Many awesome announcements were made, and many great games were showcased at the Nintendo Direct live-stream conference broadcast this week. Etrian Odyssey IV for the Nintendo 3DS was one of the games showcased in the broadcast, and they streamed four minutes of gameplay footage for it.
The four minute trailer shows off the towns, the character classes, the 3D exploration where we catch a glimpse of the many areas that will be featured in the game, and plenty of combat footage. Like in past games, you will be able to draw your own maps on the touchpad, to capture the feel of old school first person and maze-driven role playing games of the 1980s. The game is also set to feature a Casual difficulty setting.
At the recent Supanova convention in Gold Coast (Brisbane), Madman Entertainment has announced some new acquisitions for 2012. These acquisitions are three new anime feature films and they will be distributed in Australia.
First off is Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror, a computer generated feature film where a young girl ventures into a whole new world in search for a mirror she cherishes. Next up is Gintama: The Motion Picture, based of the popular action comedy anime series of the same name. Finally, there’s Sengoku Basara: The Movie.
This is in addition to the acquisitions announced at the Supanova convention in Melbourne last week, which included Aquarion EVOL, Star Driver, Mayo Chiki, The Legend of Legendary Heroes, Oreimo, and Berserk: The Golden Age Arc Trilogy.
Trials Evolution Publisher:Ubisoft Developer:RedLynx Platform(s): XBLA (Reviewed) Release Date: April 18, 2012 Price:1200 Microsoft Points – Available Here
Overview
Trials HD was one of the most successful games ever for XBLA. Over 2 million copies of the game have been sold overall, and it is well regarded as one of the most grueling, addictive, hardcore and entertaining games on the market today. Getting some of the tougher achievements in the game is a sign that you have endurance, patience and skill. The developers of Trials HD, RedLynx Studios, truly created a wonderful game. However, they couldn’t just stand on their laurels. So, they created a sequel called Trials Evolution. How can they top one of the greatest XBLA games ever? Does Evolution even come close to the masterpiece that was Trials HD?
Gameplay
All in all, the gameplay is remarkably similar to Trials HD. RedLynx has tweaked the physics engine but, other than it being much easier to crash, I can’t exactly tell you in what areas that I noticed any changes. All I know is that it feels slightly different. However, that does not detract one bit from the experience. Trials Evolution is still an intense ride that is easy to learn, but incredibly difficult to master. The game is still set in 2.5D, although the game does seem to explore the depth of the screen more often. For example, some of the tracks are set in a circle, instead of merely a straight line.
Of course, Trials Evolution is still murderously hard. While there are more easy levels in this outing than in HD, the medium levels still are tough. By the time you get to the hard levels, you’ll want to rip your hair out and throw your controller to the ground, all while while cursing the TV, the controller and anything else nearby. By the time you get to the extreme levels, you will cry for someone to just kill you already; just tear your eyes out and cut your throat already. And yet, you’ll still play. You’ll keep hitting restart, knowing that this is the time that you can get through the track without any faults. That you’ll take it slower this time and get a better medal, even if that means you won’t have the fastest time to show off on the leaderboards.
All in all, the amount of content Redlynx stuffed into Evolutions makes this game a bargain. You can spend hours trying to perfect your runs, attempting to beat ghosts, viewing other people’s replays, creating content, racing in multi-player, and trying out all the wacky Circus modes, like skiing.
One of the biggest improvements to Trials is the addition of multi-player. While I could not connect to any games, due to the intense server load that the game is experiencing currently, there are plenty of modes to experience. If you ever 100% all of the levels in Trials Evo, you’ll still have endless multi-player “fun” to satiate your addiction.
The track creator returns to Trials Evolution in spectacular form. There are two editors: a lite version and a pro one. The lite version is easier to create with, while the pro version will literally give you any option you can think of. You can even create your own FPS game with it. You can also download, try out and rate other people’s creations, which is amazingly insane.
There are only a few faults with Trials Evolution. One is that the tutorials will teach you something, like bunny hopping, but you won’t actually use that skill for another hour or two, maybe not even until you unlock the next set of tracks. Two is that you must reach a certain medal count until you can unlock more levels. So, if you just can’t attain that last medal and you are stuck at 99 medals, then you literally can’t move on. This can be extremely frustrating.
For the most part, the difficulty level does ramp up in a balanced way. However,some of the medium levels feel like easy levels, and some of the medium levels feel like hard ones, while some of the hard levels feel like medium ones. While this does give you a brief respite occasionally, it is a little weird. The fourth fault is that the the replay functionality seemed really spotty to me. Although you can view your most recent replay, I couldn’t find a way to save it. In addition, you can only view certain replays. So, if your first run was spectacular, you can’t save or replay it, but you might be able to save your 3rd retry of that run.
