sneak peek

You know we love showing you folks what those crafty devs have planned for their apps. That’s the case here with Twabbit, yet another solid and recommended Twitter client currently available for Windows Phone. The team is actively working on a Windows Phone 8 update for their client and we figured we would show you what they have going on.

Twabbit is a relative new comer to the Windows Phone Twitter field. It has a minimalist, Metro UI look to it but don’t let that fool you as it is packed with features and options. Yes, if you like tinkering with every notification, color for the UI, streaming choices and more then Twabbit is for you. It’s really amazing how many things you can manipulate with this client and hey, if you don’t want to you could just leave it on the basic settings and still have a blast.

Hey look at that! Mush is finally here, at least here in Los Angeles at E3. We've talked about Mush before as the game looks to fill the gap for "super cute, slow paced, causal game" on Windows Phone, one that appeals to mom, your kid and heck, even ourselves.  From our earlier description of the game:

"A puzzle platformer that gives you control over how your character feels. Change their emotions by drawing smiles and sad faces, and by rotating or shaking the Windows Phone. Mush will be a Windows Phone exclusive."

Mush was announced last August as one of 14 new Xbox LIVE titles coming to Windows Phone. While we don't have a release date, seeing as we have a solid working demo being displayed, our bet is "within weeks". 

We really like this game from what we've seen. It has well done graphics and unique character controls which should appeal to a lot of people. Seeing as it's a Windows Phone exclusive, we're excited for this release.

Check the demo video of the game after the break for another look...

We've covered the popular "jumper" game MonsterUp previously on Windows Phone Central--published by Karios, the game features great music, bold, adorable graphics and interesting twists on an old concept. Though Doodle Jump gets the headlines, MonsterUp to us was always more creative. Now, Karios has returned with MonsterUp Adventures and we got a little sneak peek of the upcoming tile.

Instead of just a straight sequel i.e. yet-another-jumper, MonsterUp Adventures is more like a proper video game now. It features:

• Levels you need to complete
• Multiple "bosses"
• Gems, jewels and coins to collect to unlock new monsters
• A shop to purchase new monsters (who each have unique powers)

Whereas before the goal was to just jump as high as you can, now on each level you need to "jump to the end" to complete it. It takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes per level and yes, it's quite challenging at times (especially on the 2nd half of the island). The collecting of jewels to purchase new monsters is well done as it gives you motivation to try new combinations, plus it adds to the replay value.  The bosses, while not very difficult, add a nice break to the jumping and the exquisitely drawn and unique backgrounds keep the visuals fresh.

Sadly, MonsterUp Adventures as submitted to be an Xbox LIVE game but was denied by Microsoft. Like Karios, we're not sure what the criteria is for making into that coveted camp but compared to the last few stinkers on Xbox LIVE, MonsterUp Adventures more than makes the cut in our mind.

The plus side is MonsterUp Adventures will get to your phones sooner than if it were on Xbox LIVE and Karios can deliver more updates, more frequently.

So our verdict? We really like this game. Jumpers are fun but they can get old fast. Karios Games have taken that concept to a new level with 'Adventures, breathing new life into the growing franchise. With fantastic graphics, a catchy tune and high re-playablity we're impressed.

Look for MonsterUp Adventures to arrive in the Marketplace very soon. Check out the promo vid after the break...

We've been waiting for a long time for an Audible client for Windows Phone and that day is finally almost upon us. Currently the popular audio-book app is in limited beta testing but we managed to get our hands on a copy and to be honest, we're impressed. The folks at Audible have given time and consideration when making this app as opposed to rushing some basic player to the market and it shows.

The Audible app is fast, nimble and to the point allowing you to purchase your favorite audio books on the go and with ease of listening. Some of the highlights of the app include:

• Primary Live Tile that flips with recent history on the back
• Secondary Live Tiles based on book title; enables 1-touch playing of audio; flips to show bookmark history
• Configurable "jump back" feature to re-hear a section (default is 30 seconds)
• Button-less playback which uses gestures instead of buttons to control the audio
• Badges and statistics viewer
• Sharing of book info and general news via the Windows Phone built in social networks
• Gorgeous UI

One small downside is that it uses the built in browser/embedded IE9 for book purchasing as opposed to a dedicated native marketplace. The embedded option works well enough but it feels a little jarring to be ejected momentarily from the app-experience.

