Game: Wood Runner
Developer: SlientBayStudios

Link: http://www.miniclip.com/games/wood-runner/en/

What is it?

This game is a 3d racing game.The objective is again to be the first one to reach the finishing line. However this game is quite a little from other typical racing game. The game characters are all animals eg Turtle, Fox, Ferret and Skunk. Players can choose one of these game character.In this game, the controls are left,right,up,down (directioanl keys) and x(throw acrons) and z(special power). YOU can throw acorns at the other player so as to slow down that player. If YOU are near to the other player,YOU can actually throw the acorns continously at that player then that specific player will sort of fly off from the path and landed behind you. This game of mechanism kinds of interest me as you can actually do something to the other player to stop them from winning.

Collectables?

In the race, there are two items to collect namely the star and the lighting bolt icon. The lighting bolt represents speed and will give you temporarily speed. Player has to collect 5 stars to get the special power which YOU can use to stop the other player from surpassing you. The special powers varies from each game character. For example, the skunk's special power is the green posionous gas and the turtle's special power is bees. For me, i kind of like the special power function as it gives the thrill when you successfully "HIT" the other player.

Duration?

Each level lasted 5 mins and each level consists of 3 laspe. Each level design is of a different scenary and a different track course. One thing to note is that the structure of the track course is not shown in the game so player will have to act accordingly as they sees the path approaching. I think this way is better as it gives the player the UNEXPECTED feeling of where the path is going. The track course is not that difficult as well thus adding the structure of the track course will be redunant as well.

Asethetics?

I think it is quite interesting to use animal characters rather than the usual car model character. The interaction of the special power hitting the characters is also quite interesting. For example, one of the character is being strike by lighting (one of the special power). I think this game is quite funny in a way which is rarely seen in a typical 3d racing game.

Player got "HIT" by special power from Skunk player.

"YOU WIN"!!!

WOKAYS. Review Number 7! 

Okay I chose a cute game this week. Initially I found the game to be a bit boring but after a while, you really get addicted to playing it!

OBJECTIVE?

The objective of the game is to turn all the virus blobs dead.

All are infected and your job is to change spread a good virus that will kill them.

How you achieve this is by hitting them.

However, if 2 uninfected blobs collide, they become infected once again.

Meaning 2 dead viruses become alive again.

The physics of this game is similar to online pool games.

As you proceed further into the game, you'll find more features and challenges on how to go about hitting the blobs.

As there is only a limited number of hits you can take, this increases the need to strategically use your number of hits wisely.

WHAT IS COMPELLING ABOUT THIS GAME?

As I mentioned earlier, I initially thought it was boring.

But as the game continues, I actually got hooked to the game.

1) Game aesthetics - The art in the game is simple and cute. No fancy rendering. Just simple renderings.

2) Interesting features - More challenges are added on to the game as you succeed on to the next level, making it harder to play each time but also offering something challenging for you to play.

3) Rules - The limited number of hits is one of the rules that makes the game exciting. This makes you think before you hit any of the blobs. And as enemy blobs have different characteristics, you will need to think it through before hitting them.

3) Level design - The level design of the game is suitably done as the challenges ascends nicely at each level.

ANY BAD STUFF?

No concrete bad stuff... but some levels are really tough and you gotta try a lot of times to win but I guess that's part of the game!

WHY I LIKE IT?

Even though the interface is a bit girly, I think the game gets you addicted and you keep replaying each level whenever you're not able to win it.

You can try to play it HERE!

Okay let's see some screenshots!

Main Menu - As you can see, they provide instructions (which is quite comprehensive) and even a level editor (under create levels) where you can customise you own! Quite cool (weiwen would love this hahahaha)

Under instructions, cute graphics to show you how to play it. But honestly, I think you'll only understand when you actually start playing the game.

As you can see here, I'm at level 23. But now... I'm already at level 39. COME AND BEAT ME!

Level 1... as usual.. simple challenge for you to get a hang of it first...

Something like online pool games. You pull your mouse cursor and the longer/shorter you pull, the harder/softer it hits the rest of the blobs.

Once you turn all of them dead, you win!

Btw when you hit them once, they become dead and turn black.

