AppTapper

'Dungeon Defenders: First Wave Gets an Update!!!

2011-01-20T11:45:00.001-08:00

Our review of Dungeon Defender: First Wave gave the game 5/5 but we encountered many issues that hindered the amount of fun we could have had. Well the folks over at Trendy Entertainment have update the game to fix many issues and add new content.
Below is the full list of features and fixes for update 2.0:

* iOS 3.2 support! (any iOS from 3.2 & up)

* 4.1 support will be in next update

* Revolutionary cross-platform play, using GameSpy! GameSpy supports Private Matches, Game Naming, Game Browsing, and an array of search filters.

* Familiars/Pets!

* Major stability & performance improvements, and new performance-tweaking User Options!

* New Missions for the ultimate Heroes

* Raised Max Item level to 15, and Max Hero Level to 70

* INSANE Difficulty is much, much harder (and so is HARD)... good luck!

* Rebalanced item drops to make super items harder to get

* Fixed some leveling & item farming exploits

* GameCenter support for private matches, and fixes for Inviting

* Better voice chat stability

* Various new item drop types

* Items now have a level requirement based on their quality, and also tell you which class is necessary to use them in the popup overlay

* Big performance boost due to media optimization, and some code optimization

* Various gameplay tweaks for a better balance

* New Tutorial video explains the game in a minute

* Rebalanced item value ramp so that super-items don't sell for ridiculous amounts

* Lots of minor bug fixes and game tweaks too numerous to list here... (among the many, Targeting Dummies now print DPS as you're attacking them)

The games' price has also been lowered to $0.99 temporarily so make sure to download it now. As one of the most in depth iOS gaming experiences ever this game is not to be missed out on.

Dungeon Defenders on the AppStore ($0.99)

Donut Games' 'Cave Bowling' Review

2011-01-20T11:44:00.001-08:00

Striiiiiiike! The newest addition to the AppStore, Cave Bowling, is a physics based bowling game, where the objective is to hit ever pin you can. Sounds simple right? It's not.

Donut Games has a knack for creating simple yet extremely fundicting games (yes I just made that word up) and their newest physics based release 'Cave Bowling' yet again, demonstrates that fact. The premise is such that you play as a cave man and try to knock down all the pins in a level as well as any innocent bystanders. To accomplish this all you need to do is set the angle of the shot, choose the desired amount of power, and then tap the launch button. Now this may be simple but actually completing each level is anything but. The addition of canons, rotating walls, and other blockades add to the complexity each level can reach, and using them wisely can affect your score. Ton's of levels for only $0.99 is a steal, and not picking this up is a crime . So save the taxpayers some money, and go pick it up!

Cave Bowling on the AppStore

New Video of 'Dead Space' for iPhone and iPad

2011-01-20T11:43:00.001-08:00

EA recently released the following game play video of Dead Space for the iPhone. The video gives us a bit more information on the game and increases our desire even more.



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'Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Shadow Vanguard' Headed to iPhone, Courtesy of Gameloft

2011-01-20T11:42:00.001-08:00

Today is a great day, and for many reasons. The update to Dungeon Defenders: First Wave was released, 'Today I Die Again' went free, oh and Gameloft announced 'Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard' for the iPhone. What was that last part?! Yeah I said 'Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Shadow Vanguard'!!!!!!

Today Gameloft released the below teaser trailer for their upcoming game and boy are we excited. Seeing as how Gameloft releases games shortly after their trailers come out we can expect this one in a few weeks, for about $6.99. So sit back, relax, grab a drink, and watch.

'Guerrilla Bob' Update Brings Co-Op multiplayer and New Features!

2011-01-20T11:41:00.001-08:00

New update brings new characters and graphics for this super stylish DSS

The newest update to an old-ish dual stick shooter, Guerrilla Bob, finally gives us the ability to play with friends via a Local WiFi Co-Op mode. The game comes packed with retina enhanced graphics, 3 new playable characters (Santa Bob, Rob McBang, and a secret unlock-able character) , fast-app switching, and better controls. The cross platform will use the same local-WiFi Co-Op structure that the mobile versions use and will be made available on the Mac and the PC this month. A release date has not been specified but seeing as how its mid January it wouldn't be incorrect to assume later this month. Guerrilla Bob is an AppStore gem, with a great story line, great controls, and 3 very engaging game modes Angry Mob games have created a fantastic game, so much so, that it was named a finalist in IGF's (Independent Games Festival) Achievement in Art (Mobile Division). So head on over to the AppStore and pick it up.

Guerrilla Bob on the AppStore

'Über Racer 3D' Review

2011-01-11T11:06:00.001-08:00

Have you ever celebrated Christmas before? If you have, then you’ve certainly gotten a huge, promising looking present. You tear through the wrapping paper, you rip open the box. A bead of sweat goes down your neck, your heart is racing. But, out of nowhere, inside the box was a pair of pink bunny rabbit pajama’s. Kinda the same feeling I got when I played Uber Racer.

When you first start Uber Racer, the opening screen pops up, and then you head into your garage with your car in it, which is basically your menu. It gives you a few options, Career, Quick Race, Car, Options, About, Profiles, and Trophies. At this point, I think I am about to cry. The game looks really nice, and its got tons of features and goodies for me to waste my time with. The suspense heightens as I click Quick Race. It gives me a choice of the tracks I’ve unlocked, (You can always unlock more in career mode) and it gives me options to run the race in forward, or reverse, what racing mode I want (Race, Elimination, One vs One) and it lets me pick how many laps I can race, and how many cars I am gonna race against. (There’s a limit of 4 cars in a race) I tap start the race, and it shows me various cutscenes of all the drivers I’m racing against. Its kinda cheesy, but its nice to have something before the race. Once the cutscenes are over, the race is on. One of the first things I notice during the race is the graphics. The graphics are really nice (some of the textures could use a little work), and detailed and there is even a damage system. Unfortunately, the sense of speed, physics, and controls are terrible. It feels like your going the same speed almost the entire time, even if your going 90 MPH or 30 MPH. The Physics are almost like Jet Car Stunts physics. I run over a rock or ledge, and my car goes flying everywhere, or if I get bumped I spin out of control. The track is really slippery, even on straightaways. Its hard to even talk about the controls, you steer with the accelerometer and tap on the right to speed up, and left to break. Sounds easy right? Wrong. It’s almost impossible to get a good control on your speed, and even the accelerometer needs adjusting. It feels as if you are driving a hovercraft. So naturally, I look for the pause button. First I find a camera angle option with three sub-options; hood, front, and trailing. I finally find the pause button. Unfortunately, the other options are to Resume, Restart and head back to the Menu. I searched the game high and low, and there were no control options at all, which almost makes the game unplayable to me.

