BabyPhone Mobile: Baby Monitor - Android App Featured

BabyPhone Mobile: Baby Monitor by Papenmeier Software UG - Android App Featured   

We at Android Review Center like smartphones. We really do. We firmly believe that android smartphones (yeah, even the other kind too) can really make our lives better. They mainly serve as mobile communications centers, mobile offices and mobile entertainment centers. However, we do realize that there are (few ...) things more important than smartphones and there are apps that break the mold on the main three utility kinds we just outlined.

Well, we actually found something that was more important than smartphones. Babies. Yeah, we know. Anyone who has grown kids or is too young to have kids is now shuddering but babies are important, at least to their parents. And they are also a very time consuming thing, as even at night or during the day when they take a nap, the parent must be at hand at all times to make sure the baby isn't crying out of hunger or a full diaper. 

So it is with great pleasure we introduce BabyPhone Mobile, an very innovative app that tries to let parents of babies take back some control of their lives.

What does BabyPhone Mobile do? This app turns a mobile device into a listening device or monitor for the baby in question. In other words, this app uses the smartphone's sensors to detect and transmit noises such a baby crying to speech and pictures on demand to a receiving mobile device or desktop. Of course, as the app transmits over cellular data connection, range is not a factor.

BabyPhone Mobile has a range of nifty features to make it all the better. First and foremost, it allows the user to calibrate the microphone of the mobile device used as monitor. This is important because sensitivity can change because of different smartphone cases, location of the monitor device and the room's acoustics. BabyPhone works with the monitor device on standby to conserve battery (though make sure your device can transmit during standby!) and sounds an alarm if the battery runs low.

Another very useful feature is the ability to install the software on a desktop or laptop that is hooked to the internet, thus receiving the input from the monitor on a computer and not on a mobile device. Of course, the controlling software allows the user to take a picture of the baby whenever he or she wants to.

What does that give us? The app gives parents the ability to go about their chores in the house, even relax and watch a movie while all the time keeping tabs on their sleeping baby. For parents, this ability is priceless. Ask any parents of a young baby how utterly priceless this is for them!

Just as a side note, the app does require a small subscription fee to be able to use it freely (it can run sessions of up to half an hour for free).

Google Play Link
Website Link

Emu Rush - Android App Featured

Emu Rush Free by Slinky Studios - Android App Featured   

We at Android Review Center strongly believe that android smartphones should serve as mobile offices, mobile communications centers and as entertainment centers. Now, when we refer to entertainment centers, two main roles come to mind. Consuming media (movies, music etc) and playing games. 

Games, for Android or in general, can be divided into two main groups. Complex games which require gaming sessions measured in hours (even for smartphones) in which the player must gather resources, design and build a base and finally go out and tackle missions or other players of the games. And then there are the simpler arcade games which are just as important as the complex games.

We would like to introduce Emu Rush, an app firmly entrenched in the arcade game types.

Emu Rush appears simple but simple does not mean easy. The player must control the huge flightless birds running across the screen in this endless running game. The birds must beware of different obstacles strewn across their way and of the portals, because hitting the portals will cause the birds to change their running lane.

Emu Rush is not an easy game. Jumping and dodging obstacles in the correct timing is crucial for the survival of these birds. The player must concentrate entirely on this game in order to be able to act swiftly enough to avoid the things trying to hamper the birds in their running. 

Emu Rush uses simple graphics and music which are just perfect for these types of games, allowing the player to concentrate fully on the task of controlling the birds and not providing distractions that may hinder the player and the tireless birds. Of course, the birds themselves are quite cute (although their real life counterparts are bone ugly. Trust us on this ...).

Emu Rush is just perfect for those seeking to relax for a few minutes, flex their fingers and hone their minds and reflexes in this fast running game, comparing results with players around the world and fighting to reach the next achievement. A perfect arcade game.

Google Play Link

Cut-Fall-Crush by app-artist - Android App Featured

Cut-Fall-Crush by app-artist - Android App Featured   

Google Play has millions of apps by now, which is just a sign of how much Android Smartphones have proliferated and enhanced every aspect of our lives, from communications to working to consuming media to playing games. Of course, that huge number of apps (with hundreds more being uploaded into Google Play every day) poses a problem of its own.

