Caster, the intense fast-paced 3^rd person shooter available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Apple iPhone™ and Apple iPod touch® is now available on the Apple iPad with stunning upgraded high-resolution graphics!

In Caster, you start off as a rookie Caster and progress through a variety of missions in an attempt to free your homeland from an infestation of bug like creatures known as the Flanx.  As you progress through the game, you learn 6 unique attacks that include massive terrain deformation and eventually allow for total domination of your enemies.  You also earn experience points that let you not only improve the power of your attacks, but upgrade your abilities to eventually jump hundreds of feet into the air and run on top of water!  Caster is an episodic game and this release contains the first two episodes.  Future episodes are provided free to anyone who purchases the game.

Be sure to check out www.casterthegame.com to see the game trailer and download demos for the desktop platforms.

Caster HD is available from the App Store here.

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Having been exiled many years ago by his unhappy subjects, the wily king CubeHead has returned and seeks to recover his throne. Your task is to help the Cubies fight back and protect the kingdom before it is too late! Beware though, as protecting the kingdom is not as easy as you might think: Not only do you play against the clock; you also have a limited amount of energy available to succeed.

Says developer Claudio Pinto: “We are thrilled and excited to learn that our second game for the Apple iPhone™ is also being featured on the App Store, as was our first game WackyLands Green last year. With the help of Indie Developer Consulting we have experienced a very successful launch since the game was released”.

Says Thomas, PR Executive from Indie Developer Consulting: “The quality of CubeHead from Fair Play Labs speaks for itself. The successful launch is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment from the developer. It comes as no surprise to us that CubeHead, as well as Wackylands Green by the same team have both received special recognition and are both highly successful”.

CubeHead is available from the App Store here.

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About Fair Play Labs:

Fair Play Labs is an independent game development studio based out of Costa Rica, a beautiful and peaceful country known for its efforts in nature conservation and restoration. The company offers experience in all areas of game development including licensed and original intellectual property, and provides outsourcing services for the digital interactive entertainment and edutainment industries.

Moving swiftly on from Return to Ostagar (which was one of the biggest disappointments to come out of the BioWare HQ in my honest opinion), Awakening is a brand new campaign with 5 new party members, new level cap, abilities, items and a storyline deserving of the Dragon Age title.

So let’s quickly go over what is new; 6 new specializations for you and your party. That’s 2 new for each class. Mages get up to 24 new spells including 2 new high level spell chains and a choice of 2 new specializations. If you prefer to play as a Rogue or Warrior you haven’t been forgotten about, you are treated to a total of 32 new talents! Oh and don’t forget the 3 new skills available; Runecrafting, Vitality and Clarity. There are 5 new characters to pick your party from in Awakening and the return of my favourite Origins character; Oghren. That’s right Oghren is back to amuse you with his stories of drinking, whoring and general debauchery… but this time you get to make him a Grey Warden.

Yes you heard me correct, this time round it is up to you to rebuild the Grey Wardens in Ferelden. Every party member you recruit is able to be recruited into the order, and it is up to you to make the decision as to whether or not they are permitted to undergo the joining ritual. Cool huh? You have your very own army of Grey Wardens at your side, but that’s not all. You also have your very own Keep, Vigils Keep, Vassals and everything else that comes with being Arl of Amaranthine. But with this comes great responsibility.

Upon starting the game you can choose to either import your Origins character (minus DLC & Origins specific loot) or start a fresh as an Orlesian Grey Warden sent from afar to take command of Vigils Keep as the Warden Commander. As you approach the Keep it is quite clear something is wrong and of course it is. The Keep has been overrun by Darkspawn and you need clear them out and secure it as quickly as possibly with the aid of Mhairi, Anders (an apostate mage) and Oghren. With the keep secured it becomes yours. But there is work to be done. You need to rebuild the Keep and strengthen its defences, rebuild the Grey Warden order in Ferelden since so many fell during the attack on the Keep, and you will also need to deal with the day to day runnings of Amaranthine. All whilst trying to figure out what sparked such an attack… and learn the mystery behind the Darkspawn commander who had learnt the art of speech, until you ran him through of course.

Along your journey you will meet and recruit Nathaniel Howe a rogue and the son of Arl Rendon Howe (if you played through Origins, this name will make your blood boil), Justice the spirit warrior from the Fade, Sigrun a dwarven scout from the Legion of Dead and Velanna an elven mage of rather unknown and questionable origin. Along with Anders and Oghren you have your new Grey Warden army. Each of them has side quests and stories to uncover when you have befriended them enough because making a return is the reputation system and also the gifting system. Specific gifts can either affect your reputation with a character or can trigger a cut scene or beginning of a new side quest. Choose who you give these gifts too carefully, once you have given it, you can’t take it back.

