Goofy Gadgets - Disney Super Speedway

I find a lot of potential in Disney Super Speedway for iOS devices. But in the end, there has been a hiccup for me that I cannot overcome!

Disney Super Speedway is honestly a typical racer game in the Mario Kart, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Sugar Rush variety, that most would be familiar with. Of course there is a Disney twist. Races are held in stadiums and tracks themed after Disney Channel and Disney XD programs. For example, one can race through the Phineas & Ferb themed Doof’s Tower or the Fish Hooks themed Freshwater High. Additionally, the player races as a character from these television programs, with the default being Phineas. One can purchase with coins earned in races additional characters such as Randy Cunningham, Dipper, Mabel, Agent P, Ferb, and others. Racers can earn coins by hitting them while racing or by reaching achievements, like placing high in a race. These coins can then be used for upgrading your character or racer. Personally, I want to earn enough coins to race as Dipper! After one places in the three races within a level, an additional harder level is made available. The controls are fairly simple, simple enough that every member of the Between Family has had little trouble playing the game. One simply turns the iOS device the direction one wishes to go, and taps the screen to access boosts like rockets and increased speed. A nice addition to the racing functionality is the ability to drift.

Screenshot from Disney Super Speedway

I do have a major problem, and it could be limited to just me as the Between Kids have not reported this problem on their devices. My history constantly disappears. So I have completed the entire first level, in fact I have gotten first in all three races. Sadly, I have done this at least four times as it seems after I return from an extended break that my history has been reset. Actually rolled back as it shows I have earned first place in one of the three easy races. Additionally, my earned coins have all disappeared. So I am unable to horde enough coins to buy Dipper! This has led me to loss enthusiasm for this game application as time goes on.

If one is looking for a free iOS racing application and are Disney fans, Disney Super Speedway may be a good option with its Disney theming. Sadly for me I have had a technical glitch that has limited my enjoyment!

Goofy Gadgets - Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty

Captain America is back on the World War II battlefield in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty for iOS devices like iPad and iPhones.  HYDRA led by Red Skull has kidnapped three of the Howling Commandos including Bucky.  Outnumbered only Captain America can rescue them from the battlefield, factory and plane were they are being kept behind enemy lines.  To free his men, Cap will have to fight HYDRA soldiers, put on an acrobatic display and use his shield to defend himself.

This is the second Avengers themed app I have tried out.  In many ways Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty is like that first game Thor: Son of Asgard in that fact you play the hero and walk through levels defeating opponents as you get closer to your goal.  And like Thor, Cap has a throwing weapon that can be launched from a distance.  However, the fighting sequences seemed a little clearer in Cap’s game and not as jumbled to me.  Like the Thor game, the user is taught how to use moves as you walk through the game so you can learn as you go.  Players can also find extras, unlockable historic comic cover images, by picking up HYDRA files.  

The navigation is different however.  In Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, players use their finger to draw where Captain America should walk or hit!  So to go right, draw your finger right on the screen.  Likewise you do the same to go left.  However, it took me a few levels before I realized all I had to do to stop Cap’s running was double tap on the screen.  Additionally, this drawing control is quirky to me.  To hit you also draw toward your opponent.  But sometimes, oftentimes, when I draw to hit I start Cap running.  And if Cap is running he is probably not hitting!  

Captain America in Action

I don’t typically pay for apps and I got this one for free.  For that price it is an enjoyable game that I will play for a few weeks and then totally forget about.  This is also my pattern with games I typically pay for.  That’s not all bad as it has helped me move away from Temple Run: Brave.  I do not believe I would pay the original $4.99 price tag on it however, though the regular price of $2.99 seems solid.  I do like this game better than Thor: Son of Asgard.  But I also like Captain America better than Thor in most movies and comics.  For anyone who has dreamt of being Captain America, this game is for you and will give you several hours of fun.     

Goofy Gadgets - Temple Run: Brave

My niece asked for my iPad.  She’s adorable and I find it difficult to say no to her.  Then I discovered that this youngster knew how to download apps onto it and I now had a copy of Temple Run, which was luckily free for me to enjoy.  I asked her what she knew about it after she started to play.  All she knew for sure was all the kids were playing it at school so it had to be good.

Temple Run is pretty simple.  You are a treasure hunter running through a temple attempting to escape a hoard of apes trying to capture you.  As you run you have to jump over obstacles like tree stumps and gaps in the ground.  You pick up coins as you run which you can use to pay for strengthened power ups which could boost you ahead or earn you more coins.  You can also use coins to buy new treasure hunters to run with.  The game gets more difficult as you run.  And you always will be caught or fall.

So, I was finding Temple Run a minor distraction, which I picked it up several times.  But then one day the Between Tween, with mom’s permission, paid the 99 cents to download Temple Run: Brave, inspired by the Disney Pixar movie Brave.  And then my time spent on this game concept escalated!

Screenshot from Temple Run: Brave

In Temple Run: Brave you are Merida running away from the bear Mordu through an ancient ruin.  The game play is basically the same though they have added an archery challenge.  Occasionally a number of targets will come up with hitting with an arrow will get the player more coins!  All one has to do to hit the target is tap the side of the screen the target is on before you pass it.  And as you earn coins you can buy additional outfits for Merida.

Temple Run: Brave now with archery!

