411Lowdown.com » Featured Items

Top 5 Most Addictive iOS Games

CJ — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:57:58 +0000

I remember lounging on my dorm-room futon, clutching my cherry red Nokia brick phone, playing Snake for hours upon hours upon hours. “Just one more time,” I’d say to myself, fully aware of the bold-faced lie I was telling. It’s a totally simple game – you lead an ever-growing, always hungry, pixilated snake around the screen to help it eat food-cube after food-cube – but it kept me mesmerized for embarrassing amounts of time. But, simplicity seems to be a common element of addictive games. Cell phone gaming has definitely evolved since Snake, but most of the games that are popular today still utilize very basic premises to draw players in and hook them. Here are five games on Apple’s iOS platform that I’ve found to be highly addicting:

Most Addictive iOS Games

Angry Birds

Let’s just get this game out of the way first. As of May, Angry Birds and its two spinoffs have been downloaded over 200 million times. The game is currently in the top spot of iTunes’ most popular paid apps list and is sitting at a 4.5 star rating. I think it is safe to say that Angry Birds will go down in history as one of the most popular and well-known iOS games ever. In Angry Birds, a group of mean pigs steal eggs from your flock and you must do what you can to destroy them. You use a slingshot to fling birds at the pigs and the forts they are hiding in. There are multiple stages and a handful of different types of birds with unique abilities used to break down the structures the pigs are in. The number of birds you get is limited, which creates the challenge of how to best use what you have to beat the level. Some levels are pretty easy, but some left me stumped for a few days. But, man, it is so worth it to see those green pigs finally get crushed. Angry Birds is available for $0.99.

RunStickRun!

When I first played RunStickRun!, I first thought of that flash helicopter game that I always spied on people playing during class. The concept is pretty similar – the world around you keeps moving and you have to keep up with it. The official app description states, “Stick runs and runs and just can’t stop.” All you are responsible for is telling your stick-man when to jump by touching the screen. There are holes in the platform to jump over and you can get your guy to jump into a car or attach to a plane. Everything about this game is simple – from the stick-man drawing to the crumpled up graph paper background image – but it is still hypnotizing nonetheless. RunStickRun! is available for $0.99.

Shibuya

Shibuya is a fast-paced and original puzzle game named after a ward in Tokyo, known for bright lights and exciting video game arcades. The premise of Shibuya is kind of like Tetris mixed with Puyo Puyo or Dr. Mario. Rectangle boxes fall from the top of the screen and the player must assign them different colors, which is previewed in a sidebar. Once two or more of the same color blocks are touching, the player can tap them to remove them from the screen, earning points and making room for more blocks. If the blocks reach the top of the screen, the game is over. What makes this game not just simple and addicting is the level of strategy players can apply to the game if they want. Combos and patterns earn more points, which are recorded on Apple’s Game Center leader boards. The game also has an endless mode, for maximum “zone-out” playing. Shibuya is available for $1.99.

Words With Friends

Words With Friends is basically Scrabble for your iPhone. Players can sign up to play matches with random opponents or connect through Facebook to find friends to play against. Up to 20 games are allowed at once, (I think my most is eight). For me, the most addictive part of Words With Friends is the use of “push notifications,” which is basically a text from the game, letting the player know when it is his or her turn again. I can be doing something totally different, but when I see that little message pop up, I drop everything and go straight to the game to play my turn. The convenience of playing just a turn at a time, as opposed to committing to an entire game, makes Words With Friends a game that everyone should download. Words With Friends is available for $2.99.

Zombie Farm

Oh, Zombie Farm! This cute iOS game is mix of Farmville and Night of the Living Dead. In Zombie Farm, you grow all the usual crops, like onions and corn, but you also can plant different types of zombies, who are eventually used in an army to fight various groups of enemies. (Think “Zombies vs. Lawyers” or, a little more surreal, an ice cream truck driver who kind of looks like the Burger King.) The game is silly, but charming, and I’ve logged more time into it than I care to admit. You can spend quite a bit of time in the game buying decorations and customizing your farm, but if you need a quick-fix for your cartoon bloodlust, invasions take less than three minutes and then you’ll be back to the real world as good as new. Zombie Farm is available for free.

About the Author
MaDonna Flowers is a PR and Social Marketing Specialist at HalloweenCostumes.com where video game related costumes are worn on a daily basis.

All images from Apple.

Most Popular Films Based on Video Games

CJ — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:26:09 +0000

One of the main lures of video gaming is the ability for players to enter alternative realities. When playing a video game, a player is sucked into an imaginary world where they become a character taking on challenges and creating or following a story or adventure. Because it is an imaginary world, extensive liberties are taken that often make the storyline and circumstances fantastical and extreme.

