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.

The End Mobile App Review

Download The End for free from Google Play or Itunes
Developed by Goroid
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

If there is one genre that has exploded in recent years it is the endless running genre. First it was popular in the 2D sense brought along by Canabalt and then later with the touch screen phenomena there was a rise in 3D-ish endless running games brought to popularity by Temple Run. Since Temple Run there have been countless feeble attempts at recreating its success and most just end up being blatant copies. However, when Google Play released their latest "best endless running games" list I found The End which has the typical Temple Run style but is much more fleshed out.

Since I compared The End with Temple Run you all should know the general idea of gameplay. You play a character who is running and you need to swipe on your touchscreen device to jump over obstacles, slide under obstacles and turn left and right. You also can tilt your device to avoid other obstacles. Now, those are the basic gameplay dynamics that Temple Run sort of pioneered in my opinion or at least brought into popular light. The foundations if you will. From there, though, The End takes it and makes it 10x better.

First off the sheer amount of obstacles and different environments in The End completely blows Temple Run out of the water. In Temple Run there were trees, overhands and skinny lanes. The End features a multitude of obstacles you need to jump over including lava pits, wrecked cars, rubble, etc. All of which have multiple iterations of. You can also slide under a lot of these same obstacles such as semi trucks and buses parked in the way.

Perhaps the best way that The End beats out Temple Run is in the atmosphere aspect. The whole atmosphere surrounding The End is fairly obvious, it is during and post apocalypse  but not by generic zombies, nope by lava! Natural disasters I suppose. And to further propagate this there are missions you need to do in The End which go along with surviving in this apocalyptic world. The missions themselves are fairly generic like run this far, collect this amount of points, etc. But missions in general give incentive to play and increase replay value and addictiveness, all of which The End has plenty of. So if you want to step up your Temple Run game, try out a real game; The End.

Hanger Mobile App Review

Download Hanger on Google Play or Itunes
Developed by A Small Game
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8/10

Hanger has been around for a while and even has a sequel you can play on flash game sites, but fairly recently the developer studio, A Small Game, decided to go the mobile route and have been fairly successful with that endeavor I would say.

If you don't know what the Hanger series is about it is fairly simple as it is kind of like Spiderman. You play as a character who can shoot strings or ropes or maybe even web from his hands and the goal is to get from point A to point B without losing too many limbs which you lose by hitting obstacles. Sounds easy but with the physics system in place it actually is quite hard and can get very hectic quickly.

The mobile version is pretty much the same as the browser based versions but with more touch based controls. You have arrows on the left side of the screen to help you move in those directions and a button on the right side to release and shoot new ropes out. This part is actually the hardest part to get used to in Hanger but I can't think of any other way to accomplish the controls in a touch based mobile device. For what it is Hanger is a great time killer and for only $0.99 it is a steal for how much entertainment you will get out of it.

Pakkuman's Defense Mobile App Review

Get Pakkuman's Defense for: Android, Itunes, or Blackberry
Developed by Tametick
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

Pacman is a classic video game and almost literally everyone knows about it and has played some version or iteration of it. But classic as Pacman is, in today's gaming, both console or mobile, environment it would be considered boring. Retro but still boring. So how would you make Pacman more interesting? Well, Pakkuman's Defense did exactly this by combining the simplistic and retro Pacman game ideas with tower defense elements. Yes, Pacman Tower Defense. Who would have thought?

Gameplay in Pakkuman's Defense is actually quite simple. You have various maze levels a la Pacman and the goal is the same; collect all the pellets and not to get caught by the ghosts. However, in Pakkuman's Defense each pellet now is money and with that money you can place turrets on the walls of the maze which then shoot the ghosts as they come near effectively turning Pacman into a tower defense game.

Of course with each new level things get harder and harder and it actually gets quite challenging. There are also various powerups you can collect in Pakkuman's Defense to help you in your ghost killing quest. Overall I really enjoy the retro throwback with new age elements thrown in with Pakkuman's Defense and think Tametick is ingenious!

Tinboy Joyride Mobile App Review

Download Tinboy Joyride for free on Android
Developed by Defcon Studio
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 4/10

No, this is not Jetpack Joyride although the name and idea is quite similar with Tinboy Joyride and by that I mean it is a generic runner mobile game.

I decided to give Jetpack Joyride a shot, I mean it was free and I saw a post about it on Reddit. So I checked it out on the Google Play store and it seemed to be alright. I normally like distance runner games so why not download it. Well, as you can probably tell from my buildup I was slightly disappointed...actually scratch that, a lot disappointed.

