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iOS Gaming December 2015 | F2P is frightful, but the sales are so delightful

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Each month, the iOS GAF community hosts a thread for new game releases, rumors and discussion that define the fast-moving world of iOS gaming.

The OP will contain recommended games that released during the previous month. All the games listed will have been highlighted by the GAF community in one way or another. This way you can keep tabs on the best games and at the same time curate an excellent resource to look back on to find games you may have missed.

If you're a developer who wishes to have your game featured, please talk about your game in the thread and if the GAF community at large likes the game then your wish just might be granted. Please note that there's a difference between posting about a game you made and just advertising your game with no further interaction with the community, this thread is not for the latter and such advertising behavior is frowned upon.

Directory
1) Introduction & Recommended Games
2) Recommended Games continued
3) Upcoming Releases, Past Threads & Other Links


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Site | Trailer | App Store
The eagerly awaited sequel to the BAFTA award winning 'The Room' (Apple Game of the Year 2012) and 'The Room Two' (App Store Best of 2013-14) is finally here.
Welcome to The Room Three, a physical puzzle game within a beautifully tactile world.
Lured to a remote island, you must draw upon all your puzzle-solving ability to navigate a series of trials devised by a mysterious figure known only as “The Craftsman”.

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I just finished the Room 3, this might be my favorite adventure game since the Curse of Monkey Island. The puzzles are brilliant, but the strides forward in story telling are fantastic. It's sad this OT is still on page 1 cause this game should be a legit GOTY contender.
Holy shit. This game. THIS GAME! I've just completed the forge, and I am totally in love. Why aren't you all playing this right now?! It is incredible. Shits all over the previous two, amd THEY were brilliant!
Played first chapter, hnnngh soooo good. It's creepy as ever but i'm having to be very careful i can see myself blasting through this very quickly. I really wish these were a lot longer but for the cost they are totally worth it for the amount of enjoyment i get out of them..
Finished up with all the endings in about six and a half hours. Only a few points where I broke down and asked for a hint. Sometimes it gets a little bit fiddly with the camera to navigate around, but it's a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things.

Great game, definitely in my top 10 this year. Play it!
Just finished up Chapter 2 and man, I feel like this is definitely what I wanted from the second game in terms of puzzle complexity and length. Very, very pleased with how The Room 3 has turned out.

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Subterfuge is a week-long multiplayer game of strategy and diplomacy that plays out in real time. Gather intelligence, coordinate with other players, issue orders, and influence how the game unfolds. Master both strategy and diplomacy to come out on top.
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Utterly brilliant game. Captures diplomacy in mobile form which only adds to the accessibility of the game. A unique twist comes in the form of a clock that can be fast forwarded and reminded, allowing you to schedule moves in advance, like before you go to sleep. Really the ultimate game of strategy, each game developing differently everyone. The art work for the specialists are superb. It's so refreshing to see a mobile game that really pushes the genre and offers such a fresh take on social interaction and competition. Bravo secs, bravo.
Glad too see I'm not the only one playing this. About to finish my first game and so far it's great. So much strategies to learn though.
It's sad that gaf is not large enough to include an active chat on this game.

Mobile games are not shit (or shallow) anymore - this game proves it.

There are 15000 people in the midst of 2200 ongoing games (each one taking over a week). I have no idea if that's a lot or a little but I could easily play this for months on end and still be fascinated.

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Last Horizon is a minimal, atmospheric space survival & exploration game, set to deep ambient music.
Pilot the last vessel of a fallen civilization into the vast unknown, in search of a new habitable world.
Carefully land on the planets you will encounter to gather terraforming resources and space-faring human survivors for the final destination... skillful piloting and the balanced management of fuel, oxygen & hull integrity are key.

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Last Horizon is really good. Great atmosphere and a great sense of exploration. The controls are Lunar Lander-esque, as you need to manage your thruster and rotation

The challenge comes from the variety of space hazards. Asteroid field, comets, black holes, mountain ranges, oceans, and lava on planets. And that's before alien defenses are introduced

Your fuel and oxygen is limited, so maintain those resources is important too

Another Pixeljam success

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Site | Trailer | App Store
One Button Travel is a new interactive fiction adventure by the award-winning team behind Rules! Play a story that unfolds with the choices you make, in real time!
One Button Travel is a gripping journey to a mysterious future exploring social questions not unlike those we face today. At 55000 words, it is a true interactive novel, with branching story-lines and decisions that shape the player's destiny.

