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iOS Games: There's a Zombie on your In-App Purchase.
Sterica
YesRegistered User, Moderator mod
YesRegistered User, Moderator mod
Welcome to the iOS Games Thread! The purpose of this thread is to discuss the newest games for your iOS devices. Speaking of which, let's take a look at those:
iPod Touch
Current Generation: 5th
Mostly meant for entertainment, the iPod Touch is definitely the cheapest solution for those that just want to game. You can certainly download useful apps for work, but this is heavily pushed as a device for play.
iPhone
Current Generation: 5
Still fairly cheap (assuming you buy it with a contract), the iPhone is obviously a PHONE and thus is the best purchase if you are also looking for that whole phone thing. Just be careful not to burn your phone's battery while killing pigs.
iPad
Current Generation 4th
The luxury item of the three, the iPad is in a bit of a league of its own. The larger screen means that you might want to look into apps designed to take advantage of that big ol' screen. You can upscale iPod/iPhone apps, but they probably won't look as nice.
iPad Mini
Current Generation: 1st
Do you love the iPad, but wish it was just a bit trimmer? The iPad Mini is basically a small iPad, which makes it both more portable and affordable, while still offering a large-screen alternative to the iPhone and iPod. The only real caveats are a thinner bezel (might press the screen on accident near the sides) and the lack of a retina display (it has, however, the same resolution as the iPad 2, so it still looks nice). Definitely something to consider for a portable gaming device that offers a bit more than gaming.
Caveat Emptor: Apps are getting bigger these days as assets to take advantage of Retina Display are tossed in. Universal apps also tend to be a bigger on account of including assets for both iPad and iPhone/Pod. I highly recommend going with the 32GB models these days unless you plan to use your phone only lightly for gaming. Games, when combined with music, video and photos, can quickly fill out the 16GB drive.
Now that we have introduced the main cast, let's go over some of the rules.
1. This is for the discussion of games, and games that are available for iOS. I guess an Android player can talk about Angry Birds, but make sure it's playable on iOS devices!
2. Jailbreaking, while not illegal, is outside the scope of this thread.
3. We now have a forum for indie developers to show off their goods! DO NOT POST YOUR GAMES HERE: shoot a PM or email to our admin, Tube, and he will take care of you. Posting a game without permission will get you blacklisted from the forums, and we don't want that!
The Only Two Websites You Need
1. Touch Arcade
News, reviews, previews, and everything in between. They do a great job of keeping on top of shit without succumbing to the standard bullshit of most gaming websites. Forums are also an excellent place to get more information on games.
2. AppShopper
Your wallet's favorite website, this is basically a giant archive of app prices. It doesn't just show you the prices and keep you up-to-date on sales. No, it also gives you a fucking HISTORY of every app's price points. A shrewd consumer can learn the ebb and flow of sales and know when to pounce on that app they've been eyeballing. Unsurprisingly, they also have an app.
But enough of that, let's get on with the games. The following list is pretty much highly acclaimed games from both this forum and (in most cases) the internet in general. I've even went and added app store links just for you!
WARNING #1: As time goes on, many older iDevices are no longer given consideration for development. This means that many games may run poorly or not at all if you are using an older device (especially 1st or 2nd gen). Do your homework before buying any app!
WARNING #2: I am not going to hold your hand here. Many apps are split into types. Some are HD and work best on iPads and retina display devices. Some only work on iPad. Some work on everything. To list the details would take forever, and is pretty silly when you can just figure it out with about two minutes of research.
Tower Defense
One of the oldest genres at the app store, there is a metric ton of these games. Let us separate the wheat from the so-shitty-we-can't-call-it-chaff.
Plants vs. Zombies: PopCap puts a lot of effort into their iOS ports, and it shines here. While not a perfect port, they've been slowing adding missing features (mainly mini-games) to this app. The touch controls are well done, and it's a joy to play all-around. The game uses a special "lane" design that gives it a nice twist on the genre.
