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Cityglitch ($2.99) by Peter Rockwell is a tricky turn-based puzzle game with a bit of a spooky theme going on. If you enjoyed titles like Puzzlepops! Trick or Treat or Slayaway Camp, then you will enjoy what Cityglitch has to offer.

Life gets pretty stressful for me, especially recently, so I always like to kick back and unwind with video games of some kind. While I like all kinds of game genres, the one that always helps me relax (even a little) are puzzles. There's something about using my brain to critically solve problems that I find incredibly satisfying. And while it feels like I've gone through all of the puzzles on the App Store, I'm always keeping an eye out for new ones. When I saw Cityglitch on the App Store this week, I became intrigued by the concept and, of course, the pixel art. Needless to say, it's one that doesn't disappoint.

Free

Puzzlepops! Trick or Treat

Layton Hawkes

$2.99

Slayaway Camp

Blue Wizard Digital Inc

The visuals in Cityglitch are unique and distinctive, as the game carries a retro, pixelated art style that is rather nostalgic. The pixels are rather large compared to other pixel art titles, so it reminds me of my old CRT monitors with MS-DOS. While the graphics feel more like 8-bit than anything else, I still found the various characters and objects to be pretty identifiable once you get start playing. Cityglitch is full of bright and vibrant neon colors, so it's definitely eye candy. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no lag on my iPhone 7. Cityglitch also features an eerie chiptune soundtrack that is delightful to listen to and adds to the overall mood of the game.

Like many other puzzle games, Cityglitch is level-based. Players must go through each puzzle one-by-one in a linear fashion. However, once a puzzle's solved, then several stages get unlocked at a time. So you can play them slightly out of order since they branch off, but you still need to clear the present ones to gain access to more. It's an endless cycle, and the game has 95 levels spread out across seven cities. There's also three boss puzzles you'll need to face, which only add to the challenge.

So what is Cityglitch? There's a bit of a basic plot going on, in which virtual cities appear to be glitching out. You take control of the city witch, who must save the cities from these weird glitches. The goal in each puzzle is to light up the runes in order to complete a ritual, and then the glitch gets released. While it sounds easy enough, things get tricky as you'll encounter cats, dangerous arrows, creepy city critters, and other obstacles that get in your way.

Controls in Cityglitch are simple and intuitive. Just tap on any tile to move to it, as long as the path is not blocked. The city witch can move horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. You can choose to move one space at a time, or just go a few tiles at once. However, once you make your move, then other hazards, such as arrows or ghosts, can also move. You should time your moves correctly so that you avoid getting killed, because one touch of such dangers will kill you, and then you have to start over. If you make a mistake, you can tap on the Undo button to go back one move at a time, or tap Restart to start the level from the beginning.

Cityglitch is a spooky puzzle game that's full of charm.

The Good

Cityglitch is a challenging turn-based puzzle that will appeal to fans of the genre. The game features an awesome aesthetic design with matching music and sound effects. The puzzles start off simple, but progressively become more difficult as you go on. Controls are easy and unrestrictive, but timing is everything, so planning ahead is required. Plus, there's plenty of content for the price, so it's a good value. Cityglitch also doesn't have ads, in-app purchases, or requires an internet connection.

The Bad

While Cityglitch is a pretty good game, it isn't without flaws. The biggest downside is the fact that the game doesn't explain anything to you. It took me a few taps in the beginning to understand how to play the game, and after that I caught on pretty quickly. But if you prefer being told or shown what to do, then this game doesn't offer that. There's no hand-holding — you're just thrown into the glitchy cities without much explanation of what's happening. Otherwise, it's a pretty solid release.

The verdict

I've only just started Cityglitch today, but I'm finding it to be an excellent way to pass the time. I'm a huge puzzle fan and these levels make me use my head, which I love. Plus, the old-school graphics take me back to my childhood days, and the haunting tunes are great. I was a bit confused at first, but once you understand the basics, the rest is straightforward, though a bit tricky. If you're a fan of spooky but fun puzzles, then Cityglitch is a must.

Cityglitch can be found on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $2.99.

9.1

OVERALL

Game Controls 10

Sound/Music 10

Graphics 9

Replayability 8

Gameplay 8.5

$2.99

cityglitch

Peter Rockwell

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Super Phantom Cat 2 (Free) by Veewo Games is a cute and charming puzzle platformer game that involves plenty of cats. If you are a fan of games like the Mikey Shorts series or even the recently released Cat Quest, then you will love what Super Phantom Cat 2 has to offer. It's a sequel to the hit original, Super Phantom Cat.

As someone who grew up in the late '80s and early '90s, I pretty much grew up on platformers. I had the Sonic the Hedgehog games for my SEGA Genesis, and of course, Super Mario Bros. for my NES. Platformers were all the rage back then, and they continue to be even now. Plus, how can anyone resist the cuteness of a feline protagonist?

While I love platformers, I considered it hard to find the perfect platformer on iOS, since precise touch controls are hard to nail down. The Mikey Shorts games got them perfectly, and it's been hard to find another franchise that matches it. That is, until Super Phantom Cat.

