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Tiny Plane Review

Jessica Barabas-Bui
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Tiny Plane
Developer: PowPow Games
Publisher: Chillingo
Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iPad, iTouch
Release Date: 23 May, 2012
Price: $1.29 – Available Here

Overview

Tiny Plane falls into the incredibly popular category of game based around cute cartoon character that is trying to gather as many coins, fruit and bonuses and avoid bad stuff. This is literally one of the biggest genres in the App Store, and it’s not hard to see why. Cute, addictive, cheap. It covers all the good bases that apps provide as an alternative to mainstream games. So it goes to say that each app that follows this formula needs to have something that puts it ahead of the others, something that makes it more addictive, more cute, just more. Does Tiny Plane accomplish that?

Gameplay

The controls are, as is to be expected, incredibly simple. You tap on the left corner and it makes your plane go higher, on the right makes it dip down. It is similar to all of those plane/helicopter games where you have to guide it through obstacles and collect bonuses. Except instead of traversing a dangerous cavern it’s an open world to explore with the ability to go as high as you’d like. Well, except for the fact that you need fuel. And, in most cases, you will need to land to get it. Unless you happen across some fuel cans floating in the sky, which is always handy.

Landing is something that you need to get the hang of, and for the first couple times instead of landing smoothly I just nosedived into a fiery crash. The point is slow and steady and gliding in to a landing. Just a tip for those who are having issue with this, try doing it when your plane’s going slowly and has just about used up all the fuel.

There are two gauges at the bottom of the screen, one for the amount of fuel that you have, the other measuring the speed. For speed you can gather pieces of fruit that will make you go faster, hence lengthening the amount of time you can spend airborne, and there are also hoops that give you a super charged boost. Often scoring these will help shoot you through a bunch of obstacles without too much issue, and I found myself accidentally dodging a lot of them by accident.

There are mines and homing missiles that zoom up behind you so it really is best to keep moving. The warning system really is your best friend, letting you know when there are things coming up, and at what level on your screen, and also warning you when a missile is closing in on you from behind. At first the warning system is quite easy, warning you of little storms that drain your coins, but when your plane speeds up and the sky starts getting full of mines, it becomes far more of a requirement.

Tiny Plane is one of those games that are really easy to pick up and become that game that you play at random when you have nothing else to do and have some time to waste. The fact that it can be done in short bursts is another quality that belongs to this casual App genre, and it fulfills this easy, casual quality to a tee.

Visuals

Tiny Plane is super cute, I mean the main character is a dog pilot. Even the way the instructions are styled is great, I mean they’re on a fake newspaper! Sure it doesn’t make it easy to absorb all the information at once, but it’s pretty damn awesome.

Audio

The soundtrack sounds like it’s straight from a kids’ cartoon. It goes really well with the cartoon style of the game, and totally adds to the experience of the whole game. I didn’t find myself turning it down, or off, at any point because it just fit the whole thing so well that I really enjoyed having it in the background, as if it was narrating the whole experience.

Overall

Tiny Plane is just a game that you end up hunched over, concentrating really hard on small cartoon characters and end up yelling at people if they distract you. It certainly has the addictive part down, but it doesn’t really set itself apart that much. It is one of those games you get addicted to and play all the time, until the next app that comes along for you to get addicted to. That isn’t saying anything bad about it, and chances are you will enjoy it while you play it, but it probably won’t have the longest shelf life on your iDevice.

7-0-capsules-out-of-10

Amazon Games Download Mayhem Sale!!!

David Christison
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Step right up, step right up, everything must go!  From May 17 through May 29, 2012,  Amazon will have titles from Electronic Arts, 2K, SEGA, Square Enix, Nordic Games, Focus Home Interactive and Paradox on sale for up to 80% off their regular prices.

Titles like: The Sims 3 Deluxe, Rift and Simcity 4 Deluxe feature prominantly in the sale and most notably Call of Duty Black Ops is on sale and Bioshock and Bioshock 2 are bundled for less than $10 for the pair! Amazon has reserved the right to end the sale when they see fit but for now Amazon’s 12 days of dynamite deals is on and providing digital downloads for fantastic discount prices. So get in and get gaming!

 

Episode 4 of Playing Dead Released

Simon Wolfe
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The Walking Dead has become quite a big phenomenon, from comics, to TV, to games, to online talk shows.  Speaking of which, the online talk show “Playing Dead” has just released its 4th episode and it has some nice gooey giblets of information as they talk to two of the designers of the game series, Sean Vanaman and Jake Rodkin.

The video is posted below, but as fair warning it does cover some spoiler material for The Walking Dead Episode 1, but they also cover some hints at what Episode 2 will have to offer.  Episode 1: A New Day was released to a solid success of 1 million downloads in 2 weeks, so hopefully Episode 2: Starved for Help! can keep up the pace.  Each episode is priced at 400 MS points on Xbox LIVE, $4.99 per episode on PSN or the season pass at $19.99, or on PC and Mac the whole season for $24.99 at Telltale Games’ website HERE, so check them out if you haven’t already.  If you still aren’t sure, you can see Capsule Computer’s review of The Walking Dead: A New Day HERE.

