Now Playing: Hearthstone (Heroes of Warcraft) for iPad

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It took me longer than it should to share my thoughts about this amazing new game, Hearthstone (Heroes of Warcraft) from Blizzard, best known for their incredible and genre-defining games, Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo. While these games are serious affairs, Hearthstone takes on a lighter note as its ordinarily fearsome and powerful characters are reduced to gorgeous, animated cards in a deck.

Hearthstone is a card game. If you’re not a big fan of these games (like I am) or if you’re new to them, then Hearthstone is by far the best introductory game you’ll find. Basically, you have a hero with his/her own respective skills and strengths, represented by specific cards. To boost your hero, you also have ‘neutral’ cards or cards that can be used for all classes of heroes. You have a deck of 30 cards and starting health of 30. Each turn gives you a specific number of mana corresponding to the mana required by the cards to be played. The goal is to defeat your enemy who may be AI (in practice mode) or a fellow player who is online (play mode, ranked mode or arena mode).

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Now Playing: Hidden City – Mystery of Shadows for iPad

I haven’t got much patience for hidden object games (HOGs) of late, but I do appreciate most of them for the gorgeous design and interesting storylines. Hidden CIty: Mystery of Shadows (Free) by G5 Games is their latest title to hit the App Store. While there are plenty of HOGs out there, not many have explored the free to play model. In the past, HOGs were far more expensive than your usual games, owing to the depth and richness of the content. It also takes a lot of time and patience to finish one, hence a single HOG could last you for months, depending on how busy you are and how many games you play on average.

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Flappy Bird – 1, Mankind – 0

I decided to hop on the Flappy Bird bandwagon after seeing an ominous Facebook post warning the rest of the world that no matter how bored you are, DO NOT download Flappy Bird. Apparently, this game which has been out since May 2013, recently and mysteriously went viral.

That kind of a warning is the surest way to get someone interested in this quiet little game that suddenly went viral. Kids everywhere are playing it, adults like myself can barely get past the first pipe!

The game certainly doesn’t score points in the looks department. I instinctively look for Mario and perhaps a colorful red and white mushroom to pop out. The art here is rather plain and dull looking.

Flappy Bird has generated enormous attention as the game du jour with some writers mystified and frustrated about the game’s soaring popularity. Maybe because it’s free? Maybe because it’s supposed to be simple but it’s not? Is it because this game unites both iPhone and Android users, therefore, the entire smartphone toting world? Are mobile games going downhill? Whatever reason it may be, it’s undeniable that Flappy Bird now gets 15 minutes of fame the same way Candy Crush took over the world for some time.

Perhaps the game’s real secret is its infuriatingly simple premise : just get past the spaces between the darn pipes by tapping on the screen to propel your flappy bird. Tap too hard and you will hit the pipe. Tap too slowly you fall into the pipe instead. Timing and excellent eye to hand coordination is the name of the game. Believe me, it’s not as easy as it seems.

For some reason, Flappy Bird is more of a tappy bird, in my humble opinion, but knowing this doesn’t make me push past my all time high score of four.

appSIZED Updates and a Freebie Alert: Inbetween Land

Dear All,

I’ve been off the grid lately due to my busy schedule, but I hope to be back soon with a Plants vs Zombies 2 review as well as some catching up with other games and apps that came out since May.

In the meantime, here’s an announcement from G5 games:

News Alert – G5 Giveaway: Get FREE Inbetween Landon iOS – Limited Time Offer

Get a FREE FULL copy of Inbetween Land on iOS through August 25th and journey on a mysterious adventure to another world! Inbetween Landacquaints you with the plight of a missing childhood friend, possibly aboard a mysterious flying island hovering just above our world. Through mini-games and fragmented hidden object areas, you piece together the details of your friend’s disappearance and how it ties into the floating Sky Island. The game begins as a science-fiction story and soon involves players in the rescue mission for alien creatures.

The city’s mundane rhythm is suddenly disrupted by the emergence of a flying island high in the sky. Though the island initially appears to be deserted, the citizens realize that they are not alone in the universe. Before long, the island becomes a tourist attraction, increasing revenues and crime. Then one day, Mary, who works at the city orphanage goes missing after a beam of light is seen coming from the island above. And, that’s where you come in. You play as her friend, and soon find out Mary bought some mysterious artifact from the island and then vanished. Following the clues Mary left, you will have to open a portal to the flying land, save her and help extraterrestrial civilization that desperately wants to restore their home. Explore the creepy island, make friends with the spirits of the island’s people, solve challenging puzzles, find missing crystals and take your friend back home in this absorbing adventure.

Inbetween Land has all the key features to provide a delightful gaming experience: soft music, engrossing Sci-Fi themed plot and three game modes – Casual, Normal and Expert – so you can adjust the desired level of difficulty. You also have a useful journal add-in that keeps track of the story and tasks to accomplish. But what really makes this game stand out, is its glorious visuals. Fantastic scenery, comic-like cut scenes and witty puzzles will glue casual game fans to their iOS devices and let them fully enjoyInbetween Land. The game is developed by Specialbit Studio and published on iOS by G5 Entertainment.

Key Features:

  • 52 Fascinating locations to explore
  • 19 Thought-provoking mini games
  • 3 Game modes: Casual, Normal, Expert
  • 4 Engaging comics
  • Out-of-this-world storyline

You can download Inbetween Land for FREE from August 20 to August 25.

Download:

Inbetween Land for iPhone

Inbetween Land for iPad

 

Enjoy! —> appSIZED

iOS Freebie Alert: Majesty – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim

 
One of my all-time favorite games is FREE for a limited time (was $2.99), in connection with Daily App Dream!
 
Read my review on Technoodling to learn more about this awesome game.
 
Download it here and spread the news!
 
H(app)y shopping!

iOS Sale Alert! Pacquiao’s Pound for Pound, 2 EA Games Gone Free, and EPOCH On Sale!

Pacquiao pound for pound flight control mirrors edge epoch

Because it’s the season to be jolly, some great games have gone on sale early into the Yuletide season! 
 
1) Pound for Pound (Universal/FREE) – Manny Pacquiao fans might want to check out this boxing game with an RPG flavor, to throw some fancy punches, rescue a damsel in distress and be Pacquiao for a few hours. The game needs some work in the controls department, but as far as likeness goes, this freebie for a limited time is a must for Pacquiao fans. 
 
2) EPOCH (Universal/$2.99) – Apple’s former Game of the Week for iPad is a futuristic, cover shooting action game boasting of some pretty gorgeous graphics courtesy of UnrealEngine, the guys behind Infinity Blade. Now that it’s on sale for a limited time, make sure you don’t miss it! 
 
3) Mirror’s Edge for iPad (iPad/FREE) – You gotta love EA for their daily freebies! Mirror’s Edge is a platform game where the Runners (such as Faith, the character you’ll be playing) are the last bastion of freedom in a dystopian future. You can do some pretty fancy running and jumping tricks while admiring the city scenery. The iPhone version is also FREE
 
4) Flight Control HD (iPad/FREE) – This is the game that launched a thousand line drawing games. As part of EA’s freebie deals, this retro-inspired iOS classic is one for the books. The iPhone version is also FREE
 
EA’s other games are also on sale, including Dead Space, Apple’s iPad Game of the Year pick, so don’t forget to visit the EA page in the App Store. 
 
 
H(app)y shopping! 
 

Sale Alert! Fishdom: Spooky Splash, Notability and Contacts to VCard

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Who says it’s just another Monday? Today is a great day for app shopping!

1) Fishdom: Spooky Splash Premium (iPad) – The Fishdom series is an addictive combination of match three with simulation elements and Spooky Splash is no exception. Build the fish tank of your dreams and prepare for aquarium domination! The paid/premium version is free for a limited time but take note, I’m being asked to shell out the regular price for the full version.

2) Notability (iPad) – This awesome notetaking app is back on my top apps list thanks to a free massive update – themes, paper backgrounds, full-blown handwriting function and PDF import and annotation support. A note taking app that is a powerful mini-word processor on its own, the $0.99 is a steal!

3) Contacts to VCard (iPhone) – With zero user ratings on the app store, and the price tag of free, I figured downloading the app would be a risk-free endeavor. The app does what it says, which is to convert your contacts list to VCF and vice versa, and does it fast.

If I missed anything, please feel free to leave a message in the comments section. In the meantime, h(app)y shopping!

Sale Alert! Assassin’s Creed 2, Sushi Chop HD, Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim and Art Penguin HD

Assassin's Creed SushiChop Majesty Art Penguin HD

Great games go on sale everyday so stay tuned to appSIZED for daily picks!

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Sale Alert! Drawn: The Painted Tower is on Sale, Traffic Rush and Chop Chop Kicker are Free

Typhoon Pedring is wreaking havoc here in the Philippines so pardon the delay in posting news and reviews about games and apps to watch. Here are today’s picks:

The incredibly beautiful and almost magical puzzle adventure Drawn: The Painted Tower HD (Full) for the iPad is on sale at $3.99 for a limited time. If you missed the massive 99 cent Big Fish Games sale a few weeks back, then this is as good as it gets. Go get it, it’s definitely worth the price tag.

Traffic Rush appsized

A Donut Games’ classic, Traffic Rush (Universal) is FREE for a limited time. Play traffic policeman and tell cars when to stop and go, while avoiding collisions. Donut Games have a Monday freebie game special promo for the next couple of weeks so stay tuned for their other offers.

Chop Chop Kicker Pro appsized

Finally, Chop Chop Kicker (Universal) is also FREE for a limited time. This cute little action/platform game lets you draw rainbows, squiggles and other creative designs to keep your friend dinosaur in the air for as long as possible. Recommended for the entire family.

If I missed anything, feel free to add to the list in the comments section!