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The best games you should be downloading on Apple Arcade, updated for 2020.
Insert Coin: GameDock lets your iPhone interface with a TV and controllers, game it old school
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. With its GameDock, Cascadia Games has a new twist on iOS arcade play -- it lets you use your TV and two classic controllers. While retro games are popular on iPhones right now, an intense session can go haywire if your digits start slippping around on the screen, and head-to-head play is literally that if you're sharing a small device with a foe. That aforementioned situation inspired the GameDock, which turns into a full-blown console when you plug in and pair your iPhone, iPad or iPod using Bluetooth, then connect your TV, along with a couple of USB game controllers. Just like that, you and a buddy are playing big-screen Asteroids, Centipede and 100 or so other iOS games that work with iCade. With 43 days remaining, just shy of 10 grand has been offered toward the $50K goal, so check the source if you want to revel in the gaming days of yore -- eye or thumb strain-free.
Carmack blows minds with id Software's Rage, running on iPhone at 60fps with 'megatextured' graphics (video)
We're sorry, but the Palm Pixi's rendition of Need for Speed no longer impresses us -- we've just seen John Carmack show off Rage for iPhone. While of course it looks nothing like the PC graphical monstrosity that swept the E3 Games Critics Awards, it's safe to say the 60 frame-per-second tech demo at QuakeCon 2010 shoves the cell phone gaming envelope through a Juggernaut-class brick wall. Where Carmack originally called the iPhone "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined," the id Software co-founder is now aiming squarely at the likes of PS2 and Xbox with iPhone 4 hardware. Not impressive enough? He says it still "runs great on an original 2G iPhone" as well. VG247, who liveblogged the event, reports the title will be available in the App Store later this year for a relatively inexpensive price, with a second game available in time for the PC game's 2011 launch. Sadly, there's as of yet no plans for Android owners to get the same megatexturing goodness. Don't miss the video after the break, because this screenshot doesn't do it justice. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The Font Game for iPhone is fontastic fun
Be sure to check out our iPhone game review roundup via Joystiq. Ask any designer what their favorite font is and you'll get one of several thousand possible answers. Fonts aren't merely pretty characters on a display; they are an art form. Each font family conveys a particular aesthetic meaning that can make or break any design, if used properly or improperly. In fact, I've long suspected the ancient Egyptian civilization was brought down by the creation of Papyrus. The recent appearance of the faux-ancient typeface in the film Avatar as subtitles will surely doom us all -- especially if viewed in 3D. The folks at ILT share our font fixation, and they've developed a highly addictive text teaser iPhone game that puts your font knowledge to the test. The Font Game [$0.99, iTunes link] challenges you to identify a series of fonts presented onscreen; you then select one of four possible answers.
Epic shows off Unreal Engine 3 running on iPhone / iPod touch
There's certainly plenty of good looking iPhone games available these days, but things could be about to get quite a bit more interesting, as Epic has now demonstrated its Unreal Engine 3 (the same one used for games like Gears of War 2) running on the iPhone 3GS and 3rd gen iPod touch to our friend Anand Shimpi of AnandTech. Unfortunately, it hasn't also announced any games or licensees that will be using the engine, but it seems like it has at least managed to get it running remarkably well on the hardware -- albeit in a somewhat limited demo, as you can see in the video after the break. What's more, Epic also reportedly said that it would be showing off the engine running on "another mobile platform entirely" at CES next month, but didn't drop any further hints besides that. Video after the break, and hit the read link for the full scoop.
'Endless Racing Game' iPhone demo video isn't endless, is endlessly entertaining
We're not going to bore you with details, but we are going to tell you that it's more than worth your while to watch this demo video for the iPhone title "Endless Racing Game." We can't attest to how fun (or not fun) the game is to play, but the clip is certainly worth your 90 seconds of attention. Check it out after the break. [Thanks, Lena]
Two different services offering plans to developers for push, microtransactions
With iPhone OS 3.0 only having been released yesterday, two big companies are already angling to be developers' go-to for setting up push notifications and other online services for the new apps. OpenFeint was the first service we've heard about -- they have been offering social networking connections to developers for a while, but with the new firmware release, they tell us that they're also hosting options for both push notifications and microtransactions to their stable of app developers. That stable includes apps like Pocket God and Aurora Feint (Danielle Cassley of both Aurora Feint and OpenFeint told us a while back that she was very excited at the prospect of microtransactions with 3.0), and both of those games, as well as others on the service, are planning to include push notifications with "social challenges" -- you'll challenge a friend to complete a certain goal in game, and then get notified when they meet that goal. Look for those new features in an OpenFeint app near you.And OpenFeint isn't the only service jockeying for developers' attention -- Urban Airship is also making a bid to host push notifications for iPhone game developers. They've landed one of the first push-enabled games, Tap Tap Revenge, and are looking to offer push to more devs, along with in-app purchase support as well. They don't quite have the library together that OpenFeint already does, but their service integrates, they say, in just a matter of hours, and their aim is to make it "brain dead easy" for developers.The floodgates are open, and we're sure to see more and more companies jump in on hosting plans like this in the future. Prepare to be pushed.
LiveFire: Online FPS with voice chat coming to iPhone
Former EA Los Angeles studio director Neil Young (not that Neil Young) was on hand at today's iPhone OS 3.0 debut to show off upcoming games from his new venture, ngmoco. The company has already delivered a series of highly regarded iPhone titles, including Topple, Dr. Awesome and Dropship -- and today unveiled perhaps its most ambitious to date, a first-person online shooter called LiveFire.Our compatriots at Engadget were live at the event, reporting that the game "is pretty impressive, a fairly smooth FPS with in game chat. Graphics aren't too shabby, if a bit basic," but that "the controls don't look super easy." The title makes use of Apple's new App Store integration within apps in the form of a microtransaction-based weapons depot. In this example, a rocket launcher cost $.99. Unfortunately, that's the extent of what ngmoco was willing to divulge on the title. Can you earn a rocket launcher? We sure hope so.
iTunes app store surpasses 6,000 game mark
1UP points out that, according to iPhone app tracking site Mobclix, more than 6,000 iPhone / iPod Touch games are now available via Apple's iTunes App Store. The digital distribution service, which launched July 11, 2008, is home to over 20,400 apps across multiple categories, of which games comprise 23% (the largest slice). 17% of all iPhone games are in the puzzle genre.Each week, Joystiq's newest feature, iPhone It In, takes a look at one prominent iPhone game. If you're looking for something new to play on your phone this weekend, you absolutely can't go wrong with Edge, Rolando, Zen Bound, Sway or Fieldrunners. They're swell.
iControlPad gamepad frags demons on camera
While the iControlPad still isn't available for mass consumption, homebrew developer ZodTTD has released a video of him using it to play quake4iphone. Hard to tell just how well the gamepad works, but it's gotta be a helluva lot easier than blocking the screen with your greasy digits. Last we heard it had gone into production, but still no word on price or release date. Video embedded after the break.
iControlPad gamepad heads to production, warms hearts
Apple's claims that the iPhone is a console might carry a bit more weight if the thing had, you know, some physical inputs. Touchscreens and tilt sensors are great, but without at least a couple of buttons and a D-pad it's kind of a hard sell to your average gamer. Inputs are exactly what the iControlPad case for the iPhone adds, and we've got confirmation that the thing is at long last heading to production. The pic above is the final prototype, set to be colored black upon release -- and we presume those gaping holes will be filled with something other than air, too. No word on an anticipated ship date or price, but -- great as it may be -- without Apple support we don't expect it'll to do much to help the iPhone's gaming cred anyhow.
Marware's Game Grip for the iPhone complicates what should be simple
We've seen a few accessories for augmenting the gaming experience on the iPhone which would give the device awesome functions similar to a game controller, such as the elusive and yet-to-materialize iControlPad and the totally fake JoyPod. Well, Marware's Game Grip is sort of like that -- silicone sleeves that your phone fits into -- except that it doesn't actually do anything beyond providing 'handles' for your phone while you game. Oh, and it exists. So let's refer to it as the 'enjoyment enabler' of your iPhone 3G or iPod touch 2G which can be used with headphones (just like normal), can be charged while gaming (just like normal), and has a 'cord management system' (kind of not normal). If that's not enough to convince you to reach for your wallet, the "lifetime guarantee" and ludicrously zany look of the thing will probably get you to bite... it's $49.99 and available for pre-order right now.
iControlPad iPhone gamepad case prototype surfaces
We saw a couple versions of the iControlPad iPhone gamepad surface back in May, but it looks like the clever add-on is getting close to reality -- check out these case prototypes that just popped up. Yeah, it's not, uh, small -- good thing the target price is under $30. Touch Arcade also has some other pictures of another iPhone gaming accessory that looks like it slides open, check it out at the read link.
Carmack says iPhone is "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined"
We already knew that Id Software co-founder John Carmack was on board with the iPhone to some extent, but at the now-happening QuakeCon 2008 in Dallas he's revealed just how impressed with the device he really is. According to Apple Insider, while Carmack admits that graphics memory could be a limiting factor, he describes the phone's hardware as equivalent to a Dreamcast and almost on par with a PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox. He also sees it as far superior, at least in terms of raw specs, than the two big dedicated handheld consoles out there, saying that is "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined." Unfortunately, he didn't have any actual games to show off, but he did at least confirm that Id has two "tentative titles" in the works, including a "conventional mobile game," and one that pushes the iPhone's graphics capabilities.
iPhone SDK downloads exceed 100,000, upcoming games get outed
Just four days after Apple announced that the beta version of the iPhone SDK would be available to developers, some 100,000 downloads have taken place. 'Course, it's not like we're shocked by Cupertino's latest horn tooting, but we've all ideas that number pales in comparison to the amount of requests for unlocks. Nevertheless, the real news from the Apple camp is that companies such as Namco and PopCap are apparently on board to bring titles such as Pac-man, Galaga, Bejeweled, Zuma and Peggle to the iPod touch / iPhone via App Store. Furthermore, Six Apart's CEO admitted that it's already developing a "native iPhone application for TypePad," and the VP of THQ Wireless implied that we'd be seeing some of its wares surface here as well. As for release dates? Your guess is as good as ours.
