Last December, Firemint wowed everybody by releasing Real Racing 2 [$6.99], the sequel to their popular racing sim that originally hit in Summer of 2009. We had no problem awarding Real Racing 2 5 stars in our review, calling it the “king of iOS racing games”. One thing we weren’t sure of, however, and something that many players in our forums and elsewhere had been wondering about, was if there would be a Real Racing 2 for the iPad.

Firemint since confirmed that it was in the works, and part of the hold up was seeing what Apple’s plans were for the iPad 2 which was announced last week and is available starting today.

Well, just like clockwork, and echoing the original iPad’s release, Real Racing 2 HD [$9.99] has launched just in time to be one of the flagship titles for the new iPad 2. Firemint claims that Real Racing 2 HD is optimized for both the original iPad and the extra performance muscle of the iPad 2, so should serve as a great title to show off your shiny new toy should you be picking up an iPad 2 later today.

Yesterday at GDC we sat down with Brian Robbins of Riptide Games who took us through their latest release, Shadow Ranch [link] (with an "HD" version for iPad [link]), an iOS adaptation of Her Interactive's highly popular Nancy Drew Adventure series.

In a departure from the PC and console originals, the iOS Nancy Drew mobile mystery takes the form of an interactive book that works much like one of the old Choose Your Own Adventure stories. The primary portion of the experience is reading the story presented, eight chapters full of illustrations and media-enhanced hyperlinks. The other part of the app consists of three different kinds of mini-games. The outcome of a variety of hidden object games, word games, and horse racing games determine the path of the story and bring achievements. Several sideline mimi-mysteries are also included.

Brian also showed us Mini Monster Smash! [App Store], the fruit borne of Riptide's all-night coding frenzy at November's 360iDev Game Jam. The goal of the game is to smash a cute little red monster with a flyswatter to get it to fly as far as you can. Along the way the monster will bounce off of trampolines, bombs or float in bubbles.

And, finally, we had a look at an upcoming title called My Pet Zombie, which is being developed jointly with Recharge Studios. It's one for the virtual pet fan who also has a thing for zombies. The game puts a cute little zombie in a graveyard setting on your screen for you to love and nurture. It even dances. But don't take care of it and it's one more tombstone in the graveyard. The game also features social aspects, such as freinds' zombies going on a date, etc.

Shadow Ranch and Mini Monster Smash recently went live in the App Store, and My Pet Zombie is expected in late April or early May as a freemium release.

Galaxy On Fire 2 [$9.99 / Lite] is a big game that’s going to get even bigger with the eventual release of a Tom Cruise-less add-on called “Valkyrie.” Developer Fishlabs is going light on the details at the moment, reserving the reveal for press at GDC, however, we do know some general stuff at the moment -- new ships from a new class, new weapons, and a new and voiced story component will all be included in the add-on which hits in April via IAP.

As if that was enough GOF content, Fishlabs will be releasing a high-resolution ship pack featuring ship models from the first game as a free update on the same day Valkyrie is released. Neat!

So, you’re not familiar with GOF 2? Brother, I got your back. In a nutshell, it’s a space trading and commerce game with a lot of options and upgrades. Our review is pretty comprehensive, but here’s a selection that gets to the meat of the game:

“Your goal is to get back to your home system on the other side of the galaxy, but achieving that goal is going to take some time, and what better way to fill that time than by taking on various missions across the region's 20 star systems. You start out with a relatively weak, modestly outfitted ship, but there's money to be made and upgrades to be had along the way.”

“Jobs ranging from cleaning up space garbage to mining asteroids to transporting goods to hunting pirates to rescuing kidnapped officers can be had in the various stations in each system on the vast star map. And, if that seems too harrowing, money can be made in the simple buying and selling of simple commodities from one station to another. Like father of the genre Elite, it's a game you can take at your own pace.”

Told you I got you! Anyway, I imagine dedicated GOF'ers out there are more than thrilled about this update. Tell me how thrilled!

With a week to go before the month is over, we're just now finally seeing some major iOS game releases after seemingly every developer fired off everything they had in to the 2010 holiday season. Tonight's treasures are Dead Space for the iPhone and iPod touch as well as Dead Space for iPad. Dead Space is currently available in New Zealand, and will be appearing in various international App Stores throughout the day until it finally shows up in the US at 11:00 PM EST.

