For a simple looking game, The Battle for Hill 218 from Large Visible Machine  it is pretty tough, but very enjoyable. The Battle for Hill 218 is based on a card game, with the same name and is currently only available for the iPad, however, an universal version is currently in the works. Taken from the iTunes page:

The Battle for Hill 218 is an abstract strategy card game for two players where you represent a military commander struggling for control of Hill 218 as part of a larger military struggle. Players must maintain supply lines and destroy enemy units to advance on the enemy home base, while ensuring that their own base is not taken. It’s easy to learn and quick to play but has a depth of strategy usually found only in games that takes much longer to play.

This is a great description in a nutshell. This is a card game with very straightforward rules but has been driving me crazy! I think I have the enemy dead to rights but, boom, the next thing I know he has taken the hill. I will go over a little on about the app and then the game.

As I mentioned, this is an iPad only game and currently only will play in portrait mode. The game has a built in tutorial and manual. The manual has pinch to zoom so you can see the details and there is a section where you can view the individual cards you will be able to play. There are only 7 types of cards: Artillery, Heavy Weapons, Infantry, Paratroopers, Special Forces, Tank, and Air Strike. There is a leaderboard and in game stats you can view as well.

The playing board is a 9×9 grid with the hill in the middle. You start off with a number of cards and each player will take turns laying down cards on the board. Now each card has 3 components to it: Supply, Attack, and Support. To be successful in the game, you will need to place your cards in a way that uses each of these aspects. Each card varies on how it handles each of these components, so it is important to understand your cards and take some time before placing them on the board.

You need to have a supply line from your base to your front line units and units to support your units. Again seems pretty straight forward but from my experience it takes a good deal of planning to win at the game. One thing I find as I am playing that I am not focusing on all components on the card. I might be making sure my supply line is good but then my support and/or attack is not good enough. Once I master all three I will be ready to maybe take on a real person!

The game gives you numerous ways to play. You can play against the computer (hard or normal difficulty) or you can play an online match or against another locally via Bluetooth.

Even though I am getting my butt handed to me, I enjoy this strategy card game. There is no blood or action packed battle scenes, it is a thinking game with pretty straight forward rules and options. Most games do not last super long so it is a great game to play if you only have a few minutes. If you enjoy thinking and strategy based games, The Battle for Hill 218 should be on your iPad.

This week I am covering two games with some historical connections. Now not all games need to involve guns and blood to be fun. Some of my favorite games do not even have any violence in them at all! One of those games is Reiner Knizia’s Medici HD by Codito Development Inc, which I am covering here. The other game is Medieval Merchants by RapidRabbit over at my site AppReviewCentral.net

The game is set in the Renaissance Italy and you play a member of the infamous Medici family. The Medici family was a rich family that was involved in politics, banking and even produced 4 popes in the 14th and 15th century. You can read more about them on their wiki page.

In the game you need to make the most money in three days time. You will be competing with 2- 5 other players and your competition can be other humans or computer (AI). There does not seem to be an online multiplayer option but there are nine different computer opponents, each with a different tactic. If you need help, there is a nice help section that gives you the basics of the game which I would recommend you read it. Overall the game is pretty easy to pick up and play.

The graphics and music are very well done, plus if you do not want to listen to classical music you can play your own in the game! As was mentioned above, you are trying to make the most Florin (money) in a three day bidding war. The goods up for sale at the dock are cloth, fur, grain, dye, spice, and gold. Each turn is started by opening crates on the dock and you can open one to three crates. Each player can bid on the crates shown as long as they have space in their ship for them. At the end of each day, when all ships are filled, Florins are paid out to the merchants.

Scoring for the game is as follows:

• At the end of each day the merchant with the most valuble cargo in their ship gets a bonus.
• At the end of each day, the amount of purchases for each item is tallied and the merchant with the most of any single item gets a bonus.

So to do well in the game, you need to be smart on what you bid on. See what you opponents are going after, keep any eye on the type of item and value of it. Be patient. The game is only 3 rounds and once you get the hang of it, you should be able to play a game in only a few minutes.

I found the game to be challenging and enjoyable. It is not overall complicated but it does take some practice and thinking to excel at it. So if you are looking for a casual, thinking board game that will not take all day, Reiner Knizia’s Medici HD for the iPad is right up your alley. You can bet your Florin on it!

