iPhone Reviews 2.0

OnLive Brings Console-Class Gaming to Mobile Tablets/Phone

2011-12-08T02:22:00.000-08:00

Top Console Titles Now Available Instantly on Mobile Devices for both Touch and Controller

Play New OnLive Wireless Controller Enriches Gameplay on Most Tablets, Phones

London, UK – December 8, 2011 – OnLive, Ltd., the pioneer of cloud gaming, announced that it is bringing console-class gaming to mobile tablets and phones with the revolutionary OnLive app for mobile platforms. The latest, top-tier, high-performance games—previously limited to only consoles and computers—will be available for instant play via the free OnLive app on over 500 million mobile devices over Wi-Fi or mobile networks in the US and UK. A growing library of 25 console-class games have been adapted for touch-screen control, including the gritty, award-winning hit L.A. Noire from Rockstar Games and family titles like LEGO: Batman, which will be given free to anyone who downloads the OnLive app. Additionally, almost all games in OnLive’s growing library of nearly 200 games are playable with the new OnLive Wireless Controller, compatible with most tablets and many phones.

OnLive harnesses the power of the cloud to instantly deliver high-end games on demand over the Internet with the simplicity of streaming video. OnLive’s breakthrough cloud gaming technology has enabled gamers on PCs, Macs and TVs to instantly jump into console-quality games on demand, without discs or lengthy downloads, regardless of the performance of their local device. With today’s launch, gamers can experience the same instant-play, top-tier games on mobile tablets and smartphones, despite the fact that these games require vastly higher performance than is achievable on a mobile device.

“Today marks a major milestone: OnLive is now delivering the latest, console-class, top-tier games—literally to your fingertips—on mobile tablets and phones for instant on-demand play anywhere, anytime,” said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. “Through the free OnLive app, tablet and smartphone gamers can play top console and PC titles like Assassins Creed: Revelations and L.A. Noire—one of the most highly acclaimed, graphically sophisticated games to date—with exclusive OnLive Cloud Touch controls or with the new mobile-compatible OnLive Wireless Controller. Tablets and smartphones, the fastest-growing consumer product categories in history, are now capable of running the hottest, highest-end games. Gaming and mobile devices will never be the same.”

Marking the most dramatic departure possible from the side-scrollers and 3D puzzlers that have defined the current tablet gaming marketplace, the award-winning L.A. Noire is now the first high-performance console video game developed specifically for touch-enabled play via mobile cloud gaming—with exclusive distribution on the OnLive Game Service. The release of a game this immersive and cinematically engaging heralds a new era—and new market—in high-end gaming.

Over 25 OnLive titles, including L.A. Noire, family titles like LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and 5-7, and indies like Defense Grid Gold, will work with touch control on tablets and smartphones. And most of the nearly 200 games in OnLive's growing library, including recent top-tier releases like Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Lord of the Rings: War in the North, are immediately playable on virtually any device with the OnLive Wireless Controller, which utilizes OnLive’s exclusive adaptive wireless technology to automatically find an optimal wireless connection for a given tablet, smartphone, PC, Mac, TV or Blu-ray player. The OnLive Wireless Controller will be available soon for purchase in the US, and the UK, for $49.99 and £39.99 respectively.

As always, any game purchased on one OnLive app device (TV, PC, Mac or mobile device) can be played instantly on any other OnLive app device with full cloud save game data intact, allowing users to start play on one device, and continue playing on any other device, whenever and wherever they want. OnLive’s cross-platform capability extends to multiplayer gaming, enabling, for example, a tablet gamer to play with TV, PC, Mac and smartphone gamers. OnLive’s exclusive social features, such as international massive spectating and Brag Clip® videos, are available on mobile devices, as well as chat and Facebook posting of videos, messages and achievements. And unlike downloaded games, OnLive games are streamed over the internet just like streaming music and video, never taking up storage on the mobile device.

In addition to play over Wi-Fi, OnLive is also unveiling compatibility with AT&T and Verizon’s 4G LTE cellular service, enabling full, HD-resolution, low-latency cloud gaming everywhere there is 4G coverage on devices such as the HTC Jetstream, Samsung Galaxy Tab and Motorola Xoom. With this new compatibility, OnLive is truly playable everywhere, whether indoors, outdoors or even in the back seat of a car at highway speeds, for the first time bringing complete mobility to console-class gaming.

The OnLive app is available for free download for mobile devices starting today (release dates and times subject to mobile app store certifications). The OnLive Wireless Controller is available for purchase in the US and soon in the UK through the OnLive web store at www.onlive.com/store and www.onlive.co.uk/store. As always, OnLive games purchased on one device or through the OnLive website can be played on all devices, and L.A. Noire and other touch-adapted games will continue to work with controller and/or keyboard/mouse as they did before, including with the OnLive Wireless Controller.

Launching the iPhone 4S in China

2011-11-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

Since its launch in October, the iPhone 4S has become the most successful smartphone of all time, shifting four million handsets alone in its first weekend. With a full month of sales under its belt for November. Analysts believed that if this flood of popularity continues that by the end of 2011 sales of the iPhone 4S could be as high as 26 million. It means the Apple device could sell the same number of handsets as Samsung has of the Galaxy S2, but in a third of the time. Record sales are predicted for the holiday period.

One of the reasons for the continued success of the device has been its staggered launch around the globe, enabling it to generate headlines and engage with new users on a country by country basis. Initially in early October, the device launched in the UK, US, Canada, Japan and large parts of Europe including France and Germany. The rollout has then continued in Australia, and Ireland along with other areas of Europe. In mid-November the smartphone will be available in, among other countries, Portugal, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Korea and Guatemala meaning the iPhone 4S is available in more than 29 countries, aiming at 70 by the end of the year. Snaking queues and huge demand have met the device in each launch country.

One of the major targets for Apple, which could unveil the device before the end of November, is China. China has long been a target for Apple. With a large, plugged in population, China is the world’s fasting growing economy. The country is seen as a significant growth target for the iPhone makers. Chinese reports suggest the iPhone 4S is still pending regulation in China, but it is hoped the device will launch by the end of the year. Each device needs to be regulated before it can be made available on Chinese networks. It is expected the 8GB iPhone 4 will launch first, with the iPhone 4S available soon after.

The general manager of China Unicom Lu Yimin, leads the world’s third biggest mobile provider. He has released a statement suggesting the firm is keen to release the device as soon as possible. The iPhone 4S has already launched in Hong Kong and Singapore and it is believed there are many handsets available on the Chinese black market. Users suggest the offer of cloud computing, along with an application of artificial intelligence in Siri are an open market in China, one Apple could step into. Those buying an iPhone 4S through unofficial channels are paying between 5,500 yuan and 8,000 yuan, anywhere between $860 and $1,000. Some customers are waiting for prices to drop while others are focussing their attention on the iPhone 4 instead with prices for the 16GB and the 32GB reduced by 500 yuan and 1,000 yuan after the 4S was launched internationally.

The next step will be for Chinese Unicom to obtain a network access certificate from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, suggesting a launch date could be in the hands of the Chinese government, rather than Apple or Unicom. Yet both companies will be working closely with the government to lobby their cases.

Preview: Hungribles

2011-06-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

Chops had eaten the chicken, the pie, the sausages and the cheese, but he was still hungry. Then, behind the milk, he saw a strange glowing orb. He ate it immediately of course. Straight away, his yellow tummy grew bigger and he smiled in delight. "More!" he squeaked, but the fridge was empty.

Hungribles are tiny creatures with massive appetites. Their cravings are so powerful that they can pull food through the air and into their waiting mouths. Only by feeding them extra tasty orbs can you satisfy their incredible hungers but when Hungribles get together, you'll have your hands full trying to feed them all.

The trailer looks pretty cool and I'm interested to see more. Expect a full reveal at E3, but for now check out the teaser trailer for Hungribles!

Official site: http://hungribles.com

Online Poker for the iPhone

2011-05-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPhone shows no signs of slowing down both in sales and in popularity, much of that success is thanks to the massive library of apps that are available in the market for it. A lot of its users actually use their iPhones a lot more for playing games rather than using it as an actual phone, and that especially includes poker fans. While being able to access online poker websites is limited on the iPad and the iPhone, there are a lot of great poker apps available so any poker aficionado can enjoy the game they love wherever they are.

Apple has a very strict stand against apps for gambling, and if you are currently in the US you will have a lot more difficult time using your iPhone to play for real money with poker, as a lot of apps has not given the approval to be included in the App Store. The gambling apps that has been approved in the App store, are directed solely for iPhone users outside of the US. Also the lack of support for Flash in Apple devices makes it impossible to access a lot of the browser-based gambling clients available on the interenet, so users in the US will have to turn to free money play poker apps available that are abundantly available at the App store.

Many poker apps that are now available includes variations of the games such as Apple's Texas Hold’em, where you get to play against various computer opponents from around the world. Like the majority of the poker apps, you will get the chance to test your poker skills against computer opponents, which have their own playing styles and tells that you’ll need to recognize in order to gain an advantage over these opponents. There are also a lot of poker utility apps for poker fans, such as training games, odds calculator and even poker timers to help you run your own home poker tourneys.

But if you want to play poker that is more similar to playing online (except for being able to play for real money, ofcourse) popular poker apps like Zynga Poker gives you the same experience of playing at online poker sites, the Zynga poker app lets you play against thousands opponents from around the world. You can compete in Sit'n'Go tournaments, and the advantage of having large network of users makes it easy to find a room, join in and play against any opponent any time of the day.

There are many choices out there for the iPhone user, but not many allow anything other than virtual currency to be used. Perhaps this is something that Apple should allow in the future if an adult's section is ever brought onto the App Store.

[iPad Central] Other Notable Releases

2010-04-26T03:13:00.001-07:00

While we have covered releases by the developers who have made multiple releases onto the iPad App Store, it's time to showcase the better games that are the only additions from these developers. Don't let that fool you though, these games are as good as if not better than the other titles I've talked about (Plants vs Zombies anyone?)

Tapulous

I wanted to stop by to share with you Tapulous’ latest game creation designed specifically for the iPad – Tap Tap Radiation. As one of the iPhone / iPod touch biggest game developers with more than 25 million installs to date, Tapulous breaks new ground for the iPad with a FREE app loaded with more than 30 music tracks with premium content which is now available in the App store.

Departing from Tap Tap Revenge style of play, Tap Tap Radiation goes off its rails with free-style three dimensional game play and four difficulty levels that create intense single player action. The large screen size of iPad creates a large canvas for Tapulous' high-res eye-popping graphics. The game also features a Freestyle mode that allows users to enjoy the music and visuals in a non-competitive environment.

Additional game details at launch include:
o 33 awesome free tracks adapted especially for the app, including 12 Wives in Tehran by Serge Devant; I Like That by Richard Vission; Quiet Dog by Mos Def; and Lions by The Features.
o Premium content: Lady Gaga 6-pack featuring Telephone, Poker Face, Love Game, Bad Romance, Alejandro, and Speechless.
o Premium content: Pink 2-pack featuring So What and Get The Party Started
o Premium content: Ultra Records 6-pack featuring Imagination by Jes (Kaskade Remix), Love is Gone by David Guetta (Fred Rister & Joachim Garraud Radio Edit Remix), Satisfaction by Benny Benassi, Sorry by Kaskade (Dirty South Remix), Elements of Life by Tiesto, and Duck, You Sucker by Sharam
o Additional free and premium content will be added to the app on an ongoing basis.

"The iPad creates an amazing gaming experience for both serious and casual gamers," said Tapulous CEO, Bart Decrem. "Tap Tap Radiation was designed especially for iPad and takes advantage of the greater screen real estate and processing power. With its stunning graphics and killer playlist, Tap Tap Radiation is great fun to play. We hope it will become the must-have free app for the iPad."

Tap Tap Radiation - Free

Popcap Games

PopCap Games, maker of some of the world’s most popular video games, today announced its Plants vs. Zombies™ HD app for iPad® is now available on the App Store. Since its introduction on the iPhone™ and iPod® touch in February, Plants vs. Zombies has sold more than 650,000 units. With this latest adaptation, PopCap is propelling the Plants vs. Zombies franchise to new heights – delivering even more great gameplay and exclusive features tuned specifically for iPad. The Plants vs. Zombies HD app for iPad is available for US$9.99 from the App Store on iPad.

“The iPad is a fantastic platform for gaming, and Plants vs. Zombies HD allows us to show off the great new features and functionality of this exciting device,” said Andrew Stein, director of mobile business development at PopCap. “In this adaptation, we’ve focused on the iPad’s Multi-Touch capabilities and opportunities for new gameplay like the Buttered Popcorn mini-game that will excite both new and current players.”

The Plants vs. Zombies HD app for iPad offers all 50 levels of Adventure and QuickPlay modes as well as Survival mode from the original Apple Macintosh and Windows PC game. It also includes four all-new achievements (for a total of 17) and 18 mini-games, including Buttered Popcorn – exclusive to the iPad – offering frantic and fun gameplay where players attack zombies by first “buttering” them up before firing corn-cob cannons at them. To defeat the growing hordes of zombies, players can touch them to place butter on their heads. With the Multi-Touch user interface, players can select up to eleven zombies at a time, targeted for “buttering” by the powerful cob cannons. The game’s non-stop action is presented in full 1040x768 resolution, delivering stunning visual effects rarely seen in mobile gaming.

Originally launched on the PC and Mac in May of 2009 to universal acclaim, Plants vs. Zombies was introduced for iPhone and iPod touch earlier this year, where it quickly became a global phenomenon. The game reached the #1 position on the App Store Top Grossing charts in more than 20 countries worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, China, Russia, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and Norway.

Plants vs. Zombies HD - $9.99

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced the availability of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad, a game for the Apple iPad that transports players to the seedy underbelly of 19th century London. Using the iPad’s multi-touch technology, players step into the shoes of the intrepid Sherlock Holmes who finds himself in an exhilarating whodunit puzzle adventure game. Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad is inspired by the motion picture from Warner Bros. Pictures in association with Village Roadshow Pictures and Silver Pictures.

In Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad, players follow clues through the gritty side of the 1890’s Victorian London where, along with Dr. Watson, Sherlock uses his keen wit and winning charm to prove a man is innocent of murder. Leveraging the powerful platform of the Apple iPad and its 1024x768 screen resolution, players will be treated to breathtaking graphics through 11 immersive 3-D environments as they work to solve the case.

Features for Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad include:

Puzzle Boxing Tournament – Exclusive for the iPad, Sherlock must use his wit and mental acuity, by finding and exploiting his opponents’ weaknesses to neutralize the threat. Knuckle through a tournament of 12 unique characters using the iPad’s multi-touch functionality

Auto-Flip and Rotate Support – Flip or rotate the iPad to play from any angle

Full Screen Resolution for a High-def 3-D experience

Increased Texture Resolution for the characters and environments

Redesigned UI takes advantage of the larger iPad screen

As players gather evidence within the game, they gain crucial information through compelling and insightful mini-games:

Insights – Find hidden clues using Sherlock’s keen Insight, and put them together in Sherlock’s virtual mind to unravel the mystery

Lock Picking – Find the perfect path through a lock’s inner workings to lift each of the tumblers, and gain access to the secrets within

Foot Chase – Wind a way through London’s streets in pursuit of justice. Outmaneuver the culprits and emerge victorious!

Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad - $2.99

[iPad Central] Firemint

2010-04-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

Firemint don't release that many titles but when they do they do it right. It is quite possible that they have been the only developer to conquer the $9.99 price range as well as the $0.99 market, even though they have only brought out two titles. With a slight price increase we can buy the iPad versions of Flight Control and Real Racing, both with a few perks to make the price justified.

Firemint, critically acclaimed developer of games for iPhone® and iPod touch®, is delighted to announce that its Flight Control HD App for iPad is now available from the App Store.

The highly addictive gameplay in Flight Control casts players in the role of an air traffic controller in charge of an increasingly busy airport. Players must touch aircraft and drag a path to the correct landing zone while avoiding collisions. Flight Control HD brings new ways to play and beautiful new graphics to an App Store favorite.

Firemint CEO Robert Murray commented, “Flight Control HD is everything you love about Flight Control, re-imagined for iPad and packed with new features and content. We think this will be the best Flight Control experience yet – if you thought Flight Control was addictive before, wait until you play it on iPad!”

Flight Control HD contains everything included in Flight Control for iPhone and iPod touch, as well as many additions and improvements for its arrival on iPad:

- More ways to play, including multiplayer modes that take advantage of iPad’s innovative Multi-Touch interface.
- Split-screen “versus” mode: play competitively by sending your planes to capture aircraft from your opponent.
- Co-operative multiplayer on a single iPad: share landing duties with a friend on one of three HD airfields.
- Multiplayer on two devices (selected from iPad, iPhone or iPod touch): land aircraft of your own color, and direct others off the screen for your fellow Controller to land.
- More space to land your planes and bigger airports thanks to the large iPad screen, with three new HD airfields.
- Beautiful high-quality graphics throughout, including an all-new menu and updated graphics for the Classic airfields from the iPhone version.
- New Snow airfield with variable wind direction in addition to the four Classic iPhone airfields (Original, Beach, Carrier and Outback) and three HD airfields, for a total of eight single-player airfields.
- Quirky “3D view” airfield brings Flight Control to life like never before – use red/cyan glasses to see aircraft floating above the iPad (3D glasses not included, widely available from retailers such as amazon.com at low cost).
- Many more enhancements including all-new path continuation, improved collision warnings, a new “safe” fast forward function, and a longer version of the Flight Control song that you just can’t get out of your head!

Flight Control HD - $4.99

Firemint, critically acclaimed developer of games for iPhone® and iPod touch®, today announced its Real Racing HD App for iPad is now available from the App Store.

Real Racing is one of the most acclaimed racing games on any handheld platform, and has been extended and enhanced especially for iPad. Real Racing HD brings players all the excitement, competition and glory that only true championship racing can provide. Stunning new graphics make Real Racing HD the most impressive racer yet, perfect for showing off iPad’s large screen and processing power. Players can comfortably use iPad as a steering wheel for an incredibly immersive experience or they can choose from a number of touch screen control options and adjust the sensitivity to suit.

"We’re all very excited about the launch of iPad, and Real Racing HD really shows off the new possibilities that come with this breakthrough device," said Firemint CEO Robert Murray. "Real Racing is all about authentic pack racing action. iPad is incredibly immersive and personal so playing the Real Racing HD App will be an adrenaline-fuelled rush.”

* Car Skins - allows players to select photos from their Photo Album on iPad and Real Racing HD will automatically wrap the photo around the selected car. Artistic players can even use one of the many popular paint programs to create personalized racing decals, based on any of the existing car skins supplied with the game. Firemint will also release new Car Skins via its web site.
* Ghost Racing - lets players race against a pre-recorded ghost saved on iPad or downloaded from Firemint’s servers. Drivers can test their skills against the best in the world, or try to beat their own previous personal best. Ghosts will also be shown in Online League races, adding a whole new level of competitive fun to this popular play mode.
* Players can watch replays of their Time Trial races or any races uploaded to the leaderboards from within the game and select different camera angles while watching, providing an exciting new way to learn the best racing lines from the top drivers.
* Touch screen controls specifically designed for iPad, with a new sensitivity adjustment option.

Real Racing HD - $9.99

[iPad Central] Illusion Labs

2010-04-06T23:16:00.000-07:00

Illusion Labs don't make the most games on the App Store, but when they do release a game it has been perfected. When I think of a game I want to use to show off my iPhone's capabilities as a gaming device, I turn to Illusion Labs. All their titles have beautiful graphics along with games that just belong on the device. The two titles brought over were screaming for a bigger screen and are must buys for iPad owners.

Illusion Labs today announced its Touchgrind HD App for iPad is now available from the App Store. The app is based on the skateboarding smash hit Touchgrind for iPhone and iPod touch and utilizes the iPad's large 9.7 inch screen to show a far-reaching view of the skatepark, making it easy for the player to see where they are going.

"The extended view the stunning iPad display offers makes it a lot easier to run smooth lines riding between obstacles in the park and doing different kinds of tricks," said Andreas Alptun, CTO and former skateboarder. "This really takes the game to the next level. I am able to skate in a way I couldn't earlier and it's just so much fun."

The two player split screen mode is available for all three gaming modes; Warm Up, Jam Session and Competition. This lets users play against a friend on the same device using one half of the screen each with a gauge showing who is in the lead. Users can play together to perfect synchronized tricks, or disturb each other by crashing as the other is just about to land that insane flip.

The size and the physics of the skateboard are unchanged, so that players of the existing app for iPhone and iPod touch can bring all their skills. The game and all the menus are fully orientation independent so that the player can play in either portrait or landscape mode on iPad.

Touchgrind HD App for iPad features include:
- True physics.
- Innovative Multi-Touch controls.
- Two player split screen mode.
- 13 unlockable boards with different abilities.
- Warm Up, Jam Session and Competition game modes.
- Tutorial videos.
- Stunning 3D graphics.
- Realistic sound.

Touchgrind HD is out now for $7.99

Illusion Labs today announced its Labyrinth 2 HD App for iPad is now available on the App Store. The app has been tailored perfectly for the large 9.7 inch iPad screen and supports the hundreds of thousands of levels already created by iPhone and iPod touch players. Graphics and artwork look spectacular on iPad and the game and menus have been made fully orientation independent.

"The large screen real-estate of iPad offers the thriving Labyrinth 2 community even more creativity and ingenuity in creating their own labyrinth levels," said Carl Loodberg, CEO of Illusion Labs.

"We think that being able to run in both landscape and portrait mode is important. The player does not have to consider how iPad is held - it just feels right," said Andreas Alptun, CTO of Illusion Labs.

Labyrinth 2 HD features include:
- Fun game elements: Cannons, Bumpers, Multiple balls, Doors, Magnets, Fans, Re-sizers, Merry-Go-Rounds, Duplicators, Lasers and more.
- Create your own levels and share them instantly with your friends and the world.
- Download and rate levels created by the community, both the existing iPhone/iPod touch levels and the new, bigger iPad levels.
- Up to 4 player multiplayer over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- Compete against yourself with a ghost ball showing your best run.
- Awards for your achievements.
- Orientation independent, supports both landscape and portrait mode.

Labyrinth 2 HD is out now for $7.99

[iPad Central] Pangea

2010-04-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

The very first game I bought for my iPod Touch on Day One of the App Store was Cro-Mag Rally. While I have to admit there are better games these days to buy, a majority of Pangea's titles should be better received on the iPad. Many of their games just simply aren't designed for a small screen and should excel on the bigger device. Take a look at the 5 titles Pangea have brought to the iPad.

Pangea Software, one of the leading game developers for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, announced today the release of five apps for iPad on the App Store. Available now as the first of Pangea’s planned apps for Apple’s new iPad are Enigmo Deluxe, Cro-Mag Rally, Bugdom 2, Otto Matic, and Nanosaur 2.

“Our plan is to eventually release iPad versions of every one of our iPhone apps,” says Brian Greenstone, President of Pangea Software. “The iPad has huge potential to change the portable video game industry, and we’re really excited to be involved with it. I think we’re on the cusp of something truly revolutionary.”

