Apple App Store gaming update for the week of March 16 – March 22, 2009
by at March 23, 2009 10:01 am
Sections: Apple App Store, Features, Handhelds, iPhone & iPod Touch & iPad, Lists, Updates
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The Apple App Store gaming update is Gamertell’s weekly look at the previous week’s App Store game releases. We cover them all – good and not so good – in their respective categories with a breakdown of the great games and the free games right where you want ‘em, at the top and in your face. The list is available every Monday, right as you are about to start that long work week.
The ability to purchase app content within the app seems really interesting though I wonder how long to developers find a way to abuse it. Electronic Arts revealed Sims 3, which will make use of the in app transactions for things like furniture, etc. Which brings us to the ultimate question of how much do developers charge for additional content? 50 cents for a new weapon?! I don’t think so. $2 for a furniture pack? Depends on price of game and amount of content. We’ll see how it goes.
The rest of the features seem like a yawn, though knowing they are there is nice.
Speaking of knowing its there, Metal Gear Solid Touch! is now available on the App Store, though you wouldn’t know it if you are crawling through the App Store. While filling out this list, MGS Touch wasn’t anywhere! Good thing you have this list to keep you informed since Apple still has some bugs to fix with the App Store. Our review should be up later this week.
Alright, enough talk. Let’s get down to what you want:
What You Want To Check Out
Metal Gear Solid Touch (US): Price: $7.99
“Based on the profound storyline of “MGS4,” “Metal Gear Solid Touch” features the unique foes of MGS4, including the beautiful and deadly members of the dreaded “B&B” corps. Whether you are an MGS4 fan or a new-comer to the Metal Gear series, “Metal Gear Solid Touch” is a rhythmic touch shooting game that everyone can enjoy.”
MicroKart
“Remember when you were a kid and you could spend hours playing with toy cars? Well MicroKart can help you relive your childhood as you race across the table, the living floor and more. Weave your way between cups, plates and pizza boxes in the table level, or if you’re up for a more challenging race try the Living Room floor. MicroKart combines realistic 3D graphics and addicting gameplay, as you guide your car through the courses. When you think you’ve got what it takes to race with the pros, try your hand at the racing Mode and race against the computer. Be careful not to miss the checkpoints, or you’ll be left in the dust.”
CrappyRPG: Price: $0.99
“The game that is actually better than it sounds! Crappy RPG is a classic role-playing hack-n-slash that will keep you enthralled for hours. The game play is endless, and your character is fully customizable, so you’ll always have plenty to do.”
Homerun Champion: Price: $0.99
“Try to hit the furthest ball in Homerun Champion! Reactions and timing are crucial to achieve the perfect score. Hit the ball by tapping the screen or by flicking the iPhone/iPod as if you were holding the bat for real! Bonuses are awarded for consecutive home runs and later levels need more home runs and faster pitches!”
Alien Abuse: Price: $0.99
“If you’re easily addicted, stay away. Otherwise, it’s a must have. Turn down the lights, pump up the volume, and be prepared to be frightened. At it’s simplest; Alien Abuse is all about destruction. Haunting, beautifully crafted carnage, but carnage nonetheless.”
SlidaWord: Price: $1.99
“SlidaWord is a fantastic twist on those other word-search games. Rather than having fixed letter locations, SlidaWord allows you to slide rows and columns of letters with a drag of your finger. It’s quite amazing how the human mind can come up with so many different words with just a hint of a few letters. When I show you the letters AMZ next to one another, what comes to ming? Do you see ‘Amazing’ or do you see ‘Amazon’ or are you a real word sleuth and see the word Atomize?! It’s up to you, just move the letters around to create any word that you can think of. You’ll gain points depending on the letters you use and depending on the word length. If you’re a true linguistic virtuoso (word genius) your word score will be multiplied based on the word complexity. Also, you can also pick up bonus tiles as the appear throughout your game.”
What’s Free
MicroKart
“Remember when you were a kid and you could spend hours playing with toy cars? Well MicroKart can help you relive your childhood as you race across the table, the living floor and more. Weave your way between cups, plates and pizza boxes in the table level, or if you’re up for a more challenging race try the Living Room floor. MicroKart combines realistic 3D graphics and addicting gameplay, as you guide your car through the courses. When you think you’ve got what it takes to race with the pros, try your hand at the racing Mode and race against the computer. Be careful not to miss the checkpoints, or you’ll be left in the dust.”
