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Posts tagged ‘App Store’

SAHGeekMom’s iPad Game Of The Month: Casey’s Contraptions – May 2011

  • By: Snappy Touch & Mystery Coconut
  • Genre: puzzle game, physics puzzle, Rube Goldberg machines
  • Platform: iPad (iPhone coming soon)
  • Price: $2.99
  • SAHGeekMom Rating: 5 Stars
  • Pump gives it 4.75 Pump’s up!
  • Recommended Age: 7+
  • EDU-APP NO-BRAINER!

Contest Note: This is a comprehensive look at Casey’s Contraptions, including words from the developers and Pump’s Point for kids. If you want the short version be sure to check out my review on appadvice.com.

But, if you like what you see, and you will because this game is killer, then be sure to come back. You  can only win the promo code by leaving a comment here or tweeting this review. Good luck!

Incredible Machine 1992

Casey’s Contraptions, by Snappy Touch (actually co-developed by both Snappy Touch and Mystery Coconut) is the 1992 classic game The Incredible Machine re-imagined for a new new millennium of devices and gamers.

It maintains the premise of creating Rube Goldberg-like mechanisms, but adds a realistic physics engine, touch screen controls, gorgeous GUI and unique sharing capabilities. The net result: Casey’s Contraptions is the best new physics puzzler of the year to date.

Eight-year-old Casey guides you through three environments: the classroom, the backyard and his bedroom. (I’m not touching that……)

He helps you build an amazing assortment of contraptions using his toys, (cars, slingshots, balls etc.) and other items like boxes, books, balloons, pipes and scissors. You try to create chain reactions to achieve simple goals like getting a ball into a basket or popping balloons.

Collect stars and complete levels as fast as possible to max your score.

It’s simple (and necessary) to stop and restart each of the included 72 levels. An additional two worlds are coming, and an iPhone release is in the works too.

While the setting is imaginative and child-like, the game is not child’s play by a long shot. The challenges are fresh and often daunting. The physics engine is superb and the interface is super-responsive and clean.

Check out the trailer:

If you knew me when I started this blog, or you are one of my many developer friends, you know one of my missions is to bring you the best of what indie devs are making for iOS.

I’m all about indie everything. But, because I have had good fortune with my reviews, I now get to see the hottest new titles from big-name publishers too, and I need to cover those for obvious reasons, and because a great game is a great game.

When a game gets a much buzz as Casey’s Contraptions, and you see a huge banner in the App Store it’s easy to assume it’s there because it’s backed by some big corporate entity like EA.

I disagree, however, with those who say the process is completely rigged. It’s true the power-houses know how to manipulate sales and releases and press to propel their apps to prominence, but there is more too it.

I have no idea what makes Apple pick their picks, but because many of the apps I have covered that were very small and very indie have been featured,  I think Apple is pretty fair and follows user trends heavily in deciding what to feature.

Casey’s Contraption’s is a case-in-point. The buzz it has is because the game-gurus who saw it at GDC 11 in February were wowed.

I have no idea if they were offered a publishing deal, but I don’t see a big name here, I see a two-man team who made something stellar. So reviewing this brings me back to my roots, while still being about as relevant as any game review can be.

I was lucky to reach Noel, co-creater of this amazing new game, and I want to share what he told me about development with you.

Casey’s Contraptions was made as a collaboration between two people: Noel Llopis (creator of Flower Garden [a long-time favorite of mine]), and Miguel Ángel Friginal (creator of Pip).

I [Noel] did the programming, Miguel did the art, and we did the design together. We spent eight months working full-time on the game, [it shows] which is quite long by iOS development standards, but we wanted to make sure the game provided the experience we had in mind. We’re very proud of the final result.

One of the aspects of the game that we spent considerable amount of time on was the user interaction. We designed item manipulation so players would interact with them in a very direct and intuitive way. We also made sure the game ran at 60fps so movement was always smooth.

The attention to detail shows at every turn and critics and users alike are raving.

Frankly, I’m proud to have been given the honour of getting to hear from Noel, and to test-drive this great game not just for appadvice, but here on my blog.

While Casey’s Contraptions follows the same somewhat overdone progression formula you see in Chillingo-like puzzlers, Snappy Touch and Mystery Coconut add some cool twists.

As usual there are multiple levels in multiple environments, with successful completion of one unlocking the next. And, course you can earn up to three stars per level.

But, you only need to complete a few of each sub-set to unlock more, and you accumulate a set number of stars to open new worlds. What this means in a nutshell, is don’t worry about getting stuck; there are several ways to progress through the game.

The game also features a level editor and you can share your homemade challenges with Game Center friends. It’s great for this sort of game and almost a requisite feature, but level editors are not new.

(I found a link on their Facebook Fan page to a bunch of cool user-submitted levels. Check them out here.)

But, Casey’s Contraptions uses Game Center in a novel way.  You can share solutions with your friends and peek at theirs. Since there is no right or wrong way to solve the puzzles, it’s fascinating to see what others come up with.

Don’t have any  friends who have the answers? Of course you do! Casey is always there for you and he’ll share his perfect plan. It’s hard to cheat though, whomever’s solution you see.

Replicating someone’s exact item placement (there’s no grid, anything can go anywhere and items rotate a full 360 degrees) is likely more time consuming and certainly less fun than finding your own solve, (she wrote, not admitting she knows this from experience…)

Like I said, this is not a child’s game. I think kids younger than my co-reviewer and son, who will be eight sooner than I care to think about, would get easily frustrated with the complex physics aspects of the game.

That said, it will appeal to little ones because of the toy-theme, and the cute, cartoonish, and vibrant graphics.

But, if you have a gifted young puzzler like I do, this is one of the rare games that won’t cause guilt over screen-time. It’s genuinely educational and creative, and a great way to get young users into the whole Rube Goldberg thing. That is always cool. If you have a clever Lego, Kinnex or other building toy fan, this is sure to please.

Pump’s Point: The game is not easy like my other new ones. [They are “his” now, because he officially co-opted my old iPad, although he’s been kind enough to let me borrow it back when I need a jailbreak app.] It’s kinda hard, just not bad hard. I like figuring out how to make the toys do different things.

I tied my mom and dad and my way was better. Evan [his best friend] will love it too, and so will your kids, except if they don’t like to think a lot like after homework and stuff. And Casey has a cool robot, I am going to make one with boxes too.

In my last game review that I put up on Friday (Spider Jack) I said, and maintain, that I am not a fan of pure physics puzzlers.

That doesn’t mean that with a collection of well over 5000 apps and games, and having tested and/or reviewed  hundreds of iOS offerings, that I can’t cover a game that’s isn’t my cup of tea. But, if I’m talking about Angry Birds or Cut the Rope, I can see the merit without enjoying the games themselves very much.

But, I have always loved Rube Goldberg machines, more for looking than making, but they fascinate me.

Because Casey’s Contraptions has so many different types of puzzles, and because it’s so easy to skip levels or sneak a peek at a solution, this is the rare pure puzzler I plan to keep on my iPad 2. (I don’t alliterate on purpose; I can’t seem to stop myself!)

This and World of Goo are likely to stay alone in a very small folder, but even for me, Casey is a keeper.