Gesundheit! Gets A Brand New Update

Kyle Moore
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Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. have announced that their collaboration with Revolutionary Concepts, Gesundheit! has been updated to version 1.1.0. The critically acclaimed puzzle game is back with a free bonus map, Twitter and Facebook integration, new cut scenes and retina display graphics for the iPad. The update also includes iCloud support for iOS versions.

Gesundheit! still retains the same extraordinary hand-drawn visuals and animation based on the concept art by film and TV animator Matt Hammill. The story follows an odd little pig with allergies, who narrowly escapes capture by monsters who have invaded the village. The has a unique and slightly-gross humour, but is a rather fun and charming puzzle.

Gesundheit! is available now on the App Store for the sale price of $0.99 and the Mac App Store for $1.99.

Sorcery Hits Shelves Today

Joshua Spudic
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It’s time to brush that dust off your Playstation Move as the fantasy tale of Sorcery hits Australian shelves today. Sorcery, developed by The Workshop, with help from SCE Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America, is the latest title in the Playstation Move library. Players take control of Finn, a sorcerer’s apprentice, who accidentally unlocks a great evil, spreading across the Faerie Kingdoms. Using his arsenal of spells, Finn must defeat the great evil and revert the world to its normal state.

“Sorcery has remained an eagerly anticipated title for PlayStation Move on PS3 since it was first announced and we’re thrilled to offer this unique title to gamers everywhere today,” Patrick Lagana, Marketing Manager of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia said upon the launch of Sorcery. “Built from the ground up with PlayStation Move in mind from the beginning, Sorcery takes full advantage of our motion controller’s precision to provide a compelling gaming experience that is sure to capture the imaginations of players of all ages.”

Sorcery uses a gesture-based motion control system for casting spells as well as chaining spells to create more powerful combinations. Players can also brew potions, solve puzzles, find new spells and items and upgrade any potions the player may have. The game is available now across Australia. Check out some screenshots of the game below, including the box art and BBC’s Steve Mould, who hosts Sorcery – The Science Behind The Magic.

E3 Ubisoft Forecast

Benjamin Webb
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This year E3 is going to be filled with many of the leading game publishers around the world, but for this article we are going to be forecasting for Ubisoft. Ubisoft have recently revealed a small amount of information on what they’ll be doing at this years Electronic Entertainment Expo.

The first thing that we’ll be forecasting is the conference dates and times for this group.

The conference kicks off at the following times on Tuesday June 5th

  • 10:00AM NZST Auckland
  • 8:00AM AEST Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart
  • 7:30AM ACST Adelaide
  • 6:00AM AWST Perth, Beijing

Like with last year, the Ubisoft panel will be being streamed live on Youtube at the following link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKRWubusKBU – and will also be streaming live on the UPlay service and on their Facebook page. Even better is that Ubisoft will be answering questions live at the conference that have been asked on their Facebook pages on Farcry 3 and Assassins Creed 3.

Ubisoft will also be showcasing various upcoming games off at their booth, such as –

  • Farcry 3
  • Assassins Creed 3
  • Rayman Legends
  • Rocksmith
  • and a competition on the upcoming Shootmania: Storm

Make sure you check back here for all the best info on Ubisoft as the news becomes available.

Hunt Yoshi in Mario Tennis Open

Luke Halliday
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Nintendo of Australia has launched a massive campaign across the country today, challenging gamers with a copy of Mario Tennis Open for the Nintendo 3DS to hunt down Yoshi.

So how do you hunt down Yoshi exactly? What does that even mean? Well this Yoshi chase will involve gamers having to hunt down various coloured Yoshis by scanning QR codes in participating stores across the country. The stores which will be taking part are EB Games and JB HIFI, most of which across the country will feature said QR Codes which will unlock different coloured Yoshis. This week the Black Yoshi is discoverable at EB Games and the White Yoshi is discoverable at JB HIFI.

To see if your local store is taking part click here and see. What do you think of this wacky promotion for Mario Tennis Open? Let us know in the comments section below.

Dragon’s Lair Review

Dustin Spencer
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Dragon’s Lair
Developer: Digital Leisure
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: May 18, 2012
Price: 800 MS Points

Story
When it comes to the plot for Dragon’s Lair, you really can’t get more basic. It’s your duty to take control of a clumsy hero by the name of Dirk the Daring and save a princess from the clutches of a dragon. Yeah, we have seen it all before, but this title really paved the way for Mario and Zelda in terms of a general narrative, and those who have not yet visited this lair are sure to find many small elements that have been nodded to quite a bit since 1983.

As far as other characters go, there are a few other faces to see aside from the bumbling knight. Princess Daphne is still the vixen she always was, Lizard King has remained menacing, and seeing that final famous cutscene is still as pleasing as it ever. There isn’t a lot more to say when it comes to story due to the short length of the game, but in true Bluth-styled fashion , this plot is campy and comedic the entire way through as it never takes itself too seriously, which is what makes it simply timeless.

