Vector TDX

Vector TDX is the very worthy follow-up to Vector TD. Like the first version, this one is excellent. But the developer has made this one a lot more difficult. If you can get to level 33, you're doing great. If you get to level 37, consider yourself an expert. Anything beyond that and you're probably cheating. ;-)

For those who haven't played Vector TD, Vector TDX is a tower defense game. Place your towers somewhere in the maze and let them shoot down the vectoids (creeps is what they are called in tower defense lingo) as they come through. Upgrade or place new towers to eliminate them all. If 20 creeps reach the end of the maze, it's game over.

The trick to getting very far is to learn to spend as little as possible on each level to get through it. With interest payments at the start of each round, that 3% can add up.

Hints, tips and tricks

• Every 10 levels you get a bonus, I recommend increasing the interest payments.
• One level 1 green tower (properly upgraded and placed) can get you pretty far, but won't cut it later on.
• Remember to start the creeps out (release vectoids button), then place or upgrade your tower. That way you get the interest payment first.
• The first blue tower is very useful in slowing the vectoids down long enough for the other towers to blow them away.
• The orange regener creeps are easy enough to start with, but will destroy you later on.

Play Vector TDX at candystand.

Ballistic Wars

Ballistic Wars is pool balls meets war game. Play all 15 levels over at JIG's Design Competition site to get the full effect. While I missed it when it came out (apparently there were a lot of design issues and bugs), I'm glad I played it eventually.

Basic gameplay is easy to grasp. Send your soldiers (pool balls) flying into the bombs to damage them. You only have three types of soldiers, basic, tank and specialist. The specialist can fire at targets or run into them.

The only complaints I have are minor. Scrolling is slow and can be tough to manage. And the music is quite repetitive (I eventually turned it off, leaving the sfx on). But other than that, the graphics are fun (note how the soldiers move when the ball is rolling!) and the dialogue is also fun.

I only had to reattempt a couple of levels more than once. The puzzle aspect of this game is fun, but linear.

Play Ballistic Wars at fizzlebot.