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Archive for December, 2010

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Best iPad Games: 2010 Buyer's Guide

Friday, December 24th, 2010

After months (years?) of rumors, Apple finally released the iPad in 2010. iPad gaming hasn't quite taken off as quickly as on the iPhone/iPod, but here's a cross section of some of the best iPad games of 2010. If you just opened an iPad for Christmas, here are some games to look at.

World of Goo HD

World of Goo HD, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - World of Goo is a game about creating towers and bridges with stretchy pieces of goo. It becomes much more than that though as you progress, which is one of the most fascinating and rewarding things about this natural-feeling, and beautifully directed puzzler. It's truly one of the best games ever released on the iPad.

Plants vs. Zombies HD

Plants vs. Zombies HD, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Developer PopCap Games manages to splice in whimsy on top of a satisfying mix of careful tower selection and defense. In Plants vs. Zombies HD, you are the lone protector of a backyard who must put up seed spitting plants and other abominations in order to beat back an advancing zombie hord. The towers are diverse, the amount of options are incredible, and the hours of entertainment provided are incalculable.

Osmos for iPad

Osmos for iPad, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Osmos for iPad is a beautiful and relaxing game in which you, essentially, take a big bubble and make it steadily grow bigger and bigger. A great soundtrack eases tension and the simple play lends itself to a good, calm time.

Corpse Craft

Corpse Craft, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Corpse Craft is a fun and rewarding match-3 title with an interesting tower defense twist that has you using turning matched blocks into building materials for your reanimated soldiers. The game's greatest accomplishment though is its balance between character and mechanics. The brilliantly grim art direction and narrative doesn't detract from the gameplay, nor was development time seemingly sacrificed for the inclusion of the brilliant universe Corpse Craft is based in.

Monkey Island Tales 1 HD

Monkey Island Tales 1 HD, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The Tales of Monkey Island series was fantastic on the PC and Mac and developer Telltale Games successfully ported over that experience to the iPad. Rich in humour, character, puzzles, and reverence to its forerunners, this is the ultimate adventure game for Monkey Island fans. It's also pretty good as a standalone point-and-click adventure game.

Puzzle Agent HD

Puzzle Agent HD, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Puzzle Agent HD is a non-traditional point-and-click adventure title featuring the grim art of Graham Annable. It has a few technical problems, but the puzzles and the narrative are deeply involving and worth your time.

Yoot Tower

Yoot Tower, $7.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A lazy bit of shorthand that we use to describe Yoot Tower is "SimCity in the sky." In the game, you construct a tower out of the living spaces like offices, condos, hotel rooms, and even restaurants. As you progress, you'll need to start paying attention to the stress levels of the people who have a financial stake in your tower, while also attempting to keep the tower growing to floor 100. It's fun, complex, and most all, pretty rewarding. Talk about a time sucker for the ages.

Cut the Rope HD

Cut the Rope HD, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Cut the Rope HD is a straight port of its other iPhone brethren, but it just feels so right on the iPad, which boasts a larger screen area to cut the rope holding the precious candy so it can sail into the adorable Om Nom's mouth.

Across Age ™ HD

Across Age ™ HD, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Across Age HD is the closest you'll get to a Zelda on the iPad. And, really, that's selling it short. On top of the traditional dungeon-based play, Across Age HD offers rewarding hack-and-slash combat, a neat time travel mechanic, and decent controls.

Fruit Ninja HD

Fruit Ninja HD, $2.99 - [Lite- [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Fruit Ninja HD is essentially just a bigger version of its iPhone cousin wherein you chop up fruit for points. It's a simple game that requires simple gestures, but there's just something about it that has kept us playing for hours and hours.

CHAOS RINGS for iPad

CHAOS RINGS for iPad, $15.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Chaos Rings for iPad is a creative take on the traditional JRPG. Developer Square Enix forgoes the usual narrative in favor of a shorter, much more focused journey that has teams of gender-confused people taking on monsters and then each other in a contest to win immortality. A deep battle system, a great hi-def look, and fun, bite-sized adventures make this a must-have.

