games

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is next week's Xbox Live game. Yes!!!

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 11:23 pm

In the last few weeks, Microsoft has released so many Game Room titles to Xbox Live that even huge Game Room fans like me became weary. Next week’s Xbox Live release still has a retro flavor, but it’s actually a much newer and more exciting game: PAC-MAN: Championship Edition DX.

In our review of the original Pac-Man, I complained “This title offers so much less content than sequels like Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Man Championship Edition.” Namco has actually done me one better this time, because they skipped Championship Edition and went straight to its superior sequel, DX.

The console version of PAC-MAN: Championship Edition DX is an absolutely fantastic game. It features 9 different mazes, numerous selectable looks for Pac-Man and the ghosts, and three main gameplay modes: Score Attack, Time Attack, and Ghost Combo. DX throws dozens of ghosts on-screen at once, which might sound too hectic but is actually quite exciting and manageable in practice. Pac-Man even gains a bomb ability that knocks ghosts back to the center of the maze but resets the player's score multiplier.

Pac-Man CE DX is much easier than the first Pac-Man game, so it should be a better fit for mobile phones. Unlike the original Pac-Man game, this one is played in landscape mode, which should reduce the number of accidental presses of the nefarious Home and Search buttons.

The only bad news is its price: $6.99. Namco’s mobile games don’t come cheap. But thousands of gamers happily paid $10 for the Xbox 360 version; if the phone version matches the console game's greatness, 7 bucks won’t sting a bit.

The Windows Phone version of PAC-MAN: Championship Edition DX will debut on Wednesday, May 18.

Windows Phone Marketplace fails to update on time. Frustrated gamers can't get their Harvest on

Windows Phone News

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 6:25 pm

As Windows Phone fans who stay up till the wee hours probably know, the Marketplace usually updates with new apps and price drops between 10 PM and midnight PST. Thus the new Xbox Live game and Deal of the Week are available by the time most people get up on Wednesday mornings.

This week, however, there seem to be a wrench and possibly a squirrel in the works. As of 10 AM PST, Lunar Lander still isn’t available for purchase and The Harvest is not showing its discounted price. There are no new Non-Xbox Live apps either.

Did the guy at Microsoft who throws the switch on Marketplace updates call in sick? Is this just some technical error? Or is there something more sinister at work? With Sony’s recent and well-publicized shutdown of PSN due to malicious hackery, many gamers are on edge where online services are concerned.

The Marketplace’s stalled update will likely be resolved later today. Cleaning squirrel guts takes time! We’ve contacted the good folks at Microsoft, who are aware of the problem. We’ll let you know as soon as they have more information to share or the update goes through.

Armor Valley flies to the Marketplace

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 12:47 pm

Thanks to the magic of XNA, another Xbox 360 Indie game has come to Windows Phone! Joining Square Off and Murphid is Armor Valley from Protégé Productions.

Armor Valley is a unique blend of aerial combat simulator and real-time strategy. The player and the enemy each have a base where units are produced. The twist is that players directly control a plane (called the Silverhawk) and participate in the action first hand. The enemy has a plane too, so you have both aerial and ground units to deal with. A virtual analog stick controls the craft’s movement while tilting the phone moves the camera.

Having played the Windows Phone version for a while, I came away impressed with Armor Valley’s 3D graphics. The controls take some getting used to though. Hitting enemies is particularly difficult thanks to their tiny hitboxes. Hopefully Protégé tweaks those a bit and adds some aim assist in a future update. Difficulty aside, Armor Valley is unlike anything else on Windows Phone and a nice addition to the indie gaming lineup.

Armor Valley costs $3.99 and there is a free trial. Get it here (Zune link) on the Marketplace.

Pandemic Evolved - Review

Games

By George Ponder, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 1:44 am

The viruses from Pandemic have mutated into the Windows Phone 7 game, Pandemic Evolved. Z-Games is offering the free game over at the Marketplace that puts the viruses into a tetris-like environment.

