MoreGames' iDracula has finally made it into the App Store this morning for its introductory price of $0.99 [App Store].
The game is described as an "intense" survival shooter in which you must battle hordes of Vampires, Werewolves, Witches and Dracula himself. Early opinions on the game have been very positive. The game carries some wonderful artwork and feels quite polished. If you're looking for an action shooter, we don't think you'll be disappointed for $0.99.
In the app description, the developer promises two new levels, new creatures, a new weapon and new game mode in an upcoming update. The regular price is said to be $2.99.
Readers may remember our previous coverage of Passage [App Store, $0.99] by Jason Rohrer. Passage was Rohrer's critically-acclaimed game about life that lasts a mere five minutes. Individual interpretations of the game varied and resulted in a heated TouchArcade reader discussion on what qualifies as "art".
Well, Jason Rohrer is back in the App Store with the release of an original puzzle game called Primrose [App Store]. This game, however, is a more traditional departure for Rohrer.
Rohrer told us that his work in game design for the past three years has been involved in the more artistic side. After making eleven of these type of "art games" such as Passage, Rohrer says that Primrose is different.
When we asked him about his inspiration for this game, Rohrer provided the following in-depth answer:
Jason Rohrer: We all love deep, interesting games that might offer a lifetime of play, so why don't we make more of those?
That's what I set out to do with Primrose. After being inspired by Frank Lantz's game Chain Factor (Drop7 on the iPhone---get this game now), I realized that there are more possibilities in the realm of deep puzzle games than Tetris and Bejeweled clones. I studied a dozen or so puzzle games that offer deep, satisfying gameplay, and I picked them apart to see what makes their designs tick. I came up with a set of design principles that they all seem to follow, and then I looked for ways to satisfy those principles with new game mechanics. It turns out that there are lots of interesting games just waiting to be designed. Primrose happens to be one of them.
After settling on the basic game mechanics, I had to tweak the design a lot to make it work in practice---to prevent games from lasting forever and so on. That took a lot of work, but I'm very happy with the result.
The game is being simultaneously released on iPhone, Mac, Windows, and GNU/Linux platforms today (probably here), but the iPhone version appears to be the first one available. Rohrer did all the coding, graphics and sound for all the platforms releases and spent time making Primrose a well behaved iPhone application. Primrose's sounds can play along with your music and game resumes perfectly after an interruption or phone call.
The game itself is hard to explain, so I've included a brief gameplay video. You are given random pairs of colored tiles that you must place on a 7x7 grid. The first tile can be placed anywhere while the second tile must be placed in the same row or column. When a group of one color is surrounded by another color, that group of tiles is cleared and the surrounding tiles flip colors allowing chain reactions to occur.
While the gameplay video provides a brief glimpse of the mechanics of the game, it was recorded on one of our first plays so doesn't represent any real coherent strategy.
We've only spent a brief amount of time with it so we can't give a qualified impression, but the app and gameplay seem solid. Rohrer accurately describes it as "a small bit like Go and Othello (if either of those were one-player games), a small bit like Lights Out, and a big bit like nothing you've every played before."
One of our regular forum users has already composed some thoughts on his very early experience with the game and found it the gameplay to be nice and feels drawn to play it further. He also feels that its "recommended for sure" for puzzle gamers. One helpful note is the recommendation to assign yourself a name (Edit Name) before starting your first game so high scores are accurately saved.
A few other nice touches to the game is the inclusion of a global high score in which moves are saved. This means you can actually watch and playback the high score games to improve your strategy. Primrose also offers a color-blind mode.
EA's Craig Law has provided us with some of the first screenshots from EA's upcoming Tiger Woods '09 iPhone game. The game was officially announced back in September but a release date has not yet been set.
Law reports that the game is still in development and is still "a couple months away from release".
If you had any interest in this curious title, here's your chance to try it. Namco has released a free Lite version of I Love Katamari [App Store, Free].
The full version of the game [App Store, $7.99] was released back in December but had some notable performance issues. Two updates later, things seem better, but now you have a chance to try it yourself.
