Halfbrick Studios
Latest
Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots is a thing, really; coming to iOS on Oct. 20
As if the fruit on your phone, iPod, tablet, Android, and Kinect weren't already sliced thoroughly enough, Halfbrick is burdening yet more fruit with potential murder in the upcoming movie tie-in Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots. As you've likely surmised, the game is a Puss in Boots-themed Fruit Ninja release, which imagines the titular Puss slicing up fruit with his dutiful foil. In addition to introducing a well-timed theme into the mix, FN: PIB adds the "all-new Bandito mode," which tasks players with surviving progressively more difficult levels with unique challenges, and the "Desperado" mode, which updates the first game's "Classic" mode. "We wanted to create something new and different for our fans while keeping the magic of Fruit Ninja intact, and we think Bandito Mode will keep even the most practiced players on their toes," Jetpack Joyride playable character and Halfbrick chief marketing man Phil Larsen notes in the announcement. Oh, and tomatoes? Totally in there, definitively proving once and for all that they're fruit. Take that, science! Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots arrives on the iOS App Store on October 20 for $0.99 on iPhone and $1.99 on iPad.%Gallery-136062%
Jetpack Joyride hits 350k downloads, releases free update
I think that Halfbrick's latest title, Jetpack Joyride (formerly known as Machine Gun Jetpack), is one of the best games I've played this year, and apparently I'm not the only person who ran to pick it up -- the game has earned over 350,000 downloads in the short time it's been available. To celebrate, the company is dropping a new free update for the game today, featuring a brand new vehicle called Mr. Cuddles (which happens to be a fire-breathing dragon), a "fruit jetpack" based on Halfbrick's popular Fruit Ninja title, and a new skin featuring "Honest Phil," a character designed after Halfbrick's real-life Chief Marketing Officer Phil Larsen. All of those items are available in the game's in-app store, where you can buy them with coins picked up in the title itself (or extra coins bought via in-app purchase, if you don't want to put the time in, and have some extra money sitting around). Jetpack Joyride itself is available as a universal app for just 99 cents -- if you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should.
Fruit Ninja Kinect DLC boldly goes where no Fruit Ninja's gone before
Nothing is more important in Fruit Ninja than freshness, which is why Halfbrick has announced more DLC for the Kinect iteration of the produce bisection game. The "Space Capsule" DLC adds a new "Star Chart" background, a new player silhouette style called the "Stellar Shadow," and an on-screen sword called the "Comet Blade." What it doesn't add -- and this is a massive missed opportunity -- is bags of those freeze-dried strawberries that are sold as "astronaut food." We could totally be cutting futuristic fruits right now! The space food-free DLC is available now for $2.
Portabliss: Jetpack Joyride (iOS)
Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Jetpack Joyride. The free NES games in Nintendo's 3DS Ambassador Program arrived at an awkward time, because the standout of that group for me, Balloon Fight, is now getting overshadowed by the many jetpacks of Barry Steakfries. Like Halfbrick's Monster Dash before it (and Balloon Fight's "Balloon Trip" mode long before that), Jetpack Joyride takes the autorunning genre defined on iOS by Canabalt and adds a few kinks. Unlike Monster Dash, however, Jetpack Joyride is deep, with a mess of power-ups, vehicles, and mechanical and aesthetic additions. I was repeatedly taken aback by how fleshed out Halfbrick has made its latest iOS game, and repeatedly charmed by the studio's presentation. Nods to past Halfbrick titles abound (beyond the main character's return from previous iOS games), and the inclusion of an entire vehicle poking fun at the iPhone's most popular franchise lends an extra layer of levity to the already cheeky proceedings.%Gallery-131935%
Daily iPhone App: Jetpack Joyride
After a few conventions' worth of teasing and a last-minute name change, Halfbrick Studios' latest, Jetpack Joyride, is available as a universal app for iPhone and iPad. I'm ready to call it one of the best iOS games of the year. Of course, I'm a big Halfbrick fan, and I think the running title Monster Dash is their best game until this one (though Fruit Ninja obviously racks up some points for them as well), so this game ends up being particularly up my alley. But it's really a terrific game -- extremely well polished, with great mechanics, tons and tons of replayability, and pretty much everything you'd want in a pick-up-and-play iPhone title. The idea is that you're Halfbrick's main man Barry Steakfries yet again, this time strapping on a Machine Gun Jetpack to try and escape through a lab, and you need to get as far as possible without blowing yourself up. On the way you can collect powerups, spin tokens, and coins, and each of those tweaks the gameplay. Powerups are all vehicles, which change the game's controls for a bit and provide you with an extra shield in case of explosion. Spin tokens add chances at a post-game slot machine, with available bonuses for both the current game and your next go, and coins can be spent in the in-app store (and purchased via in-app purchase, though you never really need them) on extra skins, vehicle add-ons, and other custom items. Jetpack Joyride just oozes style and expertise -- there are also missions that you can accomplish while playing to earn stars, which implement a nicely-paced progression system (complete, I'm told, though I haven't gotten there yet, with a prestige system to boot). And of course there's integrated Game Center, so you can compete with friends and the world on best distance and other stats. Jetpack Joyride is easily on the short list for best iOS games of the year, and might even top it, depending on what else comes out. At just US 99 cents, it's one of the best gaming deals anywhere right now. Get it, without reservation.
Jetpack Joyride launch trailer blasts off
Jetpack Joyride, the game formerly known as Machine Gun Jetpack, serves up a heap of Barry Steakfries for the universal app's September 1 launch. That's today!
Fruit Ninja Kinect DLC brings the thunder tomorrow [update: Today!]
Not feeling powerful enough during your sessions of fruit mutilation (or, if you will, fruitilation) on Fruit Ninja Kinect? You're insatiable -- but you're also the target demographic for tomorrow's DLC update. Titled "Storm Season," the content will add a new "Storm Castle" background, "The Rain Man Shadow" silhouette and, following the theme, the "Lightning Bolt Blade." The DLC will run purchasers 160 Microsoft Points ($2), will add three new Achievements to the title for a bonus of 50 'cheevo points, and will finally let you figure out what happens when an apple gets struck by a bolt of lightning. Points. Points happen. Update: A Halfbrick representative just emailed to inform us that their initial timetable was off by exactly one day. By which we mean: It's available right now!
Machine Gun Jetpack becomes Jetpack Joyride, launches next week
We've got good news and some vaguely upsetting news. First, the good news: Machine Gun Jetpack will finally touch down for $0.99 next week, on September 1, as a universal release on iOS (i.e. it works across iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad). The vaguely upsetting news? Developer Halfbrick has renamed Machine Gun Jetpack, presumably because the title was just too awesome. The game will now officially be known by the much more fanciful title, Jetpack Joyride. Halfbrick released a video explaining that the name was changed to reflect that the game now includes "so much more than just the machine gun jetpack." Unofficially, of course, it will always be Machine Gun Jetpack in our hearts.
Machine Gun Jetpack now Jetpack Joyride, out September 1
Halfbrick Studios has sent out a notice that they've made a name change on their upcoming iOS title. Machine Gun Jetpack (which we've been watching pretty closely here at TUAW) is now called Jetpack Joyride. Apparently the game itself hasn't changed, but the name is different -- so you know what to look for in the App Store. And fortunately, the wait on this one grows ever shorter: The title is set to be released on iOS just a scant week and a half from now on September 1. I've been really impressed by Machine Gun -- sorry, Jetpack Joyride -- every time I've seen it, so this will definitely be one to watch for.
