A few weeks ago I reviewed Xpressed's UniWar [App Store] and while it exceeded all of my expectations for a good turn based strategy game on the iPhone, it wasn't without its flaws. Last night UniWar 1.0.1 hit the App Store--The first of a set of two updates aimed at squashing bugs, adding functionality, and addressing the issues brought up by the UniWar community.

The most notable changes of 1.0.1 are all maps in both VS and Solo modes will be unlocked by default, adding much needed flexibility to playing individual maps without needing to worry about progression through the game. Also, while competing online in multiplayer battles, the default time limit is set to one day, but still can be changed to ten minutes.

While these two changes are minor, they're nothing compared to what Xpressed had in store for us in our exclusive first look at their next update. The biggest complaint we saw on our forums was the lack of adjustable difficulty when fighting the AI opponent. Veterans of turn  based strategy games felt it was too easy, and people new to the genre thought it was too difficult. The next version of UniWar will feature three adjustable levels of difficulty, which hopefully will allow for players of all skill levels to enjoy the single player game.

UniWar's online component is also being greatly enhanced. In my review I mentioned how I liked the email alert system, but felt it was far too spammy for my tastes as an average game would produce upwards of 25 emails. Thankfully, soon we'll be able to choose two new options for how alerts are handled. Aside from the standard alert system as it exists now, players can also have the UniWar servers only send you an email when there are 30 minutes left in your turn as well as disabling notifications completely while logged in.

The notification changes go hand in hand with the new 3 minute "real-time" game mode for faster multiplayer games, but don't worry if you get distracted and miss a turn. Instead of being kicked from a game for not responding within the time limit of your turn, UniWar will allow for three skips per game before a player is at risk of being booted. For players who have found themselves enjoying the team based multiplayer maps, Xpressed is adding the ability to only chat with your team, as well as the standard chat system as it exists now.

Last, but certainly not least, are options to toggle both the sound and music, which will allow players to listen to their own songs and podcasts while waging war against their human or AI opponents.

UniWar has been a surprise success, and at at the initial launch price of 99¢ it skyrocketed up the sales charts. Since then Xpressed has raised the price to $2.99, but with one update already released and another fantastic one on the way, UniWar is still an amazing value even at the incresed price point.

App Store Link: UniWar, $2.99

At GDC 2009 we spent some time with Glu Mobile previewing a number of upcoming titles.  One of them was the Cops and Robbers, a (foot) racing / acrobatic game in which you and your roommate are strapped for cash and can't pay the rent.  The solution?  Turning to a life of crime.

The game involves running through a series of city levels that have a Crash Bandicoot feel and involve parkour-like moves while collecting diamonds to pay the landlord.

The game features a very interesting twist on the "ghost" re-play mechanic.  Once you've completed a level as one of the robbers, you can then replay it as a cop chasing your robber ghost. So you must best your previous time in order to "catch" yourself.  After that, you're back to a robber being chased your cop ghost.  A very clever mechanic that ensures replayability.

Glu just sent us a series of screenshots that illustrate what the game is all about.

See our video of the game in action.  (Due to the loud ambient noise, we simply muted the audio. The final game, of course, has appropriate sound effects.)

[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

Cops and Robbers is set to debut in the App Store in early May.  Stay tuned for a closer look when the game goes live.

Gameloft's Terminator Salvation is a highly anticipated game based on the movie of the same name that we've been keeping a very close eye on.

By controlling both John Connor, leader of the human resistance and Marcus Wright, a terminator who believes himself to be human, players will battle SkyNet in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.

This afternoon Gameloft released a gameplay trailer which should leave fans of the Terminator series hungry for its release, as well as piquing the interest of anyone looking for an action packed third person shooter.

Last week we previewed a development build of this graphically impressive title. Terminator Salvation is scheduled for release during the first week of May at a premium price-point of $7.99 to $9.99. Look forward to detailed coverage as more information becomes available to us.

Meanwhile, Gameloft announced today that they had acquired the mobile game rights to another upcoming movie, Sherlock Holmes.

A dynamic new portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous character, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his trusted colleague Watson (Jude Law) on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.

Given Gameloft's strong performance with iPhone games, it seems certain that this title will also be coming to the iPhone and iPod touch as well later this year.

Stephanie Morgan out at ngmoco made a blog post providing new details about the studio's upcoming 3D tower defense game Star Defense as well as a new video of the game in action.

If you’ve been following the TCI Briefings, you already know that the S’rath are bent on destroying our mining outposts. You’ll need a tight defense if you are to have any hope of repelling their attacks. That’s why the Task Force is taking a closer look at the tower upgrades and S’Rath enemy classes found within Star Defense.

As you’ll see in the footage, each tower type has its own weapon attribute—like physical attack or electrical charge—that can be upgraded three times to improve damage, reload times, and target area.

