platformer

JumpWheel is a new multi-level, platformer styled game for your Windows Phone. You control a wheel that has to navigate through a series of platforms, gathering tokens for points.

The 3D graphics are really nice and game play has its fair share of challenges. JumpWheel has twenty levels of play and three choices of wheels with varying traction and jump ratings.

Care for a fine Windows Phone-exclusive Xbox Live release this week? You’re in luck then, because Mush from indie British developer Angry Mango is finally available after a whopping two years of development.

Mush is a bright and original platformer that plays a bit differently from the norm. The titular character Mush gains unique abilities based on his emotions. Draw a smile and becomes so elated that he floats; make him frown and he sinks way down low. Using 12 different emotions, you’ll help Mush solve puzzles and rescue his friends who’ve been trapped inside of Matroska dolls. Besides the creative emotion mechanic, Mush also boasts a beautiful and appealing art style. You can see it in action in our E3 hands-on video.

Mush costs $2.99 and there is a free trial. Don’t get too mushy on us; just get it here from the Marketplace.

When Gravity Guy launched last year, two of its Achievements were unavailable to players. This was not due to glitches but by design – quite unusual for an Xbox Live game. Fast forward to today and Gravity Guy’s version 1.1 update has arrived. It packs quite a lot for an update, including a few surprises.

Gravity Guy version 1.1 release notes:

• Added Fast App Switching support
• Added the Rescue chapter to Story Mode (29 new levels)
• Added paid DLCs:
  Slowdowns: Slows down the game for 90 seconds. It's like "bullet time"

The paid DLC (PDLC) is the big news here. Gravity Guy has officially become the first third-party Xbox Live game to offer PDLC, a bit ahead of Bug Village and Zombies!!!. Players automatically get three free Slowdowns, which can be used by tapping the new icon in the top-left corner of the screen. Slowdowns typically last for about one and a half levels – if the player doesn’t make any mistakes. Use up your free Slowdowns and it costs 160 Microsoft Points ($2) to buy a pack of 5 more.

Sega's first Sonic CD trailer showed just enough gameplay footage to get Sonic fans salivating. This new trailer is even better. First it plays up the game's roots as a Sega CD/Mega CD title; Sonic CD stands out as one of the best games on that quirky, beleaguered platform, in fact. The rest of the trailer focuses on the game's unique time-traveling aspects, complete with plenty of footage of Sonic in action.

Sonic CD was originally released in 1993. The new version (which is coming to Windows Phone, XBLA, PSN, iPhone, and Android) not only recreates the classic platforming game, it includes several enhancements. The display has been expanded to widescreen without stretching the image, making the game look better than ever. The original Japanese techno soundtrack will be included for the first time outside of the US. Gamers will be able to toggle between Sonic CD-style spin-dashing and physics or the Sonic 2 and 3-style. And of course, it will offer the Xbox Live Achievements we all crave.

Sonic CD is still scheduled to debut sometime in November or (more likely) December. Between now and then WPCentral will have a full interview with the game’s producer.

Xbox 360 gamers who crave a Sonic the Hedgehog fix sooner are in luck. The surprisingly awesome (yes, I mean it) Sonic Generations heads to retail on November 1. Generations features a mix of classic Sonic levels from the Sega Genesis era all the way to the present, all presented with 2D- or 3D-style gameplay. With Sonic CD and Generations, Sega is finally giving the fans what they want: quality Sonic titles with classic gameplay.

We covered the original Platformance way back in February and really loved it. The game is an old school platformer that is, um, really hard. But it's done so well we can almost forgive how hard it is. Almost. Seriously, you'll die like a hundred times in the first 10 minutes.

Still, we're pretty excited to see that Magiko Gaming was happy enough with Windows Phone that they're back for more with 'Temple Death':

"While filming her latest movie, famous starlet Grace Belly gets abducted by a sect of evil savages. You decide to go and rescue her down the ‘Temple Death’- a place filled with evil traps where only the fools can survive. Just like its predecessor “PLATFORMANCE: Castle Pain” (already available on WP7), “PLATFORMANCE: Temple Death” is a challenging platformer that takes place in a giant single level filled with deadly traps and puzzles."

