tuaws daily iphone app
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TUAW's Daily iPhone App: iQuarterback 2 Pocket Edition
iQuarterback 2 is an excellent little football throwing game from FuzzyCube Software that has you tossing a little pigskin around a football field through multiple game modes. The game recently came out on the iPad, but the iPhone version is brand new. It's just as fun on the small screen, with plenty of targets to go after, and a "Fame" currency that you can use to collect new outfits, accessories, and more. Full Game Center integration lets you check scores and achievements between you and your friends as well. Plus, the price is right -- the game is a free download, and right now this weekend, the in-app purchase to remove ads is just US 99 cents. The iPad version is a little more expensive, but that's what you get for having a bigger screen, right?
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: 1000 Heroz
I first heard about 1000 Heroz, a brand new iOS game available from Trials HD developers RedLynx, a while back, and when I did, it wasn't clear just what it was all about. The game promised new content every day for a full thousand days (almost three years, according to my calculator), but didn't exactly say what that entailed. But now, of course, we know: the game is out on the App Store right now, and it's a platforming/racing game with players running a little man (or woman) along a track and trying to hit the fastest time. It's interesting -- the physics are just a bit floaty, which adds to the difficulty of jumping your character in at just the right moment in order to move as quickly as you can up and down the hills. The real hook here is that there is a new level for the game every single day, and there will be new levels out, for free, for the next few years. That's a pretty solid chunk of content -- there are only a few levels now, but promising new stuff to see every day is a pretty good deal. The game's just 99 cents on the iPhone (and a buck more on the iPad), and while there are a few in-game achievements and rewards to go after for each level, it's also connected up to Game Center for leaderboards. Each level also comes with its own hero and relic, so you're not just getting a new level to race through, but new graphics on that end as well. It's a pretty ambitious plan, and man, when you think of all the content you'll have in a few years, all for just a buck, it's a hard app not to buy.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Titus
Titus is a game that calls itself a "political simulator," featuring an agoraphobic watchmaker who decides to run for president in the crazy world of Wealland. If that description and the game's Tim Burton-esque aesthetic haven't won you over already, then you and I have very different tastes in gaming. The actual gameplay is more about how well you do at minigames than actual strategy, but it's a fun affair, providing a tweaked parody of politics and that really interesting art style. Titus' main opponent is a mime, and through minigames that have you catching cash or Doodle Jumping-your way along, it's your goal to win the hearts (or at least the wallets) of your people. Titus has achievements, but unfortunately it isn't directly Game Center enabled. It is a universal app, however, and it's available right now for US$1.99.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Hercules - Curse of the Hydra
Hercules - Curse of the Hydra isn't exactly the most polished game I've seen on the iPhone -- it's a little clumsy, in fact, with some awkwardly placed controls and graphics that aren't quite as smooth as they could be. But it's still an interesting title and a solid effort from an indie studio, and I like its ambitious nature. There are 16 different levels of platforming and 3D action to fight through here, and while the game is still a little rough, it's cool to see a small studio take on a full title like this on iOS. Unfortunately, there's no Game Center integration, but there's a nice progression scheme to explore, which should keep you charging through the action and the storyline. There's a free version of the game to try out (and I actually recommend you give it a shot before you buy the full game, just to see if it's your thing). The full version is US$3.99 on the App Store right now, and I think it's worth supporting this studio, called Smerc. There are a lot of little pick-up-and-play puzzle games out on the store, but I like to see someone trying to tackle an experience that's a little bigger than that.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Icebreaker Hockey
You may remember Backbreaker, the iOS football arcade game series by developers NaturalMotion. That same company has now used its proprietary physics engine to put together a game called Icebreaker Hockey, which obviously takes on the sport that's popular with our Canadian friends in the north. Just like Backbreaker, the game isn't a straight hockey title, but rather plays like a concentrated version of hockey, with you controlling a player skating straight for the goal and having to juke around defenders and get your shot in when you can. It's fun stuff, especially if you're not too concerned about realism. There are a few different modes to play with, and full Game Center integration for leaderboards and achievements. The weather's heating up outside, so the ice rink may seem like a thing of the past these days, but you can still get your skate on with this one. Icebreaker Hockey is just US$0.99 on the App Store right now.
TUAW's Daily iOS App: The Incredible Machine
A little while back, we spotlighted the great game Casey's Contraptions in this space, and the credit was well-deserved at the time (and still is). But that game was inspired in large part by an older game called The Incredible Machine, worked on by programmer Jeff Tunnell. Tunnell recently went to work for Playdom, and that company is now owned by Disney's interactive arm. So when Tunnell also decided recently that he wanted to bring The Incredible Machine to iOS, Disney gladly helped out with publishing. If I had to choose one, I'd say Casey's Contraptions is the more full-featured title, and my recommendation for that one is as strong as ever. But I also spent some time with Incredible Machine in Disney's booth at E3 this week, and it's a pretty solid title as well. The game comes with 60 levels, with more available in extra packs, and if you're a fan of the old game, most of your favorite items are back in play here. If you shot through Casey's and want another Rube Goldberg game to play, you can give this one a look as well. Incredible Machine is currently available on the App Store as a universal version for iPad, and costs US$2.99.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Feed Me Oil
I'm going to see what Chillingo has to offer here at E3 later on today, but in the meantime, this recent release on the App Store is gaining some popularity (and has been featured by Apple as iPhone game of the week this week). It's sort of a liquid physics puzzler -- there's oil coming out of a spigot at the top of each level, and you've got to funnel it down, using a series of platform pieces, into a waiting "mouth" somewhere on screen. Gameplay is simple but interesting as the game very slowly opens up, level by level, into more and more creative ways to find solutions. The standard Chillingo polish is here as well -- each level has the usual three star rating, a timer that tracks how fast you complete things and even a score depending on how well you do. Leaderboard and achievements are tracked with Game Center and Crystal, and there's a fun social feature for sharing levels with friends as well. Feed Me Oil is a fun little physics outing that doesn't do a lot of new things, but does what it does in a polished and fun way. It's only US$0.99, so give it a look when you want a little physics thinking to do.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Office Jerk
I'm at the E3 video gaming conference, this week, where I've been asking the staff of our gaming-obsessed sister site, Joystiq, for some of their favorite apps. Managing Editor Justin McElroy told me he's gotten no end of amusement from Office Jerk, a free (ad-supported, though ads can be removed with a 99-cent purchase) download from the App Store. It's more than a little goofy -- the idea is that you have a boring office mate on the screen, and it's your job to playfully annoy him by throwing various objects his way, Paper Toss-style. Part of the game is lining up your various shots and trying to get longer and longer combos (despite the fan that seems bent on blowing your throws off course), and the other part is just laughing at your calmly irate office mate who only throws you a look of disdain, which you can then try to hit for extra points. It's simple fun, especially if you've got a wicked sense of humor. There's no Game Center integration or extras, unfortunately, but for a free download, Office Jerk does what it says on the box. I just can't recommend you become a real office jerk -- better to take out your workplace frustrations on this virtual co-worker.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Traveler's Quest
Traveler's Quest is an oldie but a goodie in the App Store -- it's a GPS-based treasure hunting map that will send you searching around your own area for virtual treasure with a game layer on top of it. It's simple to play and learn, but there's an addictive quality to hunting down and finding a certain location with your iPhone's GPS that will keep you playing while out and about, whether you're wandering around a vacation spot this summer or just exploring your own neighborhood. The app just got updated to version 3.0 as well, and the new version adds a whole list of interface improvements, along with a "Message in a Bottle" feature (allowing you to leave virtual messages along with any treasure you happen to claim -- kind of like virtual geocaching, and very fun) and some new Game Center achievements to chase after. Great app -- Traveler's Quest is a free download on the App Store, with various features available for an extra in-app purchase price.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Velocispider
Lord knows why you'd want to actually combine a spider and a Velociraptor, but developer Retro Dreamer did anyway, and the result is Velocispider, a fun pixelated shoot-em-up game that's out universally on the iPad and iPhone. The Araknasaur (as the creature's called) serves as your cannon for some wacky reason, and it's your job to tilt the iPhone left and right to control the little abomination of nature through waves of enemies of all kinds. The game's quite fun, and while it's pretty simple, the addition of power-ups keeps things interesting enough to chase your highest score. Once you hit a record, you can share it with Game Center integration as well, and then go back in and try to score even bigger. Retro tunes and really charming enemy designs (along with a skeleton story) make this a real winner. Definitely check it out -- Velocispider is available on the App Store for US$0.99.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Bumpy Road
Bumpy Road is a cute title for iOS and Mac. It's sort of a reverse platformer, where you control the platforms that a cute little couple in a car are running along and not the actual car itself. There are two modes to play. One is basically a Canabalt-style running game, with the goal being to get as far along the road as you can, grabbing some items for fuel along the way. The other is called "Sunday Trip" and has you traveling a fixed-length road in the fastest time, with items that can help your score at the end. Both are fun, allowing you place bumps and jumps in the road to push the car along. Another collecting meta-game, in which you grab pictures out on the road, helps build out a fun backstory to complement the great graphics and music. Game Center integration provides scoreboards and achievements, and the stylistic graphics look great on a Retina Display or the iPad's bigger screen thanks to universal compatibility. Bumpy Road is a simple game, but its simplicity is put to great effect by a lot of artistry and polish, making for a really solid, fun, and even emotional experience. The game's available right now for US$2.99 in the App Store.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting
The Monster Hunter series of games is crazy popular in Japan -- when a new version comes out, many workers and students will take the day off, just like when a new Halo or Call of Duty title comes out here in the US. And now the series has arrived on iOS thanks to Capcom's new Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting, available on the App Store now for US$4.99. This version is surprisingly full-featured -- while it doesn't have any RPG leveling elements, it does feature the "kill, loot, and craft" cycle that's made the series so popular. You can hunt down various monsters in the game, loot items of increasing quality from them, and then use those items to make better and better weapons and armor, allowing you to chase and fight more dangerous monsters. Unfortunately, the controls have been tuned for the iPhone, and they're not quite as precise as a controller. The swiping scheme is reminiscent of games like Fruit Ninja and Infinity Blade, but nowhere near as responsive. Still, especially if you're a fan of the series, Monster Hunter is a nice take on the game, and Dynamic Hunting is a pretty good adaptation made just for the iPhone (Game Center and co-op play are even included). If you know what you're getting into, you can probably decide whether you want it at full price or not. If you're not sure, maybe wait for a sale -- it might be a bit too expensive to jump into a long-running series with this iteration.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Shadow Cities
Shadow Cities is an interesting title from Finnish developer Gray Area. It's a location-based MMO, in that you level up a character while fighting with other players and claiming territory, all of which is based on the real world around you and your iPhone. The game allows you to cast spells with special gestures, which are resource driven and set up to play long campaigns in small bursts of time -- it's designed perfectly for the iPhone and its various interfaces. I found the game a little confusing when I saw it at GDC, but that was an earlier version. Even if the game is a little complicated, it's rewarding when you figure out exactly what's going on. And it's even more rewarding when you have fellow players around you -- if you're in a city such as New York or San Francisco, you'll probably be in luck finding some competition in the local area. Everyone else will still have neutral forces to fight against, but the game's more fun when you participate in the overall PvP campaigns. You can "beacon jump" to other cities, but things are much more fun when you're fighting for a home base. At any rate, Shadow Cities is currently free in the App Store, and at that price, I can't help but recommend you check it out. A lot of people have tried location-based MMOs already (and I bet we'll see even more of these in the future), and while Shadow Cities isn't exactly the easiest game to get into, it does offer some good innovation in the quickly growing genre.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Duke Nukem Forever Soundboard
Bad news if you got your hopes up about that Duke Nukem on iOS rumor a little while back. The game is indeed spreading to our platform of choice, but not in the form you wanted. Instead of a port or a separate game title, we've got a free soundboard app designed to kick up a little excitement for the release of (finally!) Duke Nukem Forever. There are over 25 included audio catchphrases from Duke himself, featuring tamely offensive gems like "Anybody mind if I take off my pants?" and "I've got balls of steel." If you're a Duke Nukem fan, this kind of humor probably appeals to you more than others, and the low price of free should make it easy to pick up. Still, it's too bad we didn't get a real port of Duke Nukem Forever for iOS. The game's gone gold master, but maybe there's still a chance we'll see an actual game (or related tie-in) for this big title coming later this year.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Touchgrind BMX
Illusion Labs' Touchgrind was one of the first iPhone games I ever saw in action. Honestly, it wasn't very successful as a full game, but using the iPhone's multi-touch screen to control a fingerboard was fun. Now, Illusion Labs is bringing the brand back with Touchgrind BMX, a game that changes your mode of transportation to BMX bikes, and opens up the view a bit. One of the big issues with Touchgrind was that, because the camera was top down, you had a hard time seeing exactly where you were going. Illusion has fixed this in Touchgrind BMX by moving to a more from-behind view, and setting the bike along a path rather than letting you freely explore. But you still control the bike with two fingers, flipping the handlebars around with one, and spinning the bike's body with the other. It still takes quite a bit of getting used to, but it's much friendlier than the original Touchgrind interface. There are plenty of extras to find and explore, including goals and scoring medals and challenges, along with a nice replay mode that even lets you send videos off to YouTube and Facebook. There's no Game Center integration, strangely, which would have been nice for leaderboards and achievements. But if you're interested, the app is now available for US$4.99 on the iPhone.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Parking Dash
I've posted about the "Dash" time management games before -- traditionally, they're just basically tap-and-wait titles that have you managing a diner or a spa. But Parking Dash, out today on iPhone, is the most involved one I've seen. The app still has a plucky female heroine (these apps tend to appeal to women, a fresh moneymaking audience on the App Store) working for more and more pay. This time, some parking-style puzzles make things more fun for hardcore players. You're still just tapping and waiting, but now you're also tasked with parking colored cars, and combo-ing colors in various spaces can earn you lots of points, lending a little bit of strategy to the mix. I like it -- like the other Dash games, the gameplay is colorful and ramps well, and pulling cars in and out of their spots is a lot of fun. I like the direction of these time management games -- originally, they were basically cheap repeats of popular PC titles (and there are certainly still plenty of those to go around -- Parking Dash itself originally started on the PC). But more and more, the games are being designed for the App Store and the iPhone's audience and UI, and I think the genre as a whole is improving because of it. Parking Dash is available now for US$2.99.