Gameplay
As far as the actual gameplay goes with a standard controller, you will more than likely have to have a bit of nostalgia soaked in to appreciate what’s on display within Dragon’s Lair as it’s age does show. Players must watch the game unfold through the FMV sequences, and hit an appropriate button on the D-pad (or attack with the action command) at the right time to have their actions reflect the choices of the main character. For instance, if Dirk is falling, hitting left at the right moment can pull him up to safety, with the wrong input leading to a quick and immediate death. Players also must choose appropriate paths and attempt not to trigger booby traps as they traverse through the castle, which can also lead to death if performed incorrectly. It’s a game all about trial and error for the most part, and anyone with a lack of patience will find themselves frustrated within minutes due to Dragon’s Lair’s quick-to-kill punishment. Now, you do respawn right where you left off – so it isn’t too bad, but there were a few moments I had to wonder if the timing was a bit off

The new feature this time around is the added in Kinect support. Things still play out the same while utilizing the motion control, but you can now use your limbs and body to literally mimic Dirk. It’s a nice inclusion and works well enough, but I honestly preferred the controller as there just isn’t a lot to it. That really isn’t this port’s fault as Dragon’s Lair has always been a pretty straightforward title, but seeing some new sequences or mini-games added to actually push the purpose for the Kinect would have done a lot in terms of replay value. To be fair, there is a co-op mode, but this is a last-minute inclusion as well as it just requires two players to take turns as they make it to the end.

Visuals/Audio
Much like the story, the visuals are also pleasant and crisp, which goes to show just how much of an impact this title made so long ago. Animations are fluid and keep the pace of the game moving nicely, delivering some quality entertainment to those who are involved, or to those who happen to be spectating. Yes, the art style is fantastic, and it’s hard to spot a fault in this hand-drawn castle. However, I did feel as if I was running in place a bit too often due to re-used scenes that are mirrored just to pad out the length of the game. On a good day, most will be able to see everything Dragon’s Lair has to offer in under 15 minutes time. When half of the game is just mirrored images of previously visited locations, the appeal can quickly wear off as those gray hairs begin to stick out like sore thumbs.

Much like the visuals, there isn’t anything wrong with the sound. The music is utterly brilliant and creates a nice tone for the action sequences, while the light voice acting brings the cast to life – just like an iconic Disney film (SAVE ME!). Again, the sounds are retained for the mirrored scenes, which means you will be hearing the same effects more than once, so get used to any audible cues or effects early on as you will be quite familiar with all of the lot by the time you do battle with the dragon.

Overall
Dragon’s Lair did so much for the industry that it’s hard to show the game any kind of hate. Sure, there is re-used footage throughout and a good amount of repetition, but that delightful tale shines through brightly and makes this journey worth taking at least once. Even with Kinect support, this title doesn’t deliver enough to be truly fulfilling though, and unless you crave a hardcore nostalgic blast, the value just isn’t there. Dragon’s Lair doesn’t need my assistance to prove it’s worth, but newcomers might be more interested in checking out one of the many other options to play the game, rather than try it in an inferior form.

6-5-capsules-out-of-10

Shootmania Storm In-Game Trailer Released

Benjamin Webb
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Shootmania Storm is the upcoming Online FPS which is set in a fast-paced fantasy world that is being said to be accessible from any PC. But what makes this game really interesting is the way it deals with the games maps and competitive aspects.

Shootmania Storm, as a lot of people may have noticed, is made by the team (Nadeo Studio, Ubisoft) that brought you Trackmania and as you can see, the name-sake has also carried over. This means that a similar philosophy has been incorporated into the Shootmania from Trackmania, namely that it is nearly entirely driven by player-made content. This is a good thing because the players really know what makes a good map and some of the best level designers in the industry took their start in the modding community.

What I really enjoyed about the trailer was that it showcased a rather unique looking game. On the one hand you had broken down medieval style castles and things, while on the other you had a sci-fi kind of player character that almost looked like it had came out of the Tron films. As I commented on the Youtube video –

Tron mixed with Lord of the Rings.

This game looks like something that I’ll be giving a go, so I would recommend everyone at least check it out at some stage. Make sure you watch the embedded trailer below.

Nippon Ichi 20th anniversary PlayStation Vita Project teaser site launched

Travis Bruno
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Today Nippon Ichi opened up their teaser website for one of their two 20th anniversary projects and this time it is for the PlayStation Vita game. Unfortunately the teaser site offers basically zero additional information about the game besides the fact that it appears to feature the below girl.

The image also features three other silhouettes which appear to be two men and one woman. At the moment the Japanese text has been left untranslated but rough translation shows that it means “The object of data gathering previously exceeded everyday life.” Currently there is still no word about what the genre of the game is even at this point, so it seems we will have to wait and see.

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