Backflip Studios, who brought us Ragdoll Blaster and the recently-released Strike Knight, has joined forces with Team Phobic (Bounce On, Bounce On 2) to shortly bring us Tunnel Shoot, a ... tunnel shooter ... somewhat reminiscent of Boost 3D, but with a little more neon glow.
Gameplay involves zipping down a series of tunnels festooned with obstacles and enemies bent on your destruction. Don't crash, don't blow up, and hold onto your hat.
See the developers' gameplay video:
Tunnel Shoot looks like fun -- we're anxious to give it a try when it makes its App Store debut in mid-June.
And, while we're talking Backflip Studios, have a look at Ragdoll Blaster 2 [App Store], which is on sale this weekend for $0.99 (down from $2.99).
Thirty years ago today, a certain video game from Namco, featuring a curious little yellow fellow with a taste for dots and ghosts, hit the arcades in Japan. That round little yellow guy is known as PAC-MAN -- you may have heard of him. In the decades that followed, PAC-MAN became an arcade phenomenon spawning a great-many spin-offs and stands today as an icon of '80s pop culture. And the 1980 original is hugely popular, even still. (Don't miss today's playable PAC-MAN-themed Google doodle.)
Namco is celebrating PAC-MAN's 30th birthday by launching a sweepstakes, detailed on the official PAC-MAN website, to win a PAC-MAN-themed Smart Car as well as running sales on various titles across several platforms.
The discounts on PAC-MAN titles in the App Store follow:
Namco's sale on the indicated items will remain in place until 6 PM (PST) tomorrow, Sunday, May 23. The most compelling grab of the list, in our opinion, is the excellent PAC-MAN Championship Edition, an iPhone conversion of the XBLA original.
Gurlz VS Robots [App Store] from Sticks+Stones Games is an action maze game for the iPad that caught my attention for two reasons. First, its display is retroexquisitely rendered in such a way as to make the blocky, Robotron-like graphics appear to be actually glowing from the convex surface of an oldschool CRT display. To retro fans like me, it's a thing of beauty, impressively done. The second and more important reason the game caught my eye is that it takes advantage of the iPad's large screen to bring a new sort of tabletop, multiplayer game experience to the App Store. It's a two-to-four player affair that can handle a whopping total of 11 touch inputs at the same time, the limit of the iPad's multitouch interface. (It's the first game that's hit this limit, as far as we are aware.)
The game presents several streams of robots filing onto the play area (there are a number of screen configurations to choose from). Each player has their own set of directional tiles that, when dragged into the play area, alter the direction of the marching robots. But, mixed in among the robots, are a number of vengeful "gurlz." The goal of the game is to strategically (and rapidly) place your directional tiles in order to direct as many robots as possible to your own, color-coded escape pod before your time runs out, all the while directing the evil gurlz away from both your robots and escape pod to avoid their attacks. Getting all of this done -- and fast -- with up to four sets of hands groping your iPad at the same time makes for some pretty chaotic (in the best way) action.
A gameplay video posted by the developer demonstrates the action of four players enjoying the game at a party (though, readers sensitive to a bit of "colorful language" might want to pass).
( 1.8x zoom to show pixel effects )
Gurlz VS Robots would be a great game to break out at a gathering, with frantic, group gameplay that would seem to best the popular Wii party game experience, given the hands-on nature of the iPad's screen. My only gripe with the title is its lack of a one-player mode set against a computer AI opponent. I hope that will come but, really, my wish item stands outside of the author's real goal of this title, which was to deliver a fun, new social gaming experience. And, with Gurlz VS Robots, that goal has been well achieved.
The multi-award winning game Edge [$.99] by Mobigame returns to the App Store again, in the U.S. and United Kingdom. If you haven't heard by now, there has been an ongoing legal battle over a trademark dispute on the name "Edge". Resulting in the game being pulled off the App Store multiple times and being resubmitted with different names like EDGE, EDGY, and Edge by Mobigame. Well it looks like the battle is over, as the game has reappeared and Mobigame says:
Thanks to us the word "edge" is now free to exist on the App Store like on any other marketplace, and games like Mirror's Edge, Shadow Edge, Killer Edge Racing or Edge by Mobigame can live on our iDevices.