A while back I was covering a number of different train games, well here is another one to add to your list –  Rails from Belight Software which is an iPad-only game. This game is the official remake of Shortline Railroad from the 1990′s. The main object of the game is to get the different color engines from one station to another. They are color coded so you know where they needs to go, however, the problem is first there might not be any tracks to that station and/or there could be other trains in your way!

The game comes with a tutorial level to show you how it is done. So once you complete that there are 3 chapters you can play, but they need to be played in order. Within each chapter are a number of levels, in Chapter 1 there are 22 areas to complete — overall there are 60 levels in total. At first it is pretty simple, but as you progress in levels it gets a bit more complicated.

This game will make you stop and think — how can I connect these two stations? How and where do I stop these trains so they do not crash? Now as you are playing, time is moving forward and the trains keep coming so you do not have a huge amount of time to plan and get yourself organized. The game does give you a few bonus such as boost, reverse, cleanup and more which you can use to help complete your missions. Make sure to check out the Trainopedia in the game to learn about the different trains and bonus options.

I enjoyed this train game very much. Games where you need to keep on eye on what is happening, try to plan your moves ahead of time and deal with the clock are some of my favorite. I did not play the original PC game but Rails is fun just on its own. As 0f now, I have not yet completed the game and at the rate I am going, it will be a while. The graphics and gameplay are very well done and the game is very easy to pick up, play for a while and then put it done. If you enjoy train games, then Rails should be on your list to play.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

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Let’s admit it, one of the reasons we purchase smartphones is because we want to play those fun, addicting mobile games that everyone seems to go crazy about. We could have been happy with phones that does the basic functions but it’s a plus when your phone becomes a tool to kill boredom. This is where games like Bubble Shooter Candy come in and do their part.

The Game

Bubble Shooter Candy is a mobile app developed by Zariba Ltd. It’s a simple touch and shoot app that has over 130 levels to play with. Talk about an addictive game to play when you’re waiting for someone at the airport or just simply kill your spare time. What’s even more interesting is that it also has levels that vary in difficulty, which will make your brain sweat while still having fun.

Eye Candy

Perhaps one of the good things about this game is its wonderful graphics. It’s simple, bright and fun to the eyes so you’ll always feel delighted while playing this game. In addition to that, because of the simplicity of the game and its colorful graphics, it is a game that would be great for kids to play as well. Bubble Shooter Candy is an upgrade to the traditional bubble shooting app that we all knew and had fun with years ago. But the unique graphics and user interface will still make you feel like you’re playing a whole new type of game as well.

If you’re interested, you can download Bubble Shooter Candy on the App Store for $1.99 by clicking here.

As a kid I loved doing Miniature golf on our family vacations and no matter how hard I tried I could never beat my dad. Well now I am the dad and I usually beat my kids, but not all the time! I recently tried the game Wonderputt for the iPad and it reminded me of the days of playing miniature golf. If you enjoy fun golf games then this is one to try.

Wonderputt is a beautifully done game from Damp Gnat — gameplay, graphics, and the music are all very well done and polished. The game is simple, get the golf ball in the hole in the least amount of shots. To hit the ball, all you have to do it tap on the ball and then drag your finger backwards and aim the ball in the direction you want it to go. The further back you go, the harder you hit the ball, however, there are going to be different obstacles you will have to deal with.

The game has a help screen if you need it, but I think most will find it pretty straight forward. In addition to that, on the help screen it lists the scoring for each type of shot as well. On the course you will see some diamonds (not sure what they are), but if you can collect them via the ball touching them, you can score some more points. For those you like to keep score, you can see your current, previous and best scores for the course and each individual hole. Wonderputt also has a leaderboard via Gamecenter and in-game achievements.

Finally the course — it is unique, beautiful and it is totally fun. You have to see it to appreciate it. I have played it numerous times and still have not gotten tired of it. Overall, I love how the whole course seems to fit together and the different challenges each hole presents. It just beautifully done and really neat — I know that is probably not the best way to describe an iOS game but that is what comes to mind when I see Wonderputt. If you’ve got $0.99 to spare, it is definitely worth it.

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