In Awakening there are plenty of new places to explore. Amaranthine; Rendon Howe’s previous property estate. Blackmarsh a former bustling village abandoned into a gloomy, desolate marsh. Kal’Hirol: The dwarven fortress long known as a center of learning for the smith caste. Knotwood Hills: An area of inhospitable and barren hills to the west of Amaranthine. The Wending Woods: A forest area divided by Pilgrim’s Path, leading to Amaranthine. Dragon Bone Wastes: Wasteland where dragons go to die and the Tevinter Imperium attempts to harvest greater power from their remains. Each and every area is as clean, polished and detailed as those belonging to Origins. From the torn Veil in Blackmarsh to the deep caverns of Kal’Hirol you will feel completely drawn into the detail around you.

Something missing in Awakening is the romancing of your party members. However I don’t see this as a down fall. BioWare have instead spent their time working on ensuring the storyline, character backgrounds and quests all fit perfectly and run smoothly alongside each other.

For my closing comments I think I need to make it clear that fans of Origins will not be disappointed and this expansion will give you more of what it is we all loved about the first one. The storyline is EPIC (as well as the final battle!), the choices you make whilst running Amaranthine really do matter and affect the game, the combat is clean, precise and as detailed as the original and the character system is again as deep and complex as Origins.

Bravo BioWare, you almost lost me with Return to Ostagar but with Awakening it is safe to say I am 100% back on board.

9 / 10

Graphics: The bar was set so high in Origins and yet Awakening hits it and doesn’t falter.

Gameplay: Fun and interesting new characters to bond with and an incredible final 2 hour finale.

Sound: I loved the haunting soundtrack in Origins and Awakening hits the same cords as before. New voice actors are as compelling as ever.

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An advanced lighting system delivers instant response and reaction as the game happens. Imagine your room lit with over 16 million colors that sync with your games through the multiple hi intensity RGB LEDs. You’re no longer in front of the action – you’re in the middle of it!   Simply plug the system into one of your PCs USB ports and your PC will take care of the rest.

Features:
Wall washer light with controller unit
The wall behind the PC set-up can be flooded with light according to pre-scripted amBX instructions. It is also the central controller unit to which all other components connect.

• high power RGB LEDs
• over 16 million additive RGB colors
• instant response and continuously variable intensity

Left & Right Lights
The color and intensity will change in reaction to events on-screen creating mood and capturing emotion. amBX-enabled lighting helps to bring the game experience out of the screen into the whole room.

• low power RGB LEDs
• over 16 million additive RGB colors
• instant response and continuously variable intensity

Configure
An easy-to-use configuration manager enables a stress free set up. Simply indicate where you’ve placed the products around your room and the configuration manager will set the perfect level for each product.

Customize
The more adventurous can customize the settings to create a bespoke system. Tune and balance light to your specific needs to create the optimum experience for any room.
Create
Be bold and create your own lighting creations with a palette of over 16 million colors. Create unique lighting designs that suit your mood or entertainment. Combine your lighting choice with music and you have your very own light show in the privacy of your own home.

You can find a list of compatible PC Games here.

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A short but sweet taster for you:

The first time I ever really thought about the ‘7 deadly sins’ was watching Seven (Se7en) starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. It was one of those films that started my love affair with the thriller and horror genres of the film industry. But today I am not writing about the film industry, but a new development for Xbox Live called Party of Sin.

It has to be said, PoS looks incredibly quirky. Not only was my immediate feeling one of intrigue but I immediately sensed a detailed and somewhat retro feel behind this new development. And this probably has something to do with the team working on it.

To read the full preview and leave your feedback head over to XboxLiveAddicts.

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Thanks to all 45 of you that entered the giveaway. It was great to see so many new faces and new friends to the Electronic Farmyard. We have picked a winner at random and are pleased to announce @ianthesunlover (Twitter user) is the lucky winner.

Ian – an email is on its way to you with instructions on how to claim your prize.

Thanks again to everyone that entered. Keep your eyes peeled for the next giveaway coming soon!

The world famous H1 Longitude Sea Clock is possibly the most important timepiece ever created. Nearly 300 years ago it was the beginning of John Harrison’s quest to create a timekeeper accurate enough to determine longitude at sea. The H1 Longitude Sea Clock still exists to this day, thanks to Rupert Gould’s and Jonathan Betts’ dedication in restoring and maintaining it. It is the property of the Ministry of Defence Art Collection in London, and is on extended loan to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich where it can be viewed in the Time and Longitude Gallery at the Royal Observatory.