CrappyRPG Lite
“The game that is actually better than it sounds! Crappy RPG is a classic role-playing hack-n-slash that will keep you enthralled for hours. The game play is endless, and your character is fully customizable, so you’ll always have plenty to do.”
Circle Lite (FREE)
“”Circle” is a brick-breaking game with a twist: paddle moving on circle and controlled by rotating device around horizontal axis (please see instructions page on first screenshot of the game). The paddle should prevent ball to get outside of the circle.”
Green Wars
“Now you can take on the challenge of earning green while going green. Green Wars is a new take on the classic DOS and TI-83 game Drug/Dope Wars. This simple but enjoyable buy-low-sell-high game can also help you learn a thing or two about how you can save green by going green in your own life.”
Arctic Shuffle Lite
“Arctic Shuffle Lite is a great little arcade game. Start with ice curling, then mix in some mini-golf, exploding penguins and cloning devices and you have an idea of what the game play is all about. To play, just aim and fire your penguin pal trying to land him on the target. Look out for obstacles that block, bounce, drown and destroy your precious penguin. Arctic Shuffle Lite features great artwork and original music. Arctic Shuffle Lite includes 20 complete levels. Visit the developer site for additional screenshots and sample gameplay video.”
Slida Lite
“Slida is an fun and addictive entry in the “triple match” genre of games. Slide rows and columns of blocks with a drag of your finger to create matches of connecting similar blocks. Blocks wrap around the game board, so there is much more involved in Slida than those other simple “tap to clear” or “swap two pieces” games! Use strategy while playing and you may be rewarded with combos and game extending bonuses!”
PocketPop Revenge Lite
“Yes it’s back! The award winning PocketPop, winner of a Best Product Award 2001 at the Pocket PC Summit, and having shipped in excess of 250,000 copies on Pocket PC, is back, slicker and harder than before. This time its Revenge… Newly enhanced and made over for the iPhone and iPod Touch, PocketPop Revenge Lite keeps two of the classic playing modes; Classic and Magnetism you know and love from the original PocketPop.”
Coloku Lite
“Train your brain to think differently with this colorful twist on the classic Sudoku. Coloku is just like the now ubiquitous Sudoku – only the challenge is to solve with colors, instead of numbers.”
Cabochon Quest (FREE)
“Collect the falling jewels, avoid the flying dragons. Get the Cabochon (blue sapphire) and you beat the game.”
Cabochon Quest (Lite)
“Collect the falling jewels while avoiding the flying dragon. If you enjoy this game do support me and buy the Full Version: $0.99 with multiple levels, armor, and multiple dragons and you have to get the Cabochon (blue sapphire) to beat the game.”
Little Red Sled 3D – Lite
“Get ready for a sneak peak of the fastest sled racer in the App Store, Little Red Sled! The lite version offers 5 courses for you to try, ranging from tutorial level bunny slopes to more challenging blue slopes. For more courses, challenges, and bunnies, try the full version of Little Red Sled!”
Dapple Lite
“Dapple is a color-matching puzzle game with a twist! Match sets of four or more of the same color to eliminate paint from the board. Matches are made by mixing paints to form new colors. Watch out for brown paint, though. Let it spread too much and you could be in trouble!”
iMobsters Free
“Play an epic game of mafia warfare in this massively multiplayer online mob game for the iPhone and iPod touch. Turn your trifling mob into the most powerful, distinguished mob in the iMobsters world!”
Supermarket Mania FREE
“Supermarket Mania is highly addictive casual time management game with several million players on PC and other platforms. The Free Version lets the player try out three levels in two shops. To get the full Supermarket Mania experience, download the premium version and get all 50 levels in five shops, seven types of customers, over a dozen products to sell, over 20 accessories and upgrades for your store, full storyline, and many hours of fun.”
