iPhone gaming News, Reviews and more
Sword of Fargoal just got another free update, this time including retina display support and a high-res graphical upgrade for users with third generation iPods or an iPhone 3GS.
The developers are also promising a very large update, version 2.0 which will include plenty of brand new content.
Radiant from Hexage Games is a retro-modern arcade game that is a sort of hybrid mix between Space Invaders and Galaga. I was able to spend some time with Radiant this week and was almost instantly addicted. Click here to continue reading….
UPDATE: Congratulations to Klangprod, Albert, and Pluto!! Enjoy!
iPlutoid is an excellent retro-modern shooter where you must save a planet from alien invasion. The visuals in this game are pure classic and the game runs great. In the game you control a small flying craft equipped with a simple rapid fire turret. Retro gaming fans, and shooter fans alike will eat this title right up. Recently the developers of iPlutoid, Lazrhog, provided us with some details on the upcoming update:
New Update Features:
1. A list of achievements to attain within the game
2. A system of power ups. Save a humanoid from being abducted by shooting the lunar alien carrying them gets a power up to appear over a dwelling. Fly through the power up to get either Extra Life, Smart bomb, Cloak, or Smart Shield
3. Also trying to implement a touch flying system, for those that don’t like to use the accelerometer.
Simply comment below for your chance to win one of 3 promo codes for iPlutoid. Winners will be chosen tonight! Good Luck!
Fans of the rogue-like genre and games have had to deal with fairly slim pickings on the iPhone to date, but thanks to Tecmo this has changed with the recent release of The Isle of 8 Bit Treasure. Similar to portable titles like Shiren The Wanderer, Izuna, and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, The Isle of 8 Bit Treasure is a classic “dungeon crawler” RPG. For those less familiar with the genre, the gameplay is turn based, and each dungeon is made of of multiple floors. To complete a dungeon the hero must fight his or her way down through multiple floors to get at the prize loot in the lowest level.
The Isle of 8 Bit Treasures boasts 60 levels, 3 playable classes, (swordsman, Witch, and Hunter) and upgradeable weapons. There is also a neat feature that lets you create your own unique weapons and dungeons using music from your iPhone. In my time spent with the game so far, I am happy to say Tecmo has made a very nice rogue-like for the iPhone, and fans of the genre especially should consider checking this one out. From what I can tell, there is no actually story to speak of, but there is plenty of content to keep you busy. Anyone who has played Izuna, or Shiren will be right at home with the interface, as well as the gameplay. So far I have enjoyed the music as well.
We will have a full review after I have had a chance to spend more time with the game, but until then, I would definetely encourage fans of the roguelike genre, as well as fans of old school classic RPGs to check this title out.
Best iPhone appsat AppStoreHQ
Review: Great Leaping Lambrettinis
Review by Edward Abarilla
Rating:
(5/5)
More than two decades ago, Nintendo made a handful of LCD handheld games popularly known as Game & Watch. Each handheld could only play a single game but proved to be widely popular in the 1980’s. Sebastian Mecklenburg and his team set out to pay homage to this piece of gaming history, bringing us Great Leaping Lambrettinis, an original title for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Great Leaping Lambretinnis offers a new generation of gamers a taste of the retro goodness that they never got to experience, while offering the more seasoned gamer a sweet dose of nostalgia.
The only objective of the game is to coordinate an Italian circus family, helping them build three human pyramids using three teeter boards to launch them into position. The performers can only build pyramids three men high, and new performers appear every now and then, diving onto the first springboard. When new performers appear you have to make room by dismounting another performer on each pyramid in time to maintain momentum. If you lose momentum while a performer is leaping from one pyramid to another, he will fall on the ground and and you will lose a life. Lost lives can be earned back each time you score a hundred points. Great Leaping Lambretinnis is all about perfect timing, rhythm and of course concentration as you have to manage each and every performer – jumping from the teeter board and dismounting when needed. Simply tap on a performer to initiate action. The gameplay may be confusing at first, but stick with it and you’ll be performing in no time.
Graphically, there is not much to say about this, its old-school. A beautifully drawn background audience keeps the game from looking overly plain. If you’ve played an LCD game before, you know that there is noth much to expect in the music department either. Sticking close to its roots, Great Leaping Lambretinnis has the simple beeps standard in LCD games which will alert you to successfully built pyramids. You will find one very modern feature however; online leaderboards, allowing you to compete worldwide for the best high score.
It is certainly worth mentioning that The Great Leaping Lambretinnis has a high degree of polish and quality with many small details, all referencing back to the original Game & Watch handhelds. The main user interface is modeled after the box of a Game & Watch handheld even including some wear and tear. You will also find a flipbox that when tapped will flip over allowing you to see some information about the game. You will even see a glimpse of a man’s legs wearing 80’s Chucks while the box is flipping, giving the appearence that the box is being held by him. The manual is also a very nice touch, and looks like the original Game & Watch manuals that were simply printed on a paper.
