Ballistic SE [$1.99] and Fireball SE [$1.99] creator, Luke Schneider, has been porting another Xbox Live Indie Game to the iPhone and iPad. Inferno+, which features newer high resolution assets for retina screens, is coming later this month or earlier next. Luke dropped us a really awesome slow-motion teaser trailer that shows off a smidgen of the game's creative twin-stick action, which seeks to combine elements of Geometry Wars (!) with the structure of Gauntlet (!!).
Luke describes the trailer in his latest blog post, shedding some light on what he's trying to shoot for:
While the launch trailer will cover a lot more of what’s in Inferno+, for the teaser video above I only wanted to show a single quick sequence to give a taste of the game. Obviously it’s in slow motion, and zoomed in a bit, so I cheated a little, but I think that’s OK.
We've been pretty impressed with what Luke has released so far, so count us in for a day one download. Whenever we get a final build, we'll shoot you a review. Hah. Get it? It's a twin-stick shooter. We're going to shoot our thoughts at you... like you'd fire bullets in a shooter. We crack us up.
Contre Jour [99¢] and its Universal HD brother, Contre Jour HD [$2.99], has always been a looker, but it's now even more impressive on new iPad. Thanks to a late (but welcome) retina update, the HD version puzzle game is fully embracing Apple's new high pixel density screen. As you'll see below, this version is sharper and crisper and cleaner than it ever has been, which is saying something since it looked great pre-update anyway.
No update for a puzzle game is complete without new levels. A brand new jungle-themed chapter has been added to both versions of the game, ushering in some twists on the game's pre-existing moveable tentacle and platform mechanics. Also, a new "bonus" ending has been added for those who can collect the game's (now) 300 lights. Sounds like you've got some work to do, guys.
Riverman Media is making good on its promise of content updates to its bizarre side-scrolling action game, Pizza vs. Skeletons [99¢, Free]. A complete chapter, filled with a total of ten new missions, was added this morning alongside a festive topping and even some new iPad tweaks, which ratchet up the game's visuals for users with Apple's new tablet.
The selection of content present in these new levels is dizzying. In the first, you'll be flying a WWII-era biplane. Later, you'll fight skeleton rabbits in an arena, destroy a cloud city, bowl through skeletal cricket players, and fight a boss on a suspension bridge who uses new "gust" ability.
In celebration of all this new content, Riverman has slashed the price of PVS. Through this weekend, you'll be able to grab it at 99¢ instead of its usual $1.99. It's a steal at this price, and all of these skeletal rabbits aren't going to kill themselves, so consider acting on our glowing recommendation.
A couple of months back, Tiger Style Games released Waking Mars [$4.99], the follow-up to our 2009 Game of the Year Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor [$1.99 / $1.99 (HD)], and we thought it was an incredibly unique and enjoyable experience in our review. About a month ago, Waking Mars was updated for the new iPad’s Retina Display, and we noted that the visual improvement really had a big impact on a game that is so much about creating a moody atmosphere.
But wow, as good as we thought the game looked after that last update it turned out to be just a partial Retina update and just a taste of what was to come. Today Tiger Style has released another new update which adds full Retina Display support for Waking Mars in addition to a set of new jetpack types for your character to zip around Martian caves with. Check out this screen from the new iPad, which Tiger Style has cropped in close in order to show off how much detail you can see.
In a blog post detailing this latest update, which is called the May Day Update by the way, Tiger Style notes that the iPad’s beefy hardware generates the 3.1 million onscreen pixels at 60 frames per second, and that all of their artwork had been drawn at an incredibly large scale to begin with so adding support for the new iPad resolution wasn’t terribly difficult. Screens don’t really do it justice though, you have to see Waking Mars running on a new iPad in person to fully appreciate just how gorgeous it is.
In addition to the update for Waking Mars, Tiger Style has also updated the iPad version of Spider with partial Retina Display support. Only select assets have been upgraded, but Spider is still one of the most beautiful games around. Also, all 3 of Tiger Style’s games are currently on sale for a limited time. Waking Mars is down to $2.99 from $4.99 in its first ever sale, and both the iPhone and iPad versions of Spider are just 99¢ each. Finally, you can grab the excellent soundtrack to Waking Mars for just a buck on its Bandcamp page, down from $5.
It looks like today is the day of really good updates for really good games that we really like a lot. Really? Yes, really. We were just treated to an update for our Game of the Year 2011 runner-up Anomaly Warzone Earth [$3.99] that added support for the new iPad, and there was plenty of rejoicing.
Now, the rejoicing gets cranked up to 11 as our actual Game of the Year 2011, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP [$4.99], has been given a similar treatment, bringing the visuals up to par for the beautiful Retina Display of the new iPad.
One of the absolute finest games available on the App Store is 11 Bit Studios’ Anomaly Warzone Earth [$3.99]. Don’t believe me? Well check out our glowing 5 star review of the game from when it launched on iPad last August, and then consider that we chose it as our runner up for Game of the Year 2011. It’s not just us, either, as Anomaly has received critical praise across the gaming universe as well as plenty of award consideration, including winning a prestigious Apple Design Award for the Mac version.
So yeah, Anomaly Warzone Earth is good. And today it gets even better, as 11 Bit has just released the latest update for the game which adds high resolution Retina Display support for the new iPad. Anomaly was a gorgeous game to begin with, and it held up pretty well even on the new iPad anyway, but the difference this update makes is quite dramatic. All the text and UI elements are razor sharp and the in-game visuals are as crisp as they’ve ever been, practically popping right off the screen.
Of course, while Anomaly Warzone Earth really sings on the iPad, it can also be played just as well on the smaller screens of the iPhone and iPod touch. The original iPad version became Universal late last year, and to celebrate the new update it is currently on sale for just $1.99. If iPads aren’t your thing, the iPhone/iPod touch only version is also on sale for 99¢ [Link]. Basically what I’m getting at is that no matter how you do it, you must experience Anomaly one way or the other, and with the new update and sale now is a fantastic time to dive in.
Man. Hatchi [Free] has come a long way since we've last visited it. One update ago, creator Portable Pixels made good on its promise of future iPad support by adding... iPad support. Also, it tossed in four new mini-games, a coin exchange mechanic that lets you use in-game coins to power up things like energy bars, new iPad retina support, and an evolution tree that displays what paths your pocket monsters have taken. That's a lot of stuff for an app that already felt good without these additions and notable changes for those of you out there who may have fallen out of the loop like we have.
We're bringing all of this up, by the way, because for the next 24 hours Hatchi is free of charge. We're talking a zero dollar exchange for easily one of the best pocket monster growing game things currently on the market. Do yourself a favor and check this app out, but do note that we're not responsible for any future digital pet deaths. You knew you should have fed the little guy.
This afternoon, Aquaria [$2.99] joined the growing list of iPad apps that support the new iPad's high resolution screen. And in celebration, publisher Semi-Secret Software is offering it for $2.99 instead of its usual $4.99 price point. Semi-Secret is thinking that this is the first time Aquaria has supported 2048 x 1536, so scribble another note in your "Perks To Owning Aquaria on iPad" column if you're playing along at home.
Here's what it looks like now, by the way:
This sale ends this coming Sunday, so you've got some time to act before it ends. We suggest you fill this extra time by playing Aquaria so... maybe you should just jump on this now. Or something.
If you're still in the honeymoon phase with your new iPad, know this: Tilt to Live HD [Free] has joined the family of retina-supported titles, which has given it some fresh legs in yet another new generation of hardware. One Man Left tells us that it had to dig through all of its old assets and code to make this happen, but the end result of that work is paying off. The dots look so much more... red. And round.
For those of us looking ahead to One Man's Outwitters instead, don't worry about new iPad support. According to One Man, it's currently in the process of upgrading all of its gorgeous assets for the device's retina screen. We're especially pumped for this one, if you couldn't tell by our excited GDC 2012 ramblings for the new-look strategy game with a dab of StarCraft-inspired multiplayer.
In tomorrow's update for SpellTower [$1.99], creator Zach Gage is giving fans a lot of reasons to stick with his beautiful word game. On top of adding new iPad support, night colors, tweaks, and various fixes, Gage is finally implementing a bluetooth battle mode, which looks as great as it sounds. We've got video of it just below, in fact.
If you've somehow missed out on SpellTower, now's a good of time as ever to take the plunge. It's a remarkable word game with a ton of clever puzzle games and its designed with elegance in mind. It ended up being one of our Game of the Year contenders, as it was easily the standout word game of 2011. Give it a look.
UPDATE: Sometimes things don't go as planned, unfortunately. Some approval process stuff is holding back the update. The new release date is April 12th.
If you’ve been a PC gamer for the past dozen years or so, and you’re into military-themed strategy games, chances are pretty good you’re familiar with the Combat Mission series. Known for its attention to detail and realism, the Combat Mission series has spanned several titles since the first release in 1999 and has allowed gamers to reenact both real and fictitious battles from throughout history.
Yesterday, series developer Battlefront.com teased an iPad version of Combat Mission on their website. Given the date of the announcement, we were taking the news with an incredibly enormous grain of salt. However, despite the looming possibility of an April Fool’s joke, it turns out that Combat Mission: Touch [$4.99] is a real, actual game, and it's available in the App Store as we speak.
One of the hallmarks of Combat Mission is the way it handles its turn-based gameplay. It employs the "Wego" system, which basically means that both sides in a battle set up all of their moves at the same time during a planning phase, and then they both sit back and watch as everything plays out during an actual combat phase. This makes for a great 2-player experience, and Combat Mission: Touch boasts online multiplayer as well as the ability to battle solo against an AI.
We’ll have to sit down and spend some quality time with Combat Mission: Touch to see how the iOS version turned out, but if you’re a fan of the series then you’ve probably already dropped the $4.99 to check it out for yourself. Just keep in mind, it’s only compatible with the iPad 2 and the newest iPad if you’re considering picking it up.
Robot Entertainment told us that it wanted to support iPad with a Hero Academy [Free] update, and it wasn't pulling our collective tail. This morning, the talented developer announced that a Universal update is coming "soon."
In even better news, a new team called the Tribe is coming soon as well. Robot describes these guys as brutes: "powerful and ruthless, the Tribe are aggressive warriors that are always on the attack," the announcement reads. A convenient class-by-class breakdown of this upcoming team is available on Robot Entertainment's blog. We're most impressed by the Warrior. This little green sweetie can instantly KO any wounded enemy unit under 50 percent health.
The new iPad and its gorgeous high-definition display has been in our lives for over a week. Game developers have had one for the same stretch of time. Undoubtedly, you're into new iPad, but what about the guys who make the media you consume on it?
Over the last few days, we've been asking a smattering of the highest profile iOS developers out there what they think of the new device now that they've had the time to use the thing. We've also been inquiring about commitment: will these major players support the Retina screen in updates and future releases?
Below is a list of who we've been talking to so far and their responses. As you'd suspect, everyone is still excited about the possibilities of the new iPad's beefier hardware. Also, many updates are on the way.
Since getting the new iPad last Friday, I’ve been having a blast playing through the games that have been updated to take advantage of the beautiful new screen. Of course, gameplay reigns king when it comes to any game, but the visuals are important too, and it’s pretty crazy just how much a big bump up in the graphics department can add to a gaming experience.
So far, my favorite example of this has been Zen Bound 2 Universal [99¢], which was just updated with Retina iPad visuals. In early 2009, the original Zen Bound was a technical showpiece for the iPhone in terms of its striking visuals as well as its incredible use of multi-touch. Right off the bat, the sequel followed in these same steps by being a launch title for the original iPad back in April 2010, and a few months later for harnessing the power of the iPhone 4’s gorgeous new Retina Display and Gyroscope capabilities.
The little things matter in flight games. When you crank up an engine, you want the jet exhaust to grease up the screen. You want to hear the thick, thunderous crack of a sound barrier break. And you want to feel like the world is insignificant as you slice through the air at 1500 MPH while a song that vaguely sounds like the one from that weird Cruise flick pounds in the background. Namco Bandai's Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy [$4.99] nails a lot of these little things, and while the premise sucks and it occasionally doesn't look so great, few iOS games deliver as consistently as this one.
Backing up, Sky Gamblers is an arcade flight game that feels pretty similar to the Ace Combat series. It plays it loose with things like, say, physics and reality, but doesn't try to pretend to be anything else other than an insanely fast-paced, action shooter in the air. It's really good at leveraging these aspects, too: the sense of speed is fantastic and the maneuvering and shooting components feel blessedly fluid. These things define the experience.
Ballistic SE [$1.99] and Fireball SE [$1.99] creator, Luke Schneider, has been porting another Xbox Live Indie Game to the iPhone and iPad. Inferno+, which features newer high resolution assets for retina screens, is coming later this month or earlier next. Luke dropped us a really awesome slow-motion teaser trailer that shows off a smidgen of the game's creative twin-stick action, which seeks to combine elements of Geometry Wars (!) with the structure of Gauntlet (!!).
