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Classic Monopoly Arrives in the App Store

arn — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:19 +0000

Those of you who were turned off by the Here and Now Edition of Monopoly that had been in the App Store will be pleased to find out that EA has finally released the Classic version.

Monopoly brings the classic Monopoly board game to the App Store. The game offers a somewhat gratuitously 3D view of the game and even offers internationally localized versions of the board. The game seems to pull your iPhone's region settings (see here) to present the proper board. The game comes with 3 levels of difficulty against AI opponents and also offers local Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (2 players), and Pass & Play for your friends.

There also appear to be plenty of rule customizations to give you the game you're used to (Auction option also available, but cut off on screenshot):

The game is embellished with 3D graphics and animations of your pieces moving from one place to another, and the game also allows you pick one of several 3D rooms in which to play the game.

App Store Link: Monopoly, $4.99

'Pocketball' – A Fresh Physics-Based Puzzler

Jim Squires — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:37:26 +0000

Pocketball is a fresh new puzzler that takes physics and navigation and wraps them together in a tight little package. In each of Pocketball’s 30 stages, you’ll need to stretch pieces of rope across different pegs to guide a falling ball to a like colored bin. If there’s a blue ball it goes to the blue bin. If there’s a green ball it goes to a green bin. You get the idea.

Things get complicated fairly quickly. Some stages offer up 2 or 3 different colored balls that you need to guide to their like-colored bins. Other stages have items scattered around the playfield with boosters that will give your balls a toss in a certain direction or nukes that will incinerate any ball they come in contact with. With a good deal of variety and some exceptional level design, no two stages ever feel the same.

The mechanics behind the game may be simple, but that doesn’t mean the puzzles don’t offer up an incredible level of challenge. You may find yourself returning to the same puzzle a dozen or more times before finding a solution. There’s a certain degree of logic involved, but after awhile we just found ourselves testing the waters to see where different balls might land after setting up different ropes. Unless a puzzle has an obvious solution, there’s a real “trial and error” vibe to the gameplay. Thankfully Pocketball is incredibly forgiving of the “let’s see what this does” guess work that’s required. With no real penalties in the game, you can try each level over and over until you get it just right.

Pocketball is also forgiving in that it won’t force you to complete a level to proceed to the next. If you’re stuck on a level or two, you can walk away, check out some more levels, and unlock the rest of the game without ever going back to a certain over-complicated nightmare. Likewise you can always go back at a later time and see if you can finally best the harsh mistress that is stage 13.

Pocketball offers up a tremendous level of challenge in an "easy to learn but impossible to master" puzzler. Despite a few nitpicky complaints (such as lack of music), this game did the puzzle fanatic in our hearts good. If you’re a fan of genuinely challenging puzzle games that are about more than falling blocks, Pocketball is $1.99 well spent.

App Store Link: Pocketball, $1.99

$0.99 Madness: Enigmo 2, Beneath a Steel Sky, Ground Effect, Loopy Laboratory and a Freebie

arn — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:45:37 +0000

Black Friday discounts appear to be coming early as a number of excellent games have just been price reduced to only $0.99.

At that price, we highly recommend picking up every one of these titles.

Enigmo 2 ($2.99 -> $0.99) – Pangea's sequel to their incredibly popular Enigmo puzzler. $0.99 is a steal for this 3D puzzler which we reviewed when it came out in September.
Beneath a Steel Sky ($4.99 -> $0.99) – A classic reborn, this point and click adventure holds up well over the years and the iPhone-specific changes make it a wonderful adaptation. We reviewed it and found it to be a really great adventure game for both fans and newcomers.
Loopy Laboratory ($4.99 -> $0.99) – Now this is a blast from the past. We reviewed this game back in October and really enjoyed it. It's a Chip's Challenge-type puzzle game in which you must escape each level by manipulating objects. The game was fun to play and had excellent controls. My main criticism at the time was it stayed too easy for too long, but for $0.99, it's really a winner.
Ground Effect ($3.99 -> $0.99) – A very recent release that we really enjoyed. While a little rough around the edges, the sense of speed and stylings kept us coming back. An easy pick up at $0.99
Aves ($2.99 -> Free) – And here's a freebie. We described this as more of a tech demo but an impressive one. It uses binaural audio and an impressive animation technology called BioReplicants.

