Happy Holidays!

Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in forever. There has been way too much going on with the holidays and with finals. As of the New Year, we will be back at it! Until then, I will be making some changes to the site, including a new site so we can start over fresh. Leave a comment about what you liked the most about The Gamer Chick and what you would like to see changed.

Have a safe and happy holidays!!!

-The Gamer Chick

New's Friday: Is the Kinect "Racist"?

There are reports coming out already on problems with the new Kinect. The main problems are with Kinect's facial recognition, which we will be looking at in this New's Friday article!




GameSpot released an article saying that Kinect is having problems with the systems facial recognition with people who are "dark-skinned." In GameSpot's report, two of there "dark-skinned" employees had problems with the facial recognition. Kinect recognized one of the employees inconsistently, while the other employee it didn't recognize at all despite multiple calibration attempts. Further testing with the same employees showed that wearing lighter clothing helped. They tested this in the same room with the same lighting, once with darker clothes and once with lighter clothes. The article by GameSpot can be found here. Some people think that the Kinect is racist because of this. I don't think it's racist, I just think the first game of this kind is bound to have problems at first. Let's see if the second version will fix this.

While some players have problems with facial recognition, you can still sign in manually and play the games, but some of the games features might not work.

Tips for playing the Kinect:
- Wear lighter colored clothing if you are having problems with the facial recognition
- People, or big dogs, walking in front of you while you play will mess up your game, but if they walk behind you it wont.
- Wearing baggy clothing or really loose clothing, such as a robe, will slow down the reaction time, but only by a hair.


Keep your eyes out for the up-coming Kinect review by our very own Gamer Dude!!

Hot Topic: Video Game Controversy with help from Extra Credits

I watch a lot of stuff on the internet and every now and again I find a series of videos or a single video that really moves me. Well the people at The Escapist have come up with a new series called Extra Credits (which has now been running for almost 3 months) and in their short time at the site they have created thought provoking and intelligent discussions about gaming and the gaming industry that have really and truly made me reflect on my life as a gamer. Recently they have had two videos, one released a few weeks ago and one released today, that deal with video games and the controversy that surround them. If you care at all about games you will watch these two videos.

Here is the first one from a few weeks ago:


And here is their most recent video which goes even deeper into the subject:


If you have 20 minutes to burn, watch these two videos. Even if you don't like games you will get a lot out of them. Trust me.

Modern Reviews: Fable 3 In-Depth Review

The Gamer Chick here! I first need to apologize for the long absence. But I am back and not going to let you down! I know I usually post a trailer today, but since I missed Monday Modern Reviews and Tech Tuesday I am going to throw them in today. 

Fable has always been one of my favorite series. Today, we will be taking a look a the newest game in the series, Fable III. 

The Story

 

Fable 3 takes place about 50 years after Fable 2. You play the son or daughter of the Fable 2 hero. Albion is now being ruled by the king who happens to be your brother Logan. You live in a castle along with Logan, your dog, and your servant Jasper. Albion is also now in the industrial age, although parts of Albion haven't changed. One of my favorite places to explore is Bowerstone Industrial. Because of your evil brother, children are forced to work in the factories and beggars line the streets. This leads to your first main quest, to overthrow your brother and take over the thrown.

Game Play

There are two very distinct parts to Fable 3. One is you leading the revolution, and the other is you as king. 

In order to overthrow Logan, you must rally the support of Albion. You pick up supporters as you travel to Bowerstone Industrial, to Aurora, and then to take the thrown. But in order to gain supporters, you make promises to them. When you become king, you have to fulfill those promises, which can be the toughest thing in the game. 

Much like Fable 2, you can have odd jobs, buy houses, have a family (which now you can choose a type of wedding), and commit murder. There are also the demon doors, keys, ancient tomes, and garden gnomes.

You still have the three buttons for the three types of attack (one button per type of attack). They are melee, guns, and magic. A good thing to note is that the longer you hold the button, the stronger the attack. 

Aurora is a new desert continent that you get to explore. I wont say much about it, but it's as big if not bigger than Albion and a blast to explore.

