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The Official iPhone/iPod Touch Gaming Thread

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Surfheart said:
Can someone explain to me the gameplay of Zen Bound? It looks intriguing.
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Honestly its really simple. You tie a rope around a wooden animal or shape which paints it. You manipulate the object to turn it around so you can get the best angle to line up where your rope will fall and then you try to paint the whole object so in essence its a puzzle game.


You keep progressing up a tree to unlock the next shaped figurines. It's cool. It's relaxing. It's a different kind of puzzle game. Something very tactile about it. It's neither the longest game in the world (although there will be an update to add a few more objects) nor the most hardcore game in the world and I can totally see it not being someones bag but I just find it very pretty and very fun. It reminds me a lot spirtually of Katamari because its something I'd never ever even conceptually conceive of as something you would want to do but once you do it, its really neat imo.
 
Thanks Stoney, sounds like my cup of tea actually. Bought.


idracula_new.jpg


This makes me dream about how awesome a quality Diablo clone would be on the iphone.
 
Stoney Mason said:
FieldRunners
7 Cities
The Creeps
Geodefense
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+1 for all those. I gave in and bought Sentinel. So far its presentation is great. Only played a single map on easy so not sure how well its balanced. Coming off of GeoD this might be unfairly judged. It looks great though and has come cool features like blockades, mobs don't stay in a single file line and leader boards should be sweet.

Knowing what I know now I'd only get GeoD and Sentinel feven from the short time I've played the latter. Fieldrunners is good if you like to build the maze but I don't.
 
Surfheart said:
This makes me dream about how awesome a quality Diablo clone would be on the iphone.
Click to expand...


Agreed. I always wanted a Diablo game but I was kinda skeptical control wise it could work but iDracula sort of showed me that a true Diablo clone would kick so much ass. Even that iDracula engine could be used a basis for one.
 
Surfheart said:
Can someone explain to me the gameplay of Zen Bound? It looks intriguing.
Click to expand...
It was released for free on PC a couple years ago and you can get it here to give it a try. All you have to do is wrap it so it covers as much as possible.
 
Surfheart said:
Thanks for that Rattlehead.

Edit: Crap doesn't seem to work on vista.
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Must be your machine. Works for me on vista. It does give you a pretty good idea of the game although I actually think Zen Bound is better and a more refined implementation of the concept.
 
Crossposted from the Sway Thread

iphone_gotm_1233356490.jpg


Zen Bound iPhone Review
Secret Exit helps redefine exactly what is a videogame.
by Levi Buchanan
February 27, 2009 - Zen Bound is a magical game that confirms every hope for the App Store becoming fertile ground for incredible new gameplay ideas that would never gain traction elsewhere. Sometimes it's too easy to heap hyperbole on a fresh concept just because it does something unexpected. But Zen Bound deserves its superlatives. This is one of the very best games you can buy for your iPhone.

Zen Bound is a very tactile game. You are given a series of wooden figurines and a length of string. Winding the string around the ornament lays down tracks of paint. You must paint a specific amount of the figurine's surface to move on to the next puzzle. When a stage begins, the string is tied to a nail on the figurine and stretched taut by an off-screen hand. You manipulate the figure with your finger, spinning and rotating it to wrap the string around it. However, due to the angles of some surprisingly complex ornaments, you must also tilt the iPhone to change the "direction" of the incoming string. You can unravel the string if necessary, but this lifts the paint. When you finally have met the requirement for the figurine, you sever the string by scraping it against a nail.

I fear my gameplay description doesn't do it justice. There is an intangible to Zen Bound. Perhaps its best described as the sensation of discovery because at some point, the Zen Bound moves out of the "game" category and becomes an experience, kind of like Flower on the PS3. Yes, there is a technical structure to the game -- lay down a certain percentage of paint -- but Zen Bound is bigger than that. It is really is a part of a movement to redefine exactly what a game is.

In keeping with the "zen" part of its title, Zen Bound makes sure to include plenty of no pressure gameplay. There are indeed challenges with rigid requirements, but the main game is about experimentation with the strings and ornaments. The real fun is in figuring out exactly how to best paint a figurine without some threatening time limit. Manipulating the ornament to get into those little crevices, like a mouth or the crook of a tail, is a real joy.

