I know what you've been thinking all this time, "Fruit Ninja [99¢] sure is awesome, but it'd be so much better with some kind of movie tie-in and/or cats." Well, thankfully, the powers that be decided that it was high time for an unholy union between Halfbrick and DreamWorks to bring us Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots. The good news is, as easy as it is to groan at movie tie-ins, it seems that this is actually done pretty well and extends the existing Fruit Ninja game instead of just adding the Puss in Boots logo. Aside from new blades and backgrounds to unlock, the new magic bean-powered Desperado Mode takes the existing Fruit Ninja formula with a four-tier challenge with all new slicing games.
Check out the trailer to get a look at the new modes:
Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots will be available on October 20th for 99¢ on the iPhone or $1.99 on the iPad. The movie itself will be in theaters on October 28th.
As a kid, I was a claw machine master. I came home with more stuffed animals than I knew what to do with, and I used to love impressing my elementary school friends by making it rain with ill-conceived toys like bootleg Space Jam plushes. So when the opportunity to review Fugazo’s new game, Rocket Claw [99¢], came up, I jumped at the chance. Finally, a chance to impress my friends with my claw abilities once more!
OK, so it’s not a true claw machine game. Rather, you’re a little smiley-faced robot named C.L.A.W.D. (Clamping Long-Arm Winch Device, if you must know) out in space with, you guessed it, a rocket claw. This claw can grab, destroy, and deflect objects. The catch is, you can only do one thing at a time; once you deploy the claw to, say, deflect a comet, you can’t send out the claw again until it comes back. So while you attempt to save wayward astronauts and their space dogs, you're going to be thwarted at every opportunity by asteroids, aliens, comets, giant hunks of debris, and black holes.
For fans of classic PC gaming, the name Bounder’s World [99¢ / HD] may sound familiar. Indeed, the tilt-controlled game is an updated version of Bounder, a Commodore 64 game released in 1985 that had you control a tennis ball as it navigated a multitude of levels. The premise remains intact in Bounder’s World, but everything from the 2.5D viewpoint and graphics (and the humanization of the tennis ball) to the accelerometer-based controls are certainly a change. While I can’t affirmatively state that Bounder’s World manages to keep the essence of its spiritual predecessor intact, I can say that it’s certainly a solid tilt-based action title with a few shortcomings.
Steph Thirion’s Eliss [Free] is a brilliant game. It launched in the App Store way back in March of 2009, when the App Store was still relatively new and trying to establish its identity in the world of handheld gaming. Eliss promptly went on to earn recognition and awards for its innovative design and outstanding use of multi-touch. Back in 2009, Eliss was a shining example of the type of game that would only be possible on something like an iOS device, which we duly noted in our review.
While Eliss is an older game, it’s no less engaging today than it was when it first launched. It’s seen several price drops during its lifespan, and has been available for the bargain price of 99¢ more than once before. However, for the next several days, Steph Thirion has made Eliss free for the first time ever. The circumstances for the sale are a bit unfortunate, though, as it’s meant as a tribute to the untimely passing of Steve Jobs. The first line of text in the Eliss App Store description reads:
Eliss could not have existed without you. You changed my life deeply. Thank you Steve.
It’s been a sad couple of days for Apple fans everywhere, but it’s been really inspiring to see just how many lives Steve Jobs has touched during his time on Earth. And of course, Eliss is a fantastic game, and should definitely be downloaded by everybody during its free promotion. We’re also looking forward to Steph’s follow up iOS title Faraway, which has been in development for more than a year and a half but last time we checked should be arriving sometime this Fall.
In a strange twist, the platform Telltale Games seems to care the least about on a technical level has become a serious revenue driver for it in 2011. In a statement the other day, Telltale revealed that iOS has become its “fastest-growing” platform for the year and plans to double-up on the good thing it has going by releasing 30 “new” episodic games before 2011 ends. The new Law & Ordergames, as well as Sam & Max Beyond Time & Space will be a part of these offerings, which will include other old titles previously seen on PC, Mac, or consoles.
“The iPad has been the fastest-growing revenue driver for us so far in 2011. With more than 30 million devices sold to date and analyst projections expecting another 54 million in 2012, we expect that trend to continue in the foreseeable future,” CEO Dan Connors said.