Developer Tech Center Labs has been granted the exclusive and honored opportunity of bringing this marvelous creation to life on the Apple iPhone™ and Apple iPod touch®.

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John Harrison’s first marine timekeeper (known today as H1) is the first experimental sea clock made by Harrison, to enable navigators to find longitude at sea and is one of the great milestones in clock-making history. The dials on H1 are different from ordinary clocks. The seconds hand (top) is double-ended and can be read from either end. It goes round the dial once in 2 minutes (30 seconds have passed when the hand moves from vertical to horizontal). The minute hand (left) is also double-ended and goes round its dial once in 2 hours. The hour hand (right) is also double-handed and goes round the dial once in 24 hours. The bottom dial shows the day of the month and goes round once every 31 days, straight up is the 16th.

H1 Longitude Sea Clock is available from the App Store here.

Additional information can be found here;

www.italentproductions.com

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=ZAA0034

A generous donator has provided us with 1 Blur BETA code. This is the beta for the Xbox 360 version of Blur and will feature 20-player multiplayer, 50 vehicles and a small taste of the tRacks and modes that will be featured.

Nice and simple to enter: Tweeet to win!

Make sure you are following @electronicfarm and simply tweet the following message:

The Electronic Farmyard must love me! I could win a Xbox 360 Blur BETA code @ www.electronicfarmyard.com (Via @electronicfarm)

Once you have tweeted out the above message just post here with your Twitter name. Simple huh?

Winner will be picked on Thursday at 9pm GMT+O

Good luck guys.

What is Tropico and what am I supposed to do in the game? Well take a seat over there in the sun, grab a piña colada and relax whilst I tell you. Wait it looks like a tropical storm is brewing, quick back to the hotel!

You can rule by fear and then lording your power over the citizens of Tropico and assassinating rebels and opposing faction leaders. Or you can be a peaceful leader looking out for his people and bringing economic prosperity to your tropical paradise through industry and/or tourism.

Despite what seems like a fantasy mix for a city-building game Tropico 3 does suffer from stormy weather. The game itself is a good example of a build-‘em-up. You are required to build places of work for your citizens and then places for them to live. Moving up from there you need public amenities and welfare buildings. Next you can start exporting goods for cash and then building more, maybe even dabbling in the tourist Industry. During all of this you need to balance a delicate relationship with both the local factions and two might super powers; the USSR and the USA.

This review was written by Kris for Xboxliveaddicts <— Full Review

Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000

Nice hey? Well there are further pictures at the bottom of this post. We have one of these brand new, still boxed and never opened to giveaway to one of you guys. Generous aren’t we?

Technical Details

I know, I know. It’s a great little present from us to you… but you have to work for it.

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on this great Bluetooth mouse you can enter in one of the following 2 ways;

1) Tweeet to win!

Do you use Twitter? If so make sure you are following @electronicfarm and simply tweet the following message:

The Electronic Farmyard must love me! I could win a MS Bluetooth Notebook Mouse @ www.electronicfarmyard.com (Via @electronicfarm)

Once you have tweeted out the above message just post here with your Twitter name. Simple huh?

2) Update your status to win!

Don’t use Twitter? What about facebook? If you want to be in with a chance of winning this mouse simply use the ‘Share’ button at the top of this page to share the competition with your friends.

Share like this...

Once you have done this, make sure you are a fan of The Electronic Farmyard on Facebook here. In total that is no more than 4 mouse clicks. Not bad huh? But one last thing… just post below and let us know this has been done and a link to your profile! (It’s not that we don’t trust you…)

So there we go. Nice and simple for you all. Get Tweeting and/or status updating. Terms and Conditions are below the following pictures. Entries close on Friday 26th March at 23.59 GMT+0. The winner will be picked at randon on Saturday 27th March

Good luck everyone!

Kris

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Competition Terms & Conditions:

• Winners will be notified by Email. Please provide a valid email address when responding. We will not email you for any other reason, or pass your details on to third parties.
• Entrants must be UK Citizens. This includes Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• The Electronic Farmyard reserves the right to disqualify any person from the competition at their own discretion.
• No changes will be made to the prizes specified. There is no cash alternative.
• If the winner cannot be contacted by email within two weeks, then the prize will be re-allocated.
• The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• By entering any competition you are confirming you have read, understood, agree with and accept all above stated rules.