The game has groups of three viruses dropping from the top of the screen and you have to stack them up to create a match of four or more of the same viruses to contain the outbreak.

Continued after the break.

Hypership Out of Control Lite - Review

Games

By George Ponder, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 1:25 am

Fun Infused Games has released a fast paced, space shooter, arcade game for the Windows Phone that definitely lives up to its title. Hypership Out of Control Lite has you in control of a space ship that is, well, out of control. No brakes and the accelerator is stuck. Luckily your weapons system is stuck in the "on" position.

Your goal is to navigate your out of control ship through through various obstacles, collecting coins, bonus items and destroying various items as you fly towards the finish line. Once you cross the finish line, you move to the next wave that will progressively get harder.

Continued after the break.

The Harvest is the Xbox Live Deal of the Week. That's more like it!

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 11:00 pm

Guitar Hero 5 sales not exciting enough for you? Here’s an Xbox Live Deal of the Week we can really sink our teeth into: The Harvest is going on sale for $4.99, down from $6.99.

The Harvest is an action-RPG set in a distant future in which aliens have conquered humanity. Thanks to the development of armored mech suits, the remaining pockets of humans finally have a chance to fight back. Our review praises the game’s beautiful 3D graphics, easy controls, multiple playable characters, and diversity of upgrade options.

The Harvest is that rare thing – a really impressive Windows Phone-exclusive game. But many gamers passed over it or don’t know about it due to the dreaded $6.99 price point. The sale price should help Luma Arcade’s action-RPG finally get its due.

The Harvest’s $4.99 sale begins Wednesday and will last one for week. Buy it or try the demo here (Zune link) at the Marketplace.

Children's Games Roundup: Mazoocard, Toy Xylophone, and Simon Cow

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 11:44 am

Anyone who has small kids knows that they are fascinated by both phones and videogames. Handing off a phone to your child while in the car or at a restaurant can be a great way to keep the little one occupied. Indie developer Ganlok Studios has produced three fine kids’ games for Windows Phones: Mazoocard, Toy Xylophone, and Simon Cow. Each title offers clean, attractive graphics, simple gameplay, and a great user interface.

Head past the break for our full three-game review.

Plan Bee updated, adds online ranking system

By George Ponder, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 1:55 am

It's been a while since we first looked at the Windows Phone 7 game Plan Bee. It's a cute, mildly addictive game that has you flying around a meadow pollinating flowers and dodging spiders. Plan Bee is one of those "something different" games that grows on you.

The free game for your Windows Phone was recently updated improving the online leaderboards to the game and adding an in-game ranking system to show your current position on the global leaderboard. The update also includes a few graphics improvements.

You can download your free copy of Plan Bee here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace.

Lunar Lander is this week's Xbox Live game

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Monday, May 9, 2011 at 11:41 am

Last week’s Xbox Live game, Enigmo, broke three straight weeks of Game Room releases. To be fair though, Harbor Master also came out alongside Centipede. Anyway, I hope you like retro games, Windows Phone gamers, because this week’s Xbox Live title is another Game Room entry: Lunar Lander.

Atari’s original Lunar Lander arcade game came out in 1979. Yes, this week’s release debuted the same year I was born. It’s 32 years young! Lunar Lander was the first Atari title to use vector graphics (just as Asteroids Deluxe did a few years later). Its graphics are composed entirely of white lines on a black background. The object is to safely land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon. The original arcade game used an actual lever to control the craft’s thrust and buttons for steering. It will be interesting to see how the game’s controls have been adapted for mobile touch screens.

See that? I didn’t say anything negative about Lunar Lander or how inexplicable it is that someone chose to release it on Windows Phone over so many other Game Room titles. That’s me, Captain Optimism!

Earthworm Jim HD - Review

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Monday, May 9, 2011 at 9:42 am

During the 16-bit gaming era, Shiny Entertainment’s Earthworm Jim made quite a splash. It boasted very unusual character designs, an off-beat sense of humor, and excellent graphics and sound. It was also frustratingly hard, but so were a lot of games back then. Earthworm Jim was such a success that it spawned a few sequels and its own cartoon series.

