First, go to blustacks.com so that you can download BlueStacks.

Next, select the big, blue button that says “Download BlueStacks.”

You should now see the BlueStacks installer download and be able to click on it. The installer will then automatically open.

Select “Yes” to allow BlueStacks to make changes on your computer.

To start installation, click “Install Now.”

Allow the download to complete. Mine predicted 4 minutes, but took more like 1 minute. So, it’s fairly quick.

Now, allow BlueStacks to start up. This happens automatically, as soon as the installation is complete, of course.

Tap-to-play controls make Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ simple and easy for all age groups. When overwhelming waves of enemies are incoming, there’s no room for confusion or mistakes.

By tapping twice to build a tower and call the wave of enemies forwards (doing so early gets you extra gold), players can easily defeat enemies. In order to place Heroes, players simply tap on the card that shows that Hero, and then tap on the spot they want their Hero to attack. Players can also easily use powers the same way, first tapping the card and then the area of attack.

Basically, anyone can play Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+, not that it isn’t challenging because it certainly is.

Pros

• Tap-to-play simplistic controls.
• Simple tutorial teaches players how to use controls.
• Great for all age groups.
• Simple controls help reduce chaos when large waves of enemies are attacking.

Cons

• None!

The gameplay in Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ is, in a word, challenging. I’ve played quite a few castle to tower defense games. Generally, they are strategy-heavy games, whether they are mobile or not, and that’s to be expected.

Maybe, I am out of practice, but I found Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ tricky. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun, just that players should expect to be able to get three stars for every tower. They can definitely try, it just might take a bit of time and dedication. Of course, this is all dependent on what difficulty mode players chose. However, I found that even “Normal” mode was difficult and more challenging than I expected. And, though I expected “Casual” to be easy, it wasn’t much easier than “Normal.”

That didn’t stop me, though, from enjoying Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+, and spending many hours moving from tower to tower and wondering where my day went. For mobile gamers who love a tower defense game, previous Kingdom Rush games, or don’t mind a challenge, Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ is worth a try, because it’s both entertaining and challenging.

Difficulty modes

• Casual- For tower defense beginners.
• Normal- More challenging (“A good challenge!”)
• Veteran- Difficult (“Play at your own risk!”).
• Impossible- Not for the faint of heart (must first complete the campaign to play impossible mode).

Pros

• Seemingly endless variations of gameplay.
• Interesting enemies that help add to gameplay variation.
• Various unlockable towers with pros and cons that help increase strategy difficulty.
• Cool upgrades and unlockable Heroes.
• Relevant achievements that help make gameplay satisfying and worthwhile.

Cons

• Bugs that cause towers to cease attacking randomly.
• Other reported bugs related to gameplay, such as freezing or inaccuracy of attacks.
• Difficulty modes aren’t distinct enough. In particular, casual is not that much easier than “Normal.”

What stops Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ from being redundant and predictable is, in part, due to the various Enemies and Heroes. Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ includes 14 Heroes and over 60 Enemies, all with unique powers and abilities.

The Heroes in Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ are unique, ranging from Orcs to Vampires to Dragons, and while not all Heroes are as successful as others, each hero is unlocked as players advance and can be leveled up and used depending on what hero players prefer. What I took issue with in terms of Heroes is that I expected the heroes to keep getting stronger and better and more effective, but this is not necessarily the case. Some Heroes are simply better than other, so players will have to find out for themselves what they prefer based on their strategy and approach.

Enemies, however, are awesome. In fact, I found myself wanting to play as some of the strong, epic, creative enemies offered in Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+. All in all, with over 60 enemies ranging from Woodcutters to Alchemists to Nanoq Warbears, players will find that each new enemy comes with its own challenges and players will have to consider their actions based on those complex enemies.

Heroes

1. Veruk– An Orc Warrior
2. Asra– Deadly Shadow Assassin
3. Olach– Demon trained in dark arts
4. Margosa– Shapeshifting Vampire
5. Mortemis– An Old Wizard King
6. Tramin– Genius Inventor
7. Jigou– Powerful Ice Monster
8. Beresad– Gold hoarding Ancient Dragon
9. Doom Tank SG-11– Machine and “Harbinger of Doom”
10. Jun’Pai– Conqueror and “Deep Devil”
11. EisKalt– Son of Jokull and heir to the north
12. Murglun– Young Magma Dragon
13. Dianyun– The Dragon King
14. Jack O’Lantern– Skilled Knight and Jack O’Lantern Mercenary

Pros

• 16 unique Heroes to unlock.
• Over 60 creative enemies to fight.
• Challenge increases with each tower and as new enemies are introduced.