Edge is a game where you are in control of a colorful cube that you must guide through multiple 3D isometric mazes, packed with puzzles to solve and challenges to overcome. With the choice of touch or accelerometer controls, as you can see in the video, the game requires quick thinking and skill to make your way through all the mazes.
Overall, Edge is a great game that we thoroughly enjoyed playing and recommend that you pick it up. Especially since, the game is on sale this weekend to celebrate its return to the App Store once again. Normally $4.99, the game is currently only $.99, so now is a better time than ever to pick up this excellent game. And hopefully Edge is here to stay for good.
Can a game be a piece of art? So asks Geardome, who strives to deliver just that in their recently released physics-based, ball-roller style game Ozone [App Store].
Dive into the galaxy of Ozone and unveil the secrets of this unique audio-visual experience, a mix of art and technology, never before seen or heard on a mobile device.
The game puts you in control of an inflatable ball that can be moved about various maze-like levels by way of touch-directed bursts of air. The goal is to collect all of the yellow orbs strewn about each of the game's more than 50 pseudo-3D levels in order to exit each maze. But there's more in each level than just yellow orbs. You must negotiate a wide variety of obstacles and enemies in order to make your way through each level. There are, among other things, moving traps, doors to unlock, weapons to collect and use, spikes to avoid, and end-bosses to contend with. A steel ball power-up renders your ball impervious to damage and able to plow through certain walls for a short period. Some pathways require you to deflate your ball in order to fit through, and then it's fingers-crossed that an air pump is just around the corner, because when you're out of air, you're out of luck. And those bursts of air that move you hither and yon -- they're not freebies; each burst lowers your air level just a bit.
It's a lot to juggle.
But luckily, time is something you have plenty of in this game. Ozone is not a race against the clock, but is a slow-paced, intricate affair that requires a high level of precision to master. In that way, it's really not akin to Dark Nebula, a comparison some in our forums have made, in seeing posted screenshots. It reminds me more of Bubble Ghost, actually. It's a game for the patient, and an experience that is both frustrating (in a good way) and relaxing at the same time. A very well-matched, ambient soundtrack sets the mood and helps deliver what feels like a rather "zen" experience.
The developers have also created a custom level editor that can be used to create your own levels, available for Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows. The game's upcoming first update will enable the ability to play custom levels, and downloadable content is also on the way. Ozone HD, a version that takes advantage of the iPad's features, will soon be released, the developer indicates.
The reaction to the game in our forums has been extremely positive. Your Personal Robot shared his thoughts.
...I am playing this gem and WOW am I impressed.
This really is a little indie masterpiece. The graphics, the sound...simply amazing...
This game just feels very deep, very thought out, every detail just seems right in place. Hard to describe it. It's a complete console game with a fantastic look and feel. And it's definitely NOT too expensive. This is a title with so much quality, many - or most - of the App Store games are far from reaching.
Ozone is a very well done and highly enjoyable game that should have great appeal to those who enjoy problem solving and being rewarded for precision. It's certainly one of the more engrossing titles I've spent time with in recent months.
It takes quite a bit to stand out from the pack of marble rolling games for the iPhone, but with an interesting atmosphere and art style along with challenging timed puzzle elements, Marbles Multiball 3D - The Castle Adventure [App Store] is different enough that it's worth a look.
Much like many other marble rolling games, Marbles Multiball 3D is controlled using the accelerometer and if you've played one before you'll instantly be familiar with how the game works. While many of these games have 2.5D graphical effects that coincide with how you're tilting your phone, Marbles Multiball 3D has a more dramatic effect than most because of how deep most of the levels appear. (Instead of say, Labyrinth 2 where the levels only appear to be as tall as the ball itself.)
The menus are filled with ancient looking statues, broken skulls, and other spooky graphical elements that set the mood of the game. The levels themselves are made out of stone and tile, and often times are either framed in lava or a black abyss. The 42 included challenges start by simply rolling a marble from its starting location to a round indentation on the other side of the level.
It doesn't take long before you're dealing with multiple marbles of different colors that all need to end up in their matching indentations at the end of the level along with mazes that have no walls, jumps, blocks that need to be pushed out of the way, and other obstacles.
