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Shrek Kart debuted at the App Store a few days ago, and like just about every other Gameloft title for the iPhone, it’s glistening under more coats of polish than anybody could ask for. Like you’d expect, this one’s not for the hardcore motorheads that are into Real Racing, but it’s a perfect candidate for fans of Shrek or the other lighthearted ‘Kart’ games.

All of the familiar characters unite to compete in a charity racing event that will benefit Humpty Dumpty after his, you know, great fall. I guess high quality universal health care is just a fantasy even in the fairy tale world.

After everything’s unlocked, you can race as any of the ten competitors on 15 different tracks. Each character has his or her own unique kart and access to personalized power-ups, as well as collective ones that can be harvested from the track. Steering can be controlled by either tilt or tap, and a brake button that slows the auto-acceleration can be mastered to bust out some sick drifts.

In addition to copious servings of tournament gameplay and loads of individual challenges, Shrek Kart offers the chance for up to six players to compete over a local wi-fi network or Bluetooth. Sounds to me like an opportunity for some pretty cutthroat fairy tale racing action.

Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

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If you’ve ever struggled with the overwhelming urge to sell all your possessions and become a shepherd, or you just really love to play with sheep (that’s your business), then Peter und Vlad is right up your pasture.

Its look, feel, and gameplay are reminiscent of Flight Control, but this time you’re herding sheep instead of controlling the airspace above the world’s busiest airport. And as if a game about guiding sheep to a barn weren’t exhilarating enough, they added the danger of a wool-fueled, out of control weather machine that’ll gobble up any sheep that aren’t given sanctuary quickly enough. Zen mode leaves out the weather machine, giving you a chance to perfect your herding skills before stepping up to the big leagues.

Perfect (the verb) is the wrong word; hone might be a better choice. Sheep have a mind of their own and don’t always go where you want them to – a tidbit that’s often frustrating but always interesting. All you can do is get them moving in the right direction and monitor any missteps.

Peter und Vlad is as polished as a game of this ilk is going to be, and it’s casual enough that it’s perfect for wasting a minute or two at a time.
 

Score: 4.0 stars out of 5.0

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Well it took a couple of submissions, but Minigore version 1.1 is finally available for download. The most adorable destroyer of Furries ever has been given a stylish headband that allows him to absorb an extra bite. Plus, John Gore has developed what researcher's have coined a 'Furry Sense,' which gives him (and you) an inkling about the path of approaching Furries.

Most importantly though, version 1.1 brings an improvement to the shotgun, whose sluggish firing rate in the previous version made it a smart bet to avoid picking it up altogether.

Give Minigore another chance, and stay tuned for future updates which promise some pretty killer additions, including Bluetooth and wi-fi cooperative modes.

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I didn’t have very high hopes for Chillingo’s upcoming Cash Cow. A bovine coin-counting game that allows you to customize your own farm with money that you earn? I wasn’t exactly chewin’ my cud in anticipation.

I’m not going to delve too deeply in this preview because I’m looking forward to reviewing this one when it’s released, but I will say that a few hours slipped through my fingers the first time I loaded up Cash Cow. I tapped the icon around 2 o’clock and then BAM – it was suppertime.

Even a chore as uninviting as adding up a pile of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters can be a blast when a game is put together as well as Cash Cow. In addition to its increasingly stimulating gameplay, there’s a bunch of minigames to keep you busy as well. Be on the lookout for its App Store debut.






 

Hand. Mr. Hand.

This new accelerometer-based casual title from Red Rocket Games features two things that go together like peas and carrots. In fact, whenever people are inclined to use that phrase from here on out, they should have to say that whatever they’re referring to goes together like these two items. Of course I’m talking about James Bond and Rock-paper-scissors.

A strange cocktail to say the least, but this mission has you guide a dapper hand forever upward, avoiding the red symbols and collecting the green ones to earn points. Yellow items change the color of every other one within sight.

The graphics look like they’re from the time that Roger Moore last played Bond, but it’s obvious that a retro feel was the intent. Although Mr. Hand won’t blow you away (or even quietly assassinate you) with state of the art effects or intricate gameplay, it might satisfy your simple pleasure center for a few minutes. You know you’re curious.

Score: 3.5 stars out of 5.0

Get Mr. Hand - The Hand Who Loved Me.

The whimsical simplicity of Minigore reinvigorated my interest in the dual-stick survival shooter on the iPhone, but Alive 4-ever is proof positive that a game of this ilk can get a lot more elaborate without sacrificing any fun. If it’s done right, of course.

And this one is certainly done right. Alive 4-ever is a survival zombie shooter at its cold, evil heart, but the developers also threw in a ton of extra and welcome details. You’re awarded experience points as you complete the game that can be used to enhance particular qualities of your character and customize his badassitude. Spend the gold you earn to juice up your arsenal with 16 unique weapons.

Another feature that sets Alive 4-ever apart from its brethren is Bluetooth multiplayer capability, which allows up to four people to collaborate at once. An extra comrade or two could be helpful when you get to the last few of the game’s 30 missions – things start to get a little hairy.

Alive 4-ever is one of the most comprehensive titles you’re going to find at the App Store, and it’s a bargain priced at two bucks. Feast on it today.

Score: 4.5 stars out of 5.0

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Evidently, Crush the Castle was a fairly successful Flash game before it debuted at the App Store. I’d never played the early version, and I was a little skeptical when a friend gave me a sneak peak on his hardware, comparing it to Ragdoll Blaster, a favorite of mine. I could see that it was founded on the same physics-based gameplay, but a quick glace didn’t impress me much.

However, once I got some alone time and experimented with Crush the Castle on my own iPhone, I recognized its value. The goal is to start the motion of a trebuchet and then tap to release its load, hopefully crushing a nearby structure and killing everyone in the picture. It’s as simple as that, but there are 50 levels in the arsenal and eight unlockable types of ammunition. CtC’s draw is that you find yourself always looking for that perfect shot - the one that brings the whole shebang down with one pebble, earning you a priceless gold medal.

I’m sure I would loved this one from the start if my friend had not had the sound turned off when I was first exposed to it. I was delighted to discover the chintzy-yet-adorable moans and groans that sneak out of a fallen enemy. So satisfying! The ridiculous sound effects are some of my favorite parts of the game.

Score: 4.0 stars out of 5.0

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Eyegore’s Eye Blast is a 3 in a row Bust-a-Move style puzzler that introduces a whole new concept to the genre: timing. Adding an eyeball to the dangling cluster sends it swinging in the appropriate direction, opening up ways for you to thread the needle that wouldn’t be possible in other, similar games. You can also manipulate your shots by tilting your iPhone left and right.

This Clickgamer offering is a welcome adaptation of a winning formula that seemed to be nearly played out. Eyegore’s unique qualities make it tough to maintain that perspective.

For just a buck you get a full game, but the real standout is Eyegore’s 30 levels of eye-popping puzzles. Each is designed to make you use expert timing and placement to clear the board, often using all three walls as backboards. Let the pendulous mass drop below the line and you lose.

I’m not entirely thrilled with the controls – the release-to-fire action sometimes sends shots awry – but overall Eyegore is a winner.
 

Score: 4.0 stars out of 5.0

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I've made no secret about my passion for blastin' ragdolls out of a cannon in the past, and the fire's still burning inside me. A recent update brings the level tally to more than 100, and each one is remarkably replayable.

I must assume that anyone with enough sense to be reading this is already a fan of Ragdoll Blaster, so this post is intended to be a bit of encouragement to blast back into the action. Start over and try to beat your best scores - you'll be surprised by how fresh it still is.

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