Architects and Engineers rejoice! X Construction will put your skills to the test

Recently, Google made news when the Android Market hit the 200,000 mark. I've been following Android for quite sometime now and I've seen quite a few interesting apps. One of the newer apps is a game that was just recently released. This game takes London Bridges to a whole different level. Although quite simple, it is entertaining with a hint of difficulty. I'm sure this game will encourage Android lovers to get their build on.

X Construction Lite by CrossConstruct is a game where you build a bridge over a valley to help the train get to the other side. Yes it sounds painfully simple but there's a catch. One needs to take into consideration the weight of the train since it can cause structural stress. You are also given a limited amount of girders to build with. Finding the right foundation for building the bridge can be quite difficult (well for me at least since I'm not an architect lol).

Choo choo!!

Red girders mean structural stress

Overall, I find this game to be quite addicting. The graphics look quite appealing and the sound effects are a nice addition. People scream for their lives if the bridge breaks from a poorly constructed foundation. The physics in this game is interesting. I find it quite amusing how the bridge's parts "pop" and rip through the air. There is an "Undo" button so if you used one too many girders, you can click undo to re-tweak your bridge. Some levels can be very challenging and it really gets your mind working. One level in particular racked my brains out when I trying to find a solution.

6 challenging levels

This game is in Beta so it is quite short (6 levels to be precise). If I were to guess, since this game is in Beta and this is a "Lite" version, full release Lite and Paid versions will eventually hit the market. The dev definitely has an addictive game that can potentially be quite popular (it already has >250,000 downloads in such a short amount of time). Anyway until then, check out this Beta release on the Android Market. It doesn't hurt to try especially since it's FREE!!

X Construction Lite for Android on AppBrain

EVAC: A unique game using concepts from Pacman and Metal Gear

When it comes to gaming, many legends to mind. Pacman can be considered one of the most influential games in gaming history. I'm sure everyone knows of this hungry, yellow circle being chased by colorful ghosts. I'm also sure many people blew many quarters at the local arcade hangout. This game stood the test of time thus it is considered a classic.

Pacman was influential but Metal Gear Solid was a game changer. The Metal Gear series has its roots traced back to the late 1980's. The gaming world was changed once Metal Gear Solid hit the Playstation console.  Some of the most memorable moments include hiding in the shadows from guards and having your memory card read by Psychomantis. This game was definitely another classic.

So you may be wondering why I'm talking about Pacman and Metal Gear Solid. Interestingly there's a game on the Android Market that utilizes a couple of concepts from these two iconic games. EVAC by Hexage Ltd makes use of the "run from the bad guy" concept from Pacman and also the "sneak and hide" stealth concept from Metal Gear. By the way, Hexage Ltd is a prominent player in mobile gaming on the Android Market. They have various hits such as Radiant and Totemo to name a few.

This game originally caught my eye because I have a thing for bright, vibrant graphics. Honestly I didn't know what to expect but after playing this game for a bit, I immediately became hooked. Some information about the game: You are a cute little block on the run from an evil empire trying to capture you. Each level is a maze/puzzle and you need to utilize your problem solving skills all while staying alive. As you progress through each level, you will find more difficultly. Each level has a couple of power ups ranging from ghost mode to a homing spinning missile barrier. I found it quite interesting how several levels make use of a "hiding area" so if enemies spot you, you can hide in the shadows until they calm down (very Metal Gear-like). To pass a level, you must collect all the dots to open the portal to the next stage (Pacman-like).

Now you see me

Now you don't ;P

Ghost powerup

Homing Barrier Powerup

Kicking some ass

Overall I find this game quite addicting. The neon graphics are vibrant and eye catching. The soundtrack is also very pleasant. Unlike other games, there's actually a story involved. The concepts used within this game are also quite intuitive. I love the random powerups.

Although the file size is a bit large (7mb), if you have Froyo, you can move it to your SD card (it'll shrink to ~400kb). I find the game a bit short because the Lite version only has 7 levels. All of which are quite challenging. Though, if you get addicted, you'll find yourself asking for more. Luckily there's a full version (EVAC HD $2.84). This version has more levels and is optimized for higher end devices i.e. Desire, Nexus, Galaxy S. The one minor complaint about this game is the controls. Controls on the touch screen can be a little cumbersome but if you have an optical pad or trackball, all will be good. Other than that, this is an especially fun app to pass the time. Check out the free version first if you plan on getting the paid version. =)

Free Version

EVAC Lite for Android on AppBrain

Paid Version

EVAC HD for Android on AppBrain

Coloroid- Simple yet Fun App

Who thought playing with colors would be so much fun?

Coloroid by Tapjoy was one of the first puzzle games I downloaded onto my Android phone. It's a very simple game. The object of the game is to fill the screen with one color. You have a set amount of moves before you reach "par." You can choose from one of the 35 levels available. Each board is represented by different lengths and widths. For example, level 11 is a 11 by 11 board. Level 35 is a 66 by 66 board. It also keeps tally of your overall wins. As you can see, my win to lose ratio is 16/38. It's pretty difficult on the higher levels. 

Overall it's an entertaining little puzzle app. It has a very small footprint so it won't use our valuable internal memory. Very useful when you're sitting on the bus or waiting for your girlfriend to show up for dinner. I have yet to beat the game because the higher levels are quite difficult. Best of all: It's a free app!!

QR code for App

Coloroid for Android on AppBrain