hothead games


Title: Cell Bound

Platform: iOS

Publisher: Hothead Games

Developer: Hothead Games

Rating: ★★½☆☆

Review by: Bill Jones

Cell Bound is the latest of Hothead Games’ mobile offerings, working to create a new type of match-based puzzling, with an ongoing mode that feels similar to Tetris, but with a brand new premise. Players simply control the rotation of a Petri dish as cell slide in from the sides to the center, threatening to contaminate the surface. They can be eliminated, however, by connecting five of the same color. So players spin to make color combinations with the ever speedier cells coming from all sides (which goes a long way in building tension quickly), trying to prevent them from reaching the outer edges of the dish. It’s a fun premise, offering a fresh take on puzzling, but the cells speed up a bit too fast, and without distinct level progression or depth as with Tetris, Cell Bound ultimately ends up feeling a little shallow, despite its three modes of play. (more…)

hothead games


So when Matt and Archie aren’t putting their writing talents to good use here at Pads & Panels, the duo has been hard at work creating an awesome podcast every other week called Games Comics and Puppy Dogs (more affectionately known as GCPD) for their site, Mighty Ink Comics and Entertainment. It’s swell, and we’ve been promising for awhile now that we would start posting their episodes on a regular basis.

Well, it only figures that Matt and Archie had to practically bribe yours truly with a guest spot on the show this episode to finally get the job done. But that’s neither here nor there. The gents are celebrating the milestone of their 20th episode, and I joined them in the studio this week to see the magic unfold (and interject a few stupid lines of my own).

Along with a chance to win some cool prizes, the dynamic duo discusses LittleBigPlanet 2, Hothead Games, Capcom, a Spider-Man screen, Bruce Campbell and so much more. It’s an episode not to be missed…so we suggest you don’t miss it. You can listen to it streaming below, or visit the guys over at www.mightyinkcomics.com.

–Bill Jones

hothead games


2010 Holiday Gift Guide – For the Digital Download Fan…

By P&P Staff

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Super Meat Boy

(XBLA, PC)

This game is alternately heaven and hell for platforming fans, but it manages to toe the line well enough to always be stuck in that sugary sweet spot that makes it so addicting players don’t even mind dying a few thousand times in the game’s 300-some levels. Plus, the Xbox Live version is going to have regularly-updated free downloadable levels added, which only makes the game even better! (more…)