Android Games

Featured Play Store Review: Nia – Jewel Hunter [Arcade & Action / Brain & Puzzle]

TvoiNet recently released a really cool puzzler called Nia: Jewel Hunter. You play a girl named Nia, who happens to be your average office worker. Unfortunately an earthquake forces her into unknown worlds. Your job is to get her home, but you will have to find all the gold and gems at each level. Right now there are 9 levels from the desert and 9 levels from the underworld plus 2 bonus levels.

Much like any other puzzle game, Nia is quite easy early on, but will progress pretty quickly. In the first chapter, which takes place in the desert, you will find yourself running around a the outside of a 3D temple with many floors. The floors consist of gold and gems that you will need to pick up. You can jump or fall through openings to get to each level, but it’s not as simple as that. You can literally run around all 4 sides of the building, but the problem is you will be blocked at certain sections by a stone partition wall. There will be certain areas of the building that have a button to push that will help you out. For example, you might be able to move these stone partitions or open sliding hatches that give you access to areas that you need to get to. As far as exiting and finishing each level, the exit door won’t open until you pick up one of the gems. You still want the second jem since you need to collect all gems in order to see the two bonus levels. It’s hard to explain so I put together a hands on video below.

Throughout your journey you will find newer obstacles and traps which include elevators, travelators, doors with combination locks, and deadbolts. Some of these can actually help or hurt you depending on how you use them.

The gameplay is pretty simple. To the bottom left of the display, you will find right and left controls. Nia automatically turns corners so you won’t have to worry about that. To the bottom right you will find the jump button, which you can also use to push buttons. Nia is very easy to pick up and figure out what you need to do, it’s figuring out how to do it that’s the problem.

Nia is free, but you will most likely need to make an in-app purchase in order to continue. The gold that you collect will be used to buy into the next level. This means that you want to make sure you collect all the gold before exiting the area. The issue is that even if you do that, you will eventually have a shortage of gold to buy in to the next level. You will be forced to either replay previous levels to grab more gold or purchase gold with an in-app purchase. Playing levels again doesn’t make any sense so I recommend making that in-app purchase. It probably won’t cost you more than a few bucks, which is what it would cost for a paid version anyway. The bottomline is the game is free for you to try and if you like it, you can spend some money, which is the method I like best.

I think you will find Nia: Jewel Hunter to be very challenging and different from normal puzzle games. Check out my hands on video and hit one of the download links to get started. As always, let me know what you think.

Features:

• Beautiful 3d levels
• Cute Nia Character
• Gorgeous Environments
• Collect jewels and coins
• Two control schemes, touch and button
• Play over 18 large levels
• 2 Bonus levels
• Unlock clever puzzles and secrets
• Free to play!

Play Store Download Link

Featured Play Store Newbie: SUMIONI Demon Arts THD [TegraZone - Arcade & Action]

Let just call today National Tegra day because two games were just released in the TegraZone. We already told you about the first one, Razor Salvation, and now a little about SUMIONI Demon Arts THD from ACQUIRE Corporation. In this game you play the role of the Ink Demon named Agura who is summoned to save Japan from doom. Your finger becomes the brush and you will perform various ink attacks by drawing directly on the touch screen. So ink is your primary weapon and in order to beat your enemies you will need to draw platforms to get Agura in the right position to get the bad buy.

The developers didn’t include a trailer video, but I did include the PlayStation Vita trailer that should give you a good idea of the gameplay. Here’s the kicker, it isn’t cheap at $12.63. Let me know if you try this game and what you think about it. Check out the video below and hit one of the download links to get started.

Play Store Download Link

Angry Birds update comes with 15 levels inspired by Bad Piggies

The most recent Angry Birds update brings a connection to their recent spinoff, Bad Piggies. What better way to promote the new game than by incorporating it into the game that started it all. This update gives you 15 pig themed levels and 15 Surf ‘n Turf levels. There are also some new power-ups such as Super Seeds, the Almighty Sling King and Birdquake. These are in-app purchases so be prepared to pay before dropping a Birdquake. It will interesting to see if Rovio will also incorporate some Star Wars themed levels in future Angry Birds updates before the release of that game. Use the Play Store link or QR code to download the update.