Developer: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH
Genre: Sports & Recreation
Game Rating: Unrated
Players: 1-4
Co-op: 1-4
Content Downloads
Leaderboards

There has been a battle raging since before Christmas on the greatest football pitches of the UK, Europe and rest of the World. It has seen some of the biggest names in football playing for both sides battling it out to be crowned king of the pitch. I am of course talking about FIFA vs. Pro Evolution Soccer.

PES 2010’s interface is a vast improvement over many of its previous titles. We have said goodbye to the unfriendly menus and said hello much simpler and easier to use. PES 2010 does still have a fantastically edgy feel about it however that makes the game seem just as exciting off the pitch as it does on the pitch.

Konami have done some excellent work with the player likenesses in PES 2010. The vast majority of players are instantly recognizable. Player animations are improved and so have the visuals..

The game play can seem slow at times but still remains quite frantic and feels forced compared to FIFA’s. Passing the ball in the game is simple and effective to control, giving rise to a greater range of possibilities while on the pitch, cross-field passes are slick and long-range through-balls are simply achieved. PES encourages you to experiment moving closer to a simulation experience that incorporates the quick fix value of previous series entries. Player movement however doesn’t feel as free and unrestricted as it does in FIFA. FIFA provides a more fluid control and sense of ownership when dashing up and down the pitch. PES misses out on this and it can feel at times like you are controlling a wooden doll.

This review was written by Kris and can be viewed in full over at Xboxliveaddicts.

It gives you a warm feeling to play something that reminds you of the good old days of gaming. No overly long, overly complicated plot line, just a simple straight forward game to get your teeth stuck into. And that’s how I felt after playing MetalMorphosis earlier this week.

MetalMorphosis comes to use from Cash Curtis and is a fresh shooter from an Independent developer. Twisting the shooter style and placing it on its head, MetalMorphosis is a third person shooter that will keep you engaged long enough to enjoy and complete this game.

The game starts by explaining there is something wrong on the Alpha Centauri base. It seems like a disaster has struck, but there are no details available to you. Your job is simple… you go in and assess the situation and find out what happened.

During the course of the game you get to control a variety of characters each with their own specialization and abilities. This will be a saving grace later on down the line when you need those abilities to over come specific enemies or dealing with obstacles that stand in your way. You switch between any of these characters and it is quick, easy and painless to do so. As soon as you have switched, the A.I kicks in and takes over control to fight alongside you.

There are some well presented environmental features to game including destructible map items like barrels and crates. But be careful if you happen to be hiding behind one… the enemy will also use the environment to their advantage.

The game comes across quite well as being accessible to all level of players with enough options and difficulty increase to even challenge the more hardcore players out there.

MetalMorphosis includes elements of space exploration and real-time strategy. We have been promised weaponry that includes rocket launchers, tasers, grenades, rifles and assault rifles to dish out the pain. On top of that you will unveil new locations as you progress through the game and you will be able to upgrade your spacecraft with new features.

The Electronic Farmyard can not wait to get our hands on the full release and are excited to see another fantastic upcoming game from Mr Curtis and his proprietary game engine that was developed from scratch!

You can check out the demo and find information on other Cash Curtis releases at www.cashcurtis.com.

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… Now that sounded weird right? Yeah, I don’t think I will ever be able to pull off the ‘American News Reader’ act. But anyway we do have another round up sorted for you and today we see Hell on Earth, GoDVD app hits App Store and we hookup with some hotties. So grab a cup of tea, put your feet up and read on.

More Hell On Earth In Updated Version Of HellKid

Escaping From Hell Has Never Been Harder – Or More Fun!

JUSTNINE has just unleashed more hell on earth with an updated version of their popular game, HellKid, for Apple iPhone™ and Apple iPod touch®, and on popular demand the developer has also made available a FREE version of the game.

To the uninformed, HellKid features Devi the devil, a little red-hot monster from hell determined to become human because of his fascination and interest in humanity (good grief!). On the surface, HellKid is a conventional 2D side-scrolling platform game where your objective is to collect enough human souls to escape from hell, but HellKid also includes a lot of added twists and features. The updated version of HellKid (v1.1.0) now available from the App Store features among other additions a brand new and hellishly hard mode called the “Valley Of Bones” – a mode that only becomes unlocked if you have successfully collected 40,000 blue souls elsewhere in the game. If the name itself is not enough to scare the heck out of you, perhaps its complexity is! To escape the “Valley Of Bones” Devi must overcome his hardest challenge yet as it’s impossible to complete this part of the game without extensive use of his hook because the mode has zero to none ground-level! The updated version also adds the option to play a new character, Astaroth, who becomes unlocked if you successfully collect 20,000 or more golden souls. Other new features in the updated version include the ability to compare your brilliant score against your friends score on Facebook.

