Gene Pool for iPhone/Touch App Review

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From the developer:

Playing pool is so 2008.

Meet Gene Pool. Your goal is to keep your organism healthy by merging genes of the same color. Merged genes grow in size and will eventually disappear. Only energized cells can merge with other cells. How? By bouncing them up against walls ofcourse!

*Gene Pool is your ideal travel companion.
*Relaxing music. Zen style. Why hurry?
*Win all possible achievements
*Submit and retrieve localized scores
*Uses Weave Connect technology developed by Sticky Studios
*Improve your score with multiple wall-bounces and great accuracy.
*Destroy viruses that attack your largest genes

As I have often found during my weekly search of apps, games do not always have to have console quality graphics and gameplay to be enjoyable.  Sometimes we just need a few minutes to pass the time and relax.  Gene Pool seems to fit the bill for a few spare minutes.  The music alone will relax and soothe.

The game is set inside of an organism and includes floating genes.  The goal is to bounce the genes off of walls or other genes into each other to merge them.  When genes of like colors have all been merged from the screen, they are eliminated.  Levels are complete when no matches remain on the board.

The trick to gaining points is to bounce the genes off of as many other genes and walls as possible.  Be careful though when using other genes as some will multiply the number on the board when they collide with different colors.  It took a little practice to get used to discovering better ways to bounce the genes to maximize the score.

Playing Gene Pool does not require a cue.  To shoot the genes simply grab them with a finger and pull back.  The gene will stretch like a rubber band then it will shoot that direction.  The further the gene is stretched the faster it shoots.  As genes merge they become larger in size and are not able to shoot very far or fast.  The genes react similar to how a pool ball reacts on the board.

The game is not timed, but new genes will generate and enter the board the longer a level is being played.  No power ups are available but achievements are recorded depending on how many bounces used to merge genes and can be loaded to the Internet.  A random virus will venture onto the board.  Viruses look like a star fish and can be eliminated using the anti-virus which is a bubbly ball.

Gene Pool is a simple yet relaxing game.  The music and artistic style creates a zen like relaxing atmosphere.  Get the game here in the app store on sale for free!

What I like: Gene Pool is relaxing, mindless fun.  The music.

What needs improvement: If the app is closed, the game starts over when it is restarted.  It would be nice to be able to continue a game after closing the app.

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About the Author

Travis Ehrlich
Travis is a high school teacher and coach in a small South Texas town. His love for gadgets began at a very early age, and he has been a cross between a jock and a geek for most of his life. He has two boys and a wonderful wife who lets him be a gadget freak. He is a Mac convert and has drank the whole pitcher of Kool-Aid! He is also an avid guitar player and loves the outdoors, especially hunting with both a bow and rifle.