All posts in category Games

Weekend Distraction: Can Knockdown 3 for iPhone and iPad

Screen shot 2013-05-17 at 6.26.31 PMI enjoy a game that requires little or no learning curve, and something I can dip in and out of without any thought or fuss.

Can Knockdown 3 is a game that meets these criteria.

You are given three baseballs and your job is to knock down some cans. Simple, right?

It is simple at first, as you are given the opportunity to learn how to toss the ball, and get comfortable with the ‘weight’ of the ball, and figure out the best tosses to get it to your target.

But as you move along, the cans (of course) grow in number, and are stacked creatively, making it more difficult to knock down the batch. Continuing on, you’ll come across more challenges, such as swinging obstacles, or special switches. There are cans that blow up and cans that score you an extra ball.

This is a physics puzzler, and it’s up to you to figure out the best spot to place your shot in order to tumble the most cans.

It’s a good go-to when you have a few moments of time to kill. But be warned… you may find yourself spending far more time tossing balls than you expect!

Can Knockdown 3 is 99¢ in the iTunes Store and works on both the iPhone and the iPad

6 Comments
by sharechair on May 17, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, iPhone, iPad, Puzzle, Games, Weekend Distraction
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Posted by sharechair on May 17, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/weekend-distraction-can-knockdown-3-for-iphone-and-ipad/

Weekend Distraction: Word Mess

Screen shot 2013-03-22 at 12.19.54 PM If you enjoy words, this is a goodie.

The learning curve is close to zero. Just download it and start playing.

You can select “Quick Play” or “Challenge”. I like “Challenge” because, well, I like a challenge. :) :)

You will be presented with screens to find words, but always with a bit of a different spin. Perhaps you’ll be asked to find a particular word among many others. This screen (below) asks you to find the word “walk”, and tells you that there are 10 of them. That pencil you see across the top is a timer, and as you move up in levels, some bombs appear on the timer and when they explode, your screen scrambles the words as you search to beat the clock.

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Another screen will ask you to find words in a certain category. This sample (below) asks you to find kinds of noodles. Notice “angel hair” in the upper left corner? That’s one! There are 10 on this page. You must tap them all before the time runs out. And yes, those pesky bombs will be mixing things up.

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Another screen asks you to find words that rhyme with ?. In this screen (below) you need to find words that rhyme with “bin”. This is the one complaint that I have with this game (as do others, as you can see in the reviews) …… sometimes the “rhyme” that they are looking for simply doesn’t. Rhyme, that is. Extremely annoying. But if you are alert for it, you can work around it.

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Aside from the rhyming error-at-times, this is a fun game to pull up as a bit of a distraction when you want to kill a bit of time.

Word Mess is $1.99 in the iTunes store.

9 Comments
by sharechair on March 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Games, iPad, iPhone, Weekend Distraction
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Posted by sharechair on March 22, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/weekend-distraction-word-mess/

Weekend Distraction: Jar of Marbles for iPhone and iPad

Screen shot 2013-02-22 at 8.42.16 AMThis is a special kind of game.

You don’t have to think.

You just kind of zone-out. Seriously. I often play this on my iPad before I go to sleep. It’s downright relaxing. zzzzzzzzzzzz

Not boring. Relaxing.

The basic premise is that you are given a jar full of marbles, and presented with one marble at a time to drop into the jar. Every time you click three marbles together, they drop out of the jar. Your goal? Empty the jar. Yawn, right? Surprisingly addicting!

There are LOTS of options, of course. Difficulty level, free style or timed … and the shapes of the bowls can be altered, also, to make it a bit more challenging.

This is a Big Fish game, and those who are familiar with Big Fish know that they are known for excellent graphics and solid design.

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Jar of Marbles is a free download in the iTunes store. There is an in-app purchase (if you like it) to unlock the entire game for $1.99. This works on the iPhone or iPad.

13 Comments
by sharechair on February 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Games, iPad, iPhone, Weekend Distraction, Zen
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Posted by sharechair on February 22, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/weekend-distraction-jar-of-marbles-for-iphone-and-ipad/

Weekend Distraction: The Great Gatsby for iPad

Screen shot 2013-02-01 at 6.22.34 PMAs much as I enjoy games on the iPad, I actually spend very little time with them… just scraps of time here and there. I don’t get absorbed. I just drop by and spend a few moments on this or that.