Understanding each tower’s strengths is essential to survival because—you guessed it—various S’Rath units are equipped with their own set of resistances. That means your cunning array of fire-spewing turrets might not be as powerful as you expected against certain enemy waves.

We spent considerable time with Star Defense at Ngmoco during GDC 2009 and found it to be very playable, with natural controls and great responsiveness.

Star Defense TCI Briefing 04.23 from ngmoco:) on Vimeo

Madgarden has released an update to its Choplifter-inspired rescue action shooter Saucelifter [App Store] for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Gameplay involves flying your saucer to the Earth prison barracks, blasting open the doors, picking up your captive crewmates, and dropping them off at the transporter where they're beamed safely back to your alien world.  This is made challenging by evil Earth forces, including tanks, laser turrets, and flying attack drones.

The version 1.1 update includes:

• Real-time Day/night cycle
• New enemy superguns
• Persistent initials for easier high-score entry
• Additional tilt sensitivity level
• Manual high-score table view (touch "Saucelifter!" title)
• Various visual and audio enhancements
• Improved menu behavior

See our review (with video) of the initial release version of the game.

App Store Link: Saucelifter, $1.99

Freeverse adds yet another title to their successful iPhone lineup with Flick NBA Basketball [App Store]. While Flick NBA Basketball may actually be one of the most immersive iPhone sports game out there due to an excellent use of 3D graphics and sound, it may not fulfill the depth that most gamers are looking for in a $4.99 iPhone title.

Flick NBA Basketball comes with over two dozen basketball players, representing every team in the league who can be use to play the following events:

• 3 Point Shootout
• Hotshot Arcade
• Long Range Challenge
• H.O.R.S.E.

Also included is a mini-game where you spin a basketball on a virtual finger. All of the included games make good use of touch controls, and the finger in the ball spinning mini-game is also controlled using the accelerometer. Flick NBA Basketball can be played against an AI opponent or against another player using the same device and taking turns.

One thing to be aware of is Flick NBA Basketball is a skill challenge game, and not a complete basketball game. (EA holds the rights to a full NBA game, and currently has EA Sports NBA Live in development for 2009.) Despite this limitation, Freeverse has really pulled out all the stops when it comes to presentation.

The player models are some of the best that we've seen on the iPhone, and while the basketball court is rendered with amazing detail complete with reflections, the thing that shines the most in Flick NBA Basketball is the sound design.

Sound effects and music often seem to be completely overlooked on the iPhone, but playing this game with headphones on will have you feeling like you're sitting courtside in a real basketball game. The crowd cheers, chants, and even stomps to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You." The announcer, while cheesy at times, also adds to the excitement of the game.

For such a simple iPhone game, Flick NBA Basketball feels remarkably alive and fits perfectly in Freeverse's Flick sports lineup aimed at providing bite sized gaming experiences, only this time not at a bite sized price. At the initial offering of $4.99, Flick NBA Basketball is the most expensive Flick sports title. If it were priced in line with the other Flick games, this would be a must-buy.

[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

Unfortunately, at five times the price, it's hard to say whether or not being able to play as a real NBA player is worth the premium especially considering the NBA licensing adds so little to the game.

Big Albie had a similar initial impression and expands on this more in his detailed overview on our forums.

App Store Link: Flick NBA Basketball, $4.99

A long time ago, in a casino far, far away gambling addict Randal Meyers gets a harrowing wake-up call.  Italian Mob boss Frankie has finally called in his million dollar gambling debt--it's payback time for Randal.  It's either $50,000 a week in Frankie's pocket or blood on the asphault.  And the worst part of it all?  Randal is you.

Thus begins Tags Games' just-released iPhone version of Car Jack Streets [App Store], an urban role playing game that strives to bring the Grand Theft Auto formula to mobile devices in a way that makes sense for the gamer on the go.

At the start of the game, Randal finds himself standing in northwest Jack City next to his flaming sports car, courtesy of Frankie's car bomb.  Helpful uncle Murphy sets him up with some wheels, a place to lay low, and $5,000 cash for a first, good-will payment to Frankie.  Murphy puts the word out that Randal needs to make some fast dough to keep the bullets away.  In no time, jobs of all sorts start popping up and the task at hand is get to work -- and fast -- because $50,000 a week is no small sum to earn in Jack City.

Randal's money-making options are many and fall on both sides of the law.  While, as one might expect, money can be earned by jacking cars for chop shops, helping with bank robberies, delivering "merchandise," and knocking off or protecting thugs, there are also legit ways to bring in the cash, such as driving taxis and buses and delivering pizza.  A pizza pays a bit less than a hit, however...  Additional mini-missions pop up from time to time, as well, such as causing $25,000 city property damage in 30 second or gathering a cult of 10 people to perform a suicide pact in under a minute.  (Good wholesome fun, really.)  In all, there's enough variety to the jobs and locales involved, helped by the peppering of mini-missions throughout, that I don't see the action wearing thin as players wrack up hours of gameplay in an effort to pay back Frankie's million.