The game has an aura around it, thanks to no small part to its brilliant presentation. The figurines actually looked carved out of wood and the paint patterns are perfectly chosen. The puzzle selection screen is a cherry tree with Japanese lanterns and wooden tags that represent each stage. It's really quite breathtaking, especially when paired with the game's phenomenal soundtrack which is both intriguing and soothing. Listen to it through headphones for the best effect. There's even a link in the game to download it for free.

Zen Bound was reviewed with version 1.0.

Closing Comments
Even though Zen Bound is a casual game, it is nonetheless thrilling. Boundaries aren't being pushed here; they're getting shattered. This is where the iPhone truly soars -- exquisite concepts that are as much about experience and feeling as they are about pressing button A to make action B occur. I recommend Zen Bound to each and every iPhone gamer. It now ranks alongside Rolando as one of my very favorite iPhone games.

10 Presentation
Hands-down the best on the iPhone yet. The game practically shimmers with creativity.
9.0 Graphics
Beautifully carved figurines and wonderful paint textures. The cherry tree menu is awesome.
10 Sound
Simply spectacular. Download it now.
9.5 Gameplay
A true tactile game where you feel like you are interacting with real things.
9.5 Lasting Appeal
With oodles of ornaments and endless replay value, Zen Bound is a real value.
9.5
Incredible OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
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http://wireless.ign.com/articles/957/957995p1.html
 
Wario64 said:
I was gonna get iDracula but I saw a youtube video of it and it seems pretty slow, maybe I was just watching a crappy Youtube video. Does it get intense later on?
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Definitely gets intense. I've actually had a lot more fun with the game than most iPhone games. I really suggest that you get it, as it is only a dollar.

It's only slow because it starts you out slow because you only have a pistol. Once you get larger weapons, the enemies start coming at you faster and more ferociously.
 
Hey guys.

Just to let you know, TheGameReviews.com (a site I work for) has launched their iPhone section, mainly used for both game and app reviews. I'll throw a few links up here for some of the older apps we've written about.

The main point however, is to let you guys know that I'm really looking at this thread (mostly) to see what the iPhone gaming crowd is interested in, so we can get reviews out for games in a quick fashion for the products you're interested in. Actually, we'd definitely be down to review literally any app you guys want done. =)

There's still a few kinks to work out in our system, but the content is there. I hope you guys enjoy reading some of it, and please feel free to either post here or PM any games you'd like reviewed.
<3 GAF

App Review - WinAdmin
App Review - OrbLive
Misc Review - Pianist
Game Review - LED Football 2
Game Review - Monopoly
Game Review - Dr. Awesome
Game Review - X-Plane
Game Review - Tap Tap Dance
Game Review - Galcon
Game Review - Super Monkey Ball (lol)

I hope you guys enjoy. =)
 
So my favorite game on the iPhone is now on sale for a dollar this weekend. The game is Space Ninja, and it's an overhead bullet dodging game. You move your ship with the accelerometer and touch the screen to go into slow motion to avoid the more intense onslaughts of bullets.

This sale is to celebrate them adding a free multiplayer update where you can play with up to four people on the same iPhone. Each player get their own virtual joystick on the screen, and it works surprisingly well!

Anyways, check it out, for one dollar it's a steal. Here's the article about the sale on toucharcade: http://toucharcade.com/2009/02/27/space-ninja-lite-version-on-sale-099-and-4-way-multiplayer/

There is a lite version if you just want to check out the basic mechanics. Highly recommended!
 
LCfiner said:
go back 2 pages in this thread.
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Ya, I just looked it up on touch arcade. :D That's pretty awesome, they're saying today or tomorrow for it being released. I'll definitely pick it up for $6.

Speaking of good tower defense games is the final fantasy one supposed to be good?
 
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
Speaking of good tower defense games is the final fantasy one supposed to be good?
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Are you talking about that... Crystal-something game? Or something? I think there's a Lite version you can try out. I don't remember it being very good, though. Half the screen is taken up with the controls, if I remember correctly.
 
Dacvak said:
Are you talking about that... Crystal-something game? Or something? I think there's a Lite version you can try out. I don't remember it being very good, though. Half the screen is taken up with the controls, if I remember correctly.
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Ya, I think it's crystal defenders or something. I liked the demo when I played it but I was just wondering if there's better to get instead since it's like $6 or $7 IIRC.
 
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
Ya, I think it's crystal defenders or something. I liked the demo when I played it but I was just wondering if there's better to get instead since it's like $6 or $7 IIRC.
Click to expand...

