Will the iPhone kill iPod Click Wheel gaming?

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Family, iTunes, iPod, iPod nano, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, OriginalsYes, and it’s about time we put it out of its misery. Even before the iPhone, the iPod never stood a chance as a legitimate gaming device. This saddens me somewhat, too, because I really wanted it to be. I viewed gaming on the iPod much as I do on my Macintosh, in that I didn’t buy a Mac to play games, but if there are games available, I’ll certainly play them. Unfortunately, developers just never put much thought into iPod games, and Apple didn’t seem interested in helping out. The main problem, of course, is the scroll wheel. There are very few games that can be effectively controlled with a wheel, and developers just haven’t been able to work around that. Games such as Mini Golf, Vortex and Peggle are workable, but only because of the simple control schemes that mainly involve spinning in a circle. Okay. But why is Sonic the Hedgehog on the iPod? Bomberman? Pac Man? These are big name titles, sure, but trying to control them with a click wheel is an exercise in frustration and futility that only turns gamers away from the iPod. Games for the iPhone are being developed specifically for the iPhone. Developers are excited about the touch screen and accelerometer, and are already putting them to good use. Obviously, developers didn’t have that excitement about the iPod’s click wheel. As a result, we got a mess of games with titles we recognize—Scrabble, Yahtzee, Pole Position, Pirates of the Caribberan(?!)—because that’s the only way people would buy them. Even EA, apparently recognizing no one wants to play pool on an iPod, threw their popular Sims franchise label on top of it in an effort to move some copies. They did the same with The Sims Bowling and The Sims DJ. Actually, The Sims DJ goes in a direction that more games should have, in that it puts your music collection into the game. It’s not just background music while you play; rather, the gameplay is built around your music. It’s an original concept that could only work on the iPod. The same goes for iQuiz, which creates trivia games based on your own music. This is what more developers needed to do, instead of just throwing unplayable ports of cell phone games at us. Or, someone could’ve given us an iPod game pad. I imagine if the market had been there, someone would have. I’m not a developer and know little of design, but I can’t imagine it would’ve been hard to put together a cradle in which the iPod classic and 3G nano would sit, placing a D-pad to the left of the click wheel and a few buttons to the right. The D-pad would take over the touch commands of the click wheel, and the buttons would take over the wheel and center button clicking functions. With that device, the games would be able to be played as they’re meant to, and the entire catalog would open to all iPod owners on a device combo no larger than a Nintendo DS. Of course, the problem with such a device is that Apple updates the form factor of the iPod so frequently that it would have to be a wide open design to avoid becoming obsolete within a year or two. Plus, as I mentioned at the top of the article, people aren’t buying iPods for the games. The Nintendo DS and Sony PSP have that market covered, so it’s unlikely the type of person looking to play Sonic the Hedgehog would look to do so on an iPod. And so, we’re back to game design. Developers need to put games on the iPod that work on the iPod, which is why I’m thrilled to see a company as huge as Square Enix getting into the mix with Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes. Here’s a game that not only works with the click wheel (it’s not a perfect fit, but the turn-based strategy gameplay doesn’t require quick, precise control, and is therefore more forgiving), but that takes full advantage of the your music collection; the songs on your iPod actually become ”Tune Troopers.” How cool is that...building an army based on your music. I just added this game to my collection, and can’t wait to see what type of soldiers songs such as Queen’s “Ogre Battle” and “Vultan’s Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)” give me. Or, for that matter, “Particle Man” from They Might Be Giants. So, is there hope for iPod gaming, or is this too little, too late? I fear it’s the latter, but I hope Song Summoner does well enough to convince Square Enix to embrace the iPhone and iPod touch platforms. Support from big name developers and publishers will improve public perception within the gaming community, and that can only be good for sales. After all, showing friends Vortex on the iPod never convinced anyone to run out and buy one, but Super Monkey Ball could certainly have that effect. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell review - Spore Origins for iPod