It’s no surprise that Apple has a Casey’s Contraptions banner on the App Store homepage, and TUAW picked it as the Game of the Day; it’s definitely The Stay at Home GeekMom’s Game of the Month too. I am willing to put money on its presence in the December ’11 year-end round-ups. I believe it will maintain its position at the top of the charts, even as the buzz and hype fade, or passes to the next must-have.

In an App Store and year replete with new and innovative iPad games, Casey’s Contraptions stands out as the best physics-puzzler on the App Store for 2011. Don’t forget to watch for its release on iPhone If you have an iPad, buy it now.

Or… enter to win a promo code only on http://www.sahgeekmom.com. Check out my contest page for additional ways to earn entries.

The enter just leave a relevant comment here, or tweet this review (make sure to mention @sahgeekmom so I can find you) and a winner will be chosen at random. This time, since I have a code, the contest is open to all.

Contest Closes Tuesday, May 24, 9:00pm EDT. Good Luck!

It’s still not to late to enter to my giveaway of Chillingo’s new smash Spider Jack, I’m making up for lost time!

And please check out and bookmark my brand new comprehensive list of the very best (and a few of the worst) apps for artists and photographers of all levels for iPad and iPad 2. I take you through the hottest 23, yes 23, apps for painting, sketching, photo editing and everything in between, tested on both iPad models, and take a look at all three of Adobe’s new CS 5 companion apps.

Here’s a massive gallery of screenshots for you, I can’t select individual ones using the wordpress.com template I have, sorry for the overabundance, but this game had me snapping away:

If you are looking for more to read, here are some of my most popular reviews and Weekend Edition round-ups for you and don’t forget to look for my reviews, contests App List and App Guides on appadvice.com.

Happy App Hunting

The 

Category:

Apple, Apps, children, contest, contests, creative, dads, educational, elementary school, family, freebies, Games, giveaways, grade school, grammar school, high school, IOS, Ipad, iPad2, kids, middle school, Mobile Devices, moms, parenting, parents, promo codes, puzzle games, swag, Tablets, teachers, teens, tweens

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Burn it All – Journey To The Sun is Smoking Hot!

Burn It All  – Journey to the Sun Is Smoking Hot!

Win a Copy With A Tweet or Comment. An Exclusive Stay at Home GeekMom giveaway! – CONTEST CLOSED

  • By: BulkyPix / Pastagames
  • Genre: Puzzle game, casual game, addictive game, family game
  • Platform: Universal
  • Price: $.99
  • SAHGeekMom Rating: 5 Stars!!
  • Pump gives it 4.75 Pump’s Up
  • Recommended Age: 6+ but not a kid’s game

Burn it All - Journey to the Sun by Bulkypix iconBurn it All – Journey to the Sun is only a day old in its iOS incarnation, and it’s already a hit.

That’s saying a lot because yesterday was a banner day for new games with several highly anticipated titles launching and contending for top spot and press.

Gears is great, I will be covering it tomorrow. I just gave Vampire Rush a glowing review, and Snuggle Truck (formerly Smuggle Truck) has backstory buzz galore. But Burn it All stands out for good reason. This game is smokin’! Just read the user reviews in the App Store.

Bulkypix teamed up with Pastagames, who together brought “retrofied” insta-classic Pix’n Love Rush to the App Store, and this time they offer up a must have action-puzzler.

Before you assume that Burn it All is a copycat of Burn the Rope, know it was released for Windows Phone 7 last August in advance of the tilt-to-control game that shares the theme.

And while both games are puzzlers that involve burning ropes and both are safe bets for kids, that’s where the similarities end. And frankly, Burn it All is by far the better game in every way.

What Burn it All gives you is 100 levels of finger-guided, pyro-powered fun. So much so, you hardly realize you’re thinking a lot too. And if you play for just ten minutes, you will find there is a lot more to burn here than just ropes.

The game starts off simply. Drag a little fireball to a rope-end and set it ablaze. If it burns in time, you clear the level and unlock the next.

Soon the challenges pile on. Your little firebug has to battle vampire bats, dripping icicles and gas leaks. And that’s just in the first 25 “easy” boards.

Further along you meet a blue flame that can ignite from any spot on an object and a green fireball that can singe its way through several objects. And you face all kinds of new elements in need of roasting.

As a final burn, Pastagames has a twist: “time looping”. Did I mention the game is universal and only $.99?

Burn it All requires dexterity and a fast touch, but it also requires thought. Different colored ropes burn at different speeds. Cord length and obstacle-dodging factor in too.

I thought it might be over Pump’s head (he’s my seven-year-old son and co-reviewer, see about me.) But, as usual, he was faster and better than I was in no time.

He wants you to know that: “This game is really really fun. You think you are just burning ropes and bats and stuff and then you have to think about it a lot too to get faster scores. I think it is good for kids and moms too.”

Well, this mom anyway and at least one GeekDad who is a pretty serious gamer too.

Check out the trailer, read the rest of this then go grab it before they realize they could easily charge five times as much and still be offering a great deal:

The learning curve is fantastic. Challenges are revealed gradually, with clear pictorial explanation. But, since you can earn up to three gems for fast completion times, there is a ton of replay value too.

Add Game Center and Open Feint plus email and Facebook bragging and you have a title that will keep gamers, casual and hard-core, coming back for more.

The only flaw I found was a slightly sticky control mechanism. It’s designed to stay out of your field of vision, but it’s also a bit counterintuitive.

By instinct I want to drag the fire right to the rope, but because touching anywhere works too, I found myself losing fireballs to old habits. It’s a small matter, well worth the adaptation.

Burn it All – Journey to the Sun may be the most innovative puzzler of 2011. It’s a gamers delight and poised to be a permanent fixture on App Store charts and your iDevice.

Want to win a free copy? This is NOT an appadvice.com contest, it is EXCLUSIVE to Stay at Home GeekMom readers.

All you have to to is tweet this review (and include @sahgeekmom so I can find it) or leave a relevant comment. Funny is good, but this one will be by random draw since the game is so hot!

You can enter once by each method, and check out my contest page to see how you can ern extra entries as well.

Contest Closes Monday, May 3 2011, 6:00pm EST.

Here is a slideshow of all the screenshots I took and the promo pics.

Check back often for the hotest game reviews and a new Stay and Home GeekMom Weekend Edition: Best Apps for News Junkies.

Developers! Want a review or to run a promotion os SAHGeekMom or appadvice.com? Check out my page just for you!

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Until next time here are some popular recent reviews for you to chceck out:

Happy App Hunting

The 

Category:

app reviews, App Store, Apple, Apps, children, college, contest, contests, dads, elementary school, family, free, freebies, Games, giveaways, grade school, grammar school, high school, IOS, IOS Games, Ipad, iPad2, iPhone, iPhone 4, Ipod touch, kids, kindergarden, middle school, Mobile Devices, moms, new apps, new games, parenting, parents, promo codes, puzzle games, reviews, Smartphones, swag, Tablets, teens, tweens

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Bovine Fun? Holy Cow!