That problem comes from originality, or lack thereof. With so many apps out there, it is the sad truth that only a small proportion represent truly new and unique ideas. A large part of the apps are just copied ideas from other apps and even though they may have introduced improvements on the original idea, still sheer originality is priceless.

That is why we are excited to introduce Cut-Fall-Crush, an app with a very original idea and even more original graphics.

What is Cut-Fall-Crush all about? The game itself is quite simple, though mastering it at any level is another thing altogether. The player gets o select a shape out of a possible selection of four and then he or she needs to cut the swinging rope at the right time and try to hit shapes of the same color to crush them while avoiding the laser beam.

The game is much harder than it looks because the shapes move and tumble when hit and the player must guess and estimate which piece will end up where to make sure all the right pieces will eventually be hit. In addition, a laser beam crosses the screen and the player must time all swings as to avoid his or her pendulum from being destroyed by the beam. 

One of the great things about this game is its original graphics. All the displays and UI are designed in a luminous neon sign form, filling the screen with color limited to the contour lines of the shapes and objects being displayed on the screen. In fact, the graphics are very reminiscent of the unique visual style of Tron, both the original and the sequel.

Cut-Fall-Crush requires a keen mind and the ability to strategically plan ahead to make sure the pieces roll where they are supposed to, not to mention the difficulty arising from the pendulum's momentum and motion. For those who want a mental challenge and enjoy otherworldly, beautiful graphics, Cut-Fall-Crush is perfect.

Google Play Link

Super Penguin Hop - Android App Featured

Super Penguin Hop by Viekas - Android App Featured   

Arcade and platform games are among the games we love the most here on Android Review Center. It is true that Android Smartphones should be used as mobile offices and mobile communications centers but their third role as entertainment centers is just as important and arcade games are (or at least, should be) very entertaining.

 

What's so fun about arcade games? Well, first and foremost is their simplicity. You can't ALWAYS play complex strategic games where you have to advance 9 levels and wait two months before you can field a decent army, or a virus infection game that makes you learn enough medical vocabulary to shame a Center for Disease Control professor to shame.

Well, does Super Penguin Hop have what it takes to make it a good arcade game?

Super Penguin Hop is quite a simple game, though it has its subtle and interesting complexities. The character the player gets to play is a cute penguin running for its life while being chased by a voracious seal. Yeah, seals are not always cute. Try googling Leopard Seal. Anyway, our penguin must jump over and through obstacles while staying out of the jaws of the pursuing seal.

Movement is by flapping the penguin's wings by a simple touch on the screen, though as penguins are not renowned flyers to say the least, the player must watch his or her energy bar. Now, the bird can jump through ice packs but not stone blocks and the player must carefully guide the penguin through to safety. 

The game has several strong points. Its music is retro and fun! You'll start humming it too after a few minutes of playing the game. The characters and the game's environment are also simple retro style graphics but the studio has put enough details into each to make every player feel for his penguin and fear its pursuers. 

So, everyone on the lookout for that quick game that can be played for a few moments to relax, is both simple and challenging, and has very engaging retro style graphics and music, he or she cannot pass up an opportunity to test a great arcade game. Just be careful of the seal's ravenous jaws!

Google Play Link

Borjikos Adventure by GIZGIZA - Android App Review

Borjikos Adventure by GIZGIZA - Android App Review

Borjikos Adventure GIZGIZA - Android App Review. It seems to us that almost all the games out there on Google Play can be put into two categories. Kids games and destructive games. So, if a game isn't for kids, than it is a game meant for destruction, either of the enemy clan or the evil invading aliens or whatever. Even if there's no enemy per se, still the player character will die a gruesome death if it won't jump at the right moment.

There are so few games with little to no destruction in them. Even Minecraft has it's own type of violence. Of course, there are the gambling type games but they CAN be destructive to the player's bank account ... Anyway, we were more than thrilled to stumble upon Borjiko's Adventure, a game with no destruction, death, falling down or any kind of violence whatsoever. 

But really, can a game with no violence be fun to play?

