Getting Nostalgic, With Help from Abe Speak

Today, I downloaded an app on my iPhone 5s called 'Abe Speak', a soundboard for the game Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. Oh, the memories! 

Pokemon TV Comes To iOS!

Pokemon has made it's way to the iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone in the form of an app called Pokemon TV.

Free to download, Pokemon TV allows fans to watch episodes of Pokemon from every generation (there are currently 50 available). Pokemon films can also be watched when the become available, including Pokemon The Movie: Kyurem Vs. The Sword of Justice, which will be streaming from the 15th to the 18th February.

You can download the app here. 

Arcadie iPod Arcade Cabinet Review

I love gadgets, so I was thrilled that I was sent an Arcadie cabinet by the folks at Zeon Tech to review.

What is it?
The Arcadie cabinet is a small iPhone sized arcade cabinet, to turn your iPhone into a retro arcade machine. Made out of plastic, this little cabinet is actually rather sturdy, providing plenty of support and security for your iPhone via the rubber bumpers and clickable closing slot. 

The Arcadie Cabinet works with any of the supported apps. Simply search 'Arcadie' on the App store to download the free to play games. Currently, there are three to choose from; Ping (Pong), Blasteroids (Asteroids) and Alien Invaders (Space Invaders), with the promise of more titles on the way soon. I suggest giving all three a download!

Using it is pretty simple. The iPhone is slotted into the machine by clicking open the back-there's a port that your phone clicks into, much like a docking station. Close the back, and the cabinet will calibrate your phone to work accurately. This only takes a few moments. 

In the cabinet, the games work surprisingly well, although I did find the A and B buttons a little unresponsive at times. A few calibrations later and the problem seemed to sort itself out. It's also a joy playing some retro favourites on a replicated arcade machine. Also, no batteries are required, as it runs solely on the iPhone's power, which is a definite plus. 

For the retro fans, the Arcadie Cabinet is well worth picking up. Whilst there are only three compatible games available at the moment, more should be on the way soon. It's a fun little time-waster, with a great design and appeal. 

E3: SmartGlass Revealed

One of the many (and boy was there a lot...) app/service announcements from Microsoft at their E3 conference today was Xbox SmartGlass. 


The app unifies content across phones, tablets and the Xbox 360. As shown in a demonstration during the announcement, SmartGlass will allow you to seamlessly switch between a tablet or Xbox 360 whilst watching a film, allowing you to pick up where you left off on another screen. 


The demonstration also showed how SmartGlass can bring along some interactive content to TV shows such as Game of Thrones. In this instance, a map showing the current scenes location in the Game of Thrones world was shown on the tablet whilst the user watched an episode of Game of Thrones on their Xbox 360. 


It looks like games will be integrated with SmartGlass, as a preview of Halo 4's Waypoint feature was shown. With SmartGlass enabled, players will be able to access Waypoint on their tablet as they progress through the campaign. 


Also discussed as Internet Explorer, which will be introduced to the Xbox 360 shortly. 

Review: David Haye's Knockout

David Haye's Knockout was recently released, and promptly made it's way to the top of the App charts, gaining the #1 spots in these categories: Sports Game, Arcade Game, Games Chart, whilst claiming second place in the App Chart. It also comes from the Grubby Hands, the studio behind the charming Boy Loves Girl.


Surely this must mean this is a good game then, right? Well, armed with a review code, I decided to find out for myself.


On first glance, David Haye's Knockout is reminiscent of Punch Out, a Boxing series that I'm sure many of you are familiar with. The game sees players boxing it out as World Heavyweight champion, David "The Hayemaker" Haye. As Haye, you'll be pitted against three opponents which increase in difficulty as they go on. The first opponent, D. Boy, served as the more simpler of the three, and worked perfectly as an easy introduction into the games mechanics. However, he's swiftly followed by Big Bro and Little Bro, which is where the challenge kicks in.

