develop your strategies), and will not target weakened foes or try to get in multiple strikes on a single foe. They are programmed to react in one and only one manner, which is why proper placement of your troops is vital. Much of the fun is in using the many different classes available to you and developing the best possible combination of troops to flawlessly wipe out the enemies.

The music features many of the classic battle themes heard in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and they make the transition to the iPhone well. The music has the tendency to become grating after awhile, but this is a common complaint with the TD genre.

With the steep price of entry for what amounts to a fairly shallow and uninspiring tower defense game, it’s difficult to recommend Crystal Defenders to any but the most hardcore of Final Fantasy or tower defense fans. Look instead to the much improved (and inexplicably cheaper) sequel Vanguard Storm instead.

Pros:

• Charming graphics and music
• Nice number of missions and maps

Cons:

• Fairly standard tower defense game with few frills
• Very steep price

Score: 6.5/10

Price: $7.99

Crystal Defenders on iTunes

I have to admit, I don’t watch a whole lot of T.V, and had no clue who Chef Ramsey (Gordon Ramsey) was, or the many shows he’s had/still has, including Boiling Point, The F Word, and of course, Hell’s Kitchen. It wasn’t until I saw an interview of him on The Hour, one of the few shows I watch besides sports, that I became interested in him, as he was very engaging and witty. Of course his interview persona was slightly different than his persona on his television shows, as I soon came to realize, but I found them immensely entertaining nonetheless.

Ramsey’s shows have him running different kitchens or training up would-be chefs by showing them the ropes. While the shows are often intriguing in their own right, it’s Ramsey’s foul language that makes them that much more enjoyable, as he routinely goes off on his protégé’s at the slightest provocation with a violent verbal tongue lashing.

Hell’s Kitchen is similar to Ramsey’s television shows, as you take on the role of an aspiring chef who must micromanage a restaurant to the top. This includes seating guests and taking their orders, heading into the kitchen to cook it yourself, then bringing it out to them, and finally clearing off their table after they’ve finished. As the game progresses and you’re dealing with more and more customers at a time, things get incredible stressful and fun, as you must skilfully manage multiple orders while keeping everyone happy. If you’ve played PC time management games such as Diner Dash, you’ll have an idea of what to expect.

The cooking portion of the game is where the bulk of the game’s challenge and fun is to be found, and there’s a handy little arcade mode which can be played to practice cooking the various recipes you’ve learned. Cooking is made difficult not only by the preparation which must occur, but by the timing which each portion of the recipe must be carried out in. Each individual portion of the meal must be completed at as close to the same time as possible, so knowing how long each portion takes and planning that into your scheduling is the main area of difficulty.

The bulk of the game is in the career mode, where you’ll learn new recipes and take on increasing greater challenges as your restaurant becomes more popular and attracts more and more customers each day (hopefully).

Incredibly, the iPhone version of Hell’s Kitchen looks nearly as good as the Wii version, which is a testament both to how good it looks on the iPhone and how poorly it looked on the Wii. The environments have a nicely detailed 3-D style, though the various dishes can be difficult to differentiate between. While the graphics are nice, there’s only a few different main screens you’ll be seeing throughout the whole game, so they do tend to lose their appeal after some time.

The only thing really missing from Hell’s Kitchen is the irritable Chef Ramsey cursing at you as you mess up an order or burn a meal, which would have made the game that much more enjoyable (though also adult-rated, the obvious deciding factor in leaving that little game play tidbit on the back burner). If you’re a fan of frantic, stress-inducing games, you’ll be sweating out every pore and loving every second of it in Hell’s Kitchen.

Pros:

• Stress-filled, frantic game play
• Excellent graphics

Cons:

• Chef Ramsey doesn’t curse you out
• Occasional lag and crashes

Price - $2.99

Score: 8/10

Hells Kitchen on iTunes