iLoungeiLounge
  • News
    • Apple
      • AirPods Pro
      • AirPlay
      • Apps
        • Apple Music
      • iCloud
      • iTunes
      • HealthKit
      • HomeKit
      • HomePod
      • iOS 13
      • Apple Pay
      • Apple TV
      • Siri
    • Rumors
    • Humor
    • Technology
      • CES
    • Daily Deals
    • Articles
    • Web Stories
  • iPhone
    • iPhone Accessories
  • iPad
  • iPod
    • iPod Accessories
  • Apple Watch
    • Apple Watch Accessories
  • Mac
    • MacBook Air
    • MacBook Pro
  • Reviews
    • App Reviews
  • How-to
    • Ask iLounge
Font ResizerAa
iLoungeiLounge
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Apple
    • Rumors
    • Humor
    • Technology
    • Daily Deals
    • Articles
    • Web Stories
  • iPhone
    • iPhone Accessories
  • iPad
  • iPod
    • iPod Accessories
  • Apple Watch
    • Apple Watch Accessories
  • Mac
    • MacBook Air
    • MacBook Pro
  • Reviews
    • App Reviews
  • How-to
    • Ask iLounge
Follow US

News › iPod

iPod

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Last updated: May 15, 2021 8:34 am UTC
By Jeremy Horwitz
iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Welcome to an update-focused edition of iPhone + iPad Gems! Today, we take very brief looks at seven recent iPhone and iPad releases, two of which received full reviews, while the others get only quick summaries to let you know what’s available.

Advertisements

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Our top picks of the bunch are Bejeweled 2 + Blitz (Version 1.3) and Osmos for iPhone. Read on for all the details.

1951 – World War One

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

1951 – World War One ($2, version 1.0) is an attractive but simple overhead shooter that’s best understood as a stylized dogfighting game. Developed by Treehouse, 1951 places you in control of a biplane in an alternate reality where our timeline’s World War One never happened, and technology consequently fell behind in the lead-up to a different war. You tilt the iPhone to spin around, use a button to fire a temperature-limited gun, and employ gestures to perform aerial dodging maneuvers while enemy planes fly around you in waves, awaiting their death. While 1951’s graphics are impressive, blending layers of cloud cover, shadows, and soft globe landscapes together with tiny but smooth plane animations, the gameplay is as monotonous as any classic dogfighting game—rotate your plane, line up shots, and sink enough bullets to drop an enemy—minus the 3-D visuals that typify the genre; it is not the sort of intense shooter many might expect given the overhead perspective. Music flips between nice themes and a chunky rockabilly track when you activate a power-up. We like how 1951 looks, and it gets better if you’re willing to keep playing, but it lacks the sheer energy of earlier overhead shooters such as Meteor Blitz.

Advertisements

Updates may make it more interesting. iLounge Rating: B-.

Aqua Moto Racing 2

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

As the sequel to the early 2009 game Aqua Moto Racing, Aqua Moto Racing 2 ($5, version 1.0.1) takes further steps towards becoming an iPhone and iPod touch alternative to Nintendo’s classic Wave Race series of jetski racing games, adding an improved water simulation, in-air tricks, and new courses. Our full Aqua Moto Racing 2 review has all the details; in short, the game offers a solid jetski experience on the riding side, with impressive though low-resolution graphics, but the trick system is shallow and the music’s only fine. It’s better than any competitor we’ve played in the App Store, however. iLounge Rating: B+.

Advertisements

Bejeweled 2 + Blitz

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Reviewed fully here, PopCap’s Bejeweled 2 + Blitz ($3, version 1.3) dramatically improves upon the two-year-old App Store release with a full-fledged version of Bejeweled Blitz, previously lacking features found in the Facebook application of the same name. The updated version includes a currency system called Coins and a power-up system called Boosts, adding even more energy and high-scoring potential to the Blitz feature added in version 1.2 of the iPhone/iPod touch game. iPad and iPhone 4 support is still missing, however, as is in-game music for the Blitz portion of the game. iLounge Rating: A-.

Advertisements

Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube + HD

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Designed for kids, Mr.

Hat and the Magic Cube ($2) and Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube HD ($3) from Bravo Games are nearly identical compilations of five kid-friendly mini-games wrapped around computer-animated videos. The games include spelling, counting, concentration-matching, tilt-coordination, and puzzle-assembly themes, with several variations on each game that become progressively but not considerably more difficult as a child plays. They’re simple—tally the objects on screen, move something from point A to point B, or match animals—but right for very young kids.

Advertisements

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

While the narration of the videos has a certain odd manic-to-stoner-style of pacing, they’re eye-catching, technically nice, and keep even young children interested in playing the games; the colors and animation of the games are also pretty nice. While it would have been nice to see just one universal app with iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch support for $3, the option to buy the cheaper iPhone/iPod touch version at $2 will be fine for most parents. Additional variation and structure for the mini-games could make these titles worthy of higher recommendations. iLounge Rating: B.

Advertisements

NFL 2011

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

We’re holding off on issuing a rating and penning a full review for Gameloft’s new NFL 2011 ($7) until EA releases its latest version of Madden NFL Football this week, but for the time being, we’ll say this: Gameloft has made some major improvements to last year’s title in the gameplay and graphics departments, transforming NFL 2010 into a considerably more interesting and controllable experience.

 

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

iPhone + iPad Gems: 1951, Mr. Hat and the Magic Cube, NFL 2011, Osmos for iPhone + More

Gone are last year’s blocky players, replaced with smoother character models that have good animation—except after plays, where they offer slow grumbles or touchdown dances—and iPhone 4-supporting detail, unfortunately not present on the iPad.

Advertisements

Latest News
The USB-C AirPods Max is $150 Off
The USB-C AirPods Max is $150 Off
1 Min Read
BOE Stands as the Top Apple Partner for MacBook Displays
BOE Stands as the Top Apple Partner for MacBook Displays
1 Min Read
iPadOS 26 and iOS 26 Third Developer Betas Now Available
iPadOS 26 and iOS 26 Third Developer Betas Now Available
1 Min Read
Apple Rolls Out New Developer Betas for visionOS 26 and watchOS 26
Apple Rolls Out New Developer Betas for visionOS 26 and watchOS 26
1 Min Read
The AirPods 4 with ANC is $30 Off
The AirPods 4 with ANC is $30 Off
1 Min Read
New US TikTok App to Launch in September
New US TikTok App to Launch in September
1 Min Read
Online Leaks Show MagSafe and Apple Logo Changes for iPhone 17 Pro
Online Leaks Show MagSafe and Apple Logo Changes for iPhone 17 Pro
1 Min Read
Apple Original Film Garners $293 Million in Ten Days
Apple Original Film Garners $293 Million in Ten Days
1 Min Read
The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 512GB is $150 Off
The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 512GB is $150 Off
1 Min Read
Apple Loses $110M 3G Wireless Patent Battle
Apple Loses $110M 3G Wireless Patent Battle
1 Min Read
iPhone Sales in China Climb
iPhone Sales in China Climb
1 Min Read
Apple Planned Cloud Service in the Past
Apple Planned Cloud Service in the Past
1 Min Read

iLounge logo

iLounge is an independent resource for all things iPod, iPhone, iPad, and beyond. iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTunes, Apple TV, and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.

This website is not affiliated with Apple Inc.
iLounge © 2001 - 2025. All Rights Reserved.
  • Contact Us
  • Submit News
  • About Us
  • Forums
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?