Features:

• over 40 challenges to overcome
• zoom in on the action or zoom out to see the whole level
• 3 difficulty modes with their own traps configuration
• take screenshots to send to your friends or brag over the internet
• Local scoreboards
• Rewards
• Flopwards!
• chiptune music
• once at the end, experience the game backward

Play the game backwards? Guys, you had us at 'Flopwards'. Take our money, now! There's a trial version and the full version will fetch you an extremely reasonable $0.99. Pick it up here in the Marketplace.

via: BestWP7 Games

Sega surprised everyone today by announcing a new Sonic the Hedgehog game for Windows Phone. No, it’s not a surprise that they’re doing a second one after Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I turned out so well (see our review). What we didn’t expect from the next mobile Sonic game is that it would be a port of… Sonic CD.

Sonic CD (AKA Sonic the Hedgehog CD) was originally released on the Sega CD/Mega CD, a CD-ROM add-on for the 16-bit Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console, back in 1993. It marks the first appearances of Sonic’s would-be girlfriend Amy Rose and fan-favorite villain Metal Sonic. Sonic CD has seven huge zones, each with three acts, as well as unique 3D special stages. Most uniquely, Sonic can travel into past and future versions of most stages by passing through time portals at high-speeds. Successfully defeating Eggman’s Robot Generators in the past actually changes the future for the better. Sonic CD also features a fully animated intro and two different endings. By the way, it's my all-time favorite Sonic game.

Head past the break for details on the new Sonic CD port and the concept video that helped make this port a reality!

Windows Phone isn’t swimming in platformers, but thanks to Sega we have a new one today. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I is now available on the Marketplace.

Sonic 4 is the first numbered, 2D Sonic game in several years. It features four zones with three acts each, seven special stages (bonus rounds), and five bosses to fight. Fans of the Sega Genesis games will instantly feel at home with the gameplay. Sonic runs at blazing speeds, twisting through loops, jumping from spring pads, and spin-dashing to gain momentum. While the gameplay adheres very closely to the 16-bit Sonic games, Sonic does now have a homing attack to make attacking enemies easier.

Having played a few areas in the Windows Phone version of Sonic 4, I’m extremely pleased with this version. It looks and plays almost exactly like the Xbox 360 version. The touch screen controls (a virtual d-pad and a single button for jumping and spin dashing) are some of the best I’ve encountered in a mobile platforming game. Sonic 4 has all the same Achievements as the Xbox 360 version, plus a few new ones for completing the individual zones. One of the returning Achievements, awarded for beating the final boss without taking any damage, was super tough on the Xbox 360 game. Be prepared for a challenge if you want the full 200 points here.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I costs $6.99, which is a lot, but remember the console version is $15 and this version has just as much content. The free trial contains the game’s first act so you can see for yourself if it’s worth the price tag. Grab it here (Zune link) on the Marketplace.

We covered Pixel Man a few weeks ago (video). The cool retro platformer game has a unique charm in its simplicity and we highly recommend either the free, ad-supported version (Pixel Man Zero) or the no-ad one for $0.99.

At the time we mentioned how the developer, Nick Gravelyn, had a bet with his customers: if his game was downloaded 5,000 times, he'd release Pixel Man 2. While he's just shy of that 5,000 (300 to go), Nick has made tremendous progress on PM2 and has been showing off some screenies.

As you can see, the game now has a 3D textures to it, making those always-tough jumps that much more interesting. There also appear to be power-ups as well as a few other "bonus" features yet to be added. Finally, the game will be available on Xbox 360 for Indie games, Windows Phone and he now looks to be adding PC support as well--that should pretty much cover those "three screens" we think! Anyways, we can't wait to see the final version. Pick up 'Pixel Man' (or 'Pixel Man Zero') here and here.

Source: @NickGravelyn