Enigmo Deluxe - $9.99: Based on the award-winning puzzle-game Engimo for iPhone, Enigmo Deluxe for iPad has major new features, including a built-in level editor that allows users to create, edit, and play their own levels. Friends can share Level Packs so they can play levels that they create or exported them for play on the Mac, PC, or iPhone versions of Enigmo. The game now comes with over a dozen free Level Packs including two “Kid Packs” which were paid add-on’s in the original Enigmo. Together with the 50 original Enigmo levels, Enigmo Deluxe comes with over 400 free levels.

Cro-Mag Rally - $9.99: One of the best selling racing games for the iPhone, the new iPad version now has 6 cars instead of just 4, and the visuals and gameplay are optimized for iPad.

Bugdom 2, Nanosaur 2 and Otto Matic - $9.99 Each: In Pangea’s action-adventure games Bugdom 2, Nanosaur 2 and Otto Matic there are more enemies, improved graphics, and a new feature that allows players to customize the game control layout on the screen. This feature is really useful on the iPad’s large screen allowing each user to position the controls to best fit their hands. In addition, Otto Matic also has new control physics that greatly improve the playability.

[iPad Central] IUGO

2010-04-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

IUGO Entertainment in recent times has created some quite controversial titles including ADD and Daisy Mae's Alien Buffet which was removed for a short time in Apple's Adult Content stint. For the iPad launch they seem to be playing it safe, straying away from those two titles and bringing out 5 quite successful titles from the iPhone. Expect more titles soon hopefully as the Toy Bot series and Freeballin' would be great additions to the iPad store.

IUGO Mobile Entertainment today announced the availability of four iPad apps on the App Store. The apps are: Zombie Attack! Second Wave XL; Zombie Attack Bridge Defense XL; Cliffed XL; and Implode! XL. All four games showcase the unique features and capabilities of the iPad. “When the iPad was first announced, we knew immediately we’d create special features in a few of our games to start,” explained Sarah Thomson, Director of BD at IUGO. “It’s a beautiful device and there are some really cool and unique things you can do with gaming on that form factor. We fully support the iPad and feel very optimistic about its success as a gaming device.”

“IUGO is proud to launch four apps specifically customized for iPad,” said Hong Yee Wong, CEO of IUGO. “It gives us a great opportunity to showcase our strengths and capabilities in creating truly engaging games. We are delighted to bring these new gaming experiences to iPad owners.”

New features such as multiplayer co-op mode in both Zombie Attack! Second Wave XL makes use of the enhanced Multi-Touch and large screen of iPad. Each game features high resolution graphics with more detail and clarity. Cliffed XL comes with new characters, multiple background themes and on-device “Versus” mode for two players. Implode! XL, IUGO’s hit physics puzzler, includes a major revamp with new levels and a brand new level editor designed solely for the innovative iPad interface.

Implode! XL now available for $2.99

Escape- Norm's World XL now available for Free

Zombie Attack! Bridge Defense XL is now available for Free\

Zombie Attack! Second Wave XL now available for $3.99

Cliffed XL is now available for $1.99

[iPad Central] Konami

2010-04-06T22:32:00.000-07:00

Now that the iPad is out and those lucky 500,000 or so of you with them are playing around, it's about time I showcase some more games you might be interested in buying. This time we have ports from Konami's two most successful games on the App Store. While we can't be scared by Silent Hill or tapping to DDR just yet, what about some Frogger and Metal Gear Solid?

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced its Metal Gear Solid® Touch and Frogger Pad Apps for iPad are now available from the App Store. Complete with cutting edge graphics, both games feature gameplay that capitalizes on the larger screen and innovative Multi-Touch user interface of iPad.

"As a trailblazer in digital content development, Konami prides itself on providing consumers with the best in interactive entertainment," said Joe Morris, Konami's Vice President of Mobile Content and Social Networking. "Proven Konami franchises like Metal Gear Solid and Frogger are sure to thrill iPad users."

The Metal Gear Solid Touch App for iPad is a fast-paced touch shooting action title, using settings and elements from the best-selling Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. While playing Metal Gear Solid Touch, users guide Snake by sliding their fingers across the screen to swiftly zoom in and out, target enemies, and execute rapid fire attacks with quick taps on the screen. All the while, the players must not forget to take cover to avoid the barrage of attacks from a series of heavily-armed adversaries. The app makes full use of the iPad's innovative Multi-Touch user interface and offers slick, intuitive controls.

In Frogger Pad, the Multi-Touch display of iPad is utilized to control the familiar dodge-and-run movements needed to safely guide Frogger across the busy highway while avoiding cars, trucks and crocodile-filled waters ready to stop him in his tracks. As an added bonus, gamers will receive original wallpaper designed for the iPad based on their game results.

Metal Gear Solid Touch (Universal app) is available for the iPhone/iPod Touch & iPad for $7.99

Frogger Pad is available for the iPad for $0.99

[iPad Central] Chillingo

2010-04-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

Chillingo are one of the best publishers on the App Store and are making big in-roads to the iPad scene with 14 titles. Some of these titles are ones we love from the iPhone while some I have never previously heard of! Check out what we will be able to play come Saturday:

Chillingo, a leading downloadable game publisher, today announced it has made 14 exciting new apps for iPad available on the App Store. The apps include several of Chillingo’s successful games along with brand new titles that offer an unparalleled range of unique entertainment for iPad users.

“The iPhone and iPod touch transformed how consumers play games and the iPad is the futuristic direction of entertainment,” said Johnny Coghlan, Chillingo’s head of publishing. “Chillingo prides itself in collaborating with top-notch indie developers who create the industry’s most innovative titles. We challenged our developers to delve deeper into game design and push the boundaries of what seemed unimaginable before.”

All of the Chillingo apps listed below take full advantage of the amazing features of iPad and Crystal, the company’s comprehensive social networking platform to add vibrant game community features such as leaderboards, challenges and achievements. The following apps are available today:

• Ice Age Deluxe: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (20th Century Fox) – Help Scrat, everyone's favorite saber-toothed squirrel, capture that elusive acorn in this fun, quirky platform game. Free updates featuring new game levels will also be available by the end of the month! $4.99

• Angry Birds HD (Rovio) – The survival of the Angry Birds is at stake. Dish out revenge on the green pigs that stole the birds’ eggs in this award-winning, highly addictive puzzle game. $4.99

• Minigore HD (Mountain Sheep) – Plunge into the tiny shoes of John Gore in this 3D survival shooter where our small hero must protect himself from vicious Furries using his arsenal of deadly weapons. $4.99

• Cash Cow Deluxe (Riverman Media) – Help Buck the Cow and his friends save the farm in this award-winning, coin-counting puzzle game. With its unique challenges, fantastic graphics and catchy soundtrack, Cash Cow makes your loose change add up to loads of fun. $4.99

• Cogs HD (Lazy 8 Studios) – Get in gear with this unique steampunk-style puzzle game where players are challenged to build miraculous, 3D machines from a wide array of moving parts. $4.99

• Radio Flare REDUX HD (studio radiolaris) – Play to the beat in this trendy shooter, as your ship moves and shoots in rhythm. Target enemies and watch them pulsate and explode to the beat of each licensed techno song. $4.99

• Sneezies HD (Retro Dreamer) – Prepare to be overloaded with cuteness as you drop sneezing powder into a field of floating Sneezies and watch as they sneeze themselves out of their bubbles to form a marvelous chain reaction while you try to rescue them. $4.99

• Puzzler World XL (Team 3 Games) – With an extensive array of classic games such as Hangman, Fitword, Link-A-Pix, Sudoku and Crossword – in all-new puzzle formats, Puzzler World XL will challenge players with endless entertainment. $7.99

• BoardBox™ HD (Movile) – Delivers the most graphically rich and realistic looking board game set on iPad. With single and multiplayer game modes of popular games ranging from Chess and Checkers to Reversi and Tic Tac Toe, it will be the only board game you ever need! $3.99

• Quantz HD (Gamerizon) – Watch colorful spheres explode as you remove them from a cube using the lowest number of matches possible in this new variation of a match-three puzzle game! $4.99

• Super Shock Football HD (Steamroller Studios) – Tackle, pass and score touchdowns in this vintage, electric vibrating football game that is simple enough for casual gamers, yet deep enough to satisfy hardcore pigskin fans. $4.99

• GEON HD (Strawdog Studios) – Players compete in this slick, psychedelic puzzle game to collect pellets and deposit them in their opponent’s goal to score while defending their own goal from ruthless attacks. $4.99

• Sword of Fargoal Legends (Fargoal) – This classic retro game immerses players into a series of deep, dark dungeons in search of a legendary sword. The randomly generated dungeons only reveal themselves once a player explores it and dares you to escape as soon as the sword is found. $7.99

• Piyo Blocks 2 HD (Big Pixel Studios) – Challenge yourself in this addictive game where you must match as least three of the same color objects in a grid by moving them into an adjacent space. You will never look at blocks the same. $2.99

[iPad Central] Activision

2010-04-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

While the big news in the iPhone world is the launch of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2, Activision has gone ahead and released the extremely successful Call of Duty: World at War - Zombies and a new title Geometry Wars for the iPad. Check out all the info about their latest additions!

FAN-FAVORITE SHOOTERS, GEOMETRY WARS: TOUCH AND CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR: ZOMBIES, AVAILABLE ON APPLE iPAD IN TIME FOR LAUNCH

Download the Frenetic Smash-Hits from the App Store at Launch and Start Blasting
Away Relentless Enemy Swarms!

Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today the launch of Geometry Wars: Touch and Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies Apps for iPad are now available on the App Store. The launch of the iPad allows Geometry Wars: Touch for iPad and Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies for iPad to utilize higher graphics and faster processing to enhance the game experience and immerse players deeper into non-stop shooter pandemonium.

In addition to the six original Geometry Wars gameplay modes: Deadline, King, Evolved, Pacifism, Waves and Sequence, Geometry Wars: Touch for iPad will feature a brand new, adrenaline-filled mode – Titans! – exclusively on the iPad

• Geometry Wars is one of the most successful live arcade games of all time.
• Geometry Wars Retro Evolved was the winner of “Best arcade game” and was “Overall game of the year”.
• GWRE is widely regarded as the game that kick started digital distribution on home consoles.
• The sequel, Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2, broke sales records.
• GWRE2 received a 90% combined critic rating and is the highest rated live arcade game of all time.
• The game features short play sessions, between 5 and 10 minutes in length – perfect for on-the-go gaming.
• Geometry Wars is still one of the most acclaimed franchises, with a strong and passionate fan base.

Geometry Wars: Touch for iPad - $9.99

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies for iPad includes the “Nacht Der Untoten” and “Verrückt” maps, offering a limitless single player experience, as well as a highly-addictive co-op gameplay experience in high-quality 3-D!

• Two terrifying Zombie maps, “Nacht der Untoten” (Night of the Undead) and “Verrückt” (Zombie Asylum)
• Stunning HD visuals and graphics improvements specifically for the iPad
• Sensational audio enhancements will provide an even more startling experience
• Streamlined controls and interface customized for the iPad
• 4-Player Co-op Zombie-slaying via WiFi
• Multiple control options for ease of play
• Unlimited Zombies! Unlimited gameplay!

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies for iPad - $14.99

[iPad Central] Gameloft

2010-04-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

Gameloft are on a roll again and releasing 8 of their premium titles for a lower price point compared to most of the competition. Instead of raising the price point to over $12.99 they are hoping to sell more at the $6.99-$9.99 price point. It will be interesting how it pans out for them, but for now check out their titles being ported over.

Gameloft, a leading publisher and developer of downloadable video games, today announced the launch of eight Apps for iPad on the App Store. The games are: N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance; Modern Combat: Sandstorm; Dungeon Hunter; Asphalt 5; UNO; NFL 2010; Let’s Golf!; and, Real Football 2010. Each game will capitalize on iPad’s distinctive gaming features and offer a unique set of original characteristics and gameplay.

“With iPhone and iPod touch, Apple changed the way consumers perceive and interact with their devices and created a revolutionary era for the mobile gaming industry,” said Michel Guillemot, president of Gameloft. “We are taking full advantage of all the new possibilities and features iPad is bringing to developers with games that will once again transform the digital gaming experience."

The iPad allows players to interact with games in unique ways:

* The large, stunning screen brings a higher level of graphic detail to the games in addition to the optimization of textures and models. The screen size and depth perception ratio allows the player to feel completely immersed in the experience. For example, Real Football 2010 was re-mastered to include HD resolution grass surfaces, textures, characters and animations.

* More direct and enriched controls allow for more intuitive thought and action response, as well as fully customizable buttons and mappings that fit the player’s preference. For instance, the N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance App for iPad includes more contextual controls in the environment: open an airlock door by rotating three fingers, slide the button upwards to make an elevator move upstairs, etc.

* The larger screen means there will be more ambitious gameplay sequences such as increased field of depth, complex map layouts and more intense action sequences. In N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, the player can enable MTA - Multi Target Acquisition which is a new feature for iPad gaming. The player can trigger a new functionality from the regular rocket launcher, then directly draw a grid on the battlefield to kill all selected enemies on screen in one shot. In Real Football 2010, the larger surface allows for a more strategic overview of the playing field and gave the designers more space to create comfortable control schemes.

* Multiplayer challenges will also be increased on iPad and cooperative gameplay will be easier and more attractive on the larger screen. Whether a spectator or participant, online challenges will become more fun and engaging. With UNO, the world famous card game, users can gather four friends and play on a single iPad using the new “One Device Multiplayer” mode. They can also connect with friends on iPad or iPhone devices for local and online Wi-Fi multiplayer gameplay.

With more than 900 developers dedicated to Apple’s platforms, Gameloft is ideally positioned to seamlessly develop great products for iPad. Gameloft ended 2009 with 55 games for iPhone & iPod touch and has hit 10 million paid downloads on the App Store.

Let's Golf HD - $6.99

Real Soccer 2010 HD - $6.99

N.O.V.A - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance - $9.99

UNO HD - $6.99

NFL 2010 HD - $6.99

Dungeon Hunter HD - $6.99

Asphalt 5 HD - $6.99

Modern Combat: Sandstorm HD - $6.99

[iPad Central] Electronic Arts

2010-04-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

As we get all prepared for the launch of the iPad I thought it would be best to share some announcements from the biggest and best developers for the iPhone. It is only fair that we kick off with Electronic Arts as they announce some big games for the iPad.

EA Mobile, a division of Electronic Arts Inc, today announced five best-selling titles available immediately for Apple’s iPad. These include SCRABBLE, Tetris, Need for Speed SHIFT, Mirror’s Edge, and Command & Conquer Red Alert.

As one of the leading publishers on the App Store, EA is delivering five games today that take advantage of the unique capabilities of iPad for a broad range of gamers, from the casual to the hardcore, and today’s product slate is just the beginning,” said Travis Boatman, Vice President of Worldwide Studios, EA Mobile. “For example, with SCRABBLE, we have modernized this family favorite game by developing a fun, interactive ‘Party Play’ mode. For our more hardcore fans, Need for Speed SHIFT becomes the ultimate immersive driving experience. We are thrilled to offer EA games with the launch of iPad—a device that is like no other.

SCRABBLE Offers Players a Modern Twist to the Classic Word Play Experience - $9.99

SCRABBLE for iPad spells F-U-N! EA Mobile has created fans’ favorite crossword game, with a fresh interface uniquely designed for iPad that lets players pass ‘n’ play or go solo, in portrait or landscape mode. Social and multiplayer capabilities also enable players to challenge friends on Facebook, or through a local Wi-Fi network. In the all new “Party Play” mode, up to four iPhone or iPod touch players can connect their devices to be used as private tile racks and seamlessly play their words onto the iPad “game board” with a simple flick. And for newcomers, the exclusive “Teacher Feature” shows players the best word choice for the previous play.

Tetris, the Most Popular Mobile Game of All-time Now Available on iPad - $7.99

Celebrating 25 years and more than 100 million paid downloads, the world famous Tetris game launches on iPad with all-new, high resolution graphics and exclusive features including highly anticipated D-Pad controls which give players the option to play the way they want and stay in control of the game. The iPad version also introduces an all-new “Endless” mode for the ultimate extension in game play. Tetris is a must have for any iPad user.

Need for Speed SHIFT Brings the True Driver’s Experience to iPad - $14.99

The award-winning leader in the racing genre, Need for Speed SHIFT races to the App Store with exclusive features, multiplayer capability, 18 unique tracks and a variety of race modes. Players can feel the adrenaline rush of an immersive experience when they choose from 28 of the fastest, hottest cars and enjoy physics-based 3D graphics optimized for iPad. New driving controls include the addition of visual accelerator and brake pedals, manual shifting, and a rearview mirror to see who’s coming from behind. The most visceral, aggressive simulation racing game on iPad will make hearts pound!

Mirror’s Edge Brings Players an Intense, Interactive World Exclusively to iPad - $12.99

EA’s award-winning action adventure game, Mirror’s Edge, debuts on iPad with a graphically rich, addictive experience, and 14 nail-biting levels of unrivalled 3D action. Unique to iPad is a multiplayer feature which utilizes a split-screen interface, letting players battle against each other face to face in two thrilling modes. Exciting gameplay has players running on walls, sliding down ramps and leaping between rooftops as they out-maneuver enemies in pursuit of their mission.

Command & Conquer Red Alert Expands its Universe on iPad - $12.99

With more than 30 million units sold across the Command & Conquer franchise, Command & Conquer Red Alert optimizes iPad’s Multi-Touch controls, large screen and high-fidelity graphics to create an expansive experience. Three-finger, Multi-Touch controls let players select and maneuver their armies, manage inventory and make maximum use of camera zooming to navigate battlefields with photorealistic visuals. Players command units across a wide variety of maps and levels with different environmental conditions which add more layers of strategic depth. Players can challenge friends in Head-to-Head multiplayer mode via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth between iPad and iPhone devices.

Preview: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

2010-03-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

This is hot off the press, Tony Hawk himself has lifted the lid and announced via Twitter that Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 is coming to the iPhone 'soon'. He has stated that he couldn't keep it to himself any longer and has confirmed it's real and has screenshots to prove it.

From the look of the screenshots I would be putting my money on the game being controlled by tilting and different variations of grabs, grinds using the D-Pad on the screen. The game looks like it is easily set out so anyone can pick this up and know what to do, something I thought was lacking in Mike V: Do or Die. Knowing Activision this will probably be a $9.99 title like COD: Zombies.

Some of you might be familiar with a video made months ago showing Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 working on the iPhone, but the game couldn't go any further as it wasn't made or given permission by Activision. For whatever reason Activision has now taken the game on board and are now set to challenge Electronic Arts upcoming title Skate It sometime in the near future we hope!

Continue coming back to this post as I will continually update it as more information about this title is released, stay tuned for more soon hopefully!

Original Announcement on Tony Hawk's Twitter:
"In the PR world, this is considered "going rogue," but I'm too excited to contain it. This is real & dropping soon."

Confirmation that the game is going to be Pro Skater 2:
"Right, down, circle #thps2foriphone"

Image of Tony Hawk playing THPS2 on the iPhone:

First In-game image of THPS2:

Previously released video of THPS2 working on an iPhone:

Tony Hawk's Blog:
http://tonyhawk.posterous.com/

Tony Hawk's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/TonyHawk

Preview: Skate It

2010-03-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Electronic Arts have recently released information and screens for previously announced titles The Sims 3: World Adventures and Mirror's Edge. They have also announced that they are bringing their DS and Wii game 'Skate It' to the iPhone and iPod Touch in May 2010. Read on to find out all the juicy info and some screens from the upcoming game.

Product Description
SKATE IT, OWN IT, MAKE IT YOURS. Nail the kickflip, grind the rail, and lay down killer lines. The most realistic skate experience for iPhone & iPod touch is now in your hands.

Key Features
FEEL IT & PICK UP AND PLAY LIKE IT'S FOR REAL: We've maxed out the potential of your accelerometer and gesture controls. Get a real feel of a true skate experience as you conquer the skater nirvana that is "San Vanelona" or roll through real-world locations.

FLICK- IT & LAND YOUR TRICKS: Use the revolutionary touchscreen Flick-it controls to pull off ollies, kickflips, heelflips, Pop Shuvits, and more.

BE IT & LIVE THE LIFE OF THE PROS: Freeskate as a selected pro skater, or as your own customized guy or girl. Score Personal Bests in Career mode, and get sponsorships and perks galore.

KILL IT & UNLOCK STUFF: Own challenges and KILL them to get the really good stuff — from new boards to outfits. Unlock fresh skate spots, too. Gain enough gear and create your own killer skate park.

FILM IT & SEE YOUR SKILLS IN ACTION: Capture every sick line or epic bail on camera. Replay footage to view your mastery or just for your own amusement.

KICK IT TO YOUR OWN TUNES: You can even shred to a soundtrack from your own music library.

Product Specifications
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.
Ship Date: May 2010
Genre: Sports

Alley Gator

2010-02-20T21:31:00.000-08:00

Alley Gator by Glu Mobile - $0.99
Buy it now on the App Store

Alley Gator is more of a casual game, which is something Glu Mobile have steered away from in their past few releases. This is a game that is extremely simple to pick up and play for only 2 or 3 minutes if you really want to. This is a game that I have played very basic versions of before on the pc, usually as a dodgy flash game. I haven't seen any of these titles on the App Store before Alley Gator, but after playing this game it seems like a perfect match to the accelerometer.

For those who still can't tell what this game is from my cryptic clues Alley Gator is a tunnel-sliding game where you must tilt your way through sewers avoiding items that get in your way. What makes Alley Gator so much fun is that it looks absolutely beautiful with crisp, bright graphics. Glu Mobile has also priced this game very cheaply so it should appeal to the casual gamer. If there was anything I feel might be lacking in this game is a bit of variety in the game. I'll talk more about that later though.

Presentation

This is actually a super amazing looking game. When taking a look at the screenshots you can just tell that this game is pretty special. There are six different environments that your cute little Alligator has to work his way through, each with a distinct theme like being covered in grafitti or all iced over from a cold winter in New York. With plenty of objects in your way, this game looks stunning in it's full 3D on any device.

Now the game is nothing like it looks in the screenshots. As you are hurtling down the various sewers the game is extremely fast paced. Especially in later levels you have no idea where you are going, often having a split second to veer away from an object hiding on a corner. The effects while going at a high speed work well, with the blurring of the screen much like what happens in the Need for Speed games. The game manages to keep it's great appeal and still looks fantastic. If there is anything you learn from this game, it's that Glu make their games look damn good.

Controls

This is such a simple game to pick up and play with excellent use of the accelerometer to play what was previously controlled by arrows on a keyboard. When you think about it this is actually the perfect title for the iPhone and I can't believe I haven't seen a title of this genre before on the App Store (There may be one that I have missed. If so please let me know in the comments section). This is a very hand-off title as there is little to actually do in the way of on screen buttons.

To play this game you must tilt the device left or right to move your way around the sewer pipes. A small tilt to one side will keep you spinning around until you center your device. The games camera will rotate with you so there is no need to actually move your head as Alley Gator is always on the bottom of the screen, just the pipe moves. If you feel like braking because you can't control where you are going just tap and hold on the screen to slow down Alley Gator. Running into objects will slow you right down so you will lose time.

