Crossy Road - Endless Arcade Hopper - 5 Stars

What is it?

Why did the chicken cross the road? Who cares - just keep crossing them in this insanely addictive game! The aim is to get the Chicken as far as you can by tapping and swiping the screen. Along the way, you encounter many automotive and environmental obstacles, which come from different directions just to make matters worse. You get points for every step forward, while the chicken negotiates roads, railway lines, desert and rivers.

You die on this game if you are hit by a vehicle, eaten by an animal or if the moving screen catches up with the Chicken!  The death sequences are hilarious, particularly when the Chicken gets flattened against the side of the vehicles. If you die and you have beaten your high score, you are presented with a snap of your Chicken's last moments, which you can download to your camera roll. It's a funny touch!

Throughout the game there are credit coins to be collected that allow you use the pixel fruit machine and win new birds to play with, which is a nice touch and good fun.

I can't explain why, but I love this game! Maybe it's the fact this lives up to my expectations of the classic 'Frogger', whereas Frog Up, as you'll see in my review, didn't! Think of this game as Frogger but with a chicken, and a colourfully pixelated 3D design.

The game is well designed and the pixelated graphics are not only well executed but also very current in the app games. The sound effects give a realistic atmosphere to the setting, with cars and trains beeping when you have a narrow escape.  

If you like Frogger, pixel games and are not scared of birds then give this a go!

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 4

Mainly this game is easy to use, especially if your chicken can move in a straight line, as having to change direction can be a real challenge... particularly when you are stuck between two trees or have a truck heading towards you. The game does give a mini tutorial when you first start to play which is helpful but it is not that complicated.


Price - 5

This game is free and is doing really well in the App Store.

Adverts - 5
It might be because I am going hopping mad but I don't recall adverts in this game!

Overall Rating - 5

I loved this. It is fun, addictive, gorgeously designed and is perfect for my competitive disposition. If you like arcade games then this is definitely worth a download! I have to finish this review quickly so I can get back to playing... I was eaten by a crocodile on my last attempt!

Keep, jury is out or delete - Keep

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/crossy-road-endless-arcade/id924373886?mt=8

Twitter: @CrossyRoad

Color Sorter - The Addicting Colour Sorting Game - 1 Star

What is it?

This is a game where you move coloured dots that appear in the middle of the screen into the same colour block located in the header or footer of the screen. Sounds simple right? Wrong! The dots in the middle of the screen grow, then shrink and if they disappear you lose. If you drag a dot over another dot, place the dot into the wrong colour or are a little slow you lose.  The more dots you get to its paired box the higher the score. 

Now if you have read my reviews before you will think this game is right up my street, and conceptually I would have to agree, but the reality is I didn't take to this game, actually I don't like it. 

You die for no reason in this game. I am convinced that the dots would change colour on the way to being delivered to the right location and you would need to be Speedy Gonzales on speed to get a high score. 

The icon for the game doesn't look that appealing either as you can see from this review. The main play screen is mainly white then has the six colours you play with on the header and footer with those colour circles intermittently appearing. One bug I did notice is that the blue box and circle don't match which can throw you off your game. 

Furthermore, although you can look in the GameCentre, everyones scores are on 0. So even though I have achieved an 8 on this game, GameCentre says 0, so the incentive to beat other people is non-existent. 

This wasn't for me and is far too fast to hold your interest when you first start to play. I don't know who I would recommend this game to, but definitely not to my friends!

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 1 

Conceptually this game appears easy but it really isn't. The drag function, the only way to play the game, isn't easy to use and didn't work easily to me. 


Price - 5

This app was free.

Adverts - 5
I didn't encounter any ads during my review. 

Overall Rating - 1

This game isn't for me. I didn't like it and no matter how much I tried to I just couldn't change my initial opinion. I am deleting this game. I don't hate this game, unlike Daddy Long Legs as it didn't anger me, but it was just meh and didn't make me want to play again. 

Keep, jury is out or delete - Delete

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/TR/app/id937335869

1010! - 4.5 Stars

What is it?

1010 is a Tetris type game but instead of positioning falling blocks to make lines to score points, you drag and drop them into place on to the board, which is a 10x10 square hence the name. The blocks are given to you in sets of three and once all of them have been placed on the board the next set is given to you. To score points you make complete lines , horizontally or vertically, and they are removed from the board to give you space to place further shapes.  The game is lost by you not being able to place the shapes you have. 

The game is simple in it appearance with a white or black background, that can be changed in the settings. The shapes are nice colours that look good against the background. These are it's main elements, and that's all thats needed.

