Friday, February 15, 2008

Time Ace - Warning to naive dreamers

To get the status of "mad scientist" inventor must work to search for the elixir of immortality, eternal engine, or, in extreme cases, the time machine. And if the practical benefits of the creation of the first and second miracle is obvious, the need for the unit capable of moving in the past and the future, is in question. Indeed, all attempts to rewrite history, which we know from books and watching movies ended, as a rule, not very successfully. But that did not stop developers from the studio Trainwreck Studios, went ahead on the wings of aircraft.

Action Heroes arcade Time Ace - Dr.Clock and his assistant Scythe lived in the early 20 - th century, earning the lives of laboratory research. Along mastisty scientist working on the case throughout his life - the machine to travel in time. The equipment he installs a small plane, which in the uneven breathing Sayz, secretly looking for a career villain. In one evening assistant, taking advantage of the lack of professors, usazhivaetsya in the pilot's chair and furrowing heaven sent different epochs. Upon noticing missing, Klock understood that the invention can bring a lot of troubles and decides to stop the malefactor as soon as possible.

The future in the hands of the Communists

In fact, it is not so easy to do. Size took on the dirty deed with overzealous persistence and Klock barely manage to destroy the plans of former assistant, created by destroying its war machine. Along the doctor had to fight the armies of different times - the Americans, Vietnamese, English. Not without cost, and the ubiquitous "red threat" - according to the plot, in 2160 after power on Earth, the Moon and Mars captured even citizens of Russia, who endured several nuclear winter, and created a huge spider robots with laser guns Split eye.

The scenario unfolding on the level of each one of the same pattern. Professor, awful teeth, shooting armada of hostile aircraft, uvorachivaetsya fire Weizmann and destroy the enemy strategically important objects. As is usually the last act bizarre forms generators or court martial different types - from ancient sailing boats to super modern submarines. Search for the way they do not have to - zdorovennaya the compass needle always indicate the correct direction, and if the pilot decides to deviate from the correct course only, invisible hand forcibly return the aircraft to the original position.

Fighter at prokachku

Disguise the lack of freedom of action tries to complex architecture levels. Летать typically accounts for between huge skyscrapers, in the rocky gorges or through openwork metal constructions ponastroennye communists on the planet solar system. Uvorachivatsya beams from the hills easily, complicated case with the enemy - every counterclaim pilot felt a descendant of Japanese kamikaze and feels obliged to make a frontal collision. Combined with not very convenient scheme aiming often leads to the destruction of the main character. Fortunately, the first to start a mission will not have to until all the available stock izrashoduetsya 'lives. "

Klock clumsy plywood seat on the rapidly changing fighter from the Second World, then transplanted outside knob jet fighter, and in the finals and does rassekaet outer space shuttle to Mars. Technical characteristics of devices are improving in front and back after the tenth mission to the first and not easy to remember that once it seemed too complicated. Not task at each stage is only destroying the principals, without a decent stock of missiles to them better than podstupatsya.

Three against one

After the first wave of admiration from the dynamics of what is happening recedes, in the eyes of a surprising rush begins happening. Enemy aircraft, tanks and zenitki altered form, but not content. If in 1914, at any time in the doctor three clumsy biplane flies, and since the land is archaic type of tank fire, in 2160, the company changed to three red-and yellow starship Walking self installation. Final enemies also behave the same way - trying to impress size, but does not destroy the sighting fire.

Dilate dullness topic creators Time Ace trying to trifles. Forced to repair fighter before the start of each mission - patch holes to solder circuit and under the ticking stopwatch. Or individually collect bonuses like jet fuel for accelerators, the new kits and machine guns. The situation could have saved the availability of truly effective weapon smetayuschego everything in its path, but the experience of other successful arcade games authors seem to have decided not to use.


The story of a mad genius of doctor and assistant came to the scene. It has become banal shooter in a brief illustrated guide to the major military conflicts the past century. Is that in the future the performance of Time Ace looks somewhat awkward and sometimes even frightening. Another warning to naive dreamers who want to get their hands on the machine to change the time and with it the course of history.