Bovine Fun? Holy Cow! Win Catch Freddy Or Tumbling Freddy With A Comment

  • By: Daniel Brandt
  • Genre:  casual game, action game, kids game
  • Platform: iPad Only
  • Price: $.99 for each game
  • SAHGeekMom Rating: 3.5 Stars
  • Pump give’s it 4 Pump’s Up
  • Appropriate for all ages.

Catch Freddy (left) by Daniel Brandt and Tumbling Freddy (right) are two cow-themed games that have rolled onto the App Store recently.

Meet Freddy the Cow. He’s fallen onto iPad in two quick-play action titles. They are simple games, but fun, well designed, creative first offerings from developer Daniel Brandt. While they are intended for all casual gamers, they are both particularly well-suited and appealing to kids. There is virtually no learning curve for either, they can just jump in and play.

Tumbling Freddy is a little like Doodle Jump in reverse. But, instead of falling or jumping downwards off platforms you roll down using a surprisingly responsive little navigation bar. The games ends when Freddy gets squished at the top, or plunges to his doom.

It took me a few games to realize you can continue to control Freddy mid-fall, once I did I was able to play for about 2-3 minutes are a time. The game has power-ups you can roll or fall onto during Freddy’s descent to buy time, or earn points. That’s it. Simple premise, simple game, rated cute-G. Check out the mini demo I made to see what you get:

In Catch Freddy, action meets physics, In this game multiple cow-orbs in a variety of colors tumble down a pegboard. You glide a bar, think Arkanoid or Break Out, and your job is to catch the good cows, and avoid the lethal red ones.

You get a fixed number of lives; you lose them by missing good cows and catching bad ones. The game ends when you run out of lives or catch three reds in a row even if you have lives left.

This game has a little more depth to it than the former. The game-play doesn’t last much longer, but more thinking is involved. You have to gauge how fast and via what path the Freddys, who drop at an increasingly frantic pace, will land, in order to decide on the fly which to catch first.

Catching three of any other color gives you power-ups or perks like slowed or faster game-play and score boosts, and catching a rare cow will toggle a bonus game board. Once more this game is cute and suitable for young gamers. Again here’s a super-short video to give you a peek

These new Freddy titles are fun, and Daniel Brandt is a cool young talent who is dedicated to his games. He already addressed some basic gameplay issues with an update to Catch Freddy, so you know he is responsive to user feedback. But his did miss something, it still says “when catched” instead of “when caught” in the instructions. Just a note for Daniel and nit-pickers.

But the games have some actual game-related limitations which are more important to address. Since they pertain to both games equally we can look at them together.

The controls are responsive for the most part, but they can feel a little sticky in a pinch, especially in Catch Freddy. Also there is only one single player mode. There are no achievements, no endless modes, no multi-player options, nor integration into Game Center or OpenFeint.

There is only one basic and one bonus pegboard in Catch Freddy, and a single constant background in Tumbling Freddy. What you see is what you get. But I want more. That said, Catch Freddy and Tumbling Freddy are amusing quick games to play when you need a three minute distraction that won’t drive you to distraction.

But without any extra features, the Freddy the Cow games don’t have much replay value. I have enjoyed them, my son, aged seven, really likes them, but I am looking forward to some variety in future updates or they’ll soon be relegated to the “what was this again” folder on my iPad. Both titles are, however, solid options for young gamers right now. For kids, repetition is a good thing.

Want to win a copy of either version to test it out for yourself? Daniel would love to get feedback so he knows what users want most in updates; he’s really open and easy to talk to. To win, just leave a comment. This time I need to hear why you would love cows your iPad. As usual, if you make me laugh, and specify which incarnation of Freddy you want, and you’ll probably get a code. Yes, Even, even you!

Be back with more soon. Remember you get first notice of cpontests if you follow te SAHGeekmom. AppAdvice’s contests have as long as a 24 hour delay!

Here are some popular and/or recent reviews for you to chceck out until next time:

Happy App Hunting

The 

Category:

App Store, Apps, children, contest, contests, dads, elementary school, family, free, freebies, game review, Games, giveaways, grade school, grammar school, high school, IOS, IOS Games, Ipad, iPad2, kids, kindergarden, middle school, Mobile Devices, moms, parenting, parents, pre k, preschool, promo codes, reviews, Students, swag, Tablets, teens, tweens

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Get AutoTalent With AutoPainter, AutoPainter HD and AutoPainter Express

Get AutoTalent With AutoPainter

Get AutoTalent With AutoPainter HD And Win A Copy With A Comment

AutoPainter HD by Mediachance iconAutoPainter HD is one of a large number of image-filtering apps that allow you to add effects, in this case painterly ones, to any picture.

What makes AutoPainter a standout, however, is that instead of offering an overabundance of styles rendered with minimal imagination, they offer only four. But each was created with so much attention to detail, the results are nothing short of artworks themselves.

What also sets AutoPainter HD apart is the gorgeous way it shows you the artistic steps in the process of rendering your work. Take a look as I add a Van Gogh effect to a night time photo. The process and video take two minutes:

The included styles are:

  • Aquarell: Running colors, water removal, dry scratches: Intended for flowers, landscapes, old buildings or people.
  • Benson: Inspired by work of Frank Benson. This style has a sunny palette with Mediterranean tones. It enhances inner light and color harmony and works best on sunny landscapes.
  • Cezanne: Inspired by late works of Paul Cezanne. Painted on an artistic paper, the quick brush strokes with warmth and chalk details. Ideal on flowers and still life.
  • Van Gogh Inspired by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, discover the signature swirls, bended reality and blue tones with orange details. Best for night photography and landscapes especially with water reflections.

The GUI is stunning and, frankly, idiot proof. Select an image from your iPad library, select the effect and watch AutoPainter work it’s magic.

If this seems like a sophisticated tool, with too few effects there is a reason. AutoPainter HD (and it’s iPhone and OS X versions) are based a much more robust PC program,Dynamic Auto Painter, that focuses not only on painterly styling’s, but also on portraiture.

The developers are working to ingrate the features from the PC program to the other versions (which are currently all identical except AutoPainter Express on the Mac App Store yields a much higher resolution output image), but they have to deal with the limitations of the iOS device’s processor capabilities.

More is to come, rest assured, but Mediachance would rather release high-quality filters gradually than throw in everything, however pixelated or unrefined, at once. I applaud that approach and look forward to thoughtful updates.

And, all that said, there is a lot you can do with just the four. All it takes is creativity and some multitasking.

One of my favorite features within AutoPainter is that you can stop the transformation process at any point, so you can fine-tune your results, albeit in a linear manner.

But as a talentless hack with creative aspirations, I was inspired to find additional uses for the app.

Try adding a cut-out of a person from one of your snapshots using an image editor.

(If you have a Mac check out my new favorite photo editor Acorn – The Image Editor for Human. It’s a full-featured, but simple, alternative to Photoshop.)

Then use AutoPainter HD to add, say a Cezanne effect. Now overlay the rendered person on a Cezanne background and ta-da, you can star in your own iconic work.

The only thing I would like to see added is social network integration and emailing to show off the end results. In this first release you can save your work to the device’s photo library, but that’s it.