The FREE version of HellKid is available from the App Store here, The Updated (v1.1.0) version of HellKid is available from the App Store here.

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GoDVD Offers Immediate And Instant Access To Movie Information

“Do you remember that movie called … you know … the one with what’s-her-name in the lead role? … Surely you remember? It’s the classic we just discussed the other day, which I am sure was released in the 90s … I think”

Sounds familiar? It should. We have all tried it. Whether you are at a party with a bunch of friends, stuck on a bus, impatiently looking for the train, or sitting at the terminal waiting for the plane to depart, discussing movies is always fun and interesting. iMania LLC, a company dedicated to developing useful and entertaining Apple iPhone™ software recently released the new GoDVD app. With this app at your fingertips you have instant access to search and browse information about DVD and Blu-Ray movies, provide links directly to friends, relatives and family, and if your mind is made up, purchase the movie directly from your phone! With GoDVD at your disposal you no longer come up short when it comes to remembering or retrieving all the facts about the latest blockbuster release or the black and white classic your grandparents encouraged you to watch.

GoDVD features a pleasant, simple, and intuitive user interface that is accessible to anyone and everyone as the app is free-of-charge! GoDVD is the first in a series of “Go” apps from iMamia LLC, established independent developer with previous releases on Apple iPhone™ including Coach Nagger, Doggee Talk and Boss Nagger.

GoDVD is available (FREE) from the App Store here. Additional information about GoDVD can be found by visiting: www.imaniaapps.com

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Car Control by HandyGames^TM heads full throttle into the App Store!

Let Car Control enchant you with its 1950s charm! With its latest freemium title, HandyGames™, the leading German publisher of mobile games, brings the Rock’n'Roll and lifestyle of the fifties to your iPhone and iPod touch. Traffic chaos will ensue all over the city unless you take action. Cars of different color have to reach their designated targets by using a complex street network. In order to guide them there, you have to switch road junctions to the correct position. It’s the only way to avoid crashes, to clear traffic jams and to make sure that everyone has a save trip. The faster you guide all cars to the exits – and the fewer errors you make – the more points you will receive at the end of the level.

You will need organizing skills and quick fingers to sort through the traffic havoc! No matter what your playing field looks like – the beach, the mountains or the snowiest winter – nerve-racking hecticness is bound to occur. Prove your skills and use the online high score to compete against the best players from all around the world!
Features:

• Up to 42 levels with tricky tasks
• Avoid crashes and traffic jams while guiding cars to the right exit
• Experience the colorful world and music of the fifties
• 3 different scenarios
• Prove your organizing skills and dexterity on your way to the high score
• Comprehensive local and international high score list
• Create different profiles for you and your friends
• Intuitive gesture controls

Car Control is now available on the App Store here. Why not follow Handy Games on Twitter!

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Do You Want to Tap Hotties?

Furries and Geezers and Fatties! Oh, my! Defend hotties from a motley crew of nerds while making love connections. Hottie Hookups is a whole new kind of time management game for the iPhone & iPod touch created by the designer and programmer behind the #1 iPhone game Sally’s Spa. Download Hottie Hookups from the App Store today, here.

Developed by Blue Unit Studios and published by BigStack Studios, Hottie Hookups is the best way to tap hotties on the iPhone & iPod touch. Draw lines to connect hotties dancing on a variety of trendy dance floors. Once you’ve hooked up the hotties, defend them from a variety of nerds by flicking, tilting, or shaking them off. After the hotties have had enough time to groove together, send them away in a taxi to continue the party!

“Building on our time management experience by incorporating elements into Hottie Hookups from other genres such as line drawing and castle defense was not only challenging, it was a lot of fun as well,” said Craig Rushforth, lead programmer for Blue Unit Studios.

“Hottie Hookups is our take on dating, and combines multiple gameplay elements together with a funny, non-politically correct theme,” said Dan Kratt, lead designer for Blue Unit Studios.

“Hottie Hookups represents a milestone for us as we continue experimenting with unique styles of gameplay and creative concepts,” said Jon Lam, founder and CEO of BigStack Studios. “We’re confident that iPhone and iPod touch users will enjoy Hottie Hookups for its original humor and engaging gameplay.”

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Fly Kiwi, Fly!

Hungry Game is proud to announce the official release of Fly Kiwi, Fly! for iPhone/iPod Touch. It’s a game about a cute kiwi (New Zealand’s wingless bird) that encourages itself into a great adventure: to fly around the world!