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I already completed it, it gets better and better the more you play.
It's pretty long too and has (two) super cool endings imho.

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Site | Trailer | App Store
You’re KING TONGUE, lord of the monkeys, a gorilla among capuchins, and you’re going to make these bananas go monkeys! You’ve only got one weapon against the high-tech military hordes waiting to strike: your TONGUE! It might not seem like much, but... it’s a real GRAPNEL! No mercy for bananas! You’re public enemy #1 in Bananaland! And one thing is for certain: you’ll give no quarter...
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King Tongue is a really fun grapple hooking arena brawler. Colorful, easy to control, and satisfying to zip around and pull off combos

The under-the-radar gem of the week IMO

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Play this strategic Star Wars™ card-game anytime, anywhere to earn Credits for Star Wars Battlefront. Use your Star Cards in Base Command to advance to new sieges as you take on increasingly powerful Imperial forces.
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I'm REALLY REALLY surprised by the Base Command miniature game, free inside the Battlefront companion app.

It's really DAMN good....so good I can see FFG could *EASILY* make the boardgame with their XWing miniatures, cards and such.

App is slick but could be easily improved....first thing it lacks it's the Star Wars music in background...graphic is very nice.
They can easily expand the game with new backdrops etc....
But just the miniatures alone and their powers are very very cool.
And again....it's damn difficult...you must plan really ahead and know your (24 cards) deck very well to have chances, especially when the Empire starts the real attack (level 5).

If you are a SW fan....check it out.
That little strategy game they included in the Star Wars Battlefront companion app is surprisingly fun.

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Trailer | App Store[/B]
Tales of a Viking: Episode One is a small-scale turn-based strategy game with rpg elements.
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Alright it's pretty awesome. It's exactly Hoplite but with a few extra things tacked on, including a story (with poor English translation) and a rage meter that lets you use your abilities more often.

And coolest of all you soon get to take control of another guy so you have TWO people to worry about. It's pretty great.
 
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Site | Trailer | App Store
Tiny Rogue is a turn based rogue-like by the creators of Devious Dungeons, Random Heroes and League of Evil!
In Tiny Rogue you will descend as deep into the randomized dungeons as you can. Strategize your turns moving through the dungeons collecting treasure, using potions and spells, slaying foes, earning experiences and levelling up your hero. Can you compete on the high-score leaderboard?

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I’ve played several rounds of Tiny Rogue and generally like what I’ve seen so far.

Controls are simple: swipe to move, swipe to attack, tap your inventory to use items. When you move, enemies move too. But you might have the same reaction I did when the tutorial tips ended: “Wait, it didn’t tell me how to skip a turn, and that dude one square away is going to shiv me if I walk up to him. So... do I just tap my character or something?” *tap tap tap… tap tap tap*

Well, you can’t choose to pass your turn, unfortunately. That means that if an enemy is one square away from you and you want to get close to attack it, you have two choices: use an item from your inventory, which ends your turn without movement, or approach the enemy and let it get the first hit on you. I didn’t like this at first, but it makes the game a bit more puzzle-like and forces you to do some strict resource management. There’s also a little leeway since you regenerate some health upon descending to a new dungeon level. (I do wish the game had a toggleable grid to facilitate gauging the distance between myself and an enemy... maybe that'll come along in an update or something.)

The levels are indeed very tiny, and the art style is pretty cute. The focus is on score, rather than reaching the end of the dungeon (there is no end); you get points for descending through levels, dispatching enemies, and picking up treasure chests. Once you die, you get a brief tally of your performance and a retry button - no choice but to jump right back in and give it another go! Runs tend to be quick because of how compact the levels are, so this seems like a pretty rad game to play if you've got a few minutes to kill.
Somewhat agree with the Tiny Rogue sentiment, it's a fun little rouge-like but there's not too much meat to it and it can get unfair sometimes.