The Career mode in this game is your fairly typical Career mode. You race along pre-determined events to earn the games form of currency, oil. The more oil you earn the more you can upgrade your car, and eventually, buy a new car. You have to finish in the top 3 to move on, and the higher you finish, the more oil you earn.

The music in this game is decent, although it gets boring over time. There is an option to turn it off, and let you listen to your own music, which is nice. The graphics in this game are good. There’s really not much to say after that, there not a determent to the game, and they menu’s are fantastic, the actual race graphics disappointed me compared to the menu’s. Uber Racer doesn’t come preloaded with any social gaming service, but it does include achievements and trophies, and allows multiple save slots, just in case you want to earn all the trophies multiple times. There are multiple flaws in this game that are difficult to overlook. The controls, physics, handling of the cars, lack of multiple difficulties, lack of any kind of gameplay adjustment are all flaws that bring this game down for me. On the bright side, I experienced no framerate problems on my 4G iPod Touch (As expected)

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this game. It’s fun and has decent graphics, but its flaws are extremely frustrating. After one race, I was ready to throw my iPod against the wall, I just couldn’t get the hang of it. The most frustrating thing is, I thought I would love this game. Playing through the game, I find multiple flaws throughout, including lack of adjustments, physics and controls, which are all fixable things. It’s hard for me to recommend this game in its current state.

Short Description: Über Race 3D is seems like a mix between the career of Real Racin 1 and the driving physics of a hovercraft.

Modes: 6
Difficulties: 1
Total: 6
Levels: N/A

1-5 Point Scale:
Music: 3
Modes: 4
Replayability: 4
Networking: 3
Gameplay: 3
Graphics: 4
Performance: 4
Controls: 2
Physics: 2
Overall (not an average): 3

Über Race 3D on the AppStore

Gameplay Video:

'Dungeon Defenders: First Wave' Review

2011-01-11T11:05:00.001-08:00

Never in my iOS gaming career have I come across a game that combines elements from tower defense and online cooperative Action-RPG's as perfectly as Dungeon Defenders.

Dungeon Defenders: First Wave is the newest game from Trendy Entertainment, and is being released across several platforms including Android, and the PC. What's greater is that it has already been released for iOS. Dungeon Defenders takes elements from online cooperative Action-RPG's and tower defense games and combines them into one of the most engaging experiences on the iDevices. Taking all of that into consideration it has been my pleasure to say that DD:FW is one of the most deep gaming experiences on the iDevices, and provides endless hours of fun WoW inspired gaming. The premise is such that you level up characters, while trying to gear those characters as best as possible. To do this you can either play locally (offline) or online (via Game Center). There are a plethora of maps, and an equal amount of challenges. Selecting either or is as simple as tapping the corresponding button. Due to the large amount of content the game houses I will break it down into several sections.

The Story:

Long Ago, Etheria was once a land of living legends… Throughout the ages, brave warriors across the realm stood together against the forces of evil, led by immortal beings known as the Old Ones… After a titanic struggle, these champions locked away the power of the Old Ones, inside Eternia Crystals…These legendary heroes have recently left their younger kin in charge of the common castle chores… Bored with their dreary duties, the inexperienced pupils decide to play… And accidentally unleash an ancient force that has long been dormant!

The Maps:

Included in the mobile version are 8 maps: The Deeper Well, Foundries and Forge, Magus Quarters, Alchemical Laboratory, Servants Quarters, Castle Armory, Hall of Court, and The Throne Room.

The Battles:

While in battle you have a set number of waves that you must defend your "Eternia Crystals" against. If any of your Eternia Crystals is destroyed its game over. However, to aid you in your quest you are granted with an arsenal of weapons and "towers". This is where the strategy comes into play. Setting your "towers" in the right place can make or break you during a wave, so formulating a strategy is imperative to your success. Each battle can have 1 of four difficulties, Easy, Medium, Hard, and Insane. The higher the difficulty the better the gear that will drop.

The Heroes:

There are four distinctive hero types to which there are 5 specific towers; the Squire, the Apprentice, the Huntress, and the Monk. Each character has there own special abilities on top of their specific towers. Choosing the right hero is difficult as each one is beneficial to the success of your team. In between each wave, you enter the Build Phase. During the build phase you can setup your towers without the threat of enemies trying to attack the Eternia Crystals. You can also access the Forge. Which houses all the weapons you have accumulated thus far, as well as your stats and banked mana (banked mana being the extra mana that you wish to deposit into a bank of sorts. You can then use the banked mana to upgrade weapons.), and allows you to switch characters. Once the build phase ends you can no longer access the Forge, however you can still build towers, but enemies will be trying to attack you and the crystals so it becomes a bit more difficult.

The Weapons:

Weapons are a man's best friend, or is that dogs? Eh who cares, weapons are definitely cooler. There are a large variety of weapons available which can be broken down into subsections. You have your axes, your bows, your clubs, your guns, your hammers, your spears, your staffs, and your swords. Each of which belong to a specific hero. The swords, hammers, and axes are the Squires choice weapons, the staffs are the Apprentices, the guns and bows are specific to the Huntress, and the spears belong to the Monk. Each weapon has a specific value to it, as the value increases the weapon gains more strength. The following values are the ones you will encounter, keep in mind that the increased value increases the rarity; Worn, Torn, Solid, Sturdy, Polished, Powerful, Shining, Amazing, Legendary, Epic, Godly. There are also 3 elemental properties, 1 of which is attached to a weapon (which occurs at random); Electric, Poisonous, and Flaming. PIcking the right weapon also makes a huge difference as certain enemies are immune to certain elements, which drastically reduces the damage you can inflict.