Fast-forwarding several years, Gameloft - the developer/publisher known for producing mobile clones of popular console franchises – has brought the original Earthworm Jim to Windows Phone as an Xbox Live title. Is Earthworm Jim still as groovy as he ever was? Yes and no. This version is pretty rough around the edges thanks to some poor design decisions from the ‘loft.

Swing past the jump for our in-depth review.

Infinite Flight - Review

Games

By George Ponder, Monday, May 9, 2011 at 1:59 am

If you are a flight simulator fan, Infinite Flight is being offered over at the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace that might suit your fancy. You can pilot a Cessna 172SP or a Cirrus SR22 (future updates will bring more aircraft to the app) around the San Francisco Bay area.

From realistic flight controls to multiple airport destinations, there is a lot to Infinite Flight. And to read more on this Windows Phone flight simulator, glide on past the break.

Ener-Jewels - App Spotlight

Games

By George Ponder, Monday, May 9, 2011 at 1:07 am

There are a few "bejeweled-like" games available over at the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. One such is ImproviSoft's Ener-Jewels.

As with most "bejeweled-like" games, the object is to create a vertical or horizontal combination of three or more of the same jewels. Ener-Jewels has four game modes,

Infinity: A never ending game mode.
Power-up: As you create the combinations, you obtain power to move to the next stage. The power-up meter is at the bottom of the screen and when it fills, you move to the next level.
Time Race: You race against the clock to score as much as you can. The more combos you create, the slower the countdown timer runs.
Burst: You have sixty seconds to complete each level. Fail to do so and the game's over.

As you power up, the levels become more challenging. Should you get stuck, there's a hint button just below the power bar to help you out.

Ener-Jewels shares the same addictive quality that the original Bejeweled possesses. Graphics are crisp, sound effects nice, and with the multiple gaming modes there's plenty of game time available.

Ener-Jewels comes in two versions. You have Ener-Jewels TGIF, a free, ad-supported version and if you don't like the ads, there's a paid version without ads that runs $1.99.

You can find Ener-Jewels TGIF here (opens Zune) and Ener-Jewels here at the Marketplace.

EA buys Firemint

Windows Phone News

By Seth Brodeur, Friday, May 6, 2011 at 4:54 pm

Electronic Arts, Inc. announced in a press release Tuesday that they will be acquiring mobile software developer Firemint. Financial details about the deal are not being provided by either party, but it has been made clear that maker of popular games like Flight Control and Real Racing will continue to operate out of Australia. In a post on their website, Firemint CEO Rob Murray, had this to say to those concerned about the acquisition:

I would forgive people for believing that we didn’t exist before Flight Control, but we’ve been in business since 1999. Before Flight Control and Real Racing, our greatest success was achieved making games for EA Mobile, games like Madden, Sims DJ and Need For Speed Most Wanted. We learned our skills working with the same people that we are partnering with today.

Murray also added, "we have an exciting slate and I think people will be pleasantly surprised with our games this year." Though Firemint has made games for past versions of Windows Mobile, they have not produced in the WP7 department. However, given EA's prolific work with Microsoft, this could very well change.

Electonic Arts recently acquired Mobile Post Production Inc., "the worldwide leader in high quality cross-platform development and porting of games for smartphones." Coupled with the news able Firemint, EA is clearly throwing a huge hat into the mobile gaming ring.

Source: EA, Firemint; Via: AndroidCentral

DigitalRune Game UI alpha version released [Developers]

Windows Phone News

By Rich Edmonds, Friday, May 6, 2011 at 2:37 pm

The guys over at DigitalRune have released their game UI package that include .NET packages, which will aid developers in handling device input and creating GUIs in XNA. The libraries are supported on Windows, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 and can be manipulated using mouse, keyboard, gimped or touch input.

