Category: I-phone

Hunters’ Moon is more of an experience than anything. It’s a very beautiful app in a lot of ways, and it does have some game elements, but really it’s a chance to sit and enjoy a piece of software that evokes a mood and an atmosphere. It was more or less inspired by a talk given by Brandon Boyer at last year’s IndieCade conference; I did go to that show, but I didn’t see Boyer’s talk, unfortunately.

Hunters’ Moon is a great example of how personal and how simply beautiful video games can be. As the app’s description says, it’s “an interactive illustration and a drawing that shares an idea through game mechanics. It is best heard with headphones and played patiently.”

We get so caught up in the give and take of the business of software and the functionality of what we download and use that sometimes we neglect to see how powerful just sitting and enjoying these games can be. Give Hunters’ Moon a try if that sounds intriguing. This iPad-only game is US$1.99 on the App Store.

TUAW’s Daily App: Hunters’ Moon originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rapunzel 3D and Goldilocks 3D are two US$1.99 interactive children’s books from Bacciz Apps. I’m sorry to say that they’re also not very good. They are complicated, inconsistent, and neither provides a satisfying story. Both titles use elements often seen before in other interactive children’s books, but this time they are used seemingly at random. I don’t believe children will enjoy either of these apps; instead, kids will likely become confused and frustrated at the “everything but the kitchen sink” design approach and the total inconsistency of the implementation.

The first problem cropped up when I tried to navigate the settings screens. There are seven options: Display Text, Hide Text After Narration, Disable Interaction During Narration, Auto Page Turn, Page Turn Swipe, and volume controls for Narration, Sound FX and Music. Each app lets you choose between three songs to play in the background. I can easily see getting rid of at least half of these options.

Tapping on a dog displayed at the top of each page displays even more options. These include Home, 3D mode, Sound, which is a duplication of the settings screen, Share — which lets you post to email, Twitter, Facebook, send feedback to Bacciz, and a request to rate the app in the iTunes store. There is also an “I Can Read” option, a duplicate of the title page that gives you the option of eliminating the narration until you tap on the text box, but it doesn’t give you the option to “Read it Myself” — that option shows up on the title screen. One positive thing about this mode is you’ll see thumbnails that you can swipe to go to any page. However, the text boxes that the app reads to you if you choose “Read to Me” are further complicated by arrows on both sides of the text boxes that make them appear or vanish.

Continue reading Rapunzel 3D and Goldilocks 3D: Two gimmicky and unfocused e-book apps

Rapunzel 3D and Goldilocks 3D: Two gimmicky and unfocused e-book apps originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Any iPhone 3G, with baseband 06.15.00, is now unlocked for life. Since iPhone 3G won’t be getting any firmware update starting iOS 4.3, your iPhone 3G will remain unlocked for life. MuscleNerd also confirmed this in a tweet:

“Because there’s no 4.3 beta for iPhone3G, it’s effectively unlocked for life via the 06.15 ultrasn0w unlock”

Note: This is applicable to all those iPhone 3G owner who have updated their iPhone 3G to Baseband 06.15.00. (How to: Check iPhone Baseband version)

No future firmware update is a bad news for iPhone 3G baseband 06.15.00 users, because most of them are experiencing GPS issues. The Dev Team is aware of the GPS problem, and currently working on a way to downgrade iPhone 3GS 06.15.00 Baseband with iOS 4.3 firmware.

How many of you have an iPhone 3G or 3GS with baseband 06.15.00 and are experiencing GPS issues? Go wild in the comments section below…

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Microsoft has just released OneNote for iPhone and iPod Touch. You can download OneNote app for iPhone and iPod Touch from the link below. For those not familiar, OneNote planner and note taking software.

OneNote Description

Microsoft OneNote Mobile is the easy-to-use, powerful note-taking application for all of your ideas, brought to you by Microsoft Office. OneNote Mobile lets you create and view notes and lists whenever you need them. Sync your notes with free Windows Live online storage and access them from virtually anywhere using your phone, PC, or almost any web browser.