The Cons:

Now this game is not all sprinkles and rainbows, as there are a small amount of issues that create large problems. The first thing I want to cover is the online component. The game uses Game Center as it's method of connection, however trying to find a game is a pain in the butt, and once you finally connect 8/10 times you will either time-out or be disconnected from the host (We tested on several networks and our latency was better than perfect and we still were disconnected mid-battle). If you happen to find a match that allows you to play for longer than 5 seconds you are hit with substantial lag, no matter what your latency. The lag makes things quite unbearable at times and can really put a damper on the match. Trendy has submitted an update that should address the online issues as well as the consistant crashing of the application. Speaking of the update, Trendy has also told us that a PvP mode will make it's way into the game, alongside the inclusion of weapon-level specifics. Currently you can use godly weapons at level 1, and basically decimate any and all beasties in the easy difficulty. Well, after the update you will have to level up inorder to use higher valued weapons (The inclusion of which I find to be a great idea).

The other issues are the horrible controls and horribly designed UI. The amount of clutter is astounding and makes it near to impossible to keep focused on the current task. The controls don't make things any easier. The camera controls are horrid, and the virtual joystick is absolutely useless. Hopefully the update does something to reduce the size of the buttons, the size of the map (which block your entire view when activated), the camera controls, and the movement controls.

Oh and did we mention it requires 4.2? Well it does, and thats a disappointment to many.

These issues alone have deterred many gamers from purchasing and take away from the splendor the game has the potential to create. However, the developers have opened up a thread asking gamers what they would like to have fixed or added, showing that Trendy does indeed care about the people who play.

Final Words:

The best way to describe DD:FW is "Diablo meets Plants vs. Zombies meets WoW". The potential is oozing through the cracks so to speak, and many future updates will allow that potential to reach amazing heights. At this point in time I whole heartedly put my vote behind DD:FW. The bugs are few but the problems they create are major, but that is not enough to deter me from playing. The $2.99 pricetag is a small price to pay for such an engaging experience and its in your best interest to pick it up.

Dungeon Defenders: First Wave on the AppStore

Dead Space Hands-On Video

2010-12-29T12:33:00.001-08:00

Time to kill some aliens, Dead Space is coming to the iPhone in January. Yeah it's pretty much a big deal.Dead Space is coming to the iDevices, however, this version will serve as a bridge for the 1st and 2nd game. The game will be a full-mobility (not on rails) third person shooter that contains many of the game aspects found in the console version. EA has set a release date to sometime in january, vague we know, but other than that we have nothing specific. Having watched this video numerous times I can say that this will be epic. The lighting effects and the graphics provide the eerie ambiance that the console brother is famous for creating, it just a matter of time before we can hold one of the scariest games of all time in our hands. So without further adue, the video, above which, are a few more screens, Enjoy!

Infinity Blade Review

2010-12-29T12:31:00.000-08:00

Where were you December 13, 2010? On a cold and rainy night Brett Favre's consecutive game streak was broken. His streak spanned four presidents, it was legendary. Think about it: Where were you when this streak was dealt it's final blow? I know where I was. I was playing Infinity Blade, and I haven't stopped since.

When you first tap Infinity's Blade, the opening screen pops up, and then you start the story. The story starts with a knight taking on the GodKing, Infinity's Blade primary foe. After you begin to learn the ropes of the game, the GodKing ends up killing you. The next scene is your son, returning to get his vengence on the GodKing. Next, you proceed through the castle, defeating enemies and minions along the way. Eventually, you make it to the GodKing again, and when you die (trust me, you can't beat him on the first bloodline, or at least it's extremely difficult), the whole story starts over again.

The gameplay of Infinity's Blade is similar to a glorified Fruit Ninja. The enemy attacks you, and you have three options to defend, you can block by pressing a block button (you only have alimited amount of blocks), dodge buttons, or you can swipe on the screen to parry. After you block, parry, or dodge enough, the bad guy takes a break, which gives you your chance to attack. There are three ways to attack, you can swipe on screen to attack with your sword, use your stun powers, which stuns him so you can attack with your sword, or use your magic powers. (Both stun and magic are one time use, but re-fill over time) Eventually, the enemies get more difficult, mainly because their health and attack speed increase, and they also become invincable to certain magic attacks.

Infinity's Blade is a fairly basic action game, with a few RPG elements sprinkled in. You earn money from chests and money bags located randomly around the castle, and from defeating bad guys. You can use that money to earn different tools and weapons, of which include swords, shields, helms, magic rings, and armor. Once you equip the new armor, you can start mastering them, which you can by gaining XP from enemies. Once you get enough XP, you either level up (the current level cap is 45), or master your tools, both of which gives you points to increase your defense, attack, magic, or health.

The devil is in the details. The music/sound effects in this game are near perfect. Unlike, most iOS games it actually is enjoyable to listen to, and increases the suspense in the battles. The graphics in this game are mind blowing. By far the best graphics on the iOS platform, mainly due the the fact that its powered by the Unreal Engine. These graphics are simply stunning, you have to check the screenshots to get the entire picture. I might venture as far as to call them the best graphics on the iOS, as well as the DS. This gameplay comes fully loaded with Gamecenter, and is stacked with achievements to keep you busy, far past the level 45 cap. If the game isn't stacked enough already, the developers have promised multiple content updates, and one have even been released already. There are two facets that upset me somewhat, but it's mainly on the performance side. First, the game crashes on occasion, which can get annoying once you get into it, and it only works on the latest gen devices, i.e, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, as well as the iPod 3rd gen (Late 16gig and 32 gig models, or MC models), and 4th Gen iPod Touch, as well as the iPad.