The Sanctuary is your 3D map and inventory that is tended to by Jasper, your butler. In the Sanctuary, you can mix and match outfits, mix spells (that's right, mix spells!), analyze your weapons, and check on your achievements.

The Weapons

You start out with the hammer, the sword, the rifle, and the pistol. Just like I said above (in case you are skipping around), there is one button for the melee and one for the guns. Also, the longer you hold the button, the stronger the attack. 

The weapons now reflect the characters nature and they have improvements. The improvements include the amount of damage dealt, the attractiveness of your character to other characters, and the amount of experience gained. The only way to gain these improvements though is by using that particular weapon, which leads to one or two weapons being used more, and stronger, than the others.

One last thing to add, you can now mix your spells!! Just imagine all the possibilities! A fire tornado, electric swords, and the list goes on!

Chicken!

Co-Op

Co-op has some cool new features. When you enter into another players world, you bring your own hero, your dog, and your own camera. Each player has their own camera, which allows one player to go explore and another to fight for example. You can even get married in multi-player! Something to keep in mind, when you get married to another player, both players gold is shared with the other. When you get a divorce, the total gold is split between the two players. 

The Verdict

There are a few cons in Fable 3. They are:

1. The game does have a few bugs. I have heard of some players not being able to finish a quest, and audio cutting out.

2. My biggest complaint about Fable 3 is that they did away with the old action wheel. Insted of being able to choose exactly which action you perform, you can only choose between good, bad, or funny and then the game randomly chooses an action. Also, you can no longer perform the action for a group of people. All actions are now only one-on-one.

Besides the cons of the game, this is a great game over all. My verdict: BUY.

Today is the Big Day! The SCOTUS Case

For many gamers, and non-gamers, you know that today is a big day in gaming history. The Supreme Court is hearing from Schwarzenneger and the EMA/ESA. For those who don't know what is going on, they are battling over whether or not video games should be allowed the same First Amendment rights as other forms of entertainment. Schwarzenneger is trying to say that video games shouldn't be allowed the same rights. While I do have school and a funeral today, I will do my best to keep you up to date on what is happening, seeing as I can't be in DC (unfortunately).

If you want to read up more on the case, go here.

*UPDATE*
Well Wednesday came and went and to be quite honest it looks like the ESA may actually win this thing. Why? Well you have this person to thank: Ruth Ginsburg.

Here is the transcript of the case from IGN:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1131761p1.html

They have until June of next year to decide. What do you think from this transcript?

Monday Modern (and controversial) Reviews: Medal of Honor

Welcome back to Monday Modern Reviews! Today we will be taking a look at the new and controversial Medal of Honor.

The Gamer Dude here filling in for the Gamer Chick while she's away. Don't worry she'll be back next Monday with a review of Fable 3 but for now I'm here and I will be reviewing a few games to hit the store shelves recently starting first with the new Medal of Honor game aptly titled "Medal of Honor."

The Medal of Honor series has been around for over a decade now and it set a precedent of how First Person military shooters are supposed to be played. Despite it's main competition Call of Duty pretty much overshadowing them now with the Modern Warfare (and upcoming Black Ops) series of games, Call of Duty wouldn't be here without Medal of Honor (MoH came first).

The series was created and developed by Steven Spielberg (he was hot off the heels of Saving Private Ryan) and was designed to be a First Person Shooter that put you into the shoes of an Allied soldier during World War 2. Well they ran with that gimmick for 12 games (even after CoD moved to Modern War scenarios) and despite mixed reviews from critics, the series has sold well. On top of that it has developed a hardcore fan base, so loyal that their outcries for a new Medal of Honor, this time in today's settings, was heard by the developers at EA and Dreamworks and they decided to oblige.

All the way through E3 2010 and even leading up into PAX Prime 2010, Medal of Honor was thought to be serious competition for Call of Duty. The game was made by two developers, Danger Close and Digital Illusions, each tasked with taking a crucial part of the game and working on nothing else but that. DC got to take on the Single Player game, making it engaging, fun, and if nothing else cinematic, and DI was tasked with doing what they do best: multiplayer. They ARE the people behind Battlefield if you remember. But then news came in about the game's multiplayer, more specifically who you could play as, and this game went from a top tier competitor to a blacklisted bastard of a game.