The game involves rolling a magical, highly adhesive ball called a katamari around various locations, collecting increasingly larger objects. The Lite version of the game contains a full level of Time Attack Mode where you make a katamari as large as possible within the time limit.
iPhone publisher Chillingo, who most recently brought us Vector Tanks, has a number of games "in the oven" right now. Among them is an iPhone conversion of the mobile 3D adventure The Quest.
THE QUEST is a graphically stunning, engaging and sinister world full of magic, music and provocative challenges.
Choose from five customizable races and an array of skills, attributes, weapons, armor and enchantments, then explore a huge non-linear realm of four different cities and a wilderness of mountains, caves, lakes and forests.
Play an absorbing card game, solve brain-teasing quests and clash with dangerous opponents in this turn- and skill-based role playing game.
You will have many choices, including some that may place you against the law, along your way to the dramatic end of your own choosing. You will need all your gaming know-how to survive and discover your destiny!
Oldschool gamers may find The Quest reminiscent of a combination of The Bard's Tale and Dungeon Master--not quite real-time, first-person 3D.
The Quest is currently in beta and we expect it to be released in the very near future. We'll take a closer look when the game hits the App Store. Users who want to get a rough feel for the iPhone version can download a free trial version of the game for Windows, Palm, and Pocket PC at Chillingo's ClickGamer game page.
Gotta hand it to Ngmoco for mixing it up and not standing still. Ngmoco has posted details about their next game for the iPhone and iPod Touch: TouchPets Dogs.
In Touch Pets Dogs, players adopt, nurture and play with their virtual puppies through one-on-one touch screen interaction or on play dates with other players’ dogs from around the world. The ambitious Touch Pets social network, embedded within the game, allows owners and dogs alike to build relationships with other players and their Touch Pets. Puppies’ social lives continue to evolve whether their owners are logged into the game or not, and the results are broadcast for the world to see on the Touch Pets social network dog feed.
The design of Touch Pets is led by Andrew Stern, one of the original creators of Virtual Babyz, Dogz and Catz.
The 3-D pups can be personalized with new clothing, accessories, toys, grooming tools and other doggie gear. There are 5 breeds to choose from, and can be trained to fetch, catch and do tricks using a variety of touch and tilt controls. Dogs can grow into one of 5 careers (Crime-fighting, Science, Rescue, Fashion and Political tracks) with dozens of career missions available to play.
Ngmoco provides this trailer video:
We first heard mention of TouchPets Dogs at the iPhone Intelligence Party at Macworld San Francisco 2009 in early January. The game is due for a Spring 2009 release.
As promised, TransGaming has delivered a free trial version of Puzzle Quest [App Store, Free].
This introduction to Puzzle Quest offers you the ability to create your hero, embark on some quests, and learn to battle on the head-to-head puzzle board.
To further stimulate sales, TransGaming has also simultaneously dropped the price of the full version of Puzzle Quest down from $9.99 to $7.99 [App Store]. As we previously reported, the full version of Puzzle Quest will be getting a Chapter 2 update included in the coming weeks. This should offer over 40+ hours of gameplay total.
Puzzle Quest is a very highly rated game on multiple platforms. If you've never played the game, you might be surprised by fun to be had in an RPG Match-3 game. With a free trial version now, there's no reason not to try.
StarByte has posted a preview video of their upcoming first-person shooter NEX. The game is described as a squad based cooperative first person shooter:
You are in charge of a small human commando squad battling terrifying hoards of violent aliens in dark, gloomy, confined spaceship wastelands.
You’ll need razor-sharp reactions during solo missions and a combination of aggression and strategic planning when controlling your commando squad if you are to have any hope of meeting your varied mission objectives.
During these missions you’ll encounter a range of alien threats, culminating in an epic battle against the all-powerful leader of the alien race. Starting only with a basic Electro-Laser, you can collect ammunition upgrades for more power and also flame thrower ammunition. Next you’ll need to lay mines, rescue prisoners, set timed explosives, strategically seal off vital areas and defy mind-control tricks often in a fast paced race against time.
Depending on the mission you need to complete, you could be in charge of a squad of commandos which you must give orders to. These orders include "move", "follow" and "guard". Squad members will automatically fire at an alien presence and some missions will require you to work as a team to complete your objective.
