A few notable Lite demo versions of games have appeared in the App Store over the past couple of days.

Armado Lite

This impressive 3D platformer offers the first three levels to try before buying the full version:

We hope you enjoy this free “lite” edition. It’s a fully featured game with three levels to begin your journey. Get a feel for the controls, visuals, sound, and if you’re good enough you may earn a spot on the leader-board!

App Store Link: Armado Lite, Free

Paradox Lite

We previously highlighted the full version of this game and found it to be a high quality variant of Pipe Dreams in which you rotate individual pieces to connect the entire board together.

In Parardox Lite there is one available mode of play aptly named “Puzzle Mode”. Set to a chilled-out groove, “Puzzle Mode” is relaxed and methodical while offering challenging puzzles to excercise your brain muscle. Paradox Lite is a fun, inventive, and an entertaining version of its big brother “Paradox 3000″.

App Store Link: Paradox Lite, Free

Powerboat Challenge Lite

A reasonably well implemented powerboat racing game.

The lite version takes you immediately to the action: Manoeuver your tuned powerboat around the buoys against your rivals and fill up your boost bar to power ride on the water with insane speed!

Powerboat Challenge Lite, Free

Subatomic Studios has released version 1.1 of Fieldrunners which is now in the App Store. This point upgrade brings a number of new features to the popular iPhone game:

• Sounds and music are here! This update includes sound effects and a Fieldrunners theme song.
• Added a new map that requires new strategies.
• Added the highly requested Endless gameplay mode!
• Introduced two new fieldrunners. Watch out, one is invulnerable to goo!
• Added a grid to help place towers.
• The most recently obtained high score is now highlighted.
• Enhanced the visual quality of the title screen and the maps.
• Improved the user interface.

A number of bug fixes and options have also been added. So if you have it, upgrade now. If you don’t have it, well, you should. We consider Fieldrunners to be one of the best iPhone games available. Our first look review of it provides a gameplay video from the 1.0 version.

App Store Link: Fieldrunners, $4.99

PC version screen

“SimCity for the iPhone may ruin my life (in a good way).”  So says MG Seigler of VentureBeat.  He had a chance to spend some time with Electronic Arts’ upcoming iPhone version of its hugely popular city-building simulation game.

He liked what he saw.

I got a chance to play a near-complete version of it today; it looks great. Fans of the series will recognize the SimCity 3000 look and feel, but the addition of touch screen controls makes sense for things like zoning (creating a certain type of building zone). Using the multi-touch capabilities of the iPhone to do things like zooming in and out of your city also makes the game a good fit for the device.

Siegler points out that the iPhone demo exhibited loading time issues, but EA indicates they’ll be ironed out by launch.

SimCity for the iPhone is expected to make its App Store debut in December for $9.99.

Mobile game developer ToySpring has released their iPhone port of Bike or Die 2 [App Store]. Bike or Die 2 is an “physics-based bike simulation” with over 2500 levels. Features include:

• 3D biking levels and environments
• Challenging level design
• Zooming effects
• Customizable bike appearance
• Record and replay your best games
• On-line Hall of Fame with Time Trial and Freestyle Competitions

The $2.99 price is described as a “limited time price”.

App Store Link: Bike or Die 2, $2.99

The long awaited release of the first true First Person Shooter has arrived. Cube [App Store] has finally made it into the App Store after a lengthy approval process.

Cube is an open source multiplayer and singleplayer first person shooter game built on an entirely new and very unconventional engine. Cube is a landscape-style engine that pretends to be an indoor FPS engine, which combines very high precision dynamic occlusion culling with a form of geometric mipmapping on the whole world for dynamic LOD for configurable fps & graphic detail on most machines. Uses OpenGL & SDL.

The iPhone port is described as a technology demo that supports all the functionality of the desktop version, though they warn that some of the features are impractical on the iPhone. Indeed, early impressions of the game show framerate issues on many of the levels, but should be a fun distraction and a prelude to what is to come in the future for iPhone gaming.

The developers report that they are working on getting version 1.2 submitted to Apple to address many of the known bugs — including the compressing of many of the textures to make them load faster and take less memory.

App Store Link: Cube, Free

Gameloft has provided a gameplay video for their new Uno title we reported the other day.

Overall, the iPhone version of Uno is relatively well implemented, but one of its most compelling features is Online Multi-player play. This means that aside from playing over local Wi-Fi, you can reach out to play others on the internet. (Because, let’s be realistic, how many of you are sitting out there playing iPhone games with others in the same room.)

There were no players available when we tested this on the first day of its release, but just today were able to play a few games with some random internet players. Note that you must be on a Wi-Fi connection to play online.

App Store Link: UNO, $7.99

DVide Arts Inc. has just released an iPhone version of its popular mobile adventure game Angel Sword [App Store] through the iTunes App Store.

Once upon a time, in a land of magic, two wizards ruled in peace. The legend says that the Red Wizard unlocked the power of the Sword of Angels, a blade forged by the gods using good and evil magic. Over time, the power of the sword filled the Red Wizard with darkness. In order to stop the Red Wizard, a guardian angel was summoned using the power of light. Now you must guide this hero on the path to recover the Sword of Angels and restore peace through out the land. Prepare to battle demons, solve mysteries, and travel across two major lands in search of the legendary Angel Sword.