What do I mean? Well the news came in that in any multiplayer match, you could choose between playing as the American soldiers or the Taliban. Now to some that just seems like an "Okay what about it?" but you have to realize that we are not only still at war with said Taliban, but said Taliban has killed a LOT of people's fathers/brothers/sisters/cousins/sons/daughters and people are still pretty worked up and sad over that. So for people to play as Taliban soldiers and kill British and American soldiers....kind of hinky. I mean I knew where EA was coming from since in any match there will be opposing sides and the opposing side of the American/British soldiers is the Taliban, but to a lot of people it seems tasteless.

Well people got up in arms about this and since that announcement Canada, Australia, and the UK have all tried (unsuccessfully of course but still tried) to ban this game from being released and the US Military responded by banning the game from PX's all over the US and the head of AAFES basically damning EA and saying that they would never work with a game developer again (they let EA check out there resources, outfits, weapons ect for realism) unless they know full well of what's going into the game.

And since the Supreme Court hearings are going on about the whole violent video game controversy, the game industry pretty much shoved this one under the bus and ignored it. But is the game any good? Well it's good but it's no Modern Warfare.

The game loosely follows Operation Anaconda which was one of the US Military's first big operations in the War on Afghanistan. You play a squad of soldiers under the call sign Neptune and play specifically as a soldier named Rabbit. There are three others in your squad, Voodoo, Mother and Preacher, and your job is to find an informant named Tariq, rescue him, and get the vital information he has out of him. You also alternate between other characters as well, each providing a different gaming style from Rabbit. Rabbit is your typical FPS kind of shooter, Deuce is a Sniper, Dante is just a badass destruction machine, and Hawk is a gunner inside an airship. Rabbit is the main story and where you'll get most of the plot developments but I do appreciate having the other characters there.

The story itself is cinematic but pretty cookie cutter. If you've played one Modern War story you've probably already played Medal of Honor's story. It doesn't take risks like the Modern Warfare series or uses humor like the Bad Company games but it's not bad, just generic. It's also unforgivably short, clocking in barely around 4-5 hours. I realize multiplayer is the main mode of transportation for these guys but if you are going to have an entire developing team focus ONLY on the SINGLE PLAYER, make the SINGLE PLAYER WORTHWHILE!

The multiplayer is where it's at though in this game and the multiplayer is really good. It uses a lot of the elements set forth by the Bad Company series (as well as a little Call of Duty) and uses a class based system. There is Riflemen, Special Ops and Sniper. You earn experience as you play and the more you play, the more you unlock which actually helps your character grow. Say for example you are a Sniper and you want to use a Scope. Well you have to be level 3 before you can use a combat scope. See, it gives you incentive to play!

There are a bunch of different modes, mostly standard to what you're used to on FPS's, but two game modes, Clean Sweep and Hot Zone are definitely my favorites, taking an old style (King of the Hill and Last Man Standing) and growing them into something better then before. There are also 8 maps currently with more to come in DLC.

Overall this is a game that will divide players. If you want a good single player AS WELL AS a good mulitplayer then you are out of luck. The story is mediocre and cookie cutter with some noticeable drops in framerate and pop in during the more cinematic sequences. But the mulitplayer is extremely well done, entertaining and for any fans of Battlefield it will be like your second home. Do I recommend it as a buy? Personally no, I prefer a good single player as well as good multiplayer but I would definitely give this one a rent.

Oh and the whole Taliban thing was removed and changed to "Opposing Forces" to get rid of some of the controversy. It still has some baggage though so changing it really didn't do anything. Plus it's still the Taliban in the Single Player mode...just saying.

Since it's Halloween: Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Pack

Since it's Halloween, I decided to do a quick review of something to do with zombies. Thus, the Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Pack came to mind.

