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Hemisphere Games' critically acclaimed PC title Osmos is making its way to the iPad, and will eventually be joined by an iPhone release in the future. Currently available for $10 for the Mac as well as Windows and Linux PC's for $10, Osmos has been described as a "zen game", with many reviews citing the fantastic atmosphere created with the marriage of hypnotic graphics with perfectly paired music. It didn't take more than a few seconds of playing the free demo on my computer to see just how well Osmos will work on the iPad.

In the game, you play as a bright blue orb floating about absorbing other orbs, called motes. The basic gameplay mechanic involves puttering around the game world sucking up anything smaller than you. Clicking (or tapping on the iPad) in a direction causes your orb to eject mass that way and send you jetting off the opposite way. Things start off easy, but levels quickly ramp up to require extremely precise movements as the game places you in levels where you're absolutely surrounded by bigger orbs just waiting to munch you up.

You can get a good feel for the game by watching the trailer:

Osmos for the iPad is planned for release on July 8th, with the iPhone version following roughly a month later. I've really enjoyed these slow-paced "zen" games in the past, and I think Osmos will be a great fit on both the iPhone and iPad. Hemisphere Games has also posted a brief hands-on video of the game running on the iPad, and it shows how the mouse controls translate to touch as well as teasing a few extra game modes:

You can expect a review from us when the game hits the App Store in a week or so.

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Dedalord Games has recently unleashed their crazy puzzle game Pyschoban into the App Store. Psychoban is a Sokoban variant that manages to incorporate a lot of personality and style.

The game opens with in a hospital ward with you under the direction of a mad scientist after having gone through a "procedure". You are walked through the basics of the game. If you've ever played Sokoban, you'll be pretty familiar with the gameplay. The goal is to move blocks to their proper locations. However, you can only push blocks and there has to be a space for you to push from. So if you back a block into a wall, you won't be able to pull it away. So it goes, and your job is to puzzle your way through each level to accomplish each goal. Unlike plain vanilla Sokoban, the game allows you to hop up and down levels, and also allows for stacking of boxes. This keeps things a little more interesting as you make your way through the game's 50 levels.

Game controls are intuitive with a single tap to select the box and a subsequent tap to determine its destination. Your character then automatically goes through the motions of pushing the box. Fortunately, there is a "fast" mode that allows him to run a bit faster, though there still will be times you are just waiting for him to finish.

Here's a video shot by one of our forum readers:

Due to the isometric view, there are sometimes perspective issues that can cause some initial confusion to the level designs, but an issue one you can learn to work around. For good or bad, the game seems to fall a bit on the easy side (at least until the final 10 levels so I'm told). Otherwise, the game is very well done with great artwork and amusing dialog. All this combines to a really great experience.

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The endless high score game is a popular genre in the App Store, as Doodle Jump and it's 5 million downloads will attest to. One of the more recent titles to catch our eye is Oddy Smog's Misadventure by two-man developer Medusa. At first glance you might just dismiss Oddy Smog as a clone of Glu Mobile's Jump O'Clock, and while true they share similarities at the very basic level Oddy Smog offers a pretty different experience that we're finding hard to put down.

Oddy is just a small bit of a much larger mass of smog working it's way upward to expel out of the machine that created it. He decides that he doesn't want to be a part of this pollution any longer, and so breaks out on his own ahead of the rest of the smog. He must use the different gears inside the vent to propel himself upwards faster than the mass can follow him, and one wrong move will engulf him back in the dirty blackness from which he came. It's a charming premise with equally charming graphics and music to accompany it. The vent you travel up is rendered in 3D giving it some depth, and Oddy himself is a billowing, lively little puff of smog that manages to have a lot of personality for being essentially a black circle with eyes. There's just something endearing about Oddy, and you find yourself rooting for him to escape his smoggy pursuer.

Holding the right side of the screen latches Oddy onto a gear he comes into contact with, and letting go launches him using the spinning gear's inertia. You don't shoot straight off the gear like you would in Dizzypad for example, and this aspect takes a bit of getting used to when you first start playing the game. Touching the left side of the screen makes Oddy jump in midair, and you can only jump once between touching either gears or the walls of the vent. If you do launch yourself into the wall, Oddy will climb a short distance and then jump off by himself and from there you can latch onto another gear or perform a midair jump to get where you need to go. Occasionally another errant smog blob like Oddy will be chained to the wall and if you jump into these guys you can release them. This acts as the score multiplier, and will multiply your total height by the number of prisoners you catch.

There are different types of gears to latch onto, some can only be grabbed for a short period forcing you to act quickly, and others will propel you high into the air letting you easily cover a good stretch of distance. Other special items do similar things, like a spaceship or teleportation pod that will advance Oddy for you. All these game elements combine to make for a really engaging experience. It's a great feeling to quickly hit a series of gears or narrowly escape the impending doom of the approaching smog, and the risk/reward aspect of trying to free prisoners adds a lot to the formula. There's some hints that this might not be such an 'endless' game, and that there's the possibility of Oddy actually escaping the vent, although I have yet to make it that far.