Angel Sword is a Zelda-like adventure both in gameplay and appearance.  Although not actually a retro title, it looks like one, likely due to the lowest common denominator of the smartphone platforms the game supports.  The main character is controlled via an on-screen button rose and by way of other contextual pop-up buttons.  A simple musical score accompanies gameplay.

Features listed by the developer:

• Interactive game characters with in depth stories
• Re-playable interactive alternate endings
• Challenging animated enemies
• Auto save your game progress
• Save up to 3 unique games
• Submit your game online after completion
• Full color graphics and animation
• Music and Sound Effects with mute sound option
• Easy to use interface with on screen instruction buttons

App Store Link: Angel Sword, $4.99

Sputnik Games has released an iPhone take on the retro classic Asteroids through the App Store.  Aerolite [App Store] features updated color graphics that maintain a retro feel along with on-screen console style control buttons (that can be moved anywhere on-screen you like).  But is it fun?  It is if you like Asteroids.

Navigate the ship around the screen by pressing the virtual buttons and blow up the space rocks flying around. Level one starts off with only a few asteroids. As you complete each level more and more asteroids will appear making the game even more challenging.

A shortcoming of numerous Asteroids clones is sloppy ship physics.  Nothing of the sort plagues Aerolite; the ship’s acceleration, deceleration, and overall control are spot-on.  The game features an ambient musical track along with sound effects, but a song from the iPhone’s song library can optionally be played instead.

Several power-ups help out along the way: shield regenerator, triple guns, long life bullets, and machine gun.

See the developer’s video:

If you’re the type of gamer that would thrill at the prospect of walking the hallowed aisles of the Luna City Arcade, then $0.99 Aerolite is for you.

Gameloft has just released UNO [App Store] through the iTunes App Store, an iPhone adaptation of Mattel’s highly popular Crazy Eights-style card game.

Play the classic card game that’s #1 for fun with friends and family. In single or multiplayer, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, thanks to a brand new gameplay system! Simply drag & drop cards using your finger on the screen for intuitive control, and be the first to get rid of all your cards.

• All your favorite Action Cards are here: Wild, Reverse, Draw 2 and more!
• Customize your game with 9 different rules including 7-0 and Jump-in.
• Play against the AI or your friends: use only one iPhone or play with multiple devices through a WiFi connection
• Take on increasingly hard challenges in Tournament Mode.

App Store Link: UNO, $7.99

iPhone developer ATOD AB has recently released Fastlane Street Racing [App Store], a Ridge Racer-style racing game that has generated much commentary–most of it rather positive–in the App Store user reviews and our forums since its release.

The first thing that hits you about Fastlane is the game’s graphics quality.  Fastlane is the best looking iPhone racer, hands down.  What’s more, the game runs at a decent framerate and experiences very few slow-downs.  Of course, you’re racing only three other vehicles and the on-road traffic is at a bare minimum, but still–it’s a lovely looking game.

So how does it play?  Let’s first take a look at the game modes.  Fastlane has three racing modes: Arcade, Time Trial, and Challenge.  Arcade mode involves racing from checkpoint to checkpoint and completing the course before the timer runs out.  Successfully completing courses unlocks new ones–there are 12 in all.  Time Trial mode is a race against pre-recorded times–race against a pace car or against your own best time.  Challenge mode presents the racer with various goals to achieve in order to move to the next course: complete the route within the time limit without touching the walls more than twice, overtake the other car before it passes the finish line, etc.  While there has been some outcry due to Fastlane’s lack of a “career mode,” I personally am pleased by its absence.  The time constraints surrounding typical gameplay on a mobile device (vs. a home console or desktop) make full blown career modes (winning money in races to buy upgrades, garages, homes, etc.) impractical.

And controls?  Well, there are many opinions on this in our forums.  Some call the game too difficult, indicating that the accelerometer controls are unforgiving and serious corners are impossible to negotiate.  Here’s the thing about this game, though: mastering the technique of drifting is a prerequisite.  Each of the game’s 10 vehicles feature different driving characteristics and finding the perfect drifter for your particular driving style is critical.  If you can’t master drifting, then this game is not for you.  That may seem like a tall order or a particular negative, but the thing is, Fastlane’s drifting feels much more “realistic” than does the seemingly on-rails drifting exhibited in the latest console versions of Ridge Racer.  So, take the time to learn to drift and the game’s controls are in the palm of your hand.  Have a look at ATOD AB’s tips page for some technique suggestions.

Fastlane includes a gameplay musical score along with well done sound effects.  If a song is playing from the iPhone’s song library at game launch, Fastlane’s sound effects will overlay it.  Hats off for that, ATOD AB.

All said, Fastlane Street Racing is the best iPhone racer in terms of graphics, racing challenge, and overall gameplay.  More and more, iPhone App Store releases are resembling high-end Nintendo DS and Sony PSP hits.  Fastlane Street Racing is a fine example.  Racing fans willing to tackle the learning curve will find this $5.99 title well worth the price.