“The iPad is a perfect format for the cinematic adventures we create, with a diverse audience full of people who love franchises like Back to the Future and Law & Order,” he continued, adding the he thinks the episodic model enables long-term relationships with users across the studio’s various franchises.
One of these upcoming series will be of the yet-to-be-announced variety. I wonder what’s in the pipeline? If it’s not a Robocop point-and-click, I’m going to be terribly, terribly, and horribly disappointed in Telltale. I expect great things, guys! Great things!
On another note, perhaps this is a sign the iPad versions of Telltale’s games will be much more improved as the company ramps up its production of them. One can only hope.
On the heels of the pyrotechnic announcement for Infinity Blade 2, Chair Entertainment has dropped another content update for the original Infinity Blade [$5.99]. Content Pack #4, as it’s been oh-so-cleverly dubbed, gives you new rings, swords, helmets, and shields to level up and use against its brand new enemy the “RookBane.” Chair describes the ‘Bane as “fierce and deadly,” which kinda calls into question the character of the game’s other monsters. I mean, what are these guys, chopped liver?
If you’re one of the two or three people who are really into Infinity Blade’s lore, know that this update also packs in a “sneak peek” at the game’s book, "Infinity Blade: Awakening." The whole thing is available right now, actually, on the App Store for $2.99.
There's not much to say about the Hector series -- rushing headlong to its conclusion in Beyond Reasonable Doom [$4.99 /$6.99] -- that hasn't been said before. We've noted its sharp writing; its high production values; and, most importantly, the way it continually tweaks and revises the traditional adventure genre.
Straandlooper have achieved this by making each episode in the series structurally unique. Ep1 gave Hector three discrete objectives to complete while Ep2 led him through a long and meandering investigation. Episode 3, though, is very clear cut in its goals: Hector most stop a terrorist from using biochemical weapons on the Clappers Wreake fair.
I am what you would call a horror genre fangirl. I wait with baited breath for new installments of Silent Hill (or used to anyway, when Team Silent was at the helm), sucked up every survival horror title that didn't look totally terrible (and a few that did, just for kicks), and and pretty much lived and died by how perfect I could get a photograph score in Fatal Frame. There's something about decaying hospitals and shambling, unidentifiable demons that just appeals to me, I guess. I think what this says about me is that I have a taste for the weird, I may or may not collect strange objet d'art, and that I possibly may have a bonafide future as a crazy cat lady. I hope I'm wrong about the latter.
At any rate, the very first screens of The Dark Meadow [$5.99] had me foaming at the mouth, and rightfully so -- it was a first person perspective exploration game with pieced-together baddies, a super atmospheric setting, and best of all, powered by the rather esteemed Unreal Engine, which is still winning awards to this day. It had all the makings of a truly standout game on the iOS platform, and I wont deny that my hopes were very high for it.
Speaking of atmosphere, when it comes to making the setting appropriately spooky and weird, The Dark Meadow has it down to a fine art. The game itself looks terrific, and the music is dark without being overpowering or ridiculous. You will navigate your way around with simple touch controls and by moving from spot to spot, which foregoes the need for a directional pad. And I truly appreciated how little clutter there was on the screen -- Phosphor Games wanted this to be a clean, immersive experience for the player, and the attention to detail is evident.It's easy to get lost in this world.
As you explore darkened hallways, you'll come across baddies that you'll need to clear out in order to progress. My first few go-rounds with them, I was pretty pleased with the way combat worked. They always appear at a distance, so when you first see them you'll be armed with a crossbow (and later down the line, other weapons will be available.) You'll use your finger to aim and you'll let go when you want to fire, which feels smooth and makes the experience pleasant overall, at least initially.
Once your enemy is really close, you'll switch to melee. The fights are designed so that you can slash with a finger swipe and dodge by tapping an arrow to the right or left. The game is good about telling you when to act, so if you pay attention, you can really get the rhythm of fights down. For instance, after a dodge, if the game prompts you to "attack now!", it's time to get your slashes in, but if not, there's another attack coming, so wait for it. It works a little like a toned down version of Infinity Blade [$5.99], although missing most of the finesse and feeling fairly basic comparatively.
Keep up your fights, and you'll keep gaining experience, and the game makes sure you know it. After each fight the game grinds to a halt, at which point the game tallies your experience while you wait, which not only feels really unnecessary, but also hurts the pacing of the game. When you hit a level, you'll be able to assign experience points how you please. Enough of these and you'll gain new weapons as well, so know that your efforts will be rewarded.