Cons

• As players unlock new heroes, they will find the next hero isn’t necessarily more powerful than the last. So, they may end up sticking with a previous hero that works for their gameplay.

Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ is a great addition to Apple Arcade, complete with comic-themed art, cute action fighting dialogue, and towers that get cuter and cuter as players advance. While gameplay is certainly challenging, that is kind of the point of a tower defense game.

Players should prepare to lose themselves in strategy, while unlocking Heroes, fighting over 60 Enemies, and enjoying what each tower throws at them.

Though there are still some bugs to be found in Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+, I didn’t find myself bogged down by those bugs, and those bugs were few and far between. For mobile gamers who love strategy and aren’t afraid of a challenge (I date them to play “Impossible” mode once they finish the campaign), Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+ is sure to offer them hours of entertainment, while still making them use their brains.

Pros

• Easy, tap-to-play controls.
• Cool Heroes and Enemies that make gameplay fun and entertaining.
• Relevant achievements and cool upgrades
• Challenging tower defense.

Cons

• Bugs that have yet to be fixed, as this is a new release.
• Difficulty modes aren’t as distinct as they could be.
• Heroes don’t necessarily get better as players advance and unlock them.

Unrailed! is a chaotic online and couch co-op multiplayer railroad construction game where you work together with your friends as a team to build a train track across endless procedurally generated worlds. Master encounters with its inhabitants, upgrade your train and keep it from derailing!’

Gather resources and craft tracks to extend your railroad to prevent your train from reaching the end. But watch out – there is only one tool of each type. Co-operation and co-ordination of your team is essential to survive this increasingly challenging journey!

Dig, Fight, Explore, Build: The very world is at your fingertips as you fight for survival, fortune, and glory. Will you delve deep into cavernous expanses in search of treasure and raw materials with which to craft ever-evolving gear, machinery, and aesthetics? Perhaps you will choose instead to seek out ever-greater foes to test your mettle in combat? Maybe you will decide to construct your own city to house the host of mysterious allies you may encounter along your travels?

The Epic Games Store has been around for a while, the lesser-known alternative to Steam, the nearly-ubiquitous platform for game purchases since it launched in 2003. But, where Steam originally existed and launched to promote Valve games, Epic Games Store launched in 2018 and quickly rose to success on the Fortnite franchise. At the time of Epic’s launch, Steam took a dramatic 30% cut from the sales of video games through their platform! This hurt both game designers and users, and just wasn’t very nice. But the folks behind Epic realized something excellent: they could take a much lower cut and still have a profitable business. This led them to fast domination of the indie market, as small publishers flocked to the far better terms offered by Epic.

Mega Discounts

Epic Games Store offers some seriously incredible discounts on a regular basis, in addition to all the normal discounts one would expect on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the usual holidays. But the most exciting is their weekly free game or add-on, which simply harpoons all competitors.

When I first heard about this free game, I thought that can’t be real. They must only offer tiny indie games. Not at all, dear reader. Not. At. All. Epic frequently lists unbelievable A-lister games on their weekly deal, as well as sometimes offer two free games instead of one. In addition, just because a studio is smaller doesn’t mean the games it makes aren’t impressive. I’ve picked up some of my favorite new games, for free, from this platform, and most of them have been made by smaller studios (or as side-projects for teams from big studios).

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, compiling your portfolio is arguably the most crucial step when it comes to any artistic or freelance work. Having a well curated portfolio gives your audience an overview of your work and what your skills are. With a portfolio, you can confidently pull from a pool of examples whenever asked.

There are many ways of creating your portfolio. Traditional artists rely on physical paper or canvas portfolios that usually clasp or zipper shut. Today, most digital artists use websites (whether personal or third party) to display their work. Third-party websites such as ArtStation or Deviantart offer a streamlined and straightforward way of sharing content by uploading your work to various galleries or folders on your profile, whereas creating a personalized website through a service such as SquareSpace or Wix can offer more of a polished feel to your portfolio.

