Sketch Camera is a photographic app for your Windows Phone that applies artistic filters to your images. We liked what we saw back in our review and the application was recently updated to bring a few more effects into play. The new filters are: You still have sketch, oil paint, pencil drawing, bathroom reflections and chalk effects that carried over from the previous version. The developer decided to remove the brick wall effect simply because not many liked it. Along with the new effects, there were some minor tweaks to fix some bugs and a few cosmetic changes to the photography app. The additional effects that the update brings to Sketch Camera are nice and expands the potential of a very nice camera app. There is a free trial version available for Sketch Camera that is limited to the sketch effect. The full version will run you $1.49 and you can grab it here at the Windows Phone Marketplace. Read More
Since its announcement, we at WPCentral have been eagerly anticipating the release of MiniSquadron on Xbox Live. Imagine my disappointment then when I booted the game up on Wednesday only to discover that the virtual stick simply did not work. As a result, I couldn’t steer the plane or do much of anything besides get an Achievement for bouncing into the walls. A quick check of the comments section on Wednesday’s announcement article and other gaming forums reveals the problem is fairly widespread, though it doesn’t affect everyone. Thankfully there is a fix for MiniSquadron’s control problem. If your game’s virtual stick isn’t working, simply restart your phone. The next time you boot up the game, the controls should be fixed. You’re then set to enjoy some 2D aerial combat! Fat Pebble, the developer responsible for the Windows Phone port of MiniSquadron, is aware of the control bug. They have promised to fix it as soon as possible. While the inconvenience of the bug seems like a total downer, it’s actually a boon for gamers. You see, MiniSquadron was developed prior to the Windows Phone Mango update and therefore doesn’t support Fast App Switching. Now that the devs have to update the game to fix the bug, it will be easy for them to throw in Fast App Switching at the same time. Let’s just hope Microsoft allows the update to pass quickly (as they seldom do). In the meantime, don’t let the presence of a little bug keep you from buying MiniSquadron. The workaround is a very minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. MiniSquadron costs $2.99 and there is a free trial. Touch down here on the Marketplace to get it. Read More
Joining the free game on Xbox Live this week are two paid titles, Battlewagon and Doodle God. Both games are now available on the Marketplace. Battlewagon is a curious and very British game that takes place during medieval times. The object is to retake your lands from four evil barons. Battlewagon’s 68 levels encompass a variety of gameplay styles: firing a catapult from a stationary wagon, winding up the wagon just the right amount to stop it within a designated zone, jumping over or barreling through obstacles and enemies, and tossing bombs at specific parts of enemy castles. While the gameplay is creative and the art charmingly retro, Battlewagon shows a few rough spots out of the gate. The slingshot mechanic could work better as you don’t have much room to aim without hitting the edge of the screen; it’s easy to fire accidentally too. The game seriously needs a retry option from the pause menu and after failing levels as well. Doodle God is a popular indie game that has been upgraded to Xbox Live status. It’s a hard game to describe, but think of it as an alchemy simulator. You start out with only four elements to mix and match, each combination creating a new element. The object is simply to make them all, which requires tons of experimentation and thought. What makes glass in real life? Fire plus sand. Combine those ingredients in-game and you’ve just unlocked glass, which can then be mixed with many other elements. Doodle God may look simple in screenshots, but it’s bolstered by terrific British voice acting and a sharp UI. The interface is actually optimized for Windows Phone (swiping left and right to switch pages, etcetera), something you don’t see in many iPhone ports. It also includes several minigames to unlock and Read More
Xbox Live: Battlewagon & Doodle God make it to the Marketplace, breaking & making things all the while - wpcentral