Cubed Rally Racer

Cubed Rally Racer, $1.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A wonderful homage to isometric racing games, Cubed Rally Racer is completely randomized, so you'll never play the same track twice. Similarly, if a particular track is too difficult, you can simply generate a new one to play. The iPad version features split screen single-device multiplayer which is a ton of fun.

Posted in Best iPad Games, News | 14 Comments »

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Holiday Sales - Massive List of Price Drops and Freebies

Friday, December 24th, 2010

Christmas is just a day away, and with a ton of people sure to have shiny new iOS devices waiting for them under the tree there will no doubt be a lot of people looking for games to try out on their latest toy. While we'll be highlighting all of the best iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad games from 2010 in future posts, there are currently a ton of deals to be had on both new and old games alike.

Indie Games Holiday Sale - We posted about this sale a few days ago, but it's worth mentioning again. Six fantastic games from independent developers, all priced at 99¢, with one third of the proceeds going to Child's Play Charity. Every game on this list is excellent, and worth owning or gifting to an iOS-toting friend or family member:

  • Drop7, (Universal) $2.99 → 99¢
EA Mobile - Another sale that we've posted about previously, but EA has added some additional titles effectively putting everything they have on the App Store at a discount. Check out this massive list of 99¢ games from EA, and note the additional titles on sale below:

Capcom -

Square Enix -

Sega -

Namco -

Miscellaneous Sales -

During the annual App Store lockdown that should last from today until next Thursday, these prices should remain in effect. But, as always, the App Store is a strange mistress, and it's always best to double check that the prices you see here are still current before purchasing. Of course, the best way to stay current on updates and price drops is to use the universal AppShopper app [Link], AppShopper.com, or our Price Drops and Freebies forum. But you already knew that, didn't you? Hopefully everyone finds at least something on this list to purchase, and saves a bit of money in the process. Happy holidays and happy gaming!

Posted in Games, News, Sales | 18 Comments »

New 'Angry Birds' Update Adds The Mighty Eagle, New Chapter

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

I'm a firm believer that Rovio Mobile has a high-ceilinged vault in the back of its office filled with mounds of cash and coins from the billions and billions of Angry Birds [$.99 / Lite / HD] purchases. I reckon it'll need to build a new money vault rather soon as a direct result of the game's latest update, which adds 15 new themed levels and the long-awaited Mighty Eagle, a bit of paid DLC that adds a new, pig-annihilating bird to the Angry Birds roster.

Let's back up a second. Update 1.5 adds a Wild Western-themed chapter called "Ham 'Em High." A total of 15 new levels are introduced, none of which feature anything stunningly new from a design perspective aside from cowboy hats and sombreros. It also adds a new Golden Egg "for y'all city slickers" to discover.

But the update also adds the Mighty Eagle, a one-time, $.99 bird purchase. The Eagle is basically the Angry Birds version of a nuclear bomb. To use it, you slingshot a can of sardines into the environment. When the can stops, the Eagle swoops down and banks off the geometry, causing the physics to react from the aftershock. This clears the level of all pigs and then you can progress.

The thing to note here is that the Eagle can only be used once an hour if you're using it in levels that you haven't completed. But if you use it in levels that you have completed, you can go to town as often as you like, with no hour cooldown.

There's a cool meta-game with the Eagle, too. After you clear a level, a destruction indicator pops up and reports the percentage of the level you destroyed. The goal here is to to completely wreck a level. Once you've got 100 percent, you get a small feather next to the stars on the level select screen, luring completionists in to replaying the whole game again with the Eagle.

It's hard for me to tell if the Mighty Eagle disrupts the game's balance. I think it's more of a creative level-skip than anything else, considering you don't get the same sort of satisfaction from pounding the Eagle "Win" button. But these new levels are the only ones I've yet to beat, so my frame of reference is bad. The hour between skips seems like a good compromise between letting you skip forward if you're stuck but preventing you from just skipping through the entire game.

All in all, this is another good update from Rovio, and the new Mighty Eagle destruction gauge makes the new IAP a must-have for every Angry Birds lover.

