Reviews for top iPad games at RJHS

Sophmore+Austin+Chounaird+plays+RETRY+on+his+iPad+during+academic+support.

Hunter Hanks

Sophmore Austin Chounaird plays RETRY on his iPad during academic support.

What makes a good iPad game? There are many factors that play into the quality of an iPad game. In order for an iPad game to be good it must be easy to just open up and get into. A good iPad game must also have very intuitive controls to allow anybody to just download the game and start playing with few problems. With the basis of what’s makes a good iPad game it is time to evaluate the games in our list.

Zombie Highway 2 – our review: 3.5/5

Zombie highway 2 by Auxbrain, Inc. is the newest game from them and currently has a 4.5/5 star rating on the Apple App Store. This game has the player driving down a highway while various types of zombies jump on the car. You have to get zombies off by either hitting them against an object on the road or using a weapon to shoot them off. This game is simple enough to pick up and play but includes upgrades that keeps the player playing. Though this game has all the things for a good iPad game, it’s controls felt loose and overall it seemed very repetitive. That’s why we give this game a 3.5/5.

Sophomore James Kennedy plays Pokemon during academic support
Sophomore James Kennedy plays Pokemon during academic support.

The Battle Cats  – our review: 2.5/5

The Battle Cats by PONOS is the latest game by them and currently holds a 5/5 star rating on the Apple App Store. In this game the player spawns cats to battle other animals and take down their tower. As you win battles you progress through world landmarks. The game continues to get more challenging but the game allows you to upgrade or get new cats with the points you earn from battles. Personally I found this game slow and lacked immediate rewards witch makes the game worth playing so I am giving this game a 2.5/5.

Spiderman Unlimited – our review: 4/5

This game has a 4.5/5 on the Apple App Store. Spiderman Unlimited is a game that features a multitude of different Spiderman characters for you to play as. Avid comic book readers may enjoy seeing some of their favorite Spiderman characters that aren’t seen very often in games. While it is very similar to games like Temple Run and Subway Surfers, it offers some unique elements such as web swinging, boss fights and special timed events. The bosses in the game are the Green Goblin, Vulture, Electro, and Sandman. It is easy to lose time in the game’s endless running and fighting. I would rank this game at a 4/5, for its originality with characters and for the features that separate it from other games that are similar.

Gabe Shulze ’17 said “My favorite game would have to be Spiderman Unlimited. I like being able to play as Spiderman, and seeing all of the other Spiderman characters from the comics.”

Fruit Ninja – our review: 3.5/5

Alex Baldwin '17 plays Fruit Ninja outside the science labs
Alex Baldwin ’17 plays Fruit Ninja outside the science labs.

Made by Half Brick Studios, Fruit Ninja has 4.5/5 stars on the Apple App Store. It is a game where the user swipes their finger across the screen to slice fruit. There are multiple different game modes to offer variations on fruit slicing. There are also many stages and blades to unlock after playing the game. Even without a story, I found this game to offer hours of fun. While I never sat down with the intention of playing the game, I often picked it up while waiting in lines or between classes at lunch and office hours. Overall, I would give the game 3.5/5 stars, due to the fun but repetitive gameplay.

Sophomore Alex Baldwin said “My favorite game would have to be Fruit Ninja, because it is strangely addicting and requires focus and interaction with the player. It is a timeless app that I can play all the time. I also like to get the unlockables; they make me want to keep playing the game.”

Madden NFL Mobile – our review: 4.5/5

Madden NFL Mobile by Electronic Arts is the latests in NFL installment from this franchise. Madden Mobile currently has 4/5 stars on the Apple App Store. This game has you creating your dream NFL team with coins you get from winning games. The more well known players with higher ratings are more expensive. This keeps you coming back to earn coins for your favorite players. Madden NFL Mobile includes in-app purchases which if you have no patience you can buy your way through the game. Overall Madden NFL Mobile is a good but the in-app purchases feel necessary at some points and that’s why I give this game a 4.5/5.

Sophomore Jonah Montoya said “My favorite has to be madden because I can play it on the go. I like playing madden on the consoles but they don’t have portability like iPads do.”

NOVA 3 – our review:  4/5

NOVA 3  is the third installment in the NOVA series, with a 4.5/5 on the Apple App store. This game is a first person shooter with a story mode and a competitive multiplayer mode that you can play against your friends. The story featured in the game is pretty interesting, and I was able to stick with it for a while. However, my favorite part of this game would have to be the multiplayer. I have spent quite a bit of time playing with my friends on the multiplayer. As far as most mobile shooters go, the game handles well and is entertaining to play. Overall I would give the game a 4/5 for good multiplayer action.

 

What is Your Favorite iPad game? Comment your answer.