xbox wp8

Lots of Angry Birds updates on Windows Phone and Windows 8 bring new levels and fixes

By Paul Acevedo, Friday, May 10, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Today’s a big day for Windows 8 games, what with Temple: Run Brave finally releasing (not to mention Dr. Pickaxe’s indie pinball action). On top of that, it also happens to be a great day for Angry Birds on Windows 8 AND Windows Phone. Why? First of all, I heard some pigs got knocked over and crushed by blocks. You know how Angry Birds love that.

More to the point: on Windows Phone 8, both Angry Birds Classic (still free till next Tuesday!) and Angry Birds Star Wars just got updated. On Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7, Angry Birds Star Wars got its long-delayed update too. That’s four Angry Birds games caught up!

Head past the break to find out what’s been fixed or added in each game.

Gravity Guy 2 Review: Building a better endless runner on Windows Phone 8

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11:38 am

The first Gravity Guy starred a hero wrongfully imprisoned by his evil government for manipulating gravity. He broke out of prison, only to be endlessly pursued by a heartless Gravity Trooper. At the end of the game, Gravity Guy escapes to his freedom.

Gravity Guy 2 disappoints ever so slightly by comparison because all pretense of story is gone. Players control a now-helmetless Gravity Guy, but the cut scene bookends and evil pursuer have vanished. The store description says Guy has been captured and cloned (Miniclip also published this webpage to expand on the premise), but that doesn’t spill over into the game itself.

In fact, the first game’s story mode and local multiplayer are MIA as well. An endless runner doesn’t need these things to keep players entertained, but the lack of context and modes still represents a small step back in an otherwise much improved game. Still! Forget the missing bits, this one really is much better.

Nokia exclusive Xbox Windows Phone game DaVinci Pinball goes on sale

Games

By Rich Edmonds, Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 4:21 pm

Nokia unveiled DaVinci Pinball on April 23rd for Nokia Windows Phones and now the game is on sale for consumers. The game is themed around Leonardo DaVinci’s inventions and sketches. The wooden table is chock full of levers, pulleys, and other era-appropriate gadgets. The inventor himself also provides vocal narration, but it's essentially a pinball game.

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Windows Phone 7 and 8 gets new ports of Angry Birds and they're free for a limited time!

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 4:58 pm

When we didn’t hear from Microsoft about an Xbox Windows Phone release this week, we feared that there wouldn’t a new game today. It turns out that we should have had faith, because a new release did quietly slip out, and it’s an interesting one!

Following on the heels of their early April release, Amazing Alex, Rovio now breaks in the month of May with the game that started their rise to fame: Angry Birds. We’re not talking about a new Angry Birds sequel or the oft-requested spin-off Bad Piggies. No, a Windows Phone 8-exclusive version of the original Angry Birds (now called Angry Birds Classic) has just arrived with all the content missing from its unloved Windows Phone 7 predecessor. Windows Phone 7 gets a new, updated version as well but without the Xbox features. And best of all, both versions are free until May 15!

Ice Age Village Review: Build a happy home on Windows Phone

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 11:45 am

Windows Phone 8 got its first proper taste of Xbox-enabled freemium games when Gameloft’s Real Soccer 2013 debuted earlier this year. But that game reached for players’ wallets so deeply and so often that we could barely enjoy it. Now Gameloft gives us another freemium game, the social city builder Ice Age Village. Don’t let Real Soccer 2013 or Glu Mobile’s Bug Village sour your feelings toward this one; it is less buggy than its genre predecessor and even players who choose not to spend any real currency can have a good time.

Gameloft brings Ice Age Village to Xbox Windows Phone 8 for free!

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Apr 24, 2013 at 2:49 pm

We’ve just settled in with two strong Nokia exclusive Windows Phone releases this week, but avid gamers and non-Nokia owners are already hungry for more. Hey! Why don’t you go order a pizza from your Xbox 360 if you’re so hungry?

Well, assuming we’ve all had a nice lunch/dinner/second breakfast, it’s time for a new Xbox game from our good friends at Gameloft. This week’s release is Ice Age Village, one of the more casual-friendly titles that Gameloft announced for Windows Phone 8 last year. Whether or not the theme appeals to you, Ice Age Village happens to be free-to-play, so we all might as well put down our vegetable peelers and give it a try.

Nokia rolls Monopoly Millionaire and DaVinci Pinball onto Xbox Windows Phone

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 4:37 am

It’s been a few weeks since Nokia published a batch of exclusive Xbox Windows Phone games: the fine Vampire Rush and much less fine Storm in a Teacup. Since then, former Nokia exclusives Risk and Connect 4 became available to all Windows Phone users, knocking the number of Nokia exclusives down by two.

