Busy Gamer Nation

Movers and Shakers: Games You Can Play On The Treadmill

2013-06-14T08:49:53Z

The gym can be a painful, horrible place at times - and I don't mean the exercise part. Nay, I refer to the unspeakable horror that is the gym television set. I know what you're thinking: "That's why I bring my (insert music device here)." But let's face it, folks: Music will only keep you entertained for so long. Today's ADD athletes need something to occupy their minds while they tread the road to nowhere.

I have found the answer: mobile games.

Not just any cell phone games, mind you - but a subset of games that meet basic criteria for gamers on the move. I've logged many hours playing games on the treadmill, and find myself coming back to the same basic ones every time. The reason: They work when I'm (power) walking. And just so we're clear, I am talking about walking on the treadmill - not running. This is geared to those of you who can't pick up the pace due to bad knees (raises hand) or those of you who need to kill a little time during your post-run cool down.

I chose these games based on trial and error. All games were tested at a high-speed walk pace with an incline. Games that were difficult or distracting were eliminated. The game that almost caused me to fall off the treadmill was eliminated from the phone altogether due to personal trauma. So what you will find here are largely games that allow you to take your time, with a heavy emphasis on match-3 and word games. This isn't a personal preference. They just turned out to be the best options. Shooters and side-scrollers simply don't work when you need to keep your equilibrium. Cut the Rope/Angry Birds type games were simply too difficult to line up while walking. Games that require moving the entire device also were disqualified, leaving a core group of games that are actually really nice little time fillers. Best of all, many of these are probably already on your phone.

Let's get moving!

Bejeweled (Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8)

In Brief: My all-time favorite treadmill game, hands-down. I have been playing Bejeweled for years, and it's still my fallback position whenever I get bored with other games or just want to kill a large period of time. This classic match-3 offers several games in one, including classic Bejeweled (time is ticking), Zen mode (no timer, no losses, no worries), and the insanely addictive "Diamond Mine" mode (pictured). This is where I spend most of my time. Your goal is simple: Match the jewels closest to the ground to clear it, freeing up more gems and occasionally exposing sweet prizes. Oh, and it has a timer. Yes, my first game violates one of my own rules. But in this case, it's so much fun that I'll make an exception. I really, really love this game!

Treadmill Factor: Yes, the addictive Diamond Mine mode has the dreaded timer. You can always go to Zen mode if you want to just zone out on the treadmill.

Fairway Solitaire (Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8)

In Brief: This fun but occasionally frustrating version of Solitaire is littered with golf references. Your score drops one point for each card removed. Your final score for each round is scored on a golf card and tracked toward your final goal for the course. The game ramps up fast, with water hazards, overgrown grass patches, and sand traps that block cards until you clear them. You'll also periodically encounter a whirling dervish wheel of torture filled with mini-games and the occasional reward. This game is mostly about the solitaire, however. Play well and you'll earn in-game cash that can be used to buy additional clubs (cards) for your virtual golf bag and other helpful tools. (I'm a big fan of a dehydrator that dries up the water hazard.)

Treadmill Factor: One of the best treadmill games I played. No timer to pressure you and the odds of accidentally making a move are pretty low. Just be careful not to put your thumb too close to the golf bags - you only get one free Mulligan (undo). After that, you're stuck with your mistakes.

Candy Crush Saga (Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8)

In Brief: If you're on Facebook, you've at least heard about this match-3 puzzle game. The mechanics are the same as all of the other match-3s you've ever played: Find matching candies and put them together to clear the board. This one features brightly colored pieces and a semi-story that has something to do with a creepy kid and a dragon. (You can skip the cut scenes. I recommend that you do so.) The game gives you just enough easy levels to get hooked, then amps up the challenge to humbling levels. When you run out of lives - and you will - the game offers three options for moving forward: Bug your friends on Facebook, buy more lives for actual cash, or wait out the penalty. If you really, really can't wait, you could just turn off the auto-date and time feature of your phone and change the date to say, tomorrow. Just remember to change it back when you're done.

Treadmill Factor: Very good, but not perfect. There are timed levels sprinkled throughout the path, which can add an unwelcome level of pressure when you need to wipe your hands down. Hitting the countdown clock can also break your rhythm while you figure out what to do next. If you can live with these obstacles, it's a great way to kill time.

Textropolis (Android, iOS)

In Brief: I absolutely love this spelling game that will delight anagram fans. Each level begins with a 9-letter city whose name can be used to create lots of smaller words. Players spell words using just the letters on screen. Submit a successful word and an airplane will fly across the top with a brief definition. Milestones are marked by both stars across the top and buildings that appear on screen. (More progress in our city!) At a loss for words? Just start tapping letters - if you get a hit, it will tell you. I have found countless words just by trying different consonant/vowel combinations that seem likely to work. Don't think of it as cheating, think of it as improving your vocabulary.