Gameplay

Alley Gator is a very simple game to play, tilt your way out of the sewer before the time runs out so you can save your Alligator from being stuck in the dreaded sewer. Apart from being very cute this game will challenge your reflexes as you hurtle around this pipe in a way that could quite possibly make you sick if using an iPad.

There are 25 levels to complete, each gradually getting harder than the last to complete. As you progress more obstacles will appear in your way, often with a smaller gap for you to pass by it, the levels will get longer and it’s more of a struggle to make it through without picking up a heap of power-ups. The thing that is lacking in this game is a bit of variety as there is only one game mode which can get dry towards the end of the game.

If you enjoy what is available and the genre as a whole then this is definitely the best I have played on any platform. Alley Gator has multiple power-ups to help you on your quest to get away from the sewer. Collecting a clock will freeze the time clock for a short amount of time. Collecting a potion will turn you into a huge alligator that is invincible to all objects in its path for a limited amount of time. And don’t forget the peppers! These are vital if you want to have a ‘perfect run’ by collecting all 3 and finishing the level in the required time.

This isn’t a game that is too overly difficult for a relatively casual gamer to complete and it will only take about an hour to finish. This isn’t the type of game to finish in one sitting though, you will probably get one or two levels finished per play as that’s the type of game this was designed to be.

Conclusion

The overall gaming experience in Alley Gator is fun and great for a casual play. Everything has come together in sync for a fun experience. Excellent graphics, easy to use controls, excellent use of the camera rotation and a fun gaming experience. This is one of the more involving $0.99 games you will come across on the App Store. This is a game that can run on any device, be played by anyone who knows how to move an iPhone left or right and be loved by people who have a strong interest in cute alligators.

For $0.99 you can’t even go wrong with this game. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy this game then you have just bought two soft serves in the form of some brilliant eye candy to show off to your friends. This is really a casual game for anyone and everyone.

Gameplay- 7/10
Graphics- 9/10
Controls- 9/10
Overall- 8/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- iTunnel 3D

Riddim Ribbon

2010-02-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

Riddim Ribbon by Tapulous - $2.99

Buy it now on the App Store

Riddim Ribbon is Tapulous’ first attempt at making a game that veers down a different path from the extremely successful Tap Tap Revenge series. Not much has been known about this game for a long time, since it was previewed at an Apple event alongside other big name games like Assassin’s Creed II. Slowly but surely small trailers were released and artists name have been announced through their site and free tracks on TTR3. Finally after a long time we have received this highly anticipated title, but not without some criticism.

I was very surprised to see that this title was only $2.99, especially when games like Lady Gaga Revenge and others in the premium Tap Tap range have all been $4.99. The reason for this is that it only features 3 songs initially with 3 songs currently available to purchase through DLC. While my initial thoughts were that it was highly priced it’s pretty obvious that we are getting the good end of the bargain.

Songs in Tap Tap Revenge work out to be $0.50 each for a couple of difficulty levels and a simple theme to tap to. In Riddim Ribbon Tapulous have to set a large layout for you to tilt to, multiple remixes and different layouts for each track so $0.99 seems like a decent price for a song. Plus it’s also better when it costs more to buy the songs or remixes on iTunes. For early adopters who buy the game within the first 72 hours you get a free 2-song track bundle on TTR3 and also get a free remix version of ‘Meet Me Halfway’ by Black Eyed Peas on iTunes.

Presentation

One of the highlights in this game is definitely the awesome graphics in this game. It’s basically guaranteed that any track you play will have the track’s winding in and out of each other as your ball is constantly jumping and moving all around the track. Some great visual effects are presented as the ball rolls down the course with lights and effects coming off the back of the ball. This game looked impressive from previews of the game but it’s nothing like having the might of this game in your hands.

Another feature I quite liked is how each song has a different ‘theme’ to it as such. While it’s nothing too drastic just a different color tone and items make for a nice mix up in this game. Another feature I like it the layout of the menu screens and the nice backdrops when showing what songs are available. At the moment it works well with only a few songs but it may need to be re-done as the song list gets past 10-15 songs.

The only thing presentation wise that may annoy some users is that it seems to struggle on older devices. On the 3GS this game runs like a gem and also generally does while on the 1st Gen devices. The only suggestion I have to those users is don’t play while either a new song or another app is downloading as the lag is phenomenal. Apart from that this is a top notch game on this side of things.

Controls

The coolest thing about Riddim Ribbon is how it is one of, if not the only music game on the App Store where you don’t tap to the music somehow. From Tap Tap to Beatrider and Beat It! you have to tap to the game, but this is a hands off approach only with no on screen buttons.

To play Riddim Ribbon it is all about tilting to the music. As you follow the track you must tilt your device to stay on the ribbon of music, otherwise the noise will deteriorate to just a base beat. There are ramps which launch you into the air but when you have to collect a token in the air or avoid a blockade you must tilt your device forward to manually jump into the air. I found that just panicking and making a sudden jerk of the iPhone worked quite nicely as well.

If there was any suggestion I could make to the controls it would be that the tilt range of the track is way too big. I am finding, especially in parts of the song where the ribbon is on the edge of track, that it is incredibly awkward to hold that position. You nearly have to hold the device at about a 60 degree angle which not only looks weird if someone else doesn’t know what you’re doing, but it’s hard to do repeatedly. I would like to see either a smaller range of motion to cover the track (like the racing games on the App Store) or maybe keeping the game upright like NFS: Undercover could be the way to go.

Gameplay

I’m sure you are now aware what this game is all about. The aim is to get the Riddim Ribbon ball down the track to get a high score. You do this by keeping on the ribbon and jumping to collect tokens in the air. What makes this game extra special though are the many ways you can chop and change the song to create a different song everytime you play. This is done in two ways; either by making a decision at an intersection or using the ramp to reach a new track which presents a brand new remix.

Each song has different remixes put towards it. For example you could be rolling down on ‘Boom Boom Pow’ and reach an intersection. You may have a particular liking to a particular artists remix, so you can choose the path you want as there are signs stating who has made the remix. For me I have a strong liking to anything by David Guetta, so any chance possible I will take his route. The short bonus remix versions that can only be reached if you launch yourself off a yellow ramp will take you to a ‘dope’ remix of the song which is quite different to the others. There are no artists names in this remix so I’m guessing it’s a Tapulous version.

The game comes with 3 tracks from the Black Eyed Peas and as I explained before this seems to be a fair price for these tracks. A free sample of one of Tiësto’s songs in the game is also available to be purchased for free. This game definitely is all about the Black Eyed Peas, with their songs Meet Me Halfway, I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow being included as well as commentary from Will.i.am. Two additional Tiësto tracks, Escape Me and Louder Than Boom are available via DLC and Satisfaction by Benny Benassi also able to be bought. It is announced that the game will end up having 15+ songs available, whether they are free or all DLC is yet to be known.

All the Black Eyed Peas tracks are available to be played in three difficulty levels. The two DLC tracks I purchased only had Medium and Hard difficulty modes. When you first play the game you can only play the easiest difficulty until you have an 80% or higher accuracy rate before you unlock the next difficulty. This is quite a good idea as it keeps you in a level that you can still improve on instead of starting with hard and being totally blown away.

Conclusion

While the general conception through both consumers and reviewers alike has been that this isn’t a very good title, I found that once you play this game a bit it will grow on you. Certainly there are areas where this game needs to be improved, in particular the tilt controls where most of the concern is headed. I can’t wait to see where they take this title seeing how successful DLC was for TTR3. I can’t see too many songs coming to Riddim Ribbon being free, as not many Indie artists will be able to get remixes of their songs to even be considered being included.

This game is very much Black Eyed Peas orientated and unless you love Tiësto to bits or are interested in this game style then it probably won’t be the game for you. I love the concept behind Riddim Ribbon and the fact that it is just really an exciting way to mix your own tracks. This game is not perfected yet, but with some tweaking and time to add content I feel like this game will be one of the best games on the App Store.

P.S- Those early adopters of the game will also get a free download of Meet Me Halfway (Jeepney Halfway Remix) on iTunes, 100 credits in Tap Tap Revenge 3, a themed Riddim Ribbon background for TTR3, another themed Riddim Ribbon background if they emailed RiddimRibbon@Tapulous.com before the release of the game and special Avatar items for every additional track purchased in Riddim Ribbon.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 9.5/10
Controls- 6/10
Overall- 8/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Leaf Trombone: World Stage

Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore

2010-02-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes by Square Enix - $9.99

Buy it now on the App Store

While Square Enix has finally announced that Final Fantasy I & II are coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch, we have another RPG to play with! Song Summoner is a game that some people may remember as an iPod Click Wheel game. This version however includes the story from the original as well as an unreleased Song Summoner sequel in one big game.

Since Square Enix brought Crystal Defenders onto the App Store some whole year ago, they have been almost teasing us with similarities to the world famous Final Fantasy series. Song Summoner is about as we can get to the real thing at this point in time, with similar graphics and gameplay but a much different story. I was slightly worried to see what this game would be like for $9.99, but it's revolutionary features make it well worth the price.

Looking through my list of games I found what I believe to be the height of Turn Based games on the App Store. This game is the recently released Rogue Planet by Gameloft/Agartha Studios. I had an interesting time comparing the two to see which game comes out on top in graphics, sound and most importantly gameplay. I found Song Summoner to have a strong storyline that was backed up with some great sound effects and visuals, but the tipping point to make this game the better of the two would be it's revolutionary feature. Let's just say it involves songs and manages to do what Beatrider never achieved sadly.

Presentation

I really like what Square Enix have done to the graphics in this game. Being a click wheel game originally I checked out the iTunes preview of the previous game to see what it is like. Between the two versions not much has changed with the iPhone version having sharper and clearer graphics as well as a larger view of the playing field obviously. The other comparison I wanted to make was between this and Rogue Planet. The cut scenes I found to be equally stunning but I found Song Summoner to have sharper all round graphics when in battles.

Between your fights there is a story that is played out through conversations between your character and other humans and non-humans that he meets along the way. These are played out in cut scenes that look quite awesome and detailed, especially all the extra scenery in the back. It looks good and builds a strong storyline for you to want to finish this game, serving it's purpose effectively in my eyes.

The battle fields look great in my opinion and probably a bit sharper than Rogue Planet. Depending on where abouts in the game you are currently fighting the scenery will change and there will be different items on the screen. For example in the city you will find walls and buildings while in the woods it will be more likely full of trees. There are lots of nice textures used in the battle scenes and it looks really beautiful.

The fighting animation is no where near as cool as the cut scenes we see in Rogue Planet. In Song Summoner it is just seeing a swing of a sword and some damage being taken off. Nothing that special about it but is what you would expect from your average turn based game.

The game runs very smoothly on all devices and there are no glitches or crashes that I could find. There is a slight bit of lag when accessing the iPod music track list but that can't be helped as it lags in any game that uses it. Overall this is a smooth and professionally made game, especially for one that has a fair bit going on at any one time.

Controls

Thankfully Square Enix has updated the controls in this game instead of keeping the same controls as the click wheel version. All the controls whether in-game or in the menu screens are used by the touch screen. It's pretty standard the controls with nothing revolutionary involved.

While in the actual game you slide your finger to choose the action you want to perform and tapping when you get to the action. To move you get a heap of squares that appear on the screen and you have to tap where you want to move. It's really easy to pick up this game and be able to play straight away. It's good that there is no learning curve or confusing swipes needed as the actual game is hard enough.

Gameplay

Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes takes you on an adventure to rescue a lost brother (Pretty standard storyline) in the world where songs rule. You are a Song Summoner and you can use songs to make characters who will fight to the end for you. This game will take you on a huge campaign with 40+ hours to complete and heaps of locations and fights mixed in with a strong storyline. This is the type of game you would expect to be $40 and on the Nintendo DS, not a $9.99 game on the iPhone.

This game stands out from other RPG's on the iDevice for one simple reason, it's unique song summoning process. This is where you get to use your very own songs to create creatures and everytime you listen to the song on your iPod the stats of your creature will increase. This is such a great idea that has been perfectly executed and seems to work well with the game. Each creature has a limited number of uses so you will be creating creatures for heaps of your songs. The only thing I think that Square Enix could enable would be hearing your song while using that character in the game.

This game is turn based much like the Final Fantasy games. The aim is to defeat all your opponents before they defeat you. You have an array of special attacks at hand depending on your characters special skills and weapons. The levels start out quite easy but you are soon forced to choose strategies of attack if you are going to beat levels, particularly if there is a large boss character in the level. Between levels are usually some cut scenes which end up giving you a piece of the story before the next battle.

Your summoned creatures can also be levelled up in the Arena, which is a practice area where your creature has to defeat so many enemies in a limited number of turns. These award you with crystals which can upgrade the stats of your characters. Those wanting to succeed in this game are safer going down this route and it will also extend the length of the game.

Conclusion

Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes is another game to consider for your turn based/RPG hunger. If you are getting a bit bored with the same game style in all of these games then Song Summoner may be for you, especially if you listen to your iPod music a lot.

Once again we have been given a DS quality game for a cheap price. While Square Enix haven't seen that much success yet on the App Store, this is probably their best game out so far. While you are waiting for Final Fantasy to arrive this is an excellent game to play. If you are willing to take the plunge at the premium price point you won't be disappointed with this title.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 8/10
Controls- 6.5/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Rogue Planet

Preview: Daisy Mae's Alien Buffet

2010-01-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

I could not help but preview this title. I absolutely love the name of this game, but did not expect this to be a dual stick shooter, more like a very odd time management cooking game. Take a look at this title while we wait for it to launch in February 2010.

IUGO’s latest adventure on the iPhone, Daisy Mae’s Alien Buffet, offers over-the-top alien slaying. Check out the description, screens and video below:

Daisy Mae’s peaceful, simple life in her little desert trailer park will never be the same. A full scale alien attack on earth has begun and Daisy becomes the unlikely heroine outta nowhere. Take hold of the steering wheel and help Daisy Mae shoot and blast her way to victory in this fun and quirky dual stick shooter. Aliens: you have been served!

Features:

✓ More aliens than you can shake a stick at!

✓ The baddest selection of weapons known to folks ‘round these here parts

✓ Purty graphics and fancy sounds effects

✓ Sassy costumes to unlock for Daisy Mae’s alien hoedown

✓ Daisy Mae “taunt” moves to stun the aliens silly

✓ Control options to suit every varmint’s needs

✓ VIP points to be earned towards an additional costume

✓ Global leaderboards

✓ Auto save

Preview: B-Boy Beats

2010-01-29T17:31:00.000-08:00

It seems like Tag Games are going down the track of publishing titles as well as developing their own like Car Jack Streets. In their first published title they are aiming to show the other music games how it's really done. Read on below to find out all the hip-hop happenings in this title.

Scottish iPhone publisher and developer Tag Games is today pleased to announce full details of its upcoming hip hop rhythm action game B-Boy Beats. Developed in partnership with Mobile Pie, a hugely talented studio based in the UK’s hip hop heartland of Bristol. B-Boy Beats aims to reinvent the stale rhythm action genre made popular on iPhone by titles such as Tap Tap and Rock Band.

Overview

Are you ready to party? B-Boy Beats is a unique, all action, hip hop rhythm game set in 1980’s New York City. As the lead member of a new break-dance crew looking to gain respect, you’ll need to learn the latest moves and battle other crews to claim new turf across various city locations.

Game-play

Place your fingers on the screen and get ready to move! Simply tapping isn’t enough to succeed in B-Boy Beats. Players must hold their fingers on the screen - giving the feel of virtual legs moving across a virtual dance floor!!

Learn the latest dance moves in the fully interactive tutorial before heading out onto the city streets. There are 10 break-dance moves to learn with each one requiring ever greater skill, timing and confidence to pull off. You knew the city was a dangerous place when you left the safety of the suburbs but are you ready to be tested to the limit? There are 7 hardcore crews each breaking on their home turf to take on and ultimately beat down in your quest to be the best in the city.

Underground Hip Hop ft MC Frontalot

B-Boy Beats features 17 dope tracks from the rising stars of underground Hip Hop. Led by Nerdcore and Penny Arcade favourite MC Frontalot the game also includes awesome tracks from Optimus Rhyme, Id Obelus, Ultraklystron, Rai and Magitek.

Features

The most original music game on iPhone today
Face off against 7 NYC crews each with their own turf
Awesome music talent from the hip hop underground
Rhythm action game-play where your fingers become legs!
10 authentic break-dance moves to learn
Easy and Hard difficulty levels for extra replay value
Open Feint social network integration

Due for release February 14th 2010 B-Boy Beats promises to make a mockery of other weak wristed iPhone music games. Aiming to own the streets (and of course the App Store) the game will launch at the £1.79/$2.99/€2.39 price point.

James Cameron's Avatar

2010-01-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

James Cameron’s Avatar by Gameloft - $6.99

Buy it now on the App Store

Avatar is arguably the biggest movie of all time. If not it is certainly the most innovative ever with its revolutionary use of 3D, paving the way for the inevitable future of movies. Just like so many other big movies, Avatar has received its own tie-in game. Something we weren’t expecting though was that it would be brought onto the App Store, but Gameloft has cashed in on the success creating this spectacular game.

James Cameron’s Avatar follows a different storyline to the movie, instead taking us back in time 20 years or so to when the Avatar program was first started. You play as Ryan, the first ever Avatar to travel into Pandora and you must Hack n Slash your way until you meet the Na’vi and become a trusted member of their group. There is a base storyline in the game but mostly it’s about killing anything that gets in your way as you travel through Pandora.

Presentation

No expense was spared when Gameloft were to create Pandora for the iPhone and iPod Touch. They even worked with producers of Avatar the movie to create a world that represented the film and was to a standard that they were happy with. In return we have received a game that to the standard of something we would expect to find in a PSP title.

This game should have the nickname ‘Captain Detail’ as this is exactly what we get in Avatar. The game extends from the actual parts of the level that you can actually visit into creating a highly detailed scene around every corner. If this was just another shoot ‘em up platformer it would be incredibly easy just to have a blue sky and be done with it. In true Pandora style Gameloft has filled the sky with all the things that we get only in Avatar, such as huge floating mounds of land, waterfalls falling into thin air and just amazing landscapes.

There is a lot more around you as well, with 8 unique levels that provide a long enclosed path for you to follow full of luscious greenery and huge cliff faces, as well as lots of little creatures and colours. There is one open world level which features a huge grass clearing in a sort of valley. While this game just features the odd tree and huge cliff face, the main object in this level is the famous tree where the Na’vi live in the movie.

This game looks superb, easily one of the best looking games on the App Store. The only real competitors for a game of this size would be Gameloft’s other two titles NOVA and Modern Combat: Sandstorm. Once again this proves why Gameloft are and continue to be one of the best two developers, in my opinion, on the App Store.

Controls

The controls in Avatar are fairly standard for a Gameloft game, offering an array of on-screen buttons to perform every manoeuvre or skill needed to play this game. There is nothing overly special with the offering in Avatar and certainly isn’t up to the same amount of skills available in Assassin’s Creed Altair’s Chronicles. But then again a Na’vi doesn’t need half the skills an Assassin would use.

The game features a virtual joystick to control your Na’vi or whatever he may be riding at that current time. On the right side of the screen is a jump button, a button to repeatedly mash to attack with one of your weapons and a button that allows you to switch weapons. Fairly simple design, but when you have had it working for over a year and a half why mess with it?

Gameplay

As I said before the story in James Cameron’s Avatar is to follow the progress of Ryan, the first ever Avatar in existence as he discovers Pandora from the view of one of the local Na’vi. The game is a hack n slash/shoot em up platform game basically where you must run your way through levels defeating both nasty creatures in Pandora and humans from your own race who oppose you. The scene for the level is played in out via dialogue before each level (with voice acting from the main Na’vi in the film).

This game is what I would define as a 3rd Generation game because it is very similar to two other games by Gameloft. Previously we have had Hero of Sparta and Assassin’s Creed Altair’s Chronicles with the newest title always adding onto what we got in the previous title. This is the same for NOVA which is again a 3rd Generation title with Brothers in Arms and Modern Combat coming before it.

Avatar has 10 missions in total, with 8 being pre-set levels and 2 being free roam levels where you must complete around 5 or so tasks to finish the level. The other missions are all about advancing through the level by killing everything in sight, climbing cliff faces, jumping on moving platforms etc. The 8 levels will take you about 15-20 minutes to complete and the free roam levels take between 30-60 minutes depending on how many times you fail some of the tasks as it’s tricky to stay alive on harder difficulties.

A majority of the levels are using just your Avatar to run and jump around. The free roam levels allow you to use one of the horse creatures if you wish to so you can get around the map faster and one level let’s you fly on your own bird creature (I’m bad with the terminology). It’s nice to have this little big of variation in the game, making for a very enjoyable experience playing the game. Along with the option to use an array of weapons and upgrade your stats when collecting items this makes for a great time. Also having lots of checkpoints throughout levels lets you play for 5 minutes or an hour and you can regularly progress, something majorly lacking in Modern Combat: Sandstorm.

Conclusion

Avatar is an outstanding game on so many levels, with such exquisite detail and an amazing gaming experience. This game is deserving of all praise it receives and is really pushing the limits on what we can come to expect from both platform games and Gameloft as a company.

$6.99 is an excellent price for this game and a great companion to play before and after you watch Avatar for the 33rd time at the cinemas. Unlike so many movie and naming tie-ins this is something both James Cameron and 20th Century Fox can be proud to have their name against.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 10/10
Controls- 8.5/10
Overall- 9/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Hero of Sparta

Trenches

2010-01-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

Trenches by Thunder Game Works - $1.99
Buy it Now on the App Store

Trenches was a game that was released over around the Christmas/New Year slowdown on the App Store, which was perfect timing for this game. With no AAA releases coming during this time Indy developers could really prevail like the early days. If Trenches was contending with EA and Gameloft then this would still be in the Top 100, but I doubt it would reach the Top 5 like it has.

Just like Flight Control, other games similar have been released and in particular 2012 Zombies and Aliens. This game has its pros and cons compared to Trenches, but where this game definitely wins out are the amount of levels compared to Trenches small campaign mode. If there is one area where Trenches let me down it is in the main campaign mode.

Presentation

This is a great looking game that has some great looking characters in the game. Trenches is set in the times when having big, proud mustaches were all the fashion. The troops all look spectacular and to me vaguely look like something that could appear in a violent Paper Mario game. The battle fields look nice and have some detail put in them such as the cracks in the ground and the different backgrounds for different locations. The game looks great and runs smoothly, but where I felt let down especially compared to ZvA was the fighting animation.

In Zombies vs Aliens you have bodies flying everywhere, body parts being lost and heaps of blood and gore all over the place just as a battle should be. In Trenches you have everyone firing shots at each other until they die, which is just the body falling over and fading. I found blood when killing the Zombie Horde but not against the troops and bodies do go flying but only when bombed. Sure the amount of gore wouldn't be the same as what Zombies or Aliens could deliver, but just the little things like blood splatter would make this more realistic.. in a way.