With OneNote Mobile, you can:

• Create flexible notes that can include text, pictures, bullets, and checkboxes
• Check To Do items off on the go
• Save time with quick access to your most recent notes
• Work with confidence—OneNote Mobile automatically syncs your notes with Windows Live in the background
• Organize your notes into sections or create new notebooks using OneNote 2010 or OneNote Web App and access them from your iPhone

OneNote for iPhone Requirements

• iPhone or iPod touch must have iOS 4.2 or higher
• A free Windows Live ID is required to use OneNote Mobile —use an existing one or let OneNote Mobile help you sign up
• Web functionality uses the free OneNote Web App available on Windows Live, which requires a supported web browser
• OneNote Mobile opens notebooks created in Microsoft OneNote 2010 or the OneNote Web App
• Customizing section colors requires Microsoft OneNote 2010

You can access your notes online at http://office.live.com.

Download OneNote for iPhone and iPod Touch

OneNote for iPhone and iPod Touch will be free for a limited time, Microsoft said. You can download OneNote for iPhone and iPod Touch from the App Store. [App Store Link]

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AirView turns your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch into an AirPlay Receiver for your other iOS devices. So, with AirView, you can watch an AirPlay stream on your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch coming from another iDevice. Kind of like an AppleTV in your iPad.

AirView Description

Use this application to watch AirPlay video streams from another iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad running iOS 4.2) on the same local network, or from iTunes.

How to

1. Just launch AirView
2. Then tap the AirPlay icon on the YouTube media player from another iPhone for example
3. The video should start playing on AirView.

Note: AirView must be running on a device in order to show up as receiver on a local network.

This works with videos played in iTunes on a Mac or PC too. Photos are not supported yet.

AirView is a neat little app for iDevices that may not last very long in the App Store. Go grab it now!

Download AirView

You can download AirView for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch from the App Store for free. [iTunes Link]

via [Macstories]

You can follow us on Twitter, Join us at Facebook, and also Subscribed to RSS Feed to receive latest updates.

Also checkout:

• HackCenter Hacks iOS Game Center Scoring [Video]
• SB 2 Cloud – Upload iPhone/iPad Screenshots Straight To The Cloud
• RetinaAppsIcons – Converts All Apps Icons to HighRes for Retina Display
• Enable Widescreen (720p) Photos on the iPod Touch 4G with HD Photographer
• Enable FaceTime Video Calling on iPhone 3GS with Faceit 3GS

Alex Britton is a 9th grader who loves to create iPhone apps. He started out with an app called Whoopee Cusion (no longer available) and has went on to create some cool apps like Chalk and Doodle Zombies.

Here is a snippet from the article:

When Apple’s iPad came out last spring, Alex anticipated that users would want shiny new apps for their shiny new tablets, and created Chalk — an app that simply allows users to draw on a virtual chalkboard with a virtual stick of chalk — which was listed as one of the top 100 selling apps for the device, and made it to the Apple Store‘s front page in April 2010.

With Chalk, it was mainly a hit because it was one of the first ones out there,” he said. “I try to do, like, three apps a season, and two or three games throughout the year.

I started off doing mostly games, but I think it’s easier to get noticed if you have a utility or a photo application,” he said. He recently launched Photo Booth Plus, an application that allows users to paste new or archived pictures from their iPhone’s photo library into a filmstrip background and upload them to Facebook and Twitter.

You can read the entire article from the Stamford Advocate here.

Cocos2D is an extremely popular iPhone game engine, and has an extensive community. There are many great tutorials available out there, so when I first saw that the Learn iPhone and iPad Cocos2D Game Development book was being written by Steffen itterheim I wasn’t sure exactly what value the book would contribute. I was glad to see that the book covered a lot of more advanced topics that are difficult to find the right answers for.