In order to get this game, you have to have Red Dead Redemption (for now). Here are some of the main points to this pack that make it amazing!

There are 4 types of zombies, which include the Wretcher which spits acid, Bruisers which are basically like charging bulls, large, fat, and strong. In addition to the 4 types of zombies, there are also zombie bears, bats, cougars, and even your horse!

You can also now collect the 4 horses of the apocolypse. War leaves a trail of fire, Famine and Pestilence never tire, and Death makes zombies heads explode if you run into them!

In Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Pack, you must use ammo wisely, or just get the Blunderbuss gun and use zombie body parts as ammo! While you are using zombie parts as ammo and riding a flaming horse, you will also see familiar characters as zombies and familiar places on fire.



As far as the game goes, there are 27 towns that you must help the survivors and cleanse of zombies. While doing this you will have some other tasks, such as Missing Persons where you must find a missing survivor. Some of the tasks might seem a bit repetitive, but it is still fun! Some of the tasks will have time limits and requirements that can be a bit annoying.

The costumes and the zombies are amazing!!

As far as Co-op...

Undead Overrun is a multiplayer survival mode. I strongly suggest finding a good high vantage point to take out the increasingly difficult hordes of zombies.
Land Grab is where players claim pieces of land and must try to hold it until the timer is up.

This game is a definite BUY!

In The News: Farmville leads to murder

I hate posting things like this, but I think it is an important piece. This is in no way meant to be funny, just to bring to light a part of what is still a big debate about the gaming industry as a whole.

Alexandra V. Tobias is a 22 year old high school graduate in Jacksonville, Florida who killed her 3 month old son, Dylan Lee Edmondson, while playing Farmville.



About Alexandra V. Tobias and her 3 month old baby

Alexandra V. Tobias graduated from Samuel W. Wolfson Senior High School in Jacksonville. According to the police report, she doesn't have a job and when the murder took place she was on a 6 month probation after a domestic battery charge, which she pled no contest.

What 'Happened'
On January 19, Alexandra Tobias was playing FarmVille. For those who don't play FarmVille, it is an online computer game played on Facebook where you raise and harvest crops, and raise animals with help of friends. While Tobias was playing FarmVille, her 3 month old son Dylan Lee Edmondson started crying. She then proceeded to shake him, during which she said she may have hit his head on her computer. She put him on the couch, then went outside to smoke and calm down. When she came back in, the family dog knocked him off of the couch, and he started crying again. She then proceeded to shake him a second time. At some point, she noticed that he had stopped breathing and called 911. Dylan was rushed to the hospital at 10 am on January 19.

Court Details
During the court trial, she answered the usual line of questions to ensure she knew what she was doing, but otherwise said little. The Judge is Circuit Judge Adrian G. Soud. Tobias pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder charge which is life in prison, but Prosecuter Richard Mantei said that the sentence could be less because state guidlines call for 25 to 50 years. The sentence hearing is scheduled for December. Until then, Tobias remains in Duval County jail.

Please keep the family of this woman and her child in your thoughts and prayers. This is a tragedy.



And they say violent video games lead to murder...

Source

The Friday News!

Welcome back gamers! The Gamer Chick here. Let's go over what happened this previous week and what is coming up next week. We will be talking about everything from violent video games (including the up-coming Supreme Court hearing), to a short review of some of this weeks and next weeks new releases!




This Last Week!

Here is a list of some of this last weeks (Oct 26-28th) new releases and a brief description along with the usual rating system!

- Splatterhouse

Release Date: October 28
ESRB: M - Mature (pending)
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

I shall start with one of the games that would definitely be on the "not sold to minors" list. Splatterhouse returns with the same glory, guts, gore, and metal. Just now the graphics are much better of course. For those who don't know what Splatterhouse is, the game follows the "story" of Rick Taylor, who is trying to rescue his girlfriend Jennifer from the West Mansion. Rick puts on the Terror Mask that he finds, and then transforms into a juggernaut of sorts. Imagine body parts and organs flying around while you kill an enemy with another enemy's limb. I wont give the rest of the game away. If you like metal, gore, guts, and horror, I would recommend buying it.



