Bailout America App

By demand, KRAPPS will periodically review “legit” apps thru a network of guest authors.

Free Bailout America apps – see end of article for details

Title: Bailout America
Category: Games
Guest Author: Zyber

Bailout America, by DoeDoe, is a very addicting Lemmings-Style game. With great graphics, 10 challenges (levels) to over come and great music – Bailout America is sure to please!

The controls are quite simple. You have 4 tools you can use, each one which has to be unlocked each level. The tools include: a Hammer, which destroys objects … a Bridge, which will make a bride in a crevasse … a Water Bucket, which puts out fires … and the unlock-able Wall. To unlock the Wall you have to destroy all obstacles and put out all fires.

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One of my favorite things about the game is how challenging it can get. You ask, “how can a game where you tap on obstacles to destroy them be that difficult?” The answer … very challenging … the reasons being that  (my strategy) you have to find the first path you see and clear it. If you miss something and you’ll loose all billions. Then go back over the map and see if you can find a quicker path. Then quickly construct the new path and block off the old one. Did I mention all of this must be done on a countdown timer?

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Every level has a quota of Billions that you have to deliver to the CEO Cat (he eats up all the tax payer dollars). The backgrounds and graphics are very pleasing. Another neat thing about the game is if Billions Bills fall from to far of a height, the bills crumple and create an obstacle which you have to flick off the screen.

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Now, lets review the not so great. There’s only 10 levels. While the game is rather challenging, 10 levels will only last so long. Also, sometimes it was a little late on telling me that the Vertical Wall tool was available. Finally, on occasion the Wall wouldn’t go where I tapped causing a hold up and/or destruction of some Billion Bills till I could fix the problem.

Click here to purchase Bailout America for $0.99 (limited time only, hurry!). Over all this game is a great deal and will keep you entertained for hours.

Pros:
Great Graphics – Challenging – Requires Quick Thinking – Lemming-Like – Humorous

Cons:
Only 10 levels

FREE Bailout America To KRAPPS Viewers!
antikrappssealv2gif Bailout America developers, DoeDoe, were kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download the game for FREE. Simply be one of the first 5 viewers to leave a comment at the end of this review and we will email you the download code. Do it and experience why Bailout America is 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

March 28, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 15 Comments 

Tomato Boxes App

By demand, KRAPPS will periodically review “legit” apps thru a network of guest authors.

Free Tomato Boxes app giveaways – see end of article for details

Title: Tomato Boxes
Category: Games
Guest Author: Carolynn

TMlogo I’ve been playing video games since I was about 3 years old. So you could say that I’m totally in love with them. Something I’ve noticed about good video games is that they stand the test of time. Even today you see all these new gaming systems that have awesome capabilities and yet we are still playing old school games. Games that get re-made for these systems because they are so good, people don’t want to be without them. And now that we have the iPhone/iPod Touch, we have more opportunities to play games that are re-made. One of these games that has been brought out and dusted off is called Tomato Boxes by Ryan Alyea (follow on Twitter @ROFISH).

Tomato Boxes is basically a Sokoban game. Sokoban is a game that has been around for quite a long time. It usually involves a man pushing boxes to determined points on the board. In Tomato Boxes, the man is a tomato. Each board is different, with obstacles hindering tomato from getting his boxes to their points. The Tomato can only push one box at a time. The way you control the game is simple. There is a directional pad (D-Pad) on the screen and you just push up, down, left or right to move tomato. If you make a mistake, you can press the middle button of the D-Pad and a menu comes up with the option to undo. You can undo up to 5 moves in a row. You can also reset the game if you are stuck and want to start over.

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What’s great about Tomato Boxes? It’s a great little pick up and play game. The challenging gameplay makes you think. You don’t need a lot of time to solve the levels, so it’s great if you are craving a short game. There are over 13,000 downloadable levels, so you shouldn’t run out of puzzles anytime soon. The background effects are very cool! There are multiple colors that move in a sort of wave motion and it looks awesome on the iDevice. The game graphics have a great old school feel and bring back memories of old Sokoban clones.
What’s not so great? There is no background music or sounds included. I enjoy sounds and sometimes music in my games and I would like to see some added to Tomato Boxes. The menu button is very easy to accidently press and it interrupts the game quite frequently. It can be a little difficult to play for people with big fingers. The D-Pad needs some adjustments and it would be better.

