Archive for the ‘Mobile’ Category
Why Audiosurf was released on Zune HD and not iPhone
Audiosurf is now available for download on ZuneHD, but why not for iPhone?
It was thought that the 3.0 firmware update for iPhone that allows games to access your music library would be the catalyst to allowing games like Audiosurf for the mobile platform. But according to developer Dylan Fitterer, that isn’t the case.
In a recent interview with Charge Shot, Fitterer explained that the iPhone version of the game is “now on the backburner” because the 3.0 update “didn’t bring enough access.”
Expanding on what he was referring to, Fitterer told Joystiq, “Apps can play songs, but they can’t get at a song’s bits (needed to analyze it and build a matching rollercoaster + traffic pattern).”
And rather than trying to give gamers some kind of workaround to allow the game on iPhone, they have instead opted to simply wait on releasing it, until the hardware is there to support it.
So for now Zune owners will be happy with their Audiosurf, while iPhone owners will simply have to wait in covet. Hopefully Apple will jump in and help the developers with what they need. As this addicting game deserves to be on the platform. Strike one win for Microsoft in the mobile space.
Via 1UP
No comments »Brand new portable Red Alert game released for iPhone
Command & Conquer Red Alert iPhone is here to effect the popular mobile device!
This is actually an all-new C&C Red Alert game! There are two playable factions with Hero Units Natasha and Tanya, with multiple maps and environments to play in and all of the units that you’d expect from a full-fledged C&C game. That includes a campaign with around 10 levels with a story that bridges that gap between Red Alert 2 & 3.
There’s also multiple viewing angles as you can zoom in (to a cinematic angle) or out by pinching and squeezing the screen, and naturally everything is touch and go as far as the controls are concerned, which works really well for mobile iPhone/iPod Touch play.
In addition to the single-player campaign and a full skirmish mode, the game will also include multiplayer in an additional downloadable multiplayer mode! Where you can play your friends via either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
In addition, an additional DLC expansion is almost done. And that DLC is Land of the Rising Sun and will include Japan as the third faction!
The game costs $10 and is available now.
Here is a video of Command & Conquer: Red Alert for iPhone in action.
Electronic Arts spends $300 million to buy social network games developer Playfish
EA has bought Playfish for $300 million. Playfish is known as a leader in the industry of social network videogames and Electronic Arts is planning to use this acquisition to strengthen their “focus on the transition to digital and social gaming”.
Playfish will be absorbed into EA Interactive as a separate division that will focus exclusively on creating games for not only social networking web-sites but also for mobile devices.
Here is the press release explanation:
EA has acquired Playfish for approximately US$275 million in cash and approximately $US25 million in equity retention arrangements. In addition, the sellers are entitled to additional variable cash consideration, up to a maximum of US$100 million, contingent upon the achievement of certain performance milestones through December 31, 2011.
“Social gaming, with its emphasis on friends and community, is seeing tremendous growth and this is the right time to invest to strengthen our participation in this space,” said Barry Cottle, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Interactive. “EA has been successfully leading the charge for EA, and with the addition of proven expertise from Playfish, their broad consumer base and strong game brands, we’re moving ahead aggressively in our plans to lead in the category of cross-platform social entertainment.”
“The industry is undergoing dramatic transformation and joining EA is the ideal opportunity for us to push forward our goals to lead in the social entertainment evolution on a faster and much larger scale,” said Kristian Segerstrale, CEO and Co-founder of Playfish. “EAi’s vision and entrepreneurial culture are consistent with our own, and together, we are in position to be the company that defines new and innovative connected experiences that will change the way people play games.”
Playfish is one of the world’s largest and most respected social gaming companies with more than 150 million games installed and played worldwide on platforms such as Facebook, MySpace, Google, Bebo, iPhone and Android. Playfish currently has over 60 million monthly active players across its ten titles – including Facebook hits Pet Society, Restaurant City, and Country Story – driving more than 1 billion game play sessions every month.
Spore Islands strategy game launches on Facebook
Spore Islands for Facebook is an all-new version of the popular PC game from The Sims creator Will Wright. Unlike the PC version of the game though, this new game is a strategy game.
In Spore Islands, players create a creature of their own design from appearance to stats, then place it on an island to see how it fares against other wild creatures. These survival of the fittest scenarios are called Observations, and they test the evolutionary advantages and disadvantages of the creature you created.
If the creature outlives the others during the 150 turn Observation (during which, you cannot control your creature), then its well-evolved to that island. If your creature dies, Spore Islands will offer up suggestions on how to use each day’s 12 DNA points to alter its attributes. These changes also change the look of your creature. For instance, increasing the creature’s “threat-detect” gives it multiple eyes as “food-detect” makes a single eye.
The strategy comes in balancing the 12 DNA points between the stats while considering the island you are on and the creatures you will face. Naturally you can also test your creature against friends on their island or invite them to come to yours and so on, as you’d expect from a social network game. It also allows users to purchase extra DNA points (with actual cash) for further customizing their creatures.
The game is available now for free to play for any FaceBook users that add the App.
Via TechCrunch
Pay what you want for World of Goo on PC until October 25. Coming to iPhone soon
If you haven’t heard, the folks at 2D Boy, developer of World of Goo, are offering a very interesting experiment/sale in which you can download World of Goo for any price!
