Quick Review: Battle Frogging II for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Angry Birds this, Angry Birds that ... I get it. Everyone loves Angry Birds. Well we still have no idea when it will ever show its face on the BlackBerry PlayBook (or IF it ever will) so in the meantime we have to make do with some other alternatives. One of my new favorites is Battle Frogging II. The one is tons of fun and is pretty much as close to Angry Birds as you can get on the PlayBook without being angry or a bird. Battle Frogging II lets you fire off some irate beavers as you take down the evil frogs in your pursuit of glory. Fire off your cannon and collect points and stars as you make your way through the various levels. Battle Frogging II is loads of fun for kids of all ages, so I definitely recommend checking it out. Watch the video above to see it in action, then head to BlackBerry App World to grab a copy for yourself.

More information/download of Battle Frogging II

More information/download of Battle Frogging II Lite

Reckless Racing for the BlackBerry PlayBook

I was super happy when I saw that Reckless Racing had finally arrived on the BlackBerry PlayBook. I've had the game on other devices in the past, and it has long been one of my favorite time killers. This overhead racer pits you against oppenents on various courses, speeding your way through mud, dirt and pavement on your way to victory. There is also a Delivery mode where you can test your skills against the clock as you race to deliver packages. Reckless Racing is loads of fun and is that perfect "few minutes of time killing" game when you're on the go. With loads of replay value, you'll find yourself addicted in no time. Check out the video above for my full review.

More information/download of Reckless Racing

Moto X Mayhem for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Growing up I loved playing video games. My favorite though happened to be racing games like Pole Position, Mario Kart, or any of the ones at the local arcade including one where you sat on a replica of a motorbike. So it was a no brainer that I had to try Moto X Mayhem by Occamy Games for the BlackBerry PlayBook. It's one of those games that keep you occupied for hours.

Moto X Mayhem is a great game and it feels just right in your hands. Now I admit going from a controller to the accelerometer and touch controls wasn't easy. There's a certain amount of talent and coordination to juggle all the controls at once to get through the course that I definitely lack. I'll just need more practice to master it. However, controls can be mixed and matched to suit your needs. You could choose analog slider controls for the gas/brake and accelerometer for tilting or use touch controls for everything. 

Moto X Mayhem at its core is based on a simple concept: keep yourself balanced on the dirt bike and maneuver through the treacherous terrain to make it to the end of the course in the shortest amount of time. Sounds easy right? Wrong. I think it took me 10 tries just to finish the first stage. Not to mention that every time you fail the course (i.e. crash, fall off your bike, or lose a life) the level resets and a second is added to your overall time. There are only four main levels dubbed islands and each is comprised of 7 courses or stages. For some this means it's a pretty quick game, while for clumsy people like me it's just enough for now.

Overall, Moto X Mayhem is fun and looks and feels real on the PlayBook. It's a physics game so if you go to do a flip but are off you're going to crash. After you crash, you can pick up the driver and throw him around the course like a rag doll. I don't know why they added that but I use it to see the rest of the course ahead of time.

If you're the type of gamer that enjoys a challenge and loves the frustration it causes then this is for you. The other night I almost missed my train stop because I just had to beat the course. Between the nature sounds, clear graphics, and ability to toggle the accelerometer controls, you can't go wrong here. I hope future updates brings the expansion packs available on other platforms. You can pick up Moto X Mayhem in BlackBerry App World for $4.99. 

More information / purchase Moto X Mayhem at BlackBerry App World

Test your mad ninja skillz with Fruits & Ninja for the BlackBerry PlayBook

So you're a ninja with not much to do now a days. How do you keep those ninja skills honed and at the ready? By slashing fruit of course! Fruits and Ninja (or Ninja Fruit Slash, watch video for explanation) is a game where you slice the fruit with your sword while avoiding bombs to unlock different achievements. Fruits & Ninja features 3 different mode, Classic mode, Arcade mode and Zen mode.

Yes, it is pretty much the same concept as the other game on that other platform but now it's on our BlackBerry PlayBook which just makes it that much cooler. As simple as the game sounds, it's actually a lot of fun. One wrong swipe and your screen blows up. Available for only $.99, it's one of the cheaper games for our PlayBooks that is worth trying out.