Clearly Nokia believes we Lumia owners need lots of stuff to brag about beyond the generally beautiful looks of our phones, and so they’ve just thrown a couple more exclusives our way in order to balance things out. Today we get DaVinci Pinball from Chillingo and Monopoly Millionaire from EA.

Both games are interesting in their own ways, but Monopoly Millionaire especially so because it’s the first Nokia exclusive Xbox game that requires Windows Phone 8 (and 1 GB of RAM). Could this mean we’ll start seeing more EA games that take advantage of Windows Phone 8’s increased horsepower? I hope so! Check out our impressions of both titles after the break.

Modern Combat 4 Review: Big-screen shooting on Windows Phone 8

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 at 12:09 pm

The era of Gameloft Windows Phone 8 support is in full swing. Already the prolific publisher has graced us with an amazing racer (Asphalt 7), two less amazing but still decent open world games (Amazing Spider-Man and Dark Knight Rises), and a surprisingly enjoyable physics puzzler (Shark Dash). It’s almost like they’re single-handedly keeping the Xbox brand alive on Windows Phone.

Now Gameloft follows up with Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, the second Windows Phone title with real-time online multiplayer and the platform’s only first-person shooter so far (until N.O.V.A. 3 comes along). FPS games on the phone are new for many of us - including me. Read on to find out how well Modern Combat 4 works as both a single-player and multiplayer game!

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Amazing Alex and Ms. Splosion Man arrive on Xbox Windows Phone, won't run on the same phone [Updated]

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Apr 3, 2013 at 1:09 pm

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.

Amazing Spider-Man Review: Web slinging action for Windows Phone 8

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Mar 27, 2013 at 9:37 am

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.

Shark Dash makes a splash on Xbox Windows Phone 8

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Mar 20, 2013 at 1:19 pm

Following on the heels of The Dark Knight Rises, we have a second Xbox Windows Phone 8 release from Gameloft today. This one leaves the urban streets behind for a much brighter setting: nice, happy bathtubs. Yep, Shark Dash is now available and it only costs a dollar. Dare you dip your toes into these waters?

Real Soccer 2013 Review: Less soccer, more reaching for your wallet

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Mar 13, 2013 at 8:58 am

The first Real Soccer for Windows Phone was less than an exemplary game. Announced back in 2010 as a launch title, it didn’t show up until well into 2012. The Real Soccer we eventually got falsely advertised the inclusion of two modes (‘Enter the Legend’ and ‘Club Master’) that weren’t even in the game. And one of the Achievements (‘Man of the Match’) was tied to the absent Enter the Legend mode, making it impossible to unlock – by design! Gameloft’s otherwise solid Windows Phone port of Let’s Golf 2 also suffered from an impossible-by-design Achievement.

Yes, Gameloft and the Xbox Live certification team were awfully negligent in those days. We brought these issues up to Microsoft, but neither game was ever fixed and Real Soccer still has the same blatantly incorrect store description it launched with.

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Amazing Spider-Man and Real Soccer 2013 swing onto Xbox Windows Phone 8

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Mar 6, 2013 at 12:18 pm

The recent launch of Asphalt 7: Heat on Windows Phone 8 was just the shot of vitality that Microsoft’s newest mobile OS needed. Considering the rocky start that Xbox Live releases have had this year, we might have expected a puzzle game or no release at all. Well, we needn’t fear such a bleak scenario this week either. Hot off of Asphalt 7’s heels, Gameloft will follow up today with not one, but TWO new Xbox games for Windows Phone 8. And one of them is even free! Are your minds blown yet, mobile gamers?

Yes, two of the 12 Gameloft games announced last year have popped up today: The Amazing Spider-Man and Real Soccer 2013/Real Football 2013. We haven’t put them through their paces just yet, but we do have plenty of details, screens, and pricing! Note that both titles require 1GB of RAM, so they won’t work on the Lumia 620, HTC 8S, and other low-memory devices.

Asphalt 7 Review: Bringing the heat to Windows Phone 8

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Mar 6, 2013 at 10:54 am

As the first non-Angry Birds Xbox game running exclusively on Windows Phone 8, Asphalt 7: Heat understandably had a lot of interest from gamers and some rather lofty expectations to live up to. Now that the downloading issues that plagued last week’s launch have been resolved, we’ve been able to step into the driver’s seat and take it for a spin. Is Asphalt 7 the best arcade-style racing game since Outrun or another trip down a one-way road in the wrong direction like its Windows Phone 7 predecessor, Asphalt 5?

I’m pleased to tell you that Asphalt 7 is not only the best racing game in the Windows Phone library, it’s one of the best games period. Head past the break to find out just how it impressed its way into my icy heart.

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Asphalt 7 multiplayer impressions and low-memory Windows Phone 8 device news

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 at 7:15 pm

One look at the comments section of our article announcing the release of Asphalt 7: Heat on Windows Phone 8 will tell you that the game is pretty popular. Hey Microsoft, we told you people wanted decent mobile Xbox games!

Ahem. With that gloating out of the way, we have more tasty Asphalt 7 tidbits to share with you now. Head past the break for a hands-on video, multiplayer walkthrough, and update news!

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Asphalt 7: Heat races onto Xbox Windows Phone 8 with realtime multiplayer

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 at 12:36 pm

While Microsoft and its partners haven’t exactly announced a ton of Xbox games for Windows Phone 8 so far, the same can’t be said for Gameloft. Back in October, the mobile game publishing giant announced a whopping 12 games specifically for Windows Phone 8. These titles rely on the new mobile handsets’ extra horsepower and most would be impossible to port accurately on our beloved Windows Phone 7.

It’s been a long wait, but the first Gameloft Windows Phone 8 game is finally here: Asphalt 7, the arcade-style racing game. That’s right, a non-Angry Birds Windows Phone 8 game! Who’d have dared to imagine such a thing? In case that didn’t knock you right out of your office chair, it even has…. Real-time online multiplayer! I don’t mean asynchronous: this is the for-real deal. Ho-lee crap, I just had to fetch my socks from across the room. And did I mention Asphalt 7 is priced to sell?

Head past the break for details! We'll have a video soon too.

It's time for Angry Birds Seasons on Windows Phone 8

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Feb 20, 2013 at 4:29 am

There isn’t exactly an abundance of Windows Phone 8-specific Xbox Live games out there. Since the launch of Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, we’ve only had two such games to choose from: Angry Birds Space and Angry Birds Star Wars. As we reported last week, more Windows Phone 8 games are coming, but at least a few are mired in certification woes.

We have both good and bad news to share about this week’s Xbox release. The good: it’s a Windows Phone 8 game! It's not even a Nokia exclusive. Depending on who you ask, the identity of the game is the bad news. It’s Angry Birds Seasons. Yes, after all this time, we get another Angry Birds game instead of something different. But hey, history has proven that people love throwing birds at things, so let’s just be glad another mainstream game has come to our growing platform.

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After four weeks with no new Xbox games for Windows Phone, we may have the actual cause

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 at 3:03 pm

Last week, Windows Phone received no new Xbox game for the third week in a row. Our detailed editorial posited several theories to explain the prolonged release drought, and many readers chimed in with their own theories. This week marks the fourth consecutive dry week, and the sixth within the last two months. Microsoft has informed us there won’t be a new Xbox game or Deal of the Week once more.

Why another dry week, you ask? An Xbox game developer has come forward with information supporting one of our theories… And no, it isn’t the best news.

Risk wins Windows Phone 8 compatibility, but two more Nokia Xbox games lose it

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Jan 8, 2013 at 12:46 pm

Every time we report on Windows Phone 8 compatibility, it’s a good news/bad news situation. The Oregon Trail gained compatibility while Shoot 1 UP lost it… Babel Rising 3D sort of became compatible (which was a mistake), and KenKen lost it for no apparent reason… Which brings us to this weekend.

Good news: Risk from Nokia and Electronic Arts is now available for Lumia phones running Windows Phone 8! On the other hand, two more games – both Nokia exclusives – have jumped ship from Windows Phon 8. Can’t win, can we?

Babel Rising 3D patched for Windows Phone 8, but KenKen downgraded to 7

By Paul Acevedo, Thursday, Dec 20, 2012 at 2:31 pm

The incompatibility between certain Xbox Windows Phone 7 games and the new Windows Phone 8 OS has been frustrating for gamers alike. More than 20 Xbox games don’t work with WP8, a problem that Microsoft initially tried to sweep under the rug by pulling those titles’ pages from the Windows Phone Store.

Since then, one affected title became compatible with WP8 (The Oregon Trail), while a new game became unavailable due to incompatibility (Shoot 1UP). You might say the two games canceled each other out, progress-wise. The same thing has just happened again, with Babel Rising 3D reappearing and Capcom’s just-released and far superior KenKen disappearing from WP8. The incompatible list can’t seem to drop below 25 games!

Don’t worry, we actually have a tidbit of good news to report on Microsoft’s handling of the WP8 incompatible games. Check it out after the break.