05-14-2003, 05:00 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 222
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Lock and Load...Your Shell: Snails v1.9 Reviewed
Are you ready for some old-school video game action? If you haven't tried Snails 1.9 by Syntact, check out my review to see why you should.
Snails 1.9 is a classic ballistics game with a wry sense of humor. In it, you get to blow up your fellow snails with 20 different weapons. It has missions, stand-alone, and networked gameplay modes. It's a great game that is a worthy addition to any Pocket PC.
How to Crush Snails
So, what's this game all about? If you've ever played Scorched Earth or Worms, you probably know what you're in for. Two teams of 1-5 snails each fight to the death using projectile weapons. You can pick which weapons to use or let the game choose for you. These snails really know how to arm themselves. You can choose from guns, bombs, aerial strikes, and my personal favorite, napalm.
Figure 1: Here you see the different weapons that you can choose from. Watch out, some of the prices are a little steep.
After choosing your weapons, it's time to fight. You can use the hardware keys or the stylus to navigate through the game. The game is turn-based with the two teams alternating. When it's your turn, you pick your snail, weapon, and aim.
Figure 2: The in-game weapon selection.
After you fire your weapon, the real fun begins. The game developers really had fun with this part. Not only do you get to watch your snails explode, you get some great taunts from the game. The humor in this game is just a little warped. Strictly G, but a lot of fun.
Figure 3: Napalm does its stuff.
Ways to Play
Figure 4: Game Mode selection from 1.9 beta 2. Multi-Snailer, here I come.
There are three main ways to play the game (four if you download 1.9 beta 2 or greater). You can play �Robot hunt,� which is a set of single player missions. These unlock the weapons in the game. �Swap and kick� is multiplayer fun for two people. �Computer life� lets you sit back and watch automated snails at work.
And finally, �Network multi-Snailer� where you can play deathmatch online. I have to say though that the multi-Snailer is a bit weak. If no one else is online, you're stuck.
Gotchas
The online multi-Snailer is not all that great. It might be better with a wireless PDA. But, this feature is only in beta so this is a very minor complaint. The only other issue I've found is that the game doesn't always behave well with the OS. It can be frustrating trying to clear alarms while the game is running since Snails writes over them on the screen.
Where To Buy
Snails 1.9 can be downloaded from Handango as a free trial version or purchased for just $9.95! [Affiliate]
Specifications
Snails is available for Pocket PC, Pocket PC 2002 and HP 720 (HPC2000). It requires 2 MB of storage memory and 5 MB of program memory to run.
Conclusions
Snails is a great game. It's easy to play and provides a quick game fix. Since it came out, the team behind it has continued to improve the game. With features like online multiplayer, it just gets better and better. For $9.95, you really can't go wrong with this game.
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05-14-2003, 06:14 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 416
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Kevin-
Did you get the online multiplayer to work? I haven't gotten it to work yet... I haven't tried it on a LAN, but over the internet hasn't worked at all -- maybe no one was online at the time, but who knows. Any tips to get it to work? Is there a central server that everybody connects to or what?
Maybe you don't know this, but if anybody does, let me know, I've been wanting to try the online multiplayer for a while!!!
Thanks!
__________________
"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."-C.S. Lewis
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05-14-2003, 06:44 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 222
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by lurch
Did you get the online multiplayer to work?
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I've been wanting to try the online multiplayer for a while!!!
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Sort of, but not really. When the multiplayer beta first came out (a few months ago), I thought I had it working. I saw a list of players but never could connect. Maybe we could get a group of people from PPCT to all log in at a specified time to see if we can get it to work.
It's a feature I'd really like to try. Mostly just to say that I did it though.
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05-14-2003, 06:50 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 416
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kevin Remhof
I saw a list of players but never could connect. Maybe we could get a group of people from PPCT to all log in at a specified time to see if we can get it to work.
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Okay so I know I did one thing wrong at least, because I've never seen a list of players... it's always been blank. It doesn't give an error like "cannot connect" so I can't tell if that's the problem, but it doesn't say "connected" either... :| I've tried it here at work behind a proxy server, and also at home where there is no proxy. Hmmm..... Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help, by the way!! 
EDIT - oh, I was going to say I'd be up for setting a time and trying to connect and play!
__________________
"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."-C.S. Lewis
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05-14-2003, 07:23 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 396
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Tried multiplayer with a friend over a Starbucks wireless LAN and this works fine. Never tried it over the internet though.
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05-14-2003, 07:36 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 541
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Worked here. Played a few games, it's great fun.
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05-14-2003, 10:04 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 36
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by lurch
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kevin Remhof
I saw a list of players but never could connect. Maybe we could get a group of people from PPCT to all log in at a specified time to see if we can get it to work.
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Okay so I know I did one thing wrong at least, because I've never seen a list of players... it's always been blank. It doesn't give an error like "cannot connect" so I can't tell if that's the problem, but it doesn't say "connected" either... :| I've tried it here at work behind a proxy server, and also at home where there is no proxy. Hmmm..... Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help, by the way!!
EDIT - oh, I was going to say I'd be up for setting a time and trying to connect and play! |
The problem is that you cant connect to anyone who is hosting a game through the cradle.....like with the PASS THROUGH feature. Atleast that how it was the last time I checked. So if you try to connect to someone who is hosting through the cradle, it will just kick you out of the game. You can however play using the cradle, and connect to someone who is using a Pocket Modem or something like that.  The problem is, unless your playing someone you know, then you dont know if they are using the cradle or a pocket modem to host.
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05-14-2003, 10:15 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 416
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by hockeydude
The problem is that you cant connect to anyone who is hosting a game through the cradle.....like with the PASS THROUGH feature.
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But I can't even see a list of people who are hosting a game... and at home I use my WiFi network, so there's no cradle there..
How do I get it to show me who is available to connect to??
__________________
"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."-C.S. Lewis
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05-14-2003, 10:39 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 36
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Well that either means that there is no one to connect to in the first place....which normally there isnt, or you didnt click SEARCH. First click the search button then once you see someone you click connect. But probably there is no one to connect to.
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05-14-2003, 10:40 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 416
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by hockeydude
But probably there is no one to connect to. |
Ahah, the root of the problem! I guess I just figured there were ALWAYS people hosting games!! Isn't this game played 24-7 by millions??
Thanks for the help...
__________________
"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."-C.S. Lewis
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Linear Mode
