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Lots of iPad games go on sale this weekend, likely more to come
iOS developers have realized that there will probably be a whole lot of iPad 2 apps sold this weekend (since there will be so many new iPad 2s wandering around), so they've dropped prices on quite a few iPhone apps. AppAdvice has a good list up -- EA's apps are in there, including Mirror's Edge and the recently released Dead Space, and Firemint's Flight Control HD is down to a buck this weekend. Minigore HD is also on sale for a dollar, definitely worth a purchase if you haven't grabbed it yet. Bulkypix is also putting most of its iPad games on sale, though that sale doesn't start until tomorrow morning. I doubt this is the last we'll see of these sales -- there's going to be a pretty big rush for the top apps lists in iTunes this weekend, as developers try to take advantage of the incoming flood of iPad 2 owners. The good news is that you, as an iPad 1 owner or someone lucky enough to get a shiny new iPad 2, will get to grab some great apps for cheap.
Flight Control HD now available on Steam for Mac
Would-be air traffic controllers can now get their flight control fix on the Mac or PC. Flight Control HD, the addictive line drawing game that lets you drag aircraft to their landing zones with your finger on iOS, is now available on Steam for US$4.99. The game, from game house Firemint, was a bona fide hit on the iPhone early on, and then migrated to the iPad earlier this year in the HD format. Flight Control HD has also hit the PS3 in a stereoscopic 3D version that supports the PlayStation Move gesture-based controller. As with all Steam games, you'll need to download and install the free game engine first. The Mac version requires an Intel Mac running Mac OS X version 10.5.8 or later (for Leopard users) or 10.6.3 or later for Snow Leopard users. Once you're in the game, you'll find something that is exclusive to the Steam version -- a "stunt map" that has you flying through air racing gates to gain extra points before landing. It's fascinating to watch the more popular game titles on iOS making their way to the big(ger) screen.
iPad apps: games that stand out
Now that we've had a couple days with the iPad, some apps are rising to the top and monopolizing our lounging time. We'll have some more roundups for you in just a little bit, but we thought we'd start off with one of the iPad's most natural talents: gaming. The large screen and hardy processor offer a wild in-between space, much more immersive and "stunning" than a PSP, DS, or iPhone game, but hardly on par with modern laptop or desktop graphics. We haven't leapfrogged any platforms here, it's just an evolution, but it's a pretty fun evolution, complete with multitouch gestures, accelerometer tilts, and cheesy soundtracks pumped out over the iPads surprisingly loud speaker. Of course, these games aren't cheap anymore -- most clock in at $9.99, often with the threat of "introductory pricing" -- so we thought we'd wade through the masses and pluck out some of our favorites as well as a few titles to be wary of. Follow along after the break.