Anomaly Warzone Earth: This might be cheating a bit, as this game is actually a reverse Tower Defense. Instead of defending, you are leading troops deeper inside an alien...thing that appeared. This time the towers are the enemy, and you have to find the best path to the goal. A nice indie title that has gotten high marks for the iOS version.
Fieldrunners: The goddamn granddaddy of app store Tower Defense titles, this is a classic title that sticks to the traditional "make a maze of towers to stymie the enemy" style of gameplay. Plenty of towers, enemies and maps to choose from, and it's really just the standard fare with professional quality.
Dofus Battle: Based on a French cartoon that I know dick about, this is a neat title that kinda melds tower defense with games like Final Fantasy Tactics. Speaking of which...
Final Fantasy: VANGUARD STORM: There are two FF tower defense titles, but I prefer this one. It borrows the lane style of PvZ and does some cool things with it. There's a free version to wet your beak with.
Geo Defense: Geometry Wars meets Tower Defense. This uses the "fixed path" style where your tower positioning is limited. Geo Defense has another game called "Swarm" that uses the same "open" style as Fieldrunners.
Platformers
Your enjoyment of platformers is largely dependent upon your tolerance for virtual controls. While there are solutions available (putting tape on the controls for a tactile feel, some third-parties are coming out with stuff), they are kinda stupid and defeat the whole mobile purpose of the device. Having said that, many competent platformers have released on the App Store.
Sonic CD: Once upon a time a company named SEGA decided to release some Sonic ports to the app store. They were horrible train wrecks that were a shame to the Hedgehog's legacy. One day, a gent by the name of Christian Whitehead flipped off the Heavens and decided he could do better. So he pretty much remade Sonic CD from the goddamn ground-up, with a fancy new engine and shit. Luckily for Whitehead, SEGA was experiencing a period of clarity and working on shit like Colors and Generations. So they just hired the dude to make their Sonic CD remake. I dunno how much of that is true but in a nutshell: Christian Whitehead has made what many are saying is the new gold standard for platformers on iOS. The fact that it's also what many call the greatest Sonic game ever doesn't hurt. DID I MENTION IT ALSO HAS TAILS NOW? CAUSE IT DOES.
Soosiz: This game clearly rips off Mario Galaxy, only in 2-D, but does it well. The controls work, and it's a got a decent style. The end levels are kinda bullshit, but worth the cash.
Rolando 2: There was once a company that made some okay games, and then they got eaten by the freeium monster and churn out titles I hate. I also hate Rolando 1, but I am clearly in the minority there so it deserves a spot here. Apparently Rolando 1 has some bullshit network thing you have to log onto now if you wanna play, so I'll link the sequel which is supposedly better and doesn't require you to log into anything to play.
Pizza Boy: A smart, clean platformer with tight controls and winner of the Cutest Protagonist Award 2010. He's just so earnest!
Giana Sisters: More of a historical relic, this was once a game that basically ripped off Super Mario Bros. so hard that it had to be removed from shelves. Decade later, it got a new lick of paint and was brought onto the DS. This is basically that version, and it's decent enough. Don't expect a title as awesome as Mario, however.
Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor: Saving the best for last here. This game puts you in the carapace of a spider as you roam the titular manor for food. The game eschews a virtual shitpad in favor of a easy swipe gesture system that works great. Spin webs and catch bugs to rack up points. Also does a great job of telling a story in a very subtle...manner. Oh ho ho ho. Anyways, this game is so good that it's probably being used to help rehabilitate arachnophobics.
Puzzle
A natural fit for the iOS, there's a ton of puzzlers available.
Tetris: I guess I should mention this. It's Tetris, but the nicer, older version was pulled for this lesser model. Apparently a lot of nickel-and-diming is going on, but at 99 cents I guess it's worth a try.
Bejeweled: PopCap's classic game is here, and this is just one of the versions on the app store. Standard PopCap quality.
Peggle: Puzzles are something of PopCap's bread-and-butter. Peggle's another one. I believe you can purchase Peggle Nights in-app.