App Store Links:
    Angry Birds, $0.99
    Angry Birds Lite, Free
    Angry Birds HD, $4.99 (iPad Only)

Posted in $0.99, $4.99, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Puzzle | 15 Comments »

'Perfect Cell' Review - A Satisfying Blend of Many Genres

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Earlier this month we posted a brief teaser video from developer Mobigame for their newest iOS title called Perfect Cell [$5.99]. The video didn't explain much in the way of gameplay, nothing at all in fact, and we were left scratching our heads wondering exactly what Perfect Cell was all about. Now that the game has actually been released I've spent a good deal of time with it, and it has turned out to be unlike anything I could have imagined. It's sort of a mishmash of genres, with elements of action, platforming, stealth, and puzzle. These end up working really well together, and coupled with intuitive controls and a beautiful graphics engine, Perfect Cell is a good time from beginning to end.

The story of Perfect Cell starts as an asteroid crash lands to Earth in the not too distant future. Humans discover a form of life in the asteroid that is advancing at an incredible rate. They keep this life form in a research facility deep below the sea in order to study it, but after some time the alien grows into a sentient being who doesn't fancy being held in captivity. It then becomes your job to control this squid-like alien as you negotiate intricate levels full of puzzle-like traps, enemies, and hidden passages in an effort to break free.

The look of Perfect Cell employs a 2.5D perspective, similar to Shadow Complex, with fully 3D backgrounds but action that takes place on a single side-scrolling 2D plane. The lighting effects in the game look fantastic, as do the style of the characters and environments. The underwater facility almost gives off a James Bond-like vibe with giant computer panels and scientists in lab coats spread throughout. Shortly after the game begins soldiers start to infiltrate the facility, and don't seem to take kindly to the scientists, and certainly don't take kindly to the alien being.

You control your alien in Perfect Cell by simply touching and dragging to move, or touching and holding to call the alien to that position. Quickly swiping the screen performs a dashing attack that can kill enemies and bash through certain structures to find hidden areas. Later in the game a super dash attack is introduced, where you can charge up and draw a line that the alien will rapidly follow, killing anything along the path. Also, as you progress you'll run across a couple of your alien buddies which absorb into you, making you larger and stronger. You can then use a pinching apart gesture to split yourself into two or three separate beings, controlling each individually to conquer tasks that require being in multiple places at the same time.

Perfect Cell contains 35 levels to play through, and in reality it will only take several hours to complete them when destroying anything in your path. The real genius to this game comes from not killing people. There is a stealth element to the game, and its very possible to complete every level without killing a single person. This is where serious strategy comes into play. Upon seeing you guards will become alerted in a very Metal Gear Solid kind of way, minus the exclamation point above their head, and will seek you out for a short time before becoming bored and going back to normal patrol.

It would be easy to just dash attack the life out of these guards, but when trying to complete the game without killing anyone you'll need to take advantage of hiding spots and your ability to cloak yourself by staying still. Taking this pacifist's route through the game is really challenging, and practically turns Perfect Cell into two completely different games depending on how you play.

The only real problems I had while playing came from the controls. They're very intuitive and touch screen friendly, but lack precision at times when you need it. Also the dash attack isn't always reliable, and when you're counting on pulling one off during the split second when a guard's back is turned it can be detrimental when the move doesn't come through. These problems are minor, however, and for the most part there's nothing that will hamper you from progressing and enjoying the game.

There's really nothing like Perfect Cell on the iOS platform, and it offers some refreshing gameplay and fetching visuals. It doesn't take too long to whiz through the game when you're killing everything you see, but sparing lives and utilizing stealth offers a real challenge that will keep you busy for a while. There is also Game Center integration for achievements and high score tracking. Fans of games like Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid will find similar gameplay in Perfect Cell, along with the exploration and puzzle solving of the Metroid series.

Perfect Cell blends all these different elements together seamlessly, and creates an experience that feels like its own. Players in our forums have been enjoying this one too, and Perfect Cell is recommended if you enjoy any of these previously mentioned influences or are just looking for a new unique gaming experience.