The developers posted this trailer which shows a few of these different levels along with some multi-ball mayhem:
Three difficulty levels are included which change the amount of time you have to complete each level, and the "master" difficulty is downright insane. The only thing I don't like about Marbles Multiball 3D is the omission of an accelerometer calibration option, so the game can only be played by holding your device completely flat. Regardless, it's one of the more interesting marble rollers available and is worth checking out if you're a fan of these types of games.
iPhone gamers with a penchant for spending some virtual time on the wing, rejoice. Glu Mobile's highly anticipated Glyder 2 [link] has hit the App Store.
We first saw the original Glyder earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco shortly before it made its App Store debut. We were immediately impressed by the game's casual flying dynamic, unlike anything in the App Store at the time. Many, including all of us here at Touch Arcade, consider the game to be the iPhone's answer to Nintendo's excellent Pilotwings. The game garnered quite a following, and looking at our forums, it seems the sequel is destined to do the same.
In Glyder 2, Eryn, who was ever so unfortunately thrown through a dimensional rift in the original Glyder, has again found herself in a foreign dimension and needs your help in unlocking the mysteries of her new environment in order to make her way back home. Poor, poor Eryn. But, then, her misfortune is your gain as an iPhone gamer.
Glyder 2, weighing in at four times the filesize of the original, brings a great deal of new content to thrill those who found themselves addicted to the original:
Six new worlds to explore
Character customizations (new wings and new outfits can be acquired and worn)
18 new mini-games and puzzles
A seventh mini-world that involves flying faster and faster through an obstacle course across a tiny atoll
Earlier this week we took a look at Sega's recently released Super Monkey Ball 2 [link], a followup to their popular App Store launch title. The game commands the premium price of $9.99 but, for this weekend only, Sega is offering the game at 50% off, bringing the price down to $4.99.
As we indicated in our review, Super Monkey Ball 2 improves upon its forerunner by delivering notably enhanced visuals, improved controls, mini-game support, and WiFi multiplayer. Read the full review for more details.
Those who were held back by the launch price may want to consider grabbing Super Monkey Ball 2 while it's only half as dear.
It's been a long four months since we first got word that Namco would be bringing Pac-Man Championship Edition to the iPhone, but at long last, it has arrived.
Pac-Man Championship Edition was developed by the original Pac-Man designer Tōru Iwatani and released for the Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Arcade in mid-2007, to rave reviews. Joystiq called it "the first true sequel to Pac-Man since Mrs. Pac-Man." The Xbox Live version features high-definition graphics, surround sound, and a wonderful future-retro feel that brings to mind Geometry Wars.
Unlike the original Pac-Man, all mazes and playmodes in Pac-Man C.E. are set against a timer. The goal is to score as many points as possible within the allotted time. But there's a balance to be struck in order to unlock consecutive levels and move through the game as the game speeds up the better you are doing. For example, I had a hard time moving past the Challenge level of the game because I was gobbling power-pellets and going too aggressively after ghosts early on. My score jumped so high so fast that the action became too fast to handle and I couldn't actually make it to zero on the clock -- and the only way to unlock the next maze is to successfully ride out the timer.
Each maze is basically divided into two halves, left and right. When you eat all the dots on one half, a bonus item (fruit) appears on the opposite side of the maze. Once eaten, the opposite (empty) side of the maze gets re-filled with dots, and so on. To drive the pace of the action, the arrangement of dots laid down upon eating a fruit, as the timer approaches zero, may change. In fact, the actual layout of the maze on a given side may change, as well.
Profusion Studio's recent App Store release, iStunt - Extreme 2D Snowboard [link], is, as its title implies, a snowboarding game -- but it may as well be one of the numerous physics-based dirt bike games of which it is a clone. But that's not meant in a bad way; iStunt is a very well executed iPhone release.
The game challenges you to traverse 20 different, surreal levels in an attempt to either score as many points as possible by pulling off amazing stunts (Stunt Mode) or getting to the finish line as quick as possible (Time Trial Mode). The levels consist of extreme slopes, floating mountains, fields of stalagmites, and treacherous spinning saw blades. Making things even more interesting is the occasional gravity inversion field which requires physically rotating the device 180-degrees to get back on track. It's a pretty interesting ride.