For more information / purchase Fruits and Ninja

Get your Chi on with ToFu for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Growing up in my household, loving everything martial arts was a must! Having a father who studied the art and is a black belt meant I cut my teeth on Bruce Lee movies and the Kung Fu series (Deepest sympathies to my classmate Kansas, RIP Carradine). When I was browsing through App World last week, I ran across a game for the BlackBerry PlayBook called ToFu by HotGen Limited. While the name threw me off, the icon caught my attention. Was that really a piece of ToFu wearing a karate headband?!

To-Fu is the world's stretchiest martial artist. You join our young hero on his journey in the "Trials of Chi". The concept of the game is to stretch, ping, stick & rebound To-Fu off different walls and objects through 140 levels of  traps and machinery as you collect the gems and reach the "Fortune Kitty".

Features:

ToFu is a highly entertaining game. I love the graphics and how smoothly the game runs on the PlayBook. ToFu is currently available for $1.99 and is definitely well worth the money!

For more information / purchase

UNO HD for the BlackBerry PlayBook

UNO is not just any other game. It's more like an institution. How many of you out there played this game in one form or another growing up? I know I can't remember a time I wasn't UNO'ing with my parents on the kitchen table. Yes, we did in fact make up a word to describe our addiction. While you can't jump up and slam down a card while screaming UNO, all the classic elements are there at your disposal, including some new rules, all thanks to Gameloft. The version on the BlackBerry PlayBook is similar to ones released on iOS and Android and I'm thrilled it's finally come to the PlayBook. 

To recap for those who might be unfamiliar, players of two or more are dealt a hand of seven cards and must play a card that matches the one on the pile either numerically or by color. If they have neither they draw another card and this continues until a player gets rid of all their cards. There are also wild cards that change the color in play or penalty cards that cause your opponents to draw extra cards or lose their turn.

Users can choose from three different types of play: Quick Play (short game), Single Player (Tournament or Custom Mode), or multiplayer where you and up to three of your friends share the BlackBerry tablet to compete against each other. When I say share, I mean you literally need to pass around the PlayBook to each player for their turn.

The real challenge lies with tournament play as you face fifteen rounds of play with varying rules and computer adversaries. You have five chances to win each round so make it count. As you win each game you'll collect reward cups/tables, unlock new backgrounds, and new avatars for your profile.

Graphics are outstanding and more importantly the colors are vibrant and extremely sharp and clear. It's also smooth, so no lag or jerks whatsoever. As a side note, I have a screen protector on my PB so if you saw any dirt or my finger slipping, it's the shield not the game. 

Gameloft has done an oustanding job turning this simple card game into a great tablet application. One thing I need to warn you about is that this version lacks the online player mode available on other platforms so that is technically one thing that was lost. Hopefully they'll work on that in future updates. What are you waiting for? It's fun, addicting, and its only $4.99. Just don't beat up your tablet when you shout UNO.

More information / purchase UNO HD from BlackBerry App World

Star Front: Collision for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Star Front: Collision is a real-time strategy game for the BlackBerry PlayBook by app devloper Gameloft. So what does that mean? If you've ever played Command & Conquer, Total Annihilation, or Starcraft (three of my all-time favorite games), you're already familiar with the general idea.

In this game for the BlackBerry tablet, you can play as one of three races: the human Consortium, the beastly Myriad, or the technologically advanced Wardens (which to me, reminds me of the Vorlons from Babylon 5). All three races struggle to control the rare and valuable mineral Unobtanium... er, I mean Xenodium.

Build extraction facilities for the mineral and energy resources, create garrisons to train your troops, and lead your forces to destroy the enemy. The game makes great use of the 3D rendering capabilities of the PlayBook and allows several levels of zoom, so you can see exactly what's going on. Even while your forces are building and fighting in other parts of the map, scrolling between areas is smooth and quick.

