Disney have been the studio responsible for many of the movies that defined our childhood. No matter when you grew up, I bet that you watched your fair share of Disney films. Today, Disney have given us the keys to the vault, and through the new Disney Animated app for iPad, allowed us an unprecedented look at the art from Disney’s animated movies past and present.
Disney Animated allows users to take a look back in time at all of Disney’s 52 animated full-length feature films, plus their upcoming feature; Frozen. In addition to giving fans a first-look access to the artistic process behind Frozen, Disney Animated brings a wealth of visual delight, including; over 750 interactive illustrations, 400+ short animation clips, 350+ high quality images from the Disney archives (including backgrounds, concept art and character sketches), hugely detailed (and super-zoomable) storyboards, 3D interactable artifacts, a colour map that shows the colour summary and frames from every scene from each movie all in one easy to navigate app.
It is hard to convey the magic and wonder that such an app can contain, but I think Disney Interactive Entertainment’s Senior Vice President, Mark L. Walker said it best with;
At Disney Interactive we are committed to building new, high-quality storytelling experiences that leverage digital technologies and platforms … Through the power of the iPad, we are bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite Walt Disney Animation Studio films and the art and technology of making those films. Disney Animated represents a rare moment when innovation, technology and art converge to create an experience that is entirely new.
Disney Animated definitely falls into the “premium” price category, at a whopping $14.99. This app isn’t meant for kids, but is targeted more towards budding artists who want to see how the big boys do it, and nostalgic adults who think back on their lives watching The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, or Toy Story and Finding Nemo. If you are interesting in how your favourite childhood movies came to be, then this app has all the answers you could dream of and more, so you would definitely get bang for your buck.
Are you interested in the artistic process or just want to relive some childhood memories, and will you be picking up Disney Animated? If so, grab it here and let us know in the comments below. As always, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney News as it becomes available.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed last week’s, or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check out what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS device along with the introduction on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has how it all works)
An average week on iTunes! As always, it started slow and ended with a little bang! There are many must-buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week I’ve suggested a total of 14 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially… Worms 3, Mikey Hooks, Abyss Attack, Swift Revenge, NFL Pro 2013, Ultima Forever just to name a few.
Break down below :
8 – FREE Games
3 – $0.99c Games
3 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and consider spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. Well the Free games just below certainly should all be given a shot as they won’t cost you anything!
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
MASTERABBOTT’S FREE GAME PICK OF THE WEEK!
Ultima Forever – Quest For The Avatar – Price : FREE – Publisher – EA Mobile (Ultima Forever™: Quest for the Avatar is EA Mythic’s new free online, multiplayer, action role playing game (RPG). Embark on epic online adventures with friends and begin your quest to defeat The Black Weep and become the Avatar of Renown.) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Ninja Cats Vs Samurai Dogs – Price : FREE – Publisher –Eutechnyx Limited (Ninja Cats Vs Samurai Dogs depicts the epic showdown between the feline and canine races,set in a fictional world based on the Japanese medieval era. Guided by a wise Sensei, who provides tips, advice and guidance, you will seek to achieve victory over your oldest enemy.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Protoxide: Death Race – Price : FREE – Publisher –Herocraft (Are global warming, abnormal weather, increasing number of cataclysms all over the planet, cocktails of earthquakes, tsunamis and blowing nuclear power-stations the reasons to think about incoming apocalypse? «Protoxide: Death Race» offers you their version of the “world after 2012”. ) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Tyrant Unleashed – Price : FREE – Publisher –Kongregate (Lead your Faction to Victory! Tyrant Unleashed is a futuristic combat CCG. Build your deck, upgrade your cards and battle thousands of players online! Tyrant Unleashed is a compelling combination of strategy and fast-paced battles. Create a deck of noble Imperials, ruthless Raiders, menacing Bloodthirsty, cunning Righteous and destructive Xeno to annihilate other players.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
NFL Pro 2014 : The Ultimate Football Simulation – Price : FREE – Publisher –Gameloft (NFL Pro is back on your smartphone and tablet. As the only free-to-play football simulation game, NFL Pro 2014 is now more immersive, more realistic and more social.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