App Store Link: Perfect Cell, $2.99 (Universal)

TouchArcade Rating:

Posted in $5.99, 4 stars, Action, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Reviews, Universal | 21 Comments »

New 'Tilt To Live' Update Adds New Weapon And New Mode

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

If you're in the mood for some Tilt To Live [$2.99 / Lite, HD], now is a better time than most to boot up the title. Developer One Man Left Studios has pushed out a new update to the game, adding in a new mode and a new weapon via an in-game $.99 purchase.

The update, which is available on the game's main menu, has been lovingly dubbed "Viva la Turret," and as it implies, it gives you access to a mounted chaingun-like weapon. The weapon, "The Perforator," is exclusive to this new mode, which is also called "Viva la Turret."

The point of Viva la Turret is to grab points, of course, and the easiest way to do so is by collecting "The Perforator" power-ups that spawn on the map. Whenever you get access, you'll be assault by a stream of projectiles from all angles. The key here is to use it without getting smacked, and then to snag all the sweet blue leftovers from victims for crazy points multipliers. Here's a video of it in action:

Viva la Turret seems cool and should provide a nice change of pace opportunity. That's not to say Tilt To Live every really gets old, but hey, something new to do with a game you love, right? I'll note here that this update is currently only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch versions of the shooter. An HD version of the update is in the works, however.

Tilt to Live, if you didn't catch my drift earlier, is a fantastic game. I don't know if there's anyone out who doesn't own it already, but if you don't, you'll probably love it. Here's some literature if you're curious.

App Store Links:
    Tilt to Live, $2.99
    Tilt to Live Lite, Free
    Tilt to Live HD, Free (iPad Only)

Posted in $0.99, $2.99, Action, iPhone games, iPod touch games | 3 Comments »

Remember 'Aves'? Check Out the Latest BioReplicant Technology

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Last year Action = Reaction Labs released Aves [Free], a (then) paid tech demo disguised as a archery game that featured both binaural 3D audio and an animation technology known as "BioReplicants". We explained what this all was in our review:

Aves uses GHOST binaural audio, which requires headphones, but creates an eerily realistic three dimensional effect to all the in-game music and sound. The animation technology in the game is called "BioReplicants," and has no preset animations for the birds flying around in the game. Instead, the physics model is built around a virtual muscular-skeleton system to create a bird rag doll that moves and flies identical to how a bird would fly in the real world.

At GDC this year, we met with the guys from Action = Reaction Labs, and while they weren't ready to show anything publicly, we saw what the next iteration of the BioReplicants technology looked like. Recently, they offered us a video of this all in action:

If you find yourself watching this video saying, "OK so why is a robot getting shot cool?" Well, here's the deal- iPhone games largely use completely canned animations for everything your character does from running, to jumping, to shooting. Quite a few iPhone games such as Stair Dismount [Free] use ragdoll animations which amounts to the game treating a model quite literally like a ragdoll and having it procedurally bounce off things with its limbs flailing to create more realistic death animations. Wikipedia does a great job of explaining how ragdoll physics works if you want to know more.

What BioReplicants does is sort of combine the two. With this technology, instead of how many games work, where you basically just shoot your opponents and the only feedback visual feedback you get is a little flourish around your crosshair until they finally just fall over dead, you'd see their standard shooting animation, modified in real time based on the forces your own bullets are exerting on them. If you look at the above video as "holy cow I can't even believe all the physics math going on behind the scenes" instead of "hey a robot getting shot," it can pretty easily blow your mind, especially considering that this physics engine apparently performs well enough to be feasible to use for iPhone games.

Like any tech demo, it all comes down to how the technology is eventually implemented in an actual game. Yes, the new BioReplicants stuff is cool, and I expect it to be downright amazing for people who have experience with working with 3D models and physics in video games, it's an uphill battle to make middleware like this interesting to your average gamer. Regardless, it's cool seeing what's technically possible, and I really look forward to seeing someone taking the BioReplicants engine and making something incredible.

For more demonstrations of BioReplicants in action, check out the Action = Reaction demo site.

