Critter Crunch for iPhone

by Chris Barylick
With the gold rush of games coming to the iPhone and iPod touch via the App Store, there are cases where the
developers try to include every bell and whistle available to capture the new market. Then there are the games that
know exactly what they’re all about, the developers having created something simple and fun and forgoing the
extras.
It’s Crunch Time: The horde of adorable critters keeps descending in Space Invaders-like fashion, and it’s up to
you to eliminate them—and rack up points in the process.Take Critter Crunch, a perfect example of the latter and
one of the best puzzle titles for the iPhone to date. A variation of the arcade classic Space Invaders, Starwave’s
Critter Crunch puts you in control a long-tongued, furry creature named Biggs who completes levels by fending off a
descending horde assorted critters. He does this by grabbing them with his tongue and feeding the smaller ones to
the larger ones, remove them from the board and racking up points.
Like Space Invaders, Critter Crunch picks up the pace after a few levels, pushing you to figure out how to and clear
out the level as quickly as possible.
Critter Crunch’s bright, friendly graphics stand on par with anything you’d find on a handheld gaming console such
as the Nintendo DS. But the sound really stands out—you’ll hear distinct noises like Biggs’ tongue extending, a
critter being happily crunched, or a power-up being collected. The impressive audio adds to the fun of Critter
Crunch.
While the standard Adventure game mode is interesting, it’s the little things that make Critter Crunch interesting.
Three additional game modes (Puzzle, Time Trial, and Survival) are interspersed throughout the standard game, and
players will suddenly find themselves tasked with clearing out a puzzle within a given number of moves or some other
challenge.
There’s a polish to the game that’s appreciated. For example, a simple set of options lets you turn the sound on
and off. The beginning of new levels feature helpful tutorials. A well-designed background process does a good job
of automatically saving a your level, allowing you to resume the game from where you left off, even if you need to
take a phone call or perform some other iPhone function.
As the levels go by, Critter Crunch introduces new critters to clear, new power-ups to collect, and power-downs to
avoid. You can also collect power foods— items which can be spat back at the critters to remove them. Though a
puzzle game, the puzzle continuously changes, keeping you on your toes.
The developers put a lot of effort into this $5 game, making a bright, friendly, accessible, and fun offering. And
if you’re still not sure if the game is right for you, the App Store also offers a free lite version of Critter
Crunch. It’s worth checking out.

Gadgets that won't be in my stocking

by Mikael Ricknas
Living in Sweden is not the best choice for those who want to be first to get a hold of the latest gadgets.
We have a good health-care system, free university studies and five holiday weeks each year, but what do those
benefits matter when you have to wait for the latest phone or music player? Two of the hottest mobile phones right
now are the T-Mobile G1 and the BlackBerry Storm from Research In Motion. Neither is available in this part of the
world and although I am not sure I would want either, but would at least like to have the option to buy them or not.
(The first generation of the iPhone didn't show up in Sweden either, but that was probably a smart move by Apple --
selling a smartphone without 3G support wouldn't have been such a good idea as the country is among the best for 3G
coverage, at least according to its telecom regulator.)
The Nintendo DSi is another gadget that is missing in action for the holiday season, but this time Sweden is at
least in good company. I have never understood why Nintendo ignores Europe when it launches new products, but its
delays have always given me the impression that the company only grudgingly sells its consoles outside of Japan.
Part of the problem is, of course, that Sweden is a small market, with 9.2 million inhabitants. Manufacturers of
gadgets with Qwerty keyboards also have to add the Swedish vowels å,ä and ö, which is a bit of a hassle.
But it isn't just the availability of the latest gadgets that's a problem; cost is also an issue.
Many wish lists on both sides of the Atlantic undoubtedly include Blu-ray players, and one of the hottest candidates
is the Panasonic DMP-BD35, the new entry-level model from the Japanese home electronics manufacturer.
In the U.S. that player costs about US$230, in Sweden it would set you back another $100. A value added tax at 25
percent doesn't help much either.
Digital cameras and iPods are other examples of gadgets that Swedes have picked up in droves when visiting the U.S.
lately, which I guess is good for the U.S. economy.
Yet another area where it sometimes feels like Sweden is a third-world nation is content. iTunes has turned into a
great source for movies and TV in the States, but in the Swedish version of the store users will have to make due
with podcasts. Comparing the amount of TV in HD here and there, and the number of available Blu-ray discs, is also a
losing battle.
All of this might sound like a bit of a rant, and it is. All I can say is that I blame the lack of daylight and
sunshine this time of year. Oh, and by the way, the headline is a little misleading -- Christmas stockings are
something else we don't have in Sweden.