The blog this week will be focusing on the Android service by itself, so expect more posts about its benefits and features.

It is a well-known fact that Android Smartphones are becoming more and more relevant every day. Besides being the global leaders in regards to smartphone software, Android has managed to gain popularity in view of the fact that it provides a large number of Apps for its users, fact that helps to expand the whole mobile experience, which is the main desirable characteristic of the current smartphones.

The main difference between Android and Blackberry is the purpose of the mobile itself. At first, it was clear that Blackberry was a business-oriented device and concentrated merely in the e-mail service, whereas Android had always kept its preference for the applications and the possibility of customization.

As time goes by, Blackberry seems to practically have lost its primal purpose and it’s willing to attract a great number of young users, creating and adding services such as Blackberry Messenger and other apps more addressed to younger audiences. But at the same time, these smartphones continue to be too formal for some users, who would want a more personalized device.

Android Smartphones are also excellent in terms of e-mail and messaging, but what really stands out, as we’ve mentioned before, is the great variety of apps that it includes, as well as the interfaces for social media services, such as Facebook or Twitter. That and an easy and well-structured functionality is what make Android mobiles an excellent choice when faced with the eternal dilemma: “Which smartphone should I buy?”

The first app featured today is iRunner, an addictive and fun game which we reviewed last Friday. It will never work on a Blackberry, so check it out if you have an Android!

The last, something essential. Google Docs shows how an Android can be as useful for work like any Blackberry, if not more.

When the first smartphones appeared, one of the things we asked ourselves was what kind of games would jump from home to our pocket. There were several safe bets, e.g. all PuzzleBubblish games; and a few surprises such Tower Defense.

At the end, most of the games we play when we’re waiting the bus are versions of flash games or more or less achieved adaptations of old arcade games.

TapTapRevenge 4 comes from Guitar Hero series, which inherit the spirit from those lovable dance machines. You can like it or not, but no one can deny that’s quite original and targets a wider market than many other more classical games. Having single and multiplayer, online and offline game modes is a guarantee to success. And above all, it’s as funny as any other bestselling games. TapTap 4 also includes a wonderful in-app purchase system, so we can say it seems to be the spearhead of games to come.

Throughout this week we’ve been discussing several options in an attempt to predict the future of smartphone gaming. On Monday we said that Angry Birds and Stupid Zombies are on the right track, but there’s a different way represented by TapTap4. Maybe one day games like these will come installed by default on our phones and we will see that as normal as when we found the Snake in our old and beloved dullphones.

Arcade games are being reinvented in the smartphones. Guerrilla Bob is an example of how this game genre can be boost.

Guerrilla Bob is an Arcade game 3D-based graphics in which you’re guerrilla called Bob whose aim is to survive lots of enemies that want to see you dead. The only way to achieve it is by killing them using different weapons: machine gun, timed bombs, molotov cocktail, grenade launcher… and many other. You will have to collect money from the dead enemies and use it to buy weaponry in the shop. There are different game modes: Story Campaign, split into Arcade mode, where Bob fights for fame and Mercenary mode , where Bob fights for fortune. The Classic Survival Mode is the endless enemies one. In Wave Attack Mode you fight against waves of baddies and Bob can access the shop to purchase weaponry.

Until this, it could seem this is a classic Arcade game, but it isn’t. It has some specific features that makes it a new generation arcade game:

- First, it has been developed to be played on a mobile phone. So the gameplay is a bit different, especially regarding the controls. It includes an invisible screen-joypad that uses both screen-sides: left-side to move and the right-side to aim and shoot.

- Second, the online multiplayer mode. There are single and CO-OP multiplayer mode in the most of the classic arcades. Thanks to the smartphones, the online multiplayer mode has been included in the new arcades. Now, we can play against our friends, no matter if they’re Android or iOS. This is one of the main reasons of the revival of this kind of games.

- Finally, even though it’s a game developed to be played on mobile phones, it’s not based just on run and tap on the screen. That’s it, it’s a very complete game. There are different game modes, weaponry store, 3D graphics and many other features that space it out from the simple games.

We are glad to see that these new features are giving a boost to the Arcades. They’ve been forgotten too long.

Super Dynamite is one of those game which becomes successful  thanks to its originality and high playability.

We’ve seen how a lot of classic games has been adapted to Android platform. Likewise, we’ve seen how an old game idea have become a new Android game, different themed but similar gameplay. Actually the most of the games in the market are this kind. This is due to both it’s difficult to create an original game and it’s also risky, since there aren’t evidence of its impact on the public. But sometimes an original game comes up, and it’s originality becomes its main strenght. That’s the case of Super Dynamite Fishing.

Gameplot is: you’re an untactful redneck fisher with a strange fishing technique: throwing explosives to the sea to catch the fishes once they’re drifting dead. There are different kind of fishes as well as a wide range of explosives to kill them. As you progresses through levels, you will get better weaponry and improved boats that will help you to face the increasing complexity. The gameplay could seems stupid and rude but no one can deny that it’s original.

It’s originality as well as its funny comic-based graphics and its different game modes make it high playable. A complete game with great amount of levels, achievements system and different game modes. And what’s better, Super Dynamite Fishing is free with non-intrusive ads.

We can state that being original, creative and pioneer is one of the way to success. Probably, the best way. First come, first win.

As we have introduced in previous post, we are starting a section in which we will review, every week, featured apps & games from each category. Hope it will help you to discover great apps & games. So… Welcome to “Arcade & Action Games Week”!

In Stupid Zombies you embody a redneck with a loaded shotgun whose aim is to shoot all the zombies around down. You will have to aim in the direction you want to fire and then tap on the screen to shoot a bouncy bullet. The bullet will impact on the zombies straight killing them or will bounce off the walls destroying structures that will fall over them. The less bullets you need to kill all the zombies, the more score you will get. Depending on your score you will gain one, two or three stars. You will be able to share your achievements on Feint online leadboards. It will ensure you loads of fun since it includes 480 different levels and the complexity increases as you advance through them. Stupid Zombies is a well-developed game set in comic-like graphics. And it’s free (with ads but not really intrusive).

The gameplay isn’t so original though. Actually it reminds us well-known Angry Birds. It seems that lots of this kind are coming up trying to be as successful as Rovio. It’s true that being the first matters, but Angry Birds is even better than the others in some aspects. Regarding Stupid Zombies:

- The main difference we’ve found is the complexity of the game: Stupid Zombies is much easier to pass levels than Angry Birds. Probably that’s the main reason for what it includes such amount of levels.

- Stupid Zombies just has one kind of shotgun while Angry Birds has a wide range of birds with unique skills that have to be used to destroy different structures. That greatly increases the playability of the game. Stupid Zombies could be improved in that point.

- Angry Birds is a catch-all game, that’s, suitable for all audiences. Stupid Zombies though, for the theme itself, has a more restricted public.

Despite of that, Stupid Zombies is a great game which is on the right track, one of those that could face Rovio’s franchise. The developers have done a great job. And the consequence is a real fun and addictive game truly recommendable.