The touchscreen interface of the game is perfectly suited for the tablet. Large buttons and controls ring the screen and are easy to use even if you have large fingers like me. There is a small learning curve while you learn to control the camera and your forces, but the excellent four-part tutorial included with the game makes it a breeze.

I could go on and on about how excellent this game is, even without discussing the skirmish and online multiplayer modes. Bottom line, Star Front: Collision is a well-crafted, fun game that's sure to bring me hours of enjoyment. If you want a taste of what gameplay looks like, take a look at that video up there. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some Xenodium to mine and some Myriad to exterminate.

Purchase Star Front: Collision from BlackBerry App World 

Music for the video, "Feeling Dark (Behind The Mask)," was created by 7OOP3D and is licensed under Creative Commons 3.0.  Many thanks to 7OOP3D.  

BlackBerry App Roundup - 25 copies of Weather Plus by MMMOOO to give away!

Welcome to this week's BlackBerry App Roundup! This week we have 25 copies of Weather Plus by MMMOOO to give away! We have searched high and low and found some neat apps to share with you this week, so head on past the break to check them out and enter the contest! If you have an app you want to see featured in the roundup be sure to check the end of the post for information on submitting it to us.

GPS Trackdown for BlackBerry by: Rainium Research

GPS Trackdown is a social networking application that makes it easy to find and share your location.  It's a great tool to have In Case of Emergency. The Remote Trackdown feature can help you locate a lost phone or a missing person.  The Panic Trackdown feature can help you send your location history to a trusted emergency contact.  Share your location on FaceBook, Twitter, by Text or by Email.  The Remember Location feature can be used to help find your car at the mall.  Because GPS Trackdown uses local search you can get Weather, Movies, Maps and more.  Also, because GPS Trackdown can utilize GPS coordinates you can get directions to locations that don’t have a registered street address.

Most importantly, GPS Trackdown fully respects your privacy.  Your personal and location information is never sent to their website.  This application was not designed to replace an in-car GPS System and it does not support voice turn by turn directions. GPS Trackdown is FREE with versions for BlackBerry 7 devices as well as those on OS 5-6.

More information/screenshots and to download GPS Trackdown for BB7 devices

More information/screenshots and to download GPS Trackdown for OS 5-6

 

BlackBerry EMail Remote by MagMedia jSoft

Create tasks and memos and share them with other BlackBerry users that have this app installed. Create the memo or task, and BlackBerry EMail Remote will send it via email to those you specify, automatically creating the same memo or task on the recipients' device. You can even have the email marked as read automatically so your inbox doesn't get cluttered. BlackBerry EMail Remote is available on sale for $1.49 (reg. $2.99) for most BlackBerry smartphones.

More information/screenshots and to purchase BlackBerry EMail Remote

 

3D Draw by Robert McAuley

A unique drawing program for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Draw a picture, then spin it, rotating around the center point. Inertia mode allows you to continue drawing as the picture rotates, and ribbon mode keeps the drawing line a fixed length. A great drawing app that is both easy to use and fun. You can purchase 3D Draw for your BlackBerry PlayBook for $1.99.

More information/screenshots and to purchase 3D Draw

 

Orb It! and Orb It! Lite by Rotten Ogre

Tap and link orbs to destroy them before they collide. Three different endless game modes (Classic, Arcade and Waves) provide variations on the gameplay, including special orbs and power-ups. You'll have to be quick with your fingers to get a high score! The lite version of Orb It! is free and lets you play the Classic game mode and submit high scores of up to 50,000. To play the other game modes and to submit high scores of any amount, please buy the full version for just $.99.

More information/screenshots and to download Orb It! Lite

More information/screenshots and to purchase Orb It!

 

eBuddy XMS now available for BlackBerry and hoping to win you over

We know what you are thinking -- cross platform messaging clients are like a dime a dozen now a days, and with so many options, what makes this one any better? With clients like Kik, LiveProfile and WhatsApp available already, the folks at eBuddy XMS knew they had to step it up a level beyond the others and they feel they have done so very well. Features of eBuddy XMS include:

Knowing that not everyone can be tied to their mobile device at all times, or folks at the computer don't always want to pick up their device to respond to a message, having a web-based companion is a huge help that definitely sets it apart. Unfortunately eBuddy XMS is not available through AppWorld, but it is available through their site for download. More images after the break.