We'll have our full review up later today, but for our friends abroad I'll offer some brief impressions- The graphics and sound of Dead Space are incredible, and really nail the look and feel of the series. This is a game you'll want to play in the dark with headphones. I've found myself preferring the game on the iPad, as your thumbs obscure a little too much of the screen on the iPhone. (It's still a ton of fun on smaller devices, don't worry.) There isn't any kind of aim assist or control customization which makes combat feel clunky and more difficult than it should be, which can be irritating in a game with limited ammo where every shot counts.

We have other minor criticisms which we'll get in to in our full review later today, but even with the few issues Dead Space has, this isn't a game you should miss. With around 6 hours (in our playthrough) of playtime, Dead Space provides an experience that fits perfectly in line with its console counterparts. We just wish they titled the game something differently, as it comes loaded with its own unique story line and will likely be a part in any discussion of Dead Space lore... Things are going to get confusing with Dead Space (for consoles) and Dead Space (for iOS) sharing the same name and being completely different games.

Stay tuned, and in the meantime swing by the Dead Space and Dead Space HD threads in our forums for more initial impressions from international forum members who have already purchased the game in their App Store.

International App Store Links

• Dead Space, $6.99 USD
• Dead Space for iPad, $9.99 USD

I'm not entirely sure what to even say about this. We post our fair share of iPhone game videos, so we know full well just how much time goes in to shooting, processing, and uploading gameplay video (and generally speaking our videos are only a couple minutes long). So when a TouchArcade forum member decides to post three whole hours worth of gameplay footage, split in to fourteen parts, well... That deserves some recognition. I suppose technically this is a Aralon: Sword and Shadow [$9.99] speed run as well, as the whole thing is completed in three hours, stopping only to do quests that are vital to the main plot line of the game.

Here is the first installment of the series:

Here's the complete series, in its full fourteen part glory: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14! Aiti1980, that's some serious dedication. Anyway, if you've yet to play Aralon, you can now watch three hours of YouTube video, or better yet, check out our review and give the game a download. It's an incredibly impressive open world RPG that's still one of the most talked about games on our forums and recently received an update adding a spirit wolf companion to the ranger class along with a bunch of other fixes and tweaks.

Looking back at our review of the original Real Racing [$4.99 / Lite / HD], we had a few disappointments, but overall had no issue calling it an "unrivaled racing experience." While EA has released a few great racers from the Need For Speed series, Real Racing was always my racing game of choice... Making me wonder what game was going to boot Real Racing off my personal throne of favorite racer on the platform. Unsurprisingly, Real Racing 2 [$9.99] was the game to do it.

The original Real Racing received universal acclaim from the gaming media, and even went on to take home an Apple Design Award at WWDC this year. Real Racing 2 is everything a good sequel should be in that it builds on top of the excellent foundation set by Real Racing, adding often requested features and other surprises we weren't expecting all while improving nearly everything that was retained from the first.

Just like Real Racing, the sequel is host to a variety of control options that mix and match touch and tilt, along with various automatic systems that can be enabled or disabled depending on your skill level. By default, Real Racing 2 is incredibly easy to play. Steering assist and anti-skid default to on, and the brake assist is cranked up as high as it can go. Controlling this way, the games handles almost everything for you, and all you need to do is tilt your phone right or left to steer. Alternatively, you can turn everything off and drive completely manually, controlling both the brake and the gas while either steering with touch or tilt, along with many options in between. Unfortunately, it seems that there isn't any way to manually change gears.

The graphics in Real Racing 2 are substantially improved. Both the tracks and the cars themselves seem much more detailed, and while you can change the camera to several positions, the most awe-inspiring is the cockpit view where each car's interior is modeled with extreme precision. Speaking of cars, one of the most surprising reveals before the game was released was the inclusion of 30 different fully licensed real cars. Brands range from VW to BMW to Ford and much more.

The number of cars in each race has been cranked up to 16, which I think is one of the most substantial improvements. Previously, iOS racers all felt pocket sized in one way or another. You never really got the full experience of a console racer because in most racing games you were only ever competing in 8 car races. Doubling this makes for races that are just crazy, especially on higher difficulty settings where the AI racers seem to actively try to prevent you from passing them-- Often creating epic battles between cars as you attempt to slowly climb to first place.