Because of the many common properties between the video game screen and the big screen, many film makers have taken these incredible stories and characters and transformed them into blockbuster movie adaptations.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular video games that have made it onto the big screen.

Tomb Raider- The Tomb Raider video series became a blockbuster hit when it was adapted into Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) with Angelina Jolie as the heroine. Lara Croft goes in search of mysterious artefacts around the world, overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way. In 2003, a sequel was released. The Tomb Raider video series was originally for the Sega Saturn console and then for Playstation.
Prince of Persia – This video game franchise hit the big screen in 2010 with the blockbuster Prince of Persia – the Sands of Time . The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal and was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. While the film’s plot diverges from that of the video game, it is still set in Persia and involves treachery and drama around the ‘sands of time’. The video game was originally developed for the Apple II computer, but was adapted for a number of different platforms including Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox.
Resident Evil– Resident Evil is a survival horror video game in which the player is part of a special law enforcement taskforce who must make their way out of a mansion crawling with dangerous and mutated creatures. The Resident Evil films have three sequels and involve the main character – played by Milla Jolovich – getting herself out of difficult situations. The first Resident Evil horror film was released in 2002. Resident Evil was originally played on a Playstation, followed by Sega Saturn and Nintendo.
Mortal Kombat- Mortal Kombat was a series of fighting games that has been played on Playstation, Nintendo and Xbox consoles. Mortal Kombat has been made into two blockbuster adaptations – Mortal Kombat (1995) andMortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). The films have a loyal fan base.
Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. was developed in 1985 by Nintendo for their console. In Super Mario Bros., one player is Mario and the other is Luigi, and the brothers make their way through Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser. The film adaptation of Super Mario Bros. in 1993 was a flop at the box office, but the plot was based loosely around that of the video game.

If you want to relive or retry these popular video games that made it onto the big screen, then try the latest generations of these classic games that are usually available for a number of different consoles. It is likely that if you want to play Prince of Persia, you can buy Xbox games equivalents. Alternatively, dust off your old console and buy Nintendo DS games.

Top First Person Shooter Games for Your PC

CJ — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:04:45 +0000

First person shooter games have risen in popularity ever since games have been available to play on the Internet for free. All you need to immerse yourself in some great fast paced and violent action is a good Internet connection and a decent PC. The following is a look at five of the most popular first person shooter games that are available free online.

AssaultCube

Arguably the best of its kind, AssaultCube is a multiplayer first person shooter that utilizes incredibly real environments as well as fast paced and violent action to keep players coming back for more. In addition, unlike other games, AssaultCube has an incredible 12 modes of play for variation. Some of these modes are team play while others restrict the kinds of weapons you’re allowed to use.

AssaultCube Demo Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

CodeRED: Alien Arena

Released in 2004 as a free-to-play first person shooter game, Alien Arena incorporates a nostalgic science fiction atmosphere with game play that is similar in feel to Doom and Quake. The game does offer single player modes where players play against bots, but the primary focus of play is on player vs. player. The cost of playing this great game is in patiently dealing with the in-game advertising that pops up from time to time.

War Rock

War Rock is a Free to Play game available for download online and is a great first person shooter multiplayer game. The game does require online registration and a retail version can be purchased that includes a variety of options that are not available in the free version. The setting of the game is in the middle of a nuclear war in a fictitious country. Players pick sides and utilize weapons, vehicles and other forms of military equipment in an effort to win the war.

Operation 7

Operation 7 is a free online based first person shooter game. This fast paced game combines teams of no more than 24 players in any of three different modes including: Survival, Head Hunting and Death Match. Beginner players start out with in-game gold to purchase modern equipment and gear. Operation 7 is acclaimed for the level of customization that players can implement on their weapons and their ranking system.

Alliance of Valiant Arms (AVA)

This is a fairly new release and is a very high quality game that utilizes the powerful Unreal 3 engine. AVA is a first person shooter game that implements vast weapon customizations as well as a variety of game play modes. Play takes place amongst deserted city blocks as well as skyscrapers in ultra real modern urban warfare. Players pick sides, fighting for either the European Union or the Neo Russian Federation. Combat escalates quickly and game play is incredibly fast paced and rife with macabre violence.

Free-to-play first person shooter games can be found in a variety of genres and of course a list like this is highly subjective. What game one person loves another might not care for. This list, however, will get you started with some of the most popular games out there that have high standards in both quality and game play.

Guest Author
Abe Jackson, Jr. is a Communications student and a car-lover. He’s recently started blogging, and you can follow him on Twitter @abejaxjr.

Did You Understand Inception?

CJ — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:46:56 +0000

If you’re like me, you left the cinema after seeing Inception knowing that it was a good movie but not quite grasping the ending. As the movie took turn after turn and left question after question unanswered, my confusion grew. I could loosely follow the plot line but I was never exactly sure what was going on. There’s no doubt that director Christopher Nolan intended it to be that way – but no conclusion at the end of the movie can be as unsatisfying as a choc top with no choc.