More information / download of eBuddy XMS

 

Weather Plus by MMMOOO

Weather Plus is an advanced weather application which adds push weather info to your BlackBerry's home screen and the app icon. If you don't have a theme with a "weather slot" but you still want to see your current conditions, this is a great app for you. Recently updated to include BlackBerry 7 devices, Weather Plus now features more polished icons, deluxe home screen badges and layout, improved connection and lots more! Weather Plus is available for $6.99 and is compatible with most BlackBerry smartphones running OS 5.0 and greater.

Features:

Contest: MMMOOO has given us 25 free copies of Weather Plus to pass on to you guys this week! To enter, leave a comment below. One entry per person, and the contest ends Sunday at midnight PST.

More information/screenshots and to purchase Weather Plus

 

Well there you have it folks! Be sure to check out New BlackBerry Apps, Updated BlackBerry Apps and Free BlackBerry Apps available at ShopCrackBerry.com. If you are a developer and want to have your app shown in the roundup or you're interested in having us host a contest for you, drop me an email at cbmichelle[@]crackberry.com. See you all next week!

The Lost Komodo - Help the baby Komodo in this beautiful game for BlackBerry PlayBook

A baby Komodo got lost on a deserted island, far away from his family. He needs to survive in the wild all by himself - finding his meal, avoiding the predators , avoiding dangerous traps, evolve and hunt the ex-predators - then finally make his way home, to the Komodo National Park.

The Lost Komodo is a beautifully illustrated game for the BlackBerry PlayBook. You are the tiny green Komodo lost on the island all alone. Tilt your PlayBook to control his path and eat prey to help him grow. Health and shield power-ups will help him along the way, as well as extra time and bonus coins. As you progress through the levels the little Komodo grows and and his story is told. The illustrations in the game are vivid and colorful, reminiscent of water color paintings. You can grab this game FREE for your PlayBook and help the tiny Komodo on his quest for home. Check out a few screenshots after the break, and download at the link below.

More information and to download The Lost Komodo for BlackBerry PlayBook

Play 5 different games of solitaire with SoloDeck for BlackBerry PlayBook

SoloDeck is a collection of solitaire card games for your BlackBerry PlayBook by Chef Delivered Ltd. Included at this time are five games: Freecell, Klondike, Scorpion, Memory, and Gaps. The app has been designed to maximize use of the screen as the play surface. The main screen consists of the layout with the playing cards, and nothing else, just as you might see it on a real table. There is nothing else on the play surface to distract you from the game itself.

Game play is simple and intuitive; you drag a card or cards from one pile to another with your finger. However, if you want to keep track of the game playing time and score, there is an option to place a "score board" on-screen. Using left and right gestures, you can navigate to the Options, Statistics, and Help screens where you can control aspects of the game, view statistics, and link to the developer website for more details and playing guides. You can also get to these screens by swiping down to reveal the app's navigation menu.

Game features include:

The free trial edition of this app is a fully functional counterpart to the paid edition, with one exception: the trial edition closes after each game played, requiring you to restart. If that's not your style, you can grab the paid version for just $.99 in BlackBerry App World.

More information/screenshots and to download the free version of SoloDeck

More information/screenshots and to purchase the paid version of SoloDeck

Shoot some hoops with Slam Dunk Basketball for the BlackBerry PlayBook

There's a new favorite BlackBerry PlayBook game in our house. I discovered Slam Dunk Basketball by VisualDreams yesterday, and haven't stopped playing yet, except when my son stole the PlayBook from me to beat all my best scores. This game is not only a ton of fun, it looks awesome with rich graphics and smooth play.

You've seen games like this before - arcade basketball is nothing new - but Slam Dunk Basketball adds in the excitement of power-ups earned through racking up points by completing tricks and goals. Save up points to unlock new backgrounds, balls, and special powers and get into the Hall of Fame.

FEATURES

You can pick up Slam Dunk Basketball for $2.99 in BlackBerry App World at the link below, and check out a bunch more screenshots after the break.



