Heads up: an iPad-specific version of Riven is still on the way, and it's going to include some key improvements over the original game, CEO of Cyan Worlds Rand Miller revealed in an awesome interview with Modojo.
A couple of "small new features" will be accompanied by a cleaner UI and cleaner images, animations, and video. From the interview:
"We have spent many months fine-tuning the Riven experience for the iPad, touching almost every aspect of the game. We have reduced the compression of the original images, we've improved the movies and animations, we've cleaned up the user interface, we've improved the sound and music presentation, and we've added a few small new features.
All in all we've worked really hard at making the best iPad version of Riven we could, and still squeeze it into the 2 gigabyte size limit."
Riven [$3.99] for iPhone appeared December 2010. It's seen some updates since, including iPhone 5 compatibility. The iPad version of Riven will be playable on every iteration of iPad, and that includes first-generation devices. Miller says it should hit within the next few weeks.
Riven is the critically praised sequel to Myst. It's probably safe to say that if you enjoyed Myst or realMyst, this'll be right up your alley.
I've never been a fan of hardware reviews. A device could have everything -- a great screen, fantastic speed, perfect form factor, superb build quality -- and it still could be worthless if its ecosystem is flat or nonexistent. Content creators need to be around. If they aren't, a new feature is just that; a feature. Who wants a tablet that has a crazy good GPU but no games that actually take advantage of it?
I'm more interested in how many apps support a device and how many content creators will continue to use unique features over the long haul. You can't review that in any traditional way.
You see where I'm going, hopefully. iPad with Retina Display is cool. It's faster, as heavy, and just as solidly built as its predecessor, but it's hard to even begin to evaluate the device. All we have to look at are older games.
Adding to this is just how iterative iPad with Retina is. Outside of its new GPU, this iPad doesn't have a lot differentiating features. The most notable for me is the lightning adapter add, and that's not exactly exciting.
One thing I've noticed so far? Games load times are slightly faster on iPad with Retina Display compared to iPad 3 or iPad 2. It's a matter of seconds. You can jump into FIFA 13about two seconds before someone with an iPad 3 can, for example. The game doesn't look any better on iPad 4, but it is snappier. Other games like NFS Most Wanted, Infinity Blade, The Room, and Epoch seem to also see better loading times on iPad 4.
What I'm not seeing is a game that totally takes advantage of the A6X. And it's hard to tell when  that game will happen. There's a lot of iPads out in the wild, and most of them are not iPad 3s or iPad 4s. Rational game companies are probably going to spec their games for the older selection of devices out there first, and then maybe consider throwing some cool extras for people with newer devices -- you know, bonus textures, shaders and stuff like that.
That's not to say things like advanced lighting, increased frame rates, better aliasing and options like vsync aren't  a big deal. They can be. If you've recently played a PC port of a console game, it's easy to see what these things bring to the table: more immersive, better functioning experiences. But it's not like you're missing anything mechanically if you choose to play a game like, say, Borderlands 2 on 360 instead of PC.
It'll be interesting to see what developers do down the line, when we'll see that oh my god you need to buy an iPad 4 or you're an idiot kind of title. Will we see it in a few weeks? Months? Next year? Is it even financially sound to make a game that'll push the limits of iPad 4? The expectation of consumers is that a game should cost almost nothing. Creating high-functioning, high-resolution games most certainly does not run a developer $0. I wish I had a crystal ball.
iPad 4 is definitely a capable iPad. It's big, fast, has a beautiful screen, and all of that kind of stuff -- but who didn't expect that? The support is what's up in the air, and that's been kinda informing my opinion on the device as a whole so far. My impression is that it just feels really, really similar to iPad 3. It has potential to be something more, but at the moment it's not.
A side-note: if you don't have a retina iPad and iPad 4 might be your first, there's a lot of exciting games on the App Store. NFS Most Wanted is probably the craziest looking one we've seen so far. Anomaly Warzone Earth, Real Racing 2 are also crazy. These titles do a great job stretching the known limits of games on iPad. If you're upgrading from an older non-retina device these are titles you need.
There's a couple of reasons to want a new iPad 4. Either you've yet to own an iPad with a gorgeous retina display, or you just really dig the latest in technology. Regardless, this is a powerful device fitted with a brand new GPU that can push out major graphics without seriously taxing the important stuff, like say, battery power.
And since you got one, you probably want to show it off. The best way to do so is with a video game or two. Below, we've got a list of games that will give your iPad 4 a serious smackdown. And the best part? You'll have fun while you're in awe.
As with all our round-ups, clicking on the price of any game we link will take you directly to the App Store where you can purchase it. We also have reviews available in the brackets after the title as well as a link to our community forum, where game discussion is constantly taking place and members offer up impressions and assistance for all the games that are worth talking about on the App Store. Also you can find videos for many different games on our YouTube channel.
