iPhone Reviews 2.0

iTunes Link

Madden NFL 10 is a football game by Electronic Arts. $9.99

If you read the NFL 2010 below you would know how much I think Madden 10 is the better football game. Everything in Madden has been kicked up a notch from what we got from Gameloft in NFL 2010. What else would you expect though for a game that not only got higher than NFL 2010 on the App Store charts but at full price was also $2 dearer. The other thing Madden has going for it is its name. The reason Electronic Arts has been super successful on the App Store is because people will buy their games first just because of the brand name. Obviously Madden 10 is the most successful NFL console game of all time and any other device should have the same success because of the name. This is why I am predicting FIFA 10 to automatically go better than Real Soccer 2010 because of that brand name.

My initial impression of Madden 10 was wow. This game looks and plays like something really professional. Just how smooth and polished this game is quite literally blew me away. The graphics are incredible and direct comparison to NFL 2010 are head and shoulders above the competition. Having say that, the just released Backbreaker Football has way better graphics, but what is happening in the actual games are totally different and therefore I'd have to call what we have in Madden more impressive. The game is more realistic and has many many more options in regards to plays etc. compared to NFL 2010. This game is just jam packed with features and they have been delivered excellently.

Madden 10 has surprised me with how good the graphics are. I first saw screenshots of NFL 2010 before anything to do with Madden were released and I saw them being very impressed and wondering how Madden will beat them. In true Electronic Arts fashion Madden 10 has done just that, with graphics that are crisper, more defined and players that look quite realistic. The game is also very smooth for a graphically powerful game. I found no lag what so ever while playing this game and was probably smoother than NFL 2010. I don't know how Electronic Arts do it but they can get almost all their games to run perfectly, while Gameloft have had a few problems with pre-iPhone 3GS devices for games like Gangstar etc.

The controls found in Madden 10 I found more accessible and easier to use than the controls in NFL 2010, once you got used to them. Madden 10 requires a bit of learning to perfect how to use the many special features. For one you control your own slow-mo time to execute the perfect juke or spin to get out of trouble. The passing, defense and running is all the same to NFL 2010 with the virtual joystick and tap to pass used. What is different however is the way to kick or punt the ball, using basically the Tiger Woods PGA Tour shot method of dragging the ball down and up. This takes a bit of practice as you have to time it with a kind of pulse in the bar to kick it 100%. The other changed I really liked was that you can alter the plays to how you want it to happen. What I mean by this is that you can choose the path a runner will take if you choose to edit it. This can come quite handy if you are getting a bit stuck and the player can't get free.

Madden 10 features many game modes, but as most sport games the season mode is the one you will play most often. This gives you a quite realistic roster of a NFL season as you try and compete for the chance to win the coveted Superbowl trophy. You choose any team of your choice, which doesn't seem to matter like in NFL 2010. In that game they had a rating for each teams attack and defense but not in Madden. After you choose your team, the difficulty of the games and time length you are set to hop into the season.

The game to me is super smooth and a joy just to play, but there are a few features which could be tweaked. The passing I believe has been improved from NFL 2010 with more chance of a breakaway with a successful catch, but I found that sometimes it was just that little bit too easy to do so. In NFL 2010 I could easily shut down the other teams plays by getting around and tackling the quarterback. I found this a lot harder but maybe too hard with it only maybe happening once a game, if that. It made the game a lot more challenging and probably a more strategic gameplan was in order. The one thing I don't like about both Madden 10 and NFL 2010 is how you can continually use one play to win the game by 30 points or so. I think the CPU should be heaps smarter to pick up on repeated plays so you have to continually think what your opponent will do and how to beat them. Apart from this hiccup however this is one amazing game.

