Namco held a press event last night where they announced the iPhone version of Pool Pro Online 3. This represents the 3rd in the franchise which originally began on mobile phones but is now extending to smartphones and even the desktop.

While the game may be of interest to those who enjoy pool, it also represents a few first of potentially a series of games using their UniteSDK which allows cross-platform online play. Jonathan Kromrey, general manager of apple games for Namco Networks, writes "This is only the beginning of where we are going as a company. Over the next several months, we will roll out a series of other features and games that are powered by UniteSDK, including tournaments for Pool Pro Online 3."

Pool Pro Online 3 will eventually be also available for PC, Mac, Android, Java, BREW, RIM and Windows Mobile, and will allow instant online play across all the platforms. UniteSDK also includes the usual friend lists, leaderboards and such that we've already seen in OpenFeint and Plus+. Namco is also opening up UniteSDK to 3rd party developers as well.

As for Pool Pro Online 3, it allows both single player and online play in 8-ball, 9-ball and Snooker. Players can also make in-game wagers against their opponents and use winnings to upgrade table felts, cue sticks and new pool halls. The 3d game allows you to rotate your view and pinch/zoom to line up your shot.

The iPhone version of the game will be released on Thursday for $4.99.

A few weeks back we posted gameplay videos of an unexpected and since, highly anticipated, title coming to the iPhone this month. Well, the wait is now over, with Street Fighter 4 [AppStore] launching today! Whilst many were skeptical at Capcom's ability to port such an critically impressive console title to the portable devices, our time with Street Fighter 4 reveals a surprisingly faithful rendition, if somewhat watered down to suit the smaller scale of the iPhone.

Street Fighter 4 gives you control over 8 characters from the console version; Abel, Blanka, Chun Li, Ryu, Bison, Dhalsim, Guile and Ken (in order of appearance). The game offers an impressive move list, featuring all the special attacks from the console version, leaving out the low and medium punch/kick buttons and their respective moves. The purists amongst you may find this too much of a downsize as it undoubtedly poses a change in pace from the original and diminishes the ability to hit those ridiculously high combos. Having said that, there's no doubting its authenticity– this is Street Fighter 4 in all its glory.

It is hard really to see how any additional attacks could have been squeezed in, as the on-screen controls already take up a sizeable portion of the real estate available. Super and Ultra attacks are performed by simply tapping their respective bars (which may irk some), though they can still be pulled off in their traditional, anologue stick fashion via the SP button. This SP button also activates EX attacks and together with a Focus button, complements the kick and punch attacks on the right part of the screen. It should be noted that these on-screen elements can be moved around and have their transparency adjusted, to accommodate left-handers and minimalists alike.

Street Fighter 4 looks and runs exquisitely on the 3GS device we tested it on, with impressive animations and the same gorgeous backdrops we were treated to in the console version. Combat in Street Fighter 4 is fast and fluid, and button input is as responsive as we hoped it would be. The AI does a good job at keeping you on your toes too, and can be configured at 4 difficulty levels from beginner to gruelling. There are a number of game modes, from the standard Tournament mode (against 7 competitors, with Bison featuring as the end boss), to a "Dojo" challenge mode, together with a training mode and a single player versus mode. For those who prefer human competitors, a Bluetooth multiplayer mode is available too.

To round out the impressive feature list, Street Fighter 4 sports a full blown replay system and local leaderboards, to record your matches for later viewing, and to breakdown your winnings in both tournament and versus modes. Capcom has certainly created a comprehensive Street Fighter 4 offering, with only WiFi multiplayer and online leader boards remaining on our wish list, together with the inevitable cries for a more extensive character roster.

Street Fighter 4 is easily recommended to any Street Fighter fan or fighting game aficionado. At its core it is a lightweight port of the exceptional console title, so don't go expecting anything different if you've had your SF4 fill. On the other hand, it is amazing that such a game was ported to the AppStore in the first place and the simple fact that you can now bring Street Fighter 4 around in your pocket should be enough to sway many an eager button masher.

Impressions from our forums are collecting fast and are largely positive. Our readers have noted that there is only minimal slowdown on 3G models compared to the 3GS device we tested, and even 1G users are reportedly happy with Street Fighter 4's performance.

App Store Link: Street Fighter 4, $9.99.

Today we met with Asbjorern Soendergaard and Morten Svendsen of new iPhone development group Tactile Entertainment. Tactile was founded a year ago to focus on iPhone games and their first project Pocket Creatures is finally nearing completion.

While we covered the game's announcement last week, today we had time to see the game in person at GDC. After spending time with it, Pocket Creatures seems a surprisingly complex experience. Soendergaard didn't want this to be considered just another pet game. Instead, he describes the game as an open world sandbox experience partly inspired by Black and White.

The game opens on a deserted island where you find a mysterious egg on an alter in an ancient temple. The egg hatches and you are responsible for the care of the creature. You can treat your creature with love or hate and condition it's behavior based on positive or negative feedback. Environmental objects and creatures can be used and combined in surprisingly complex ways.

Morten Svendsen walked us through the various interactions in the game:

Rubbing on screen will give your creature love/affection while swiping across the screen will slap/hit your creature. Feed it a banana and then slap it, and it will learn to hate bananas and avoid them in the future. Various objects and tools can be combined in different ways (seeds + water + manure = growing plant).

The game keeps running track of all the relationships between the creature and its environment, and the creature will act autonomously even without your interaction and will behave based on this previous conditioning. Meanwhile, different achievements unlock cosmetic add-ons, such as horns or wings, so you can customize your creature's look.

The game remains in pre-beta so the video does not represent the final visuals, which will be further enhanced. Overall, though, I was surprised and impressed at the depth of interaction for the creature and its environment. It was definitely beyond my initial expectations of a "pet" game, so I recommend at least watching through the video to see it in action. The game is about to go into beta, and should be coming in the next month or two.

This afternoon we met with David Whatley of Critical Thought Games and aside from race cars and sniper rifles, we also discussed the future of his company and the geoDefense series of tower defense games.

Following a series of complicated business deals involving his former company, Simutronics, Whatley will soon be focusing full time on game development. Formerly, Critical Thought Games was a very small operation that existed entirely out of David's spare time. In the not too distant future, Critical Thought Games will be expanding, adding employees and setting up a brand new office to build iPhone, iPad, and various Facebook social games.

Fans of the geoDefense series will be happy to know that one of these new games they're working on is geoDefense 2. Initially the sequel will be iPad-only, with levels and gameplay that take advantage of the increased screen real estate available on the device. It will share the same graphical style, only this time instead of a small array of towers with deep upgrade paths, Whatley is debating a Plants vs. Zombies style game that just has tons of different towers to utilize.

Things with geoDefense 2 are still in the air while the new Critical Thought Games offices and staff get settled, but David assured us he does have plans to adapt the iPad version of the game to the iPhone as well. Needless to say, once more details are available on geoDefense 2, we'll post them.

Thanks to the App Store I have been able to experience games I had missed the first time on other platforms. Dare I say it; I missed Monkey Island the first time around. Tale of Tale’s, The Graveyard [$1.99 / Free] recently hit the App Store, it's over two years old and has even won awards but I never played or heard of it.

The Graveyard is not really game, I feel more comfortable describing it as interactive art or poetry. You can argue that’s what games are but after playing this I feel that the word game doesn’t do it justice. But to make writing this a little easier I will pretend I can call this a game.

You play the game as an old lady visiting a graveyard. Your only clear objective is a park bench at the end of the path. I could tell you more but I would spoil it for you. I know that sounds amazingly too simple, but when you play the game you will see there is so much more. I don’t understand it myself, but the game really makes you think about life.

I would suggest downloading the lite version and giving it a try. I would also wait to play the game when you’re alone in a quiet place to get the full effect.

The developer says that there are only a few differences between the computer and iPhone versions. If you do end up trying the lite and enjoying it, download the full version and it will introduce death into the game. I know that doesn’t sound like much but it adds the sense of urgency.

App Store Link: The Graveyard, $1.99, The Graveyard Lite, Free

[via CreativeApplications.net]

Nitrome, a flash game developer, is planning to release one of their popular flash games called Feed Me, on the iPhone. The new version will be called ‘Super Feed Me’ since it will have updated graphics and not be a direct port of the original.

Details about the new game are extremely limited. At the moment all we have is a blog post on Nitrome’s website and a trailer you saw above. If you want to get an idea for how the game will play you can check out the flash version on their website. The game reminds me of Hook Champ, which was a big hit last year.

No release date set yet but they plan to have the game out later this year. Keep an eye on the discussion in our forum for more details.

Chillingo's The Hero launched into the App Store on Monday. We briefly previewed the game back in February.

The game is beautifully illustrated and animated super hero game. You control your hero by using a virtual joystick in the bottom right corner, and can speed up by mashing the on-screen button on the bottom right corner. The controls work well enough, although making precise movements can be challenging as you can't just stop in mid-air and turn around, your hero has to go through his whole turning around animation before you can go the other way.

Here's our hands on video:

First impressions from our forums seem positive, and we'll take a closer look in the near future.

App Store Link: The Hero, $1.99

We've arrived in San Francisco for the 2010 Game Developer's Conference. This year's event includes a two day iPhone summit which should attract many iPhone developers from around the world.

GDC also includes the usual other game related activities, booths and announcements. The IGF mobile finalists will be on demo with a final award ceremony later this week.

One interesting pre-announcement we were sent was from Steph Thirion, the creator of Eliss. Thirion will be introducing his next game Faraway at GDC.

Like Eliss, Faraway is an original concept, and is set in space, but the new game drastically increases the scale of the play area. While Eliss was about planets and space management in sectors, Faraway will be about constellations and infinite space travel.

Faraway will be one of six "one button games" that will be featured at Gamma 4 on Wednesday.

We expect there to be an avalanche of iPhone news coming throughout this week. If you are an iPhone developer in the area, come to the IUGO iPhone Developer Party which we are co-sponsoring. Or track us down via twitter (@arnoldkim, @hodapp, @blakespot) for after hour events.

The party is on Wednesday, March 10, 8pm in the Marriott Lobby Bar, right across the road from Moscone Center West. Drinks sponsored by Team Phobic, Touch Arcade, Venan Entertainment and IUGO.

XS Games, a New York based publisher, announced Friday that they plan to release an iPhone and PSPgo port of “The Red Star” early this spring. The Red Star was a popular shooter/action game for the Playstation 2 that was based off the graphic novel of the same name.

The game was a blend of top down shooting and side scrolling beat ’em levels. It also had some RPG elements, with characters being able to upgraded abilities at the end of levels.

Here is a trailer for the PS2 version:

XS Games says that both the PSPgo and iPhone are the perfect new home for the game. They say by releasing the game on these platforms it will allow them to improve the game play and graphics of the game while keeping the price fair. We will have to wait till spring to see if they deliver.

Screenshots of the iPhone version:

Do you have what it takes to help Mark the mole locate the elusive Terracore gem?  That's the question, really, in Roo Games' recent release Mole - Quest for the Terracore Gem! [App Store].

Mole is a game that, on the surface resembles classic Dig Dug, but is really a deeper game (sorry) that's much more about scoring up in order to better equip your character than simple arcade action. In Mole, you start off as a rather ill-equipped Mark the mole that can't do much beyond burrow about the top-most layer of the six-layer underground world that hides the fabled Terracore Gem (in the deepest layer, of course). While burrowing, you can pick up various precious metals and gems, and they can be used to up your gear in the equip shop — and better gear is what really opens up the game. It's a gear-to-gameplay dynamic that's reminiscent of that in Hook Champ.

The aforementioned shop offers air tanks, pick axes, gem detectors, and the like for the player with enough metal. All of them help you on your quest, but the most important upgrade would have to be the air tanks, for, despite the occasional pockets of air that can be found in some (but not all) of the underground layers, you're not going to get very deep without some serious tankage. And the Terracore Gem lies deep.

The game offers very simplistic controls that work quite well; tap out some distance from your mole and he'll move there or just hold and drag in the direction you want to travel. The arrangement of on-screen indicators can be adjusted for left or right players, as well.

See the developer's gameplay video.

This is one of those games that delivers just a really nice balance between light playfield strategy (how deep should you go with your limited oxygen supply?) and asset allocation (how best to spend money in the shop?). If break-neck arcade action is what you're after, then Mole – Quest for the Terracore Gem! will disappoint, but for the gamer that can weigh risks and keep their eye on the goal, this one is a true hidden gem.

In honor of the Game Developers Conference 2010, Mole is free until Sunday, March 14th.

App Store Link: Mole – Quest for the Terracore Gem, Free (limited time, normally $1.99)