More information/screenshots and to purchase Slam Dunk Basketball

Take the Moron Challenge on your BlackBerry PlayBook

I bet you can’t count how many times you, or someone you know has said that something is stupid. More specifically, they call a game that they just can’t figure out stupid. Now think about it; why is it so stupid? You were the one who failed, so maybe you are the one to be called stupid. Nitwit. Idiot. What? You say you aren’t any of those? Then prove it- challenge it! Take the Moron Challenge, dumb dumb.

The Moron challenge for the BlackBerry PlayBook is a game that is simple in concept, but may be trickier than you would initially think. The game preys upon how easily you are misdirected, whether it’s by images or though misread instructions. The game includes checkpoints/levels of intelligence which are, more or less, compliments on your amazingly astute grey matter. If the game play isn’t enough to keep you on your toes, the timer at the bottom left corner of the screen certainly will. It’s almost as though you need to find the perfect balance between speed and, well, not being a moron. I got caught on a few challenges that, later, made me say “I’m a moron”, once I figured them out. The Moron Challenge is available in two flavours- The free version allows you to play up to the first checkpoint, solidifying the fact that you have the intelligence of a mosquito. If you think you’re smarter than that, you can buy the full version for only 99 cents. Both are available from BlackBerry App World, nimrod.

More information/download the free version of The Moron Challenge for the BlackBerry PlayBook

More information/download the full version of The Moron Challenge for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Challenge your friends with BlackOut - a free social memory game for the BlackBerry PlayBook

A couple weeks back I noticed a few tweets about a new game called BlackOut by Elements Multimedia. Not one to shy away from a challenge I immediately fired up my PB and downloaded it. Boy am I glad I did. On the surface it may just be a simple memory game but it has a way of getting the old brain juices flowing. It's certainly not one to miss if you're in the mood for hours of mind boggling fun. Click on the jump for more information and screenshots.

Truth be told at first glance I expected to see an ordinary field of flip cards that I would just turn over to match. I was pleasantly surprised this not to be the case. Games are timed and there are three levels of difficulty to choose from. (Easy = 6 tiles, Medium = 24 tiles, and Hard = 96 tiles). Unlike other games with a given set of stock photos, it pulls its images from the public web albums API of Picasa using keywords of your choosing. This opens up a whole new playing field of endless possibilities. Just think about all the different puzzles you could create. I've already started a Star Trek one and a few others. Each picture is dazzling on the PlayBook's screen.

Another favorite feature of mine is its twitter integration as mentioned earlier. You can post your scores or ranking (they list the top 100 scores in each category), challenge your friends to beat your fastest speed, or beat someone else's. I think this is what's turning me into a BlackOut fanatic. When it comes to games I've always been a competitive person. If I see my score beaten there's just something in me that has to keep playing until I either regain the title or concede defeat.

Since the recent update game play is now smoother and quicker. It's definitely more responsive now when tapping and turning the cards over. Thanks to the update I beat my own personal best score. Not too shabby if you ask me. Although I'm a sucker for these kinds of games. I have to admit I have yet to try the hard level. I'm working my way up.  

The only issue I've found is when there aren't enough images to populate. You'll need to enter in another keyword. It may not be the most sophisticated, complicated, and graphics heavy game out there for the PlayBook but I'm hooked. If you're looking for a great way to pass the time, interact with people on all platforms, and keep your mind occupied all at the same time then this is the game for you.

Updates in Version 3.0

Bug fixes:

Extra features 

More information / download BlackOut for the BlackBerry PlayBook  

 

 

Light Keeper for the BlackBerry PlayBook - a free, fun afternoon time-waster

Light Keeper for the BlackBerry PlayBook is a simple game with no more of a goal other than to get a high score. A light goes on in a window, you tap the lit window, the light goes out, and the game continues. In print and in the description at BlackBerry App World, that hardly seems to be an entertaining game. And had I just played the first few levels - there are 25 in all - I might agree with that statement.

