Megabits review: Fun battles by kid-friendly monster armies

In the new mobile app Megabits, players encounter an army of kid-friendly, nonthreatening monsters, rendered as pixelated, simple images reminiscent of Digimon and Pokémon. The object is to capture a team of monsters, who are then pitted against each other. Players get an arsenal of weapons and tools for attacking, healing and defense, along with extra power-up features such as energy potions, poison cures and speed boosts. The Cyclone is particularly effective for dispatching the monsters, but not always. There are human characters as well, like Officer McCloud, who asks, "Whatcha gonna do when my Megabits come for you?" The game is constantly evolving with new monsters and features every month, and you can play with friends or with other Megabits players.

RATING: 9+ (ages 9 and older)

PLOT: Create your own army of monsters.

DETAILS: Available for iPhones and iPads; free download (30-day trial) from the iTunes store, and then $1.99 a month or $20.99 a year

BOTTOM LINE: Monstrously good fun.