Infinity Blade II, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Infinity Blade 2 is a fully 3D action game that puts you in the role of a time-traveller armed with sword and shield stuck in a dungeon full of monsters, ogres, and other things that go bump in the night. With intuitive 1:1 swipes, your fingers are your weapons. You can parry enemy attacks, slash, and draw spell runes that damage foes in blasts of ice, fire, and poison. A neat endless time loop lets you dive into the game's fantasy dungeon over and again, while its loot and upgrade component will keep you moving.
Infinity Blade 2 is the most impressive-looking game on the entire iOS platform. Built in Epic Entertainment's masterful engine Unreal Engine 3, you'll constantly be awed by all the moving parts in the game, as well as its lighting and shading effects.
Hornâ„¢, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - If you like the idea of exploring a magical world full of talking golems while solving puzzles along the way, Horn might be your new jam. In this fully 3D game, you control a small boy named Horn in a journey that sees him unlocking the mysteries behind what has happened to his now completely obliterated village. For the most part, this breaks down to heading into several dungeons with monsters that need a good slaying. Finger swipes and gestures are all you'll need to take down any baddies, but you'll need some brains to figure out the environmental puzzles. Hidden levers and traversal with jumps, hooks, and shimmies is what this part of the experience is all about.
Horn shines on iPad as technical piece. Good lighting and atmospheric effects compliment high-resolution assets and awesome animation. This should give your new iPad all it can handle.
Walking Dead: The Game, Free - [Review] - [Forum] - You've probably heard about this on since it's taking the PC, Mac and console space by storm. Walking Dead: The Game is an episodic adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a survivor named Lee as he struggles to come to grips with the zombie apocalypse -- and protects a small girl while everything dead around him rises. It's an interesting game that mostly revolves around dialogue choices and tapping interesting places to visit next. Will you protect your past? If so, what are you willing to compromise to do so? When things go wrong, who will you choose to protect and how will that pan out down the line?
These are the questions Walking Dead: The Game constantly asks. It's a violent game that heaps horrible thing after horrible thing on its characters. It's also a looker: this is built for PC first and you can tell. It'll stretch your iPad's legs just fine.
Real Racing 2 HD, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Because you can make cars look really shiny in the sun or in street lights, racing games have been solid benchmark titles for a long time. Real Racing 2 isn't an exception; the amount of visual detail and the lighting effects are nothing short of impressive. As a bonus, Real Racing 2 is also a good video game. In it, you can drive dozens of licensed cars across a plethora of different modes and tracks, each testing your racing mettle in different ways. It's an authentic racing game, so steering requires some skill, but Real Racing 2 also packs in tons of track and control "assists," that can help you get reach gold in no time.
At almost every Apple event, Apple shows off a Real Racing game. The reason is because they look so good. And while Real Racing 3 is probably going to be more impressive than this game, its predecessor is certainly no slouch.
Anomaly Warzone Earth HD, $3.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Anomaly Warzone Earth is a "reverse tower defense" game. Let's break this down. Tower defense is a genre of games that have you erecting turret guns in an attempt to stop a conga line of enemies from reaching an end point. Usually a base of some sort. What Anomaly does is put you in the shoes of these "enemies." You control a squad of tanks and other machines of war in a slow crawl through territories laced with turrets. As the commander, it's your job to take down these turrets and get to the end point. On iPad, this is all done via simple touches and swipes and a real-time map charts your progress.
Tower defense games aren't known for their looks, but Anomaly has the best out there. In fact, it's still one of the best looking iPad games out there, courtesy its lighting and animation and its HD assets. It'll impress on your iPad 4.
Zen Bound® 2 Universal, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Although it might look simple on the surface, Zen Bound 2 is one of the most immersive games on the App Store, particularly when played on a Retina Display iPad. The textures, the lighting, and the way you interact with the game provide an very eerie "real" feeling to the game. The object is to swipe and turn a 3D object in a virtual space while coiling and wrapping a string around it. Successfully wrap enough of the object in string to complete it, and earn various levels of rewards depending on just how much of the object you cover. It can be challenging, but also very meditative and relaxing, and it's always satisfying to complete a level 100%.
The Zen Bound series have always been amazing technical show pieces, and the A6X decimates the game. Running at a silky smooth frame rate, Zen Bound 2 further pushes the "Whoa, this feels real" boundary.
