Heavy Gunner 3D (Android)

RATING:
5 out of 5

PRICE:
4.99

TASTY:
Addictive 3D shooter with top-quality graphics. A must-download for all serious DROID gamers with a few minutes or hours to kill. Literally.

BUMMER:
Controls take a while to master, you’ll spend quality time in Settings tweaking things. Requires a rock-solid wifi connection to offset laggy game play at times, plus 25MB of SD card storage for graphics files.

COOL:
Shoot your way through the best looking game on the Android platform to date. No hyperbole there, folks.

REVIEW:
Heavy Gunner 3D ($4.99) offers the most polished gaming experience on the DROID to date. Combining addictive, challenging game play with top-quality graphics and a rock-solid integration of vibration, sound, display, and accelerometer controls, you’ll be instantly welded into a one-of-a-kind gaming experience you can’t find anywhere else.

(Tip: After installing the app and downloading the 25MB of additional data to your SD card, open Settings and reverse the Y-Axis and increase the sensitivity to maximum. You’ll be glad you did.)

As the game opens, hold the phone in landscape position, with your fingers on both sides of the screen to independently control a pair of cannons. Tilt your phone in any direction to move the camera, keeping a sharp eye on the radar as baddies appear behind or below your field of view. You’ve got a truly 360 degree battlefield to contend with, so be alert!

Blast away at the alien enemy before they reach you to inflict damage on your shield, which recharges slowly over time. Take out a set number to clear each level, then spend points on much-needed upgrades as you progress.

You can bring two weapons with you into each level and easily switch between the pair. Avoid overheating by keeping tabs on the heat sensor, and keep a sharp eye on your ordinance counters as they count down to the next reload cycle.

Once you calibrate your accelerometer, match the Y-Axis to which orientation you prefer, and find the perfect balance of screen sensitivity, Heavy Gunner 3D will be your go-to app for a few minutes or hours of fun anywhere you and your DROID may go.