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

Moto X Mayhem uses the Apple accelerometer technology, which is in and of itself a challenge in many gaming situations, but with this particular game seems virtually impossible at times. Players have the ability to change the control options for the tilt of the rider as well as the throttle and brake. It’s almost a must that the tilt sensitivity be adjusted down to accommodate the learning curve on the game. Additionally, players can switch the controls between digital and analog in the Options menu.

To play the game in digital tilt screen mode, players must press the right side of the screen for the throttle and the left side of the screen for the brake. The rider can be tilted forward or back by tilting the device to one side or the other, which is necessary as rider and bike attempt to climb and jump, up and down the steep terrain of each course. The goal is to try to make your best time for each course without crashing the bike, thereby killing or seriously injuring your rider.

There are a total of 21 courses, divided into three different islands, each with seven courses. Players are able to do a Practice mode, which gives you access to all of the courses, but the timed Play mode starts the player at the first course and locks each subsequent course until the player has successfully completed the prior level. Scores are kept through a network as well as personal best.

The real problem is that the tilt play doesn’t seem to really work well in the accelerometer, digital or analog modes. The game bills itself as a physics game, but the physics don’t seem to work well. And what is supposed to be “addictive gameplay” according to the game description, is actually frustrating gameplay.

The graphic design of the “fun rag doll” rider is not impressive, and neither are the basic course graphics. Birds tweet in the background, some stereotypical heavy metal-like music plays on a short loop, and the sound of bones crunching and snapping when the rider falls off the bike combine to make-up a fairly unimpressive sound effects package as well.

Though the game is low-cost, the quality of the game leaves a lot to be desired. Once the basics are learned enough to be able to play, each course is relatively short, so 21 courses ends up sounding like a lot more than it actually turns out to be. Perhaps with some adjustments in game controls and upgrades in graphics the app could be improved. There are too many other high quality, low cost apps available to be able to recommend to anyone spending time or money on Moto X Mayhem.

Pros:

• Low-cost

Cons:

• Sound effects and graphics fairly basic
• Game controls inconsistent and too sensitive

Score: 1/10

Price: .99c

Moto X Mayhem on iTunes

Though Trisms’s graphics are fairly low-key, the real value of this game is in the challenging gameplay. Players must move rows of triangular, multi-colored tiles to form trisms made of three same-colored tiles that touch. Bonus points are given for chains, which are trisms that have one or more additional tiles added to them. In the Infinism (un-timed play) and Terminism (timed play) modes, players also battle challenges like bolted in place tiles that lock a row in place, and detonated bombs placed on tiles that will explode if a trism is not formed using that tile.

Trism offers an excellent Tutorial mode that takes you step-by-step through how to play the game. Players have the ability to move rows of tiles both by sliding a finger across the screen, and then once the row has been moved, by tilting your Apple device in different directions causing the rows to “fall” into place in different ways. A compass resides in the lower corner to assist you with the shifting of the rows, and there is also a black set of arrows that appear on the screen as you move the device to let you know which direction the tiles will fall. This added feature is what puts this game ahead of others in its tile-game genre.

The Syllogism mode is a great way to learn and practice how to move your device to make the tiles fall where you need them to fall. This is a key component to the overall gameplay for any of the modes, so it’s an important skill to try to master. This ability to have rows shift at the end of your turn forces the player to think ahead to upcoming moves. In this way Trism may remind some players of its distant gaming cousin Tetris.

Players are able to set-up an account that records your top Infinism score, top Terminism score, all-time total trisms cleared, all-time total points, and best combo move. There are also 22 achievements that players can earn through Infinism play. Trism offers a color-blind mode, the ability to turn on or off sound effects, as well as clear all of the data from the account.

As mentioned earlier, the graphics are not overly spectacular. Tiles are colored red, purple, blue, green or yellow, and there are some interesting bonus tiles (for instance a rainbow tile that will match any color of tile), but even with those the graphic design is fairly simple. Additionally the sound effects are pretty basic - a chime announces a trism formed, and a pool-ball racking click sounds when rows slide into place. But what the game lacks in audio and visual “Wow!” is completely made-up for by the fun and challenge of the game.

Trism’s low-cost is definitely an incentive to buy this game. Because you have the ability to try your hand at both timed and un-timed games, it’s a nice “pass the time” game to add to your iPhone or iPod Touch collection. Though the graphics are fairly low-key, the gameplay is a true challenge and offers many hours of playing time.