So, which should you choose? That depends on a couple factors such how quickly do you want to share your work, how professional do you want your presentation to be, and if you’re willing to pay for a domain. If you’re more of a hobbyist that just wants to upload and share content, then a third party website will work just fine for you. If you’re considering showing your work to potential employers or clients, then you’ll want to put in the extra time to create a personal website. I personally recommend using Wix since I found it user-friendly, highly customizable, and the base product offers a free domain!

As daunting as our digital era and social media may be, social media is still a great tool when it comes to marketing and showing off your work. But which platforms should you choose?

Instagram is, of course, the largest and statistically most bustling platform when it comes to sharing art. TikTok has also risen in popularity when it comes to showing short, catchy clips of artists creating or showing off their artwork. Facebook allows for artists to share their work via a creator page or community page, but it relies heavily on community engagement and algorithms. Twitter is another platform where I personally see many artists sharing their work or engaging directly with their audience, but the shorthanded fast-paced nature of Twitter is more for people who are looking to actively converse with their audience over building or sharing their portfolio. Most artists I’ve seen use Twitter in tandem with one or two other platforms as a way of updating their audience. Lastly, there are platforms like Pinterest and Snapchat, which lean heavily on the visual allure like Instagram does, as well as professional sites like LinkedIn, but I haven’t personally seen a large number of artists actively engaging with their audiences on those sites due to the nature of said platforms.

My advice? Pick one or two platforms to start with and focus on curating your content. I know that there’s many experts out there that say you should be on every platform imaginable to hit the largest targeted audience, but unless you have a full-time business and possibly a social media assistant, it can be very taxing managing too many social media platforms at once. If you’re consistent and more focused on uploading quality content on one or two platforms, you’ll slowly begin to spread your work out into the world. Generally speaking, if people like your work and what you do, they will seek you out and follow you on your designated platforms.

Live streaming your art and process is another fantastic way to not only market your work but also engage with your audience. The two most commonly used streaming platforms are Twitch and Youtube, but I’ve also seen artists go live on Instagram as well!

There is, of course, somewhat of a time investment when it comes to streaming. You will need to figure out the best physical set up for streaming your work (usually by connecting your drawing tablet to your computer), and then choosing the best streaming software for your needs, such as OBS or Streamlabs. You will also need a microphone and potentially a webcam as well. Learning how to stream, working out a streaming schedule, and figuring out how to utilize streaming software and potentially add on programs can take some time, but able to share your process live while chatting with your audience building a community can be incredibly rewarding!

Aside from doing personal commissions, selling prints, stickers, and keychains of your work is the next best way to make money off your artwork! Once you have a decent stock, try looking in your local area for vendor fairs and apply as a vendor. You’d be surprised with how many seasonal fairs happen within your state! You can also try applying as a vendor for a convention. You may not immediately get into something as popular as Otakon or ComicCon, but there are plenty of smaller pop-culture fairs and conventions that are worth looking into. You may need to pay a small tabling fee for your assigned lot, but tabling can be such a great way to take part in an event and sell physical copies of your work face-to-face. Walking around the artists’ alley is a favorite pastime for many convention-goers!

You can also try your hand at creating an online store for your work whether that be through a personal website or through a third party site such as Esty! Many artists who table also have an online store. This is especially handy to have and share if you have extra prints of a certain piece or if you wind up selling out of something while tabling. Being able to offer a business card or a QR code with your online store can bring in more potential clients!

As you continue creating and marketing, you may eventually wind up networking with other artists. Sometimes, you might even be asked to collaborate with them! Collaborating on a large piece or doing a livestream together can help increase audience engagement and potential sales. Do not expect or assume other established artists will respond to your queries, though! You should always respect other artists’ boundaries. If the opportunity for a collab happens to come up organically, or if you have a genuinely serious and thought through proposal, then reach out to them via the appropriate channels and make a business inquiry. Professionalism, politeness, and thoughtful planning will go a long way as you continue on the road of being an artist!