- Hasbro Family Game Night 3

Release Date: October 26
ESRB: E - Everyone
Platforms:Xbox 360, Wii, PS3

Another game bringing the old classic boardgames, Family Game Night 3 puts on a spin. I bet many of you are wondering how you are going to play Twister. It's no longer classic twister, but more of a dance-move twister. While Life, Clue, and Mouse Trap work just like you would expect, Yahtzee is now a card game. While I could see how this would bring families together, I don't know how it would hold their attention for long or if it's one of those games you keep coming back to. Good for if you want to mess around with family or friends or play with little kids. But not a game I would play over and over again or one that holds my attention for long. Rent (or borrow lol)

- Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011

Release Date: October 26
ESRB: T - Teen
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, DS, Wii

Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 has very few things going for it. You follow Cole Rainsford who is on an African safari with his estranged father. You are hunting animals that have been savagely terrorizing villages. Then you get stranded and have to try to survive.Yes it has multi-player that includes head-to-head, multi-stage, and hot-seat. And yes the gun they made for it is cool, but honestly this game didn't do much for me. I say forget it.


- Monopoly Streets

Release Date: October 26
ESRB: E - Everyone
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii


I know many people who love Monopoly but find it boring after a while. This game will change all of that. Instead of being a small token moving around a board, Monopoly Streets brings Monopoly to life! Throw out that board cause you are now in a city! That's right. Monopoly Streets features a 3D city, tokens that have come to life (you can use either your 360 avatar, your Wii Mii character, or the character that goes with the token), when you upgrade property you see it, and each player has a headquarters that shrinks or grows with the players net worth. You can play on-line multiplayer matches, and you can also customize your game. Also, the boring old spaces now are actual places. You actually see the railroads, buildings, etc. I rate this game a buy as it brings an old classic game to a whole new level that can be enjoyed by all, and can be played over and over again.


- CSI: Fatal Conspiracy

Release Date: October 26
ESRB: M
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

In CSI Fatal Conspiracy, you team up with the cast of CSI in Sin City to bring down a drug cartel run by the Queen of the Hive. You work 5 connected cases collecting evidence, interviewing suspects and witnesses, and you analyze evidence. This game is a rent. I don't see how you would play it over and over again.





- Fable III

I will be doing an extensive review on Fable III coming soon! Keep an eye out for it!



Next Week!!

Here is a brief list of some of the new releases coming out next week (Oct 31- Nov 5) and the usual rating system (but with only looking at the trailers).

- Atari's Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Release Date: November 5
ESRB: E - Everyone
Platforms: DS

- Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis
Release Date: November 4
ESRB: T - Teen
Platforms: DS, Wii



- Motion Sports
Release Date: November 4
ESRB: T- Teen
Platforms: Xbox 360


- Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2
Release Date: November 4
ESRB: T - Teen
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360



- Shattered Horizon
Release Date: November 4
ESRB: T- Teen
Platforms:PC

- Rabbids Party Collection
Release Date: November 2
ESRB: Rating Pending
Platforms: Wii


- James Bond 007: Blood Stone
Release Date: November 2
ESRB: T - Teen
Platforms: DS, Xbox 360, PS3, PC

- God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Release Date: November 2
ESRB: M - Mature
Platforms: PSP


- Shutter Island
Release Date: October 31
ESRB: T - Teen
Platforms: DS

- Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Sign
Release Date: October 31
ESRB: E - Everyone
Platforms: DS

- F.E.A.R. 3 
Release Date: October 31
ESRB: M - Mature
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC


Also, big news next week on November 2 is the Supreme Court hearing on video games. Keep checking back for more details!

Trailer Thursday: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Gamer Chick here! This Trailer Thursday, we are going to put out another request :) Star Wars: Force Unleashed.



Star Wars: Force Unleashed was released today, October 26th. In my opinion, rent it before buying it.

Hot Topic: Schwarzenegger vs Gaming....

