148 Apps on Facebook 148 Apps on Twitter

All posts by Ric Cowley

Posts :: Feed

Ric Cowley

Editor | 148Apps

Ric is the Editor of PocketGamer.biz, having started out as a Staff Writer on the site back in 2015. He received an honourable mention in both the MCV and Develop 30 Under 30 lists in 2016 and refuses to let anyone forget about it.

Connect with Ric:

How to win big in Slots Deluxe

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 28th, 2016

Cheating while gambling is illegal and morally wrong, and in some parts of the world it leads to men with names like Vinnie "Six Knuckles" Manchenzo beating you to a pulp in a dark alley.

Of course, none of this will happen on your phone - especially in the comfort of a game like Slots Deluxe. Although you can't really cheat either.

But we still have some words of advice to make sure you don't leave the machine empty handed.

How to take over the world in Dictator 2

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 28th, 2016

Running a country isn't easy - especially when you're a dictator who wants to take over the world and crush everyone in your path while you do it.

That's exactly what you'll be doing in Dictator 2, except you're running multiple countries, and for some reason you've decided to avoid seeking counsel on every matter.

Well, while we can't make every decision in life for you, we can offer some guidance in the form of tips to help you go from El Gato to El Presidente.

How to get all the crabs in Mr Crab 2

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 24th, 2016

Mr. Crab 2 may look like a cutesy platformer for kids, but if you're the kind of person who likes to complete a game 100%, you'll soon realise that it's a tougher than a crustacean's shell.

Read the following tips though, and you'll be well on your way to busting all the little crab's friends out of their cages and owning enough tiny bowler hats to open a hat shop.

How to be a star in Britney Spears: American Dream

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 23rd, 2016

If you've ever wanted to be a star, baby, then you've probably already checked out Britney Spears: American Dream and are happily making your way up the charts.

But fame doesn't come easy, and everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. So we've got some tips to make sure you end up getting money for nothing and your chicks for free.

How to keep the ball rolling in Dropple

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 21st, 2016

If you're new to the minimalist puzzler Dropple, you may find yourself struggling to make it beyond the first couple of steps before your ball falls into the endless abyss below.

But don't worry, we've got you covered. Read on for a handful of tips to help you on your way to becoming a ball-dropping champion.

How to be the best at Bejeweled Stars

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 19th, 2016

Believe it or not, there are people out there who've never played Candy Crush Saga. That may sound like a bold claim, but it's true.

To these people, Bejeweled Stars may seem like a totally alien concept - especially if they've played previous Bejeweled games and are now confronted with this whole new, objective-based gameplay.

If you fall into that category and are feeling slightly overwhelmed, fear not. We have some tips and tricks to help you on your way.

How to beat The Moron Test

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 18th, 2016

If there's one thing human beings love doing more than anything, it's lording their intelligence over one another.

The Moron Test helps you do exactly that. But should you find yourself lacking in the intelligence department, we've got a handful of tips to help you convince your friends you're Einstein. Kind of.

How to come up with an awesome name in slither.io

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 15th, 2016

As Juliet once said out on her balcony: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

And she may have had a point - it's not the name that maketh the man. But in the cutthroat world of slither.io, it can't hurt to use everything to your advantage.

So here's a few tips on how to give yourself the most badass name possible, while being thematically appropriate. You know, to instil fear and raise a smile on the faces of your enemies.

How to dominate the highway in Hovercraft: Takedown

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 14th, 2016

On a surface level, Hovercraft: Takedownseems like just a bit of silly fun. But it's actually got a surprising amount of depth to it.

You can rack up a decent score by simply weaving through traffic and destroying whatever's in front of you, but we have some "outside the box" tips that could help your score skyrocket.

4 more Donald Trump parodies we'd like to see after playing Trump's Wall: Build it Huuuge

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 12th, 2016

Trump's Wall: Build it Huuuge may have taken off on the App Store, but it's not the first game which takes the Republican candidate's wall-building plans and turns it into a game.

It's also perhaps a little too obvious a game to make - particularly when the man himself has so many other quotes you could parody.

Consider these games we'd like to see based on some of the other outlandish things Mr Trump has said.

"I'm very rich."

This would work in a similar manner to AdVenture Capitalist, only with Trump Towers, Trump Steaks, and all that other nonsense the man has attached his name to.

You'll have to file for bankruptcy constantly, but don't worry - you can just start over with an enhanced ego to give bonus multiplier to your Supposed Wealth score.

"All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me."

What the App Store is missing is quality dating sims. How about one where you flirt with a delusional billionaire who might end up being your boss?

You don't have to actually flirt with him though - just act like a normal human and you'll win the game. After all, you were probably just unconsciously flirting with him.

"You can never be too greedy."

Trump.io, anyone? You start life as one of his tiny hands, desperately grabbing at the money floating around on the board.

Your hand eventually grows larger, finally evolving into his massive head. Instead of boosting, you just yell belligerent nonsense at your enemies to scare them off.

"My IQ is one of the highest."

Remember Stupid Test? Now imagine it with questions just for Trump!

Try not to trip up on easy questions like the date of one of the biggest terrorist attacks ever carried out, and get it confused with convenience store chains!

The best upgrades in War Tortoise

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 8th, 2016

War Tortoise has a ton of different weapons and upgrades to sink your teeth into, and it can be a bit daunting when you're starting out.

So we've got a few tips on where you should be putting your money to ensure you survive in the bizarre, bug-infested world.

How to survive in War Tortoise

Posted by Ric Cowley on May 8th, 2016

So you've downloaded War Tortoise, started working your way through it, and before you know it you're being swarmed by beetles and starting to panic.

Don't worry there, friend. Read on for some tips on how best to tackle combat in War Tortoise and avoid watching the titular reptile die at the hands of some pesky bugs.

5 slither.io mash-ups we'd love to see happen

Posted by Ric Cowley on April 29th, 2016
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

If there's one thing that slither.io has proved, it's that the addictive gameplay of Agar.io can be transplanted onto basically anything and it will still be good fun.

It wouldn't be surprising if we saw other developers jumping on the bandwagon, and we've come up with five major games that we think could benefit from taking a leaf out of slither.io's book.

How to move around in slither.io

Posted by Ric Cowley on April 22nd, 2016

So you've had a look at our guide on how to stay massive in slither.io and thought, "hang on a second, how do I stay alive long enough to even get to that point?"

It's a perfectly valid question, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution, sadly. But if you're continually getting killed, you might need to rethink how you're moving around the world.

To that end, we have a few movement styles and tips to make sure you're ready to dodge a slithery opponent when you get in a bit of a jam.

The 5 best updates in Apple's Apps for Earth campaign

Posted by Ric Cowley on April 21st, 2016

With its recent Apps for Earth campaign, Apple has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund and a handful of developers to help give something back to the Earth.

What this means in practice is that participating apps will donate all of the money made from certain in-app purchases to WWF, and there's a bunch of new content being added to games just for the event.

The new content is only available until the 24th of April, so with that deadline looming, we thought we'd pick out the best updates to focus your time on while you can.