iOS App Hedgehog Adventure is Too Cute for its Challenge

Update (02/10/11): Much to my chagrin, it seems that after this review was posted, an update for this app was released just a few days before (literally, like 09/29 was when the update was available). This update has greatly improved the app's performance on my device, but what I failed to see was that it also has a glitch that disables the first level to be actually completed. I have been notified by several people of this, late, late last night, and all I can say for any unfortunate buyers is that you'll just have to wait for another update. I'm looking into contacting the publisher today to notify them of the bug. Regardless, I did finally beat the game, and I can assure any concerned buyers that it's definitely a really fun and challenging game. It's the only app I've downloaded that has given me a significant, fair challenge and it was fun until the end. I'm disappointed it's over, but it has a really cool (and super easy) final level, followed by a short level that's more of just a high score attack. All in all, if I had purchased it, I would have been satisfied, but I only say this because I like the retro challenging feel to the game, and I had a lot of fun with it!

I'm extremely surprised by this review. Here's why; this app was free when I came across it, and upon booting it up, I figured it would be deleted shortly. I only ever feel compelled to write a review if I find the game worth the money at which it is priced, or if I feel it is severely under appreciated. This game fills both categories, if you're like me; you like a challenging, clever, and polished platformer. If you dislike one of these things, don't get this app. If you're uncertain, there's a free version, titled "Hedgehog Adventure - experiments". I don't know why it is called that, but it seems like the 'lite' version after a quick once-over.

Let me explain; "Hedgehog Adventure" has you play as a little hedgehog who curls up into a ball and you have to control him through 40 different levels, collecting all the pieces of fruit before finding the exit. I first scoffed when I saw that number -- "40 levels? That's child's play!" I exclaimed. I wanted to write this review after I beat the game, but so far, after about 2 weeks, I am on level 33.

Now, that sounds like a lot more time than I actually played this game. Regardless, I am completely shocked at how challenging this game is. However, it's not the frustrating "I can't do this because the game is poorly designed!" Rather, it's the "I know I can do this if I jump here/push this block here/etc." All the puzzles, for all their challenges, can be completed. It's the challenge of figuring out what blocks to use, where to go in what order, and several other factors that make it exciting. Not to mention the introduction of new level gimmicks continues up to the point I'm at; a level I played was mostly barren, until I took a leap of faith and found an invisible platform that appeared when I stepped on it! I know that could be annoying, but for this one level (I haven't seen it since), it was a blast.

Another positive point is none of the levels have ever felt too long. They are all within the scope of completion and are honestly well designed for a platformer/physics puzzle game. Seriously, this is some of the best level design I've ever seen in an app for my iPod.

I think it's worth mentioning the game's art direction as well. To be blunt, this is meant to look like a child's game. It's entirely cutesy -- the fruit bobs up and down, waiting for you to grab it, the platforms are candy cane striped, and when you 'die', your hedgehog just turns into a ghost. I implore older gamers to try and look past this style, however, it hasn't bothered me. It may be that it's because those are the types of games I play (I love the Sonic series for its style) but I can understand how real macho men might have problems playing this game.

Two things I'm not really sold on are the music and the controls. The music seems to be limited to two tracks, and although they are just fine for the purpose they serve...two tracks get tired after two hours spent on this game. Before you freak out because I was talking about stellar platforming before and now I just bashed the game's controls, let me tell you that my iPod is on its way to the great Silicon Valley in the sky. It tends to be unresponsive unless I touch the area near the home button to 'activate' the rest of it. So, the controls sometimes didn't seem responsive or always accurate. While the jump button can be held down to repeat jump, sometimes the direction buttons stopped working. I mention this whole situation because some of the game's reviews mentioned odd controls. So, while they've never really ruined the game for me, they have made me have to restart once in a while.

The last thing that is worth noting is the game's performance. After passing level 10, I ceased having problems, but level 3 and level 10 caused my iPod to crash and I lost my progress in the levels previous. This can be frustrating, sure, but nothing that seriously made me want to rage quit. Just restart the app or your device, or try a different approach to the level are the best solutions I have. I'm also playing on a 2nd Generation device, so that may also be the cause of my problems. Hopefully a stability update will be released in the future.

All in all, this is the classic platforming app that I've been waiting for. It's not exactly a Mario or Sonic, but it feels like how platforming should be in an iOS app. A platformer with great puzzles and some spot on physics, coupled with a cute hedgehog and an environment so cutesy, you'll want to puke.

