IN the last two weeks I’ve managed to perfect a new dance move on the streets of Plymouth.
It’s the sort of move which sees you walk a few steps forward, then a few steps back, side-to-side and then repeat (in no particular order).
And bizarrely you don’t need music.
All you need are a handful of young families – complete with obscenely huge prams, a few doddling old dears, a couple of charity workers or survey gatherers, oh and large ‘sale’ signs.You see I popped into the city centre on Boxing Day, and in the days after, and it was hell.
Pure hell.
After perfecting my new ‘move’, I escaped the madness, went home and switched on my shiny new iMac (yes my G5 Powermac which featured in my previous blog update died).
And from now on every year I will be sales shopping online.
It’s a). much easier; b). much quicker; and c). much less stressful.
No queues, no weirdos and probably cheaper.Anyone who’s got a few quid left over should visit websites like Amazon.co.uk or eBay.co.uk for general bits and bobs.
For CDs and DVDs you’d be hard-pressed to find better deals than on cdwow.co.uk or play.com.
For clothes try M&S’ website, or even Debenhams which launched its sales stock before they did so in store.Moneysavingexpert.com is also worth a look for a wide view of how to save money on high street prices.
If you know specifically what you’re after then try Kelkoo.co.uk to compare prices on a variety of other websites.
Also try googling ‘January sales UK’.
Here are the latest games reviews:
Title: Grand Theft Auto 3: 10th Anniversary Edition
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action
Price: £2.99
Hit count: 92%
Cranking up this app will bring mixed emotions.
Firstly a combination of nostalgia and sheer excitement at being able to once again play through one of the best sandbox games ever.
Secondly, amazement at how far the GTA series has developed in terms of graphical and gameplay achievements in just a few years (around seven since GTA 4).
Nonetheless, this port to the iPad plays out incredibly well, despite replacing the multi-button control method of the ol
d PS2 pad with a streamlined touchscreen.
Every car-jack, cop chase and explosive mission plays out perfectly, with the story of Liberty City just as engaging as it was a decade ago.
Some occasional camera quirks during combat may frustrate, but that’s a small price to pay for a portable piece of gaming history.
GTA V may only be a few months away, and if it can stand the test of time 10 years down the line like this, we’ll have yet another Rockstar classic on our hands.
Title: Infinity Blade II
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £4.99
Hit count: 91%
Infinity Blade has held ultimate bragging rights in the iOS gaming world for a long time, but now its big brother has finally entered the fray.
Delivering another uber-polished 3D adventure, the sequel further refines the combat experience with three new styles of combat allowing you to choose from multiple classes of weapons, armour and spells.
Removing the ability to dodge your way through battles, too, proves to be a revelation as you progress through the stunningly robust and dynamic 3D world and delve deeper into the world of the Deathless tyrants and their legion of Titans.
Combat feels more varied, tactically more challenging, with your enemies just as breathtaking as those that have been conquered before.
This was undoubtedly one of the best (and last) app releases for your iPad in 2011 and, needless to say, it’s an essential purchase.
Title: Bike Baron
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action
Price: 69p
Hit count: 87%
When you spot that the only controls in Bike Baron are to lean left and right and hit stop and go on the throttle, you may get the impression that this is simplistic, pretty, yet disposable gaming.
Don’t be fooled – o
nce you’ve tackled the first couple of learner levels, you’ll realise that this 3D side-scrolling stunt-biking showcase requires precision, patience and some serious dedication to complete the dozens of levels on offer.
Stars are awarded for finishing courses, beating target times and collecting all coins available, but you’ll also find your own amusement in trying to dish out the most destructive ending to your biker by falling on explosive oil drums or simply flying over your handlebars when a back-flip goes pear-shaped.
Ridiculously good rag-doll physics make every tumble a joy to behold, but behind the frivolous fun, there’s a serious two-wheeled challenge for you to conquer here.
Title: W.E.L.D.E.R
Platform: iPad
Genre: Word puzzle
Price: £1.49
Hit count: 89%
No, this isn’t a game that’ll teach you how to carry out minor metal repairs around the home.
But it will restore your vocabulary to tip-top condition by fusing traditional Scrabble-board gameplay with some interesting tile-shifting twists.
In its fullest form, W.E.L.D.E.R. (or Word Examination Laboratory for Dynamic Extraction and Reassessment) is a fantastic puzzle game that affords you the time to consider each move strategically, as tile swaps, reverses, grouping and jumps slip away from you all too quickly as you try to hit the word target on each level.
Only by cleverly maximising the use of multiplier tiles and other powered up letters will you make serious progress in the game, and it’s a fantastic example of how a bit of love and attention to an existing genre can create something fresh and unique for everyone to enjoy.
