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Daily iPhone App: Bandito scans your music library to deliver personalized music news
Bandito is an iPhone-based aggregator for music news that has a twist. Instead of a mass-produced feed, the app scans your iTunes library and delivers you personalized news based on the artists you listen to most. On first launch, the app asks for permission to scan your iTunes library. Once you agree, the scan takes less than a minute and you're presented with a list of blog posts and reviews about your favorite bands. If you want to stay current with music happenings, there's also a "Hotlist" containing news about the top bands and artists. The app includes a viewer so you can read the news right inside the app which is a nice touch. There's also an option to open the article in mobile Safari and email the link if you want to share the info with friends. There's no social network integration so sharing via email is the best you're going to get. Bandito does exactly what it says, but the results you get may vary. If you have a library of older songs, the news you receive could be several years old. More contemporary listeners will enjoy the benefit of receiving the information that's only a few days or a few weeks old. The app is a joint project between the Public Radio Exchange and The Echo Nest, a music intelligence company whose music engine powers apps from MTV, the BBC and more. Bandito is available for free from the App Store. A $1.99 in-app upgrade will give you unlimited news, reviews and blog posts. [Via Mashable]
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: 8-bit vs. 16-bit
8-bit vs. 16-bit is a standard arcade shooter (in which you take down enemies as they fly at you on a 2D screen) with one very meta twist: You can flip back and forth between an 8-bit (as in, the old NES and Atari-style graphics) and a 16-bit (like a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis) mode at any time. Not only does that change the game's graphics and feel, but it also makes enemies from that era give extra rewards when killed in the same mode, which means you can get higher scores by switching around at the right time. The gameplay is lots of fun, and while it's relatively spare, the two different modes provide a bit of originality, and a lot of room for trying to master your scores. Game Center integration provides a little competition between you and your friends, and of course Retina Display graphics show both retro modes clearly. 8-bit vs. 16-bit provides a nice trip down two different memory lanes, and combines some original gameplay with two very different graphical styles. Retro game fans can pick it up from the App Store for US 99 cents, or try out the free version to see what it's like first.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Continuity 2
Continuity 2 is another fun puzzle/platformer that the iPhone has inherited from Flash -- the original title also had you sliding various parts of puzzles around in order to get a little stick figure from one side of the level to the other. But Continuity 2 ups the ante, introducing new mechanics like switches, power sources that need to be hooked up to work, and even gravity flipping, sending your little guy caroming around the level while trying to reach the exit. This game is everything a great puzzle game should be -- it offers up a number of simple mechanics, and then slowly tweaks up the complexity over time, asking you to constantly use the various mechanics in new and surprising ways. There are over 50 levels to play through, and full Game Center integration means if you want to, you'll be playing this one for a while. Continuity 2: The Continuation is available on the iPhone as a universal app for just US 99 cents, or you can grab the lite version to check out the gameplay first if you'd rather do that. It is, however, an excellent puzzle game with lots of great ideas, so if that sounds like your thing, look it up.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Matchlings
Ah, match-3. It's now a tried and true form, and if you're like me, just the idea of matching three gems, shapes, or what have you is enough to keep you interested in a game. Enter Villian's Matchlings, a match-3 game where you're matching actual characters, of all things. The gimmick here is that (much like Snood, actually), the characters are alive even as you match them, which means that they'll not only make faces and react to you as you play, but you can also double-tap them for various special abilities and power-ups. There's nothing super new here -- it's match-3 through and through, and it'd be even nice if Villian, a company that really went out on a limb with their first game, the FPS for iOS Archetype, tried something a little different or new with this one. But you can't really go wrong with match-3, and that was probably their thinking with this one. If you want something original, you'll have to look elsewhere. But if you just can't get enough of match-3 (a genre that seems perfectly made for iOS and this platform), Matchlings is available on the iPhone for US 99 cents.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Cordy
Cordy is a fun little platformer that was originally released on Android, but has now come to iOS. The game's cute and relatively non-threatening -- you play as an adorable little robot, and instead of going up against bad guys, the main goal here is exploration. There are four levels to play through for free, and a full in-app purchase fills that out to 27. The action can get fast if you go for the timed challenges, but really, the game's all about just jumping around the levels, finding gears, and using the various mechanics to explore. You can pick up the title to try it out for free on either iPad or iPhone. If you enjoy a solid platformer, give it a look for sure.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Marvel Kapow!