Madden 10 is everything you would expect from Electronic Arts and more. $9.99 for a world renowned brand name, spectacular graphics and an excellent game all around. The price tag is very respectable for a game like this but with a very near effort from Gameloft at $2.99, I would have to say that only truly diehard football fans should probably buy this game. Most people will be happy with the Gameloft version but if you want a real quality game or just love your footy then definitely don't take the cheap option out.

iTunes Link

NFL 2010 is a football game by Gameloft. $2.99

Gameloft got in first with their own football game, picking up some early cash before Electronic Arts own Madden 10 was released onto the App Store. NFL 2010 is the first true football game that we could call anything near good. Earlier on we reviewed a game called PocketSports Football, but this game was far from anything we would call a good game these days. NFL 2010 features not only a complete football experience, but has somehow also managed to scrap up the permission to use complete NFL teams and player names, just as Madden 10 already had. This is the main reason why this game got its time in the spotlight before the arguably better, more known, yet more expensive Madden 10 came and stole the spotlight as the true football experience. For $7 less does this game live up as something to buy, or should you skip it and go with the premium option of Madden 10?

My first impressions of playing this game was how impressive this game was graphically. We have had a fair share of sport games on the App Store with the most realistic looking being Tiger Woods PGA Tour. NFL 2010 however features the players in a similar manner to Real Soccer 2010 so I was thinking the players would look kind of dodgy. However the players are incredibly detailed and can generally be told apart if you know your team well enough in the real NFL. The players move and feel well enough like real players and this game is of a very high standard for the iPhone. To do a quick comparison with Madden 10 however, the graphics I feel are much lower when directly compared to Madden, but with $7 off on the price you are certainly not getting robbed with bad quality.

NFL 2010 has very easy controls that make it perfect for those who are new to the game or even the code of football. Everything from the on screen way to pass or punt the ball right down to the way to choose your plays is done in an easy manner. To choose plays you select options which bring down the next set of options, which can be swiped left or right to see more options. Once you choose your plan in either defense or offense you then automatically set your team up on the field. You can control any player you wish by selecting them then moving them around with the D-Pad. In offense you throw the ball by touching the player you wish to throw it to. In both defense and offense you sometimes get the option to avoid a tackle or deflect/intercept when special buttons come up on the screen. The game goes into slow-mo and you have more time to choose the right option for the situation, which is quite a cool part of the game.

Comparing NFL 2010 to Madden 10 to me is almost like NFL 2010 is the arcade version while Madden 10 is more of a simulation match. NFL 2010 doesn't seem to be as realistic but more fun to repeatedly play as a more arcade version of NFL. There are just little things in NFL 2010 that don't seem to be possible but there are also aspects of Madden that need to be altered also. While neither are perfect Madden seems the most realistic. Surprise surprise, NFL 2010 is about leading your favourite team (In my case the Cardinals) to victory in any way possible. There are various games modes to play including quick play for a fuss-free match, exhibition where you can fine tune a solo game to play, season mode to play through a season length of your choice and the playoffs where you try to win the Superbowl while skipping the season. The games are short and fun but I found after a small bit of practice incredibly easy. Even on hard mode I managed to win a game with 2 minute quarters 37-7. What I found is that there is one defensive play and one offensive play that I can continue to play and they don't figure out how to beat it. I would really like to see the other team have a smarter football brain with the ability to beat recurring plays like my tactic. Apart from this I find NFL to be a fun experience.

Where I stand in the NFL 2010 vs Madden 10 debate is that NFL 2010 is for 'softcore' fans of the sport as such who don't care about super fancy graphics, more realistic gameplay and the big price for more strategies etc. For only $2.99 NFL 2010 is an extremely generous price and really anyone who doesn't want to pay for the best will be incredibly satisfied with their purchase of NFL 2010. Still splashed with the Gameloft quality we have come to know and love, this is really a game that will have you shouting 'Touchdown!'... just maybe not when playing Madden 1o.