These 16 player races aren't limited to single player either, for the first time on the App Store you can play up against 16 players online. These huge online races are absolutely awesome, and work effortlessly. You tap the online multiplayer icon, and seconds later you're tossed in to a lobby with other players. Following a short countdown you're at the starting line of an online race. Real Racing 2 seems to prioritize quick matching to full races, so if you're playing at an off time you likely will get matched with fewer players. One thing I'd like to see in the future is if there was some kind of slider that you could set whether you prefer shorter wait times or larger races. Often times I wouldn't mind waiting a little bit longer to play with more people.

Also added is a new career mode, which Firemint is claiming should keep you busy for around ten hours. Playing through career mode will have you making your way through various events, earning money, buying cars, and upgrading them. The career mode also serves as a bit of a tutorial, as the early events require you to do things like upgrade your car to a certain performance threshold, win a certain number of popularity points, or even paint your car a different color. One minor complaint I do have about this is that at the start of the game you're given a small amount of cash to buy your first car. This requires you to go through all the different cars searching for one you can actually afford. While I suppose this initially gives you a good idea of just how many cars there are, I would have much preferred to just have the option to select an available starter car instead of needing to search through everything else.

Though Real Racing 2 may have a few things I'd like to see changed, it's without a doubt the current king of iOS racing games. I'd go as far as calling it the perfect iPhone game. The controls are perfectly suited to the platform, the graphics are fantastic, and Real Racing 2 is compatible with every iOS device, even the ancient 1st generation iPod touch. The online component is fantastic, the career mode is a welcome addition, and there's even a new car damage system that reflects just how much you've been bumping in to things. There aren't many other games that showcase what the iOS platform is capable of more than Real Racing 2, so much so, that Apple should just be bundling it with their devices. Do not miss this game.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for consoles and PC is a great, isometric action-adventure that successfully combines the exploration, the high-octane action sequences, and the puzzle elements of a solid Tomb Raider title with the combat of a good dual-stick shooter. It's not a perfect game. I think the setup to larger tasks is often are boring (go here; grab this; repeat) and the crowd control options are lacking, but overall it's a fun game with a satisfying level of depth -- especially in its item and equipment systems which allow you to boost Lara's skills by doing optional tasks or finding items scattered throughout the world.

Surprisingly, Guardian of Light will soon be available on the iOS in North America, and it appears to be a faithful port in regards to mechanics and game world, which is why I've mentioned all this. But during my playthrough of this version, I've discovered that the things that don't come across so well are the visuals, sound, frame rate, and control. I know -- bummer!

A lot of textures in the game look terrible, while some needed sound effects simply aren't duplicated. Take, for example, the tumbling bridge section right outside the Spider Temple. No crumbling sounds are emitted in the preceding cut-scene that betrays the  bridges' stability. And while that's bothersome, the fact that Lara can clip through the final bridge's geometry and fall to her doom after said cut-scene is even worse.

This scene, despite all of its action and stupid missteps, manages to hold up well in regards to frame rate, which makes it all the more mystifying whenever frames start dropping during low-octane portions of the game.

You can deal with these things; I can deal with these things. But, I think the real deal-breaker is Guardian of Light's on-screen controls, which make shooting, jumping, rolling, and basic item navigation a nightmare. The game is playable, sure, but it's obvious that the enemy balance wasn't tweaked -- nor were its scripted action sections -- for on-screen UI. Guardian of Light feels like a game built for users with a controller, which is a problem since, well, you aren't using a controller to play it.

Guardian of Light "proper" has a fantastic online co-op component that has one player playing as Lara while the other handles a warrior named Totec. What makes this such a compelling addition is that the game changes in meaningful ways with two people; puzzles that demand interdependence and unique scenarios are made available in this mode.

Sadly, this iOS version of the co-op appears to be shoddy. Between Master Eli and I, our game's crashed a total of five times while starting up a match, and our invites to each other didn't work in the first place. We had to, hilariously, use random matchmaking to even find each other. I shouldn't say this component is broken exactly, but it's obvious someone needs to take a look at this component's implementation.

What kills me here is that there's a great game buried in Guardian of Light iOS -- a game that has satisfying combat, great loot systems and upgrade paths, a fun story, a good co-op component, and some good head-scratchers. But... these silly problems are killers. The good news is that most of the problems are fixable, particularly the ticky-tacky geometric, sound, and network stuff. The question is, is someone going to address these issues? I hope so. Guardian of Light is fantastic and I wish I could enjoy this version just as much as the others. It kinda goes without saying, but we'll hold our official in-depth review until we see a patch since it's really hard to recommend this game as it is on launch day.