Pros:

• Challenging tile-puzzle gameplay
• Excellent tutorials
• Multi-mode options
• Well-priced

Cons:

• Sound effects and graphics fairly basic

Score: 8/10

Price: $2.99

Trism on iTunes

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

Fruit Ninja is played by sliding your finger across the screen in an effort to slice fruit as it is tossed into the air.  In Classic Mode, the occasional bomb tossed along with the fruit complicates your slicing.  Be careful!  Hitting the bomb creates an explosion that ends that round of play.  The bomb is a great addition, because otherwise the difficulty level would be pretty low. Players work to rack up points without missing any fruit or hitting any bombs.  Missed fruit results in a red “X” counted against you.  Three red “X’s” and your round is finished.

In the new Zen Mode, players are given 90-seconds – and no bombs – to try to slice as many fruit as you possibly can.  This newest feature makes the game even more appealing, and is perfect for those moments when you have a few minutes to kill between meetings or waiting in line somewhere.  There is also the promise of a coming addition on the mode select screen, so be sure to stay tuned for another update coming soon.  According to reports, Halfback does a great job of implementing player feedback into its updates, so perhaps scrolling through discussion boards may offer a clue about what’s to come?

The graphics and sound effects in Fruit Ninja are truly outstanding.  The detail of each piece of fruit both before and after it is sliced is very realistic, as is the sound each piece of fruit makes as it is sliced. The best sound of all, though, is the sword slash effect with every swipe of your finger.  It truly sounds as if you are attacking the fruit with a keen edged ninja blade.  It’s amazing the sense of satisfaction one feels with every slash, squish and splat!

An added bonus to the game is the wise Fruit Ninja sensei who accompanies you on your fruit-slashing journey.  He offers up fruit wisdom, such as “Limes were fed to British sailors to prevent scurvy,” and “Two thirds of the fiber in apples is found in the skin.” It’s fun to learn new fruit facts while working to make fruit puree.

Learning the game is very simple, mastering the game is a real challenge, as bombs are frequently tossed along with four or more fruit at once, making a haphazard swashbuckling effort certain death.  Points are earned for each fruit sliced, and bonus points are earned for critical hits and combo attacks.  Occasionally complicating matters is the confusion between falling fruit pieces and un-sliced companions, especially when you are working to avoid accompanying bombs. For those interested in making their game play a social event, there is also an OpenFeint connection.

Overall, the graphics, sound and simplicity of play are major pros for Fruit Ninja. Add to that its low cost and self-motivating personal best premise and you’ve got an app that is well worth the investment. Fruit Ninja is a great little game for anyone who has some time to pass and is looking for something easy but fun.  Though there may not be a lot of bells and whistles with this game, sometimes simpler is better.  The ease of the game coupled with the fun design and concept make this app well worth its minimal cost.

Pros:

• Easy to learn, hard to master gameplay
• Incredible graphics and sound
• Excellent price

Cons:

• Simplicity of the game might eventually lead to lack of interest

Score: 8/10

Price:  .99¢

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fruit-ninja/id362949845?mt=8

The basic premise of the game is the destruction of some deranged looking little green pigs by some kamikaze style “angry birds.” Why are the birds angry? As explained by the in-game trailer, it seems that while the birds were distracted by the destruction of a mosquito, the king of the green swine and his crew stole the birds’ eggs to fulfill little piggy fantasies of fried and poached eggs.

This backstory helps your conscience as you proceed to slingshot one angry bird after another into the stone, wood and glass-bricked fortresses the pigs have built to protect themselves. Through skill, some basic understanding of physics, and a touch of luck, you are able to destroy the piggy palaces, smashing the pigs in the process. The birds lose feathers and life in an effort to wreak vengeance for their lost eggs. You fail if all swine cannot be eliminated. In other words, no bacon, no level up.

The graphics and sound are both quirky and a little crazy, creating a fun gaming atmosphere. Certain extra touches – like black eyes for battered not broken pigs, bird squeals of “whoopee!” as each bird is shot cannonball like into the air, and little piggy smiles from those pigs left unharmed after all the birds have been sacrificed – all combine to make a truly entertaining experience.

Angry Birds does an excellent job of blending entertainment with gameplay challenge. As players advance through the various levels, additional angry birds are unlocked, each with its own unique abilities: blue birds explode from one bird to three with a tap on the screen, yellow birds take on super speed, black birds explode on landing, and white birds drop egg bombs. At each level you are given a certain number of birds and bird types, presumably the best birds to get the job done.