You won't believe what Fruit Ninja Frenzy on Facebook looks like
Unless, that is, you are able to believe the premise that it looks exactly like Fruit Ninja. In that case, it's actually pretty believable. What a relief that Halfbrick stuck to the formula of cutting fruit with a sword, instead of going into some kind of Facebook-style fruit dojo management sim. MTV Multiplayer got exclusive video footage and details of Fruit Ninja Frenzy, the Facebook-bound version of Halfbrick's absurdly popular fruit-slicing game, which you can see after the break. Frenzy is essentially Fruit Ninja's 60-second "arcade mode" with the addition of power-up "smoothies." You can choose one at the start of each round, from a list including "Extra Time" which gives you 7 additional seconds, "Spirit Bombs" which neutralizes bombs, and "Mega Freeze" which doubles the number of fruits that appear after a "Freeze" banana. Optionally, you can increase the number of "smoothie" slots per round with microtransactions, because Facebook.
Machine Gun Jetpack dev diary reveals the game's vehicles
In yet another dev diary, Halfbrick walks us through the process behind each of Machine Gun Jetpack's five vehicles, which not only protect Barry Steakfries, but come with crazy abilities of their own. The video's fun, but seriously, guys, all this for an iOS game? Can we just have it already?
Fruit Ninja Kinect review: The joy of chopping
It is good to chop fruit with your hands. That's likely to be my very dumbest thesis for the remainder of my games-reviewing career, but let's face it: Fruit Ninja Kinect is an astonishingly dumb game. Its unswerving singlemindedness sets a new standard for simplicity: The game oscillates between binary states of chopping fruit and waiting to chop more fruit, with little extraneous cruft to pad the two. There is fruit, and then you chop it, and then the fruit -- in a burst of citrus and points -- is gone! Such a single-faceted premise would be a mark of death for any game, even a budget-priced downloadable title. Luckily for Halfbrick, it is good to chop fruit with your hands.%Gallery-125745%
The Gunstringer will be $40, comes with Fruit Ninja Kinect and free DLC, this September
When Twisted Pixel announced that its Kinect-based, undead western marionette shooter would gallop past Xbox Live Arcade and ride right into Retailville, we wrote, "Twisted Pixel isn't talking price right now, but considering most Kinect games go for $50, we'd say that's a safe bet." Well ... we were wrong. And we're sorry. And we hope you didn't bet any actual money. Microsoft just announced that The Gunstringer will be hitting shelves on September 13 in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, and September 16 in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Oh, you wanted to know the price? How does $40 sound to you? Oh ... well, how about $40 and a free code for Fruit Ninja Kinect, itself valued at $10? Still not enough? You drive a hard bargain, friend! How about some free launch DLC titled "The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles" in which you battle "the time-traveling son of Wavy Tube Man." Here, we'll use Microsoft's description: In this add-on, Wavy Tube Man Jr. steals a time machine to prevent his father's death at the hands of "The Gunstringer," and it's up to players to battle classic western cowboys and futuristic warriors to save the world from destruction. Wait a second ... you're still not satisfied? Can you not be sated? Is there nothing that can match your appetite for deals? Fine, if you pre-order the game from "select US and European retailers [...] you'll receive two tokens for a free Avatar Prop from the game." There, that's it. That's all you're getting. We're exhausted.
Ad-supported Fruit Ninja Free now on Android
We know how it is. You want to play Fruit Ninja on your Android device, but that hefty $1.28 stays your hand every time. Worry no more, for a new free version of Halfbrick's fruit-slicer is now available on Android Market. Simply titled Fruit Ninja Free, the game includes all of the features of its comparatively costly sibling, including three different gameplay modes and OpenFeint support. Being free, it also includes a brand new feature not seen in previous versions: Advertisements. Ads pop up once the game loads and between fruit brutalizing sessions as well. But hey, it's still free Fruit Ninja, right?
Portabliss: Age of Zombies (Android)
Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. Three times a week, our new Portabliss column will tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Age of Zombies! The only way to survive the zombie apocalypse is through constant, preemptive preparation and a cache of military grade weapons – thankfully for all the procrastinators out there, Halfbrick has found a way to make one half of that as easy as making a phone call. Age of Zombies is a straightforward, zombie-slaughtering top-down shooter featuring our time-traveling hero, Barry Steakfries, because you never know when the next phone booth you step into will be a time machine covered in the t-virus. Barry travels through five eras of undead history, including the age of decomposing dinosaurs, mummies, the American mafia, ninjas and a cyborg future. Professor Brains, evil genius, infests each era with hordes of zombies, which Barry has to mow down with a variety of weapons and his supply of snarky witticisms.