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EA has continued its slow and steady release of screenshots and information about their long-awaited Need for Speed racing game.

Here we've posted the latest collection of screenshots from the "coming soon" iPhone and iPod Touch racer. EA's Craig Law has said that an official product description will be following shortly. We'll update this post to reflect that information when it becomes available.

EA's Need for Speed must be coming soon. Here is the official description and feature list from the game:

• HOT HANDLING - Corner and drift through fiery crashes at 150mph+ with precision-tuned tilt control steering.
• YOU’VE GOT THE POWER  - Activate Nitrous Boost and Speedbreaker with the swipe of your finger for intense driving action.
• TRICK RIDES  - Drive 20 of the world’s fastest and hottest cars like the Porsche Carrera GT, Nissan 370Z (Z34), Lamborghini Gallardo and the Pagani Zonda F—each boasting its own unique style and performance features:  handling, steering, cornering and acceleration. 
• EDGY ENVIRONMENT   - Incredible 3D graphics enhance this exhilarating driving experience. Sweeping camera angles intensify your ride and yield a realistic look and feel—simply put, the best visuals iPhone and iPod have to offer.
• GO UNDERCOVER   - Use the interactive Mission Map to guide you through 24 covert ventures that lead to intricate secret missions.
• RULE THE ROAD - Take on cops in raging street battles as you race through dramatic, animated crash scenes. Dominate 8 high-impact race modes including: Highway Battle, Sprint, and Cop Takeout.
• POWER ACHIEVER  0 Earn performance upgrades like Boost, Speed, Acceleration and Handling for even greater velocity.
• TEARIN’ IT UP - Gnarly impact-crash sound effects and ambient street noise surround and amplify driving. Cause unbelievable damage in bounty events and destroy 3D obstacles like roadside signs and other cars.
• YOUR PERSONAL HANDLER  - Receive missions and updates via full motion cinematics from the sexy Miss Chase Linh, played by Maggie Q.
• OWN IT  - Customize your vehicle with aftermarket spoilers, multiple wheel options, body kits and a variety of paint schemes.
• DRIVING TUNES - M3-quality music featuring popular artists like Airbourne keeps you pumped while you race. Activate your iTunes® music library and listen to your personal faves.

And the feature list:

• Innovative touch controls activate tilt control steering and power boosters for a faster, tighter ride!
• Drive 20 of the world’s fastest and hottest cars!
• Realistic 3D graphics and sweeping camera angles intensify the ride.
• Engage in 24 covert ventures that lead to intricate secret missions.
• Choose 8 high-impact race modes: Highway Battle, Sprint, and Cop Takeout.
• Earn performance upgrades: Boost, Speed, Acceleration and Handling. 
• Customize your vehicle with aftermarket spoilers, wheels, body kits, and paint schemes.
• Receive instructions through realistic, full-motion cinematics.

A lite/free version of id Software's Wolfenstein 3D Classic [App Store] was released tonight for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Wolfenstein 3D was first released in 1992 for the PC and was a massive success and has been rightfully described as the grandfather of first person shooters (FPS).

Game controls have been adapted to the iPhone and four different layouts of touch screen controls and the option to use tilt controls for either movement or turning. In practice the controls work well. Some readers have even said they are the best FPS controls available so far on the iPhone. Though, to be fair, the game's engine is simpler than more modern FPS engines.

id is also hard at work on a Doom port complete with multiplayer support but that will require some ongoing optimization.

The Lite version of Wolfenstein offers the first three levels of Episode 1.

App Store Link: Wolfenstein 3D Classic Lite, Free

This past Saturday was an open "Game Day" at Peter Hirschberg's Luna City Arcade.  Peter is a devout retro gaming fan and is author of the iPhone port of Atari's Adventure [App Store] as well as Battlezone-like Vector Tanks [App Store].

The Luna City Arcade is a two-story, 60' x 40' building housing, presently, about 80 retro video games and pinball machines primarily from the late '70s and early '80s.  Peter has a Game Day every few months at the arcade, which is located about 70 miles west of Washington D.C.

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the Game Day and gather some photos and video footage of the retro gaming goodness taking place as well as corner Peter for a few minutes to get his thoughts on retro gaming and a few details that went into the making of Adventure and Vector Tanks for the iPhone.

See the fun that was had in the only existing arcade of its kind, the Luna City Arcade.

[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

After the jump, see our causal video interview of Peter, held in the loft above the arcade.