The book was created for those who already have a background in programming, and you will definitely need to have an understanding of Objective-C. That being said it starts out with some easier to understand examples and topics so even if you’re new to Cocos2D you shouldn’t have much of a problem jumping right in.

There is a really extensive number of examples available within the book. My favorites are:

– a game where you avoid falling obstacles by rotating the device
– a side scrolling shooter
– an isometric tile based map/movement/collisions demo (shown in video below — btw, the frame rate doesn’t do the example justice, it is much smoother than that, but it does show the beginnings of what could become a nice game).

The author, Steffen Itterheim also makes himself highly accessible to readers on his Learn Cocos2D blog, and on Twitter. So if you have any questions or issues on the book he is very easy to get in touch with.

Overall I rate the book 5/5 (I know I rate books pretty highly – that’s because I don’t read the bad ones =p). The book really leaves you with the feeling that you can create a good iOS game with Cocos2D, and the examples give you something concrete to work with. You can read further reviews on Amazon, I’m not sure about the issue that one reviewer had with the Kindle version as I was not viewing it on Kindle.

Read More: Cocos2D Examples And Tutorials

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

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Ray Wenderlich has released an excellent set of iOS tutorials on how to create a whack-a-mole game using the open source iPhone game engine Cocos2D. I really like tutorials myself in which you develop something that could be built on and with some more work turned into a real product, and it looks like that is what Ray is trying to encourage with these tutorials.

In the tutorials Ray covers a lot of ground. He shows how to adjust for the increased resolution of the retina display on iPhone, and the different aspect ratio used on the iPad. How to draw the background, including placing the holes which will overlay above the background and the moles being whacked. How to animate the different moles, and how to use a property list to define the animation frames. How to set up the game logic, and touch code for interacting with the moles.  There’s quite a bit in there.

You can find the tutorials at:

How To Create A Mole Whacking Game with Cocos2D: Part 1/2
How To Create A Mole Whacking Game with Cocos2D: Part 2/2

For those that don’t know Ray has also been working on a Cocos2D book with Rod Strougo, the rough cut can be found here (you’ll need to pay to access the content, but you can see browse through the table of contents free). It is looking great so far.

New Category: Cocos2D Tutorials And Examples

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

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When it comes to voice recording on the iPhone, there are quite a few options. There’s the built-in Voice Memos, which not only works well but is free, then there’s apps like Dragon Dictation which even transcribe recordings into text.

But for the past few years, one app has been steadily adding features and making improvements, making it one of the better options for making a recording on the go. It’s called iTalk Recorder, and some of its features are pretty impressive. So why would you want to download iTalk Recorder when you already have Voice Memos built in? Hit the jump to find out.

The Basics

Once the app is on your iPhone, fire it up and you get a giant red button that says, “Press to Record.” Choose your recording quality, give it a title if you wish, and then push the button so that you can start it up.

Recordings and uploads made easy

Looking for more? Well let’s talk about personal experiences. I’ve been conducting phone and in-person interviews for several years now, and I live by one rule: Always have backup. After all, you never know when you’ll run out of batteries in your recorder in a critical situation, and lose the interview you need to order to hit a deadline. Once iTalk Recorder came out, I decided to give it a shot, working in tandem with a Sony digital recorder. More often than not, iTalk made a better recording than the recorder, and that Sony was expensive.

What Makes It Better

First off, having this thing on hand at all times makes it one less device I have to carry to and from an appointment. Since I always have my iPhone handy, I’m always ready to make a recording. That means that if I have to do a surprise interview and I don’t have my Sony digital recorder handy, I’m still able to get the job done.

Manage Your Recordings Anytime

One nice thing about the Sony was that I could plug it directly into the USB port on my Mac and download the files right away. Fortunately, iTalk makes this process even easier by giving you three options to get your recordings to your Mac.

The Three Options

First, there’s iTalk Sync, the free download from Griffin. Just download the app and connect both your Mac and iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network. Once that’s done, fire up iTalk Sync and watch the magic happen.