The Room, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - The Room is a 3D puzzle game about secrets. It's kinda hard to break down, so follow us for a second. In the opening level of the game, you'll be presented with a massive box with several hidden chambers and compartments. Each of these compartments and chambers are mini-puzzles that offer up a clue as to what to unlock next. While you're puzzling out what to do, The Room assaults you with haunting music and a feeling of dread. You don't know why this box is here, why you need to know its secrets, but you really want to dive in. This is the magic of The Room.
Because The Room is presented in a first-person perspective, it really needed to amp up its visual element. It succeeds here. The wood of the box looks beautiful, the lighting is perfect, and things appear eerily real. It'll give your iPad 4 a go.
Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - The thing Sky Gamblers Air Supremacy does best is deliver a sense of mind-numbing speed, real pedal to the metal kind of stuff. In the game, you're put behind the stick of a jet and are tasked with spewing bullets and bombs into opposing planes, vehicles, and other various targets. Sweet, simple virtual controls make maneuvering a breeze while the art and graphical design make it a pleasure to look at. Split across dozens of levels with unique hooks, the action in Sky Gambler rarely gets tedious.
We mentioned it looks great, and yeah, that's definitely the case on iPad 4, too. Like a racing game, the attention to detail on the vehicles is intense. You might also dig the attention put into the various landscapes you are zooming across.
Dead Spaceâ„¢, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Dead Space is a third-person action horror game. With gestures or virtual buttons, you control an avatar named "Vandal" who finds itself alone and in danger on a space mining colony called Sprawl. An event has triggered an alien invasion of sorts, and it's up to you to guide Vandal through it and even against it with a selection of sci-fi guns. The most remarkable thing about Dead Space is its scary atmosphere, which is bolstered by a couple of superb elements, most notably its audio and artistic direction.
It's hard not to fall in love with the way this game looks. Excellent lighting really heightens the tension, while high-resolution models make you feel like you're playing the console and PC games this is based on. It's a definite must on new devices.
Need for Speedâ„¢ Most Wanted, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum] - Racing games often cheat better looking graphics by focusing on having the actual car models look amazing, while detail in the rest of the game suffers. This isn't the case with Need For Speed Most Wanted. Road signs are legible, the sense of speed is crazy, and reflections off the road look like something you'd expect on a console.
Being an arcade racer, it lacks a bit in the depth department, but Most Wanted provides a fantastic glimpse of what Firemonkeys have up their proverbial sleeve with the impending release of Real Racing 3 which is looking incredible in every sense of the word.
We write about a lot of video games at TouchArcade and most of our favorites are these kinds of games, these graphically and artistically complex titles that not only wow our eyes but also give our hands a bit of a challenge. If you're new, consider visiting us from time to time, as we're completely focused on finding the best new stuff and giving you details on the best App Store games.
iPad 4, by the way? Looking pretty cool. We'll continue following-up on the device and as new games (and updates) are announced, we'll give you the scoop.
Screen resolutions are getting a little bonkers. There's a lot. New iPad and iPad with Retina display both support retina; iPhone 5 rocks a wide-screen retina display; older phones and iPod touches support a mixture of retina standard high-resolution; And now there's the iPad mini screen, which sits in the middle. Its screen isn't retina level, but the pixel density is quite high considering.
You've got to wonder: how is this screen going to be handled in future releases? Are game makers going to start throwing up "standard" versus "HD" releases? Or are they going to pack in everything that they can into one, lone Universal build? And if that's the route, how will the file size impact creators' ability to hit the over-the-air cap?
We've been considering these questions since earlier in the week and decided to hit up a selection of developers about them. Here's their thoughts on potentially breaking games into different versions, the over-the-air cap, and the mini as the kinda in-between iOS device.
"These days, HD versions only exist for commercial reasons. Luckily for us, Topia uses a lot of generated graphics and fits in well under the over-the-air cap. It'll be getting bigger soon but it'll be new features driving that size increase rather than Apple's variety of hardware."
Even before today's launch of iPad mini and iPad with Retina Display, there were a lot of different kinds of iPod touches, iPads, and iPhones out in the wild. Each has their own technical highs and lows. Game creators, for the most part, do a fantastic job with supporting just about everything with their games.
But with the introduction of iPad mini and iPad with Retina Display, we're seeing the performance discrepancy across the iOS line-up get crazier. iPad with Retina supposedly can push out 2X the graphics of its predecessor, making it something of a beast. While its counterpart, announced on the same day, supposedly has the guts of an iPad 2.
We asked some developers specifically about the new performance gap, and what their plans are moving forward, tentatively.
"Right now our plan is for most of our games to support iPhone 4 and up, with the highest end (iPhone 5 and iPad 4) getting extra special sauce like anti aliasing, bloom, and other effects where necessary."
"We may even be able to put higher-end models in."
"For a studio like Capy, handling performance differences is easy as pie. We're not interested in iOS from the angle of pushing tech TO THA XTREME. We're happy to leave that to the experts at Chair and other Unreal aficionados like Bit Monster, or studios that are keen to roll their own ultra high-end 3D engines. For us, iOS is about the creative potential of the device, and because of that we are very likely to avoid any of the issues caused by the fragmentation in device power. Further, I think it's worth noting that even the iPhone 4 is a very capable device, so the lowest-end device we're discussing is not massively underpowered."
"You know us, we always target the lowest device we can, so as many people can play our games as possible. Punch Quest was targetted for 3G devices and below for a long time, until we had to ditch it to support iPhone 5 widescreen. "
"The plan is to have our games run awesomely on all iOS devices that are being supported and sold, but managing everything about all of these different devices is getting increasingly difficult for a two-man studio like ourselves."
"It is getting hard to maintain now and you really have to have every device to test things properly. We have different shader quality for different devices, but Apple complicates things further by sometimes introducing new editions of existing devices with different IDs which may make them be misidentified.
In the case of the iPad mini, our games would automatically set all settings to full quality, which would probably cause True Skate to run slow unless we update first."
"We currently develop on A5-devices as the main testing devices, they have a very good balance of GPU performance vs. screen resolution. Older devices are checked at steady intervals and optimisations are made where necessary (usually this involves memory usage optimisations or texture format optimisations). A6-based devices do enjoy a performance headroom."
"Weirdly, the two new devices don't really change anything. For the stuff i'm working on performance is measured by (GPU performance)/(number of pixels), this will be true for anything pushing cool shaders or using a lot of translucency effects. The new iPad was a real spanner in the works of this equation because it was 2X iPad performance with 4X the pixels making it effectively half the speed.
If the iPad with Retina Display is really twice as fast as new iPad it means we'll finally have a device that can handle retina at the same speed an iPad 2 handles (1024x768.) iPad mini is presumed to be at least as fast as iPad2, if it is this means that the following devices all have approximately the same pixel-pushing abilities at full resolution: iPad 2, iPhone 4S, iPad with Retina Display, iPad mini.
This means that, arguably, iOS just got a little less fragmented by the new devices. Those four devices are definitely the sweet spot to target right now."
When the new iPad, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5 hit store shelves, so did some awesome games that took advantage of the much beefier hardware. Infinity Blade 2, Sky Gamblers, and Lili (to name a few) are solid examples of good release day games that also operated as showpieces. We've yet to see this kind of game for iPad with Retina Display, or "iPad 4," but don't sleep on the device -- a lot of game makers are telling us that they're looking to capitalize on the beefier, more powerful GPU.
How? With updates. We reached out to a bunch of devs earlier this week about the new, new iPad and its supposed beastliness, asking specifically if they'll be doing anything to their games to take advantage of the hardware in the context of an overall product range that won't benefit from this update. Their answers are telling; there's a lot of excitement about the possibilities of iPad 4 right now.
"iPad 4 certainly encourages bigger shaders and new effects. When iPad 3 was released it was a positive discouragement from pushing iPad 2 / iPhone4S to the limits. To achieve 30FPS on Topia in iPad 3 retina, we had to drop the cloud shadows from Topia and put several plans on hold. For example, rim lighting on the soft parts of the landscape, bump mapped water etc, etc. This stuff will be explored in future updates.
"iPad mini will not be a problem as long as it really does turn out to be at least equivalent to iPad 2, I guess i'll find out if this is the case next week."
During the Apple keynote this afternoon, Apple announced a brand new iPad (4th generation) model. Yes, just over 6 months after the release of "the new iPad" with Retina Display, we have a new new iPad.
The biggest difference in this latest generation iPad is a dramatic increase in the internal hardware. A new Apple A6X processor powers the device and is said to give roughly twice the power of the previous chip in the 3rd generation iPad. It also will cover WiFi a/b/g/n and come equipped with a new Lightning connecter port for syncing and charging.
If you've just bought an iPad 3rd generation model this past March, it's kind of rough there's already a new model out there woring to make it obsolete. But, Apple is always down to advance technology as quickly as they can, and as Phil Schiller put it about the 4th generation iPad: "We are so far ahead of the competition, I can't even see them in the rear-view mirror." Best of all, all this extra horsepower and technology comes at the same prices as the previous iPad, starting at $499 for a 16GB WiFi model.
We'll have more on the 4th generation iPad and its implications in the iOS gaming world just as soon as we get our hands on one.
Heads up: an iPad-specific version of Riven is still on the way, and it's going to include some key improvements over the original game, CEO of Cyan Worlds Rand Miller revealed in an awesome interview with Modojo. 
