image from tuaw.com

Zynga with Friends, the company that has created the ever-popular games such as Words with Friends and Hanging with Friends, has created an online version of Words with Friends that is playable on Facebook.

This version does not require flash and look virtually identical to the iPad version.  What’s really neat is that you can play mobile users!  And, if you have your devices logged in though Facebook, updates will appear very quickly.

So if you’re a Words with Friends fan, check out the Facebook version for free.

The ever-pupular game for the iPhone: Pix’n Love Rush has updated to version 3.0!  Here’s what they said:

Pix’ the Cat is Back!

For the first time in your neighborhood, we are proud to announce: Multicolor!

Tired of black night and thoughts?  Would you like to see life through Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue…spectacles?  Update your Pixels free of charge and discover the well-named RAINBOW mode that will probably get you hooked in Pix-O-Rama!

Which color can you reach!?

3.0 brings Rainbow mode!  Be sure to check it out if you’re a Pix’n Love Rush fan!  Pix’n Love Rush is a simple platformer where you play a pixelated cat who loves coins and destroying enemies.  Check it out here.

The ever popular Scrabble-like game for the iPhone has recently updated to version 4.02!  Here is what the update text states:

• Fixed issue that was causing intermittent crashes on startup
• Fixed occasional crash when rematching games
• Improved logic refreshing Facebook friends
• Added improved crash reporting to solve issues faster in future updates

So overall this looks like a bug-fix update improving crashes on startup and rematches as well as improved programming when it comes to interacting with facebook and a better system to solve issues in the future.

If you’re a Words With Friends player, update via the app store.  Words With Friends is a word-bassed scrabble game but allows you to play with anyone online.  What you do is place a word on the board and hit submit.  Then your opponent is updated via the iOS’s notification system.  This allows you to play and forget about the game until it is your turn.

Gaming network OpenFeint announced this week that they been bought out by Japanese company Gree for $104 million.

GREE, Japans leading mobile social gaming platform, today announced its entrance into the global market with the acquisition of OpenFeint’s outstanding securities for US $104 million, plus additional capital for accelerated growth of the OpenFeint platform.

Gree is said to be very big in Asia. It has been regarded as THR largest social gaming network in the area with a user base of 25 million and a market cap of about $5 billion. OpenFeint adds another 75 million users to the company’s gaming communality which exist between iOS and Android platforms.

OpenFeint started as a two-person iOS game which was one of the first applications to come on the App Store when it was introduced known as Aurora Feint: The Beginning. The game received great reviews, but the developers seen opportunity in the gaming network they developed. Hence, OpenFeint began to integrate themselves into other iOS gaming application and eventually to the Android platform. The gaming community is now embedded in the most popular games on the iOS platform which includes Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja. OpenFeint says they are continuing to update the network with new features with the support of Gree at their disposal.

Valve Software has launched their highly anticipated video game title Portal 2 this week.  Added to that, the company made a simultaneous launch on the Mac to accompany the Windows, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 launch of the game software.

Portal 2 is the sequel to the widely well reviewed game Portal. The game involves the user manipulating two teleporting portals to solves physics-based puzzles. The sequel picks up where the original game left off. The game has gotten good user reviews with one person from the MacRumors Forums having installed the game on their  2011 15″ MacBook Pro with great performance with maxed out settings.

Official reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Portal 2 is avowable right now on the Steam software for $49.99.

Valve released teaser images for their software when the company announced that they we making their software available on the Mac. We don’t know what to make of these images, but MacRumors made a interesting observation stating that the images could possibly be a teaser for the Portal Alternative Reality Game, likely promoting their Portal 2 launch. The original Portal received high marks from critics, including it’s use of physics based puzzles which involved players manipulating two different portal entrances. Portal 2 should be on it’s way to Xbox, Playstation 3, Mac, and PC on April 19.

Seems like Apple is planning to push the gaming initiative that has been presented towards e iPod, iPad, and iPhone. Cupertino has recently hired two people who have deep portfolios in the gaming industry. One of their hires, Rob Saunders, played a key role in the promotion of the Nintendo Wii and DS gaming systems. Nick Grange haws a portfolio that includes work done with several of the gaming industry’s major players including Electronic Arts, Microsoft, and Activision. Saunders will be involved with PR work for iOS applications while Nick will be involved with iPad hardware.

Apple has poached not one but two of the games industry’s best PR execs – with Activision’s Nick Grange set to join Nintendo’s Rob Saunders at the manufacturer.

Apple and gaming is nothing new if you are an iOS user. In fact, Cupertino has even marketed the iPod touch as a portable gaming device. The iPod touch has given alarming competition to products that have held ample weight in the gaming arena, such as the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. Both Sony and Nintendo have gone as far as to call Apple the “enemy of the future” and are currently taking measures to hold their ground against Cupertino in the gaming sector.

Protecting the world from zombies, one city at a time. Obliteration is a game that involves you liberating the multiple cities by simply blowing them up. The game might resemble something retro that you have seen in the nineties on your favorite Adobe Flash (back then Macromedia) arcade web site. We’ll break it down to help you figure out whether its worth time and money.

Gameplay + Controls

Gameplay is simple, as the plane makes its route back and fourth through the display, with the power of the left click of the mouse, the plane disperses a bomb and then it is activated with that same click. The object is to make the “city height line” fall under the “goal line”. By doing that, the game can advance to the next stage. As the buildings are destroyed and falls your score accumulates at the top.

Graphics + Sound

Its not exactly Epic Games’ Unreal Engine powering this game. The graphics, we have to say, aren’t the best thing we have seen on the Mac. The game looks like someone drew the objects themselves (literally…that’s the theme of the game). Think of Paper Mario…only…not as well drawn. A couple levels shy of what Pangea Software puts out. As far as frame rate is concerned, everything moves smooth and creamy. Soundtrack kind of sounds like something from your favorite RPG. In some of the tracks you can clearly make out the loops. Sound effects are a little elaborate for the graphics. They sound classic, like your favorite WWII game. However, with these sounds you are expecting to see like a mushroom cloud of radioactive fallout. Instead, you get something that looks like a clearance sale at K-Mart.

