The most impressive game shown off by Capcom yesterday was a mobile version of the 2008 console title Devil May Cry 4. Similar to Resident Evil 4: Platinum on iOS, Devil May Cry 4 Refrain will feature the bulk of the console title experience reworked to be mobile and touch screen friendly. The game will use many of the art assets from the console version and follow the same storyline, broken up into 10 stages and 8 boss fights. You'll play as Nero from the console version, with his demonic arm weapon the Devil Bringer. Series mainstay Dante will be present in various ways throughout Nero's exploits, and Capcom is planning on adding an update in the future that will actually let you play as Dante and see the story from his perspective.

After trying out Devil May Cry 4 Refrain, I was really surprised with how well it works on touch screen. The DMC series is notoriously difficult on consoles, with complex combo systems that require accurate controls to pull off. Capcom has definitely tweaked this aspect for the iOS version. Controls consist of a virtual joystick and 3 action buttons - one for jumping, one for using either your sword or gun, and one that controls the Devil Bringer. This is the simplified control scheme, which automatically determines whether you use long or short ranged attacks based on your characters position. There will also be a normal control mode that splits the sword and gun actions into separate buttons and lets you make the call on when to use which.

During my hands-on time with the game performance was really smooth and it was easy to engage enemies and pull off some of the fancy combos the series is known for using the simplified controls. It felt a bit button-mashy, but was fun nonetheless. The graphics looked terrific, enhanced for Retina Display and closely resembling the console game. As you play through the 10 stages killing enemies and bosses, you'll earn red orbs that will unlock a ton of new skills that let you customize how Nero plays. There will be too many to unlock during one playthrough, but you can go back and replay completed stages to earn more orbs to unlock even more features, although this isn't required to complete the game.

Devil May Cry 4 Refrain is looking great so far. It controls well on the touch screen and retains the emphasis on stylish battle from the console games. The visuals are pretty impressive too, and I was especially awestruck by the ridiculously huge boss characters. Like, ridiculously huge. The one thing that concerns me is it feels like the 10 stages might fly by pretty fast, though the ability to replay them to earn a better ranking or the future Dante content may flesh out the experience. All I know is that I wasn't ready to give up the device when the demo was over, which is a sign that they've done something right.

Luckily it won't be long until I can get my hands on it again, as Devil May Cry 4 Refrain should be launching before the end of January for $6.99. Until then you can drop by the discussion thread in our forums to pass the time until release, and we'll have more from this title when it launches later this month.

There's no doubt that Chair's Infinity Blade [$5.99] is a technical wonder, but the included plot left us scratching our heads in our review. You see, what keeps Infinity Blade going is your (usually) inevitable death at the hand of the God King. Following this, your successor takes up your sword, equipment, and xp/gold to continue the fight against the God King. It's a little weird, especially since you'd think after your great grandpa, your grandpa, and your father were all killed fighting the same entity that perhaps you'd pursue a career in something other than God King slaying.

Penny Arcade agrees:

Even though the story of the game can get a little ridiculous, especially as you hit the 10th (or further) bloodline, Infinity Blade is still an awesome game that anyone with hardware capable of running it needs to check out. If this is the first you've heard of Penny Arcade, you've likely got an afternoon full of going through their back catalog ahead of you, as it's one of my favorite web comics that any gamer should love.

After what seems like years of rumors on the subject, Apple and Verizon announced a new CDMA Verizon-compatible iPhone today. This new version of the iPhone seems to be identical both in storage capacity and price, with some minor modifications made to the antenna to support Verizon's CDMA network.

Verizon will begin taking preorders for the iPhone 4 on February 3rd, and they're expecting to have them available on February 10th. Just like its AT&T counterpart, the Verizon iPhone will sell for $199.99 for the 16GB version and $299.99 for the 32GB version. Both require a two year contract.

Currently, aside from CDMA Verizon connectivity, the Verizon iPhone also comes packed with functionality similar to a MiFi or other 3G hotspot device. Up to 5 devices will be able to share its 3G connection. Something to keep in mind, because this is a CDMA device, it is limited to using only voice or data at once. Placing a phone call will suspend data transfer. Of course there's no word yet regarding whether or not AT&T will match this functionality, but as someone who carries around a MiFi everywhere I go, I certainly hope so.

While it may not be a name most people recognize, the original Death Rally is a top-down racer with a ton of history behind it. The game was originally released and published in 1996 by Apogee, developer of Duke Nukem 3D and publisher of various classic PC titles such as Wolfenstein 3D. Death Rally was the first game developed by Remedy, who later went on to create the Max Payne series, and more recently, Alan Wake. This isn't just a simple remake either, Remedy has enlisted the help of both Mountain Sheep, creators of Minigore [99¢ / iPad], and Cornfox & Brothers, a game studio filled with industry veterans.

Death Rally is a top-down racer filled with vehicle upgrades and combat. In fact, recently the original PC version of the game was re-released as a free download [Direct Link]. Check out what the remake is going to look like when it launched on the iPhone and iPad in March:

Pricing isn't being discussed yet aside from it being "similar to other high-end games," so we're thinking that means anywhere between $4.99 and $9.99. Either way, we can't wait to get our hands on the game, and March really can't come soon enough.

I was surprised to find out at yesterday's Capcom event that the company is readying another game from the Resident Evil series for iOS, but I was even more surprised to learn that it will be a multiplayer-focused game with online play through Game Center. It's called Resident Evil Mercenaries Vs., and it's based on the Mercenary mode that is found in several other Resident Evil games. I was able to play around with a work-in-progress version of the title, and although the technical performance seemed pretty lacking the foundation of the game was a lot of fun, and could prove to be an entertaining alternative to first-person shooters when you are in the mood for some online fragging.

Resident Evil Vs. will feature 4 player online play, either in teams of 2 or free-for-all. Besides shooting at each other, all 4 players will also have to deal with the constant threat of zombie attacks as there are a number of them roaming the map at any time. Killing zombies or your human opponents will earn you points, and the player with the highest score at the end of the timed round is the winner. Dying will reset your score to zero, but various first-aid items can be picked up and used to help prevent that. Also, if you're getting whooped pretty hard you'll be able to summon an AI helper to battle with you, like the creepy chainsaw guy with the burlap sack on his head from Resident Evil 4.

The game uses the same control scheme from Resident Evil 4: Platinum [$4.99/Lite/HD], with a virtual control stick for movement and a set of context sensitive buttons for performing everything else, so if you're already familiar with that game you'll be able to jump right into this title. When you're not able to venture online, Resident Evil Vs. will still have things for you to do. If you have an iOS owning buddy nearby who has a copy of the game then there is a local Bluetooth multiplayer mode which supports two human players and two AI players, and functions identically to the online mode. In addition there is a Score Attack mode which is single player with 3 AI controlled opponents, and a Coin Shooter mode which has you hunting down and shooting coins like in Resident Evil 4.

The gameplay in Resident Evil Vs. is surprisingly fun, but some definite drawbacks were apparent in this preview build. Connecting for local multiplayer provided a horribly laggy experience, which may be due to having two Bluetooth devices in such close proximity to one another but even then it didn't instill confidence for the local play. I will be very interested to see how the game performs online using Game Center for matchmaking, as this can easily make or break the experience. On a more positive note, the game ran really smooth when playing a single player game with AI opponents, which was incredibly fun and is what you can see in this video:

Other slightly disappointing aspects to Resident Evil Vs. are the lack of characters and maps. The game will launch with just two playable characters, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, which isn't much but they do at least have slightly different weapons. More unfortunate is that there will only be one map initially, and although it's a large map with plenty of intricacies it's bound to get old pretty quickly. Capcom is keen on adding more characters and stages down the road, so hopefully the lack of variety gets improved. The important thing though is that there are flashes of brilliance with Resident Evil Vs. It may not be the prettiest or most full-featured game around, but it sure can be a lot of fun.

If performance issues get smoothed out and Game Center matchmaking is solid, this could be a real winner. Our members are currently discussing the game in our forums, and you can look for Resident Evil Mercenaries Vs. to launch sometime in February if all goes well with Apple approval.

Yesterday I had a chance to meet up with the folks from Capcom Mobile to check out some of their upcoming titles slated for the very near future. But first I spent a little time with a couple of updates to two of their previously released games, Capcom Arcade [Free] and Dead Rising Mobile [$6.99].

CAPCOM ARCADE, Free - Capcom's free to download portal into their extensive library of arcade classics received a new update last week. When they announced Capcom Arcade last fall, they promised that they would be adding one new game to the library per month, and so far they have come through with that. Last month they added Street Fighter II Champion Edition to the lineup, as well as fixed a lot of the initial problems with the game that players had complained about. This latest update adds Ghosts 'n Goblins, the precursor to the already included Ghouls 'n Ghosts.

While I like Ghosts 'n Goblins a great deal, it is somewhat disappointing that the two games added so far are part of a series that is already included in the game. With such an astonishing catalog of hits under their belt (like Bionic Commando, Strider, Legendary Wings, Final Fight, and oh so many more), I'm ready for something new. Perhaps next month. Nonetheless, I'm still impressed with just how well the G'nG games work with virtual controls, and I'm glad to have this latest game in the collection. Grab this newest update and check out Ghosts 'n Goblins using purchased tokens or daily free tickets, or just buy the whole game for a $2.99 IAP.

DEAD RISING MOBILE, $1.99 - As a huge fan of the Xbox 360 title, I was really excited about Dead Rising Mobile when I previewed the game back when it was announced in October of last year. TouchArcade cohort Eli Hodapp shared a similar enthusiasm as an original fan when he previewed the title closer to its release date last month. Then, when the game finally did come out, it failed to impress gamers in many regards. The controls and camera were awkward, the game engine was glitchy, and the mission structure didn't flow very well. It was still fun to cruise around a huge mall and kill zombies though, and much like the original this was the saving grace for Dead Rising Mobile.

Well Capcom has listened to player feedback and taken it to heart, and has been working on a substantial update to the game to improve on some of its shortcomings as well as add additional content. I was able to spend some time with this new update yesterday, and I'm left feeling much more confident for the future of the franchise on iOS. The first thing you'll notice is that there is a new playable character, Brad, the government agent that is featured heavily in the Xbox 360 title's storyline. Brad features a higher proficiency with guns, and is able to carry more ammo than Frank.

Aside from a new playable character, this update features vastly improved camera work and controls. This was immediately noticeable when I started playing, as the camera is now in a much more stable position the majority of the time rather than circling around wildly as it tended to do before. The controls also feel a lot smoother as does the overall framerate and performance of the game. It's still not perfect, but it's definitely a step up and in short the game just feels much more solid now.

Capcom stressed to me that they take player feedback very seriously, so if you were initially disappointed with Dead Rising Mobile then this update is worth giving the game a second chance. And if you still have issues, leave constructive criticism in your iTunes review or in our forums, as they read as much as possible and consider everything for ways to improve their games. Capcom has submitted this update to Dead Rising Mobile and it should be hitting in the next week or two barring any approval process complications.

When the iOS App Store launched in early July of 2008, I'm not sure anyone would have thought it was going to grow to the gargantuan beast it is today. Hundreds of thousands of apps later the iPad was introduced which complicated things further with 2x scaling for legacy app support, iPad-exclusive apps, and in some cases, universal compatibility. Last week Apple expanded the App Store ecosystem even further with the Mac App Store, allowing for iOS-style app purchasing in a desktop environment.

We've been covering the Mac App Store, because even though (currently) no Mac App Store purchases can be played on iOS devices, the two App Stores are much closer related than you might initially think. This morning I chatted with both Craig Kemper of Little White Bear Studios and Graeme Devine of GRL Games about just how much can be shared between both iOS and OS X games, and the work that has gone in to creating games on both platforms.

It's easy to forget sometimes, but behind the scenes of the game you're playing is a surprising amount of code that handles everything from the graphical output to the core logic that makes the game play. In the case of Compression [iPhone / iPad / Mac], Little White Bear Studios is topping 25,000 lines of code to make their game work. According to both Kemper and Devine, a surprising amount of code can be used between the Mac and the iPhone, even though they are completely different devices.

How portable a game's code is depends heavily on the the graphics technology used. For instance, if a game leverages something like Unity or cocos2D, the porting process between OS X and iOS platforms could potentially be as simple as retooling the interface to be touch-based or keyboard and mouse-based. Of course this is an oversimplification of the work involved, but Graeme was able to port the upcoming iOS version of Clandestiny [Mac App Store] to be ready for the Mac App Store in a single day.

In the future, Kemper suggests that developers are going to need to consider the Mac, the iPad, and the iPhone as the three target platforms for their games. The way he sees a potential development cycle going could involve planning a solid game for all three devices targeting the Mac first, because developing for a keyboard and mouse is generally more straight forward. Also, both performance and memory issues likely won't be a problem on a desktop platform compared to the somewhat limited resource pool of iOS devices.

From there, the developer could switch gears to work on a solid touch-driven interface and address any potential performance and memory optimizations that need to be made to make the game run on portables. If developers adopt a workflow like this, the Mac App Store could serve as an excellent crystal ball to gaze in to the future of the iOS App Store, much like how the New Zealand App Store gives us an early glimpse of what's coming to the US App Store.

As a part of this discussion, Graeme brought up an interesting point in that targeting all three of these platforms could potentially lead to mediocrity if the project doesn't lend itself to be a great game on every platform. We're already seeing a bit of this, as excellent games on iOS devices such as Angry Birds and Flight Control feel like quite a bit has been lost in translation when you replace their fantastic touch-based controls with a mouse pointer. This could potentially be an even larger issue in the future as the performance gap closes between both portable and desktop devices, ending in the game's interface being the only thing in need of changing.

Several games already exist on the Mac App Store that would seem to fit well on iOS devices in the future. Bejeweled 3, and And Yet It Moves seem to be perfect for all iOS devices. Precipice of Darkness (Episode 1, Episode 2) and Gratuitous Space Battles would be awesome on the iPad. If it wasn't for the Mac App Store, we wouldn't have had any idea that these games could have even potentially been coming to the iOS platform.

We're going to keep a close eye on both the Mac App Store and the iOS App Store in the future to follow how developers actually end up using both of these virtual storefronts together. Taking in to account how trivial it is to port between both platforms, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see developers targeting the Mac App Store first, giving iOS gamers a sneak peek of what's to come on their portable devices, making the Mac App store very interesting regardless of whether or not you even own a Mac.

Ever find yourself wishing you could play Tilt to Live [99¢ / Lite / HD] with an actual physical joystick instead of tilting, or better yet, that the game would just play itself? Well, with an Arduino, a few servo motors, a webcam, some machined pieces of metal, and a whole lot of spare time, anything is possible. Shane Wighton of Mechanically Inclined has been hard at work making this a reality.

The original post on the project was on December 20th, where Wighton explained:

There’s this game that I love to play on my phone. You play the game by tilting the phone to steer a space ship around, avoiding enemies, and picking up power-ups to take out the enemies. The game is very difficult – there can be hundreds of enemies on screen at any given time and their movement is often quite chaotic. So the question I’ve been asking myself lately is this – could I get a computer to play the game better than myself? Could I program a computer to detect patterns in the enemies, be strategic, and make the best moves using its superior reaction time and raw processing power? I don’t know but I would love to find out, so I’m going to find out.

Since then, substantial headway has been made resulting in the following video showing the whole contraption being controlled by a joystick:

The next step from here is mounting the webcam, and building the software that actually plays Tilt to Live with the device. I really can't wait to see this game playing robot in action, and have no problem bowing down to our future high scoring robotic overlords. For more details on the project, check out Shane's blog which we're also going to be following along with to see just how much better the Tilt to Live robot is at playing the game than we are.

Creative restraint is one of the best things about indie development. Keeping gameplay hooks to a minimum allows smaller studios to execute on an idea fully, providing us with fun and cohesive experiences. Some hooks, though, just aren’t compelling enough to fill up an entire game, no matter the amount of iteration.

I feel like this is Berzerk Ball [$.99] in a nutshell. It has a fantastic suite of rewards systems, but it’s ultimately a shallow game that offers a lackluster campaign and doesn't bring meaningful new ideas that bring anything to the “press a button to launch something” genre, which has been done to death on the App Store.

But I’m not here to harp on how much Berzerk Ball leaves much to be desired conceptually. Instead, I want to turn your attention to its reward systems because I think they’re a brilliant spot of design that gives the game longer legs.

Backing up, Berzerk Ball is a game about hitting things. The goal is to launch a flesh-and-blood "geek" as far as you can by hitting him with a violent object. It isn’t rocket science; you pick an avatar, line up an accuracy and a power meter, and then tap the screen to whack the geek.

The geek then sails through a randomly generated level, perhaps colliding into various bits of the environment that can either stop him cold or propel him even more. Later, you’ll get the ability to hit him multiple times after the initial launch, adding even more distance.

The coolest rewards systems actually inform your play, and the RPG leveling mechanic delivers in spades. Each avatar has core stats that can be bumped up by experience points earned from whacking the geek. Slowly, as you play, accumulation of EXP becomes the focus instead of basic scoring, which I gather is the actual point of the geek-launching endeavor.

In part, this is because the effects of a level-up are quick and palpable; you feel the new power and it effects how you approach hitting the geek. Hilariously, more EXP also means more opportunities to earn even more EXP with bigger and bigger hits. The system sort of feeds into itself.

Also, there's no risk involved in EXP gain. You'll never lose your levels, no matter how poorly you perform. You're constantly building in Berzerk Ball, which is pretty cool feeling that keeps you playing.

Not following me? Think about this in the context of a popular MMO like World of Warcraft. Fans get wrapped up in the social elements and raiding, sure, but for the humans playing the game, WOW's appeal is the race to the top: the EXP points.

And, really, there's no meaningful repercussions to failure in WOW, either. You lose a few armor ticks or whatever -- no big deal when compared to possibly losing entire levels like in other MMOs, which is probably a small reason as to why WOW is so damn dominant.

Leveling is powerful -- who doesn't like actively making something better? -- and Berzerk Studio absolutely NAILS this mechanic in its latest  iOS release, adding much more to the overall experience. It's really surprising to me when I think about how much time I've spent in this game despite the fact that I recognize it doesn't have that much to offer. Hats off to these folks for making it work.

I’d also like to make a quick mention of the achievements system, which also kind of scooped me up and had me doing stupid stuff in order to earn them. There’s been a lot of writing over the years about the effectiveness of achievements, so I’ll spare you the high-brow crap, but I will say this: what’s employed here will probably keep you hooked.

And look, I’m not the kind of guy that reflects on a game like Berzerk Ball. It’s not a particularly thoughtful project. After all, it’s premised on bloodying a nerd by drilling him him with shotguns, axes, and the sort. But it managed to grab me in a way that many of its brethren -- flash game or not -- and does so with a keen understanding of how to reward players for their time.

Last month, retro revival studio DotEmu, who brought us ports of Nicky Boom, Krypton Egg, and R-Type among others, signed a deal with the noted Japanese development and publishing house Jaleco LTD to bring 17 arcade conversions to the App Store, all of which will self-published by DotEmu. The first title out of the gate was Avenging Spirit (1991), which launched in December.

During a walk with his girlfriend, a boy is ambushed by agents of a mysterious crime organization and is shot to death. Now, as a wandering spirit with the ability to possess most others, he is summoned by his girlfriend's father to save her from these criminals

The game is a run-and-jump platformer that sets itself apart due to its "possess anyone" mechanic. You start out as a Casper-cute ghost and make your initial possession. Then, when you die, your ghost pops out and you can take control of most any character onscreen. Your fighting abilities depend upon who you've possessed, so it mixes the game up nicely.

Avenging Spirit is controlled by way of an onscreen stick and button arrangement that works about as well as you'd expect for a game of the sort. A standard Arcade playmode is present, as is a Freeplay mode where you can't die or unlock new levels, that's good for practice. By default, the game is played fullscreen, but a windowed mode is available that renders the game at it's original arcade resolution. Game Center integration takes your score online and tracks achievements.

DotEmu's Avenging Spirit trailer shows a sample of the gameplay.

DotEmu CEO Xavier Liard has just given us a heads-up on the second title from the Jaleco arcade series, which should be making its App Store debut shortly. Earth Defense Force (or E.D.F.) is a side-scrolling space shooter that saw an arcade release in 1991, an SNES release soon after (as Super Earth Defense Force), and has much more recently landed on the Wii Virtual Console.

The alien Azyma Empire, threatens to destroy the Earth with the Orbital Buster, a large computerized space satellite. The Earth's only hope lies in the recently developed XA-1 spaceships held under the organization known as E.D.F: Earth Defense Force. You are the pilot in command!

The game will feature both Arcade and Freeplay modes, both touch and D-pad controls modes, Game Center integration for online leaderboards and achievement tracking, and the ability to switch to tunes from your iTunes library.

Liard indicates that, based on feedback received from the studio's iOS conversion of R-Type, they decided to add a small touch area to the left of the game's playfield, to avoid the "finger hides the ship" dilemma. He feels the small loss of game area is well worth the overall effect of this control approach.

We'll bring news of the DotEmu's third release when we get it, but in the mean time...the studio indicates that somewhere hidden on their Jaleo games page is a hint as to what the third conversion will be. Can you find it?

This past Friday we went hands-on with Mad Skills Motocross from Turborilla and Racer X Online, and as of today the game is now available in the App Store. Mad Skills Motocross [$1.99] is a 2D side-scrolling motocross game, somewhat similar to the classic Excitebike but with enhanced visuals and an absolutely brilliant physics system. It lacks a couple of features that we've seen implemented in similar titles over the years, namely real-time online play and a level editor, but makes up for it by being fast, smooth, challenging, and above all else a total blast to play.

The controls in Mad Skills Motocross are simple, with gas and break buttons on the left and buttons to lean forwards or backwards on the right. Additionally you have the option of flipping the position of these controls or using the accelerometer for tilting. You can perform various tricks on your bike as well, like front flips, back flips, wheelies, and stoppies. There are also a number of special moves for your bike that you will gain through playing, like a vertical jump or a nitro boost. Utilizing your entire suite of abilities is essential to performing well in the game.

The meat of Mad Skills Motocross is the Career mode which features a whopping 52 tracks spread across 5 increasingly difficult racing divisions. Levels start out modest enough, and ease you into the basics of jumping, racing, and tricking. But fairly quickly the difficulty ramps up, and it will be a true test of your skills to win out against the AI controlled opponent in order to complete all of the available levels. Thankfully, there are always a few levels unlocked at a time, so if you get stuck on a particularly challenging race you can skip it for the time being and play a later one.

Besides the Career mode, there is also a robust Time Attack mode. Here the top 5 best times are saved from each individual track, along with full replays for each one. You can choose to “attack” any of these times and compete against your own ghost in an effort to improve that time. You can also send a challenge through OpenFeint for any of these times to see if one of your buddies is able to defeat your ghost racer. OpenFeint also includes achievements as well as leaderboards for every track, which is perfectly suited for this type of game.

All of these features come together really well in Mad Skills Motocross, and the whole experience is heightened by the wonderful physics system. The most subtle nuances of how you take off or land when jumping can affect your overall performance, and this is the type of game where you will replay a level over and over again just to get that “perfect run” and shave tenths of a second from your time. It just feels so fluid to lean far back on your bike and pick up speed, lurch forward as you launch from a jump and then land smoothly down the other side. There's a real rhythm to racing that is very satisfying to learn and try to master.