In case you haven't heard, on November 2 there will be a Supreme Court hearing on the case of Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Associations/Entertainment Software Association. I will be taking a look into this issue, keeping you guys up to date on what is going on, and giving you a little more information on both sides and what they have to say.

To give you a brief description of what is going on, Schwarzenegger is trying to allow the government to regulate video game sales to minors. Keep checking back to see the breaking news!!!

This week, I will do my best to give you both sides of the issue before the Nov 2 case hearings. If you have any suggestions for this piece, concerns, or anything else, please email me! Your input will be put into the eventual article we post so if you want to be featured then send something right away.

Tech Tuesday: The Top 10 Gaming Apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android

Hey everybody, The Gamer Dude here with this week's edition of Tech Tuesday. Usually the Gamer Chick handles Tech Tuesday but she was swamped with work today so I decided to take over for today. Next week she'll be reviewing some of Apple's new tech they've come out with but this week I'm talking about something that has almost become a part of our everyday lives: apps.

Applications, shortened apps, are an essential part of the three major tech devices out there, the iPhone, the iPad and the Android. Soon we will be getting apps for the Mac but that is neither here or now. There are hundreds of thousands of apps spread across two marketplaces and at times it can seem overwhelming as to which ones are actually worth getting. Now for a lot of people free apps are the way they roll, never spending a penny on a single app and really that's fine. There are plenty of great free apps out there and in fact they make up 95% of my Galaxy and iPod Touch. That being said however, most quality apps out there tend to have some price attached to them, usually between 99 cents to about 15 dollars.

Since there are so many to choose from I've decided to split this article into two: Games and Other. The Other article will come out somewhere down the road but today I've decided to focus on Games by creating a Top 10 list of the best Gaming Apps for the iPhone, iPad and the Android. Hope you enjoy.

(I'll also try to keep it as short as possible since we have 30 apps to get through but on some I may give more detail)

First up...the iPhone(Touch)-

10. Paper Toss World Tour

The first Paper Toss was a free app that provided some simple and easy fun while being challenging enough to make us want to come back. They kept releasing DLC for the game but eventually the people behind the game must have realized that it was time to go global so they released Paper Toss: World Tour.

A sort of direct sequel to the "Airport" level, World Tour follows you around different unlockable countries where you basically do the same thing you did in the last game: throw paper into a waste basket while a fan blows winds at different speeds. The more countries you unlock, the more difficult it gets. But the atmosphere, the music and the little tidbits of humor thrown in there when you really (or purposefully) biff a throw makes this a fun game that can keep you coming back. It's only 99 cents and the first one is still free so pick both of them up, get the DLC and start taking out the trash.

9. Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem

I'm a sucker for Spider-Man but it's not my love of the comic series that drew me to the game but the great story, great gameplay and of course all of the great Spider-Man villains and cronies you get to fight. It's fun, it has great controls and if you like Spider-Man then you should pick this one up immediately. 


8. N.O.V.A

This is Halo for the iPhone. Sure it's not actually Halo but you play a soldier with an awesome metal suit and advanced healing, speed and jumping abilities. And you shoot a bunch of aliens...so basically Halo. But it's a ton of fun and one of the few good examples of an FPS for the iPhone.
7. Tap Defense

If I could take a picture of addiction, this would be somewhere near by. It's a simple tower defense game where you use magical powers to stop Satan and his armies from getting into heaven but with so many customizable and upgradable weapons as well as the myriad enemies and gameplay types it becomes a game you'll find yourself coming back to time and time again.


6. Cut the Rope

This is actually a fairly new release but one that has taken the world, and me, by storm. It's a pretty simple premise: There is a monster in the box that needs candy so you need to cut the rope in a way where it lands in it's mouth. It may sound simple at first but when you need to start using physics and gravity to maneuver the candy around it becomes insanely difficult...and addictive.


5. All-In-One Gamebox

How would you like 35 games for the price of 1? Oh and did I mention the number of games is continuously increasing? Oh and did I mention all of them are simple but extremely addictive? You will lose hours on this little treasure trove of games and it is worth every penny.


