iPhone Savior

App Review: World Guardians Brings The Damage

 

In World Guardians for iOS you control one of four heroes and their army as you try to defend the world from invading enemies. At first glance you might think that this RPG style romp is a remake of the popular game Plants Vs. Zombies, but it actually plays out much differently.

Although the play area is a tad reminiscent of PopCap's memorable game, World Guardians doesn't rely on collecting any kind of currency mid-game to place units. You can place all of your units right off the bat, and the rest of the levels are taken care of as you watch your units attack the enemies. If you choose to be involved in the action once the level has started you can use your main hero's power to obliterate enemies quicker.

World Guardians currently has 45 levels over 3 different areas, 4 main heroes, and 4 sub-units for the player to place. Each hero has an individual attack and a distinctive set of stats.

My only gripe about the different characters is that aside from the Heroes, everything else is the same; the sub-units are the same and so are all the levels. It would be far more interesting if each hero had one specific unit to back it up and maybe a couple levels that can only be completed by them.

Although the upgrade system is simple, it works well for World Guardians. In each level you earn gold and you can spend this on upgrading your hero's level, your hero's powers, your sub-units' levels, and the number of sub-units you can have in each level. Gold is relatively easy to get so you shouldn't have to worry about not having enough to upgrade, but if you ever need more gold it exists as an In-App Purchase.

World Guardians is a perfect distraction — the idea of watching the game play out after carefully positioning all your units is a unique style for an iOS game. I definitely recommend giving this one a test drive — especially because it's FREE. I'm sure that as Weeny Brain continues to update the game it will only get better.

World Guardians is an independent game released by Weeny Brain's Games developed using the Corona SDK.

 

Guest post by Jordan Schmidt - @JSchmidty

'Draw Something' Blows Past 50 Million Downloads

 

It took only 50 days for mobile juggernaut "Draw Something" to crank past 50 million downloads and take over the number one spot again in the iTunes App Store by passing Angry Birds "Space". That milestone was "no easy egg to crack" since the latest edition of Angry Birds set its own record with 10 million downloads in three days since launching on March 22nd.

Social game giant Zynga who purchased the Pictionary-esque "Draw Something" from developers OMGPOP one month ago — called their $180 million acquisition "one of the fastest growing web sensations." in a statement.

"We believe it’s not only the fastest growing original mobile game of all time – 50 days to hit 50 million downloads — but one of the fastest growing web sensations that we’ve seen," Zynga said.

Players have created some 6 billion works of art since Draw Something debuted two months ago — growing to the current rate of 3,000 drawings a second compared to just 3 drawings per second on launch day.

Draw Something is believed to generate approximately $250,000 a day for Zynga, with a paid version of the game priced at $1.99 or players can choose to opt in for the free ad supported version. Zynga is currently offering an upgrade to the paid edition at half off for a limited time.

But buyers should be warned that just like Words With Friends, which allows players to compete against friends and strangers around the globe — there's an addictive quality to Draw Something that has a way of keeping you glued to the game for huge amounts of time.

There is good reason why it's parked at number one with 50 millions downloads and counting. It's possible that 100 million could be much closer than anyone imagines, making Zynga's stock (ZNGA) look mighty attractive at $11.91 per share.

Plumber Crack Gets A Real Full-Figured Update

 

After hovering for a short time at the number 3 spot on the iTunes Free iPhone and iPad App charts, Fluik Entertainment has delivered a significant update to Plumber Crack and she's a beauty.

Say hello to Betty the plumber — a curvaceous redhead who likes tattoos and playing dress up. This game has doubled it's appeal by putting some much needed "lady lumps" into the addictive gameplay. But you'll find Miss Betty's backside cleavage a tad more challenging as a moving target.

The developers at Fluik wasted no time delivering this clever update that brings much more than just a battle of the sexes including; Leaderboards and Achievements, faster throw rates, more significant power ups and Game Center integration.

There was already so much to love about Plumber Crack (free) before this meaningful update, but now there's truly something to cheer about. Unlocking levels opens up multiple outfit changes for these characters which include a skimpy cowgirl outfit for Betty, several more objects to throw and even a zombie outfit for the undead fans.