The game is wrapping up development and will likely be released sometime in March.
FORMation Alliance's new iPhone game KERN [App Store] is a bit of a curiousity, but one that seems certain to build a dedicated fan base amongst designers.
The gameplay involves properly aligning a letter into its proper place in a specific word and font:
A random type-centric word with a missing letter appears at a variable point size. As the leading begins to shrink, you navigate the missing letter to the proper space and release its handle to lock it in place. The placement accuracy is measured and your score is calculated based on the size of the type, the leading height, and the perfection of placement—all measured in points. If you miss by too much and form an unnecessary ligature, one of your five ligature tokens will be lost. Lose all five ligatures and your game is finished. How many points will you Kern?
Points are accumulated based on how close to the proper spacing you get as well as the distance from which you lock in your answer. The video shows a good example of gameplay (music not included):
The game's reasonably fun to play even if you don't have typographical experience, but I imagine it will hold a special place the hearts of those who do.
Back in November we covered Onyx Online from Steve Demeter of Demiforce, maker of Trism. Onyx Online is Steve's attempt to bring all the gaming community goodness of the Xbox Live Arcade to the iPhone platform.
In a nutshell, Onyx Online is the XBox Live Arcade ecosystem brought to the iPhone. I wrote this kind of system into Trism as a case study, and it’s been a complete success. Since Trism launched in July, we’ve been hard at work adapting this online code for use in any iPhone game, and the results are stunning. What we’re going to do is allow any developer to insert the Onyx code into their game, which will instantly enable online scoring, achievements, leaderboards, and customized forums.
As Offworld reports, Steve's not the only one working to bring an open community to the platform we all know and love. The makers of Aurora Feint, Danielle Cassley and Jason Citron, are throwing their hat into the iPhone social network ring. They have launched OpenFeint.
Currently available for private beta, Danielle and Jason will host the server (compatible with Google's OpenSocial REST API) and is available through the OpenFeint Client code library and sample UI code. They are planning to keep the platform free for developers up to an unspecified "limited" number of concurrent clients. The product goes live in March.
What OpenFeint offers:
-- Profiles: Players can upload any avatar photo or one from their phone's camera
-- Walls: Each player gets a wall where other players can leave comments and view wall-to-wall conversations
-- Asynchronous Real-Time Chat: Game-specific chat rooms for meeting other players, sharing tips, strategies and experiences within each game community
-- Friends List: Players can friend other players within their game community or across the gaming community
-- Newsfeeds: Players can keep in touch with all of their friends' activities (wall comments, actions in games, befriending people)
-- Global Community Chat: Game-independent rooms for players to discuss recommendations, tips, and experiences on other games
Stay tuned for more info on both OpenFeint and Onyx Online as it surfaces. In my opinion, Apple should have set this up in the first place. Let's hope, absent that, a third party solution can successfully bring iPhone platform gamers together in a meaningful way.
The iPhone and iPod touch platform has seen numerous racing games hit the App Store in recent months that showcase the devices ability to run graphics at high speed with decent frame rates to boot.
Most of these games, albeit graphically appealing, are your typical street and track racers with few unique perks that really set them apart from each other.
SlotZ Racer [App Store] was one of the first games to break the mold and really bring back that old nostalgia of racing when you were a kid (and I'm not talking about video games). SlotZ Racer puts you back in your fleece jumpsuit pajamas with a plastic Tyco trigger grip in hand for some down home electric slot racin'!
With a one of a kind physics feel, tracks that make your finger beg to let up and a new way of making your own custom tracks, SlotZ Racer promises to stay snuggled your devices dock screen for some time.
Touch Arcade had the pleasure of chatting with Aaron “Zwilnik” Fothergil (pictured)l, Lead Programmer of SlotZ Racer, one of the more popular and unique racing games for the "iPlatform". We got more than we expected out of Aaron as he explained what it took to develop and extensively update this racer and also what's in store for SlotZ future. Can you say Wi-Fi multiplayer? Also, exclusive screenshots of our discussions content.