Overall, I love this game. It's fun, challenging, addicting, and beautiful. I might marry this game, it's that fantastic. I haven't put it down since I downloaded it, and I'm not gonna stop after the review, it's the first true iPhone masterpiece. Be forewarned: Some people really hate this game, but I disagree strongly. Playing through the game, I find next-to no flaws throughout my experience. I highly reccomend this game to any fans of sword fighting action games, with some RPG elements mixed in.

Short Description: Infinity's Blade is like the gameplay of Fruit Ninja blended with the story theme of Rimelands, and gently stirred with the graphics of Call of Duty.

Modes: 1
Difficulties: 1
Total: 1
Levels: 10 different Enemies

1-5 Point Scale:
Music: 5
Modes: 3
Replayability: 4
Networking: 5
Gameplay: 5
Graphics: 5
Performance: 4
Overall (not an average): 5

Infinity Blade Available December 9th for $5.99!

2010-11-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

If you have been eagerly waiting the release of Infinity Blade for the iOS platform then the wait is over....soon. Chair Entertainment has set the release date of the Unreal Engine powered RPG to December 9th, at the price of $5.99. Infinity Blade will be a universal app for the iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4, iPod Touch 3rd and 4th gen, as well as the iPad. To tease us even more, the below screenshots have been released. Also included is a gameplay video.

Real Racing 2: Gameplay Video and Details

2010-11-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

Firemint has released a gameplay trailer of the highly anticipated sequel to last years huge hit, Real Racing. The video demonstrates 1 of the many cars available in game, the Nissan GT-R (R35). It gets even better, as Firemint will "easily provide 10 hours of gameplay." Players will be able to earn in-game money by winning races and increasing their reputation, buy and sell cars, unlock tracks and other championship events, and even customize cars with an array of performance enhancements and paint jobs (In my opinion one of the most overlooked aspects of iDevice racing games.) The game will support all iPhones and iPod touch models, even the 1st generation iPod touch, while also providing enhancements for the latest gen devices.

Coming Soon: Shadow Guardian by Gameloft

2010-11-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

Today Gameloft released the below trailer of their upcoming TPS (third person shooter) 'Shadow Guardian'. What we find odd about the game is that it is strikingly similar to Naughty Dog's Uncharted series, more so than any other Gameloft game. We hope that Gameloft will release more details soon in order to "clear the air" as it were, about this game. Being a huge fan of the Uncharted series I can say that I am quite excited for Gamelofts new addition to the AppStore. Seeing as how the Uncharted and Uncharted 2 may never see the light of day on the iDevices, a clone will suffice.

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline: Video and Details

2010-11-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

Gameloft has released the below trailer showcasing their 3rd racing game from the Asphalt series, entitled Asphalt 6: Adrenaline. They have also provided the full vehicle list and screen shots which can be viewed below the video.

Full Vehicle List:

Abarth 500 SS
Aston Martin DBS Volante
Aston Martin One-77
Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Audi TT-RS
Audi R8
Audi RS5
Audi S5
Bentley Continental Supersports
Bentley GT Speed
Bentley Speed 8
BMW M3 GTS
BMW M6 Coupe
BMW Z4 sDrive35is
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
Can Am Spyder
Citroën Survolt
Ducati 1198
Ducati Hypermotard
Ferrari 430 Scuderia
Ferrari 458 Italia
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ferrari California
Ford Shelby GT500
KTM RC8
KTM X-Bow
Lamborghini Estoque
Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 SL
Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV
Maserati Gran Turismo S
McLaren MP4-12C
Mercedes C 63 Amg McLaren MP4-12C
Mercedes DTM
Mercedes SLR McLaren Stirling Moss
MINI John Cooper Work
Nissan 370 Z Nismo
Nissan GT-R
Pagani Zonda Cinque
Ruf 3400K
Ruf CTR 3
Ruf Rt 12
Tesla Roadster Sport

Screens:

Real Racing 2: Cinematic Trailer and More Car Details Released

2010-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

The guys over at Firemint have just released a cinematic trailer for the upcoming racing game 'Real Racing 2'. The video gives a bit more insight into the game, while also showcasing 3 more cars that will be available in the game. If you are not able to determine which vehicles appear in the video then the list below will help you out:

2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500
2010 #33 Jaguar RSR XKR GT
2010 Nissan GT-R (R35)

Plus the 2 initial cars:

2006 BMW Z4 M Coupe Race Car
2010 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R

Update: Real Racing 2 to Have Real Cars!

2010-11-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The folks over at Firemint have let everyone in on a big surprise. Real Racing 2 will have real cars!! The two cars seen in the above picture will actually be in the game, the one to the left is the 2006 BMW Z4 M Coupe Race Car and the one to the right is the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette C6R. The team over at Firemint say that the game should be available this holiday season. Real Racing 2 has the potential to be the Gran Turismo 5 of the iOS platform. We will cover all new information regarding RR2 during the coming weeks.

New Releases and Updates

2010-11-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

November has been a huge month for iOS gaming, as many great titles have been and are going to be released in the coming days. Here is a roundup of our most anticipated titles that have been released.

Newly Released Titles:

Mushihimesama Bug Panic is argueably the most intense and frantic dual stick shooters on the AppStore, combining the bullet hell style of Espgaluda II and Dodonpachi Resurrection with the dual stick goodness of Minigore. Being much cheaper than Cave Co.'s other games, Mushihimensama (try saying that 3 times fast) is a great game that I highly recommend.

ID Software's Rage (a.k.a Mutant Bash T.V) was released last night, and proves to be an amazing first person shooter. Seeing as how the game is on rails, my first thoughts were less than optimistic. However, after playing the game my impressions have turned for the better. Great graphics and an amazing attention to detail provide endless hours of gameplay, and will keep you entertained for a while. There are two versions of the game available, Rage ($0.99), and Rage HD ($1.99). The standard definition of Rage (i.e Rage) is meant for the older devices, that is the iPad, iPod Touch 2nd Gen, iPhone 3g, iPad. While the HD version is for the iPod Touch 3g and 4g, iPhone 3GS and 4, and iPad. The HD version providing higher resolution textures.