A Few to Consider: Chuck Norris, Implode, Snowy's Christmas Pinball

arn — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:29:29 +0000

Here are a few releases that have snuck by us over the past few weeks that are worth considering. Each game has its fans and both the gameplay video and forum threads are linked so you can dig deeper.

Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain

Chuck Norris arrives on the iPhone with an over-the-top side scrolling shooter. The controls aren't great, and the game reminds us of an old school side shooter, but Chuck Norris fans seem to be enjoying it. It's only $0.99 and you can join the discussion thread for more impressions.

App Store Link: Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain!, $0.99

Implode

Demolition fans may enjoy IUGO's latest physics puzzler in which you place your quota of dynamic to see if you can level each building. There are 60 levels in all drawn in chalkboard style. The game is available for $1.99, comes with online leaderboards and new levels coming in the next update. Join the discussion.

App Store Link: Implode, $1.99

Snowy's Christmas Pinball

Fans of Matmi's beautifully styled Monster Pinball will be happy to see their latest pinball creation: Snowy's Christmas Pinball. The game is set across 3 distinct interconnected tables with various mini-goals per table. The game is a little early for the Christmas season and is available for $1.99. Join the forum discussion here.

App Store Link: Snowy's Christmas Pinball, $1.99

Couple of Physics Games: 'Smashed' and 'Tiki Totems'

arn — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:06:13 +0000

Smashed

A physics-based destruction game where you can demolish blocks with a tap of your finger. The game offers several different scenarios set to a silly story line where you are a new employee of DDD Demolition. The game has generated a following with its nice graphics, enjoyable physics and over 60 levels. Levels offer specific and varied goals to keep it interesting. A lite version is available and further discussion can be found in our forums.

App Store Link: Smashed, $2.99, Smashed (Free), Free

Titi Totems

Tiki Totems is a more traditional physics block dropping game that we've seen before in the App Store. Tap on blocks one at a time while trying to keep the totem from hitting the ground. But Tiki Totems manages to do it with more style and enjoyment than most of the others we've seen. Special blocks including bouncing blocks, indestructible blocks and vanishing blocks try to keep things interesting.

Early customers are also really enjoying it with the main criticism being a relatively short play time to make it through the 60 levels.

App Store Link: Tiki Totems, $0.99

'MiniSquadron' – Old School Shooter Action Arrives

arn — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:09:37 +0000

Those eagerly awaiting the 2D Mini Squadron shooter we profiled back in September will be pleased to find the game has arrived. The developer described his motivation was to bring a "high quality, frenetic shoot-em-up to the iPhone, taking inspiration from old-skool games".

Mini Squadron offers an arcade style 2D shooter with a progressively difficult 8 levels with multiple stages in each. There are 50 progressively unlockable aircraft with different stats, handling and weapons to use throughout the game. Other features from the developer include:

Over 50 planes to unlock and collect for your mini squadron.
8 Levels of intense combat each containing multiple levels of enemies to shoot down
7 different types of weapon to use including Homing Missile, Drop Bomb, Laser and BIG Laser!
Ducks, Seagulls, UFOs, Devil Planes, Propellor Planes, Squids – you can shoot all these things and more!
Simple yet fluid gameplay systems based on physics, you can stall if going too slow and also gain supersonic speed by diving fast towards the Earth for a competitve advantage.
More than 8 different pick-ups to boost your plane.
Local WiFi Multiplayer – challenge your friends to a one-on-one dogfight to the death!

Full review to come. First impressions are being reported in our forums.

