Mobile Apple Me

It’s been a busy day of gaming news here at Appletell, so why stop now? Especially when we’ve got a new announcement from Namco Bandai to tell you about? The company has just released Tank Battalion Blitz as a universal app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and is offering it for only $0.99 for its introduction, 66% off the normal price.

In Tank Battalion Blitz, players create a deck of tanks and try to wipe out an enemy army, all the while defending their own headquarters.

With a total of 130 stages, more than 150 tanks, several game modes and local & online multiplayer through Game Center, Tank Battalion Blitz packs tons of content into an affordable $2.99 currently $0.99 package available now on the App Store.

Tank Battalion Blitz includes Tank Battalion mode, in which players face a string of dangerous missions, and Team Battle mode, where two players team up to take on the competition. Tank Battalion Boss mode, where players are pitted against the game’s challenging and massive boss tanks, is also planned for inclusion in a future update to the title.  For those who want to face off against the world’s best players, Tank Battalion Blitz includes a 4-player local and online multiplayer for both cooperative and competitive gameplay, with full support of Apple’s Game Center.

Over 150 tanks that have been recreated from real World War 2-era machines, which players collect from in-game capsule machines that can be used for free once a day. For rare tanks, however, players will have to attain Premium Capsules via in-app purchases.

Tank Battalion Blitz requires iOS 4.1 or later, and is compatible iPhone 3GS or later, 3rd gen iPod touch or later, and all iPads.

Product Tank Battalion Blitz

One of the more unique games I played on the Nintendo DS last year has finally crept its way onto iOS in the United States. The mystery adventure Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is now available as a universal app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The iOS version has been optimized for touch screen control and a wider viewing area with enhanced graphics for more immersive puzzle solving.

Created by Shu Takumi, the father of the critically acclaimed Ace Attorney series, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective combines his signature style of quirky humor, logic puzzles and an intriguing story wrapped in a unique art style. Players take on the role of Sissel, the ghost of a murder victim who has lost his memory and must solve the mystery of his suspicious demise. Gamers guide his blue-flamed soul through dynamic environments, possessing and manipulating inanimate objects found in the world to solve the captivating puzzles he encounters.

As I explained in my review of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective for DS, “… the game is very well designed. The story moves along at a brisk pace, becoming quite frantic during some of the puzzles. Also, I liked all of the characters, even the incidental ones. Nearly everybody has a personality and a story, no matter how significant they are to Sissel’s.” Those characters include a talking dog, a detective with a pigeon on his head, and a punk rock guitarist who flushes secret messages through a prison toilet to a guy who looks like a sausage.

You know…in case those gems and hidden objects are all starting to look the same.

The first two chapters of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective are available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Subsequent chapters will be available in three different packs for $4.99/£2.99/€3.99 each or $9.99/£6.99/€7.99 for all chapters through in-app purchase.

Product Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Hopefully, you fought in the Legendary Wars last year on Apple’s iDevices. The undead forces of the Netherworld were attacking, after all, and it was up to you to save Legendaria from their onslaught. Tremendous fun. But wouldn’t it also be fun to see things from the monsters’ point of view? Of course it would, and that’s why we now have Monster Wars from developer Liv Games.

In this follow-up to Legendary Wars, you’ll play through the eyes of the monsters in a brand new adventure. Like its predecessor, Monster Wars is a blend of traditional RTS, castle defense, action and RPGs in a beautifully animated (and somewhat twisted) fantasy world.

Join the Netherworld Monster army, which includes over a dozen charming characters, each with their own unique special moves, upgrades, and personality. The game contains even more variety and modes than its heroic predecessor, allowing player to choose their favorite Monsters before each battle. New modes include catapult battles, huge wars, and hero action levels which let players take their favorite unit and destroy the kingdoms of their enemies.