If you're really aching to decide on it, I'll contact Square and get a download code and review it later today. I'll try and post it by the end of the night or tomorrow.
 
Dacvak said:
If you're really aching to decide on it, I'll contact Square and get a download code and review it later today. I'll try and post it by the end of the night or tomorrow.
Click to expand...

If you give me download code I'll tell you how it is. :D

I'm jealous :(
 
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
If you give me download code I'll tell you how it is. :D

I'm jealous :(
Click to expand...

You take the good with the bad.
And with the App Store, it's mostly bad.
I have to review Chess Pro and WordsWorth by tomorrow. I haven't even tried either yet, lol.

But I just sent SE an email, so hopefully I'll get a response by the end of the night.
 
Full version of DDR is out on the Japanese store. Costs 800JPY and has 20 odd songs,half of which you have to unlock. Has the odd frame rate issue but I've enjoyed what I've played so far. There's a tilt mode as well as the usual touch pad mode but I haven't tried it out yet. All text is in english so I pressume it detects the region of your iphone/ipod touch.
 
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue. I'm really concerned that such absurd levels of censorship is going to prevent the iPhone from having any games using concepts, situations, or dialogue above a third grade level. I mean, I'm working on an adventure game next which is intended for an older teen audience - how can I proceed, not knowing whether or not they'll take offense at the content?
 
Sqorgar said:
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue. I'm really concerned that such absurd levels of censorship is going to prevent the iPhone from having any games using concepts, situations, or dialogue above a third grade level. I mean, I'm working on an adventure game next which is intended for an older teen audience - how can I proceed, not knowing whether or not they'll take offense at the content?
Click to expand...
Kicked in gonads?

The family jewels?
 
Sqorgar said:
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue. I'm really concerned that such absurd levels of censorship is going to prevent the iPhone from having any games using concepts, situations, or dialogue above a third grade level. I mean, I'm working on an adventure game next which is intended for an older teen audience - how can I proceed, not knowing whether or not they'll take offense at the content?
Click to expand...

Port to Android. <3
 
Sqorgar said:
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue. I'm really concerned that such absurd levels of censorship is going to prevent the iPhone from having any games using concepts, situations, or dialogue above a third grade level. I mean, I'm working on an adventure game next which is intended for an older teen audience - how can I proceed, not knowing whether or not they'll take offense at the content?
Click to expand...

This desperately needs to be resolved by Apple. I get the feeling they just cannot handle the volume of apps and mistakes keep happening.

Andrex said:
Port to Android. <3
Click to expand...

Maybe he actually wants to make some money?
 
Sqorgar said:
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue. I'm really concerned that such absurd levels of censorship is going to prevent the iPhone from having any games using concepts, situations, or dialogue above a third grade level. I mean, I'm working on an adventure game next which is intended for an older teen audience - how can I proceed, not knowing whether or not they'll take offense at the content?
Click to expand...

In the game my team has planned, we're going to have actual dialog with censored beeps. Do you think we'll be rejected for that?
 
Guys what is the status with video reproduction on iPhone? Is there any 3rd party video players around?

Is CorePlayer released for iphone, i saw some awesome vids of beta builds a year ago.
 
iDracula Review - 8.5/10
A combination of Geometry Wars and Smash TV gives iDracula the perfect feel for a handheld shoot ’em up, and the numerous weapons and powerups make each time you play unique.
Click to expand...
 
I got Sway, WordFu and Zen Bound today. I think Sway and Zen are one of the best games on the iPhone though they still lack that replay after a week thing the iphone needs, however zen bound not so much.
WordFu is pretty pointless imo, I'd prefer Wurdle. I wish there was a premium games section in app store with ds/psp quality games.
 
Cyport said:
I wish there was a premium games section in app store with ds/psp quality games.
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There is a premium games section coming and I'll make a bet that the money draw will still be with the regular app store and games because that's what the market wants. Personally If I wanted an insane amount of DS/PSP games that is what I would be playing instead of the iphone.

The iphone has found a great niche arguably in the sub ds/psp market. Honestly I prefer it that way although I recognize not everybody shares my take.
 
Sqorgar said:
Apple is going too far with their censorship. My App was just rejected for containing such "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory" content as using the phrase "kicked in the nuts" in a piece of dialogue.
Click to expand...
It's awesome how they allow softcore image browsing app's of women in swimsuits but deny a game with the words "kicked" and "nuts" like you just asked their mother for sex on the kitchen table.