Puzzle Quest: Long-loved on the Nintendo DS, this is a blend of genres that has caught on in popularity over time. A bit random for my tastes, but it's a solid package.
Dungeon Raid: Ho ho ho, is this ever the digital crack. Let's take Puzzle Quest, remove the more random elements (like an AI player), and add a roguelike element. You basically try to last as long as possible and keep your stats up enough to keep pace with the flow of monsters invading your puzzle well. Add unlockable classes, races, and customization to get a game with an incredible life span.
Zen Bound: Tie rope around wooden figures. It's more fun than it sounds! Also has a sequel available.
Flippin': A match three that I was rather found of. Simple, but entertaining!
World of Goo: A wonderful physics puzzle that got a bit of a raw deal on the PC and consoles. The developers have made a great port for the iOS, and you can enjoy building gooey bridges all day long. Highly recommended.
ChuChu Rocket!: The Dreamcast classic is now on your phone! Holy smokes! A damn fine port, and even includes the multiplayer that I spent way too much time playing on my GBA.
Scribblenauts Remix: WRITE ANYTHING. SOLVE EVERYTHING. A blend of the two DS games. Buy it.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective: A port of a well-received yet under-loved 2011 DS game. This comes from the Phoenix Wright crew, and fans of that will love the writing and characters. You basically get into a series of Rube Goldberg scenarios as you figure out how to stop various murders from happening.
First-Person Shooter
Like platformers, ability to enjoy a good FPS is dependent on your enjoyment of virtual controls. A lot of choices here.
Call of Duty: Zombies: The horde mode thing that started in the Black Ops is on the iOS. I think this has several versions/sequels available too, so poke around. I heard it's a solid co-op experience.
Modern Combat: Sandstorm: Gameloft loves ripping off titles, but they do a solid job with their games. Modern Combat is no exception, and this delivers a pleasant enough single-player FPS experience. Again, there's a sequel with multiplayer and crap.
N.O.V.A. 2: Gameloft does Halo. If you liked Modern Combat, then you will probably enjoy this unless you hate space or something.
Warm Gun: Class-based multiplayer shooter with a nice post-apocalyptic theme.
Epoch: I'm cheating here, as it's technically a third-person cover shooter. But close enough. One of the best implemented cover systems.
More to come!
Sterica on
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Arcade titles where you shoot waves of dudes/monsters/robots. Another very common title on the iOS, this is probably one of the few games that work rather well with a virtual pad set-up.
Mingore: One of the classics, this has a generous amount of characters and unlockables. Very basic, endless waves style of play, but solidly done all around. Nice, clean style and tight controls.
Space Miner: Style is closer to Asteroids than the others in this genre, but it's a still a dual-stick shooter. Features a campaign with some decent writing, upgrades, and more depth than a lot of the average DSS on the app store.
Alive 4-ever: Stupid title that is riffing on Left 4 Dead, a nonetheless nice DSS that features multiple, unique characters and light RPG elements. Mission-based campaigns is pretty fun.
Guerilla Bob: Cleanly done game with an over-the-top sorta macho style. Includes a decent campaign and wi-fi co-op.
Beat Hazard Ultra: Another game in the vein of Asteroids, but the levels are entirely generated via your music. No rhythm required! Has a ton of flashing lights that may turn people off it. Check trailers to see if it suits you.
RPG
Even the nerdiest genre can represent on the app store. Grab your speadsheet and get ready to grind with these titles.
Cthuhlu Saves the World: Our very own community members formed their own development company, and this is the result. It's a classic NES RPG with a bit of the fuss removed. The result is a smoother, more relaxing kind of RPG.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions: The much-lauded title is a port of the PSP version (minus the multiplayer). Like most Square RPGs, it's pricey by app store standards, but does improve on some of the issues with the PSP (slowdown is better, etc). Excellent game if you don't mind the price or icky little issues.
