Soner Kara’s iOS game Traffic Racer is best played on the iPad, the larger screen real estate makes it way easier to see vehicles blocking your way in this 3D-endless arcade racing title. Utilizing a third person point-of-view, players are supposed steer your vehicle (which can range from a pickup truck to a sports car) on an endless road, and try not to crash at the same time.

You gain virtual cash for pulling off a stunt such as overtaking at high speed or going over the 100 km/h mark. But as in real life, there are consequences to speeding (despite the apparent exhilaration you get), as you generally increase your chances of crashing when you are speeding. You can let your foot (or in this case your finger) off the acceleration pedal and hit the breaks (both virtual controls are on the side of the screen), but from my experience, happy crashing!

The virtual cash that you’ve earned from the game can be used to upgrade your current ride, or get a new one. Unlike the crazy Need for Speed upgrades, you only get the ones that matter here, such as speed and handling. LOL. There are some rudimentary attempts at painting the vehicle as well as changing the rims, but let’s get focus on speeding on an endless highway with plenty of traffic to contend with.

Speaking about highways, I really wished the developer put in more than just 2 highway environments, one is set in a desert another on a typical roadway. Like one of the comments on the App Store mentioned, it would be cool if we can have environments like Vegas thrown in, so here’s hoping for a major content update soon from Soner Kara.

But in terms of mindless fun, Traffic Racer really works. I brought out the game when I was waiting in a queue last weekend and I was a happy camper! Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Traffic Racer at a 4 out of 5!

The game is available on the iTunes App Store for 99 cents, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id547101139. A review code was provided to Nine Over  Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

I’ve totally ditched Diablo III for Torchlight II as my ARPG (action-role-playing-game) of choice. So after 15+ hours on the game, and a much coveted Hardcore rating on Raptr, here are my thoughts on Torchlight II. Runic Games’ magnum-opus is in a word, simply awesome. I really like the varied environments, the really cartoonish and well animated graphics, the vibrant colour palette and the all out action that the game affords me.

The character class that I’m using at the moment is the Outlander, and my build specialises in guns. Only yesterday did a friend highlighted to me about the Shadowling Brute skill (I didn’t spend time trawling the rather expansive skill tree as I’m particularly fond of guns), and it turned out to be a very good investment as it helped me beat the Dark Alchemist into a pulp (I’ve still got a little more to go in the game)

Torchlight 2 has a lot in common with Diablo II, more so compared to Diablo III. Even the music sounds the same as that old classic. The business here in Torchlight 2 is all about killing, and I must say, the business is good. The game doesn’t do much to distract you from the act of mowing through tonnes of enemies and the amount of weapons, skills, spells and other implements given by the game simply makes the act…joyful.

One major plus point that Torchlight II has over Diablo III is that I can play whenever I damn well please (barring a patch), without the need to be constantly online. The restrictive DRM in Diablo III made it such a chore and the lag was unbearable, no such problems here in Torchlight II. If Diablo III left a bitter taste in your mouth, Torchlight II is probably the remedy for you.

Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Torchlight II at a 5 out of 5. Simply Outstanding. The game is available on Steam, I actually bought in on a four-pack with my friends. For those who are interested on how it runs, it actually runs pretty well on a virtual machine on a Core i5 MacBook Pro since the Mac version isn’t out yet.

1337 Game Design’s latest iOS game Devil’s Attorney may draw some comparisons with NDS’ Ace Attorney series but despite the court setting and the humorous setup, Devil’s Attorney has probably more in common with games such as Magic: The Gathering. This distinction makes the game a surprisingly addictive and enjoyable game.

The gameplay mechanics for this turn-based strategy game has the player character, defense attorney Max McMann, starting off each of his turns in  a trial with a number of points. These points can be used to activate courtroom skills with the primary objective of taking out the prosecution, witnesses and even evidence material in order to free his clients. Some characters or even evidence can have an adverse effect on your case, so it might be in McMann’s interest to take those out first.

