‘Cube Runner’: A Free Download From Andy Qua
posted July 11th, 2008 8:18 PM EDT by blakespot in Free, Racing, Reviews, iPhone games, iPod touch gamesThe iTunes App Store just landed and there are lots of games out there. I doubt anyone has had a chance to experience them all–we here at Touch Arcade surely haven’t. It’s been a rather busy day.
That said, in my admittedly limited expierience of the full game catalog, here at the close of the iPhone 3G / iPhone 2.0 launch day, I must point to Cube Runner [App Store] as the best value title I’ve yet encountered on the App Store. It’s free. And it’s fun.
The author Andy Qua describes Cube Runner:
Cube Runner is a game for the iPhone and iPod Touch where the aim is to fly your ship across a terrain littered with Cubes. No-one knows how the cubes got there but you need to get through them.
Key features:
- Fast 3D graphics
- Intuitive controls - use the built-in accelerometer to fly across the terrain.
- Downloadable Layout Packs - Create your own layouts and share them.
As the YouTube video illustrates, the graphics are simple. The gameplay is moreso. But it’s amazing fun. Don’t miss it.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Looks like a port of Cubefield.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
do not neglict to hit the “i” button on the bottom right of the home screen to change the orientation to landscape (as in the movie).
It wasn’t obvious at first… I played in portrait thinking how much better it would be in landscape.
arn
July 12th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Excellent strategy! Release a FREE, quality product, so everyone gets it, make sure it’s really great, and you’ll have loyal fans who’ll pay for the next app from you based on the quality of the first one.
Thats how the big companies should have done it.
July 12th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
This has got to be one of the best free games out there. It’s amazing. I would like to see a spruced up version at the 4.99 price point in the future. Perhaps with shooting enemies or spiffy new visuals. Anyhow, this game is awsome. I was also looking for a way to get in landscape. I’m going to try it out right now.
July 13th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Despite paying for a couple of other games, this is actually the one I’ve been playing most. The controls are perfect — not too sensitive, but very responsive — and the gameplay is really addictive.
Hopefully he’ll update it with extras at some point too, I’d like to see collectable power ups that give you, I dunno, temporary invincibility etc. Would add a bit of strategy to the game… Wouldn’t mind paying a couple of quid for it either.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
This game is a lot of fun. It makes me want someone to port Spectre Supreme to the iPhone platform. That game was awesome!
July 14th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Even though it shows in the full app list in the NZ store, it’s not available for download here - boooo! How do they discern between what apps to put in each country’s store?
July 14th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Now the game is only listed in the “All Free Applications” section of the AppStore (it cannot be found anywhere else) and when we attempt to download it or to view its product page we are greeted with the following message: “The item you tried to buy is no longer available.”
Could you investigate why the game was removed? I’d be curious to know what happened. Thanks.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Not available in the US store?
July 14th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Now I don’t even see it in the All Free Applications section. I have a hunch that it will come back as a “not so free” program.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:44 am
So sad it’s not available in the U.S.!
July 14th, 2008 at 11:06 am
it used to be avail in the US. it just seems to be in transition. hopefully it’ll be back up soon
July 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Yes, a Touch version of Spectre would be awesome with wifi multiplayer. I would definitely pay for that.
I don’t really want fancy graphics, wireframe is totally fine with me. I just want a simple, fast multiplayer game with great accelerometer control.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Cube Runner will be back in the App Store hopefully very soon and will remain free of charge. More info will appear on my site shortly.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I emailed the developer… he replies:
“Cube Runner will be back in the App Store very soon.
Regards
Andy”
July 14th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Thank you Andy!
July 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Great app, one of the best games available (or not?) Wanted to write a review but couldn’t find it in the app store?
However, this game will keep me occupied until someone ports Wipeout to the iPhone. I mean come on if any game should be ported Wipeout has to be it.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
looks great
July 14th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
@Iain: Sony owns Psygnosis who published Wipeout. I love Wipeout…
http://flickr.com/photos/blakespot/2379757063/in/set-72157604341850766/
…but it will never come to the iPhone. (…Sony PSP)
July 15th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I Love this game…I’ve been playing it for hours.
But, I have discovered a glitch. If you’re on easy mode (not sure about the others, haven’t tested) and you hit the sleep key on the ipod touch, and then unlock it again, all the blocks disappear….and you get to go infinite. I’m not sure if you have to wait a while or if there are any other conditions or etc. But it’s just a heads up.
I’m not criticizing this game or anything, cuz I really really like it. It’s just something to take note of.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Andy put an update on his site:
http://andyqua.co.uk/CubeRunner/News.html
July 16th, 2008 at 9:47 am
@blakespot
If they can make ‘The Force Unleashed’ for the iPhone http://gizmodo.com/5025682/iphone-meet-star-wars-the-force-unleashed then they can easily make Wipeout.
COME ON SONY!! Lets get a petition going!!
July 19th, 2008 at 8:43 am
fyi - cube runner seems to be back in the store!
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284596345&mt=8
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:16 am
Excellent review Arn. Thanks for taking the time to really flesh out the game. Lots of reviews out there are so thin.
July 30th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I love this app but no longer have 2.0, is it possible to get through installer in the future if not yet? What’s the pc version called?