4. Zombie Infection

Like NOVA, it's a clone of another successful franchise, this time being Resident Evil. But that's not exactly a bad thing. Tight controls, a good story and plenty of zombies to kill all at a cheap price make this a hard one not to buy for fans of the series it's ripping off. I've had tons of fun with this one.

3. Doom II RPG

A few years ago I picked up the original Doom RPG for my Verizon enV and I played the heck out of it. I thought the premise was silly at first, Doom with RPG elements attached, but the fluid and sometimes intense turn based combat, the classic graphics, the level of exploration, the unusually deep story and all of the different weapons and choices you could make in the game made it an amazing game. The follow up builds on that premise but gives you even better controls, more choices, a deeper story and more weapons. It's more of the same but with even more then before. A must buy for Doom fans.


2. Pocket God

The little game that could. Imagine for a second that you are god. Imagine that the world you oversee is a small island full of gibberish speaking pygmies who are about as bright as a black cat in a coal mine. Imagine you could kill and respawn them as much ore as little as you wanted. Imagine you could control their environment, their food, their lifestyle, their weather and practically every element of their life. Imagine you could name all of them. Imagine you could write your own stories using the characters and share them with the world.


Sound fun yet? And with new episodes coming more frequently then anyone could have expected, there is so much to do in Pocket God and all of it is fun. A must must must buy.


1. Game Dev Story

Chances are if you are reading this blog that you like video games. Have you ever wanted to make your own video game? Well in Game Dev Story you can do just that but with a twist. Instead of making the game from scratch and playing it only to realize it totally sucks *cough RPG Maker cough* you get to create the idea for the game and take over the development team and handle all the different aspects that go into making the game. Imagine a business sim but this time with video games, and it's more fun.

It's outrageously addictive, fun and if you are a creative person then the ideas and possibilities of Game Dev Story are endless.

Next up...the iPad-


10. Air Attack HD

It's a pretty simple game: you fly and you shoot. Not much more to it. But it's colorful, it's fun and you see a lot of stuff blow up. Hard to ask for more from a flying shooter.

9. Crash Nitro Racing 3D

The classic kart game from Sony's non Spartan spokesperson is fun for any fan of Mario Kart or any other arcade style over the top racer. It's pretty, it's colorful and it's oddly addictive. If you like kart racers, pick this one up.

8. Reckless Racing HD-

If you don't like kart racers then pick THIS one up. It's made by EA (who know how to make iPad games) and it's a fun and simple to use racer that will keep you coming back for more.

7. GTA: Chinatown Wars

The smash Nintendo DS, PSP and iPhone game is now available for the iPad. Great controls, a deep and innovative story, plenty of side quests and mini games, and of course lots of breaking the law and blowing stuff up make this a must buy for not only action-adventure fans but also for any fans of GTA. It may be colorful, but it's still GTA.

6. Brothers in Arms 2 HD

Imagine Zombie Infection but in WWII and with Nazi's instead of zombies. It still has the sharp controls, great graphics, interesting story and fun gameplay that made ZI such a hit, but this time with Baker's Dozen. Considering the console series is pretty much DOA, this is the place to go for your Brothers In Arms fix.

5. Mirror's Edge

Parkour is fast, it's fresh, it's constantly changing and innovating and always growing. Now make a game version of it. Now wait a year and release it the way it was supposed to be released: third person and 2D. Imagine Sonic the Hedgehog but with parkour and you got this game. It's a ton of fun and a must buy for fans of fast paced action.

4. Samurai 2: Vengeance

Samurai's are awesome. The swords, the epic battles, the code of honor and all the carnage they dealt all for the sake of protecting those they serve, samurai's are bad ass. Now make a game where you play as a samurai. Sounds cool already doesn't it? Well give it artsy, cell shaded graphics, tons of bosses and enemies and lots and lots of blood and you got Samurai II. It's like a pocket Ninja Gaiden. A must buy.