Audio and Visuals
Once again, the soundtrack of the game is generic, awful hard rock. However, some hip-hop and standard soundtrack music also made it into the game this time. Your rider will also still be yelling like a redneck whenever he goes off a huge jump. Overall, Trials Evolution is best sounding when you are playing your own music.
The biggest improvement in this Trials game is the graphics. The backgrounds are insanely detailed and full of life. For example, on one track, there is a jet that flies overhead. The visuals truly draw you into each track and they are incredible. This is probably one of the best looking games on XBLA. I was also really pleased this game was set in the outdoors. It made it so much more interesting than the dark caverns of Trials HD.
Overall
In conclusion, I was really impressed with the amount of creativity RedLynx put into Trials Evolution. This is no mere copy and paste of Trials HD. The entire game has literally “evolved”, and it is one of the most fun, exhilarating, addicting and frustrating games of this year. I wager that it will be on many GOTY lists this December. There is only one warning I feel compelled to give you: please try it out and make sure you won’t have a heart attack on the later, extremely difficult levels. If you don’t like being angry and frustrated while playing games, then you will not like Trials Evolution. On the other hand, if you like a challenge and you love being completely addicted, then you will adore Trials Evolution.
The Kirby series is turning 20 this year and Nintendo is going to celebrate this momentous occasion the only way they know how, by giving us a slew of older Kirby games all on one disc. Via the Nintendo Direct stream last night it was revealed that Nintendo is planning to release a compilation disc for the Wii that contains all of our “favorite Kirby games” though what these games were was not revealed.
Also announced alongside the Kirby Compilation is the fact that the 3D Classics: Kirby’s Adventure which has already been released in the West, will finally be released in Japan. Also it is worth noting that the Club Nintendo site will soon be flooded with Kirby goodies, so any fan of Kirby better keep an eye out.
Last night during a Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo revealed that there would be a new Super Mario game coming to the Nintendo 3DS. At the time the game, which is to be called New Super Mario Bros. 2 was only announced for a Japanese release in August, but today Nintendo of America released their own set of press releases to coincide with the event.
This press release stated that New Super Mario Bros. 2 would be released in the West as well. The game itself is being described as a “traditional side-scrolling adventure game” that was designed “specifically as a pick-up-and-play experience.” As you can see above the gameplay itself looks to be very much unchanged from the classic Mario titles, though expect more information soon.
The first phase of the Brick-Force Open Beta, a special VIP Open Beta, is set to begin on April 26. Over 500,000 registered players will be allowed to send out invites to their friends for guaranteed access to the sandbox shooter. To ensure a smooth start to the Beta, Infernum Productions are granting these lucky people an exclusive pass to play around in a block-based universe. The full Open Beta will soon be freely available to all, and all the stats will be perfmanently stored from the 26th for all players with an invite.
The VIP Open Beta will features numerous changes and improvements based on community feedback, including an expanded building mode, brand new sounds, several new items and redesign of the interface (which will be implemented shortly after the Open Beta launch, along with the browser version.
Two other shooter modes are also being created by EXE Games and Infernum Productions which are set to launch in a few weeks. These are ‘Defense Mode’ which introduces new PvE maps, and ‘Build and Destroy’ where players get to build bricks and frantically fight at the same time. You’re definitely not going to get bored in that mode.
For more information on Brick-Force as it comes out keep tuned to Capsule Computers, or check out the Brick-Force website HERE and the official Facebook page HERE.
Some huge news from Codemasters who have announced plans to focus primarily on racing games, in particular the DiRT, Grid and F1 titles (who they recently signed exclusive rights with the franchise), and all under a brand new label Codemasters racing. To compliment the new label they are also introducing Racenet, a portal to bring together all Codemasters racing games and fans onto one interactive platform. DiRT Showdown, which now has a release date of 24th May across Australia and New Zealand will be the first gam released on the new label, and in typical Codemasters style a new Showdown trailer has been released in conjunction with the announcement. The new Ultimate Hoonigan video speaks for itself featuring many of the amazing tricks and stunts from the upcoming title as well as Ken Blocks Ford Fiesta Gymkhana exclusive to showdown.
The Demo will go live on May 1st and alongside its release will come an invitation to join Racenet in its Beta stages, and for the first time gives players one driver profile with which they can use across all Codemasters driving titles. Have a look at the new video to see some of the Hoonigan goodies available to those who pre order the game from Australian and New Zealand retailers such as in game cash and liveries for your garage.
Dirt Showdown launches on 24th May for XBox 360, PS3 and PC platforms so get ready for plenty of community events, massive social networking interaction and fast and destructive racing and until then remember to sign up to Racenet for some added bonuses such as $20000 in game cash.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS along with the introduction and disclaimer on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has the disclaimer)
What I’ve also introduced is video game play footage (if it’s possible) on some of the iOS games I’ve suggested, you can check this out at the bottom of the article. Currently video game play footage for this week’s suggestions are not available, check back in a few days there will be some more added. For now, if you jump into previous suggestions there are a few videos to check out.
Once again it’s been a great week on iTunes, it started off slow but ended with a bang with many amazing games released, this week I’ve suggested a total of 27 great quality titles.
8 – FREE Games 11 – $0.99c Games 8 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. This week I’ve focused on Free and games over 99c.
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
MASTERABBOTT’S FREE PICK OF THE WEEK
Juggernaut: Revenge Of Sovering – Price : FREE – Publisher – Mail.Ru. (The terrifying Sovering has risen to annihilate the land of Haradan and all who stand in its way! After eons of ceaseless bloodshed, an uneasy calm has fallen upon the mythical land of Haradan. However, peace unravels into mayhem when the evil Sovering rises from its slumber to torment and destroy the natives. Selecting one of 5 legendary warriors known as “Scorpions”, you must battle over a 100 horrifying demons and complete countless dangerous quests on your way to an epic final battle against the formidable Sovering in order to save Haradan!) runs on iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
ILLUSIA 2 – Price : FREE – Publisher – Gamevil. (Casual Platform Action RPG Returns. Solve the mystery behind what is causing the nightmares! An evil force has invaded the Dream World giving everyone nightmares! Help the heroes Angela, Chris and Ares vanquish evil and restore peace to their land in this sequel to the hit RPG, ILLUSIA. With a thrilling storyline, full of twists and turns, ILLUSIA 2 takes the immersive gameplay of the original masterpiece and embellishes it with more colorful side scrolling adventures, diverse skill training and endless customizable options.) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
DigiWoog Disaster – Woogi World – Price : FREE – Publisher – WoogiWorld.com. (Use your DigiWoog device to investigate a mysterious crash on Woogi World in this interactive adventure game!
Guest starring Dr. Wiggenstein, Weegor, Wally Woog, Mr. Wigwatts, and a mystery character!) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
ZombieBurbz – Price : FREE – Publisher – WowWee Group Ltd. (MEET THE ZOMBIES. These undead trash-munchers are tired of being misunderstood by their neighbors. They’re just your average slowly decomposing suburbanites who want to keep up with the Joneses, not eat them. It is up to you to help these Zombies achieve the suburban dream, fight off angry mobs of the living and feed their craving for gaaaaarbage..) runs on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Stunt Master 8BIT – Price : FREE – Publisher – Wachirawoot Tocommie. (You are 8 bit style game lover?
You are NES mania? If you say YES! you will love Stunt Master 8bit too!! Retro city studio proud to present Stunt Master 8Bit, the first game of Retro game series of our studio. Stunt Master 8Bit is a racing game in 8 bit classic graphics, sound and music style. Your mission is drive your bike to pass a test challenge race around the world to make highest score and go to the way of Hero movie’s stunt master!!) runs on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Paper Saga – Price : FREE – Publisher – Making Fun Inc. (Enter the enchanted kingdom of Papyrum, where you are the author of your very own storybook adventure! Once upon a time and not too long ago, Papyrum was a land of enchantment and beauty until a dark and dreary cloud was cast upon the kingdom by the Evil Witch, Teyra. All that remains is the withered Tree of Life and it’s Guardian, Syl the Owl.
As the keeper of the Magic Book, you hold the keys to restore Papyrum to its former beauty and return power back to the King, Queen, and Princess Braithlin. ) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Omegapixel – Price : FREE – Publisher – Taco graveyard. (2085. THE SECOND EIGHTIES. You are MOHAWK JONES. You just punched in for a hard day’s work. Your job? PROTECT OMEGAPIXEL. OMEGAPIXEL is an action defense game that takes place over 42 levels, as you face down other ships, alien baddies, and evil planet bosses. The game toughens fast as your enemies’ tactics evolve. Your only button trades your ship’s place with the Omegapixels – your only way to cover the full screen and avoid some obstacles. Learning the varied enemies, their color schemes and patterns is key to keeping the Omegapixel safe! ) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Oh!Monster – Price : FREE – Publisher – 6Waves Lolapps. (Oh!Monster is one of the top casual strategy mobile games for iPhone3GS, iTouch4, iPhone4, iPhone4S.This is the game you should download and play now. Various choices can bring you fun entertainment and amazing game play experience! Decent animation clips will also be delivered to you in between different eras. As a super hero, you’ll have to fight against hordes of monsters, protect the hourglass and ultimately, search for your lost lover and discover the evil secrets. No worries, you will not be alone! Armed yourself with different skills and weapons, summon the royal allies to fight off the monsters and Boss in different era. Uncover the mystery of chaos space-time and save the world!) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
Shark Dash – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Gameloft. (Discover the new benchmark for physics puzzle games! Shark Dash is a highly addictive game that takes the physics puzzler to fun new heights with a unique cartoonish style starring funny little bath toys! Sharkee and his merry band of toy sharks were living happily in the bathtub. That is, until a bunch of mischievous ducks came along to ruin their peaceful little world. These cheaply-made rubber duckies are a little loopy from the chemicals they are made of, and now they’re teasing the sharks, playing pranks like they owned the place! But when the ducks kidnap Sally, Sharkee’s girlfriend, that’s when Sharkee and his buds have had enough! Join a wild journey to tricky bathtubs around the world, save Sally and get rid of the dimwitted ducks!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Lock ‘n’ Load – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo. (Once upon a time, there was an evil little girl whose goal was to conquer the world…now it’s up to you to grab your gun and save the day. Get ready to blow some crazed creeps away in Lock ‘n’ Load, a twin-stick shooter packed to the brim with style and substance.
Lock ‘n’ Load is one huge game. With 16 massive levels in the main campaign, 9 huge additional levels in the unlockable Call of Minions campaign, plus 6 tough challenge maps, there’s more gameplay here than you can shake a boomstick at!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Sugar High – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Shortbreak Studios. (Biscuit is a dog unlike any other. He cares not for steaks and bones, it’s sweets and cakes that fill his dreams. As his owner’s views on healthy canine diet are conservative, sweet dreams are the only way for Biscuit to fulfill his sugary fantasy. Whenever he falls asleep, he finds himself chasing sweets down chocolate hills. As long as he can stay ahead of evil Mr. Alarm Clock, he can munch on candy to his heart’s desire. If he wakes up, the sugar high will end.) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Lucky Birds City – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Articul Media. (Every day Lucky Birds enjoy their lives, have fun, and only have to worry about not falling down. In the evening, Lucky Birds take shelter in their homes until the next morning when the games start again. During the night all birds have to sleep! Your goal is to move all the birds into their homes before the night falls. Pull the wire on which the bird sits on, and manage the flight trajectory with soft movements of your finger. Keep your eyes open and try to rich the target on the first try, since the number of the movements that the bird is able to make is limited! On your way make sure to collect all the bonuses and keys that will help you open the locks. You will be rewarded for all collected bonuses with new adventures!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Angry Biker – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – FunFastGames Media. (Angry Biker is not just another dirt bike physic game. The game is more focus on skills than just speed and few flip in the air. Angry Biker is aiming at challenging player’s skill in control the bike under various road condition, over the tires, seesaw and moving platform. Most of the level are short to medium length, but the tempo are not a fast page racing from begin to the end. A rather slow down here and speed up there to ride through a full loop.) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Tiny Toy Chest – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – 30 Below Studios. (Your room is a mess and toys are everywhere! With your trusty dog by your side, your job is to get your toys into your toy chest. It won’t be easy though as you’ll need to use cherry bombs, RC cars and other tools to help you get those toys where they belong. Tiny Toy Chest is a puzzle game that will test even the best of us. Drag and drop the toys into the toy chest while using other objects in the level to assist you. There’s a variety of different toys including a robot, basketball, drum, teddy bear and more! All have different characteristics and realistic physics. Tiny Toy Chest is suitable for all ages and easy to learn. This game is optimized for retina displays.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
X-Ball Hero – Price : $0.99 – Publisher –Pilcom (You are a ball on a mission. Bad guys have stolen stars from the sky and locked them in maze boxes. Collect all stars to save the universe and become a superhero! More than fifty challenging levels. Many puzzles waiting to be solved. Various elements to be used or to be avoided. Different power ups to ease your way. Collect all stars to save the universe. Create your own destiny and become a superhero. runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Scarecrow HD – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Synergy IT. (Enter the gorgeous, realistic 3D haunted house and feel the dark smoke power. Notice how smooth and natural your shots are? Go ahead, warm up and get a feel for this groundbreaking technology. How’d you do? Beware the red barrel and powerups, they are just crazy! But you have to play to find out what it is, we won’t tell you, that would spoil the surprise. Believe us when we say you won’t be sorry.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
Slide Road – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Cesar Ricardo Gimenes. (Spray is a kitten who only wants to eat his olives in peace, but an evil frog stole him! Get the car and chase the olive trail left by that shameless thief!
Slide Road is a new and innovative puzzle game. Your goal is to move the pieces of the maze so that the cat can reach the exit… And if you’re good enough, pick up the olives on the way! But do not think this is easy, because Spray’s car has no brakes, so you will have to be faster than him!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Saving Private Sheep 2 – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – BulkyPix. (Saving Private Sheep is back! The war is over.
After fierce combat, those damned wolves have gone back home with their tails between their legs…
The sheep can graze once again with great delight and plenty of new wool! But let’s not forget the foxes, those nasty creatures that have come to kidnap the poor, innocent little sheep… Fortunately, General Sheepard is there to keep an eye on the sheepfold. Armed with a catapult and a hedgehog, the leading military figure in the entire flock dispatches a small commando team to restore peace in the pastures. ) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Burger Cat – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Ravenous Games. (Burger Cat is a puzzle game requiring you to use logic and skill to solve each level. Help Burger Cat reach his delicious destination. During a normal BBQ a catastrophic event sent Burger Cat’s burgers all over 60 levels! Hungry and wanting to nom these delicious cheezeburgers; you will use your tools to navigate through the levels. Your mission is to retrieve the burger in each level while overcoming obstacles that are trying to prevent you from enjoying that delicious meal! Each level requires logic and skill to solve. You can place and remove blocks of the level, as well as using things like: trampolines, umbrellas, decoys and other items to help you on your mission.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
For The Millionaires – All games over $0.99
MASTERABBOTT’S OVER 99c PICK OF THE WEEK
MacGuffin’s Curse– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Ayopa Games. (Get addicted to this stunning werewolf comedy puzzle-adventure! ★★★An incredible 60% LAUNCH SALE – full price is $4.99!
When desperate thief Lucas MacGuffin bungles a museum robbery, he finds himself bound to a mysterious ancient amulet. Using its powers to transform between man and wolf, he must sneak and smash his way through a mind-bending series of puzzles, bring down a terrifying criminal mastermind, and hardest of all, convince his daughter it isn’t funny to fill the fridge with dog food. With charming hand-drawn art, an eccentric cast of characters and insanely catchy music, players everywhere will be touched by MacGuffin’s heartfelt, relatable struggle to stay away from fire hydrants.) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Foreign Dreams– Price : $4.49 – Publisher – Game Factory Interactive. (When nightmares begin to torment her friend Victor, a young woman decides to help him. Gradually she realizes that Victor is haunted by memories of terrible events he experienced in his childhood. In order to save him from his past she is ready to enter into a world of horrible and dangerous dreams. Help her save Victor in Foreign Dreams, a fun Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!) runs iPad. BUY NOW
Disconnect – Price : $4.49 – Publisher – PNJ Inc. (In AD 2091, the United Nations Organization is founded instead of United Nations, and the era of integrated government is opened. Technology has been developed amazingly, but the gap between rich and poor is still widening. One day, UNOCH, is a charity hospital(spaceplane) of UNO, succeeded in the development of artificial body and reported that it will be transplanted for the irralative lowest class as social welfare. The hero who does not have anything has a lover, Millian who is an acquired blind person and his one and only hope. She was selected as eyeball transplant subject by UNOCH and left for UNOCH, but hero has not heard from her after that.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Starbound SD– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Studio Radko. (A high-speed arcade adventure through the cosmos! Bound through 6 entirely different regions of space and beat all 60 levels! Master the 3D platforming challenges in your own custom ship! Explore and Unlock the secrets of this arcade in the stars! HD version of the game is also available for iPad) runs on iPhone and iPad. BUY NOW
Paper Bees– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Wiggles 3D. (Enter the world of Paper Bees, a defense game that takes place inside a child’s diorama. Help the paper bees defend their hive against attack! They must fight off eight different types of enemies, including mosquitoes, stink bugs and exploding beetles. The game features 30 challenging levels, spread over three different scenes. Fling the bees at their attackers to help them protect their home. You can also get help from the bees’ allies – bumblebees, dragonflies and ice worms.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
South Park – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Special Edition– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – 2WayTraffic UK. (Welcome to the ultimate test of South Park knowledge!
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is headin’ on down to South Park. Take a seat in the Millionaire chair as one of five new characters designed by the creators themselves. Put your knowledge to the test with 500 questions taken from all 15 seasons of the award-winning television series. Interact with classic South Park characters when you Phone-A-Friend and prove your worth to an audience of familiar town-folk. Think you know South Park? Then let’s play, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Total War Battles– Price : $7.49 – Publisher – SEGA. (BUILD, BATTLE AND REIGN Specifically developed for touchscreen platforms, Total War Battles: SHOGUN is a new real-time strategy game from the makers of the award-winning Total War series. Total War Battles delivers quick-fire, tactical combat balanced with intuitive building and unit management. All set in a beautifully illustrated Medieval Japan.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
100 Greatest Hits– Price : $12.99 – Publisher – Elite Systems. (Download this App to receive BRUCE LEE and to get 100 more classic SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM games for NO ADDITIONAL FEE!
That’s right, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the launch of the SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM (23rd April, 2012), get BRUCE LEE and 100 more classic SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM games for just £8.99/Euro10.49/US$12.99 (iPad).
Relive the Golden Age of Gaming with a collection of the most popular SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM games from the 80s and 90s. This extensive catalogue pays homage to each of the originals, with controls designed to mimic what SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM fans remember from 30 years ago! For those who love the classic gaming experience, this hand-held breakthrough is sure to guarantee hours of fun. ) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
There you have it folks, these games should keep you busy for quite some time. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if anyone would also like to suggest their own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Sega Platforms:Nintendo 3DS Release Date: 12/04/2012 Price:$39.95 – Available Here
Overview:
The Nintendo DS was home to many great visual novel style experiences that featured a fun collection of puzzles and mini-games, all nicely integrated with the games’ overall premise and plot. Some good examples include 999, Professor Layton, Hotel Dusk, and Pheonix Wright. It looks like the Nintendo 3DS will serve home to these types of games, and the added graphical juice of the handheld will certainly boost the visuals and presentation of these unique adventure experiences.
Rhythm King comes straight from Sega and is now available in PAL territories with the North American version delayed till July 2012. The game is an adventure title with heavy puzzle and rhythm gameplay elements, all wrapped in a nice package that may easily be one of the best titles for the Nintendo 3DS right now.
Story:
Rhythm Thief takes place in modern day Paris (France) and it tells the story of a young man named Raphael, a talented performance thief who, under his alter-ego ‘Phantom R’, uses his rhythmic dance moves and talents to rob famous historical artifacts from museums and galleries in Paris, only to return them the very next day. His partner in crime is his loyal faithful dog, Fondue, and their relationship is quite similar to that between Tintin and his canine sidekick, Snowy. Raphael’s only known family member is his estranged and missing father who is also a talented thief. He follows his father’s footsteps in hopes of someday finding him.
Three years before the events of the game, the casket belonging to the famous conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte, was stolen. Early on in the game we get introduced to this premise revolving around the grand return of Napoleon himself, and a scheme to restore his tyrannous rule once more. Raphael’s life of thievery lands him in the middle of this elaborate scheme and conspiracy.
The story is told through animated stills and mostly voiced dialogue, as well as plenty of animated cut scenes that really help create that magical and epic ambience. It’s a surprisingly detailed plot filled with plenty of twists and turns as it starts out innocently enough but has some more serious and dark undertones later on. It’s a very classic good vs. evil sort of setting where Raphael serves as the anti-hero of sorts because even with greater evil at work, he still remains a wanted thief who is constantly butting heads with the local police.
It’s a pretty grand adventure and along the way you’ll meet numerous colourful and charming characters. Raphael makes several new friends and rivals, but the most memorable one is Marie, who serves as his love interest and also plays a big part in the story. There’s plenty of interesting dynamic between the characters and there is a lot of focus on their relationships and backstories.
It’s a very uplifting and magical story, one that is full of music, songs, the triumph of good, funny and quirky moments, and innocent portrayal of love and romance akin to that of a fairy tale. In a way Rhythm Thief is a lot like a Disney animated movie as it has the same charm and magic to it, immersing you into its beautiful and cheerful world with a story that is filled with plenty of moments that will leave a smile on your face. When the story is all wrapped up and done, it will leave a lasting and positive impression. Rhythm Thief’s premise and portrayal is one of those truly magical and compelling experiences that really allows you to escape reality and just feel really happy.
Visuals:
Rhythm Thief is a beautiful looking game that sports a gorgeous and colourful art direction with some really simple yet likeable character designs, and a refreshing portrayal of modern day France. It’s all very bright and uplifting, complementing the general demeanor of the game.
The character art is nice and clean, and much of the story sequences use nicely drawn animated stills. However, as you interact with the various backgrounds during the game you’ll find that they’re not as visually appealing as other aspects of the game. The backgrounds are a bit uninspired and bland but they still do the job well enough.
When you jump into the rhythm games you’re treated to some nice and crisp 3D visuals that have a lot of character, the 3D character models look as good and appealing as their hand-drawn counterparts. It animates nicely with plenty of sparking effects, dynamic lighting, and colourful detail. These are some solid 3D visuals, not the best you’ll see on the 3DS but they’re still pretty eye candy because of the art style.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the visuals is the animated cut scenes, they’re simply amazing to look at and have the same quality as a big budget anime feature film. Thankfully the game has a lot of these sequences and they do a great job in adding emotion, flair, and drama to the story.
Audio:
With a name like ‘Rhythm’ Thief it’s pretty obvious that music plays a vital role in the game. The music of the game is a mix of contrasting styles, but they all fit nicely in the given context. The music is generally upbeat and groovy, with plenty of dance style numbers akin to Elite Beat Angels and some dramatic tunes that seem to come straight out of a 60s spy action movie. Some of the best moments of the game are when you get to hear some epic orchestrated French style of music, in particular moments where you get to hear Marie play her violin with sheer elegance.
A lot of the rhythm games in Rhythm Thief are music driven, and the better you perform the better the song/music will sound, which is pretty cool. Some of these games will require you to bust a move as the Phantom R and some will require you to play the violin as Maria, they’re both equally entertaining and is great to have that kind of involvement with the music.
The game is fully dubbed in English with plenty of somewhat successful attempts at pulling off European accents. It’s a good dub for the most part but there are some cringe inducing moments, in particular the way Marie has been dubbed, she just fails to express the appropriate amount of emotion sometimes.
Gameplay:
Rhythm Thief features over 50 rhythm based mini-games as well as a several puzzle games, all taking place in an adventure game structure. In the main quest you will traverse the in-game world by moving between nodes, with each node offering a backdrop for you to interact with. It’s a fairly simple structure that serves as a nice medium for exploration purposes. While the game will guide you as to where the next story events are, there is still a fair bit of freedom involved as there plenty of optional rhythm games and quests for you to take part in.
In terms of the rhythm games, there is a ton of variety but there is some degree of consistency in style and theme. The requirements of these games vary considerably as you’ll be using the touch pad to tap and slide according to the rhythm, push buttons for some platforming and shooting themed sections, and even use the 3DS’s gyro sensor controls. Each rhythm games offer something a little different, keeping the gameplay consistently fresh. The scenarios can involve things like playing the violin, stealth missions, dancing, sword fights, fist fights, soccer battles, and even boss battles. Your main goal in each of these games is to time your actions perfectly with the rhythm and flow in order to fill up your rank/grade bar, trying your best to finish off with an A grade. It’s not as easy as it sounds and you will find yourself replaying several of these over and over.
There are puzzle games too but these aren’t nearly as compelling as the rhythm games and are in fact too easy and lenient, with most of them holding your hand. There are also these sound puzzles where you have to search for a certain type of sound in order to be able to progress, and again the game makes it very obvious where you need to collect the sound from.
There are actually plenty of things to collect in Rhythm Thief, as mentioned earlier you will be collecting ‘sounds’ from the game’s various environments and use these to progress through the main story, but their other purpose is to complete a side quest where you need to collect sounds for this inventor to help him complete his ‘Master Instrument’. Also in each environment, you will need to search each backdrop by tapping on it to search for hidden medals, musical tracks that form part of the game’s soundtrack, and phantom musical notes to help complete a secret sheet music. The medals serve as currency, allowing you to purchase extra content as well as items to assist you in the rhythm games.
The main quest itself is actually pretty substantial as it will take you roughly ten hours to power through it, but it doesn’t end there as the game gives you plenty incentive to keep going. There is a ton of un-lockable content such as music tracks and videos, and a Marathon mode that will please the high score enthusiasts. Completing all the side quests and getting the top rank in all rhythm games in story mode will unlock even more chapters that shed light on some of the game’s characters. This game is really jam packed with content on top of the already satisfying main quest.
Overall:
Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure is perhaps among best releases on the Nintendo 3DS right now. It is a beautifully produced adventure game with a great story and a massive and entertaining collection of rhythm games. The main quest itself is long and highly satisfying, with a ton of extras in the form of un-lockable content, missions, modes, and chapters, all thrown in to further add to the already impressive lifespan and replay value of the title. If you own a 3DS then Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure needs to be a part of your collection.
Developer: Game Factory Interactive Publisher: Game Factory Interactive Platforms: iPad Release Date: April 4th, 2012 Price: $3.99 USD/ $4.49 AUD Get It Here
Overview
Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract is a hidden object puzzle game that follows world famous archaeologist Diamon Jones as he returns to his life of adventuring archaeologist. Players will need to conquer mini games that will test their puzzling skills and have a set of sharp eyes to help Diamon Jones in his adventures. Can Diamon Jones’ mix of humour, hidden object hunting, and puzzles win over the heart of gamers?
Story
Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract kicks off with our hero archaeologist enjoying a quiet life as the proprietor of a small Paris restaurant. His peaceful new career is suddenly shattered when a fat man attempts to seek refuge in his restaurant. The a demonic man with a three headed dog shows up and sets fire to Diamon Jones’ restaurant. After putting out the fire, Diamon Jones learns that the fat man is seeking a sacred ink to get out of a contract. Always looking for an adventure, Diamon joins in the hunt, only to accidently sign a contract with the devil. Now Diamon Jones must get out of his contract and return to his quiet life at the restaurant. The story is told through comics and conversation throughout the game. I found myself laughing out loud several times over the course of the game. The humour misses the mark a few times, but overall Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract is a charming and funny story.
Gameplay
At its heart, Diamon Jones is strictly a hidden object game broken up with a variety of puzzles. The hidden object game play is not bad, but it isn’t great either. The hidden objects are placed in a challenging manner. Often times, finding the last object were incredibly satisfying as they were left wide in the open, camouflaged almost perfectly against another object. Unfortunately, the game could use a zoom feature as some of the objects can be rather small. The touch controls were mostly responsive, but at times the objects were so small it took a few tries to actually pick up the object. The addition of a zoom would help make the clickable area of these items larger, making it easier to pick up. Also, items were hidden in or under other objects that were not always the most logically obvious spot. Thankfully a very generous hint system compensates for this, preventing players from having to click wildly around the screen with reckless abandon.
There were several occasions where I had to restart from a previous checkpoint due to a glitch in the game. The play area became unresponsive, requiring me to fully back out and restart the game. I found this occurred when I attempted to advance the story in the hidden object mode or triggering an event. This only happened four or five times over the whole game, but it derailed the flow of the game. We had no problems when we tried the game on an iPad 2, so this issue may be isolated to the new iPad.
The best part of Diamon Jones’ gameplay is surprisingly not the hidden object portion of the game, but the puzzles used to break up the game. These puzzles were varied, smart, and fun. These puzzles ranged from a Bejeweled clone to a Rush Hour type puzzle. These puzzles can be skipped after a certain period of time if you’re completely stumped, but you’ll be missing out on the best part of the game. Overall, Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract’s gameplay is a good, but falls short of great, thanks to its creative and generous use of puzzles to break up the hidden object game play.
Visuals
Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract is a great looking game that mixes hand drawn and 3d graphics. It looks like great care has been taken for interesting and busy looking backgrounds to hide the objects in game. The character design is outstanding; the Elvis impersonating Devil is hands down my favourite thing in the entire game. It is a nice change of pace to have the characters walking around and interacting with the hidden object scenes. It is a shame that the game lacks Retina support. But even without it, the game still looks great on the new iPad screen. Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract provides strong visual experience that sets itself apart from other games with the use of 3d characters interacting with the environment.
Audio
The audio in Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract is comical and light hearted, fitting well with the mood of the game. The sound effects and the music are varied, never getting tiring or boring at any point. The song played in each scene fits the theme and was an absolute pleasure to listen to. I would have loved to have seen some voice acting work done as there are plenty of conversations in the game that would have benefitted from some good voice actors. I strongly recommend playing Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract with the sound turned on, as it feels like an important part of the game experience.
Overall
Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract is a light hearted and funny adventure. Although plagued with some game play issues and glitches, Game Factory Interactive manages to deliver an entertaining game that adds some twists and varieties on the popular hidden object genre to great success. If you already dislike the hidden object genre, Diamon Jones will not change any hearts or minds, but fans of the genre and those looking for a solid casual game will find an entertaining game in Diamon Jones: Devil’s Contract that is worth the purchase price.