Tinboy Joyride is just not a polished game...at all. You are thrown into the game really with no start screen or anything, I tapped my screen at what I think was the start screen and the character just started running. From there you eventually figure out that you are now playing the game and you just tap the screen to jump over obstacles and collect red and blue balls (points I suppose). However, while the graphics are ok looking, everything is disjointed and do not fit well together and also textures didn't seem to be working quite right. There are powerups in Tinyboy Joyride but again no explanation for anything and you just have to figure out everything on your own. There are goals on the right side of the screen like collect 20 red balls or 5 blue balls but again, no explanation. Playing Tinboy Joyride is really feels like being a fish out of water with no clue other than tapping the screen.

What is even worse is I could not find a pause or stop button unless you lose I suppose. I thought I paused the game or stopped it and I shut off my tablet only to come back five minutes later to realize the game was still going on and I hadn't died yet in five minutes... I promptly uninstalled Tinboy Joyride from my device and do not recommend it until it is more put together in a professional way.

GYRO Mobile App Review

Download GYRO for free on Android and GYRO+ for $0.99 on Itunes
Developed by Vivid Games
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8/10

You don't always need a really in depth game that draws you in with its deep storyline full of twists and turns, sometimes you just want a simple arcade game you can play for a few minutes at a time, or get addicted to and find yourself looking at the clock and its an hour later. This is the type of game GYRO is.

Simplicity really is best sometimes and GYRO is exactly that and only consists of a few elements. The first element is a pie chart type graphic divided into three colored sections which you can spin and rotate. Next, there are colored balls which fly towards your pie chart character. Throw some powerups in there and that is it. Of course I haven't stated the goal yet but you may be able to guess that. Basically the goal is to rotate the pie chart so that the colored sections on the chart hit the colored balls as they come into contact. If you miss and hit a wrong color than that piece of the pie chart fills up a little bit with darkness, if one section fills up all the way then it is game over for you!

So simple yet so fun and more importantly so much fun. The powerups I mentioned earlier are also thrown in to allow for even more fun and addiction as they prolong your gameplay. On top of all this there are extras such as unlockable color sets, a timed mode and leader boards. So much is packed in the little package that is GYRO and you will find yourself addicted in no time!

Osmos Mobile App Review

Download Osmos on Android or Itunes
Developed by Hemisphere Games
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8/10

Looking for a peaceful and relaxing mobile app to play after a hard days work? Well... Osmos could be the game for you as I feel its meant to be relaxing but it certainly is a serious game that can provide some stress (at least for me).

I was drawn to Osmos as I love the concept for the game and have played various flash games with similar concepts that I really enjoyed. This concept is you start out a small cell or something and you can absorb or eat cells that are smaller than you and as you eat other cells you grow and therefore can eat more cells, etc. Simple enough concept but Osmos takes it to a whole new puzzling level and adds a lot of interesting factors and control schemes.

First off the control scheme is worth mentioning as it is fairly unique but is one of the biggest deciding factors on whether or not you will enjoy the game as it takes some getting used to it. So where most flash games that I've played with this concept has simple WASD movement, Osmos takes a more physics based propulsion system. You basically move by tapping behind or in front of you and you shoot out a small part of you (which does make you a smaller) and that force propels you forward. It is hard to control, slowish and kind of awkward, but if you keep at it you start to get used to it. Also the slow pace of it all can be fixed by a handy tool Osmos has where you can speed up or slow down time and the pace of the whole game which has its pros and cons which you can find out when you play.

Osmos is more detailed than most games with this growing gimmick and it does this by introducing some interesting ideas and putting you in more puzzle based situations. Examples of these puzzle based situations is sometimes you are put into a really small space and you need to figure out the right order of enemy cells to consume so you can be the biggest and win. Examples of the interesting ideas include a more solar system based model with a sun type object which affects gravity and you are sort of pulled  along in its gravitational field which you can edit the course of as you move. Overall, Osmos is a pretty gun game that while simple on the outside does allow for some complex situations, just need to get over the weird control system first!

Canabalt HD Mobile App Review

Download Canabalt for Android or Itunes
Developed by Kittehface Software
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8/10

I know I'm pretty late on the Canabalt train but I just discovered that I had bought the HD version for my Nexus 7 with the latest Humble Bundle and although I've played Canabalt when it first was released as a free flash game, I decided to take a look and review the latest port to the Android (and Itunes) for the HD version.