UPDATE: We've been informed that the multiplayer is not cross platform, which excuses why Eli and I weren't able to connect the first three or four times (I was on an iPad, while he was on an iPhone 4). This doesn't explain why the game even let us attempt to connect to each other, but it totally makes sense why we couldn't. However, we still experienced the same connection and crashing problems while using two iPads. As you might have assumed, that one positive match we had before the game crashed was with two iPads.

App Store Links - Note: This game is currently available internationally, but won't be available in the US App Store until 11:00 PM Eastern.

• Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light, $6.99
• Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light HD, $9.99

In a world collapsing in on itself under the weight of its machine-churned puzzle games, World of Goo was a breath of fresh air when it was released in 2008. It was smart, varied, deep, gorgeous, and, above all, entertaining. The iOS version of the game will be hitting the US App Store tonight, and to no-one's surprise, it's still just as good.

The truly surprising thing is that this iPad version is easily the definitive version of the game oft-praised puzzler. You get a real sense of connection with the game's world as you dip your finger or fingers into it, and the technical mastery displayed in this port is near unparalleled. Everything just feels perfect. It's as if this was the version of the game we all should have played first.

At first, World of Goo is about manufacturing bridges and towers with the stretched tissue of little balls of goo. The point is to provide a path that other goo balls can follow into a metal pipe, the end point. Physics play a key role in this process: you'll need to build sound structures, which sounds easier than it is. Goo isn't concrete.

Each level requires a set number of goo balls to reach the pipe, and each goo ball you use for a structure counts against the total provided. This constant negotiation of goo resources is pleasing because it forces you to think around the obvious solution, which is often one of brute building.

The game doesn't rest on this basic formula. It has a bevy of twists and spins on this concept and mechanic in each level, providing a stream of different looks at what is possible to do in the game. A lot of levels even introduce new goo balls with very different, game-altering properties. There's a change of pace opportunity around every corner, be it from the introduction of helium-filled goo balls, vicious gusts of wind, and so on.

Diversity can become a bugbear in because explanation and experimentation are often required in large amounts. Developer 2D Boy mitigates this by walking the fine line between handholding and intuitive design. Levels are presented in such a way that it's clear what needs to be done, while signpost text written by the game's clever Sign Painter provides subtle hints and teases if a structure is too strange.

The Sign Painter is a perfect example of the game's character and tone. This writer of signs is bizarre and cheery, much like the game's unusual art. And if you doubted the power of a hand-drawn approach in this day and age, just take a look at this game. The art is detailed and beautiful and full of character-defining quirk.

On a related note, the sound design is stupendous in that it helps to add even another layer of character to the goo balls by allowing you to identify them simply by ear. Very cool stuff.

There's little wrong with World of Goo. I tend to think the physics on the larger balls introduced later in the gamer are a bit too wonky; there's a degree of luck almost in dealing with them as they tend to bounce wherever they like. I'm also not a fan of the fact that you can't pinch and zoom to get an overview of a level. 2D Boy keeps the camera tight and forces you to scroll sideways to see other parts of a map.

To be clear, this is a port. I've yet to see a level or a mechanic that wasn't present in other builds of the game. But it's a fantastic recreation, so much so that I've become convinced that this is the best version available. The touch controls are responsive, simple, and precise. Your finger, it turns out, is just as good as a mouse or a Wii Remote pointer. The intangible here is what it feels like to directly interact with the game's world. It just feels right. Picking up and applying goo is natural, as if your finger was intended to be used with this game in the first place. It's wild, man.

Puzzle games are a dime a dozen on the App Store, but World of Goo is easily one of the best ones available. It's charm, level of polish, and stream of new mechanics and ideas will keep you invested, while its other qualities will probably make you wish that every game from this point forward could be as imaginative and intuitive. Check it out.

App Store Link: World of Goo for iPad, $9.99 (Available in the US at 11:00 PM Eastern)

Find your sync cable and grab your dungeon masters, friends, and loved ones. The oft-teased Universal update for Carcassonne [$9.99] is now available, meaning you can now play the tabletop-game-turned-App on your iPad without having to maximize or deal with UI not intended for use on the device's much larger screen.

As a result, the game's price has also been raised to $9.99. Bummer at a glance, but if you haven't purchased Carcassonne, don't see this as a deal breaker -- the original game is a fantastic port of the beloved tabletop game and it appears as if the iPad update is just as good.