I find the game play very easy.  In fact I find it easier than the original.  Merida moves to the right and left of the path fairly easily, where in Temple Run it feels harder to move the runner on the path. 

The only issue I have found is Merida when you switch costumes is sometimes pointed the wrong way.  So she might be running straight but facing in another direction.  And this looks really really odd. 

Overall, I really enjoy Temple Run: Brave and I have played it for weeks.  If anything I have moved to Temple Run more and more because the Disney version has made it easier for me to play.  But I still come back because I enjoy the archery element.  I highly recommend you download Temple Run: Brave for your iPad or iPod. 

Goofy Gadgets - Thor: Son of Asgard

I love The Avengers!

This summer I saw the movie three times, including twice in the first 24 hours. 

There have been a number of iTunes applications that have been released to promote and support the movie.  But to date I have not downloaded any of them because I generally do not pay for Apps (I am the only one in the Between Family with this philosophy).

Recently Marvel made one of those Avengers applications free for download for a limited time.  The application is designed for iPad and iPod devices.  Thor: Son of Asgard is typically, and will likely be again soon, sold for $2.99.  But with a window of time in which it is free I grabbed it.

In Thor: Son of Asgard, Thor’s brother and the main villain from Thor and The Avengers is again up to no good!  He has attacked and invaded Thor’s home of Asgard and Thor must overthrow his brother and his allies to reclaim his home.

The game play is a fighting adventure where Thor uses his hammer to defeat Ice Giants, Elves and more.  Thor walks (or runs) through levels fighting opponents.  The game provides hints on how to defeat new opponents and how to launch new moves.  But mostly it’s a lot of Thor Smash, to steal another hero’s line.

Screenshot from Thor: Son of Asgard

I usually don’t play games like this.  I found that I could get through the first three levels in around six to seven minutes a piece.  I did get defeated in the fourth level the first time I played it, mostly because I was distracted.

Visually the game has the right look and feel, it feels like a comic book game.  Each segment generally is introduced by a short video.  The scenes show wide-open landscapes, but the game will stop Thor from walking in some areas to keep you from wandering away from the game play.

Overall, I probably would not have downloaded this without it being free at the time I purchased it.  I am anticipating that I will more game play out of it that I did Fix-It Felix Jr. primarily because the scene does change.  But I personally do not tend to play games for the long-term so I anticipate that I will play it off and on for a few weeks but eventually replace it with something else, hopefully another free Avengers app!  And honestly it is The Avengers link that grabbed me as I await its home video release.   

Goofy Gadgets - Fix-It Felix Jr.

If there is one trailer that the Between Kids cannot stop watching it is Wreck-It Ralph.  The trailer shows a very Disney like storyline, the discovery of self, in a very un-princess world.

Ralph may be a bad guy, as they say, but he does not appear to be a bad guy!  The Between Kids take notice every time this trailer pops up and was their favorite of the pre-Brave trailers.  So the enthusiasm is there with key audience demographics.  And they love seeing images of characters from worlds like Super-Mario and gobble up news about appearances by characters like Sonic the Hedgehog.  For me I am looking forward to finding out how Disney will handle a large number of non-Disney characters.

So enthusiasm is high, but that momentum can be lost!  I was more excited for Brave a year before I saw the movie than I was the day I saw it.  I do not know if it was the marketing campaign, my own desire to stay away from spoilers or John Carter fatigue (I have spent so much time defending it), but I was finding myself unexcited about Brave as I entered the theater. 

Maybe Disney has become wise to the fact they need to keep those likely to see their films excited about them in the long months before the release and are looking to new ways to keep that enthusiasm stoked.  One way they are attempting to keep us excited for Wreck-It Ralph is a new app for iOS devices like iPods and iPads called Fix-It Felix Jr. which ties directly into the November movie putting the characters of Ralph and Felix directly into the hands of the future audience.

The game itself uses images we see in the trailer.  Ralph climbs to the top of the screen which has a background that appears to be an apartment building.  He then begins to wreck the building by dropping bricks.  You control Fix-It Felix Jr. as he scurries around the screen fixing the broken windows, doors and shutters on the building.  After everything is fixed Ralph climbs higher and you begin again.  There are obstacles to slow Felix such as ducks, the falling bricks and partitions which limit Felix’s movement.  These obstacles are added as levels increase. Additionally players can pick-up items like additional life or time. 



Scene from Fix-It Felix Jr.



First, I really like the idea of marketing the movie by offering a game, and a free game at that.  I think the idea is brilliant.  Second, when I initially played I enjoyed the game and made it to level 4 after a few plays.  Third, the Between Tween really enjoyed playing and wanted to beat my high score.  Finally it really does have the 8 bit feel of Donkey Kong or Mousetrap from my childhood and I love the trip back into memory lane.

But with all that said I do question the replay value, as it seems to repeat the same goal over and over again.  Fix-It Felix Jr. is no Where’s My Water ? with its growing number of levels and variety.  And I never saw from the trailer the residents of the building throwing Ralph over.  I’m sorry Wreck-It Ralph but I really wanted to see you thrown off the roof. 

If you want a piece of Wreck-It Ralph now, Fix-It Felix Jr. may satisfy your craving temporarily.  The game may not hold you until November, but with a cost of free you can’t go wrong enjoying at the least a few game play sessions.