Pros
Fun platforming
Fair challenges
Really phenomenal level design

Cons
Controls may be wonky (I don't know for sure)
Challenges this tough may be a turn off
Problems with crashing
The puke-worthy cutesy starts with a cheezy "Hello!" when you start the game!

Tiny Tower Delivers Huge Fun

Because I am moderately poor, I consider myself a connoisseur of free apps for my iPod. No, this does not include the cheap knock-offs of popular apps (“Slightly-miffed Fowl”), but rather apps suggested by the likes of FAAP and BargainBin, both of which are great free apps to download (gateway apps, metaphorically speaking). Recently, FAAP had Tiny Tower up for free download and seeing the retro game art style, I was instantly interested. Little did I know that it would soon be my new addiction.

Tiny Tower comes from NimbleBit, who make a lot of free apps that are worth checking out. Regardless, Tiny Tower has you managing an ever-growing tower in a “god game” type of way. You start with two floors; one Residential and one Food. The goal is to move in more residents (called bitizens) into the residential apartments so that you can place each one of them into one of the many potential jobs available from 5 different categories: Food, Service, Recreation, Retail, and Creative. Every new floor you build can be designated to one of these categories, but what actual jobs or apartments you get are randomized. Each bitizen has specific, random stats in each of the categories (from 0 to 9) and one dream job. Each apartment complex can hold 5 different bitizens while each job floor can hire 3 different bitizens. Each job can stock 3 different products, as long as you have 3 different workers working at that store. To build more floors and stock more products, a specific amount of real time must pass. The ultimate goal here is to make money to build more floors and bring in more residents. At the time of this writing, I have 27 floors, and rising. The top player has 369 different floors -- the game is completely endless.

As confusing as it sounds, through an incredibly straightforward tutorial, the player will quickly learn the ropes and it becomes a really fun pick-up-and-play game. The most entertaining thing I’ve found is moving in residents to grant their wishes and place them in their dream jobs. It’s the perfect “anytime game” – I’m able to accomplish something during my play time, even if I’m just waiting for stock to come. Every few seconds, a bitizen will appear at the bottom floor and will ask to be moved to a specific floor. Upon doing so, you will receive a stipend or possibly a TowerBuck, which is this game’s currency you can buy with real money. If you’re lucky, a VIP member will appear instead, offering a specified bonus to whichever floor you decide to take them to.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “This is Farmville in tower form!” As much as I hate to admit, I will agree. The timed elements are there and it’s ultimately just a grind game with no ultimate goal. To my surprise, however, is that given enough time, there’s no need to really purchase TowerBux ever, unless you’re looking to speed up a process. On top of that, there’s no punishment for not returning in time to restock a store. It has the casual feel of Farmville with a rather surprising level of depth.

The game can tend to get very confusing with its bitizens – more often than not I found myself writing down names and locations to rearrange people in their workplaces. On top of that, it can be frustrating to be banking on a specific job on your new floor to give to specific bitizens, only to get a totally unexpected job. Also, building a new residential floor almost always feels wasteful, and the more floors you have, the harder it is to actually move someone into that floor.

Regardless of a few things in question, this game really shouldn’t be free. It’s literally a steal because it is free, and if you, dear reader, haven’t downloaded this app or at least look into it, I cannot recommend it more. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding chapel to stock.

If you want to add me, please GameCenter me at bradeustathios@yahoo.com.

Pros:
- Simple, casual game with a surprising amount of depth
- A good game to play when you have 1 minute or 1 hour
- Really satisfying to line up dream jobs or build new floors
- A pretty interesting art style (a newer style for the company)
- I have yet to see a repeat in floor style/job
- It’s free and there’s no reason to not give it a try

Cons:
- May feel like an unbearable grindfest for some people
- Random elements keep excitement, but are sometimes frustrating
- Residential floors become chore-like
- Necessary organization from time to time

“Super Brothers: Sword and Sworcery EP" is the charmingest video-game of all time

I am writing this review of Superbrothers Sword and Sworcery EP while listening to Sword & Sworcery LP The Ballad of the Space Babies. The first thing that you will need to know about S&S is that upon completion of this lovingly constructed video-game, you will be greeted by the name Jim Guthrie. Jim Guthrie is a musician. S&S is a game about music. Music is the sorcery of S&S. Sorcery reveals to you and the Scythian that you are instruments and that the world that you traverse is an instrument. It reveals that all of the instruments together create the music that is this far away world. If you hold your finger on the Scythian, she kneels and raises her arms, and you guide a blue light about the world to sing a song of sorcery. Trees, animals and light itself all contribute to your song. Everything responds to this music, even you. This music is none other than that of Jim Guthrie. His music fills every second of this game and is the gravity of S&S. Without it, the pixels would surely dissipate and disappear off of the screen, and you would be left staring into the white void that is your touch device. This is a metaphor, but not an exaggeration. It draws you in, invites you to rest, drives you to go on, pauses you in your tracks, instills dread, ushers triumph and elicits both joy and sorrow simultaneously.