Granted, my time has been limited, but I haven't spotted a single bruise. The UI looks sharp and reacts well and the touch controls are solid, too. Heck, even the visuals remain appealing. It's like The Coding Monkeys spent a lot of time on this update or something, right?

Oh, the parties I am already planning. If only I can convince my "cool" friends that playing Carcassonne is more fun than drinking jungle juice. Challenges. Life has them.

Is the video game killing the board game? I don't know, man, but I think you can argue that tabletop licensors themselves are doing a brilliant job driving nails into their products' respective caskets. Take a look at digital storefronts and you'll see classic tabletop-properties-turned-video-games like Carcassonne [$9.99] and Connect 4 [99¢] lined up next to non-traditional games like The Maw or Battlefield 1943. It's weird.

I think the reason why licensors choose to peddle digital versions of their games extends beyond obvious cold business realities. Games like Connect 4 translate well to digital, first of all. But more importantly, these games operate as touchstones. You remember sinking your sister's Battleship [99¢] battleship. This stuff has emotional weight.

For me, no other game conjures as many memories as Monopoly [$9.99]. This is why I buy the game so damn much. And while it's oft been digitized, until this afternoon, the game hasn't been put on the platform that makes the most sense: The iPad.

So, let's talk about it.

Foremost, this is a faithful recreation of the board game. All the pieces, all the house rules, the buildings, and the properties are present and accounted for. Furthermore, the game's presentation nails the actual board, making for a nostalgic and satisfying experience. Seriously, look at this thing. It's a perfect and slick recreation.

What's missing is all the tactile stuff: piece movements, money exchanges, card pick-ups, and property flip-flops are automated. This isn't a huge deal, but there is a small part of me that still wants to move my Top Hat Of Doom across the board and I just can't get that from this version of the game.

The dice, however, aren't automated. You'll need to grab and roll the dice with a touch and a swipe in order to progress. It's a cool touch, but also one that shows off how wonky the game's physics engine is. When rolled, the dice respond like rubber balls surround by an invisible wall, needlessly bouncing off its unseen surface. The bad dice physics also showcase a bad camera that needlessly attempts to follow the die's ridiculous bouncing. It's jarring in that "The Blair Witch Project" sort of way.

Other unautomated actions include auctions and trades. These, of course, require some bits of intuitive UI and active participation. Surprisingly, the AI holds up pretty well in both these realms -- it's savvy without being too know-it-all. It's also pretty good at housing up its properties on top of getting what it needs, so look out.

Monopoly has several game modes. There's a "Play Now" option that lets you play with up to four AI. And there's also a "Tabletop Mode" which offers pass-and-play opportunities with others. On an iPad, this is almost perfect since the touch screen is so large. I had a good time with another, at least.

I'll mention that there's a "Teacher Mode" that instructs how to play the game while you actually participate in a session. There's also a "Local Network Play" option that operates as implied.

It feels funny to talk about all this tech voodoo about Monopoly. This version does such a great job at recreating the feel of the game, conjuring up those memories, and sating that itch to play the actual board game, that you tend to forget that it's just an iOS title. Come to think of it, this is what really matters. Go buy it already.

2D Boy's World of Goo has a ton of history behind it. It was originally released completely DRM and license-free for the Mac and PC (as well as the Wii nearly a year later) and saw amazing reviews from the gaming press. This is where you'd expect the story of the game to then end in 2D Boy making tons of money and everyone living happily ever after, as PC gamers are constantly harping on developers about restrictive copy protection (like StarForce) or cumbersome CD key systems is what drives them to piracy. Sadly, not long after its release, despite all the critical acclaim and awards, 2D Boy's publisher filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy as only 1 out of 10 people playing World of Goo had paid for it.

The good news despite all that is 2D Boy is still around, and they've been hard at work on an iPad version of World of Goo that's scheduled to launch on December 16th for $9.99. If you've never played the game before, you're going to be in for an absolute delight. The goal of each of the levels is to use the various goos to construct structures to reach the end pipe of each level where they're sucked up in to a huge tank. It isn't a new gameplay mechanic at all, as tons of developers (even on the App Store) have built strikingly similar structure building games before.

