Absolute Chess Dsiware Review

REVIEW

I downloaded Absolute Chess dsiware this week, and I like it! It's not usual chess by any means, more like pick up-and-play quick game of chess, and in that role, it does very well. The game engine is set for speed, and does not think too deep. At the advanced level, it can spot mate in 3. So, I think, it's about 5 ply, or 2.5 move deep.

It has 4 levels, and 8 characters for a variety opponent. Missing features are timer, auto play, hint, undo (somewhat). If you come in expecting the usual trappings of chess, you will be disappointed. This game is geared more toward blitzkrieg chess.

Some bugs are presents: Racheal instead of Rachael. b4 instead of d4. "wait" instead of undo. Minor blemishes to what an otherwise good program.

I appreciate the designers for injecting flavor by doing anime style character, even if they're not animated. There are different pictures showing different states: neutral, winning, and losing.

I really like the download play feature. Alas, no timers. At least the graphics are clear and pleasant. No worries about confusing pieces, that's for sure!

It's too bad you cannot turn off music or sound effects independently. If I want to listen to music while playing chess, that's what mp3 players are for. The majority of chess players prefer quiet solitude.

It also has challenge mode. Not a big deal, though. 1st level, win the game. 2nd level, win the game in 12 minutes, a casual game. 3rd level, use bishop to take 4 or more pieces. Easy, since pawns count as pieces. 4th level, leave 3 or more pawns. Keeping 3 pawns in castling does the trick just fine. 5th level, 70 moves, 7 minutes, Blitzkrieg chess with 2 extra minutes. Did I mention that the early level makes all kind of blunders? Just play a defensive game, and you'll beat the challenges no problem!

Here's a sample game that I played:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 xf4 King's Gambit Accepted
3. d4 Qh4 4. Ke2 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qg4 6. h3 Qe6 7. Nc3 Qc4 8. Kf2 Qb4 9. a3 Qd6 10. e5 Qh6 Harassing the Queen while developing
11. Nd5 Kd8 12. Nxf4 Be7 13. Nd5 Bh4 14. g3 Qe6 15. Nf4 Bxg3 16. Kxg3 Qh6 17. d5 g5 18. xc6 xf4 19. Bxf4 Qxc6 Clarifying position
20. Bg2 Ne7 21. Kh2 Rg8 22. Rg1 Qe4 23. Bg3 d6 24. Ng5 Qf5 25. xd6 Qxg5 mate in 2
26. xc7 Ke8 27. Qd8 mate

Animal Puzzle Adventure Score, Help, and Walkthrough

FUN

Animal Puzzle Adventure (aka Chiiria no Doobutsu Koya)

Scores, Hints, Helps, and Walkthrough.

For those of you enjoying the game and just want to know what the par scores are, here are my scores:

Chapter 1, Stage 1-10: 8, 11, 15, 13, 15, 28, 19, 20, 26, 18

Chapter 2, Stage 1-10: 17, 29, 25, 22, 29, 54, 37, 28, 18, 44

Chapter 3, Stage 1-10: 20, 30, 19, 21, 23, 33, 36, 29, 21, 31

Chapter 4, Stage 1-10: 26, 38, 30, 32, 83, 51, 28, 32, 16, 40

Chapter 5, Stage 1-10: 19, 23, 24, 26, 42, 45, 71, 39, 33, 61

It is highly recommended that you do not read this document, lest your enjoyment of the program should suffer. It is in my opinion that the puzzles of this program isn't too terribly difficult. Although there are long solutions, the key diagram usually occurs between 20-30 steps, which is something a good puzzle solver can muster. In addition, there are patterns to be recognized. It is merely a case that if you are having trouble, it is a sign that you are doing it wrong and should change your approach. That is a good lesson to teach children.

That being said, there is a lot of people keep giving up and asking for hints. So, here they are. I suggest that you let somebody else read this. You simply ask for a solution to a particular stage. IF THERE IS A "(K)" symbol somewhere on the line, then that person should step through the solution until reaching it, and show you the diagram. It is a key position that will enable you to solve the puzzle. Wait 2 days before asking for more help, in which case, have him do it 5 steps at a time, every other days.