Infinity Blade: Has become something of the ambassador for new iDevices recently, with new games coming out to usher in new hardware. At it's core, the gameplay is really just Punch-Out...with swords and smashy things. But it's dressed up with a gorgeous engine and nice RPG elements that will definitely give it legs. Allows you to buy gold for some stupid reason. Has a sequel AND prequel.
Battleheart: An interesting little game that has you controlling a party of four in real-time. Has a decent control scheme well-suited for touch screens, and is just an all-around neat twist on RPGs. Good artstyle to boot.
Dungeon Hunter 3: Gameloft does Diablo. Enough said, really. But (if you insist), it has a nice virtual pad control-scheme, and plenty of depth. I am linking the third because it is a free-to-play model that can give you a better idea of how the series works.
Chrono Trigger: I don't want to put too many ports on here, but this is one of the best RPGs ever made. The price is a bit steep, however.
Zenonia: A bit of a Zelda-esque game (think Link to the Past) title that has a laughable story but competent gameplay. Suffers from a bit of sequel overdose, but I liked the first one.
Roguelike
A special breed of RPG, roguelikes share common features of permanent death and heavy randomization of enemies and dungeon layouts. They tend to be a bit slower and more deliberate than normal RPGs, but once they get their hooks in, it's hard to free yourself.
Rogue Touch: Know why they're called "roguelikes?" Because they're like this game. Rogue. The granddaddy of the subgenre, this is good a place to start as any other.
Sword of Fargoal Legends: A roguelike that plays it fairly safe. Pretty graphic style, random dungeons, and so forth.
Undercroft: Seems like more a first person RPG experience from the late 80s than a roguelike, but close enough I guess.
100 Rogues: A roguelike with a bit more of a farcical attitude. Strong graphic style and can be funny at times.
Nethack: This is another founding father of the subgenre, and it comes complete with an old-school ASCII graphics options.
Arcade
A bit of catch-all for games that focus more on scoring than anything else.
Canabalt: A popular web game that is now portable. Run like hell to a nice art style and great music (Danny B, composer of Super Meat Boy!)
Doodle Jump: Hop as high as you can until you inevitably fuck it up. Simple but effective motion controls, and it has a bunch of different "maps" which is really a reskin of the base game. Has multiplayer.
Tilt to Live: Perhaps one of my favorite games, you basically avoid red dots as you grab powerups to keep their numbers down. Great music and sense of humor, and you unlock new powerups via achievements. They patched in some other modes and weapons as well. Good stuff.
Sally's Spa: Shut your fucking mouth, and keep your machismo in check. This game kicks ass despite being about a spa. It's all about multi-tasking and keeping the plates spinning. Mock if you must, but you'll feel all the more silly when you're playing it for ten hours.
Angry Birds: The 800-pound gorilla of the App Store. It has fucking merchandise, and probably a movie is being worked on by Peter Jackson or something. Personally, I found it unspectacular: it's a slingshot game where you hit targets taking cover in buildings or rock. In this case it's pigs, and you fire birds at them. The birds have special powers based on color. There's two others games: one seasonal game, and a Rio tie-in that also serves as a sequel. The Birds are going to jump the shark right away and are doing an IN SPACE game in March.
Cut the Rope: A little creature wants candy. Cut and manipulate ropes to get him his candy. Cute, simple, and very charming game. One of the bigger titles on the app store.
Tiny Wings: You're a bird that's too fat to fly. You have until sunset to get as much wicked air as possible. This game is one of the rare ones to dethrone Angry Birds, showing a weird penchant for fowl by app store customers.
Robot Unicorn Attack: An insanely popular Adult Swim game. Similar to Canabalt, you run until you die, but you get three tries before your final score is tallied. There's also a Metal version if Always is too manly for you. Wimp.
Fruit Ninja: Slice fruit in a variety of game modes. Unlock swords and fancy stuff. Sounds dull, but worth the money.
ZiGGURAT: This has gotten a lot of love since release. You're on top of a ziggurat. Aliens are coming at you from all sides. The how and why isn't important. All that's important is blasting aliens for as long as possible until the invaders finally do you in.