Barrel elements that provide barriers

More features.. the evil looking lady blob will spawn into more blobs if it hits another fellow enemy blob

Like this! See the smaller ones? Yeah she spawned into that.

And then as you proceed, more cute stuff. These are the bomb blobs.

Okay?? GO TRY!

 

Developer: Igrek Productions
Link: http://armorgames.com/play/5393/blosics-2

Blosics 2 is a physics-based puzzle game. Initially, the game looks somewhat similar to Red Remover, a gamewhich I reviewed weeks ago, except that the objective of each level is totally the opposite. Instead of keeping the green blocks and removing the red blocks like in Red Remover, the player has to remove the green blocks and keep the red blocks on the stage. The gameplay also relies heavily on physics much like Red Remover.

That is where the similarities end. Interaction between the player and the blocks is done in a completely different method which in turn affects the whole gameplay. The player has to control a slingshot-like mechanism in a predefined area to launch a ball in order to hit the blocks in the level. The speed of the ball, which defines the force it will hit the blocks, is determined by the length the player pulled on the slingshot. The trajectory of the ball depends on the direction which the slingshot is facing and any interaction between objects in the level. Every object in the game pretty much has a basic physics system applied on it. They behave expectedly in a logical sense and appear to affect each other in the game. Bigger blocks will be heavier to push, an explosive force will send blocks flying in all direction and every object comply with the concept of the law of gravity no matter how unrealistic it may appear to be.

Length of the game is pretty decent with 30 levels to complete. Each level requires the player to achieve 100 points to complete. Points are scored by removing the green blocks off the screen while the removal of the red blocks will reduce your points. Levels are designed to be varied enough to keep the gameplay interesting throughout the game although some levels can get frustrating. The frustration comes mainly from the fact that some levels depend on luck to win as the objects are controlled by the game’s physics system and the player do not have much control over them.  This causes some levels to play very long as the player has to wait for the game physics to perform and push the blocks off the screen. It may also trigger a lot of level restarts if things do not turn out the way you want. Despite being a puzzle game for the most parts, some levels play more like an action game and test the player’s reflexes more than the player’s ability to solve puzzles. It breaks the gameplay a little and I like it even though puzzle gamers may not.

The graphics are simple and fits well to this kind of game. Blocks are clearly coloured and a moving background keeps the game from looking totally static. The sounds and music are nothing worth to take note and the game would have played the same with the volume mute.

Blosics 2 is fun but I find the game to be a little on the easy side.

Rating: 7/10

Weiwen

http://www.kongregate.com/games/Rete/dont-shit-your-pants

Don't Shit Your Pants

This is a parser-based adventure game similar to that of King's Quest, or Space Quest, but it really really short. I completed the game in less than 5 minutes. But this is one of the funniest game I've played in a while.

The objective of the game is not to shit your pants. You play a bald guy who has a bladder problem, and desperately needs your help to go to the toilet. It is really simple, really easy to play. Like an old school text adventure, players have to type in simple commands for him to follow, for instance, 'sit', 'cry', 'open door', 'look up', etc. How the programmers solve the problem of unlimited probabilities and combinations of words is by a text parser, meaning they simplify inputs from the player into something the computer can understand. So 'take' and 'get' are actually the same word, 'retrieve'.

I like this game because of a few reasons. It has been a really long time since I've played a text adventure game (though I wouldn't consider this as a true blue text adventure). The absurdity of this game is something which I've never before. Really really hilarious to play a game that helps someone to get to the toilet.

The graphics are great, reminds me of old school Hugo House of Horrors, King's Quest-esque games I used to enjoy playing eons ago. It matches well with the old-school vibe they are trying to create. Sounds are VGA-ish.

Another reason why I like about this game, is that even though it is really short, replay value is high, at least 9 times. This is done through the usage of the stereotypical 'achievements' system that has manifested itself in most games. There are 9 types of awards you can get that ranges in difficult in attaining them  (I use this term here very lightly). Most games today use the achievements in the same manner: once your character have leveled up to a certain degree, or gained a new spell, or went to a secret area, you will be notified of attaining so-and-so award. The overall game, however, still continues on a linear basis. This game makes use of its different endings to dish our achievements. Even though there is technically only two ways of completing the game (you either shit in your pants, or don't), the game allows for the different modes of completion (different ways of shitting in your pants).