The Verdict

Obliteration seems like something to pass the time when your bored…for about five minutes. Simple to play, but there is no lasting appeal to the game. Nothing to keep you coming back or even replaying it after you beat it. Music sounds like something you should be taking HP rather than dropping bombs on buildings. Sound effects are kind of off from what you would visual expect. We feel that the game should be free for a while until the product forms into something that’s worth your money.

One the most played games on the iOS platform, Real Racing, is having a big update for the new iPad 2. Firemint’s Real Racing HD is receiving support for 1080p resolution while serving two separate displays: The iPad and another of the user’s choice. This software demonstrates the power of the Apple A5 processor that has dual cores operating the device.

“Using the video out feature of an iPad 2, Real Racing 2 HD will be able to be displayed on a big screen in full 1080p resolution while the device’s 10-inch touchscreen shows a track map and race statistics.

This is the first indication we’ve seen of an iOS game taking advantage of the iPad 2′s ability to render out at a full 19201080 HD resolution. On an HDTV, Real Racing 2 HD will run full screen with no black borders and at native 1080p resolution, without scaling.”

Many have been wondering how the performance will be with the iPad 2 running everything. According to Firemint, the application moves at a “silky smooth” 30 frames per second with precise control to deliver a more console-like gaming experience and a more intuitive driving simulation experience. All this is thanks to the Apple A5 chip that controls the whole device. With up to twice the processing power and nine times the graphics power of the A4, the performance of the new iPad 2 is astonishing and allows for dramatically improves app performance, making this the fastest iOS device to date.

While the iPad 2 offer 1080p output to displays by way of upscaling, Firemint says they offer the feature with no scaling required. Real Racing is seems to be the first application that offers the 1080p output quality while powering a whole other display on the iPad 2.

The feature will be coming in the next major update of the application. Firemint hasn’t exactly gave us a pinpoint date on when they will be releasing the update to the App Store for users.

“- For iPad 2, full-screen anti-aliasing, fully-modeled vehicle interiors visible through translucent windows, high-detail objects and surfaces and enhanced reflections

- Full support for iPad 2′s gyroscope for precision steering”

Epic Games also took the same strides to one of their most anticipated and popular projects Infinity Blade.

“One of the most popular gaming apps released to date, the ground-breaking Infinity Blade will be updated tomorrow with new optimizations specifically for iPad 2. Taking advantage of the processing power of iPad 2, Infinity Blade looks and plays better than ever and is the ultimate show off your iPad 2s graphics prowess” app!”

iPad 1

iPad 2

Epic Games’ Infinity Blade is one of the most impressive games on the iOS platform as it uses the Unreal Engine, the same graphics program that games like Unreal Tournament and the very popular Gears of Wars series are built on the same technology, to render the gaming app images. What’s more impressive is that the game shows the power of the iOS software and it’s management of the system hardware. Real Racing is available on the App Store for $9.99 and Infinity Blade for $5.99.

Epic Games has dropped their first iOS application Infinity Blade this week. The game is a fully featured, gesture based role playing game that is based on the Unreal Engine #, the same engine that brings the groups highly acclaimed Unreal Tornament and Gears of War franchise. They have been working from the time they have demoed the product on perfecting the content and taking advantage of the iPhone’s, iPad’s, and iPod’s power.

If you were expecting Infinity Blade to be some massive open-world RPG and any number of other things I’ve seen people on our forums suggesting, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. If all you were looking for is a fighting game with a really cool input method that fits perfectly with iOS devices, you’re going to be in for a treat. The RPG elements are very light, but the fighting is solid, and the graphics are the best we’ve seen so far on the App Store.

TouchArcade got their hands on the game early and they say the product does deliver, though they express to potential buyers not to expect and open world RPG. Infinity Blade is a universal binary and can be downloaded for iPad, iPod, and iPhone.

We don’t even think it is arguable anymore, RIM’s and Google’s Android and Blackberry dedicated users defend their OS’s ground, but when it comes to the facts, Apple really made the smartphone arena of the tech world what it is today, seriously. There are games on the iOS front that is even approaching console gaming! Funny thing is, Apple didn’t really set out to cause a ruckus in the gaming industry, having both Sony and Nintendo saying “You gotta be kidding me” after looking at the numbers. Seems like those two are going to be shaking their heads in amazement more often as a number of dedicated handheld developers are witnessing the life that competitors are making on the smartphone and the want a piece of the cake.

The report, “The Phone Gaming Revolution: Do the DS and PSP Stand a Chance?,” found that 43.8% of the phone/DS/PSP gaming market plays games on phones, which represents a significant 53.2% increase over the past year. At the same time, Interpret says that the proportion of those who play on the DS or PSP has fallen by 13%.

(Source: Industry Gamers)

The data shows that their has been an increase in the handheld gaming overall. However, the more interesting data that has been develop illustrates that the majority of the gaming is taken place largely on smartphones and not dedicated handheld gaming systems.

The company notes, “Gamers appear to be defecting from their handheld gaming devices to phones to get their gaming kicks: a full 27.2% of consumers who indicate that they play games on their phones only (and not on the DS/PSP) actually own a DS or PSP, but do not actively use the device(s).”

(Source: Industry Gamers)

With the transition of the user base going from dedicated devices for gaming to more of an all-in-one smartphone form factor, developers of those gaming systems have seen the success and potential that both large and small developers on those corresponding platforms have witnessed, particularly on the iOS platform. Apple has become a threat quietly to two more companies in the tech sector: NIntendo and Sony, and both companies have responded in a different way. Nintendo is said to be cooking up their three dimensional gaming devices that will rebirth the dedicated mobile gaming device, while Sony responded to the threat that is Apple by baking up a full fledge phone of their own in which video footage has been leaked all through out the Net of the device recently.