If you haven't taken this classic cliche for a proper test drive, I'm not sure what you've been waiting for. Did I mention it's free?

Angry Birds Space Finally Lands In The App Store

 

Pig-hating Angry Birds fanatics can finally launch into orbit with Rovio's latest installment into their wildly popular franchise with Angry Birds Space ($.99) — which is now ready for download in the App Store.

The game is expected to become the biggest launch yet for Rovio with new intergalactic characters and physics engine that adjusts for the idea of "zero-gravity" in space. Gamers will find 60 interstellar levels, brand new superpowers, sweet bank-shots off of planets and a bunch of hidden bonus levels in this one.

Angry Birds Space is all about the ferocious fowl embarking on an epic chase into a wormhole to snatch back their kidnapped eggs while battling spaced out pigs. I've included the video trailer below below for a quick sneak peek into the storyline.

Grab the essential free Angry Birds Space Guide through The Daily App for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

[Angry Birds Space]

Plumber Crack Leaps Into Top 5 App Store Games

 

There's just no better way to kill time than tossing melting chunks of ice into a plumber's crack for the better part of an hour. Fluik Entertainment has just added a certified juggernaut to their short list of casual games with Plumber Crack (free).

The creators of such wildly popular iOS games as "Office Jerk" and my own favorite "Office Zombie" have moved past the workplace into a longtime cliche that is brilliantly fun to play. The Edmonton-based indie developers who've seen over 8 million downloads from their lineup of casual games in the past year are rapidly becoming masters of the medium.

This new freemium app is certain to have many independent developers rushing to brainstorm their own titles by following Fluik's lead to "keep it simple", which seems to be resonating with iOS gamers.

The iPad version of this game looks amazing, even though the graphic design here is kept deliberately simple. In-app purchases allow users to buy "Crack Bucks" from anywhere between $4.99 and $99.99 in order to unlock levels and alternate costumes to play dress-up with "crack boy."

Launched only on March 1st, Plumber Crack has already worked its way up into the number 3 spot on the iTunes Free iPhone and iPad App charts. With this kind of repeated success, I'm certain that it won't be long before the dangerous minds at Fluik Entertainment become an acquisition target by any number of companies seeking a turbo launch into the mobile game space.

Plumber Crack has plenty of room to grow on the back end (pun intended) if Fluick adds social features, regular updates, leaderboards and the potential of Game Center support which should boost this one into hyper-success mode.

I can easily see an office version of this game I'd call "Quarter Slots", but I would imagine the visual design not being too kid-friendly. 

Stay Alive Is A Fast, Fun Shooter Game With No Buyer's Remorse

 

Hurtling through space at what seems like lightspeed, your goal in Stay Alive ($.99) is exactly that — you must stay alive as you navigate through asteroids and fend off enemies, all while collecting orbs to upgrade your ship. It becomes a vicious cycle, collecting orbs to upgrade your ship just so you can collect more orbs — but you'll find this addicting game is the best of its kind.

Your reflexes will be tested as you blast through space in the newest title from Drummer Games. There are 21 levels to play, but the real challenge comes in "endless mode". In this mode of gameplay your only objective is to fly as far as you can without dying while trying to beat your previous best distance. Each time you play the endless mode the level is randomly generated, presenting a new challenge at all times. 

Stay Alive has a simple but very appealing art style, but what stands out most to me in this game is the wonderful 8bit music. As you fly through deep space it's very important to have an enjoyable soundtrack, and the music in Stay Alive is exactly that.

If you're looking for a game to keep you on your toes, this is a perfect choice. Your reflexes will be pushed to the limit as you shoot bad guys and dodge flying space rocks. For the competitive, the endless mode will have you glued to your phone trying to beat your own high score as you seek to scale up the leaderboards.

Stay Alive is a real steal for just $.99, but if you're still not convinced there's a free version available for nonbelivers to test drive. 

 

Guest post by Jordan Schmidt - @JSchmidty

It's Time To Play Angry Birds on Facebook!

 

Rovio has chosen Valentine's Day to launch Angry Birds on Facebook. The fierce fowl have arrived just in time to give the other half of the planet not celebrating undying love today a needed distraction.