I rendered a Cezanne still life, and “Starry Night” to see how the filters would respond to their inspirations and I was impressed by the results.

 

 

Then I got silly. Imagine if Roussaeu and Van Gogh had hung out?

 

AutoPainter HD is one of the most sophisticated photo-filtering apps I have seen on the App Store. It yields extraordinary “painted” results. The GUI is golden and the process is a pleasure to watch. This is a must have for creative types who wish they could paint like the masters, but need a little help. Get it!

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Contest Closed, prizes awarded privately by email. Thanks!

Ok this has been a productive weekend. And the hits I am getting show you are really enjoying the new content so I’ll try to keep it up. Thanks so much for your support. I am frankly in awe of how many new readers and subscribers that have joined us. Thank you.

Here are some popular and/or recent reviews for you to chceck out until next time:

Happy App Hunting

The 

Category:

App Store, Apps, art, art app, contest, contests, dads, digital art, digital painting, Education, educational, elementary school, family, freebies, grade school, grammar school, iMac, IOS, Ipad, iPad2, iPhone, iPhone 4, Ipod touch, kids, kindergarden, mac, Mac App Store, middle school, Mobile Devices, mom apps, moms, OS X, painting, parents, photography, photos, pre k, preschool, rendering, reviews, school, Smartphones, Students, swag, Tablets, teachers, teens, tweens

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Easter App Stalker Report: Games Gone Free – All iOS Devices (Great Kid’s Titles!) Updated 4/24

Easter App Stalker Report: Games Gone Free – All iOS Devices (Great Kid’s Titles)

Another holiday, another app store blowout. It’s not quite Christmas, but there are ton of hits apps and games on sale or free. Here’s part one of my app stalking report, which I will update as necessary until Monday.

Check back VERY soon for a list of sale apps and games, there are a ton of hits for free out there! Sorry with so many lists, I can’t link to the app store. Also check the price before you buy. Some of the titles were free for 24 hours only.

Ok let’s get to it:

iPhone:/iPod Touch Only

Stickman Cliff Diving: Take a stickman cliff diving by controlling his jump and kick. Your performance is rated by five judges who analyze your every motion. OpenFeint integration.

Zentomino: Great Tangram game – puzzles for all ages. Over 200 puzzles, multiple difficulty levels, and Game Center integration.

Pocket Button Soccer: A turn-based soccer game where you must flick disks at a ball in order to try and be the first player to score 10 goals. 32 teams to choose from, a single player and online multiplayer mode. Game Center.

Wordicus: Take turns creating words and swapping letters in this multi-language word game. Online multiplayer modes, reward system, and OpenFeint integration.

Batak: A variant of card game Spades. (those days of endless spades…hi 1987!) The game features two modes, multiple difficulty levels, and an in-depth tutorial. One day sale.

PottedGarden: Utility, even for those without a green thumb. Plant and grow an urban garden.  Details on when to plant and harvest, how much water is required, properties of the plant, the types of pests that often attack the plant, etc.

Vikings Slice: Physics puzzler that requires you to slice ice in order to rescue trapped vikings.

FaceShift: Take a photo or import one from your library, and FaceShift will allow you to quickly swap the faces. The app is usually able to automatically detect faces, or  you can manually add the face boxes. Completed images can be uploaded to Facebook or saved to your library.

The Creeps!: A classic tower defence game. Creeps are alive in your closet; destroy them with weapons like toy blasters, glue bottles, and flashlights. Warning: Additional content available via in-app purchase. (Pump LOVES this one!)

Chicken Escape: Help the chicken get home to her eggs and chicks by sliding matching road tiles of the same color into place. Tiles can also be rotated by tapping on them. The game features over 100 levels, six modes, and Game Center integration.

I Dig It: Help farmer Lewis dig up old items in order to pay his mortgage by controlling his high-tech digging machine. You have to manage fuel, temperature, and damage while searching for items.

NewtonApples: Keep Newton safe by popping all of the apples that fall from the evil tree. Mix things up with  mini-games or endless mode. The game features 27 levels, unique cutout graphics, multiple levels of difficulty, and local leaderboards.

Caligo Chaser A side-scrolling hack and slash role playing game that features tons of quests, customizable characters, 135 different skill upgrades, and 300 items to equip.

Convertr: Simple conversion calculator that with hundreds of units from 18 categories.


Pocket Zoo™ with Live Animal Cams: Bring the zoo to you. You can watch live streaming videos of a variety of animals from zoos all over the world, and take a pictuee to share. But that’s only the start, you can also view 40 original animal illustrations and listen to the sounds they make, watch over 150 recorded videos, view fun facts, learn about endangered species, and much more.

Lorax Garden: I just covered this app in my Earth Day Round Up. Help the Lorax regrow the world’s Truffula tree forests by planting seeds, watering them, pulling the weeds in all of the pots, and shooing away harmful insects. Once your trees and flowers have grown to a proper size, you can take pictures of them and send them as postcards to friends and family.

Sneezies Easter Edition: If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I LOVE Chillingo’s Sneeezies. This Easter-themed version of Sneezies has the same gameplay. Touch the screen to drop a pinch of sneezing powder into the field in the hopes of creating a chain reaction. The game features 24 Classic mode levels, eight challenge mode levels, and OpenFeint integration. It’s a little easier than Sneezies and a perfect choice for kids.

Universal:

Connect 9: Tap on numbered discs so the sum equals nine. You can use as many discs as you want to achieve the total, but matching like colored discs will earn you bonus points.

Hockey 2011: Amped up air hockey with Game Center integration.

Instapic: Not a game, but fun you get to create collages from your own pics and ahare via email or Facebook. Images can be manipulated using multitouch controls, and the app includes seven backgrounds.

Candy Rush: Here’s another conveyor belt game. Candy comes streaming down  and you have to fill orders as quickly as possible by tapping and dragging the sweets into boxes. The game features a wide variety of candies to box up, 60 levels, Rush mode, and Game Center integration.

Chop Chop Caveman: Take control of a cute but hungry caveman and make your way through 20 different levels. Speed is of the essence  as you collect gems and eat dinosaurs. Features two control schemes, four worlds to explore, and Game Center integration.

Geared 2!: The sequel to the hit physics-based puzzle game. Place a wide variety of gears in the playing field in order to power the blue gears. The game features 60 official levels and over 440 user-generated ones. It also includes a level editor so you can create your own.

iPad Only:

Braveheart HD: Play as a brave knight who has been sent to find and bring back the Holy Grail in this action/RPG. The game features a fantasy storyline, 10 different weapons, magical spells, power-ups, and boss battles.

Inspector Gadget’s MAD Dash HD: An endless distance game where you control  Inspector Gadget. Collect Gadget Coins along the way to unlock bonus content. The game features power-ups, a Gadget soundboard, concept art, a digital version of the official comic, and Game Center integration. Go Gadget Go!

Chicken Escape HD: See iPhone Version Above: iPad-optimized graphics.

Math Ball: An educ-app that will help improve your child’s math skills. Math Ball is available for free today only (04/23). It has a 5-star rating with a total of 6 ratings.