Treadmill Factor: Earning just a star or two is enough to unlock the next city, meaning savvy spellers can unlock multiple levels in one treadmill session. That allows you to bounce between cities, applying what you learned in one level to another similarly spelled locale.

Dots (Android, iOS)

In Brief: This newish match-3 game limits players to 1-minute sessions that last a lot longer than you'd think. Players can make vertical or horizontal moves to connect as many like-colored dots as possible. Unlike other match-3 games, this one lets you create 90-degree angles and U-turns in your pursuit of longer lines. As long as the dots are adjacent and haven't been used, you can snap them up. There is a slight push to share your high scores and progress with social media friends, but it's never obnoxious.

Treadmill Factor: Very good, but not perfect. There are timed levels sprinkled throughout the path, which can add an unwelcome level of pressure when you least expect it. Hitting the countdown clock can also break your rhythm while you figure out what to do next. If you can live with those obstacles, it's a great way to kill time.

Boggle Free (Android, iPhone)

In Brief: Exactly what it says - a digital version of Hasbro's Boggle game. "Shake" the Boggle container and then use your finger to form as many words as possible while the clock counts down. A good one for word fans who can spell. It's also an excellent way to build your Boggle skills before the next Thanksgiving tournament at Mom's house.

Treadmill Factor: My biggest issue with the game had nothing to do with the treadmill. Some games seem to be less sensitive to touch than others, and this happens to be one of them. That can be good and bad. On the one hand, the letters are close together, which can make adding an unintentional letter easier for those with sausage fingers - myself included. On the other hand, sometimes it doesn't make words at all. I'm willing to give the game the benefit of the doubt and say it's a user, and not a game, issue. Hey, it's free - download it and give it a try. You can always delete it if it becomes too frustrating.

Chuzzle

In Brief: The fuzziest match-3 ever! No, those aren't Tribbles. They're Chuzzles. Sweet, furry, chatty little Chuzzles that explode in the most delightful way when matched with their matching siblings. The mechanics in this game are different from other match-3s. This time, you're moving an entire line of Chuzzles side to side or up and down. It sounds simple, but wait until they start slapping locks onto random Chuzzles. (They can be freed from bondage through matching!) Play Classic mode to get the hang of the game or Zen for when you want to zone out. The Speed mode ramps up the pain fast, which could create a hazard on the treadmill. (I almost fell off at one point because I became so focused on finding the only possible match!)

Treadmill Factor: Stick with Classic or Zen mode, and you're golden. Speed Chuzzle at your own risk.

Karma Police: Yes, Your Videogames Are Silently Judging You

2013-05-30T07:32:48Z

One of the great joys of gaming is the opportunity to be someone else. Hard-boiled detective, savior of the world, psychotic race car driver who shoots turtle shells at fellow competitors - I'm looking at you, Mario!

In most cases, your path is set. Your story beats are the same as the millions of others playing the same game. The ending you get is the same as the gamer down the street, and the gamer on the other side of the globe. Sure, you might be able to vary your approach - I'll take a sharp blade over a gun anytime - but in the end, the song remains the same.

Then there are the games that go that extra step: The Karma Games. While not an official category, odds are that you know what I mean. These fluid little titles will alter elements of gameplay based on the actions that you take. Some are perhaps a bit too subtle in their approach, like BioShock Infinite. (Yes, it's there; do a search on "Bird or Cage.") Other games will shut down entire mission trees based on a single answer to a question. (Hellloooo Fallout: New Vegas!)

Then there are the visual games. You can literally go to the Dark Side in Knights of the Old Republic, taking all aspects of skin tone along with you. The Fable series is also well-known for shifting your visual appearance based on decisions you make... But first, you'd have to boot the game. And, of course, your ending may vary.

I've gone back through the annals of gaming to pull up some of my favorite Karma Games. Some you've played, others you might have missed. All are worth giving a shot.

ATTENTION. The following contains MINOR SPOILERS. You have been warned.

Black & White/Black & White 2 (PC and Mac, 2001/2005)

A precursor to The Sims, this PC game and its sequel took the God complex to a whole new level. The player was placed in charge of an island populated by tiny tribes of people. The goal: Make an impression on these pathetic ant folk. From here, it's up to the player as to how to make that happen. Benevolent rulers will bestow gifts on the locales, inspiring the tribes to worship the giant hand in the sky. Or you can just scare the hell out of the villagers by picking up some trees, animals, or - what the hell - people and chucking them into the nearest volcano. That gets their attention, too. Of course, you can only throw so many screaming, crying villagers on the barbie before you get bored. The good news: You can change your approach at any time, winning back followers who will be fruitful and multiply… providing more virgins to toss in the volcano. Hey-ooohhh!