Adventure
A genre that had gone dormant during the 90s, it's been a bit of a resurgence as of late. Part of this is due to how well this type of game takes to a touch screen. So try to get yonder flask with these titles.
Hector: Badge of Carnage: Episodic little series that is big on adult humor.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP: A goddamn amazing game. If you buy one title, then consider this. It has a beautiful pixel art style, an incredible soundtrack, and a slick narrative to wrap it up in. Just fucking excellent craftsmanship from head to toe. A nice game to show off that retina display.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition: A remake of the LuscasArts classic. Features both the unaltered version and a remake with updated graphics. I've heard complaints about the control scheme, but the game is great if you can get beyond it. The sequel is also available.
Monkey Island Tales: An episodic series that were done by TellTale Games. This is former LucasArts alumni, so it's generally high-quality stuff. One of the game I'd probably recommend on an iPad over the smaller devices.
Puzzle Agent: TellTale is pretty much Boss Hog of the genre, so I'll limit this to real standouts. This is their take on Professor Layton, with a nice art style, solid writing, and...puzzles. Imagine that.
Machinarium: Haven't gotten to play this, but it's spoken of highly by many. Looks like only an iPad version is available.
Broken Sword Director's Cut: Regarded as a classic by some, but I have no idea. Rated highly, however.
Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright: A classic GBA series. It looks like the Phoenix Wright arc is all there, so start with this and then move onto the others. Has a great translation and is pretty damn engaging. Note that the first game also includes the bonus fifth case that was made for the DS remake.
Enviro-Bear
These are for games that are Enviro-Bear.
Enviro-Bear 2010: Heralded as the best bear-driving simulator on the market, the anticipated 2011 edition was never released on account of the world being deemed "unworthy." Humanity as a whole endeavors to improve itself in the hopes of seeing the 2012 edition.
Strategy
Games that challenge your gray matter, but aren't puzzles. They have guns and sword, and come in real-time or turn-based flavors.
UniWar: Neat little turn-based strategy game that is kinda like Starcraft on tiles. Three races, plenty of maps, and features asynchronous multiplayer with cross-platform games! In other words, you play against players on non-iDevices, and the game reminds you when it's your turn.
Mecho Wars: Hey, you want Advance Wars on your iPod? Too fucking bad. Mecho Wars, however, does its best to fill that tank-shaped void in the app store. It's definitely got a trippy art style that keeps it from diving too far into "clone" territory.
Greed Corp: I played this on PC, and it's a great title. Should translate well to the iDevices. Turn-based warfare that has the twist of slowly destroying the land for resources to fuel your war machine. Eventually the land just gives up the ghost, and anything there will die.
Swords & Soldiers: A WiiWare title that moved to other platforms. It's a 2D real-time affair, which works pretty well. The game also has a decent sense of humor and a nice cartoony style. Only complaint is that some of the humor might rely too much on ethnic stereotypes. Particularly the Chinese faction.
Red Conquest: Jelly-fish blobs duke it out for dominance. Nice art, still adding content, and has multiplayer. A solid real-time strategy game.
Robocalypse: Mobile Mayhem: A port of a DS title, so it's made for touch screens at the very foundation. A cheesey, Saturday Morning Cartoon feel, but a very serviceable RTS.
Starfont Collision: Gameloft strikes again, shamelessly aping Starcraft down to the races. Not much else to say, but Gameloft is generally above-average if you really need your fix for popular titles.
Hero Academy: Has hooked the whole internet. A free-to-play model that lets you spend cash to buy new races, colors, portraits, and so forth. Ad-based until you spend money on it. Is a tactics-esque and turn-based affair with well-implemented asynchronous multiplayer.
Board & Card Games
Board games are finding new life on these devices, and the iPad is particularly the star of this category. Not if I want my friends' pizza-stained mitts on my multi-hundred dollar device, but they do offer wireless multiplayer for just such a reason. Note that most Brand Name™ board games have an app or two, but they also suck. I'm listing the nerdier games that you only find in specialty stores.