Controls

I really like the controls in Trenches. At first I thought it was unnecessary and pointless having these controls but after playing ZvA I realized that they engage you heaps more in the actual game. Trenches is very similar to Flight Control in that you must drag you finger from one of your troop to a location and they will follow your exact path. While it isn't a precise method like avoiding planes in the sky, where you place your troops can determine how you go in battle as a formation can help you in harder battles.

You troops will auto-advance until they reach their first battle, which is when they will stop. They won't move again until you command them to do so. Unlike in ZvA your troops can retreat if needed and you can stop them on open ground, where as ZvA troops would only stop in trenches. Now that I have played this a bit I love the line drawing method and can really see the advantages of using this process. While it makes the game more complicated, it adds another dimension to the game that similar games don't have.

Gameplay

The length of the actual game is what I felt kept this game from being super good. There are two game modes, Campaign mode and Skirmish. Even though I would have originally guessed that Campaign mode would be the main one, you are forced to spend most of your playing time in Skirmish. This isn't because you need to do this mode to unlock stuff in the game, but mainly because of how short the Campaign mode is.

The Campaign takes you on a trip through the main battles from World War I. Sadly though it seems there were only 6 big battles so we only get six levels in Campaign mode. The levels were quite fun while they lasted, with the aim to get your troops to the end of the battlefield to claim victory. This is done by slowly but surely killing enemies and advancing your troops into Trenches, where you get the upper hand in an equal battle. Once the coast is clear you can move forward and hopefully reach another trench.

The six levels in Campaign mode are fairly similar, except that as you go to harder locations there are more or less trenches and barb wire to slow you in your tracks. The campaign mode can be played in either Easy, Medium or Hard difficulty, with a strategy or game plan needed if you are going to survive the night in Hard mode.

Skirmish mode is really a customizable Campaign, where you get to choose all the features and set up a game for yourself. You can change the battle location, length of the field, difficulty level and once completing Campaign mode what game mode. The game modes are either the normal shoot-out or Zombie Horder which is unlocked after completing the campaign. The aim of this is to set up a stronghold and defend for as long as possible as the rapidly advancing and multiplying Zombies approach you. The don't fire at you but kill with deadly speed if they manage to reach your troops, calling game over within a minute or so.

Take this review lightly, as I could only comment on what I played. The developers are intent on continually updating the game to make this a pleasurable experience for all users. I have received word that a longer and more complete campaign mode will be available in a free update within the week, so this would obviously alter my thoughts on this game.

Conclusion

Just like Pocket God started out, this seems to be a great preview of the game that will continue to grow over many months. As long as the developers keep to their word and continue to improve this game I can see it being just as big as Flight Control or Harbor Master. The game mechanics itself are a spectacular concept and the new style of fighting is a perfect game for the iDevice.

If I had to suggest either this or 2012 ZvsA I would find it hard to pick in their current states, but ZvsA would just edge it out. The amount of levels and upgradeable units probably win out against the more innovative and involving, yet short game. I suggest that you wait until the new update of Trenches is out and make your mind up yourself whether the new Campaign is of a sufficient length.

Gameplay- 6/10
Graphics- 9/10
Controls- 7.5/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- 2012 Zombies vs Aliens

Glyder 2

2010-01-17T15:18:00.000-08:00

Glyder 2 by Glu Mobile - $2.99
Buy it Now on the App Store

I had never previously picked up Glyder mainly due to the fact that I didn't think it would appeal to me. At the time I had various flying games and didn't think another item collecting game would be fun for me. Lately though I had been considering whether to get Glyder but when I saw Glyder 2 came out I decided to get that first. From there I fell in love with this game and ended up buying the original Glyder after completing the sequel. I then found the original to be an absolute gem but was kicking myself that I didn't play it before Glyder 2, as it was hard to appreciate how good it was when Glyder 2 is so so much better.

Presentation

The main selling point from my view is the excellent graphics. If this game was in another 2D block world then this game would have never taken off in the beginning. Glu Mobile are known for making some great 3D games, Wacky Worlds Mini Golf and Cops n Robbers comes to mind, and the detail in this game is superb.

There are 6 huge environments and 1 smaller environment that all look superb. Each one has a different theme so they all are unique. Half the fun of reaching each new island is the ability to fly around and just look at every corner of these fantasy lands.

One thing that Glu has done well is give a good sense of speed. When you are gliding slowly you can’t really tell that you are even moving, but as you build up speed the air surrounding Eryn gets blurry just like the racing games. This is a great effect and just adds that little bit extra to the game.

Glyder 2 runs well on all devices, even though the ride is just that little bit smoother on the 3rd Gen devices. None of the graphics are spared in the lesser devices, but the ride can sometimes be slightly jerky. All in all the game looks good and feels good.

Controls
When I started this game I expected to have to use a various amount of different on screen buttons to maybe shoot at things or pick up items like the crystals. Somehow the game has managed to stay as simple as possible with the only thing to do is just tilt your iDevice.

For starters this is not a violent game, with no bad guys or obstacles to get in your way. However if you aren’t careful tilting the wrong way or not as all may make you crash into a part of an island, restarting back at the home disc of that island. To pick up crystals you just need to fly towards them and they will get sucked into you by gravity if you get close enough. This also works for boosts and treasure chests.

I love how Glu has kept this game so simple, making it easy enough for a pro to zoom around all the tight corners of the various islands but a beginner can pick this up and still do well. This is really a game for everyone.

Gameplay

The aim of Glyder is to collect all the crystals that are located on the six islands and return Eryn to the portal to get back home. For those who want more there are heaps of challenges and time trials that you can try to defeat, many will be done while completing the game but a few will require you to go out of your way to finish.

You start your journey on Arctasia, a barren Iceland where you must find your way around to find all the crystals located on the island. In the entire game you must find 125 of the Blue, Pink and Gold crystals and finding all of one colour unlocks something. To do this you will have to work your way around all the islands including the desert Oasis, the underground Sporelle and the space wonderland Acension.

The game is physics based as Eryn will lose speed if you try to go up in the air but will gain it when flying downwards. There are boosts around each island that can help you speed up and thermals are your best bet at climbing high into the sky. Especially when you are trying to find Ascension which is located in space!

What kept Glyder 1 a bit dry is the lack or other activities to do and complete in the game. All they had were landing platforms where you had to fly from A to B as fast a possible. In Glyder 2 these have been refined and are required in some situations to complete the game. In most platforms you must fly around the island through checkpoints, often to hard to find places where heaps of crystals are located.

On four islands however there are special platforms that require you to move snowballs or a cog or other items from one place to another to complete a task or save a village. These always give you a reward which inevitably helps you continue on with the game. In the latest update each island has been given another new platform which is a fun minigame where a cannon fires some sort of object into the sky and you have a time limit to collect as much as possible.

The other cool new feature in Glyder 2 is the ability to customize Eryn with different outfits and wings. These are found all over the world in Treasure Chests or Packages. The outfits available do nothing but change what Eryn looks like, but the wings have stats and different wings will suit different situations. For example the Electric wings have a larger area of gravity so it’s easier to pick up crystals and the Osiris wings let you fly upwards without losing speed.

Comparison

Glyder and Glyder 2 have the same basic gameplay. Each is about finding all the crystals in the game to unlock a portal so Eryn can finally get home. Both games have spectacular graphics and huge worlds to explore, but it are the number of additional options in Glyder 2 that make it the better game. Glyder has the starting blocks for the time trials in Glyder 2, as well as the many challenges to unlock. Glyder 2 just has more to in the game, with more crystals, special challenges and the customization of Eryn.

Both are fun games and if you like the key crystal collecting element of the game you will enjoy both games. Just be aware that if you play Glyder 2 before the original Glyder that you may find the game lacking if you were hoping for all the extra features that make Glyder 2 an excellent sequel.

Conclusion
Glyder 2 is an absolutely fantastic game that I couldn’t put down until I had completely finished this game. Having played both this and the original there is no comparison to Glyder 2 (obviously) but if you are planning on getting both then finish Glyder first.

This has officially become one of my favourite games on the App Store. This is an easy to play game that gave me over 5 hours of entertaining fun. It was good to kick back and play such a peaceful game such as Glyder 2. Even though the sale has ended this game is worth $2.99 and you won’t regret purchasing even if you weren’t all that impressed with the original.

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 10/10
Controls- 9/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Glyder

Preview: The Sims 3 World Adventures

2010-01-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

After the huge success that The Sims 3 had on the App Store it was inevitable that we would be receiving add-on packs. What I didn't expect though were whole new apps that featured another full Sims experience. Check out what EA have in store for us with The Sims 3 World Adventures!

Product Description

AN ALL-NEW SIMS EXPERIENCE – FROM THE #1 BEST-SELLING GAME OF THE YEAR ON THE APP STORE. Take your Sims on thrilling adventures to world famous destinations.

Key Features

EXPLORE 3 EXOTIC DESTINATIONS
…“Al Simhara,” Egypt… “Champs Les Sims,” France… “Shang SimLa,” China. Each exciting location is loaded with a world of possibilities for danger, adventure, and romance for your Sim.

MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Enjoy an international twist on the Sims-style gameplay you know and love with 52 new goals, 4 new mini-games -- plus personas, careers, and quests.

ENJOY MORE CUSTOM CONTENT
Let your Sim sport the local looks of the culture and acquire worldly tastes. There are lots of new clothing styles, furniture selections, and even new face types to choose from.

IMPORT/EXPORT BETWEEN THE SIMS GAMES FOR iPHONE & iPOD TOUCH
Yes! You can transfer your Sim back and forth between the iPhone® & iPod touch® versios of The Sims World Adventures and The Sims 3. So bring your favorite Sim on your adventure.

INCLUDES SIMS-STYLE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT FROM WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS
Travel to the tunes of artists like LeAnn Rimes – singing in Simlish, of course!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-25T00:01:00.001-08:00

First of all I hope all of you have a safe and happy Christmas period and a great New Year!

I will be away between the 26th December and approximately the 5th of January so no reviews or anything will be done in this time.

I thank you all very much for continually visiting our site and helping us run for almost a year now!

Next year is going to be a big one with the sites 1 year Anniversary in early January and a new look and feel for you all. I'm going to strive to make the reviews in particular easier and better for you to read. Thank you all for your suggestions to improve the site, they have been greatly appreciated and you will see some in place starting next year.

Farewell for now but see you all ready to start gaming again in 2010!

Thanks, iR

Need for Speed Shift

2009-12-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Need for Speed Shift is a racing game by Electronic Arts. $9.99

Originally Need for Speed Shift was not announced to be coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch in 2009, or even at all. The huge success of Need for Speed Undercover when it was released must have made EA realize it was worth them bringing out this title. Luckily for us they did and we can once again experience the Need for Speed, in a different way to Undercover.

Need for Speed Undercover is the uncontested arcade racing king while Real Racing holds onto the simulation racing spot. Need for Speed Shift was meant to be a simulation racer but instead the iPhone version is dead smack in the middle of the two genres. The racing style in NFS Shift is designed to be more of a simulation experience, with no incoming cars or being able to make other cars to flying. The racing modes and track designs just give this an arcade feel and the mix of the two makes for a deadly combination.

To be honest as first I thought the graphics were a bit of a let down when compared to NFS Undercover. In Undercover it was released before the 3GS so they had to unload all they had onto the current devices to make it look good. In Shift the small things that will cause the older devices to lag up have been saved for the 3rd Gen devices.

The reason for this is that while the cars look the same it is the amount of stuff in the background that would really tear the older devices to shreds. The city landscapes have a heap of buildings which are 3D, increasing the stress on smaller devices. Without the gleam and small effects I am surprised that this runs as well as it does on smaller devices with only minimal lag. On 3rd Gen devices you get all the small things that have are added to give it a slightly more polished feel.

Don't be put off by that if you own an older device, it still looks superb on our devices. You may not think it looks as good as Undercover to begin with mainly because it has a totally different style to it. It is in the middle of the day and all the tracks are nice and bright, unlike the dusk setting in Undercover. Everything right down to the cars look different and for me it took a bit of time adjusting to this new look. I absolutely love this game now after a few hours playing and believe it easily looks better than Undercover.

There are different racing views all look spectacular and really give you a great view of the track. However you drive this game looks superb and you will sometimes find yourself off the track because you were gawking at the scenery and how beautiful it looks. If you don't want this game because you like racing games it is definitely one to get and show off to all your friends who think their PSP games look good.

Electronic Arts have also included some sweet licensed tunes for us to listen to. The songs play throughout the entire game but sound the best while surfing the menu's. The beats of the songs make me feel like I am watching the Fast & Furious movies. During the race the songs are blocked out basically by the sound of your incredibly loud car engine. The sounds are pretty basic but work well for this racing game, especially with little things like changing the sound when the gears change.

The controls in Shift and Undercover are fairly similar but there are a few obvious differences between the two. The things that have stayed the same are that you have to tilt the device to steer your car, touch the screen to brake and that this is an auto-accelerate game. The reason for the auto acceleration I believe is to reduce the number of buttons on the screen, getting in the way of the sweet graphics. I am sure those who wanted Auto-accelerate wouldn't mind a button though if the mode was optional.

The Nitro is still in this game but instead of flicking up with the screen there is a tiny button on the right hand side. It is pretty small and even though it may not let you see as much the button should be bigger than it is. It is here to make way for the automatic and manual transmission options. When in manual you can change gears by flicking your finger up or down on the screen, having a bit of simulation racing in this game. The slow-down of time option has also been taken out, mainly due to the fact that normal car races don't have that option in their cars.

The controls work well, apart from the Nitro button for now. They have implemented the touch controls to successfully let you do more than just touch on screen buttons. If the Nitro button wasn't so small and sticky then these would basically be perfect controls for a game that uses auto acceleration.

The racing modes in Shift are definitely have more of an arcade feel to them. In the game you can on tracks which take you through 18 unique street tracks using 7 game modes. Instead of in a simulation racer where you may find just a circuit race there are many more game modes to keep you interested.

These modes are:

Circuit- Complete a certain number of laps of the track and try and come in 1st position

Elimination- Race 2 or 3 laps of the track and avoid being the last to finish every lap as they get eliminated until one remains

Sprint- Try to finish in 1st place after racing from Point A to Point B

Driver Duel- Take on an opponent 1 on 1 and try to get 5 seconds ahead to win

Drift- Go around the track at your own pace drifting and trying to get a certain number of drift points

Timetrial- You have 3 laps to try and beat the winning time to get the gold medal

Exhibition- Race 1 on 1 against an opponent in a totally identical car

There are four locations in the game Chicago, London, Tokyo and the World Tour. Each of these has 7 events, one from each of the different game modes. The best thing about this game is that if you suck at one particular mode you can still get through the game because it is based on the number of stars you collect, not positions.

The game has a very in-depth career mode to show how good and sometimes bad you are. In almost all the race modes the races have different optional objectives that if you complete will let you earn a star. These are things like staying on the race line, lead for an entire lap and many more. These stars are used to unlock new tracks.

In each race you earn points by staying on the racing line, successfully driving a corner, drifting and much more. These are separated into two categories so you can tell what type of driver you are. All points go towards your driver level, which earns you more cars and money are you level up. There are 20 levels available in the game.

There are a bunch of trophies that you can try and earn. They have five levels to them and require you to do things like drift for so long in your career, perform x amount of overtakes or win x amount of events consecutively. These mean nothing but are a nice thing to try and achieve in your career. Another thing to watch is your win-loss record which again means nothing but is you are on 11-50 then you it tells you that practice may be handy.

In this game there are 20 licensed cars available for you to unlock and buy. These range from your BMW's to your Lamborghini's and Pagani's. The cars are ranked in tiers and certain cars can only go in certain events. This means that you are going to be regularly buying cars to not only stay with the competition but to re-play older tracks that you may need to re-do to earn some more stars. Some cars are unlocked by reaching a certain level and others are by completing certain events.

The game starts out very slow with no sense of speed what so ever as you own your first car. As I found though as you upgrade you car a bit or decide to buy a new car you quickly find that this game gives you some seriously quick cars and you better step up your act right away. While the first few races are off putting you will find this is one of the most thrilling racing games out there, especially when you unless the NOS.

All the cars are semi-customizable in both performance and visuals. You can give you car a new paint job from a base of set colours or add bodykits, new rims etc. You can also improve the performance of your car by upgrading it's acceleration, suspension, speed, tyres or add some nitro to your car. The prices rise as you get higher tiered cars so be prepared to spend the cash effectively.

The racing comes in 3 games modes Rookie, Amateur or Professional but you can customize it to suit yourself. This means choosing either Auto or Man transmission, steering assist, braking assist and whether you want the race line. The race line is a great addition to the game and is something I loved in the Forza Motorsport games. This lets you know the best line for the race and whether you are going too fast to make the corner. This is a nice addition that makes this feel like a simulation racer.

There are a few obvious signs that Electronic Arts tried to make this into more of a simulation racer. The first one is the fact that this game is more about choosing the right path on the race track instead of smashing and bashing your way around the track. Going off the track effects you but I feel like it is a bit too forgiving as you just bounce off the side of the track and slow down. I would have loved to have seen a bit more action, especially when going 200 Mph. The other dead giveaway is that unlike Asphalt, Undercover etc. you can not ram into another car and send it flying into the side of the wall. While you can earn a trophy for knock outs they are incredibly hard and you generally just run up the side of another car and make sparks.

There are four camera modes for you to play around with. The first is the cockpit mode just like in Real Racing. This looks cool and definitely makes it feel like a simulation racer. I enjoyed this mode the best because as you crash and get hit the windscreen slowly scratches before smashing. This mode isn't the best though, especially when trying to drift. There are two more modes that let you see just the bonnet of the car and then nothing but the race track. These look really cool but you wouldn't want to drive around in them. The final mode is the classic view behind the car, which let's you see everything that is going on and gives the full effect of the landscape. I will use this mode most for driving, especially in faster cars as you have more idea of where the corners are.

If that isn't enough there is also an option that let's you race your own friends via local multiplayer. This mode works quite well and it is really awesome how well it works. You may find a slight bit of lag but generally this is a heap of fun and very competitive.

It will take the average gamer around 4 hours to complete all the racing tracks and around 6 or 7 hours to unlock all the cars, get to Level 20 and earn all 150 stars. This game is absolutely amazing and the arcade feeling with the simulation racing style makes this into the best racing game on the App Store. Period. You would have to be insane not to get this game, especially at the Christmas sale price of $6.99.

Only Electronic Arts can deliver such a game that brings speed, excitement and an addictive game into a single game. Need for Speed is everything it's earlier version was and more. This is definitely one of the games of the year and I love it too bits as you can see with the size of this review. There is a slight bug some people are experiencing with a certain race in Tokyo crashing, but that is going to be fixed soon and then the game should be perfect. Just get this now, you shouldn't be disappointed. And Merry Christmas to everyone!

Gameplay- 10/10
Graphics- 10/10
Controls- 9.5/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Need for Speed Undercover

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore

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Hills and Rivers Remain

2009-12-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Hills and Rivers Remain is a real time strategy game by Square Enix. $6.99

Hills and Rivers Remain plays much like a game you have probably seen before. If any of you have played Castle Warriors or Galcon you would know how to play this sort of game. Now the question is asked, how can this game stand out from the pack and justify it's high price, especially when rival games are priced a lot lower.

There were a few things that I managed to pick out of this game that the other ones didn't seem to have. For one there is a stronger story to why you are fighting and why the battles are taking place. Square Enix like putting a strong storyline behind their games and they have managed to do so with Hills and Rivers Remain. The other thing that came out in this game is that they have used the size of the screen to advantage, making it quite easy to scan over the whole playing field. This gets very handy in later levels as if it was hard to see quickly and effectively who is being attacked, you would find yourself in a difficult situation.

My first impressions of this game is that it doesn't look very good. There were two reasons why I thought this. The first was because the mission one is set in a dirty brown location, not being the most beautiful place I have seen. The second is because the game starts fully zoomed out so you get a view of the entire playing field. There is a bit of detail lacking in this view but I found that this changed as soon as you zoomed in.

When zoomed in the whole game changes with lots of detailed scenery and the real effect of the game is brought out. There are a heap of nice textures and detail put into the scenery while the fight scenes look a lot better. Being zoomed in looks better but you can't keep it for too long as you have to multitask multiple areas of the map. It is a nice option to have though if you want to use it.

The game runs smoothly on all devices, with no lag or crashes what so ever while playing the game. Instead of having some 3D graphics like in Castle Warriors, Square Enix has given us decent graphics while they focus more on the gameplay itself.

Hills and Rivers Remain has been created so anybody should be able to pick this up and play straight away. All the controls are by using the touchscreen and touching your settlements. When you touch one of the settlements you have under your control you can choose how many soldiers you want to move and in what direction. Double tapping a settlement will make it your base so soldiers will be spawned at that location.

It is all very simple to do and anyone is able to do it. The controls have been kept very simple so that you can spend all your attention on the strategy of the game rather than mucking around with moving soldiers etc.

The aim of Hills and Rivers Remain is to eliminate all other enemies so you are the last one remaining on the board. This is done by moving soldiers to attack your opponents settlements. They then go into a fight and the biggest number of soldiers will win, either keeping the settlement or taking it over. This sounds pretty simple but if you focus on one area for too long your enemies can gather a big force somewhere else on the map and you could then be cornered.

There are a heap of levels which quickly get challenging for the casual gamer. Each level has some sort of story behind why the battle is taking place and all of them are loosely linked together. While it might not be much it gives the game a bit of meaning and reason why you are playing it.

There are two game modes, Story and Free play. Once you win a level in story mode it becomes unlocked in free play. Free play mode gives you some customization of the game so you can play the level as a different character for example. You can also choose where the players start out on the map and how many opponents there are. This is a nice mode to play around with but I believe a local multiplayer mode would have been better.

You can send soldiers out as much as you want given that you have some, but the game is based on Turns where you get more soldiers after each turn. This is more of a real time strategy game as the battle doesn't stop. When you send soldiers out they will pass opposing soldiers coming at you, so it is best to leave some soldiers at home to prevent an attack while you are away.

This is quite a fun game that requires a good strategy if you want to be successful at this game. Most users will find it challenging and quite a lot of fun as you repeatedly try to beat some levels. There are some slight impressions that this is like the Final Fantasy series, mostly what the soldiers look like.

Hills and Rivers Remain is a good title that will be loved by fans of Strategy games. The graphics and sound are great and go with the game style quite well. The only thing that may stop you buying this game is the price. At $6.99 it costs more than Castle Warriors and Galcon so people may prefer to buy them instead of forking out to get this.

There are a heap of levels which I believe must equal why there is such a high price. If you aren't sure whether this is the game for you I strongly suggest you check out the lite version beforehand. I'm not much of a strategy gamer but I enjoyed this title while I could still win.

Gameplay- 8/10
Graphics- 6.5/10
Controls- 8/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Galcon

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Need for Speed: Shift

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Ace Combat XI Skies of Incursion

2009-12-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Ace Combat Xi Skies of Incursion is a flying game by Namco. $7.99

The popular series Ace Combat has finally soared onto the App Store for the first time blowing up anything that gets in it's way.

The first Ace Combat game was released in 1995 and the various versions have been put on different Playstation consoles, the Xbox 360, Game Boy and PSP. The franchise's next outing is the iPhone (not surprisingly), and boy does this game deliver!