Earth Vs Mars Lite
“Earth Vs Mars is a unique multi-player game where two players compete on the one device for defense of their planet in classic arcade strategy game play. Choose Earth or Mars and fling missiles at your enemy. Knock out your opponents missiles with your defense lasers. The instructions are simple – swipe/flick to send a missile, or tap above your cities to fire your defensive lasers.”
Sunkissed Crosswords – Tausig Lite
“The most intuitive, cheerfully designed crossword application presents you a collection of puzzles edited by Ben Tausig, one of the youngest professional puzzlers in the United States. The SUNKISSED CROSSWORDS TAUSIG series includes fully licensed puzzles. It is self-contained and hassle-free. There is no dependency on any web sites, so you can enjoy the puzzles at locations where there is no Internet connection.”
What’s New
Action
Notecard Defense: Price: $1.99
“Notecard Defense is a frantically fast paced game that requires quick reflexes and steely determination. The only thing standing between the castle and a horrible, hand-drawn death is you. Defend your castle against hoards of angry stick figures throughout 25 action packed levels, earn gold for each one you kill and use that gold to buy upgrades for your castle.”
ApolloXI (XIII) Lunar Lander Simulation: Price $0.99
“In this fun little app you control the final descent of the Lunar Lander and get a tiny feel for what the astronauts had to deal with! The app also contains a couple audio clips of communications with Houston. Don’t worry if you have a ‘problem’, Houston has dealt with them in the past with great success.”
iGamePack : 7 for 1: Price: $0.99
“Seven great arcade games in one!
This value pack “iGamePack” offers seven arcade-games in one for quick and enjoyable gaming. Running, jumping, racing, smashing, skipping, driving, and dodging. Each game is unique and ready to be picked up and played. All seven games are so easy yet extra fun that you can pick any one of them up and play as you walk, run, jump and dodge. ”
Dr. Zomba: Price: $1.99
“The renowned Dr. Zomba is sought from all corners of the earth for his mystic Voodoo powers. It is said that he can grant your deepest desires, and because of this, well, he’s the busiest guy on earth. Now, thanks to the miracle of iphone technology, Dr. Zomba brings you his first offering –a digital version of his most precious Voodoo doll, in FULL 3D, to do with what you will! Just use the handy dandy options menu to give your doll the face of your choice and hop into one of two modes, Game and Torture! This isn’t a normal Voodoo doll, mind you, and pins don’t work. This doll fights back! You will need an arsenal to take him down!”
CrappyRPG: Price: $0.99
“The game that is actually better than it sounds! Crappy RPG is a classic role-playing hack-n-slash that will keep you enthralled for hours. The game play is endless, and your character is fully customizable, so you’ll always have plenty to do.”
Circle: Price: $1.99
“Circle” is a brick-breaking game with a twist: paddle moving on circle and controlled by rotating device around horizontal axis (please see instructions page on first screenshot of the game). The paddle should prevent ball to get outside of the circle.”
Adventure
Born To Tap: Price: $1.99
“This is the touch action game that will relieve your stress. Remove all the bugs on your screen using 6 different tools or weapons. Each tool will be added depending on your score. Timer is ticking when you play game. So tap them faster.”
Arcade
Alien Abuse: Price: $0.99
“If you’re easily addicted, stay away. Otherwise, it’s a must have. Turn down the lights, pump up the volume, and be prepared to be frightened. At it’s simplest; Alien Abuse is all about destruction. Haunting, beautifully crafted carnage, but carnage nonetheless.”
Jack and the Beanstalk: Price: $0.99
“The goal of this game is how much Jack can climb up endless beanstalk. It is hard to let go once you get into the game and you will always have different beanstalks setting no matter how many times you play the game.”
iShootStuff: Price: $0.99
“iShootStuff is an intense action space shooter game. Control your spaceship by touching the screen and flying around destroying enemies. Earn points by destroying enemies and staying alive for as long as you can!”
Batter Up Baseball: Price: $2.99
“With BATTER UP BASEBALL, hone your batting skills in two game modes and hit as many homeruns as you can in a real-time rendered, retro-style ballpark, reminiscent of the days when baseball was simply “America’s Favorite Pastime.”