So if you don't know what Canabalt is about it is regarded as one of the biggest pioneers of runner or distance games as I like to call them. You all know what I'm talking about, the games where you are constantly running in a straight line, jumping over pitfalls and other obstacles and if you fail you die and start over. Most games of this caliber nowadays supplement their game and increase replay value with upgrade or shop systems but Canabalt is pure and is strictly pure running action. Part of Canabalt's appeal is actually in its simplicity. It has simple panchromatic coloring which surprisingly works very well and the gameplay is simple, makes for a perfect high score game to be honest.

Like I said earlier, Canabalt was originally a flash game for free and then they made an HD version you have to pay for on mobile devices, but is it worth it? The $2.99? Honestly I would say no. All the "HD" version offers is a more 3D look adapted from the 2D original look as well as a global high score system. Still a little pricey in my opinion especially when say you could just load it up on a browser on your mobile devices and play essentially the same game for free. Still though, Canabalt as a whole is perhaps the father of all runner games which is a huge flash and mobile game market and it does it so perfectly.

Waking Mars Mobile App Review

Download Waking Mars for Android, Itunes or Windows
Developed by Tiger Style
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 9.5/10

How would you like to explore Mars and be the spearhead of an expedition that not only finds water on Mars but a whole alien ecosystem? Sounds intense right? Well that is exactly what you get to do in Waking Mars by Tiger Style.

I recently picked up Waking Mars as part of the Humble Bundle and I urge you to as well if you haven't already. Waking Mars is a very immersive puzzle platformer with a pretty unique premise and a very nice storyline. The idea behind Waking Mars is you are an astronaut tasked with exploring a cave system on Mars after your remote sensing droid went AWOL. As you go down into the depths you discover a whole plant ecosystem in which you play an active role and it is this "active role" that is the unique twist. Basically there are seeds to various plant species around and you need to plant them in order to increase biomass which "unlocks" other plant species that are blocking the cave system. Unfortunately the more you raise the biomass the more acidic the environment gets which makes your job more dangerous. Overall this idea may sound crazy and far fetched but Tiger Style does a great job explaining everything through in game characters as well as an extensive research menu for each plant species you come across which makes for a really deep gameplay experience.

In terms of gameplay Waking Mars also takes a different approach with you actually using a jetpack and dealing with those mechanics for the most part. This is probably the hardest part about Waking Mars as it takes a while to get used to the touch screen controls. The whole planting seeds dynamic is really cool and works pretty well. It also makes for some interesting puzzles as you need to remember the perfect way to have enough biomass so you need to balance and use your water seeds strategically and whatnot. Graphically Waking Mars is pretty awesome. It has avatars for the characters in the storyline which are the only thing that look a tad weird but only because it contrasts with the general graphics of the levels, but overall graphics are pretty top notch for a mobile game. While Waking Mars does cost a bit of money (could potentially get it for cheap through the Humble Bundle if you hurry) it will keep you occupied for a while and is well worth the price!

Turbo Kids Mobile App Review

Download Turbo Kids for Android
Developed by DroidHen
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 9.5/10

Now doesn't this game seem familiar ..at least it does for me as I remember playing and reviewing the flash game demo of Turbo Kids over at FlashMush. Nonetheless I discovered Turbo Kids for Android and love playing it on my Nexus 7 tablet.

What makes Turbo Kids so great is that it combines the addicting tendencies of a distance runner game like Jetpack Joyride with a racing type competition. I guess since it is technically a racing game it isn't much a distance game but the concepts are similar. In Turbo Kids you are pitted against seven computer players in a race for first place. Along the way there are various environmental factors which can affect the outcome. You have boosters to make you go faster, jump boosts which make you jump high in the air and then various weapons you can pick up. This is where the game gets nasty, these weapons. You have ice bullets which freeze an opponent, exchange bullets which make you swap places with who you hit and then trap bullets which slow down an opponent for a while.

As you can imagine games in Turbo Kids can get quite hectic and results vary greatly, it also has a similar effect as the blue turtle shell in Mario Kart games where you can be first, get hit with something and end up dead last. Luckily if you find yourself coming in dead last a lot you can use the points you earn from winning to upgrade yourself and give yourself other powers such as moonwalk ability which breaks you out of ice and trap effects. Turbo Kids has four level packs I suppose each one representing a season and the graphics to reflect each are absolutely gorgeous. Cartoony yet very professionally made and ever so detailed. There are also tons of different modes you can play such as tournament, relay, timing and chase along with achievements for all as well. The amount of content in Turbo Kids is actually quite amazing and can really keep you busy for weeks if not months, this is a must have app for any person with an Android device.

