Find the coolest lights in town with Christmas ELF

For some people the holidays bring light extravaganzas that are complete eyesores: December 26th can't come fast enough. For others, there's nothing like a drive around the neighborhood to see the care and dedication the folks have put into their seasonal displays, and it wouldn't be the holidays without them.

If you're part of the latter group, Christmas ELF - electronic light finder aims to help you find the best displays in town. The app shows a simple google map overlay of green and red pins: Green for displays voted up, and red for those that others feel don''t make the cut. While the newest version of the app is solid, unfortunately the first released made it quite easy to accidentally drop pin, without any means to remove it. The issue is gone, but errant pins from early adopters are still scattered throughout.

Although some may think it would spoil the fun, I would like the ability to take a picture of the display and upload it. That way, you could get a preview to make it easy to see if the display is really worth the drive. Also, (I assume for privacy reasons) the actual address of the displays is unavailable, so if you're going into some streets you don't normally traverse, you may have trouble finding the displays.

Here's a look:

Christmas ELF in the App Store.

MonsterKill Video Review

Quick, what's the easiest way to stop an oncoming mob of monsters? Why, cut them in half, of course. Then do it again, and again, and again. MonsterKill brings wave after wave of bad guys set on tearing through your wall. Fences do not make good neighbors, it turns out. By swiping across the enemies, you kill them, but act fast as there are more enemies on the way. Along the way you'll pick up a few extra spells to help you take out the monsters more efficiently.

A few tweaks could make the game hold your interest longer, but as it is, it is probably only for the most hardcore monster haters out there.

Here's a look:

MonsterKill in the App Store.

Beast Boxing 3D Video Review

Through the magic of the Wii Shop, I've been getting re-acquainted with one of my childhood favorites: Punch-Out. (technically, it was Mike Tyson's Punch Out, but that's a story for another day.) That's why I was so excited to try Beast Boxing 3D.

Beast Boxing 3D feels like a sequel of sorts, as we once again meet a small scrappy fighter, and his salty/wise trainer who, together, take on enemies of ridiculous size and skill. In this game, the enemy fighters are aliens of all sizes and unique moves.

The game features nice graphics, and fun gameplay, yet something feels like it's missing. Maybe the game borrows too heavily from Punch Out, or it all feels too familiar. Or perhaps the sensation of tapping to dodge and punch just isn't the same as smashing buttons on an 8-bit game controller.

Taken on its own, The game offers a unique style, at least for the iPhone. For those of us who know and played the original though, it's just not the same. Give the free version a try and see what you think.

Here's a look:

Beast Boxing 3D in the App Store.

Orbattle truly is a battle of orbits

The oddly named Orbattle not only combines two words into its title, it also combines two seemingly different elements into its gameplay. Orbattle takes the physics/gravity/strength gaming principle of games like Bowman, and applies it to an outer space theme. The result is a tough (too tough?) battle between you and a computer enemy (or a friend) to destroy the other first. 

You select an angle and power for your missiles. However, you have to take into account the way in which the gravitational pulls of several planets will affect your shot. The downside being the computer enemy seems to have paid far more attention in physics class, as it often only takes a few shots for him to lock-on and destroy you. Play a friend instead for a more even match.

Here's a look:

Orbattle in the App Store.

Video Review: Kiko The Last Totem

Given the name, I expected Kiko: the Last Totem to be some sort of variant on the successful Tiki Totems iPhone app. Instead, Kiko has it's own look, feel, and gameplay that has nothing in common with the similarly named game.

In Kiko, you must solve a series of puzzles by moving Kiko from what position on the board to another. Easy enough, right? Except Kiko keeps moving until he/she/it runs into something. Therefore, you must plan your moves ahead, and consider how to use Kiko's friends as blockers to get Kiko to the goal.

The graphics are solid, and the gameplay is challenging without being too difficult for the novice player. It will be a hit for those who enjoy movement-based puzzle games.

Here's a look:

Kiko: the Last Totem in the App Store.