Touch Arcade

Minesweeper Genius isn't a game that asks to send you push notifications, or one that offers in-app purchases (just in case you were wondering about that). You don't have a certain amount of energy to use before needing time to recharge to be able to play more levels. It's just a game you can play anyplace, anytime and for as long as you want. Be careful though, it's a little addictive and hard to stop playing, and now that you know all about this remarkable game, I'm off to help Aristotle before those pesky aliens catch up with him.

Buy Heirs of the Kings if you really need your JRPG itch scratched and are on some kind of diet where you can't touch other gaming platforms. It's not trash and you don't have a lot of other choices if you've already played what's out there. Completely boring mush even by Kemco's standards, but it's edible. I just hope Kemco has some kind of strategy for the future lined up, because eventually even the most diehard of adherents is going to reach their limit for these unimaginative, soulless bits of belly-button fluff. I'm not going to hold my breath for any miracles, though.

So why should you be downloading Zero/sum? Well it's a great game, especially if you love the puzzle genre and are looking for sum fun (I'm on fire). You can play it for the awesome story, or to help train your brain. It is beautifully polished and for any one who has been following its production from the very beginning, this game is unquestionably worth the wait. Once you've played the game head on over to our forums and let us know your favourite quote from the storyline.

The game controls very well on the touchscreen, which surprised me a bit as many such shooters don’t have that precision element where you can slide diagonally gently. I found the best way to play Super Hydorah was with my thumb on the right side of the display where the enemies are usually coming from and not the traditional method from the left side. Anyone into shoot 'em ups needs to give this game a try. It plays and controls well in a nice and frantic pace that should keep you on your toes for long play sessions. Super Hydorah is a very pleasant tribute to the classics of a bygone era.

This is not all though. The game will keep surprising you if you keep with it. For instance, the sixth level introduces another long-tailed creature to navigate the world alongside you. These kinds of gameplay surprises will keep coming the farther you get. Odium To the Core is not for everyone. Some players will not have the patience to even pass level two. It is not your typical mobile title by any stretch of the imagination. If you are up for the challenge, however, give it a try. For anyone else, the game is worth having on your mobile device for the art style and aesthetics if nothing else. It is really a great demonstration of parallax scrolling and cool graphics to take in and chill to.

Overall, Volcano Tower is an interesting diversion from the standard platformer and many runner or roguelike games, mixing a few genres together. However, it is very repetitive and a bit obtrusive with the ads. You will be watching one after dying to continue unless you gain enough stars or want to make IAPs. You still can get a lot of gameplay without making purchases, but really only the hardcore fans will. The game gets quite dull and repetitive after a half dozen or so playthroughs. It still might be worth checking out if you need a quick platforming fix with a Tiki vibe thrown in.

Oh and did I mention the game plays incredibly well on both iPhone and iPad? It plays in the landscape orientation, thus everything is laid out nicely if you own a larger iDevice. The music is really soothing as well and will get you in the mood of the game. It fits a puzzler well and will make you relax as you lay back and use your logic side of the brain to figure the solutions to rooms' layouts. The game is truly worth checking out for anyone in the mood to think a bit, relax, and enjoy a soothing gameplay experience that works perfectly on the touchscreen.

If you are looking for an additional platformer to add to your collection or a game you can play with one hand while standing in line, Almost There will fit that role nicely.

One thing that keeps the game from true greatness is that it gets very repetitive. This is particularly in the beginning where you only have one character and axe to throw and no sword yet. However, as you engage the match and level up (hard to do in the last-man standing mode) you will see additional perks and (sword or multiple axes) weapons available. Also, as you keep playing you will earn additional characters. So, there is definite incentive to keep going. However, you still have to fight that repetition and hopefully Crescent Moon Games will keep supporting the game with updates to keep things fresh.

There are again 50 levels in total and the game is really on the short side. It gets very addicting however, as the levels are just pretty cool to look at with colors popping about on-screen. If you are in the mood for a new mobile platformer with some gorgeous pixel art to boot, you can do a lot worse than Reed. I ended up completing all of the game's levels wanting more. Hopefully, a sequel or an update will make this happen, but otherwise this is still a solid platformer worth checking out.