The game is graphically beautiful and its controls were designed especially for the iPhone/iPod Touch: the player has to tilt the device in order to make the kiwi do awesome stunts or keep its flight momentum, make money and upgrade its equipment buying gliders, rockets and all sort of incredible items. Starting in New Zealand the journey will take him through beautiful landscapes all the way to the USA.

The goal is to reach the ultimate flying machine: a marvelous spaceship!

It’s already available on the App Store here.

Social Networking Site FreeAppAday.com – Top of the App Store Rankings

Social networking sIte FreeAppAday.com had another impressive weekend, with 3 FreeAppADay (FAAD) promoted apps simultaneously reaching the App Store top 20. The promoted applications included #3 FaceFighter, #9 Tiki Totems and #13 4×4 jam. As an indicator of the success of the site 4×4 jam for instance received well over 170,000 downloads during its single day promotion this past Saturday.

The website also announces that its single day visitor mark was broken this past Sunday, passing for the first time the 60,000 visitors barriers. FreeAppAday.com acts as a catalyst for iPhone applications viral downloads by combining downloads from its user base with the viral marketing provided by its twitter base as well as the multiple iPhone sites directly linked the site’s RSS feed.

“We are really please with our tremendous results” said Joe Bayen, CEO at ICS Mobile and Founder of FreeAppADay.com” We have accomplished our dual mission faster than expected not only do we provide visibility to our developer partners but we also help them generate more revenue following their FAAD campaigns. Our community is also rewarded with free applications daily making the solution a win-win for all parties involved”

The Game Trail Shows the Way to the Best iPhone Games

The Game Trail, a brand new solution designed to show off the greatest iPhone and iPod Touch games on the App Store, was released today by Swedish mobile developer Fabrication Games. The Game Trail is the first ever app discovery system to allow iPhone and iPod Touch owners to watch video of games in action before they buy rather than having to make decisions on a text description and still images. Games are the most in-demand content on the App Store right now, both in terms of sales volume and revenues. The latest data suggest that there are over 24,000 games available in the App Store with new games added each day. Games represent 16% of the roughly 150,000 apps that are currently available; the second largest category of apps after books. Choice typically benefits the consumer but this huge volume clearly poses a problem for both developers selling their work and individual buyers when it comes to finding the best games for them.

Game shoppers already depend on independent review scores from a host of specialist web sites alongside recommendations on the App Store, but only a handful of these sites are available to browse in an app format on the iPhone or iPod Touch, where the vast majority of app purchases are made. Review scores are an invaluable guide, but they are subjective opinion and can only describe the gameplay. The only way to get a full sense of the game is to see it in action.

The Game Trail is the first recommendation app of its kind and the only one focused exclusively on consumers looking for games. The app employs a proprietary algorithm to rank games according to review scores from multiple independent sources as well as the app’s userbase. The Game Trail’s interface combines this ranking system with a selection of gameplay trailers and video reviews that give gamers the full picture and provide them with the ultimate utility for discovering the best new games suited to their tastes.

The Game Trail will give app shoppers the confidence to make purchases and avoid buyer’s regret with the convenience of:

• Game trailers and video reviews in-app for hundreds of the best iPhone games
• Direct links to purchase the game from the App Store
• Fresh content added every day
• Independent ranking of content from respected sources and customer reviews
• Helpful game lists including: New, Featured, Top 250, and Genre as well as Search and App Submit features
• Highly accessible: The Game Trail is at your fingertips via iPhone, Facebook and website

“The App Store has created a tremendous opportunity to expand mobile gaming and empower developers, but the sheer amount of content available has become an impediment to discovery,” said Tommy Palm, president of Fabrication Games. “We know that gamers rely on video trailers and unbiased reviews for their purchasing decisions and we have created The Game Trail to be a guide to the best games the iPhone has to offer.”
Available now for free on the iTunes App Store, you can download The Game Trail here.
You can also access The Game Trail online at this link or via Facebook here.

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The Crystal Maze Launches on iPhone & iPod Touch

The Daddy of all TV Game Shows Returns! START THE FANS PLEASE!! The iconic Richard OBrien returns with his leopard-print coat, magnetic charisma and hilarious anecdotes to be your guide through the four zones of cult 1990s game show The Crystal Maze.

Developed by BAFTA award-winning studio Dynamo Games, The Crystal Maze captures the show perfectly. With classic mid-zone animations, appearances from Richard O Brien and Mumsie, the official soundtrack this is a fitting tribute to an iconic series. Better yet, the game also features a free 16-sample soundboard chock-full of your favourite series sound-bites, Richard O Brien quotable and even some of his famous harmonica solos.