Marvel Kapow is an interesting approach to the licensed game idea. Most superhero games aim to directly control the superhero, letting the player experience being them, but Marvel Kapow is a much more casual, abstract experience, instead simply using the Marvel license and its various heroes to set up a few different minigames across a series of levels. The games vary from Captain America's Brickbreaking shield to Iron Man's repulsor ray blaster and Wolverine's claw slash, but the basic idea is that you're defeating incoming enemies while switching from hero to hero on the bottom of the screen. Scoring has a cool combo feature that enables you to build up a higher score by defeating enemies all in a row, but unfortunately, that's about all the complexity here -- just play the game and try to score as high as you can. The games overall are a little boring, and the only way the title ramps up at all is just to throw multiple games your way at the same time, and then rinse and repeat for what's probably a little too long. Still, it's a fun distraction, and the game's currently on sale, just US 99 cents for the iPhone version and $2.99 for the iPad. I'd recommend you try the free version first, however -- even if you're a huge Marvel fan, this gameplay might be a little too abstract (and to be honest, dull) to even capture your imagination.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Bit Pilot
You're in for a treat with this one -- Bit Pilot is a dual-stick shooter without any actual shooting. You guide a tiny little ship around a screen while asteroids and various obstacles float past you, and try to stay away from trouble for as long as you can. Shield powerups also float by, but over time, of course, things get tougher and tougher, until you're frantically trying to dodge everything the game tosses your way. The ambient feeling of this one is where the real brilliance comes in -- some awesome music and really amazing pixelated graphics sell the concept perfectly, and I love how the game basically unlocks itself as you play it. Like Tiny Wings, another really solid one-man title, different modes and goals open up the more you play, so there's always something new to find, unlock, or aim for. Zach Gage's Bit Pilot is an excellent title, and well worth the buck. It's universal with Game Center integration. I'm going to say this one is a must-have, no matter what kind of games you enjoy on Apple's touchscreen devices.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: The King of Fighters-i 002
SNK's famous King of Fighters series has finally come to iOS with this new app for the iPhone, allowing you to play with 13 different fighters across four singleplayer modes and Bluetooth multiplayer. The setup is very similar to Capcom's Street Fighter, with virtual buttons on the touchscreen, but of course this game has all different fighters to play with, and lots of extras to unlock, from trading cards of the fighters themselves to concept art and even movies from the main console game. The King of Fighters-i 002 is pricey at US$7.99, but all indications are that this is a nice premium game, especially if you're a fan of the KoF series. Plus, while there are only 13 characters right now, more will be available to download for free, which should bring the total to 20 different characters by October, according to SNK. If you're already sold, go grab the game, and even if not, look for this one on sale in the future.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Hero Teams
Hero Teams is a turn-based action strategy title for the iPhone, but you will probably recognize what all of that means a little better if I just say it's a lot like Worms. Basically, you put together a team of characters who get placed on a 2D map, and then you can throw, fire, and generally toss a bunch of different weapons at each other, blowing up the environment and your enemies until the best man wins. Unfortunately for Hero Teams, Worms already exists on the App Store, and since both games are just US99 cents, I don't have a lot to recommend this one over that one. But the look of the game is definitely different (it's sort of a hand-drawn thing, slightly above stick-figure level), and the levels are a little bit more close-quarters than Worms' were. The game also offers 50 different levels to play through, and Bluetooth multiplayer as well, so if you're full up on Worms but can't get enough of this type of game, there you go. Neither of these games has stepped up with Game Center integration or online gameplay, unfortunately. It'd be nice to see that added in the future -- a game of turn-based combat like this, sent back and forth with push notifications, would be a lot of fun.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Blobster
I got to see Blobster in action earlier this year at both GDC and E3, and both times it impressed me with its wacky premise and followthrough. It's a platformer, but unlike any you've ever played before. Instead of jumping around, you're instead flinging a little blob of goo around, pushing him through various obstacles, and making him heavier or lighter by combining or removing mass to and from him. There's a number of powerups to find across the game's 40 different levels, and lots of other twists and turns to explore as well. Blobster is a really fun title with some nice innovation, and some really solid platforming action depicted in a way I haven't really seen before. Chillingo's got it priced at a steal right now, just US 99 cents for the iPhone version, and $1.99 for Blobster HD on the iPad. I've been watching for this one since earlier this year, so now that it's finally out, make sure to give it a look yourself.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Reckless Getaway