Board
iNetMania: Price: $4.99
“TechPad Productions is proud to present its first game for the Apple App Store, iNetMania! iNetMania is based heavily upon TechPad’s popular and award-winning board game, ServerMania. Compete with up to three other players (either human with hot-seat multiplayer or computer controlled AI) to create the most successful website with the highest amount of visitors. The game takes the player from the start-up phase all the way to the finish line, with plenty of highs and lows (or Spikes and Slumps) along the way. Increase your web traffic, as visitors translate into money – the player with the largest pile of cash at the end of the game wins!”
Lion Dentist – kind of crocodile dentist: Price: $0.99
“It is kind of crocodile dentist game. The goal of the game is to “extract” the teeth from a lion toy by pushing them . If the “sore tooth” is pushed, the mouth will snap shut, and the person who caused the mouth to shut is the loser.”
Card
Scopa: Price: $3.99
“Dopo il grande successo di Briscola e Tressette pubblicati da Roberto Fraboni, lo stesso team di sviluppo è lieto di presentarvi un altro tra i più popolari giochi di carte italiani: Scopa.”
Stripped: Price: $0.99
“Are you and your party looking to play strip poker but have no cards? With Stripped it is not a problem! This strip dice game is a fun and quite unique variation of the classic strip poker. Just get a group of your “friends” together, each taking turns rolling the dice. Follow the directions and let random chance choose your (or somebody elses) fate. Stripped offers a balanced game that will not only having you and everybody else removing their clothes, but possibly even putting their clothes back on just to add that extra little tease. The game is best played with a group of friends, but couples will work too. Stripped is a great party game where everybody wants to “get to know each other” just a little better! And if it is just the two of you, you might even consider our “Love Dice” after the game is over just to continue where you left off!”
MANGA STRIP POKER: Price: $1.99
“Manga strip poker is amazing poker game with two games inside: a draw poker for beginners and quite difficult hold’em poker for professionals. Beautiful opponents will give you pleasant gameplay. Each opponent girl has her own strategy and character. A dancer likes bluff. A volleyball girl likes courageous play. A nurse will never believe you. A smart business girl calculates possible hands. A VIP girl will make you sweat to win. If you found difficult to win several girls you should learn more about poker strategies. And don’t lose your head: our girls do not cheat!”
Casino
Poker Superstars III: Price: $0.99
“Get ready for a high stakes game of No Limit Texas Hold’em with 12 masters of the game! Based on season III of the mega-hit TV show, Poker Superstars III features the hottest names in Poker, including Jennifer Tilly, Barry Greenstein, Antonio Esfandiari and more.”
Big 2: Price: $3.99
“Big 2 (also known as Deuces, 鋤大D, 大老二, Thirteen, Top Dog) is an addictive game where you strive to be the first player to discard all his cards in a round.”
Dice
NOTHING
Educational
Number Picker: Price: $0.99
“Let your kids play with this app and they will learn recognizing numbers. Arrows point to the correct answer/number if a false answer/number will be touched.”
Sum Of 10: Price: $0.99
“Goal of the game is to remove as many of the blocks that fall from the sky as possible. You remove them by selecting any number of blocks, so that the numbers on them add up to 10. This is a fun game to practice basic addition. Blocks have either any number between 1 and 9 on them or a Joker (which can be used as any number) or a Bomb which when clicked will make some of the blocks disappear. The game will keep a score for the number of removed tiles (the more numbers you use in one sum, the more points you get) and it will keep the Highscore of the best 10 in the Hall of Fame.”
Family
Sneezies Easter Edition: Price: $0.99
“This is a special Easter version of Sneezies. Featuring all new graphics with an Easter theme, this is Sneezies as you’ve never seen it before. Enjoy the same great gameplay over 24 Classic mode levels and 8 Challenge mode levels at a great low price. This is a perfect introduction to Sneezies, or a special Easter treat if you’ve been craving more. Touch the screen to drop a burst of sneezing powder into the field of floating Sneezies and watch as they sneeze themselves out of their bubbles in a marvelous chain reaction. Try to rescue as many Sneezies as you can in one go.”
Pix Mix: Price: $0.99
“Pix Mix is a fun and addicting image puzzle game for beginners and experts alike.”
Music
Name That Riff: Price: $0.99
“Think you can name a tune just by hearing the guitar riff?”
Puzzle
SlidaWord: Price: $1.99
“SlidaWord is a fantastic twist on those other word-search games. Rather than having fixed letter locations, SlidaWord allows you to slide rows and columns of letters with a drag of your finger. It’s quite amazing how the human mind can come up with so many different words with just a hint of a few letters. When I show you the letters AMZ next to one another, what comes to ming? Do you see ‘Amazing’ or do you see ‘Amazon’ or are you a real word sleuth and see the word Atomize?! It’s up to you, just move the letters around to create any word that you can think of. You’ll gain points depending on the letters you use and depending on the word length. If you’re a true linguistic virtuoso (word genius) your word score will be multiplied based on the word complexity. Also, you can also pick up bonus tiles as the appear throughout your game.”
Memory Numbers: Price: $0.99
“Play a classic memory game with numbers. A memory game consists of 9 number pairs. This app contains 27 different numbers.”
DIYPuzzle: Price: $1.99
“DIY Puzzle allows you to create your own unique puzzles using the photos stored on your iPhone. Family photos, travel scenes, pictures of your dog or mother-in-law: the possibilities are endless! You can select the difficulty of the puzzle based on the number of pieces– 4×4, 5×5, 8×8–as well as the color of the lines. The title page will change according to the puzzles you create. Great puzzle for keeping kids entertained on long car rides–simply select a favorite photo and difficulty level appropriate for your child’s age. No more “Are we there yet?” problems!”
Racing
NOTHING
Role Playing
iMobsters: Price: $2.99
“Play an epic game of mafia warfare in this massively multiplayer online mob game for the iPhone and iPod touch. Turn your trifling mob into the most powerful, distinguished mafia in the iMobsters world!”
RageSpace: Price: $4.99
“RageSpace is a game of intergalactic conquest. You start out with just one undeveloped world and turn that into a mighty empire able to defend your hard earned colonies. Create an economic and military infrastructure to support your quest for the next greatest technological achievements. Wage war against other empires as you struggle with other players to gain the materials. Negotiate with other emperors and create an alliance or trade for much needed resources. Build an armada to enforce your will throughout the universe. Hoard your resources behind an impregnable wall of planetary defenses. Whatever you wish to do, RageSpace can let you do it.”
Simulation
NOTHING
Sports
Homerun Champion: Price: $0.99
“Try to hit the furthest ball in Homerun Champion! Reactions and timing are crucial to achieve the perfect score. Hit the ball by tapping the screen or by flicking the iPhone/iPod as if you were holding the bat for real! Bonuses are awarded for consecutive home runs and later levels need more home runs and faster pitches!”
Strategy
Earth Vs Mars: Price: $0.99
“Earth Vs Mars is a unique multi-player game where two players compete on the one device for defense of their planet in classic arcade strategy game play. Choose Earth or Mars and fling missiles at your enemy. Knock out your opponents missiles with your defense lasers. The instructions are simple – swipe/flick to send a missile, or tap above your cities to fire your defensive lasers.”
Trivia
Hamster Pyramid: Price: $0.99
“Only a level and only a objective. Leaves the highest or lowest number of hamsters on the pyramid, after you have used all movements available. Every game will be always various, thanks to the pyramid random generation. You will be to decide how to move the hamster, in order to catch up the objective.”
Word
Sunkissed Crosswords – Tausig 01: Price: $1.99
“The most intuitive, cheerfully designed crossword application presents you a collection of puzzles edited by Ben Tausig, one of the youngest professional puzzlers in the United States. The SUNKISSED CROSSWORDS TAUSIG series includes fully licensed puzzles. It is self-contained and hassle-free. There is no dependency on any web sites, so you can enjoy the puzzles at locations where there is no Internet connection.”
iPhone/iPod Touch Links To Check Out
AppleTell: [Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - March 20-21, 2009] [Review: Labyrinth3D and Wooden Labyrinth 3D] [Free Apps roundup for March 20th, 2009] [iPhone OS 3.0: Everything you need to know…so far]
Gamertell: [Review: The Oregon Trail for iPhone, iPod Touch]
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