The orientation of the on-screen snowboarder is controlled via tilt and the well-implemented physics system delivers a convincing and satisfying feel of control. This, coupled with its very smooth animation, lets you forgive the game for the simplicity of its visuals. iStunt is all about feel, precise control, and a lot of fun.
iPhone gamers who enjoy a very simple but clever, physics-based challenge (more than those looking for hardcore snowboarding action...) should have a good time with this one.
SEGA was one of the original developers recruited by Apple to provide a demo of what kind of apps might be possible on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Super Monkey Ball seemed like a natural fit to the platform with its tilt controls and became a massive success when it launched with the App Store. SEGA is finally returning to those roots and has just released a sequel to the game with Super Monkey Ball 2. We previewedSuper Monkey Ball 2 just a couple of weeks ago.
Super Monkey Ball 2 takes the original and offers new levels, local Wi-Fi multiplayer, improved 3D graphics and, notably, improved controls. One of the common complaints about the original version was the sensitivity of the original controls. When played side-by-side, Super Monkey Ball 2 is notably easier to maneuver and turn. That's not to say you'll be breezing through the courses immediately. It still take practice to properly play the game and I find with all ball-rolling games it's easy to get a little frustrated.
Check out our gameplay video with the improved controls and new levels:
One thing you can't fault SEGA for is the amount of content provided in the game. Like the original, there are a ton of levels (115) included with the game. Also included this time around will be mini games that have been so popular on the console versions. The first mini game that has been included is Monkey Bowling, with Monkey Golf and Monkey Target to be released in a later free update.
If you're a fan of the original title, you'll certainly want to pick up this new and improved sequel. Early impressions are also being collected in our forums.
UK-based Hidden Games has recently released a side-scrolling 2.5D point-to-point transport game with the feel of a cave-flier. Cabby [App Store] is a lot of fun.
The goal of the game is simple: drive (pilot?) your taxi cab from place to place, picking up passengers and packages, dropping them off where they need to go. What makes things interesting is the fact that you're not negotiating city streets but the far more challenging environments of air, water, and space across 15 different levels. The various levels are made up of twisty cave-like routes, floating taxi platforms, moving obstacles, and even mines. Your cab is equipped with vertical and forward thrusters, and each type of atmosphere responds quite differently to them. The bit of vertical thrust that lifts you off the ground in an air environment might send you through the roof in a space environment. It's nicely frustrating to work with these rather different sets of physics while trying not to crash into a cab platform or a mine.
Each level has a set number of customers that must be ferried to their desired destinations before the level is complete. Along the way it's important to keep an eye on your fuel level. A quick stop to the gas station is sometimes necessary, though it will cost you some of the funds accumulated as you work the level. Happily, some of these funds can also be used to purchase new lives when you've wrecked one-too-many cabs.
Cabby offers two playmodes to choose from: Career mode and Arcade mode. The former takes you from level to level, earning as much money as possible and unlocking new cabs and levels as you go, while the latter allows for a quick game in any unlocked cab or level. The game features a left / right touch slider for direction control, with onscreen buttons for thrust and descent. And while the developer tells me that he's tried various control arrangements and that the current controls work well for most in playtesting, I find the touch points to be a bit small for my fairly large hands, which occasionally gets me into trouble in the game. Your mileage may vary, and the developer promises to look further into the control system as he receives feedback from users.
See the developer's Cabby trailer video for a closer look.
Despite my issue with the controls, I find that Cabby's obstacle-filled routes, varying and well-done physics, and money / fuel metering delivers a highly enjoyable and challenging game experience that is well-matched to the type of pick-up, 4-minute game sessions that best suit mobile gamers. But, if you're not convinced, give the free, lite version a try [App Store].
After a very long and dramatic legal battle between Mobigame and Tim Langdell over a trademark dispute over the name "Edge", the game has once again appeared on the App Store. EDGE [App Store] is a game where you control a colorful cube through a series of 3D isometric maze-like levels packed with puzzles to solve and obstacles to overcome.
Featuring both touch and accelerometer controls, EDGE requires both quick thinking and fast reactions to progress past the first few levels.
We enjoyed EDGE, and recommend picking the game up now -- both because it's a great game and also in case it gets pulled again as it's unclear whether or not EDGE is here to stay. An official statement from Mobigame is said to be coming soon.