Carcassonne: A classic, and this is an excellent representation. You basically score points via strategic laying of tiles. The game does a better job of discussing it than I. Includes online multiplayer, and you can purchase the expansions in-app.
Shadow Era TCG: A full-blown TCG that is "free." Basically, you gotta buy packs if you want to branch out from the starter stuff. Has gotten praise for being a decent Magic experience on the app store.
Neuroshima Hex: A fun game about laying tiles and waiting for combat to erupt. Features multiple armies (and newer ones as in-app purchases), along with multiplayer FINALLY coming this year. BEWARE: there is a shitty, single-player only version that is basically a lesser version of this. It's not terrible, but honestly it's not worth the money. Only other caveat is that the game has a fair degree of luck. Sometimes your tiles just suck and you die within three turns.
Small World: An iPad only game that's main appeal is the random traits and race combos. Swamp Wizards, Beserker Elves, or Were-Dwarves may the potential races you get to play with. Expansions are being added (seemingly for free), but the game is two-player local only. So it's not nearly as nice as the physical version.
Ticket to Ride Pocket Edition: A fun game of placing trains to create longer routes that score big points. More fun than it sounds, and it seems to be more full-featured than Small World (2-4 players, asynchronous multiplayer, etc.).
Shoot 'Em Up
From traditional spacey shooters to some Japanese man's bullet hell masochist porn, we got all stripes right here.
Space Invaders Infinity Gene: Take a classic arcade title, and turn into something downright magical. Frantic action dripping with pixel-art style. Has a campaign, unlockables, and you can generate levels with your music library. Highly recommended.
Espgaluda II: A nicely polished bullet hell title. CAVE is pretty much your go-to developer for these types of games.
Neoteria: A bit of side-scrolling, retro-flavored loving here. They can't all be overhead, vertical affairs.
DoDonPachi Blissful Death: I don't generally get into bullet hell types, but here's a more recent CAVE offering for the fans.
Danmku Unlimited: Trying to find some bullet hell that isn't from CAVE. Touch Arcade liked it well enough.
RayForce: An arcade classic, from what it sounds like. The nostalgia comes at a surprisingly steep price.
Rhythm
I guess you'd expect the platform that started as an mp3 player to have some of these games.
Groove Coaster: From the people that gave us Infinity Gene, this is a pretty little title with a wonderful soundtrack and the sharp style you'd expect from the IG people.
Beat Sneak Bandit: A stealth.puzzle game that has its elements timed to the beat. Make your moves accordindly, or fail. Funky tracks, clean artwork. Lots to love here.
BIT.TRIP BEAT: Plays like solo pong, but knowing the rhythm and flow of the songs will greatly aid you. Part of a large saga of games that are slowly making their way to the app store.
Rock Band: I guess I should mention this? Competent enough, but don't expect to replicate that plastic instrument feel.
Guitar Hero: The other one. Likewise, it's decent enough, but I can't shake the feeling of making a quick buck.
Simulation
Because you're not good enough to do this shit in real life.
Game Dev Story: Kairosoft has a ton of these games, but we'll start with their flagship title. Things get meta as you play a game about making games. Pick your developers, manage time, set advertising, and so forth. Good stuff.
SimCity Deluxe: Based on SimCity 3000, this has gotten good marks for being a competent port of the classic series.
Adventure Bar Story: Also an RPG, you run a tavern and have to fight monsters for supplies. Capitalism, ho!
Minecraft: Pocket Edition: The massive building game spreads! This is not nearly as full-featured as the PC version, but they are working on it.
So here are ten apps, in no particular order, that achieve three things.
1. They are fun. I mean...duh, right?
2. They work on a phone. This means portable, and allows for entertainment to be eked out of brief playing sessions. So, don't expect a lot of EPIK RPGS in here.
3. They are cheaper. I understand that your wallet just took a beating by well-armed Apple thugs. This list should clock in at under $30 total, which is a fair amount of entertainment for ten games.