Where World of Goo pulls ahead of the pack is in its remarkable presentation. Everything in this game flows together flawlessly, from the difficulty curve to how the graphics combine with the music, to the various silly cut scenes and introductions of new goos, and more. This is all enhanced by the new multitouch interface which allows you to drag around multiple goos, build and move the camera at the same time, and more. It feels so natural that I'm not sure how I played the game with a mouse before.

Next week is going to be insane with even more pre-holiday releases than today, but if you own an iPad, make sure you save ten bucks to download World of Goo. Even if you've played through it before, it's such a substantially different and better experience on the iPad that I cannot recommend it enough.

Alright Street Fighter fans, you've spoken loud and clear and Capcom has heeded your cries. Last month, we posted about the latest update to Street Fighter IV [$9.99] for iPhone. In this update, a brand new multiplayer mode was added that will auto-connect players into a match via Bluetooth if they are within range of each other. Also, two new playable characters were added to the roster of fighters, Sagat and Dee Jay. This is nothing new by now, as Street Fighter IV has been one of the most well supported titles in the App Store with a ton of new content and characters added in updates since the game was initially released last March.

Something was different about this last update though. Sagat was available right out of the gate, but in order to unlock Dee Jay one would have had to engage in 3 Bluetooth multiplayer matches with another device owner who also had the game. This made sense from the developer's perspective, as they had just come out with an interesting new multiplayer mode and would like to entice players to check it out by rewarding them with a character for doing so. The problem though is that many players in our forums and elsewhere didn't know anybody else with an iOS device, or if they did those people weren't avid gamers who owned a copy of Street Fighter IV. This left people frustrated as they had no way of unlocking Dee Jay, unless they happened to own multiple devices and could play versus matches against themselves (which is exactly how I ended up unlocking him).

Well, this is a problem no more, as the update released earlier today addresses this issue by allowing Dee Jay to be unlocked by beating Tournament Mode with every character or by the 3 versus matches requirement. Now, this isn't exactly a cake walk either, as it will take a significant amount of time to work through Tournament Mode with everyone. And I know what you're thinking, you clever player - that you will just change the round count to 1 to speed up the process. But not so fast, as Capcom figured you would try some shenanigans like that and requires that you keep the round count at 3 in order to unlock Dee Jay. At any rate, it's nice to know that even if it takes a little effort, you can now play as Dee Jay without relying on interacting with other human beings. If you have yet to unlock Dee Jay, make sure to grab the latest update for Street Fighter IV and hop into Tournament Mode to get started.

Rock Band fans have got another installment to keep them tapping -- or perhaps, in this case, singing -- to the beat with EA's recent release of Rock Band Reloaded in two versions, one for the iPhone [link] and one for the iPad [link]. This latest release is the first iOS Rock Band that features the (rather forgiving) new vocal recognition mode where gameplay consists of singing right along with the available tracks.

And, speaking of available tracks, there are 27 free tracks (some of which must be downloaded) along with four pay tracks that can be purchased at $.99 for a bundle of two. The complete list follows.

Free songs:

• A Jagged Gorgeous Winter by The Main Drag *
• A-Punk by Vampire Weekend
• Am I Crazy by Little Fish *
• Blood Doll by Anarchy Club *
• Bodies by Drowning Pool
• Call Me When Your're Sober by Evanessence
• Can't Let Go by Death of the Cool *
• Day Late, Dollar Short by The Acro-brats *
• Dearest (I'm So Sorry) by Picture Me Broken
• Entangled by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives *
• Get Clean by Anarchy Club *
• Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
• Hella Good by No Doubt
• Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran
• I Get By by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives *
• In Bloom by Nirvana
• Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down
• Night Lies by Bang Camaro *
• Pleasure (Pleasure) by Bang Camaro *
• Peace Sells by Megadeth
• Remedy by Seether
• Rock'n Me by Steve Miller Band
• Seven by Tijuana Sweetheart *
• So What'cha Want by Beastie Boys
• The Perfect Drug by Nine Inch Nails
• White Wedding (Part 1) by Billy Idol
• Your Decision by Alice in Chains

Pay songs:

• Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly *
• Mean Woman Blues by Roy Orbison *
• Requiem for a Dying Song by Flogging Molly *
• You Got It by Roy Orbison *

( * denotes DLC tracks )

Rock Band Reloaded features Facebook integration, local (WiFi and Bluetooth) multiplayer, and a new Expert Mode for those wanting more of a challenge. The iPhone version supports the Retina display where available.

