Qype is a social network that reaches over multiple platforms, including a desktop and mobile web version, as well as clients on mobile phones. Its Windows Phone version has been through a number of updates, and brings the network to the Metro'ed world of Microsoft's smartphone. Will it find you the best venues close by while you are out and about?
This is an intriguing twist on the 'single button' game, coupled with one of the most SEO friendly animals on the planet. But don't hold either of those facts against Penguin Blast, because this is a fun diversion to keep you occupied while on the streets.
Oh dear. It's really hard to make a wonderful game on any platform, but hitting the 'acceptable' level should be something that is easily achievable, especially if you are working on a title like Pro Evolution Soccer 2012. But Konami Digital have managed to miss it completely. If you don't want to know the result, look away now. For everyone else, just avoid this one, okay?
There's no shortage of weather apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace, but Gismeteo still stands out as being immaculately implemented. With intuitive Metro UI, comprehensive options and a functional live tile, the free Gismeteo arguably goes straight to the top of the pile if you're looking for a weather fix. My only slight frustrations with it were in relation to the behaviour under Windows Phone and when setting up weather data for multiple cities.
It might not look like much, but Chess Solitaire is a nice little puzzler that I'm enjoying. If you can get over the very basic presentation, you'll find something you can easily dip into when you need a distraction from the rest of the world.
Launched in time for South by Southwest in 2011, GroupMe was one of the 'share messages with a group of people' applications that hoped to help organise discussions with your peers, friends, and family. Some of them disappeared, others were bought out and absorbed into larger networks, and it feels like GroupMe is 'last man standing', even after its purchase by Skype (and susequently turned over to Microsoft).
Time for this week's Xbox Live review, and I've spent the last seven days working through Gerbil Physics, a delightful little puzzle game that should appeal to fans of explosions and saving cute little animals. We've seen something similar before on Windows Phone, but how much difference does the addition of a friendly rodent or two make?
Having just reviewed the top end Jawbone Jambox Bluetooth stereo speaker, I was expecting the slightly cheaper Nokia Play 360 to sound less impressive. And I was wrong - the Play 360's output is, literally, awesome, for such a small box. The only fly in the ointment is that, for stereo, you have to buy two, taking the combination to £200 and beyond. Ah well, it's only money....!
Sometimes you can find the greatest little games on the Marketplace that you just keep coming back to on your Windows Phone. Permutile 2 (that's Permutile Squared, not Permutile Two) is one of those titles, and over the last week it's gone from 'nice icon, let's download it', to 'must be pinned to my tiles'.
As I said when this shooter was released last week on Xbox Live, DoDonPachi was going to be perceived as a hard game. When you work on the level design of a vertical shooter, you need to decide if you are going to create something people can relax to, while playing through the graphics and challenges, or whether you go for something devilishly complicated with far too many ways to die filling the screen. DoDonPachi's style is the latter, and it's all the better for it.