The aviation genre on the App Store is probably one of the strongest out there. With some insanely good titles like F.A.S.T, Top Gun, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X and the upcoming Skies of Glory you must be brave to even attempt a game. When we heard of Ace Combat coming to the iPhone many people got excited that this game was being brought to the iPhone. But how does it size up to the other big games on the App Store?

I couldn't help but judge this game to the others in this genre. Even though it was released in June I still see F.A.S.T. as the best looking air combat game on the App Store. Ace Combat didn't do a bad job but there were just parts of the game which I found to be better in other games. All the games I have found to have good looking aircraft (Even if the screenshots don't prove that) which are all very detailed. The one area where Ace Combat lacked however was the scenery.

The scenery and other objects aren't all that bad but just lacked a bit of detail. I also found the ground to be a bit blurry and undefined in most places. When doing a comparison I just found that the other games had put more detail into their surroundings. While they aren't the best of the best I still liked the look and feel of this game as it was still very enjoyable to play.

This game is generally pretty smooth and I didn't find it to lag at all. The framerate is pretty consistent and runs at a decent rate. The game did crash on me once but I didn't find any problems when the device had been given a hard reset.

The controls in Ace Combat are fairly common among all the flying games. To steer your aircraft you have to tilt your device to make it turn left, right, up, down or somewhere in between. I found that particularly at the start of a campaign mission that the game was a bit slow to your tilting, but managed to regain itself once the game had fully loaded I suppose.

The rest of the controls are as on screen buttons. These are easy to use once you know what they mean. Most are fairly easy for a first time gamer to use but some of the buttons, such as one called TGT, will require some reading to find out it's purpose. I didn't find any problems with the controls and ended up being able to fly my plane with a fair amount of precision.

Ace Combat Xi lets you follow the story of the Falco Squadron as you save the world one mission at a time. When you get an airplane game you expect to be doing one thing, shooting down other enemy planes. In Ace Combat though you very quickly change your approach as incoming tanks, war ships and more have to be annihilated to save any array of locations.

The game is split into two game modes, Free play and Campaign. Campaign is where you will spend your whole time playing. The campaign mode is split into 5 missions which have nothing to do with one another. You will get some dialogue before you start your mission trying to give us a bit of a storyline, before showing the mission requirements. A majority of the missions I found to be about stopping tanks, planes, ships or a variety of the 3 from attacking or getting past a certain place.

Each mission is being ranked on your time to complete it, damage to places you are saving etc. They start out quite easy with most things except the planes just being sitting ducks. As the game progresses it gets harder and more challenging to complete the mission, especially with a time limit for some levels I found.

There were a few things that I didn't like about this game. The main one which really bugged me was what happened when you got too low to the ground to shoot at ground units. I would receive a message that says to pull up because you are getting low to the ground, but when I nose dived to the ground I would just bounce off and straighten up. This is annoying because it doesn't make dangerous enough.

I found that being attacked by the enemy did basically nothing to you and especially when you can fly as low as you want there isn't enough consequences for your actions. If you exploded and lost the mission then it would make this game more realistic and challenging, because at the moment all ships and ground units are easily destroyed.

The other thing that really bugged me was the number of aircraft available to fly. There are about 5 or 6 that you can use for free and there are another 4 that are available via DLC. All the free planes have really average stats while the DLC ones are all really good, so if you want to be good at this game you need to buy a DLC plane or try and unlock the last free plane. I would be fine if there were heaps of free planes and some with good stats, but at the moment this is just a money grabbing strategy by Namco.

Ace Combat Xi Skies of Incursion is a pretty good addition to the Ace Combat series. There is an average amount of content in the game but a gamestyle that the average gamer should enjoy. Compared to other games in this genre it fairs pretty well and should be considered if you like this genre.

What is a throw off for most people however is the price at $7.99. With F.A.S.T at $0.99 and the upcoming Skies of Glory being free it is going to be hard to win more than just Ace Combat fans to buy this. If you only want one airplane game and aren't fussed which one I suggest leaving this alone at the current price. If this dropped to $4.99 or less or got more missions then it would be a good purchase.

Gameplay- 7/10
Graphics- 8.5/10
Controls- 8/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Hills and Rivers Remain

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Connect 4

2009-12-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Connect 4 is a boardgame by Electronic Arts. $0.99

For those unlucky people in the Northern Hemisphere you will be experiencing snow storms, rain and all round dodgy weather. In years gone by you may have played in the snow or crowded around the fire playing some of your favourite board games. Electronic Arts are not only reducing the size of all those boxes in your cupboard, but also putting a cheaper price as you can play all your favorites on your iDevice.

The latest board game on our iDevice is Connect 4. This game has the original game that we all know and love as well as some great new modes that we can only play in a virtual game of Connect 4. Quite possibly this game is better than the original, but not as good as Connect 4 Advanced (That game rules). Instead of staying with the basic game format like many of their other board games, I love how Electronic Arts put in the extra effort to include extra content for us to play.

Board games aren't the perfect genre for making insane effects and graphics for a game. Electronic Arts have kept the original layout of the board, even having an opening scene before every game of it getting brought out of the box. We still have the red vs yellow chips to play with but there are some extras included in this game.

Some effects or 'eye candy' has been added to make this game just that little bit more special. Apart from the opening scene we get slow motion gameplay as well as exploding chips when playing the special modes or someone wins the game. It does nothing to the overall gameplay but it's good just to see someone a bit special when playing. Especially the exploding chips work well and look cool when it's happening. Just another reason to get this over the un-exploding real version of Connect 4.

This game isn't graphically intensive so there is no surprise that it runs smoothly on all iDevices. What I did find is when you haven't reset the game in a while it will occasionally crash but resetting the device will fix this problem.

Connect 4 has been kept as simple as possible so people can come along and play this game with ease even if it's their first time using an iDevice. There is nothing more to this game except dragging your finger to the desired row on the board and letting go.

With the screen smaller than a real sized Connect 4 board they have allowed some room for error. In case you have put your finger on the wrong column you can move your finger around the screen before you take it off. This is to make sure there are no accidents and angry customers. There is nothing overly special about the controls but they are simple, they are all that are needed and they work just fine for this game.

Connect 4 is best to be played with another friend but this version means you can play against the computer if there is no one else around. All four of the game modes can be played in either single or multiplayer.

The game modes are Classic, Challenge and Advanced mode. The classic game is what we all know and love with the first person to get four in a row wins. Challenge mode has lots of different mini games and challenges that you must complete and win four challenges in a row to complete it.

Advanced mode has three different modes including Power Chips, Max Score and Pop Out. Power chips and max score are the same mode essentially with the aim to get as many 4 in a rows in a certain time limit. For Power chips however you get chips with special skills such as blowing up other chips or swapping places with chips. This makes it a nice challenge and bit of a mix up for the regular gamer.

Multiplayer mode is available to play via local WiFi, Bluetooth or Pass n Play. Wifi and Bluetooth work quite well but the cool multiplayer feature I found to be the Pass n Play mode. Instead of having a mode that you have to physically pass and play you can just sit it on a table and play this game. There are options to play depending on where you are sitting such as face to face or side to side. These little features just make the game more enjoyable and easy to use.

The different game modes are a lot of fun and really add to the amount you will play this game, particularly by yourself. The challenge mode is particularly fun to play by yourself and will challenge the most seasoned Connect 4 players.

When it get's down to it you are going to buy this game if you adore Connect 4 and probably not if you can't stand it. For those in the middle and aren't sure whether to get this or not then the extra modes will be the turning point for you. Particularly the challenge mode is a heap of fun and the new modes, especially Power chips, are something you can't play in real life.

For $2.99 you are getting what would be a $20 board game in real life and you don't have to be an accountant to figure out that you are saving heaps. Both fans and newcomers to the Connect 4 series will enjoy this game. What's better than a match 3 game? Yes that's right, 4 in a row!

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 9/10
Controls- 9.5/10
Overall- 9/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Bejeweled 2

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Ace Combat Xi

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Monopoly Classic

2009-12-19T00:09:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Monopoly Classic is a board game by Electronic Arts. $4.99

Monopoly Classic is the original. the best. the board game that started it all. This is the game that made Monopoly a worldwide success and finally we can play it on our iPhone and iPod Touch's. Ironically though this is the second Monopoly game released on the App Store, with many of you I am sure already with Monopoly Here & Now World Edition already on your iDevice.

This version of Monopoly has no radical changes or improvements to the H&N Edition, except that you play the game with less money and the original Monopoly locations. So in the end the decision to buy this game just depends whether you want the Classic version over the H&N version or even both.

Graphics wise this game is the same as H&N World Edition except the images and locations look different and more defined. When playing the game compared to the H&N version the tiles are easier to see and not so blurry which is a good thing. The game lets you see the board from right above it so you can see the board and where everything is and when one of the pieces move it zooms into the particular area of the board for a better view. There are no real flashy graphics or effects in this game, keeping it simple and as an easy board game to play. For those wanting a Monopoly game with some better effects and clips then I suggest getting the Wii or PC version.

The game runs quite well on all devices and I didn't experience any lag or crashes what so ever. I found the game to be look much like the original board game and even down to having all your cards and money sitting around the table. Nothing special in the game but it has what is needed for a game of this genre.

The controls for this game are quite easy to get the hang of and don't require any serious skills. About as hard as it gets is having to shake your device to roll the dice and then the rest of the game is basically controlled by tapping options. What you do need to get the hang of however is what all the different options are.

These shouldn't take too long to pick up and most of them tell you what their purpose is anyway. For a board game to be good on this platform it needs to be easy to use and have controls that means the young kids right through to your grandparents can pick this up and play. Monopoly is one of those games.

For the four of you that are unfamiliar with Monopoly, here is a basic run down. The aim of Monopoly is to be the last person standing. This is done by buying properties and having your opponents pay rent. They are also doing the same to you. When all of your properties are mortgaged and you have no money left to pay rent if you land on someones land, they are out of the game. The game involves building houses and hotels on your squares to increase the amount of rent needed to pay. It is a game that requires skill but also quite a bit of luck to roll the right numbers.

Each version of Monopoly is different. The rules stay the same but the amount of money things cost and the buildings and landmarks change from version to version. In the Classic version we have a quite small and limited budget to buy the cheaper make believe properties. For those wannabe Millionaire's among you out there I suggest you go for the H&N edition which makes you a Multi-millionaire and lets you buy cities and landmarks from around the world.

In single player mode there are multiple difficulty modes, different locations to play Monopoly and the option to alter the house rules (rules of the game). Apart from the different locations I found only one big thing in this game that is different between the two versions. When you don't want to buy a property instead of staying unsold it will go to auction, where everyone is bidding to try and win the land. This can sometimes work in your favour if you play it correctly, letting you get places cheaper than it's market value if the opponent has less money than it's worth or making the other opponents fight it out and eventually pay more for the land.

The other great part about Monopoly on the App Store is that you can play it in many different ways with your best friends. For those with friends without an iPhone or iPod Touch you can have up to four people playing with the Pass n Play Multiplayer. If you have friends with an iPhone or iPod Touch you can play with up to 4 people via a local WiFi or up to 3 people with Bluetooth. This is a lot of fun and really the main enjoyment you will get out of having this game.

Monopoly is a great game and when compared to both the board and console versions of the game, $4.99 is an extremely good price for a game like this. Every person should have at least one of the Monopoly versions on their iDevice. There isn't much difference between the two versions so I recommend just getting the one you want most or both if you really are a Monopoly fan.

This game is a heap of fun to play with other people, but you can work out strategies or plans while in the single player mode. There are hours of fun to be had here and you won't be disappointed with your purchase. Just hope that you are lucky enough to secure Park Place, that's where the real money is made!

Gameplay- 8.5/10
Graphics- 8.5/10
Controls- 6.5/10
Overall- 8/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Monopoly Here & Now World Edition

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Connect 4

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Labyrinth 2

2009-12-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Labyrinth 2 is a ball rolling game by Illusion Labs. $4.99

There are some games that would not work on any other platform except our iDevices, Labyrinth 2 is one of these and aren't we glad that we get to play it!

When the App Store was quite new we came across a game called Labyrinth, which gave us over 1000 levels to roll around in. I never got around to buying the full version but I did have the lite version for a long time and really enjoyed the game. Illusion Labs however has taken over the title and created an outstanding sequel which puts the original to shame.

With over a year between versions you would expect there to be some pretty big changes, especially in the graphics department. In true Illusion Labs style they have made this game look absolutely brilliant and have added some features which make this game one of the best out there. While this game only has about 200 pre-loaded levels that is just the tip of the iceberg with much more content to be found and created by you.

The original Labyrinth looked good, but somehow Illusion Labs has made it better and 3D. First of all looking at this game you don't think you can really make it look 3D and still decent looking, but the suttle improvements made to the game such as seeing the sides of the walls as you tilt the game really make this look awesome.

Instead of a game where you a rolling it into 2D lines on the screen it's almost like there is a real ball in your device. Along with the classic wooden layout of the original we get a new Metallic setting as well as some awesome new toys to play with in the levels. With these new features it really shows how good the physics are in this game.

The ball reacts accordingly to what happens to it with some level of realism and most importantly this game is smooth and has no lag at all. This is an extremely good thing, especially with a game that needs so much precision as lag would be the ultimate gamebreaker here.

Much like the other ball rolling game I recently covered, Super Monkey Ball 2, the controls are super easy to pick up but will take a long time to master. You tilt the device to control where the ball goes and obviously the more you tilt it the faster the ball will roll. Instead of the view we got in SMB2 you are looking down on the game with the whole level in front of you. Again, while the process seems easy enough you will find that this game requires a heap of precision and timing to finish quite a lot of the medium and harder levels.

There are many dangers on the levels and knowing the key amount to tilt your device is crucial to success, making once again another game that is quick to learn but will take hours to master. This seems like the key area of Illusion Labs games I have found.

The aim of a Labyrinth game is to work your way through the maze to the end point of it. In Labyrinth 2 on the iPhone they can add in lots more effects and features than we could ever imagine in a real life game.

In this version you have to avoid dangerous holes that send you back to the starting position as well as many other obstacles such as pinball bumpers, cannons, fans, trip wires, magnets and much more. Most of these features are new in Labyrinth 2 and require some getting used to their effects when triggered.

The base set of levels in this game rounds off to around 200 in total. They come in level packs and are classified as easy, medium or hard. The aim is to beat the levels as fast as possible to get the best time. Beating level packs and lots more lets you unlock achievements, which slowly unlocks new balls for you to roll around in the game. For the first time all these levels can be played in a brand new local multiplayer mode. This lets up to four players roll to victory each aiming for the best time.

I bet you are asking, how come we get 800 levels less in this new version? 200 Levels for $4.99, this is an absolute outrage! Luckily for those who manage to beat all 200 levels there is a revolutionary new mode that lets you download and create your own level packs. There are literally an unlimited amount of levels to download as the large fan base and creating new packs regularly. Some are downright terrible packs but if you check the Top 25 section you will find the finest packs created by fellow gamers.

To make your own levels you have to get a code off the game and head to LevelPack.com where you can then add any of the obstacles and features that we find in the game itself. This is quite a detailed layout letting you put exact sizes and locations of different items to create the ultimate level. You will find yourself spending more time on this than the game, trying to make hard levels to challenge the best rollers and nice easy packs for the beginners.

With this in the game Illusion Labs have created ultimately unlimited fun and levels for us to play, giving you more bang for your buck.

Labyrinth 2 is an excellent game that has received glowing reviews from the public, being in the top 20 paid games and still retaining their perfect 5 star average. This is one of the smoothest and best casual games out on the App Store. I can easily play this for 5 minutes or be hooked on it for over an hour.

Especially with their brilliant creating system and the ability to download other peoples levels is a great addition to this game. For $4.99 I can easily recommend this to anyone as you will find all aspects of the game perfectly executed. One of the best games I have played on the iDevice.

Gameplay- 10/10
Graphics- 9/10
Controls- 9.5/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Labyrinth

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Monopoly Classic

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: F1 2009

2009-12-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

You know the iPhone and iPod Touch is a irresistible market when we are slowly but surely seeing more huge console developers cashing in on it's success. This time it is Codemasters joining the party bringing F1 2009 to our screens very shortly. But for now check out the preview screens and press release I received today.

Experience Formula One Racing on the iPhone and iPod Touch

Get ready to go high speed on the iPhone and iPod touch with Codemasters’ F1 2009, coming soon to the mobile platform.
Players will be able to step into the racing boots of their heroes, including 2009 Fia Formula One World Champions Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.

Coming soon to the Apple App Store, F1 2009 features all 10 teams, 20 drivers and 17 circuits from the thrilling 2009 Fia Formula One World Champsionship.

F1 2009 offers stunning visuals and a totally authentic FORMULA ONE experience on the iPhone and iPod.

Players will be able to tackle the stunning Eau Rouge at Spa Francorchamps, master the unique challenge set by Becketts at Silverstone and experience the claustrophobic streets of Monaco where one mistake can end with a crash.

F1 2009 also features the iconic Singapore night race and the beautiful Yas Marina circuit in the United Arab Emirates.

F1 2009 on the iPhone and iPod pits the player against the clock and supports two different game modes: Time Trial and Endurance.

Time Trial is all about setting the ultimate flying lap at a circuit of the player’s choice while playing as one’s favorite driver.

Endurance is a challenge of both speed and consistency as players tackle either six, nine or 12 laps looking to set the best average lap time.

Players’ flying lap or average lap times can then be uploaded to the global AGON Online Social Platform Leaderboard to see where they rank amongst the world’s best.

Formula One 2009 should be gracing our App Store within the coming weeks. But for now here are a few teaser screens for the game.

Why I have 'Got OATS'

2009-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

With 100,000+ apps on the App Store and many review sites and YouTube channels covering these games it is hard for both developers and readers a like to find which sites are trustworthy and honest. While the majority of us are fair sites a few paint the rest of us in a bad light with paid reviews and dodgy dealings. That is where Got O.A.T.S- The Organization for App Testing Standards steps in.

For those who have no idea what this group is, it is basically a group of iPhone related sites that are set on improving the ethics of sites and lead in example. The sites that join up take an Oath stating to follow certain rules:

1) WE PLEDGE to never mix business with editorial. We reject all forms of paid reviews, including "express reviewing" fees. Advertising on an O.A.T.S. site will have no bearing whatsoever on whether we decide to review an App, or on the nature of coverage we give it, when and if we do;

2) WE PLEDGE to clearly mark all advertisements as such on our sites;

3) WE PLEDGE to insure that each of our reviews is as thorough, accurate, honest, and fully informed as possible;

4) WE PLEDGE to promptly correct all factual mistakes in our reviews, and to post an Editor's Note when we do;

5) WE PLEDGE that all editorial work appearing on our sites is our own;

6) WE PLEDGE to allow disagreement, dissent, and complaint through reader commentary, and to never censor it;

7) WE PLEDGE that all App reviews will follow the same process, whether a particular App is obtained via promo code, purchase, or ad-hoc distribution;

8) WE PLEDGE that site promotions or contests involving promo code giveaways will not influence any review in any way.

I initially joined GotOATS around a month after it was started by 148apps.com and SlideToPlay.com. What attracted me to it was a few reasons. One was being known as part of a group that were respected and being known as an accredited site that was an ethical site. The other thing that brought me to sign up was being part of this prestigious group along with some of the much larger sites that I looked up to.

I soon found out that there was more to the job than just being accepted into the group. Once in the group each and every one of the sites contributes to make the iPhone gaming sector a better place to work in. Everyone is regularly sharing ideas and notifying each other of dodgy sites and developers that are putting us in a bad light. We also try to counter this by sharing the good work of sites and commending those who are doing good things for our community.

Being a free-hosted blog I feel particularly lucky to be accepted into this group. Not only does it make me feel like I am doing the right thing with my reviewing but it sheds limelight on the smaller sites like myself that you can be rewarded for your efforts and good work.

I strive to keep my part of the bargain by following the Oath presented to me upon joining. I endeavor to write reviews which are fair and unbiased to the games and give all the information needed to the reader so they can make their own mind up on the game. I also do not let any advertising or offers of cash affect whether a game gets reviewed or not, rejecting any offers of cash for reviews or reviews to jump the queue.

Now that I have been with the GotOATS community for over half a year I have a strong sense of loyalty to the group and feel proud to call myself a member. This post is just a contribution to the effort we are all putting in too make this place a more ethical and trusting place for the readers to be in. During this month there will be more OATS members writing up on this topic and their approach to the OATS group.

I would also like to thank Jeff from 148Apps, Steve from SlideToPlay, Nigel from TouchGen and James from TheAppEra for founding this group and to all the other member sites for their contributions to help not only myself but other sites improve their ethics and the overall condition of iPhone sites.

Check out the other Got O.A.T.S posts from fellow members:

Just Another iPhone Blog
AppAddict

Super Monkey Ball 2

2009-12-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Super Monkey Ball 2 is an arcade game by SEGA. $9.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

SEGA rolls once again onto the App Store, finally showing their potential to make Triple A titles for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Despite the original debuting to much fanfare (thanks to Apple), it just was crippled by bugs and lag issues. Now the team is back to PROVE that they DO know how to make iPhone games.

No more issues or lags, new levels and even mini games await! If you've bashed SEGA before, you can't bash them now with Super Monkey Ball 2!

One of the biggest updates to this game is how damn good it looks. The original title had a 3D environment but a 2D character, which for me was a big downer in the game because it just took away the full effect of this game. Finally though this game has gone completely 3D with more defined and improved levels as well as 3D characters, which just makes this game look more professional and just in general heaps better.

The characters are now 3D, with a realistic rolling action that I have been craving for a long time. This game if anything plays like Marble Blast Mobile by Garage Games in terms of physics and graphics, which was my no.1 ball rolling game until SMB2 came along.

Being a 3D game it is also demanding on the iDevice in terms of power. I found Super Monkey Ball 2 to work glitch, lag and crash free on both the 2nd Gen and 1st Gen devices. This is great as a game that requires lots of delicate tilting would be spoilt if lag caused the game to become impossible. 3rd Gen devices have been encountering blinking and other problems, mostly on jailbroken devices but a fix for this has been announced to be out soon.

The controls of Super Monkey Ball 2 are about as simple as they get, tilting. There is no jumping or special moves, all you do in the game is tilt the device in all directions to control where your monkey in a ball travels.

This is the total opposite to Super Monkey Ball 1 where the controls were very delicate and it got impossible to control your character on harder levels. SEGA B XMFW9W F has listened to us however, making a more friendly game that even a child should be able to use. On the harder levels the tilting requires much more finesse, which is where one slight problem comes in.

Super Monkey Ball 2 is all about getting from the start to the end of each level. In all there are 115 levels, and you have a 60 second time limit on each just to make things more interesting. These levels start out easy and pretty basic, but after completing a few areas you are thrust into tracks with sharp corners and all oddities!

With each level pack as such you start with 5 lives, which are lost by falling off the edge of the track or running out of time. To get more lives you must collect 10 bananas. So in theory if you complete every level perfectly you will get an extra life per level. In the middle of the pack you can replenish your supplies with a simple area with 40 bananas to collect, giving you a maximum of 4 lives to get you through the second half of the pack. Having all these lives are handy and a great way to help the average user survive the game.

