Looks like a few publishers are having a sale this weekend. Why? I don’t know, but who cares as long we grab the bargains everybody wins. Gameloft have slashed the prices on 5 of their top selling games on the iOS (iPhone and iPad) down to only $0.99. Most of these games are normally priced around the the $5-$9 mark so you if wanted you could potentially pick up all 5 for the price of one! Games include BackStab, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6, Starfront:Collision, Dungeon Hunter 2 and Real Football 2011. All of them with hours and hours of game-play value.
Sale is this weekend only, so don’t delay get them while they’re cheap
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®: Shadow Vanguard for iPhone and iPad
Nico Nico is the Japanese equivalent of Youtube. In fact, it is more popular than Youtube. Just goes to show the difference between the East and West. Considering how popular Nico Nico is, then it is no surprise that a viewing application for the Playstation Vita was announced. Now, here is a first look at the application:
The app, which will be available at launch as a free download, will allow users to browse and view videos from the Nico Nico site, mark videos as favourites and post comments, alongside more features. An update in 2012 will add features such as posting videos and conducting live video broadcasts. Some games will even allow you to do live broadcasts of gameplay sessions, if you are someone who loves showing off your gameplay skills.
Don’t expect this in the West at all, but a Youtube application could be a possibility.
After Sony announced the UMD Passport program, more details on how PSP games work on the Playstation Vita has been revealed. Several options will be available, as well as transferring save data from the PSP Memory Stick to the Vita.
First off, I’ll discuss the options that will appear on the game’s icon within the LiveArea, which is the user interface for the Playstation Vita. Yes, they will have their own LiveArea icon for easy selection. At this stage, an icon for a digital manual will also appear, if the game will include one. For what it will look like, check out the image below:
There will also be an option screen. In this option screen, the player will make some adjustments that the PSP never had. For example, this is where the player activates the right analogue stick for use, most likely for camera control. If one remembers, there were calls for the PSP to have a second analogue stick and games such as Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, while a great game, would have benefited from the right stick. Other options include retaining the PSP look and, if the camera’s can be used, whether the front or rear camera would be used. Below is a screenshot of that option screen:
Also, if you were worried about those PSP saves going to waste, them you can sigh in relief. Sony will allow your PSP game saves to transfer to the Vita via a PS3 or PC. It will have its own program to handle it called the Content Management Assistant for PlayStation. For PC users, it will be available at playstation.jp at a unspecified later date. For the PS3, expect it during a firmware update. For those who like pictures, here is how the save data is transferred (via PS3):
It seems like Sony is thinking about their PSP fanbase. They have a solution for their UMD games, a way for transferring their save data and using some of the features the Vita sports that the PSP didn’t, like the right analogue stick. I, for one, is very happy at what is being offered for my PSP library. Should we expect such things for the West? Of course.
Tecom Koei had their business earnings presentation recently and has revealed their business plans for the year 2012 and beyond, revealing upcoming games, how they view the world market and sales of current games on the market.
First, Tecmo Koei have revealed their support for new platforms, looking mostly at the Nintendo 3DS, Playstation Vita and the Wii U. To show this support, they refer to three games, two of them will be released in 2012. Games mentioned include Dead or Alive Dimensions (3DS), Dynasty Warriors Next (Vita), Ninja Gaiden Sigma (Vita) and Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor’s Edge (Wii U). It was also revealed that Razor’s edge is going to be a Wii U launch title. No region was specified.
Second, Tecmo Koei revealed that they will collaborate with other media entities, similar to the Dynasty Warriors Gundam series. One game that fits into the category is One Piece Pirate Musou, which will put the One Piece and Dynasty Warriors universes into one. There was also a mention of a “collaboration with a big title.” However, it is not specified if the One Piece collaboration is what Tecmo Koei is talking about or another popular franchise.
Worldwide sales figures were revealed for a couple of games. Dead or Alive Dimensions was Tecmo Koei’s biggest title in sales moving 310,000 units in the first six months of this financial year (which starts in April and ends in March in Japan). The next best game in sales was Dynasty Warriors 7 Xtreme Legends, moving 160,000 units worldwide. Strong downloadable content sales were noted, as well as paid content for social applications like One Million Person Ambition of Nobunaga and One Million Person Sangokushi.
In terms of profit, Tecmo Koei has made a net profit of 412 million yen for this half of the year, with revenue from sales reaching 13,635 million yen. This is quite positive news considering that, in May, forecasts were quite negative. In fact, it was forecast that the company would have made a a net loss of 400 million yen.
Plopp HD is the new iPad puzzle that boasts an incredible flow, with a constant change and requires some strong decision-making skills on behalf of the player. Plopp is based on the big chain reactions and shockwaves, offering a ‘relaxing’ puzzle experience according to games2be, the creators.
‘Plopps’, or bubble-like circles, emerge and start growing. When you tap a Plopp it explodes and the resulting shockwave causes surrounding Plopps to also explode, and so on and so forth. The bigger a Plopp gets the more points it gains, but if two of them touch each other they both vanish. Even though getting points is great, it’s super easy to pick up and even small kids can enjoy playing with it. It’ll be a great thing to keep them busy, if you’re cool with letting them borrow your iPhone that is.
However, for those of you who are older, the quests will get more difficult as the levels get higher. There are eighty quests in total, with four different game modes.
Check out the trailer below!
A great casual game, Plopp is available on iPhone for $0.99 – Available here
And on iPad for $1.99 – Available here
Atari has announced the launch of Asteroids: Gunner today on the App Store. Asteroids: Gunner is a dual stick action shooter for the iPhone, iTouch and iPad, developed by Fluik Entertainment. In the first original sequel to the original arcade classic Asteroids, you journey across the galaxies to grab the valuable crystals and blast some of those dang Asteroids. As well as what we’ve all come to expect from Asteroids, there will be a turn-based Challenge mode update that will be released later this year.
Take on the role of the Gunner as you journey across the stars, blasting asteroids and aliens as you become the most awesome crystal miner ever. With three different ships and three galaxies with 150 total enemy waves to crush, you will be sure to have a literal blast (but not too literal, cos that would be bad). Make your way through the ranks, collecting crystals, upgrading space crafts, and – just in case you missed the point of the game – destroying asteroids.
Grab Asteroids: Gunner for free for the iPhone and iPad – Available here
Swingworm is a new platformer from 10tons Ltd, the makers of award winning games such as Azkend, Sparkle, Grim Joggers and Joining Hands. Swingworm’s main character is a stretchy caterpillar who is determined to climb the highest tree in Whispering Woods to see the Moon. In order to aim so high he has to take on the Big Bug that demands delicious berries as payment for climbing the tree. Because he’s kind of a douche like that.
There are nearly a hundred levels in Swingworm, which you can play along with to a funky soundtrack, some awesome art to go with the game, and leaderboards for best episode times. Swingworm has an original gameplay with so called ‘worm-physics’, grabbing his head or tail and flinging or pulling it as far as his stretchy little body allows.
Check out the trailer below!
Swingworm will be available for iPhone and iPad in the next few weeks, with other platforms to follow.
When Sony said they would have a solution to solve the UMD to Vita problem, some were skeptical that something would not happen. Now those skeptics can be quiet as Sony Japan announces the UMD Passport. The UMD Passport is a program which allows PSP owners to download a digital copy of a supported game at a special price. That special price will range between ¥500 to ¥1500, which would be, in Australian dollars, $6.40 to $19.10. The software will be available for download on December 6 on the Japanese Playstation Store.
So, how does it work? Well, I hope the following steps will simplify the program:
1. Download the UMD Registration Application from the Playstation Store onto your PSP
2. Boot up the UMD Registration Application and insert the UMD game you want to register.
3. Follow the prompts to register your UMD disc with your PSN account.
4. Now your game is available to download onto your Vita at a special discounted price.
So far, 200 games from 40 compaines have been announced they are (with price tags thanks to NeoGAF):
Guilty Gear Judgment (Arc System Works) 500 yen
Carnage Heart Exa (Artdink) 500 yen
Pachipara Slot: Pachislot Super Sea Story in Okinawa (Irem) 1000 yen
Akiba’s Trip (Acquire) 1000 yen
Last Promise Story (Image Epoch) 1000 yen
Persona 3 Portable (Atlus) 1500 yen
Metal Slug Complete (SNK Playmore) 500 yen
Higurashi Daybreak Portable Me, Mega Edition (Create) 500 yen
Atelier Viorate: Alchemist of Gramnad 2 (Gust) 1000 yen
Shutokou Battle (Genki) 1000 yen
Dynasty Warriors (Koei-Tecmo) 500 yen
Dead or Alive Paradise (Koei-Tecmo) 1000 yen
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (Codemasters) 1000 yen
Ever17: the out of infinity (Cyberfront) 500 yen
Nanatama: Chronicle of Dungeon Maker (Gae) 500 yen
Ginsei Shogi Portable (Silver Star Japan) 1000 yen
Kuru-kuru Chameleon (Starfish SD) 500 yen
Hot Shots Golf Portable 2 (Sony) 500 yen
Patapon 3 (Sony) 1000 yen
Gran Turismo PSP (Sony) 1000 yen
Nano Diver (Takara-Tomy) 1000 yen
Princess Days Portable (Takuyo) 740 yen
Secret Room Sacrifice (D3 Publisher) 1000 yen
Promise This Blue Sky: Paradise in Hand (TGR) 100 yen
Everybody Read: Masterpiece & Mystery & Horror & Literature (Dorasu) 500 yen
Disgaea 2 Portable (NIS) 500 yen
Phantom Kingdom Portable (NIS) 1000 yen
Tsuyokisu 2 Semester Portable (Netrevo) 500 yen
Pachislot Simulator, Secret Treasure Edition: Sealed Goddess Portable (Paon) 2400 yen
The Convenience Store Portable (Hamster) 1000 yen
Unchain Blaze Rex (FuRyu) 1050 yen
Neon Genesis Evangelion Battle Orchestra Portable (Broccoli) 1000 yen
Kanon (Prototype) 1000 yen
I Conquer the Path I Believe In (From Software) TBA
Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl (Marvelous AQL) 500 yen
Maikomi Best: Mahjong Champion Portable: Mahjong Club Battle (My Navi) 530 yen
Memories Off (5pb.) 500 yen
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (Ubisoft) 1000 yen
Tenshin Ranman: Happy-Go-Lucky!! (Russel) 1000 yen
The following developers/publishers have been announced as supporters but do not have games on the list yet:
Idea Factory
Capcom
Gung-ho Online Entertainment
Konami
System Soft Alpha
Square-Enix
Spike
Sega
Sonic Powered
Chunsoft
Nihon Falcom
fonfun
Media-5
With companies like Sega, Capcom and Square Enix supporting this program, this may open the opportunity for games that were not released on the Playstation Store to be released. Even though the user must pay for the game again, it is quite a generous discount, although getting the game for free would have been the better option.
FreshGem and BulkyPix have announced the release of Corpse Granny in the App Store. Corpse Granny is a puzzle game with heaps of challenging puzzles, great graphics and killer animations.
In Corpse Granny you have to use various weapons to eradicate the threat of the zombie granny and her minions. Which is just about as awesome as can be when the game is called Corpse Granny. The arsenal includes a variation of different coloured fireballs, explosive boxes, bombs, giant rocks, cannonballs and even more to take on the undead.
Travel through three different worlds, with 45 different levels, more than a hundred zombies to kill, and collecting all the gems and searching for that high score while wading through hordes of zombies. Set a whole bunch of weapons to work and watch the results in motion.
There’s also a level editor so you can create your own levels and share them with others, creating backgrounds, placing zombies, stairs, ropes, fireballs and dozens of other objects.
Boulder Dash volume 1 has been released as part of Boulder Dash – The Collection. Featuring all of the original graphics, musics and sounds, Rockford returns with all sixteen caves and four bonus intermissions. Held up as one of the best Atari 400/800 and Commodore 64 games ever made, it’d really be an awesome edition to your Android.
To celebrate the release the price of Boulder Dash – The Collection has dropped in price from $3.99 to 99c for the next 5,000 sold, so make sure you get in quick! The price also includes Boulder Dash – M.E. Volume 2 from 2005.
Boulder Dash Volume 1 is the latest of five packs released as part of the Collection developed by InstantCom. There are five difficulty levels in the pack and they can also choose to practice without the pressure of the game clock by selecting Zen Mode.
Check out the trailer from the original Boulder Dash below!
Make sure to grab your copy of Boulder Dash – The Collection from the Android market for the temporary price of 99c! – Available here