This game made me laugh out loud, which is a VERY rare thing for me to do while playing games. With that in mind, I recommend you all to try it. Sometimes the simplest games are the most fun.

Rating: 8.5/10

 

This is the intro screen.

This is the main UI. Nostalgic, huh?

This is the most dizzying game I've ever played due to its gravity defying platforms which allows you to literally walk on the underside of the planet. The controls are simple... touch the left/right or jump icons to activate the respective moves. You'll need to collect coins, save 'buddies' and kill enemies by jumping on top of them, pretty much like super mario.

Additional physics in the game includes jumping on a trampoline to get to greater heights and walking on thin vines. Each level begins with three lives and going off platform or not landing anywhere will cost you a life as well as being injured by enemies.

The level design is good with directions to guide you through like arrow sign and you can even click on the magnify icon to zoom out and see where you should be heading. Understandably these are important elements in the game as without them, it could get even more confusing to a point of vomit-inducing dizziness.

Despite the rave reviews, my personal opinion on this game is not so good. Graphics are average, the background music is a bit 'off' as it doesn't match the environment and even the story line about saving the earth is not really felt in the gameplay.

Im a sucker for old games. Thats a fact. I can see you sneering already Yuniza.


Ice Climber  is a vertical platformer developed and published by Nintendo. Originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, the game has since been ported to many of Nintendo's major platforms. In Ice Climber, the characters Popo and Nana , collectively known as the Ice Climbers, venture up 32 ice-covered mountains to recover stolen vegetables from a giant condor.

Gameplay
The first player controls Popo, a boy wearing a blue Eskimo parka, while the second player controls Nana, a girl wearing a pink Eskimo parka. The only tool they carry is a wooden mallet to carve openings in the ice above and to club enemies. Each mountain level consists of eight layers of colorful ice and a bonus stage. Standard, dull ice blocks pose no threat other than an easily disposed of barrier and platform. Square ice blocks with higher detail are indestructible forcing the player to take another path. Hatched ice acts as a conveyor belt sliding the Eskimo either left or right.

Finally, many mountains include unbreakable moving platforms resembling clouds. The bonus stage takes place at the peak. Within a 40 second time limit and no enemies, the Ice Climbers often face trickier jumps and multiple moving platforms. The peak is also the only place to recover stolen vegetables, most notably eggplants. Collecting just one piece of corn from the fifth bonus stage is the only way to gain an extra life. At the top of the peak, the condor flies overhead.

Enemies

Enemies encountered on the way up the mountains include the Topi, Nitpicker, and polar bear. Toppies come in two varieties: the seal featured in the Japanese release of Ice Climber and the small beaked yeti seen in western version. Toppies have the ability to fill in holes in the floor with ice. To do this, a Topi scouts out opening in the floor, runs back to its cave, and reemerges pushing an icicle to fill in two blocks. This process repeats until no more openings on their layer of ice exist. The Nitpicker is a small, mountain-dwelling bird that swoops down from icy caves on the levels' edges. Unlike the Topi, which is confined to one floor of the mountain, Nitpickers can cross over multiple ice layers.

Taking them into account along with moving platforms and sliding ice, timing jumps can be more difficult. The final enemy is the bipedal polar bear. This enemy, wearing sunglasses and pink shorts, appears on screen only when Popo and Nana take too long to advance. Pounding the ice, the polar bear forces the screen to move up. If an Eskimo is forced off the screen, the player loses a life. Other obstacles include deadly falling icicles. These can form on the bottom of any type of platform. The arcade game Vs. Ice Climber includes a purple bee with a spear as a rare fourth enemy. After a few successful mountains climbed, all enemies' speeds increase.

Why is it so fun?
The fun of going up mountains while smashing your way through blocks of ice and smashing yeti's and polar bears with only mallets brings to light very comical moments of the situation in real time. Well that is what gaming is about, to place you in a virtual world you think not possible in the real world. Its this moment that makes you stop all those crap thats happening in your life and make just play this game for a moment or 2 hours.