First of all, what is this game all about? The game revolves around Borjiko, a kind of alien or monster who innocently enough travels around the world and in each place he arrives to he has to play a match 3 puzzle where he has to assemble the necessary ingredients to prepare on of the location's national or traditional food, selecting ingredients out of a large existing pool of things to use.   

Whenever our lovable monster solves a puzzle, he / she / it receives stars and with those stars Borjiko unlocks new countries that he can fly to and try to find the ingredients to those new places' national foods. Of course, each new country appears with its own distinct graphics and maps.

So we launched our small army of people who review apps to give this app a try. We noticed something interesting right then and there as we found out more people than usual were happy to try this particular game. Gameers, naturally, but also people interested in cooking.

First thing we found out was that people actually found this game to be pretty interesting and engaging, even though it appears to be quite simple. People were quite happy trying to find out the ingredients and even more happy to discover special and unique dishes of different locales. 

The reviewers were also quite happy and liked the game's graphics which are a blend of accurate drawings done in a cartoonist style creating a very pleasant atmosphere to the game while still maintaining accuracy as to the dishes and ingredients.

We also got a lot of favorable reviews that mentioned the sheer number of locales, places, ingredients and dishes. This creates an almost inexhaustible game that gave reviewers a fun game that never runs out, even as updates keep adding more and more.

And now for some tips and tricks. When going over ingredients of dishes from a specific country, try finding out the common ingredients used there. They are used in almost ALL the dishes there. Examples include cheeses in some places and sea food in others.

Another interesting thing we found out was that the game actually gave some people incentive to go out and research the recipes for dishes they saw and liked on the game, making them learn more about the country and the dish in question.

Last but not least, this made for some very interesting talks as to the dishes and the places they come from. It sounds kinda of stupid, but talking about dishes is ALWAYS interesting and people always want to learn more about them. You just don't have to tell them you learned all that information from a game ...

Our reviewers liked the game, its graphics and its quite original concept and many reported it had some interesting and beneficial side effects, which we outlined above. 

• Score: 4.75. Almost perfect but we want the recipes put into the game as well!
• Description: A match 3 type puzzle where the player must match ingredients in national dishes of different places and countries.
• Good Points: Very nice and pleasant graphics. Huge amount of ingredients and dishes. Interesting and quite unique concept.
• Bad Points: None really, except we would have wanted to have the recipes available along with the dishes inside the game.
• Experience: The game is easily playable and there is no learning time, per se. It does get more difficult at advanced levels but that's where the fun lays.
• Longevity: Since the game is about food, and there are almost endless number of ingredients and dishes, this game is here to last.
• Link to Google Play

Feed The Alien - Android App Featured

Feed The Alien by Pinfloy Mobile Games - Android App Featured   

The wonderful and fun part about games for Android Smartphones is that with such a big pool of app makers, the variety and imagination seen right there on Google Play is astounding, as if it affords us a glimpse into the very pool of human ingenuity. Therefore, we at Android Review Center love above else games and apps which are inventive and unique.

Now, we know and love alien games but one way or another, they usually have one very specific point of view, that of the murderous aliens attacking humanity while us poor humans must use every available means to defend ourselves. Consequently, most of aliens depicted on these games are usually blood thirsty monsters of some kind.

This is why it brings us real pleasure to introduce Feed the Alien, a game that definitely goes in other directions than most other games.

Feed the Alien is quite a simple game, though mastering it and playing it well are quite difficult. In the game, we are presented with one alien, quite a cute one eyed green bugger that is really harmless. However, our green skinned alien is hungry and out job is to send the alien food to prevent it starving.

But throwing food is not quite as simple as it sound. We the players must aim the food to reach the immediate proximity of our hungry alien or he won't be able to reach the food. In addition, we must overcome obstacles, monsters and other hardships while sending the food flying towards the alien. This is not as simple as it sounds!

The game makes, Pinfloy Mobile Games have made a real effort to make a game that is both pleasing to the eyes and addictive, with cute and professional graphics coupled to fun gameplay that requires both good fingers and some thought to puzzle through the harder levels.

Feed the Alien also has a large number of interesting features, starting from galactic credits that with sufficient number can buy more lives to special foods with special effects. This game is a non violent game (quite rare these days!) and is the first chapter in a game series that should be interesting to follow.

Google Play Link