TWO MINUTES TEAM!! Relive the classic TV game show as you take on the challenges of the Medieval, Futuristic, Aztec and Industrial zones, full to the brim with devious puzzles and obstacles. The Crystal maze comes complete with two challenging game modes. The first is TV Show Campaign, which tasks players with the full Crystal Maze challenge with lock-ins, meeting Mumsie, collecting crystals and trying to beat the final test of the Crystal Dome itself. Challenge Mode lets players take on any completed challenges to compete for the highest score via Open Feint leaderboard connectivity. With a wide range of free expansion packs in development for future release, The Crystal Maze boasts generous replay value and a high nostalgia factor.

GAME FEATURES

• 4 Challenging games from the original zones: Medieval, Futuristic, Aztec and Industrial
• The final Crystal Dome challenge
• Richard O’Brien as your enigmatic host
• Mumsie!
• TV Show Mode & Challenge Mode
• The original Crystal Maze Theme tune
• 3D Zone Videos, just like from the TV Show!
• Add-on game update packs after initial release
• The game also comes with a FREE Crystal Maze soundboard with 16 classic quotes and sounds from the TV show!
• OpenFeint technology for online high scores to challenge your friends

Brian McNicoll at Dynamo Games said:, The Crystal Maze is one of those rare institutions that really defines television in the 90s. Working closely with the creators of the show, we have worked hard to really capture the feeling of the series to provide the best in fan service. We look forward to expanding on the game with a strong line up of expansion packs in the near future.

The Crystal Maze is available to download for both iPhone and iPod Touch devices via App Store, priced 1.79. Free expansion packs with new challenges will follow so keep an eye on iTunes for updates.

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Major free update for Crazy Hamster on iPhone

Gamelion ( http://www.game-lion.com ) is pleased to announce a major free update of the best-selling kids/adventure game “Crazy Hamster” for iPhone and iPod touch.

Crazy Hamster is an addictive casual game where the player’s task is to help a hungry hamster to pass through different levels full of traps and obstacles. The hamster is just running and unstoppable, the only way to save him from certain death/peril is to use a limited selection of tools to neutralize the traps on his way. The free update, available now on Apple App Store, features a completely new island, new levels, new tools, features and OpenFeint support with high scores and achievements. Crazy Hamster has been featured by Apple in “new and noteworthy” and reached the Top 10 and Top 20 in several countries (including US, UK, Canada and Germany) in the categories kids and adventures.

Crazy Hamster is available for only $0.99 from App Store on iPhone and iPod touch. More information, screenshots and videos are available at www.game-lion.com/hamster.html

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iPhone Game – Annihilation Undead, Free soundtrack download

The gritty soundtrack to the brutal iPhone shooter Annihilation Undead, has been released as a free download for any fans of the game, as well as any fans of good music.

It is comprised of several tracks by renowned rock band Battle Circus, as well as dark electronic songs by underground industrial act Neurotyk. It can be obtained by visiting the developer’s blog at http://annihilation-undead.blogspot.com/ – links to the mp3 files, as well as a zip of the entire soundtrack, are available there.

Annihilation Undead is a gory twin-stick shooter for iPhone and iPod Touch. To find out more about the game, and purchase it, visit it’s iTunes store page.

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Sqramble launched for iPhone and iPod Touch

PuzzleKings is delighted to announce a unique contest to celebrate the launch of its new game Sqramble which will result in half the royalties going to players recording the top 3 scores in the hard mode of the game. Sqramble is an ingenious sliding puzzle for the iPhone that makes its players think like no other. The game consists of a 4*4 grid of squares that are sqrambled and must then be restored to normal, like the famous Rubiks® Cube, by sliding rows and columns in the grid.

In easy mode there are 4 different coloured squares and 331,276 permutations while in hard (numbered) mode there are over 21 trillion permutations of the grid. This explains why the game is so challenging and why it will be a real achievement to win a prize in this contest. “I think this is a unique way of launching a uniquely addictive game which nobody has ever done before, because the more people who buy the game, the greater the challenge and the greater the prize” said Nalin Sharma, the award-winning game designer behind Sqramble.

Scores are derived by multiplying the number of moves by the time taken to solve the puzzle, so lower scores are better. This contest runs until Friday 30th April 2010 and the prizes are as follows:

• 1st Prize is 25% of net royalties received from sales of this game
• 2nd Prize is 15% of the net royalties
• 3rd Prize is 10% of the net royalties

Sharma goes on to say: “Sqramble will appeal to people who love to think and be challenged by brain teasers and games like Sudoku and Rubiks® Cube and it is designed in harmony with the functionality of the iPhone and iPod Touch. I hope that the contest enables people to discover a game that they will truly enjoy and give them a lot of pleasure”.