MLB Ballpark Empire – Price : FREE – Publisher – MLB.com(The game that puts you in the executive suite managing your own MLB team and stadium is now available on the go. Your Facebook account is fully synced across all devices, so your progress will be accessible anywhere! Select your favorite MLB team and build your roster with hundreds of real MLB players. Build your team’s stadium just like in real life or mix your favorite elements together. You’ll find iconic ballpark favorites like the Green Monster, Monument Park, the Think Blue Dodgers sign, the Cubs W flag, and much more!) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Amateur Surgeon 3 – Price : FREE – Publisher –Adult Swim (HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO OPERATE ON A MUTANT BEAR WITH A CHAINSAW?*If so, then you are wasting time reading this when you could be playing “AMATEUR SURGEON: TAG-TEAM TRAUMA” and LIVING THAT DREAM. As rookie surgeon Ophelia Payne you must cut your way to the heart of a dark mystery while saving lives using your trusty pizza cutter, stapler, car battery – and host of other inappropriate tools! ) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Paper Streets – Price : FREE – Publisher – Breaktime Studios (Build your own storybook city in Paper Streets – A completely new experience with simple gesture controls and vibrantly colorful streets to build out. ) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
Swift Revenge – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Ayopa Games (Dive through insane vertical-scrolling levels packed with fiendish enemies, fearsome bosses and ingenious obstacles! Quest through space and time to defeat the evil megalomaniac, Doctor Crow. Unlock super skills and powerful weaponry to overcome addictive new challenges on every fast-action stage!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Valkyrie – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Bitfrost Studios (This first-person runner is not for the faint-of-heart or the slow of reflex. You have to jump, you have to slide across light bridges and deactivate walls—all while running and collecting souls. You may want to keep both thumbs close to the screen at all times. ) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Abyss Attack – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Submerge into the deep blue and discover an endless underwater voyage unlike anything you’ve seen before. Explore an ocean floor illuminated by waves of colorful creatures and fight for survival against the sea’s dangerous leviathans.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Worms 3 – Price : $5.49 – Publisher – Team 17 (The follow up to the award-winning, best-selling Worms 2: Armageddon is here! Worms™ 3 has been designed and developed exclusively for iOS. DEAL yourself the advantage with a new, game-changing enhancement. Turn on the card mode and alter the start and end of each turn by the playing of strategic cards.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Mikey Hooks – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – BeaverTap Games (RUN, JUMP, SLIDE, and HOOK! Collect coins and find hidden Golden Shorts! Watch out for enemies and spikes! 6 unique environments with 36 levels. Over 220 fun disguises. Race against ghosts. Compete on Game Center. Earn achievements. Customize your controls. View your game stats) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
F18 Carrier Landing– Price : $3.99 – Publisher – RORTOS DI SIMONETTO (Flight simulator for mobile phones – Version 5.8: the most advanced flight system ever. Landing on an air carrier is one of the toughest tasks that a fighter pilot has to undertake. The flight deck is only 150 meters long, just enough to stop your F/A-18 Hornet. Become a Top Gun pilot and have fun doing stunts and the toughest maneuvers.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
There you have it folks these games should keep you busy for quite some time well until next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if you would also like to suggest your own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.
Today it has been announced by Live Viewing Japan that they will be holding a special bi-coastal theatrical premiere for Hatsune Miku‘s special 6th birthday concert, the Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai 2013 Concert. The concert will first be held on August 30th in Japan and will then be presented to North American fans one day later on August 30th in theaters in Los Angeles and New York City.
The exact locations of the theaters in Los Angeles and New York City have yet to be announced, but advanced tickets will be sold for $20 each and will be available for purchase soon so fans of the virtual idol will need to keep an eye out for further details as the are made available.
Comic Book Heroes is a documentary that follows the life and trials of two talented Australians, Skye Walker Ogden and Wolfgang Bylsma, who have a crazy dream; to penetrate the American-dominated market of comic books and graphic novels. The pair, founded their company Gestalt Publishing 8 years ago, and since then have worked tirelessly producing high quality graphic novels.
Despite their hard work, the American comic book market is one of the toughest in the world to crack, and as the guys get older, the stresses of life set-in, so they make a bold decision: Head to San Diego Comic Con and work their way into the industry. The documentary follows their risky trip to the world’s biggest comic book convention, and the struggles that they face along the way. I wont spoil anything, but be prepared to see some of the industry’s big-wigs, like Kevin Smith, and the man himself Stan Lee.
Comic Book Heroes will be premiering on your TV screens on ABC1 this Tuesday 13th August at 10:00pm, with the second episode airing on the 20th at the same time. We have seen Comic Book Heroes and if you are into comic books or are interested in how the industry works from the inside, then this is something you don’t want to miss. In the mean time, if you want to know more about the guys, or about Gestalt Publishing, then check out their Official Website, as well as purchasing their books here.
Check back for our review of Comic Book Heroes, which will be going live over the weekend, and as always, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the comic book news as it becomes available.
Today Atlus has announced what fans of Etrian Odyssey will be getting if they choose to pre-order Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl before it’s October 1st release date. Anyone who pre-orders the game will be given a box set which includes the game itself, a seven-track music CD that contains a live version of the game’s opening theme alongside other tracks.
Also included in this package is an art book containing character art, notes from the developers and comics. The “Etrian Untold, Unseen, Unheard” collection, as it is called, can be seen below and will be the same price as the normal game, $39.99.
DYING: Sinner Escape is a horror/adventure romp that is headed to the iOS, and if you are just now catching wind of Nekcom Entertainment‘s title, now is the time to take notice. This game has the player take control of Colby Davis, who has a backstory driven by guilt and torment.
Have you ever heard of the phrase “locked away”? Well, that is the concept here, as Mr. Davis has dove into his own misery and walled himself in, and must turn to his ex-girlfriend Ruby and what is left of himself to find his way out – all while tackling the self-accusations and guilt for the death of his mother and unborn brother.
That is a hell of a narrative created by the mind that brought the world SAW (yes, that game franchise), and you can check out DYING: Sinner Escape to find out the conclusion when the game launches on the iOS on August 14th, or wait for the Vita version which is due out sometime later this year. For now, check out the trailer down below.
Adventure Time follows the story of Finn the Human and Jake the Dog, Finn’s best friend and adoptive brother, as they adventure through the Land of Ooo. Together the two best friends adventure far and wide, saving princesses and defeating evil kings. Adventure Time is set in a surreal, dreamlike world, where Finn is the only human among animals and many other non-human beings. Complete with outlandish humor and loveable characters, Adventure Time tookCartoon Network by storm. Making its way onto the internet, Adventure Time has become a world favorite. Part of the reason Adventure Time does so well is because it’s throws together things that no normal cartoon would, and explore themes that are original and different to most cartoons. This is what people want, originality.
Adventure Time Fionna and Cake features sixteen episodes, including a special feature Little Did You Know. The feature episode Fionna and Cake depicts a gender bending world, where Finn is a girl, voiced by Madeleine Martin, and Jake has become a cat, voiced by Roz Ryan. The entire casts’ gender has been switched. The other episodes share a wide range of adventures, and the special feature has pictures and character profiles of the main characters from the quirky American cartoon.
Story
Adventure Time is an ideal show for airing worldwide. It dosen’t have a plot, so there is no real story, but that dosen’t matter. AdventureTime isn’t a show that needs to have a continuing story line too keep its viewers interested and wanting to watch more.The strange and quirky adventures of the Finn and Jake keep the audience eager to watch more episodes. As the DVD features 16 episodes, there isn’t much point in me going into depth about each episode’s story. Instead, I’ll go into detail about the plot of Fionna and Cake and briefly touch over the synopsis of every other episode.
Fionna and Cake is an episode unlike any other. This episode features fairytale conventions such as shy love between a prince and a girl, singing and an evil witch. Instead of featuring Finn and Jake, the episode features Fionna and Cake, the gender-bender versions of the two lead characters. Set in a gender-bending universe, Fionna and Cake are helping Prince Gumball set up for his Bi-annual Gumball Ball when they are attacked by the Ice Queen. Ice Queen is furious that Fionna keeps “ice blocking” her, and in her rage attacks Fionna, cake and Prince Gumball. Fionna saves Gumball, and in return, he asks her to join him in the castle gardens.
Cake is adamant that Gumball has asked Fionna out, but Fionna disagrees. After Cake pushes it, Fionna finally agrees to go, only to prove Cake wrong. After flirting back and forth and singing a soppy romance duet, Gumball eventually asks Fionna to his dance, as his girlfriend. After rushing home with the good news, Fionna and Cake get to work, putting together a last minute outfit that, as happens in all fairytale-style stories, looks stunning. Prince Gumball takes Fionna up to his room. Viewers can now begin to guess what’s going to happen next, but a twist ending changes everything, leaving the viewer thinking only one thing; what did I just watch?
In Storytelling, Finn goes on adventuring through the woods in order to find a real-life story filled with romance, suspense, drama and fighting that he can tell Jake, who is sick in bed.
In a bid to help the Princess in The Other Tarts, Finn and Jake accept the dangerous task of delivering rare tarts to the Candy kingdom ceremony. After deciding to use trickery and deception to protect the precious tarts, Fin and Jake soon realize how hard it really is to keep the tarts safe.
After riding the Goblins of their spank-happy king in The Silent King, Jake takes over the kingdom, but soon realizes that their strange rules and odd ways are not something he wants to be a part of.
Princess Bubblegum has entrusted her precious plant to Finn and Jake. They must baby sit the plant. Death in Bloom sees Finn and Jake through the underworld as the Endeavour to rescue the plants soul from Death before Bubblegum returns from her meeting.
In the episode Still, the Ice King has stolen into the tree house and froze Finn and Jake so that they can bond. In order to escape the wacky bonding session and, Finn enters the astral and attempt to summon his astral beast.
Wizard Battle sees Finn and Jake battling wizards from around the Land of Ooo in a strictly Wizard-only contest. They defeat the other wizards, and come head to head with the Ice King. It is up to Finn and Jake to stop the Ice King from winning the ultimate prize; a kiss from the lovely Princess Bubblegum.
Finn, Jake, BMO, Bubblegum and Marceline must overcome their differences and play in a genuine band in order to open the Door Lord’s gate and retrieve their stolen items in the episode What Was Missing.
After another plague of Candy Zombies attack in From Bad to Worse, Princess Bubblegum has succumbed to the undead/ Finn, Jake and their friends must race against the clock in order to find a way stop the plague from spreading, but things just get worse and worse by the minute.
In Marceline’s Closet, Finn and Jake play cloud hunt in Marceline’s house, but become trapped in her closet after she returns home.
Finn and Jake reveal Ghost Princess’ tragic past as they attempt to find the cause of her death in the episode Ghost Princess.
Finn is once again rejected by Bubblegum in Incendium, Jake searches for another girl for him and ends up in the Fire Kingdom, attempting to win its princess.
In the episode Card Wars, Finn and Jake play an epic card game, but Jake soon becomes overly competitive.
In Princess Cookie, Finn and Jake are called to solve a hostage situation after a rogue cookie has takes over the Candy Kingdom.
After annoying Princess Bubblegum’s people with his weird and disturbing ways in You Made Me, Bubblegum helps the Earl of Lemongrab to resolve his issue of being alone and misunderstood.
After a run in with the Ice King in Lady & Peebles, Finn and Jake disappear. Princess Bubblegum and Lady Rainicorn step up and search for the missing friends.
Visuals
Adventure Time is no ordinary cartoon. Based in a surreal world inhabited by weird creatures with even weirder antics and behavioral patterns, it’s a cartoon unlike another, and it’s visuals fit right in. The character designs are really out there, with princesses made of gum, talking animals with glasses for eyes and kings made of ice.
Each character has their own distinguishing features and none of them look the same – even the Cuties are all designed differently. Each character, as weird and strangely shaped and colored as they are, fit in perfectly with the cartoon. These characters keep the viewers coming back. It’s easy to favorite characters from Adventure Time, especially when they look cute, adorable and downright awesome.
The bright colors easily attract the viewers, and the different colored characters easily catch the eye. There is no in depth coloring and texturing, it’s not needed. The solid colors keep the cartoon atmosphere. It’s bad enough that the logic attacks the viewers brain, if there were intricate textures, the cartoon would be too powerful, and would proceed to assault the eyes of the viewers.
The cutesy, awesome and outlandish designs are great, and fit in well with the cartoon itself. The simplicity of the visuals is what really makes Adventure Time great. The story lines for each of the separate episodes can get really complicated, so complex, intricate designs would probably overload the audience.
Audio
The audio, in the sense of fitting in, is the same as the visual aesthetics. It slots in perfectly because it’s always so quirky and outlandish.
To begin with, the theme song is a quick little tune played one a ukulele. Using a ukulele has given the theme song a different twist to it. Most cartoon theme songs feature more mainstream instruments like guitars and drums as opposed to a ukulele.
The dialogue is filled with random conversations and quirky, sometimes twisted, humor. The dialogue fits in well with the atmosphere of the cartoon, and the twisted jokes suit the characteristics of the characters.
Extras
The DVD features Little Did You Know, a special feature that has a biography of the characters, providing their name, species, age and explaining a bit about the characters and their role in Adventure Time. It’s a great way to get to know you favorite characters a little bit more.
Overall
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is a DVD filled with some of the best episodes that have been released. The feature episode Fionna and Cake introduces a whole new aspect to the show and gives Adventure Time a whole new level of “what?” It’s a great cartoon that can keep its audience entertained with a brand new adventure each episode.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Nihilumbra – odd name and all is headed to the Wii U. Now, for those unfamiliar, the artistic puzzle/platformer first launched for the iOS a little over a month ago, but developer Beautifun Games are keeping those cogs turning with a new and improved version made specifically for the Wii U.
Here are some deets on the new features included:
The WiiU version of the game will have all the new improvements of the HD remastered version (such as the voice acting, or the enhanced weather effects), and we are also preparing a new game mode that will make use of the possibilities of WiiU’s controller.
Other than “soon”, there is no true date for this gem, but keep an eye out – as it is only one of MANY titles headed to the eShop for the platform. Get used to the name Nihilumbra however, as we will be bringing even more news as the date draws near.
S2 Games, developers of the free-to-play Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Heroes of Newerth, today introduced their brand-new title, Strife. Unlike many other MOBA’s where players are often in it for themselves and part of a rather mean spirited community, Strife is set to offer rich, community-driven gameplay paired with mechanics that make teamwork easy, rewarding and satisfying for all. Putting an incentive on cooperation is a key focus of the game, so rewards are gained by working well within a team rather than simply placing the highest on a leaderboard.
Strife is also aiming to make great strides in MOBA storytelling, delivering an engrossing world with a layered backstory to further connect players with the heroes they choose. It all begins when the invasion of the Dharkwave, harbingers of darkness foretold by prophecy, is imminent, promising catastrophe upon the world. Its only hope is an Army of Light, forged in the crucible of battle to hold the line against their impending arrival. Players must overcome “The Trials of Strife,” as well as one another, to prove themselves as champions worthy to face the Dharkwave.
S2 games have taken great care in the artwork and character design which can be seen in the cool looking artwork above. They aim for players to really connect to their characters and for units to be not only fun and intuitive to control, but also feature their own definitive style. Everything from the pets they fight with to the crafted weapons and items they bring to battle is informed by the look, feel and personality of each hero.
Strife will be available this winter and is promising a realm of conflict, competition and glory. For more information on Strife, visit the Official Strife Website and check out the trailer below for your first look at the game.
Bohemia Interactive announced the release date for their upcoming military simulationArmA 3 as September 12th, 2013. The game was the first game introduced under Steam’s Early Access program and is now in beta phase. The game will launch with full mod tools, several showcases, firing drills, and scenario editor. However, the full launch will not include a campaign. Instead, the campaign will be released as a free three part DLC in the months following the launch.
To celebrate the launch, the developers will be hosting a live stream on Twitch.TV on Saturday August 10th at 17:00 UTC. They will be streaming ArmA 3’s release candidate and will show off Altis, the 270 km² main island.
ArmA 3 is the latest addition to Bohemia Interactive’s long running military simulation series. The game features combined arms combat that brings infantry, vehicles, and remote control drones together to dominate a battle space. ArmA 3 is currently available for $44.99 USD at Steam or the Bohemia Interactive Store while the game is still in beta. The price will rise to its full price when the game launches in September 12th.