Radio – iPad Edition ($.99 -> Free, 3.2 MB): A straightforward radio streaming app that allows you to listen to over 45,000 stations. The app features full multitasking support, the ability to mark stations as favorites, the ability to share links to stations, AirPlay support, and much more.

I’ll be back with the sale apps ASAP in the mean time check out my contest for a hot new game, Burning Birds, and:

Here are some popular and/or recent reviews for you to chceck out until next time:

Happy App Hunting

The 


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The Best iPad and iPhone Games for Smart Teens Part One

Part Two Is Now Live: Click Here to Check out the next ten games!

Dedicated to a dear friend who isn’t a Cat but is a Beaver…

Happy Weekend,

A friend of mine got a brand new iPad2 on Friday, which was launch day in Canada, for her altogether too bright teenage son, Berk. He is no stranger to iOS, but it’s his first Pad (lucky duck!) so he asked me for some game suggestions:

Some games I have really enjoyed are Cablink, Euchre, KenKen, LetsTans Dlx , Lux games, PvZ  [Plants vs Zombies], Shady Puzzles, Slice It!, Solitaire City, Trainyard, Depict, Red Remover. Might get Monopoly for iPad for my dad…I do imagine my whole family will be using it seeing as I just pryed it out of camp’s hands. Any fun games I am definitely willing to try.

 

I have my top 10 picks and another 10 also-rans for Berk and everyone else to enjoy and challenge wits and reflexes

Most of the games are either universal, or have an iPhone/iPod touch version, so if you see something you like and you don’t have an iPad be sure to check the App Store.

And of course I have video demos  so you can see what’s in the box before you buy.

As usual my lists are in NO SPECIAL ORDER. The top ten are just the games I think Berk and others are less likely to know about, or which are well-known but need some explanation but every game on this list is at least a 4.5 star game, including the also-rans so let’s get to it.

First up is a Wii game that was ported to iPad during the holidays.

World of Goo is a gooey messy joy of a puzzler. You know, maybe there is an order, but only for number one. This is a must have game for Berk and all gamers with brains.

The goal is to lead a specific number of goo balls to the pipe exit. To do so you have to use goo balls to build bridges, ladders and any kind of structure, all very much subject to the laws of physics.  Special goo balls and The Sign Painter are friends, gravity is your foe. Sound simple?

All I can say is MWAHAHAHA… Mum get ready for several late nights! The game is perfect for a touch screen and a ton of fun for all ages. iPad only.


There is a fab new Wii-Port, that would also rock for Berk, and your kids, including the so called grown-up ones.

It’s for age 9+, it’s deceptively simple, but endlessly challenging. It’s called Max and the Magic Marker and I just reviewed it here. so I won’t repeat myself, but it’s definitely worth checking out!

Tea with Pump and Jam 😉

Berk, I hope you know that LessTan Dix is LetsTans Premium on the iPad which gets mixed user reviews, and FYI TanZen HDis a much better traditional Tangram puzzle choice for iPad.

But my favorite Tangram game is a little off the beaten path and a ton of fun.The Magic Egg gets rave reviews across the board and will challenge your spacial relations skills.

The game is universal and has a mode great for Berk’s youngest sister Tea who is Pump’s age, and for Cam, and Ash, his brothers in between.

Spirits for iPad (sold separately for iPhone) is an award-winning game that has been wowing critics and popping eyes in 2011. It’s simply stunning.

Your job is to guide spirits to their destination looking for creative ways to get there. It’s a little like World of Goo in that you use spirits to build paths for other spirits, but the elements you battle and mellow gameplay make them very different games.

Goo gets frantic; Spirits is tranquil, and if it reminds me of any game, it’s 1991’s computer game classic Lemmings. Both games will challenge your problem-solvong skills and make your new iPad2 shine.

This is one of very few games I love listening to as well as playing. Enjoy the soundtrack with the trailer:

If you are a puzzler fan you undoubtably know Chllingo’s Cut the Rope (see below) but there is a new rope-themed game that is scoring points with fans of the genre. User reviews so far are great and both Gizmodo and TUAW picked it as a Game of the Day.

Meet Burn the Rope HD.

The object is simple, burn as much of the rope as possible. Since flames rise, you have to shift your iPad (or iPhone, sold separately) to ensure the fire is always heading up the rope or it will extingish and you lose.

Are you a fire-bug? Well then the ant-singeing, should amuse as well as challenge you. I love AppSpy reviews who seem to say the game is a bit more style over substance, you decide:

Osmos for iPad (sold separately for iPhone) is a challenge, but a Zen one. It is also the winner of the Best Game of the year for iPad 2010.

It’s a PC port for the patient. (Sorry, little lapse of alliteration…) Hemisphere Games describes it best: “Osmos is part physics-based eat-’em-up, part ambient, cosmic simulator, and part Darwinistic game of survival”

However you describe it, it’s eye and ear candy and will keep you coming back for more .Here’s the original trailer. Look for Hemisphere’s game channel on Youtube to see much more.

Usually I would stop here and come back with the next 5 and all 10 also-rans, but since I am running late as usual, and that makes one too heavy, here are the first five. They are every bit as good as the top ten, they just have been so well-reviewed for so long I don’t think any additional comment from me is necessary. They are all brain-straining winners.

OK, I just checked the time and there is no way I am getting to dinner, bath and homework and another 5 reviews. CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2

In the mean time, if these ten don’t keep you busy enough (11 with Max and the Magic Marker!) then Berk, shouldn’t you be studying something or sharing your new toy with your mum and dad?

Everyone else, please check out my other reviews  here and follow my daily reviews on appadvice.com.

Happy App Hunting

The 

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App Stalker Report: App Store Madness Continues To Welcome iPad2!

Good morning when I started this, good afternoon now, fellow geeks, parents, gamers, art lovers and app stalkers, 🙂

Today is going to another wonderfully crazy day in the App Store and I have the best picking and suggestions right here for you!

So I am here as early as possible to bring you all the best deals. I have something for everyone and every age in all genres and many huge hits! Click the icons to go to iTunes to check out or buy!

To see  yesterday’s list, all of which is still current to the best of my knowledge please click here.

I have 2 great Edu-App No-Brainers up coming for you today for all ages, and I have a bunch of reviews for appadvice.com, so I have to jump right in!

My favorite brand new release is from Apple directly. great onthe original iPad and blazingly fast on iPad2, is GarageBand.

They have brought the amazing music playing and recording studio, GarageBand over from the Mac and it rocks!

I reviewed it for appadvice, Please click to see the review. Unlike Pages, Keynotes and Numbers, GarageBand is only 4.99 and you have to try it whether you have a little player, or you are an accomplished artist.

But Korg and Fender are definitely making their presence known too and Apple is graciously sharing the App Store  homepage, since while GarageBand is amazing, it’s not, on it’s own, a tool for hard-core musicians.

I don’t know enough about these amps and mixers to give you any comment or even get the spellings right (IELECTRIBE??), but if you are so hard-core you actually find GarageBand is too little for you, check out Korg and Fender in the App Store – their stuff is up to 50% off!

Hugely popular tower defense game, TowerMadeness HD is FREE down from 7.99. It’s the best deal I have seen so far for gamers.