5 steps solution is only about 1000 combination at most, so hard work can certainly accomplish that, even if you burn through a lot of paper practising the skill. :)

Chapter 1 - Stage 1: (Par 8)

UURRL - UUU

Chapter 1 - Stage 2: (Par 11)

RRUUL - ULDRD - LUULU - U

Chapter 1 - Stage 3: (Par 15)

DDDRD - LDDRD - LUUUD - D

Chapter 1 - Stage 4: (Par 13)

UURRL- LLLRR - UUU

Chapter 1 - Stage 5: (Par 15)

RRRDD - DLLLD - RLDUU - UUU

Chapter 1 - Stage 6: (Par 28)

URRUU - URDRU - UULUL - LLD(K)UL - UURUR - RRD

Chapter 1 - Stage 7: (Par 19)

RUUUL - UDLLL(K) - UURDR- RLUU

Chapter 1 - Stage 8: (Par 20)

LLUUL - UURRR - RRRDD - DLURU - ULLLU - U

Chapter 1 - Stage 9: (Par 26)

RRDRR - UURUR - LDLDD - RRRUU(K) - RURUL - LUDRU - URDDU - U

Chapter 1 - Stage 10: (Par 18)

DDRLL - DDDDD - DRULU - UU(K)DDD - RRL

Chapter 2 - Stage 1: (Par 17)

LUURU - URRLD - RLLRD - LRUUU - UU

Chapter 2 - Stage 2: (Par 29)

DDRDD - LDDRU - UDLLU - DLUU(K)D - RUDRR -UDLD

Chapter 2 - Stage 3: (Par 25)

DDDRR - RUUUR - RDDDD - RRUUU - RRRRR

Chapter 2 - Stage 4: (Par 22)

UUURU - LULDD - RULUU - RD(K)URD - DULDD - DU

Chapter 2 - Stage 5: (Par 29)

LLLUL - LLLRR - U(K)RRUD - LLURD - LLLLL - DDDD

Chapter 2 - Stage 6: (Par 54)

DLLLL - ULULU - DLULU - RULUR - URURD - DDDLL - ULULU - RURRD - DDUUL - DDDUR - RURDD - ULURD - DD

Chapter 2 - Stage 7: (Par 37)

DDLRR - URUUL - LLDDR - ULLLD - RURRD - DDDDD - DRRUL - DLLDL - U(K)UDRU - RD

Chapter 2 - Stage 8: (Par 28)

DRRUU - DLLRU - L(K)RRUL - DLLUU - UUUUR - RUURU - LLULU - UU

Chapter 2 - Stage 9: (Par 18)

DDRRR - LDDUL - LLDRR - RDURD - URRLD - DDR

Chapter 2 - Stage 10: (Par 44)

LDRUL - DRRUL - RULLR - DLLLR - RULLL - LDDR(K)U - UULDR - RULDL - URRRR - RLLL

Chapter 3 - Stage 1: (Par 20)

URUUU - LLUUU - RDDRD - LLLUR - UU

Chapter 3 - Stage 2: (Par 30)

LLUUR - RDRUR - DRULL - LDDUU - UD(K)LLL - UUDLD - DU

Chapter 3 - Stage 3: (Par 19)

DRRRU - RDRUR - DDRUR - RRDL

Chapter 3 - Stage 4: (Par 21)

LLLLL - LLLUL - LLLLL - LD(K)RRD - D

Chapter 3 - Stage 5: (Par 23)

UUURR - URDDD - LLL(K)DR - RUURU - RRURU - R

Chapter 3 - Stage 6: (Par 33)

DDRRD - RRRUU - RULUR - UUUDL(K) - RDLLL - LRURD - DLLLL - LRU

Chapter 3 - Stage 7: (Par 36)

RRRUU - UURUU - RURRR - (K)LLULD - RRRUL - ULRUL - RULLU - L

Chapter 3 - Stage 8: (Par 29)

DRRRR - RUUUD - DRRDD - DLLUU - RRUUU - DDRR(K)U - ULDDL - DLLLL - LLLLR - U

Chapter 3 - Stage 9: (Par 21)