App Store Link: MiniSquadron, $2.99

'Castle Frenzy' – Surprisingly Good 3D Castle Defense

arn — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:08:55 +0000

One of Gameloft's latest games that came out just the other night tries to breathe life into a very popular genre in the App Store: Castle Defense. Not to be confused with Tower Defense, Castle Defense games involve defending your castle from an endless onslaught of enemies that can be flicked away with the swipe of a finger. In the past, the gameplay of these have been so monotonously repetitive, you have to ask yourself why are people playing these games.

While there been some notable versions including as Monster Kill and Knights Onrush that have added their own twists to the gameplay, Gameloft's latest take seems the most ambitious with the use of 3D graphics that adds a surprising amount to the game itself.

Set in a fantasy world, the game offers 10 different types of invaders and 18 strategic upgrades. Gameloft's video shows off the gameplay really well and is worth a watch:

Readers who have already grabbed the game seem to be enjoying it and New England Gamer details its distinguishing features well:

There are different ways to kill your enemies with the fire ball, the ice ball, the griffon (how they spell it) and feeding them to the hydra. In addition you can purchase tornados and lightning spells. You can upgrade to the boulder spell which makes a boulder to roll over enemies. There is also the all powerful ghost army. There are ten types of enemies that each need to be killed in a different manner. Upgrades are available at the end of each day in the campaign mode. Catch an energy ball from a warlock for example and divert it back to kill other enemies. Redirect the bomb from the Bomb Goblin to kill enemies.

But there is also the usual dropping, slamming and throwing into the wall way of killing (though that won't work with some enemies). Feeding them to the hydra gains you life points that are needed in addition to the gold you earn for upgrades.

So there are lots of additions to the flicking and there is some strategy involved with the enemies – especially when hoards approach! Ice, fire, griffon, flick, bomb, etc. Its pretty frenzied at some points.

Some in our forums are calling it the best Castle Defense game so far, and even with our brief time with the game, we'd have to agree. So, if you've enjoyed these types of games before, Castle Frenzy is worth serious consideration.

App Store Link: Castle Frenzy, $1.99

'Fayju Ball' – 3D Ball Roller is Free for a Day

arn — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:34:16 +0000

The developer of Fayju Ball has set the game for Free for a day. We looked at the game back in June and found it to be a standout game in the Labyrinth/Ball Roller genre.

Like many other games in the App Store, Fayju Ball has you tilting your phone to try to get the ball(s) into the proper spots. This game, however, stands out in its use of puzzle elements as well as the 3D physics involved. Some levels require you to flip your iPhone upside down to get the balls to "fall" towards the screen.

Check this video to see it in action, or better yet, just download it for free.

App Store Link: Fayju Ball, Free (For 1 day)

'Ravensword: The Fallen King' Released

arn — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:49:28 +0000

Apple must have expedited the reapproval of Crescent Moon Games' Ravensword as it appeared in the App Store early this morning for $6.99.

Similar to recent Elder Scrolls games like Morrowind or Oblivion, Ravensword is an open world roleplaying game with both a main quest line to follow and a considerable amount of side-quests. The developers have quoted anywhere between 6-8 hours of gameplay to complete the initial quest without taking side-quests into account.

The Ravensword game world is surprisingly detailed for an iPhone game, and performs remarkably well. Along the way you will equip your character with all kinds of different magical items and slay hordes of enemies as the main quest line slowly reveals your character's mysterious identity.

We'll post our full review shortly.

App Store Link: Ravensword: The Fallen King, $6.99

Konami Drops All Games to $0.99

arn — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:49:51 +0000

Konami is having a massive sale discounting every single one of their games to $0.99. No matter what your take on the games, there's definitely deals to be had here.

Power Pros Touch ($3.99 -> $0.99)
Krazy Kart Racing ($2.99 -> $0.99)
Silent Scope ($2.99 -> $0.99)
Metal Gear Solid Touch ($5.99 -> $0.99)
Dance Dance Revolution S ($4.99 -> $0.99)
Silent Hill ($4.99 -> $0.99)

There's no indication how long the sales will last, but it's safe to say that despite any shortcomings every game listed above is worth at least $0.99.