Super Blast for the iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

Super Blast is proof-positive that even the simplest of games have evolved in the app store. The gameplay is basically a variation on the tried and true Galaxian model: Enemies  at the top of the screen try to attack you at the bottom. If one of them gets by you, the game is over. 

The graphics really show how the app store has evolved though. The bad guys, even on a lowly iPhone 3GS look crisp, and almost as if they are popping off the screen. It is one of the best looking games, and shows that even a simple game can have a great deal of polish.

Here's a look:

Super Blast in the App Store.

Pig Shot for the iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

Wait, you want me to put pigs in slingshots, and hurl them the barnyard? I went into Pig Shot with what we'll call lowered expectations. I have to say though, the game is more fun than I would've expected given the basic premise. Indeed you shoot a round pig from one slingshot to another, picking up extras along the way. (Gas from cabbage, for example) It's all in an attempt to see how far you can go without running into a fence, rock, or other obstacle. One hit, and you're done.

The gameplay is easy to grasp, and quick restarts mean you'll soon be hurling more pigs than you ever imagined. If I could give the developers one quote they could use in marketing the game, it would be that it's more than you ever wanted in a pig slingshot game! Currently 99 cents in the app store.

Take that for what it's worth.

Here's a look:

Pig Shot in the App Store.

Cosmic Discoveries for the iPhone and iPod Touch

As you may have noticed if you are a frequent reader of our reviews, I am a sucker for a good space app. That's why I was excited about the Cosmic Discoveries app from the American Museum of Natural History. It wasn't quite what I expected.

The app opens with a mosaic of Jupiter, created with photos relating to moments in space discovery and exploration. Zooming down to the single photo level, you can then double tap on the photo for more information. Unfortunately, for many, if not most of the photos, the information accompanying the photo is sparse. If you do find a particularly intriguing person for example, it feels like you need to commit the name to memory, leave the app, then google for more information.

The visual aspect of the app is great, but it could use a great deal more info on each of these interesting photos. 

Here's a look:

Cosmic Discoveries in the App Store.

USPS Mobile for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Those of us with GPS systems already have a fairly reliable way to find a post office when we're in unfamiliar territory. However, most systems simply tell you how to get to the post office. Thanks to USPS Mobile, you can know whether that post office is open, what services they provide, and find a mailbox if you simply need to mail something.

Additionally, you can check on tracked packages/letters, and lookup zip codes for cities, and vice versa. All of the info in the app can be found on the USPS website as well, but they've done a nice job packaging it into a simple, straightforward, and free, application.

Here's a look:

USPS Mobile in the App Store.

Pocket Frogs for the iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

Breeding frogs has never been high on my to-do list, but the cute little residents in Pocket Frogs have done their best to change my mind.

You begin the game by hopping from pad to pad, eating dragonflies along the way. I don't need to tell you once a frog eats enough insects, it's ready to breed. It's the frog version of dinner and a movie! Anyhow, there are over 10,000 combinations of tadpoles/frogs that can come from these encounters. You care for the young frogs, and then can "sell" them, or trade them with friends. (Think Tamagotchi).

The graphics and sound are polished, and for those who like this style of game, Pocket Frogs should be fun.

Here's a look:

Pocket Frogs in the App Store.