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Chess Elite is a chess game by 99Games. $3.99

After reviewing Chess Lite and Chess Pro from the same developer back in January or February I was pretty satisfied with a good game to play chess on. Chess Lite was for more of the casual gamer and the Premium version had more graphics and a bit more to play around with. I thought Chess Elite would have added onto what Pro offered, but it has seemed to have taken a different route and removed features. Pro offered multiple game modes and 3D play as such, but Elite has the one game mode with limited modifications, but online play. Chess Elite is aimed more at the casual gamer, while the more serious chess players will like the challenge of versing people other than their friends.

This game has the potential to be a great game but probably isn't at the stage yet. There isn't much you can do to a chess game but it isn't there yet. With the online mode you can send challenges to anyone who is online or offline, and you will have to find both of you online to play. You should only have the option of challenging people who are online otherwise its dead annoying. Also the way that they have taken out all the customization and different game modes is quite annoying and it just doesn't feel as full as Chess Pro.

Chess Elite is pretty basic in the way of graphics, but they are all that is needed to work as a chess game. What makes 99Games' chess versions so good is the graphics are pretty basic so there is no lag or slowness in the game. Gameloft's chess game has great graphics but I believe this would cause the game to lag slightly, and be more for a very casual audience. The game is very simple with little outlines of every piece so they can be distinguished on the board. Not much to relly say about this part of the game, as there is nothing to do to a game like this unless you want fireworks to explode everytime you take out a knight.

The controls are fine for this game but I found a bit tricky to use successfully to start off with. To move your pieces you must tap on the required piece and then again on the desired spot. When you have selected a piece a small circle appears around them but sometimes when tapping on a piece I couldn't get it to appear. This may be my fault but it seemed to not work sometimes and took a few attempts to happen. Apart from this slight hiccup it worked reasonable well and was quick to react to any moves I made.

Well what can I really say about a game like this? It is chess, no special moves or skills, just chess. What makes this game stand out from the rest of the many chess games is the online mode. While boasting one of the strongest chess engines and the first chess game with push notifications, I found that the only reason you would get this instead of Chess Lite or Chess Pro is the online mode. As I said before I don't believe the mode has been perfected yet, but has the stepping stones to be very strong.

Basically online mode lets you verse anyone from around the world with this game. It shows all online and offline people which isn't a great of people as the game hasn't taken off. Once you accept or receive a challenge the game will play kind of like Electronic Art's Scrabble game where it can takes weeks and weeks to complete games. Luckily you can have multiple going as well as playing the other modes. This game really needs to be more successful before a mode like this will really take off I'm afraid. Games like Baseball Slugger show how a popular game can thrive on an online environment.

The other online game mode focuses on playing online also but against someone who is connected to the same WiFi. You can also play a pass n play mode with your buddies using the same iPhone or iPod Touch, but if you have two of them its alot easier to use the online play.

For those not feeling like playing against friends the other half of the game is centered around playing the computer. 99Games has stated that the computer has a good chess brain and is very flexible in the difficulty of the game. You can customize your game alot when playing the computer from how smart it is to what colour your chess piece is. While there are quite a few options if you are looking for a more advanced CPU game I would recommend Chess Pro as it has many more options. You can get help from the computer by showing you one of the available moves to you by pressing a button on the bottom of the screen. I am not sure if it is the best move available though. You can also replay the game to see how you performed and how you can make better decisions for the next time around.

Chess Elite is a pretty good game, although the lack of success means that it isnt as strong as it should be. What makes this game arguably better than Chess Pro is the online mode, but with not many participants in the mode it doesn't seem like a good game. This game is for those who like playing either other people around the world or their friends, and those who would like a bit more than the Chess Lite version. Those wanting more customized games should however pick up Chess Pro instead.

iTunes Link

HYBRID: Eternal Whisper is a RPG by Gamevil. $5.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

Earlier this year the iPhone community went RPG-crazy when the excellent Zenonia was brought onto the App Store by Gamevil. This Fall, Gamevil unleashes their next hit (?). Can Gamevil possibly bring out another big hit game? Read on to find out.

