iGame Radio

Ankama announces a major update to DOFUS: Battles, the iOS version of their DOFUS MMOG game. Blending tower defence, RTS, and a taste of RPG, DOFUS: Battles pits you against Jeff Stobbs and the demon Naz T Peasawerk, stopping them and their hordes of monsters from taking over the Krosmoz. The update includes a new survival mode, two new bosses, two new battles, new achievements, and more. To celebrate, Ankama has dropped the price of the game to $0.99 for all iOS devices through Monday evening.

Bit Barons released Astroslugs for iPad recently, and decided to celebrate their first month live by making the game free yesterday. They jumped to #1 in the German App Store. To celebrate that and keep the energy going, they will keep the game free for “every day that we hit another #1 position in an AppStore.” Astroslugs is a puzzle board game where you draw different shaped pieces onto an always varying board.

Hungribles by Futuremark Studios was released last night and found itself the iPhone game of the week in over 110 countries. In this unique puzzle shot game, players aim food particles to Hungribles, little creatures whose appetites cause the path of the launched food to veer towards them. The trailer gives some unique gameplay for the game. You can pick it up for $1.99 from iTunes, or visit the Hungribles website each day this week to try and catch a free promo code.

If you love gaming, then you know that every gamer, and every game developer is human. And sometimes that means that they run into problems that they need help with. As a community, it’s our right, privilege, and roll to stand up and help where we can.

The Hope for Jena Leukemia Auction is just one such event. Hosted by Rebel Games and supported by companies like PopCap Games, Paradox Industries, Gunnar Optiks, and Sony, this two-day event will include live gaming lobbies through Justin.tv and Ebay auctions of cool stuff donated by PopCap Games and Gunnar Optiks.

Jena Aird-Spach, sister of Rebal Games’ Stephanie Vivian, has been diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. After an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant, her doctors informed her that chemo would be deadly and possibly another transplant at this time. They are looking into alternative treatment and truly need the support and help of the community.

As someone with a family member with Leukemia (not the same kind) this hits close to home. So I ask you all to do what you can, in any small or large way, to help out. That’s what community is for.

For more info and to check out some great gaming opportunities and auction choices, read the details at the Hope for Jena site, and like the Facebook awareness page.

Mobigames, in partnership with Two Tribes, is bringing their award-winning iOS game Edge to the Mac and Windows platforms.

This retro-styled platforming game with light puzzle elements allows players take direct control of a cube as it rolls around over forty block-based levels in search of colorful prisms and the fastest routes. Throughout the game’s levels, unique techniques – such as the balancing act called ‘EDGE time’ – are introduced to deepen the experience. To top it all off, EDGE will include all the content of the soon to be released iOS game, EDGE extended, as free post-launch DLC, albeit only for the Steam version.

This is the third Indie game to be redeveloped and taken to other platforms by Two Tribes, after Swords & Soldiers and Frenzic. Two Tribes promises custom bonus levels built by them will be included in the release. Edge will be coming to a Mac near you via Steam and the Mac App Store on August 11th. No price has been set as of this date.

If you listen closely, you might hear the weeping of Tim Langdell.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• Host Omaha Sternberg and co-host Corey Tamas talk about the week’s news in Mac and iOS gaming. First up, Corey talks about his experience updating to Lion, and what impact it had on his gaming.
• Omaha and Corey talk about the Freeverse announcement and their belief that Freeverse is saying goodbye to the Mac gaming community.
• Omaha relates her experience at the Casual Connect game conference last week. Summary, get a bigger room!
• Microsoft is going to open 75 more retail stores to compete with Apple stores. Perhaps they should look a bit different too? Or maybe their going for the China effect?
• Australia finally created an R18+ game rating for adults…complete with a babysitter. Corey replies, “Boobs!”
• Omaha and Corey talk about games that they’ve played in the past week, and Omaha reveals the poll results from last week.

Music Notes:

• Digital Droo produced our theme music here at iGame Radio.
• John Gatti for featuring music from El Ballo; pick up the El Ballo soundtrack
• Zach Young for featuring music from The Great Tree.

Ambrosia Software has released HypnoBlocks, a 3D block matching game for the iPad. The game allows you to rotate the game field with something called Multi-Touch, and grab bonuses for clearing multiple blocks at a time. You compete against a time limit, and can compare your score with others using Game Center. HypnoBlocks is available from the iTunes App store for $0.99.

The developer of Melon Truck has let us know that a major update has made its way to the App Store. Melon Truck 2.0 comes with some big additions, including full Game Center integration, updates to the firing mechanism for the game, new melons, and more. You can pick this melon shooting game up for $1.99.

Golden Helicopter has released a rather unusual time management game for iOS. In Rig Fire, the player has to pump as many barrels of oil as possible while keeping a disaster prone sea-based rig standing. The player must choose between putting out fires, repairing the failing rig, pumping additional oil, or tending to wounded riggers. Over 100 rigs are available to unlock, with 15 oil fields to explore. Game Center integration is included. The game is available for $0.99.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A Casual Connect 2011 Game Chat Series. Philips has introduced a new point and click technology called the uWand…a new way to interact with your technology in your home, including your games. Omaha Sternberg talks with Marc Nieuwhof of Philips about how the uWand can play games on the GameTreeTV smart television with motions that remind you of the actual actions, and the potential of the device.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A Casual Connect 2011 Game Chat Series. Proper Games was one of many game companies that entered the $50,000 GameTreeTV Developer Competition with Yo Deshi, a cerebral martial arts-themed board game. So it was with shock and delight that John Sinclair of Proper Games came up to the podium at Casual Connect 2011 as the $50,000 winner. Omaha Sternberg sat down with Sinclair afterward to talk about his game, his company, and where he’ll go from here.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A Casual Connect 2011 Game Chat Series. Z2Live began life as a platform for iOS gaming, but picked up speed when they decided to develop games as well. But that’s just not enough for them, as COO Lou Fasulo explained to Omaha Sternberg during Casual Connect 2011 last week. For them, games and gaming need a purpose, too.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A Casual Connect 2011 Game Chat Series. In the past year, Matt Hulett, president of GameHouse division, has taken this division of Real Networks from a purely casual downloadable property to one that offers social and mobile gaming as well. As many do, Hulett saw social and mobile gaming as the future for casual games. Omaha Sternberg chatted with him regarding how this shift turned out, and what the future of GameHouse has in store.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A Casual Connect 2011 Game Chat Series. Transgaming is well known within the Mac gaming community as a porter of traditional AAA titles to the Mac from Windows and console using their porting technology. But did you know that they have a casual game division as well? Jason Azevedo talks to Omaha Sternberg about what Transgaming is doing in the casual games’ space and what games they are releasing.