Well here is a nice surprise. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and whatever other combinations of buzz words/days of the week you can concoct now come and gone, developer Halfbrick Studios still has a monster deal up their sleeve for thrifty shoppers. The iPad native version of their multi-million selling Fruit Ninja franchise has just dropped down to 99¢ for an extremely limited time. 24 hours limited, to be exact.

Most everyone is familiar with Fruit Ninja by now, as well as Halfbrick's penchant for releasing multiple updates that add new features to their games. Most recently, a brand new Arcade mode was added to both Fruit Ninja and Fruit Ninja HD earlier this month, and last September the iPhone version received head-to-head online multiplayer through Game Center. With the recent release of iOS 4.2, the iPad now has Game Center functionality and Halfbrick should be releasing a similar multiplayer update to Fruit Ninja HD soon.

If the recent holiday sale of Fruit Ninja HD for $2.99 still hadn't convinced you to pick up the title, then chances are that you will not be able to resist picking it up for 99¢. The price was just changed and is filtering throughout Apple's servers, so if you don't see 99¢ right away make sure to keep checking.

EA recently made good on their promise made all the way back in July and finally implemented the iPad-exclusive "Vintage Voltage Football" mode in Madden NFL 11 for iPad [$12.99]. This new mode supplements the existing awesome football gameplay and all the cool new features (like Game Flow) that we loved in our review. The Vintage Voltage Football mode uses the existing football player models which stand in one position and look like figurines. The amount of effort that has gone in to this new game mode is incredibly apparent, as even the interface is dripping with retro charm.

In addition, Madden NFL 11 for iPad also had local multiplayer modes added. Now, two people with iPads and the game can play via either Bluetooth or WiFi. Even though this update did take quite a while to land, it's still cool to see EA releasing substantial updates to their games. Download this update right away.

Japanese developer Kairosoft was as surprised by the reception of the English iOS port of Game Dev Story as you were by its quality. "It made us happy to know that people had the same feeling about game making," the developer told us in a recent interview we conducted in collaboration with App Bank, "imagining a game that you liked playing, developing it inside [an actual] game and enjoying looking at the sales records." But as veterans of the game are aware, success necessitates a sequel -- there's no time to be surprised or enjoy the fruits of triumph. So, yes, we'll see Game Dev Story 2 in the US for iOS at some point, Kairosoft confirmed with us. Just not "soon."

"We will be developing a sequel, but we are not planning on releasing it soon," a spokesperson at the developer said. "We are thinking of improving the game by adding elements of networking in the sequel, such as sales score rankings and sending employees to a friend’s company, etc."

Because of the language barrier, the history of the Game Dev Story franchise has been hard for us to pick up on. Here's what's important: The original game, the one we just played this year on iOS, was released for the PC back in 1996. Game Dev Story 2 was released for the PC in, roughly, 2000, meaning that Game Dev Story 2 iOS will be a port just like the original Game Dev Story was. It's not a "new" game technically.

As for what's holding up a Game Dev Story 2 for iOS? At least one other simulation game, one that tackles a well-known genre: the City. "The next iPhone App will be a CMS game like SimCity, where you touch to scroll, zoom in/ out, etc," Kairosoft said.

And chances are we'll see this game as a localized release, much like the original Game Dev Story. In fact, Kairosoft said it would "like to release English versions" of all its upcoming iOS titles, of which there are many according to the Kairosoft website. Obviously, we're stoked to see whatever they have in store for us, though nothing can come soon enough. Someone get those guys some Red Bull already! We need something to do at the gym.

[Translation work was generously provided to us by Yasuaki over at App Bank. Thanks so much, sir!]

Well, as far as strange releases go, EA Mobile's Heroes Lore nearly takes the cake. Back in September, we posted a video from German iPhone site iFun.de that showed an iOS version of the Heroes Lore franchise, an RPG series that has been hugely popular on cell phones in Asian markets for several years. Then early last month, EA released some new details and screenshots, indeed confirming that the title would be coming to iOS as Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia.

