Vector Mobile App Review

Download Vector for free on Android or iTunes
Developed by Nekki
Genre: Action/Distance
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

Distance endless running games are extremely popular but it seems they exploded in popularity for the mobile market. I blame Temple Run for the popularity boost on mobile although I suppose Canabalt is to blame for the genre starting. My point being is that the mobile market for these endless runner games is over saturated and it is hard to really be unique. It is this very reason why most endless runner games you find on the new and upcoming mobile lists are either sequels of already popular games such as Temple Run 2 or clones of popular ones (mainly Temple Run clones). But sometimes a game and developer come along that does make something interesting, hence today's review on Vector.

Now of course at its core Vector does have the foundation of an endless runner mobile game, but it also differs greatly. The main difference is that there is a pseudo storyline (over controlling government, one man escapes and is now being pursued) which leads to a level based running game. So I suppose you really can't call Vector an "endless" runner, just a running action game as you really are just trying to get from the start to finish without your pursuer catching you.

This is where the game gets very interesting though. Right from the beginning Vector mentions that it is heavily influenced by Parkour which is that freestyle running movement where you jump over things in crazy ways. So that is how you play Vector, although all the Parkour stunts are done for you. To play Vector you just swipe up to jump over obstacles and down to slide under things, however at certain points if you have special parkour stunts unlocked then your character does those stunts as well as generally hops over tables and obstacles in a parkour-ish way anyways.

The fluidity of the parkour stunts is the impressive part to Vector as depending on timing your character will do different stunts/hops over obstacles for the same level. This gives the whole game a new depth and level of detail that games such as Canabalt and Temple Run do not have. So if you want to play an episodic running game like the original endless runner front runners but with some spice in it then try out Vector.

Pixel People Mobile App Review

Download Pixel People for iOS
Developed by Chillingo
Genre: Action/Management
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 7.5/10

If you know me you'll know I love pixel art and subsequently play a lot of pixel based games such as Pixel Dungeon. So today's review is on another pixel based game aptly titled Pixel People.

Pixel People has the same cute pixel art style that Tiny Tower and Pocket Planes has but well...its city based. Although Pixel People reminds me of Tiny Tower in other ways than just graphics. Basically, though, the idea behind Pixel People is you are making a city and therefore you need houses to hold people and have to assign them jobs. And as you get jobs for them you get buildings to place. Now the big theme is you need to genetically splice people into their jobs. So you start out with a blank slate of a person and by splicing together different jobs you create a new job for that person. There are tons of combinations and the main source of fun for Pixel People.

However the splicing aspect as interesting an idea it is gets old quick for a few reasons. The first is that Pixel People has slight freemium tendencies where you have to succumb to time penalties or use special in game money to skip the time periods and can buy more using real money. The other reason is that the splicing process is pretty much me just randomly pairing things up until it says it works. I suppose the combinations make sense for the most part but it doesn't have that trial and error puzzle feel like Little Inferno has. Overall I did find Pixel People to be a good time waster for a while until I got fed up with the time restrictions but if those don't bother you this could be a great city simulator mobile game.

Candy Crush Saga Mobile App Review

Download Candy Crush Saga for Android, iOS or play on Facebook.
Developed by King.com
Genre: Puzzle
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 7.5/10

One of the most popular video game gameplay themes is that of the match three Bejeweled type gameplay. It seems I talk a lot about all these mobile apps that feature this style of gameplay such as the case with Zookeeper and Witch Wars. There are so many of these types of games probably because they are really easy to play on touch screen devices and are very easy to make. Well, today's review is on Candy Crush Saga which is yet another Bejeweled type mobile app.

I would, however, call Candy Crush Saga a Bejeweled strategy type game. Meaning that in normal Bejeweled you are just matching gems or whatever by three over and over. In Candy Crush Saga though you have specific goals. This could be to get a certain amount of points, a timed level, or the big missions are to drop various fruit to the bottom and to clear "jelly" which means make matches on these jelly blocks to make them disappear. These missions and the loose "strategy" aspect is what makes Candy Crush Saga worth playing and addicting. If you look at the straight gameplay aspect of it you'll see that it is fairly generic.