Once Your Mac and iPhone Are On the Same Wi-Fi Network …

…all of Your Files Become Available For Download

Now you can just drag and drop your files onto the desktop, then play them via preview or add it to iTunes.

Option 2 is e-mail. Although it’s not very fancy, just click on a file and export the thing to whoever you like, just like any picture or PDF. Then, there’s the next option, which is the biggie.

Option 3

So far I’ve talked about adding a program to your Mac to allow for downloads over your wireless network, and e-mail, both of which are very convenient options. But like many people, I spend a lot of my time working out of Dropbox. It’s a convenient place for me to keep files that I’ll need when I’m on the go, whether I’m using an office computer or just out with my MacBook Pro trying to get things done. Now, via a $1.99 in-app purchase, you can get DropBox support for iTalk Recorder as well.

Link and Unlink Your Dropbox Easily

This works pretty much in the way that you’d expect. Simply touch the file you want to upload, and then share it via Dropbox. Just like that, it’s on your Dropbox account and ready for sharing with friends or to be transferred to another computer. It’s that easy.

The Verdict

You may be wondering why you’d want to download yet another app for your iPhone when Voice Memos is already there. Just remember that iTalk Recorder is like Voice Memos on steroids. There are recording quality options, syncing options, and more importantly, the ability to easily transfer the voice files in a number of different ways.

Sure, you can e-mail or text message your files in Voice Memos, but syncing with Dropbox or even downloading directly to your Mac is well worth it. Besides, the app is free. If you’re like me, you can put it in a folder with your other dictation apps (Voice Memos included) and pull it out when you need it.

If you’re someone who needs to take notes frequently, record interviews or meetings, or just likes to have an audio notebook for their day, I think you’ll find that iTalk Recorder offers something that not many others do: Flexibility. It’s that flexibility that makes the app worth it to me in the long run, and one that’s stayed with me through all of the other changes. So is it worth it? In my opinion, definitely.

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting Berokyo. The developer describes Berokyo as follows: Berokyo lets you organize all your favorite and frequently used contacts, documents, digital media and virtually any type of file into one or more customizable and beautiful bookshelves; and once there, they can be quickly accessed, copied, shared, viewed, played, and so much more. Berokyo definitely helps you improve your organization and productivity on the go!

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

Berokyo iPad

Berokyo iPhone

About the App

Here are the top five features you can expect to see in the latest version:

• Full Dropbox support, including offline content and uploading.
• iTunes File Sharing support.
• Edit mode to easily reorder, resize and remove items.
• Quick access to call, send SMS, email and edit your contacts.
• View images, read files, play digital media, and so much more!

Requirements: Compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. iOS 3.1 or later.
Price: $1.99
Developer: Think, Code, Release

Vote for a Review

Would you like to see us write a full review of Berokyo? Have your say in our poll:

Would you like to see Berokyo reviewed in-depth on AppStorm?survey software

Quick Look posts are paid submissions offering only a brief overview of an app. Vote in the poll if you think this app is worth an in-depth AppStorm review! If you’re a developer and would like to have your app profiled, you can submit it here.

If the words “Quake” and “Doom” make you nostalgic, or the thought of a Nintendo 64 controller coupled with the music from Goldeneye makes you smile, this post is definitely for you.

Below we’ve compiled a list of the best first-person-shooters we could find for iPhone. Games in this beloved genre almost always promise hours of intense gameplay and hopefully some sweet multiplayer action. Whether you want to destroy zombies, battle stormtroopers or relive WWII, you’ll find a game below that’s perfect for you.

Space & Future

The app store’s collection of first-person-shooter games definitely seems heavy in this specific sub-genre. Battle aliens and space cadets in futuristic settings and huge space ship levels. Notice the big name titles here like “Doom” and “Star Wars,” this is definitely a great place for FPS fans to start.