Play Store Download Link

Eggbones releases Blind Ninja:Sing to Google Play

Fans of side-scrolling action games may want to check out a new title from Eggbones software – Blind Ninja: Sing. In the game, users guide their Ninja, Sing, across roofs, avoid falling houses, and slash their way through scarecrow enemies. The game features accelerated gameplay  for both the player and the enemies the longer and farther you guide Sing. Along with the faster speeds, as enemies are killed, Sing gains new combo moves. Do note that the permissions are rather extensive, though it is not clear why. Eggbones may possibly be planning some social media integration for the future.

If you are interested in trying out Blind Ninja: Sing for 99 cents, hit one of the download links below.

Google Play Download Link

Featured Play Store Review: Hands on with Beach Buggy Blitz [Racing]

For those of you that own a Nexus 7 or any other Android device with a Tegra CPU, we have another great game for you. This one just came out today and it’s called Beach Buggy Blitz by Vector Unit. If you’re not familiar with Vector Unit, they are the ones who brought us Riptide GP and Shine Runner. From the name, it’s obvious that it’s about racing and the beach. This racer is what we call an “infinite racer.” This means you won’t find a bunch of different tracks. You simply race and explore until your time is up. The longer you race the more you see and the cooler it gets. There are a number of caves, volcanoes, jumps, and temples. As to obstacles, you won’t find a shortage here. You will have to deal with Tiki statues, grass shacks, giant crabs, lava monsters, and even rolling boulders as a result of erupting volcanoes.

To help you out, you can race through coins (as in collect them) to use for upgrades such as better vehicles, drivers, and power-ups. For those of you that don’t like to spend money, you can eventually unlock everything the game has to offer without spending a dime, but if you want to speed things up (no pun intended) you can spend a few bucks.

If you like racing games, you will love Beach Buggy Blitz. The graphics and gameplay are great and it’s very addicting. They added enough features and made it simple enough to satisfy everyone. For controls, you can use motion, touch, or even a game controller for the full console effect. As to the game, since there aren’t a bunch of tracks to learn, the casual gamer can have a blast. Hardcores will still find it fun because there is still so much to explore, but it won’t be as daunting to casual gamers.

Beach Buggy Blitz is only available for Tegra devices and those of you that have a Tegra 3 device will enjoy extra special effects like motion blur, lens splash, dynamic headlights in caves, and real-time rendered car shadows. Here are are some pictures showing you the differences (click on images to enlarge):

If you don’t own a Tegra device, don’t fret because Vector Unit will be releasing a version to satisfy all in the coming weeks.

Check out our hands on video and hit one of the download links below to get started.

Play Store Download Link

Featured Play Store Newbie: Million Dollar Adventure [Gaming-Casual]

Nevosoft is at it again with their latest offering, Million Dollar Adventure. It’s about a girl named Sandra that has no memory of her past, but is given an opportunity to participate in a race around the world in which the grand prize is one million dollars.

When Sandra was little, she was in a car crash that killed her parents. She obviously survived, but her memory was damaged. She spent her childhood in an orphanage, but is living a normal life now. She receives an invitation to take part in the race I mentioned above, and since money was always a problem for her, she figured it was worth a shot. There’s one thing however, and that’s upon starting the race, she started encountering things that were related to her past, so she’s a little troubled. It’s your job to solve the mystery of her childhood and get the prize.

Features:

• More than just hidden objects – find the clues, solve puzzles, play mini-games to unlock the adventure;
• Original script with a mystery to solve;
• A variety of classical mini-games and puzzles from all over the world;
• Picturesque locations of famous tourist attractions;
• Great graphics, music and voice overs

Million Dollar Adventure is Free to play, but you can unlock the full adventure with an in-app purchase. Check out their demo video and hit one of the download links below to get started.