The pig fortresses become more complex, but Angry Birds is wise to mix challenging levels with easier ones so that the player’s frustration is kept in check. If you fail to bring down the pig house, you can replay that level indefinitely, but if you succeed, you advance to the next level (the newest version boasts 120 levels to complete).

Players can repeat levels to try to improve scores, or simply work to advance through each level. Points are earned for killing pigs and the destruction of their fortresses, and bonus points are earned for any leftover angry birds not used during that level.

Angry Birds is a great lesson in physics, as players must find the weak spots in the pigs’ construction, using angles and such to properly aim their winged warriors to certain destruction. Each bird leaves a smoke trail which helps the player determine the next bird’s angle of release, a thoughtful assistance for the player. Because of the creative and logical demands of each level, replay is not only an option, but many players will feel compelled to try to repeat success.

There are really only pros to report for Clickgamer.com’s star arcade game. The price is well worth the endless hours of fun – one of the best deals out there – and the addictive nature of the game means money well spent. This game is perfect for any age or experience level player, and definitely one that will gain popularity through word of mouth advertising. Angry Birds is truly one of the best games available, and with the promise of new versions offering more levels, the life of this gaming trend seems to be indefinite.

Pros:

• Easy to learn, hard to master gameplay
• Excellent graphics
• Well worth the minimal investment

Cons:

• No hints for challenging levels

Score: 10/10

Price: 99c

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds/id343200656?mt=8

Years later, Sonic is still a major franchise with multiple entries each year, though nowhere near the system selling franchise it once was. While there are multiple Sonic games that could’ve made the transition to the iPhone (I personally would’ve loved to see Sonic CD get this treatment), Sega decided to go back to the beginning with the original adventure. Sega showed with Super Monkey Ball that they can effectively make use of the iPhone platform which boded well for this release. Unfortunately it didn’t quite turn out as well as one could’ve hoped for.

Sonic is a 2D platformer, and a game quite unique on the iPhone, despite its growing and diversifying library. Sonic blazes through the 20+ levels while collecting coins, negotiating numerous loops and jumps, and spinning into enemies. There are also plenty of bonus levels for him to speed through, and secrets to find.

While I’m not a big fan of the accelerometer, I thought this would be a perfect game to make use of it in some way, yet Sega ignored both the accelerometer and the touch screen in favour of a virtual d-pad. You control Sonic’s movement and spin attack with the up, left, down, and right arrows, while jumping with the A button off to the right. I have no problem with this control method, except in this instance the controls feel somewhat clunky and slow to react. Whether this is actually the fault of the controls or the often lagging framerate is debatable, but whatever the case, things are not nearly as tight or as enjoyable as they should be for such a classic game.

Yes, Sonic suffers from some Sonic-sized slowdown, which is a shame and somewhat puzzling given the wealth of more graphically intensive games we’ve seen on the platform. Yes Sonic moves quickly which puts strain on the hardware, but I have a hard time believing that the iPhone couldn’t have perfectly handled this 18 year old game with some extra tweaking by Sega.

Despite its age Sonic still looks good for a 2D game, with bright and pleasing visuals, and excellent animation. The music also makes the transition well. I was always a fan of Sonic’s music, and it’s just as enjoyable here, save for the occasions when the music noticeably slows down alongside the gameplay.

For those who missed Sonic oh-so-many years ago, or those looking to relive his first adventure, Sonic’s iPhone adventure is a decent pickup, though not without issues. The core gameplay though is as enjoyable as ever, and something wholly unique from anything else on the system. With some refinement this could’ve been a real winner. Let’s hope Sega gets it right with their next Sonic iPhone adventure, if indeed there is another.

Pros:

• Graphics still stand up well to other 2D games
• Excellent soundtrack
• Full featured game with plenty of levels and bonuses

Cons:

• Some severe slowdown
• Awkward controls
• No save feature

Score: 6.5/10

Price: $5.99

Sonic The Hedgehog on iTunes

For those who’ve been sleeping under the proverbial rock for the past few years, The Sims is one of gaming’s biggest franchises, placing you in control of a Sim whom you must look after and guide throughout his/her life. This includes looking after all of their personal needs such as hygiene, work, play, and love.

You begin by creating your Sim with a fully featured character creator. You have access to plenty of different models, hairstyles, colours, clothing, accessories, and more, to make your Sim wildly unique, or as close to your real life image as possible. In addition to their looks you can also set their persona by giving them traits that will dictate how they act and react to the things and people around them. You could easily create completely different characters multiple times, giving the game some great replay value.