Hidden picture games are perfect for my drop-by style, because they are mindless and easy to go-to for just a few minutes. But most of them are pretty ordinary, nothing to get too excited about.

However … a while back I learned about “The Great Gatsby” for iPad. The full version gets a bit pricey for a game (I think), but after playing the free part, I was hooked and took the plunge.

I just finished the game and I do feel that it was worth the $. In my own way, I played a scene or two a day, and it was (almost) like reading a book.

The scenes are lovely, very visually appealing, and often there is a bit of movement within the picture, bringing it to life.

There is a plot (duh…it’s The Great Gatsby!) and it is presented as a loose storyline throughout the game. Periodically, as you are busy finding items in a scene, the characters will suddenly start having a conversation with each other. Or the scene will change a bit. Delightful. In this scene below, for example, the characters have a conversation while you are finding things, and eventually some of them leave.

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There are some moving scenes and a few other challenges that break up the typical “find this” as you go along.

And turn on the volume because the game is accompanied by a very pleasant soundtrack appropriate to the era.

Good fun. Take a look at the Preview, here. You’ll see more examples of scenes and some excellent reviews.

The Great Gatsby for the iPad is Free, but if you like it and want more, the full version is $4.99

10 Comments
by sharechair on February 1, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Games, iPad, Weekend Distraction
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Posted by sharechair on February 1, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/weekend-distraction-the-great-gatsby-for-ipad/

Taking a Blogging Break

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I hate to interrupt this blog, but interrupt I must, and I’m hanging up the “be back soon” sign for now.

This break is not because I am tired, or have run out of things to talk about. (There is ALWAYS more stuff to talk about!) I must take a break because I will not have access to the internet for a while.

This also means that I will not be able to read blogs or to comment on the blogs that I so enjoy following. Please understand that lack of responses from me is only because, well, I’m not here. :)

In the meantime, if you are a new follower, this will give you a chance to catch up.

If you are a beginner, and just starting out with your new iPad or iPhone, you can spend some time with these links.

If you have an iPad or an iPhone, take a look through these links.

If you have a Kindle, or if you are thinking about getting a Kindle, there might be something of interest here.

And take a look at these posts, where a few new features of iOS6 are discussed .

21 Comments
by sharechair on January 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, eBooks, Games, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Tech Tips, Very Beginner Series
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Posted by sharechair on January 5, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/taking-a-blogging-break/

How to Stop Annoying Game Center Pop-ups on the iPhone and iPad

Screen shot 2013-01-02 at 8.36.46 PMChances are you’ve seen it. You launch a game and before you can start, up jumps a green screen from “game center” asking you to sign in or invite friends or some other game-center-type thing.

Let’s be clear, here. I have NEVER used Game Center. I don’t know exactly what it does. I don’t want to know. I just don’t want to see it pop up all the time. It is annoying.

Over time, I tried several things to make it go away, but nothing worked and I resigned myself to tap-tapping that nasty little screen with ‘no’s’ and ‘disables’ until it vanished ….but only temporarily. It is a determined little fellow and it always popped back.

Now I think I have found something that works. At least it works for me. Perhaps it is dependent on other settings, I just don’t know.

But for me, for now, I am delighted to say that I have NO MORE game center pop ups popping up. :)

I hope it works for others, although I certainly can’t guarantee it. I can only hope it works for you as it has completely eliminated the pop ups on my iPhone and iPad.

Here is how I disabled the game center pop-up:

Go to Settings.

Tap on General.

Look down to Restrictions.

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Tap on Restrictions. You will be asked to enter a passcode. REMEMBER IT.

On the next screen, look all the way down at the bottom.

You’ll see a spot that says “game center” with two tabs that are set to “on”. Tap them, and turn them “off”.

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Go back out of the settings.

Re-boot your phone.

Hopefully …… I can’t promise ……. but hopefully, you won’t be bothered by the pop-ups anymore. :)

13 Comments
by sharechair on January 2, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Games, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Tech Tips
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Posted by sharechair on January 2, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/how-to-stop-annoying-game-center-pop-ups-on-the-iphone-and-ipad/

New iPad? New iPhone? Make “Apps Gone Free” One of Your Starter Apps

Screen shot 2012-12-31 at 5.58.57 PMAre you enjoying a new iPad? a new iPhone? Chances are you have already downloaded a number of apps. Apps make your device your own, ‘personalizing’ it with tools and games and books, etc … all the things that suit you best.