Play Store Download Link

Featured Play Store Review: Granny Smith [Arcade & Action]

The folks who brought you Sprinkle just came out with another game, and it’s going to be a hit. Mediocre just released Granny Smith. From the name, it’s safe to assume this one is about apples and you would be right in doing so. It also happens to be about an old lady conveniently named Granny Smith. She loves her apples and a thief is trying to steal them from her garden. It’s your job to get the apples before the thief does.

How do you do that? Well picture an old lady on roller skates plowing through farmland and cityscapes. While she is skating at a pretty good speed, you will need to do some tricks such as jumping and swinging to beat the thief. It just so happens that you will probably crash a few times into old barns and offices, and the crash physics are pretty cool. At first, I didn’t think I would like this game based on the concept, but trust me when I tell you that it will get addicting pretty quickly. Just check out my hands on video below and you will see what I’m talking about.

Features:

Spectacular physics – Granny Smith uses some of the most advanced destruction physics in mobile games. Crash through crates and windows and watch the pieces fly all over!

Dazzling visuals – Zoom through dozens of vibrant, whimsical worlds! Each level is like a fanciful, three-dimensional storybook.

Intuitive controls – Help Granny pull off crazy moves with simple two-button controls – perfect for both tablets and phones.

Vintage replays – Watch your best runs in retro movie style with cool camera angles and slow-motion effects!

Power Granny up – Collect coins and equip Granny with a helmet, banana peels and baseballs. If Granny is getting old, you have two alternative characters to play with – Scruffy and Stanley!

If you have Android 2.3 or higher, you can enjoy Granny Smith, but if you have a NVIDIA Tegra 3 device, you get additional breakable objects, grass, flowers and dust particles.

Granny Smith is only .99cents so definitely hit one of the download links below to get started.

Play Store Download Link

NFL releases Game Rewind app for Android tablets

The NFL has released an app for Android tablets to accompany their NFL Game Rewind subscription service.  NFL Game Rewind lets users watch replays of NFL games in HD after the game has aired on regular television. You can watch either the whole game commercial free or a condensed version in about 30 minutes. Other features include things like Big Play Markers and dual/quad view options.

In addition to the basic service, you can upgrade to access other features. One that seems like it might be especially popular is the Coaches Film feature which gives you access to all 22 camera angles plus the endzone camera for a game.  On an Android tablet, this can be combined with the tablet-only feature of a telestrator.

If you can’t get enough NFL football coverage, this may be the solution for you. Check out the Game Rewind subscription service. If you sign up, be sure to download the app using one of the download links below.

Google Play Download Link

New info on Heroes of Order & Chaos MOBA game from Gameloft, scheduled for October release

Gameloft revealed details about their forthcoming multi-player online battle arena (MOBA) game Heroes of Order & Chaos. Heroes will be a free-to-play online game in the tradition of typical MOBA games. Players will join together in teams of 3-5 players to battle other teams with the same goal – destroy the enemy’s base. Players will be able to control NPC characters as they push through the arena, destroy towers, collect loot, and help the player power up. The arena will have three major “lanes,” a river and landmarks.

Gameloft has promised a roster of thirty heroes will be available for players to use, with six heroes available per week. The heroes available in any given week will rotate, but players will be able to buy “off-season” heroes.

Because players will be using smartphones and tablets, Gameloft had to give some thought to creating new control schemes for players. A virtual thumbstick will be available for the left hand and used to control the player’s character. The right hand will have access to an attack button and hotkeys for other actions that will line the right hand edge of the screen. Gameloft also introduced some new features to address controller-less devices like an auto-attack option and lock on target. These will let players continue their attacks while checking things like the mini-map.

Heroes of Order & Chaos is scheduled to be released on October 11, 2012, for both iOS and Android devices.