Hybrid has seemed to have grown on me after a few hours playing this game, as the storyline really gets you involved unlike so many failed attempts before it. This game seems to be alot more story orientated with large cut scenes between fights with some story to why the next fight is happening.

It is possible to skip the cut scenes but then the game is really a bunch of random fights that have no meaning what so ever. Overall though as long as you follow the storyline as it is designed to be followed then you will have an enjoyable and engaging experience learning about this mystical world.

Hybrid: Eternal Whisper has taken a different path to Zenonia, which had some outstanding graphics that would do itself proud on many platforms. Instead Hybrid has used quite old school graphics, which I usually frown upon on a great device like this. For Hybrid however, I don't mind them too much as they still look quite good.

This game basically has graphics that would look something like Chronicles of Inotia by Com2Us mixed with Dungeon & Hero by Chillingo. The animations in this game are very smooth which are much needed since this is another serious button masher. The game reacts quickly to any buttons you press and I have found no lag, glitches or crashing of the game so far.

This game is all about the fighting, hence a game like this requires quite a lot button mashing and even more greasy finger smudges if you don't use a screen protector on your iDevice. It's all about the on screen buttons, with no special swipes or tilts. I am not certain if this is a port of a previous game but even if it isn't, there isn't much point having difficult controls for a game such as Hybrid.

On the left side of the screen there is a D-Pad that is used to control your character and an attack button on the right side of the screen to use your sword. Next to the attack button is a way to swap how you are holding your sword and this will affect how you are fighting. Sometimes it is better to use one method instead of the other and to build combos by switching the two grips.

HYBRID is a very story orientated game that is split apart by over 70 battles. The game's all about the fighting, but most importantly how you get to the fighting. You take on the role of Grey, a very confused teenager who does not know very much about the world.

You find him looking for the mysterious 'Fairy' before you and your brother must fight off some dark creatures that have apparently evolved from other creatures called 'Hybrids'. These were created about the time as some, what appears to be, evil king left their world. Yes as you can tell I can go on forever about this very complicated storyline, which is unraveled to you as you progress through the game.

How do you exactly progress through what could be an open book story? Well all the cut scenes lead to some reason or another to put your life on the line against some very dangerous monsters. These range from large groups who will try to defeat you with their large weight in numbers to large boss monsters that will require some great skill and timely spells to save your bacon.

This sounds pretty easy I bet you are saying. From what you have experienced from other hack n slash games is that if you slam that button enough times they will just cark it and you will end up the victor. Not in this game however. From the very first few fights I was being forced to squirm around the screen trying to avoid the enemies while landing timely blows.

There is a bit of an RPG element in all this fighting and storytelling also. As you continue fighting you will find yourself increasing your level and hence getting points to improve your spellcasting, defence, attack and speed etc. Adding this element to the game keeps spicing things up as you get to choose how your character will fight. Will they be about super strong attacks or are they well rounded? The path of the game isn't up to you.. but almost.

Gamevil certainly knows how to make a great RPG game and have almost hit the jackpot again with this game. I would have liked this game to be a bit more hack and slash instead of all the very long cut scenes.

Hybrid is not a pick and play game and will require hard core gaming hours. Depending on who you ask, that can be a great or bad thing. A great game in general and good to see that Gamevil continues to explore untapped AppStore waters.

Here is a special preview of a upcoming game by SonicBoom Games that has caught my attention. Just looking at the screenshots wants me to see more of this game. Check out the info we have at the moment.

• As you move on you’ll unlock new types of levels, more story, new powerups, and new characters and artwork.

• From the designer/programmer of the hit game iPhone/iPod Touch game Topple, and the visual artist from Braid.

• Based on Lewis Carroll’s classic stories Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass, featuring famous quotes, poems and more.

• Unlockable content including developer commentary and endless mode.

• Original illustrations by acclaimed children’s book illustrator Mark Meyers.