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Artificial Defense is a one man made, real time strategy orbital-shooter game in an artificial, virtual reality setting. You are the machine, a mighty computer-system defending its servers against swarms of intruding creeps.
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So my favorite release today is definitely Artificial Defense. I recommend checking it out if you're a fan of the genre

21 weapons, 21 towers! Plus there's the RTS element of sending units to capture spots on the map, like sensors to see cloaked enemies

It's free, and the only IAP is to unlock the full game
I'll stick by my Artificial Defense recommendation. It's pretty fun and it has that kind of style that just feels really polished, from the menu design to the aesthetic

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Trailer | App Store
The Demon Lord has been defeated, and peace has returned to the realm -- but this means that the resident Hero is officially out of a job. Armed with a small wagon, can you make a living in this new era? In Wizards & Wagons, you’ll buy, barter, trade and sell goods in a vast fantasy world filled with villages, towns, kingdoms, and comical characters always ready to send you on the most ludicrous errands!
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Site | Trailer | App Store
The legendary Daedalic adventure - finally available for the iPad!
Go on a fantastic journey full of adventures...
Sadwick the clown and his family travel the world with their circus, but for him, there's nothing funny about that. He's haunted by nightmares, foretelling him his world will be shattered. But little does he know about the prophetic nature of these visions: it will be Sadwick himself who will bring ruin to his own world. Together with his trusty pet Spot, a huge joyful caterpillar with amazing abilities, he goes on a great adventure.
Will he be able to fight the prophecy and save his world?

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Word² is a challenging game where you must unscramble each word not just once, but twice!
Inspired by word squares which date well into ancient times, each square contains words in pairs that can be read both horizontally and vertically. Words are scrambled and your objective is to use hints, clues and logic to decipher each square.

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Site | Trailer | App Store
Interact with your iPhone or iPad in ways that you never thought possible! Get ready to be puzzled and amazed as you prod, shake, and dance your way through 100 playful puzzles!
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Site | Trailer | App Store
Rocket through a paper sky, passed schools of fish swimming in the air, beyond the stars themselves...
'A Skyrocket Story' is a truly unique hand-illustrated game of skill and puzzles, that takes you on a journey through a picture book world.

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A friend of mine has a blog and does regular roundups of iOS releases. http://pixelatedparadise.wordpress.com/

Aralon: Forge and Flame - 3rd
Hyspherical2 - 3rd
Run and Rock-it Kristie - 5th
Song of Pan - 10th
Party Gods - 10th
Devouring Stars
Air Attack 2
White Night
More releases to be added soon

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iOS/tvOS Gaming November 2015 | Out of your pocket, into your living room
iOS Gaming October 2015 | Just when you thought your TV was safe from mobile games
iOS Gaming September 2015 | GOing back to school with a backlog
iOS Gaming August 2015 | Last chance to play your favorites before iOS9 breaks them
iOS Gaming July 2015 | Apple bans the revolution
iOS Gaming June 2015 | The future is now
iOS Gaming May 2015 | May the Watch be with you
iOS Gaming April 2015 | April sales bring May backlogs
iOS Gaming March 2015 | Beware the IAPs of March
iOS Gaming February 2015 | Under New Management
iOS Gaming December 2014/January 2015

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Visit the January 2014 thread for links to December 2013 through November 2012 threads!

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This website keeps track of all the controller enabled games. It gets updated regularly.
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iCade Hardware / Games reviews said:

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### The Game Center user list is here: quote to see ###
iOS Membership said:
Rules
  • Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you want to be added or taken off the list, following this text formatting: GAF Name = Game Center Name / iOS Device(s)
  • When adding someone, add From GAF to the friend request and your NeoGAF name as to easily tell who's who.
  • Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you are already on the list but want to update your profile with more info like iOS devices(s) owned, or to just change your existing GC profile.
  • We are on the list and, if you are too, it's OK to add us even if we're not best buddies; don't be shy: we enjoy having more GAFers challenging us on the friends leaderboards.
  • Don't just wait for others to add you first you should at least add some of the profiles posted above yours if you want to get the ball rolling... It's really up to you. Ideally the last member of the list will be the one to add the profiles above his, and so on and on with each new member. Or maybe just add whoever you like, that's also an option.
  • Remember: Your real name will be visible to your GC friends.
  • You can add everyone on the list at once; click the second sheet on the iOS Membership list and read the instructions, works on iOS and Macs
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### The form to enter yourself to the list is here: quote to see ###

