Check out some of this week’s top iPad games.
Monster 3D Brick Breaker Revolution for iPad ($2.99)
This time of year, we’re all itching for a good fright. The developers over at Digital Chocolate (appropriate!) released this monstrously fun brick breaker title last Friday, just in time for us to overindulge in all of its fast-paced craziness.
Sporting fresh 3D graphics, crazy power-ups and wild boss fights, you’ll find yourself immediately at ease with both the controls and the familiar gameplay. A sugar rush powered by your kid’s trick or treating can only help you rack up the points. Trust me.
Slide the paddle across the bottom of the screen to keep the ball in play, bouncing between the bricks above to remove them. Some bricks drop power-ups: Collect them and click the large icon to activate them.
There are more than 20 power-ups in play (rockets, fury balls, magnets, nukes, and more) along with nine different Halloween-themed balls and levels. Try the Frankenstein, Mummy and Dracula balls, and be prepared for some surprises.
Don’t miss Survival mode (endless action with epic boss fights scattered throughout), be wary of the built-in AI that tweaks the difficulty as you play to match your mad skills, and try to unlock all 30 achievements as you go.
Circuloid ($2.99)
There’s only one way to clearly describe this must-have iPad exclusive – it’s the perfect marriage of Tempest (circular play field attacking the center) and Arkanoid (brick breaking with power-ups). Sure, the standard array of bricks needs breaking, but Circuloid wraps a circular track around them, then places two sets of paddles on opposite sides of the field.
As you slide your finger around (or up and down) the screen, the paddles rotate, allowing you to bounce your ball into the bricks from any angle you choose. Be careful: The power-ups that pop out of these bricks can be tricky to catch!
For a real challenge, change the settings to let you control the paddles using your iPad’s accelerometer. You’ll be rotating your device like a madperson to keep the ball(s) in play, but I quickly found this control scheme to be more effective than the standard setup to score maximum points.
With 54 levels shipping today (more coming soon), 10 crazy-fun power-ups and special bonuses to grab, top-quality graphics with three solid musical scores to enjoy, this is a must-have fusion of old-school games lovingly crafted into a fresh app that can only be played on your iPad.
Battle for Wesnoth HD ($0.99)
This late-summer smash hit is back on the charts, updated and available for a limited time for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Once you spend a few hours inside this massive war/strategy RPG, you’re going to feel guilty.
That’s because there are now 15 full campaigns offering a combined total of more than 200 scenarios to experience. And before you consider skipping this app because of its sheer size, reconsider.
There are three levels of difficulty to choose from, which helps the app adapt to both novices with limited time to play, and hardcore D&D/strategy veterans seeking a real challenge. Plus, if you’ve picked up this title on your Mac or Windows PC, or even your iPhone, you can easily transfer games between platforms to keep the action going, no matter which device is close at hand.
Right out of the gate, you’ll be able to dive into the campaigns, fire up a skirmish, or open a new multi-player (online or hotseat) game. Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, step into the boots of a young officer sent to guard a not-so-sleepy frontier outpost, vanquish a horde of undead warriors, or guide a band of elfish survivors in an epic quest to find a new home. There is months of content to be enjoyed here.
Soak up the storylines, upgrade your armor and weapons as you go, and take time to learn how to move, recruit party members, earn gold, and more. For 99 cents, it can’t be beat.
Galaxy on Fire 2 ($6.99)
In a few short weeks, a massive graphical, content and iPad update will hit for this content-heavy epic space shooter. Now’s the time to grab the current version, save some money, and start experiencing one of the best games to be had on any Apple device.
Galaxy on Fire 2 has you taking on the role of Keith Maxwell, a Terran space pilot who’s been transported across the galaxy and 35 years into the future after a hyperdrive accident. You’ll need your wits about you to get back to Terran space, defeat the alien Void threat, and take down dozens of pirate hordes disrupting more than 20 solar systems and dozens of individual planets.
Spend as much time as you like on the main storyline, or play Maxwell as a Hans Solo-type rogue, taking on mercenary and cargo missions to maximize profits, beef up your ship, and generally make trouble in as many star systems as you choose.
The space battle controls are solid, the graphics (even pre-update) are pretty impressive on your Apple device, and the included voice actor audio files make for a solid gaming experience. The attention to detail is evident in the crafting and trade systems, as well.
The icing on the cake? A unique screen capture tool is built in, allowing you to freeze any battle, take a screenie, then upload it to Facebook. OpenFeint and Game Center integration also allow you to boast of your exploits to a global audience.
