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Football Games on the iPhone – Who Rules the Arena?

November 26th, 2009 No comments

Football season is here and iPhone gamers are scouring the App Store for the best NFL video games available for their device. Three of the best apps in this genre are included in our round this week. The titles which made the cut are EA’s Madden 10, Gameloft’s NFL2010, and Chillingo’s Super Shock Football.

For the past 20 years, Madden has been the king of football games. It is now available in the App Store by game production house EA. iPhone and iPod touch gamers now face a dilemma as to choose between Madden 10 and the earlier released NFL2010 by Gameloft.

From a visual standpoint, Madden delivers, but not exactly with the precision we had hoped for. Everything looks a bit old-school like the graphics of consoles of days gone by. Yet, for the iPhone they look standard. You’ll quickly recognize that the original John Madden comments and helmet-to-helmet crash audio effects are all included in this iPhone version of the game. If you don’t like the included music tracks, you can play your own selection from your iPod library. All the controls in Madden 10 work great and a variety of options are available on demand.

Hopefully, we the game will obtain multiplayer and roster updates as the title gets successive updates in the App Store. Where it stands today, Madden 10 offers tons of replay ability. Don’t forget, this is a Madden football title. Gamers will be playing this feverously until the next Madden title is unleashed. Comparing it to NFL2010, it’s a close draw as both offer a slightly different experience. If you like, you may choose to buy both and determine which options you like the best. Madden appears in the App Store at a $9.99 price point. We believe it will remain there for the rest of the season. We give Madden 10 a 4-Star rating that puts it neck and neck with NFL2010.

NFL 2010, the first full-featured football game specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch, was released earlier than expected by Gameloft. With a graphic style similar to Madden, it is hard not to compare NFL 2010 to the king of all that is football. Fortunately for mobile gamers, NFL 2010 holds up quite well.

We really were shocked by the stunning visuals in NFL2020. Madden 10 better watch our as this smaller competitor is racking up to be a huge success. All the audio sounds are pleasing. Controls are well honed and respond appropriately to our commands. Some functionality does feel absent as the plays come off as preplanned. We felt like we just set them up and then watch them unfold in front of us. However, we did like the Kicking plays as we felt these offered the most control with aiming and power. This was probably our favorite aspect of the gameplay.

For what it’s worth, NFL 2010 looks great and plays well for a first effort. We expect to play this one for some time. While a little pricey at $7.99, it seems downright cheap when you consider that any similar console version will likely start around $50. NFL 2010 is a solid 4-Dimple touchdown celebration of a game.

Chillingo has taken a different approach with Super Shock Football by basing it on the electric football gaming style. It won’t replace Madden 10 or NFL2010, but it does present some coolness with vibrating players and other additions that justify it as a worthy contender.

Graphically, the game looks terrific, with 2D men darting around in a 3D world. The view shifts back and forth between top down for setup and on field for close ups of the action during plays. Sounds are great, with the soft hum of vibrating players in the background and football sound effects (like crowd noise, whistles, etc.) in the foreground. Controls are simple touches and can be accomplished with a single finger. Game information (scores, time remaining, etc.) are in tiny print along the screen bottom. While these are a bit difficult to read, they won’t detract from the overall gameplay. Several options exist, including quarter length (up to 15 minutes each) and number of men per side (as many as 11, but you can play with far fewer).

Clearly, there are other games available for a more authentic football experience, but Super Shock Football is in a league of its own for nostalgia and humorous gameplay. If you don’t take this game too seriously, it is an absolute blast. Replay value is very high, as anything can happen and the eventual outcomes are so random that no two games will be anywhere close to the same. Chillingo has priced Super Shock Football at $1.99 for a limited time, a very fair price for an enjoyable experience. Super Shock Football is worthy of a 5-Dimple touchdown dance.

We can’t believe how far iPhone and iPod touch gaming have come in just a little over a year. When we decided to take a look at these NFL video games for review, we were surprised at how well they all performed. With Madden 10, NFL2010, and Super Shock Football, players clearly have some of the best apps to get their football fix.

Want to find out more about iPhone app reviews, then visit Eric Meister’s site on how to choose the best iPhone apps for your needs.

Land Yourself A Video Game Testing Job

November 23rd, 2009 No comments

Creating a new video game involves a tremendous amount of work. Writers, illustrators, animators, code writers and hardware specialists may spend months or even years developing an incredibly challenging, exciting video game. However, no game can be launched without having been played thousands of times by regular people in an effort to discover any problems and imperfections that the video game may have. In order to assist with quality assurance, video game testers are employed from early on in the process.

The game must be played multiple times with various courses taken in order to assure that the developers have not overlooked any small detail. Video game testers are crucial in discovering problems with graphics, glitches or bugs within the game. You, too, can become a Video Game Tester if you have a console and love to play Video Games. To ensure a game is thoroughly tested, some video games require experienced testers but there are opportunities for beginners as well since novices make mistakes that more experienced players would likely avoid. This is why video game developers need gamers of all levels.

How to become a video game tester is not classified information. You may frequently see ads for gamers of varying skill levels or experience. This may possibly be a quick route but if you can’t find those ads, you can join a video game testing site. When joining these sites, be honest about your experience and skill levels. And keep in mind that being a video game tester is not all fun and games. Not all, at least. It is a job and, like any job, requires professionalism.

What are the expectations of those working in video game testing ? You will receive a video game in early stage of development. It may possibly be the “alpha” or first stage or it may be in later stages of development. Along with the game, they will provide a description and instructions on what to look for and any feedback they would like to receive. Attention to detail is very important when you play.

You may find small issues with the game such as graphics or some larger issue that may be difficult to document. This will require you to write a detailed explanation and may involve several paragraphs. It is very important to utilize good grammar and spelling and be clear in your explanation. Now that you have some idea of what it takes to be a video game tester, it’s time to start working on the job of your dreams!

Are you after a new career as a video game tester? To find out more about this industry visit my site dedicated to video game testing.