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How do I back up my game saves for games that do not support iCloud save games?
iFunBox no longer works on most games post iOS 8.3
Use a file manager program such as i-FunBox (PC/Mac) - It's free and requires no jailbreak. i-FunBox has many different features, but to back up save games you would just want to do the following:
  • Click the iFunBox Classic tab
  • Connect your iOS device, via WiFi or USB, it should then appear in the Connected Devices list on the left side of the UI.
  • Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to back up save games for.
  • Select the Documents and Library folders and copy them one at a time to your PC/Mac - this will copy the folders and all their contents. They contains your save files and settings for the game. Some games only use Documents, some use both.
To restore a backed up save game do the reverse.
  • Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to restore save games for.
  • Select the Documents and/or Library folders and choose to copy from PC/Mac.
  • Navigate to where you saved the backed up Documents and/or Library folders on your PC/Mac, open them and select all the files within it and open them. This will copy the folder contents back onto your iOS device.
  • Restart/fully close the game itself and your saves should be back!
Check that the file structure of the game is retained, e.g. GameName > Documents > files after you're done (no Documents folder within the Documents folder!), otherwise the game will not recognize your restored saves!
How do I hide my Real Name on Game Center?
Your real first and last name (taken from your Apple ID) will be shown to your GC friends. If you value that information and want GAF's leaderboards to show your GAF nickname instead, here's how you do it:
  • Go to http://appleid.apple.com and log in with your Apple ID details via "Manage your Apple ID".
  • In the "Name, ID and Email Addresses" section, click Edit on the Your Name field at the top.
  • Change you First and Last name (you must enter both) to whatever you like (e.g. First Name: Tunesmith, Last Name: GAF)
Done, now that's who you're going to be listed as on your friend's Game Center leaderboards. This will affect Game Center *and* your Apple ID. If it's the same account you use for App Store/iTunes, you will still be able to use it for iTunes/App Store's purchases (you can still buy whatever you want like you could before) *BUT* in the receipt it'll show your nickname or whatever you chose as First Name and Last Name when you changed those fields. The first time you will use the modified account on App Store/iTunes, you will be asked to verify the account by re-entering the 3 digits code of the credit card's CCV security code (if you make your purchases using a credit card).
Should I buy this new high-priced game or wait for a sale?
Maybe! Just be aware that iOS games have a tendency to go on sale frequently and unpredictably, even recent games can be a dollar rather than premium $4-5. Spend your pack of gum money wisely. As a recommendation, set up a RSS feed for the price changes on http://appshopper.com/which will then notify you of any price fluctuations for old and new games alike.
I just got an iPhone/iPad. What are the best games?
In addition to checking out the past month's iOS Gaming threads, visit Why iOS Rocks / iOS Hidden Gems. You're welcome and your wallet will hurt.
For gaming, should I get the iPad Mini 2, or iPad Air?
Both have their pros and cons. The Mini 2 is cheaper and smaller but there is a slight difference between the Air's A7 chip and the mini's A7: the mini's is around 100MHz slower -- 1.3GHz compared to the Air's 1.4GHz. Other than that they're both identical in spec. It's very much a coin toss between if you want a 9.7" or a 7.9" screen.
I'm a new iOS user, what non-gaming apps should I get ASAP?
This thread would be a great place to start. Asking here wouldn't hurt either!

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Genuine thanks to our iOS Gaming community for keeping these monthly threads alive!
Special thanks to Tunesmith for his fantastic thread format and month after month of hard work in maintaining these threads
Also thanks to Saucycarpdog for the great thread title this month
 

awp69

Member
Nice job as usual More_Badass.

Saw the article on TA about Air Attack 2. Looks fantastic. May surpass Sky Force 2014 in the visuals department for a shmup.

And....it's gonna be premium! :)

https://youtu.be/3x-VIrRRP4U

Launches this month so hopefully sooner rather than later.
 
I wonder if Torchlight Mobile will still make it by the end of the year. Probably not but it'd be cool to see. Ever since they took out that godawful energy system it went back on my watch list for this year.
 

killercow

Member
I wonder if Torchlight Mobile will still make it by the end of the year. Probably not but it'd be cool to see. Ever since they took out that godawful energy system it went back on my watch list for this year.

There's also "Pix the Cat" which was planned for "this autumn". I wonder if we'll see that this year or not.

Oh and "A Good Snowman is Hard to Build" is coming december 10th and you should all pick it up!
 

Gaaraz

Member
Actually thought I was close to being done with mobile gaming for the most part since it had been so long since I enjoyed anything... but Icycle really caught me by surprise (managed to 100% complete it) and now Infestor too... really unique puzzle platformer, loving it!
 

awp69

Member
There's also "Pix the Cat" which was planned for "this autumn". I wonder if we'll see that this year or not.