Sushi Chop Mobile App Review

Download Sushi Chop for Android, Itunes and Windows
Developed by Rouge Rocket Games
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

Back when touch screen phones and tablets were just hitting the stage I feel one game got a lot of attention; HalfBrick Studio's Fruit Ninja. Note that even Fruit Ninja may not have been the first game of this swipe to cut things genre but it is the most recognizable and arguably the most popolar app game with that theme. My point is that many games since Fruit Ninja have entered the scene to try and capitalize on some of that same success and most fail. However where most have failed I feel Sushi Chop has succeeded a bit, at least enough to catch my attention.

The success I feel in the differentiation between most Fruit Ninja clones and Sushi Chop is one big thing. Sushi Chop is not just about cutting as much fruit (or in this case fish) as possible while avoiding bombs but there is a secondary goal which has a big impact on gameplay. Basically how Sushi Chop plays is you have a sushi plate platter in front of you with four slots. Each time you slice a fish one piece of cut fish aka sushi goes into a slot. Fill all four slots and you get another plate and then another. The catch here is that if you fail to fill a plate in the time limit then you lose a life. So not only can you lose a life if you hit a "bomb" (in Sushi Chop's case it is rotten fish) but if you don't fill the platters in the time limit you also lose a life.

Another gameplay feature that makes Sushi Chop different and in some ways better than Fruit Ninja is you can slice fish multiple times. In fact you can slice the fish enough times to fill one whole sushi platter with one fish (so four times). This also gives you a slight bonus and can you can run combos with it. Along side the base gameplay there is of course various powerups such as one that allows for all fresh fish to appear (no rotten fish), ones that increase points, one that increases the sushi platter size from four to six slots, and more!

But what there is literally more! After each wave/level in Sushi Chop there is a bonus level in which you are challenged to chop a certain type of fish a certain amount of times before time runs out which helps in the points department. There is also another gameplay mode in which you are shown pictures of specific fish and you have to chop them in that order. On top of all that there is a shop in which you can buy different types of knives for better sushi chopping skill! Overall, in one phrase I guess I would say Sushi Chop is much more detailed than Fruit Ninja and deserves more attention!

Jetpack Joyride Mobile App Review

Download Jetpack Joyride for Android and Itunes
Developed by HalfBrick Studios
Genre: Arcade & Action
MobileMush Review Rating: 8.5/10

Time to blow this pop-sickle stand! Literally! Jetpack Joyride starts out with a bang with you busting through a wall in what I can only guess is a top secret research lab with all the nerds running around in their lab coats. Luckily you have your handy dandy jetpack to help you run away as far as you can in this never ending laboratory distance mobile app game!

Jetpack Joyride at its foundation is a pretty basic game which follows the ever so popular distance genre trend. Basically, go as far as you can without dying or being stopped while collecting as much currency you can to spend on upgrades to help you go further. When typed out like that it seems like a terrible video game idea and makes us sound like hamsters on a wheel or something but the formula, as predictable as it is, really is addicting especially on mobile devices where you can play for a few minutes or rounds at a time.

While Jetpack Joyride follows the generic formula it does do it quite well. The jetpack idea in itself makes it stand out and a really fun game to play especially on touch screen devices, basically you can tap and hold down on the screen to kind of "hover" with your jetpack in order to avoid the various obstacles but it just feels so...natural to do. On top of that control point, Jetpack Joyride offers tons of features to keep you occupied and more importantly addicted. Among these features are first off the dangerous features which include lasers both stationary and mobile and heat seeking rockets. There are also collectible features including typical coins for currency in the shop but also vehicular upgrades such as a Bad As Hog, Gravity Suit, Lil' Stomper, and many more which really give a good variety to the game. On top of all those features are background features like the nerds running around, tumbleweeds, and all the backgrounds as you rush by (forests, labs, water scenes, it has it all!).

Of course with a distance based app there needs to be a big focus on an upgrade system of which Jetpack Joyride offers plenty. There are upgrades for clothing, jetpacks, vehicle, utilities and gadgets. Some of which are purely cosmetic and others do help you. The biggest problem I have with Jetpack Joyride, however, is that it is skewed towards micro-transactions to really get the good stuff. I know this should be expected and it is how the developer studios earn their money but I guess I'm just a stickler for full feature games for free...but I know I'm being unrealistic in today's market. But if you are unwilling to pay for the "good" items than even though Jetpack Joyride is a well made game with lots of potential replay value you won't play it that much as you'l get bored playing over and over with little reward.