There are four characters playable in the game. They are Aiai, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon. There are no special stats or anything with these characters, they are just for personal preference and are to be used when playing multiplayer. You can play any of the 115 levels against up to 3 friends over local WiFi or Bluetooth.

Finally there are mini games available for you to play. The first one available is Monkey Bowling where you flick your Monkey instead of using a bowling ball. The other two mini games are locked but are coming early next year in a free update. The first mini game is a heap of fun and a nice variation added to the game.

The game will sometime require you to do very very sharp U-Turns or turn sharply while traveling quite quickly. One consequence of easing up the controls is that you can turn as effectively as before, with you being forced to go to a complete stop to manage some corners. While this isn't the greatest I would rather have to adapt to a different style of tilting rather than have an uncontrollable wreck.

SEGA has taken the right steps in improving this game, making a highly addictive and fun game for us to play. Finally we have a game that is fully 3D and doesn't look like a port from another console or previous version. I was extremely impressed with Super Monkey Ball 2 and couldn't speak any higher of it.

If you've been traumatized by the original, this is the magic potion. Do not worry about what you thought of the old version, this version makes up for everything that you didn't like in SMB1 and adds some more juicy features on top. Don't be put off by the $9.99, it is definitely worth it!

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 9.5/10
Controls- 8/10
Overall- 9/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Marble Blast Mobile

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Surviving High School

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Christmas Giveaway! Win SMB2

2009-12-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: The winners are as follows:
Super Monkey Ball 2 goes to -> Diffusion8r
Super Monkey Ball 2 goes to -> AlvinDj7
Super KO Boxing 2 goes to ->Jfenwinky
S.A.N.T.A goes to -> MiniMe
TextBlaster goes to -> Rufus1212

A huge thanks once again to all who entered, I hope you continue coming back to this site and see you all in 2010 for another great year!

Since I will be away for the Christmas break I thought we would kick things off early with this Christmas Giveaway as a big thank you to all our readers.
This site has been around for almost a year now, starting out with only a handful of viewers but now we are booming and the biggest free-hosted iPhone blog on the web which is a pretty big achievement. (That I know of)
I'd like to thank each and every one of you, as I wouldn't be in the situation I am now writing for not only this site but under two great friends James from TheAppEra and Arron from Razorianfly.

What is a better way to have a Christmas giveaway but giveaway not one, but TWO promo codes to the recently released Super Monkey Ball 2.

How are you going to win it?

This is going to be a random drawing with you having 24 hours to enter

Everytime you comment on a post you go into the drawing. You can comment on each post made this year a maximum of 1 time, including this one (So if you really want to win this game you have a maximum of 148 entries)

In the comment you must say what you think of either the game or the review itself. You must also include contact details eg. Twitter Account or Email Address

Two people will be picked at random and will receive a Super Monkey Ball 2 Code each

If I am feeling in a good mood we may more codes to giveaway - Devs if you want to help out here email me at Damon@razorianfly.com

You have 24 hours then I will find our winners, so get commenting guys!

Merry 'Early' Christmas!

Rogue Planet

2009-12-03T23:39:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Rogue Planet is a turn based strategy game by Gameloft. $4.99

Months and months ago we heard of a game being developed by the people who made 1112 Ep 01. This game was meant to be so good that they even halted development on 1112 Ep 02 so they could get this game finished. Here we are months later with a game that is so good that even Gameloft wanted a piece of it, publishing the game. If one of the biggest and best developers on the App Store wants to get in on the action then why shouldn't get consumers be jumping over each other to play this game?

This game plays much like the GBA and Nintendo DS hit game Advance Wars. The nearest counterpart to this game on the App Store is Mecho Wars. I won't give up too much about the game now, that's saved for people who continue reading this review, but there is quite literally hours upon hours of campaign and free play missions to complete. Even after the first mission this game is working it's way into being a blast.

This game looks. Stunning. Firstly in the battlefield, which there are over 30 unique maps, these look great and close to if not better than the maps on Advance Wars. The surroundings are simple yet effective, with a map that looks nice without having to use so much power that the game becomes laggy. All the different characters and different enemy types are easily distinguished from one another and makes it good for tactical advances.

Another big part of Advance Wars and both Mecho Wars is the awesome looking battle cutscenes. What this means is that whenever you and an enemy attack each other we get a cutscene with a cartoon looking fight. This involves the attacker attacking first and if the other one in the fight is still alive we see them fight. While watching it is pointless and has no huge effect on what happens in the game, it makes the game fun and probably one of the reasons why Advance Wars was so successful. It just gives us a nice break from the map play and adds a bit more thrill and excitement to the experience.

Finally we have our cut scenes between campaigns, which is basically you choosing different locations on the ship to talk to people. The characters and style of these scenes reminds me very much of Mass Effect Galaxy by Electronic Arts. The general consensus with these chats is that the ship has carked it, the enemies are invading and there are no humans left... but in a serious manner. There is no importance to these scenes but they add a nice story to go with the battles.

The basic controls for the game are pretty simple, choose a player to move, touch where you want to go then move/fight someone. What isn't so easy to learn is the actions and symbols that go with this game and I have to say is partly due to how the game is set out. First of all there is no clear cut and simple tutorial to follow which explains all the different options available to you. Instead the first mission is basically just moving your characters without showing you how to perform anything else.

Instead of teaching you the controls with a hands on tutorial, you can get all this information by reading some tips in one of the options. While you do get all the information I find that an interactive tutorial going through how to colonize a building etc. etc. would be handy for first timers.

The basic storyline behind the game is save the world from the evil robots who have seemingly wiped out the human race. Your team has been in space for a number of years and return to find the world eerily empty. As you go to explore you encounter a different life form, some sort of robots who seem to be in control of earth. You fight it out over 19 campaign missions and in the end you ***************************** (Find out for yourself!).

The game is a turned based strategy game, kind of like a more entertaining and way cooler version of Chess. You and the opponent take turns in moving all your army on the map and then ending your turn. If you are within range you can engage in combat with an opponent's army member. There are many different machines and people that are found on the battlefield. Different races will have different effects on the same opponent. For example if you have a tank and a commando, one of these will be more effective against a certain enemy compared to the other.

Not all campaign missions are about killing all the enemy, however doing so will make your tasks a lot easier. Some campaigns require you capture so many buildings or cities while others may require you to get certain members of the army to a specific area. All in all each of the campaigns have some relativity to the storyline presented in the cut scenes.

The game has around 6-8 hours of game time all up, with the 19 campaign missions and 15 casual maps to play around with. For those who friends that also own Rogue Planet you can battle each other via local Wifi or Bluetooth, with Online multiplayer promised in a future update.

This game is very similar to the successful counterpart Advance Wars, but this is a great result for the iPhone. Not only do we get engaging gameplay but also the graphics and sound that make for a great gaming experience. This game will last you for a long time and is a very respectable game for the $4.99 price.

If you are a fan of turn based games or even RTS games like Command & Conquer, Warfare Inc. and The Settlers you will find yourself enjoying this game immensely. There is months of effort and care put into the game, which is quite obvious. This game plays perfectly on an iPhone 3GS right down to the 1st Gen iPod Touch's. So why are you still reading this review? Go pick up Rogue Planet and help us save the world.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Mecho Wars

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Super Monkey Ball 2

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Skater Nation

2009-12-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Skater Nation is a skateboarding game by Gameloft. $6.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

Skater Nation gives us a huge world to play around in. When I say huge that's quite an understatement because it will literally take you forever to find all the areas to skate in. There is a heap to do in this game, it looks great, and I found the controls surprisingly easy with practice. Are you ready to skate down the streets?

This game looks damn nice! From the core basics of the city to the details right down to graffiti and ad boards. What makes this game impressive is how they have made a game with a huge environment that has unique scenery at every corner. I wouldn't be surprised if they used the Gangstar engine to get the layout for this city as they are both large in size for an iPhone game.

Those skating buffs will be able to tell the difference between the tricks as the game runs smoothly even on the 1st Gen devices. Each designated area of the game has a different feel to it, whether it being darker in the downtown area or nice and bright near the beach. It is amazing to see Gameloft kicking the notch up on every release.

The general feeling I have seen for this game is that people downright hate the controls. I will admit that the A and B buttons aren't the best way you could go, but they made it easy enough to learn the ropes of the controls to become decent at it. The other small let down I found was that the v-stick for controlling the skater was too small and hard to use for a game like this, with your finger often slipping out of range.

Apart from that, there is really no reason why you can't master these controls. To steer you skater you use the v-stick with forward to speed up, back to slow to a complete stop and left and right to turn. People seem to be annoyed that you don't speed up when turning but that's what happens in real life. Kudos again there!

To jump up in the air you press the A button either when on the ground or going up a ramp. To pull a manual, lip or grind you press B and a direction on the v-stick to do different variations of the trick. While doing one of these three you can either tilt the device or use the v-stick to balance your skater. While in the air using the A or B button as well as a direction on the V-stick will give you any number of different tricks to perform.

In Skater Nation there are two game modes, Career and Free Play. You will spend basically all your time in Career mode, as due to it's nature of how the career pans out you can spend unlimited time roaming around and exploring all corners of the city.

The career mode is basically cut down to completing tasks for random people who are waiting for you around the city. There are around 25 challenges or so to complete and range from getting so many points in a time limit to doing a manual over a certain distance. Defeating these challenges unlock various things ranging from decks, trucks, wheels and even more characters.

The wheels, trucks and decks that you can swap and change affect the stats of your skater. There are five characters available when you first pick up the game and three more are unlockables. Each of the characters have different stats and items to use, as well as each one having their own career mode. This adds a considerable amount of replayability to the game as you can try and get 100% on the career of each skater.

The rest of the time in the game involves just perfecting your moves and exploring the whole area. Half the fun is actually finding the people who have the challenges for you to complete. For example I found one person waiting for me inside a warehouse that just happened to be pimped out with huge ramps.

Some awesome graphics and huge gaming area makes for a title that will be played again and again by most people. As long as you give this game time and actually learn to adapt to the controls you will have an absolute blast playing this game. For those wanting more of a challenge you can try and collect all the floating decks in free play mode.

The only thing I can suggest is maybe have a more user friendly v-stick, but apart from that, this game is almost impeccable. $6.99 is a fair price for this game and if you are considering getting this, just get it already.

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 9/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Vans Sk8: Pool Service

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Skater Nation

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

World Series of Poker- Hold 'Em Legend

2009-11-29T17:33:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

World Series of Poker- Hold 'Em Legend is a poker game by Glu. $4.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

With the launch of the App Store can a great poker game by Apple themselves, which feature great graphics and strong reasons why it should be the only poker game you need to buy. Over a year later and I have finally found a poker game that I feel it worthy to share the limelight with Apple's Texas Hold 'Em. It just so happens that this game is also a fully licensed WSOP game.

Being a total Poker nut, even to the extent of winning a fair sized tournament and owning about three poker games for my Xbox 360 I feel like I know enough about the topic to review this game. When I picked up this game it was really about comparing it to Texas Hold 'Em by Apple. This game has some qualities that are better than Apple's attempt, but it is also been beaten in other areas. Overall though, taking into account what is important in a poker game, I believe WSOP: H'EL comes out trumps.

The main area where Texas Hold'em wins out is definitely the graphics department. Apple have filmed various people betting, calling, folding and all sorts of actions to watch as your turns go around. Even in horizontal mode I feel as if it looks better than WSOP. The closest WSOP gets to this are the short cut scenes when you have a sort of rival in various tables and the short movie of each hotel before you start playing a particular tournament.

You can only play WSOP horizontally and it looks basically the same compared to Texas Hold'Em, except with the graphics not as smooth and crisp as the earlier game. Also the game doesn't seem to be as responsive and quick compared to TH'E. If you are looking for a poker game that has better visuals and everything, this isn't the game for you. Luckily though poker games don't care too much about how snazzy it looks as it is all about how good the gameplay is, which is where WSOP really comes out on top.

The controls in this game are pretty simple really. The game plays out with other players betting and folding as they please, which can be fast forwarded straight to your turn with a single touch of the screen. When you get to your turn to bet you have to touch the table to bring up the betting screen. This can sometimes be frustrating as it doesn't come up straight away. Once it does pop up though you slide it to whatever amount you choose and press bet. If you want to check your cards you just double tap the screen, similar to double tapping the table in real poker to check.

Just like in TH'E there are some special tricks you can do to speed up certain processes. Whenever you want to fold you just touch your cards and flick them into the middle of the table. Also if you want to skip betting and go straight to going all in then you can do that by dragging your chip pile into the middle just like with the cards. This will automatically put you all in.

Gameplay is where this game really happens. Those who have it will know that TH'E has a few different tables that require you to win money from smaller tournaments to buy in and try your luck. In WSOP it is basically the same, yet in more detail. You start off the game most likely in Legend Career (A local and global multiplayer option is also available). This career mode lets you create a player to slowly work your way up the casino's to be the ultimate poker superstar. You start off with limited cash and really only one casino that you can play on. As you master that table and increase your cash amount you can progress until you get to the last hotel, with a heap of cash flowing out of your pockets.

WSOP has many different hotels to play in, with something I felt was missing from TH'E, different types of Texas Hold 'Em. While this game doesn't feature games like Omaha and 7 Stud Poker like the console version, it does have many different modes like Shootout and Winner Takes All. All these basically do is affect how much you can potentially win at the end of the day, but it can affect what game I will play depending on how strapped I am for cash.

The other great thing about this version is that Glu also has the rights to let us win one of the coveted WSOP bracelets that real life poker stars can win in major tournaments. These don't come easy but winning one is an achievement in itself. On that note there are also 20 achievements that can be achieved through playing the game. These are meaningless but a bit of fun to collect.

The main aim of WSOP is to get to the final hotel, with your eye on the main prize to win the WSOP main event. This is the hardest poker tournament in history, and will require a lot of cash from hard earned tournament wins and even more skill and luck combined to get you through for the victory.

Getting to this main table will probably be a dream for some of us poker wannabe's but there are hours of fun sucking at the smaller tables to be had none the less. Poker is a game I can play all day and the amount of new and riskier challenges in this game has even dragged me from my WSOP Xbox game and Zynga Poker on Facebook.

Like Poker and want something more challenging than Texas Hold'Em? Then this game is definitely for you. Countless hours of fun to be had. The only downside I found to this game was the lack of people wanting to play in the global multiplayer, which I found to never be able to connect me. I would stick to the Legend Career for now and just hope you don't get dealt a 2 7!

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 7/10
Sound- 6.5/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Texas Hold'Em

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Skater Nation

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

NBA Live

2009-11-21T19:08:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

NBA Live is a basketball game by Electronic Arts. $9.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

First of all I feel extremely privileged to even review this game, with James being perhaps the biggest Lakers fan of all time (Except this guy or even this guy). For a long long time we have been waiting for NBA Live, since Electronic Arts announced their 2009 line up back around March. Now it has arrived, and boy isn't it NOICE!

Being a long time fan and player of Basketball there was nothing more that I wanted on my iPod than this. First of all the game lets you use all NBA teams and players in the full 82 game season. The game itself are very fun and have good use of the touch screen by using a minimal number of buttons to play.

There is no better feeling than hitting down a big 3 pointer or dunking the ball over the top of another opponent and this game successfully recreates all of it. All aspects of the game are covered and plays almost like a real NBA game with no super skills or tricks possible. The Lakers are also a good team which isn't hard to believe ;)

The graphics probably aren't the best they could be, but as far as I know it is to keep the performance of the game at a respectable level on all devices. The players aren't up to the standard of their other games like Madden 10, but I found even without looking at the names I could successfully distinguish who was who on the court. Each of the courts have been personalized for each team with their logo's splattered all over the arena.

This game has managed to smash a heap of different controls into two buttons plus a D-Pad and tactics board. On the left side of the screen is a floating D-Pad which lets you control your player. There are two buttons, one blue and one red. While in offense one button lets you pass the ball and the other lets you shoot the ball. To pass the ball you can just touch it once and it will pass the ball to the nearest player or you can hold onto the button then touch whatever player you want to pass it to. To shoot the ball it is best to hold it down while you jump up and let go at the top of your flight for the best percentage shot.

To pump fake you just touch the shoot button quickly. When shooting free throws you get to tilt your device backwards to lift the ball and flick it forward to shoot the ball, kind of like SGN's free game iBasketball. The passing button can also be flicked up, down, left or right which let's you do or fake your opponent while dribbling the ball which can be handy to get around them. To dunk the ball all you have to do is press the shoot button when the player is near the ring, which can be known if their circle turns entirely green.

While in defense the buttons let you either try to steal the ball or block a shot. I found defense to be the least effective part of the game as your circle tells blue when you can successfully steal the ball and red when you can successfully block a shot. Apart from that it's a hit and miss thing that may or may not work. In each part of the game you can use tactics and plays to score or have a successful defense, these can be changed each play.

This game is just like playing basketball (surprise!). You can play in either exhibition mode, season mode or skip it all and go straight to the playoffs. Each of these games can be played with one of three difficulty levels and various quarter times.

I found the game quite a challenge while on medium, which is good to see that it isn't really easy to defeat. The game plays and feels like a basketball game which is good to see. Each of the players have different traits that represent their real life selves. For example when playing with the Lakers I found Kobe Bryant is more likely to hit a 3 pointer than say Pau Gasol in the same position because he is more often than not in the paint.

EA has done a great job on making this game as good as possible, but if I was to suggest anything I would love a more intense defense, not only on my side of the game but from the opposition as well. They seem to just sit and wait for me to make a play and I would like to see some more attacking defense. This game has loads of replayabilty for you as it will take days upon days to finish the 82 game season and the playoffs. While $9.99 may seem like a hefty price just think of all the game time you will get out of this.

This is a not to miss game for all basketball fans and should also provide enjoyment for the less unsporty. With the added incentive of unlockable legends of NBA teams' past, this should appeal to those who are fans of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or even classics like Magic Johnson.

If I was you I wouldn't miss out on this game, it will be one of your favourites for months to come. Now I have better get back to the game otherwise Dwight Howard might blow me out of the water... Unlikely ;)

Gameplay- 10/10
Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Streetball

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is World Series of Poker Hold 'Em Legend

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Asphalt 5

2009-11-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Asphalt 5 is a racing game by Gameloft. $6.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

Early in the App Store's career we had one game that was a standout at the time, Asphalt 4: Elite Racing. But with the release of the latest Asphalt game we find that game blown out of the water with a faster, shinier and meaner Asphalt 5.

I absolutely loved Asphalt 4 to bits, thinking it was about as good as iPhone games could go (hell was I wrong). Asphalt 5 is Gameloft's latest version, a game that has been announced for some time. They have basically stripped Asphalt 4 and improved the game on almost every level possible, putting a racing game out that is finally in the same league at NFS: Undercover and Real Racing.

After Asphalt 4 I was expecting at least an improvement when Ferrari GT came out, getting a game that I found worse than Asphalt 4. The frame rate of the game has improved immensely, even though it still isn't up to NFS standards, but it heaps better than the previous version. Everything from the controls to the track layouts have been improved to be more fun and thrill for the user.

I found Asphalt 4 to have some sweet graphics, which I soon found out aren't sweet at all for this type of device. Asphalt 5 however has made great improvements to this area of the game, making more realistic graphics and just an all round better looking game. While the game has made improvements I still can't put this game at the same level as NFS and Real Racing, but it certainly matches it with the other good racing games like Fast & Furious and Fastlane Street Racing.

The one thing that lacks in this game is a decent frame rate for the game. This in the end is the difference between this being an A grade and an A+ game. The game runs fine at the current frame rate on my iPod Touch 1st Gen, and even if it was bumped up on the 3GS and 3rd Gen Touch then it would at least make the game better for some of our community. Really though, overall this is a great looking game which can be seen just from looking at some of the screenshots from the game.

The controls in Asphalt 5 are basically the same to this and every other racing game on the App Store. The game is set to auto acceleration but can be changed to an accelerate button, but the rest of the game is controlled by you. The game wrecker in Asphalt 4 was the dodgy and VERY VERY VERY annoying drifting that came on if you tilted the device at all, basically drifting around any corner. The drifting is turned on by pressing the brake while going around the corner and can be turned off be re-braking or using nitro, making the drifting process easier and more fun.

To use nitro you just touch the nitro button, with it going up in 3 modes of speed. The car can be moved around the course by tilting your iDevice and braking can be done by pressing the brake button on the left of the screen. Even though the controls are basically the same they are certainly improved from Asphalt 4, with the drifting making all the difference.

Asphalt 5 is all about two game modes, career and online. There is also a quick play mode but you may as well play the career mode and earn new cars. There are 12 locations to race in with 4 different game types per location. The races can be completed in 33 super cars that are from big names like Ferrari, Audi and more.

The career mode is very fun and will take you multiple hours to complete. The locations are slowly unlocked as you complete tracks, but as has been widely broadcasted the Cop Chase mode wrecks the game. This mode is extremely hard and I have not been able to continue any further because I can't beat this mode.

The other modes range from a 3 lap race to a time trial or even a cash race to try and earn enough cash in the 3 laps. There are 8 modes in total with some new additions and add-ons to the modes in Asphalt 4. The entire list includes race, cash attack, last man standing, cop chase, time trial, drift race, duel mode and escape. These are provide a nice challenge but nothing compared to Cop Chase.

The other new mode is online mode which pits you against up to 7 other real players around the world. This mode works quite well but has a few glitches like extremely jumpy cars, and you can tell why they didn't implement it earlier this year with Ferrari GT. As a basic online mode for a racing game it works well though and can be an enjoyable experience, if you have a fast car.

This game has taken huge leaps from the dawn of Gameloft in the App Store, and the progression has paid off greatly. This is a sweet racing game that you can find yourself happy playing time after time. Gameloft have stated that they are working on fixing the cop chase mode so the average gamer can complete it and they are still making a decision whether to incorporate the previous idea of DLC maps and cars.

At $6.99 this game is dearer than both Need for Speed and Real Racing and I would recommend them everytime. If you have both of them then this is definitely option #3 for racing games and has enough content for the price, seeing as we got less with Asphalt 4 for $9.99. I was extremely impressed with this title and hope to finish it when/if Gameloft put a fix out for the cop chase mode.

Gameplay- 8/10
Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Need for Speed: Undercover

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is NBA Live

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Pro Surfing (Wildcard)

2009-11-01T23:38:00.000-08:00

iTunes Link

Pro Surfing (Wildcard) is a surfing game by Traction Games. $1.99

Being a surfer myself I have been looking for a long time for a game that satisfies my surfing urges when I can't be in the water. While Pro Surfing isn't the most realistic surfing game I have played it takes you inside the wave, giving the best surfing experience possible. The other games I have played have you looking at the wave and the surfer, this game puts you directly behind the surfer, experiencing all the rush of being in the barrel of a wave. This game as I said doesn't give a realistic experience of surfing, mainly because unless you are a surfer it would be boring and you wouldn't understand it. This game lets you get massive air and do some sweet tricks, something missing from the other surfing games.