Whenever you clean your Mac screen, always do the following:

1. Unplug any accessories, chargers, etc.
2. Turn off your Mac

It makes it much easier to see oily fingerprints, dust, etc. as you clean, if your Mac is not on. It also helps you avoid damaging any accessories or causing technical issues if you are using a damp cloth.

To clean your Mac you’ll need a cloth. Get either:

1. A dry microfiber cloth
2. A slightly damp microfiber cloth (make sure it is not too wet)

Your Mac usually comes with a cleaning cloth meant to clean your Mac screen.

Never use window cleaning solution or other strong chemicals to clean your Mac screen. They can degrade your screen over time, causing damage to your screen.

Optionally, if you have hard to clean oils on your Mac screen that water or the cloth alone aren’t removing, you can use alcohol, though this should be done sparingly. According to Apple, you should only use 70-percent isopropyl alcohol (IPA), if you do need to remove stubborn spots or oil. This is the safest option to get your screen clean without damaging it. It’s also affordable and should last a long time.

Now, gently wipe your screen. With your dry or wet microfiber cloth. Try doing it this way to avoid streaks:

1. Gently move clockwise in circles from left to right
2. Flatten the cloth and wipe horizontally from left to right and top to bottom

Never press hard on your Mac screen.

To avoid streaks, make sure the cloth is only slightly damp. It should never be wet enough to soak the screen and leave streaks.

This accessory might not seem like a necessity, but I tend to think it’s one of the better purchases a Mac user can make. There are many shortcuts that can make using a Mac easier, faster, and more convenient for its users.

Personally, knowing shortcuts like command + z (undo) has helped me to fix errors in my writing and get my work done more quickly. If you struggle to remember all the many macOS shortcuts, this thin Mac accessory is for you.

Price

$5.95

Brief Description

SYNERLOGIC Mac OS Keyboard Shortcut Vinyl Sticker is a thin, non-residue sticker that provides the most common shortcuts, resets, and key-combinations. Users simply stick the sticker on their MacBook, next to their trackpad, and use it whenever they need a handy shortcut or two.

Compatibility

This shortcut sticker will fit the following Macs if they are 13, 14, 15 or 16-inch Macs, but will not fit an 11 or 12-inch Mac:

• Macbook Pro
• Macbook Air
• iMac
• Mac Mini

Specs

• Size- 3.25 x 3.25 x 0.01 inches
• Color- Clear

Protecting your MacBook with either a sleeve or a case, or both if you truly want to protect it in all scenarios, is absolutely necessary. By having a soft sleeve like this one, you can protect your Mac when it is in your backpack, desk, etc.

Most cases are thin enough that Mac users can also have a case on their Mac and still fit in comfortably in a sleeve. Laptop sleeves like this one also help to protect cases that are really meant to protect their Mac while it’s being used, not when it’s in luggage, bags, or backpacks.

Price

$16.99

Brief Description

This laptop sleeve comfortably fits most MacBooks, depending on the size of your Mac and the size of the sleeve that you purchase, and helps to protect your MacBook and Mac case. It has various pockets that allow Mac users to store their chargers and other Mac accessories.

Compatibility

• MacBook Pro 14 inch (2021 and 2022)
• MacBook Air 13 inch (Older Version 2010-2017)
• MacBook Pro Retina (13 inch Older Version 2015 – end 2012)
• MacBook Pro 13 inch with CD-Rom (Old Version 2008 – early 2012)

Specs

• Size- Comes in 12.3, 13. 13.3, 15, 16, and 17.3 inches
• Colors- Comes in 31 various colors

Protecting your MacBook from dust, damage, and wear and tear, is the least you can do for your Mac. Constant typing and use really wears on your keyboard and trackpad, and as well-built as MacBook screens are, they can still be damaged.

By protecting them with screen protectors or keyboard protectors, you really can help your MacBook last longer and avoid costly repairs.

Price

$23.99

Brief Description

This protection kit is ideal, because it comes with protection for the keypad, trackpad, and display. Instead of needing to buy separate products for a bigger price tag, Mac users can get this all-in-one protection kit, so that their Mac lasts for many years of use. It also includes a sliding webcam cover.

Compatibility

• MacBook Air 13 inch Retina (2018-2021)

Specs

• Display size- 13 Inches
• Color- Transparent

Starting in 2015, Apple started including fewer ports in their Macs. This means, unfortunately, Mac users often need adapters to use their favorite accessories.

