Rock, Paper, Scissors, iPhone App Review

Today's app has a long name, so let's just get it out of the way right now: Ben's Somewhat Spiffy-looking but Ultimately Craptastic Rock-Paper-Scissors Game." (We'll call it Ben's RPS for the rest of the review) Sure it's a long name, but it might also be the most honest name for an iPhone app yet. That title tells you exactly what you're getting.

The graphics are nice (dare I say, spiffy) and the play is fine, but there really isn't much to do except pick rock, paper, or scissors (craptastic?). Then a grumpy old man insults you, regardless of your performance. There it is in a nutshell. Is the app worth 99 cents? Probably not, but given all the apps out there that promise a lot more than they deliver, we're happy to give Ben 99 cents if it leads to greater honesty in the app store.

(iTunes Link)

Here's a look:

Dr. Nano for the iPhone and iPod Touch

As a kid, I always had a special place in my heart for the various movies and theme park rides (Body Wars at Epcot) that involved being shrunk down, and placed inside the cardiovascular system. So I was excited by finding an iPhone game with that same basic premise, but it turns out, shrunken body fun might be best enjoyed only as a kid.

In Dr. Nano, you swim through arteries/veins, and pilot a robotic contraption to zap parasites, plaque, and other evil doers, while collecting red blood cells. As an adult, the gameplay becomes monotonous fairly quickly, but I could see a certain age group, maybe 8-10 really enjoying Dr. Nano.

What the kids (and their parents) probably won't enjoy is the current $3.99 selling price. This game would be solid at $.99, but when you're competing around the same price point as fully fleshed-out, kid's franchise games like SpongeBob, and Toy Story, this price just won't fly.

Take a look:

Urban Ducklings for the iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

Who doesn't love a cutesy wootsy little duckling, huh? In Urban Ducklings, you play the role of mother to some wayward ducklings, who find themselves on the other side of the highway from you. Tilting and moving the phone or iPod Touch, the ducklings follow you, and try to make it across the road. Unfortunately, an ever-increasing amount of traffic keeps getting in the way, including a disproportionate number of double-decker buses. 

It's an entertaining game, and as a free app, it would be perfect. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a one-trick pony. Also, around level 10, you get tired of seeing the same scene, and the vehicles start coming quite fast. Maybe those ducks would be safer waiting until they can fly, then cross the road...

(iTunes Link)

Take a look:

GPS Kit for the iPhone Video Review

There's been a great deal of buzz about the TomTom app for the iPhone, along with reviews of other turn-by-turn navigation apps. There's a different way people use GPS units though, and it rarely has anything to do with driving directions.

GPS Kit re-creates the aspects of a GPS that are useful to people trekking on foot, whether it's hiking, selling something door-to-door, or maybe fishing at a favorite lake. GPS Kit does a great job of showing you where you've been, and where you're going with the kind of data expected from a rugged gps: pace, elevation, time, speed, and path travelled are all displayed.

I recently tested the app at a local state park, and found it to be a wonderful addition. At a glance I could see how far I'd gone, how long it would take me at my current pace, etc.  

One other note: if you are actively using the app while on a long trail, you might want to consider an external battery/case combo for the iPhone, as the battery will drain within a few hours.

UPDATE: We've been contacted by the developer and want correct an error in the first posting and video review: GPS Kit only uses the cell network to download map info. Once you have that for the area you're headed into, you should be fine even without a cell network.

iTune Link

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Manic Marble 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

It's incredible how quickly the App Store is evolving in terms of what we expect from apps. The bar has been raised for graphics, sound, and gameplay. Manic Marble 2, would have been a fine app at the launch of the store, but now it feels like a proof of concept game, or certainly not as finished as many games.

Part Marble Madness, and part Super Monkeyball, you move a marble on square, textured platforms using either the accelerometer, or touch controls. The touch controls bring an entirely different and unintended difficulty to the game.

I'd highly suggest trying out the free version first, and see what you think. For some, the gameplay will cancel out the flaws mentioned above. For others though, it might not be up to today's app expectations.

Take a look: