Last month we went hands-on with Capcom’s mobile version of Devil May Cry 4. The game missed its intended late January release, but last week Devil May Cry 4 Refrain [$1.99] finally hit the App Store. In a post-Dead Space [$6.99/HD] world, where we’ve seen what is possible in bringing a console-like experience to iOS with an original storyline to boot, it’s hard to get terribly excited for Devil May Cry 4 Refrain. Story-wise it’s essentially a retelling of the console game with static cutscenes and text, and visually there is a lot to be desired. Still, the action is solid (though repetitive) and the virtual controls work really well. If you’re a fan of the Devil May Cry series and are looking for a version you can squeeze into your pocket, then Devil May Cry 4 Refrain satisfies.

The game takes place over 10 levels which each consist of interconnected areas which you must explore. The environments look decent but are barren and lack any sort of life or vibrance. The game description boasts Retina Display support, but honestly I don’t see it. The graphics are full of jagged edges and the text in the game is blurry and difficult to read. Overall the game certainly doesn’t look bad, but it could stand to look much better compared to other titles on the App Store.

Graphics and presentation aside, the combat in Devil May Cry 4 Refrain is what really stands out. You control your character Nero with a virtual stick and an option for a 3 or 4 button setup. I suggest going with the 4 button setup that gives you a button each for jumping, shooting, swordplay, and using your Devil Bringer arm weapon. The simplified 3 button setup combines your gun and sword into one button, but takes away most of the skill of engaging in combat.

The Devil May Cry series is known for over-the-top combos and an emphasis on style, and this translates very well to the iOS version of the game. The actual mechanics behind the combos have been drastically simplified in order to work sufficiently with virtual controls, but the “feel” of the combat is still there. As you make your way through the game you’ll be able to unlock a plethora of new moves for all your various attack types. These can be configured to your liking in the settings, offering a small bit of customization to your character.

As neat as it is that the stylish combat of Devil May Cry translates well to the mobile version, it still has a tendency to feel repetitive and button mashy. In fact, the general nature of the game is quite repetitive. The core experience involves entering a new room, clearing it of enemies, and moving on to the next. This is broken up somewhat by mild puzzle solving and boss battles, but for the most part the game hardly ever changes. It’s also pretty light on difficulty and fairly short, as the entire game can be completed in just a couple of hours without much struggle. There is some replay value in going back to replay levels for a better score, but it’s insubstantial.

Despite the drawbacks and overall unambitious nature of Devil May Cry 4 Refrain, I can’t deny that I’ve had fun playing through it. Something about the combat is just really satisfying. Capcom has stated that there will be an update to the game adding Dante from the original Devil May Cry games as a playable character, which should address the current brevity of the game somewhat. Opinions of players in our forums are mixed, with some enjoying the game a good deal and some not at all. I think if you adjust your expectations accordingly, you’ll find enough to like about Devil May Cry 4 Refrain. At its current price of $1.99, it’s easy to recommend for fans of the series or action games in general.

TouchArcade Rating:

Last week Namco Bandai Games held their inaugural Ignite event in which they invite members of the media from all over the world to get a sneak peek at some of their planned gaming lineup for the year. Unfortunately, most of the juicy stuff was on the home console side of things, but there were still some noteworthy tidbits that are coming up for the iOS platform. Here's a quick roundup of everything from that event, click any of the following images to enlarge.

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Pac-Man Valentine’s skin and Ms. Pac-Man for iPad - Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes a Valentine’s skin for Pac-Man. If you are a fan of pink and red, and like hearts littered throughout your UI, then you have a lot to be excited about for this upcoming update. Though it doesn't offer anything different functionality-wise, it is kind of nice to have an alternate color scheme for this classic game. Also, Namco announced that Ms. Pac-Man would be making her way to the iPad this year. There’s not really any information for this just yet, nor are there any screens, but I’d imagine it will pretty much be similar to the iPad edition of Pac-Man.

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Ridge Racer Accelerated HD - iPad owners will soon be able to get their Ridge Racer on in an upcoming native version of the classic arcade racing franchise. This is essentially the iPhone version with everything scaled up for the larger screen, as content-wise the two games appear to be identical. It does look rather nice though in the higher resolution.

I was able to try out the game, and everything seems just about as good as it did in 2009 on the iPhone. If you enjoyed that version but have been itching to have this game on your iPad, then Ridge Racer Accelerated HD should satisfy. One interesting aspect to this release is that it will launch for free with limited content, and you’ll have the ability to unlock the full version through a one time in-app purchase.

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Puzzle Quest 2 - One pretty exciting announcement at Ignite is that Puzzle Quest 2 will be receiving a shiny new coat of Retina Display compatibility for devices that support that as well as online multiplayer through Game Center. While I like when games are updated with Retina Display support as much as the next guy, the prospect of online multiplayer in one of the top RPG-style puzzle games is more than enough to get me excited. These additions to Puzzle Quest 2 should be hitting as a free update to the game within the next month or so.

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TNA Impact! - If you’re a fan of pro wrestling, there really isn’t a solid option for you on iOS. Hopefully that will change with the release of TNA Impact! I was able to give the game a try on both iPhone and iPad, and it appears like it will deliver a decent game of wrestling. It features a ton of different TNA characters as well as a fairly robust create-a-wrestler mode. There’s also all the pre-match and backstage banter between characters that you would expect, as well as the flashy ring intros and high-flying maneuvers.

What I liked about TNA Impact! is that it didn’t try and stray too far from a traditional wrestling game. Simple virtual buttons and an analog stick allow you to perform your suite of maneuvers, and it all seems to work really well. Plus, most importantly, it was a lot of fun. The one area where the game failed to impress is the visuals, with blocky and low-detail character models, though the iPad version does look a good deal better than its smaller screened counterpart. I’ll be interested to see if there's improvement in this area at all before release. One very intriguing aspect though is multiplayer, with your usual options for local play but also online multiplayer through Game Center. We’ll see how this all plays out when TNA Impact! launches this Spring.

So, you got roped into hosting  Super Bowl XLV party today and you’re having one of those Edvard Munch “The Scream” moments as you realize the big game is only a few hours away. Serves you right for having that wicked huge studio, that 1080p high-definition TV, and the kind of personality that allows this sort of thing to happen to you. But, hey, I’ll help you help yourself by pointing out a few apps that’ll smooth out some of the party planning wrinkles, educate you on the Packers or Steelers, or just give you a sense of what the hell Super Bowl XLV is all about.

THE SEASON
The NFL doesn’t like to put its programming on the App Store until the season is over, so there’s no solid way to play catch-up on the regular NFL season without watching several ESPN or NFL Network pre-Bowl broadcasts. However, you can watch the 2010 NFL Playoffs up until the Super Bowl via the 2010 NFL Playoffs [$19.99] app.

There were some cool games this year. Definitely spare a few moments to see Aaron Rodgers go nuts on the Falcons -- dude was almost perfect on the afternoon. Also, check out the Steelers and Ravens battle. It was a ridiculously physical match that I’m sure a handful of players from the Steelers are still reeling from this afternoon. Consider these... crash course games. You'll know whats up for the big game.

THE ROSTERS
But, oh-uh! You don’t know stat lines, roster details, and can’t tell me what Hines Ward or A.J. Hawk look like. There are a couple of cool apps that provide this level of detail. The Official Green Bay Packers [Free] is a winner, as it provides pictures, stats, and roster details like, for example, IR or other injury reports. The Steelers Gameday Plus [$1.99] does about the same, but it lacks the polish and the personal touch.

For an overview of the whole season, check out NFL.com Game Center [$1.99]. And to see what NFL players are saying about the big game today, NFL Pro Tweets [Free] won’t steer you wrong.

STADIUM, ALSO TOILETS
If you want a better sense of where the Super Bowl is, check Super Bowl XLV [Free]. It’s a game guide that provides a 3D map of the bowl where game is being played. In my experience, nothing says, “I know football” quite like being able to tell people where all the toilets are in the new Texas-based arena. Oh, and you can also get your hands on the game program via the Super Bowl XLV Official NFL Game Program [Free].

FOOD FOR YOUR PARTY
If you’re dead set on serving up the ridiculous, calorie-inflated chow that people like to eat on the biggest Sunday of the year, Apple has a monstrous list of recipe apps, such as The Chili Chef [$1.99], Dip Diva [.99], and Cheese Plate [$2.99]. I suggest downloading the Calorie Counter [$1.99] if you’re going this route because, man, you’re going to be putting some stupid stuff in your body over the weekend. Check out Apple’s list.

SIMULATIN' (BE THE SMART GUY)
Of course, you could be the smartest guy in the room if you start talking about the various ways the game played out in the simulations from Madden 11 [.99 / HD], the best football game app out there (check our review out). You could do the same with Gameloft’s NFL 2011 [.99 / HD] or Backbreaker 2: Vengeance [.99], but both feel secondary to Madden.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday, everyone... And may the best team win!

I have nothing but good things to say about both MovieCat! [Free] and MovieCat! HD [Free]. There are trivia games of all sorts on the App Store, as mentioned in my initial review of the game, but I've yet to come across one that has as much personality as MovieCat!. I'm not sure if it's the fact that every part of the game is absolutely loaded with cats, or that the questions included seem to span everything from questions everyone would know to extremely obscure factoids for movie buffs.

The included content in MovieCat! is incredible, and there's even an optional 99¢ DLC pack with even more. This add-on is by no means required though, as it took a considerable amount of playtime before I even started running across that many questions that I've seen before. If you like movies, and cats, it likely will only take you a few seconds with the game to see why I included it in my list of favorite games of 2010.

Don't miss this game while it's free, and even if you do, it's totally worth the asking price once this freebie promotion is over.

Note: This price change seems to have just gone in to effect. If you don't see it as free yet in your neck of the woods, give the App Store a bit to update its pricing.

Just a quick heads up that my current favorite obsession Disc Drivin’ is having a 99¢ sale this weekend. Disc Drivin’ is a turn-based racing game that we reviewed back in December that uses an asynchronous online system to allow racing with people all over the world at your leisure. Take your turn, then the game sends that data along to the other players in the race, and when it’s time for your turn again a simple push notification lets you know.

It works wonderfully well, and just a few days ago we detailed the past updates for Disc Drivin’ which included random online matchmaking in the latest one. Players have also been discussing the game and trading usernames in the game’s official thread and the dedicated username swapping thread.

There has always been a fully-featured ad-supported version of Disc Drivin’ available, and the ad-free version usually sells for $2.99. If you’re one of those people who have been enjoying the ad-supported version but didn’t quite feel like ponying up the 3 bucks to upgrade, now’s your chance to do so for just 99¢. If you haven’t yet tried Disc Drivin’ then give the free version a spin, and if you like what you see make sure to grab the full version for a dollar before it jumps back up in price after the weekend is over.

A little less than 20 years ago id Software turned every PC into a gateway to jaw-dropping FPS action with DOOM and DOOM II. These groundbreaking games had Mac owners pretty jealous of all that gory Cacodemon-crushing action. Oh, the Mac did get its ports, but with no low res, high framerate screenmodes, the DOOM experience on the Mac could also be called Tiny Window Carnage. That is, until a little studio called Bungie came along and released their own take on the FPS that took sweet advantage of all those high res pixels on the Mac's display. It was called Marathon, and just about every gamer with a Mac was hooked.

As Wikipedia describes the game's backstory,

Marathon takes place in the year 2794 aboard a large, multi-generational colony spacecraft called the UESC (United Earth Space Council) Marathon. The ship was converted from Deimos, one of Mars' two moons. The plot of the story sets the player as a security officer and focuses around an invasion of the ship and (to a much lesser extent) a colony on the nearby Tau Ceti by hostile extraterrestrials. The plot is primarily revealed through various computer interfaces called terminals, which relay crew logs, maintenance documents, historical accounts, and stories. It is through these terminals as well that the player receives mission information from Leela, the ship's artificial intelligence, as well as Tycho and Durandal, the science and utilities AI in Marathon respectively.

Well, we all know the Bungie story -- Microsoft grabbed 'em, and the most promising Mac-focused game studio ended up on...The Other Side. But, not before releasing the Marathon game engine into the open source community. The engine, known as Aleph One, is based on the Marathon 2 source code and allows modern machines (Macs included) to play through those well-loved Bungie classics, with notable enhancements to boot.

In a thread started a few weeks back in our forums, Daniel Blezek ("vidmaster") revealed that he is working to bring an iPad version of Aleph One to the App Store.

Aleph One for the iPad will feature the following:

• All levels from Marathon, Marathon 2: Durandal, and Marathon Infinity
• HD graphics
• Smooth game play experience
• 9 unique weapons, fists, double shotguns, and the devastating SPNKR-X18 rocket launcher!
• Infinite saved games, film recording

The game is currently in beta testing, with a few issues to be worked out before it's ready for release.

The developer indicates that, if Aleph One for the iPad does well in the App Store, he will likely release an iPhone version of the game, as well.

UPDATE: The iPad version of Aleph One may face some difficulties that we've seen discussed in the Pfhorum.com Aleph One forums ("iGuy" = "vidmaster").

First, there is the issue of the distribution of the various Marathon level packs. That is being handled in this app by the download of the actual levels from a remote website on the first launch of the app, which is a technique we've seen used (successfully) in the App Store previously. The second issue is the fact that code under a GPL license is not "compatible" with the rights situation of an app that has been submitted to the App Store. We'll see how this pans out, but suffice it to say there may be rocky shoals ahead for this effort to bring the Marathon trilogy through Aleph One to the App Store.

Just a quick heads up here on a major weekend sale that's underway on the highly popular Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episodes One [$0.99] and Two [$1.99], both down from $7.99 for 87% and 75% price reductions, respectively. Both titles are also available on XBLA, PSN, and Windows, but these are the lowest prices we've seen for them on any platform.

As described by creators Penny Arcade and Hothead Games,

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is an RPG-Adventure game set in the comic-book-meets-pulp-horror-meets-H.P. Lovecraft deranged 1920s universe of New Arcadia, delivering mature and compelling entertainment to gamers via accessible episodic delivery. The creative collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike ‘Gabe’ Krahulik and Jerry ‘Tycho’ Holkins, legendary game designer Ron Gilbert and veteran producers Hothead Games results in a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience that pushes bizarre characters, outrageous combat, and adult humor to the precipices of darkness.

Players join Gabe and Tycho, the crime-solving team of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, to combat savage enemies and solve mysteries hidden deep in the sinister heart of New Arcadia. The ominous 1920s landscape features distinct artwork and characters designed exclusively by Krahulik and brought to life by the Hothead team.

Gamespot called the adventures well worth the initial XBLA price of $20 USD for any Penny Arcade-loving gamer. Any Mac user who meets that description should find this weekend sale an absolute steal.

Back in October we reported that, in what will surely be a dream-come-true for a sizable swath of oldschool iOS gamers, Tower Studios and Vivid Games, in association with The Bitmap Brothers, announced that future sports classic Speedball 2 would be making its way to the App Store in the form of Speedball 2: Evolution. We're happy to now be able to add a good bit of detail -- along with screenshots and a trailer video -- to this excellent news, thanks to a recent release by Tower Games.

The original Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, which was first released for the Atari ST back in 1990, was just awesome. It was a sequel to the original, superb Speedball, that was just better in every way. (Some readers with fewer years of gaming under their belts might be familiar with the 2007 XBLA release of the title.) Speedball 2: Evolution, as the name might suggest, takes the game even farther, bringing quick-play, league and cup tournaments, a detailed career mode, along with multiplayer support.

"This is the best version of Speedball 2 since the original and the best remake of any classic title available on the App Store," creative director and Tower Games CEO John Hare, who earlier brought us Sensible Soccer, assures us.

"Speedball 2: Evolution is the most comprehensive game in the series, and a real programming masterpiece thanks to the amazing efforts of Vivid Games. To existing fans this is a classic remake, to the new generation this is a fantastic modern game in it’s own right. It marks the first arrival of a Bitmap Brothers classic to the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad – expect to see many more classic titles re-mastered and updated by us in the future."

Some of the Speedball 2: Evolution features, as listed by Tower Games:

• 336 individual players
• 22 achievements
• 20 power-ups and pick-ups
• 16 classic Speedball teams
• 12 new intergalactic teams
• 10 season career mode
• 10 single player modes
• 6 arenas on four different planets
• Player transfer market and upgrades

Speedball 2: Evolution will be available in the App Store later this month (price not yet determined). And, this is only the beginning of the retro goodness. Tower Games intends to release a series of remakes of classic Bitmap Brothers games for iOS gamers.

The Bitmap Brothers, in years past, also brought us Xenon II, Gods, The Chaos Engine, Cadaver, and Magic Pockets.

We don't really know anything about EA's upcoming NBA Jam other than its release is "right around the corner". Originally released in 1993 as one of the most awesome arcade games ever, NBA Jam sported four sets of controls for two on two basketball matches. As the title may hint, the name of the game in NBA Jam was ridiculous slam dunks that you could execute from the half court line under the right circumstances.

Here's some video from the original arcade version:

It's hard to say which version of NBA Jam EA will be bringing to the App Store, as there have been quite a few iterations over the years since the original arcade game. Hopefully it has some kind of multiplayer, as playing with friends was always the best part of NBA Jam. They're promising screenshots in the not too distant future, so if nothing else, part of the mystery of the upcoming NBA Jam release will be unmasked before long.

In other news, the gaming giant recently revealed some screenshots of Fight Night Champion, the latest entry in to the Fight Night series set to be released on home consoles on March 1st in North America. We haven't heard about the release date of the iOS version, but it's likely safe to assume that it will be around then as well. What's interesting about Fight Night Champion is the addition of a new "champion mode" where you follow the story of a boxer named Andre Bishop as he rises to greatness.

We hope to know more about both of these games soon. To follow along with EA Mobile, check out their Facebook which always seems to be loaded with information about their upcoming games.

With a new year upon us, we're bringing back our monthly best game listings. Our ratings for games we reviewed in January are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a 3 or higher is considered a "good" rating.

Our final scores are not the product of any traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others.

5 Stars

Dead Space™, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - "Console quality" is a phrase that's thrown around a lot to describe portable games, and really, it's a fitting title for this iOS-exclusive version of Dead Space. Sure, we're still irked that there aren't any control configuration options, but that shouldn't stop you from picking up this game, and it hasn't stopped us from playing through it multiple times. We tend to prefer Dead Space for iPad [$9.99] over its iPhone counterpart, but both are fantastic games that should be a part of your collection. EA started 2011 off with a bang by releasing Dead Space, and if this is setting the benchmark for the quality of games we're going to see out of them for the future, this is going to be one hell of a year.

Dungeon Raid, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - As mentioned in our review of the game, with the number of fish in the match three sea, it takes a lot to make one that's just as fun (if not more so) than the match three staples like Bejeweled 2 and other classics. Dungeon Raid accomplishes this by distilling the Puzzle Quest formula down to its basics, and providing match three gameplay that retains its simple nature while offering a shocking amount of depth via random equipment and character upgrades. Also, there's much more to matching than just high scoring, clearing each type of block has a purpose, and the order you clear them in can mean life or death. This game has stolen hours of my time, I can't recommend it enough.

4.5 Stars

Pocket HalfPipe, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This incredibly awesome skateboarding game is highly reminiscent of the halfpipe in the classic NES series Skate or Die, but with much better graphics and crazy dual stick controls that allow you to pull off all kinds of moves. The game could easily be described as basic, but it's so much fun that we don't care. The tricks you'll be able to pull off after a bit of practice are cool, and stringing a massive chain together is hugely rewarding. We'd love to see some additional depth or customization thrown in, but as it is, Pocket Halfpipe is just so much fun to play that it doesn't seem to matter.

Bug Heroes, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Much like how Dungeon Raid took typical match three gameplay and made it awesome, Bug Heroes takes the dual stick shooter to the next level. The core of the game is based around the typical dual stick shooter formula, but multiple playable characters (each with strengths and weaknesses) as well as elements of both castle and tower defense make this a game that everyone needs to check out. Just keep in mind, it will be very difficult to go back to your basic survival-mode dual stick shooter after this.

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The rest of January game ratings can be seen in their respective rating categories (also found in the sidebar navigation): 5 Stars, 4.5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars, and 2 Stars.

As always, we expect there will be some debate about relative scores, but keep in mind that everyone's personal ratings may vary based on individual tastes.

Can the Nintendo 3DS succeed in a world where your typical handheld game now costs between one and ten dollars? That’s one of the questions we’re asking ourselves as we consider the new-fangled handheld and it’s one that Nintendo is certainly considering as it launches its device whose games will, probably, cost between 30-45 dollars.

In fact, here’s an answer to that from Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime. To him, it’s all about value. Obviously, he thinks 3DS games will be able to offer more at their price points than app developers can offer at theirs.

"I actually think that one of the biggest risks today in our industry are these inexpensive games that are candidly disposable from a consumer standpoint," he told GameTrailers in a recent interview. He was then asked if he thought Angry Birds was disposable.

"Angry Birds is a great piece of experience but that is one compared to thousands of other pieces of content that, for one or two dollars, I think actually create a mentality for the consumer that a piece of gaming content should only be two dollars,” he said.

"I actually think some of those games are overpriced at one or two dollars but that's a whole different story.”

As Eli mentioned to me earlier, it’s hard to argue with that logic. People are beginning to expect low prices, which is a bummer. Truly epic, expansive, big-budget games like Dragon Quest IX just straight up are never going to be made again if the developer is expected to sell it at .99 cents. But, on the other hand, smaller experiences like, say, The Rub Rabbits? We shouldn’t be paying top dollar for those, that’s for sure.

[Via GameTrailers and Eurogamer]

Crescent Moon Games, creators of the hit RPGs Aralon: Sword and Shadow [$9.99] and Ravensword: The Fallen King [$2.99 / Free] provided us a trailer today with one of their upcoming games, which oddly enough, isn't an RPG at all. Gears is a steampunk themed ball roller that also happens to have an oddly intriguing premise behind it.

Check out the trailer:

Per the trailer, Crescent Moon plans to "redefine the ball-rolling genre"-- A lofty goal. Either way, ball rolling games have worked great on the iPhone, especially when crossed with an adventure theme. Dark Nebula - Episode One [99¢] and Dark Nebula - Episode Two [$1.99] are great examples of this.

We'll have to wait until the vague release date of "Spring 2011" to see how Gears stacks up, but we haven't been disappointed by a game from Crescent Moon yet.

Last week at Macworld I had the chance to chat with Josh Michaels from Jetson Creative to discuss the latest update for their testicular impact simulator Ow My Balls! [Free]. If you aren’t familiar with Ow My Balls!, you play as Joe the Juggler who is minding his own business juggling balls on the roof of a building until someone comes along and mercilessly boots him off. Using a meter you set the power of the initial boot and once airborne tilt the device to change the angle of Joe as you utilize the power of flatulence to move about the environment. The goal is to rack your family jewels on as many objects as possible that are spread throughout the level before finally collapsing in a heap of pain on the ground and collecting a score for your efforts.

The lowbrow humor won’t be for everyone, but the game is fun, and Ow My Balls! has led an interesting journey in its time on the App Store. Originally released in April of 2009 amidst a sea of fart and joke apps that were the App Store trend at the time, Ow My Balls! failed to garner much attention. Most people at that point had been burned at least once before by downloading some ridiculous app only to realize that it offered a terrible experience, and a game called Ow My Balls! doesn't exactly evoke confidence in this type of customer. The funny thing is, the gameplay in Ow My Balls! is actually really solid. It’s balanced really well in regards to item and hazard placement, and reaching high scores is a valiant test of skill.

So despite this, Ow My Balls! languished in the App Store for more than a year before Jetson Creative decided to throw in the towel, so to speak, and dropped the price of the game to free. Then, through the power of magic (and probably word of mouth), Ow My Balls! began to spread like wildfire and was being downloaded left and right across the globe. It did over a million downloads in a week, and 230k in a single day at its peak. This phenomenon caught Josh and company completely by surprise, and as excited as they were to see hundreds of thousands of new players playing their game they were also frustrated that they had not built in any kind of way to monetize all of this new exposure. Despite being downloaded more than a million times, Ow My Balls! hasn’t really made any money in its nearly two years on the App Store.

Which brings us to today, where version 2.0 of Ow My Balls! has gone live and the game has once again dropped to free. What’s new in this version are graphics that have been redrawn in high resolution for the Retina Display as well as 6 brand new characters to play as in addition to Joe the Juggler. One character, Lil’ Baller (who may or may not be based on a certain mainstream rapper who has a tendency to interrupt award acceptance speeches) is included in the game for free, while the other 5 are available as a 99¢ in-app purchase. The redone graphics look fantastic on Retina Display devices, and the new characters add a lot of additional humor to the game.

Check out the latest trailer for Ow My Balls!,which shows all of the new characters, or peep this additional hands-on video that I shot at Macworld that shows a few of them in action (including Lil’ Baller’s epic auto-tuned voice samples):

Jetson Creative is being realistic about Ow My Balls!’ latest stint as a freebie. They don’t expect the meteoric rise in popularity that struck previously, but they do hope people will be more apt to check out the new 2.0 features since it’s currently free to do so. The way Josh puts it, there are 3 kinds of Ow My Balls! players: those who try the game, are appalled, and delete it within 10 seconds; those that think it’s funny and play a few times to show their friends, but ultimately never come back to it; and finally the small subset of hardcore players that are competing for high scores. If enough people from groups 2 and 3 like the game enough to buy the IAP character pack, then Jetson Creative has a chance to at least make some money off the game being free.