As the titular “Devil’s Attorney”, McMann gets all kinds of bad hats and folks who occupy, ahem, the grey area of the law, and each successful case nets him cash (along with bonuses and the occasional gift). The cash is used to upgrade his apartment and while in some games this can be viewed as trivial (check out Fallout 3), these upgrades unlock new courtroom skills!! Here’s a tip to get on the fast track of success in this game, try to get the bonuses.

I wasn’t expecting much when I started reviewing the game, but the gameplay mechanics are deep and not to mention the cutscenes before each trial are dripping with 80s snarkiness, the same kind you get when you watch movies from that era, make this game a winner. Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Devil’s Attorney at a 4.5 out of 5! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The game is available on the iTunes App Store at a price of USD 2.99, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/devils-attorney/id562772514?mt=8. A review code was provided to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

Round 1, Fight! Hadouken, hadouken, hadouken, hadouken. I found myself mouthing those words, yup, including “Round 1, Fight!” when I was playing  Epiphany Games‘ latest iOS title Runic Rumble. The game in a one vs one fighting, wait, dueling would be better, game in which players control the hero Aki as they cast spells against AI opponents in a bid to dwindle down their opponent’s health bar to zero.

Yup, it’s kinda like Street Fighter but ditches the body contact in favour of spells representing different elements and they can either buff you defensively or proceed to pummel your opponent. The fun part is of course creating combos out of the offensive spells which enable you to deliver the proverbial knock-out punch earlier.

Players cast spells by first selecting the spell and drawing the shape that appears on screen. Players come into each match with a maximum of four spells in their arsenal, so pick wisely in the selection screen. Spells are unlocked (for a total of 24) with each successful battle in the Story mode and your opponents aren’t exactly defenseless….picking the right spell will help negate whatever they are throwing your way.

The game boast some really nice character models and the various spell effects are quite pretty as well, but in my opinion, the frantic gameplay where you cast spell after spell, like Harry Potter on steroids, would be the main draw for this very impressive title. Besides the Story mode, the Challenge Arena offers endless waves of opponents, in return for the opportunity to obtain powerful spells.

After playing the game, it dawned unto me that maybe because of Epiphany Games’ Aussie roots that Runic Rumble looks to have some Aboriginal influence on it; not everyday you get a game tapping into its developers’ national heritage. Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Runic Rumble at a 4.5 out of 5, you really need to check it out. The game is available on the iTunes App Store for just 99 cents for both the iPhone and the iPad, grab it over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runic-rumble/id556744723?mt=8

Back when I first gotten a PC (a 486-DX 33 to be exact), it came with Prince of Persia pre-installed onto it, and after having played through that and several shareware titles like Duke Nukem, I came to a conclusion that it was the hardest platformers that I’ve ever played (and I still think it is). Having said that, I just finished a session with Endeavor Bros’ latest iPhone title Retrobot, and I felt that the game deserves a top 3 place in my list of hardest platformers, right up there with Prince of Persia.

Playing this colourful tank shooter, you can obviously see influences such as Contra and Metal Slug. The game features a robot protagonist named Retrobot that looks like the a combination between Wall-E and that robot from the film Short Circuit, Johnny 5. He is out to save his maker who is captured by a bunch of evil robots. The controls for the game look deceptively simple but practice is required to manage a pair of sliders that control how Retrobot moves and shoots.

One thing must be said about the amount of action available in each level, it’s relentless and enemy fire, although not as intense as a bullet hell game, will give you enough food for thought when it comes to observing enemy patterns. It’s essential against the larger enemy units and during boss fights. Fortunately, there are power-ups and health refills to pick up from destroyed enemy units.

Retrobot’s level progression is made through an over-map (like the one that you see in Super Mario Bros 3) and in between you get to see cut-scenes unfold ala comic book style to progress the story. Do pay attention during these cut-scenes, not only for the story but also to spot any video gaming homages and parodies. It’s pretty cool that Endeavor Bros put in place so much attention to detail in this game, creating a really good experience both on part of the gameplay and in the story.

Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Retrobot at a 4.5 out of 5! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. The game is available on the App Store for the iPhone 4 or better at a special introductory price of 99 cents: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/retrobot/id558825767?mt=8

A review code was provide to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

You know one of those science fair staples, where players move a loop around a wire figure without touching the wire? That kind of game is pretty fun to play as it is a test of the player’s concentration, dexterity and steadiness of hand, and one slip can easily cause the buzzer to sound. Vivid Games’ latest title for iOS devices, Neon Blitz, brings that “follow-the-wire” gameplay, but ditches the buzzer in return for some really hot neon signs.

Players get to trace brilliant looking shapes which double up as neon signs and I must say, they look really beautiful on the iPad. But don’t take too long admiring what you just traced on screen as the game gives you 60 seconds to trace as many shapes as possible and you’ll need to follow the proper direction (whether is it clockwise or counter-clockwise) when it comes to tracing, otherwise there are no points for you.

Like I mentioned earlier, the neon signs are a sight to behold and some can be really complex. The game comes with over 800 of these colourful and vibrant signs, including road signs, landmarks, party items, sporting symbols and while you are tracing these signs, there are bonuses to be picked up to boost your score. The in-game currency can be used to purchase power-ups and additional signs.

Neon Blitz’s 60-second gameplay makes for short-bursts of fun, perfect as a quick escape on a busy day. I like the Facebook connectivity as well as it adds an element of competition between your fellow players who are on Facebook as well. Neon Blitz’s beautiful graphics, fun game play and value (800 shapes, that’s A LOT) nets the game a deserving 4.5 out of 5! Highly Recommended.

The game is available from the iTunes App Store for  99 cents free! You can check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id533818679. A review code was provided to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

Supposedly if someone were to hand me a game featuring someone going amok and shooting stuff, I would think that the developer is trying to do a bit of social commentary, with all the shootings that have been going on for the past few years, the latest being the Aurora incident. However, if the game’s character is freaking out and shooting at zombies, I suppose that the game was made in good fun.

Such a game would be indie developer Randy O’Connor’s iOS game Dead End HD in which players control Harold, a gardener who is freaking out during a zombie apocalypse and the only time where he is not running around losing his head would be when he is actually shooting at the undead. Yup, it’s kinda like Age of Zombies with a Barry Steakfries gone bonkers.

Dead End doesn’t have that large an arsenal as its more illustrious genre counterpart but it more than makes up for it in terms of unpredictability. The controls are such that players can only rotate Harold to shoot, but other than that, he is running about (who wouldn’t?) in face of the zombie horde. The game gets increasingly difficult as players go through the levels, with new weapons and zombie-types being unlocked.

I personally had a lot of fun playing the game, and here’s a tip, the flame thrower and the mini gun are your best friends. Dead End HD gets a 4 out of 5! The game is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 1.99. Check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dead-end-hd/id449665764?mt=8.

A review code was provided to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

Hotel Transylvania is Sony Pictures’ latest animated feature film, casting a different light on Dracula, this time as a hotel operator whose property caters exclusively for monsters. So how do you create a iOS game tie-in for the movie? In Sony’s case, they took the hit Diner Dash franchise, and put in IP from the movie, and as a result, you get Hotel Transylvania Dash!

Given the franchise’s penchant for controlled chaos as a form of gameplay, players will have to contend with charming characters from the movie as guests including Murray the Mummy, who adores the hotel’s signature Worm Cakes; Frankenstein, who has a tendency to sleepwalk; and Wayne the werewolf, who travels with an entourage of pups. Bram Stoker’s creation will have to go about booking rooms, deliver room service, and attend to guest needs.