N.O.V.A. 2 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance

“6 years have passed since the events depicted in the first episode. Humanity is now thrown into a bloody civil war fought on one side by the central government of the Terran Orbitals and the self-appointed Human-Alien Alliance; a new organization with a mysterious origin and agenda. Kal Wardin left active service in N.O.V.A. years ago and now lives among the colonists of the desert planet Scorpius. But war never spares even the most peaceful places”

Price: $6.99
Developer: Gameloft

N.O.V.A. 2

The Infinity Project

“This Adventure / Action FPS, is a different kind of FPS for the iPhone. This exploration / adventure game with a FPS look & feel has tons of content with hours & hours of play time. Immerse yourself in The Infinity Project. The year is 2248, Earth is at war with the Talon’s, an extremely aggressive and unknown race that attacked Earth without provocation. As Commander Ethan Avery, you’re sent to Infinity Station, a research and development facility located in deep space currently developing controversial technologies. Earth has lost contact with the Top Secret station and sends you to investigate. Explore the station to find keys that unlock the next area of the station. Unlock the mystery behind The Infinity Project.”

Price: $2.99
Developer: Crazy Robot Games

The Infinity Project

iFPS Online

“The first and best iPhone 3D online multiplayer FPS. iFPS Online features a full 3D FPS experience. Challenge your friends to a multiplayer death match. Host a game on your device through your wifi or join a game online through your wifi or 3G! Use two intuitively designed control schemes for FPS featuring configurable multitouch controls and/or accelerometers. The controls allow you to fire while navigating. Switch controls for right or left handed play jump and fire.”

Price: $1.99
Developer: Pick Up And Play

iFPS Online

DOOM Classic

“Welcome to Hell! Prepare to relive the First Person Shooter that defined a generation with the legendary original DOOM – now on the iPhone. As a space marine stationed on the planet Mars, you are all that stands between the armies of Hell and their invasion of planet Earth! DOOM Classic includes the original three episodes as well as Episode Four, Thy Flesh Consumed, spread across 36 levels of non-stop carnage and action. ”

Price: $6.99
Developer: id Software

DOOM Classic

Star Wars: Imperial Academy

“Darth Vader wants you for his Imperial Academy! Compete against your fellow recruits in 4-player deathmatch battles throughout the the Star Wars universe and become an elite Storm Trooper.”

Price: Free
Developer: ngmoco, Inc.

Star Wars: Imperial Academy

Archetype

“The best fragging deal on iPhone now includes Game Center support, unlockable story mode, and an in-app expansion pack adding Capture the Flag and a whopping 6 new levels, doubling the amount of content in the game.”

Price: $0.99
Developer: Villain

Archetype

Zombies & Monsters

There’s something about blowing the head off a zombie that is incredibly rewarding isn’t there? Our favorite undead creatures have worked their way into countless first-person-shooters across several gaming systems and the iPhone is no exception. If you’re a third-person zombie killer type, be sure to check out Resident Evil 4 in addition to the games below.

RAGE HD

“RAGE comes to your mobile device with the hit of the wastelands, Mutant Bash TV! This intense first-person rail shooter casts you in the starring role of a post-apocalyptic game show where you’ll be stalked by hungry mutants while you scour pulse-pounding levels for ammo and cash pick-ups. Make a deal with J.K Stiles, the show’s menacing host, and see if you have what it takes to survive this carnage-filled carnival of death!”

Price: $1.99
Developer: id Software

RAGE HD

Call of Duty: Zombies

“Call of Duty: Zombies brings the classic Call of Duty: World at War zombie-slaying game mode to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring ALL 4 Zombie maps, you’ll need to bring along your friends to help push back the endless waves of attacking zombies!”

Price: $4.99
Developer: Activision Publishing, Inc.