The simplest way I can put it is that Mad Skills Motocross is pure fun. While it doesn't have real-time online multiplayer like the similar iOS game Motocross Challenge [99¢/Lite], the OpenFeint challenge system is a good substitute and actually might be a better fit for gaming on the go. The desktop version of Mad Skills Motocross features a level editor, and although that didn't make it into the iOS version of the game, the developers are keen on finding a way to squeeze that in sometime in the future if possible. With the 52 tracks in the game, there is no lack in variety of places to race even without an editor, although it would be a cool feature to have.

Impressions from players in our forums are overwhelmingly positive, and if you're in the market for a fast-paced arcade-style racing game it doesn't get much better than Mad Skills Motocross.

When developer CAVE launched their fantastic dual-stick shooter Mushihimesama Bug Panic [$4.99/Lite] back in November, the game came equipped with Game Center for high score and achievement tracking. With popularity of the then relatively new Game Center rising, CAVE fans were quick to wonder if their previous iOS offerings Espgaluda II [$8.99/Lite] and Dodonpachi Resurrection [$8.99/Lite] would see some love in the form of Apple's social network.

Over the weekend CAVE did just that, and has released updates for both Dodonpachi and Espgaluda II with Game Center. It will work in harmony with the existing OpenFeint integration, and any previously earned achievements or high scores will instantly carry over to Game Center, and either network can be accessed easily from within both games.

As cool as having Game Center in two of my favorite shmups is, CAVE has an even more exciting surprise for owners of Dodonpachi Resurrection. Hardcore players of the game probably know about the many hidden elements in the game, such as alternate routes and enemies, which CAVE has previously covered on their blog. Now in this latest update, they have divulged one of the biggest secrets in the game, a hidden boss character named ]-[|/34<#! (Hibachi), which can also be accessed as a playable ship.

Expert players may have already run into Hibachi, as playing through the game taking the alternate 2nd loop route results in facing Hibachi as the true final boss of the game, and defeating him unlocks the ship for play in iPhone mode. Since defeating Hibachi is extremely difficult, CAVE didn't want to limit its availability to hardcore players, and so they have included an alternate method of unlocking the ship by using an old-school style button input at the ship selection screen. Both methods are detailed in this lengthy video from their latest blog post (skip to the 7:00 mark to go straight to the input code, but you'll be missing out on the expert play of "Assistant A"):

If there's one thing I love more than a great game, it's a great game with awesome hidden stuff in it. Dodonpachi Resurrection is one of my most played games, but I am nowhere near the skill level required to unlock Hibachi using the intended method, so I really appreciate having an easier way to do so. It should be noted that unlocking Hibachi by defeating him in the game makes him available forever, but using the input code only unlocks the ship for that session, and the code will need to be put in again each time you start a new game.

If you have yet to pick up either of CAVE's shooters, you can read our review of Dodonpachi Resurrection here and the review for Espgaluda II here, and both games have lite versions to try. If you already own either, grab these latest updates for some Game Center action and be sure to check out the hidden playable ship Hibachi in Dodonpachi Resurrection.

App Store Links:

• Espgaluda II, $8.99
• Espgaluda II Lite, Free
• Dodonpachi Resurrection, $8.99
• Dodonpachi Resurrection Lite, Free

Rovio Mobile is still attempting to court the four or so people on the planet that don’t own Angry Birds [$.99 / HD] proper. The beloved creator of the ever-popular physics-based puzzle game has just released two new “free” versions of the title that, in contrast to the Lite versions, feature no content from the actual release version. In fact, Angry Birds Free [Free / HD] offers brand new, never-before-seen levels.

In total, it's twelve levels split into four episodes. The App also supports Game Center and, just like the full, yet free Android version of the game, ads. I suppose if the game doesn’t convince you to pony up $.99, perhaps the Nike promotional stuff might. Or, hey, how about these super-cute kids:

Photo courtesy of The Review Crew

Think of this app as an updated demo of the core game. Rovio, as you well know, has vigorously supported Angry Birds with content over the last year, dropping in new level after new level and new bird after new bird in a constant stream of free updates. This demo reflects that. If you still haven't taken the plunge, definitely give this a look. Or, hell, give it a go if you're just looking for more levels.