Flipboard, an incredible way to read all your social network feeds has undergone a major revamp for the new iOS 4.3 and iPad2. It’s always free and a must-have app for any iPad owner!.

This next one is an award winner and a jaw dropper.

Spider: Bryce Manor is too hard to explain but this screen shot might help. It’s only .99 cents right now and again this one is not just a no-brainer it’s must-have!

It’s here! it’s here! I bought it right away but haven’t taken it for a test drive. That proves I love you!

Firemint’s increbile Real Racing 2 just got amp-ed up and Hd’ed for iPad2 and iPad!

Woohoo, they make BY FAR the most realistic drivining simulator and the most widely acclaimed iPad classic (and iPhone/iPod touch for both games -they were there first!), Real Racing HD.

I have had both titles for my iPhone and Pump and I go back to them over and over. But the iPad and lighter iPad2 are just the perfect size for this game. You really feel like you are holding a steering wheel!

Check both games out and then whether you just bought a shiny new iPad2, or you have your faithful origianl pad at your side, buy one of these.

If you are a fan of the genre you will immediately see how Firemint takes racing on iOS to the next level. And even if you are not, you’ll be surprised at how natural it feels to steer.

It also has kid-safe graphics unlike many hit non-cartoon racing titles.

I love the 60 Minutes app for iPad, but it gets mixed user reviews.

Maybe I’m such a life-time fan of the show that when I hear the iconic ticking clock, I get lulled into a stupor. Lord knows there episodes have been sub-par in recent years…. (discussion for another blog on another day – lol)

It’s not cheap at 4.99, so you decide; I like it. I get access to (diminshing?) archives and the extra footage they put up online that I never get around to checking out. It’s got a really slick GUI too.

60 Minutes for iPad just launched a big update and I’ve yet to try it, but. I am hoping for more content. I’ll let you know what I think soon.

The titles I have brought you so far are hard to miss. I am trying to get the best ones for you in one place, but they market themselves with no help from bloggers.

This one, Cardboard Castle HD is newer, smaller, and a huge hit with Pump and his Stay at Home GeekMom and it’s on sale for .99. It’s another organic=feeling toy-like game.

It feels like you are playing with tactile cardboard pieces and Pump and I like it so far, but haven’t played with it enough to rate.

Last for creative types, Inspire Pro, a nice painting app that usually costs 7.99 is only .99 to maximize exposure for iPad2 launch as well.

I still love Art Rage, Auryn Ink, and Zen Brush best, but I doodle, I’m not an artist so what do I know?

I have this too and it is is a quality, full-featured alternative to hits like Brushes so check it out if you want to paint on your iPad or iPad2.

That wraps up this report for now, but I’ll be back later with 2 amazing Edu-App No-Brainers you might not have seen before so please check back often or subscribe to the blog or RSS feed!

Also watch appadvice.com for the latest on the iPad2 ad iOS 4.3 and all things apple, and watch for my review there on the amazing new art app Vermeer HD

Read my App Stalking Guide to find all the treasures for yourself.

Here are other Stay at Home GeekMom reviews from my blog or appadvice.com to check out for more great apps for your iDevice:

Happy App Hunting

The 


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App Stalking Report! Everything is on Still On Sale in the App Store!

App Stalking Report and Edu-App No Brainers! Sales, Updates, Freebies Galore!

Want to know if The Stay at Home GeekMom recommends the apps below? Here’s how to tell.

If I own it and think you should get it I have inserted an icon that will take you to the iTunes page if you click on it.

If there is no icon it doess not mean I don’t like, I have two here to avoid, you’ll read that, it means I have no idea what’s it’s like, I’m just sharing information.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST ON iOS 4.3 and iPAD2!!

Don’t Forget to Enter My Promo Code Giveaways!

Click the AppAdvice Icon for my Latest Reviews including brand new GarageBand!!!

Ok here we go:

WOOHOO! World of Goo was 9.99 when I bought it back in December and it’s maybe the best puzzler on iPad. It’s on sale for 3.99 so get it!! 

Attention Musicians: Korg Ielectribe has dropped $10!!  only 9.99.

Hmm, think they are worried about competition from Apple’s GarageBand? (Sorry. That name looks wrong, but I’m too tired to check, correct me in comment and I hope you KWIM, apologies to Korg!)

Reckless Racing HD is 2.99 down from 4.99!

GREAT FOR KIDS: Game of Life for iPad dropped from 6.99 to 4.99. Pump give this 4.5 Pumps Up! He loves the spinner!

Ok 2 of 3 of my My Edu-App No-Brainers are a bit more game than edu-app but they are all great for kids and everyone else in your home!!

If you know The Stay at Home GeekMom you know I adore Auryn Apps‘s new book which I reviewed here and on appadvice.com,

The Little Mermaid -Auryn was already a no-brainer at 3.99 but grab it today for 2.99. This one will really show off you new or existing iPad!

Uno, the beloved card game looosely based on Crazy-8 and one of Pump’s favorite games is on sale for .99 cents today. That’s for Hd.

This is because HUGE iOS App Comapny Gamehouse is having a BLOWOUT! Actually so is EA and just about every big player in the App Store!

Ehe second Edu-App No-Brainer which is FREE!

Doodle Rain HD is a both an AWARD WINNER and A family game fun for all ages.

It’s a Top Educational Game in 4o countries with a GREEN concept. And lots of fun.

Grab it while it’s free! Although for it’s regular price of .99 it’s alwys a good deal.

A huge update from EA/Chillingo/Rovio hit Angry Birds and Angry Birds HD.

A new holiday, St Patrick’s day, is out for Angry Birds Seasons today too! (Both veriosn)

BTW, Don’t think these sales are charity, but watch for lots of them because the big boys know how  are big for a reason.

Smart companies with hit games are going to be flooding the App Store with good deals because the iPad2 is out tomorrow.

App Insiders know that if they drop prices or let games go free they surge to the top of the charts and get maximum exposure in the App Store.

Sherk Kart is one of Pump’s and my favorite racing games is down from 4.99 to .99.

And if your kids are Shrek fans Shrek Forever After – Kids Book HD is also on sale down from 2.99 to .99.

SimCity Deluxe for iPad down from 6.99 to 4.99

Risk one of Pump’s favorite games and a much more engaging game for me than the board game becuase it’s not so slow is also on sale for iPad 6.00 – 4.99

Monopoly for iPad 9.99 – 6.99

Snood for iPad, much fun, 499 –2.99

Another awesome racing game, Needs for Speed Hot Pursuit for iPad is also down from $10 – 6.99

Rock Band Reloaded has an even bigger  drop from 9.99 to 4.99 and Pictureka1 for iPad is only 2.99 down from 4.99

Clue: Secrets & Spies is on sale too, but AVOID IT – it’s nothing like the bnorad game and gets VERY poor user reviews.

Do grab Yahtzee HD though, it’s true rendition and down from 4.99 – 2.99

WordSurge is also on sale, but a word game that calls itself “addicting” is an “avoid at all cost” game – yikes, imagine the dictionary?? Skip it in favor of all the other great titles  for sure.