To say that S&S is the charmingest video-game of all time is neither an understatement nor an overstatement, it is just a statement. It is truth. It is a game that magically extracts every pleasant memory of the first video-games that you ever played and combines it with the pure and simple joy of your most amazing childhood achievements (like jumping off of that really big rock in the woods). The most obvious source of the initial rush of nostalgia that will pour over you is the visual design. S&S is how your brain remembers the video-games of yore to look, rather than how they actually do. This game shows more with less. Each pixel is meticulously placed and animated to create a moving world. The Scythian’s every movement is mesmerizing, from the first time she sheathes her sword to every step afterwards, it is impossible to pull your eyes from S&S while it moves and it really needs to be seen. One of my favorite animations involves sitting in front of a fire. Never before have I believed a bunch of numbers running through a calculator to be so real. In fact, not once while playing S&S did I think of how the game was built, which is a wonderful and rare thing.
But you didn’t buy S&S solely to absorb graphical prowess through your eyeballs, you purchased S&S because you’re an adventurer. At some point in your life, probably multiple times, you pretended to have a sword in your hands, even when there was nothing in your hands. This is the genius of S&S, you don’t play as an adventurer, but as yourself guiding an adventurer. You play the role of a being peering into a mystifying universe through a tiny window. You are watching over and guiding the young adventurer that you once were, and with every fiber of your being, you want that young adventurer to succeed.

You also probably bought S&S because you like to play games. Which is good. S&S consists of pointing. Not with a cursor or any sort of tool. You just point, and that is where the Scythian will go. If you want the Scythian to talk to someone, you double tap on the character or object or whatever, and you will be greeted by a line of text that will put a grin of some sort on your face. If you forget what someone said, you can consult a magical tome and revisit every line of text in the game, so you won’t ever be too lost. The touch screen lends itself perfectly to the function of exploring S&S and feels completely natural. However, this is a game about adventuring, and as every adventurer knows, this means that this game has a lot of walking in it. Adventurers walk. They don’t run because they might exhaust their energy for the rest of the adventure, or they might overlook a small yet tremendous detail, such as a hidden path that can change the course of time itself. The Scythian walks a lot and you watch the Scythian walk a lot. And this is a good thing, because the walk animation is gorgeous, and the world that the Scythian traverses is gorgeous, and the music is gorgeous. This game is fucking gorgeous. But still, you will watch a lot of walking. There are also some puzzle type elements, but they’re pretty obvious most of the time. When they aren’t obvious, you usually just end up massaging the screen with your fingertips until you hear a distinctive sound, but there are a couple of these puzzles that end pretty spectacularly.

There is a reason that you had a sword when you went on your adventures, and that is to fight monsters that stood in your way. S&S features combat, but the combat is not the focus of the game. It is not even the secondary, or maybe even third most important element of the game, but it is worth mentioning due to the fact that it is in the game and that it is implemented well. Combat is, in essence, a series of quick-time events. But it is critical to note that this is well hidden, meaning you won’t have a big blue X appear on the screen with the word “LIVE” on it. You enter combat by rotating the device that you are using to a vertical position, and you proceed to engage the enemy in a series of carefully timed blocks and strikes. The mechanics on their own are not impressive, but the presentation and pacing are. There are only a handful of fights to be had in S&S, and each is a pulse pounding affair as a result of their scarcity. The low number of battles reinforces that fact that the Scythian is not a knight in shining armor, but an adventurer on a woeful errand. When she raises her sword in the midst of a warrior beating his shield like a war drum, it’s difficult not to have some sense of worry and dread for her. Technically, the combat is a little repetitive, but it is short, sweet, and effective. There is also a nice twist in combat as you progress through S&S, which some casual players may not appreciate as much as I do, in which your total health decreases as you go on. This makes absolute sense within the context of S&S, and I wish more video-games would follow this example.

A masterful soundtrack, exceptional sound design, brilliant visuals and a familiar yet quirky story (there is a story by the way) all work in harmony to deliver a monolithic video-game experience. There’s also a pretty neat real-time connection in S&S that coordinates with certain events in the universe that we actually walk around in, which is pretty awesome.

Go play this game.