A couple of small gripes about the game are present, and the most notable is the lack of high score tracking. A game like this is just meant for such a thing, although the ability to post your scores to Twitter helps somewhat. The dev has conceded in the game's forum thread that this is due to waiting and seeing how Apple's Game Center will turn out, and likely a social platform of some type will be added down the line. Another problem I had was due to the random generation of the level, and every so often a section would be too barren for me to latch onto any gears and I'd helplessly fall back into the pursuing smog. Finally, there's no screen flip option which can be pretty annoying for a game that encourages the use of headphones. None of these issues should deter anyone from trying Oddy Smog's Misadventure, and for randomly generated high score game enthusiasts this is one that's not to be missed.

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A few weeks ago, the joint venture from Revolutionary Concepts and Tangible Games Banzai Rabbit hopped onto the App Store. Taking the basic core gameplay of the arcade classic Frogger and adding a host of new elements, including exquisite 3D graphics, produced a game that we thoroughly enjoyed in our review apart from one major gripe – it was just too difficult for your average gamer. The developers heard this cry loud and clear and actually anticipated it to a certain extent. An easy mode had been created prior to release for the possibility that gamers found the game to be too hard, thus an update including this new mode and a few other tweaks was able to be submitted relatively quickly after release. The new update has now hit the store, and it addresses practically every concern we had over the initial release, giving no reason not to give Banzai Rabbit a spin.

The new easy mode, titled Cuddly Bunny, starts you off with more lives, extended time to rescue each infected human, slower traffic and hazards, and half the cost of buying continues with mutagen orbs. These changes do wonders making the game more accessible, and at the risk of sounding impossibly hard to please, it's almost too easy. Rarely did I get killed by a hazard, and when I did it was usually because I was trying to rush. Lives and mutagen orbs stockpiled as I played, and never did the timer count down more than about halfway. I don't want to spin this in a negative light, however, as it gives me exactly what I wanted in the first place, which was a way to see the game from beginning to end. Given that the cute storyline and cutscenes are a big part of Banzai Rabbit, I had no trouble enjoying them as I made my way through this easier difficulty.

Another noteworthy aspect to this update is the addition of checkpoints. Losing all of your lives and having to start completely over from the beginning was a point of frustration in the release version, and checkpoints alleviate that problem really well. The easiest difficulty offers many checkpoints should you have to restart the game, with medium difficulty having them as well although fewer and farther between. The hard difficulty remains for the truly hardcore, featuring no checkpoints whatsoever along with less starting lives and much faster traffic. Banzai Rabbit does a wonderful job at catering to a wide audience with this latest update, and if you were on the fence before due to the difficult nature you should have no problem playing the game in it's entirety now.

Also worth mentioning is the impending release of a separate iPad version of Banzai Rabbit. The game is already quite the looker on the iPhone, but with updated graphics taking advantage of the iPad's higher resolution it looks simply stunning. UI tweaks to the game's controls, optimization for the faster processor, and additional cutscene screens are in this version as well with the possibility of some exclusive iPad-only content. The iPad version should be submitted in the next few days, and barring any sort of complications with approval should be available in the next couple of weeks.

Above are some of the early iPad screenshots (click to enlarge), so you can get an idea of whats to come.

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SGN's Exo-Planet made its first appearance on the App Store in early April as Exo-Planet Elite for the iPad [$6.99], a few weeks ago Exo-Planet Elite [$4.99] was released for the iPhone, and it wasn't until a few days ago that the DLC-powered free to download Exo-Planet [Free] joined the ranks. Exo-Planet is an online shooter, somewhat similar to ngmoco's Eliminate [Free], but with a third person perspective, multiple game modes, and an always-equipped grappling hook.

The game is controlled similar to most shooters, and a brief tutorial tells you practically everything you need to know about playing. Movement is controlled with the left side of the screen, and sliding your thumb around the right side of the screen allows you to look around. Virtual buttons are scattered about that do things like allow you to view the scoreboard, switch weapons, and fire. Every player is equipped with a grappling hook that can be shot at most surfaces, and grappling is as simple as tapping where you want to fire it and waiting for your character to reel themselves in.

Exo-Planet takes place in space, and hopping around and sticking to magnetic surfaces with your boots is highly reminiscent of the zero-gravity extravehicular activity portions of Dead Space. The third person view is actually really nice for all the maneuvering you'll be doing, as you can really get a great look at both your surroundings and the locations of your opponents with the pulled back over the shoulder viewpoint.

