Tag: Bugs »

Monstaaa! is a new physics puzzler that players control completely by tilting their device. In this game, players precisely tilt their device to guide rolling bugs into the mouth of an awaiting cave monster, called Monstaaa. Of course, in the caves where Monstaaa lives, getting bugs into his mouth is not always easy. In these caves there are many dangerous obstacles, like spikes and fire, that will destroy the bugs before Monstaaa can snack on them if the player isn't careful.

This game requires finesse. It takes only very slight movements of the device to send bugs rolling off in different directions. To enforce that need for finesse, the levels are very challenging and require players to focus on fine control instead of rocking their device back and forth haphazardly until something happens. The tilt controls work very well too, they are responsive and consistent, and they allow the fine control required to enjoy the game.

Of course, as a puzzle game, Monstaaa! has elements in its levels that take it beyond just getting a bug to a cute monster. Some levels have keys that must be collected first to open doors. Other levels will have more than one bug and players must pay attention to how every bug moves together as they endeavor to get each one into Monstaaa's mouth. There are also various bugs that act differently by doing things like changing their size to make them too big to fit through certain spaces in the cave or eating other bugs in the level. These mechanics are all very well thought out and work together in splendid fashion to make a game that is quite challenging, but not impossible to figure out with a few minutes of thought.

This is a really gorgeous game. The hand painted qualities of the characters and other game elements all blend into a beautifully seamless environment. The controls are some of the better tilt controls to be found on an iOS game right now, and the gameplay is superb. While the idea of fighting physics to feel a little monster might not be the most original, it is very well executed here and the quality of the experience is undeniable.

Got a garden or lawn? I have and it's amazing how fast weeds grow and bugs appear to eat away at things faster than I can plant them. Spectracide, known for its many weed and bug killing products, has just released an app to help identify what's going on and how to fix it.

Bug & Weed Identifier by Spectracide® is free to download and offers some key features. First of all is the Pest Guidebook which tells the user how to figure out what bugs and weeds are involved. There's then Capture & Compare in which the user can take photos and place them side by side with those in the guide, or even email an expert for help.

Identifying isn't all that the app offers, however, with the ability to provide advice of what treatment to use to eradicate them, and also which retailer to go visit.

It's simple yet useful for the keen gardener, quickly giving them a way of defeating the scourge of weeds and pests.

Bug & Weed Identifier by Spectracide® is out now.

Last month we reported that EA had pulled Battlefield 3: Aftershock from the App Store following reports of large-scale bugs and crashing. We have now confirmed from an EA spokesperson that the game will not be returning to the App Store, and the Aftershock servers will be shut down on March 31, 2012.

"In the interest of bringing consumers only the highest level of quality mobile entertainment, EA Mobile has decided to suspend development and support of Battlefield 3: Aftershock and refocus its resources on other titles," said EA in a statement. "The Aftershock servers will be live through March 31st, 2012, and customers who have already downloaded the game can continue to play until then."

The EA rep we spoke to also confirmed that the company has no immediate plans for future Battlefield titles on iOS. So anyone hoping for a mobile fix of the shooter franchise is out of luck for at least the near future.

After a launch plagued with bugs and lag, as well as numerous negative reviews from both the users and the press, EA has chosen to remove Battlefield 3: Aftershock from the App Store. The news was broken by IGN, who obtained the following statement from EA.

"EA Mobile is committed to delivering mobile entertainment experiences that are on par with the content and quality users have come to expect from their favorite EA gaming brands. To this end, we have decided to remove Battlefield 3: Aftershock from the App Store and are currently re-evaluating the app in response to the consumer feedback we've received. We thank all the fans who have downloaded the game to date."

We're glad to hear that EA has done the responsible thing and pulled the title. Even though the game has done some damage by being available but virtually unplayable for two weeks, we're hopeful that EA can figure out what went wrong and get the game back up in a timely manner. As yet there is no word if users who already downloaded the game will have their purchases refunded or if they will be compensated in some other manner.

I don't exactly hate bugs, I just don't like having them in my home. Unless they're a pet. No really, we used to own a giant millipede. His name was Oscar. Anyway, if one does get in, I generally try to usher it back outside by way of a glass and a piece of paper, but sometimes I have no choice but to squash 'em. For anyone who isn't a weirdo bug-lover like me, there's Dirty Bugs, a cartoony bug-punching game by Foggy Studio.

The game itself is a simple one, not unlike some of the most successful App Store titles: swipe all over the screen to swat down bugs, but make sure not to let any get by and don't hit the bombs. Swatting down insects will cause them to go from happy little bugs with bright, smiling faces to bugs that look like they just went ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer. It's a cute touch.

At the moment there's only one "farm," but there's the promise of more (farms, bugs, etc.) in the future. Those interested in smacking some creepy-crawlies can check out Dirty Bugs right now for free.