Literally the very next day, the international version of Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia was released, which basically meant that everywhere except the US and Canada could buy the game. It is pretty typical practice for EA and some other publishers to release region specific versions of their games, and sometimes this means that the releases of the various versions gets staggered from the rest. Usually this only means a matter of days before the game is available in all territories, so we waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Now, just shy of two full months after the international version's release, Heroes Lore has finally hit the US and Canadian App Stores. Interestingly, and for reasons unknown, the Stigmata of Gaia subtitle has been dropped and the North American version is officially known as Heroes of Lore III [$1.99].

There is a ton of information and impressions available in the thread in our forums from international players who have spent the last seven weeks playing the game, and have compared it to similar titles like the SEED and Zenonia series. So far opinions seem pretty polarized on Heroes Lore III, with some players really loving the game and others deleting it within minutes, so you may want to check out some forum impressions first to decide if this is your particular cup of tea before plunking down your loose change. If you were excited from the announcement two months ago, and your enthusiasm hasn't waned since, then make sure to check out Heroes Lore III in the US App Store.

Last week we detailed an upcoming update to EA Mobile and Pixelbite's Reckless Racing [99¢] and Reckless Racing HD [$4.99]. This new update includes the previously iPad only track “The Island” added into the iPhone version of the game, and both versions of Reckless Racing get a brand new track called “Frozen Lake” and two new playable characters, “Granny” and “Boss”. Just a few hours ago, this update went live in the App Store and is now available for download. I spent a bit of time checking out the new content, and can say that the new tracks and vehicles are a welcome edition to Reckless Racing.

The Island track will already be familiar to owners of the iPad version, and is a nighttime course with some beautiful lighting, a couple of shortcuts, and a cliff to fall off of if you aren't careful. Frozen Lake is a snow covered level that partially takes place on dirt and partially on – you guessed it – a frozen lake. This is a really curvy track, and coupled with the slippery conditions you can expect to be power sliding around every turn while a couple of snowmen cheer you on from the sideline. Like the other tracks in the game, the two new tracks come with both regular and reversed versions to race on.

As for the new characters, Boss drives what appears to be a long, pink, Cadillac-style car and Granny is a sweet old lady who drives a beefy monster truck. Both vehicles seem to have tremendous power and speed, but at the cost of extremely difficult handling. With Granny on Frozen Lake, I can hardly even gain enough traction to get moving as the tires just endlessly spin on the frozen terrain. These new vehicles will likely offer something new for those who are willing to invest time with them, but so far I'm feeling much more comfortable with my old friend Cletus.

Seeing as our chief complaint in our review of Reckless Racing when it was released was an overall lack of content, I'm really happy to see that the game is receiving updates adding new vehicles and tracks. I can only hope that this trend continues into the future. If you currently own either Reckless Racing or Reckless Racing HD, make sure to grab this latest download and check out the new stuff. And if you have yet to pick up either version of the game, you had better hurry as the iPhone version is still currently 99¢ but the iPad version has since risen back to its normal price of $4.99.

Update: It appears from the disgruntled comments here and in our forums that the update has yet to reach the international version of Reckless Racing. Hopefully EA doesn't go all "Heroes Lore" with this update and it will be available to international players relatively soon.

Update 2: And just like that, the update for the international version of Reckless Racing is starting to filter out to international App Stores. Enjoy.

If you've been wondering when in the world you're going to be able to play Chair's upcoming Unreal Engine powered sword fighter, Infinity Blade, the wait is over. A release date of December 9th was just announced, at a price of $5.99. Infinity Blade will be a universal app, and will run on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch as well as the iPad.

In addition, a new set of screenshots have been released:

Needless to say, as soon as the game appears for download we'll be reviewing it, and we really can't wait to get our hands on it.

