lefei
22nd March 2004, 11:54 AM
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Ever since the release of 'the Game of the Year' - Zap!, AstraWare (http://www.astraware.com/) has been regarded as one of the top developers of Palm software. Throughout the years, I have written no less than half a dozen reviews of their games, two of which are posted at SPUG in 2000 (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware.htm) and 2003. (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware2.htm)
I have not been looking for new Palm games for a while as my Treo 270 does not have a storage card. With 16mb RAM, I need every byte for my essential applications, emails as well as cache for internet surfing. Now that I have got a Sony Game Controller (see my recent review (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rsonygamecontroller.htm) at SPUG), I am playing with my NR70v (with 128mb MS) again. As I go surfing for new games, my first stop was of course Astraware. In less time than you can say 'Jiminy Cricket', I registered for 3 new games that I want to share with SPUGers.
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<CENTER>Insane Aquarium </CENTER>
While I have an extremely nice fish screensaver on my PC, there have been several gag aquariums for the Palm, just for fun and laughter. Insaniquarium is different in that you not only feed the fish but fight aliens in this new action game by PopCap! There is a bunch of crazy pets to help you with feeding duties, fight off those pesky aliens and drop valuable coins to help you buy fish-food.
There are high resolution versions for color devices with enhanced sampled sounds for appropriate Sony and Palm OS 5 devices! Choose from the three different game modes and two attractive aquariums, each with unique features and strategies.
Play ten Quest levels to hatch ten pets! Can you find the hidden pet, Brinkley the Scuba-diving Elephant? Collect cascades of money to get a high-score in Time Trial mode! Are you tough enough to collect all the egg pieces in the terrifying Challenge mode?
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<CENTER>GTS Racing Challenge </CENTER>
GTS Racing Challenge blows every single arcade racing game for the Palm OS out of the water. Period. No contest. At last, here is console-quality racing right on your Palm-powered handheld!
You can choose a sports car, coupe or formula racing car with eight different textured track on 4 levels of difficulty across 8 exciting venues. Travel at blistering speeds in the Sports car, Coupe and Formula (Coupe and Formula cars in Registered version only)
Like all of Astraware's new offerings, it is available in HiRes. Like Race Fever, you can control using your choice of buttons or the Graffiti area. Personally, I opt for the Sony Game Controller. Of the four game modes, I like the arcade-style Challenge Cup best.
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<CENTER>WhatWord </CENTER>
After all has been said and done, Palm PDA does puzzle games best. I was totally addicted to Astraware's Bookworm (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware2.htm) which has saved me from many a wasted moment waiting in line. WhatWord is a crazy word puzzle game that requires your brain as well as a quick hand, very similar to Boggle. Letters are juggled so you can make word after word to score points, all the time aiming for that elusive WhatWord.
To make WhatWord all it can be, there is an intuitive Touch screen play system, as well as built-in instructions, over 6,000 words in the computer memory, animated graphics and exciting sound effects. Special bonus letters appear giving massive scores if you can use them to make a word. Brilliant for word game fans! It not only has the usual High score tables but the capability to export your high score to compete with your friends via the online high score table for Palm users.
Review by Henry Kong
3 July 2003
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Ever since the release of 'the Game of the Year' - Zap!, AstraWare (http://www.astraware.com/) has been regarded as one of the top developers of Palm software. Throughout the years, I have written no less than half a dozen reviews of their games, two of which are posted at SPUG in 2000 (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware.htm) and 2003. (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware2.htm)
I have not been looking for new Palm games for a while as my Treo 270 does not have a storage card. With 16mb RAM, I need every byte for my essential applications, emails as well as cache for internet surfing. Now that I have got a Sony Game Controller (see my recent review (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rsonygamecontroller.htm) at SPUG), I am playing with my NR70v (with 128mb MS) again. As I go surfing for new games, my first stop was of course Astraware. In less time than you can say 'Jiminy Cricket', I registered for 3 new games that I want to share with SPUGers.
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER>Insane Aquarium </CENTER>
While I have an extremely nice fish screensaver on my PC, there have been several gag aquariums for the Palm, just for fun and laughter. Insaniquarium is different in that you not only feed the fish but fight aliens in this new action game by PopCap! There is a bunch of crazy pets to help you with feeding duties, fight off those pesky aliens and drop valuable coins to help you buy fish-food.
There are high resolution versions for color devices with enhanced sampled sounds for appropriate Sony and Palm OS 5 devices! Choose from the three different game modes and two attractive aquariums, each with unique features and strategies.
Play ten Quest levels to hatch ten pets! Can you find the hidden pet, Brinkley the Scuba-diving Elephant? Collect cascades of money to get a high-score in Time Trial mode! Are you tough enough to collect all the egg pieces in the terrifying Challenge mode?
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER>GTS Racing Challenge </CENTER>
GTS Racing Challenge blows every single arcade racing game for the Palm OS out of the water. Period. No contest. At last, here is console-quality racing right on your Palm-powered handheld!
You can choose a sports car, coupe or formula racing car with eight different textured track on 4 levels of difficulty across 8 exciting venues. Travel at blistering speeds in the Sports car, Coupe and Formula (Coupe and Formula cars in Registered version only)
Like all of Astraware's new offerings, it is available in HiRes. Like Race Fever, you can control using your choice of buttons or the Graffiti area. Personally, I opt for the Sony Game Controller. Of the four game modes, I like the arcade-style Challenge Cup best.
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER>WhatWord </CENTER>
After all has been said and done, Palm PDA does puzzle games best. I was totally addicted to Astraware's Bookworm (http://www.spug.net/reviews/rastraware2.htm) which has saved me from many a wasted moment waiting in line. WhatWord is a crazy word puzzle game that requires your brain as well as a quick hand, very similar to Boggle. Letters are juggled so you can make word after word to score points, all the time aiming for that elusive WhatWord.
To make WhatWord all it can be, there is an intuitive Touch screen play system, as well as built-in instructions, over 6,000 words in the computer memory, animated graphics and exciting sound effects. Special bonus letters appear giving massive scores if you can use them to make a word. Brilliant for word game fans! It not only has the usual High score tables but the capability to export your high score to compete with your friends via the online high score table for Palm users.
Review by Henry Kong
3 July 2003
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