So...here we go...
Dungeon Raid: Roguelikes seem to be infesting everything these days, but you still might be surprised to see it crop up in the puzzle genre. Nonetheless, Dungeon Raid is and extremely addictive way to see just how far you can get before the skulls overwhelm you. Tons of unlockables offer more customization and replay value. It's good stuff.
Price: $2.99
Hero Academy: Turn-based strategy has gotten a new lease on life with the advent of mobile gaming, and Hero Academy does a stellar job with deep gameplay and smooth presentation. What better way to kill some time than by making your move in what will quickly end up as a dozen games or so?
Price: FREE (Unlock new teams via In-App Purchases)
Tilt to Live: One of my favorite arcade titles. You just run your little arrow around avoiding red dots. Power-ups allow you to destroy the dots and rack up points. Achievement system unlocks new power-ups, which keeps things fresh. Minimalist presentation works surprisingly well, and a nice sound track.
Price: $2.99
Space Miner: It's asteroids with character progression. Sounds better than you might expect, giving the old game a fresh lick of paint.
Price: $2.99
Super Hexagon: Let's throw up! This is a recent title that comes from the devious creator of VVVVVV. Guides your little cursor through many hexagonal obstacles. Killer soundtrack, and it is quite addictive.
Price: 99¢ (On Sale; normal price $2.99)
Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor: A damn great platformer that shows how things can work when designed from the ground up for touch screens. You are a spider. You spin webs and catch bugs to eat. Even the arachnophobics will love it.
Price: $2.99
Fieldrunners 2: The obligatory sequel to one of the oldest games on the iPhone, and it fills our necessary Tower Defense quota on the list. Fieldrunners doesn't do anything terribly new, but it does it really fucking well, and I think you have all played Plants vs. Zombies by now.
Price: $2.99
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Micro: An adventure that oozes style, and breaks things up into bit-sized sessions. The puzzle parts aren't too tough, and the combat sections are nice and gentle. Not much else to say about this game besides "buy it!"
Price: $2.99 (Universal Edition: $4.99)
Cthuhlu Saves the World: From the creators of Rain-Slick Precipice Episode 3 (and our own community members!) is their sophomore effort that takes the same retro-RPG sensibilities with the bullshit cut off like unwanted crust. This time, Dread God Cthuhlu has lost his powers, and must gain them back to defeat evil. Because this world is only big enough for ONE evil.
Price: $1.99
10000000: After you get sick of Dungeon Raid, try this heir apparent. Another puzzle/rpg game, but tightly tuned and every bit as addictive. It's been getting a lot of praise here, and the price is right.
Price: $1.99
Total: $29.91 (USA App Store)
Game Center is basically Apple's version of Microsoft's Live or Steam. This will show you achievements, keep track of what friends are playing, set up matches, and even show a variety of leaderboards. There are a few unofficial systems similar to this that were set-up before Game Center arrived, but they've mostly died off (OpenFeint still lingers). This is a nice way to arrange matches and see what other people are playing (complete with links to the app store).
WARNING: For reasons beyond me, Apple quietly changed how Game Center works a few months after it released. It now displays and organizes friends based on their real names. Besides the obvious privacy issues, this also makes things incredibly annoying since all you get is a big list of names that you are largely unfamiliar with. I'm not even sure why they even bother with screen-names since they're barely even used, but there you go. For this reason, I'm not going to bother keeping a list of Game Center names. Feel free to request people in this thread, but be aware that your real name will be floating on Game Center for others to see.
I'm running an iPhone 3GS right now. I really want the Razer N7 iPhone armor, but its specifically designed for iPhone 4 models. Anyone know if a 3GS would still work in there, or is the physical size of the phone different?
Furthermore, the reason why I haven't upgraded to a 4 or 4S yet is because I feel like the 3GS is still good enough. I'll skip a gen and get the iPhone 5 whenever it comes out. What are the chances that when the iPhone 5 does come out that the N7 armor would fit it?