Strapping my iPad into a faux arcade cabinet is the last thing I want to do with my tablet. Oh, I can get behind PAC-MAN and Space Invader ports, for sure, but the device has become much more than a toy for me over the last year -- it’s become a browser, an e-reader, and a respectable game machine capable of offering some compelling modern experiences.

But for those of you who do actually want to relive those coin-op days, know this: Ion and Atari are teaming up to put out the “iCade,” an arcade cabinet for the iPad this Spring ($99).

The cabinet, as you can see from the following Engadget video from CES, features a full-sized joystick and eight arcade-style buttons. The apparatus itself is gleefully decorated in a retro style, though it’s missing the scratches and smoke damage that we’ve started to associate arcade cabinets with.

According to Ion, the iCade “ensures safe loading and unloading of your iPad,” as well as a secure fit. It also positions the iPad at a decent viewing angle for arcade play. The stick and buttons, by the way, will operate via Bluetooth.

The kicker here is that Ion’s business partner, Atari, will be publishing “a huge suite” of classic games to market with the device. In the press release, the only game name-dropped is Asteroids, but I’d imagine that we’ll also see ports of Centipede, Tempest, Missile Command, Crystal Castles, Super Breakout, and Gravitar at the very least. Curiously enough, some of these games have already been released by Atari, but were pulled early last year. We'll have to wait and see how different these re-released games turn out being.

OK, so maybe I do kinda want to strap my iPad into an arcade machine. Anyone with me?

[via Engadget]

I struggle to find a mechanic or point of level or enemy design in The Flying Hamster [$5.99] that I can use to put the game on a pedestal, to show you that its better than the rest of its side-scrolling, shoot ‘em up brethren on the App Store.

I find myself in this backbreaking dilemma because the game is so goddamn cute -- it’s so full of life, character, and expressiveness, that I’m compelled to justify my adoration of it by conjuring positive opinions about its design that just aren’t present.

The experience is basic. You control an avatar with a limitless primary attack against a diverse range of enemies, each type possessing a unique range and rate of fire. Your goal is to reach an endpoint, to successfully navigate a storm of bullets and enemies to some arbitrary destination guarded by a bullet sponge of a boss.

Your ability to recognize and memorize patterns is the difference between success and defeat. Enemies, including bosses, aren’t erratic -- enemies are scripted and each level plays out the same, which is a good thing considering that there are no checkpoints.

But here’s the deal: all of this simplistic, generic stuff is awash in color, inspiration, and genuine character. Your avatar is an anthropomorphic hamster that can fly. Your enemies are penguins floating down from the heavens while shooting rounds from their hand cannons, angry rams, seagulls, cuddly vampire bats, and red scorpions that shoot pellets out of their venom-laced tails. Your weapons are your own loogies, streams of root beer, and seeds.

And the expressiveness! Each level is capped by a cut-scene of this adorable hamster created in a Japanese style that emotes a bright and cheery tone that flows into the level design, the equally upbeat audio, and the boss fights.

The character, I think, hides something a little more feral than you’d like -- The Flying Hamster doesn’t give you many opportunities to continue. You start the game with five lives and it ends after you lost them. Plus, the points you accumulate are based on what you scored in a single life; it’s not cumulative.

The controls can be a point of frustration. The standard layout gives you the ability to move your character wherever, no matter where your finger is on the screen, which is a nice touch… whenever you’re not inadvertently hiding an enemy with your flesh. Those times, however, are few.

But while that controls and difficulty can be a bummer considering how little this game gives you to work with in terms of chances and tools to succeed, I feel like its art and character triumphs. Sure, The Flying Hamster is not even close to being the best shoot ‘em up available on the App Store, but it’s one of the best-looking and most artistically inspired of the bunch. Give it a shot if you don't mind routine design or a challenge. Or if you're into looking at cute animals.