The real thing
Great leaping Lambrettinis will give the retro-gamers like myself an experience down memory lane. It is worth noting that this title may not appeal to new gamers because of it’s simplistic approach. I would advise that you do not expect too much from this little gem. Great Leaping Lambretinnis is simple but tons of fun, and gives you a nice little piece of gaming history.
Rating: (5/5)
Best iPhone appsat AppStoreHQ
Review: Hook Champ by Robert Mullen
Rating: (5/5)
Recently we have seen quite a few grappling games, such as Swingaling, Mr. Aahh, and more. With excellent old school pixel graphics, killer retro music, and perfectly tuned controls, Hook Champ came into the ring swinging (ahem..) and earned its title as the new world champion grappling platformer.
Hook Champ has you filling in the shoes of a grapple hook carrying adventurer, Jake T. Hooker, and his somewhat loyal assistant Gunny Reed. Jake sets out to explore ancient ruins, looking great treasure, and adventure. After snatching one of the idols he discovers, Jake finds the ancient ruins to be cursed, and is chased by a large ugly demon that is out to turn him into a heap of bones. Jake must use his grappling hook to grab the idol in each ruin, and then escape with his life. Try to simply run through the ruins, or trip up too many times, and the demon will have Jake for a little afternoon snack.
The controls in Hook Champ are very well done and allow for pixel perfect precision while grappling towards the exit to your safety. Simply touch the lower left or right hand side of the screen to make Jake walk, and touch a ledge or ceiling above Jake to automatically shoot his grappling hook in the direction you touch. Take your finger off the screen to release the hook while Jake is swinging through the air, and then touch the next closest ledge to continue swinging forward. With a little practice, and proper timing, it is very possible to traverse through an entire level without touching the ground once. The controls in Hook Champ are perfectly tuned so that you never feel as if you are fighting with the controls and can learn to move effectively with just a few minutes practice in the first level. Of greatest importance, the swinging mechanic in Hook Champ is very satisfying when executed properly, and is an absolute blast to use.
The art in Hook Champ consists of very detailed pixel graphics. The framerate runs very smooth and there are no load times. The art style looks makes Hook Champ appear to have come right out of the Super NES and Sega Genesis era, and I say this as a very good thing. As you play through the game you discover various art goodies everywhere you look. WHen you complete a level you may get a cool little pixel graphic showing Jake being chased by the demon, the retry button, the map button, everything has its own icon. The degree of polish in Hook Champ is very impressive. It is certainly apparent that a good deal of time and love went into the art design for Hook Champ. The music in Hook Champ fits in perfectly with the overall retro vibe, as it is also dripping in nostalgia.
The replayability in Hook Champ is very impressive. Plan on losing a good chunk of your free time after picking this title up. To start you have 5 ruins, each with 4 levels to complete. The local leaderboard featuring high scores from the developers rewards the player by shelling out extra cash for beating the developers #1 high score. Unlike most games, I actually had to play through many levels multiple times before beating the top local high score. There is incentive to earn as much cash as oyu can for the shop. The shop features various RPG esque upgrades for Jake, like a better grappling hook, longer rope, or a loot vacuum that serves as a magnet for coins as you swing past them in the ruins. And that’s just naming a few. Each upgrade has 3 levels, and the upgrade becomes more powerful after each upgrade. In addition to the various upgrades available, Jake is also able to shop for different hats. Choose a traditional Indiana Jones esque adventurers hat, or perhaps a football helmet. I also appreciated the visual feedback each upgrade provided. In addition to seeing Jake’s avatar wear whatever new hat you chose for him, the equipment will also change reflecting your upgrade. It is little details like this that together make Hook Champ an extremely well polished title.
Honey, did you spend half of my gold on that new top hat?
While you should not expect any epic story line, or 15 minute cut scenes in Hook Champ, you will find plenty of humor. Before the start of each level, Jake and Gunny have little side conversations that are full of humor and lots of fun. This is definitely a game that does not take itself too seriously. I had more than one laugh out loud moments reading the dialogue between Jake and Gunny. In addition to the dialogue, you will find other bits of humor injected into the game here and there that will inevitably put a smile on your face.
Those of us who remember the good old days of Nintendo, Super NES, and Sega, will have a blast with this game. Fans of good 2D platforming action, casual gamer, and hardcore gamers will also find plenty to enjoy. Hook Champ has something f0r everyone and I highly recommend it. Even after completing Hook Champ, I expect I will be playing this game for quite a while, as it has earned a spot in my personal permanent collection.
Rating: (5/5)
Best iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ
Best iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ
It is no secret that I have a soft spot for retro style games. Last night I picked up iplutoid, a retro stylized shooter now available on the iTunes store. In iplutoid you control a flying craft with accelerometer controls, and are tasked with protecting a very small planetoid from alien invasion. I will have a more in-depth look at iplutoid in the future, but wanted to get some info to you all now as this is a neat little game, especially for retro gaming fans. The title is currently available at an introductory rate of $0.99
Here is a video to give you a better idea of how the game plays:
Recent Comments