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My overall impression of Tomato Boxes: A neat game for Sokoban fans that needs some minor tweaks. If you like puzzlers and want 13,000 different Sokoban boards, then this game is for you. It’s available in the App Store for $2.99. There is a free scaled down version available as well in the App Store.

FREE Tomato Boxes ($2.99 value) To KRAPPS Viewers!
Tomato Boxes developer, Ryan Alyea, was kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download Tomato Boxes for FREE. Simply be one of the first 5 viewers to leave a comment at the end of this review indicating their favorite food item/dish that includes tomatoes and we will email you the download code.

March 26, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 25 Comments 

geoDefense App

By demand, KRAPPS will periodically review “legit” apps thru a network of guest authors.

 

Title: geoDefense
Category: Games
Author: Dean

geoDefenseLogo A few days ago a friend told me about this awesome new app called geoDefense by Critical Thought Games. At first glance I thought it was just another Tower Defense (TD) game, but after downloading it, I immediately became hooked. If you are not familiar with Tower Defense, the object is very simple, destroy creeps on a path using special towers before they reach the end. But even if you have played numerous TD games before, you have never played anything quite like this!

The developers have really worked hard in the design and graphics of geoDefense. The game is filled with a collection of amazing neon lights and effects. While playing, be prepared for a true shock and awe experience. As each creep is destroyed you will experience thousands of particles racing across your screen, while at the same time see spectacular 3D ripple effects. Now imagine killing 10 creeps at once, the effects on your screen all at once are simply mind blowing.

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geoDefense stays true to the style of Tower Defense, however at the same time is vastly superior to any TD games currently on the market. geoDefense contains 3 difficulty modes, each with 10 fun levels for a total of 30 unique and challenging maps. Additionally, you get 5 upgradeable towers, each with their own special features.

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During the first few levels of the game, you will be assisted by screens that will show you how to play, what each tower does and the occasional gameplay strategy. During every level, geoDefense will keep you on your toes and throughout the entire game, you will be fighting hordes of creeps. Higher levels in geoDefense pose as a real challenge even to the best of TD style games and the smallest mistake could easily cause you to loose.

One last thing about geoDefense is it’s stability. Even though there can be thousands of different particles zooming across your screen at once, the game never lags. During the few days that I have played it, I have never once had my iPod Touch crash or seen any drops in performance. I have also never been required to restart my device before playing. geoDefense is solidly built, flawless, fun, and simply amazing.

 

At only $0.99, geoDefense [App Store] is a must buy no-brainer, must buy app!

antikrappssealv2gif EDITOR’S NOTE: Playing this game is completely insane! You talk about a WOW factor … geoDefense is all WOW all the time. It’s like an endless firework show. Heck with gameplay, they could sell this bad bunny as the “The Show That Never Ends” app – a continuous firework show with jaw-dropping graphics and visual effects. Huge props to Critical Thought Games for bringing such quality to the App Store. At 99 cents, just download it now – no thinking is necessary! This game absolutely floored us, thus making geoDefense 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

March 24, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 8 Comments 

Sliders App

By demand, KRAPPS will periodically review “legit” apps thru a network of guest authors.

Title: Sliders
Category: Games
Guest Author: Carolynn

sliders_logoGIF I really enjoy puzzle games. But there are a lot of games out there that seem to take a theme and beat it in to the ground without really changing anything. They slap on some different graphics and say it’s “new” when really it’s the same old game with glitter on it. So, when I’m combing though all these games, I’m pleased when I find one that’s not like all the others. One that has some of the same characteristics but adds a new twist. Something to make your puzzle fingers excited again. Well folks, there are games like this out there – breaking the mold and do something different. One of these new games is Sliders by Gnizama.