SpongeBob and Friends: Battle for Volcano Island - Headhunter

Smiling Sponge Bob Square Pants, the main character homonymous animation series, the hero wonder of the world and a symbol of informal subculture "emo" needs no introduction, as well as in advertisements. In contrast, using yellow legends company tries to promote Nickelodeon and other cartoons. It is usually anonymous call any "best friend Sponge Bob" and the attention of the target audience is guaranteed. The number of such psevdopriyateley like to grow yeast, pushing into the main square of pants satellite carrier - Patrick and Skvidvard.

The draft SpongeBob and Friends: Battle for Volcano Island in bulk to lean Sponges stuffed Superman Danny Phantom, and baby Timmy Turner. Together with the latest animation from the show The Fairly OddParents primchalis still Cosmo and Wanda - two flying Midget performing the role of silent observer. Disparate crowd to be exempt from the deserted island volcano mysterious villain Mawgu.

Rescuer reluctant

Origin town of Bikini Bottom Sponges left unwillingly. He, along with the rest priklyuchentsami caused to the island by means of magic aging but terribly clever crab. The old man, it seems, is the only resident in a peaceful volcano - the entire territory of uncultivated land inhabited by strange monsters and traps. No pensioner leave home and do not intend to require the five heroes to conduct mop-terrain on a rigid pattern. To increase the level of motivation, he wondering hiding places in the island a few more friends Sponges, so abandon the mission did not last.


Friends are beginning to cause together. Each of them has unique abilities to help overcome some obstacles. Sponge Bob can plan in the air like a protein-Flying and let bubbles killer, Danny nefs in great battles, and Timmy malyavka able to perform a double jump. Switching between characters done on the fly - not only remain in business Cosmo and Wanda, depicting a pair of obnoxious manure flies.

Moving around the picturesque levels heroes not only mercilessly dubasyat grasshoppers, jellyfish and other hostile minded creatures, but also face the challenge of opening the gate to the next section of the island. These stone gate locked, as a key to the magic of which were colored crystals. Jewelry accounted vytsarapyvat heads of dogs, monkeys and dolphins throughout the level of folders - you need to do is scratch your ear Idol for using stylus. There are many situations where you want to head is on the top screen console and then stretch the brain is required to make it descend down. Sometimes required to jump at the same time that there is a truncation of urine and went on stylus custodians stones.

Season harvest

Were it not for the magic keys, it would prohodilis levels for a few minutes. Knowing this, the authors of "The battle for the island volcano" added another series of artificial obstacles. Sometimes they are erecting a wall on both sides of the hero and literally dump his enemies - the will have to tread in their captivity in the land. Or Sponges are forced to move huge leaps comrades with the help catapult - until id mechanism of action in the absence, you can not put the battery every console. In between sat friends gossip about the weather and relentlessly kidding about nekazistogo old crab species.

Laughter ends with a meeting with the boss - they do not kill in a matter of seconds with the triad heroes. The last bit helps doping, for a short time, the multiplier fighting ability, but this is not enough to deal with flying cow head cabbage, oak acorns izrygayuschim general, a platoon of sand or broken. The number of attempts to destroy enemies unlimited, but no more of that becomes - cope with individual boss managed with great difficulty.

Individual questionable entertainment - mini-game, which ends each of the levels. It Sponge Bob or any of his deputies acted as a fruit picker, with huge cliff. From side to side, trying to catch the hero of bananas, apples and bunches of grapes, trying not to get on the thorn tower and not come to the snake. Much more fun to collect the harvest in the company with other DS, as well as a primary campaign. Network regime reveals hitherto hidden talents of individual characters - so Kosmo and Wanda from the annoying flies become useful fairies capable of granting Trinity main characters useful spells or attack from the air on Wed.


Personal presence Sponge Bob rescues island volcano and the only aboriginal from oblivion among archipelago such as myself. It should remove the yellow smiling hero to the screen - and there remain some faceless characters, loose without a goal for a litany of similar levels, only rarely able to surprise or to please the original finding. Hopefully, a long while aboard Sponges delayed and not revert to old friends in his native Bikini Bottom.