EA adds another great racer onto the AppStore with the release of Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit. Proving that the Need For Speed series is not dead yet. With a plethora of cars, and a ton of different race types, NFS: HP provides tons of fun, and lots of replay value. The only downside is the DLC that has been implemented into the game. Something I find ridiculous, especially in a paid game. Ignoring the DLC fact the game is great, and is something I recommend anyone,pick it up for $4.99.

Glu Mobile has been quite busy releasing Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense $6.99. An unusual tower defense game that see you defending, your tower, from the invading enemies (Obviously :D ). The unusual part of this tower defense game, is that the enemies do not follow a predetermined path. Much like Fieldrunners you must manipulate the path that the enemies take in order to succeed. Placing wooden barricades (that each have a certain perk, i.e, slow enemies down, or damaging enemies) will be the option of choice to determine the path. Once the path is chosen you must place your heroes (the defense towers) that each have a specific ability. For example the Ranged hero can attack from afar, while the melee hero, can damage from up close. Each hero can be upgraded from gold earned from each level, increasing there attack power, speed, and skills. The price is a bit steep, but the level of detail and entertainment is definitely worth it.

The gory side-scrolling fighter from 1989 aptly named Splatterhouse (AppStore) was released by Namco. Being a direct port of the edgy title from the 80's there are few small differences added to the game, but other than that it is just as, if not more fun, than when it was first released 21 years ago.

Updated Titles (Future and Released):

Monster Dash (AppStore) received an update that adds fast app switching and universal support for the iPad. Having praised the game in an earlier review we are excited to see updates still being released for this game. If you haven't picked it up yet, then you need to do so this instant!!!

Cut the Rope (AppStore) has an update that will be released soon, adding more levels to the game. Cut the Rope is a physics puzzler that provides the right amount of frustrating puzzle goodness to keep you entertained for a long time. With tons of levels in the initial release the game is definitely worth a higher price tag.

Mr. Bill (AppStore) receives a Thanksgiving themed update. Mr. Bill being the character from the Saturday Night Live skits, who would yell "Oh No!" in a high pitched voice. This specific update adds a total of 14 thanskgiving themed levels and a thanksgiving themed endless mode. Bringing the total amount of levels to 56 and the total amount of endless modes to 4. Mr. Bill sees you shooting, Mr. Bill, out of a cannon and trying to get him as far as possible. Once fired from the cannon you will need to use power-ups and arm flaps to keep Mr. Bill in the air for as long as possible, and to avoid obstacles.

Street Fighter IV (AppStore) received and update adding the characters Sagat and DeeJay, the fight request feature, Street Fighter II BGM, and Game Center Support.

Captain BomBom: At Least It's Got Potential

2010-11-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

I am always amazed at the awesome games that never receive the attention they deserve. Captain BomBom is a fun, albeit lacking, dual stick shooter, that proves to be a decent gaming experience.

The game is a hybrid DSS, combining aspects from story driven dual stick shooters like Guerilla Bob and survival dual stick shooters like Isotope and revolves around you, Captain BomBom, and his supposedly happy vacation. From what we were given the Captain left the front fort R-69 (We assume this is a planet of some type, details are a bit scarce, which is huge a downside to the game.) for the space station, however, along the way he found an unknown planet that was under attack from Octopus Alien’s (Really? Some ingenuity could have gone into the naming of the enemies in my opinion, Antradian Squidmen would have sufficed). Having noticed the planet’s fragile state Captain BomBom put on his blasting equipment and began his assault on the Octopus Aliens.

CBB is partly retina enhanced meaning that part of the UI is optimized for the retina display and part is not, the in-game gameplay is not retina enhanced either (Neither is the icon). Having said this I expected the game to run smoothly and without any type of problems (Considering the devices we tested this game on are definitely over qualified). This is not the case. The frame rate does not stay constant and the controls will some times “skip”. When I say skip I mean that the controls will stick, and then become responsive again after a delay of some time. This causes a loss in control of the Captain, and in some cases, will lead to your death. Some of the UI animations are quite stale, and look glitchy at times, the character animations could also use some attention, as they appear to move in single digit frames. The game lacks the use of newer generation devices anti-aliasing capabilities, and causes the game to look quite pixelated while playing.

The premise is quite simple and follows the unwritten rules of mostly all dual stick shooters, kill enemies and destroy the drills before the planets life bar is gone. After the planets life bar is gone, or you’re destroyed its game over. Made available to you are a decent amount of weapons and explosives.

There are four types of weapons, one tank, and two pick-ups available. The weapon class includes two types of gun based weapons, and two grenade based weapons. The first gun based weapon allows for forward shooting and sideway shooting (the Captains arms are moved to the side of him and he shoots horizontally away from his body) and the forward shooting is just as the name implies. The second gun based weapon actually shoots mine type bullets that stay on the ground for a limited time and will blow up any enemy that passes over them. A glowing spot indicates where the mine is placed. The grenades are quite the neat little helpers. The first type of grenade is just your basic explosive, however, the second grenade creates a vortex that sucks enemies into its center holding them there until the vortex disappears. By combining the vortex grenade and the explosive grenade you can easily decimate a large number of enemies in a short period of time. The tank is acquired by obtaining three lighting bolts from the ground (Which are dropped from random enemies, in a random fashion) after which a tank is dropped off on the map. The tank has a health bar, and after that health bar runs out, the tank explodes and three more bolts are needed in order to bring it back. While driving the tank you gain access to the cannon. The cannon is a giant laser that easily kills enemies in a very quick manner, but its limited to its usage. The laser has to be charged back up after the charge bar is depleted.

Now on to something we at AppTapper found quite odd. Openfeint is the social platform chosen for the game, however the achievement points are quite ridiculous, especially for the tasks you need to complete in order to earn them. Below is a full list of the achievements and the points received for unlocking them.