Players begin in the main lobby of the hotel and journey through 30 exciting levels and two additional hotel wings, renovating and improving the hotel as they go. In true Dash fashion, Hotel Transylvania Dash challenges players to race against the clock and juggle multiple demands from lively monster guests, including the SwampMonster’s requests for fresh towels and Mrs. Blob’s double order of room service to feed her monster appetite! Players can shop for more than 40 spooky-chic hotel decorations and enhancements to create a luxuriously eerie getaway.

“We are thrilled to bring Hotel Transylvania Dash to movie fans everywhere,” said Marco DeMiroz, chief executive of PlayFirst. “The game is a great way to extend the movie experience, and gives fans a new and immersive way to interact with the captivating monster characters they will know and love from the movie.”

“Hotel Transylvania delivers a fun movie experience for everyone, kids, adults, families and friends, around the world,” said Mark Caplan, vice president of licensing and consumer products for Sony Pictures Entertainment. “PlayFirst has done an amazing job of capturing that same sense of fun in this action-packed mobile game. Hotel Transylvania Dash is a terrific way for fans to continue experiencing Hotel Transylvaniaon their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.”

The Hotel Transylvania Dash App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotel-transylvania-dash/id549710901?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

I received a whole slew of sport games for iOS devices last month. I guess you can chalk it up to the Olympic Games for that influx but if there’s one game that gave off the whole “Chariots of Fire” vibe, it would be Czech developers CINEMAX’s Retro Decathlon 2012. The word decathlon in the title is a giveaway that tells you that this particular title, released in conjunction with the Olympics focuses on track and field events.

Presented in 2D, pixelated retro style, players tap and swipe their way in order to succeed in a series of events, which in real life had heralded superstars such as Ashton Eaton (gold medalist in the Olympics for the decathlon) and Jessica Ennis (gold medalist for the heptathlon, and official “It” girl of the London Olympics). The events include the 100 meters sprint, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters run, 110 meters hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and the exhausting 1500 meters run.

The game can be exhausting for players as the game makes it a priority to train, whether it is to tap in sequence quickly or to swipe accurately and fast at the same time, in order to set record times/distances/heights. If you are good enough, you might end up beating some world records. The game reminds me of this other game, International Track & Field for the Nintendo DS, which I reviewed several years ago, and this new game compares favourably with that.

If you are a track and field fan, Retro Decathlon 2012 is something really worth checking out. Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates the game at a 4.5 out of 5. Highly recommended. The game is available on the iTunes App Store as a universal binary at the price of  USD 1.99, check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/retro-decathlon-2012-run-jump/id545613617?mt=8

A review code was provided to Nineoverten.com for the purpose of this review.

Australian skateboarding company Penny Skateboards has been around for quite some time but it didn’t across (to me at least) as a company that would tie up with indie developers IV Motion to come up with their first iOS game, titled Penny Time. And what a surprise it turn out to be, this skateboarding (naturally) game is actually pretty awesome.

The game combines 3D platforming, skateboarding, rhythm-based gameplay with cell shaded graphics to create what I would dare say a classic on the iPad that would give anything else on the platform a good run for their money. The player’s character skateboards through levels in which people and objects are stuck in freeze time; this itself lends a surrealistic feel to the game and with plenty of obstacles abound, players will need to ollie, slide and hippie jump (is that what it’s called?) their way around on their skateboard.

The timing of all the actions are rhythm-based, so in situations where the action gets really busy, here’s a tip: do really on the rhythm to time your actions. Having said that, the game’s soundtrack is totally awesome and I would recommend a good set of ear/headphones to play the game (a pair of Grado SR-60 cans would be just nice). The later levels are DIFFICULT and you’ll need a combination of practice, skill AND luck to succeed (a good sense of rhythm helps also).

Having said all that, Penny Time gets a 5 out of 5! If there’s one skateboarding game that you should get, it should be Penny Time. The game is available on the iTunes App Store for a meager 99 cents. IV Motion is planning to support the game with more FREE downloadable content and that’s always commendable IMHO.

A review code was provided to Nineoverten.com for the purpose of this review