Mac App Store Picks: Games

The Mac App Store has been available for a couple months now, and the selection of games keeps increasing. Whether they're iOS ports or full-fledged console title ports there is a lot that the App Store has to offer. In this post I will give a quick overview of some of the gems that I've managed to find:

Rainbow Blocks

A simple and quite addicting little puzzle game where the objective is to match and eliminate groups of blocks of the same color, the larger the group the more points you get. Each update generally adds features and makes the app overall slicker, but beware of a few bugs in the latest update.

Minesweeper

As the app is titled, this is minesweeper plain and simple. As with Rainbow Block with each update more feature and polish are brought to the app. Now you can open up an Inspector while you play to keep track of various stats.

A Monster Ate My Homework

This is a rather charming game that is based upon an iOS game. The objective of this physics-based puzzle game is to fire ball and topple the monsters off of the platform while leaving only the homework left. Multiple difficulties, plenty of challenge and future packs of levels promise plenty of replay value.

Flight Control

This is an iOS classic brought to the desktop. The addictive aim of this game is to guide aircraft into their respective landing areas while avoiding collisions. Online and local leader boards provide plenty of drive and motivation to keep on pushing for an ever higher high score.

Asphalt 6

Another game originally of the iOS platform, Asphalt 6 flawlessly makes the transition and takes the top spot as the best racing game currently available through the app store. The graphics are pretty top-notch, the gameplay is incredibly fun and addictive, the tracks are well-designed and offer plenty of variety, and the selection of cars is absolutely drool-worthy. The inclusion of online multiplayer and leader boards round out the impressive package.

A Taste for Competition

In the past I have dipped into competitive training and battling, but never all that seriously or successfully. I built up a team to face the Battle Frontier in Emerald Version and I trained a handful of competitive Pokemon in Diamond Version but I was really lazy about it and ultimately my heart really wasn't in it. I think when it comes down to it, the primary issue was a distinct lack of ability to easily find and face competition. To do so, you were required to head online into forums such as Neoseeker and Gamespot/Gamefaqs and actively seek an opponent which is something I never really quite took to. With the arrival of Black Version, it's cast of new and interesting Pokemon and Random Match I have new found motivation to enter the competitive arena.

While ease of locating competition is a contributing factor, I believe what really spurred me back into working on and building a competitive team was the fresh selection of Pokemon provided by Black and White. While Diamond and Pearl without a doubt brought several more competitive options to the table (some of which can be found among the candidates for my team), for some reason I have found more appeal in this latest generation. There are a couple main things that I feel contribute to that, but the one that really sticks out to me is the charm factor that most of the fifth generation brings to the table. I know that there are several people out there whining and complaining about the Pokemon designs each successive generation, saying that with each generation the designs are simply getting worse. I honestly couldn't disagree more. When it comes to that charm, there are several Pokemon that I can pick out, but the ones that really stick out to me are Stunfisk, Jellicent, Bouffalant, Alomomola, and Sigiliyph. There's just something about a muddy flat fish with a goofy smile, a jelly fish seemingly designed after the pringles man, a bull with an afro, a pink sunfish, and a just plain awesome looking thing (for lack of anything specific to reference in it's design) that just gets me excited and really interested in using them in competition even though they may not exactly be the highest of performers. Another area worthy of noting is unique typing. Previously mentioned Stunfisk and Jellicent bring two completely new type combinations to the table, electric-ground and ghost-water respectively, and I'm intrigued in exploring the possibilities that they provide (especially with Jellicent's eight resistances).

A Rivalry Reborn

This past Saturday night marked on the biggest moments this season and perhaps overall for the MLS. The storied rivalry between the Sounders and the Portland Timbers thats been burning since the mid seventies was re-kindled in a front of a record crowd of 36,500 plus. The momentous occasion brought out nothing but the best from supporters, as evidenced by what is perhaps the largest Tifo that Major League Soccer has ever seen:

The 500 Timbers fans that were in attendance had a display of their own that pathetically consisted only of colored flags. 

As for the match itself, when the final whistle was blown it concluded in a 1-1 stalemate. The Sounders struck first in the the fifty second minute when Roger Levesque lofted the ball up into air and Montero headed in over to Alvaro Fernandez who was wide open in box, who settled it and fired it past Timbers keeper Troy Perkins. The lead didn't last too long though, as the Sounders conceded a free kick within range of their goal (Portland has proven dealy on set pieces) and they paid for it. Jack Jewsbury sent the ball into the box and defender Futty Danso climbed above everyone in the box and headed the ball past a charging Kasey Keller.