Posted in News | 17 Comments »

'Hurdle Turtle' Review - Turtle Flippin' Fun

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

That's right, Hurdle Turtle [99¢]. TouchArcade cohort Eli Hodapp and I have been enjoying this silly game for the past couple of months since release, and felt it was high time for a full review. Sometimes its hard to explain exactly why someone likes a certain game, and Hurdle Turtle is no different. It's an endless running game that's certainly fun, but it doesn't do anything especially unique from the countless others out there. Still, whether its the hilarious front flips your turtle performs, the way it looks like he (or she) might be having a seizure while running, or the excellent retro chip tunes and blocky graphics, there's just something about Hurdle Turtle that makes it infinitely likable.

Hurdle Turtle has been around for a while now, as a Flash game and an Xbox Live Indie title. The goal is to run for as long as possible down a straight track while avoiding obstacles and keeping pace with an increasing speed. You can move in any direction while running, and bust wicked front flips with a jump button. You can even move around in the air during a jump, which adds a bit of strategy to how you deal with oncoming hazards. It's not groundbreaking for a running game, but it doesn't mess up the tried and true formula.

What really sets Hurdle Turtle apart is the awesome style of the game. Your turtle is cute, and has a lot of personality for a blocky sprite, and the retro chip tune music is catchy. A huge 2.0 update that hit last week added a ton of new content to the game, too. There is now a total of 11 different turtles to pick from, and three different environments to race in. The game keep track of your total distance run across all games, and each of these new items unlock at set different distance intervals, adding a nice sense of progression to the gameplay. High scores are tracked through a combination of OpenFeint and Game Center, with achievements to unlock as well.

Let's be honest, expectations run pretty high on the App Store, especially when you're talking about spending an entire dollar. I'm sure there are those who will wonder what exactly is so special about Hurdle Turtle, and complain that the graphics aren't as good as Infinity Blade [$5.99]. But at the end of the day video games are supposed to make you smile, and have fun during a quick break from real life, and I've been doing a ton of both with Hurdle Turtle. If you could use a bit of cute, retro fun and have some spare change lying around, give Hurdle Turtle a download.

App Store Link: Hurdle Turtle, $0.99

TouchArcade Rating:

Posted in $0.99, 4 stars, Arcade, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Reviews | 13 Comments »

'I Dig It', 'I Dig It Expeditions' and 'Dungeon Defense HD' Prices Slashed; 'Professor Wordington's Spellatorium' Impressions

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

We've received word that InMotion Software, the creators of I Dig It and Dungeon Defense, has slashed the prices of a chunk of its iTunes portfolio. As of yesterday, several of their titles became cheaper than before:

I Dig It

I Dig It, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - In I Dig It, you play as Farmer Lewis, a man who is in a bit of a monetary pickle and needs to pay the mortgage on his farm. Naturally, when faced with financial difficulties, the first thing that comes to mind is retrofitting an old bulldozer into a digging machine to search for over 60 types of subterranean treasures beneath your homestead. The iPad version, I Dig It HD [$2.99] is also on sale, and sports many improvements mentioned when we first got our hands on it.

I Dig It Expeditions

I Dig It Expeditions, $2.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - Continuing on his adventure, Farmer Lewis strikes it big from the original I Dig It (spoilers?) and decides to take his digger on the road. In Expeditions, you dig in many different locations, including a crazy underwater level. If you liked I Dig It, Expeditions is as close to a "must-have" as you can get.

Dungeon Defense

Dungeon Defense, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - An odd twist on tower defense that puts you in charge of a dungeon, and you need to place various minions to defend it. The iPhone version has been 99¢ for a while, but if you've got an iPad Dungeon Defense HD [$1.99] is worth picking up while it's on the cheap.

Professor Wordington's Spellatorium [$2.99] is one of the few InMotion-developed joints that didn't receive a cut. The reason is probably tied to the fact that the game just released on the App Store on December 19 -- a mere few days ago.

Prof Word seems pretty cool based on our limited time with it so far. It's a word in which you and an opponent take turns adding letters to a word fragment. The point is to not be the dude who ends up spelling a word, or, additionally, be the first dude to point out that a word cannot be spelled from the growing letter cluster. Basically, the game boils down to tricking someone and knowing the dictionary.