If you're a gamer who values anonymity, it might be time to abandon Game Center. Moments ago Apple pushed out an update to the Game Center terms of service that includes the following notice:

IMPORTANT NOTE: We have changed the Game Center terms and conditions to provide you notice that if you send a friend invitation, the full name associated with your Apple ID will be shared with the recipient. If you accept a friend invitation, the full name associated with your Apple ID will be shared with the sender.

We've tested things a bit and haven't yet found a full real name takeover in Game Center. Currently, real names don't seem to be appearing anywhere except on friend confirmation push alerts. Apple could potentially be updating the rest of the Game Center system currently, as it seems likely the other alerts will get similar treatment once all of these changes roll out.

We're going to be keeping a close eye on this over the next few days. It isn't clear if friends made previous to this change will have access to your real name, or if this is only going to be the case for future friends. Either way, it seems like a strange move on Apple's part considering that many gamers take anonymity seriously.

Revolutionary Concepts, the folks who did such an excellent job bringing retro arcade classics Cobra Command and Karate Champ back to life, and who more recently brought us the clever UFO on Tape, have given us an update on the laserdisc title Road Blaster they they're readying for App Store release.

Gone are the onscreen targets and In the default 'normal' setting users wont be punished for not timing their move to the millisecond - as with our fave coin gobblers from back in the day, instead with a moderately good memory they'll be able to smoothly progress through each level for a much more seamless/flowing game.

The final build will have an Expert mode for the hardcore (no indicators and you die for making a wrong move), a leaderboard and achievements in the shape of Driver Rating Badges to be earnt (Game Center).

Add in the new and improved car dash graphics, new sound effects, additional level select and bonus screens, alternative car, steering/tilt controls and cleaned up video, and hopefully it's another cult classic bought back to life.

The developers tell us they've got about a week of polishing left before the title gets submitted. We're pretty anxious to get our hands on it. They also hinted that Road Blaster may be their last retro restoration title, given their current focus on the Q1 2011 release of their "most creative / unique title since UFO on Tape."

BREAKING: Kids like expensive electronics. ALSO BREAKING: Kids under the age of 13 want an iPad or an iPod Touch more than any other electronic this season, so says the survey masters over at Nielsen (a research company).

Within the next six months, 31 percent of the respondents (parents) of a recent Nielsen survey say they have an "interest" in picking up a iPad this season. The next highest item are computers and the iPod Touch at 29 percent.

The list that follows includes the Nintendo DS, the PS3, Microsoft's hands-free controller, Kinect, and several other consoles, including other electronic items like TVs and E-readers.

Don't just take it from me; gander at this pretty blue list:

There's a billion ways to analyze this bit of data. We could, right now, scream from our podium that iOS gaming is more attractive to kids than the Nintendo DS or the other "core" platforms. The data certainly looks like it supports that.

Or we could say that parents, who obviously answered the questionnaire that Nielsen blasted out, really want iPads and iPod Touches and wouldn't mind using their really young kids as an excuse to buy one.

Or we could say that Apple has won the platform wars and will now forever since it has become, theoretically, the top dog among kids. These guys'll grow up and evangelize and establish the norm, you know?

Or we could just look at this data and see that, at the very least, iOS is becoming a recognizable platform -- one that kids under 13 are certainly excited about. Wait, that's too rational. Forget it. Apple is winning the war against the old guard, guys! Nintendo? Who is that? A coffee maker manufacturer? Pfft!

But seriously, if you're interested in this kind of stuff, swing over to the Nielson site and take a look at the second graph Nielsen has up. This one, for kids over the age of 13, looks more like a solid representation of electronic desires. According to it, teens are more interested in buying a computer or TV than an iPad or iPhone, though both Apple devices are still rather high on the list. Interesting stuff, for sure.

When Steve Jobs announced last month that the Mac would be getting its own App Store, we saw quite a few current iOS developers confirm that they would be bringing their iPhone and iPad products to the Mac. One of those products will be Majic Jungle Software's Chopper 2 [$4.99], a universal side-scrolling helicopter combat and rescue game that was released back in July and has since been quite successful.