You aren't completely alone on this journey, either. There's an old man you'll meet in the beginning who will communicate with you via radio and give you advice on how to survive in this dark world. His advice can be quite handy (and in addition, it's pretty decently voice-acted, too). In fact, if you die a few times, he will tell you different things, and some of it is pretty hilarious - -bravo for the writer or sticking in bits of tongue-in-cheek humor! You can also find scraps of paper and notes that will shed some light on the world you're in and divulge its backstory. It adds some nice detail, some of which will factor in as you get further into the game.
If The Dark Meadow has any weakness, it's that the fights eventually begin to feel a bit rote, and I found myself wishing creatures would stop popping up so I could just explore my surroundings and progress through the story without hinderances. On the other hand, I'm sure I'd feel the same way if the situation were real, but hey, there's some pains in the ass in every dark and twisted universe, and this is one of them. As long as you don't mind the grindy feel to the combat, then you really shouldn't be bothered by this much.
Overall, The Dark Meadow is a standout in almost every way. From look to setting to the touch-centric gameplay, it shines, and you can tell this title was crafted with much love from its developers. Any horror fan will be thrilled by it, especially if your traditional iPhone fare is stuff like that wretched Silent Hill game [99¢] (even this fangirl couldn't swallow that.) It's quite a bit more expensive than the usual iOS title, and it's worth every bit of the money you'll spend. It doesn't quite hit the note of perfection largely becomes of the combat mechanic, but it edges damn close -- and even at that distance, it's well worth your time and money.
News is coming out of Apple that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has passed away:
I'm kind of at a loss for words as to what to post here. Steve Jobs is directly responsible for this site even existing, as well as all of the close friends I've met through the iOS industry, and so much more-- Too much to even attempt to list.
Apple is asking that if you'd like to share thoughts, memories, or condolences, email rememberingsteve@apple.com.
Whoa, it's Wednesday. If you were here last Wednesday, you know what that means: A new episode of Dance Moms! Oh, also, there's a heap of new iOS games coming out tonight, which you can either play while you watch Dance Moms or while you wait for Dance Moms to air. Either or. Anyway, this works like it does every week where these games are released in New Zealand first, then slowly trickle out across the rest of the world throughout the day. Everything in this post should be available for download in the US App Store at 11:00 PM Eastern.
In this week’s bonus edition of The TouchArcade Show, we Eli and I chat with Luke Schneider of Radiangames about his upcoming arcade-inspired title Super Crossfire. We also discuss a lot of other fun stuff, including his next project, what inspired him to leave Volition and do his own thing as an indie developer, and how his experience informs his current work. This week’s opening is, probably, the craziest we’ve ever done, but I assure you that the chat is all business —- for the most part.
So, hey, you’d like to listen to this and don’t know what to do. I got your back, bro. Just click a link below and start streaming or downloading. And, hey, if you want to grab all of our episodes the second they’re available on the Internet, feel free to subscribe to us on iTunes and Zune. All the cool kids do it.
Anomaly Warzone Earth [$1.99] just became an even crazier-good proposition for iPad 2 owners: 11 Bit Studios has just released an update for both versions of the already fantastic-looking game, adding in an extra layer or two of graphical awesome specifically for the platform. New blur and glow effects, as well as enhanced shadowing, contrast, saturation, and much more dynamic environmental touches have been added in addition to bug fixes and Universal support.
Outside of the new iPad 2 eye candy -- and to be clear, the game still looks great post-update -- 11 Bit has added that new Squad Assault Rearmed map and also fixed that pesky Commander Trials issue that has plagued the game since release. Oh! And Facebook posting is now better.
As if that wasn't enough Anomaly news for your eyeholes, we've got some sale details to spill: the game is currently available at $1.99 for a limited time. We can’t be friends anymore if you don’t buy it at this price (since it’s so good and all).
After the madness that was trying to attend both GDC in San Francisco and E3 in Los Angeles back to back, I swore to myself that I'd never attend two conventions in a row every again. Well, that personal pact seems to have lasted all of about four months as this weekend I'll be at IndieCade in Studio City, CA before immediately hopping on a plane and heading on over to GDC Online in Austin, TX. If you're attending either event, or are local to either city and want to meet up, let's do it. I'm just now figuring out my schedule for both events, so let's set something up. Also, if you're hosting a party or dinner at either event, I'd love to be invited.
