Review Archive

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Nokia Lumia 900 – Review

By
Paul Neafsey
– August 30, 2012Posted in: Features, Hardware, Reviews

Nokia Lumia 900

Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia, Windows Phone, Microsoft, Tiles, Apps, Camera, Video

In February 2011 a partnership between Microsoft and Nokia promised the Finnish mobile manufacturer would make Windows Phone their primary operating system for its smartphone devices. The combination of know-how between the software giant and leading mobile handset manufacture set some high expectations.

The following year saw the introduction of the Nokia Lumia handset line in various model iterations. In April 2012, the latest Lumia 900 handset was released and promised to the be the flagship Windows Phone. This model featured AT&T’s LTE speeds, quality build in a simple interface and a much-touted Carl Zeiss camera lens. We took a closer look at the Lumia 900 in a variety of areas to determine if Nokia’s flagship smartphone lives up to its hype.

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Max & the Magic Marker Review

By
Nelson Ocampo
– June 21, 2012Posted in: Features, LIVE Game Reviews, Reviews

Max & the Magic Marker was developed by Press Play (now owned by Microsoft) and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is currently available on Windows Phone for $.99 USD . It is an XBOX LIVE  game and is available in the Marketplace (here).

Max & the Magic Marker is a creative offering from Press Play, that is part platformer and part physics based puzzle game. It was a launch title for Windows Phone, first being offered for the price of $6.99. It’s been almost two years since then, and the Windows Phone marketplace has grown significantly. Does Max & the Magic Marker stand the test of time? If you are new to Windows Phone, is this game a worthy purchase?

The story behind Max & the Magic Marker is simple, and is viewed by the player in a short animatic. Max is a regular kid who likes to draw. He gets a mysterious package in the mail, and opens it to find an orange marker. So he does what any kid would do with a marker: he draws with it.

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Minesweeper Review (Windows Phone)

By
Steve Lesniewski
– May 19, 2012Posted in: Features, LIVE Game Reviews

Minesweeper is published by Microsoft Studios and is currently available on Windows Phone 7 devices for free. The game is available here.

 

Tick…tick…BOOM!

Minesweeper, based on the classic computer game, is a great time killer, but the constant ads and the erratic zooming in-and-out distract in a race against the clock.

Fans of the original know what to expect and are sure to enjoy the game. It consists of a grid of boxes (7×7, 9×9, 12×12 or 16×16) and underneath some tiles are hidden mines (5, 10, 24 and 60 respectively). Boxes adjacent to mines have a number on them corresponding to how many mines that box touches, ranging from one to six. If a mine is dug up, then it is game over.

Since the game is a Xbox Live title, it does have achievements to be won. The added benefit is great for achievement hunters and will certainly add some miles to an already great title, or at the very least provide a sense of pride whenever one is obtained.

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Sudoku Review (Windows Phone)

By
Scott Chambers
– May 18, 2012Posted in: Features, Indie Game Reviews, Reviews

Sudoku was developed by Blugri studios, and is currently available on the Windows Phone 7 platform for free. This game is available in the marketplace here.

Sudoku is a great puzzle game that originated in Japan, and since then became an internationally embraced and addicting pastime. The premise is simple: you are given a 9×9 grid with various numbers in said grids. The objective is to get each row, column, and 3×3 grid to contain all the digits through 1-9.

Belgian mobile developer Blugri has nailed the concept, and came up with a stress free version of the game for Windows Phone. They have provided 3 difficulties, statistics, great graphics, unlimited puzzles, and a really intuitive pen and pencil mode which really improves upon the experience.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Kamikaze Race Review (Windows Phone)

By
Steve Lesniewski
– May 11, 2012Posted in: Features, LIVE Game Reviews, Reviews

Kamikaze Race is developed by TastyPlay, and is currently available on Windows Phone 7 devices for $.99 USD, additionally a free ad-supported version is available. This game is available through the marketplace here.

Kamikaze Race is an addictive game with a simple premise that deserves your attention, at least until you crash into a ball of flames.

The game is a Frogger-esq game through expressway traffic in a car with no brakes and is constantly accelerating, so the question is not if, but when, you will crash. The game has two virtual buttons at the bottom of the touch screen to steer left and right.

The game sets up as a little car on the nine-lane expressway and the driver has to weave through traffic while constantly increasing his speed. Since the game has an aerial view, random bypasses temporarily block the road ahead, bringing unknown elements into play. Additionally, the car can drive into oncoming traffic where a three-way lane is also available and necessary to get past some obstacles.

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Wordament Review

By
Paul Neafsey
– May 3, 2012Posted in: Features, LIVE Game Reviews, Reviews
Wordament is developed by You vs. the Internet and was released on the LIVE Marketplace on April 1st, 2011 for free. It was subsequently re-released as an official Xbox Live Game published by Microsoft on April 25th, 2012 and continues to be completely free.


Wordament Xbox Live Game

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