Even though you'll find some heart-themed content on the Angry Birds Facebook wall, getting into the game is all that really matters. 

How to play Angry Birds on Facebook:

• Log into Facebook and type Angry Birds in search or paste this link into your browser http://apps.facebook.com/angrybirds/ 

• Then click on the option to Play Game.

• After clicking on Play Game let it load - then click on the desired version to play.

• You'll get 14 power-up points for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

 

It was great to see the original illustrations by Scooterek on how Angry Birds look after the game included in photos. It's a great day to be angry!

Apple Warns Developers About Manipulating App Store Chart Rankings

 

Apple posted an announcement on Monday warning developers that anyone involved in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews will end up losing membership in the Developer Program.

Adhering to Guidelines on Third-Party Marketing Services

"Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it. However, when you promote your app, you should avoid using services that advertise or guarantee top placement in App Store charts." said Apple.

"Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership." Apple added.

The company suggested that developers use the App Store Resource Center in order to "Get helpful tips and resources on marketing your apps the right way."

The warning immediately followed Apple's removal of the embattled "Temple Jump", along with a large number of other alleged "clone apps" that were yanked down from the App Store. The practice capitalizes on iTunes users mistaking iOS lookalike games for the popular versions, only to find they've been duped when experiencing inferior gameplay after downloading.

Clones pull huge sales away from the originals in order to dubiously rise in chart rankings with the greatest of ease.

Developer Anton Sinelnikov had only 9 of his original 68 apps left populating the App Store after being targeted by Apple. His alleged lookalike apps including Tiny Birds, Numbers With Friends, Plants vs. Zombie and Temple Jump were just four of the apps tagged in Apple's clean sweep.

Manipulating App Store rankings is nothing new for iPhone devs, Molinker Inc., became the unwitting poster child of an alleged App Store ratings scam in late 2009, having over 1,100 apps banished by Apple for fabricating 5 star reviews.

Some companies have approached iOS developers with a surefire scheme designed to land their apps in the Top 25 rankings for a $5,000 fee, according to a post by PocketGamer.

It appears Apple is already wise to the scheme which might explain why a Top 25 graphic was also included next to its posted warning to developers.

[iClarified]

What Angry Birds Look Like After The Game Ends

 

I never gave much thought to what those Angry Birds might look like once the game is over. Deviant Artist Scooterek has given us his perfectly twisted vision behind the scenes of the Angry Birds gameplay — once the popular flock of fowl have finished wreaking havoc on a gang of pigs.

The end result is not a pretty picture — but the artwork is wicked cool.

I'm unofficially calling Scooterek's epic collection of illustrations "Battered Birds". The artist has said that Mighty Eagle and a group of pummeled Pigs are soon to follow.

I can't wait!

   

[see the entire Scooterek set @ DeviantART]

Terra Noctis Is One Retro-Platformer That Should Not Be Missed

Terra Noctis ($.99) is reminiscent of classic 2D platformers that require the player to navigate from one side of the map to the other while collecting items used to unlock levels and additional worlds along the way.

Staying alive as you kill enemies and find secret collectibles is both addicting and challenging. You then spend these items on unlocking bonus levels or new worlds. This game has great replay value because of the three unique difficulty levels and multiple collectibles that keep gameplay interesting.

The game has you playing as Allen, the incarnation of a "small nightmare", but he isn't as scary as the ones that keep you up at night. You guide Allen through the levels with different items and abilities, trying to collect everything you can. The pixel art graphics and music here are notable, especially the layered backgrounds that blend with the environment. Each world looks and sounds better than the last.

What I like most about this game is the retro-platformer feel that is reinforced by finding secret areas and collectibles, and by the simplicity of its controls. Playing levels multiple times for 100% completion never gets old.

For only a buck, Terra Noctis is a game that anyone who loves Mario or other classic platformers should definitely pick up. It's a beautiful game on both the iPhone and the iPad that gives you hours of classic side-scrolling gameplay.

Guest post by Jordan Schmidt - @JSchmidty

[Terra Noctis Review]