Call of Duty: Zombies

Half Dead – 3D Shooter

Half-Dead is a first-person shooter which places a premium on time and efficiency. As you maneuver through the grim environment you will encounter fierce enemies who shoot first and ask questions later. Your goal is to engage and eradicate all the enemies in the shortest amount of time possible. And while these foes are mighty, there are strategically placed health kits to aid you in the struggle to defeat the enemy. However, nothing will replace a quick and accurate shot, so be sure to work on your marksmanship to complete your mission!

Price: $0.99
Developer: Inner Four, Inc.

Half Dead – 3D Shooter

Welcome To Hell

“Experience horror in stunning 3D. Destroy waves of hellish undead zombies before they destroy you. Welcome to hell…will you survive?”

Price: $2.99
Developer: DVide Arts Inc.

Welcome To Hell

War Simulation

There’s no doubt about it, Gameloft makes great games. Below you’ll find two of their most popular iPhone shooters with names you’re sure to recognize. Modern Combat immerses you in today’s war settings and technology while Brothers in Arms is a throwback to WWII. Either way, you’ll have tons of fun taking out the bad guys and saving the day.

Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus

“In Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus, complete the mission unveiled in the first opus of one of the most acclaimed FPS games on the iPhone, this time on fronts all over the globe. Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus further improves the exemplary gameplay of the first Modern Combat for an astounding immersion in a modern war experience and one of the most complete FPS multiplayer games on the iPhone.”

Price: $6.99
Developer: Gameloft

Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus

Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front

“The highly acclaimed Brothers in Arms series returns for its most compelling battle yet amidst the fires of WWII. For the first time, challenge up to 5 friends to multiplayer battles on a variety of five maps in 3 different modes (Free For All, Team Deathmatch, Domination). You can connect locally via Bluetooth or even go online with Wi-Fi to battle friends anywhere. The stunning graphics and authentic settings are inspired by real life battlefields from WWII and created in detailed 3D.”

Price: $4.99
Developer: Gameloft

Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front

What Are Your Favorites?

You could easily blow a paycheck or two collecting first-person-shooters for the iPhone. Leave a comment below and let us know which you’ve tried and what you thought of them, whether they’re mentioned above or not.

Also be sure to mention any popular titles you wish had an iPhone version. For me, I’d love to see a multi-player James Bond FPS added to the mix. For now, I guess I’ll just have to hum the theme as I play Archetype!

Earlier this month we reviewed Color Schemer Touch, an awesome utility for creating beautiful color palettes using a number of professional tools and controls. Today we’re happy to announce that we’ve teamed up with the Color Schemer Touch developers to bring you five free copies of the app!

Color Schemer Touch

How To Enter

All you need to do to enter is follow @iphoneappstorm on Twitter and leave a comment below listing your favorite feature from Color Schemer Touch.

We’ll select the five winning comments at random in one week, on Monday, January 24th. Good luck!

The iPhone is now an established gaming platform, particularly for racing games. But what about the iPad? Does it make sense to hold the large device between your hands and turn it like a steering wheel? Electronic Arts thinks so, and they have two games from the popular Need for Speed franchise that aim to prove a point.

So we figured we’d put both Need for Speed: Shift and Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit under the magnifying glass and see if either of them can take the heat.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

Everyone likes playing cops and robbers, right? Well that’s the basic premise behind Hot Pursuit, and it starts right off the bat. When you begin, you get to choose between being a cop or a street racer. The decision you make changes the way the game is played, so choose wisely.

Good or Bad? Depends on your perspective.

Once you’ve chosen your side, it’s time to play. The interface on NFS:HP is basically the same as Shift: Rotate the iPad like a steering wheel to turn, then hit an icon near your left thumb to hit the brakes. Both games have added options like an EMP for the cops or nitrous, depending on how much money you have to spend.

Want to be a cop? Start off in a shiny 350Z

Speaking of cars, the lineup isn’t too bad here, either. Start off in a 350Z on the cop side of things, then raise up until you can purchase a Bugatti Veyron. The stuff in between ain’t too shabby, either, including a full complement of Porsche cars and a few other high-end rides to boot.