Also, there's a layer of RPG elements that spice up the adversarial play. Each word fight has multiple rounds since each opponent has a health bar. You earn and find items that magnify the amount of damage you can do in a round, as well as blunt the impact of screwing up. And if that wasn't enough, there's InMotion constructed a hip, limited environment to explore and find dudes to fight inside.

Prof Word is available for the iPad now and we've been told that a Universal app update has been submitted to Apple. Check it out if this all sounds hip to you, or, hey, grab I Dig It's bangin' follow-up on the cheap.

App Store Link: Professor Wordington's Spellatorium, $2.99 (Universal)

Posted in Adventure, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Sales, Tower Defense, Word | 5 Comments »

'Ricky Carmichael’s Motocross Matchup' by 2XL Games Coming January 2011

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

2XL Games have made a fantastic name for themselves on the App Store with a series of games based on extreme motor sports. These include 2XL Supercross [99¢ / Lite / HD], 2XL ATV Offroad [$4.99 / Lite], 2XL Trophylite Rally [99¢ / HD], and as of this coming January, Ricky Carmichael’s Motocross Matchup. As the title hints, Ricky Carmichael is the front man for this game, and boasts an impressive resume of various trophies, medals, and other awards from all kinds of different Motocross events.

According to 2XL, the upcoming game is going to feature five supercross tracks (odd, considering this is a motocross game), two outdoor tracks, a race shop, and "an exciting line-up of super-charged Suzuki bikes". We're still waiting for additional clarification on how it will work, but the game also includes a "match-up mode" which will allow players to compete head to head online for positioning on leaderboards. It isn't entirely clear if this is realtime, or merely racing other people's ghosts, but we hope to find out soon.

We thought 2XL Supercross was a really cool game, but a bit shallow in our review. If they take similar gameplay, and add some additional depth through more tracks, a bike upgrade system, or even this new match-up mode, they're going to have a great game on their hands (and in our hands).

Posted in Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Racing, Upcoming Games | 6 Comments »

'Need for Speed Hot Pursuit' Updated to Add Racer Mode

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Last month EA Mobile's newest entry to their Need For Speed franchise - Hot Pursuit - launched in the App Store. Hot Pursuit toned down most of the things that were aimed at hardcore gearheads and instead focused on a more casual but fast-paced arcade experience. The game is definitely a fun ride, if somewhat shallow, and we generally enjoyed it in our review.

One thing we didn't like so much, however, was the single-sided career mode in the game. Hot Pursuit is based on high-speed chases with law enforcement, but there was only ever the option to play as the police and not the perp getting chased. This was especially perplexing since EA unintentionally announced during a Japanese media event in October that Hot Pursuit would contain two career modes for a total of 48 events. When it shipped with just one career and 24 events, we were a little disappointed.

This is no longer an issue now as EA has apparently tracked down the missing half of the game and issued it in an update earlier today. There is now an additional career mode for the "racer" that contains 24 events over 4 different modes with an entirely new set of achievements to obtain. The racers share many of the same cars as the cops do, with some exclusive ones as well, and you can now change the color of your car when playing as the racer. You can also use the racer's different arsenal of weapons - overdrive, jamming, and oil slicks - when trying to ditch the boys in blue.

I must admit I'm not typically a big Need for Speed fan, although there have been entries in the series over the years that I've really enjoyed. But I've been having a great time with Hot Pursuit on iOS mostly because of its stripped-down nature and simple focus on driving. Maybe I was their target audience for this game. Still, it got kind of old always having to play Johnny Law when sometimes you just wanted to be the outlaw breaking the speed limit. Now that is finally possible thanks to this gigantic new update. Also, don't forget that if you have yet to pick up Need for Speed Hot Pursuit that both the iPhone/iPod touch version and the iPad version are currently going for just 99¢ for a limited time.