We really enjoyed Chopper 2 in our full review, and while the gameplay itself is a lot of fun, we also found the array of options for displaying and playing the game to be rather intriguing. Chopper 2 comes equipped with the ability to remotely control the game running on an iPad, iPhone 4 or 4th generation iPod touch over Bluetooth or WiFi using another iOS device. We demonstrated this feature back in April with a video showing Chopper 2 being played on an iPad using an iPhone as the remote. Additionally, Chopper 2 uses the video out function of newer iOS devices to allow the game to be displayed on a larger screen while being controlled with an iPhone or iPod touch, as we posted about later that month showing the game running on a 42” plasma (or this video of it running on a 50” screen, if you're a "size matters" kind of person).

Now, with the impending Mac App Store release of Chopper 2, these features are once again being utilized. Developer David Frampton of Majic Jungle has shot a brief video in his ultra-high tech secret underground testing facility that shows the Mac version of Chopper 2 being controlled with an iPhone.

Also, while the original Chopper 2 is already quite visually pleasing, the Mac edition will benefit from enhanced graphics over its iOS siblings. These two comparison shots show the differences between the two versions (iPad screen on left, Mac on right. Click to enlarge):

Even though TouchArcade is primarily an iOS gaming site, we are also really excited to see what the new Mac App Store will bring to the table. The innovations included with Chopper 2 really tie together gaming on the Apple family of devices, and it will be really interesting to see what kinds of other things developers will think of in the future. We've created a new Upcoming Mac App Store Games section in our forums where you can get the scoop on what games will be coming to the Mac App Store, which should be launching sometime in the next couple of months.

We're big fans of Dinofarm Games / Fusion Reactions' arcade-style dungeon crawler 100 Rogues [App Store]. The game, which we reviewed back in May, is a re-imagination of the typical Rogue-like formula. It features the typical elements of the genre -- near-certain death, randomly generated maps and loot, and a foray into the depths of an enemy-riddled pit -- but delivers it in a way that makes you feel you are playing something else entirely. In our initial review, we found it to be pretty brilliant.

In that review, we spoke of the long list of planned features that the developer had in store for the title. Here, half a year later, it's clear those weren't empty promises. The developer released all of nine updates to the game through October, and two weeks ago released version 2.0, a massive update that enhanced the gameplay in a great many ways.

Some of the enhancements that came with version 2.0:

• Hell! Another world, with new levels, music, monsters and maps to explore, has been added to the end of the game, appropriately situated between the Dungeon and Satan
• New Boss: A new, Dungeon-themed boss has been placed between the Dungeon and the new Hell world
• Amafyst: The Fairy Wizard's basic projectile skill now leaves behind Crystal Caltrops upon impact, each lasting 10 turns dealing damage and slowing monsters that walk on them. Each skill point in Amafyst creates a higher number of more damaging crystals
• Easy Mode now spans all three game worlds
• Map Generation: Each map is now comprised of a mix of handcrafted and randomly generated rooms
• Mob Clustering: Monsters now spawn more tightly in groups, and only spawn in mobs within rooms, reducing the incidence of difficult encounters in hallways.
• Game Center can now be disabled via 100 Rogues user preferences in the Settings App
• Stability improvements throughout the game

And the continuing evolution of 100 Rogues is showing no sign of slowing down. The version 2.1 update has been submitted to Apple and should go live later today or tomorrow. And it's a pretty significant update.

A partial list of what version 2.1 will bring:

• Two new weapons
• One new armor type
• End Cutscene now rendered in-engine (Apple's movie player has been entirely removed from the game. Enjoy the greatly reduced update size!)
• New Bandit Hole 1 music
• Custom Playlist support via Options Menu
• iOS 4.2 support (Game Center / Multi-tasking on iPad)
• Load Times improved throughout the games
• Many various bug fixes

In addition, a new, third player class will be released by December 15. This new class is known as the Skellyman Scoundrel, which lead designer Keith Burgun describes.