You see, the game is not as simple as turning off a light. There are several pitfalls to avoid. Tap a window that isn't lit? Lose a life. Tap a window with a person in it? Lose a life. Leave the windows lit for too long? Lose a life. You only have three lives in a level, so you have to be stingy with your mistakes. As the game progresses there are more windows to tap, more people hiding in them, and the windows turn on and off much more quickly. By the time I reached level 14 - again, out of 25 - I was using both hands to play the game and cursing up a storm at my slow reflexes.

Light Keeper is a fun, free way to while away a few minutes on your BlackBerry tablet. It may not be the most complex game on the PlayBook, but its simplicity is fun.  Now, simple does not always mean easy, especially with this game. You'll need all your concentration and reflexes working at their max in order to make it to the final level. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try yet again to beat level 15...

Light Keeper for the BlackBerry PlayBook is available in all countries except South Korea.

More information / download Light Keeper for the BlackBerry PlayBook 

Quick Review: Dead Space for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Yesterday we saw the release of EA's latest game for the BlackBerry PlayBook, Dead Space. It's a pretty amazing action game that brings gaming on the PlayBook to a new level. While the price tag is a bit high for a game at $9.99, many of you have already jumped in and purchased Dead Space. Personally I love it so far and the $9.99 isn't that much for a game of this caliber. For those of you that haven't yet made the decision, check out the video above for some of the gameplay and hopefully you can get a better idea if Dead Space is for you.

More information/download of Dead Space for BlackBerry PlayBook

SouthernTouch Spades - an addictive card game for the BlackBerry PlayBook

 

To be honest, I haven’t been much of a card player lately. During lunch time at school, my friends and I could be found playing various cards game most of the time. After that, it was the rare poker night or the more frequent game of solitaire on my computer. I found that it helped me wind down and I really wanted to take that with me without having to carry around a deck of cards. After grabbing my PlayBook and hitting up the Card game section, I decided to give SouthernTouch Spades a try.

I’ve never played this type of game before, but I was willing to learn. The easy to follow Help menu taught me the concept of the game play and covered bidding, as well as scoring. Essentially, SouthernTouch Spades is a game of trick taking and is played with two teams of two. Each player has to bid on how many rounds or tricks they expect to win. The teams will gain points if matching, or surpassing the bid, while failing to meet the bid will cost a team points. It doesn’t take long to pick up on the game and it’s proved to be quite addictive. In the description, the developers mention that their AI “understands the concept of teamwork, and your digital partner will play cooperatively.” I expect that they should or else they're getting their shins kicked under the table.

Game play was impressively responsive and the graphics were crisp; you could almost feel the texture of the green felt table. You could end up playing SouthernTouch Spades over and over again, but if you find yourself giving names to the other player…I strongly suggest you put it down for a while. You can pick up SouthernTouch Spades for $0.99 from BlackBerry App World.

More information/download SouthernTouch Spades for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Give your mind a workout with Pyramix for the BlackBerry PlayBook

 

I'm a big fan of word games and while I may struggle at times (read: want to rip my hair out) I'm always on the lookout for something challenging. Pyramix by HD Interactive is just the thing to stop my brain from turning into mush from all the hours spent in front of the TV. Similar to Boggle and Cryptoquote, it's a very entertaining word game that poses the question: can you crack the code and solve the Pyramix?

Pyramix is part puzzle, part word game and extremely challenging. It certainly gets the old brain cells working. Players must form four words in the pyramid above by unscrambling the 18 letters in the pyramid below. Not just any four words mind you. All 18 letters must be utilized to form the exact four words the game is looking for to complete the puzzle. This is not an easy task. It may be easy to form just about any word you can think of with the given letters but the exact four words is just... well there's no word to describe it. 

Players can choose from a timed or untimed game although I recommend the latter for beginners. The gold buttons to the left indicate if a word is valid while the numbers on the right keep track of all the possible word combinations that can be made with the letters available. After you from a word, the counter will reset to show the remaining possibilities based on what you've played. If you're stuck you could use the slider to reset the board or to move to the next puzzle.