Halfbrick's Machine Gun Jetpack updated at E3
I met up with Halfbrick Studios again last week at E3 here in Los Angeles (while most of you were watching the goings-on at WWDC in San Francisco). I got to play an updated version of Machine Gun Jetpack, the latest game in progress from the developers of Fruit Ninja and Monster Dash. I saw this game at GDC earlier this year, but it's improved greatly since then, with a lot of placeholder graphics and music replaced with the real thing. In Machine Gun Jetpack you're playing as Barry Steakfries, running down a long corridor for as long as you can with a jetpack strapped to your back. Honestly, I wasn't that good at the game (yet), but I did get to see all of the special vehicles you can spawn. These included the big cyborg mech and the teleporting jetpack from last time around, plus a flying bird suit and a gravity suit that lets you switch from the top of the screen to the bottom at will. %Gallery-126298%
'Kinect Me,' 'Crimson Alliance' among new Microsoft games rated
A trio of game ratings appeared on the Australian Classification website today, perhaps spoiling some of the titles Microsoft will announce just around the corner at E3. New entries for "Crimson Alliance," "Fusion: Genesis" and "Kinect Me" all list Microsoft as publisher and run the gamut from Mature-rated to PG to G. Only the Crimson Alliance page notes a developer, Certain Affinity, which is corroborated by the game's Brazilian classification. Likewise a rating for Fusion: Genesis has also shown up in Brazil, where both titles are listed for Xbox Live Arcade. Kinect Me remains the most mysterious of the mystery titles and could perhaps feature some connection to the kinect.me promotional site (pictured above) that's been live since last summer. A source tells Siliconera to expect an E3 announcement of "Kinect Fun Lab," which the site surmises could be a working title for Kinect Me -- both names are at least sufficiently generic-sounding to be one and the same game. Additionally, Brazil has classified two more Xbox Live Arcade titles, Fruit Ninja Kinect and Hole in the Wall (from Ludia), supporting previous ratings of the pair of pending releases.
'Fruit Ninja Kinect' rated in Korea
According to Korea's Game Rating Board, the iOS, Android and Windows Phone sensation Fruit Ninja is headed to the Xbox 360 with Kinect functionality in tow. The game will be billed Fruit Ninja Kinect and, presumably, will have us all karate chopping virtual melons in front of the TV like idiots. In other words, it sounds like a grand ol' time. We can only hope it winds up a little something like this.
Fruit Ninja shirts appearing at Hot Topic
Halfbrick Studios' iOS game Fruit Ninja continues to grow -- the Australian company announced that it has inked a deal to sell Fruit Ninja-flavored apparel in Hot Topic (the clothing store at the mall that's about as tacky as it gets). The deal was put together with licensing agent HAP Consulting, and there are four shirts available now (featuring slogans like "slicing fruit like a boss!" and "Fruit Ninja addict!"), with more on the way. It's cool to see a big iOS property do well, but do they have to be that ... obvious? I'd like to see a more subtle kind of t-shirt, maybe just a few splotches on the front, or just a sliced watermelon emblem over the pocket. Maybe I'm just getting old -- I don't really want a T-shirt that's louder than, you know, my own voice. If you don't share my concerns and want to show off a little Fruit Ninja love, the shirts can be picked up in stores, we're told, or on the website.
Machine Gun Jetpack preview: Run-and-fun
Halfbrick's latest iOS project, Machine Gun Jetpack, is probably the most straightforward game I've ever played. Barry Steakfries wants a jetpack, and so he takes one -- one propelled by machine gun fire, what else? -- rocketing from the science lab and dodging obstacles as he escapes. You tap the screen of your iOS device to hover (holding your finger down to ascend), and you try not to die. %Gallery-118258%