The boxing is created by hitting the boxing gloves on the screen. Players can choose from different types of low and high blows, and can then build up combos to get a higher score, thus earning them the Hayemaker status. Swiping the screen will make Haye dodge and squat to the left or right to avoid any nasty blows from his competitors. Thankfully the boxing is fun, albeit rather brief. One issue I did have though is that, unlike other boxing titles, there is no count when an opponent has been knocked down. Instead, the opponent will just get back up or stay down on the floor. I know it's a little point to dwell upon, but I quite like the "counting to ten" part when you've floored an opponent...it makes things a little more tense, and ultimately, victorious, if they do not rise again. 


As I just mentioned, the games duration is, for the most part, rather short. Only offering three opponents to fight against means that soon enough you can call yourself a champion. However, there is a bit of re-playability, thankfully. Trophies can be unlocked from completing objectives, such as achieving a particular combo. Also, achievements via the Game Center means that even if all three opponents have been defeated, players can go back and try to unlock the whole set. As well as this, scores are recorded via the Game Center, so that friends can see how well you are doing at the game. Many of us like our in-game achievements...it gives us something else to aim for once the main game has been completed, so this is great news!

As for the games graphics, unfortunately this is where the game is let down quite a bit. The graphics are incredibly simplistic, whilst the colours seem a little too bright and garish. 


Overall, David Haye's Knockout is a fun little game, which should have been a lot longer. The graphics could have been improved upon somewhat. Gameplay is limited to only three opponents, which players will slug it out against again and again in order to unlock trophies and achievements. Whilst the trophies and achievements keep the challenge fresh, there is no denying that fighting these opponents over and over does get a little dull. However, all in all, it's a fun little game, nowhere near as charming as Boy Loves Girl, but it's definitely a good effort. If you're looking for a fun but brief boxing title for your iPhones, then this one is worth a look at. 

The 3D Machine Now Available on Nintendo Video

Nintendo Video (available on the Nintendo 3DS) got it's first premium content on the 19th April, with a cartoon/comedy film called The 3D Machine.


The video will cost 90p to view, and unlike other videos via the Nintendo Video app, this one will stay on your console permanently after purchasing. The 3D Machine tells the story of an inventors assistant who is left alone with a brand new invention. Of course, curiosity gets the better of him, resulting in some rather humourous results. 


Check out the trailer for this fun little film below:

Scene It? Movies 2 Review

Ever since Scene It? first launched as a DVD board game a few years ago, the series has spread from a huge variety of expansive board games, consoles, and mobile phones. I have previously enjoyed playing through all three Scene It? games on the Xbox 360 (although admittedly, the third in this series- Scene It? Bright Lights, Big Screen was a little poor), and so after hearing that Scene It? Movies 2 was available as a free download on the iPod App store, I decided to give it a go.

Scene It? Movies 2 successfully manages to incorporate all of the typical features of the Scene It games in a smaller form. A few changes were made in order to make this fit onto the iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone. The first was that video clips are still included, but there is only a limited amount on offer. The most welcome change is that Scene It? Movies 2 is devoid of a voice-over. For anyone who has played the console versions, you may remember how horribly irritating the voice-over guy gets. Apart from that, what you see here will be pretty much the same as in the other versions, which is great.

The gameplay is simple enough. Players will have to answer a number of questions as quickly and accurately as possible, in order to achieve a high score. Sometimes though, this gameplay is a little too simple. Film buffs will probably find the majority of questions on offer here way too easy. A harder difficulty curve should have been included, in order to give these film experts a tougher challenge.

Players can choose to play this with a bunch of friends by selecting the Pass n' Play mode. This allows you to pass the iPod Touch/iPad/iPhone around a bunch of friends as you take it in turns to answer film related questions. The multiplayer mode can be played via Bluetooth, and allows two players to complete through the same mode which can be enjoyed in single player. 

The re playability factor comes in the form of unlockables. When a game is completed, there is a chance that you will unlock a cute cartoon of a famous scene from a recognisable movie. There are plenty to unlock, and it is a joy to look through them all. I definitely kept coming back until I had unlocked the entire bunch, just because I enjoyed the cute child-like drawings. 

Unfortunately though, play it a few times and the questions begin to cycle. It becomes a little boring after you have realised you've answered all the questions and have memorised the answers. Also, once all the unlockables have been acquired, apart from striving to unlock the in-game achievements, there is not really much of a challenge left anymore. However, question cycling can be avoided by purchasing a few of the additional question packs. These will add questions from a multitude of genres, or focus on a particular actor (I purchased the "Jack Black & the Frat Pack" question set, as I think Jack  Black, Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and the rest are hilarious). 

