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TUAW's Best of 2012 Personal Picks: Mike Schramm
2012 was one heck of a year for me -- I released my first iPhone app, went to Europe for the first time, spoke at the 360iDev convention in Denver, and spent most of the latter half of the year traveling around the country talking to iOS developers about the App Store, the company that runs it, and where both are headed. I've played with hundreds (if not thousands) of apps this year, and covered almost one every day for our daily app feature. So I've used plenty of great Apple and Apple-related products this year, and here are my picks of the best. Puzzle Craft (Free for iPhone and iPad) I've played (and loved) a whole lot of games from the App Store this year, but Puzzle Craft stands above them all as my favorite of the bunch. It's extremely well-designed, beautifully polished, and it has both a very simple and accessible game mechanic (similar to, if not borrowed from, iOS' great Dungeon Raid) and a very complex and deeply addictive progression system behind it. The story is mostly nonexistent, and I am a little disappointed the developers haven't followed up the app's success with any more content just yet. But especially for what is now a free game, there isn't a title that I loved more or played as much of on the App Store this year. I don't beat iOS games often, just because there are so many of them to play, but I leveled up to the max in Puzzle Craft, and then kept on playing. Puzzlejuice ($1.99 for iPhone and iPad) All right, so I've got a type -- you can tell by the word "puzzle" in two of my favorite games this year. But it's true: There's nothing I love more than an endlessly intriguing puzzle game, and Puzzlejuice gets this nod because in a year of less-than-special word games, it's the only one that really brought me back to keep spelling, over and over again. I do love the game's bro-ish voice (you don't just quit a session, you "rage quit"), and seeing behind the scenes of development in the Puzzlejuice emails was fascinating for me. But this is just a great, wonderful game, from design to gameplay to the various powerups and everything in between. Among word games (a genre which I'm tiring of, at this point), it's the B-E-S-T. Fairway Solitaire ($.99 for iPhone, $2.99 for iPad) I didn't think that Fairway Solitaire rolled onto the App Store this year, but I'm told that it did, and 2012 was definitely the year in which I played the most of it. Developer Big Fish Games made its name by cranking out casual titles on PC, and this has been its first big hit on the App Store (which it's followed up with a solid set of updates and content releases since around May). Like the other games on my list, Fairway Solitaire takes a fairly mindless mechanic (card solitaire), and makes it much more interesting with various other power-ups and game tricks. And a huge amount of unlocked content (not to mention the hilariously absurd golf commentary jokes) has kept this one popping up on my iPad's screen again and again. Kingdom Rush (free for iPhone and iPad) Like word games, tower defense is a genre that's overdone on the App Store at this point -- there are a billion tower defense games out there, and there are only a few that do anything really interesting with the genre. The just-released Anomaly Korea is a great example of really switching tower defense up, but Kingdom Rush is the best traditional example that I've come across this year. The combination of colorful graphics and deep strategy (complete with a fully unlockable talent tree) hit the target perfectly, and elevate a much-traveled genre to reveal the reason why it's so popular in the first place. I'm not a big tower defense fan, but I love Kingdom Rush (especially on the iPad), and that right there is enough reason to recommend it. Runmeter 5k ($4.99 on the iPhone) It's hard to describe just how helpful this app has been for me -- I used it every day for about three months earlier this year, training up to my very first half marathon. Runmeter was already a great app, but the 5k variant (which included actual 5k, half marathon, and full marathon training plans in the app itself) served as the perfect coach for me, providing direction, feedback, and even some motivation as I worked my way through a running plan. The GPS is so well implemented, the app tracks so many things effortlessly, and little fun bits like changing the app's alert voice or tweeting from the app (and reading you back replies as you run) make it clear that if you exercise with an iPhone or iPod touch, you should really have this app with you. The amount of features Abvio has crammed into this app is really staggering when you start to explore them, and for my money, there's no better running app or fitness system out there. Slacker Radio (free with ads, extra charge for subscription) There are obviously a number of cloud music services out there at this point, but Slacker Radio has muscled its way past the others in my view, to the point where I listen to it almost more than any podcasts or even my own music collection. Especially with a subscription, Slacker can seem like magic all too often: Just type in a song or artist, hit play, and you get to listen to exactly what you want. The curated stations are well-designed by professional music pickers, and there are even non-music stations that talk sports, news, or comedy when you're in the mood for that. There are a few holes in the library (mostly obscure songs that I really want to hear but aren't available due to royalty issues), and of course you need to be connected to the Internet to listen (which made this a no-go during most of my trip to Europe, unfortunately). But in the car, out running, or just sitting at my desk, Slacker's been an almost constant companion this year, and I've been glad to have it. iCade Mobile gamepad ($80, available now) Steve Jobs famously told us that we didn't need more than one button on his iOS devices, but we gamers know that sometimes, buttons come in handy. The flat glass of the touchscreen just doesn't fly in terms of precision or responsiveness in some games. And while there are a lot of bad Bluetooth-based game controllers out there, my favorite this year was the iCade mobile, a huge contraption modeled after the Sony PSP, which you can clip your iPhone into and then button away to your heart's content. It's not stylish or tiny by any account, and it probably won't fit into your pocket along with your iPhone (the ThinkGeek 8-bitty is probably more your style, if that's what you're looking for, though get ready for muscle cramps after just a few minutes). But it is durable and dependable, and it feels more like a controller than anything else I tried this year. Yes, $80 is expensive, but if you're going to bypass Steve's wishes for your own gaming enjoyment, you'll have to pay the price. iPad (from $499) I bought my iPad back at the end of 2011, but 2012 was the year of the tablet for me for sure. Before I bought my iPad, I was one of those who believed I just didn't need it -- my iPhone 5 is awesome, and I have a MacBook for all of my portable computing needs. Why would I need another computer in between those two? But over the course of this year, my iPad has become more and more helpful, and not necessarily in the places I've expected it. In truth, it's not a portable computer for me. I can move it around, but it's been much more of a homebody than I ever expected: I still probably take my laptop out of the house more often than I take my iPad. But it has definitely become my device of choice for more than a few of my favorite pastimes, including browsing the Internet, gaming, and reading. I've never been more productive while in bed: Every night I read a few chapters of my book of choice (I've read so many books this year!), and every morning, I grab it off the nightstand to check email and preload the day's news. And it's a second screen for me while watching TV or movies on the couch for sure -- I look up game hints while playing Xbox, browse IMDb when I want to know who that actor is that I recognize from that movie, and play great games on it, brilliantly made for a bigger touchscreen. In short, my iPad has carved a way bigger place than I expected into both my workflow and my free time this past year. I don't know that I couldn't live without it (although I wouldn't want to go back to reading without it), so it's still a supplementary device, aside from the great iPad-only game experiences. But 2012 was definitely the year of the iPad for me, the turning point at which I realized just how important and useful the tablet form factor could be.
Puzzlejuice plans a Steam release, dev goes to work for thatgamecompany
Puzzlejuice is one of my favorite recent apps on the App Store, and it's about to get a lot more ... well, favorite-er. The app is getting a big update this Thursday taking it to version 1.5, and celebrating the fact that the game has been included in the PAX 10 at this weekend's big video game convention in Seattle. The new version will have a tougher difficulty level, a new powerup, and compatibility with Spanish, French, Italian and Dutch as well as the original English. And because of the update itself, the game will be on sale for just 99 cents -- a bargain at twice the price. The title is also making its way to Steam, and developer Asher Vollmer says that he's working on a keyboard only version of the game (so maybe the letters will be typed out instead of dragging a finger across the screen) that we'll get to see at PAX. And Vollmer also shares the good news that he's been hired as a game designer at thatgamecompany, the excellent studio known for great games like Flow and Journey. So congrats to Vollmer on all of his success -- that Steam version should be just around the corner and we can't wait to see what he's up to next.
Puzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight
Puzzlejuice is coming to PAX in a keyboard-only desktop version, which creator Asher Vollmer told us he plans to submit to Steam Greenlight soon. The iOS puzzle game is one of a select group to be spotlighted at this year's PAX.We featured Puzzlejuice in our Portabliss column earlier this year, in which JC noted the game's fiddly touchscreen controls. Yet he found the bizarre mixture of Tetris, Boggle, and Match-3 so "irresistible" that he still heartily recommended it. If you're at PAX, you can find out if a keyboard helps resolve those control issues.Meanwhile, Vollmer is celebrating Puzzlejuice's featured billing by releasing an updated version, which includes an 'impossible' difficulty mode and a new power-up. The game will also go on sale for $0.99. Vollmer also has other news to celebrate, as earlier this month he started work at thatgamecompany as their 'feel engineer.' Whatever that means.
This year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more
The PAX 10, an illustrious group of indie games chosen annually to be spotlighted during PAX Prime in Seattle, have been selected. This year's rarified group include the likes of Johann Sebastian Joust, Offspring Fling! – a game we highlighted in length on the Super Joystiq Podcast – and hypnotic iOS darling Puzzlejuice.Other lesser-known titles include the latest from Cipher Prime, the studio behind Auditorium and Fractal, a Steam title called Splice, and puzzle games Containment: The Zombie Puzzler and The Bridge. Puzzle-platformer The Swapper is also represented, along with DigiPen's stealth-action game Deity and Catch-22. Turtle Sandbox's action-strategy hybrid Cannon Brawl rounds out the list of ten.All PAX 10 titles will be featured in their own special area at this year's PAX Prime, which goes down August 31 through September 2 in downtown Seattle, WA.
The Puzzlejuice emails document the nitty gritty of iOS development
Puzzlejuice is a really great puzzle game (really, a big mishmash of different puzzle games) that's available on the App Store right now. It was put together by developers Greg Wohlwend and Asher Vollmer, and Wohlwend has just published a post on his personal blog that's pretty spectacular: He calls it "The Puzzlejuice emails," and it's basically all of the email communication between the two developers as they work out the look and feel of this crazy game. It's really long (he really did include everything, from first contact all the way up to release), but it's also a fascinating read, especially if you've been involved in iOS development, or game development of any kind. You can see the two devs hashing out everything as they go, from the look of the graphics to the meaning of the game's name, all the way up to the icon and setting up the website and price for release. Wohlwend originally was just interested in the game as it was being made, but eventually the release turned into a partnership for the two, and there's all sorts of little trivia bits in there about things that did and didn't work during development. The emails are presented as-is, too: The devs had some concern about another word game that came out during development, Spelltower, but eventually decided the games were different enough that it was worth carrying on. I would agree. If you have any interest in seeing behind the scenes on just what small scale iOS development is like, give this one a read. It won't teach you to make code or art, but it will teach you how these games are put together piece by piece.
Daily iPad App: Puzzlejuice
Puzzlejuice is an inventive new game from the creators of Solipskier. Mike and Greg's Greg Wohlwend and partner Asher Vollmer have created a hardcore puzzle game that spans the genre and lets you sort it all out. The basic mechanic of Puzzlejuice is more or less that of Tetris. Blocks fall from the top of the screen which you must arrange into complete lines. Once you do, however, they don't disappear. Instead, the blocks become a row of letters, which you must arrange to complete words (similar to the great Spelltower) for points. Tapping on colored blocks in matched rows of three or more turns them into letters too, and depending on which mode you're in, matched words will also explode other blocks, and powerups may even drop in the blocks you're matching. Acheivements like spelling a word of a certain length also keep you on your toes, as does powerup management. If that sounds confusing, you're right, especially since it all happens at once. I imagine the creators wanted to create a mild panic in their players. Puzzlejuice is not for the faint of puzzle heart. Even the game's Zen mode is called "Zen mode Extreme," because you can only play it for the highest score in just 90 seconds. The game's tone even pushes that line a little bit, prompting you to increase the difficulty and then rating your performance as "average." If that appeals to you (and as a puzzle game aficionado, I sure like it), go and find it. Puzzlejuice is available on the App Store in a universal version for just 99 cents. It's a solid game, but bring your brain, because you'll need it.
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.
Puzzlejuice summoned to App Store tomorrow
Greg Wohlwend, part of the team behind the amazing iOS version of Solipskier and the upcoming Ridiculous Fishing, has a new game coming to the App Store tomorrow. Puzzlejuice, a collaboration with Asher Vollmer, retains the neon color scheme of Solipskier, with a combination of falling-block and word gameplay. We don't really understand it, but it appears that you direct Tetris-like blocks into a pile, then tap them to reveal letters, then select words within those groupings of letters. We look forward to figuring it out tomorrow, when the game will be released for $3.