Sqramble is available at this link on the AppStore within iTunes.

For more information and full contest rules visit the Sqramble web site at www.sqramble.com

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So without further ado I present our daily roundup of iPhone / iPod Touch gaming news.

Resident Evil 4 in Bite-Sized Bits

Zombie fans that like their undead experiences serialized can now pick up the highly acclaimed Resident Evil 4 for iPhone and iPhone Touch as smaller more digestible bite sized bits. Dubbed Resident Evil 4: For Beginners, the game contains the first two chapters of Resident Evil 4 for iPhone as well as a new tutorial level. Additionally, the game offers a new “Beginner” difficulty setting, one new “shooting gallery” mini game and three mercenary missions. Players will be able to download the remaining Resident Evil 4 chapters as DLC if they wish to continue the journey. Customers that have already purchase the full game will receive the added features in a free update.

Featuring high-resolution 3D graphics and intuitive context sensitive Multi-Touch controls, Resident Evil 4 for iPhone allows gamers to experience one of the most thrilling chapters of the Resident Evil saga in an all new way. Engage in running gun fights against crowds of enemies utilizing Resident Evil 4’s intuitive tap interface. The new location based damage system allows the player to blast enemies in their legs to slow them down or in the head for a quick kill. Additionally, context sensitive controls pop up as needed allowing the player to perform complex actions with a tap of the button. Players can climb ladders, equip binoculars and jump out windows with the touch of an icon.

It has been six years since the destruction of Raccoon City. Leon S. Kennedy, formerly Raccoon City Police Department’s idealistic rookie cop, is now a U.S. agent with a top-secret mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the President’s daughter. Leon begins his investigation in an undisclosed Spanish-speaking village in Europe, where he encounters a horde of unruly villagers who pledge their lives to Los Illuminados, the cult that perpetrated Ashley’s kidnapping. As Leon encounters unimaginable horrors, he must find out who or what is behind everything.

Resident Evil 4: For Beginners for the iPhone and iPod touch is available for $.99 from Apple’s App Store.

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Origin8′s “Space Station: Frontier” receives major update!

Today, veteran iPhone/iPod Touch developers Origin8 released a major content update for their acclaimed sci-fi strategy game “Space Station: Frontier”. Released in late December to an overwhelmingly positive reception, “Space Station: Frontier” has developed a passionate fan base whose input has been invaluable during post-release development.

This free version 1.1 update extends Campaign Mode from 10 missions to 15, adds a new endless game mode, and provides new structures for use in mining and defence. Fittingly, the new content includes the first on-screen depiction of the venerable dropship “Sentinel”, just two days before the anniversary of the “Sentinel: Mars Defense” release. New content is fully integrated with the OpenFeint social gaming platform, and bug fixes and balance tweaks round out developments. The full feature list follows:

• Campaign mode has been extended with 5 new missions and new gameplay features.
• Added “Protect”, a completely new endless game mode.
• A new “Rail Cannon” turret is available to buy in the shipyard.
• A new “Emergency Battery” upgrade can be bought from the shipyard.
• Power generators can now be upgraded.
• Enemy waves in endless modes have been completely rebalanced.
• New OpenFeint achievements and leaderboards.
• Bug and crash fixes.

“Space Station: Frontier” is available from the iTunes App Store here for $2.99 or regional equivalent.

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Can You Help Blyx Escape His Colorless And Dull Universe?

Blyx comes from a universe that is colorless and dull, and the poor little bugger could use some help. This is where you come in. You need to help Blyx experience a colorful and vibrant world in this addicting puzzle game developed by Pearl Fisher Games. Blyx is easy to learn, but incredibly hard to master, and is suitable for players of all ages.

Each of the 96 puzzles split across six levels of difficulty is represented by a picture of an alien life-form, a life-form probably related to Blyx himself, and each picture is broken down into tiles: some dull and colorless, others vibrant and colorful.

To complete each puzzle all the colorless tiles must be flipped to make them colorful in the least amount of steps. This is done by tapping each tile in a specific and often tricky sequence: as tiles are tapped, adjacent tiles are affected too which makes this game so challenging! Just when you think the puzzle is successfully completed, one tap on the wrong tile will bring back colorless and dull tiles!

Blyx is available from the App Store here.

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