Oh well we best get use to all these match-3 and TD games coming out!
 
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
Is the katamari or time crisis game any good?
Click to expand...

I think the consensus is that both games are poor. Katamari has a lite version if you want to check out, the controls seemed iffy.

I went ahead and got idracula, seems pretty fun. Didnt play it much though so I need to invest some time into it.
 
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
Is the katamari or time crisis game any good?
Click to expand...

I bought Time Crisis. It's okay. I get annoyed when I play it because I tap the screen to shoot and the phone must move back too much or something, so my character ends up ducking for cover instead of shooting. Or I could just be retarded.

Oh, and I know this thread is about apps, but I bought some awesome headphones today! Sennheiser MM50iP :

Original_Sennheiser_MM50_iP_Stereo_Headset_for_iPhone.jpg


Sound is fantastic and they're so damn comfortable. I've been using these Etymotics and they sound good too but eventually hurt my ears after a while because you have to plug them deep in your ears:

etymotic-hf2-iphone-earphones.png
 
Dacvak said:
In the game my team has planned, we're going to have actual dialog with censored beeps. Do you think we'll be rejected for that?
Click to expand...
I think that you will. I haven't, personally, seen any apps which have gotten away with beeping. I can't say for sure, since there is absolutely no way of knowing whether they will reject your app until AFTER you have developed it, but I'd suggest planning an alternate version just in case. They have apparently refused a dictionary app because it contained the F-word. From what I've been reading today, Apple is really obsessive / insane about content - but sometimes you can resubmit an app unchanged and it will be approved by someone else on the review staff.
 
Wario64 said:
I think the consensus is that both games are poor. Katamari has a lite version if you want to check out, the controls seemed iffy.

I went ahead and got idracula, seems pretty fun. Didnt play it much though so I need to invest some time into it.
Click to expand...

Ya, I finished playing the lite version of katamari and it there was a way to change the camera angle while rolling like the console it wouldn't be bad but having it move your guy and change the camera is just awkward. I'll probably buy it eventually if it goes on sale since I always liked the series.

I just got scrabble, wordfu, and text twist and will probably buy spore origins after playing spore on the computer.
 
bune duggy said:
since we're talking headphones, what's up with the $80 headphones that Apple have? Are they any good?
Click to expand...

they're supposedly decent but not as good as similar (but more expensive) products from ultimate ears (super.fi 4 and 5), and etymotic (the hf2).

if you've never owned a good pair on in ear headphones, you'll probably find them pretty great.

the upside to the apple ones are inline volume controls and they're around 50 bucks cheaper than the midrange models from the 3rd parties listed above.


PS: I owned a pair of V-moda vibe duos and really disliked them. sound is muddy. too much bass and the midrange seems really far away and sucky. these models get a lot of ad space but they're not very good.
 
WTF... It says that wordfu and yahtzee are installed but they're not showing up on my touch. Anyone have this problem?

Edit: I removed it from my sync list, synced it and then readded it and resync and now they showed up. That was weird though.
 
When I have a little free time I think I'll do these style of posts for genres and try to keep them up to date so we can just point to certain posts instead of rehashing what are the good games for every genre every couple of pages. The first genre I'll do is time management which is more of a niche genre but one I'm probably in the very small minority of in the thread that likes these sorts of games. I'll do the more macho Tower Defense genre tomorrow. For those that don't know Time Management games are point/click games where you queue activities to achieve goals in the most efficient manner possible.



Diner Dash. The Godfather of the genre. Playfirst has a number of these games on the iphone although they are all quite similar to Diner Dash.
Itunes Link
The Rest of the PlayFirst TM genre
Review


picture_14390.png



Sally's Salon. Similar to Diner Dash but the 99 cent price makes it an attractive alternative.
Itunes Link
Review


picture_1330.png



Cake Mania 3. One of the more challenging TM games. Has a fantasy theme.
Itunes link
Review
Video


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Chocolate Shop Frenzy. Gorgeous game with a lite version so you can try before you buy.
Lite Version
Itunes Link
Review
Video


picture_4455.png



Supermarket Mania. Casual TM game but with a nice upgrade route for the genre. Good price also.
Itunes Link
Video


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Airport Mania: First Flight. Cheap and different themed than the other game. Seems to be well received.
Demo
Itunes Link
Video


picture_6390.png



Blue Mango Twist. A fruit juice selling tycoon time management game. Build your fruit juice business from humble stall to juice empire. Definitely interesting concept within the genre where you need to buy and manage your supplies and upgrades.
Itunes Link
Video


picture_4568.png
 
LCfiner said:
PS: I owned a pair of V-moda vibe duos and really disliked them. sound is muddy. too much bass and the midrange seems really far away and sucky. these models get a lot of ad space but they're not very good.
Click to expand...