Candy Crush Saga does employ various powerups like some of these Bejeweled type games which is perhaps the most interesting idea to come of it. These include line clearer powerups when you match four pieces in a row, bombs when you match pieces in a T or L shape and a powerup which destroys all candies of a specific type when you match five pieces in a row. That part is fairly standard but you can combine the powerups to make super powerups which is really fun to watch and pretty cool.

As you probably saw, you can play Candy Crush Saga on Facebook and that makes this one of those freemium type games that I don't really like. It is unfortunate that this is the case although for the most part you do not need to pay for special powerups to help you in the game unless you absolutely want to. Which is good because I think the prices are ridiculous. It is also unfortunate that at certain points you are forced to bug your friends to help you progress to new level sets. Although I will give credit to Candy Crush Saga for having over 200 levels and if you don't mind bugging your friends every so often (and hoping your friends actually play this game) then you will be set for awhile. Overall, Candy Crush Saga is a fairly basic Bejeweled-esque mobile game that has tons of levels and some interesting mission and powerup based ideas.

Super Monsters Ate My Condo Mobile App Review

Download Super Monsters Ate My Condo for Android or on iTunes
Developed by Pik Pok
Sponsored by Adult Swim Games
Genre: Action/Puzzle
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8/10

I'm a tad late to the game on this review (and perhaps some of my others) but I don't care. This crazy game called Super Monsters Ate My Condo had made the rounds after Adult Swim Games had promoted it like crazy and for good reason, it really is a one of a kind mobile game.

The general idea behind Super Monsters Ate My Condo is a match three type gameplay but not in a grid but rather a vertical tower. And instead of swapping tiles you throw out whole condo floors to the monsters on each side. I know...the game is sounding crazier by the second. Suppose its time to mention now that the whole tower has physics attached to it like a Jenga tower! And each monster is a certain color and prefer to be fed condo floors of that color and if they don't they will get mad and shake your flimsy tower.

I know I'm throwing a lot of seemingly crazy buzz words at you but if you take a look at the screenshot or a gameplay video you will know and understand just how crazy Super Monsters Ate My Condo really is. And to be honest I haven't even talked about half the crazy features. Getting combos in your condo tower matchmaking can create super floors or bombs or combo floors, etc. The game just gets crazier and crazier and hectic. Oh boy is Super Monsters Ate My Condo hectic. Seeing as how it is timed and the graphics (which by the way are just as crazy but well done!) flash and beep at you all the while. Personally while I can see how well made Super Monsters Ate My Condo is in terms of unique gameplay as well as general polish, the gameplay is too hectic for me, but if you are into puzzle apps then this is a must have!

Pixel Dungeon Android App Review

Download Pixel Dungeon for free on Android
Developed by Watabou
Genre: RPG/Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 9.5/10

One of my new favorite genres in general are roguelikes. Its a relatively niche genre of RPG action adventure games in which they are characterized by random dungeons, items, perma-death and general difficulty. I recently picked up Pixel Dungeon for my Nexus 7 tablet and quickly have become addicted to it and it has risen in the ranks among my favorite roguelikes, if not my favorite.

So like I said all roguelikes have similar features for the most part. Randomly generated items, enemies, dungeons, etc. and quick RPG like elements. Pixel Dungeon manages to cram in tons of features that most roguelikes have and some that a lot don't. For instance Pixel Dungeon features tons of potions and magic scrolls to help or hurt you and some of the effects are really cool such as area effects with poison and paralyze gasses. Fire is another detailed feature which can catch doors and grasses on fire or even yourself. There are traps which you can trigger and are hidden or you can trigger them remotely. Special wands can be used to teleport enemies, set them on fire, electrocute them or just hinder them with sheep.

Other dynamic features include vision hindrance. Meaning you can't see everything just what your person can literally see and doors and tall grasses can block your view. Weapons and armor are just as detailed allowing for buffs and curses to be placed on each and a good variety can be found. Pixel Dungeon is a very hard roguelike I have come to find out which may discourage newcomers to the genre but it will cater to the "hardcore" fans like myself although I think that it is not totally unfriendly to newcomers and can easily win over some new blood especially with the cute and simple pixelated graphics that does so well in the mobile app market.

10000000 Mobile App Review

Download 10000000 for iOS (or Steam)
Developed by EightyEightGames
Genre: Arcade and Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

I love games that mash together different video game genres, especially those that don't normally go together. This is exactly the case with 10000000 in which the endless running genre is mashed together with match making elements! Sounds crazy I know but surprisingly it works and is quite a simple, yet addicting, idea.