As always, The Sims is largely what you make of it. The game is most easily categorized as a sandbox game, meaning you can pretty much do what you want, when you want. There are a set of pre-defined goals you can fulfill, and doing so can lead to some nice rewards like unlocking an additional character trait, but the goals can be completely ignored if you want. For many, earning money and building up your homestead will be the prime motivating factor, while others will be more interested in cultivating relationships with other Sims. The Sims 3 also features plenty of other diversions in the form of minigames like cooking and fishing, all of which make good use of the iPhone’s controls.

The big new feature of The Sims 3 (both PC and iPhone) is the ability to travel around your virtual neighbourhood, interacting with neighbours and exploring to really make the world come alive. The Sims used to feel rather disjointed, as most of the action took place entirely within your house. Now it truly feels like you’re a member of a living, breathing community. That said, the iPhone is somewhat lacking in this department, as the neighbourhoods are somewhat devoid of people in comparison to the PC version. Your Sim is also depicted with a little placeholder figurine, which also lessens the immersion factor.

The game is controlled both with the touch screen and accelerometer. The menus and many different objects can all be interacted with via the touch screen, and the camera is controlled with the touch screen as well, allowing you to zoom in or out, and pan around the unfolding action, whatever it may be.

The graphics are outstanding with large and detailed models, sharp and vibrant textures, and good animation. Menus are bright and clear, large enough to easily hit without being overly obtrusive. The music is also great, soothing and relaxing much of the time, while shifting gears at the appropriate time depending on the situation. The classic Simlish language (basically a form of gibberish) also makes its appearance on the iPhone in all its nonsensical glory.

The game is not without some occasional hiccups though, which aren’t entirely unexpected. There are occasional graphical glitches and problems with the game crashing, but these are nowhere near as prevalent as they were in the iPhone SimCity.

If you’re looking for an immersive, time-consuming game to eat up your iPhone’s battery life, you’ve found it with The Sims 3. I know there’s plenty of angst about these $10 games sprouting up on the iPhone, but this is a fully developed game that can be enjoyed for hours and hours. Don’t let the number of free and $.99 games scare you away from this gem just because they’re cheaper. The Sims 3 is worth every penny and then some.

Pros:

• Incredible amount of depth
• Vast character creation options
• Outstanding graphics and music

Cons:

• Some technical issues

Score: 9.5/10

Price: $9.99

The Sims 3 on iTunes

While I may not care for the premise, is My Brute actually worth investing any time in? The iPhone version is a standalone version from the PC version, meaning the My Brutes from one version can’t compete or interact with those from the PC version. This limits the scope of the iPhone version, especially as this version runs gamers $5, while the PC version is free. The small number of players at present really limits the appeal of the game (which as stated is largely based on its Master and Pupil social networking system, and the ability to indulge in tournaments against other players).

You begin by naming and creating your brute. You can choose from a number of different styles and colors, though not nearly enough to create anything that would be unique from the creations of other players. Your creation will gain experience by completing tasks and defeating other fighters, which helps them develop their skills and increase their stats. The RPG elements help disguise what is otherwise a fairly shallow game.

Instead of actually getting to fight your opponents in challenges, which would’ve made the game immensely more interesting, the fights play out entirely with computer A.I, and are decided based on skills, stats, and weapons (which are also randomly gained by beating challenges, you have no say in what skills or equipment you acquire). You can also acquire pets, and unlock other things like different arenas, but it’s all rather unexciting given the nature of the game. To top it all off, you can only fight 5 opponents per day which amounts to only a few minutes worth of play time.

If the fighting was real-time, or at least involved some level of strategy, such as allowing you to choose between different fighting styles, it may have been half decent. Even allowing you to simply choose what weapons or skills you get when you complete tasks would’ve helped somewhat. Instead the game is nothing more than a completely non-interactive and random waste of time.

The graphics are fairly nice, with decent designs and animation, and the backdrops fit the style well. The music wasn’t quite as compelling and grows tiresome quickly, despite the short bursts of play time.

Considering the shallow and completely non-interactive gameplay, there’s no way I can recommend My Brute for purchase on the iPhone, especially considering it’s free on the PC and has a much larger fanbase there. It may be fun to kill a few minutes a day with on PC, but that’s not worth $5 on the iPhone. Pass on this effort and play the PC version instead if you must.

Pros:

• Nice graphics
• Plenty of things to unlock and use

Cons:

• Small number of players
• Gimmicky Master and Pupil system
• Items and skills are acquired randomly
• Completely non-interactive, choose to fight or train, that’s about it

Score: 4/10

Price: $4.99

My Brute on iTunes

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