Pro Surfing has some great graphics which have brought a more realistic feel to the game than others such as Bobble Surfer. The wave looks as good as it can for a game like this, with it continuously moving. The surfer's look quite realistic and very impressive seeing no other surfing games have come even close to this. The animations are super smooth f0r this game and I encountered no lag during gameplay. The only thing I can think of possibly improving in the graphics department are more customizable characters with different boards, outfits etc. and clearer loading screens. The load screens have tips on them, but it seems quite blurry and would look more professional if they improved them a little bit. Apart from that I'm happy with the graphics of this game.

The controls of Pro Surfing have been simplified to make it easy for the average gamer to pick up and play. To start surfing you have to tilt your device as shown on the screen, this then allows you to start surfing. From there you have to tilt you device left and right to move. Riding up and down the wave allows you to gain speed to get out of the barrel and to do bigger tricks. To do tricks all you have to do is tilt your way off the wave and then press any one of the 4 buttons on the left of the screen. Tilting while in the air also gives you more points. The button on the right side of the screen lets you slow down, getting into the barrel to gain points and hopefully get a barrel blowout for some extreme speed. The controls are easy and work well for a game like this, making for a fun time that is easy to learn, but takes a long time to master.

The aim of surfing is to surf for so long and try and get a high score, hopefully getting a 10/10. In Pro Surfing you have to do this twice, to try and beat your opponent to progress to the next round of the competition. There are four competitions that you have to compete in to be the best surfer in the world, and these are on four very different waves. These must be won in competition before you can surf them in the free surf mode. In my first run through the competition I won 3 out of the 4 locations, meaning I have to do the whole thing again to unlock the wave I missed. I find this quite annoying and would like an option to do certain contests after the competition is completed once. The other thing which could be improved is an in-app leaderboard so you don't have to go to safari to submit your scores each time. Apart from that the surfing mechanism in this game is very good, making the game have some sort of feel like the real thing. The game physics don't let you do anything really extreme, except for the huge airs but that's the fun factor of surfing games. I gave this to my non-surfing friend to play and they were addicted to how fun this is, before asking me why I can't do any of this in real life.

Pro Surfing (Wildcard) is the best surfing game by far I have played on the iDevice, and nearly any other device except Kelly Slater Pro Surfer. The experience is fun for all players, experienced surfers or not. Definitely one of the better games I have played that aren't well known on the App Store, even though it should be. There is now a lite version to test the waters as such with, but it should be enough to convince you to buy this game for a respectable price of $1.99.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 5.5/10
Overall- 7/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Bobble Surfer

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is NBA Live

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: Monopoly Classic

2009-11-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

Don't want to be a high roller? Stop playing Monopoly: Here & Now World Edition and check out this preview of the classic Monopoly. I'm still wondering why this is coming out but those who want to play the original Monopoly here it is!

Product Description

Play EA Mobile’s iPhone/iPod touch game and build an empire from the ground up!
Use your savviest business strategies to Buy, Sell, Trade & Manage big-name real estate.
Cruise around the interactive board with animated tokens and 3D dice as you collect popular properties for profit!
Play through 3 levels and save games in progress for non-stop FUN!
And for the first time ever, MONOPOLY is 3.0 ready. Listen to & control music from your iTunes library without interrupting your game!

Key Features

*** MONOPOLY is 3.0 ready! *** For the first time ever, LISTEN TO & CONTROL music from your iTunes® library without interrupting your game!

>GET DOWN TO BUSINESS─ Use your savviest business strategies to Buy, Sell, Trade & Manage big-name properties and stay ahead of the competition

>HAVE FUN WHILE YOU MAKE MONEY─ Cruise around the interactive board with animated tokens and 3D dice as you collect popular properties for PROFIT

>HANDS ON EXCITEMENT─ Shake your iPhone to roll the dice. Tap the screen to Buy, Trade, and Upgrade your properties with Houses & Hotels

> FEELING COMPETITIVE?─Play with up to 4 friends on the same network with WiFi & Pass ‘n Play and up to 2 people with Bluetooth Multiplayer

>ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES─ Play through 3 levels of difficulty and save games in progress for non-stop FUN

Preview: Connect 4

2009-11-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

Boom! Another famous board game has been announced by Electronic Arts. Who didn't play this game as a child honestly? Everyone's lovable game Connect 4 is coming to the App Store, with extra features the original couldn't provide us!

Product Description

LINE 'EM UP WITH CONNECT 4!
Play the popular checker-dropping iPhone/iPod touch game for hours of fun!
Listen to & control music from your iTunes Library while you play.
Go solo with Single Player and connect 4 in Classic, Challenge & Advanced Modes.
Play against friends with Bluetooth, WiFi, or Pass 'n Play.
Build up your high score and unlock 25 achievements for smart plays.
Block & counter your opponent’s moves and check out new cut scenes, slow motion gameplay, and cool special effects!

Key Features

LINE ‘EM UP! - Play the timeless, world popular row-making game for hours of addictive FUN!

GO SOLO WITH SINGLE PLAYER - Test your row-making talent in Classic, Challenge, and Advanced Modes with all-new Powerchips, Max Score & PopOut!

PLAY AGAINST FAMILY & FRIENDS - Go head-to-head with the competition using Bluetooth, WiFi, or Pass 'N Play Multiplayer!

STAY AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION - Build up your high score & unlock 25 achievements for smart plays. Block & counter your opponent’s moves and be the first to get 4 tokens in a row to win!

EYE CANDY - Check out new cut scenes, slow motion gameplay, and cool special effects like exploding chips!

Preview: Battleship

2009-11-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

All hands to deck, Electronic Arts have announced that one of the most popular board games of all time is launching shortly on the App Store. Place your Submarine and hold on for the Battleship adventure.

Product Description

Prepare your strategy and lead your troops to victory!
Use touch screen controls to place your ships, map your co-ordinates and fire at the enemy.
Destroy all the enemy ships to win.
Play new and fun modes including the quick-fire Salvo and heavy duty Super Weapons where you can use an arsenal of powerful weapons to defeat your opponent.
Use WiFi and Bluetooth multiplayer to take on friends and prove you are the ultimate naval tactician!

Key Features

• Touch interface

• Different ways to play – Classic, Salvo and Super Weapons Modes
• Local two player Wifi and Bluetooth multiplayer

Derek Jeter Real Baseball

2009-10-29T03:24:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

Derek Jeter Real Baseball is a baseball game by Gameloft. $0.99

[A modified post from TheAppEra]

This game is the latest in Gameloft's Real Sports series, this time featuring one of the best known baseballer's today, Derek Jeter. Having a big name like Jeter on their game, I was hoping for actual MLB teams and players

Sadly, they haven't been able to get the rights to the names (MLB World Series 2009 is the only game to date with the rights to the teams, no players). Go Yankees? Or does this game tank?

With no MLB teams to convince you to buy this game what does Gameloft put on the plate to convince you to buy the game exactly? What about some quite realistic graphics and a baseball experience that is more true to the actual game than anything else on the App Store.

This game is fun to play, with easy to use controls that look great in one of the awesome looking baseball stadiums. If you have had enough with playing the addictive arcade baseball games like Baseball Superstars 2010 and Homerun Race 3D and want a real baseball experience, this is certainly the perfect game for you!

As I said before the graphics in this game are freaking sweet! This is by far the most realistic sports game in Gameloft's list and that's saying a lot when they have games like Real Soccer 2010 and NFL 2010.

The characters in this game look so real and detailed that at times it's almost like you are watching the real thing. This game has got everything in the game right down to the crinkles in the players outfits. The players are very close if not better to the footballers we see in Electronic Art's Madden 10. That's how impressive they are.

The animation is quite smooth for a game with graphics as good as they are. I encountered hardly any lag and the game ran smoothly if you had reset your iDevice within the last day or so. The fielding, pitching and batting animations all replicated real baseball extremely well and also managed to keep up with the pace of true baseball. This isn't something other games have been able to do so far and it's great to see someone 'get it right'.

Derek Jeter Real Baseball uses controls similar to MLB WS 2009 but they have been slightly improved to make the game easier. When batting, all you have to do is swing the bat by tapping on the screen, without the need to aim at the ball. This is a smart move on Gameloft's behalf because the ball is coming a lot faster than any other baseball games.

Pitching is pretty standard with it involving selecting a type of pitch, tilting your device and tapping to select that spot of the pitch. Next comes up to power meters that require you to try and stop it at the required spot to get perfect power and accuracy. It takes a bit of practice but you can generally get at least perfect accuracy all the time.

For the first time you can control fielding. This basically lets you run to pick up the ball and decide what base to throw it to. While it's not all that spectacular it adds for a bit more excitement and action in the game.

For those who have absolutely no idea how to play baseball, the aim is to get more runs than your opponent in 9 innings. In Derek Jeter however, we can be impatient little gamers and play with either 3, 6 0r 9 innings in a game. There are a few games modes to choose from including quick play, season mode, playoffs and home run contest. Again you can play these in a variety of difficulty modes with easy, medium or hard.

Quick Play lets you choose a team to play with and against and is for fun. This probably won't be used much as you are better off playing Season mode. This allows you to play a number of different games in a season to hopefully win your way to the playoffs. You can choose any team to play out of the made up teams and players (Excluding Derek Jeter playing for New York of course). Lastly is the Home Run Contest which gives you three rounds to get as many home runs as possible before getting out 10 times. This is alright but gets a bit boring and dry to the end of the 3rd round. Winning it gives you a sweet trophy however.

The game is incredibly good at acting like a real baseball match. The pitching is fast paced and was a real shock when I first played the game, as all other games I have played have quite a slow pitch. This makes for more quick decisions on whether to hit or miss and makes the game much more exciting. Even on easy I found batting a nice challenge. Pitching is fairly simple but depicts a real baseball match yet again very well. Even small detail like the ball being thrown back to the pitcher is put into the game.

Really, this is the baseballers game. Those purists who want the true simulation experience will love this game to bits, providing everything I can think of in a baseball game. It is a shame that they couldn't get the naming rights to the game but the game content makes up for it. Gameloft have certainly hit a winner with this game, and I don't see how it can't be a very successful game.

Derek Jeter Real Baseball easily commands top spot in the category of baseball games, especially simulation games. For ~~$4.99~~ (insanely priced at) $0.99, I find this game to be a great pick up and a well earned change from the arcade baseball games we are used to seeing. Baseball and sport fans in general won't be disappointed with this game. Seriously, just pick this up and get a homer already.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 7.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- MLB World Series 2009

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Pro Surfing Wildcard

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: Implode!

2009-10-28T02:22:00.001-07:00

And the last game of IUGO's Triple Threat is a physics based game that reminds me of iBlast Moki. Looks like fun and a great challenge. Check it out below!

This game is a blast! You are tasked to carefully plant limited dynamite bundles in order to demo obsolete structures. Sounds easy enough, right? WRONG! Implode! is a classic “easy to learn, hard to master” casual game that will pull you in and won’t let go. Features include:

Features:

• 60 dynamite levels

• Reactive UI, touch and drag control options

• Fun chalkboard theme and clean graphics

• Two different types of bombs (traditional bombs and blast bombs)

• Varying structure shapes for ongoing challenge

• Submit score online (online score is the sum of all levels’ high scores)

• Grading system for high scores adding replayability to each level

• 3 Difficulties; Casual, Veteran, and Expert

• In-level help system: Learn as you play!

• IUGO VIP: Sandbox cheat gives you more bombs and you never fail! (high scores disabled with this feature)

• Watch buildings tumble with real physics!

Preview: Cliffed!

2009-10-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

The second of IUGO's Triple Threat is a game called Cliffed, which I thought was a sequel to Shaky Summit but it's a totally new concept. Check it out below!

Challenge your friends to the most addictive race to the bottom! IUGO presents its latest sensation in casual gaming with this frantic 2D scrolling racer. WARNING: This game will get your heart and fingers racing!

Features:

• 10 unique and playful characters to choose from

• Pick up and play! Great for all ages

• Endless game play

• Online multiplayer! Race up to 8 players in real time over 3G and wireless networks

• Local and global leaderboards

• IUGO’s new VIP program: Tell your friends, earn points and unlock an exclusive mystery character sooner

• Stylized, clean graphics

• IUGO’s signature quality and polish

Preview: Zombie Attack- Second Wave

2009-10-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Boom! IUGO has come with some juicy information about a Triple Threat of Games (I suppose a foursome if you included A.D.D) that are all pending review with Apple. Check out what they have in store for the coming weeks. Starting with a SCARE!

Just when you thought it was safe…ZA! is back! Lovers of zombies and tower defense-style games combined have a second chance to tear into more zombies with more weapons and in more locations than ever before.

IUGO built upon what you loved best about the original Zombie Attack! game making it bigger, better and bloodier! Your mission: play as a survivor from the ultimate Zombie Apocalypse, protect your shack and stay alive. Kill zombies, earn points and cash to upgrade your weapons and bolster your fire power. Easy tilt and touch-screen controls make ZA! 2 an instant iPhone-exclusive favorite.

Features:

• 7 turrets (3 new, including the Pulsewave)

• New upgrades to super turrets

• 4 maps of varying sizes including Backyard and Trailer Park

• Hordes of challenges, 5 for each map

• 6 zombie types (4 new, including the Hound and Cheerleader)

• Instantaneous save when quitting the app

• Online high scores list for each map, local lists for challenges and personal records

• Automatic iPod music support (Just play your music and start the game)

• 3.0 USERS!! Additional iPod music playback option

• IUGO high-quality and polish

Rock Band

2009-10-22T03:01:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

Rock Band is a music game by Electronic Arts. $9.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

ROCK BAND is the latest phenomenon to grace the AppStore. We have had many music tapping games in our time, but nothing this HUGE has landed on our palms previously.

$9.99 for 22 songs (around $0.45 per track plus DLC)... is this the complete package we have been waiting for?

I think I can safely say that I have enough experience to review this title, with this being the 13th music tapping game I have on this device. What I was expecting in this game was what I expected from all the other games I have played. That is either notes that coincide with the beat or guitar.

ROCK BAND however takes the complete band experience letting you play songs tapping to different instruments: Guitar, Bass, Drums or even Vocals. I think this is a brilliant idea and love the fact I can play the same song in four totally different ways.

Tap Tap Revenge 3 has the awesome themes for songs while Guitar Rock Tour 2 has the live performance like Guitar Hero. Having no exposure with Rock Band left me not knowing what to expect. What we get is some pretty sweet looking repeated animations of a rock show.

These aren't real and instead seem to be hand drawn animations. These look awesome in my opinion and switch between the rock show experience and the various instruments as they happen in the song.

Since they don't have the most extreme graphics compared to other music games, EA was able to tune this game run extremely smoothly.

I would just have to assume that people reading this have had some exposure with ANY music arcade game on ANY platform. If not, it's really simple: you tap the music beats as they descend from the top of the screen. These beats are usually synchronized with the actual music itself.

There are three main modes: Quick Play (you get to choose your own song right away), World Tour (5 different venues performing a 5 song-set per venue) and Multiplayer mode (rock on with your friends and their devices using Bluetooth connection).

After choosing which mode you'd like to play, the game asks you which song you'd like to play, the instrument you want to use and the difficulty in which that song gets played. After that, you're ready to rock and roll!

Lastly, if you ever get tired of the 22 pre-downloaded and selected songs, more music are available through DLC which runs you $0.99 a pop.

Let me get this out the door and say ROCK BAND DOES NOT SUCK! Most review sites are yapping about EA Mobile not using players' voice for vocal mode. They went on and on about it, but did they ever ask EA why? Without being totally pompous (ha!), we did and here's what they have to say verbatim:

We designed the game to best benefit all potential players. At this time, the iPod touch does not have a microphone built in, so whether being played on the iPhone or iPod touch, on the go or at home, the touch screen vocal interface maximizes the experience overall, allowing users to play Rock Band anywhere and, more importantly, join a multiplayer band regardless of which device they own.

The reasoning makes perfect sense to us, but a future addition of an option of such a mode would be welcomed.

Some other suggestions include: animated loading screens and avoid loading screens as much as possible. Right now even going in and out of pauses transitions with the winged timer. Another would be FULL ONLINE multiplayer of course.

ROCK BAND iPhone is a fantastic game, and our platform should be honored to be graced with such a delight. Though obviously the absence of physical instruments construe the "vision" somehow, this is heck more than a "respectable" job for a portable ROCK BAND. The game screams ROCK BAND from design down to music distortions.

If EA Mobile keeps going at it and maybe (just maybe!) somehow innovates the game with full online MP, the results would be earth shattering...

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Guitar Rock Tour 2

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Derek Jeter: Real Baseball

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Shrek Kart

2009-10-19T02:36:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

Shrek Kart is a racing game by Gameloft. $4.99

[A Modified post from TheAppEra]

Electronic Arts can flaunt its realistic racing games, and Gameloft can whip up trailers of their upcoming racing games. But what we really needed on this platform was a racing game that had something like…

Ogres and talking Donkey’s in it. Funny enough that’s exactly what Shrek Kart is!

Shrek Kart is what I expected from a kart racer from the start, and fills up the gaps I found in Krazy Kart and Crash Bandicoot. I believe the graphics are better than the other games and the gameplay has been set out to have a much longer lasting appeal than the other games. Seeing all other kart games (except Cocoto Kart Online) selling way above Shrek Kart’s opening price, it’s surprising how Shrek Kart comes out on top of all the games.

I found this game very fun and rewarding to play. The game was very smooth and easy to play, even if the racing had a rubberband effect (if you got too far in front and made a mistake you are suddenly caught up to by all other racers).

As I have already said this game will take a long time to complete if you want to unlock all the characters as it involves completing all game modes instead of just the championship mode like most games. While there are better racing games out there I found this one to be very fun and great for more casual play.

Instead of having basic and boring items as the scenery Gameloft has implemented the world of Shrek with well known places such as the Swamp and the streets of Far Far Away. I think this is a great move on their behalf because it makes the game play and look more like a real Shrek game.

There are 10 unique characters from the movie including Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Gingy, Three Little Pigs, Three Ogre Babies and many more. Each of the characters has their unique kart which looks great. For example Gingy has a kart made out of gingerbread and the Ogre Babies have a pram. These look great and having characters you can recognize and name is a big advantage in selling a game like this.

I found Shrek Kart to be extremely smooth and I encountered no lag or glitches what so ever when racing on a 1st Gen iPod Touch. The only lag I found was when it was previewing the track, which worried me. Luckily though after you watched or skipped the track preview the game was fine for me.

The controls in this game are fairly basic and limited in the amount of customization. The game is auto-accelerate and the options for steering can either be accelerator or touch screen. The accelerator is fine for this game and is very easy to use without having any troubles, unless your a very bad driver of course.

For the more advanced drives you can implement some special driving skills. One of these is knowing to jump when someone has targeted you with a power-up. To do this you tap the screen but I generally tapped like crazy until it stopped… but that didn’t seem to work very well for me. The other groovy skill is drifting around corners by pressing the red button. Drifting for long enough gives you a nice boost of speed at the end. Gameloft has improved drifting HEAPS AND HEAPS since the days of the now very very annoying Asphalt 4 drifting. Hopefully this shows that drifting will be at least manageable in Asphalt 5.

Finally you have special power-ups you can use. Each driver has their unique power-up which is with you all the time but requires 45 seconds to repower after each use. This is activated by tapping a button. The other type of power-up are ones that you collect by running into boxes. These can be used straight away by tapping another button. You can collect another one only if you have no power-up in line to be used.

There are four modes. First up is the tournament mode. In this there are five or so tournaments that require you to get points for finishing races and getting first place overall to win the tournament. There are about 4 locations in each tournament and multiple races which are split into little rounds within the tournament. In this mode you can play through and try to win the championship cup with any driver but you have the progress saved for each driver. What I mean by that is if you finish the first tournament with Shrek you can’t continue onto the second tournament with Donkey. Finishing the tournament with just one character unlocks Fiona.

Next up is a single race where you have to come first in all 13 races with a driver to unlock another character. This can be completed in any difficulty and the only reason I would really use this mode is to practice a track or to unlock the new character.

Next up is what is probably the most difficult mode with the challenge mode. This requires you to finish multiple challenges on each of the 13 race tracks. For example one challenge is to collect so many boxes, one is to avoid boxes and a full on time trial to beat a time. This mode gets a bit dry after a while and probably wont be used again after unlocking the character.

Finally is Arena mode where you try to smash around a circular track blowing up other drivers while avoiding to be hit yourself. This is quite fun but extremely hard as they seem to pick on you quite a bit. Just trying all three arenas unlocks another character. After unlocking all characters you also get a special character, the ghost of Lord Farquad.

Shrek Kart is an extremely strong racing game that performs well on this device. With a smooth race the entire way this is a game you should definitely recommend getting. You are dragged into completing all game modes and will take hours upon hours to complete.

While it doesn’t have the local multiplayer that Cocoto has, it still has WiFi multiplayer. $4.99 is a very respectable price for old Shrek so… Shrek On!

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Crash Kart

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Rock Band

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Modern Combat: Sandstorm

2009-10-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a shooter game by Gameloft. $6.99

Brothers In Arms was Gameloft's first attempt at making a first person shooter. The game featured great gameplay and some amazing graphics for its time. Then came along a more modern approach with Terminator Salvation, which was really Brothers In Arms 2.0. The game featured better controls and smoother gameplay as well as superbly enhanced graphics. Again this game was ahead of its time. Again this game, Modern Combat, is basically Brothers In Arms 3.0 or Brothers In Arms on steroids. It is literally insane how good the graphics are in this game, really shows the full potential of the iPhone and is really smooth, even on the slowest of slow 1st Generation iPod Touch's. This game is also ahead of its time, with only just now are we seeing developers other than Gameloft and Electronic Arts making power demanding games with graphics to die for. Really there is no comparison in terms of first person shooter games, and that's with the rail shooter Doom: Resurrection on the App Store.

There are very few games on the App Store that can match this game in terms of its amazing graphics. There are some games that have been given previews but are not out yet that may match this game. The entire game is fully 3D and does not repeat itself with basic objects. Honestly, this game made me think I was playing something on my Xbox 360, that's how good this game looks and plays. The graphics are all well and good to have but what makes them even more impressive is how well they have made the game run. In the past with BIA and to a small extent Terminator Salvation, I encountered lag that slightly tainted the gaming experience. After seeing the game on my friends 3GS I was doubtful it would run well on my iPod Touch, yet the gameplay itself is almost identical. There are games we buy just for a reason to show off to our friends. Even if you don't like shooting games this one of those games to show off.

As Gameloft have put more and more games onto the App Store they have improved their once clunky control system. The controls in Brothers In Arms weren't the best but they were improved for Terminator Salvation. They are almost similar to the Terminator controls except I found the Modern Combat controls more responsive. The controls are easy to use with a virtual joystick to move and a button to shoot. There are also many other ways to fight with the ability to throw grenades, reload your weapon before you run out of bullets and even change between weapons with a double tap on the weapon icon. I could find no faults with the controls and they are easy enough to use once you play through the initial tutorial level.

Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a modern war where you are on the mission to annihilate a new terrorist resurgence set up in the remote desert. With help from your comrades you have to fight your way through 10 exhilarating levels of intense shooting and all out blood bath. You will travel around the Middle Eastern city protecting and seeking out terrorists in city streets, buildings, sewers, labs and more. The game takes advantage of Apple's lifted restrictions and if you kill someone close enough you can see their blood splurge out as they fall to the ground. This is an amazing game that caps off a super addictive first person game as well as the graphics to back it up. Each level takes anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour depending on how far into the game you get. The way you fight the war is up to you with the ability to drive vehicles, choose many different weapons and even use mounted machine guns. I found the game had a nice challenge to it with the difficulty set to medium, making it something that isn't breezed through quite easily. This is probably one of the most addictive games on the App Store to date and even months after originally getting it I am still blown away by how good it is.

Easily the best shooter game I have ever played on the iPhone and has really set a high standard that I believe can only be matched by big companies like Konami, id Software, Capcom etc. Everything Gameloft has been working on for the last year has really been delivered in this game and shows why they are one of the most influential and creative developers on the App Store. You must seriously be kidding yourself if you haven't even pondered getting this game. At least try the just released lite version so you can see the spectacle that is, Modern Combat: Sandstorm.

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Terminator Salvation

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Real Soccer 2010

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: Surviving High School

2009-10-15T02:47:00.000-07:00

Surviving High School by Electronic Arts is the only previously unannounced title previewed today by Electronic Arts. This game follows the path of a kid going through High School and is due in Fall 2009.

Product Description

BE WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE!

The BEST-SELLING mobile game is now on the APP STORE^SM.

Now experience high-school the way YOU want! Become a jock or a nerd, a popular kid or an outsider… Change the story with each decision you make. But remember, some choices are wiser than others…

Key Features

HEY, WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

With multiple people to date, tons of quiz questions, and secret scenes, the story can bend any way you choose... You’ll want to play this one more than once to see how things could have turned out differently!

TUNE IN FOR MORE EVERY WEEK

Just like a good TV show, “tune in” each week for new episodes at NO ADDITIONAL COST! Find out what happens to your favorite characters as the school year continues!

YOU CAUSE ALL THE DRAMA

Your choices twist and turn your story in different directions. Easy and intuitive touch- control action sucks you right into the mix.

YOU’LL LIKE THE LOOK

Comic-style graphics, funny dialogue, and mini-games combine to make this the best Surviving High School ever!

SCHOOL’S ALWAYS IN SESSION ON DEMAND

Get even more great Surviving High School stories when you purchase EPISODES ON DEMAND.

Go back to school whenever you want with…

· Never-before-seen episodes.

· Episodes you missed.

· Upcoming episodes.

Preview: Need for Speed: Shift

2009-10-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

Need for Speed: Shift by Electronic Arts is another one of the games previewed today. While this game isn't ready for a hands on video we some juicy info and screens about this game due late November/early December.

Product Description

FEEL THE REAL RUSH OF THE PROS

Specifically engineered for your iPhone or iPod touch, the world’s #1 racing franchise takes the challenge to the pro circuit. Get the true driver’s experience with a racing game that’s as real as it gets.

Key Features

RIP IT UP AROUND THE WORLD

Rage on the roads of Chicago, London, and Tokyo in up to 28 Street and Pro racing events.

MATCH YOUR SKILLS AGAINST FRIENDS

Challenge friends to head to head races via Bluetooth multiplayer or WiFi.

MUSCLE OVER PERFORMANCE?

Get behind the wheels of 20 of the fastest, hottest, most powerful cars in the world and blow the doors off your competitors.

UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE

Take your ride to another level with Top Speed, Handling, Acceleration, and Nitrous upgrade features.

RACE FOR REWARDS

Earn points and trophies on the circuit for your Aggressiveness and Precision. Be a full-throttle Need For Speed superstar.

Preview: NBA Live

2009-10-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

NBA Live by Electronic Arts is one of the previews released today. Due sometime this fall we preview the much anticipated game.

Product Description

NOTHING BUT NET. NBA LIVE by EA SPORTS delivers the most realistic 5-on-5 action available for iPhone and iPod touch!

A PICK-UP-AND-PLAY GAME

Tip-off anytime, anywhere, and watch your game come to life in vivid 3D. Even replay your most awesome plays. It’s fun and intuitive enough for the casual gamer, but also delivers the authenticity to meet the demands of the most hardcore basketball fans.

Key Features

AUTHENTIC TEAMS, REAL STARS, TRUE LEGENDS

With real NBA rosters, you can dominate the game as Dwight Howard and other NBA All-Stars. Or unlock legends and elevate your game with true Hall-of-Famers.

MULTIPLE MODES FOR EVERY KIND OF NBA ACTION

Match up all 30 NBA teams in the new 82-game Season Mode. Play a casual game in Exhibition Mode, or battle all the way to the Finals in the ultra-intense Playoff Mode.

PLAY WITH TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL

Control the game with a virtual analog stick. Use the accelerometer to accurately shoot free-throws. Touch the clip board to pick from a number of offensive plays or to select your defensive strategy.

TAKE IT TO THE RACK WITH A SOLID SOUNDTRACK

Stay in the zone with 15 music tracks from artists like Matt and Kim, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit.

COMMENTARY FROM A BROADCAST LEGEND

Hear legendary announcer Marv Albert accent the action as you rain 3s from downtown.

GeoDefense Swarm

2009-10-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

GeoDefense Swam is a tower defense game by Critical Thought Games. $1.99

GeoDefense Swarm is the latest game from Critical Thought Games, after their no.1 hit GeoDefense. What makes this game different though? GeoDefense was all about placing towers around a predefined track and trying to kill all the monsters like in The Creeps. GeoDefense Swarm is all about creating your own path with many obstacles in the way, just like in Fieldrunners. GeoDefense didn't appeal to me as much with the App Store being saturated by Tower Defense games, but GeoDefense Swarm came after no new TD games and I jumped at it. I really enjoyed this game as its quite challenging and something most Tower Defense games lack, as well as having graphics that were quite exciting to watch. There are a heap of levels available to play on and has a heap of replayabilty. For $1.99 (Originally $0.99) it is a jam packed game just as the original is.

GeoDefense didn't appeal to me mainly because I thought it didn't look very good. After having the pleasure of playing games like Fieldrunners and StarDefense I thought that the basic fluorescent graphics in the game wouldn't be exciting to watch. GeoDefense Swarm has exactly the same graphics as the original. The fluro theme is quite basic but works well for a game like this. To make up for no amazing 3D graphics Critical Thought Games have given us a brilliant light show with explosions of colour. When enemies are killed they explode into a heap of colourful stripes, almost like a firework going off. This looks great when heaps of enemies are getting killed at once and makes the game look busier than it actually is. Having 2D graphics means this game has no huge pressures on it causing lag. Instead this game runs very smoothly and I have never encountered any lag or crashes what so ever.

GeoDefense Swarm has the basic controls that any tower defense game has. Tower Defense games are primarily hands off games in the fact that they don't require much input from the player. To add towers to the field you have to drag them to the destined position on the map and they can be upgraded or sold once selecting them. Unlike GeoDefense where the towers can more or less be placed wherever, GD Swarm is more like Fieldrunners where it controlled by an on-screen layout of tiles that the towers can be placed in.

This game is really addictive and one game that I found to have more than enough content to satisfy the $1.99 price. GD Swarm is about trying to kill all the enemies before they reach the end tile. You have x amount of lives and rounds to do so by creating your own complex path using any number of weapons to stop them. Each level is unique and has special tiles that can decide how you create your path. There are 30 levels in the game that is split into 10 easy, medium and hard levels. The first 9 levels of each difficulty have a set number of rounds and only some towers can be used for each level. The last level is new to the series and is an endless mode which leads to making more intense strategies to last longer. This game is very challenging and may times many attempts and refinements to strategies to defeat the level. GeoDefense Swarm suprised me in how good it is and actually made me buy the original for another 30 levels or pre-defined tower defense fun. I would have to say that this game is better than the original but both are very entertaining and fun.

GeoDefense Swarm is one of the latest Tower Defense games to hit the charts of the App Store with the other being Bloons Tower Defense. This may create another wave of tower defense games but I feel as if this catergory is really saturated with games. For $1.99 this is a great buy and one game that leaves you wanting more and more. Lots of replayability with OpenFeint leaderboards and the endless modes makes this game a step up from the original. A must buy for any tower defense fans.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6.5/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Fieldrunners

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is iBlast Moki

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: Command & Conquer

2009-10-11T03:04:00.000-07:00

Command & Conquer was announced a long time by Electronic Arts and has finally received the go ahead to be submitted. This title will be out October 23rd to stay tuned for whats being called the best RTS to hit the App Store.

The Cold War is hot again with COMMAND & CONQUER RED ALERT for iPhone and iPod touch.

Product Description

Experience real-time COMMAND & CONQUER strategy as the Soviet or Ally factions. Control the battlefield with touch-screen power in up to 12 combat levels. Create and command war squads in realistic environments. Manage supplies with an intuitive combat system, and escalate the game with hi-tech weapons you develop.

COMMAND & CONQUER RED ALERT in the APP STORE. Total war for iPhone and iPod touch.

Key Features

ACHIEVE VICTORY WITH TOUCH-SCREEN POWER

Drag and scroll to gauge the battlefield. Pinch-zoom in and out of the action. Select and move units with a tap. Control multiple units at once!

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE FACTION

Fight for Soviet domination or battle to restore peace with the Allies. Deploy military might unique to each side and engage in different campaign storylines.

BATTLE THROUGH 12 COMBAT LEVELS

Fight in Skirmish Mode on two different battlefield maps with war squads you create and control.

MANAGE TROOPS ON REALISTIC BATTLEFIELDS

Command units in different environmental conditions. Build your base and manage supplies with a new easy-to-use combat system.

ARM YOURSELF FOR TOTAL WAR

Employ classic units like Kirov Air Ships and new units like the Paladin Tank. Or R&D new technologies to destroy your enemies.

Preview: Rock Band

2009-10-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

Rock Band is the latest announcement by Electronic Arts and should be live next week. Is this a Tap Tap Revenge killer? Read on to find out all the juicy info about this title.

Putting to rest rumours that Harmonix's award-winning music series was ready to go on an iPhone tour, EA Mobile has officially announced Rock Band for iPhone and iPod touch.

An extension of the popular console franchise, Rock Band features all four instruments - guitar, bass, drums, and vocals - on iPhone controlled using taps of your touchscreen.

Headlining the game's feature set is cooperative multiplayer online and locally via Bluetooth. These jam sessions allow you and three buddies to play songs simultaneously.Of course, there's a suite of single player modes including one-off Quick Play sets and a full Solo Tour career mode complete with achievements.

The game will come with a core 20 tracks You can add to your collection by purchasing additional songs from within the game at an undetermined price via downloadable content similar to in Tap Tap Revenge 3.

Rock Band is slated for release sometime next week on the App Store, price yet to be announced.

The core track list:
"Attack" - 30 Seconds To Mars
"Girls Not Grey" - AFI"Move Along" - All American Rejects
"Sabotage" - Beastie Boys
"All The Small Things" - Blink-182
"Hanging on the Telephone" – Blondie
"Learn To Fly" - Foo Fighters
"Everlong" - Foo Fighters
"Bad to The Bone" - George Thorogood & the Destroyers
"Hymn 43" - Jethro Tull
"Bad Reputation" - Joan Jett
"Simple Man" - Lynard Skynard
"Ace of Spades '08" – Motorhead
"Debaser" - Pixies"Ladybug" - Presidents of The United States of America
"Give It All" - Rise Against
"Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pick Ups
"Cherub Rock" - Smashing Pumpkins
"Take The Money and Run" - Steve Miller Band
"We Got The Beat" - The Go Go's

Tap Tap Revenge 3

2009-10-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

iTunes Link

Tap Tap Revenge 3 is a music game by Tapulous. $0.99 + DLC

The most popular series ever on the App Store has released the latest version of their hit tapping game. This time featuring bigger tracks, more of a social online environment and game improvements.

For the first time we have to pay for Tapulous' hit game as it features DLC. But is this game worth it? Read on to find out more.

When the App Store was first released the standout free game on the App Store was a small tapping game that featured indie songs. This was a game called Tap Tap Revenge. The game grew and started getting some pretty decent artists putting their songs onto the game, while premium add on games with Nine Inch Nails Revenge, Christmas with Weezer and Tap Tap Dance came out. These featured tracks by well known artists with special graphics. Next came Tap Tap Revenge 2 with improved graphics, gameplay and weekly themed tracks by some very large artists. This was huge and more popular than the previous edition. With this came some massive add on games with Tap Tap Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band Revenge and Lady Gaga Revenge. These packs featured some amazing graphics and really sealed Tapulous being an elite player on the App Store.

Yesterday however came the latest edition with Tap Tap Revenge 3, featuring 50 mini packs from some huge artists like Gwen Stefani, Fall Out Boy and Blink-182 as well as some great indie songs for free. Does this game deliver a gaming experience that continues on with the amazing experience we have come to expect from Tapulous? In my opinion, YES!

Tapulous has taken giant leaps in improving their games both graphics wise but also in performance. They have been stated making their games so if it encounters any lag what so ever the game knows to dim down the special effects for optimum performance. Tap Tap Revenge 3 seems to be taking steps in the right direction, improving on the already flash Tap Tap Revenge 2

The majority of tracks in TTR3 are themed tracks, which means each artist gets their own unique theme for all of their songs. This first started with Nine Inch Nails Revenge but moved to Tap Tap Revenge 2 with their weekly themed tracks. Now most of the tracks feature their cool theme and make it irresistible to buy if they have a sweet theme.

For the indie artists with free tracks on TTR3 they get the standard theme that has changed between TTR1, TTR2, TTR2.5 and now TTR3. There have been impressions given by people who don't like it as much but I think this theme is better than any that had in the past. In my opinion it just looks that little bit groovier and better than the space theme of TTR2.5.

I found the game to always be super smooth during normal play, with Tapulous managing to keep the game looking good and playing as better. I have had only slight lag on the very rare occasion and the game manages to correct itself if you pause the game and start it up again, removing some small visual effects to get it running again. The other good thing about this is that when you pause it counts you down to playing again and any notes missed in the first half a second won't break your streak.

In the online mode I found that it would lag quite a bit at the start of the game if there were lots of people in the same room as I was playing that track. It gets quite annoying and I believe it could be improved but its a great step up from TTR2 when I found it lagged all the time.

Of course Tapulous have managed to keep their latest game up there in the graphics department and is something Electronic Arts should look towards improving on if they want their own successful title.

The controls in Tap Tap Revenge have always been very simple, tap on the buttons when they reach the bottom of the screen. For those who want to be challenged however, there is more to do in this game and improvements to other parts.

One of the very first 'special' skills in Tap Tap Revenge was the shake to hit arrows. I found it to be improved immensely as I found it heaps easier to hit all the arrows. But as always for those who aren't comfortable with them you can play without the arrows on. The TTR2 add-on of 8x multiplier is back with a slight shake after hitting a note streak of 50 will activate it. Finally the 16x multiplier/weapons can be activated when the button appears on the left side of the screen.

Tap Tap Revenge 3 is all about playing through any song you like and trying to get the highest score possible. Back in TTR1 this was all you could do, but the game has evolved and there is heaps more to do in this game. There is now an online mode that has been improved from TTR2 which lets you play in a number of rooms against other players from around the world. Also by playing songs you earn EXP to level up to get more features etc. and coins that let you pimp out your avatar. Coins can be awarded by both playing songs, levelling up and achieving the many awards which are up for grabs and will bring you back to collect them all.

The game comes with three pre-downloaded songs which are available to play on all four difficulty levels. Another 100 odd free songs are available to download, but the main talking point of this app are the 50 odd track packs. These feature some huge artists that haven't had their songs on a Tapulous game before. The tracks are about $0.50 each but can only be purchased in bundle packs with 2 for $0.99 and 6 for $0.99. Realistically this is where Tapulous will make their main money as I spent $10 on packs and was seriously restraining myself from more. With artists like AFI, Blink-182, Angels & Airwaves, Fall Out Boy, Hinder, One Republic, Sum 41, Jet, Foo Fighters, Korn and many many more already on the store its really a music tappers paradise.

There is much more fun to be had in Tap Tap Revenge 3 though with online play, challenges from your friends (Add me: Sainter) and weekly contests. New things added to the gameplay is the star taps, which are stars that if you hit all of them you get a special skill. In normal play activating the skill gives you x16 multiplier for 10 seconds which is really handy. For online play it allows you to send a bomb, speed increaser or other cool weapons at other opponents to try and put them off their game. Tapulous currently hold the music game industry on the iPhone by the throat, but it will be interesting to see how they combat the just announced Rock Band by Electronic Arts (Confirmed 5 minutes before writing this part of the review)

Tap Tap Revenge 3 has delivered in providing a extremely fun and addictive experience. The only previous versions that kept me coming back to play it again and again was the premium apps because they required you to play and complete all the songs to unlock boss tracks. Tap Tap Revenge 3 has managed to keep me coming back with the option to play great tracks but also to gain levels which add a bit of a competitive edge to get.

Tap Tap Revenge 3 is a must have game for any of the millions of previous Tap Tap Revenge players. Even though people are annoyed with the DLC, I love the fact that this allows huge artists to put their songs on the Tap Tap Store. The only downside that previously free TTR2 titles are now bundled into the $0.99 packs. Apart from that I would love to see boss tracks make a return, maybe brand new ones for $0.99 each and the ability to import songs from the other Tap Tap titles. For those not planning on buying any of the songs there is an ad-supported version coming for free soon. Really this isn't a game to miss out on.

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Tap Tap Revenge 2.6

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is GeoDefense Swarm or iBlast Moki

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Family Guy: Uncensored

2009-10-07T02:34:00.001-07:00

iTunes Link

Family Guy: Uncensored is an arcade game by Glu. $4.99

$4.99 for an arcade game that is just about playing different mini games you say? What if I said that the game followed a story of why the power went out in Quahog? Well Giggity! Thats exactly what this game is! Follow the story of Peter Griffin as the power going out ends up in seven unique mini games that are played out over 40 levels. This game features all the characters from our favourite comedy show and the mini games feature around many of the in-show battles such as Brian vs Stewie, Peter vs Chicken and special appearances in multiple levels by Bertram, Evil Monkey, Quagmire and many many more! Really when you hear of a game like this I automatically think its just going to be a shameless rip off that abuses the fact that they have a popular brand name in the title. Luckily though Glu have been able to make this game into a very respectable arcade game that will provide lots of laugh for the Family Guy enthusiast.

Glu have been renowned for creating games that have great 3D graphics, such as Glyder or crisp 2D graphics such as Super KO Boxing 2. Family Guy has taken on the classic 16-bit gaming look, which I was surprised with. Generally I am against this but the game actually looks pretty good. While the game seems like something off a mobile phone, the graphics are still very detailed and work well for a game like this. While I would have preferred smoother and more detailed characters, as the background environments are nice and smooth, they work quite well for a game like this. The game runs very smoothly all the time and I encountered no glitches or lag what so ever. The game grows on you with how detailed the environment is, and really needs a bit of play to get used to the graphics.

The controls are very hard to explain as every single mini game has different controls to all others. Some games require swiping while others require a D-Pad or even tapping on enemies. Before each game however it always explains the controls in detail so you know how to play, which is a very good thing. For what I believe is a mobile game, the game has been equipped well to handle the touch screen, which is something quite a few games haven't been able to do. All in all the controls are very good and easy to pick up and use straight away.

Family Guy: Uncensored as I said follows the storyline of a day in the life at Quahog. Today though it seems as if the power went out. You follow the life of the Griffin family, whether it is Stewie trying to get his money back that he loaned to Brian, Chris using his imaginative or Peter trying to save Lois from Quagmire the game is great fun and has all the laughs that we have come to know and love. There are a variety of quite challenging mini games to play through with the various characters. Right from the start the levels were very hard to compete and generally took quite a few attempts to complete. This is a good thing because games with brand names generally become quick, easy and very simple games that get boring. Realistically the appeal to getting this game compared to other games is the Family Guy theme, just as RealArcade's South Park adventures are so popular. I didn't really like the mini games in the South Park games but luckily I have so far thoroughly enjoyed what Glu have offered.

Family Guy: Uncensored may seem a bit pricey for a game full of only mini games but this can be overlooked if you enjoy the theme of the game. With the amount of content I would probably have this maybe a bit cheaper but with the Family Guy theme this is a game that many people, including myself, would be happy to pay higher to get. Glu haven't disappointed in creating an addictive game that is sure to give you the giggles at many points in the game. As philospher Peter Griffin famously said, "Let's drink until we can't feel feelings anymore!"

Gameplay- 8.5/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6/10
Overall- 7/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- South Park Mega Millionaire

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Tap Tap Revenge 3

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Preview: Eliminate

2009-10-05T01:21:00.000-07:00

Eliminate is the very exciting upcoming game by Ng:Moco as well as the previously previewed Touch Pet Dogs. There has been a lot of hype around this game since the days when it was previewed with the iPhone OS 3.0 under the name Kill Test. Here are the final details for the game.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

Bring your skills in multiplayer deathmatch anytime, anywhere!

Eliminate puts you in the role of a futuristic weapons test combatant operating in a top‐secret
experimental weapons facility sponsored by Arsenal Megacorp. Engage in multiplayer first‐person combat against real players from around the world.

Your goal is simple: put the most advanced weapons systems to the ultimate test in Eliminate against real player combatants.

Every shot and every move is tracked, measured, and analyzed by Arsenal researchers monitoring each engagement so that more potent arms and tactics can be developed, deployed and tested in future human combat scenarios.

Playable over 3G or Wi‐Fi, Eliminate invites players to join ranked competitive games against other players in a variety of arenas. Want to prove you're the best? Send a challenge to your friends using Push Notification and your friends can join in with a press of a button — whether they’re already in the game or not.

Players can expand their experience even farther with a robust leveling and upgrade system for six weapons and eight different armor sets. Running out of ammo too quickly? Buy more payload for your Anti‐matter Jet using credits you earn for your wins. Need to run faster? Upgrade your Scout armor’s speed and get back in the fight.

Eliminate contains six different maps for you to test your mettle. Use moving platforms to your
advantage on On‐rail, sink or swim in Flood, or get up close and personal in Bedlam. Master them all and learn your routes in order to become number one.

Available in Fall 2009, Eliminate will change the face of multiplayer gaming on the iPhone and iPod touch. Eliminate is available exclusively on the iPhoneTM and iPod touch by ngmoco:).

PRODUCT FEATURES:

• Bring it anytime, anywhere. Connect to multiplayer games from any location using 3G or Wi‐Fi.
• Enjoy the fast, fluid first‐person shooter death match experience designed exclusively for the
iPhone and iPod Touch
• Master multiple combat arenas, each with their own unique play styles and strategies.
• Work your way to the top with a robust leveling and upgrading system that lets you customize
your weapons and armor sets.
• Challenge your peers with a global ranking and matchmaking system made exclusively for
Eliminate.
• Stay connected with Plus+ enabled leader boards, achievements, and friends lists.
• Innovative “Touch Anywhere” control system enables competitive FPS play using the multitouch
capabilities of the iPhone or iPod touch
• Supports iPhone OS 3.0 features including In‐app Commerce and Push Notification