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Sliders is a game that brings something different to the Match-3 table. When you start the game, you are presented with a 5 x 5 board of brightly colored blocks. You then slide the blocks side to side or up and down to make matches of 3 or more colors. But, here’s where it gets different. In most Match-3 games, you must make a move that results in a match. In Sliders, you can slide the blocks where you want to as many times as you need to pick up big combos and Special Matches. Special Matches are certain block configurations that give you mega point bonuses! They are listed in the help section of the game. There are 3 different game modes; Timed, Strategy and Free Play. In Timed mode you are given 120 seconds to score as many points as possible. If you make a match of 4 or more blocks, or a Special Match, you will get extra time. In Strategy Mode you have 50 moves to get the highest score. As with Timed mode, if you make a match of 4 or more etc; you gain extra moves. Free play mode lets you play without timers or other distractions to practice getting those huge combos and Special Matches.

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What’s great about Sliders? It’s a great little game that changes the Match-3 game play up a bit. The graphics are very clean and polished. I am in love the sounds and the background music. It gives a great feel to the game, a lightness that’s enjoyable to listen to. The gameplay is simple, yet addicting. Trying to get the Special Matches is challenging and they really make you want to play more to get them. What’s not so great? There is no separate scoreboard included. The game only records your highest score in either Timed mode or Strategy mode. It’s displayed on the information page. There is also no in game Global Scoreboard. I’d also like to see more times added or the timer extended a bit so you can play timed mode longer. 120 seconds doesn’t seem like enough time to me. Or maybe it’s because I liked timed mode best and want to play it longer!

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My overall impression of Sliders: if you like puzzle games, then you really should give it a try. It’s a great pick and play game and you don’t need a lot of time on your hands to play. Unless you are the addictive type and end up playing for longer than you planned. Sliders can have that effect, so be careful! But do try it. Click here to purchase Sliders for $1.99 in the App Store or visit the web site for more information and demo video.

antikrappssealv2gif EDITORS NOTE: Putting a new spin on a classic is risky business. Remakes of movies, songs, automobiles, etc. can get tricky … propensity to fail is high as emulating a classic is tough. That’s why the folks at Gnizama did a marvelous job putting their spin on the classic Match-3 game … no fail for them as Sliders is a big win and thus 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

FREE Sliders ($1.99 value) To KRAPPS Viewers!
Gnizama was kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download Sliders for FREE. Simply be one of the first 3 viewers to leave a comment at the end of this review and we will email you the download code.

March 17, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 18 Comments 

Up There App

By demand, KRAPPS will periodically review “legit” apps thru a network of guest authors.

Title: Up There
Category: Games
Guest Author: Carolynn

I don’t like to be a show-off. But with my iPod Touch all I have to do turn it on and I’m a show-off. People always seem to crowd around me and watch me play my games. Then they say, what else can you show us? What other games have you got on there? I only have a few games that I like to go to for showing off. These games really highlight the capabilities of the iPod Touch. They bear witness to how dazzling the graphics are, the tilt controls that are fairly new to gaming and the awesomeness of the touch screen. One of the games that’s in this very small show-off group is Up There by Veiled Games. It’s my go to game when I’m demonstrating all the great features of my device.

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Up There is a game that was specifically made for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The gameplay is not complicated. You start the game with a balloon in a cage. The balloon just wants to float up. It’s released from its cage and you have to guide it though various barriers you will encounter along the way. The way you guide the balloon is by tilting the device back and forth to move through the holes in the barriers. If you get stuck, then your game is over. Also included is an easier practice mode to help you get the hang of the game.

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So why is this game my show off piece? Because the visuals are simply sublime. The artist hand drew all the artwork and it really needs to be viewed on the iPod Touch/iPhone’s screen to appreciate its real beauty. There have been no problems with the graphics as the game always runs seamlessly without slowdown. The in game soundtrack, “The Joy of Sky”, gives a nice light feel to the game. Up There also satisfies my competitive needs. There is a regular scoreboard, as well as a global score board to record your high scores and compete against the world.