Reckless Getaway is a fun little arcade/physics stunt racer from Polarbit and Pixelbite that's been climbing the App Store charts recently. The premise is that you're in a getaway chase from a crime, but rather than just escaping, your goal is to cause as much chaos and collect as high as score as possible. There are coins to guide your route, but the real scoring comes in creating major pileups and really finding solid routes through the game's 16 different maps. Things can get crazy, and there's a little bit of track learning involved (there are quite a few dead ends that you'll only figure out when you've played a certain track more than once), but the game is fun to control and the physics are very entertaining. Each level has a star rating to chase after, and Game Center is included for leaderboards and achievements. Polarbit promises more content in the future, and even some new game modes to play with as well, so that'll be exciting to see. But even right now, Reckless Getaway is a fun cops vs. robbers jaunt, available as a universal version for US $2.99 in the App Store right now.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Quest Runner
Quest Runner is a hack-and-slash RPG, though it's probably unlike almost any you've seen before. Rather than exploring an isometric world like many games of this type, Quest Runner is more cartoony and fun. The quests themselves are pretty simple, but the RPG premise is what really makes the game, as you navigate your character around and progress your abilities, weapons and armor up the chain. There's definitely a sense of humor in the characters and dialogue, and as you can see from the screenshot above, there's a certain amount of whimsy in the game's look and feel. There is quite a bit of complexity as you level up (you can even equip pets and you have to feed them to keep them around), and despite the game's look, it can get hard at times. Other than some weird movement controls, however, it never really gets frustrating -- it's all about just playing for fun and hacking your way through quest after quest. Game Center's included for achievements, and the game is out as a universal version (quite honestly, it looks a little better on the iPad, though it's still playable on the iPhone) for US $1.99. There are a few in-game purchases for convenience, but none of them are really needed -- there's plenty of game to play through here already for the price. One note: the game might be a little slow on older iPhone models, though a recent patch has supposedly fixed a lot of issues up. Other than that, enjoy -- Quest Runner is a fun hack-and-slash dash through a well-designed world.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: To-Fu: The Trials of Chi
This is a good one. To-Fu: The Trials of Chi is what's probably best described as a physics platformer, where you play, yes, a little piece of tofu. This To-Fu is much spicier than the actual thing, however -- you tap and drag on him to jump around a series of levels, and his jumps always go basically gravity-free in the same direction, so eventually you're bouncing off of walls, judging angles, and avoiding spikes and other dangers while bouncing from platform to platform. It's actually a pretty big challenge, but that's tempered a little bit by the fact that your basic goal is just getting through the level. There are quite a few collectibles to pick up, but you don't need them on a basic playthrough. Later, you can go back and replay the levels, picking up some of the tougher collectibles. To-Fu is a really solid game -- the presentation is excellent, the controls are precise and innovative, and there's lots of content to go through, along with full Game Center integration. This is also Apple's Game of the Week, and that notice is well-deserved. You can play a trial version for free, or buy the iPhone version for US 99 cents, or the HD iPad version for $1.99.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Kard Combat
Kard Combat is a new universal iOS title from Hothead Games, the folks behind the Penny Arcade videogames, DeathSpank, and the iPhone's Bunny the Zombie Slayer. As you may have guessed from the name, Kard Combat is a Magic The Gathering-style card game, where you use a deck of cards that represent magic spells or creatures and fight them against each other. To be honest, Magic the Gathering isn't really my thing, so I can't compare the two super closely. But Kard Combat offers some innovation, I think, in the way the cards are laid out -- any cards summoned to your side first attack cards laid across from them, and then the health pool of your opponent, so there's some interesting positioning strategy involved. You also oversee a few different types of mana that grow over time or based on certain cards you have out, so that provides a lot of complexity to the gameplay. There's a lot of content to play through as well -- four decks, each with their own single player "Tower" campaigns, and then of course multiplayer gameplay. The game's business model is almost tougher to figure out than the actual strategy -- currently, the title is a free download with five single-player missions unlocked, though an in-app purchase of $2.99 will unlock everything. After that, there are more decks and cards to buy, of course, and more to come. In the end, Kard Combat is an excellent little turn-based title. It's definitely worth a free download, and then if you consume all the content there, you can see if you want to dive in deeper.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Occurro! - The Game of Stellar Combat