LLLLL - URDDD - DDRUU - UUUDR - R(K)LUUU - UDDD

Chapter 3 - Stage 10: (Par 31)

DDDRD - DRDDL - UUUDD - LL(K)ULU - LDDDD - ULDUR - DRR

Chapter 4 - Stage 1: (Par 26)

RRUUL - LUURU - RRRUL - UUURL(K) - DLDLL - URRRL - LL

Chapter 4 - Stage 2: (Par 38)

RRLLL - LDLLL - LUULL - LLLLD - DLDLU - UULUL - DDDDL - ULUUL - ULDDD - DLUUL - L

Chapter 4 - Stage 3: (Par 30)

RRRUU - RULLL - URRRD - DDDDD - DUUUU - DRLLL - L

Chapter 4 - Stage 4: (Par 32)

DDDUL - LDDDR - RRRDR - RDDDD - UULLL - LLURR - DDRDD - DL

Chapter 4 - Stage 5: (Par 83)

UUULL - UUDLU - URRUR - DDDDR - ULDDD - UULLD - DDDDR - RDRUU - UUUUR - URDLL - UUUU(K)D - DLLLL - LLLLL - LLURR - RDURR - RDULL - LLLL

Chapter 4 - Stage 6: (Par 51)

RRRRR - DDDLL - LLLLL - UUURR - RRULU - LUUUD - RDL(K)UL - DDDRD - LURUL - LDRDL - UR

Chapter 4 - Stage 7: (Par 28)

UUULL - LDRDU - URDLD - RRDLL - RRUUU - UUL

Chapter 4 - Stage 8: (Par 32)

LLLLL - DLLUR - RRRRR - RRRRL - LLULL - ULDRD - LLLRR - RRRLL

Chapter 4 - Stage 9: (Par 16)

LDDLL - DRRDD - URRUL - U

Chapter 4 - Stage 10: (Par 40)

ULLDD - RRDDD - RURDR - UUURU - UULLD - ULLLL - L(K)DDDD - DLRRU - UDL

Chapter 5 - Stage 1: (Par 19)

DDDLD - RRRLD - DDDUU - UUDD

Chapter 5 - Stage 2: (Par 23)

UULUR - LUURD - DDLDR - UUURR - RLL

Chapter 5 - Stage 3: (Par 24)

LUUUR - RDDLL - LLLLL - LURRR - URLLL - DDDDU - UUD

Chapter 5 - Stage 4: (Par 26)

RUURU - LL(K)RD - DDLLU - RLLUR - DDRRU - UDLUD - DDD

Chapter 5 - Stage 5: (Par 42)

RDRDR - RRRRU - LLLLL - RDURR - RRDLL - UL(K)DR - RRRUR - ULLUR - RLL

Chapter 5 - Stage 6: (Par 45)

URRRR - LLURR - DDRRD - DDDDU - RRULL - RRULL - UULLD - DDRRR - RRRDL

Chapter 5 - Stage 7: (Par 71)

DDRDU - RDRDU - RDRUL - DDLLL - LDRUR - DLLDR - RURDL - LRDLD(K) - RDLLR - DLRRD - LLULU - LLDDU - LLDDR - RUUUD - RRDRL -DL

Chapter 5 - Stage 8: (Par 39)

DDDDD - DLDUL - LLLDR - RRRRR - URRRD - LDRRL - ULD(K)RL - LRUU

Chapter 5 - Stage 9: (Par 33)

RRRRL - DDDDR - RLURR - RUURU - RDDUR - UD(K)LLL - LLRRR - RRR

Chapter 5 - Stage 10: (Par 61)

RRRRD - RRRRD - RDRUR - URURR - DRDDL - LUURR - RDULL - DLRRR - RLLL(K)U - UUUUU - UDDDD - DDDDU - LRRRR - LLLUU - UL

Animal Puzzle Adventure DSiWare Score

FUN

It has been a week since I played Animal Puzzle Adventure. I have managed to lower some of my scores. No more 359 steps solution. The solutions aren't recorded, since there's no replay option. I'll probably make a computer program to do so later on.