The FPS incorporates a number of the iPhones, iPods and iPads functionality as you blast back numberous waves of enemies. Jonh Brownlee at Cult of Mac got his hands on the game and says it plays much like Doom: Ressurection in which you must tilt the device to aim at your targets as the computer controls movement of the character.

The application is retailed on the App Store for $0.99 for the iPhone/iPod version and $1.99 for the Hi-Def iPad version.

Gameplay of the app is posted on YouTube to give you a glimpse at what you are getting fro your money. Check it out.

As we mentioned in earlier profiles, Apple would be holding off on the Friday release of iOS 4.2 to further polish the software. Apple has published a new build of the iOS 4.2 software build entitled “8C134b” compared to the previous 8C134 GM build. The Telegraph said they have gotten information from a reliable source the software has been delayed until November 24.

“The iOS 4.2 software update had been expected today, but Apple has delayed it release until Nov 24, a reliable source has told the Telegraph.

Apple has refused to comment on the speculation, stating only that it had said the software update would be released in November.

But a source that works closely with Apple said that the company had shelved its original plan to release the software update today, and had instead pushed back the launch until later this month.”

The new build of the software is said to address a connectivity problem to

Wi-Fi networks that was being experienced on the iPad. Apple was expected to release the software last week Friday, but due to the issue being reported, they have pushed back the release date. Reports also claimed that users could expect to see the software released as early as next week and now as late as November 24. Keep in mind that Apple hasn’t ever given out an official release date to the public other than stating that the software would be made available “sometime in November”

Makers of the iOS game The Incident have announced that they will be making their title on the iOS platform extend to your television set and allow for you iPhone or iPod to control your gameplay. Big Bucket Software gave word on their blog stating,

No seriously, this is totally real and totally awesome.

This is a beta of The Incident 1.3 running my TV. Here’s how it works:

1. Plug your iPad into the TV
2. Pair your iPad with your iPhone or iPod Touch
3. Sit on your couch and play

And that’s it. You never have to get up to touch the iPad. You do everything from the controller. It works great.

The function will be embedded in their next update of the gaming software. With this forthcoming release, their are a number of developments that are also notable in addition to the game going big screen. One development in particular is using your iPhone or iPod as a game controller. Even though this feature is already available in version 1.2 of The Incident, the group has tweaked it a bit further and confirms that their is no input need from the iPad. The iPad essentially serves as a game console, such as an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. All the user has to do is pari their iPod or iPhone with the iPad and play.

When we decided that 1.3 was going to be all about TV output we knew it would have to feel exactly like a console. You should never need to diddle with the iPad for any reason. The controller would have to be able to control every aspect of the game; menus, gameplay, all of it. And in 1.3, it can.

Something else thats also notable is that it seems as though the developer behind the creation went the extra mile and did some polishing in the games artwork. Doing this enables the user interface to be displayed more properly on the different wide-screen aspect ratio of a HDTV which differs from an iPad. The end result of all this create a more natural gaming experience when playing the game on your hi-def television.

They havent exactly given an official release date for the new software, but they are putting the time in to get this out to the public as quickly as possible via the App Store.

More and more signs are showing themselves indicating that the iOS 4.2 software update is on it’s way to an iPhone, iPod and iPad near you. One of the latest signs to show it’s face is the beginning of Apple approving applications with Game Center integration for the iPad. Big Bad Sadoku Book is one of the first developments for the iPad to get the OK.

What’s new

- Full support for iOS4.2 including Game Center and background tasking on the iPad.

- Now supports/allows background audio – play internet radio apps, soma fm via safari, or ipod music while playing the game.

iPad, iPhone and iPod users are all waiting for Apple to release the iOS 4.2 software which will bring a bunch of additional functionally. Among what’s in store is AirPrint, a complete new approach in printing from a machine. AirPlay for the iPad, the instant streaming service that will allow users to stream content instantly between devices. Multitasking, Folders and Game Center are also making their debut on the iPad with the 4.2 software launch.

Very interesting news coming from Develop who interviewed the former head honcho of game publishing for Microsoft Ed Fries. In an intriguing testimony, Eddie revealed that he was personally given the task to satisfy SJ after he learned that Microsoft bought Bungie, a prominent Mac developer at the time, and turned HALO into an exclusive Xbox project.

“As soon as we announced we bought Bungie, Steve Jobs called,” Fries said.

“He was mad at [Microsoft CEO Steve] Ballmer and phoned him up and was angry because we’d just bought the premier Mac game developer and made them an Xbox developer.”

The interview continues with Fries mentioning that Apple and Microsoft cut a deal where Redmond would port a bunch of games for the platform on to the Mac OS. Another stipulation of the deal included Fries appearing alongside Steve Jobs at macworld new York in 2000 in order to reassure and clarify to Mac users what the deal was between the three companies.

“Anyway, we did this deal with Apple where we’d port some PC games to the Macintosh and help Peter Tamte create this company to do it, and I had to go to a Mac developer conference and get on stage and talk about this whole new partnership. It was a pretty strange time.”

Apple was gearing up to purchase Bungie, but plans were foiled when they learned that Microsoft offered and completed a deal with the gaming software developer.

His account of the circumstances was that Phil Schiller – Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing – then had a meeting with Steve Jobs to discuss if the Macintosh manufacturer should proceed with acquiring Bungie.

“Schiller asked Steve, who said no,” Deniz tells Develop. “[But] after a week, Steve said yes. Schiller calls Bungie, but Bungie had already consummated the deal with Microsoft”.

Even with the promises of cooperating to ease tensions, HALO for the Mac was delayed until winter of 2003. Fries took a walk on Microsoft that following year and Redmond axed Bungie in the year of the iPhone, although, not forgetting about keeping the rights to the HALO series,  which is the Xbox’s and Microsofts flagship gaming title. Despite that, Bungie still offered a hand in further HALO developments.

Apple yesterday released a graphics update to address some of the issues that users of the Valve gaming community were experiencing, along with some other fixes for Aperture. Valve filtered the problem out and recommend that users of their software should hold out on updating to the new Mac OS firmware. They have been working directly with Apple and GPU vendors to improve the graphics response of Mac OS for intense gaming applications, which the company develops. With the recent update of the Mac software, Valve is absolutely loving the results them and Apple have gotten. They personally report a 120% increase in performance improvements.

“We are seeing dramatic performance improvements on iMac (Late 2009 and Mid 2010), Mac mini (Early 2009 and Mid 2010), Mac Pro (Early 2009), MacBook (Early 2009 and Mid 2010) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010) and MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010) models. Depending on the game, video settings and the hardware, we have measured frame rate improvements from 15% to 120% on these systems. On older systems, we are generally already operating at the limits of the hardware, so it is not obvious that any significant performance improvements can be achieved in the future.”

Valve has seem to take their Mac OS X investment and fully embrace it…fully. They have focused a lot of attention to the platform to perfect it for Mac users. From working closely with Apple to making it easy for their developers to make Mac version of their creations, they are taking the necessary steps to make sure that their UNIX-based users are satisfied. If you (or your Mac) haven’t already done so, launch Software Update on your Mac and download the Snow Leopard Graphics Update and experience the high frame rate glory.

The Khronos Groups has released the new OpenGL 4.1 on Monday, July 26 at the SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Graphics) conference. The new spec brings even tighter integration with mobile OpenGL ES and OpenCL Application Programming Interfaces as well as tapping deeper into the graphics performance on both Macs, PCs and mobile devices, especially on the iPhone, iPod and iPad.

The OpenGL standard serves as the software that steers graphics controller in devices across multiple platforms by allowing those devices to use the graphics hardware in a standardized fashion. Apple has definitely used the standard in its software offerings and has made it an increasing part of its development process. This is evident in Apples Mac OS X: Leopard offering with OpenGL 2.1 and the 3.x support provided in Snow Leopard, for example.

The latest installment of the OpenGL standard offer various improvements and enhancements¦

The ability to query and load a binary for shader program objects to save re-compilation time

The capability to bind programs individually to programmable stages for programming flexibility

64-bit floating-point component vertex shader inputs for higher geometric precision

Multiple viewports for a rendering surface for increased rendering flexibility

The ability to set stencil values in a fragment shader for enhanced rendering flexibility

New callback mechanisms to receive enhanced errors and warning messages

The new standard also adds full compatibility with the mobile OpenGL ES 2.0 standard used in device like the iPhone, iPad and iPod. With this feature, developers can more seamlessly port their projects from mobile to desktop platforms. New extensions added to the standard also allow synchronization of objects to OpenCL event objects for better exchange and use of data with the OpenCL spec.

Hardware vendors are already bringing support for the new technology into their offerings. Barthold Lichtenbelt, Senior Manager of Core OpenGL at NVIDIA issued a press release announcing the implementation of the new specification in the graphic chips makers designs.

“I am also pleased to announce that NVIDIA will release OpenGL 4.1 production drivers on our developer site for all Fermi-based graphics accelerators, including the GeForce GTX 400 series, during SIGGRAPH.”

Ben Bar-Haim, Corporate Vice President of software at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), the acquirer of the graphics hardware maker ATI made congruent statements saying AMD/ATI “plans to support OpenGL 4.1 in an upcoming driver release” for their hardware configurations.

OpenGL began back in the 80s at the premium graphics hardware maker SGI (Silicon Graphics Incorporated). OpenGL was then made an open-sourced specification in the preliminary 90s, but was shadowed over by Microsofts Direct3D standard. The tech nearly dissolved completely until Apple discounted QuickTime 3D and fully embraced the OpenGL standard which it now uses in almost all of it offerings. Apples continued use of the technology has propelled it in to the limelight of technology as Sonys Playstation 3 and Nintendos Wii gaming consoles all excessively use OpenGL.

Since the debut of the App Store, many developers have found a highly profitable haven to distribute their properties to masses of people without the need for some huge funding for shipping efforts. It has become so successful for the little guys that the big boys decided to come and play. One thing about the App Store that Apple stresses is that everyone is equal. No matter how big or small you are, the possibilities are endless and the same. Ngmoco and Tapulous, two of the smaller developers of the iOS platform, compete with Square Enix and Electronic Arts, two of the biggest in the world. Whether big or small, all developing houses bring their collection of titles to the iOS environment, such as the alarmingly popular Tap Tap Revenge franchise from Tapulous, to console games from the big houses like EAs Madden and Need for Speed franchises or SEGAs Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Since Sonics debut on the platform, many have asked the question So, when will we see Mario on the iPhone or iPad? Well, according to Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, that is definitely not in Nintendos cards. During a Q&A, Nintendo’s head honcho stated that other hardware configurations are not good enough.

“Other companies don’t share Nintendo’s values or traditions when it comes to creating devices. We are absolutely not thinking of doing that.”

While he didn’t directly point fingers at Apple’s iOS platform, you probably wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that that statement included iDevices. So, for those of you who are looking for Mario, Zelda and Star Fox (surprisingly more popularly wanted than Mario) to officially make it to the App Store, consider putting that in the “unknown” pile of things for iOS.

The iOS platform has an already wide variety of gaming (some surprisingly approaching console quality) for the intense gamer and those who want something to pass the time. For now, if you want the fire-shooting, pipe-diving, mushroom consuming antics of Mario on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, you are going to have to resort to JB-ing (jailbreak) your iDevice and installing one of those emulators, at the expense of voiding your complementary one year AppleCare warranty, of course.

At the E3 conference, along with the All Things Digital [D8] event, an organization called OnLive showcased a demonstration of their streaming gaming service on the iPad. TouchArcade managed to record footage of the demo playing the Xbox 360/PC title “Borderlands” at the event [posted below]

Because of its raw tech demo state, the controls are less than ideal. The client uses a weird virtual joystick button layout that I don’t really think would be very useful for anything outside of just demonstrating what is possible. The following video walks through the OnLive iPad client, and shows Borderlands running, an XBOX and PC game. Also, after that, we load up Dragon Age: Origins, which didn’t work because it didn’t have gamepad controls, and finally we spectated on some games in session by other OnLive members.

OnLive has been making highlights in tech news since 2009. The company announced its video-game streaming service that would deliver graphics congruent to their dedicated console counterparts on PCs, Macs, and to HDTV sets by streaming the game from their central servers. More impressively, they have claimed that the user of the service does not require a machine that is capable of rendering high definition graphics, rather the machine just has to be able to play back the amounts of a video stream to the game while controls inputs to the game are sent back to the servers. The gorup states that they are dispersing major titles to the service that do not require the user to download and/or install anything.

OnLive did not give confirmation on whether they had plans to venture onto the iOS platform. However, the demo does show how the iPad makes a compelling catalyst for such as service by implementing touch sensitive controls. Besides the iPad at E3, they demonstrated the possibilities of their service on the iPhone in 2009 as well.

[click or tap to play]

The creation of Game Center allows users to add on a built-in network exhibiting matchmaking, account management, ranking system, achievement feature and a unified online gaming community made already available instead of them having to create something of their own. This also consolidates the various gaming networks of endusers to one single network where they can research their progress among other iOS gamers. Game Center is very similar into the single unified user-base of Microsofts Xbox Live.

Since its activation, developers have reported that they have to sign-in to the service using their Apple/iTunes IDs. Game Center also give you the option to setup a new account. After the enduser signs in to the service, they are prompted by a Terms of Service that are currently MIA. Users will also have the ability to create handles and provides a switch to allow users to receive game invites. It also exhibits an option for users to allow other members of the service to find them by email address or tag-names. A Me menu screen lists the current number of friends, achievements gained, games played and a function for status updates. The Friends menu display allows you to search for other members and send friend requests by email.

Apple has stated that they expect the Game Center online gaming community to be polished and ready for the rest of us towards the fall. Its most likely Apple is waiting to debut the new iPod touch and apply the iOS 4 to the iPad before the network goes live publicly.

Graphics + Sound + Gameplay

Like it’s predecessor game, the object of Labyrinth 2 is just like any game of labyrinth get the ball is the hole. However, with this version of the game, there is tons of innovative obstructions and clever abilities that make the game come more alive and have you trying again, again…and again to get that metal ball where it needs to be. This reiteration presents several new obstacles that you face into achieving you goal. Cannons are places in the game to bounce you around with rubber-balls the objects fire at you, or some of them skip the nice play and completely obliterate you into a cloud of smoke, placing you right back at the beginning. Good thing about the game is that it comes complete with checkpoints in case said event happens to you (which we found necessary). Another obstacle of the game is the fans. Typically easy to get through on the earlier levels, but as you progress through game, you’ll find those fans blowing in directions you don’t want to be pointed in. Switches are also presented on that game. The switches are unique being that they activate some new surprise that will either be good or bad to you…or both. Some activate doors to get you through the level, some activate cannons to evaporate you, some are pressure sensitive where you’ll need another one of you to help keep weight on it (which we’ll get into later). Some even activate trip lasers. Magnets are placed on levels to pull you away (being that you are made of metal). Even merry-go-rounds are in the game as obstacles for you. The graphics and visuals of the game are amazing. 3D elements are applied and correspond with the iPhone accelerometer as you navigate throughout the various levels. Frame rate of the game is amazingly smooth. While we were playing the game, we experienced no lag of any sort. The accelerometer controls are extremely responsive and intuitive. The pause menu is cunningly activated when tapping the screen and then tapping the stripe that reveals itself. From the menu, you have the option to skip levels, restart the game, adjust settings and navigate back to the menu. You can share your stats on Facebook and Twitter directly and automatically from the application as you are playing. Calibration is also available in the settings option. The creators implemented multiplayer functionality for you and a friend to go one-on-one right into the game. You can connect through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Sets of achievements are placed in the game which will have you playing over again in your effort to earn them all. There is also vibrate functionality built-in!

The Kinks

While we have been playing the game, we haven’t experienced any lag or glitch whatsoever. The game plays very smooth and doesn’t present any problems, again, as far as we know.

What’s Missing?

In all honesty, I have to say that we are satisfied with game completely. Illusion Labs packed many features into the game. Multiplayer, tons of variety, graphical eye-candy, seamless gameplay. We are very impressed with the current version.

In The End…

This game has it all. Illusion Labs really worked up a beautiful piece of work with this game. Labyrinth 2 has tons of depth and a high replay value with the achievements that are included in the game. Graphics are amazingly smooth, gameplay is seamless, and the game is featured packed. This game is definitely a step up from the original. We highly recommend you guys check this out. It’s tagged in the App Store for $4.99. There’s a demo available if you want to get a taste test of the action yourself.

Layout + Controls

Hearing the control set, you might think that playing a game like Eliminate may be a bit overwhelming. As we have been playing the game, we have realized that the controls are the opposite of that. Like using an Xbox 360 or PS3 Dual Shock controller, the controls to Eliminate will soon be embedded in your sub-conscience. On the bottom-left side of the screen is a joystick written into the software for movement while swiping your finger across the screen makes you survey the area around you. Tapping the crosshair zooms in to your target through a scope for precision aiming. The bottom-right corner fires your weapon and on the top-right corner is a function for a weapon switch and a numerical ammo display to help you know how many rounds you have loaded. On the bottom of the screen is a jump button while just north at the top is the function to pause the game. The numerical health meter is at the top-left corner of the screen and appears when a player is taking damage.

Graphics + Sound

The game is solid on a graphical aspect. There is much detail in weaponry and characters. The maps in the game are also detailed. Whats really impressive is that on a 3G network the software renders the graphics of the game just as fast as on a Wi-Fi network “ while youre taking part in the action. The sound in the game falls in-place with all of the action of game. Missiles and explosions sound really good, simulated water splashing sounds emit when you are in water present maps. Reloading sounds as you are switching clips, lasers sound authentic and jet-packs sounds like something produced from Bill Nye.

Gameplay + Experience

Gameplay is really fun! Maps are vast and their are plenty of places were players can hide and wait for their victim or go on a rampage out in the open. Weapons are expandable as you earn credits while you play. Credits are collected from the enemies you kill and you can use them for other things aside from updating your weapons abilities, such as upgrading armor and expanding character abilities in speed, jumping, toughness, skill of aim, reloading speed, etc. Even over a 3G connection, the game plays surprisingly good. Their is little to no lag or delay in the game. Ngmoco gives you a selection of 14 different maps for you to run around rampant on which you can explore and find your favorite. The one thing that bothers us is that Eliminate is kind of a pay-per-play game. When you run out of energy, you can still play and interact with others online, but you cannot earn any credits until you recharge, which a timer keeps track of when to apply your next charge cycle. You can choose to buy, with your own money, power cells and recharge for quick play, that is, if you are willing to pay. Also, when the charge cycle is applied, it doesnt fully charge you back with energy. You have to wait for three separate intervals to be fully charged. Also, your money, meaning the one in your actual bank account, can also have you skip the process of playing to earn your upgrades and you can just pay for them. There also isnt any voice communication, not as of yet anyway.

In The End

The game is really intense and will definitely get you and your friends competing against each other. 14 levels to choose from, several different character models to pick to your liking, a vast selection of weapons with the upgrades to match and smooth online gameplay whether your on a Wi-Fi network or AT&T 3G, and I mention AT&T 3G for those of us who are not under the unlock & jailbreak umbrella. The pay-to-play feature we can definitely do without! We would rather Ngmoco stop making the game free for download and just charge people for the app itself. The wait-to-earn feature also really bites, being that you are playing and it is not benefitting your profile in any way while you have no charge. No way to talk trash to your opponent with the absence of the in-game voice support either. Other than those undesired and wanted feature of the game, it is a complete multiplayer first person shooter. Go to the App Store, pick it up and well see you online, that is, if we have energy. Check out gameplay on YouTube

We have evolved much since the days of the first Command and Conquer. Many game developers have made their own interpretations of the game providing original characters, features and elements to their game. GD Swarm is one game that falls under that category. This colorful 2D Command and Conquer style game will have you figuring out new ways to stop the opposition while acquiring a high score to earn bragging rights.

What’s it Like?

GD Swarm is the sequel to it’s first rendition geoDefense. The game reminds us of something that is a cross between Command and Conquer with the vibrant looks of Geometry War, a leading title in Microsoft’s Xbox 360 video game console. With this reiteration, the devs packed more fireworks into it. The object of the game is to prevent the opposition from getting from their base to yours. Your tools are planting weapons in place to help you achieve your main objective stop the invasion. The game allows for an array of weapons that are available to your disposal. As you progress through the game, your earn a higher score (naturally) and earn points to upgrade your weapons to better challenge the opposition. The game starts out easy in the beginning levels, but then gets tougher as you progress through the stages. The key to this game is strategy and placement, like any Command and Conquer type game. Placing weapons in the levels is a s simple as dragging and dropping. You can go straight to the more difficult levels right on the menu as it presents a category of levels with the corresponding difficulty listed in the selections of the menu. Each catalog of levels contain about ten levels from you to choose from with the earlier levels being easier (as mentioned before). The game also gives you the option to obtain more levels than the preset ten you are provided with. When you go into he menu selection, you will see a button at the bottom of the scrollable menu displaying the said feature. Some of the additional content is free and the some require a charge, so if you ever get bored of the levels you are playing and want to try something fresh to challenge you, you always have that option. It also comes with OpenFeint support if you are apart of the community. You can easily log-in to your account or sign-up with the application

What’s Missing?

This game was rather addicting to play once you advance to the higher levels. There isn’t much you can ask for considering how the game is played and structured. The one thing we here at MacApper would love to see is a version of the app developed for the iPad or cross-device compatibility. The game, as of right now, isn’t compatible with the iPad. We think that people will really get into the action, especially passer-bys, as they see you and a friend playing this at a Starbucks, which would probably just add to the nationwide iPad epidemic being that Apple is selling the things faster than they can make them.

The Kinks

During our experience with the game, we haven’t noticed any bugs. The game seems to play smoothly and without disruption. Although, CTG (Critical Thought Games) have issued a couple updates since the game has gotten to our hands. However, the present version has presented no issues for us.

In The End…

GD Swarm was definitely enjoyable for us. The colorful displays and elaborate explosions give you much eye candy to look at while you strategize your next move to devour you adversaries. We recommend you guys pick it up for $1.99 in the App Store. There is also a demo version of the first game if you want to try it out for yourself and get an idea for what the sequel will be like before you open your wallet. Here’s some footage on YouTube to aid you in your shopping endeavors. You’re welcome.

What’s it Like?

EA’s Tetris on the iPhone is a 2 dimensional remake of the original. Like the original, as far as what you can normally do (excluding the tapping part), tapping the screen on opposite sides makes the Tetrimino rotate in the corresponding direction. To put in simpler terms, tapping the right side of your iPhone’s display will rotate the Tetrimino to the right while tapping the left side of the display does the opposite. The same pieces exist in the game and there aren’t any new ones. To soft-drop a Tetrimino, drag and hold your finger while the piece is falling. For a hard-drop, flick your finger downward and piece will slam in place. You can hold pieces by tapping the hold box in the upper left corner of the display. The game is written with 15 levels in which, as you may know, progression through the levels equals faster falling Tetriminos, giving you less time and making harder for you to see which space is right for the piece you have to set in place. There are two modes, Marathon and Magic. Marathon is your typical game of Tetris “ to see how far you can get. Thin of it as Survival mode . With Magic mode, the game gives you a set number of lines to make. As you progress, you are granted new magic tools to help in your progression of the game.

What sets most Tetris games apart, though, is the features they implement and this version is no different. In the game, there are a set of tools or “magic” you can use to aid you into gaining the high score and not make you build get too high. One of the tools turns your builds into bubble wrap where you can tap the screen and pop tetriminos that can create gaps to help you get Tetris combos. There is another ability that presents itself as a wrench and allows you to pinch your Tetrimino into a single Mino to fine grain your comboing. The marker magic, which is probably the second most fun tool, allows you to draw the piece that you desire and replaces it with the current one. You can smash your way to success with the hammer magic. This tool cleans up any gaps in your build that you have, creating multiple combos in an instant. To use the hammer magic tool, you literally have to shake your iPhone in a hammering motion. Playing the game first hand, this is probably the tool that you will choose first to get you out of most of your pickles.

What’s Missing?

Nothing is really missing with this make of Tetris. It is fun and the magic tools are very cool and work like you would expect them to. We would have liked to see them add some 3D elements to the game or give it that 3D look, so to speak. However, it’s no biggie for us, it’s just looks cool to see two dimensional and three dimensional aspects coexisting on a game.

In The End…

Tetris is a classic that is redone time and time again. Each reiteration provides it’s own twist and set of features that are unique to their creators version. EA has brought their own spin of the original and the game is solid. Plenty of fun tools and the controls to the game just work. This game will definitely have you on your iPhone frequently. Check out the app. It on the App Store for $4.99. Some clips of it in action are on the world famous YouTube. By the way, Happy belated birthday YouTube.

What’s It Like?

Pocket Tanks is a 2D aim-and-fire shooter. Object of the game is, obviously, to eliminate the other tank. Many of the weapons that you remember from school are still present, the Spider, Super Star, Gamma Ray, Chain Reaction, all are still here. They have implemented Apple’s touch interface very well. You pinch to zoom in and out and you use your finger to slide the nozzle of the tank for the best possible aim at your opponent. The developers also gave you the option to use a slider and a button that you can tap to allow you to add single intervals to your coordinates for you enemy. There are two versions of the game, a free version and a paid one. The free form of the game leave out a few features. There are only 35 weapons you can add to your arsenal. When you buy the full experience with Pocket Tanks Deluxe, you get well over 50 (105 in total) weapons to choose from to decimate your rival with. The game also presents options in which one of them alter the explosion radius. You can increase or decrease it to add or lessen more land damage. There is also a two player option for you to play against one of you friends on your device. We didnt find any multiplayer function where you can play people around the world in this old school application, which we were really hoping for.

Whats Missing

There are one or two things that could have been done to make this classic even better. Sure its a classic, but I personally like it when creators use the same elements of their classics with a whole new modern look (like street Fighter IV. A combination of 2D and 3D would have been awesome. Also, some scenery in the game would have been good. However, these are no biggies being that the game feels way better on the iPhone OS than it does on the PC. If you really look at the game back then and now, nothing has really changed. Its like it was waiting for something like the iPhone OS to come along. As we have mentioned before, no online multiplayer.

In the End¦

Blitwise really resurrected Pocket Tanks and the iPhone OS seemed like the perfect catalyst for it, Touch controls work great, its easy to get the hang of, and tons of weapons at your disposal. We wanted to see some 3D elements implemented as well as some scenery to replace that dusk (or dawn) setting in the background, but we are not bothered by that too much (we still want it though) as the game provides much variety. We really wanted some online support for the game and go head to head with someone in Japan. Try this one out on your iPad, iPod or iPhone. The paid version is $4.99, but before you make the commitment to buy the game or Google-ing the net looking for some video on it, test the game out for yourself for free.

Layout and Controls

If there is one thing that we had to chose to represent what we love about this game, it would have to be the controls. All the movement of the game is totally utilized through the iPhone’s accelerometer. The controls are extremely responsive and so natural! Just tipping your iPhone in any given direction makes the aircraft react. It gets real intense when you are dodging missiles and kamikazes. As far as weaponry, the controls are displayed on the screen. Dedicated buttons for the plane’s machine gun turret and guided missiles are accompanied by crosshairs in the center of the screen for targeting your enemy. The pause button is located at the top right of the screen, revealing a set of options that allow you to calibrate the positioning the iPhone so you can receive the right position for your bird. You can even swing your iPhone from left to right and do a barrel-roll.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics and sound of the game are really good. The frame rate of the game is something like Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The aircraft is smoothly detailed and presents an acceptable amount of jaggies in all graphical renditions, which we personally can more than live with. Explosions in the game after you have taken out an adversary look really good and smoke trails from rockets look good as well. The turret rounds look like you would see them in a movie. As far as sound goes, everything matches up with what you see visually. Explosions sound like explosions, turret rounds sound authentic and missile noise fade out as they get farther from you and closer to your target. The soundtrack is the original one from the movie, including the “Top Gun Anthem” by Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens and “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins. No audio dialog for the characters, so you are gonna have to read to keep up with what’s going on.

Gameplay & Experience

Overall, the game plays smooth! When you get many subjects on the screen, though, the game tends to lag a bit. You might find yourself using your missiles more than your gun for taking down bogeys. There is no toggle to turn up the game’s intensity to really have your iPhone dancing in your hand. However, in the first few levels, you kind of cruise the game. As you progress through the story, it’s more challenging and you will find yourself dodging more obstacles and missile than you did starting out. The game does lack variety. You get the same craft, the same machine gun, the same missiles and you’re shooting the same enemies, which is bland. Their is a set of achievement that the player can receive. They are displayed as medals and can be viewed from the “Medals” option on the title screen. The game has a total of ten levels and are completed by a set number of enemies you have to eliminate. Your jet’s condition is kept track of by the eight status bars located at the bottom of the screen. When they are fully depleted, you get the option to eject from your aircraft as its going down in smoke. In the beginning of the story, you’ll see in-game tutorials that will help you get some of the basic skills for driving your hawk. It’s not an open-world shooter , as you would think, like Ace Combat or H.A.W.X. It plays more like Star Fox 64.

Level Selection Screen

The Sum Up

This game will definitely have you tilting and tipping your iPhone enough for people to wonder what you are doing on that thing. The controls are really, really responsive and are definitely intuitive. You almost automatically know what to do when the game is put into your hand and you see the aircraft react to your movements. We do wish that the game was longer, the same smooth frame rate stayed constant when you have many targets on screen and an open-world for you to explore, but the game is totally fun and we can live with the minor level of the issues. Also, the game has little variety and you may get bored after a while, but don’t let that discourage you from picking this app to be on one of your hompages. Top Gun is available on the App Store priced at $1.99 and requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

Layout & Controls

The controls of the game are designed as two virtual thumb sticks, like you would find on an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3 Dual Shock controller. Buttons for switching weapons and detonating bombs are located at the bottom and top of the right thumb stick. The left thumb stick is also an integrated button. By tapping it, you allow your starship to activate a powerful boost that blasts through anything. What’s even more innovative is that the developers made use of the accelerometer. By shaking your iDevice, you can detonate a bomb as well. The function can be used for the ship’s boost power just by tweaking the function in the settings’ menu. Pausing the game is a simple, just take your fingers off of the joysticks and the game will instantly pause your progress. When you are ready to play again, just place your thumb back on the sticks and simultaneously the game resumes. While the game is halted, you will notice the pause symbol right at the top left corner of the screen. By tapping it, the game reveals the settings options from the title screen as well as an upgrade button to upgrade weapons within the game as you earn rings from your enemies.

Graphics & Sound

Where two and three dimensional stand together is where this game lives. Game fluidity is definitely on a high level without question. The game moves and feels extremely smooth. The visual effect from explosions and collisions are detailed. Ship movement as well as meteor and enemy movement is solid, even with many subjects on screen. Sound is also good. Bombs, shooting and collision sound they way you expect them to sound. Game soundtrack only includes one song, but for the quality of the game, we dont mind. If you do get tired of the same tune all the time, you can load up your own tracks from your built-in iPod.

Gameplay & Experience

When you play Meteor Blitz, youll get the impression of Stardust HD from the Playstation 3 mixed with Geometry Wars from the Xbox 360. Much like both of those titles, Meteor Blitzs arcade mode contains swarms of enemies and obstacles that become more skilled as your progress through the levels. You can also choose to fight the fleet with out a break in survival mode. Arcade mode comes along with a stage selection that brings all your progress that you finished the stage with. For instance, if your flamethrower was fully upgraded on the third world in the third stage, every level after that you will have your fully maxed out flamethrower.

The Sum Up

Meteor Blitz will have you wanting to progress to the next level every time you play. The game looks and plays wonderful, thumb sticks are very responsive, use of the accelerometer definitely comes in handy in a tight situation. The option to play your own sounds from the iPod is more than welcomed also. Some of the items would be nice to carry over to the next level with you such as the ring collecting item, not really a con though “ more of a request. The full game is available on the App Store for $2.99. Wanna try before you buy? Alley Labs provides a demo versoin of the game for you to test drive. Just download Meteor Blitz FREE and see if you wanna shell out the money for the full version. For your viewing pleasure, check out the video on YouTube.

Layout:

The layout of the game is pretty nice. Controls and options present themselves in the game to help aid you in getting the perfect shot, or close to the perfect shot, in getting your ball closest to the goal on the green. You can choose from an iron, driver or putting type of clubs and how much slice you want to put on your shot. Tap Ready to Swing and the screen changes to a button activating the swing and give some instruction for those of you who are swinging for the first time.

Graphics

The application is an AR game, or augmented reality, meaning, for those of you who are not familiar with that term, that the app uses the camera of the iPhone to lay out images corresponding to the current status of the game on what you see in the world around you through your iPhone. The game also utilizes the user interface of Google Maps to help to user keep track of the ball.

Gameplay

Playing it in my own neighborhood with another iPhone user I am acquainted with, the gameplay is the opposite of what I was thinking it was going to be. The app actually fun, really fun. With Google Maps and the GPS of the iPhone, game progress is kept track of telling you where you are, where the goals are placed in the world and where the ball is on the map. Most fun about this is you actually have to walk to the location on the Google Map to hit the ball again. Really fun way to explore the world that you live in while looking crazy when swinging your iPhone in public. There is even a set of achievements that you can earn in the game.

The Sum Up

This game is really neat and is definitely going to get noticed (the New York Times and Gizmodo already have) with more people beginning to play it over time. We found the game fun, intuitive and definitely innovative. The game can be played on all iPhone OS devices, but to use all the feature of the game, you are going to need an iPhone, which we can understand for obvious reasons. Google Maps and GPS keep track of the status of the game and it allows you to explore the world by yourself or while youre golfing with a couple of friends. This is a game that anyone can pick up and start playing. It is worth checking out. The apps $1.99 in the App Store and if you want a glimpse at it before you buy, check it out on YouTube.