Section: Software + Apps, Games, iPod + iTunes, iTunes, iPod, iPod nano, Features, Review Genre: RPG, Strategy Format: iPod Game Developer: Maxis Mac Port: Electronic Arts System Requirements: 3G iPod nano, 5G iPod classic, 28.7MB free space Price: $4.99 It may be hard to believe, but the release date of one of the most anticipated video games in a long time is nearing. In recent months, starting with the Spore Creature Creator, we have been teased and taunted with little samples of the game, intended to keep our breath bated until the 12th of September. Now, the latest appetizer for the entree that is Spore has been released. The newest installment, titled Spore Origins, has been released for game-compatible iPods in the US. Through the 18 levels of Primordial Tide Pool goodness, EA hopes to give a taste of what the full version will present itself to be. Before I even downloaded the game, I was very excited to take a look-see at the latest Spore teaser. The second I caught wind of its release, I went straight to iTunes to get myself a copy. I subsequently installed the game on my iPod, and the excitement ended there. My first try to play the game ended in my iPod crashing at the title screen. Granted, this is just an iPod and Spore’s a formidable game, but I wasn’t expecting any crashing, let alone before the gameplay even started. After reseting my iPod, I went for another go. The second attempt ended almost as badly, with the game freezing while loading the first level. Once more, I reset my iPod and tried again. Third time was not the charm. Not knowing what else to do, I went into iTunes, removed the game from my iPod, re-downloaded it, and re-installed it. That seemed to have done the trick, as I was up and running after that. All things ran smoothly until the end of the 17 level. While loading the 18th and final level, the game again froze. I thought that it was just my luck, but it turns out many initial downloaders experienced similar issues.  As for gameplay, I didn’t expect much, and that’s what I got. Initially, there are no predators, and you are free to pig out in the first level of the primordial soup. After five levels of play, you are offered a chance to upgrade your “Spore.” Upgrades range from coloring to body shape to body parts, the latter of which provides you with everything from mouths and tails to shells and flippers. Within each category of body part (Perception, Offensive, Defensive and Movement), there are three levels, each with more benefit then the last.  The 18 levels get progressively harder, but none of them impossibly so. They also get very repetitive, with the only changes coming from the upgrades obtained every 5 levels and the increasing difficulty from stronger foes. The levels took me around 2-5 minutes each to beat, and I got to the 17th level (before it froze) in around 45 minutes of straight playing. If you can overlook the critical freezing and crashing, this game isn’t much in the way of entertainment, as it gets quite boring and makes your hand hurt like crazy. Unless you are a crazed Spore fan like me who can’t stand waiting for another two weeks for the actual game, I wouldn’t suggest spending your money on Spore Origins, but rather a worthwhile iPod game such as Monopoly or Mini Golf, both of which haven’t gotten old after extensive play. Or, if you’re feeling quite miserly, you could just stick to Vortex, which its quite the game given its free nature. For those of you who roll with a different mobile device, the game is planned for its iPhone, iPod touch, Nintendo DS and other platform release on September 7th. Appletell Rating: See other iPod game reviews. Buy Spore Origins Full Story » | Written by Mark Rowland for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - September 15, 2008

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod Accessories, Cases, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, SoftwareMacintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for September 15, 2008: CardScan, a leading provider of contact management systems, today announced the availability of CardScan Executive for Mac, comprising a contact management software and business card scanner. CardScan for Mac software features automatic synchronization to Address Book, allowing users to keep data the same across devices and applications. The company also announced that all CardScan Executive Version 8 systems will include software for both Windows and Mac. The assignment is daunting. The “thinnest” and “funnest” iPods ever created. But the challenges are nothing new to the designers at Speck Product’s innovation lab in Palo Alto, California. Fast on the heels of last week’s new iPod announcement, the team is fiercely on task delivering fresh designs for the arrival of at least five new iPod cases between now and the upcoming holiday season. Just days after the official release of the new iPod touch and iPod nano, MacCover offers the matching protection covers on their site. The covers are made in 3mm thick, shock absorbing felt in 9 colours, and are made to fit the new models exactly. There is also a D-ring attached for keys or personal gadgets. 21 Pro: Blackjack is the ideal blackjack game for every player, novice and expert alike. With life-like high-resolution graphics and authentic game play, 21 Pro provides a genuine casino experience. If you have never played or have been intimidated by sitting at a blackjack table, this is the perfect game to learn how to play. If you are an experienced player, and want to take your game to the next level, the 21 Pro’s card counting will help you fine tune your skills. Marware has announced its latest leather holster case for the Apple iPod touch 2G, the C.E.O. Premiere. The classic design offers textured, perforated leather, an ultra-slim belt clip and elegant contrast stitching. Providing a sleek, upscale look, the C.E.O. Premiere is a stylish premium hip case that works with both the new iPod touch 2G and the original touch. They’ve also announced the new executive flip-top leather case, the C.E.O. Flip Vue for the new iPod touch 2G. Designed to provide the perfect balance between all-around protection and easy access, the C.E.O. Flip Vue is a sleek, elegant holster case. The C.E.O. Flip Vue allows for all iPod touch functionality while providing elegant leather protection. And because two announcements in one day just isn’t enough, they’ve also released the C.E.O. Sleeve for the Apple iPod touch 2G. The C.E.O. Sleeve is a slim, attractive Nappa leather sleeve that combines elegant protection and quick access to the new iPod touch. This case is uniquely designed to appeal to the more discriminating, style-conscious wearer. The C.E.O Sleeve is a premium holster sleeve that works with the new iPod touch 2G and the original touch. Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion for its award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will arrive in stores on November 13 in North America, Europe, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Russia, and November 14 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The expansion will be available in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 18. Details regarding the launch of Wrath of the Lich King in mainland China will be announced at a later date. Plyxim, LLC. has announced the release of Exibia 1.3, their broadcast scheduling application for Mac OS X. Exibia allows clients in a multi-user, multi-platform environment to upload and schedule QuickTime-compatible videos to a centrally-located server. Media Atelier has released GrandTotal 1.0, its invoicing application for the Mac OS X Leopard platform. GrandTotal is ideal for freelancers, small- to mid-sized companies, and any organization that needs to generate personalized, invoices, estimates and account statements. GrandTotal sports an easy to use, sophisticated interface that will have you up and running in minutes. A wide range of word processing and layout tools makes creating handsome, customizable documents simple and quick. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Review: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game

From its visually stunning beginning to its emotionally wrenching ending, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a surprisingly deep, rich, and unique approach to the first-person shooter.