Earlier this month we previewed a then-unnamed upcoming flying game from GameResort, makers of Downhill Bowling. Since then the game has received both a name, Biplane: Wings of Raccoon [link], and a spot in the App Store.
Biplane features nine courses and two modes of play: Arcade and Race.
In Arcade, you basically try to shoot down as many enemy targets as you can to get the highest score. Ships spawn crates (yes, good old crates) which you can pick up and drop on a specific target for additional points.
In Race mode, there are 9 different courses where you have to fly through a series of hoops in sequence. We use the same mechanics (shoot stuff down, pick up and deliver crates) except that it gives you a time bonus.
The game utilizes accelerometer flight controls with on-screen touch zones for firing and activating a temporary speed boost. As can be seen from the developer's demonstration video, Biplane is a cartoonish flyer that does not strive to provide a realistic flight experience; it's all about bullseyeing targets, blowing up enemies, and racking up the most points possible.
Biplane: Wings of Raccoon debuted yesterday and has been well received by our forum readers.
When I think back to the magical wonder that was the '80s video arcade, certain particular sights and sounds spring to mind as I gaze nostalgically out towards the horizon. I recall the ever-present tinkle of the change machine. I recall the electric glow of all CRTs ablaze with pixellated goodness. I recall the ozone charged smell of electric wonder in the air. And I recall certain key games.
Robotron. Ms. PAC-MAN. Space Invaders. Tempest. Donkey Kong.
Yes, Atari's first-person, vector-based tank shooter all wrapped up in a wonderfully imposing up-right cabinet. Battlezone. I feel like it's part of my DNA.
And so does Retro Overlord Peter Hirschberg. This is why Battlezone is proudly represented in his amazing Luna City Arcade located in Northern Virginia.
Now, one would think that a man with such a magical cave of retro delight in which to daily dwell would be satisfied with the arcade goodness found within. But not Peter. Peter got greedy. He wanted the goodness of Battlezone in his pocket--with him at all times. What's more, he has attempted to one-up the legendary green-and-black tank shooter and inject a bit of modern vitality into the tried and true formula.
Well, there was no stopping him. Peter Hirschberg has just released Vector Tanks [App Store] for the iPhone and iPod touch through the iTunes App Store (published by Chillingo).
Vector Tanks feels like Battlezone2.0. It's a first-person 3D tank shooter with a vector-based battlefield display akin to the classic we know so well, but it features certain modern touches that give the game a fresh, new feel while not sullying the core retro gameplay. The notable enhancements include semi-translucent vectors that glow with a warmth reminiscent of arcade CRTs of old, a smooth inertial "sway" to the motion of the tank, and a convincing jolt resulting from the shockwave of near-proximity explosions. It all fits together nicely.
The game places the player on the aforementioned vector-based battlefield in a futuristic tank. The landscape is littered with simply-shaped obstacles that can be used to shield against enemy fire. The on-screen enemies are tanks and jeeps. Tanks are slow-moving and dangerous, capable of firing volleys of shells in an attempt to turn your tank into slag. Jeeps are more nimble and provide a bonus when destroyed by weaponry or crushing impact. (With every third enemy tank destroyed, the difficulty moves up a notch.) Several power-ups are strewn about the battlefield and can be collected to aid in battle: Rapid Fire helps with moving targets, Nuke delivers a powerful blast that can take out several enemies at once, and Shields protects against enemy fire and the Nuke shockwave, but not land mines. Oh yea--watch out for the land mines.
In the absence of a cabinet with dual analog sticks, the tank is controlled by way of touch control at the left and right edges of the iPhone's screen; each thumb controls a set of tracks. Both left and right thumbs forward = full speed ahead. Left thumb forward, right thumb back = a quick turn to the right, and so forth. Firing is handled by a tap to the center reticle. The controls work quite well and do a fine job of preserving the unique dual-handed control of the arcade classic.
I've spent over a week with Vector Tanks and can say that it brings quality arcade action that takes me back to the arcades of my youth. It includes most of the charm of the original bundled up in a polished, "future retro" package that's hard to put down. While it's is a no-brainer for retro fans, any iPhone gamer who enjoys a nice action title may find Vector Tanks worth a look.
