Game Diary


Wingnuts MotoChaser for iPhone/Touch Review

We are coming back from my first layoff of the Blue Plate Special since the series began.  Last week the football team I coach for in Texas played for and won the State Championship.  The week was so hectic that I just could not get around to finding apps or writing for that matter.  We have this week off for a much needed Christmas break so I already decided this week’s selection would be a game.  The players and coaches all need some down time to relax and reflect on winning our school’s first state championship.  The selection this week…


iPad Game Review: Mystery of the Crystal Portal 2: Beyond the Horizon

I made no pretense about how much I enjoyed the original Mystery of the Crystal Portal, both the PSP Mini and the HD version for iPad. It was a well designed hidden object game with a story that offered an ending that pretty much called for a sequel – so now we’re back following Nicole on her quest to find her father in Mystery of the Crystal Portal 2: Beyond the Horizon (which I’ll call ‘Crystal Portal 2’ henceforth)! The Hype: In the end of the first game in the series, Nicole managed to activate the Crystal Portal in her…


DS App Review: Korg DS-10 Plus

For a while I thought I would never see my Nintendo DSi again … I mean, my younger son already permanently took over my original copy of Korg DS-10, and when we were playing around with the new Korg DS-10 Plus on my DSi and he realized that I could add a second bank … well, he took the whole deal! Fortunately I managed to get it back and now he just borrows the DSi when he wants to use the Korg DS-10 Plus. The Hype: KORG DS-10 Plus is an enhanced version of the revolutionary KORG DS-10 synthesizer software…


DSiWare Game Review: Supermarket Mania

I recently reviewed the PC release of Supermarket Mania 2, and found it a ‘casual thrill ride’. I noted the basic plot from the original game – but I had never played it! It has been available for a while for the PC & Mac, came to the iPhone in early 2009, was released for the iPad and as a PSP Mini earlier this year, and has now arrived on the Nintendo DSi as part of the DSiWare store! Let’s take a look! The Hype: In Supermarket Mania, you’ll have to help Nikki operate a small grocery store; satisfying the…


PSP Game Review: Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep

The Kingdom Hearts franchise occupies a unique place in the gaming world: born out of the combined universes of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy multiverse and the multiple characters of Disney, Square Enix has forged a beloved new franchise that brings both together in a way the emphasizes the strength of each without compromise. The original games for the Playstation 2 remain favorites for games of any age, and the series has been augmented by solid releases on the GameBoy Advance and the Nintendo DS. Now we get an original release for the Sony PSP. Let’s diver right in and see…


iPad App Review: Elves Inc: Christmas Mission HD

Whenever I think of Christmas apps I think back to what was one of the absolute worst games ever – Elf Bowling! But when G5 Entertainment offered me their new holiday themed game I was fairly certain it wouldn’t be a Christmas nightmare, so I gave it a shot. The Hype: Plunge yourself into the shining world of a winter fairy tale! Control and master the logistics of Christmas! Help magic elves deliver and load gifts to Santa’s sledge before Christmas comes. Make sure they don’t run into each other or they will drop the gifts and children won’t get…


iPad Game Review: Destination Treasure Island

Treasure Island is a beloved classic that has inspired many renditions on stage and screen, as well as many sequels and other add-on tales by a variety of artists in a variety of media. The reason it is such a great work to extend and revisit is that the characters are believable, likeable and work very well within their environment. Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are wonderful characters and the tales of bravery, honor, friendship and of course piracy fuel the long-standing love for the pair. Destination: Treasure Island was originally released for the PC back in 2007 and…


Gear Games Retrospective: Dungeons & Dragons Tactics (PSP, RPG, 2007)

While I always seem to have way too many games to play for review, I always allow myself time for replaying favorites or classics even if it means delaying completing a game review. Generally the choices make sense – my annual trek through the Star Wars ‘Kyle Katarn’ games, for example, or another play through on Gothic 2 Gold. But just after Thanksgiving I found myself with my PSP-3000 in hand, not playing any of the games on my PSP Go awaiting my attention, but instead replaying the 2007 RPG Dungeons & Dragons Tactics (D&D Tactics). Am I nuts? The…


PC Game Review: Supermarket Mania 2

How hard can it be running a supermarket? In the original Supermarket Mania Nikki found out that is was much harder than she thought – especially with the evil Torg and his robot minions trying to put the store she works at out of business. Yet through perseverance she succeeds and prevails! Now Nikki is back … but so is Torg! Can you help Nikki Succeed in a new location with new challenges? The Hype: Nikki and her friends are back in Supermarket Mania 2! Help her uncle Ross manage and run his chain of grocery stores on the other…


PC Game Review: Order of War

Quick – what pops into your head when you hear ‘Order of War’? Probably that it is a war game, and perhaps that it is a World War II game based on similarity to other game names. But beyond that? With Medal of Honor you got the image of individual heroics that was fitting to the scope of the game. Call of Duty implied a broader action of which you were just a part. Company of Heroes implied an even larger scope with loads of valuable individuals contributing. Order of War for me feels thin and generic. So perhaps that…


Mac / PC Game Review: Left 4 Dead 2

After the protests are over, and the boycotts are all done, what are we left with? A game – that is all Left 4 Dead 2 is, a game. Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) was released in late 2009 for the PC, and recently came to the Mac via Steam. My review is based on having played the Mac version and replaying the PC version for comparison. The Hype: Left 4 Dead 2 is the sequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed co-op multiplayer smash from Valve, creators of the Half-life, Portal, Team Fortress and Counter-Strike game properties. With multiple…


Caveat Emptor: Have You Had Payment Issues with Gameloft?