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TouchArcade was given the opportunity to speak with Adam Mechtley (pictured in yellow shirt to right) who is one of the developers responsible for the upcoming Touch KO boxing game for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Adam provides some background on the game, details the game's features and controls, and provides some new screenshots in this exclusive interview.

Touch KO is a Fight Night inspired boxing game that was announced at GDC this year. It will be published by Chillingo.

TouchArcade: Tell us a little about yourselves. What is your history?

Adam: Matt (pictured in black shirt) and I both work full-time for Flashbang Studios in Tempe, Arizona. We have done a couple of iPhone games (iSplume, Rebolt, Raptor Copter), but our focus is primarily on web games for our portal, blurst.com. These web games include Off-Road Velociraptor Safari and Minotaur China Shop, among others (we do a new game every 8 weeks).

Prior to Flashbang, I had been working in the games industry on console products for several years. I worked as a technical artist for THQ, doing art and programming for a real-time muscle deformation system on an action sports title, and worked on Baja: Edge of Control for 2XL Games. Matt worked on an astrophysics simulation using data from the Hubble Space Telescope before he joined Flashbang.

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Game developer ttursas [App Store] recently released a version of their popular Flash game Perfect Balance [App Store, $0.99] for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The game seems quite simple: you are given a number of different shapes that need to be stacked on top of a stationary object. Your job is simply to make a perfect balance so no objects fall. The task, of course, is easier said than done as the pieces become more unusual (additional gameplay screenshots)

While the game may bear a resemblance to Ngmoco's Topple series, the actual gameplay is very different. Perfect Balance is fully a puzzle game while Topple is more of an action/puzzle game.

Interested readers can try out the original Flash version of the game which can be played within your browser, or watch this gameplay video of the iPhone version:

We quite enjoyed the overall game though found the piece rotation mechanism a bit awkward (two finger tap). There was also an occasional instance where the physics didn't seem quite right.

Still, at only $0.99 with 80 levels of nicely polished gameplay, we think puzzle gamers will quite enjoy this game.

App Store Link: Perfect Balance: Harmony, $0.99

Screenshot from Knights Onrush

The #1 game in the App Store right now is a $0.99 game called StickWars [App Store] which appears to be a clone of a popular online Flash game called Defend Your Castle by XGen Studios. XGen claims they are the originators of this "Castle Defense" genre which has spawned a number of clones. Meanwhile, XGen has since released their own iPhone version of Defend Your Castle [App Store, $1.99].

Both games have similar gameplay which involves defending your castle from stick-figure enemies by simply flicking them into the air so they fall to their demise. Each game also has an upgrade system with enhanced weapons if you manage to sit through some repetitive gameplay for long enough. You can familiarize yourself with these gameplay videos: Defend Your Castle, StickWars and web-playable Flash game: Defend Your Castle.

Caught up? Well, Chillingo and MoreGames Entertainment have released a new gameplay video for their upcoming Knights Onrush game. MoreGames is also the developer behind iDracula and Origins: Legend of Wizards. Knights Onrush appears to be a version of this Castle Defense genre but with much better graphics and a (seemingly) wider variety of ways to destroy your attackers.

Thankfully gone are the stick-figure drawings and instead are nicely drawn Knight attackers, dragons and explosions. See their trailer for more details:

While only a brief bit is shown, I'm hopeful the game will provide a little more depth to these types of games. There may be also some crossover appeal with fans of Pocket God who could find this to be another outlet for their "unkind" tendencies.

The game is expected in May.

Last week, Team 17 released some screenshots from their upcoming port of Worms for the iPhone.

Worms is a turn-based game in the vein of Scorched Earth, where two teams of worms face off across various craggy battlefields, armed with a variety of weapons (bazookas, cluster grenades, air strikes, etc.), in a bid to wipe out the other team and emerge victorious with the last worm standing. The original version won rave reviews and is a highly anticipated port for the iPhone.

Team 17 has since released some actual gameplay video of the iPhone version of Worms:

We'll provide more details as we come across them.

Here are a collection of interesting status updates on some of the most anticipated iPhone gaming titles:

• Wolf 3D Lite / Doom - An id software representative cass revealed that Wolf 3D Lite is now "in review" in the App Store. Those who haven't yet made the jump on the classic first person shooter Wolfenstein 3D [App Store] will be able to test out the first three levels for free.

  Cass also let us know that "things are looking pretty good with Doom, though performance and multiplayer will take more time than Wolf did." The iPhone port of Doom was revealed in March by John Carmack and was said to be coming "fairly soon".

• Myst - Myst was submitted to the App Store 9 days ago, so should really be seeing the light of day at any moment.

• Real Racing - Firemint CEO Rob Murray announced in our forums that Real Racing will be delayed from the original release target on April. Firemint's CEO reports that they still aren't 100% happy with it yet and are continuing to make last minute improvements on the game.