Name and Description Point Worth

GreenSquidKiller

Kill 1000 Green Squid 1

GreenSquidButcher

Kill 10,000 Green Squid 3

GreenSquidExecutioner

Kill 100,000 Green Squid 5

RedSquidKiller

Kill 250 Red Squid 1

RedSquidButcher

Kill 2500 Red Squid 3

RedSquidExecutioner

Kill 25,000 Red Squid 5

RabbitFishKiller

Kill 100 Rabbit Fish 1

RabbitFishButcher

Kill 1,000 Rabbit Fish 3

RabbitFishExecutioner

Kill 10,000 Rabbit Fish 5

RedOctopusKiller

Kill 300 Red Octopus 1

RedOctopusButcher

Kill 3,000 Red Octopus 3

RedOctopusExecutioner

Kill 30,000 Red Octopus 5

Drill Killer

Kill 100 DrillTower 1

DrillButcher

Kill 1,000 DrillTower 3

DrillExecutioner

Kill 10,000 DrillTower 5

As you can see the amount of enemies you need to kill is astoundingly higher than they should be, especially considering you only get a maximum of 5 points. Killing 100 of any enemy type is a feat n and of itself in this game, and this oversight really seems like a cheap way to save some time and money. The lack of effort for such a small aspect of this game shows that they wanted to focus on the primary gameplay (which they did not even do well) more than anything else. The lack of ingenuity and the many oversights the developers had really disappoint me as a reviewer and consumer. However, the game is free as of right now, and at that price, the game is, content wise, where it should be. The achievement issue is not warranted by the price, and hopefully will be fixed in a future update.

What we believe is needed:

1) Full retina display support for all UI elements, and in game assets.

2) Optimization of the controls.

3) Better background story, (I would be happy to come up with something)

4) Removing of the speech bubbles from inside the actual game, as they block a players view and become quite an annoyance. (Visible in the fourth screenshot)

5) Openfeint achievement fixes, i.e, updating the amount of kills and amount of points awarded to something that actually makes sense. Also adding something other than /ColorAnimal/Profession (Did you happen to notice the pattern, Green/Red/Rabbit/Fish/Butcher/Killer/Executioner?!)

The game has a really high potential, and it’s disappointing to see the lack of ingenuity in certain aspects of the game, but for a free game we really cannot complain all too much. If you are a fan of dual stick shooters, than theres nothing that should stop you from giving it a try.

Real Racing 2 Announced!

2010-11-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

Real Racing 2

Real Racing 2 has been announced, kinda. The folks over at TouchArcade have just received this image, letting them know of Real Racing 2's existance. As a huge fan of the original we will be watching this games announcments like a hawk. Hopefully, more information arrives soon. Until then, just keep staring at the picture.

Etolis: Arena: An Amazing Upcoming Dual Stick Shooter

2010-11-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

Etolis: Arena is a amazing looking upcoming dual stick shooter (DSS) that we here at AppTapper got to preview. We were blown away with the attention to detail and the high level of content made available to us in this early build. Read more in our in-depth preview.

Late last month we recieved the privilage of trying out Facet Studios' new upcoming

shooter, 'Etolis: Arena'. Being partial to anything dual-sticky I instantly began playing through every feature made available to us in the early build. The game revolves around you, a UFA (The United Front Alliance) Soldier turned prisoner, who is thrust into an arena forced to fight for your life, for entertainment of her Majesty's magnificent forces. Lots of background information is already provided to you in order to understand what is going on and why you are forced to fight for your life. Below is an excerpt from the UFA Databank.

It all started in 2483 when the planet state of Kraven attacked the neighboring planet state of Etolis.. The Kraven led by their Queen Natus, had been involved in skirmishes and relatively minor attacks on outlying zones but came relatively swiftly to Etolis in full force. The UFA, unable to respond quick enough, relied upon the existing minor ground force to hold off the attackers for as long as possible so the government and as many civilians as possible could escape. Their [Kraven] initial bombardment struck at spaceports as well as decimating the shipping and military fleets. It appears that the desire of the Kraven were to trap the Etolians on the planet in the inital attack.

Etolis focuses more on the dual stick survival shooter sub-genre. It takes aspects from story driven DSS's like Revolt, and survival type gameplay like Minigore, and combines it to make the perfect shooter cocktail. Upon playing the game, you will first notice (if you happen to have an iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 4g) the crisp and highly detailed retina enhanced UI, maps, and characters. The game boasts 7 types of enemies and 5 maps that you must face off against and on while playing: Drones, Spiders (Robotic Spiders), Hurion Beasts, Enlisted Troopers, Veterans, Sisters, and Primes. The maps include Spacecab Port, Periv Reactor, Research Outpost, Dig Site, and Secret Cavern. All of which can be played on 1 of 3 difficulties; Normal, Seasoned, and Elite, using either dual sticks, or an Auto-Aim control method (Note: Auto-Aim is not available on the Elite difficulty). Having chosen the map, you can choose what game type you want to play. There are 4 game types:

Classic Survival: Classic Survival throws you into a series of infinite rounds, containing 3 waves each.

Dronez: Dronez pits you against a 1 round match containing endless waves of drones while arming you with infinite small arms ammunition,

Rockets: Rockets deploys you against a 1 round, 5 wave battle with infinte ammution for your rocket launcher.

Hammers: Hammers see you in a 1 round, 5 wave battle with your trusty big ass hammer (Proton Axe).

After each round, in a select few of the game modes, you have the chance to purchase different weapons using the Honor you collected during the round. There are 5 available weapons for purchase, and include the S6 Shotgun, the Fuze Rifle, the Ion Penetrator, the B2 Rocket L, and the Proton Axe (the aforementioned "trusty big ass hammer") Also available are a thermal blast grenade, mines, extra ammo capacity for the Fuze Rifle, the Ion Penetrator, B2 Rocket L, and Proton Axe.

The upgrade shop

Check out the gameplay video below. Keep in mind that the choppy framerate you are witnessing is not caused by the game. Rather the recording program we used.

Needless to say, we are very eager to see the future updates and additions the team over at Facet Studios adds to the coming builds. Expect to see Etolis: Arena available in the AppStore in the coming weeks.

Alien Space: It's Heeeerrrrrre!