In terms of character, the Scoundrel is a member of the Skellyman race, a race of Skeleton-People created by magic many generations ago. This means that they actually reproduce and have baby skeletons which grow into adult skeletons - they're not undead and they don't come from humans. The Scoundrel in particular happens to be an undead Skellyman, however, as she was killed by her lover in life - he stabbed her in the back of the head with a dagger. She now keeps it in her skull (and it ends up looking like a fashionable ponytail because of its tassle) and stalks the dungeons looking for greater and greater kills with which to satisfy her thirst for revenge. When you get enough backstabs, you can deliver the ability SKELLY VENGENACE, a skill which makes the skellyman pull her lover's dagger from her skull and plunge it into a target. This skill can do *MASSIVE* damage, like you've never seen in 100 Rogues.

This Leap Attacking, Skelly Vengeance-dealing new class is all about stealth, mobility, speed, and dealing great damage to singular targets. It should mix up this already heavily-updated title rather nicely. Hats off to the folks behind the game for so admirably keeping the ball rolling with 100 Rogues, as well as for providing us these exclusive details and (inset) design sketch.

Black Friday has been increasingly insane this year, with fabulous door busters, and an incredible amount of sales available via online retailers. (If you haven't checked Amazon yet, get over there.) Most things are on sale at the Apple Store and MacRumors has a great list of other places with Apple products on sale.

We posted a massive list of sales yesterday morning, and almost all of those sales are still going. In addition, our new price drops, freebies, and deals forum is going strong with SirAwesome's awesome thread listing everything on sale, even things that weren't covered in our sale roundup. In addition, there's also a discussion thread in the same forum with people boasting their hauls from this massive App Store sale.

From all of us at TouchArcade, we hope you had a great Thanksgiving, a fabulous Black Friday, and a marvelous weekend filled with leftovers and tons of iOS gaming.

ZeptoLabs made good on its promise from earlier, having put out a new level-adding update for Cut the Rope [$.99, Lite] and Cut the Rope HD [$1.99, Lite].

As previously reported, this update includes 25 new levels and a cool new mechanic, the gravity button. When pressed, the physics invert, making for some interesting star grabs.

The update also adds in enhanced support for the Retina Display and adds in some tweaks to scoring, sound, and animations. Also, you'll get some new Game Center achievements for blowing through the new box, which by the way, requires 250 stars to enter.

I've spent some with this update earlier in the day and I've nothing to complain about because 1) it's free and 2) these new levels are quality offerings that jive with the rest of Cut the Rope.

If you manage to break out of some of the new games you've undoubtedly purchased during this glorious Black Friday price-slashing weekend, definitely give these new levels a go. You won't be disappointed, that I assure you.

Rovio Mobile is indeed developing a Christmas edition of Angry Birds [$.99, Lite], the developer confirmed earlier this week. The first images and details are available at Finnish site Finnish Ylex [Translated], which is presenting something of a problem for us non-Finnish people, but there are a few interesting details we've been able to glean thanks to Google Translate and Rovio Mobile's Twitter feed.

Angry Birds Christmas won't be a full App release like Angry Birds Halloween [$.99] was. It will, instead, be offered as a free update to the Halloween version of the game, Rovio's sole seasonal iteration of the series. Think of this as you would a Doodle Jump update. You turn on the title post-update and then enjoy a re-skinning of pre-existing assets for the prize of zero bones. It's a deal, right?

Rovio is saying that the update, which will include Game Center support (!), has been submitted to Apple for certification. We'll keep our eyes on the storefront and will let you know, obviously, when it hits.