I am going to grabe Alice Hd, based on Lewis Caroll‘s book. I have no idea what it’s like but itr’s 1.99 from 4.99 so it’s worth it to me to find out. I’ll keep you posted if I actually get to look at it!

Not shocking and not for me, but a hit, Madden NFL 11 by EA is down 12.99 to 4.99.

Hey Readers! Jane Austen Collection with Search (the full version this time for loyal followers) is Free today!

And check out the other edu-apps by same company all on sale!

I’ve never heard of it, but Let’s Go Chipper, a kid’s game with an eco-spin is free too – if you try it please let the Stay at Home GeekMom know what it’s like.

Other hits, Tetris, Mirrors’s Edge and Need for Speed Shift are all also drastically reduced. 5.99, 2.99, and 6.99 respectively for iPad. That’s a HUGE drop for acclaimed Mirror’s Edge!

Scrabble lovers can get the original for 6.99 and I admit I love it, but it’s not a big price drop and Words with Friends HD 2.99 is as good or better for less all the time.

Sci-Fi reader? Best Science Fiction Collection (with search) is free today too.

(I told you it was a crazy day and expect more of same for a few days as ipad2 users converge on the App Store!)

Build A Word – Easy Spelling is on sale, it’s a another app I haven’t tried, but it down from 2.99 to .99 so again if you pick it up please send me your feedback.

Have a baby or want to sleep like one? BabySleep Plus (Lullaby) HD is FREE today too.

The Lord o the Ring: Middle earth Defense for Ipad is only .99 and Spider-Man: total Mayhem HD is also only .99 usually $6.99, and the iPhone version won all kinds of best games of 2010 awarss. Another super-hero game, Iron Man 2 for iPad is also .99.

One of my fave note-talking apps for school or business had a HUGE update last week and is now on sale from 3.99 – 1.99. It deserves an icon, but I’m swampped!

My fave GTD App Do It (tomorrow) (read my appadvice.com review here) had a major update too as if it could get better. Syncing has been improved so if you don’t already have it, get it!

If you read my iPad books for Young Readers review last weekend, you might want to know that  iReading’s Emotion Management Stories Series is only .99 cents today too.

That’s it from one pooped geeky mom. I will have more tomorrow. But if you can’t wait read my App Stalking Guide and find all the treasures for yourself

here are other reviews to check out!

Happy App Hunting

The 

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Best iPad iPhone and iPod touch Books For Preschool – Second Grade: Part One

UPDATE: Nosy Crow’s 3 little Pigs now on iPhone – check for my review later on appadvice.com!

Dedicated to Stephanie Sopher and my Face Beavers

The Stay At Home GeekMom Weekend Edition

Best iPad Apps For Preschool – Second Grade

Best Books Part One:

Read Part Two: Click Here

Happy Saturday!

This weekend I am bringing you the first of what will be an ongoing weekend series.

Please allow time for all the pictures to load, I don’t know about you but I like to see the inside of a book before I buy it. 😉

After so many emails from my friends and readers asking me for suggestions, I decided some Top Ten Lists would be a good thing to post for busy moms and dads who want a brief recap of the best apps for their kids on the iPad and soon the iPhone and iPod touch too.

At least I wanted to make a top-10 list, but there have been sooo many great offerings for young readers on iPad lately, the best I could do was a top 12.

These are in no parituclar order and please remember, these selections are for the youngest readers.

They all get the   

Also please know that The stay at Home GeekMom does NOT think interactive or digital books can replace a real book.

Of course I encourage you to read to your children and encourage them to read, any way you can.

But if you are reading my blog, I’m guessing you already do that! 😉

Ok here we go:

 

Brand new to Pad (two days old new), Moo Media/ LoudCrow Interactive (out of Vancouver, yay for Canadian devs!) brings the first Sandra Boynton offering to the App Store.

It is the Beloved The Going To bed Book for iPad and it is wonderful. Nothing from the original book it lost, but there are just enough objects to touch and animated effects to admire  keep any kid (and parent) entertained. Price: $2.99

I look forward to seeing the rest of Boynton’s library coming to iPad soon, and I hope Moo Media don’t change a thing in terms of presentation and interface. Pump votes for Barnyard Dance next, please.

Another new enrty into the kid-lit genre for iPad genre, comes from a new name, but an old and trusted source.

Former U.K. Scholastic Books execs have teamed up to create a great new independent  children’s book company called Nosy Crow.

The Three Little Pigs – Nosy Crow interactive storybook (iPad) may seem a bit pricey for 7.99, but a) it is still cheaper than most children’s book store offerings, and b) this is one heck of an interactive book.

The book is set to launch for iPhone and iPod Touch any minute so keep your eyes peeled!Look for my upcoming review on appadvice.com.

Nosy Crow has created an immersive reading experience that is never the same twice.

I took some screenshots, but they just don’t do the book justice; the video really shows it off properly so check it out:

Yet another wonderful BRAND NEW iPad book, one for your little monsters, was launched only yesterday, but as promised you can count on the Stay at Home GeekMom to get the freshest apps.

Monsters & Magical Creatures Guide For Kids By Ryan Novak, illustrated by moster-maven, Kari Fry, is a welcome new addition to the App Store.

This book is a whole lot of fun, and contains “factual” information about mylogical monsters and other magical beings, so it’s part book, part edu-app and all very appealing. Price: $1.99. Take a look:

Next up a preschool offering from one of my favorite publishers, Auryn Apps.

I hope you saw their incredible new book for slightly older children, The Little Mermaid -Auryn, if not I urge you check out my review for appadvice.com here.

It’s my favorite kid-lit book in the whole App Store at present.

What I can tell you is Auryn Apps is it a company you can trust. They care deeply about user experience and take user feedback very seriously.

OK, That’s enough about the company, the selection I picked for this feature, is a wonderful pre-school title, Teddy’s Night.

Once more Auryn creates a book that achieves the right balance between tech and text, and the artwork is wonderful. It is a tale about the power of Teddy Bears and is sure to be loved by anyone who still has one. (I do!) Price: 3.99

If you want to check out another book that strikes the right balance, The Rocket Book by Third Bird party! (is anyone else sensing an avian theme to kid-lit devs?) is a beautiful and original choice. It’s also a STEAL at .99.

This is another book I need to show you rather than tell you about so please watch the video:


Last for today, from AppleTree Apps, a company I don’t know at aI picked iReading HD – Puss in Boots to review because it is currently FREE. Get it fast though, it won’t be for long.

Based on this one offering, I can comfortably encourage you to check out any of iReading’s offerings (for all iOS devices) – they certainly have a plethora to choose from.

iReading’s  offerings are more app than book. By that I mean the text of these familiar tales is neither original nor especially well adapted.

That said, they are more than serviceable and I didn’t spot anything that would turn me off like misspellings, poor grammar etc, But they are not literature or fine art.

They range, however, from 1.99-2.99 for individual books and offer many multi-book purchases for as low as 4.99 and they cram these books full of fun features which are intuitive, engaging and entertaining.

In fact since you can even choose a blank page to color on, this is a pretty darn good drawing program for young kids too.

Ok that’s wraps up our first six books, but remember tomorrow I will have the second six for you, and they are all just as wonderful.