Karmic factor: 2 (out of 5)

Infamous/Infamous 2 (PlayStation 3, 2009/2011)

Infamous tells the story of Cole McGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City. One day while on a delivery, no doubt wearing a helmet and obeying every traffic signal like a good bike messenger, Cole gets caught in a devastating explosion. The accident turns Cole into a human bug zapper who surfs electric cables because it's a game and why the hell not. After some basic training levels, you're set loose on the city to find missions and unlock areas. Your actions along the way determine Cole's state of mind. Work with the cops and help little old ladies across the street? You'll find yourself calm and collected, with bluish white light emitting from your oh-so-caring hands. How cute. If you prefer a more bad-ass Cole, screw over the Po-Po and leave grandma to the thugs. Cole's nocturnal (electric) emissions will turn black with a kickin' red hue. Also, your game ending may vary. Fun fact: Only one Infamous ending sets up Infamous 2. A gutsy move on the part of the developers? Or just bad sequel planning? You be the judge.

Karmic factor: 3 (out of 5)

The Walking Dead (iOS, PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, 2012)

Telltale Games originally serialized its version of The Walking Dead, complete with cliffhangers at the end of each game and a "Previously on" intro for later chapters. The game is heavy on dialogue trees and light on combat, making your mouth the single most dangerous tool in your possession. Interactions typically consist of an NPC making a long speech then asking a question. Your choices often consist of a brief version of the full response, meaning you might not know what you're about to say when you choose. There is also a silent option for those of us who just can't make up our damned minds. For the most part, the answers vary by attitude. Are you sweet or sassy? In a good mood or going through caffeine withdrawal? How you answer will determine how others see you, which in turn affects what happens later in the game. Occasionally, your decision will have life or death ramifications for an NPC. Here's the twist: If someone is doomed, they are going to buy it before the chapter ends, whether you make a life-saving move or not. So in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make… but in this case, it doesn't matter. The story is too linear to have any real impact. At best, you're really just being a dick to your fellow survivors.

Karmic factor: 1 (out of 5)

BioShock/BioShock 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, 2007/2010)

In both BioShock and BioShock 2, Karma has a face… and an adorable bow in her hair. While there are occasionally other choices to be made in the games, your Karma really comes down to one thing: whether you "Save" the Little Sisters by shoving them into a filthy air duct where they will most likely die from black lung, or cut to the chase and harvest them for Adam. If you opt to save them, you'll be rewarded with periodic presents to make up for the fact that they took off with all the goddamned Adam, which you kinda need to survive. Harvest them and you'll score more Adam up front, but the kids are going to talk crap about you in the third act. Oh yeah, there are two different endings, too. While some games will give you a chance to balance out your Karma, BioShock is rather unforgiving. If you harvest the girls early in the game, the odds are good you'll get the "bad" ending, no matter what you do towards the end. ("No redemption for you, Mr. Bubbles!") On the flip side, playing for good and then sucking down a few Adam pops toward the end of the game can also nuke your Karma fast - unless you reload an earlier checkpoint. Ain't Karma a bitch?

Karmic factor: 4 (out of 5)

Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, 2008/2010)

Whether you sing with the angels or dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, you'll find a home in the Wastelands… a place where they shoot on sight. These RPGs offer wide open spaces filled with mutants to kill and people to serve. (Take the cannibal perk, and you can serve them with a side of fava beans and a nice chianti!) Here, every single thing you do can impact your Karma. Stealing is bad… but only if you get caught. Killing non-mutants is typically a no-no, but there are certain people who won't be missed in the Wasteland. Even a smart-assed answer can send your Karmic meter toward the sinister position. (Because, as always, left is evil and right is good.) Careful players can balance out good and bad deeds to achieve Neutral Karma, but why bother? I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints - but you can do either one in the game. Best of all, both games offer a one-time get-out-of-jail free card in the skill tree, should you decide to switch teams.

Karmic factor: 5 (out of 5)

So, what's your favorite Karma Game, and which team do you play for?

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love UltraViolet

2013-05-20T04:12:54Z

Part of the challenge of being a busy gamer is finding the energy to interact with a game rather than simply kicking back with less engaging fare such as movies and TV. Games take a certain mindset that you may have a difficult time easing into after a busy, stressful day. Watching a movie, particularly one that you know well and quote often, can relax you and help get you ready to get your game on.

If you're like me, you also find it soothing to listen and half-watch a favorite flick while performing a repetitive work task. The challenge there is portability and the ability to get in and out of your movie collection quickly.

You could watch a DVD or Blu-ray, but those take so long to load. You could sacrifice a second screen and some of your computer's processing power to stream a movie, but I find this slows me down too much and blocks me from my second screen, which I use constantly.

So I prefer using my iPad, much in the same way people will listen to music in the workplace. Then, in the evening, I'll frequently pipe a favorite flick to a small TV in our kitchen while I cook or clean dishes. Then, after dinner and some light TV, most nights I'm ready to play.

Digital Misconceptions

It required a lengthy adjustment for me to appreciate the value of keeping movies in the cloud. Years ago, when digital download codes were first being bundled with DVDs, I resisted redeeming them due to what I imagine was a common misconception. The codes were generally only good for a year, but I thought this meant that the digital downloads themselves were time-bombed and would stop working after the date had passed. When I realized my mistake, I redeemed all of the codes I could find that still worked. Some studios are more forgiving than others. Disney codes routinely work after the expiration date, while I've found that Warner Bros movies consistently fail.