This. I had a pair and they were mud-mud-muddy as hell. The right ear also stopped working after a few months. They give you a 1-year warranty or something but I didn't even bother getting a replacement because it was just my excuse to buy a better pair, so I splurged and got the Etymotics. The Etymotics just broke this morning (again, the right ear stopped working), so I researched and went with the Sennheisers.

Back to apps, I think I'm going to get iDracula, Cooking Mama, and Sway. I definitely want that Hot Shots Golf clone coming out next week.
 
bune duggy said:
since we're talking headphones, what's up with the $80 headphones that Apple have? Are they any good?
Click to expand...

I own them, and I love them. I'm not a huge audiophile, but I previously bought the Vmoda's and disliked them enough to return them. The Apple headphones sound much better, are cheaper, and have a better mic solution. I like the case that came with them as well. Easy to wrap them up and store them.

For $80, you won't find a better pair of earbuds in my opinion.
 
Was bored tonight so I went ahead and did the TD roundup of popular/good games

Tower defense or TD is a subgenre of real-time strategy computer game. The goal is to try to stop enemies from crossing the map by building towers which shoot at them as they pass. Enemies and towers usually have varied abilities and costs. When an enemy is defeated the player earns money or points, which are used to buy or upgrade towers.

The choice and positioning of the towers is the essential strategy of the game. The enemies usually run through a "maze", which allows the player to strategically place towers, but there are also versions of the game in which the user must create the maze out of their own towers. Some versions are a hybrid of these two types, with preset paths that can be modified to some extent by tower placement.



Fieldrunners. The tidal wave of a game that exploded the genre on the iphone and one of the most awarded apps on the platform. Towers create the maze.
Itunes Link
Review
Video


picture_1384.png



7 Cities. Sometimes overlooked because of the big hit that Fieldrunners was but an excellent game in its own right. Fixed path maze.
Itunes Link
Review
Video


picture_2496.png



TapDefense. Definitely one of the more popular TD games on the iphone and its free to boot. Fixed path maze.
Itunes Link
Review
Video.


picture_3995.png



The Creeps. Graphics are quite sharp. Nice game that has nice learning curve for beginners as it starts easy and then increases in difficulty where as some of the other games begin at a moderate level of challenge. Fixed path maze. Lite Version is available.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Review
Video


picture_4753.png



geoDefense. One of the most uniquely visual looking of the TD games and one of the most challenging. Good value at 99 cents. Fixed path maze. Lite version is available.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Review
Video


picture_5894.png



Besiegement. One of the more popular TD games over at the Touch Arcade Forums. Well reviewed on the app store. Mix of open and fixed path.
Itunes Link
Review
Video


picture_6812.png



ITD. While not the most beautiful game on the iphone this title also has a following over at the Touch Arcade Forum and is well reviewed on the app store. And a free lite version to demo is always welcomed.
Itunes Link
Lite Version


picture_7416.png



Crystal Defenders. The Square/Enix connection and the final fantasy theme is certainly appealing for some gamers. Control wise it's not a great fit for the iphone compared to the other TD games but if you can get past that hurdle it seems to be a solid TD game. Edit: There is an update coming that promises to improve the control functionality. Lite version is available. Fixed path maze.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Review
Video


picture_14806.png



Zombie Attack! One of the more popular TD games over at the Touch Arcade Forums. Well reviewed on the app store. Lite Version is available.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Review
Video


picture_9579.png



Sentinel. Graphically already one of the sharpest games on the iphone, Sentinel seems to be garnering good impressions for a relatively new release. Fixed path maze. Lite version is available.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Review
Video


picture_10941.png



ElementalMonster TD. Combines trading cards with the traditional tower defense style game.
Itunes Link
Lite Version
Video


picture_11645.png
 
Blocks Touch 3D is on sale for $.99

It is a 3D breakout clone with simple but very appealing graphics.

Not much depth or variety, but a nice little time waster without any major flaws.
 
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