Have a look at our gameplay video to get a feel for the action.
Peter indicates that a future version will feature helicopters and possibly rocket ships, so those lamenting the game's lack of aerial opponents (the Battlezone UFO!) need not fret. What's more, frequent updates is the plan, says Peter.
Vector Tanks is a Battlezone remake with a "future retro" feel. It's great fun and is perhaps the most enjoyable retro offering to be found in the App Store.
FDG Entertainment has released a Free lite version [App Store, free] of their excellent puzzle game Bobby Carrot Forever [App Store, $7.99]. We reviewed the full version of the game in January and found it to be a "must have" for puzzle gamers:
Bobby Carrot Forever is a level-based puzzle game that requires you to navigate obstacles in order to collect all the carrots and reach the exit. 60 levels provide a refreshingly challenging puzzle game that offers well over 15 hours of gameplay. This game is easily a “must have” for fans of the genre and is also highly recommended for others.
A 1.05 version update for the full version was recently released which adds a number of features that were requested by our forum members. These include a "swipe" control method, auto flip screen and some minor bug fixes. The developers have also let us know they will be quickly following up with some additional interface tweaks in a 1.1 update (quicker level reset, level select) "soon".
More Levels
Following the 1.1 release will be another free update which will add a 7th World called "Surreal" to the full version of the game. This 3-star difficulty world will introduce a new music track and will be accessible with a "secret entrance". This should add more play-time to the already 15+ hours of gameplay.
Win a Copy
FDG Entertainment is giving away 5 copies of the full version ($7.99) of the game to TouchArcade readers. Only available for U.S. residents:
1) Play the entire Lite version and count all carrots you must collect
2) Send an email to win@fdg-entertainment.com with the following information: the Subject "TouchArcade" and the body of the email with the number of carrots from step #1 and your name or nickname.
3) Send the email within 24 hours of the posting of this article
4) Winners selected at random from pool of correct answers. Winners announced within 48 hours
Winners:
The correct answer was 51 and the following readers won: DonBurns99, Fleabag323, hollerbee, Ryan, and Kevin. Congrats!
For some reason, certain upcoming games seem to capture the imagination of our readers, and this time around it's Moregames' iDracula which is being published by Chillingo.
As a survival shooter, the game appears to be a simpler affair than some had hoped but this new gameplay video gives you a taste of the action:
Directional and shooting controls are handled independently with two control sticks. The game is expected to be released on February 20th.
This is not a RPG kind of game by any means. It has no storyline, no NPC, no other locations. It is actually the same genre as Crimsonland or Alien Shooter on a PC - only one level, but a lot of replayability to beat the high score. There's also a Perk system like the one in Crimsonland or Fallout, it adds to replayability, too.
However, it's just amazingly fun - the video is on early stages of the game, and doesn't show the real fun behind.
The game will initially have one level (come on, it's .99), however the update will be released in less than 2 weeks. This update will include more monsters, two new levels and probably new game modes. Probably more perks and some other features too.
Also, please understand that $.99 price is the introductory price, while the normal price is $2.99.
We are also considering a "premium" version of the game, which will include a RPG-like system, a story, lots of levels and different actions (and obviously, a higher price).
To answer the latest question - it's not the autofire. You can release the button and the character stops shooting.
iPhone publisher Chillingo, who most recently brought us 
Back in November we covered 
When I think back to the magical wonder that was the '80s video arcade, certain particular sights and sounds spring to mind as I gaze nostalgically out towards the horizon. I recall the ever-present tinkle of the change machine. I recall the electric glow of all CRTs ablaze with pixellated goodness. I recall the ozone charged smell of electric wonder in the air. And I recall certain key games.
Well, there was no stopping him. Peter Hirschberg has just released Vector Tanks [
In the absence of a cabinet with dual analog sticks, the tank is controlled by way of touch control at the left and right edges of the iPhone's screen; each thumb controls a set of tracks. Both left and right thumbs forward = full speed ahead. Left thumb forward, right thumb back = a quick turn to the right, and so forth. Firing is handled by a tap to the center reticle. The controls work quite well and do a fine job of preserving the unique dual-handed control of the arcade classic.