Chapter 1: 8, 11, 15, 13, 20, 28, 24, 20, 38, 20
Chapter 2: 27, 35, 31, 58, 68, 63, 37, 29, 18, 53
Chapter 3: 25, 80, 25, 26, 37, 62, 71, 52, 31, 48
Chapter 4: 35, 82, 61, 32, 83, 74, 91, 34, 19, 47
Chapter 5: 30, 27, 42, 28, 44, 59, 104, 83, 63, 79

MySims Camera DSiWare Review

REVIEW

Kawaii!

Who wants to pose virtual people onto your pictures? Nobody, that's who. At least that's what I thought. Obviously, I was wrong.

When I first read the description of MySims Camera, I wondered how they could possibly do 3D poses and animation yet maintain ease-of-use and convenience. It turns out that the poses are canned, and that the animation are really on the preview only. However, it works very well. There are quite a bit of animation that you can choose from. If you look at that flying Superman pose, that's actually swimming animation. The sideways portrait is actually not supported. The rotation doesn't permit it, so only one pose is possible.

The most important thing is: Do I have fun? Surprisingly, yes I do. I don't even play Sims. I don't have any of the game. However, the character selection, even limited to 7, is terrific, and I keep smiling at the result. Therefore, it is very well worth the price of $2.

You can, of course, create a series of MySims inspired notebook. But it also functions well as a comic creator, even if you have to drag Photo Graffiti to the process. Can you take a picture of a calendar and add MySims character to it? Can you make MySims themed playing cards? Yes and yes. For two dollars? This is great!

There is also a tie-in with existing MySims games. Supposedly there will be new characters. Unknown to me is whether the poses library will also be expanded. However, as I said before, I don't play the game, and I don't have any. So the question now is, will I get MySims Kingdom or MySims Agent?

myNotebook Blue DSiWare review

DSIWARE REVIEW

I have just downloaded a DSiWare program called myNotebook: Blue by nnooo. I'm a sucker for app type DSiWare. However, I can safely say that you should stay away from this one as far as possible. This is one of those program that is poorly designed.

I'm not saying that a notebook program for Nintendo DSi is a bad idea. In fact, it is a terrific idea. However, the execution for this program is very much lacking. The music is intolerable, and the first time I turn the music off, it didn't turn off! I had to lower the volume down to 10, save, quit, and re-run the program before it will take.

There is no exit button to the DSiMenu. Huh?

Unlockable paper type: a very bad idea. Can you imagine having a word processor that requires you to use the program before it gives you "unlockable" fonts? Especially, if there's no way for you to know how to unlock it? What's the big idea?

You only get 2 paper types: Lined and Square. No blank pages?

No zoom function. I know not many people want it, but I do.

No color yellow.

Pen type: Thick and thin line is provided. 2 rather indistinguishable pen types and an eraser.

Writing on pages: This really annoys me. You have to turn the Nintendo DSi upside down for writing even-odd pages. This you MUST do EVERY SINGLE TIME! Of course, the press material says that "you CAN ..." I think there is a big difference between "CAN" and "MUST". "CAN" implies that you can use the program either left or right handed. "MUST" implies that unless you can read and write upside down, you'd better practicing turning the device often. It is the latter, and the official video either skip this info or glossed over it. In this case, "MUST" means unless you do, better accept that you'll be skipping every other pages.

No Photo import/export function.

Playing paper games? Flipnote Studio does it better!

Okay, enough ramblings. Now for the things that they should have done to make this a good offering:
1. Custom paper design: I've been photographing paper and use the Graffiti function to do this. A dedicated notebook program should be able to do the same or better.
2. Color choices: A pallette choice would be great, even if it is limited to 256 colors or even websafe colors.
3. Don't make the user flip the device on every pages! Have it shown 1-2, then 2-3, then 3-4, and so on. Trying to conform exactly as real-life paper counterpart is counter productive.
4. If you have lined pages, a typewriter (keyboard) function would be nice, and then provide fixed pitch and proportional spacing font.
5. Skip the unlockables, please.
6. Respect DSi convention by providing exit button, even if you do it via select menu.
7. Skip the nearly indistinguishable pen type, and subtitute marker capability. Especially nice with expanded color pallette.
8. Import and Export to Photo. Ability to crop picture would be a plus. You can do a scrapbook style project. A much more worthy capability than "Playing paper games (not included)" statement.
9. Playing paper games: Better provide them on your website. Like I said: Flipnote Studio does it better. Photo Graffiti not too bad either. Without ability to import custom paper type, this claim is useless. It's like claiming you can play chess by drawing and erasing playing piece. Technically, that's true, but it is very, very inconvenient.
10. Organizing note: Flipnote Studio does it better with the calendar capability. And Flipnote is FREE.