$1.99

Super Phantom Cat – Be a jumping bro.

Beijing Veewo Game Co., Ltd.

$4.99

Cat Quest

The Gentlebros Pte. Ltd.

$1.99

Mikey Shorts

BeaverTap Games, LLC

Visually, Super Phantom Cat 2 follows in the footsteps of the original. The game features a somewhat blocky, 2D world that is bright and colorful. The game gives off an old-school, retro aesthetic that reminds me of Super Mario Bros., which is not a bad thing — I love nostalgia.

The protagonist, Ari, along with all of the other cats and other critters, have unique and distinctive appearances that are endearing and hard to resist. The color palette is eye-catching, as it has a fantastic mix of soft pastels, vibrant bolds, and even dark shades to represent night and darkness. The game runs smoothly on my iPhone 7, so the animation is fluid. The game has a quirky and whimsical soundtrack, with lovable sound effects. Overall, Veewo has done another excellent job with this sequel in terms of visual and audio design.

Like the original game, as well as many other platformers, the game is level-based. This means players go through each chapter and stage in chronological order before they're able to move on to the next area. The goal in each stage is to make your way to the portal at the end, but there's many things that get in the way before that happens. You'll encounter many different enemies, obstacles, treasure chests with prizes, and many other hidden secrets of the Phantom World. Fortunately, Ari gains access to some super awesome magical phantom powers on his journey, which help him achieve the impossible.

The controls in Super Phantom Cat 2 are simple and intuitive. In the bottom left corner are your buttons for horizontal directional movement. The bottom right corner has your button for jumping — tap-and-hold on it to do longer jumps. As you come across Phantom Powers in levels, you'll get another button adjacent to the jump. This lets you activate those powers, which include growing vines for climbing, turning unbreakable bricks into crushable blue blocks, jumping higher, freezing enemies, turning invisible, and more.

If you've ever played platformer games before, then you'll know that secret rooms could be anywhere. It's recommended to hug all of the walls if you can, because you never know what you'll find! Plus, you earn "Discovery" points if you find secrets, and there's plenty to find on each stage.

On each stage, players can earn up to three stars: one for completing it, another for finding the star, and one more for opening a chest. The first two are completely manageable if you take the time to explore thoroughly, but the last one can be a bit tricky. Some chests are free to open, but others may require keys, which you buy with the premium currency. They give you some freebies in the beginning, but after that, you're on your own.

As you complete stages, you gain experience points. Leveling up gives you access to new buildings that you can build at your base, such as locksmiths for keys, a brewery for elixirs (let you continue if you run out of hearts and die), and more. To create these items, you have to spend some gold coins and also wait for a timer, which can be annoying. If you're impatient, you can spend blue gems to speed it up.

Since Super Phantom Cat 2 is a free game, it has an energy system and occasional ads. This is disappointing, considering the fact that the original game was premium, allowing you to play as much as you want. During my time with the game so far, I have yet to encounter an ad, though, so at least it's non-intrusive.

While players start off with Ari, there are other heroes that you can play as later on. To unlock new playable characters, you must collect the necessary amount of hero fragments (found in chests), or reach certain points in the game. While most of the heroes are merely cosmetic, some of them (like Alpha), have special abilities, like getting hero fragments each time you play.

To add to the game's high replay value, there are also quests that can be completed for even more rewards. These are accessed in the "Quests" tab, and they have various objectives to complete. If you fail to do the objective, then it's game over and you'll need to try again. These keep things fresh and interesting, so if you want a break from the regular levels, the Quests provide even more challenge.

The classic inspired platformer returns with a sequel of its own.

The Good

Super Phantom Cat 2 is a worthy sequel from the original game. It has the same adorable art style and music, and the controls are super simple and responsive. The controls are on par with the Mikey Shorts series, and that is hard to accomplish! The game offers a ton of content for free, and there's high replay value with many secrets to discover, playable heroes, quests, and challenging levels.

The Bad

Unlike the first game, Super Phantom Cat 2 is freemium, which comes at a disappointment for many fans of the original. Having an energy system and timers in place can be rather annoying. This game is definitely worth a few bucks, and it seems many would have rather seen it stay premium, rather than go the free-to-play route. However, the game itself is good, so at least there is an option to eliminate the energy system and ads.

The verdict

Like many, I am a big fan of the first Super Phantom Cat, so I'm glad to see the sequel finally available on the App Store. Despite the free-to-play route that the developers decided to take, I still find the game fun to play, and it's rather challenging. Plus, I'm in love with the graphics and delightful music, and I can't resist a game full of sweet kitties. After trying the game out, I think it's worth plopping down a few bucks to get rid of the energy system and ads for a more enjoyable experience.

I highly recommend giving Super Phantom Cat 2 a try, whether you're a fan of the first game or just want a good old puzzle platformer to pass the time with. Super Phantom Cat 2 is on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for free with in-app purchases. There are also iMessage stickers.

9.4

OVERALL

Game Controls 10

Graphics 10

Replayability 9

Sound/Music 9

Gameplay 9

FREE

Super Phantom Cat 2

Veewo Games

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