Appletell review - Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab for iPhone/iPod touch

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Features, ReviewGenre: Arcade Developer: Freeverse File Size: 5.6MB Version Reviewed: 1.1 Requirements: iPhone 2.0 software Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch Age Rating: 4+ Price $2.99 I don’t pretend to know much about the inner workings of Freeverse, but I can say this; they like their labs puzzling, and their monkeys burning. Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab came out for the Macintosh back in 2000, and it was pretty good. Although it featured various single player games (most notable of which was “Zen” mode, in which the tone settled down and the blocks never sped up), it really shined in multiplayer versus mode. Here, it was no longer enough to just align the descending balls; you needed to line then up in a certain way so you could send “bad” balls to your opponent. The games were more intense, more fun, and (thank heavens) shorter. It’s not at all surprising, then, that Freeverse selected Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab (BMPL) as one of their first Mac to iPhone ports. The iPhone screen orientation is perfect for falling blocks and balls and what have you, and the graphics are well suited to the iPhone’s capabilities. It’s just a great match. And yet, BMPL for the iPhone/iPod touch left me wanting. This dissatisfaction stems almost entirely from the lack of multiplayer. There is a versus mode included, but it’s you against a monkey. And not even your monkey; a computer monkey. And not even your computer monkey, the iPhone’s computer monkey. Now, obviously, two people playing BMPL on the same phone would lead to fights (and arrests in some areas of the south). However, the ability to do it over WiFi or the 3G network would kill. I can’t say how difficult it would be to set that up with Apple’s iPhone SDK, so it’s quite possible such a feature simply wouldn’t be worth the programming time. Still, that doesn’t mean I’m not saddened by the loss of multiplayer here. That aside, BMPL for the iPhone is a faithful adaptation of the Mac version. Five modes are included here: Color Reaction – Match colored balls by placing them next to each other Hex Bonding – Assemble rows of falling pieces (ala Tetris) Test Tube – Rotate balls in-line to create matches Mission Mode – Mixing all modes, with a new goal presented at each level Zen Mode – Calming graphics, music and gameplay...and haikus! Different modes will appeal to different gamers. My wife, who’s an ace with Tetris, prefers Hex Bonding. I tend to do better matching colors than aligning funky shapes into rows, so I have more fun with Color Reaction. When we feel like exercising our brain without inducing stress, we both go for Zen Mode. The different modes add some life to the game, ensuring you won’t get bored with BMPL as quickly as you would with a simple Tetris clone. No matter which mode you play, you will be asked to deal with over 15 various power-ups and the “bad” blocks that aren’t disposed of easily. These will quickly clog up your tube and force you to alter your constantly strategy if you want to survive. Sometimes, luck is the only way past them. You’ve just got to get the right power-up or pattern at the right time. Now, we also have to talk about the controls. To place your blocks, you simply slide your finger across the iPhone/iPod touch’s screen. The falling balls slide with you, and a shadow at the bottom of the playfield indicates where they’ll be landing. This is no problem. Spinning the balls can be, though. To do this, you touch in area surrounding the falling pattern. No worries, until things really start to speed up. Quite often, I accidentally made the balls fall or slide when I wanted them to spin. In a frantic game like this, control is key, and you hate to see a strong session ruined because your proximity tapping is off just a little bit (and one mistake can quickly lead to doom). I can’t offer a better control method than what Freeverse provided, but the only option available will prove frustrating to many players. The game sure looks great, though. It’s as colorful as ever, and cleaner than the Mac version. A wide variety of ball styles and backgrounds give the game “pop” and keep it looking fresh. It’s fun to look at it, and that helps make the game fun to play. Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab is only $2.99. You’ll get more than $2.99’s worth of satisfaction out of the game. Still, I have to drop it a rating point because of the lack of human to human multiplayer in versus mode (you can’t even share your high scores online) and because the controls can be frustrating. I instead suggest you pick up Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab for your Mac, and look elsewhere for your Freeverse iPhone fun. Appletell Rating: Purchase Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

In defense of iPod gaming

Christopher Breen had some harsh words about the state of gaming on the iPod. Peter Cohen responds, pointing out the interesting titles on the iPod and how iPod game development is paving the way for iPhone-based games.