Pix the Cat is out on Android as a Nvidia Shield exclusive. I wonder if it's a timed exclusive for mobile as a whole and maybe that's why the iOS version is not out.

Also, I read that Air Attack 2 was already submitted to Apple so maybe we'll see it this week (or next).
 
Hooray an impression of mine made it into the OP. Guess I'm here for life. A mobile gamer and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

I've been a little disappointed by the total lack of releases on the Apple TV (I guess Geometry Wars 3 is good enough on that front), but the releases and sales on the iPad lately have been so good. The Room is an old classic that still holds up, for example. I feel like i'm in an incredible golden age of gaming right now, full of experiments and quality for insanely low prices.
 

pdk27

Member
More_Badass: Did you end up sticking with Artificial Defense? Is it good? Downloaded it and played the tutorial but still haven't bought the IAP yet.
 

igor

Member
Uhm does anyone else have problem with the Room Three? I am stuck on the waveform puzzle - it's bloody obvious I have to match them, but nothing happens when I try :O I checked the walkthrough just to see if I'm not thinking wrong but yeah, the game doesn't register it at all :eek:
 

Mario

Sidhe / PikPok
We just published another third party developed title, Glow Worm Adventure, developed by PixelThis, a fellow NZ developer.

It's a level based slide block puzzle title with a saga style progression structure. Energy system(!) is a little harsh at the moment, but the has been an update in submission since last week that tones this way back.



In other news, we have a major update in submission for Into the Dead due later in the month, another title we'll be publishing next week, and one of our titles ported to Apple TV the week after. We've also put "starter pack" IAP on sale in Into the Dead, Rival Stars Basketball, and Breakneck. Busy month :)
 

Frostt

Member
Good thing I didnt get Planet Diver, its getting really bad reviews from users. Phewww


Unfortunately, the series plummeted really hard on iOS after an amazing start (Apple Game of the Year no less). Fiesta was still good but this one nails the coffin and sends it underground for good. Goodbye to once a great series. For those interested, better play a Rayman game on PS3 or PS4, Steam, XBONE, etc... much much better than this "mobiles version".

And have a laught at the crazy IAPs.... lol....

Top In-App Purchases

STARTER PACK$4.99
BUNCH OF GEMS$2.99
STACK OF GEMS$4.99
MOUND OF GEMS$9.99
STOCKPILE OF GEMS$19.99
POT O' GEMS$49.99
HOARD OF GEMS$89.99

90 dollars lol lol I wonder if someone is sheep enought to fall into this trap hahahaha
 

awp69

Member
Good thing I didnt get Planet Diver, its getting really bad reviews from users. Phewww



Unfortunately, the series plummeted really hard on iOS after an amazing start (Apple Game of the Year no less). Fiesta was still good but this one nails the coffin and sends it underground for good. Goodbye to once a great series. For those interested, better play a Rayman game on PS3 or PS4, Steam, XBONE, etc... much much better than this "mobiles version".

And have a laught at the crazy IAPs.... lol....



90 dollars lol lol I wonder if someone is sheep enought to fall into this trap hahahaha

Yeah, I held off on Planet Driver as well so good choice there.

It is so sad about the latest Rayman game. The Jungle Run and Fiesta were both fantastic (even if they started to veer into F2P mechanics). Not sure why they had to tinker with a good formula.
 

Frostt

Member
Yeah, I held off on Planet Driver as well so good choice there.

It is so sad about the latest Rayman game. The Jungle Run and Fiesta were both fantastic (even if they started to veer into F2P mechanics). Not sure why they had to tinker with a good formula.

Yeah, and it probably sold very well... but... their chairman they are just people who only see numbers, nothing else, nothing more. Probably never played a videogame in their life, probably been pluged in the job by a friend and just want money. Otherwise, I have no clue why they have to destroy a pretty good intelectual propery beloved on consoles. No clue.
 

awp69

Member
Urggh.. Off topic, but devastated that Ori didn't win the indie GoTY. Rocket League is great fun but Ori is a masterpiece.
 

Wingus

Member
Missed out on the lara Croft GO discount :( But I am busy with that Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes game, which is pretty decent.
 

awp69

Member
Toucharcade stated it will be be premium without IAP

It also was submitted to Apple on 11/30 so I'm hoping it launches next week (or sooner). Dev says it will be no more than $2.99 which I was really surprised at because it looks like it'll be worth a whole lot more than that.
 
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