Halloween may have come and gone, but it left plenty of its bad guys in the App Store. That means you’ll find monsters of all kinds in this week’s Games of the Week, including zombies, beasts and even robot overlords.
You know what’s even scarier than that, though? A follow-up to Diner Dash… I kid Dash fans, you’re great. But enough of my lame attempts at humor, and on to the good stuff.
WackyLands Boss ($0.99)
Fair Play Labs’ WackyLands Boss seems destined for greatness, given its price and that it’s published by hit-maker Chillingo. Aside from that, the game has a couple other things going for it, most notably its twisted storyline. In the game you control the boss – you know, the monster at the end of levels you’ve so often destroyed. Using swipe-and-tap controls you guide the monster through medieval levels, and though the game play devolves into button mashing, there are a few power-ups and specials to keep you interested. There is all kinds of humor here, and the purposefully crude graphics are very nice. In short, if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be on the other side – taking bites out of princesses and tossing heroes out of the way – then WackyLands Boss is simply the perfect app.
Beast Boxing 3D ($2.99)
One look at Beast Boxing 3D, and it’s easy to chalk this up as another Punch Out! knockoff. Of course, it’s hard to make an arcade boxing game with a first-person view and avoid this, but despite similar presentation, this game has its own virtues. Chief among them are its unique device controls, meaning you tilt to move your fighter and tap or swipe the screen to perform punches. The display is also a big plus, with plenty of detail not only into the background, but also the outrageous opponents (which include things like a beefy bird and a skeleton). There’s also a career/story mode that includes nine fights and a training feature, so there’s some replay value in this game with three difficulty levels. So while the comparisons to Punch Out! are unavoidable, Beast Boxing 3D brings enough to the table to warrant the attention of fight fans.
Revolt (currently $1.99)
Ah yes, machines have once again taken over and humans must lead a revolt. It’s a clichéd storyline, but fortunately that’s the worst thing about the dual-stick shooter Revolt. Calling it a dual-stick shooter is almost misleading, as you must also swipe the screen to change the camera angle as well as manage a number of action buttons. It will definitely keep both your hands busy, though few gamers will complain about having too many options. The animated graphics are really nice and there’s a good amount of depth also, with eight story levels and 15 weapons. Perhaps even more encouraging is the upcoming additions being hyped, including multiplayer and more of everything. So aside from a storyline you’ve played out plenty of times already, Revolt is a solid action game that will please most gamers.
Age of Zombies ($2.99)
There are times when I feel like I’m the only person in the world who burned out on zombie games within a week of owning an iPhone. There, I said it. But what with Age of Zombies being Apple’s Featured Game of the Week and all, I felt it would only hurt you not to mention it in this space. Originally released on the PSP, this shooter is what you’d expect from the genre; you control a character named Barry Steakfries (you may recognize him from Monster Dash) and are faced with enemies ranging from ninjas to mummies to a zombie T-Rex. The graphics are very cartoonish, almost Lego-like, but there’s still a decent amount of gore here for a zombie game. It uses familiar dual-stick controls, and it has to be said the game play can get a bit repetitive. But there’s a good deal of charm in Age of Zombies, enough to cover up most shortcomings – even contributing to an already overcrowded game theme.
Hotel Dash ($2.99)
Full disclosure: I tend to avoid games like Diner Dash and PlayFirst’s latest app Hotel Dash. But though I’m not exactly the target market for Dash games, every one of these titles that comes to the App Store turns out to be a big deal. This time management game takes place (obviously) in a hotel, with your goal being to build a hotel empire in Dinerland. It keeps many features from other games of this series, boasting a similar look and fast-paced gameplay that has hooked so many. Simply put, if you’re a loyal follower of this genre there’s absolutely no reason for you not to grab Hotel Dash, it’s perfect for you. And while it won’t convert gamers like me, it’s still easy to see its appeal.