Occurro is, I would say, an above average space-based dual stick shooter for the iPhone. It doesn't offer much more than an arcade experience, as you pilot a small ship around the screen with one thumb while shooting in any direction with your second thumb. But Occurro is a particularly well-done version of this genre, with controls feeling really speedy and precise, and a few nice touches such as a double-tap screen-clearing bomb and a shield around your ship for a little extra time to play instead of just a one-hit kill. Occurro actually came out a few years ago, but it's recently been revamped, with new graphics and extras such as multitasking support and Game Center. Plus, as a bonus, developer Acceleroto has dropped the game down to the low, low price of free until further notice. It's definitely worth a grab at that price: Occurro is available in the App Store right now.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: ZooKeeper DX Touch Edition
ZooKeeper DX is a game that's appeared in quite a few forms -- it was a big game at the Nintendo DS' launch back in the day, and has since appeared online in Flash form (though how official that is, I'm not sure). But the game by Japanese developer Kiteretsu has now arrived on the App Store, and it's emerged as a cute, if not very complicated, match-3 title. This gameplay should be old hat to you by now: Click the animals to switch them around, and try to match up three of a kind. But where ZooKeeper sticks out is its style -- the cute pixelated animals are really fun to look at and play around with, and a power-up that will mark out where your matches are is also well-done. There are two modes to play through, though they don't offer much other than just the match goals you have to meet. It's true -- match-3 gameplay has changed quite a bit since this game first appeared (see the Puzzle Quest series for my favorite version of it), and ZooKeeper doesn't really take advantage of those innovations. But it's still fun, and Game Center integration as well as future updates (there's already been one big one to fix a big technical bug with the screen) are added incentive. The title is available at a launch price of US $1.99, and you can get two bucks out of this one pretty easily, especially if you're a match-3 fan.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Kona's Crate
Kona's Crate is a fun little physics puzzle game that doesn't bother too much with a premise -- it just gets straight to the gameplay, and that's a good thing. You control what's basically a floating platform, and by tapping on either side of the screen, you can make rockets push on one side or the other, carrying the crate across a series of levels. It's a weird idea (why is a jet-powered platform carrying crates to a voodoo priest?), but the gameplay is easy to pick up, and since the stages ramp up in complexity and difficulty, the premise stays intriguing as you progress along. Each stage can nab you up to three stars, so there's a little bit of replayability in going back and trying to do them better and faster. There's over 60 levels now, with more coming, and one nice thing about the game is that it provides both OpenFeint and Game Center integration, with a really easy screen that allows you to decide where your scores go. Kona's Crate is a fun physics puzzler with plenty of content, and definitely worth the US 99 cents it's selling for in the App Store (either iPhone or iPad, but it's the same price for each one). There's a lite version to check out if you're not sure of the gameplay yet, but I'd even recommend this one sight unseen if you enjoy a good physics game.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Air Penguin
Air Penguin from GAMEVIL is one of those deceptively simple, casual pick-up-and-play games for US$0.99 on the App Store. What I look for in these types of games are polish and a great control scheme. Luckily, Air Penguin has both. Your goal is to jump and slide your way through levels until your penguin safely arrives at the end of the series of obstacles and challenges in your way. Usually this means having your penguin jump or slide around obstacles, or ride various sea critters around obstacles. You pick up what look like Goldfish crackers for scoring, although the primary goal is to simply complete a level without falling in the water. Apparently your penguin cannot swim very well. The controls are based on tilt only and cannot be changed. The good news is that the controls are responsive without being too twitchy. It is possible to adjust the sensitivity, and before you begin a level, there's a countdown that allows you to level your iPhone (resetting the tilt). You can change the penguin's direction in the air, which is useful because certain levels require you to juke around obstacles while in midair -- tricky but not impossible. Sometimes you're able to flick the iPhone up at the end of a run and go flying through the air (the dream of many penguins). When you're not airborne, you might be sliding across the snow, controlling the velocity and direction with tilt. You may also ride an animal, again controlling speed and direction with tilt. Air Penguin is simplicity itself, and its speedy gameplay, polished graphics and sound and adequate controls make it a pleasant diversion for kids and adults. I have no idea what the extra fish you can buy via in-app purchases are used for, but you get 50 free fish for fun. You won't need much beyond the $0.99 price to have a quick, enjoyable game. Check out Air Penguin for cute, casual fun.