If you haven't kept up with the "Edge" dispute which has caused quite a stir on the Internet, EA recently petitioned to get the "Edge" trademark thrown out, and Langdell responded calling the petition a "desperate attempt by EA". For a complete background on the dispute, check out the summary provided by TIGSource. Needless to say, the whole situation is unfortunate, and it's sad to see such a great iPhone game caught in the legal crossfire.
One of Konami's first App Store releases, Frogger [App Store] for the iPhone is available for more than 80% off August 20th (today) through the 22nd.
The game is an adaptation of the studio's 1981 arcade original featuring updated graphics, an updated soundtrack, and a choice of touchscreen or accelerometer controls–or both combined.
Like the 28-year-old original, the goal of the game is to direct five frogs, one by one, from the starting point at the bottom of the screen to their homes at the top before the timer runs out. It's a treaturous journey. The lower half of the screen consists of a busy roadway with five lanes of speeding traffic. The upper half contains a rushing river filled with logs, turtles, alligators and other such hazards. The challenge is getting the frog home safely without getting flattened, drowned (this was always puzzling…), or eaten. It sounds simple, but can be rather frustrating challenging.
Pole Position: Remix [App Store], Namco's iPhone adaptation of their classic 1982 arcade racer, is available for a limited time at 50% off.
As the title suggests, Pole Position: Remix is a (somewhat) modern adaptation of Namco's 27-year-old classic arcade racer. Retro gaming nuts will appreciate the fact that, although the title brings a graphical overhaul, the gameplay remains rather faithful to the original.
The game offers three methods of control: tilt (accelerometer-based), slider (swipe right and left), and steering wheel mode (radially control a steering wheel, capable of flick-spin, with your finger). A semi-translucent, on-screen pedal controls either braking or acceleration, depending on settings.
A little over a year ago, in the App Store's youth, Namco provided some of the first big name iPhone game titles with their release of rather faithful ports of Pac-Man [App Store] and Ms. Pac-Man [App Store] for the iPhone. They quite recently followed these titles up with the release of Pac-Man Remix [$5.99], featuring modern graphics and enhanced gameplay.
Pac-Man Remix is indeed Pac-Man at its core, but features various enhancements that add variety to the well-known formula. Aside from the standard maze full of dots and power-pellets, there are power-ups that enable things such as an invincible, mirror image Pac-Man ghost that helps with the dot chomping and the ability to jump over pesky, travelling arcs of electricity (a new hazard). Many of the mazes are dual-height, with elevators and transporter pads providing access to the upper and lower areas. What's more, at the end of each stage is a boss showdown that demands dodging skills beyond those called upon in the standard mazes of dots. Animated cut-scenes between certain levels help illustrate play technique.
The game offers two methods of touchscreen control. The swipe-anywhere technique introduced in the earlier Pac-Man for iPhone is available and works better, but still not ideal. Alternatively, an onscreen directional button control mode is offered, but the layout is a bit awkward. I'm guessing it will see little use.
Pac-Man Remix succeeds in delivering a colorful new take on the original Pac-Man formula, but what concerns me is the challenge that the game provides. I began playing it on the default 'Normal' difficulty setting and got through all six stages in just over an hour. The 'Hard' setting adds to the challenge, but the game just feels too easy -- far easier than either Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man. And that certainly doesn't have you coming back for more. It's an official Pac-Man license from Namco, and that's a notable mark in the iPhone's repertoire, but at $5.99 -- big name license or no -- the game should provide more than an hour's playtime.
My recommendation on this one is to take a good look at the gameplay video to get a feel for the title and be quite aware that you're in for a short-lived gameplay experience, going in. My guess is that only true, die-hard Pac-Man fans could find Pac-Man Remix a sound value. The casual Pac-Man fan looking for a modern take on the formula may want to wait for the upcoming iPhone adaptaiton of the highly rated XBLA title Pac-Man Championship Edition.
Thirty years ago today, a certain video game from Namco, featuring a curious little yellow fellow with a taste for dots and ghosts, hit the arcades in Japan. That round little yellow guy is known as PAC-MAN -- you may have heard of him. In the decades that followed, PAC-MAN became an arcade phenomenon spawning a great-many spin-offs and stands today as an icon of '80s pop culture. And the 1980 original is hugely popular, even still. (Don't miss today's playable PAC-MAN-themed 