Exo-Planet includes three gameplay modes, two online and one offline. Online modes include capture the flag and deathmatch, and both are 2v2 team based battles. The offline gauntlet mode is substantially less exciting, with players competing in timed sessions shooting a series of moving targets. I suppose this answers the common complaint of most online-only games in giving iPod touch users something to do when they're not near WiFi, but gauntlet mode doesn't provide much challenge and really only seems useful for grinding scrip, learning the controls, and killing time.

What's this "scrip" stuff? Well, like similar games, Exo-Planet uses an in-game currency system to purchase various upgrades for your character. Everything from tricking out your weapons to increasing your run speed or even making your grappling hook reel in quicker can be purchased with scrip. This seems to be the major division between the free and paid versions of Exo-Planet.

If you shell out some cash for Exo-Planet either for the iPhone or iPad, you get something called "scrip boost" which increases the amount of scrip you earn by playing matches and fighting in gauntlet mode. In the free version, you have the ability to buy scrip in increments ranging from 99¢ all the way up to $19.99.

Playing online is a lot of fun, although in my testing the quality of the games I get matched up with varies wildly. Some are fast paced 2v2 matches with little or no lag filled with players who know what they're doing (capture the flag is particularly fun in these situations) and others are 1v2 lag fests that either end with the timer running out while you return the flag over and over or kill inactive players, or just simply lagging out. There isn't any Eliminate-like energy system, so you don't really lose anything but the time it took to load in to the game when you get a bad match… Which oddly enough has made me much more willing to put up with intermittent connection and lag issues.

Few games match the experience Exo-Planet provides when you find yourself in a game with 4 solid players with good connections. Playing with skilled players amounts to constantly grappling while firing, grappling again to avoid incoming fire, and either trying to stay alive or capturing as many flags as possible which can be a lot of fun. Connection issues are a problem, and it remains to be seen how much post-launch support SGN is going to give Exo-Planet, as you can really only play the same maps and use the same weapons so many times before getting bored. People on our forums are really digging the game, and I really recommend at least giving the free version a spin if nothing else– Especially if you've found yourself even slightly enjoying games like Eliminate in the past.

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Mountain Sheep's Minigore [99¢] has been somewhat of a cult favorite on our forums, with legions of fans still willing to defend the honor of Minigore whenever a new dual stick shooter hits the App Store. The Episode 4 update was announced quite a while ago, with the developers promising a new level, new playable characters, a new weapon, and even co-op over Bluetooth and local WiFi.

Today they released a 30 second gameplay clip of co-op mode, and it's hard to not get excited at the sheer potential of playing Minigore with a friend:

We liked Minigore a lot when it first came out, and since our initial review, an onslaught of updates have been released adding all kinds of new characters and features. There's even a iPad Minigore HD [$4.99] if you're an iPad owner looking to get your 'gore on. Mountain Sheep isn't discussing any release date estimates for episode 4 yet, but if you want to stay on top of all things Minigore, follow the Minigore blog or stop by the thread in our forums.

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Back at E3 we first heard rumblings from Rovio regarding finally updating the iPad version of Angry Birds [iPhone: 99¢ / Free - iPad: $4.99]. It landed on the App Store not too long ago, bringing a bucket full of content that owners of the iPhone version have already been enjoying.

These additions include the new boomerang bird, 45 new levels across 3 different themes, golden eggs, some new menus, and Crystal updates with new achievements. Of course, we've still yet to really see any iPad specific feature that makes the HD version worth picking up other than higher resolution graphics, but we're always keeping our fingers crossed for something cool coming in the future.

If this is the first you've heard of Angry Birds, and haven't been curious enough to download it after seeing it at or near the top of the iTunes top ten charts for quite some time now, take a look at our review. Angry Birds is a catapult game where you fling one of an array of different birds, each with a unique ability, at a set of pigs on the opposite side of the screen. With an excellent physics engine, Angry Birds is a game of precision and planning as you fling each bird to decimate the opposing pig forces.

The iPhone version is highly recommended, but until they implement some iPad-specific feature set that set it apart from its 99¢ counterpart aside from higher resolution graphics, I'd just stick with running the iPhone version at 2x. Of course, if you already own the HD version, don't waste any time mashing "Update" in iTunes. There have been some reports of the new update crashing in the Angry Birds HD thread in our forums and Rovio posted suggesting to reboot your iPad if you have issues. I haven't run in to any problems myself, but it's just something to be aware of.

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Owen Goss of Streaming Colour Studios had his third game land on the App Store recently. LandFormer [Free] follows Monkeys in Space: Escape to Banana Base Alpha [$1.99 and Dapple [$2.99 / Free] and is a puzzle game where players use a set of six tools to raise or lower squares on a five by five grid to make everything level. LandFormer is the completed product of the 360iDev Game Jam which we covered in October, and later checked in with Owen at GDC to see its progress. Looking back on the early concepts and in-development screenshots, it's really cool to see how far LandFormer has come.