And before you go, know that there's a possibility we might see some new birds in the future, too. On its Twitter feed, Rovio's social media dude said, "there are several new birds on the drawing board…" We're uncertain if Rovio was speaking to this update to the game or Angry Birds proper. Either way, around three trillion pigs have felt the righteous wrath of the current line-up. I, for one, wouldn't mind piling on the pain with a few more new birds. To six trillion and beyond, I say!

The onslaught of tower defense games seems as if it will never let up. Fortunately, when we're treated to something special like the recently reviewed Lord of the Rings or Guns'n'Glory, neither does our hankering for slaughtering wave after wave of enemies at the base of our towers. iBomber Defense [App Store] is Cobra Mobile's TD spin-off of their classic iBomber games on the iOS, taking you out of the cockpit and into the seat of Tower Master Extraordinaire.

Contrary to the abovementioned games, iBomber Defense is very true to the staple TD formula, on its face doing very little to toy with the basics. Instead, iBomber Defense concerns itself with tightening up the loose ends of games gone before it, by squeezing out a terrifically sharp look and interface, and really locking down a challenging campaign that will put your accumulated TD experience to the test. That's not to say that it doesn't innovate however, as iBomber Defense adds a few game-changing mechanics that you'll be wondering how you did without.

Primarily amongst these, is the ability to Rewind the current wave of creeps. This allows you to re-do your recent tower placement and upgrades and hopefully try to minimize your losses suffered by taking a fresh approach. Of course, this would be easily abused each wave, so the game restricts the amount of Rewinds you are allowed through a cooldown system. Secondly, is the impact that height has on the placement of towers. Towers placed on high ground are afforded a large range advantage, which is an essential tactical consideration to beat the more challenging missions.

The other major feature shows off its iBomber roots. All towers placed have their own life bar, and are attacked by enemies whenever they are within range. As expected, larger enemies pack more of a punch-- such as when a fleet of battleships passes by-- requiring you to micromanage your damaged assets and repair them lest they be destroyed completely. In another throwback to iBomber, aircraft are particularly devestating against towers and will take a more direct route to bombard your base. Other small additions purely functional, such as the ability to place and upgrade towers when pausing and the ability to zoom right out and easily pan the large maps and scan the multiple attack paths.

Of course, the highlight of TDs are the towers themselves. The iBomber Defense list of towers doesn't read long, but is definitely just as focused as the rest of the game. Machine guns are your standard fast firing towers, Cannons are the slower, AOE, anti-vehicle big-guns, AA launch flak at enemy aircraft, Sabotage towers fire mortar round that slows creeps, Comms increase the battle effectiveness of nearby towers and two specialist towers unlocked later in the game, the Firestorm and X-Weapon each have additional weapon effects that augment the damage of other towers. A victory point is rewarded for completing each mission, and an additional point is up for grabs for doing so perfectly. These can then be spent upgrading overall tower effectiveness between levels, augmenting the in-game upgrade system.

There are 22 levels all-up stretching across the Axis and Allied campaigns of Africa, Europe and Russia, each with their own iconic settings. The backdrops and graphics in iBomber are simply stunning (with some really meaty explosion effects), and thankfully textures are at their intended resolution when fully zoomed in. Another neat addition that spices up the level offerings come by way of routine Counter Attacks, which appear on the map over levels already played and offer bonus victory points. These depict offensive pushes by the enemy as they swarm over part of your already established defenses, and force you to defend a newly opened path on the map. In addition to the Campaign, there is a Quick Play mode with its own separate achievements to obtain per level, and 3 variable difficulties to play through.

iBomber Defense is undoubtedly the man's man of tower defense games. It doesn't overextend itself with a multitude of new fandangled features, but instead builds upon nearly every aspect of the existing TD foundation and just does it better. It's tough as nails even on the regular difficulty level, requires good forward thinking and strategic placement of gun embattlements, and also forces you to react quickly to multiple attacks happening simultaneously. It also has Game Center and Crystal support and is thoughtfully a Universal app which will definitely please iPad owners. In short, if you absolutely love tower defense games, then iBomber Defense is a tribute made just for you.