The monsters will have to adventure through the corrupted lands of Legendaria. Their travels will take them on a quest to resurrect the dragons in all new environments; ranging from the underground realm of the Netherworld to the sacred Skyhaven. Monster Wars presents a rich, varied set of mini-games and three unlock-able game modes. The story is humorous and quirky, and the smooth animation and  vibrant art style provides even the most avid gamers with an exciting world to explore. Through over 60 stages the game introduces over 50 playable and upgradeable Monsters. All the favorites are here, from Skullys and Zombies, to Vamps and Werewolves and many more. Mutate them into even stronger creatures and crush the Heroes that will attempt to destroy your army. Face off with the Six Pillars, huge commanders of Legendaria armies, in the new land of Skyhaven.

I had a chance to speak with Liv Games at Macworld | iWorld 2012, and they were quick to point out how they listened to fans of Legendary Wars to make improvements in this game. Aside from the improved graphics and animation, Monster Wars is a universal app for both iPad and iPhone / iPod touch, and save games be transferred between the two via iCloud. And although it does offer power-ups via in-app purchases, the developers state that gamers will not need to rely on them in order to work through the 60+ levels through 7 environments.

Another fun new feature is that you get to choose your own monster, which can customize throughout the game with new capabilities and, of course, outfits. You can also use these upgraded monsters in over a dozen endless battle modes to earn bonus rewards.

Monster Wars requires iOS 4.0 or later, and is available for $0.99 on the iTunes App Store. An Appletell review will be posted soon.

Product Monster Wars

The International Mobile Gaming Awards has announced the thirty games in six categories that are moving to the final round of judging before the 8th annual awards ceremony on March 1st in Barcelona. The winners in each category will receive 100,000 € of advertising from ProSieben Sat1 Games, a leading publisher for international online games, and the best overall game will receive 400,000 € of advertising.

“We have had an unprecedented response for the year’s awards,” said Maarten Noyons, CEO and Founder of the International Mobile Gaming Awards. “We see a trend of very high quality, big productions coming to the mobile platform and on the other hand a lot of fresh innovative casual games. I think the jury has made a very interesting choice. The 8th IMGA shows a wealth of new ideas and ground-breaking quality coming from studios all over the world. I would like to congratulate each of the developers that have games nominated and thank everyone who submitted games to the awards.”

There’s also time to vote for your favorite for the People’s Choice Award, which requires free registration. If you’re interested in learning more about these games, you can read descriptions and look at screenshots and videos at the nominees page.

Best Casual Game

• CreaVures – Muse Games, United States
• HECTOR Episodes 1-3 – Telltale Games, United States
• Jetpack Joyride – Halfbrick, Australia
• Sprinkle – Mediocre ABS, weden
• The Blocks Cometh – Halfbot, Canada

Best Real World Game

• CityRace – Cityrace.me, Poland
• FLATMATES – Flaregames, Germany
• Meatspace Invasion – C4MProd, France
• NBA: King of the Court – Ogemnt*, United States
• Shadow Cities – Grey Area, Finland

Best Sports Game

• Bike Baron – Mountain Sheep, Inc. / Qwiboo, London / Finland
• Flick Tennis: College Wars – Rolocule Games, India
• Sports Car Challenge – Fish Labs, Schade
• Touchgrind BMX – Illusion Labs AB, Sweden
• Trial Xtreme 2 – Deemedya M.S. LTD, Israel

Best Mobile Social Game

• Charadium II – On5, Lithuania
• Funpark Friends – Tagplay, UK
• Poker Pals – Aspyr Media, Inc, USA
• SpellCraft School of Magic – Appy Entertainment, United States
• The Pirate King – Bulkypix, France

Excellence In Gameplay

• Battleheart – Mika Mobile, Inc., USA
• Contre Jour HD – Mokus Games LLP, Ukraine
• Death Rally – Remedy Entertainment, Finland
• DrawRace 2 HD – RedLynx, Finland
• Infinity Blade II – Chair Entertainment, USA

Most Innovative Game

• Forever Drive – Tak Fung, UK
• Kod- Fabrication Games Europe AB, Sweden
• KuraKuraMaze – Yoshimi Kurihara, Japan
• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery – EP Capy, Canada
• WildChords – Ovelin, Finland