• 8 different gameplay modes, 6 stages for each character, and a total of 48 levels.

• Featuring an 11 song soundtrack.

They are in the progress of making a devoted site that is coming soon. You’ll be able to get downloadables and tips from the site as well.

Stay tuned for this title as it is released. For now though, enjoy these screen shots.

iTunes Link

The Game of Life is a boardgame by Electronic Arts. $4.99

According to the movie Forrest Gump, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get.' Luckily for those with The Game of Life you can choose your path in life, from a big career to having a family. Its all in your hands.

I have never heard of a board game called The Game of Life, but after playing this game I am really tem

pted to go and find one. Basically the Game of Life is an adventure board game where you have to travel from a starting point to the end point in the game. The game is in a full 3D environment, which is quite spectacular and looks a heap better than any of their other previous board games made. For once this game is playable in single player mode, as all their board games are, but this one isn't actually fun when you aren't playing your friends. This is a big plus because it increases the number of times that you can actually play through the game. Now lets take the journey we call The Game of Life.

The Game of Life, as said before is a real life board game that has been transformed onto both the PC and iPhone in a brand new 3D version of the game. This is arguably better than the real version, as a full 3D environment trumps a flat piece of cardboard any day in my eyes. While they aren't the crispest graphics I have seen on my iPhone, they are certainly done well and keep the fun nature of the title.

The Game of Life has a very smooth frame rate and even with the full 3D game I experienced no lag or slow parts on an entire game using a 1st Gen iPod Touch. The game is super responsive and really needs to be applauded for how good it is. If the game was any less I would have to be severely disappointed, as Electronic Arts are the No.1 developers on the App Store and need to keep up their reputation, as they do time after time.

The Game of Life is fairly self explanatory as most board games are, especially these electronic editions. There is not much required in playing this game, with you being required to 'spin' as such and make some choices rarely. Instead of using die in this game you have a spinning device that looks like something you will find on a combination lock. There are the number one to ten on it and you spin it as much as you want with your finger before letting it land on a number.

The rest of the game is easy to use and doesn't require much energy to use. The other computers (if you choose to include any) move fairly quickly if you click double speed or you can press skip each time. Sometimes on the board you come to intersections and must choose a path to take. Apart from that this game is all about sitting back, relaxing, and watching your life flash past your eyes.

The Game of Life is the first boardgame from Electronic Arts that I have found addicting to play with just a solo game again the computer. The aim of The Game of Life is to get from the start of the board game and spin your way through many obstacles and life experience to your retiremint at the end of the boardgame. The game isn't as simple as that, with many obstacles such as taxes and fines to pay after earning your good job and payrises. Luckily you can earn LIFE tokens, which are for things like having a baby and becoming a grandfather.

This sounds like quite a boring game but what makes every run unique is the path in life that you choose. From the start you get to choose whether you start out with a job or go to college and hope to get a higher paying job. From there you can many more intersections where you must make a choice in life. Do you want a good family or a big career? Do you want to have a risky life or play it safe and secure? The choice is up to you. The aim of the game is to have the most money at the end of the game. To do this it basically relies on what job you have, with the LIFE tokens and other things not really too important to the outcome of the game.

While this is fun as a solo game. You also get a thrill out of playing this with some of your best mates. You can find a laugh as you find Bill spends three turns doing college only to end up as an Exotic Dancer. This game is Pass n Play or over the same local WiFi for a bit easier game. Either way you will have an enjoyable time playing this.

Like other Electronic Arts games such as Monopoly: H&N, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, these games and for enjoyment only and have no achievements to gain. Saying that you will still find hours of enjoyment playing The Game of Life to try and be as successful as possible, or just more successful than your best friend.

Once again Electronic Arts have put in the supreme graphics and amazing gameplay that will both gamers from the original boardgame and newcomers like myself alike. This is one game to seriously consider buying as it is worth the $4.99 asking price.