Notes

• Portland striker Jorge Perlaza and Sounders defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado coincidentally are cousins
• The Sounders won Sunday's reserve match against Portland 3-2 on Goals from Lamar Neagle, Pat Noonan and Michael Tettah
• After conceding an own goal the Galaxy throttled Sporting Kansas winning the match 4-1
• Chivas USA brought the weekends largest surprise, winning over the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on a 3-2 scoreline, Justin Braun netting a hat trick
• The Columbus Crew had their seven-game unbeaten streak brought to an end at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes in 3-0 defeat at Buckshaw Stadium

Brek Shea Nets Stunning Game-Winner

Is this goal amazing or what? Not only is it a cross turned shot on and into the goal, it was a game winner. Against the current conference leader. And also a week after losing one of their key players, David Ferriera, to a fractured ankle.

Can it get much sweeter than that?

Electric Night in Seattle

After last weeks devastating loss of Steve Zakuani and the loss of O'Brian White earlier this week the Sounders were heading into tonight's match with their two leading scorers absent. That proved to make little difference as the Sounders steamrolled Toronto FC in a 3-0 victory. The scoring started in the ninth minute, Brad Evans crossing the ball into the box where Alvaro Fernandez was waiting at the far post to head it in past TFC keeper Stefan Frei. Following soon after in the eleventh minute the fans showed their appreciation for Steve Zakuani in a touching tribute, holding up cards bearing his number 11 and chanting his name for the full minute. The Sounders continued to pummel Toronto and after several missed opportunities found the back of the net for a second time in the fifty second minute. After a dispossession in the mid-field, Montero released Evans down the right and he fired it home for his second of the season. It didn't stop there for Evans, in the seventy fourth minute Toronto got called for a hand ball of a Sounders corner. Evans stepped up to the spot and converted the penalty. With tonight's victory the Sounders have now extended their unbeaten streak to six games. Definitely the way to pay their tribute to Zakuani isn't it?

Elsewhere around the league:

• Chivas USA finally seem to have found their footing getting their second win in a row, netting three goals to earn a 3-0 win over the new England Revolution. 

• Portland continue to dominate with their home field advantage, edging past the unbeaten Real Salt Lake with a 1-0 victory.

Devastating Night in Colorado

The Sounders played against last season's cup champ the Colorado Rapids tonight, and despite the fact that they picked up a 1-0 win the night couldn't have gone worse for them. It only took three minutes for things to go south. Zakuani had regained possession and was in the process of dribbling the ball up-field when  Colorado midfielder Brian Mullen committed an utterly reckless and unforgivable two-footed slide tackle, audibly snapping Zakuani's leg. Suffice to say Mullen got served a straight red and I hope to never see or hear of him setting foot on the pitch again until Zakuani has made a full recovery. Though nothing could make up for the earlier atrocity and subsequent loss of Zakuani, things looked up for the Sounders sixteen minutes later as they took full advantage of being a man up. O'Brian White linked up with Mauro Rosales who slid the ball over to Montero who slipped it past Colorado keeper Matt Pickens for the match's lone goal. Past those first twenty minutes the game quieted down and there was no notable action until the final whistle.

Here's to hoping Zakuani makes a full and quick recovery.

Red Bulls topple DC 4-0

It looks like last week's 3-0 win against San Jose proved to be a much-needed catalyst for New York's goal production, which is as of tonight has broken loose and started flooding forth. The scoring started in the twelfth minute when defender Jan Solli crossed the ball to a completely un-marked Thierry Henry who headed it home past DC keeper Bill Hamed. Henry netted his second of the match and third in two just over half an hour later assisted once again by Solli as he fights off a defender and the ball gets rolled into the box and Henry pounces on it. New York quieted down as the second half began, content to simply sit back and absorb pressure from DC. The scoring far from ended. Roughly forty minutes after Henry's second DC gets caught pressing too far forward leaving plenty of space and too few defenders for Joel Limpere, who takes complete advantage of the situation and puts back his first of the season. Just a few minutes earlier Juan Agudelo got subbed on in place Luke Rodgers and he made his presence known deep into stoppage time with an incredible goal. For a third time Solli crosses the ball into the box, and tussling between two defenders Agudelo gets creative. He takes one touch to pop the ball into the air, and then takes another to volley it in. An absolutely stunning goal to top off an incredible match for the Red Bulls.