And keep in mind the books are NOT in order of preference, they are in the order the screenshots were taken!

Read Part Two: Click Here

Don’t forget to enter my contest to free FREE PROMO CODES for the amazing kid app – Make A Monster and Make A Monster HD for all iOS devices. I have plenty more to give away!

Did you publish, design or develop a book for iOS? Want a review here or on Appadvice.com. Please check my Developers Page.

Finally here is an abridged list of Educational Games and Reading App for ALL AGES, from sahgeekmom.com and from my reviews for appadvice.com.

And if you want the tools to find the best new app store offering and the best deals check out my App-Stalking Guide – it will tell you everything you need to know!

Happy Reading,

The 

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Feature Your Creature in Make A Monster & Make A Monster HD!

Edu-App No-Brainer 3/2

Feature Your Creature in

Make A Monster & Make A Monster HD

  • By:Appdicted
  • Version: 1.3
  • Genre: Creativie Play, Photography, Entertainment
  • Platforms: iPhone/iPod Touch & HD iPad Only
  • SAHGeekMom Rating: 4.5
  • Kid’s Score: 4.5 Pump’s up!
  • Recommended Age:  All Ages 4+

OK, first an apology for the horrible neglect. I missed you.

I am talking, of course, to my beloved blog who has brought me so many amazing opportunities in so short a time, but also to you, because I promised to have fresh content every day, and instead I have be almost silent. Sorry!

I have really been swamped though. Aside from learning all the tools for AppAdvice.com, which turns a 400-word review into a 3-hour project, Pump is on Spring Break.

Also note please that I just got my review of the HD version ONLY of this app on appadvice.com. It was ready hours ago, you can Read It Here if you want a short version of this review.

It would have been up sooner, but everyone there is  really busy with the iPad2 news (check out appadvice.com for live coverage and all the details right now or follow them on twitter @appadvice) You can see all my reviews for them by clicking the icon.

So I’m bringing you the full story here. Like I said, if you just want the basic facts, read my QuickAdvice Review.

Ok let’s get to it.

Today’s Edu-App No-Brainer is a creative toy for anyone of any age (I am still playing with it) Meet Make A Monster and the new Make A Monster HD.

The new Make A Monster HD is on sale for 1.99 and the regular version is .99 but I have some promo codes for you, for either version of this gem so stay tuned!

Make a Monster is a crazy-fun app, which let’s you create an endless assortment of hilarious monsters, and let’s you turn kids and their friends into creepy creatures too.

This app offers tons of possibilities for monster fans to dress up photos with all sorts of funny-scary objects or create a whole scene of monsters in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

The interface is really well thought out and easy to use even for kids.

I had to run to the DMV on Monday (another fun Spring Break activity!) and I had not even looked at the app, when I handed over my iPhone to Pump to make the wait more bearable for us both.

Holy Magic! That and another app I am bringing you next had him utterly transfixed. He complete forgot to whine despite our being number 32 while they were serving number 4.

He missed some of the finer nuances of the app, but trust me when I say he got no instruction from me. I was far too busy glaring (uselessly) at the clerks for wasting my time, and complaining to anyone of my FB friends who would listen to even look at his screen.

Here are creations Pump made on the iPhone. Remember he had no hint from me as to how to do things, and for whatever reason, he was very into crowns…. look:

This is the only app of it’s kind I have seen that not just allows you to resize and rotate items, but do so from anywhere on the screen and that makes it a pleasure to play with, even when dealing with tiny iPhone objects and arthritic fingers.

(Oh shh again, I’m mature for my age, ok? 41 this month so send presents to sahgeekmom on payp…. just kidding! Here this is what I will look like by the end of March…lol!)

This is what makes this app a standout. You can easily shrink items and move them to precisely the right place or angle while still seeing the big picture. This gives you uncanny precision when adding small details.

Switching between elements is just as easy, but not obvious, so here the trick. Just double tap on the object to select it. Then you can move it from anywhere on your screen.

Make A Monster offers a boatload of features. It is clear the developer took time beforesubmitting this app, because these are features often overlooked by similar products.

I guess Dev-Dad Rory lives up to his company motto because this was clearly deigned by someone who knows what’s out there and what gaps there are to fill.

Here is how Make A Monster (both versions) works.

First you to choose from a small selection of cute backgrounds (more on iPhone than iPad for now) or pick one from your photo album.

Please don’t think this is any sort of limit. If you have an idea for a background and don’t see it, here is

A Stay at Home GeekMom tip:

Open Safari. Go to any image search engine or wallpaper depository on earth. Google’s image search is an easy place to start.

Enter search words related to the background you are looking for, find it, and save it to the photo album.

Tada, endless backgrounds for any app that allows you to import photos. Here are just a few I grabbed in under 5 minutes:

You can even use another app to draw or paint your own background art, or modify the background you found online.

iOS 4.2 has limited multi-tasking, but we might as well use it when we can and when you use different apps together you can discover new ways to engage your child (or yourself) creatively every day without repetition.

(FYI: iOS 4.3, a MAJOR overhaul, is due out on 3/11 and an updated iTunes came around today in anticipation. See AppAdvice.com for more details!)

People complain (justifiably) about the replay value of many apps and games, this is one way to get more bang for your buck.

Tangent over, back to Make A Monster 😉

Once you have your background, there are 144 bodies, eyes, mouths and props in this first release with which to play. They are included in the purchase price, no in-app purchases to confuse the kids.

And Rory, the dad-dev, assures me even more are on the way along with a special feature for the iPad2 that will make its way over to iPhone and iPod touch: camera integration!

Like a good photo editing app, Make a Monster lets you change the orientation of your project using a border to indicate the boundaries so you can work with the full advantage of portrait mode on iPad and still preview the actual results.

It also allows you to adjust the color of the background photo and all the pieces.

The integrated Facebook, Twitter, and email sharing options are easy to find and use and well integrated into the app. It saves your project right to the photo album in the orientation you chose, no need to rotate or resize before posting.

Aside from looking forward to more in-app backgrounds, because I think the ones they have are very cute (I have to remember to ask who does the art,) I do wish the app would allow you to import pictures not only as backgrounds but also as objects.

If it used the iTunes file sharing feature you could upload your own clip art and cutout photos and to mix and match with all the funky included elements and eliminate the need to search for images which can be a pain especially on small devices.

Aside from that one thing, I have to say this app is flawless. Make A Monster and Make a Monster HD are  so jam-packed with creative possibilities and so easy to use, I am confident your kids will go back to it over and over. It’s just too much fun to creepify your friends to put down for long.

As soon as I showed Pump the pic on the left below, he went and made the one on the right (ok that time I helped a little) and emailed it to his best friend vacationing in Florida. Guess whose mom had to buy a copy for her iPhone10 minutes later!

I feel good about this company too. Rory is responsive, happy to answer emails, and take suggestions.

Any app that is genuinely fun for me and for Pump is one I can happily recommend. At the low introductory price of 1.99 for iPad or .99 for iPhone and iPod touch, this is a true Edu-App No-Brainer.

Grab it today, check back here soon or follow my twitter feed (@sahgeekmom) soon to win those promo codes and happy app hunting!

The 

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