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Portabliss: Time Ducks (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: Time Ducks. Beneath their stoic demeanor and lust for bread crumbs, every duck hides a special ability. In fact, it's not an ability exclusive to them -- all animals in nature have the ability to temporarily rewind time. This is what Tough Guy Studios' Time Ducks has taught me.
Portabliss: Sticky Bees (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: Sticky Bees. Sticky Bees is very simple, and a little bit mindless -- something that developer Fourfire Studios seemingly acknowledges with the characters' vacant, tongue-out expressions. It's mindless in a good way, though: you can play and enjoy yourself, and not really have to think about what you're doing at all.Sticky Bees, created by Scribblenauts lead designer Matt Cox, is a game in which you move a bee around with your finger in order to slam him into other insects, killing them instantly. Swarms of butterflies, fireflies, and other flying insects will come in from edges of the screen, and you run into them. Simple and satisfying.%Gallery-146626%
Portabliss: Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (3DS eShop)
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: Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword. Within ten minutes of starting up Sakura Samurai, I was sure that I hated it. It was simplistic, finicky, and frustrating. And then I kept playing it. A week later, I still felt like I hated the eShop action game, but I sure did finish it and start right back again in a higher difficulty.It is at this point that I grudgingly accepted that I had actually been having a good time.%Gallery-146291%
Portabliss: Mutant Mudds (3DS eShop)
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: Mutant Mudds. I keep reading reports that Mutant Mudds isn't terribly long, with some players getting through it in 4 hours or so. I consider that unprovable hearsay, because there's no way I'll ever finish it. It's really frustratingly/enjoyably hard in the Mega Man tradition.%Gallery-145712%
Portabliss: Hero Academy (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: Hero Academy from Robot Entertainment. Remember that scene in Star Wars where R2 and Chewie are playing a weird, virtual Chess-type game? Hero Academy is perhaps the closest we'll ever come to experiencing such a distraction firsthand.%Gallery-139655%
Portabliss: Puzzlejuice (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: Portabliss. Usually, if an iPhone game is crippled by its control scheme, I won't recommend it here. Most of the time, awkward controls are enough to get me to stop playing a game, and not bother with it. However, Puzzlejuice's concept is so strong and so irresistible that I continue playing it, over and over again, despite there never being a time I'm not fighting with the controls. And I'm going to tell you to play it, even though you're going to be annoyed by the controls too. I think that's indicative of strong game design.
Portabliss: Run Roo Run (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: Run Roo Run. I was delighted to be able to bring you the first look at 5th Cell's new iOS game, Run Roo Run. I'm even more delighted to be able to report, after playing it for a few days, that it's totally fun. It's a simple platformer that avoids the problems so many iOS platform games face, by combining a traditional-style platformer with auto-run mechanics. The levels are smaller and more carefully designed than most auto-runners, so you still have tricky, precise jumps planned out by an evil genius, but protagonist Roo runs automatically like in a Canabalt-type game, sparing you the heartbreak of having to deal with virtual directional controls.
Portabliss: Pushmo (3DS eShop)
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: Pushmo. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to address Pushmo. I feel bad thinking that there's some hypothetical person out there who may not be playing Pushmo yet, simply because Joystiq hasn't put its seal of approval on it. I'm not being conceited, just worrying that such a thing is possible. Intelligent Systems' Pushmo is definitely one of the best games on the 3DS, and one of the best puzzle games released this year. It's this year's Picross 3D. And it's seven dollars.%Gallery-141347%
Portabliss: VVVVVV (3DS eShop)
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: VVVVVV. VVVVVV for 3DS is the best version of Terry Cavanagh's insanely difficult platform game I've ever played. But that's only because I don't have a good controller for my computer. As far as I can tell, the 3DS version is identical to the PC release in almost every way: the same C64-style graphics, featuring monochrome smiley-face people against (optional) flashing geometric backgrounds; the same fully explorable world of vast expanses of space, impossible mazes, and so many spikes; the same brilliant chiptune soundtrack. The differences include, on the downside, the lack of a level editor (though Nicalis has said it is considering adding that), and, on the upside, 3D. Other than that, it's the familiar gauntlet of physically impossible rooms that you really should have played already. Though the specifics of the nostalgia element elude me (not being a C64 person), the style of gameplay is absolutely perfect for me: a series of self-contained platforming challenges that require both dexterity and forethought. Oh, and lots and lots of patience with repeated failure. Though the level editor isn't present, a selection of user-created levels is included in the download, including the giant "Dimension 333333" by Sendy and a level by Minecraft creator Notch. So when you get through the main game, and collect all 20 of the "trinkets," then you won't have to use those wizard powers you apparently have to generate new content. VVVVVV is available for $7.99 on the 3DS eShop. We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.
Portabliss: The aMAZEing Labyrinth (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: The aMAZEing Labyrinth. When The aMAZEing Labyrinth launched on iPhone it lacked one key feature: AI players. For those who aren't chummy with folks at the bus stop or looking to get a game on with their cubicle neighbor at work, it was kind of a deal-breaker. The addition of computer players in the latest update changes all that. The aMAZEing Labyrinth iPhone delivers the wall-shifting strategic gameplay in a portable package that board game players have enjoyed for 25 years. The objective in the core aMAZEing Labyrinth game is to shift the tiles of the labyrinth so your character can obtain assigned treasures. The flow of gameplay has players sliding a rotatable tile in from the side, followed by moving their character as many tiles as desired to obtain the item, or position their avatar for the next move. Lower level play has all players focused on obtaining their objective. At higher levels, other players will try to trap their competition within the labyrinth while obtaining their items.
Portabliss: Ticket to Ride Pocket (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: Ticket to Ride Pocket. Ticket to Ride Pocket for iPhone is the smallest way to play the award-winning Ticket to Ride board game without concern for dozens of little pieces getting lost. Publisher Days of Wonder did an impressive job making sure the quality of the original game and interface for this $1.99 App Store title lived up to the $50 boxed version.Pocket's gameplay involves players laying track across the US to finish assigned destination cards. Routes can be as short as Toronto to Winnipeg, or transcontinental like New York to Los Angeles. The game is easy to understand and there's a detailed play-as-you-go tutorial the first time starting the game (and it is repeatable). Players draw colored cards to complete corresponding sections of rail toward the goal of finishing routes, with the player who creates the longest continuous rail scoring bonus points at the end.
Portabliss: Mighty Switch Force! (3DS eShop)
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: Mighty Switch Force! WayForward's Mighty Switch Force masquerades as a run-and-gun shooter, but the eShop game is basically a puzzle game, albeit one of the few puzzle games I can think of that's reflex-heavy enough to encourage speedrunning. That emphasis on speed allows a game with a relatively small set of levels to become a long-term pastime.%Gallery-142339%
Portabliss: Bug Princess (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: Bug Princess. The iOS App Store has taken away almost all of the "mystique" from Cave games. For years, if you wanted to play one of the company's brilliant shooters, you had to find an arcade that had an import cabinet (good luck!) or import one of the console ports yourself, an effort that often required modifying your system. The scarcity added an element of allure. Now, Cave games couldn't be more accessible. You can download a Cave shooter from anywhere you can get a wi-fi signal -- or even elsewhere, if you don't mind eating into your 3G limit. As if to symbolically mark the final transition from rare oddity to easily acquired pastime, Cave has renamed its 2004 shooter Mushihimesama to the notably less exotic Bug Princess for its iOS release.
Portabliss: Catball Eats It All (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: Catball Eats It All. For nearly as long as video games have been around, they have often been accompanied by an obsession. That obsession: Get it all. Just what "it" is has changed from time to time, be it Pac-Pellets, coins, rings or Riddler Trophies. Catball Eats It All takes a cue from Pac-Man, making its collectibles of the edible variety. Catball, however takes it a step further. Imagine that, after devouring all the pellets and ghosts ... Pac-Man just ate the whole level.
Portabliss: Corpse Party (PSP)
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: Corpse Party. Technically, Corpse Party is a full-sized PSP game that just happens to be PSN-only, but it is a downloadable portable game, so I'm using this column as a convenient venue to talk about it. Because it is really, really cool. It may look cutesy and SNES-like, but the cognitive dissonance between that presentation and what is happening only serves to amplify the profound wrongness of every single moment of this game.
Portabliss: Assassin's Creed Recollection (iPad)
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: Assassin's Creed Recollection. The level of synergy achieved by the Assassin's Creed franchise is pretty impressive. If you can think of it, odds are it's out there: books, comics, animated shorts and now, a TCG. Assassin's Creed Recollection is mostly a real-time trading card game that pits two players against each other as they vie to control territory in various cities and towns across Europe. But what separates Recollection from something like Magic: The Gathering is the real-time clock that's always ticking down. %Gallery-137719%
Portabliss: Infinity Blade 2 (iOS)
A closer look at Portabliss: Infinity Blade 2 on iOS.
Portabliss: Bag It! (iOS/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. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Bag It!. At first I dismissed Bag It! -- a game about safely and quickly filling grocery bags -- because it seemed way too simple. Early levels give you just a few different items, including watermelons, milk, and eggs, and there's not really any problem with arranging them into grocery bags. Make sure the egg cartons don't have three watermelons on top, pretty much. After each level, gravity and physics click on and you have to rotate the phone to help the items settle without squishing one another. But playing on, I found that developer Hidden Variable Studios worked to add variety to the experience in neat ways. First, of course, you start getting more items to try to fit into your bag, like bags of chips and long, thin loaves of bread (all with little happy faces). And then, when you've seemingly mastered the art of arranging groceries so they won't crush each other, you unlock a set of levels about crushing as many items as you can. That is followed with a set of challenging puzzle levels in which you have to rearrange already-placed items without damaging a single one. It's a boastworthy achievement for a game about something as banal as filling grocery bags to be the source of surprise, but Hidden Variable managed to keep the experience fresh. And in honor of that, I'll stop here before I turn that adjective into a food joke. Bag It! is available on iTunes for iPhone for .99, with a separate "HD" version also available for .99. An Android version is on the Android Market for $1.99. We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.
Portabliss: Balloon Kid (3DS)
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: Balloon Kid. Balloon Fight fans take note: Balloon Kid is the Game Boy-exclusive sequel to the original NES' delightful balloon-based actioner that you (probably) never played. I certainly hadn't, and that fact alone resonated enough with me to warrant a purchase when it arrived on the 3DS' virtual store last week. Mechanically speaking, BK is very similar (if not identical) to the first game's single button, physics-based balloon gameplay, with the A button used to add velocity to the kid. Structurally, however, things change dramatically, with levels scrolling from right to left a la "Balloon Trip" mode from the first game, while balloons are collected in static succession along the way.