The UI will allow one to create a simple in-game menu for a project on the 360 or WP7, but can also be used by the more experienced to craft complex user interfaces that are found in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). The video above acts an example to show how the GUI can be projected on not only 2D UI, but 3D surfaces too. Battle on past the break for feature rundown and download links

Orange UK now offering alternative Marketplace payment gateway

Windows Phone News

By Rich Edmonds, Friday, May 6, 2011 at 2:04 pm

If you're on Orange, some good news for you. They have opened up a new gateway for all your app, game and music purchases in the Windows Phone Marketplace. You can now choose between your account credit card and your Orange phone bill.

While this is a fantastic new way to easily populate your internal storage, we recommend caution - try not to go overboard or you'll receive a nasty surprise at the end of your contracted month. Are you on Orange, and are you interested in using your monthly bill to pay for apps etc.?

Source: MyKindofPhone

Rocket Riot updated to version 1.2 AND another update in the works

By Paul Acevedo, Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Rocket Riot, the Xbox Live twin-stick shooter from Dutch developer Code Glue, received a minor update this week.

Rocket Riot version 1.2 change log:

Control bug completely eliminated

Rocket Riot’s virtual twin-stick controls are extremely smooth and fun to use. But as I mentioned in our review, the game’s controls used to bug out occasionally in certain levels. That won’t happen anymore, thank goodness.

We’ve also learned that Rocket Riot will receive a more significant update in the future. Among other things, it will improve the game's handling of Achievements. I’m glad Code Glue continues to improve their already standout title. Rocket Riot costs $4.99, and it has a free trial. To join the riot, grab it here (Zune link) on the Marketplace.

Fun fact! The Rocket Riot version 1.1 update article was my first post here at WPCentral. Time flies (with rockets).

Krashlander - Review

Games

By George Ponder, Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 2:06 pm

Looking for an interesting game for your Windows Phone? Krashlander might be just the ticket.

Mars Runner - Mini-Review

Games

By George Ponder, Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 1:59 am

Xbox 360 indie puzzler Murphid now available on Windows Phone

Windows Phone News

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 7:31 pm

Square Off isn’t the only Xbox 360 indie game launching on Windows Phone today. Decapod Studios’ Murphid has just debuted as well.

Murphid is a match-3 puzzle game with a twist. In games like Castlevania Puzzle, pieces fall from the top and players must quickly rotate and drop them into place. But in Murphid, the player’s piece is fixed at the top of the screen and doesn’t drop on its own. Players can either aim and send the piece straight down or swap it out with the next piece – no rotating here. Lining up three pieces of the same color causes them to disappear, often creating satisfying chean reactions. Since pieces don’t fall automatically, pressure in Murphid comes from the stack of blocks at the bottom of the screen’s constant rise.

Decapod’s puzzler boasts several modes - including a full campaign, as well as in-game Awards that function like Achievements. I’ve spent some time with the Xbox 360 version and look forward to taking the mobile version for a swing.

Murphid only costs $.99 and there is a free trial. Grab it here on the Marketplace.

Head past the jump for Murphid’s full announcement press release and feature list.

Race and Battle - RC Cars with attitude

Games

By George Ponder, Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 5:22 pm

A Trillion Games has launched a rather fun looking race game over at the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. Race and Battle has RC cars armed with rockets that battle on a miniature race track.

The 3D graphics look impressive and you can battle against the phone or a friend (two players on one Windows Phone). You control your race car by a tiny RC Controller that sits in the bottom corner of the screen. Tapping and holding the controller gets your car moving and by wiggling your finger on the controller, you control steering. Rockets are fired at your opponent by double tapping the screen. The controls take about a lap or two around the track to get used to. I can imagine the two player mode gets rather cramped.

Nonetheless, in the short time we've tinkered with Race and Battle, we found it to be a fun game to pass the time with. There is a free trial available to let you try before you buy and the full version runs $.99. Both can be downloaded here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace.