Games

Gameloft has made quite a name for itself as a prolific publisher of core games for smartphones. When we say core games, we mean titles that provide a meatier, more console-like experience than typical mobile games. In fact, most of Gameloft’s lineup consists either of licensed games or clones of popular console games. N.O.V.A. 3 is a Halo clone; Modern Combat 4 replicates Call of Duty, etc. That’s why so many of us love Gameloft – they give us the mobile games that other developers refuse to create.

Still, Gameloft is a big company and it can afford to produce all kinds of games – even a few casual ones – without diminishing its reputation. One such game is Shark Dash for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. No, the world wasn’t exactly crying out for another physics puzzle game. But Shark Dash is just fresh, charming, and affordable enough to make it worth a look. And who can say no to easy Achievements?

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King Poker for Windows Phone 8 landed in the Windows Phone Store and offers fifteen video poker variations. What's neat with King Poker is there's a Windows 8 version of the game available that lets you sync game data and tokens between the two devices.

King Poker, on either Windows Phone 8 or Windows 8, can be played as a stand alone game. However, you can log into your Windows Live account to enable to two versions to sync together. That way your gaming stats and token counts follow you around.

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Things have certainly been picking up for Xbox on Windows Phone lately. Not only do Nokia and Chillingo continue pumping out exclusives like Vampire Rush and Storm in a Teacup, but there have been two non-Nokia Xbox releases for several weeks now. The trend continues today as the long-awaited Ms. Splosion Man from Iron Galaxy Studios finally debuts alongside Amazing Alex. That’s the good news.

The bad news? Just like Chaos Rings last week, Ms. Splosion Man is only available for Windows Phone 7 devices! It staggers the mind to think that a Microsoft-published game would launch without Windows Phone 8 support in 2013. Color us all highly disappointed. Of course, Rovio’s Amazing Alex is actually a Windows Phone 8 exclusive, so things sort of balance out… Sorta.

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Ah, Chillingo. Where would Lumia owning gamers be without you? Just a couple of weeks ago, the indie-focused arm of Electronic Arts published a pair of new Nokia exclusive Xbox games: Dream Track Nation and Tiny Plane.  Those ports are a little rough, but the developer PowPowGames already has patches on the way. Besides, more Xbox games is always a good thing, especially after that drought we suffered at the beginning of the year.

Now Chillingo is back with two new Nokia exclusives for Windows Phone 7 and 8, each coming from a different developer. First up is the creatively named Storm in a Teacup from Cobra (makers of iBomber Defense), followed by Vampire Rush from Lithuanian developer A-Steroids. One game will be a hit, while the other seriously needs some work. Make your guesses about which is which and then head past the break to find out the answer!

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Update: As part of the Microsoft Publisher sale, a total of six games are on sale this week! Full list after the break.

On Xbox 360, the Xbox Live Spring Sale has just concluded. Starting later today, a selection of Microsoft Studios XBLA sales will go on sale. On the Windows Phone front, the big EA games sale took place during the same time as the 360’s Spring Sale. You’ll remember the EA sale as the one that took a bunch of crazily overpriced games like The Sims 3 and marked them down to just angrily overpriced. It’s good to own a Nokia phone, where the EA exclusives sell for much more reasonable prices.

Coinciding with the XBLA Microsoft Studios sale, it looks like we’re getting another Xbox game sale on Windows Phone! The sale titles include Gerbil Physics, ilomilo, and Zombies on the Phone, and three more games. Plus Gameloft’s Earthworm Jim just got a permanent price drop. More details after the break!

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It looks like way back in February we missed Monster Pinball HD coming over for Windows Phone--consider this our makeup. The game is normally found on iOS and Android hardware, but it recently made a transition over to Windows Phone. Going for $2.49 with no free trial, the game is by no means cheap but it’s pretty decent for what it is.

We’ll show you a quick video demo of it action, and while it could be better, Monster Pinball HD is probably the best we have right now for this genre.

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One of the biggest surprises coming out of GDC 2013 for me was undoubtedly PowerA’s announcement that its MOGA Bluetooth controller SDK would be coming to Windows Phone. On iOS and Android, videogame controller accessories are becoming increasingly popular with core gaming fans. Such peripherals can add more precise control and a console-like experience to smartphones. Sure, they can impact portability but they’re great at home and other places where you’d be playing for an extended length of time.

Windows Phone has always been a bit behind on peripheral support. We don’t have a Bluetooth keyboard, for instance. But Windows Phone 8 does add the ability for apps to communicate with Bluetooth. That ability now makes it possible for hardware add-ons like the MOGA Pro Controller to work with Windows Phone 8 games!

Head past the break for full details on the MOGA Pro Controller and a hands-on video.

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A couple of days ago, Microsoft announced a slew of Windows 8 games that would be launching over the weekend. Today several of those games are readily available to download: Shuffle Party, Samurai vs. Zombies Defense, Bejeweled Live, and Delicious – Emily’s True Love. The only one that hasn’t shown up yet is Temple Run Brave (based on that movie I dislike), but I’m sure it will be along sometime soon.

Head past the break to check out our hands-on demonstration of Shuffle Party from GDC, plus quick impressions and download links for the games that appeared alongside it.

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One of the oddest pairings in a Windows Phone game has to be found in the game Chickens and Moles. It's a first person styled "Angry Birds" type game where you are tasked with rescuing chickens and moles from Farmer Grumble's cages.  Instead of tossing birds to destroy pigs, you toss boulders (or is it cannon balls?) to free the chickens and moles.

Chickens and Moles has sixty levels where you toss your boulders at the structures protecting the animals in cages. The concept is as the structure crumbles it breaks the cages and the chickens and moles run free.  I wouldn't consider Chickens and Moles a "must have" game but it's not too shabby of a Windows Phone game when you're in the mood for something different.

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Windows Phone Central Roundup: Zombie Games
Windows Phone Central Game Roundup: Zombie Games

Zombies. A pesky bunch of creatures that have had a presence in movies and television of years.  They also seem to have a strong presence in our Windows Phone Store. These brain hungry monsters can be found in a ton of Windows Phone games from Zombies Ate My Pizzas! to Zombies, Run!.

For this week's roundup we picked three popular Zombie games along with one game that had a unique approach to taking out the Zombies.

With so many Zombie games available, it was tough picking just a few of the gaming titles. If we've overlooked your favorite Zombie game, feel free to shout out your recommendation in the comments below.

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iOS screenshots

Bejeweled Live isn’t the only Xbox game coming to Windows 8 and RT this week. As another GDC celebration, Microsoft has just announced a horde of Windows 8 tablet and PC games that should start becoming available this weekend, plus six more that are planned for the future. Most of these will be Xbox-enabled, but we’re not sure about a few of them. The biggest news is that Windows 8 will have its own Temple Run game to brag about!

Head past the break for the full list!

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Back in February, PopCap surprised us by suddenly releasing Bejeweled Live+ exclusively for Nokia Windows Phones. Confusing name aside, that game is basically a mobile version of the phenomenal Bejeweled 3.

Well, it turns out that Windows 8 and RT were sorely in need of some Bejeweled love as well. Or should I say Bejeweled Live? Today at GDC 2013, we had the chance to talk with Jeff Green, Director of Editorial and Social Media at PopCap Games, who kindly demonstrated the Xbox-enabled Bejeweled Live for Windows 8 and RT.

Full video and more details after the break!

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Words with Friends has been bumped to version 1.2, both the general and Lumia-only free versions. According to the store listings, this latest release addresses numerous bugs and issues to help improve the experience for players. Unfortunately, the update doesn't seem to have solved everything, if latest reviews are anything to go by.

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This week has been golden for Windows Phone, especially those of us who enjoy pouring some hours into available games on the platform. Microsoft teased a number of upcoming titles yesterday, one being Ruzzle. If you're not familiar with the name, it's a Boggle-style word game with online multiplayer capabilities. Think of it as a 1- or 2-player version of Wordament

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With yesterday’s crazy day of game releases for Windows Phone, the popular (and free) Temple Run was released to mostly mixed reviews. Forgetting the fact that Temple Run 2, which is arguably way better, just came to iOS in January, Temple Run for Windows Phone is lacking in a few areas. For instance, no Xbox LIVE support, the Tile pinning to the Start screen was blanked out, some stuttering issues and no support for devices with 512MB of RAM.

Well, version 1.5 was just pushed out and guess what? At least the Tile has been fixed.

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Extreme Lines, sounds familiar? It should as we last reviewed this Windows Phone title back in 2011. It's a game for those who enjoy line puzzles with addictive gameplay. The overall goal is to form lines of balls with the same colour. Extreme Lines has been re-published to the Windows Phone store (under a different publisher account) and is available for free until March 30th.

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Zombies just won't go away and continue a strong presence in the Windows Phone Store.  Now they are invading the wild west in the Windows Phone 8 game Cowboy Zed: Zombie Apocalypse.

As you would guess, you play the role of Zed, a cowboy dead set on wiping out the zombie invasion and protecting artificial brains that will cure the zombie hordes. He's got a handful of weapons to use against the undead, even a pet dragon (not sure where he comes into play though).

The story line is a little cheesy, the comic book graphics are good and game play takes a while to get used to but isn't too shabby. Overall, Cowboy Jed: Zombie Apocalypse is a decent game that is a nice way to pass the time with but needs just a little polishing.

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The other day we shared that Chaos Rings from Square Enix was headed to the Windows Phone Store. Well... the Xbox title is now available over at the Windows Phone Store but only for Windows Phone 7 devices.  While a bit of a head scratcher, it is nice to see our older phones getting some exclusivity tossed their way.

Another couple of eye turners with the Chaos Rings release is that the game requires about 1GB of memory and is running $9.99. Due to the size of the game files, Wi-Fi is required for installation and it takes forever to download.  Thankfully, there is a trial to let you try things out before paying the ten bucks.

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A handful of weeks ago Unity opened up early beta access for apps on the Windows store, enabling developers to try out the tools available. We were all wondering just when the company would open up the beta program and cover Windows Phone 8 development. That time has arrived, folks. It has been announced on the Unity blog that version 4 of the engine now covers Windows Phone 8.

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We told you this morning it would be a big day for Windows Phone 8 and indeed, it was bigger than we thought (we didn’t see the Nokia firmware thing happening). One of the big runner games today was Gravity Guy 2, which is now out, but a more “classic” game with a totally different perspective is Temple Run.

At the time of our writing, the app was not yet live in the Store but that has now changed. You can pick up Temple Run for $0.00 right now on Windows Phone 8. The game, like on iOS and Android, relies on in-app purchasing (optional) for revenue, hence why it can be free.

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Gravity Guy came out just over a year ago to Windows Phone and has become one of the more popular “runner” games around. It’s done by Miniclip, who ranks up there with Chillingo in terms of quality of their games.

Gravity Guy 2 is now ready for your trial and goes for $2.99 (Windows Phone 8 only). We’ve been playing with it for a little while, and one thing we already like: it’s not more of the same. In GG2, things like double jumps, platform raising, new tighter graphics and a new coin-collection strategy have been added. Indeed it feels like similar game play to Jetpack Joyride (also due soon on Windows Phone 8).

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Subway Surfers doesn’t look to be coming to Windows Phone anytime soon (the teaser image was just a hoax), but worry not. Windows Phone 8 will soon have a 3D endless runner to its name. Speaking of names, that runner is none other than the original game that started the genre craze: Temple Run from Imangi Studios! We knew it was coming, but this is the first time we’ve actually played the port for ourselves.

Not only that, but in celebration of GDC week, Microsoft is releasing a number of indie games for Windows Phone 8 today. Read on for actual Windows Phone screenshots, video demo and quick impressions!

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While Activision’s console Amazing Spider-Man game which takes place after the events of the 2012 movie, Gameloft’s Xbox Windows Phone 8 game very loosely adapts the film’s actual narrative. It seems like Gameloft had access to a brief synopsis for the movie and had to fill in the rest of the story with original material though. While the story eventually builds to a confrontation with the Lizard after he has released a harmful gas into New York’s skyline, the preceding plot centers around Spider-Man’s efforts to thwart a gang of terrorists created for the game.

The story scenes are fully voiced, but unfortunately the actors are fairly crap on the whole. Spider-Man’s voice actor in particular is seriously miscast. Not only doesn’t he sound anything like Andrew Garfield, he never sounds heroic and just plain can’t act. Also, nobody’s mouth moves when they’re speaking, which makes the occasional close up dialogue exchange look super awkward. But this is a mobile title (that was originally rushed to coincide with the release of the movie), so we have to cut it some slack.

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Spring break is in full swing for most folks in the US and Canada. The perfect time to get some sun, travel, and just relax. And there just so happens to be a sale on EA game titles for when you’re pool side and need to zone out with some Zombie or something. The sale will go on for one week and games are either at a 33% or 40% discount from their regular prices. Full list after the break.

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This is GDC week, so you can count on some cool developer interviews and hands-on stories as the conference progresses. But it’s also just an exciting week for Windows Phone releases. First we had the release of Sims Medieval for Nokia devices, and now general users can look forward to two regular Xbox releases on Wednesday. We’re looking at one Windows Phone 7 game and one for Windows Phone 8. The former will also be the most expensive mobile Xbox game to date, but at least it’s a good one: Chaos Rings from Square-Enix!

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