Unlike Tetris, the game doesn't increase in speed and pressurise you into place the blocks flying down the screen. This game gives you time to think and apply logic to make your score as high as possible. I liked this element of the game as I used to find myself holding my breathe in Tetris when it got fast or near that old 100,000 score, I am surprised I never passed out!

As a massive Tetris fan, this was right up my street and I became highly addicted to it. The addiction was made worse by my partner also having the App and me seeing his score on the GameCentre. I am currently winning that battle with a score just over 5000, but that is nowhere near the top scores, made by gamers that I am convinced have created a hack or programme that increases their score!

There are full screen ads in the game that appear every three-four plays which at first was frustrating as my initial games didn't last very long, but as I improved I noticed them less until the video ads started... yuck. 

If, like me, you like logic games and still remember and love Tetris, then I highly recommend this app to you. When I originally downloaded it, I found it through a Twitter search but noticed today that its in the top 200 games in the App Store. So well done to the developers of this game, it's well deserved. 

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 5 

This is a case of drag and drop onto a grid, so it is pretty simple to play, but needs concentration and perseverance to master (I hope to master this!). Sometimes you feel like the game is stitching you up to not win, but that is infrequent and the challenge only makes me want to play more.

Price - 5

This game is free in the App Store, and I didn't notice any 'in-app purchase' options. 

Adverts - 2
There are adverts in this app in the form of full screen ads and, the worst type, video ads that you are forced to watch. I hate these type of ads, but I liked this app so reluctantly tolerated them and didn't switch the game off. 

Overall Rating - 4.5

I love this game. Its simple and familiar and, even though it is a twist on Tetris, it has its own identity. This game will remain on my phone and will continued to be played. This would have got 5 stars but the video ads really let it down. Highly recommend it for logic game players. 

Keep, jury is out or delete - Keep

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/1010!/id911793120?mt=8

Daddy Long Legs - 1 star

What is it?

The aim of the game is to get the Daddy Long Legs to walk across the screen by tapping to alternate between the legs. Not only was I immediately rubbish at this game I quickly lost my temper at not being able to master the technique, if there is one. 

I suffered the misfortune of downloading this game because it was apparently a "top app" in the 'Games' section of the App Store. It is rare that I take an instant dislike to a game but this really wasn't for me.   

The design of the game is very basic and the representation of this Daddy Long Legs is not like one I have ever seen. Being an insect, a daddy long legs has six legs and wings! This was an ugly looking fluffy box (no wings) with two stick legs that are prone to tripping and doing the splits.

I really did try to persist with this game but it seriously drove me insane and made me want to throw my phone out the window. 

The game offers the GameCentre features and rewards you when you achieve various items. I only won one for falling over so many times in a row, which fuelled my dislike for the game. It also appears that you can unlock special features of the Daddy Long Legs but I didn't get that far. 

I don't know what else I can say about this app but I am relieved this review is written and it can be removed from my phone, never to be re-installed.  It really does make you question how these things get to the top of the charts and featured by Apple. Don't even get me started on how much I disagree with the 8000 gamers that have awarded this 4.5 stars! I'm afraid I really don't understand the appeal! 

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 2

This game should be simple - tap to walk the Daddy Long Legs. However, it is not as simple as it makes out. This game is frustrating and as mentioned I didn't like the game so gave up any attempt to master it!


Price - 4

This game is free to download, thankfully, as I would have hated to waste my money on it, however you can pay to remove the ads. 

Adverts - 3
There are header ads throughout the app but I hardly noticed them. To be honest, I didn't play it enough to experience if there are full screen ads in this game... so I will assume there aren't. 

Overall Rating - 1

This app was not for me. It's design was overly basic and I am not sure why it is called Daddy Long Legs when it doesn't look like one! A more apt name would be 'Ugly box on wonky stilts'. I hate writing bad reviews but I really struggled to find anything I liked about this app! As mentioned it currently has 4.5 stars on the app store so I am happy to be in the minority. I will certainly not be playing the game again. 

Keep, jury is out or delete - Delete 

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/daddy-long-legs/id905921908?mt=8

Frog Up - 3 stars

What is it?

When I downloaded this game I expected it to be a version of the classic game Frogger, but I was wrong! The aim of the game is to hop the frog up the screen by landing on moving platforms. This reminded me of Super Mario, another classic I love to play. You tap to make the frog move, but as soon as you start the screen starts to move up adding another element to  the potential death of the little amphibian! This is another pixelated tap game using the retro look that is so popular on the App Store at the moment. This game is simplistic in its design and play.

I quite liked this game as it was simple but unfortunately it missed some key app elements out to fuel my competitive edge. The game is not on Game Centre which is such a shame, and I believe free for developers to add their apps. Without the Game Centre I had no idea how well, or probably more accurately, how badly I was doing.