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My overall impression of Up There = FANTASTIC! No iDevice should be without it. It’s even been selected by Apple as a Featured Application. The developers obviously poured their heart in to this game and it truly shows. This game is here to stay on my iPod Touch and I will continue to WOW people with it for a long, long time. Click here to get your show-off piece at the App Store now for $1.99

Anti-Krapps-Seal-v2GIF EDITORS NOTE: Ok, we admit it … we like to show off our iPhone as well to those poor suckers who go through life without the greatest gadget on Earth. As such, we have a show off screen … sort of a Hall Of Fame screen featuring the best of the best … stuff like Shazam, Google Earth, iFart (kidding!) and of course … Up There. By the way, if you don’t agree with our review …
UP YOURS … because Up There is 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

FREE Up There App To KRAPPS Viewers!
Veiled Games was kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download Up There for FREE. Through Fri, Mar 13 at 11:00am PST, tweet the message below on Twitter and be entered into the Up There drawing. Good luck!

got iPhone? read the Up There game review on @KRAPPS – it’s 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified http://krapps.com/?p=1631

March 12, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 17 Comments 

iNewz Tech App

iNewzREJECTJPG EDITORS NOTE: As a preamble to this article, yesterday, Apple made a bonehead move by rejecting the Twitter client, Tweetie, based on foul language in Twitter streams. Deja vu for iNewz developer John Gordon as his app was initially rejected due to one of the news sources displaying a profanity in the headline. Click the image to see the full-size rejected screenshot from Apple.

Title: iNewz Tech
Category: News
Guest Author: Dennis

Procrastination. Everyone does it. In fact, this review is the result of a week’s worth of procrastination – “oh the deadline for this review isn’t for another week? no problem, I can just whip something up a few days before the piece is due”. It’s now the night that the article is supposed to be submitted. What am I doing? Watching TV, surfing websites, playing around on Twitter, eating some Girl Scout cookies… everything but writing about this app.

If this type of situation sounds familiar to you at all, well then this app is perfect for you! iNewz Tech [App Store] compiles articles from the top technology websites and brings it all to you in one app. That’s 217 feeds from 80 different sources!

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You’re now probably asking, “What?? How does that help me?”

Here at KRAPPS, we periodically recommend apps that help you become the very best you can be (ie. Touch Poet brings out the best Shakespeare in you). In this case, we’re just trying to help you become the very best procrastinator. iNewz Tech brings you up to date articles from the best tech sites. Browse from a selection of topics from Mobile to Home Theatre, to even Business IT. Don’t want to read about Microsoft? Look under the Apple section for all your Apple fanboy needs. The app sorts it all out for you! Simply touch the article headline that interests you and you’ll be immediately transferred via the integrated browser to the originating site where you can read the article in its entirety. iTech Newz supports landscape viewing as well as offline reading. So simple – So convenient.

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iNewz Tech also has two other sister apps: iNewz [App Store] and iNewz Green [App Store].

iNewz aggregates 600 feeds from 83 different domestic and foreign news sources including New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Toronto Sun, Asia Times and more. iNewz Green provides content from top eco-friendly news sources on the internet including Planet Green, TreeHugger, Popular Science and more. A total of 166 feeds from 96 different sources. Rumor has it … this app is solar powered so they practice what they preach.

Now you know when you find articles that are really funny (like KRAPPS articles) or super interesting (also like KRAPPS articles) and just HAVE to share it with everyone? Instead of jumping through hoops (find computer, located article url, etc.) just to spread the word … use your iPhone and directly send the article to Twitter, Del.icio.us, or even through email! With such a huge array of topics and the endless supply of articles, you can spend countless hours not writing your paper, studying, etc. and procrastinate instead.