Posted in $0.99, Arcade, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Racing, Sales | 16 Comments »

New 'Pizza Boy' Update Adds New Levels and Bug Fixes

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Oh hey, speaking of retro-style 2D platformers, my current favorite of the bunch Pizza Boy [$1.99] just got a pretty nice little update. Pizza Boy was released back in September, and when we reviewed the game we noted its wonderful 16-bit style pixel art and absolutely spot-on controls. In fact I would say that Pizza Boy has the best controls out of any traditional platform game on iOS that uses virtual buttons. About the only thing we didn't like in the game was how positively short it was, and as enjoyable as the gameplay is in Pizza Boy it just feels like it ends much too quickly.

Developer Acne Play realized this shortcoming and has rectified it somewhat with the game's first ever update. They have added additional levels to the game, but you're going to have to work for them. As you traverse through the original levels, you can now seek out and collect 8 different keys hidden throughout the game. Each key then unlocks one of 8 new bonus levels to play. For a game that originally came with only 12 levels, an additional 8 is quite a nice thing, and is good incentive to replay the original levels over again.

Also part of this update is the badly needed critical fix to the P-I-Z-Z-A letters that you can collect in each level. Some levels were missing certain letters, preventing you from collecting the entire word, and this update rectifies that. Also, there are new monsters and graphics along with general bug fixes and optimizations. If you like 2D platforming games, you owe it to yourself to check out Pizza Boy, and there is a forum thread full of positive impressions to back that up. I'm happy to see Acne Play adding new content to the game, even if it did take a few months, and hopefully they won't stop here and will come out with additional updates for Pizza Boy in the future.

App Store Link: Pizza Boy, $1.99

Posted in $1.99, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Platform | 10 Comments »

Upcoming 'League of Evil' Retro-Style 2D Platformer

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Classic-style 2D platforming games can be a great fit for the iOS platform, that is, if the controls are sufficiently responsive. Ravenous Games, the developers of Cave Run [$1.99], have a new 2D platformer on the horizon, and while I can't yet comment on how good the controls are going to be I'm definitely sold on the visuals and style. The story goes that a group of mad scientists have banded together to form - you guessed it - a "League of Evil" and are hellbent on causing general mischief and mayhem throughout the world. It's up to you as a Special Agent with unique acrobatic abilities to do something about stopping this threat. The pixel graphics and chiptune music in this trailer are right up my alley, and the gameplay totally gives me a Mega Man meets Ninja Gaiden vibe, which is definitely a good thing:

Currently League of Evil is scheduled for a February 3rd release, and will feature a whopping 60 different levels to play through. In fact there is already a Flash version of the game available that you can check out here, and if that version is any indication of what to expect then the iOS version of League of Evil should be simply awesome as long as they nail the controls. You can drop by the upcoming games thread in our forum where the developer is constantly posting new screens and info, and we'll be looking forward to checking out League of Evil when it launches hopefully in a little over a month.

Posted in iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Platform, Upcoming Games | 8 Comments »

Square Enix Reveals Cryptic 'Chrono Trigger' Mobile Teaser Page

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Today Joystiq caught wind of a cryptic teaser site for a Japanese mobile phone port of Chrono Trigger, which is yet another classic 16-bit era RPG by SquareSoft. The site itself isn't home to any more information other than the Chrono Trigger logo and "Spring 2011." Chrono Trigger was a remarkable RPG that had many revolutionary systems such as time travel, multiple endings, and other things not previously seen on home consoles. (For a full rundown, check out the extensive page on Wikipedia.)

We're not sure just yet whether this means the game is coming to Japanese mobile phones, the Japanese App Store, or anything else other than it's coming to mobile platforms in one way or another next year. However, with the success Square Enix has seen with their titles on the App Store, I'd find it to be almost impossible to believe that Chrono Trigger wouldn't eventually end up running on iOS sooner or later.

[via Joystiq]

Posted in Games, News, Role-Playing, Upcoming Games | 53 Comments »

'The 7th Guest' Update Arrives on App Store

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Trilobyte recently had an update to The 7th Guest [$2.99 / $5.99] land on the App Store which addresses a few complaints that we had in our review and that forum members had in the game's thread. Music now loops properly, and the game's animations have been slowed to their intended speed allowing for much more dramatic movement through the house.

The virtual mouse cursor and vintage save system still persists, but it's really great to play the game at the original speed it was intended to be played at. It would be nice if there was a toggle somewhere in the options for a "turbo mode" to make the game as fast as it was before, but maybe we'll see something like that in future updates or even in the upcoming sequel 11th Hour.

App Store Links:
    The 7th Guest, $4.99 (Universal)
    The 7th Guest for iPad, $4.99 (Universal)

Posted in $2.99, $5.99, Games, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Puzzle | 2 Comments »

'Battle Bears -1' Updated with New Campaign, All 'Battle Bears' Games Currently Free

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

There's been a lot of Battle Bears-related news coming from the folks at SkyVu lately. We first took a look at their newest iOS game Battle Bears -1 [Free] back when it was released in June. There was a lot to like about this humorous third-person shooter, stuff that we noted in our review, but there were some negative aspects as well. Then the game was updated over the next couple of months, and version 1.2 of Battle Bears -1 took everything we didn't like about the game and soundly pounded it into pieces, helping realize the potential that was contained in the initial release. Since that 1.2 update in August, Battle Bears -1 has received a ton more goodness in the form of updates, which have culminated in the recent version 1.5 that hit over the weekend.

The version 1.5 update adds the long-awaited third campaign for the lovable, timid, nub-handed, and slightly overweight Wil. Wil's campaign takes place after the other Battle Bears, Oliver and Riggs, have already safely escaped the mothership Ursa Major. Wil is left all alone to fend off an onslaught of zombie huggables over two dimly lit new levels chock full of Portal and 2001: A Space Odyssey references. This campaign is also a little different than the others in that you must negotiate a twisting maze of claustrophobic air vents in order to get to the main levels on the ship's corridors. Wil comes equipped with an arrow that he pulled from his leg as a melee weapon and a shotgun which he lovingly named Boomstick McShootington. Wil's campaign is a lot of fun, with hilarious new cutscenes and a story with a cliffhanger ending.

There have also been a number of other additions to Battle Bears -1 since our last post about the game. You can now obtain super versions of your weapons when playing as Oliver or Riggs. Collecting 3 full clips of ammo for a weapon turns it into a super weapon for the duration of those clips. For example, instead of normal rockets from the Bearzooka you'll fire one huge rocket that does incredible splash damage. Additionally, both the Riggs and Oliver campaigns have been extended, and Oliver's ends in an absolutely epic new boss battle. In it, Oliver transforms into an alternate version of himself and fights against a humongous boss in outer space in a battle that's unlike anything else in the game, and harkens back to some of the epic boss battles from the Star Fox or Legend of Zelda series.

The truly crazy part of all this is that currently every Battle Bears game is available for free. The original Battle Bears: Zombies! and Battle Bears -1 will be free at least until December 28th. The iPad only Battle Bears Go was supposed to be free for only a day, but somebody at SkyVu apparently forgot to flip the price switch back to “on” so at the moment it's still free. Also, the formerly 99¢ downloadable Riggs campaign is now permanently free, with the brand new Wil campaign costing 99¢. As a bonus, if you owned Battle Bears -1 before and had already purchased the Riggs campaign, you'll get the Wil campaign for free when you update.

I'm really impressed with how far Battle Bears -1 has come since it was released, and there's still more planned for the future including additional campaign content, Game Center integration, and Retina Display support. Plus, SkyVu is currently at work on a brand new title that takes place in-between the first two games called Battle Bears: 0. There's plenty of gameplay spread across the three Battle Bears titles, all currently available for free. If you need something to do during the holidays, act quickly and download any or all of these games now, and drop into the thread in our forums where SkyVu actively monitors feedback and suggestions for future updates.

App Store Links:
    BATTLE BEARS -1, $0.99 (Universal)
    BATTLE BEARS: Zombies!, Free
    BATTLE BEARS GO, Free (iPad Only)

Posted in Free, iPad Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games, News, Sales, Universal | 5 Comments »

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