2010-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year we did a preview of the game Alien Space, from developer Owens Rodriguez. The one man team that has spent nearly a year putting together this space themed dual stick shooter. The game has finally been released and our initial impressions are bittersweet.

The game offers a good amount of re-playability and fun. Couple this with great graphics, and even greater controls, and you've got a great shooter on your hands. The part that makes this bitter is the price point. Set at $3.99 USD the game does not seem to live up to that amount. The lack of content is a big factor here. Offering only 2 game modes, and a scarce UI, Alien Space is a title that has a lot of potential but is being held back by the price.

The game has two modes, campaign, and survival. Campaign sees you fighting through many levels killing all the aliens that spawn within the level. A great upgrade system has been put in place but is a tad difficult to upgrade in. We have yet to figure it out, but during a level you earn a certain amount of credits. That amount seems to vary from level to level and can become a nuisance. (We thought that credits should be awarded based on how much damaged you incurred vs. the amount of enemies destroyed, a suggestion to the developer)

The other game mode is survival. Like the name suggests you need to survive for as long as possible. From what we experienced its not possible to upgrade your ship, the only available option(s)is to choose your light and heavy weapons.

There are 8 possible weapon choices. 3 light weapon choices and 5 heavy weapon choices. The light weapon choices offer up an auto cannon, a 3 shot blaster, and a laser. The heavy weapon class offers a photon torpedo, rockets, guided missiles, cluster missiles (1 main missile explodes into 3 guided missiles), and a cutter (The cutter shoots a horizontal lazer beam in the direction you choose, causing the things it passes through to blow up).
The game comes with Open Feint, and allows you to track your score, and compare it to online leader boards. There is also a generous amount of achievements, including a few secret ones.

We would love to put our vote behind this app 100%, but due to the small amount of content, and the high price point. We can only give about 65%. Its a great game, but wait for an update adding more content, or a sale.

Alien Space on the AppStore

GravBot: Isaac Newton Would Be Proud

2010-10-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

“No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess" - Sir Isaac Newton. (He's referring to GravBot of course!)

Physics puzzlers are no stranger to the AppStore, some of the most memorable titles include 'Ragdoll Physics', 'Angry Birds', and 'Cut the Rope'. Well after playing 'GravBot' by Team Phobic (Guys behind the Bounce On series) we decided that GravBot should be among the top puzzle games on the AppStore. Combining new and unique gameplay mechanics with great level design, Team Phobic have made a game that would make even Sir Isaac Newton blush.

In GravBot, you control the little robot (We shall name him Drallo for this review, in honor of Bounce On 2) and your objective is to collect all the batteries in the level. To do this you have a 5-button control scheme. The buttons on the left side of the screen control your left and right movement. The buttons on the right side of the screen allow you to switch the orientation of the level, altering the gravity, and allowing you to maneuver any which way you please.

The levels can get pretty complicated but usually are pretty short. It only took about 45 mins to complete the 12 included levels. However thats not to say the game is not fun. It's one of the more original titles on the AppStore and a new favorite of mine.

The game includes 12 levels (7 of which are tutorials) and 2 DLC packages that add 20 new levels each. Each DLC package costs $0.99 USD and contains 20 levels. It is also retina enhanced for all your iPod Touch 4th gen and iPhone 4 owners out there. The game is available on the AppStore for free so go pick it up!

GravBot on the AppStore

Reckless Racing: The Long Awaited Top-Down Racer Finally Arrives

2010-10-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

If your speedometer says "and so on" you might be a Reckless Racer!

The racing game that we've been waiting for since early March has finally arrived. 'Reckless Racing' developed by Polarbit, has finally made its debut on the AppStore. The beautiful top down racer that was first announced months ago has finally been released. The game features a single player mode and an online multiplayer mode; with the multiplayer mode allowing head to head racing with other players, and racing against a ghost player. Further more, single player offers up 3 more game modes, Dirt Rally, Delivery, and Hot Lap, and online leader boards for all game modes.

Dirt Rally is just a regular race mode where you race on 1 of 3 difficulties (Bronze, Silver, Gold), after beating each of the 5 races you unlock the reverse mode of the tracks.

Hot Lap has you racing any track you want over and over again, until you achieve the best possible time you can. With the online leader boards you can compare your times to those of players from all over the world.

Delivery mode is quite different from the rest of the game modes, and is acutally, in my opinion, the most fun. Delivery mode sees you racing around tracks trying to collect as many packages as possible within the allotted time (Either 3 mins, 5 mins, or 8 mins, can be chosen). What really sets this apart from the other modes, is the fact that it takes place on its own map, which is much larger and more open then in Dirt Rally and Hot Lap. In Delivery Mode, a waypoint guides you to the pickup spot of the first package, after the first package is picked up, the waypoint guides you to its drop off point, from which you start the sequence over again (that is, pick up package then drop it off). The packages worth decreases the longer it takes you to drop it off, adding a degree of difficulty to the game. At the end of the time limit, the amount of money (earned from completing package deliveries) and total amount of deliveries, add together to create your total score.

5 control schemes are offered, which is a great
addition as all gamers are different and prefer different control methods. Combine this with the fantastic track designs, great graphics, and amazing replay value and you get a 5 star racing game that's far from dissapointing. The only thing we didn't like was the shortness of the game. Everything an be beaten fairly quickly, and we hope that EA and Polarbit release a steady stream of content.

Update: The HD version contains 8 tracks totals which is more than the iPhone version and the Retina Display graphics do not work in the iPod Touch 4th Gen, due to a bug. However, the developer has stated that the retina display bug, as well as more content, will be coming in the first update.

Reckless Racing on the AppStore
Reckless Racing HD on the AppStore

Battlefield Bad Company 2: Coming to the iPhone [Confirmed]

2010-10-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

EA has confirmed that they are bringing Battle Field Bad Company 2 to the iPhone, and iPod Touch.

As in a previous article we stated that Battlefield Bad Company 2 was said to be coming to the iDevices in November. Well it is 100% true! The game will contain 14 Campaign missions and an online multiplayer mode. For now the press was given the following screens to enjoy.