Just like NFS: Shift, each level is a different location. To start, you wander around the coast, hunting down racers, or participating in various competitions against your fellow officers or racers. As you progress, more and more locations open up. And if you happen to beat the game as a Racer or a Cop, you can play it over again as the opposition, making this game deep.

Pick a spot and go racing.

Between Hot Pursuit and Shift, Hot Pursuit is definitely more difficult to play. The more you turn the wheel, the more the car drifts, which makes it tough to get around some of the corners without a little bit of practice. The game also seems to move quicker, which ramps up the difficulty level out of the gate. It’s a matter of preference though, because eventually, you’ll get used to one style or the other after a few laps.

Need For Speed: Shift

The difference between Shift and Hot Pursuit starts with the premise. Instead of being out on the open road, now you’re a driver pursuing a racing career, going from track to track to make ends meet. The game starts with a tutorial, and that includes green arrows that show you the optimal driving path. When you need to slow down, the arrows turn yellow and then red, which really walks you through the process. Those arrows are still present in the first few levels, and you get bonus points for hitting your marks.

One viewing option: behind the wheel.

Again, you get to choose what car you start with, which in this case is either a Mazda RX-8 or a Volkswagen GTI. Again, you can upgrade car models, but this happens when you win races and the cash that comes along with it. But instead of just buying new cars, there’s another option with Shift as well. Upgrades.

Upgrades include suspension, appearance, and other performance mods.

This adds an interesting dynamic to the game. For example, it took a few races for me to get the swing of things, but soon, I was winning each race. When I got to No. 4 though, I hit a stumbling block: I just couldn’t accelerate as fast as the opponent. I tried three times and the results were all the same, so I decided to upgrade with the cash I had from my winnings. A few grand spent later, and I won the race fairly easily.

Don't like the look of your car? Upgrade it.

Although Shift is easier than Hot Pursuit in driving difficulty, that doesn’t make it an easy game. The first few levels aren’t too bad, but it ramps up until each race becomes a fairly intense matchup.  That makes the game’s lifespan pretty impressive, particularly when most iOS games are intended to be temporary moments of pleasure.

Verdict

Both of these games have their merits. For me, I found that starting with NFS: Shift and progressing to NFS: Hot Pursuit made the most sense. But if I could only spend my money in one place and I had to choose between the two, it would be NFS: Shift all day long.

Why? Shift is an easier game to pick up and play, whereas Hot Pursuit feels like you need to dedicate some time to the activity. For me, easy playability is the whole point of an iOS game, and I’m not going to dedicate a few hours to spinning my iPad in the air just to race cars. And both games have depth, meaning that I can pick them up and play whenever I choose.

No matter which one you choose, both of them are worthy additions to any iOS library. Just remember to hug the corners, because it’s all about coming in first.

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting Friends Memory Match. The developer describes Friends Memory Match as the classic memory game where you have to match pictures but this time the photos are real faces of your friends!
It’s really amazing and fun to play with the faces of your real friends. At more advanced levels there are bonus, the faces change color, and photos are exchanged position. You can challenge your friends using your own facebook account.

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

Friends Memory Match

About the App

Here are the top four features you can expect to see in the latest version:

• The photos are real faces of your friends!
• The faces change color, and photos are exchanged position.
• The application keeps a record of high social scores only among friends.
• It also has a record of the highest overall scores among all users worldwide.

Requirements: iOS 3.0 +
Price: 0.99
Developer: Atenea Innova

Vote for a Review

Would you like to see us write a full review of Friends Memory Match? Have your say in our poll:

Would you like to see Friends Memory Match reviewed in-depth on AppStorm?customer surveys

Quick Look posts are paid submissions offering only a brief overview of an app. Vote in the poll if you think this app is worth an in-depth AppStorm review! If you’re a developer and would like to have your app profiled, you can submit it here.