iPhone/iTouch app and game thread

[Bullwinkle]

Out of This World came out last night (or Another World for you Europeens).

Slickly updated graphics.  Same challenging gameplay.  Still stunningly cinematic.

However, the default one touch controls are kind of crap.  Especially when timing jumps.  Switch to the joystick and button in the settings.  I didn't realize at first that there was an option to move them, and playing with them on the top part of the screen seemed idiotic, so I got increasingly frustrated as I played.  Much better now that I've switched, though I still wish there was more of a digital-style control.  Running requires a double tap, and it's not always easy to get back to walking mode when you need it.  A jump button would be nice, too (you have to press up on the stick).

My only real gripe (now that I've got a better handle on the controls) is that the checkpoints seem a little too far spread.  I spent a very long time timing the water caves early on and was relieved when I finally cleared it.  I died shortly after, only to find that I had to go through the water caves thing again!  Ugh.

Still, the game holds up surprisingly well.

[Gratch]

For those, like myself, who are suckers for match-3 style games, check out Do Do Egg.  One of the funner ones I've played.

[rittchard]

This one (Machinarium) looks interesting, kind of a throwback to adventure/puzzle games like Myst, and got a great review on Toucharcade:

http://toucharcade.com/2011/09/26/machinarium-review-absolutely-fantastic/

[Bullwinkle]

This one (Machinarium) looks interesting, kind of a throwback to adventure/puzzle games like Myst, and got a great review on Toucharcade:

http://toucharcade.com/2011/09/26/machinarium-review-absolutely-fantastic/

It got great reviews when it came out on PC a couple of years back.  It's charming, but really tough.

[Misguided]

Note that Machinarium requires an ipad2. I need to get back to it. I like it, but at times it can be tough to figure out what you should be doing.

[Bullwinkle]

Holy crap!  Check out Bladeslinger!

[Crawley]

Zombies, run! combines gaming with exercise. Not out yet but is a novel concept.

[Bullwinkle]

Rio Grande just announced that Race for the Galaxy and Dominion are coming!  Well, they haven't specifically announced platforms, but the iPad has been building as the go-to place for digital boardgames.

The best part is that RFTG is coming early next year and Dominion will be released before the end of this year!

Woot!!

[Cortilian]

How is KoDP on the iPhone?  I don't have an iPad and have no clue how that game would work on such a small screen

[Gratch]

How is KoDP on the iPhone?  I don't have an iPad and have no clue how that game would work on such a small screen

It's fine...have no problems playing it on iPhone.

[Harkonis]

I misclicked once which cost me my best warrior.  . Tiny screen hurts me a bjt

[MonkeyFinger]

For those of you with a device running iOS, who have a love for Interactive Fiction and/or Choose Your Own Adventures - and especially if you know who Andrew Plotkin is - might want to keep an eye on something called Meanwhile which is coming out next month, I do believe.

[Bullwinkle]

For those of you with a device running iOS, who have a love for Interactive Fiction and/or Choose Your Own Adventures - and especially if you know who Andrew Plotkin is - might want to keep an eye on something called Meanwhile which is coming out next month, I do believe.

We have the book for this, and it's really cool.

[rittchard]

For those of you who like the simple, "free" city/island/town/park/farm building games like Farmville or We Rule (I don't know what the genre is called), I recently came across a newer one called Dragonvale.  It's basically the same type of very simple "gameplay" (I use the word lightly) where you place buildings and wait and collect money - but with DRAGONS!  I don't know what it is but this one I really like, I guess mainly because of the variety of dragons.  You hatch them, level them up through feeding, and then you can breed them to get hybrids.  So there's a little bit of a Pokemon type of feel mixed in.  You can also rename them so I like to name all mine after my guildmates and then have them breed with each other for my own twisted pleasure.  The animations and graphics are really cute, if you don't like them your kids probably will.  

Oh yeah, should also mention it's for both iPhone or iPad, plays well on either but obviously looks better on the large iPad screen.

http://toucharcade.com/2011/09/16/dragonvale-review/

[KC]

The iOS port of the PC RPG Avadon is $5 now.

[Gratch]

While I'm not big on the Tower Defense genre, I have to admit that Siegecraft looks pretty cool. 

They get bonus nostalgia points for the "Crossbows & Catapults" branding.   

[Isgrimnur]

I look forward to being able to re-read this thread and see its natural explosion after Friday

[Gratch]

I must not be paying attention...what's on Friday?

[KC]

I look forward to being able to re-read this thread and see its natural explosion after Friday

I thought that most people getting their 4S on Friday would already have an iOS device.

[Isgrimnur]

My phone is the 3G. It is over three years old. The odds of anything in this thread over the past year being playable is close to nil.

[wonderpug]

Few of the horsepower-intensive games with 3d visuals have interested me.  I'm looking at the games that have sucked up 10-20 hours or more of my time each, and they all look like things a 3G would do just fine with.

[Gratch]

Oh yeah, totally forgot about the new iPhone.  I have no plans to upgrade, so I hadn't been paying much attention.

[kathode]

Few of the horsepower-intensive games with 3d visuals have interested me.  I'm looking at the games that have sucked up 10-20 hours or more of my time each, and they all look like things a 3G would do just fine with.

Have you tried using a plain 3G recently?  IMO it's pretty awful.  Just navigating the phone and using the menus is incredibly slow.

[wonderpug]

No, I've only used the 3GS.  Have the slowdowns come in tandem with the OS updates?  I'm kind of worried about whether the impending update will make my 3GS show its age more.

[Isgrimnur]

I haven't watched it closely enough to know that's the cause, but it's what i expect is the case.  Even Apple apps have acted screwy.  I've had both the iPod and Messaging apps crash on me lately.  Pulling up the keyboard for text entry will freeze, the worst being over a minute when using the maps functionality.  It's why I never had any thoughts about not upgrading this generation.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

My IPod 3G has really been slowing down lately, too. Not just in games but in ostensibly non-processor intensive apps and even just scrolling through pages.

[Misguided]

I haven't watched it closely enough to know that's the cause, but it's what i expect is the case.  Even Apple apps have acted screwy.  I've had both the iPod and Messaging apps crash on me lately.  Pulling up the keyboard for text entry will freeze, the worst being over a minute when using the maps functionality.  It's why I never had any thoughts about not upgrading this generation.

Are you using iOS4? If so, hit the home button twice and see how many apps you have open. Each uses a bit of memory to save the state of the app, which could easily cause those symptoms if memory is too low.

[Isgrimnur]

I'm using one at a time.  The 3G didn't get multitasking capability with the iOS 4 upgrade.  And thank you SO much for rubbing it in. 

[kathode]

People I know who use a 3G right now all want to throw it under a bus.  I have a 3GS for the moment and it's fine.  Sounds like you're upgrading though.  Only a few more days

[Purge]

Few of the horsepower-intensive games with 3d visuals have interested me.  I'm looking at the games that have sucked up 10-20 hours or more of my time each, and they all look like things a 3G would do just fine with.

I totally agree.

[Purge]

No, I've only used the 3GS.  Have the slowdowns come in tandem with the OS updates?  I'm kind of worried about whether the impending update will make my 3GS show its age more.

I'm on tapatalk so I don't have the links handy, but there are accounts from developers that say iOS5 actually improves performance on older hardware.

[Isgrimnur]

As soon as I get my 4S on Friday, all of my worries will be over.

[wonderpug]

As soon as I get my 4S on Friday, all of my worries will be over.

I just checked, and 70 out of the 80 amazing games I have installed say they're only compatible with 3GS through iPhone 4.  They're really quite amazing, too.  Ah well.

[Jarrodhk]

Starbase Orion is up on the store now. 40.4 megs so I won't be able to download it myself for a while. $4.99 intro price, going up to 7.99 later.

They say they have a bunch of free upgrades/updates planned. Supposed to have asynchronous MP through gamecenter.

[CeeKay]

just saw they put up Scribblenauts Remix for $4.99, and it's universal.

[Clanwolfer]

Forever Drive also came out last night for free - it's been getting a lot of buzz, and looks like a good little arcade racer.

[Bullwinkle]

Forever Drive also came out last night for free - it's been getting a lot of buzz, and looks like a good little arcade racer.

All the tracks are user designed (and continuous, of course).

[CeeKay]

While I'm not big on the Tower Defense genre, I have to admit that Siegecraft looks pretty cool. 

They get bonus nostalgia points for the "Crossbows & Catapults" branding.   

yeah, it does look pretty neat.  I just saw it's out today for 99 cents.

[Bullwinkle]

Grand Theft Auto III has been announced.

[Gratch]

While I'm not big on the Tower Defense genre, I have to admit that Siegecraft looks pretty cool. 

They get bonus nostalgia points for the "Crossbows & Catapults" branding.   

yeah, it does look pretty neat.  I just saw it's out today for 99 cents.

Wasn't all that impressed with it.  The core concept is decent enough, but aiming the catapult is incredibly difficult.  Especially since you're on a time limit of sort with the onrushing hordes.  Not nearly as much fun as I was expecting.