Judging from the screens, its hard to tell whether or not the game will be retina enhanced. Based on EA's previous attitude towards the retina enhanced graphics displayed on some of their games(what with shoving it down our throats in the midst of Mirror's Edge release), I would expect for the game to be retina friendly.

Tons of Games Get Updates, Releases, and Announcements

2010-10-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

This article contains information regarding the newest games, the newest announcements, and the newest updates to some of the best games on the AppStore. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the things to come.

Announcements:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is confirmed to be coming to the iDevices in November. According to IGN, EA has confirmed that Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be making its debut on the iPhone in the near future. Near future being November, as a huge fan of the console version I am eagerly anticipating its release. Full article here: http://www.tinyurl.com/342m7hq

EA is also bringing their upcoming RPG Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia to the iDevices. The description provided reads: The game will center around two warring kingdoms, Soltia and Askra. You'll be able to choose to play as either Kei from the Soltia kingdom or Rits of the Askra. EA boasts over 30 hours of game play across six detailed areas for the single player portion. Each character will have the ability of wielding two different weapons at a time from five weapon classes, with each weapon having nine offensive or defensive skills. It sounds like there will be a lot of possible combinations when equipping your character in the game. The game will include online multiplayer, a PvP (Player vs. Player) and a 2v2 mode have been confirmed.

EA has been busy and alongside the Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Heroes Lore announcements 'NBA Elite 11' was semi-announced. What we mean by this is that a few screenshots from the game were released to the press and just looking at the screenshots I can see that this is a huge step up from their first NBA Live 10 game released late 2009. The graphics look a lot better, and I assume they are retina enhanced. Only time will tell as we eagerly await its release.

Ossian Studios have released some screenshots and info regarding their upcoming RPG 'The Shadow Sun'. Ossian have stated that this game will redefine the genre on the AppStore and judging from the screen shots I would say they have a very good chance of accomplishing that. ETA on the game is late 2010. Screenshots and background info available on their website. http://www.ossianstudios.com

Dead Rising Mobile was announced by Capcom and we were told that the game would be available this holiday season. The mobile version will be quite similar to the original console version, and Capcom is trying its best to include all the weapon variations in the mobile version. Full article available here: http://www.tinyurl.com/28udzgq

Update: At the time of this writing EA's Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia was released and is available on the New Zealand (NZ) AppStore. It will be available tomorrow in the US, around 11 PM EST.

Releases:

Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus- [AppStore]

PES 11-(Not Available in US yet)

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1- [AppStore]

FIFA 11- [AppStore]

Real Soccer 2011- [AppStore]

Cut the Rope- [iPhone Version] [iPad Version] [iPad Light Version]

Update News:

'Real Racing' will be receiving an update which will include online multiplayer races over Apple's Game Center social game service. This update will allow 4-player multiplayer via Game Center and will have a period of beta testing. Firemint is looking for individuals to test out this update (alongside future games and updates) in order to insure smooth releases.

Firemint has also updated 'Flight Control' which includes better Game Center Integration, various achievement and other fixes, and a new feature which I personally enjoy. The achievement pop-ups will now be displayed behind planes so that you know when and how you received the achievement.

'The Incident' will be receiving the following: New gameplay mode called Endless Nightfall, Game Center leaderboards, and Retina Enhanced graphics.

'Meow Meow Happy Fight' update grants us the following: Game Center integration, two new characters (Ninja Squid and Anigiri), a new custom character (you create the name and the look, and spend happy points to upgrade the stats), a total of three game modes; Arcade, Happy, and Custom Battles, Auto-sync your unlocked characters between different devices, and auto-rotation is enabled.

Gamelofts 'GT Racing: Motor Academy' finally gets a long over-due update which provides us with the Retina graphics we have wanted for so long.

Viking Funeral: Too Many Deaths At This Funeral

2010-10-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Armed with a deadly catapult and insatiable bloodlust, you look to exact revenge on the evil undead Viking Warriors who murdered your family. Fueled by vengeance, you cut a swath of destruction through Viking boats and bones. In a style of violence befitting "Eric the Red", you eliminate your enemies and steal their precious treasure. It's kill or be killed in this action packed Viking adventure
Indie devs have always been, in my opinion, the greatest game creators. They are the minds behind some of the greatest works known to the gaming culture. So it comes as no surprise that Mehware Games newest release, "Viking Funeral" caught my attention. Being a tad partial to 3D games, I felt that this deserved a chance. So I installed it on my iPod and began playing. The game runs using the Unity game engine, and offers 3 types of game modes. 'Battle', 'Target', and 'Versus'.

Battle mode pits you against skeletons, vikings , and cannons. The premise is simple, kill the vikings, kill the skeletons, avoid the cannons, and collect the most amount of coins possible. You tilt the device to move your catapult, and flick upwards to fire your boulders. All the enemies take 1-2 shots to kill and usually pose no threat. The added wind speed does cause a bit of trouble, as you have to adjust your shot angle and power in-order to take out the enemies. Once you die, you are taken to the 'Tavern' where you can choose to bet your accumulated coins against a game of chance. There are two chests, pick the right chest (the one with the gold coins) and you can win either 50% of your coins, for 100% of your coins (depending on whether you chose 'Bet All' or 'Bet Half'). Or if you happen to shy away from gambling, you can opt to submit your score as is. Target mode, sounds like it plays, you choose your time limit, 30, 60, or 90 seconds, and try to hit as many targets as possible and gather as many coins as possible. Then take your winnings to the tavern and pit yourself against chance. Versus mode allows you to play head to head against others via Bluetooth and local Wifi. With a $0.99 price tag you really cannot go wrong.

There are a few issues that should be addressed in a later update. The controls can become quite frustrating, and when you fire your catapult the shots don't go where you want them to. The short period for each boulder to reload can become quite the nuisance, especially if you are low on health and cannot dodge the incoming enemy fire. However, Viking Funeral is a great 'Pick-up and play' game and the gambling portion can become quite addicting. Definitely a new take on a popular genre, Viking Funeral derives its "roots" from traditional tower defense type games, and is definitely worth a look.