The design of the app is really striking and in our mind, Audible has done a knock out job here. In addition, there are enough options to keep most users happy but not too much as to overwhelm. While purchasing audio books may not be everyone's cup of tea (gosh, they're expensive!) we know many of you really insist on this service and for you , we have just a few words: you won't be disappointed.

Look for the official Auidble app to hit the Marketplace in the next few weeks. We'll of course keep you abreast of when it finally is released here at WPCentral. Thanks to Jack K., for the assitance!

With about 18 hours before this week's Xbox LIVE game goes live for y'all to download, we figured we would tease you a little bit with some gameplay from DODONPACHI MAXIMUM.  Yes, it's in all caps because this game is yelling at you...with bullets.

What can we say about this game?

• It's $4.99
• It's Japanese, from studio Cave
• It's ridiculously crazy, fun and challenging
• May induce seizures

Yeah, we like it even if it's going to take time to get good at. This is the kind of game where you can just pick up, blast away and pray you last longer than the last time you did. We're digging the graphics and all the little details throughout, meaning you should get a little excited about this is if shumps are your thing. (And yes, I'm still suffering from a head cold from Barcelona, hence why I sound sick, ahem).

Look for the Marketplace link later tonight right here at WPCentral to try it yourself...

This week's "Must Have Game" is Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction. We wrote about this game way back in June 2011 and it was even announced before Windows Phone 7 launched, making this one of the longest "in gestation" games we have seen yet. We wrote back then:

"Another Gameloft title, Conviction was announced prior to the Windows Phone launch and then disappeared off the radar. This title provides a surprisingly faithful rendition of the Splinter Cell series, with great 3D graphics and stealth game play. The Mark and Kill allows players to select multiple targets and perform instant kills on them. This is definitely a game to look forward to, but don’t be surprised if it costs $6.99 at launch."

Now the game is just $4.99 and finally will hit our phones early tomorrow morning. So is it worth it?

Yeah, actually it's pretty darn good. It's great to have this type of game finally our our phones instead of the traditional casual arcade games that we've had as of late. This is a much slower paced, cinematic style game where you take your time...murdering people. We're all for that (don't judge us!) and what we've played so far we like. The controls are pretty intuitive, the graphics are pretty snappy and it's quite a bit of fun.

Will it hold up after a few levels? Will the gameplay be challenging enough? Too early to tell and that's why we have Paul around to tell us. But so far, we're quite happy with it. Look for the game to land in the next 12-20 hours in the Marketplace for $4.99. Of course, we'll let you know when we have a link for it, so stay tuned.

Yes folks, that time is upon us, the time for some "must have" Xbox LIVE games for our phones. This week's title is Bullet Asylum a so-called "bullet hell" game of which we have had very few (see OMG though for something similar or the indie Decimation X2)

The game will be priced at a very fair $2.99 and we've been putting it through its paces the last few days--so far, we like what we see. The game has exceptional neo-retro graphics, excellent sound and music and plenty of games to choose from.

You have three main game choices available:

• Arcade - Traditional "waves" of enemies of increasing difficulty with a boss every 5th wave
• Survival - Maxed out weapons and defenses? Great, here's some maxed out enemies!
• Architect - Start off with some credits and customize your towers and defenses for a unique twist

Bullet Asylum is a lot of fun and it's quite challenging. You can use just one shooter at a time or choose to use two for more precision. We like the options for controls and the sound effects are pretty top notch, so we're giving this classic-arcade type game a thumbs up. Look for it this Wednesday for $2.99 in the Marketplace.

Don't forget next week's game is Chicken's Can't fly (2/15, $2.99), followed by Splinter Cell: Conviction (2/22, $4.99) and finally Toy Solders: Boot Camp (2/29, $2.99).

With the rise and fast fall of MetroTube in the Marketplace, SuperTube for many was and still is the best alternative. For those of you set on MetroTube though, you'll want to take a gander at the new overhauled SuperTube app called YouTube Pro, which is currently in beta. We'll be curious if that app name sticks but regardless, we're more interested in the way it looks and performs.

We've been using Beta 2 for a few days now and are quite pleased. Live Tiles for your subscriptions, push notifications, background downloading, video uploading, low quality (LQ)/high quality (HQ) and high definition (HD) playback--this app has it all.

No word on release or pricing but we don't think it'll be too much longer. So fret not, YouTube lovers, you have another alternative.

For now, you can try the current version of SuperTube which will run you a cool $1.29 in the Marketplace, or you can get the free ad-supported version here