Okay, I’m obviously kidding but the inclusion of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum wouldn’t be all that out of place in Escape to Earth. Someone’s been captured by aliens, then somehow miraculously manages to escape their captors and hijack a ship. The only problem is they have to get out of the mothership before they can taste real freedom. Or smoke those cigars. Last Independence Day reference, I promise.

So players will find themselves in control of yet another space-faring vessel, however things aren’t as derivative as they might initially seem. It’s true that they’ll have to blast away at many an aggressive extra-terrestrial along the way, but Escape to Earth is about more than just blowing stuff up. In addition to the other-worldly armaments (i.e. a laser and missiles), players also have access to a tractor beam and “repulser” which are needed to solve a number of physics-based environmental puzzles. So if they ever want to see Earth again, they’ll have to use both their brain and their trigger fingers.

Those interested in fighting (and puzzling) their way through this interstellar labyrinth can do so right now. Escape to Earth is already on the App Store, and it can be had for the low/standard price of one dollar.

$0.99

Escape to Earth

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-10-27 :: Category: Games

Remember Sprinkle? That super-awesome water physics puzzle game about aliens defending their homes from meteoric garbage? Well it’s just been topped-off with more content.

Mediocre Games has just released an update with 14 new levels. That’s probably about 3 lifetimes worth of gameplay, assuming one plans to aim for the maximum rating in each one. Seriously, getting the highest rating for the later stages in this game is hard.

But the real reason I wanted to talk about this has to do with Sprinkle‘s “controversial” in-app purchase option to unlock later worlds. Essentially it wasn’t necessary, as metalcasket mentioned in our review‘s comments. The feature has since been removed, but Mediocre has been gracious enough to offer up 6 new levels (in addition to the previously mentioned 14) to these early in-app purchasers. How cool is that?

Sprinkle is still just $0.99, and now features 36 levels (42 for the in-app folks). And there’s no time like the present to strap on that adorable little extra terrestrial firefighter’s helmet.

$1.99

Sprinkle: Water splashing fire fighting fun!

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: WET & WILD
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-08-25 :: Category: Games

Chuck’s Challenge is a game about a guy (Chuck) who’s been kidnapped by a purple alien monkey-thing (Woop) and forced to create “games” for it to “play” because it’s bored. I think. It’s essentially a follow-up to Chip’s Challenge, with the original game’s creator, Chuck Sommerville, acting as both the designer and main character.

Niffler may have carried over a good deal of concepts from the older title, but the most significant aspect is the community integration. Sure, Chuck’s Challenge features 100 levels, about a quarter of which are free (the rest can be bought through in-app purchases), but the real draw is the ability for users to create and share their own. In a way the concept’s not all that dissimilar from Media Molecule and their community-centric platformer, LittleBigPlanet.

Level editors and sharing aren’t new ideas, even on iOS, but they’re very rarely incorporated as lovingly as they are with Chuck’s Challenge. Heck, the entire game is essentially designed and built around the concept of creating and sharing levels among the community. I kind of wish more games, both on the App Store and just in general, would think about doing things like this more often.

Chuck’s Challenge is available right now for absolutely nothing. Check it out, maybe?

FREE!

Chuck's Challenge

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-12-16 :: Category: Games