Basically in 10000000 you play as a character who is endlessly running down a dungeon corridor and you get stopped by various things such as enemies, doors and treasure chests. Now to get past these things you need to match the corresponding tiles below. For instance you need to defeat enemies to move past them so you need to match together sword and staff icons to attack them, or shield icons to provide protection for yourself. To get past doors and treasure chests you match together key icons. There are other icons also such as wood and stone which you can match to get resources to upgrade yourself as well as backpack icons which provide helpful secondary items.

Now you want to keep an eye for what type of icons you need to match in advance so you can get past all the obstacles as quickly as possible because if the left side of the view catches up to you you lose. This also makes it a decently strategic game where you may need to wait out on matching all those key icons so you don't get rid of them for the door that is coming up. These two elements make 10000000 a very hectic game. There are also missions to do to provide you with experience and money to further upgrade yourself.

My biggest issue with 10000000 is the pacing. I am completely fine with everything else. Love the genre mash up, the graphics are a retro style I love but the pacing is too quick for me. I find myself dying over and over, which luckily 10000000 is so addicting I barely notice and keep playing and playing but I feel the game needs to be slowed down a tad. Overall though 10000000 is one of the more unique games to come out lately and everyone needs to experience this crazy mash up.

7x7 Mobile App Review

Download 7x7 for free for Android
Developed by Kiip
Genre: Brain and Puzzle
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 7.5/10

Kiip joins the mobile app gaming community with their first game related app, 7x7 which is quite a brain teaser. Think Bejeweled like matching but with a clean and minimalistic Google color schemed style.

Gameplay in 7x7 is very simple but it is this simplicity that really sets the tone for extreme addiction. You have a 7x7 grid and colored tiles on the board. The goal is to match like colored tiles by fours and to do this you can move any tile anywhere on the board (unless its blocked in by other tiles). Of course each move you make more tiles appear until you eventually get blocked in and can't make anymore matches.


Like I said, very simple gameplay mechanics. To complement this 7x7 has perhaps one of the cleanest and minimalistic graphical interface I have ever seen and it looks amazing. Games lately seem to think they have to rely on cartoon like busy graphics so it is refreshing to see a new direction in mobile app gaming. 7x7 is a free app for Android that is perfect for pick up and play. A must download.

Zookeeper Battle Mobile App Review

Downloaded Zookeeper Battle for free on Google Play or Itunes
Developed by Kiteretsu
Genre: Brain & Puzzle
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

Bejeweled Battle type games are a real hit with the flash and mobile game crowds and luckily developers do get quite creative with their iterations so the genre doesn't get too bland. For instance one of my first mobile app reviews was on Witch Wars which was a Bejeweled Battle type clone. Now I am reviewing one I like even better than Witch Wars; Zookeeper Battle.

So Zookeeper Battle is obviously the battle version of the normal Zookeeper mobile app which for all points and purposes is just like Bejeweled. The difference of course is that you are matching cute little pixelated zoo animals in Zookeeper Battle instead of jewels and gold. Now where the battle comes into play is like every other game of this sub-genre. The more matches you make the better off you will be against your opponent.

However, Zookeeper Battle takes an interesting take on the game. Wherein Witch Wars where you faced head to head in real time and you attack as you go along, Zookeeper Battle takes advantage of rounds much like a boxing match. Each zoo animal corresponds to either attack or defense attributes. So  hippopotamuses and elephants are defense and lions, frogs, panda bears, giraffes, and monkeys are attack. You also have a random animal each round which can act as both. So each round is timed and in that time period you try and match as many as you can. The round then ends and it shows how much attack and defense power you have. You then attack your opponent and if you're attack points beat his defense points then you do damage equal to the remainder, and vice verse. There are also random special tiles you can use to help you such as binoculars which show you all the possible matches, hearts which heal you, paint buckets which causes your opponents tiles to all be grey and the boss tile which creates useless boss tiles that do neither attack or defense.

What makes me like Zookeeper Battle over the other Bejeweled Battle type game I reviewed, Witch Wars, is that with the boxing style rounds it just gets more intense. I also like the cute zoo animals better as well. Overall, Zookeeper Battle is a great mobile game that you can easily sink hours into.