It’s the sort of move which sees you walk a few steps forward, then a few steps back, side-to-side and then repeat (in no particular order).
And bizarrely you don’t need music.
All you need are a handful of young families – complete with obscenely huge prams, a few doddling old dears, a couple of charity workers or survey gatherers, oh and large ‘sale’ signs.You see I popped into the city centre on Boxing Day, and in the days after, and it was hell.
Pure hell.
After perfecting my new ‘move’, I escaped the madness, went home and switched on my shiny new iMac (yes my G5 Powermac which featured in my previous blog update died).
And from now on every year I will be sales shopping online.
It’s a). much easier; b). much quicker; and c). much less stressful.
No queues, no weirdos and probably cheaper.Anyone who’s got a few quid left over should visit websites like Amazon.co.uk or eBay.co.uk for general bits and bobs.
For CDs and DVDs you’d be hard-pressed to find better deals than on cdwow.co.uk or play.com.
For clothes try M&S’ website, or even Debenhams which launched its sales stock before they did so in store.Moneysavingexpert.com is also worth a look for a wide view of how to save money on high street prices.
If you know specifically what you’re after then try Kelkoo.co.uk to compare prices on a variety of other websites.
Also try googling ‘January sales UK’.
Here are the latest games reviews:
Title: Grand Theft Auto 3: 10th Anniversary Edition
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action
Price: £2.99
Hit count: 92%
Cranking up this app will bring mixed emotions.
Firstly a combination of nostalgia and sheer excitement at being able to once again play through one of the best sandbox games ever.
Secondly, amazement at how far the GTA series has developed in terms of graphical and gameplay achievements in just a few years (around seven since GTA 4).
Nonetheless, this port to the iPad plays out incredibly well, despite replacing the multi-button control method of the ol
d PS2 pad with a streamlined touchscreen.Every car-jack, cop chase and explosive mission plays out perfectly, with the story of Liberty City just as engaging as it was a decade ago.
Some occasional camera quirks during combat may frustrate, but that’s a small price to pay for a portable piece of gaming history.
GTA V may only be a few months away, and if it can stand the test of time 10 years down the line like this, we’ll have yet another Rockstar classic on our hands.
Title: Infinity Blade II
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £4.99
Hit count: 91%
Infinity Blade has held ultimate bragging rights in the iOS gaming world for a long time, but now its big brother has finally entered the fray.
Delivering another uber-polished 3D adventure, the sequel further refines the combat experience with three new styles of combat allowing you to choose from multiple classes of weapons, armour and spells.
Removing the ability to dodge your way through battles, too, proves to be a revelation as you progress through the stunningly robust and dynamic 3D world and delve deeper into the world of the Deathless tyrants and their legion of Titans.
Combat feels more varied, tactically more challenging, with your enemies just as breathtaking as those that have been conquered before.
This was undoubtedly one of the best (and last) app releases for your iPad in 2011 and, needless to say, it’s an essential purchase.
Title: Bike Baron
Platform: iPad
Genre: Action
Price: 69p
Hit count: 87%
When you spot that the only controls in Bike Baron are to lean left and right and hit stop and go on the throttle, you may get the impression that this is simplistic, pretty, yet disposable gaming.
Don’t be fooled – o
nce you’ve tackled the first couple of learner levels, you’ll realise that this 3D side-scrolling stunt-biking showcase requires precision, patience and some serious dedication to complete the dozens of levels on offer.Stars are awarded for finishing courses, beating target times and collecting all coins available, but you’ll also find your own amusement in trying to dish out the most destructive ending to your biker by falling on explosive oil drums or simply flying over your handlebars when a back-flip goes pear-shaped.
Ridiculously good rag-doll physics make every tumble a joy to behold, but behind the frivolous fun, there’s a serious two-wheeled challenge for you to conquer here.
Title: W.E.L.D.E.R
Platform: iPad
Genre: Word puzzle
Price: £1.49
Hit count: 89%
No, this isn’t a game that’ll teach you how to carry out minor metal repairs around the home.
But it will restore your vocabulary to tip-top condition by fusing traditional Scrabble-board gameplay with some interesting tile-shifting twists.
In its fullest form, W.E.L.D.E.R. (or Word Examination Laboratory for Dynamic Extraction and Reassessment) is a fantastic puzzle game that affords you the time to consider each move strategically, as tile swaps, reverses, grouping and jumps slip away from you all too quickly as you try to hit the word target on each level.
Only by cleverly maximising the use of multiplier tiles and other powered up letters will you make serious progress in the game, and it’s a fantastic example of how a bit of love and attention to an existing genre can create something fresh and unique for everyone to enjoy.
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