The best way to get in contact with me is either via email or Google Talk. You can either shoot me an email or add me to your contact lists via this email address that I'm hiding behind a captcha to avoid spam! Google chat is probably the better way to go because we can set everything up instantly, but if you want to email please either include "GDC Online" or "IndieCade" in your email subject for the sake of my email filters.
I look forward to seeing everyone, and hopefully, will be posting a heck of a lot of cool stuff from both events for our readers.
Chair Entertainment’s Infinity Blade 2 will be a lot more than a facelift. From our side of the aisle, it appears as though the team is attempting to widen the scope and breadth of the original experience, all the while giving players something they didn’t have a lot of in the first game: choice. In a must-read interview with IGN UK, Chair co-founder and technical dude Geremy Mustard revealed that the game will launch with over 100 new weapons and items, boast a significantly larger world with more intricately constructed environments, feature way more enemies and optional side-paths, and it’ll roll out with fun battle additions like, say, dual- and two-handed fighting styles and weapons.
"The player will explore many different environments in this game," Mustard told IGN. "You'll see some stuff that looks familiar, but the castle in this game is very different. We'll also be exploring environments in a more Asian-themed landscape."
“With each environment, we wanted to create these water cooler moments -- these areas where players can look back and converse about that battle that took place in front of that huge tower or by that really cool clock,” he continued. "There's always something in the environment that will keep your focus and lead you through the level."
We got our first look at Infinity Blade 2’s December-bound feature set at Apple’s press event the other afternoon and came away ridiculously impressed with the technical majesty. Can this game come any faster, please? Pretty please with sugar on top?
There was room for more games than Infinity Blade 2 at Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” press event the other afternoon. Hogrocket’s terrific puzzle title Tiny Invaders [Free], for example, got some free looks as Forstall used the title to demonstrate the new notification functionality of iOS 5. Riding the wave it undoubtedly believes might come, Hogrocket has killed the price of its title. For a limited time, Tiny Invaders is free.
Hogrocket tells us that more is coming on the Tiny Invaders front, by the way. An HD version for the iPad and iPad 2 are totally coming, as well as additional levels “in the next few weeks.” Neat!
We spoke with Hogrocket a couple of weeks ago on our fair podcast and if you take anything from that, it’s that these dudes are plain passionate about what they’re doing. We can’t wait to see the HD version and the level updates to Tiny Invaders, as well as the studio’s next project.
I know what you've been thinking all this time, "Fruit Ninja [99¢] sure is awesome, but it'd be so much better with some kind of movie tie-in and/or cats." Well, thankfully, the powers that be decided that it was high time for an unholy union between Halfbrick and DreamWorks to bring us Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots. The good news is, as easy as it is to groan at movie tie-ins, it seems that this is actually done pretty well and extends the existing Fruit Ninja game instead of just adding the Puss in Boots logo. Aside from new blades and backgrounds to unlock, the new magic bean-powered Desperado Mode takes the existing Fruit Ninja formula with a four-tier challenge with all new slicing games.
In a strange twist, the platform 
On the heels of the pyrotechnic 
I am what you would call a horror genre fangirl. I wait with baited breath for new installments of Silent Hill (or used to anyway, when Team Silent was at the helm), sucked up every survival horror title that didn't look totally terrible (and a few that did, just for kicks), and and pretty much lived and died by how perfect I could get a photograph score in Fatal Frame. There's something about decaying hospitals and shambling, unidentifiable demons that just appeals to me, I guess. I think what this says about me is that I have a taste for the weird, I may or may not collect strange objet d'art, and that I possibly may have a bonafide future as a crazy cat lady. I hope I'm wrong about the latter.
Whoa, it's Wednesday. If you were here last Wednesday, you know what that means: A new episode of 
Anomaly Warzone Earth
After the madness that was trying to attend both GDC in San Francisco and E3 in Los Angeles back to back, I swore to myself that I'd never attend two conventions in a row every again. Well, that personal pact seems to have lasted all of about four months as this weekend I'll be at 
Chair Entertainment’s Infinity Blade 2 will be a lot more than a facelift. From our side of the aisle, it appears as though the team is attempting to widen the scope and breadth of the original experience, all the while giving players something they didn’t have a lot of in the first game: choice. In a 
There was room for more games than 