What's up, Street Fighters? Time to get your Sagat and Dee Jay on. Capcom's update for Street Fighter IV [$9.99] is now live on Apple's servers, meaning you can now pick the two aforementioned characters in regular and versus play. This update also adds in a hip Blue-tooth local matchmaking feature that auto connects people within range of each other, as well as a "Player Cards" feature that tracks stats of the people you happen to face.

I grabbed a screen of Sagat for your viewing pleasure. I didn't grab one of Dee Jay, as he's a locked character. To unlock him, you'll need to compete in Versus three times, which might be really hard if you don't have a pal with the game. That said, Capcom shot over an image or two, so problem solved on my end!

SAGAT

Surprisingly, a search of the App Store won't reveal much in the way of Tolkien's epic high-fantasy trilogy. We've seen many other movie adaptations converted to games, but nothing in the way of the Fellowship's desperate plight to Mt Doom. It's strange then that Glu Mobile has championed the well known licence on the App Store, and has done so in the form of a tower defense game, The Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense [$6.99 / HD].

Thankfully, Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense isn't your typical tower-defense clone. Obviously, this is largely due the vast source material it draws from, using the entire Lord of the Rings adventure as a tapestry to bind each of its 18 levels together. You'll encounter goblins in the Mines of Moria, fight with the Rohirrim in the Battle of Helms deep and fend off Nazgûl a-plenty on your way to defeat Sauron. There are 7 iconic battle locations all up and a host of familiar enemies to mow through.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, what really sets apart Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense is the way it uses the heroes of the fellowship as your typical TD towers. Maps in Middle-earth Defense aren't comprised of static paths bordered with designated areas where you place your towers. Instead, in much the same way as Fieldrunners handles TD, the path the enemies take can and must be manipulated by you to succeed. To do so, you'll be able to build a variety of different barricades with wood earned after each wave. Barricades each have different abilities, such as slowing or damaging creeps that pass by them. Though you are limited where you can build, it is up to you to decide what paths to open or close.

Once your path is determined, you must then place your heroes. Ranged heroes operate much like your typical towers, attacking from static positions. Melee heroes however, roam around their area picking fights, and so can get up close and personal with a creep wave hitting them constantly as they pass. Heroes can be upgraded with earned gold, improving their attack power, speed, range or skills. The latter is unique to Middle-earth Defense, as each warrior Hero (there are support heroes too, such as the hobbits) has a skill that can be periodically activated to dramatic effect. Effective use of skills such as Gandalf's meteor shower or Gimli's axe tornado are pretty much essential for getting past the harder levels, as the game does get quite difficult at times.

The individual creeps and heroes in Middle-earth Defense are a mixed bag-- some look terrific, whilst others are barely recognizable. This can be attributed to the somewhat jaggy models and darker textures experienced on the 3GS device we tested the game on, though we're thrilled (and surprised!) to see that a Retina patch has already been released which sharpens things up significantly. Unfortunately, this doesn't remedy the fact that animations are only just serviceable, and that heroes are sometimes indistinguisable and easily lost amidst the chaos.

Glu Mobile have otherwise done a great job of maintaining the standards of the license. The musical score is not overstated, and is actually worth listening to as you're battling wave after wave. Short cutscenes describing each scene and text dialogue between characters abridging each level are well written and give context to your encounters. There is also a Challenge Mode which is unlocked after completing the tutorial that allows you to attempt each of the Story Mode environments with unlimited enemy waves, in an attempt to post your best Game Center or Facebook score.

Finally, there are a host of trophies (achievements) to earn in Story Mode that unlock additional characters and environments in Challenge Mode. We're happy to see that Glu Mobile haven't skimped on content, as there's a heap to do here; and with 3 difficulty levels you can honestly expect several hours worth of gameplay all considered. Certainly don't expect to breeze through your journey to the Black Gates.

Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense is an interesting take on the saga for its first journey to the small screen. Though an unusual use of the licence, it is not an unwelcome one, as Middle-earth Defense does enough different to make it stand out from the very crowded tower defense market, not the least of which is provide great context for your battles and an interesting and well-known story to keep you engaged. There is one minor setback though-- while we don't usually comment on price, it is obvious that use of the Lord of the Rings licence does bring with it a slightly elevated hit to your hip pocket. If that doesn't phase you, we can certainly recommend Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense as a challenging and entertaining TD clone that should pose a pleasant surprise to cult fans and fans of the genre alike.