In conclusion: If you feel that I keep saying Flipnote Studio does it better a lot, then you are absolutely correct! Skip this myNotebook offering, and download Flipnote Studio instead. What's more, if you do play paper games, you can upload your games to Hatena website and share the games with a lot of other people. And yes, with Flipnote Studio, you can import from the camera, thus giving you an unlimited custom paper design.

Normally, I don't give bad review since I am of the opinion that if I think it's bad, I must have misjudged the product. However, I don't know anybody who is sane who would be willing to use this considering that it is very inconvenient to use and of limited capability. Had Flipnote Studio not exist or is much more expensive, then this may have a chance. As it is, I wouldn't download it, even if it's free.

Nintendo DSiWare Clock and Calculator Review

REVIEW

I recently read a review for DSiWare Clock. Actually, there are different versions available. I have 2 of them: Animal Crossing and Photo Clock. Of the two, I like Photo Clock better. The Animal Crossing Clock is pretty much useless to me. I downloaded it because you can set musical tones to it. I was thinking like a song or a little ditty. Turns out, it was for hourly chimes, along with the extremely long play time, and very limited set of notes. I was so disappointed!

The Photo Clock, however, is terrific! I use it a lot! There's not much difference between the two, only that the Photo Clock does not have musical chimes, and that it displays pictures from your photo album. It works great as Picture viewer. This is where the reviewer on the other site got it wrong. The display WILL turn off after a while, thus saving battery. You don't need to have it plugged in all the time. Energy Saving settings come in 3 levels: Off, 5 minutes, and 1 hour. If you do plug it in, then the Energy Saving settings is automatically disabled, and you can use it as picture viewer on your desk/coffee table, with the saving setting automatically disabled. For 2 dollars? This is great! I set it to my pictures, paintings from Arts Academy at the time of this typing.

But more than that, you can use audio recordings from your DSi Sound. This makes it a much more useful alarm clock than normal because you can differentiate between different alarms. If you use it strictly as alarm clock to wake you up, then you'll be happy that the sound is loud enough to wake you up. The alarm bell sound is especially annoying enough to make me want to shut it off, as opposed to gently sounding music to put me to sleep. And since you can apply snooze settings individually, you can set sound of the sea to snooze and sleep at sleep time, while setting the loud alarm bell at wake up time.

Yet, there's more: You can do time offset. This is a big deal, and I'm glad for it. This allows you to use the Clock as a timer. Simply set the alarm to, say 1:10, and adjust the time offset so it shows 1:00. Suddenly, you have a 10 minute timer. When you pair this with the audio recording "The Eggs are Done! Go Take Them Out!", you will have an extremely fancy egg timer on the cheap. And if you would put Easter Eggs pictures on the display, then I'm sure you'll agree that 2 dollars is a cheap price to pay.

You can do more than this. How about setting the alarm to your kids DSi? "Quit watching TV! Do your homework!", "Take out the trash NOW!", "Time to stop playing and go to sleep!" are messages that comes to mind. Yes, you can customize this to anything you want. You can even record all the funny ringtones from your phone and use it on your DSi.

In short, Photo Clock is a great clock application. Don't bother with Animal Crossing or Mario version.

Now, on to the review and comments to it, I noticed that the review is full of inaccuracy. There's a lot of useful features that is missing from the review, such as time offset. Worse, the review falsely stated that you cannot turn off the display, risking running out of the battery! Yet, it is just a simple setting away. You don't even need to read the instruction for this. How come the reviewer missed it?