The nice thing about iTunes Digital Copy downloads is that there is, in fact, a feeling of permanence. Once redeemed, you "own" the downloaded files and can easily transfer them to digital devices on demand (well, as long as they're iOS-based). Also, there's no need for an Internet connection to access them. Downsides? They take up a fair amount of space, so you must pick and choose. And they're not quick to sync over USB, so if you're in a rush you're out of luck.

Another point of confusion: Some Blu-Rays now come with codes for BOTH UltraViolet and iTunes Digital Copy, though the boxes don't always list both on the front. When I first started seeing these, I thought that you had to choose one service or the other. Perhaps it's the way the code slips are designed, with one code in the middle of the page and the directions for the two different redemption methods listed above and below it. I'm a reasonably smart person, so if I believed this there are bound to be others with the same mistaken belief. Unfortunately, I seem to have recycled a few of these slips including the code for one of our favorite films, Cabin in the Woods. I desperately want to add this to our UltraViolet library (despite the movie being on Netflix Instant at the moment).

Best practice: Keep your codes, even the ones you've already redeemed, in a shoebox or something until you're sure you won't ever need them again.

We understand if you have a sudden need to dash off and rummage through your movie collection in search of lost treasure: any digital download codes you might have missed. We're still finding them! Just in the past few weeks while working on this story, I found unredeemed codes still nestled in Blu-Ray cases for Kick-Ass, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. All of them worked!

UltraViolet Invasion

UltraViolet came onto my radar about a year ago. There was a code included with our Blu-Ray copy of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I put off redeeming it, but eventually took the plunge. The hassles surfaced almost immediately. First, I needed to create a UV account. Then I needed a Flixster or Vudu account to access my digital stash. Each studio and/or service you sign up with usually needs its own login name and password. Some movies can only be redeemed on one service (Sony, for instance, is both studio and service provider), so you can't just select one and always stick with it. On top of that, I accidentally created multiple Flixster accounts, presumably when I clicked an offer for a free movie one day and it registered a new account using my Facebook credentials without my knowledge. I only noticed when the UV copy of Life of Pi was mistakenly added to the wrong account. It is possible to merge multiple UV accounts, though it's incredibly confusing. Flixster really should verify your login before crediting a code redemption, but I encountered a similar problem with Cloud Atlas just this past week.

Oh, and when I first tried to download a movie to my PC for local playback from the Sony site, it failed. To this day, I'm still not sure why. But I've come to terms with the fact that UltraViolet is probably best as a streaming service - though it has been possible for me to download movies to tablets, which is great for mobile viewing when you don't have an Internet connection. More on that below.

Anyway, for the first year after Holy Grail, I only collected UltraViolet movies from movies we bought on Blu-Ray that contained codes, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Magic Mike, Looper, and The Dark Knight Rises. Just a handful, really, so I didn't really see the value. We also picked up a few bonus titles here and there from promos designed to get us to opt into to communications from various studios and services. Signing up for Vudu right now gets you 10 standard definition (SD) movies, while Flixster lets you collect 5 SD movies when you join their Disc to Digital beta (you do need to have eligible DVDs). And, yes, you can do both and link them to the same UltraViolet account.

Suddenly, I hit critical mass. This is when I started to see the value of UltraViolet. It's like your own private Netflix filled with mostly movies you love! (Though some freebies you could live without. And lots of movies, at least for us at this early stage, that aren't available anywhere to stream. Pass the Ammo, anyone? Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy? C'mon, there's no Pink Floyd: The Wall?!)

We've been collecting movies for decades, starting with laserdiscs in the early '90s, which then led to us amass around a thousand DVDs and now hundreds of Blu-Rays. (Laserdiscs typically ran $40+, so it's hard to pass up a good movie on disc when it's less than half the price.) So now we have an extensive DVD library, which can be difficult to tap on demand. First, we have to find the disc. Then pop it into whatever player is handy and get past all of the promotional crap they nearly always bundle before the film (and which may or may not be skippable). Digitizing our disc collection is an option, but that takes a lot of time and storage, so we reserve this for obscure favorites that are not found anywhere in the cloud.

Digital copies can be loaded in a matter of seconds and (generally) save your place when you quit. Perfect for busy folks like ourselves.

Cheap and peppy

To use the UltraViolet Disc to Digital program, offered in slightly different forms by both Flixster and Vudu, you pop a disc into your PC. If the disc is eligible and recognized, you get the option to add an SD copy to your UV library for $2 to $3 (Flixster tends to be more expensive at $2.50 to $3 per SD conversion, so the point goes to Vudu), or an HD upgrade for $5. Vudu has Blu-Ray support, so if you have a Blu-Ray drive in your computer, you may be able to get HD for just $2 per title (another point to Vudu).

None of these services are without their... quirks. That's a nice way of saying that there are all sorts of bugs and gotchas:

Discs are frequently not recognized. If this happens with Vudu, you can take then into a Walmart store where they'll validate the discs and add them to your account. They'll also stamp the center ring of the discs to ensure they aren't ever redeemed again. Cabin in the Woods was just added to Vudu's Disc to Digital program recently (full title list and updates), but when I tried to redeem it, it wasn't recognized. So I've decided to continue looking for my missing code, though I would totally buy it again for $2.
Titles that are supposed to be in the Disc to Digital program may come back as ineligible, or come up incorrectly. Flixster (full title list) misidentified our DVD copy of Vanilla Sky as The Firm (which I do NOT want), while Vudu told me that most of my Star Trek Blu-Rays were Star Trek IV, so no Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan for us. Also, Vudu won't recognize my Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Blu-Ray, but the DVD from the same package would work (for a $3 upcharge). Again, if this happens on Vudu, you can take them to Walmart. Charlie's Angels, Eye of the Beholder, and Battle for Terra were all supposed to be included in the program, but repeatedly came back as ineligible. So I took them in to a store and they were added as soon as I could get the attention of a trained Entertainment department salesperson and she was able to look up the steps required (they apparently don't get a lot of UV business). I'd rather this worked at home, so I'm not planning to repeat the experience.
Some titles are not available on all services. Our Vudu titles Fandango and The Ninth Configuration can't be played or downloaded on Flixster.
Flixster misidentifies some movies (John Sayles' Lone Star has a poster for an older movie of the same name starring Clark Gable) and offers placeholder text and images for others. In some cases, these movies will still play correctly, and in others they're not offered at all - despite being listed as available.
Almost all of the UltraViolet players we've tried have some issues; more on that in a sec.

Now, the plus side is that you can often pick up inexpensive used copies of DVDs and get cheap digital versions, while holding on to the disc as a backup should the service ever expire or become undesirable to use. (If you're unscrupulous, I guess you could resell the discs. Or donate them to a library or something.)

The Pros and Cons of UV-ing

Once you have a decent collection of movies (and, I have to warn you, once you get to a certain point it can be difficult to stop adding!), you'll need a method or two to play it.

UltraViolet players are all over the map, and they don't always do a great job of keeping your place when you quit. But when they work, they range from acceptable to awesome.

On iOS, your choices are:

Vudu: This is an embarrassingly low frills client but tends to play best overall, at least in my experience. You have to sign in once a day, which is a nuisance. (I can't recall the last time I was prompted to sign in to my HBO Go or Netflix apps.) Once you do sign in, I find it almost always comes up blank. I then have to quit and relaunch the app to see my movies. There's no quick 15- or 30-second rewind button, for those times when you're distracted and want to go back just a little bit, so you're stuck scanning. The popup interface drops off at inopportune times, so you'll spend a lot of time tapping the screen trying to pause or find your place. And there's no way to remove the clock/status bar from the top of the screen. And if you get a notification, the movie will quit and you'll need to restart it. But: Vudu reliably plays where Flixster does not.

Flixster: This app has proven to be really choppy, and the recent update seems to have done little to address this. But Flixster is the only app on iOS so far that lets you download movies for offline playback, so you'll want to have it for travel at least. It also lists the movies you've started but not finished first, making it easy to keep track of what you're watching. Until recently, it played the correct Lone Star movie despite the incorrect listing - but the recent update seems to have nuked that. And my copy of Chances Are sticks in a specific place every time I play it on Flixster, though it is smooth on Vudu.

PlayStation 3 only has Vudu, and it is the best UltraViolet player we've used to date. Seriously, this is your app of choice for the TV if you own a PS3. If only the other Vudu players were this full featured, we'd never load Flixster again.

On Xbox 360, you can choose between:

Vudu: This isn't quite as good as the PS3 app, but the differences are negligible. We do sometimes notice dropped frames on the highest setting (HDX), making playback seem jerky, even though we have a pretty fast Internet connection that should be up to the task. You can either drop the quality down to standard HD or SD, or use the Flixster app.

Flixster: This app is actually pretty good. Right after it launched, we noticed some buggy descriptions and missing images, but these seem to have been addressed. Playback is generally smooth, though many movies that should be in HD are only offered in SD and, again, some movies (like my misclassified copy of Lone Star) won't play back at all.

Android has Flixster available in the Amazon App Store (I tested it with a 1st generation Kindle Fire). Since it's the only game in town, at least on my flavor of Android, you may be stuck with it. It's pretty good, but suffers from some of the same flaws as it's brethren on other platforms: some movies (like my misclassified copy of Lone Star) won't play at all, and it's not glitch proof (that SD version of Chances Are still sticks and then skips in the same place).

Despite many flaws, there's something compelling about creating your own cloud-based movie service where you can collect many (but probably not all) of your all-time favorite flicks. We just hit 120 titles and we're planning to add more in coming weeks, both with retail codes (Warm Bodies) and Disc to Digital conversion (Galaxy Quest was just added to Vudu!). And we're hopeful that someday not too far off, the major bugs will be worked out, nearly all of the movies we want will be added, and we'll be able to access our film collection almost anywhere and anytime we want.

We're hopeful that as UV continues to grow, we'll see many improvements:

Services such as Flixster and Vudu should continue to improve and correct the copious errors in their Disc to Digital programs, and improve the quality of their library (the SD transfer of The Ninth Configuration on Vudu is embarrassingly bad, while many other SD movies are near HD quality). We'd also love the option to upgrade our SD purchases to HD for a few dollars instead of the full $5, particularly if they're added later. Or if you purchase an SD version of a movie from a Blu-Ray when there's no HD available, offer an automatic HD upgrade if it's ever added.
Players should become more reliable, full featured, and allow better management of libraries. Notably absent are personalization features like advanced sorting and categorization. Right now, movies default to the order added and don't offer to let you to create your own lists such as Family Movies, All Time Faves, and Classics.
Studios should begin including digital copies for larger collections such as the Hitchcock and James Bond boxsets we picked up last year. "Instant" collections like these would drive UV adoption faster and improve the value proposition for retail purchase. The closest thing we've seen is the Warner Bros 50 Film Collection, but this will run you $400-600.
Similar programs should be added for TV shows, including retail codes and Disc to Digital cloud conversion.

UPDATE (May 22, 2013): CinemaNow

Shortly after I hit publish, community member and avid commenter UltimoRey tipped me off to CinemaNow. They hide their UltraViolet integration deep within their own storefront, so I missed it during my initial review of UV apps. If you link a new or existing UV account now, you'll get 10 movies from a constrained list (the highlight for us was Big Trouble in Little China but we already had Austin Powers and The Perfect Storm). Add that to the 10 freebies you get from Vudu and the 5-6 from Flixster, and it's Instant Movie Collection!

The biggest issue we've encountered across all of the CinemaNow players is that they do not seem to sync your place in a movie across platforms (say from iPad to PS3 and back). Since I watch movies on one device during the day and another in the evening, this is a big problem.

They also have their own Disc to Digital program (list), which I'm checking out now. It does not support Blu-Ray, and conversion ranges from $2-3 for SD and $5-6 for HD.

Here's the rundown on the CinemaNow players we've tried:

PS3: This is near Vudu quality, but doesn't support all of the movies that Vudu does. However, it performs better than its Xbox 360 equivalent, at least for now. My biggest complaints are that it can be tricky to navigate a long list of movies, and it doesn't always reliably remember your place.

Xbox 360: This has potential but many movies that work with CinemaNow on other platforms failed (notably, Out of Sight, What Dreams May Come, and Lone Star). Really, there's an opportunity for someone to excel at UltraViolet playback on Xbox 360.

iPad: This was the most reliable UltraViolet player on iOS to date, but it's inabilty to sync my progress across devices was my biggest complaint. The app itself was more stable than Vudu, and it supported fast forwarding and playback more reliably than Flixster. There's even a handy 30-second rewind button. This will be my new go to app when I plan to watch a movie entirely on iPad (say, on a trip), but if I want the flexibility to sync to watch on TV I'll stick with Vudu - bugs and all.

Overall, a mixed bag but CinemaNow may work well for you.

Busy Gamer Review - Mr. Runner 2: The Masks

2013-05-15T20:42:56Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: iPhone 4 and iPad 3.

In a Nutshell: A colorful, amusing sequel to the popular Mr. Runner. The basic mechanics are the same: Mr. Runner jogs across a set course collecting coins, collectibles, and power-ups while the threat of danger hovers above. The player presses the right side of the screen to speed him up, or the left side to slow him down.

Various dangers await Mr. Runner in each set of levels. Players must time their runs just right to reach safe zones before getting crushed, drowned, or caught in some other nefarious trap.

The game is rife with sly references to pop culture and other games. Familiar characters appear in the wild throughout the levels. Mr. Runner himself briefly transforms into some familiar people/characters when he successfully ducks death. Movie fans will also recognize many of his celebratory catch-phrases.

Successful runs unlock special masks that players can use to customize their experience. Older gamers will get more of the references, including the "Unknown Comic" from The Gong Show. Younger gamers will recognize many of the Nintendo-esque characters and loving nods favorite games, including a plant-hating zombie and one really mad bird.

Learning Curve: Easy to learn, hard to master. There is no stopping in this game; just speeding up or slowing down. The challenge is timing. Keys, treasure chests, money-attracting magnets and other goodies bounce around the screen like Olympic gymnasts. Move too fast and you may fly right by an airborne reward. Move too slow and you might get catch a coveted revival potion, only to get crushed a few moments later. Fans of rhythm games may find it easier to learn the beats and advance.

The gameplay has the potential to be very frustrating, particularly for left handed people. (Yes, here we go again.) In this case, I found it very difficult to play on the iPhone. My right hand was controlling the speed, and my thumb simply couldn't keep up with it. (Perhaps someday devs will offer a "lefty mode" that switches the power switch to the "sinister" side.) I also kept accidentally hitting things on screen with my hand, interrupting my flow and creating a less than stellar experience.

My iPad experience was much, much better. After experimenting with a few different approaches, I settled on using my left hand exclusively (Index and Ring finger), and began flying through levels with little problem. The iPad also offered the advantage of a bigger screen – and in this case, the design deserves to be seen on a large display. Too bad it's only pixel-doubled, and not a universal app optimized for iPad.

The Save Game: Progress is saved at the end of a level (typically about 1-2 minutes of play time), whether you succeed or not.

Family Factor: Very family friendly, although very small children might be freaked out by some of the bosses who chase Mr. Runner. Older kids will enjoy it just as much as you will.

Buy or Skip? Buy – especially if you have an iPad (even though it's not optimized for it). It's only $1, and a wonderful addition to your mobile and/or tablet gaming library. While you're at it, pick up the original Mr. Runner, the black-and-white predecessor. The "Yo Mama" jokes are almost worth getting crushed. (You can also turn them off, if they're not your thing.)

On a Personal Note: I wasn't initially sold on the game, but it has quickly become a favorite, largely on the iPad. I love the Katamari Damacy-like environment, and the little unexpected moments that have made me laugh time and again.

What's great is that Mr. Runner 2 is a game you can pick up and put down in short increments, whether you're waiting in the grocery line or just want to kill a little time during the television commercials.

I'd like to give the developers a shout-out for their handling of the in-game currency system. The game regularly offers the opportunity to make in-game purchases such as magnets, keys, and revival potions to help the player get through particularly tough levels. Players willing to part with cash may also buy special power up masks that will grant a permanent in-game advantage. But you don't really need any of these unless you're a busy and impatient gamer. There are ample opportunities to score extra coins if you don't mind, say, following the company on Twitter or Facebook. Later, players have the option to watch brief marketing videos to score cash. My all-time favorite was the simplest: Buy a chance to spin the wheel. (Unfortunately, I lost money on this one, which led me to buy more spins... Just like in Vegas.)

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Game Releases - Dead Space 3, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Brain Age, Little Inferno iOS, and 128GB iPad

2013-02-04T05:15:25Z

Here is the complete list of games due to release this week for PC/Mac, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that slipped out in the past week or so):

Android: Angry Birds: Star Wars update, Call of Mini: Brawlers, Catch the Candy, Cute Kill, Dream House Days, Dungeon Quest, Elder Sign: Omens, Epic Citadel, Epic Swords, Galaga: Special Edition, Jail Run, Kite Fever, Minecraft: Pocket Edition update, Solar Forge update, Star Trek App, Super Grid Run, Zenonia 5 update, and Zombie Road Trip
3DS: Bloody Vampire (eShop), Brain Age: Concentration Training, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Ice Climber (eShop), Ikachan (eShop), Mega Man 2 (Virtual Console), and Witch's Cat (eShop) + all DSiWare
DS: 99Moves (DSiWare)
Facebook: Marvel: Avengers Alliance update, QwizShow, and Stratego
iPhone/iPad: iPad (4th generation with 128GB storage) plus Angry Birds Star Wars update, Baseball Superstars 2013, The Blockheads update, Heroes and Castles update, Into the Dead update, Little Inferno, Minecraft: Pocket Edition update, Pixel People, Slotz Racer 2 HD, Sortee, Stratego, Sunny Hillride, and Table Top Racing
Mac: None
PC: Dead Space 3 and Weird Park: Scary Tales
PS3: Bentley's Hackpack (Store), Crysis 3 (Open Beta), Dead Space 3, Devil May Cry: Costume Pack (DLC), DC Universe Online: Home Turf Pack (DLC), Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2, Ghost Recon Future Soldier: DLC Bundle (DLC), Mensa: Academy (Store), NHL GameCenter (App), Resident Evil 6: Stage Map Pack B (DLC), Rock Band: Aerosmith's Greatest Dimension Pack (DLC), Sleeping Dogs: The Movie Masters Pack (DLC), and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
PS2: None
PSP: None
Vita: Bentley's Hackpack (Store) and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Wii: Metal Slug 4 (Virtual Console)
Wii U: Puddle (eShop)
Windows Phone: None
Xbox 360: Call of Duty: Black Ops II: Revolution (DLC), Crysis 3 (Open Beta), Dead Space 3 (Kinect optional), Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2, Kinect Party various (DLC), Port Royale 3: Harbour Master (DLC), Resident Evil 6: Stage Map Pack B (DLC), Rock Band: Aerosmith's Greatest Dimension Pack (DLC), Sleeping Dogs: The Monkey King Pack and The Movie Masters Pack (DLC), Special Forces: Team X (Arcade), and Wreckateer: Callonburg Level Pack (DLC)

Game Releases - Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Vita, Pokedex and Theatrhythm iOS, and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD

2012-12-17T09:05:39Z

Here is the complete list of games due for release this week and next for PC/Mac, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that may have slipped out in the past week or so):

Android: Alpha Squadron, Angry Birds update, Anomaly Korea, Bang Bang Racing HD (wide), Baseball Superstars 2013, Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror, Contre Jour, Cosmic Clean Up (PS Mobile), Dead Trigger update, Dream Beat, Expendable Rearmed update, Final Fantasy: Airborne Brigade, Football Manager Handheld 2013, The Gentleman, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (rerelease), I'm Gonna Be God of the Forest (PS Mobile), Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, Monster Crew, Puzzle & Dragons, The Pyraplex, Star Defender 4, Super Monsters Ate My Condo, Tobibben (PS Mobile), and Virtual Tycoon (for Entropia Universe)
3DS: 3D Game Collection (eShop), Bit Trip Saga (eShop), Escape Vektor (eShop), PIX3D (eShop), Riding Stables 3D (eShop), and Wario Land 2 (eShop) + all DSiWare
DS: Cake Ninja: Xmas (DSiWare) and Castle Conqueror: Heroes 2 (DSiWare)
Facebook: CoasterVille, Eden Story, The Friend Game, Hidden Agenda, and Zynga Elite Slots
iPhone/iPad: Aerofly FS, Alpha Zero, Angry Birds update, APO Snow, AR Defender 2, Arson & Plunder HD, Blind Walk, Blockwick update, Call of Mini: Brawlers, Commando Jack update, Curiosity update, Dream of Pixels update, Fieldrunners 2 HD update, Finger Tied update, Fluxx, Football Manager Handheld 2013, Fruit Ninja HD update, Hero Academy update, Infinite Warrior update, Junk Jack update, Metal Slug 1, Middle Manager of Justice, Monster's Inc. Run, Monsterthon, Monster Truck Destruction, Nemo's Reef, Outwitters update, Partia: The Broken Lineage, The Player, Playmobil Pirates, Pokedex, Potshot Pirates, The Room Pocket, Rune Raiders update, Skee-Ball 2, Ski Jump Giants, Spectromancer update, Squids update, Squids Wild West update, Spy vs Spy update, Stair Dismount Universal update, Temple Run: Brave update, Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, Trigger Fist update, Vectrex Regeneration update, Wheel of Fortune, Where's My Holiday?, Where's My Perry? update, Wreck-it Ralph update, You Don't Know Jack (free to play), and Zooniverse
Mac: None
PC: Battlefield 3: Aftermath (DLC), Deer Hunt Legends. Legends of War: Patton, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter - Zero Dark Thirty Map Pack (DLC),
PS3: Dogfight 1942 (Store), Heavy Fire: Afghanistan (Store), Hotel Mogul (Store), Jeopardy: New Clues Pack (DLC), Labyrinth Legends (Store), Karateka (Store), Knytt Underground (Store), LittleBigPlanet 2: Marvel Pack and Cross-Controller Pack (DLC), Medal of Honor: Warfighter - Zero Dark Thirty Map Pack (DLC), Need for Speed: Most Wanted - Ultimate Speed Pack (DLC), Rage: The Scorchers (DLC), Sleeping Dogs: Zodiac Tournament Pack (DLC), Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pack (DLC), and Zombie Driver HD (Store)
PS2: None
PSP: Hotel Mogul (Store)
Vita: Burn the Rope (Store), Cosmic Clean Up (Store), I'm Gonna Be God of the Forest (Store), Knytt Underground (Store), Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD (Store), Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed, and Tobibben (Store)
Wii: Real Bout Fatal Fury (Virtual Console)
Wii U: None
Windows Phone: None
Xbox 360: American Mensa Academy (Arcade), Battlefield 3: Aftermath (DLC), CNET (app), Forza Horizon: Rally Expansion Pack (DLC), Full House Poker: Texas Heat Winter 2013 (DLC), Guardians of the Middle Earth: Great Goblin Pack (DLC), Jeopardy: New Clues Pack (DLC), Karoake (App), Kinect Party (Arcade), Maxim (app), Medal of Honor: Warfighter - Zero Dark Thirty Map Pack (DLC), Minecraft: Festive Skin Pack (DLC), Need for Speed: Most Wanted - Ultimate Speed Pack (DLC), Rage: The Scorchers (DLC), Resident Evil 6: Mode Pack (DLC; also available separately as Survival, Predator, and Onslaught modes), SkyDrive (app), Sleeping Dogs: Zodiac Tournament Pack (DLC), Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pack (DLC), and WWE Wrestlefest (Arcade)

Game Releases - The Walking Dead retail, 007 Legends for Wii U, Hawken open beta, and DLC for Dishonored and Halo 4

2012-12-10T07:42:15Z