Tag: Flying »

The premise behind Foodie the Bug couldn't be simpler, as all the player has to do is get Foodie from one side of the level to the other before the timer hits zero. In reality it's much easier said than done, and the time limit ends up being the source of much frustration.

The game is split into four locations, each containing five levels. Every level starts with Foodie sitting on a catapult, and with a downward stroke on the screen the player can launch the bug forward and into the air. As soon as this happens two additional events occur. Firstly, the timer will begin ticking down to zero, and secondly Foodie's energy bar starts to deplete rapidly. Once this bar runs out then Foodie will plummet to the ground and the level will be classed as a failure.

To top up the energy bar the player must constantly collect jelly beans that are scattered throughout the level. Control is easy, with tilts of the device moving Foodie up and down. As well as jelly beans, each level contains a myriad of power-ups and hazards to help and hinder Foodie. To add to this there are also a number of enemies around, and Foodie can only take three hits before the level ends.

Foodie the Bug also has a number of recipes to complete. This can be done by collecting certain food items that are placed in every level. Once to player has collected the required food types they can 'cook' the recipe, which will add it to their collection.

As much fun as the game can be, there are a number of issues. Firstly, power-ups have a nasty habit of being spawned right next to hazards, rendering them impossible to collect. The focus on beating the time limit also becomes frustrating, especially when the much-needed speed boosts are blocked off by hazards.

For the most part Foodie the Bug is an enjoyable game. Just be prepared to see the 'fail' screen over and over again.

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Previously, I reported that pilots were using special apps to help cut down on paper clutter in the cockpit by storing digital copies of flight charts. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration is going to allow for the expanded usage of iPads in the cockpit for the use and storage of charts and manuals as well as flight charts in the cockpit during flights, starting with American Airlines flights on Boeing 777 planes on Friday, December 16th. What's curious is that even just by lightening flight loads by 35 pounds as iPad usage versus paper materials provides, airlines can save $1.2 million in fuel costs. For cash-strapped airlines like American Airlines, this is surely wonderful news.

This raises the question, of course, if pilots can now use their iPads in the cockpit, and if they can have them on during landing and takeoff as they conceivably could, what's stopping the FAA from allowing people to use their own iPads at the same time, far away from the sensitive equipment? With little evidence to suggest that electronic devices offer any kind of risk, it might be time for the FAA to re-examine this policy.

NuOxygen has just released "The Racing 3D Flight Simulator," Ikaro Racing HD for iOS devices, and it's looking pretty neat. Players will race through a diverse set of environments (and 22 tracks), from sprawling cities to winding canyons, jockeying for first place. It won't be easy, but it makes winning that much more satisfying.

The game is designed to steadily increase in difficulty, so that players adjust naturally to the curve. It's meant to be more pleasant than panic-inducing, with cameras that highlight the beauty of the landscape or the details of the planes so that the visuals can truly be appreciated. Of course, spending too much time drinking in the details are a good way to end up face-planting into an obstacle. A danger that becomes even more real when the dynamic weather system opts to replace those clears skies with a thunderstorm.

Ikaro Racing HD was designed with the iPad 2 in mind, but it's also available for most other iOS devices. It just requires some tweaking in the options menu first. Aspiring air jockeys can grab it off of the App Store right now for free.