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TUAW's Daily App: Captain Ludwig
I've already exclaimed my love for Dizzypad, and Captain Ludwig is a game in the same vein. You're tasked with navigating a character (in this case, a little man) around a series of rotating platforms. However, while Dizzypad is more of an open-ended arcade game, Captain Ludwig adds some strategy and goal chasing to the mix by emphasizing collection and exploration. The game is a series of stages, and each stage has stars to collect; the overall goal is to explore the entire "system" of spinning planets. There are a few other elements (mines and rockets both hinder and help on the journey), but the biggest innovation is just that sense of exploration. Unlike Dizzypad, where it was all about timing, Ludwig actually gives you someplace to go. You can try it for free with the lite version or pick up the full game for just US$1.99.
TUAW's Daily App: Dizzypad
I wrote about NimbleBit's Dizzypad when it first came out, and since then it's become one of my favorite pick-up-and-play iPhone games -- super polished, simple but addictive gameplay, and enough collectibles and score tracking to keep it interesting every time you hop in. And even better, it's going free today, so if you haven't taken the leap yet, jump on over and pick it up as today's Daily App. NimbleBit also sent word that they're almost done with an iPad version, which will also be free, with some new frog skins, and of course shinier graphics. There are even some new game modes, each available for US$1.99, including a same-screen multiplayer game mode which has two frogs hopping after each other in a winner-eat-loser battle. Very awesome. Dizzypad is a great game, and since it's free, you have no reason not to pick it up from the App Store right now.
TUAW Quick Plays: Alchemize, Dizzypad, Alice in Wonderland
Here's a quick look at three games for the iPhone and iPod touch we've gotten a chance to play lately. Alchemize is an interesting twist on the old Tetris/Dr. Mario dropping block gameplay. The idea is that you twist and drop pairs of potions that will match up whenever three of the same kind touch each other, and then leave one transmuted element of the next level in their place. There are five different modes to play as well, including an Avalanche mode that will drop a line of elements on the field if you fail to make a match in a certain time frame, and even a Bejeweled-style timed mode with a full field of elements to switch around for matches. The game is a lot of fun to pick up and play, and while the graphics aren't much more than sprites, the gameplay (and the music) more than make up for any disappointment in that area. If you enjoy a good dropping-block game, you'll like this one, too. It's $2.99 but has been known to go on sale occasionally. Two more quick plays after the "Read More" link below.