With Oscar rumours buzzing for this film, you’ll want to be able to have your say and add some intellectual insight to dinner party conversations and debates with friends. With movies like Inception there are no clear answers and the ending is likely to remain a mystery – but here’s a rundown to some theories as to what actually happened at the ending so you can have your say.

- The ending is reality. This theory proposes that the storyline is relatively simple. At the end of the film Cobb has succeeded in his mission to perform an inception on Fischer Jr. so that he can be reunited with his children.

- What we perceive as reality is a dream. Those who subscribe to this ending theory propose that what is portrayed as Cobb’s reality throughout the film is in fact a dream. There are a few scenes and indicators throughout the film that suggest Cobb is in fact living in a dream world. In the final scenes, it appears that his children have not aged nor changed clothes – which in reality they would have done. Furthermore, the musical score and dramatic and surreal scene as Cobb walks through the airport with his colleagues smiling at him has a dreamlike quality to it.

- The plot is reality but the ending is a dream. Some propose that Cobb pulling off the inception and waking up on the plane is reality. Once he has completed the mission and is allowed to dream, however, he does so. When he meets his children again it is in a dream state, and the fact that we do not see whether his totem topples or not is representative of the fact that he doesn’t mind whether he is in a dream or not, as long as he is reunited with his children.

- His wife, Mal, was correct. Throughout the movie we are lead to believe that Mal, his wife, is deluded in her belief that they are living in a dream and that they need to commit suicide to re-enter reality and be with their children. Some propose, however, that Mal is in fact correct and Cobb is in fact trapped in his belief that his dream is reality. The ending, therefore, continues to be a dream. Because he is with his children, however, he no longer cares whether it is a dream or reality and does not need to check whether his totem topples.

If you’re still scratching your head, don’t worry. It appears there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to Inception. But at least with these theories under your belt you can offer something to debates about what actually happened at the end of the movie.

Inception Movie Trailer, About the Movie (Wiki) & Poster

It might help to watch it a few more times and decide which ending you think fits best. With the Inception DVD now available you can watch it as many times as you like this holiday season. Buy your DVDs online for the best deals and enjoy incepting new ending ideas with friends!

No related posts.

Vitamins and Supplements that the Stars Use

CJ — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:21:36 +0000

Shiny hair, flawless skin, white teeth, tons of energy, sparkly eyes, and all those other beautiful aspects of the human body are what celebrities have in spades. How do they keep themselves looking so good?

Part of it comes from regular and dedicated exercise and good nutrition. Other parts come from great makeup, skin, teeth, hair, and other treatments. And the last part comes from vitamins and supplements, and even chewable vitamins to maintain the exercise, nutrition, and treatments.

Talent alone doesn’t build celebrities, though that’s a huge factor. The other important factor is their looks. If their skin is all crackly, blotched, or scaly, they aren’t going to look good on camera. Yes, they have all those super-skilled stylists, awesome products, and air brushing techniques, but those things will not and cannot do all the work.

If you have any understanding about the hectic and demanding life of a celebrity is really like, then you know that they are very conscious about staying fit and healthy. Without it, they wouldn’t have the stamina to be superstars.

Ellen DeGeneres is endorsing Vitamin Water, George Foreman has his fat-reducing grills, Jillian Michaels has a whole health plan, Proactiv® Solution has all kinds of celebrity endorsements, as does Bowflex, NutriSystem, and Jenny Craig. Many of these products really do work, but some of them are endorsed because of the salary the celebrity collected.

The main point is that most celebrities do follow some kind of health regimen to keep themselves healthy and good-looking, so they can keep making money.

There are all kinds of vitamins, chewable vitamins, and herbal supplements to assist your body’s needs and demands. You can look as good as the stars do. It may take some time for your body to correct damage and restore your body’s natural gleam, but it can be done.

A few things known that the stars use is Vitamin E oil around the eyes to reduce crow’s feet, zinc for enhanced metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, energy, and preserving healthy skin, and collagen for metabolism and maintaining healthy skin and connective tissue

Do it like the stars do. Maintain a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and use those vitamins and supplements to retain your vitality and youth. Then everyone will want to know your secret!

No related posts.

The Many Collectible Cars of Simon Cowell

CJ — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:56:28 +0000

Simon Cowell is as well known for his flashy cars as he is for American Idol, The X Factor and his gloriously high wasted trousers. Cowell likes his cars fast, and he knows how to hit the gas – evidenced by his storming performance on the racetrack of BBC Two’s Top Gear, coming third out of all the non-professional drivers in series eight, with a time of just 1 minute 47.1 seconds.