The plan is to gauge the popularity of version 2.0, and if there’s a demand for it create an iPad native version of Ow My Balls! Then if Jetson Creative can hit a certain profit goal, work can begin on an Ow My Balls! sequel, which Josh has many insanely amazing ideas for but I wouldn’t dare divulge them here. So definitely give Ow My Balls! a spin if you haven’t yet as it costs you nothing to do so. And if you already own the game make sure to update it and check out the latest additions in version 2.0, and we’ll hopefully be hearing more from Ow My Balls! and Jetson Creative in the near future.

Flight Control [.99 / Free / HD] creator Firemint makes a fantastic argument with its Real Racing franchise for the iPad and iPod Touch: it says, “Hey, portable racing games can be good, too” and then proves it with sleek visuals and solid racing mechanics and design.

If you’re a fan of fast things that go fast or racing with a fast thing against other fast things that go fast, Real Racing games are definite must-haves in your App Store collection. And now you can grab them all on the cheap.

Over on its blog, Firemint has announced that it’s putting three of its racing games -- Real Racing, Real Racing HD, and Real Racing 2 -- on sale. For your convenience, here’s the original prices and what will become the new ones:

• Real Racing - $4.99 --> $1.99
• Real Racing HD - $9.99 --> $4.99
• Real Racing 2 - $9.99 --> $4.99

As Firemint notes in its post, the dev doesn’t often play the App Store “game” and screw with its prices in order to get temporary bumps on the charts, so don’t expect these games to hit rock bottom prices next month and then the next month after that, too. In other words, if you have had your eye on these pups, it might be best to grab them now because who knows when this'll happen again.

Today Taito released a new entry to their Bust-A-Move series (known as Puzzle Bobble outside the US) into the App Store called New Bust-A-Move [$4.99]. It’s a sequel of sorts to their original iOS version of Bust-A-Move that was released in 2009, and features a host of new gameplay mechanics that warrant the “new” in its title. It’s a game that’s filled with content and fun ideas, and despite several drawbacks New Bust-A-Move is a welcome addition for fans of the series.

In New Bust-A-Move the core gameplay remains the same as it always has - shoot colored bubbles from a cannon at the bottom of the screen towards a group of multicolored bubbles at the top of the screen that are slowly moving towards the bottom. Match 3 or more of any color bubble and they will disappear, but let the group of bubbles reach the bottom of the screen and it’s game over. Play continues like this until the entire field of bubbles is cleared.

New Bust-A-Move takes this formula and uses it in some clever ways. Some levels have you rescuing a bird by popping all the bubbles that are chained to its feet in order to set it free, or trying to clear the field as a monster is constantly swooping in adding random bubbles into the fray. These level types mix up the gameplay nicely, and each sub-section of the game’s campaign ends with an interesting boss fight. This is all complemented with numerous types of bubbles with special properties, like exploding bubbles or ones that clear all bubbles of a certain color when matched, further adding to the strategy and variation.

One big new addition to New Bust-A-Move is the Jump Shot. Holding down on the launcher for a few seconds will produce a target that moves back and forth along the path of the launcher. Launching the bubble arcs it up and over into the play field where the target was placed, allowing you to plop a bubble down into a spot that would normally be inaccessible with a regular shot. This mechanic is pretty interesting and adds a brand new strategy to the tried and true Bust-A-Move gameplay, though it’s difficult to use in an effective way consistently.

Two minor issues that stuck out about New Bust-A-Move are that the game is not optimized for Retina Display or fast-app switching. Not a huge deal, but annoying nonetheless. The far greater problem is the imprecise controls. Bust-A-Move games rely on pinpoint accuracy and the touch screen just does not afford this. This is compounded by a horrid guide arrow that stems from your cannon that is too thick and not an accurate representation of where your bubble will go. An option to adjust the sensitivity of tilting your cannon or an alternate guide arrow (or the ability to turn it off completely) would do a lot to improve the experience, but sadly no such options exist.

These control issues don’t render the game unplayable, but they create more frustrating mistakes than you may be able to deal with. If you can look past this, there is a lot to like about New Bust-A-Move. There’s a full campaign mode with hidden unlockable levels and boss battles, and endless survival mode, and Game Center integration with online leaderboards and plenty of achievements. If an update ever comes down the pipe that offers Retina Display and multitasking support, along with options to adjust control and UI aspects, then this could be one of the best versions of Bust-A-Move available.

TouchArcade Rating: