iGame Radio

I haven’t done an iOS Game Watch in a while, and I’ve decided to revise and revamp and start again. This will cover games that have both just come out and also games that have released a major update (not one that just addresses bugs or adds a bit of flair here or there, but adds major functionality to the game).

Cannon Cadet: The major competitor to Angry Birds has seen a big update, bringing it to version 2. This update adds a level editor so that you can create your own levels (the developer claims they now have over 500 player generated levels) as well as visuals optimized for Retina Display, a ranking system implemented, and the game has been made universal for iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad (with a universal price of $.99).

Pocket Devil – Hell Yeah!: This tortuous game has received an update in time for Halloween, dressing up the Mugat2 in costume so that you can feel especially bad about tormenting them. Includes new mini-games “Deviled Egg Toss” and “Halloween Brain Feast”, as well as a new location called the Haunted Cemetery to watch the little buggers expire.

Flight Doodle: Once again we see an update to this flight game that includes a seasonal touch. The Halloween edition of Flight Doodle adds a night-time effect to the game, a glowing jack-o-lantern balloon, and a Balloon Costume Contest to round things out. Just decorate your balloon to enter.

 

What’s inside this episode:

• A review of iSlice, by Appular. An iPhone game that let’s you slice it all up while reading pithy quotes.
  
• Also, a review of Real Trophy Hunting Sunstorm Interactive. Hunting for the couch potato. Be patient, aim well, and you too can have a virtual Elk that you virtually shot in virtual Montana to mount in your virtual trophy room. Virtually cool!
  
• And a review of The Tudors Game, Season 1 by Slitherine Studios. Wander through the rooms of the Palace of Whitehall as you follow the intrigues of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn on their way to ruling England. And wander, and wander, and wander, and wander…
  

Appular Games has announced their next iPhone game, an addictive arcade puzzler called iSlice. The idea is to slice parts from geometric objects on the screen. But the geometric objects have little balls bouncing around inside of them, and the slices you take off can have these balls all on one side only.

The gameplay is that simple, but seems to quite complex as the balls bouncing around start to come in different sizes. The game is available for $.99 on the App Store today.

Brainium Studio has taken Steve Job’s vision of the future of online gaming to heart and released an HTML5 web app demo of their iPhone game Hand of Greed. Published by Appular, the demo can be viewed via Safari on iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad by navigating to either the Appular or Branium websites.

The HTML5 web app version contains a demo of this game of grab the jewels while blades constantly sweep past threatening to cut off your hands. The same touch screen controls, lighting effects, and animations are in place. The demo contains 3 levels of the game, after which the player is must navigate to the App Store to purchase the full $0.99 version.

The HTML5 web app demo is still in its infancy. The resolution of the game is sized for an iPhone, and this doesn’t change when navigating to the webpage using an iPad. Turning the iPad resizes it; turning it back resizes it yet again to a different resolution. When I reloaded the page, an artifact of the screen remained in a tiny size on the reloaded screen and wouldn’t go away.

Still, the game does work, and flawlessly. I was able to pick up the gems without a problem, and when I didn’t get a gem in time, found my health declining with suitable flashes of red on the screen.

Appular intends on using this web app in conjunction with an advertising model. They are already working with Admob to do this, and are intending on working with Medialets and Apple’s upcoming iAd network as well.

“Creating rich media ads like this will allow unparalleled opportunities for consumers to try out games without having to install a new app” says Brian Akaka, founder of Appular. “Looking forward, we’re excited to work with developers on using this technology to revolutionize app discovery.”

Because the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad do not use Flash, developers have been looking towards another method to get online interactive media, including games, into the hands of iElectronic devices that Apple releases. Steve Jobs recently wrote an open letter regarding his views on Flash, and spoke of his support of HTML5 for just such a method. HTML5 is an up and coming standard of the Internet for interactive media, such as integrated video and audio on websites, online games, etc.

This is another step towards HTML5 gaming, and hopefully as these types of games become more mainstream, more and more will show up on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

Appular is hosting a contest in honor of their new iPhone game, Hand of Greed, and you just might win an iPad. The rules are simple. The first 1,000 people with US iTunes accounts to sign up get a free copy of Hand of Greed.

They are also giving away 100 $0.99 apps from the App Store. Just hop onto TouchArcade and answer the Appular daily poll thread. Everyone who answers is entered to win a $0.99 app of their choice.

But wait, there’s more. You could win an iTunes Gift card. Just “like” Appular on Facebook, or follow @appular on Twitter and tweet “Hand of Greed giveaway! Win 1100 free apps, iTunes GC’s, and an iPad! Info: http://bit.ly/cACAJm #HandofGreedContest”. Appular will be giving away a $10 iTunes Gift card every day for the next two weeks to a lucky person on Twitter or Facebook. And they did say “yes you can do both, and yes it will double your chances to win”.

Last, but certainly not least, you can enter to win a free WiFi iPad. Just write a review on Appular’s Facebook wall of your experience playing Hand of Greed. They recommend that you open up, have fun, and be creative. They’ll select the top 10 entries, then randomly choose one winner from those top 10 to receive the iPad.

The deadline is May 12, and the contest is only open to US residents with US iTunes accounts.

Appular announced today the release of Hand of Greed: Dodge the Blade for the iPhone. Players must gather coins and gems while avoiding the spiraling blades or swinging guillotines about them. A cut spills blood onto the screen, but picking up a ruby will heal you. Gather everything on the screen before you lose all of your health or the time runs out.

There are 50 levels to experience across five different environments. High scores and achievements can be shared across the OpenFeint network. You can get the game for $0.99 on the iTunes App Store. To get an idea of gameplay, check out the trailer below.

Appular, the iPhone app marketing service, has launched a new initiative aimed at helping iPhone and iPod Touch developers get the most out of their applications. Announced yesterday, Appular will begin publishing selected games and apps to the App Store, engaging in a revenue sharing opportunity with them. Developers will experience virtually no up-front costs to publish their games in exchange for a revenue-sharing plan that includes marketing, business strategy, and publishing services.

Appular will work with current social mobile gaming platforms, such as OpenFeint and Plus+, but hinted at more to come. “We have some plans that we can’t reveal just yet, but we definitely see some opportunity for improvements on the social leaderboard front,” said Brian Akaka, founder of Appular.

Akaka also noted that Appular will be moving towards iPad publishing as well, saying, “We plan to have at least one iPad app out within the next few months.”

To aid in this publishing initiative, Appular has brought on former Freeverse Chief Financial Officer, Dino Decespedes, as their new Director of Publishing. During his three plus years at Freeverse, Decespedes performed a wide variety of roles for the iPhone development company, including financial forecasting, pricing strategy, launch strategy, and evaluating and increasing development efficiencies for the App Store. “Few people have a better understanding of the iTunes App Store and the dynamics that really drive it than Dino”, said Ian Lynch Smith, founder and CEO of Freeverse.

Appular will initially work with developers to ensure proper implementation of business and marketing strategies, but is currently soliciting for more developers with upcoming games and apps to be evaluated for partnerships on a case-by-case basis.