Chances of the iPhone 5 fitting an iPhone 4 case are anyone's guess, but traditionally a new iPhone number (3G, 4, 5) means a new form factor. Most iPhone 4 cases will fit a 4S (button placement might be a slight problem), but if it's a whole new hardware design for the 5, they probably won't fit it.
1) Would it be possible to designate if a game is universal, iPhone/iPod touch, or iPad specific? I won't ask you to hunt down links for the individual versions, but having an idea of a game's compatibility would be really helpful.
2) SpaceChem, if it's anything like its PC counterpart (which I've been lead to believe it is, but better) needs to be in the OP under puzzle games.
My iPad 3 is inbound and I should get it on Friday. Can't wait to get my first crack at all the cool stuff on the IOS store.
Also Toca Boca Hair Salon. My wife makes fun of me endlessly for playing this, but giving a buzzcut cul-de-sac to a hobo and blowing a hairdryer in his face, just to have him smile, cracks me up everytime.
PSN - sumowot
Desert Bus. Yes, that Desert Bus with some iOS upgrades, namely having to tilt to steer and correct the bus' right veer. If I recall correctly, part of the sales go to Child's Play.
So many apps...
Have iPad 3 on order, and have started buying games on iTunes in anticipation, so that list broken down into genres is really helpful, thanks!
Man, feel like I'm getting a new console or something!
Hell, maybe even a "Games That Feature Barry Steakfries" category.
Well, can anyone recommend some turnbased strategy games ? Either empire building games like Civ, or squad based combat games. Greed Corps and Hero Academy sound good, can anyone recommend them ?
Also, where the Hell can I get a N7 cover for the iPad 3 ? I've done some searching, but mostly get links to the new Mass Effect 3 iOS game that just arrived. Failing that, can anyone recommend a good place to get nice, stylish covers ?
Thanks for any help/advice.
My personal favorite iPad outfit is the BookBack by Dodocase: http://www.dodocase.com/products/bookback-for-ipad2
I that protects the back from dings and scratches while I'm using it, and I just store it in a slipcover when I'm not using it. The slipcase I use is this one by Booq: http://www.booqbags.com/All-Products/Recently-Discontinued/boa-skin-xs-sand-iPad-sleeve
That too. I love the metagame I've developed with my friends and family to see who can draw the mode uselessly complex and elaborate scene before finally drawing the item in question.
I recall seeing an article before the ipad3 release, stating that those new college textbooks had the new high resolution images in (hence the 2gb size for covering both resolutions), but with the quantity of visual assets games have, the average game footprint is going to scale massively when supporting the new resolution - so it would make sense to split the two up, or alternatively have the new assets as free in-game DLC.
I've looked at Pinball HD but I'm a bit confused - the AC/DC and Slayer tables seem to also be stand alone games?
Isn't pinball FX(maybe zen pinball) up now?
Awesome, love that on the 360.
On that note, it would be so awesome if game licences carried across platforms, I know I'm going to end up re-buying games on the iPad that I already have for Android and 360.
It depends. Bitmapped graphic assets and fixed resolution textures have to be scaled up, but vector graphics and things like that why require rework or an increased footprint.
First, what do you use to read comics on the iPad?
Second, there is a wealth of board games on the iPad and some might scratch your turnbased strategy itch.
Check out, http://ipadboardgames.org/.
I'm about 20% of the way to buying the Kaamo station (without using the $0.99 in-game purchase to skip the 30-million-spacebux price tag) and I'm seriously considering just taking up a life of crime. As soon as I get this customized cloaking device blueprint manufactured, I may see how viable it is to just hop from system to system, kill everything with custom-built nukes and lasers, and loot the bodies. Hauling space booze across the galaxy gets dull after a while.
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Origin: KafkaAU B-Net: Kafka#1778
I don't know how well it plays but I looked at Rogue Touch, which was listed in the OP...and it actually has some of the exact sprites used in the tile version of Stone Soup.
I guess it'd be familiar to look at, at least.