It’s thought that Cowell is worth a massive £120 million thanks to his music and TV industry success, and he has reportedly spent £3 million of that fortune on cars throughout his life[1]. Let’s take a look at some of the more spectacular cars.

The crowning jewel in Cowell’s collection is his Bugatti Veyron, which cost an eye watering £750,000[2]. As the fastest roadworthy car in the world and the most expensive, only a limited amount have been manufactured – making the Bugatti club a pretty exclusive one to join.

Some Photos/Video of Simon Cowell’s Collectible Cars

There aren’t many other British carmakers that are quite as prestigious as Rolls Royce, so it should be no surprise that Cowell owns one of these. Well he doesn’t: he owns three, three Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead’s that is. One for London, one for LA and a coupe version just for fun; all at a total cost over around £810,000. Speaking on Top Gear about it he said: “It’s the most beautiful, most comfortable, best-engineered car ever built. I can hardly bring myself to say it but it’s – oh, sod it! – perfect”[3].

What supercar collection would be complete without a Ferrari? The music mogul owns a Ferrari F430 Spider, capable of doing 193 mph and 0 – 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds. To buy one of these beauties new you’d be looking at a price tag of around £130,000[4].

According to Auto Trader, Cowell has also owned quite a number of other cars in his time, including three Aston Martin DB7’s, a Jaguar XKR and the infinitely more modest Mini Cooper[5]. He is also rumoured to have purchased a £65,000 Jaguar XK convertible for fiancée Mezghan Hussainy recently[6] – what a lucky lady!

About the Author
Charlotte Walker writes for MediaVest (Manchester) on a range of motor related topics, including cheap car insurance.

[1] Auto Trader (October 6, 2009). Simon Cowell’s £3 million car history. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/news/britains_car_talent_simon_cowells_collection.html

[2] Daily Mail (October 13, 2007).What Simon Cowell did on his week off: Spend £1 MILLION on TWO cars. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-487430/What-Simon-Cowell-did-week-Spend-1-MILLION-TWO-cars.html

[3] Daily Mail (March 10, 2008).Now Simon Cowell shows off in his $1million Bugatti Veyron sports car. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-529272/Now-Simon-Cowell-shows-1million-Bugatti-Veyron-sports-car.html

[4] Yahoo! Cars (2009). Ferrari F430 Spider : ALONG CAME A SPIDER. http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-and-driving/ferrari-f430-spider-1004658.html

[5] Auto Trader (October 6, 2009). Simon Cowell’s £3 million car history. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/news/britains_car_talent_simon_cowells_collection.html

[6] One India (March 31, 2010). Simon Cowell to gift fiancée a £65k car. http://entertainment.oneindia.in/music/international/2010/cowell-gift-car-fiancee-310310.html

Kourtney Kardashian Pregnancy News

CJ — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:33:32 +0000

Kourtney Kardashian is pregnant, Usmagazine.com has confirmed.

The E! reality star, 30, is not revealing the father’s identity or how far along she is, E! News reports.

Speaking with E! Tuesday, she refused to say if she and ex-boyfriend Scott Disick were back together.

“You’re going to have to see on the show,” she said, referring to her new reality… Read the full story at USmagazine.com

Sharon Stone Topless in Paris Match Magazine – Bares All at 51

CJ — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:22:54 +0000

Not bad, not bad at all… Sharon Stone topless in French magazine ‘Paris Match’.

Sharon Stone doesn’t let her age stop her from baring all.

At 51 years old, the actress poses topless for the cover of French magazine Paris Match.

This is not the first time the star has shown some serious skin. She famously gave fans an eyeful in 1992′s Basic Instinct and has made multiple red carpet appearances… Read the full story at USmagazine.com

View the prized pics here on Google & here. Haha… I’ll let Google host the NSFW works of art for now. Be sure your adult filter is off before clicking over to see Sharon Stone topless.

Kourtney Kardashian Considering Nude Poses While Pregnant

CJ — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:15:05 +0000

Kourtney Kardashian wouldn’t mind stripping down to show off her pregnancy curves.

When asked by E!’s Daily 10 if she’d take it all off for the cover of a magazine like Rolling Stone, the reality star — who is due in December — says, “I think so. I’d have to think about it.”

Kardashian, 30, says she doesn’t know the sex of her baby “yet. Read the full story at USmagazine.com

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Get Married!

CJ — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:27:56 +0000

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan tied the knot Saturday in Malibu, Usmagazine.com confirms.

The stars said “I do” in a short, 15-minute ceremony on the grounds of Church Estates Vineyards, the same venue where Fergie and Josh Duhamel got married last January.

More than 200 guests attended the nuptials, which began at 3:45 p.m. PST. A source tells Us Dewan’s… Read the full story at USmagazine.com

Jenna Fischer: Crock-Pot Improved My Sex Life!