So what are you waiting for? Be all that you can be! Get iNewz! Procrastinate!

antikrappssealv2gif3 EDITORS NOTE: We are big fans of Kiss – no, we’re not talking about the legendary rock ‘n roll face painter band – but the concept of Keep It Simple Stupid. The iNewz family is prefect for us – no need to mess with subscriptions or folders or waste hours discovering cool sites. The iNewz app family makes the entire process easy and convenient … giving us more time to do other things thus making us more productive human beings. Hmmm – more productive human beings … one of the many reasons why iNewz is 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

FREE iNewz Apps ($2.99 value) To KRAPPS Viewers!
Developer John Gordon was kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download iNewz, iNewz Tech and iNewz Green for FREE. There are 3 codes available for each app. Simply leave a comment at the end of this review, indicating your preference (Newz, Tech or Green) and we will email you the download code.

March 11, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Guest Authors, News | 30 Comments 

Sneezies App & Sneak Peek

EDITORS NOTE: Before we dive into our Sneezies review, KRAPPS has learned that developer Antair Games will be releasing a new game based on the original Sneezies gameplay. This new version will be Easter-themed, with bunnyfied Sneezies characters, new backgrounds, graphics and color palette. Release is set for sometime this week at a price of 99 cents. Make sure you don’t miss Easter Sneezies for more Sneezies fun!

easter_preview

Title: Sneezies
Category: Games
Guest Author: Carolynn

I’m a girl and therefore I like cute things. At least that’s the stereotype. But in some cases I actually do fit into that group of girls who like cutesy things. There are even a few games out there I downloaded simply because of their cutey factor. The first iPhone game I purchased simply because it made me smile was Sneezies by Antair Games. I didn’t even read the game’s description, I just looked at the artwork and bought it. When I played the game the first time, I was very pleased that it wasn’t something that was just good to look at.

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Sneezies is a game that anyone can play. You start the game with the Sneezies floating around the screen trapped in bubbles. To release them, you have to give them sneezing powder. You release the powder by touching the screen. Then a chain reaction occurs (hopefully) as one by one the Sneezies sneeze themselves out of their bubbles. When they sneeze, they spread the powder throughout the group of Sneezies and continue popping until the powder can’t reach anymore bubbles. In Classic Mode, each level has a goal number of Sneezies to rescue. If you fail to meet that goal, you can try again. Trust me, in later levels you’ll be doing a lot of this as it gets harder to rescue the required number of Sneezies. Challenge mode is different as you are given 5 turns to rescue a larger number of Sneezies. 45 are levels included in Classic Mode and 15 in Challenge Mode.

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What’s great about Sneezies? Where should I start? The artwork and background images are stunning. It’s highly polished and super cute. Just when I thought the game couldn’t get any better, I plugged in my headphones. There is a nice, happy background track of course. But the best part is when the Sneezies are freed from their bubbles. The sound of them sneezing is simply adorable. You can’t help but smile or laugh when you hear it. The game play is amazingly simple, yet at higher levels you might find yourself wondering why you just can’t get past that level you’ve played 20 times. It’s super addictive and a pure joy to play. The game also includes a global scoreboard so you can compare your rescuing skills worldwide. There’s also an in-game scoreboard for comparing your own scores.

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My impression of Sneezies: 5 out of 5 sneezes! You really can’t go wrong when you go pick up this game. It will entertain you for hours and make you laugh!  Click here to purchase Sneezies for $1.99 or try the free Lite version by clicking here.

Anti-Krapps-Seal-v2GIF EDITORS NOTE: Cute? Yeah right! Don’t let these little guys fool you. They are tough as nails and can be frequently spotted chain smoking Malboro Reds while swilling Jack & Coke. But since Sneezies appear on KRAPPS, we consider them family – so for better or worse … we love Sneezies and this game is
100% anti-KRAPPS Certified.

FREE Sneezies App To KRAPPS Viewers!
Antair Games was kind enough to provide codes which will allow KRAPPS viewers to download Sneezies for FREE. Through Wed, Mar 11 at 11:00am PST, tweet the message below on Twitter and be entered into the Sneezies drawing. Good luck!

got iPhone? read the Sneezies review on @KRAPPS – it’s 100% anti-KRAPPS Certified http://krapps.com/?p=1615

March 10, 2009 | Filed Under anti-KRAPPS, Games, Guest Authors | 10 Comments 

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