Android Game Quick Reviews for August 2010: download, cube, runner, and droid

Welcome to August edition of Android Game Quick Reviews. We hope to bring you information before you download, and save you the bandwidth! This week our roundup includes action, puzzle, and more. So, let us get to it!

(Editor's note: following games were tested on a stock Motorola Droid, with either Android 2.1 Eclair or Android 2.2 Froyo. The update happened in the middle of the review, so I can't say I tested all games on both, but they should run fine.)

Similar to "Cube Runner" on the iPhone, Cubes have you dodging a random set of cubes using your tilt sensors in this eerie landscape. Basically, last as long as you can. There are two "maps", which affects how dense the cubes are.

Gameplay-wise... it is fun... up to a certain point, then it gets incredibly boring. On the other hand, sometimes the game brings back that old "night driver" game feeling.

Call it 6.5 out of 10.

Get Cube Runner from Androlib.com, or see more details about it.

Critical Altitude 3D is almost the same as Cubes above, but with more graphical flair. You're in this plane that you have to maneuver between buildings. And don't dive into the ground.

The screenshot shows that your plane is tiny, and the map texture ain't too bad, but you end up with occasional buildings in the middle of the roads. Later level adds random hot-air balloons that you can crash into.

The frame rate is decent but not great, and the game is quite playable, but again, can be boring.

Call it 7 out of 10.

Get Critical Altitude 3D from Androlib.com, or read more about it.

Scatter (which was known as "Shatter") is an interesting puzzle game where you try to reassembled the scattered pixels in 3D back into a 2D picture.

Imagine this... you have a small icon, which is 2D. Then the pixels are randomly scattered in the Z-axis, so it now resembles a globe of random dots. You need to rotate the globe so you can get the 2D picture back. You have 20 seconds. The faster you can solve it, the better the score. If you can't finish the puzzle in 20 seconds, you "lose", your score's reset to zero, and you start over.

There is a "skip puzzle" button. Hit it before your 20 seconds are up to get a new puzzle, and keep your score!

There is an ad when the game's paused, or you're between levels.

Pretty innovative puzzle. Need some 3D thinking skills to be good at this.

Call it 8 out of 10.

Get Scatter from Androlib.com, or learn more about it.

Tap and Furious is basically "shooting gallery" except your targets are bugs. When you tap one it turns into nasty-looking red smear. And there are plenty of nasty critters... Roaches, flies, spiders, and other creepy crawlers. To help you there are occasional power ups like bug bomb, freeze spray, and so on, but don't hit the cute bugs like lady bugs and butterflies!

Basic gameplay is simple, and the bugs appear fast and furious, but other than the occasional power ups, there really isn't much in the game, despite "3 game modes".

Call it 7 out of 10.

Get Tap and Furious from Androlib.com, or learn more about it.