That makes this accessory essential for many Mac users, especially if they use many gadgets and accessories in conjunction with their Mac.

Price

$17.98

Brief Description

This USB C Hub adapter is a hub that comes with ports for SD cards, TF card readers, USB 3.0 ports, and additional ports for keyboard, mouse, and external drives, so that Macs with only few ports are able to connect to their owner’s favorite and most important accessories.

Compatibility

• MacBook Pro/Air M1 (2020 2019 2018)

Specs

• Weight- 0.353 ounces
• Ports- USB C charging port with power supply, SD card reader, TF card reader, 3 USB 3.0 ports , support for keyboard, mouse, USB driver, and external disk connection.

Most Mac users have no idea how to properly clean their Macs, which means Macs screens are being slowly but surely damaged by harmful chemicals or not cleaned at all.

So, having a reliable microfiber cleaning cloth, one especially formulated for cleaning Mac displays, is the best option for your screen cleaning needs.

Price

$8.99 ($1.50 per cloth)

Brief Description

These microfiber leaning cloths remove dust and fingerprints from pretty much anything, but work especially well for laptop and smartphone screens. They come in various size packs from a 2 pack to an “extra large pack,” and can also be used for cameras, TVs, and other delicate hardware that cannot withstand harsh chemicals.

Compatibility

• N/A

Specs

• Dimensions- 6.5 x 3.4 x 0.3 inches
• Weight- 0.32 ounces

There is nothing more convenient than doing your homework from the comfort of your couch with a lap desk. I would definitely recommend one of these to anyone with any kind of laptop.

Lap desks make working basically anywhere more comfortable and easier overall.

Price

$39.99

Brief Description

This lap desk fits laptops up to 15.6 inches, comes with a handy little phone slot, and also has a 5 X 9 inch mouse pad built into it. It can also be bought for either right or left-handed laptop users, and has decent cushioning for comfort.

Compatibility

• Laptops with the following dimensions: 21.1″ X 12″ and up to 15.6 inches

Specs

• Dimensions- 12 x 21.1 x 2.6 inches
• Weight- 2.14 pounds
• Come in both left and right-handed

A philosopher named Jean Baudrillard declared our age that of the “hyperreal”, a post-modern era where meaning has been distorted to a point of no return. I have to say, games like Lawn Mowing Simulator really bring his argument home to roost.

Experience the beauty and detail of mowing the Great British countryside in Lawn Mowing Simulator, the only simulator that allows you to ride an authentic and expansive roster of real-world licensed lawn mowers from prestigious manufacturers as you manage your business.

If you want something a bit more detailed, and but still within the agriculture theme, check out Hundred Days – Winemaking Simulator!

Winemaking could be your best adventure. Make the best wine interacting with soil and nature and take your winery to the top. Your beautiful journey into the winemaking tradition starts now.

The Epic Games Store has been around for a while, the lesser-known alternative to Steam, the nearly-ubiquitous platform for game purchases since it launched in 2003. But, where Steam originally existed and launched to promote Valve games, Epic Games Store launched in 2018 and quickly rose to success on the Fortnite franchise. At the time of Epic’s launch, Steam took a dramatic 30% cut from the sales of video games through their platform! This hurt both game designers and users, and just wasn’t very nice. But the folks behind Epic realized something excellent: they could take a much lower cut and still have a profitable business. This led them to fast domination of the indie market, as small publishers flocked to the far better terms offered by Epic.

Mega Discounts

Epic Games Store offers some seriously incredible discounts on a regular basis, in addition to all the normal discounts one would expect on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the usual holidays. But the most exciting is their weekly free game or add-on, which simply harpoons all competitors.

When I first heard about this free game, I thought that can’t be real. They must only offer tiny indie games. Not at all, dear reader. Not. At. All. Epic frequently lists unbelievable A-lister games on their weekly deal, as well as sometimes offer two free games instead of one. In addition, just because a studio is smaller doesn’t mean the games it makes aren’t impressive. I’ve picked up some of my favorite new games, for free, from this platform, and most of them have been made by smaller studios (or as side-projects for teams from big studios).