Race Driver: Create and Race - Under the roar of galvanized buckets

Living in Europe, most of them prefer to move slowly to the car. You can understand them - draconian fines, even a wealthy richer. For example, in Germany a serious speeding facilitate purse up to the amount of 425 euros, and in addition can select the right to three months. It is therefore reasonable Burghers Weekday carotid player like flies, and on weekends go for the adrenaline - serve as participants or spectators in one of the many championship races on the roundabout.

Small, powerful sports coupe, and even the elite supercars trucks - for any type of vehicle can find a place to perfect smooth asphalt track. Many leagues are open only to specific models of cars, such as Renault Clio, or VW Polo, to participate in other machines allowed the same weight and power. The number is calculated by dozens of specialized Cups and each have their own fans. They just also addressed a draft Race Driver: Create and Race issued by the company Codemasters, zarabotavshey a good fame in the field of returns.

With peace on wheelbarrows

Above the content of the authors of the game too long thought - they simply gathered in a bunch of Cup racing maximum current. German "body" DTM championship, race on an oval track in the American series of US Muscle Car Tour, SuperTruck International competitions on the main tractor units, the Japanese exotics like Honda R-Type Trans Cup - every fan of a high-speed version will enjoy. Pravda mode requires the participation of all races, and that is difficult to make that attitude is it that mazohistam - in fact, to any type of machinery used previously required, and this needs time and a certain amount of nerve cells.


"The Japanese are" very powerful, but easily thwarted in skidding on the bends, "Americans" poorly adapted to a sharp maneuver, and the European Small quickly went down after a series of accidents. The difference in the management between different cars - and accounts for a lot of formidable display before will be able to finish first. Virtual competitors, moreover, did not condone mistakes and love to use "dirty" tricks that consist of regular clashes - to the radius of the track, they do not lead, but rather lower the speed.

In the search for turning

Any contact with a fence or another bumper car accompanied by a roar, like a ringing empty galvanized buckets, and accompanied by unpleasant consequences - breakdowns tires, suspension, steering, gearbox and the engine. Reeep driving a car quickly leads to a state of "cows on Ice" - she reluctantly responds to the driver's commands and gartsuet like shoe in different diameter wheel. Interview all, if an accident occurs and shuts off the engine speed drops to zero - in this case, a chance to get to the pit-stop, and the problem is reduced to zero, we have to start the first race.

Most flat tracks like tabletops, and the quality of graphics is far from perfect. This is a certain inconveniences, in particular, to determine the approaching and turning radius of curvature with high accuracy can be achieved only through the lower screen console, which displays a schematic map of a racing track. As a result, at the time of arrival has to "shoot" through the eyes up and down - not too pleasant occupation, but otherwise the victory is better not to dream.

I love to go - stylus in hand

Far fewer problems arose in the Challenge, where riders are invited to test their skills in the management of a car passing accuracy tests maneuvering, the ability to adhere to the ideal trajectory and skill of the overtaking. Arrogant rivals are not here, turning more clearly marked, so it can only concentrate on the main task and fulfil its maximum quality.

For victory to communicate with the driver charged winning points. Spend allowed them to the opening of additional championships or easy tuning cars. The latter causes the ground only smile - why, ask, the body shaping machines effective stickers, in a race to see if their wing still not possible? Rather, it is fashionable, in Race Driver of the "adult" simulators streetracing than a useful function.

Far more extraordinary thing - a built-in editor, the possibility any designer "Lego". Armed with stylus, it is easy to create multiple racing tracks most confusing configurations using ready asphalt blocks, fences, trees and other design elements. Finished tracks without any restrictions used in a single network and races, including contests conducted by the service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.


Scares in Race Driver: Create and Race, only one - the complete absence of enthusiastic spectators, followed ulyulyukayuschih pronosyaschimsya race car and absorbing quantities of wild chips and Coca-cola. A cheesy at the picture and sound nekazisty difficult to complain about, because the dignity of other games - literate physical model, the abundance of tracks and cars, more than overlap those seemingly significant shortcomings. And if Codemasters will continue to do such projects, the real podium located on the racing track, will soon empty because fans ring races together stilus and sleeves rolled, for creating their own championships.