Sally's Spa

There are now hundreds of games available for play on the iPhones. Like the commercial says, there's an app for that, and with that statement there is a game for everyone. I found it hard at first to play games on the iPhone; using the touch screen and tilting it back and forth, like I was playing a Wii, I became frustrated. So most games I just dismissed as pointless. Recently, while reading about iPhone apps, I came across a game that was the number one most downloaded game. Interiuged by the name, Sally's Spa, I thought I would give the game a chance. Instantly I became addicted.

The game starts off with the player being Sally, a girl who has been asked to help run a friends spa. The player begins in Laguna Beach California and the basis of the game is simple, direct the costumers to what they request. Each costomer who comes into the spa has above their heads what service they would like. Generally they start off with the sauna and move to a facial. Afterward they can choose to have a massage, hot tub experience and then they are done. It isn't until you progress farther into the game do more services become available; eyebrow tweezing, hot stones, bath bombs, and manicures and pedicures. Don't get too excited, with the added services, being able to manage all of your costomers and keep them happy becomes harder. But that was what I liked about the game.

During game play, certain costomers come in and the game does a good job at pre-warning the player on how each will act and tip. The easiest are the goths although low tippers. They are relatively very patient so its easy to skip over them and move onto the more inpatients and higher tipping costumers such as the bride-to-be or the fashiontias. These costomers will not be pleased if they wait too long and Sally will loose much needed tips that are used to buy equipment for the spa.

After every level, Sally gets a chance to spend her hard earned cash. Upgrades are available on everything found in the spa. I recommend buying more help. It helps move the game along smoother when things start to get busy. Buying a more lite weight outfit for Sally is a necessity. It will help her move through the spa quicker keeping all the customers happy and patient. There are also candles for sale and each does a different thing. The heart candles when lit give everyone an extra heart boost, this helps keep the customers happy and patient. Also available are patient candles and big spender candles. Be careful when you lite them, only use the heart boost and patient ones when the spa is full. This way you get a bigger effect. The big spender candles should be used only when there is a line at the counter while cashing everyone out.

In order to play this game for iPhone, be prepared to do a lot of dragging and tapping on the screen. This games makes using a touch screen a piece of cake; the goal of the iPhone. When the spa becomes busy, up to fifteen people at a time, take a second and manage who is in need of being helped. See who wants to go to what service next, then tap them and they will move on. If they are waiting for a service from you, such as facials or eyebrow tweezing, tap them and they will have a number above their head notifying when you can get to them. The best part of the game on the iPhone is the ability to see the entire screen. This way there is no slowing down what needs to get done and your time management skills will shine.

Always watch the costumers facial expression and the boxes over their head, they can become frustrated as a ball of frazzlement forms above their head. When this happens try to calm them if you are unable to service them. A cup of green tea, a magazine, or lighting a candle will help, otherwise they will walk out and it is less money for you.

The games colors and music are relaxing, just like being in a real spa. There never is a time when one would find themselves annoyed by the images which helps as players try to stay calm when things get busy.

This game is not only available for the iPhone, but for Verizon's first version of the iPhone, the LG Dare. Being an owner of the Dare and stumbling across this game for it, I became excited. I had beat Sally's Spa for the iPhone and wanted to play again; so I dished over the eight dollars and downloaded the game. At first it seemed the same with a few added details. Players could now choose to play survival mode where costumers continue to come in until you can no longer handle it. The screen, my number one complaint was not big enough to see the enitre spa, so a lag in game play occurs. Also, the LG Dare's touch response is not as senstive as the iPhone is, so tapping the screen several times to get the desired action is needed.

Several added and changed parts of the game are noted. With the iPhone's version, players could easily do hot stone massages by tapping on the stone needed. For the Dare, players must swap stones in order to keep the customer happy. With the Dare's poor touch response, this sometimes can lead to unwanted moves leaving the customer unhappy and less tips. Another problem with the Dare's version is lighting the candles. It sometimes takes several hits, moving the screen back and forth, causing the player to lose track of where they are at, and sometimes the candle won't light at all.

I was highly disappointed with Verizon's version of this game as it requires more patience when playing it. So as I reviewed this game, I thought I should inform all users that the game is fun but use caution when purchasing it for anything other than the iPhone. I recommend that everyone at least give the game a chance. It is a game that for people who like to manage, would love. Even the movie star Megan Fox as recently admitting to being addicted to the game. So if that is not incentive enough to try it out, I don't know what is beside I would give this game a 10 out of 10 for the iPhone and a 6 out of 10 for the LG Dare.