Android Game Of The Week – Bonsai Blast

This will be a new feature where each week i'll talk about my Android game of the week. Most of the games will be free as I do not have the funds to buy full price games. The handset I have is a HTC Hero (T-Mobile UK Branded G2).

The format may change slightly in future weeks. Feel free to comment.

Bonsai Blast
Developed By Glu Mobile
Free
Version: 1.2
Size: 6MB

The Good
Graphics
Load Times
Price

The Average
Music
Game Modes

The Bad
Touch Controls

Bonsai Blast has been available on the Android Market for a while know and is perhaps one of the more well known games you can buy for free. The game is similar to the more well known Zuma game series. It is one of the larger file sizes on the Android Market, but that never feels like a problem when you play the game. The game loads very quick and the front page shows high quality art which is consistent throughout the game. The front page will also show the few game modes available.

Adventure tasks the player with completing stages in 3 different worlds, each stage being slightly different to the other, whilst survival lets you play any of the unlocked stages from adventure until you loose. Adventure offers quick gameplay with the stages not feeling to long. If changes up the gameplay by either changing the layout of the stage, the different use of power-ups, or inserting objects in a stage which need to be avoided or used.

The few game modes are never really a problem as both Survival and Adventure game modes well done. The music in the game is in keeping with the art style of Bonsai Blast, but is average, whilst some of the sound effects are a bit too simple. You may find that other time you turn down the volume.

The game appears to be touch only and for the most part it is accurate, but there are occasions where you need to change the platform your shooting from and it doesn't register the move and shoots a ball in that direction. There are also occasions when the ball doesn't quite go in the direction you aimed for. This could be gameplay or it could be me as i'm not used to the HTC Hero's capacitive screen. Ultimately, it never becomes a issue that ruins gameplay.

For anyone with a Android device, Bonsai Blast is a game you should download and play as it's a perfect introduction to what Android devices can do and touch screen gaming.

What Have You Played This Week?

Again not too much played this week. i got a little too hooked into Football Manager 09.

Football Manager 09 – PC – I decided to go back to a favourite team in the game, FC bayern Munchen. They are not my favourite team, that's Ipswich Town, but they are one of the easiest teams to play as, which enables me to look for other players, tactics and such. Would love to get the new game, but unfortunately I can't afford it, but what is great about the Football Manager games is that you can play them for a long time, even if a new version has come out (typically as the newest Football Manager needs 1 patch for it to get great.)

Fat Princess – PS3 – I played alittle. I'm disappointed that there doesn't seem to be as many people online as when it came out. It's understandable, and this week even more so as Modern Warfare 2 is now out. I hope things pick up soon.

Tokobot – PSP – I have been interested in this game for a long time and was happy when it came through. Its a simple concept with simple controls, but it all fits with the graphic/art style and the story. I haven't got too far as yet, but it has done the tutorial in a clever way, incorporating it into the story. The graphics are great for the age of the game, but I do have the feeling that it may be a short game. The load times are acceptable. It's a little quirky, the story and art maynot be for everyone as it does have a anime style.

Modern Warfare 2 – PS3 – this game was going for £26 in my local Morrisons and my folks were kind enough to get this. After the frustrating initial update, then the lack of trophies working, and multiplayer not working. I left it alone until it was fixed.

This is my first Call Of Duty Game so it has taken a while to get used to the controls and the gameplay style. I played some of the game and got stuck on the russian so I decided to play online. I knew I wouldn't be good, I knew people would be better so I thought it would be the best place to learn how to control the game. And I was correct, it is taking time get used to it all, but i'm glad i'm improving.

I can see what the fuss is about, it looks great, it has a interesting story, but for me it hasn't hooked me like Killzone 2 did, and that includes single player and multiplayer.

WipEout HD Fury – PS3 – Back playing online. I got the update which fixed some things, which I have not noticed, and added the adverts. They are not obtrusive and at least relevant to the PlayStation brand. Previously, the adverts were increasing the games load times, this time they do appear to the fit load times of the game. The load times for WipEout HD Fury are not that long which kinda makes adverts short a perhaps a little pointless.

What have you been playing this week? feel free to add your weeks gaming selection in the comments, or comment on my selection for this week