At first this seemed impossible to solve but I managed after quite a few word variations. Some of the word choices are a little too rare for my taste (Ganjas, Lek, Agha, just to name a few). Maybe being able to choose the difficulty level is something for them to think about in later versions. Although there is nothing wrong with adding new words to your vocabulary. I especially love the Egyptian motif that surrounds this game whether it be the graphics or the soundtrack. One bug I did discover is it's not too friendly if you want to switch applications. The game shuts down automatically if you try to do so.

All in all this is a unique twist on the classic word game. Definitely something to check out if you have the time. Pyramix is available for $0.99 from BlackBerry App World

More information / purchase Pyramix from BlackBerry App World 

Tap Madness for the BlackBerry PlayBook

 

If you're looking to kill a couple of hours with an interesting touch game then look no further than Tap Madness by Matt Fisher. For a chronic ADD person such as myself this game is able to hold my attention and manage to be frustrating (in a good way) at the same time. Before you know it you'll find yourself hooked just like me. 

Tap Madness is an easy to play arcade game for the PlayBook. The premise is simple: all you have to do is tap the dots or balls on the screen as they appear to destroy them. Each level comes with its own target number to detonate. Miss a ball or tap on the death ball and you lose. Levels become increasingly difficult especially when multiple targets start filling the playing field all at once.  

The graphics and soundtrack are decent and it's a really fun and time consuming game. One of the reasons why I find it hard to put down is that I'm trying to beat everyone else out there. Let me explain. When connected via WiFi users' high scores can be submitted and viewed on the public stats page. So part of the desire is trying to knock out the top spot for myself which unfortunately I have not been able to do. Personally I find it to be a great stress reliever. Nothing like destroying flying objects when you've had a rough day at work.

As far as actually playing the game I'm stuck on level 12. What I like is that you can start a new game from the beginning or select from any level already completed. I did notice a slight hesitation when everything starts to explode at once but by then I've already lost. Plus there's no pause button. Other than that it's a really enjoyable game that will be sure to get your fingers tapping all day long. It's definitely worth checking out.

Tap Madness is available for free from BlackBerry App World. So let the games begin folks. Do you think you have what it takes to win the top spot? 

More information / download Tap Madness from BlackBerry App World 

Sling Golf for the BlackBerry PlayBook gets updated bringing new characters, courses and achievements

Back in June we let you know about Sling Golf, the highly entertaining PlayBook game from BoltCloud Corp. The development team at BoltCloud has been hard at work and has just released a big update for the game. Sling Golf v2.0 brings 2 new and unique characters to play as, 3 new challenging courses, and 10 unlockable achievements and awards.

Complete features include:

New and challenging courses will be added periodically so go ahead and get your golf on! You can grab Sling Golf for your PlayBook for $2.99 and for you cautious folk there is a 30 day free trial available.

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Sling Golf

Front Runner for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Front Runner! That bastion of good and righteousness in the galaxy! With guns blazing, this indefatigable hero blasts into the galaxy striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap, will be the leap home. Okay, no. Front Runner is simply a dude in a spaceship. One day, Red Ivan - that scourge of the galaxy - shows up, and our hero decides that enough is enough.

There are many enemies to defeat in Front Runner, and they come at you in waves. Some shoot missiles, some shoot energy rings, other crawl along the walls of the screen AND shoot energy rings. In first few missions, this really isn't a big problem. Later missions and the game's endless mode will certainly challenge even the most dexterous of players. As you play through the game's bosses - Red Ivan, the Electric Twins, and Dizzy and Daisy - you'll get their weapons. By the time you reach endless mode, you'll have a main gun that fires in 4 directions, missiles that home in on enemies, an electric blast for those that get too close, and the ferocious loyalty of Daisy.

All these weapons are put to the test in Endless Mode. There, you play until you die. And you will die many, many times. Each time I play though, I make it a little further. Of course, the game makes it a little harder too. The last time I died, I think I had three Red Ivans and two Electric Twins on the screen, I had just defeated a Dizzy, and there was all manner of insanity on my screen.

If you're in the mood for a fun shoot-em-up game set in space, I heartily recommend Front Runner. More screenshots after the break.

Front Runner for the BlackBerry PlayBook at BlackBerry App World