3. Plants vs Zombies HD

Unless you've been living under a rock then there is a good chance you've already played this game. But why I picked the iPad version instead of any of the others is because I like the feel of the iPad's version better. The controls feel fun and easy to use and the HD graphics make the game brighter and more colorful then it has every been before. If you don't already have it elsewhere or you've never played it then I suggest getting it.

2. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

How would you like to play a full fledged 12-30 hour RPG with two different graphic styles, great humor and voice acting, commentary, hints, and tons of other bonus unlockables, all to do with pirates? I thought so. Buy this. The classic PC prequel to my favorite game of all time is now on the iPad and it's amazing. If you haven't already experienced it or even if you have (you'll find a lot of great new content) then buy this now.

1. Dexter: The Game

I realize this may come off as bias since Dexter is currently my favorite show airing on TV, but Dexter the Game is a fun, surprisingly deep action-adventure game with full voice acting from the cast, plenty of mini games to keep you busy, overarching mysteries, amazing graphics and gameplay and if anything else you get to play as a serial killer taking out other crime lords and other evil people. I mean come on?! Awesome!


AND FINALLY...the ANDROID


10. Asphalt 5

A pretty standard racer but with great graphics and plenty of cars to choose from this is one racer you'll find yourself coming back to over and over and over.

9. Backbreaker Football

It may not be Madden and hell it may not even be actual football but there is just something fun about running a ball down a field while dodging defenders. It ain't deep, but it's fun and when you do get tackled it's still fun because the physics engine make every tackle unique and worse then the one before. Even if you don't like football give this one a look.

8. Uniwar

Imagine Tap Defense but with a grid. One part tower defense, one part Strategy RPG and one part action game, this is a fun little game for anyone looking for a quick fix when they aren't playing Starcraft 2. It won't appeal to everyone but I got a kick out of it. Plus it looks cool and the variety in what you can use is pretty deep so I recommend it.

7. The Plateau 

A neat little addictive puzzle game that builds on the old game where you connect a line without crossing the same line twice. It seems easy at first, almost too easy to some, but once you get deeper into it you soon realize how difficult it is and just how fun it really is. A great puzzle game and lots of fun.

6. Super KO Boxing 2

Do you like Punch Out? Yes? Then buy this. It's Punch Out for the Android...plain and simple. There aren't any of the licensed characters (although the characters that they did get are just as fun and memorable...I mean look at the guy in the screencap) but the core gameplay and fun is still there. 

5. Homerun Battle 3D

An arcade style, over the top Home Run Derby that's fun for everyone. The controls are really responsive, the graphics are amazing for the Android, it's cheap, and it's fun. It doesn't take itself seriously and it's a hoot to play. A must buy for baseball fans.

4. Let's Golf

Available for almost every system ever, Let's Golf is your arcade style golf game borrowing heavily from the Hot Shots and Pangya series. It has a lot of different courses, clubs, and characters for you to use so if you like to play golf or want to just put in a quick round before a meeting then this is the game for you.

3. Zenonia

I didn't expect much from this game at first but it soon became an amazingly fun and addictive RPG in the vein of Legend of Zelda. Many times I found myself comparing it to the first one in the best way possible. The sprites are well animated, the story is great, the overall design and combat are great and it's a must buy for Zelda or RPG fans.

2. Drop7

What do you get when you mix the two most addictive things: Sudoku and Tetris and put them together? You get this. Be warned...your life will slowly dwindle away when you see these two addictive superpowers combine to create a memorable and unique experience. 

1. Angry Birds

Like Plants vs Zombies, there is a good chance you are or have already played this game. But why did I choose the Android over the iPad and iPhone, both of which have sold more units of Angry Birds then the Android? Well it's pretty simple...it's free. Not only is it free but it has all of the DLC (minus the Halloween expansion pack thing) to date. So you get a ton of fun, addictive puzzles for free. I realize that the game is pretty cheap for the other systems, but it's hard to beat free and fully loaded. That and whenever I turn on my Fascinate I find myself playing it so it certainly stands head and shoulders above the other games.

Well that's about it. Tune in next week for more and leave your comments on the list as well as some of your favorite apps.