As to the replies, most are annoyed that it costs money to get. Some even erroneously claim $5. Nope, it's only $2. Some compare it to the fact that you already have clocks for free. Yes, but no timer nor alarms. Some others also compare it to phone alarm. Yes, but no timer nor customized sound, unless you're willing to pay and how much would that be? Some others insist that you should get it if you like Animal Crossings. Nope. Photo Clock will do better as you can take pictures of your favorite subject, whatever that may be, and display a bunch of pictures, instead of one single static picture of animal crossing. And if you like Mario, stick in a music file AAC.mp4 format in SD card, and play coin game that way.

I can't stress this enough: Photo Clock is an excellent buy because you can customize this to your heart's content, courtesy of DSi Photo, and DSi Sound. Think of the possibilities: Practical Jokers can record some flatulence sound, set a timer on it and place it on unsuspecting victim. Or how about cat's meow to annoy the dog? The possibilities are many!

Now, about the calculators: It is a simple, non-scientific 13 digit calculator with calculation history. You get arithmetic calculation and Memory functions. Also some conversion rates, although you don't really need a special function for that, right? Just a conversion table and you'll be set. No statistical functions, trigonometric, or what have you. Just simple arithmetic.

Lots of reviewers like the conversion function. I don't. It doesn't have the one feature I want: liters to cubic inches. It does have liters and it converts to several different volume measurements. Alas, no cubic inches. Anyway, like I said, I just need a table for it.

People are upset that this Calculator isn't free. I can understand that sentiment if the calculator is generic, but branding always costs money. Between Mario and Animal Crossing, I'd go with Animal Crossing. I couldn't stand the Mario sound of coin. It is very annoying if you're trying to think through the calculations involved. The Animal Crossing actually repeats the numbers (in animal voice), so you don't have to look at the keyboard, allowing you to concentrate on the calculation, such as password generating linear congruent theory.

In short, forget Mario Calculator. Get yourself Animal Crossing Calculator. I actually use this a lot more than the free calculator on my Palm phone. And the calculation history is a feature you'll be glad to have when your calculation result looks strange and wonky.

Art Academy First Semester Nintendo DSiWare Review

REVIEW

I just downloaded Nintendo DSiWare Art Academy First Semester for $8. It is a sketching and paint program for Nintendo DSi. The second semester will be out September 28. I'll be looking forward to it.

Having been spoiled with Colors! I'm not too sure about this program. The color mixing is different. I don't like the fact that transparency is related to wetness, which causes the colors to actually bleed! Then again, this isn't Mario Paint. This is Art Academy. When you look at it that way, $8 is cheap compared to paying someone a dollar per hour to teach you how to paint. And it is on that regard, Art Academy is succesful. Good lessons, good paint program.

The program is actually divided into two parts: Lessons and Free Painting. This is great, because it underscores the importance of skill. Too many kids these days think that tool, alone, is sufficient. That's not true! You need to know how to do this. The lessons are well paced, and relevant.

As I've been spoiled by Colors, I kept looking for mistakes to criticize. I couldn't find any! Sure the color mixing is inconvenient, and pencil drawing mode disappears once you get into painting mode, but those are nitpicks. Of the relevant importance is the ability to import pictures from your camera into the program and export them to the album. You have different modes to help you visualize the result. With all these help, you should be knocking out great drawings in no time! What's more, the adherence to reality, instead of digital painting, means that you can carry the skills out to the real world.

The tutorials themselves is filled with historical artists, and explanations of their painting styles. This encourages you to research such topic, either in the library or on the Internet. That can only mean one thing: a well developing talent to spot artistic styles. This is a much better lesson quality than expected. This is better art lesson than what the average student would get with a real teacher.

I especially like the grid inclusion very much, as it allows beginner to have good result immediately. For comparison, check out my pepper drawing, which I did without the grid. It looks positively depressed!

Okay, that one was done in a hurry. In fact, about the only disappointment is that it ends too quickly! I did the whole first semester in one sitting! Ah, well.

Overall, I wholly recomend this program to everybody, but especially to those who wants to draw but can't. Kids will love it, as well. Finally, when you consider that Nintendo DSi now seamlessly integrates with facebook, I think that this is the best thing in art education in a long, long time.