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I hesitate using the word "addicting" when talking about iPhone games anymore, as it's a pretty tired cliché, but I can't think of a better way to describe the new iPhone game Slingo Supreme. I use the term “new” loosely, as Slingo itself has been around since the mid-nineties, but is new to the iPhone platform. Many gamers will probably remember playing Slingo on AOL back when your 28.8k modem was the hotness. I remember the game from back then, but somehow managed never to have played it until this iPhone iteration. The game evolved a lot since the first release from 1995, and Slingo Supreme for iPhone is based on the PC game of the same name from 2008.

There's a lot going on in Slingo Supreme, but I'll do my best to sum it up for those not familiar with the game. In essence, it's exactly what the name implies – a mixture of slots and bingo. Each game starts with a 5 x 5 board of randomly set numbers, with a row of five numbers along the bottom that changes with each “pull” of the lever, like a slot machine. The task is to match each number from the bottom row with one from the corresponding column above it. You're given 20 pulls of the lever to accomplish this task, with the ultimate goal of racking up a high score and completely clearing the board of numbers. This is Slingo at its most basic level, but there are many twists to the formula.

For starters, you can randomly get jokers in the bottom row which allow you to choose any number in the column to clear, or super jokers which let you clear any number on the entire board. Sometimes you'll get a devil in the row which will deduct points from you, unless you get lucky and a cupid appears to block him. This all applies to Classic mode in the game, but there is also Supreme mode. In Supreme mode, you can choose from sixteen different powerups to use, which allow for bonuses such as earning extra spins, score multipliers, mystery chests, and more. Running into a devil is also a bit different, as it allows you to wager a portion of your score in one of several mini-games against him, with the possibility of doubling your entire score should you win.

There are eight slots to place powerups in Supreme mode, and the powerups and slots are initially locked and slowly unlock as you progress in the game. In fact, the unlocking aspect is what really hooks me about Slingo Supreme. It seems like every few games you're earning a new reward of some type, and it really compels you to keep playing. Games can be played fairly quickly, and they strike a great balance between strategic and mindless. Pulling the lever and matching numbers doesn't require a ton of skill, but smart use of powerups and efficient matching can take your scores to astronomical levels.  This video shows gameplay from the PC version of Slingo Supreme, which plays exactly like the iPhone version just with a different screen layout:

In addition to the Classic and Supreme modes, there is a Daily Challenge that tasks you with earning a certain high score using the specific powerups of the day. It's a fun mode as well, but unfortunately Slingo Supreme doesn't feature any kind of online scoring, which is a feature it definitely needs. The developer has stated in our forums that online scores will be coming in an update, but until that time there are four profile save slots so you can have some same device competition with family or friends.

Even without these additions, Slingo Supreme is an engaging affair that's well worth checking out if you're a fan of the series, or even a newbie like myself who just can't seem to put it down.

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Ethan Nicholas grabbed headlines when his Scorched Earth-alike, iShoot [App Store] shot up the charts to grab the #1 spot in the top 100 paid apps category, dethroning the mighty iFart Mobile. What's particularly interesting about his success is that the game had been languishing in the App Store for several months until he released the free iShoot Lite [App Store], which instantly started to climb the charts, bringing the paid app with it and thereby defining a strategy that many would follow with varied success. For Nicholas, his success with iShoot was such that he was able to leave the day job behind and focus entirely on iPhone development.

In January, after his follow-up title Kim Rhodes' Outdoor Shooting [App Store] was out the door, Nichols began work on iShoot 2, sharing details of the development process in a few developer blog posts. And, after eight months' work, the game has just gone live in the App Store [link].

iShoot 2 is basically a reworked take on the Scorched Earth formula, but with some nice enhancements over the original iShoot. First of all, iShoot 2 is a universal application that takes full advantage of the screen resolution of the iPhone 4 and iPad. But, aside from the benefit gained by the physically higher resolution screens of Apple's latest devices, the graphical detail of the game itself is notably enhanced as compared to the original, lending a more polished feel to the game.

Like iShoot before it, iShoot 2 is a turn-based artillery game that delivers a kill-or-be-killed battlefield scenario to the player. You control a tank set on a hilly / craggy landscape, flanked by one or more enemy tanks. Your goal is to calculate the proper angle and velocity to deliver your projectile(s) to your enemy in as few attempts as possible. And then pound him until dead. In this go-round, you have more intricate control of your weapons, as the velocity setting is handled via on-screen slider, as opposed to the length of time the fire button is held down, as handled in the original.

The game offers both Skirmish and Campaign single-player modes, as well as local Bluetooth multiplayer, with four players total in each mode. An entirely new weapons system has been put in place, with not only single-projectile weapons, but particle-based weapons, flame weapons, and the like. Tanks can be upgraded to use more advanced ordnance as the game progresses. The battlefields of iShoot 2 are larger than those of the original, with scrolling and pinch / spread zooming used to keep enemies in view. A dramatic, original soundtrack backdrops the action. Basically, every area of the game has been in some way improved over the original.

I've personally long been a fan of these sorts of games, there being a sort of fulfillment gained from calculating a trajectory and watching your volley of fiery death rain down upon your enemy. If you can identify with that emotion, or simply enjoyed Scorched Earth and its ilk, you'll likely find iShoot 2 rather to your liking.

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