No that is not a typo! Whether you want to pay 50 cents for it, the $5, $15 or over the full price of $20, the choice is entirely up to you! This experiment was ran due to the game’s 1-year anniversary, and to shine the spotlight back on the series.
What’s really interesting is the World of Goo Pay What You Want sales data, and how the developer was able to make over $100,000 dollars in sales! That’s money they otherwise wouldn’t have seen. In fact the sale was such a overwhelmingly huge success, that they have extended it until October 25th! So if you haven’t picked the game up, then please do! There’s no excuse not too!
The majority of people paid around $2 for the game, the reason being? They simply didn’t have much money to go around in general.
It’s a really interesting scheme and I hope that other developers try this out as well. Imagine if you could get some of your favorite games for WHATEVER price you deemed it was worth. I certainly think this would also make a huge dent in piracy.
In other World of Goo news ,the game will be coming to the iPhone soon! Although it doesn’t have a release date yet, they already have the game up and running. So expect it sooner rather than later.
Get your Rock Band on iPhone
Rock Band iPhone is finally here, you can download Rock Band on iTunes today and play the famous music rhythm game wherever you are!
The game includes 25 legendary songs from great bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd & the Beastie Boys, all delivered with the highest, MP3-quality sound.
Rock out solo on lead bass, drums, guitar & vocals, or start a band with other rockers from around the world! Jump into Quickplay for casual jam sessions, or take it on the road in Tour Mode in EA Mobile’s Rock Band!
Key feature so Rock Band Mobile include:
* Rock out to 25 legendary songs from great bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd & the Beastie Boys.
* All songs delivered with the highest, MP3-quality sound.
* Play solo on lead bass, drums, guitar & vocals.
* Invite other players from around the world to start a band.
* Jump into Quickplay for casual jam sessions or take it on the road in Tour Mode.
Here’s an review of the Rock Band iPhone game which also shows off the game’s features and gameplay.
FIFA 10 wallpaper
Welcome to the FIFA 10 wallpapers page!
Here we will post images that you can use as desktop wallpapers, both official and otherwise. We will add to this list as we find cool new wallpapers for the game.
To download to your PC computer: Right click on the Image. Select “Set as Background Image.”
To download to your Mac computer: Click Image to Download to Desktop. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences. Click Desktop & Screen Saver. Click “Choose Folder…”.
Below you can find the rest of the FIFA 10 wallpapers.
Click on each thumbnail for the wallpaper size image to pop up.
Star Wars The Force Unleashed wallpaper
Welcome to the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed wallpapers page!
Use the full power of The Force in this excellent Star Wars action game. Here we will post images that you can use as desktop wallpapers, both official and otherwise. We will add to this list as we find cool new wallpapers for the game.
To download to your PC computer: Right click on the Image. Select “Set as Background Image.”
To download to your Mac computer: Click Image to Download to Desktop. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences. Click Desktop & Screen Saver. Click “Choose Folder…”.
Below you can find the rest of the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed wallpapers.
Click on each thumbnail for the wallpaper size image to pop up.
Archon 2: Conquest announced for iPhone
Archon: Conquest is coming to the iPhone, bringing the popular virtual-board game to the next-generation and onto handheld devices everywhere.
“We knew the iPhone version of Archon needed a single player experience, so we included a ‘Conquest Mode’ at no extra cost in the 1.9 Archon update (coming soon.) In order to freely expand the single player idea without affecting the Classic version of Archon, we decided to create a separate App called Archon:Conquest. This new App will include several additional campaigns and quests,” say the developers.
The game will be available soon and features a total of 4 campaigns, 60 quests, various board layouts, unique character abilities and enemies to conquer Awards and the new Leader Board system is powered by Plus+.
There is also a PC version of the original, that has new multiplayer game modes featuring up to 4 players in “teams” and “versus” battles.Players can also choose between classic 8-bit or new artwork, online leader boards, achievements, HD resolution and, of course Multiplayer on a local machine or across the internet. Additional enhancements include a variety of board layouts, character leveling up, power-ups and enhanced AI. Archon for the PC will be released during the holiday season 2009 and pre-sales will start on October 15, 2009 through their website.
“In bringing Archon to the PC we’ve really focused on maintaining the classic feel of the original game. That said, there were aspects of the title that needed updating for the modern audience. For example, the addition of 4 players was never in the original, but it adds so much fun it feels like it always belonged there.” says Brad Moss, Design Lead at React Games.
Here’s a review for the first game’s remake: Archon Classic on the iPhone.
Earthworm Jim remake first details and screenshot
The first details on the Earthworm Jim remake for Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare, PlayStation Network and iPhone have been released, in addition to the screenshot above.
As reported by 1UP, the new game will include these updates over the classic game:
* High Definition graphics, code has been re-worked from the ground up.
* All new difficulty levels.
* Online leaderboards
* The “Big Bruty” stage from the Sega CD and PC versions of the game will be included!
The above screenshot comparison is actually from the iPhone version of the game. And the Wii version (which won’t feature HD graphics, since Wii isn’t HD) is being handled by a different studio. There is also the possibility of a PSP version.
The game will be released later this year on Xbox Live Arcade (who has a one-month exclusivity deal) before hitting other downloadable services.
Via 1UP