I have had the game on my phone for a about a month and occasionally have a quick series of play to see if my feeble efforts have any improvement.

If you like pixel tap games and are fond of frogs then this could be up your street!

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 5

This game is simple to play and the singular instruction of tap to being is all you need, simples!

Price - 5

The game is free with no in app purchases.

Adverts - 4

The game does have footer ads but they aren't invasive and don't interrupt game play. It was refreshing to play a game that didn't have full screen and video ads.

Overall Rating - 3

Overall this game is simple to play and understand. It's not got the frustration of flappy bird but I was expecting Frogger so was a little disappointed. It's not the game of the year but I haven't deleted it so that is a good sign. I look forward to updates especially if they introduce the GameCentre feature :)

Keep, jury is out or delete - Keep

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/frogup/id933654509?l=en&mt=8

Ninja Runner - 4 Stars

What is it?

Ninja Runner is a game with the aim to get your Ninja to travel as far as possible across roof tops without falling off. Your score is measured in the form of how many metres you cover during the run. 

The game is very simple to operate you simply tap the screen when you want your Ninja to jump. The further you get with the Ninja travel, the quicker the game gets. The roof tops vary in size and the smaller ones together can be tricky to get across.

Throughout the game Double Jump tokens are dropped (in the form of Ninja stars) from the top of the screen. When you collect one you can use it as much as you like until its time runs out then you need to retrieve another for the ability.  The Double Jumps are really needed for the smaller roof tops all positioned together when you get past about 500 meters as the screen gets faster and faster. 

This game was a hit at home as we had mini competitions. The game doesn't take long unless you are pro. When I first started to play the game it took my eyes a while to adjust as the background and the speed of the Ninja made me go a bit cross eyed, but the more you play the less you notice it. 

The game is a little bland in colours and the back ground never changes. It may benefit from some brighter colours  just to make it look a but more interesting, but it wouldn't stop me playing. 

I was shocked that there are no sounds on the game, which is good for me as I always turn this off but I imagine this may put some players off. 

The game is on the Game Centre, which I like, and I have managed to get to 5th place with 950 meters, but I am behind my partner who is 2nd with 1120 meters! 

In summary, I like this game and, like Fist of Fury, I keep finding myself having quick plays to try and improve my score!

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 4

This game has one control, tap to jump, and instructions are provided. This is a really easy game to play once you stop feeling dizzy from the screen movements.

Price - 5

This is a free game with no in app purchases. 

Adverts - 4
The only adverts in the game are in the banner at the bottom of the screen, and they really do not interrupt game play at all, so pretty good.

Overall Rating - 4

I like this game, its easy to learn and simple to play. The game would benefit from a few more injections of colour and maybe some sound, but it wouldn't stop me playing it!

Keep, jury is out or delete - Keep

Keep, I like this game for an easy but addictive break from work!

Where to find it:

Apple: https://appsto.re/gb/1P0l3.i

Protect Brick - 1.5 stars

What is it?

This is a game were you move a brick around to stop it being hit by flying objects. I am saying this early in the review but this is the most annoying app for adverts that I have downloaded in a long time. The adverts are that invasive and annoying that it made me stop my review. 

This isn't a tap game which is different from a lot of the new apps to the store, in fact you move the brick by putting your finger on it and dragging it around the screen. The blocks to avoid are fired from a centralised shooting semi square and each one rebounds and moves off the walls. The longer you stay alive and the number of blocks shot and survived seem to give the score.

You can look on the game centre for achievements and high scores. 

Now for some ratings.....

Ease of use - 3 

There are no real instructions with the game but by messing around I figured it out on my second attempt at the game. This would have been quicker if not for the ads. 
Price - 3

This is free but with in app purchases, one of which I will expect to be to remove the ads. Where this fails is that you get so little game play vs the ads that you would not be temped to do so.

Adverts - 1
AWFUL I was honestly angered by the adverts, I hadn't even started the game and was faced with a full screen ad and then a video ad that went on for far too long. Then after each play the same process. Just too invasive and frustrating. I appreciate that people need to make money from ads, but they should be checked before go live and really think, would I keep this if i downloaded it especially when before you even try to play there are video ads?

Overall Rating - 1.5

I couldn't continue with this app, watching adverts every 20 seconds is not for me. The concept is ok but not good enough to endure the endless adverts.

Keep, jury is out or delete - Delete

Delete, already gone.

Where to find it:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/protect-the-brick/id912146231?mt=8

Menu option - easy, medium, hard, crazy. Selected easy and greeted by an ad - sigh. Brief instruction, barely anything there, then a full bloody video ad for 10 seconds finished by a full screen ad... i may not be in the best mood to look at this app now. Game finishes - can't say i knew what i was doing and another 5 seconds ad.