Superb PPC Game Paks:
Spolit for Choice - Value for Money


I was posting a thread at a local PDA user site on my experiences with a newly acquired PDA when I stumbled upon a beautifully crafted solitaire by PDAmill. On further investigation, I was happy to learn that the man behind it was none other than THE Peter Balogh whom I wrote a story about (some years ago) at the Gadgeteer website. What luck it was for me as it not only afforded me time to touch bases with this great programmer, but to visit his new site as well. Mine, how things have changed. From a freeware provider, Peter has now one of the best PPC commercial game site and branching into the Palm turf with his excellent solitaire program. It is with great pleasure that I do a review of some of PDAmill's games. I apologise for being late with this review as I spent too much time enjoying these games to get the review started.



Look at the screenshot above. Isn't it really so carefully and beautifully crafted? It's the kind of games that you want to buy, keep in RAM and show it off an every opportunity. I liked solitaire Golf very much, and don't care to learn any other - so kept playing it all night since I got it.

This is the kind of software I would consider 'must buy' since it has enduring interest, keeping you occupied when waiting at the station, on the MRT, when you are early for a meeting or appointment... now all your spare moments can be blissfully and wastefully used.

GameBox Solitaire is a card game pack with a generous supply of 10 well-known card games. Polished graphics and smooth animations make this card game most enjoyable - especially when you are rewarded with a whirling flyover, each time you win a game. The music and sound effects adds that quality extra to this game, no wonder it was 2003's Best Card Game Award at the Pocket PC Summit!

Features - Ten card games: Blind Alleys, Canfield, Chinese, East Haven, Fourteen Out, Freecell, Golf, Klondike, Pyramid, Pyramid golf. High quality graphics: High quality, authentic tables and cards of unseen quality. Ambient music: Three sound tracks totalling over 15 minutes made by Jason Surguine. Visual effects: Packed with visual effects, such as shadows, rotated cards, smooth card animations and alpha effects. Save Game: Games are automatically saved when you exit, so you can continue where you've left off. Unlimited Undos: Unlimited undos and replay feature gives you a chance to correct any error you make. Detailed options: Detailed options let you change how cards are sorted, dealt, moved, flipped and played.



Gamebox Classics is a complete rewrite of the popular collection of Peter's earliest freeware for PPC. Consisting of 6 addictive puzzle/arcade games, these fast action and quick thinking games will have you asking for 'one more go' until you completely mess up your schedule. Although the look and feel of the original games were there, I could hardly believe my eyes how gorgeous they looked! Lets take a look at each one:

Blocks: Great Tetris action with animatied seabed background. I especially like the dimmed area as the blocks fall, so you never accidently land on the wrong position.

Blocks+: For all who wants a change from the classic Tetris (I wonder why?) here is the more challenging and unconventional version.

Snake: A free-flow version of the original Apple ][ Snake Byte, this is my least favorite of the six. I would prefer a closer version of the original game.

Jewel Master: This game is worth the price of the entire pak. A really great thinking game that forces you to take away every matching colour, without leaving any jewel behind. Best game of the pak.

Cannons: This is an awesome makeover of the original game of friendly duel. I find the stylus a little awkward.

Fireball: Breakout in grand style. Like Snake, Peter prefers to let the game flow free instead of making it a precise challenge. Very well done.

Features - Six full games in one neat package. Colorful graphics spiced up with tons of visual effects. Very smooth game play. Over 20 minutes of original music and lots of fun sound effects. Internet synchronized highscores.



GameBox Gems is a collection of eight highly addictive gem puzzle games. I didn't know that there were so many variety to the gem-clicking genre! Each game has colorful graphics, visual effects, music, and most important, smooth and great game concept and play. The games included in the collection are:

Rising Diamonds: Stop the gems from piling up by removing fields of similar gems. Fast and furious.

Jewel Master: Same as the Jewel Master included in the Gamebox Classic. IMHO the best game in this set of 8.

The Ruby Connection: This is another race against time - just tap to connect and remove similar gems before more drop in to fill the mine.

Crystal Cave-in: Move your gems to form 5 in a row before more drop in to fill the mine. Another puzzle that requires fast and quick reflects.

Sunstone Swap: Similar to Bejeweled, but more difficult as you rotate blocks of four left or right instead of just swaping places. Very fun.

Sapphire Spires: A fast and furious puzzle where you discard gems by forming horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines from the falling gems.

Stone Stacker: Decrease three or more identical gems before more drop in to fill the mine.

Stacker Plus: Race against the clock while grouping three or more similar gems before more drop in to fill the mine.

Features: Eight full puzzle games in one neat package. Increasing difficulty levels. Colorful graphics spiced up with tons of visual effects. Very smooth game play. Over 20 minutes of original music and lots of fun sound effects. Internet synchronized highscores.



These are just 3 of my favorite picks from PDAmill. All their games are top shelf stuff and priced under $10. For these games above, you get a game for less than $2. Such a deal. It is my contention that Game Developers like this should not only be supported, but with enough of these quality and value for money games around, there will be less piracy.

Check out Anthelion - an awesome space game the likes of which has yet to be seen on any PDA. And if you are a Snails fan, get that too. At less than $10 each, there isn't anything for you to regret except the lack of sleep!