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Five things Apple can do to bring gamers back
Apple is releasing games for the iPod. EA and id show up at the WWDC keynote. And the rumors say Nintendo may team with Apple for the iPhone. All signs point to an Apple that seriously wants to reenter the gaming market, an arena that has been dominated by PCs and consoles for quite some time. But exactly how can they do it?They're doing some of the right things already, and we can expect them to do more in the future. But here's five suggestions (or predictions, if you will) about what Apple can do to attract gamers back to the Cult of Mac.1) Put (even more) games on iTunes. Steam is a nice digital distribution system, and Xbox Live Arcade is a better one. But no one has done digital distribution like Apple has with iTunes-- first music, and now movies and television shows. What they need to do is add games to the software, and even go so far as to create a kind of "iTunes Arcade," where you can buy games for your iPod, your iPhone, your Mac or MacBook, and even your Apple TV. And I'm not talking dinky downloads like Lost-- I'm talking EA's Madden, Need for Speed, and even Battlefield 2142. Run patches and updates through there as well (EA's Link might not like that, but it hasn't been successful enough that they wouldn't consider joining iTunes if asked), use CoverFlow as a cool browsing and launching interface, and you've got the key not only to a solid revenue system, but also a promotion and distribution channel.
PopCap gives Bejeweled away free for Mother's Day
For that cheapskate in all of us, PopCap has announced that they will be giving away free copies of their mega-hit Bejeweled Deluxe -- as a Mother's Day gift for your maternal caretaker, of course. Beginning tomorrow, May 9, and continuing through May 23, existing and new subscribers to their newsletter will receive a registration code via email for a full retail copy of Bejeweled Deluxe. The offer must be redeemed before May 30. If your mother already has Bejeweled or, on the other end of the spectrum, has never figured out how to use a mouse, then consider this a gift for yourself. For most countries, Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday (May 13), so if not this, you better of think of something to give.
Mumbo Jumbo covertly releases new casual game
Have you heard of 7 Wonders? No? Neither did we. Mumbo Jumbo, publisher of fine games such as Platypus, is secretly releasing the game this week. Strange, considering we haven't seen or heard a single tidbit about it. Should we worry? Probably. There's something fishy when a game gets as little attention as this one.There is a playable demo for PC users to get a taste of this Bejeweled clone. However, with most everyone bonkers over Puzzle Quest, will 7 Wonders stand out? Most likely not.[Via IGN]
1UP explains why Puzzle Quest is so good
Many fans are calling Puzzle Quest one of the best puzzle games to come out in years. The game, which combines RPG and puzzle elements (seriously!), adds a much desired amount of depth to the typically simple Bejeweled gameplay. Watch the latest episode of Not the 1UP Show to see the Ziff Davis editors explain what makes the game so special. You can also download a PSP-compatible version here. [102MB .zip]
iPod games "no substitute" for DS
We could have told you that, Macworld! Looks like the handheld powerhouse of the DS (and some other system) is tempting even Apple to get into the game. As part of Apple's huge Showtime event, they announced not only a new video iPod, but games that can be purchased from iTunes for it as well, priced at $4.99. "Apple's been hard at work on new games for the iPod -- while it still may not be a substitute for a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the new iPod can play versions of popular casual games including Bejeweled, Mahjong, mini-golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Cubis, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex and Zuma ...."For DS owners, this can't really compare. Those of us who enjoy the occasional casual game already have a few on the system, and the more tech-savvy DS owners can cook up just about anything they want with their homebrew powers. It's hard to gauge exactly which market Apple is trying to snag here. We can only speculate that Apple is going to try to hit mobile gaming where it lives, by offering easy downloads and a better interface. We so often hit the five instead of the six, after all. And who knows -- for those folks out there who use their PSPs primarily for media and only the occasional game, this may tempt them out of the Sony camp. So who's planning on snagging Bejeweled 2 or Pac-Man just to see how it plays? We're pretty sure Apple can't tempt us away from our Tetris, but some of the others may be worth a go.
Kong Demo and other goodies up on XBLM
Every time we hear about something new on the XBLM, it's like a small dose of Christmas. Just a little bit. Mostly when it's free stuff. Today, the Major announced a glut of new Marketplace content, including: a King Kong demo, Fight Night Round 3 picture packs and themes, new sounds and graphic packs for Crystal Quest, and Hexic and Bejeweled 2 theme packs. Wowza! As usual, the varied bonus packs are gonna cost ya, but the demo's what we're really interested in, right? If you haven't tried Kong yet, you're missing a really polished and elegant game, if a little short. If the easy 1000 gamerscore points hasn't lured you in already, maybe the demo will. See also: Joystiq Review: Peter Jackson's King Kong (Xbox 360)