There are thousands of apps. So many, that often developers will put them “on sale” to get our attention.

Enter “Apps Gone Free”.

This is an app that does exactly what it says. Each day, it lists apps that have “gone free”. Apps that usually cost something, but for this day…. they are free.

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Usually there is a mix of games, productivity and utility types.

Just open the app and it will update for the day. You scroll through the list to see if anything suits your fancy.

While I have gotten some real bargains, I do caution you not to go crazy. “Free” is an awesome price, and I suggest that you resist unless it is something that you really think you would like, or else you will clutter up your device quickly. Great things occasionally appear, but so do some very mediocre, so-so apps, so use discretion.

Keep this app handy, and check in each day.

Eventually you will snag a treasure.

Apps Gone Free is Free in the iTunes store.

18 Comments
by sharechair on December 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Games, iPad, iPhone
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Posted by sharechair on December 31, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/new-ipad-new-iphone-make-apps-gone-free-one-of-your-starter-apps/

Weekend Distraction: Cryptogram for iPhone and iPad

Screen shot 2012-12-28 at 8.55.55 PMI enjoy word games, and I am finding this one delightfully different. Not too much thinking needed, but just enough to keep me interested for a screen or two.

You are presented with a quote, all blanks, with a jumble of letters beneath the blanks. Each letter stands for another letter, and it is up to you to de-code it.

By starting with a short word, you can begin to puzzle your way through the code. When you get a letter correct, it will appear all throughout the quote. You can see here on this screen shot that I filled in “AND” and as I did, the “a” the “n” and the “d” all appeared properly throughout the quote, giving clues for solutions to other words.

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Simply word-fun-goodness!

Cryptogram is $1.99 in the iTunes store

12 Comments
by sharechair on December 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Games, iPad, iPhone, Puzzle, Weekend Distraction
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Posted by sharechair on December 28, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/weekend-distraction-cryptogram-for-iphone-and-ipad/

Weekend Distraction: Montezuma Puzzle for iPhone and iPad

Screen shot 2012-12-14 at 8.50.55 AMAt this time of year, everyone is busy doing something. Decorating, shopping, baking, visiting, partying, traveling … whew.

No time to “learn” a new game. That’s too much effort.

But how about a real distraction? You already know what to do.

NO learning curve.

Montezuma Puzzle.

Pretty, colorful, and responds nicely to your touch.

Fit the shapes on the screen. That’s it.

Gradually gets harder, but not crazy.

Go ahead .. Zone out … but don’t forget those cookies in the oven!

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Montezuma Puzzle is free in the iTunes store.

15 Comments
by sharechair on December 14, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Games, iPad, iPhone, Puzzle, Weekend Distraction, Zen
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Posted by sharechair on December 14, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/weekend-distraction-montezuma-puzzle-for-iphone-and-ipad/

How to Gift an App (or other iTunes goodies): Revisited for iOS6

photo credit: Francine Clouden via photopin cc

photo credit: Francine Clouden via photopin cc

I previously wrote a blog post about gifting apps, but as the proverb says, “All Things Change”, and so I must update the information.

Apple has made some changes in the procedure for gifting apps. If you have an iPhone or iPad and you have NOT updated to iOS6, then the old post will still be appropriate for you. You can find it here.

How to Buy an App as a Gift:
(I’ll use “app” for the description, but this also works for songs, albums, videos, books, all things iTunes)

In iOS6 you can no longer gift an app directly from your iPhone or iPad. You must do it through iTunes, on your computer. *** It changed again! Now you CAN gift directly from your iPhone or iPad, and you can learn how in this blog post.

Open iTunes, and go to the app that you would like to send as a gift.

Tap on the arrow that is next to the price.

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A drop down menu appears. Select “Gift this app”

Screen shot 2012-12-06 at 8.41.13 AM

A new window will open, like the one I pasted below. Simply fill in the fields, and add your happy message to your recipient, and you’ve done the deed! You can send to one or multiple recipients, and you will be billed accordingly.

Screen shot 2012-12-06 at 8.42.00 AM

7 Comments
by sharechair on December 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, eBooks, Games, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Tech Tips
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on December 6, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/how-to-gift-an-app-or-other-itunes-goodies-revisited-for-ios6/

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