Overall, Scene It? Movies 2 is an excellent iPod game that provides a few hours replay before the formula gets a little tired. The ability to unlock achievements and bonus extras, such as the cute cartoon film stills adds in an extra challenge, and helps you to keep coming back for more. Film buffs will love the trivia, and the variety of film clips on offer, but I fear that many of them will find this game far too simple for the most part. The challenge is slightly upped by downloading additional question packs, but even then, this is only bumped up ever so slightly. Scene It? Movies 2 is a faithful adaptation of an already hugely successful film trivia series, and I definitely recommend downloading this for your iPod. The huge bonus is that it's free!

Review: Tappi Bear All in One 2

Fancy testing your reflexes? Tappi Bear All In One 2 definitely hands you this challenge. Also, if there was an award for "Cutest iPod Game", then Tappi Bear would win it, hands down. Originally released as separate games, Tappi Bear All In One 2 combines five of the series into one nifty little app. The five games to choose from are:


Tap Tap Spring 
Tap left and right on the iPod screen to a bear on a pogo stick up the screen via a series of platforms. Your score accumulates quicker if your bear picks up donuts during his epic bouncing, and if you manage to bounce him in a long succession without falling off a platform. 


Tap Tap Spring features a charming little bear in a familiar red and blue dungarees combo. Clearly a nod to Mario here. It may seem simple at first, but the higher you progress up the screen, the harder the challenge becomes. Platforms will begin to get smaller and more spaced out. 

Tappi Bubble
Tappi Bubble uses the familiar "match three colours" format seen in games such as Bust-A-Move. In this brief little game, players must shoot bubbles at the ones descending from the top of the screen. The bubbles can be cleared once three or more bubbles of the same colour have been connected.


This is one of the most enjoyable mini-games in the collection, and can definitely get very addictive. 

Rainbow Band
The frantic gameplay of Tappi Bear is truly demonstrated here. Players get to conduct an orchestra of colourful birds by tapping the numbers above their heads in the right order. Time quickly runs out during this game, and panic sets in when you soon realise that this is much harder than it first seemed. 


This is an enjoyable one if you have decent reflexes. To those who do not though, this may be a little too frustrating for the most part. Oh, but those little birds are damn cute though.

Tap Tap Kick
This game sees Tappi Bear attempting to prevent his football from hitting the ground. This is achieved by tapping the football to make sure it stays in the air. Like all the other games, donuts can be picked up for a few more bonus points too.


I found this to be one of the most enjoyable games in this collection. Yes, once again it's brief, but this is a tricky game to master as you progress through your keepy-uppy challenge. 

Donut Fever
If you've ever played one of the Mochi Game's "Papa's Pizzeria" or "Papa's Burgers" games, then the gameplay offered in Donut Fever should at least be somewhat familiar to you.


Donut Fever sees you serving up different donut shapes, with a choice of different toppings, and icing colours to host of sweet-tooth customers. Mess up on three donut orders, and it is game over. 


For the most part, Donut Fever is pretty simple, but it is quite easy to slip up on an order when you panic that the queue is getting longer, and more impatient. It's an easy game to get to grips with, and also a very enjoyable one too. 

Tappi Bear All In One 2 is an adorable collection that is definitely worth picking up. There may not be much to each of the games, but the level of re-playability comes from the cute visuals, and the addictive nature of the gameplay. 


The game adopts a series of Game Center achievements, as well as the ability to earn in-game cash to unlock a collection of cute wallpapers. 


For an another overload of cute, be sure to check out Tappi Bear All In One 1.

Review: Tappi Bear All In One 1

Tappi Bear All In One is the first Tappi Bear game that combines nine different games into one app. The company have since released more like this, but yet Tappi Bear All In One 1 is perhaps my favourite. The gameplay involved is frantic, challenging, but very addictive. Wario Ware is probably the best game series to compare Tappi Bear to, due to the sheer variety of games, the fast and frantic game play, and definitely, the addictive nature. The eight games included are:


Space Rush
For this one, Tappi Bear has been sent to space! Guide Tappi bear through space, avoiding any obstacles along the way, and collecting as many donuts for bonus points as possible. 

Donut Dance
Donut Dance works like Simple Simon and many other memory games-but with added dancing. Players must watch closely as a host of bears dance away, whilst passing a donut amongst each other. Once they cease their dancing, players must recall who is holding the donut last.


Be warned-this game gets incredibly fast and frantic, and will literally leave you cross eyed at times, but it's one of the most addictive games in this collection.

Donut Ninja
Players must tap the left and right sections of the screen to repel hoards of hungry ninjas by flinging donuts in their direction. If you slip up and the ninjas reach you, it is game over. Of course, with the frantic pace of each of these games, it's quite quick to reach game over, and Donut Ninja definitely proves that.

KungFu Battle
KungFu Battle is very similiar to Donut Ninja in actual fact. In this game, Tappi Bear has to fend off a hoard of enemy bears by swatting a nunchuck either on the left or right hand side. Donuts once again can be picked up for bonuses. 


Some enemies are tougher than others, which can be quite tense at times when a huge hoard is descending on your little bear. Also, game over is imminent very quickly, so this adds to the panic factor.


Tap Tap Jump
Tap Tap Jump sees Tappi swinging from a left and right vine in order to traverse up to donuts, and high scores. However, hit an enemy on the way up, and it's an immediate game over.


This was actually my least favourite game in the collection, as tapping left and right to swing to each vine is not always overly responsive. Also, it's incredibly hard to avoid enemy bears most of the time.

Chick Farm
Perhaps the cutest game in this collection, Chick Farm allows players to take control of a small pen full of chicks. The aim is to drag and drop the chicks away from dangerous sections in the pen, such as mud, and enemies. The score is based on how many chicks you have managed to save from death when the timer has reached zero.


As well as this being the cutest, Chick Farm is also one of the most enjoyable. It's a simple premise, but this simplicity really works. 

Trick or Tappi
My favourite game in this collection, Trick or Tappi is very similiar to another iPod App I love, Zoo Keeper. In this version, players must swap and change sweet treats to create groups of three or more. Donuts can be collected (surprise, surprise) as bonus points, and bombs occasionally drop, which allow you to wipe out a large area of the grid for more points.


Whilst this idea has been tried and tested many times before, it does not stop Trick or Tappi from being so overly addictive. Also, who can resist seeing a cute little bear in a wizard outfit, seriously?

Tappi Xmas
Tappi Xmas requires you to tip the iPod from side to side in order to navigate Tappi through a snowy course. Bigger scores can be achieved if you guide your cute little bear into presents, candy canes and, as with every other Tappi Bear game, donuts. 

Overall, Tappi Bear All In One 1 is an adorable, cute and addictive collection of games. Whilst some are definitely better than others, and all are pretty brief, there is plenty of re-playability here. The best in this collection is a tie between Chick Farm and Trick or Tappi for me personally.


I strongly suggest checking out Tappi Bear All In One 2 if you like the sound of this one!

Nintendo Video App Released Tomorrow

Nintendo have announced that their Nintendo Video App will be available from tomorrow on the 3DS eShop. Officially confirmed by Official Nintendo Magazine first, the app allows gamers to download video clips in 2D and 3D to store and watch on their 3DS handheld console. These video clips can range from cartoons, trailers, music videos and much more.


This little piece of news opens up yet another way of using the Nintendo 3DS, and thankfully, the app is free to download. Spotpass, a feature which allows gamers to pick up items for games, or meet other connected 3DS' whilst on their journeys is incorporated here. This means that whenever your 3DS is near an internet hotspot it is able to download the clips for you straight away. This is extremely handy if a video subscription service is available at some point, as this ensures the user does not miss a single video in the series.

Official Nintendo Magazine were also informed that the first content available will be 3D clips of Oscars Oasis, a children's cartoon series, and a Magic Tricks collection, which will show gamers a variety of optical illusions and card tricks on the 3DS screen.


As it is very early days, not much more has been announced about this free app, but no doubt a lot of companies will be interested in getting involved in this.