Gameplay amounts to loading a level where the various tiles on the grid are at different heights. You then touch on the grid where you want one of the tools centered, then either press up or down to raise or lower the terrain. Each level begins by telling you how many moves were used when making the level, and once you make your way out of the easy set of levels, hitting this target is much more difficult than it sounds. Thankfully, there is an undo button.

Like a lot of unconventional puzzle games, Dapple being a prime example, the concept is a little hard to describe but will make sense as soon as you watch the video:

The best part about LandFormer, and where we've really got to tip out hats to Streaming Colour, is how the game is being sold. You can download LandFormer for free, which gets you access to the ten tutorial levels and complete access to the user created level system– You just can't save any of your creations or downloads once you quit the game.

If you decide you enjoy the game, a $1.99 in app purchase unlocks an additional 50 levels of multiple difficulties along with the ability to store user created levels. Also, if the land forming theme isn't doing it for you, there's a 99¢ Discotheque theme that changes things up a bit. Either purchase will remove the in-game advertisements. There are plans for both additional level packs and themes available in the future as additional DLC as well. I've always really liked games that take this sales approach, as you risk nothing by trying the game out, don't need to bother with a lite version, and you know exactly what you're getting in to before you decide to shell out any cash.

The level creation and sharing system works quite well, and will likely provide a ton of replay value between level pack releases if a community springs up of people sharing levels. The level editor is basically just playing the game in reverse, and using the tool set you mess up the terrain as much as possible. From there, you can share levels via email, which really is just trading a fancy landformer:// URL. Because these levels are just cleverly encoded URL's, they can also be shared via forums, text message, or wherever else you copy the URL to. If you've downloaded LandFormer already, tapping this link on your device should load up the game and allow you to play the level that Owen Goss posted in the LandFormer thread.

I've had a lot of fun with the game, and if it has one flaw (and it's odd to even call this that), it's that it can be too difficult at times. There isn't any kind of hint system, and it's entirely possible to just get flat out stuck on some levels. Thankfully, all of the levels are accessible, so you can just skip the ones you get stuck on, but it would be really nice to sacrifice your move count to get a prod in the right direction instead of just skipping ahead. But, if you like puzzle games that can leave you stumped for who knows how long, LandFormer is a game you definitely need to try.

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One of our favorite developers, Donut Games, has just released a huge free update to their game Castle Smasher that adds more than ten times the original content. Released over a year ago, Castle Smasher was just the second title from Donut Games to grace the App Store. The concept involves launching stones at a castle in order to slowly demolish it bit by bit, setting the angle and power of your catapult shot before letting it fly. Think Angry Birds with a little Breakout thrown in and you get an idea of the gameplay, although Castle Smasher predates Angry Birds by a long shot. There were 5 different castles to smash, but due to the arcade-like aspect of having to start from the beginning each time you ran out of stones it was difficult to ever see all 5, and the first couple grew tiresome after having to play them over repeatedly. Essentially, it lacked some of the thoughtful design of the later Donut Games.

Now Castle Smasher has been given an update that brings it more in line with what you might expect. Rather than releasing a separate sequel, 50 brand new levels have been added that include the wonderful 3 star achievement system Donut Games is known for. New elements like extra bouncy or flaming stones and additional enemy types lend some variation to the smashing of castles. These 50 levels are incredibly well designed and fun. The original game remains intact, appropriately titled Arcade Play, and there's even a randomly generated Target Practice mode thrown in for good measure.

The Target Practice could easily be its own game, and when I had merely just wanted to check out what it was like, I was surprised to find I had blown almost an hour playing it. Castle Smasher was relatively enjoyable to begin with, but the 2.0 update has pushed it amongst the elite of Donut Games and is highly recommended.

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Coatsink software's Pinch game is one that had shown up on our radar back in May when it was first released. What drew us to the game was the relatively natural use of multi-touch to control the game to combine and separate objects.

Pinch is a level-based puzzler that requires you to getting specific colored orbs (called Norbs) to the end goal. In your way are a series of switches, one-way ramps, trenches, and more. The primary mechanic of the game is combining and separating the Norbs in order to pass make it past the obstacles. Some trenches, for example, require you to have multiple Norbs combined into a larger one, while certain doors will only allow certain colors to pass through.

Put them together and you get a nice puzzle game that takes advantage of the iPhone's multi touch capabilities:

The first version of the game seemed relatively short, but the developer has since added a number of new harder levels bringing the total up to 72 at this time. The graphics are simple and we wished the controls were a little smoother at times. At present the playfield needs to be panned around with swipes and you are unable to pinch/zoom the entire level to get an overview. It appears most of these issues, however, will be addressed in a coming update.

In the meanwhile, the game is definitely worth a try. There is a free Lite version also available.

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