Image courtesy of CreStock A couple of weeks ago I posted about the Gameloft Advent Calendar, which planned to offer all sorts of deals throughout the month. I have frankly not paid that much attention since the first couple of days, but Joel recently pointed me towards a post at phandroid that caused me concern: it talks about someone getting charged FOUR TIMES while trying to buy a game from Gameloft. There are three reasons this is a concern: I don’t ever want to recommend something that results in someone getting cheated out of money. Gear Diary folks saw first-hand…


DS Game Review: A Witches Tale

Have you ever read a book and then saw the movie based on that book, or saw a remake of a classic TV show into a movie, and thought – HEY, how did you people manage to completely screw up such an amazing premise?!?! That is pretty much my review of A Witches Tale, but let me supply you with a few hundred words of context. The Hype: Which Witch is Which? Liddell is a young witch-in-training who wants to be the greatest witch in the world, but she isn’t willing to work for it. One day, she discovers a…


PSP Game Review: PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has read the seemingly endless stream of Tower Defense genre reviews I have done in various places over the last couple of years, but when I had the chance to take a look at PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe for the PSP, I jumped at the chance! The game was already highly regarded from the PSN release for the PS3 in early 2008, so it seemed likely that the game would be a great fit on the PSP. The Hype: Be the defender of the forest and defend the pathway of your home…


PC Game Review: Red Faction Guerrilla

GamersGate offered a sweet deal where you got copies of both Red Faction and Red Faction II for free with a Red Faction Guerrilla pre-order. Red Faction was a 2001 game that gained tons of attention during previews for its destructible environments, and Red Faction II was the critically pummeled 2004 follow-up. So by the time I received my review copy of the game I had replayed both of the original games on my netbook, which allowed me to put those games into proper perspective as I played the new addition to the series. The Hype: Set 50 years after…


PSP Game Review: Sudoku (PSP Minis)

Given that the PSP Minis are meant to be bite-sized games with a smaller scope and focus, Sudoku seems like the perfect candidate … well, other than all of those ports of iPhone games. The game itself is a classic Japanese number puzzle that is simple to understand conceptually, but challenging and wonderfully addictive. The Hype: This one is bound to keep you coming back for more, even if you aren’t into Sudoku or maybe just never played it before. Life time statistics for each difficulty will have you comparing your skills with friends and family. Newspaper mode is a…


Dizzypad-Frog Jump Fun for iPhone/Touch Review

It seems that most of my Blue Plate Specials as well as other games I purchase are puzzle games.  When I am not playing puzzle games, they are often racing or shooting games and almost always contain insane graphics and loud explosions.  Very seldom does a cute game catch my eye.  I saw that Dizzypad was on sale for free and thought it looked interesting, so I downloaded.  To my surprise, I was instantly hooked.  Let’s take a look. Escape into your own tranquil pond to see how far you can jump your dizzy frog from pad to spinning pad….


PC Game Review: Call of Duty Black Ops

Since the second game in the series, Treyarch and Infinity Ward have alternated development duties for Call of Duty games: Infinity Ward did the excellent first two games as well as Modern Warfare 1 & 2. Treyarch, on the other hand, did the worst-in-franchise Call of Duty 3 and the underwhelming World at War … and has now returned for Call of Duty: Black Ops! Have they finally abandoned their bottom-feeder ways? Read on and find out! The Hype: Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter with stealth and tactical play aspect that puts players in the role…


PC Game Review: Star Wars The Force Unleashed II

Just like the natural universe, the Star Wars universe seems to keep expanding ever since the Big Bang of 1977. Some of the expansions – such as Splinter of the Mind’s Eye – have been trashed by the ‘canon’ of the films, while others like the Thrawn trilogy have spawned ideas and characters that have carried through into the movies, games, and even further into book releases through the years. Most recently the end of the prequels has thrown open the era of conflict between Episodes II and III (Clone Wars) and III and IV (Jedi Purge, Imperial Control), and…


Flight Control for iPhone/Touch Review

The addition of GameCenter on my iPhone has definitely sold me on several games.  Casual and puzzle games seem to be much more enjoyable when I get to compare my friend’s scores and talk a little trash (or hear some).  It seems like the most enjoyable of these games are puzzle style games that can be open ended.  The latest games my friends and I have been locking horns with is Flight Control.  The game is super addictive and will become surprisingly competitive. Flight Control is a line drawing game that is simple to play, but will prove to be…