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Daily iPhone App: Las Vegas! brings Ravensburger's dice game to the iPad
Las Vegas! is a popular dice game that Ravensburger put together last year. It's not exactly the most complicated board game on the block (you roll dice, and then can place them into certain numbered slots that represent stakes in money-making casinos), but it's fun for families especially, and provides a nice relatively casual mix of luck and skill. Perhaps because the game is so approachable, the German company Ravensburger has elected to bring an iOS version out to iPhone and iPad, and you can now pick it up on the App Store for US$2.99. Just like the real-world game, the iOS version is fun but simple -- you select your players (or you can play online via Game Center), you roll the dice and then you try to lay them out in casinos wherever you think they'll earn you the most money. Play goes on like this for four rounds, at which point the player with the most money wins. There's also a more complicated variant where you get a number of neutral dice that you can use to block other players, and Ravensburger has smartly included that option here, which provides some extra replayability, especially for gamers seeking some more challenging strategy. The game's well-presented (I did have one small bug when starting a game, but a quick reset of the app fixed it anyway), with plenty of Vegas-style sounds and some nice casino architecture. There's also the ability to earn money from game-to-game, though I'm not sure what that's used for just yet -- maybe Ravensburger plans to put in more themes and casinos as time goes on. Currently, there are no in-app purchases at all, and I appreciate that. What you see for your $2.99 is what you get, and the game that's there is worth the price if you're interested.
Apple banning games with "memory" in the name from App Store
Game maker Ravensburger is reportedly putting pressure on Apple regarding iOS games with "Memory" in the title. The German game and puzzle manufacturer claims to hold a trademark on the term in over 40 countries. Ravensburger makes a popular line of games called "Memory" with international recognition. In fact, the group claims that 91 percent of Germans are familiar with Memory, the game. Apple has not issued a comment, though Gamasutra claims that iOS developers whose games include the term "memory" and are internationally distributed have received notice to make a name change. If you're on that list, let us know in the comments. [Via The Register]
Scotland Yard detected on iOS
The classic board game Scotland Yard is ready to be (re)discovered now as a universal iPad and iPhone app on the iOS App Store. Faithfully based on the tabletop game of cat and mouse, which has sold over four million copies, the title tasks a group of detectives to hunt down Mister X somewhere in London.The game supports local, bluetooth or game center. In local play, unlike the original board game, Mister X and the other detectives can be controlled by the computer. The AI is the feature that makes this app worth it for anyone that enjoyed the original game. Players can focus on the task of tracking Mister X (or becoming him) through the subways, on the buses and tracking taxis against some worth adversaries and compatriots (who you don't have to host at your place).
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.
Daily iPad App: Ramses II
My favorite games always have centered around solving mysteries and figuring out puzzles. These have ranged from Nintendo's Professor Layton franchise to the classic game) where you play with a deck of cards. Ramses II is a twist on the card game. The basics are the same: Items are placed under pyramids in a sumptuous Egyptian setting and a deck of cards is to the side. When a card is revealed, tap a pyramid to see if the match is underneath it. If not, you'll either get a hallway leading to other cards, or the wrong item which means the card on the top of the deck goes out of play and your turn ends. The game tosses in extra challenges on top of this. In solo-player mode, sandstorms are your enemy. Draw one in the deck, and the board spins around. In multiplayer mode, there are scorpions that force you to give a card to your opponent and superpowers that let you move multiple blocks and other options. The game is good for either pass-and-play with family or friends, or playing alone. You can have the computer stand in for extra players if you're by yourself, allowing the other options such as superpowers, scorpions and merciless duel to be unlocked. I preferred this mode rather than the regular solo mode as it made the game a lot more interesting and last longer. Ramses II is available for the iPhone, but the iPad is where it shines with gorgeous graphics and a nice soundtrack that isn't intrusive. An in-game list summarizes the different cards that can possibly come up. The one thing I couldn't quite figure out was when you create a computer character what the slider in the middle is for. I'm guessing that it's to toggle how difficult the AI is. Ramses II is a great memory game and the iPad version is US$2.99 on the App Store.
