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When we stumbled across this new trailer for Rocket Racing League, I figured it was just another cool aerial racing game. After a little more research, I was surprised to find that there is a real Rocket Racing League, which is described as "the closest thing to Star Wars Pod Racing here on Earth." With the inaugural flight taking place barely two years ago, both the real Rocket Racing League and the iPhone game have definitely piqued my interest.

Rocket Racing League will be released for both the iPhone and iPad, with both single player and local multiplayer with up to four players. The game has four race types, and will launch with five track locations and two more coming post-launch.

Check out the trailer:

The last update on the Rocket Racing news site mentions the game being days away from submission to Apple, so hopefully we'll be racing around in rocket planes very soon.

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It was little more than a week ago that we were lamenting that Starcraft 2 would not be coming to the AppStore any time soon. Unbeknownst to us, indie developer Pixel Stream has been working on the silver lining to that news for almost 8 months, with the release of their Starcraft-esque real-time strategy game, Armada – Galactic War [AppStore].

Firstly, let's dispense with one important fact early– Armada is a no-nonsense, online-only RTS, at least until a promised future update releases offline play too. This means from your very first game you'll be facing real competitors over your WiFi or 3G networks and won't be charging through a pre-scripted, story-based set of missions. Fortunately, you aren't thrown entirely in the deep end, as a brief page-by-page tutorial offers an introduction to the game's mechanics and features.

Each Armada army, of which there are 3 — the Humans, Cyborgs and Aliens — has 4 distinct classes of units. There are no buildings to concern yourself with, so the scope of your campaign is entirely in considering whether to deploy your Mechs, Tanks, (flying) Ships or your solitary Mothership. Unit effectiveness is determined by a loose rock, paper, scissors formula, where Mechs are effective against Ships, Ships are best against Tanks (who are the only units that can't attack air units) and Tanks use their splash damage to chew through Mechs. Each unit class (with the exception of the Mothership) is further broken down into 3 units of increasing strength and cost. The Mothership is the hub of each team, a goliath of a ship that is both your source of units and a competent fighter against all the other classes. Its destruction serves as the overall objective to achieve victory in Armada.

Your entire army is funded by sending your Mechs to harvest the green crystals scattered across the map (sounds familiar?). Selecting units and ordering them to a task is ingeniously simple in Armada. You enter select mode by holding one finger on the yellow square at the top left of the screen and can either drag a box around your units, or tap them individually to select them. Releasing the select box allows you to then issue commands by tapping on-screen, such as sending Mech units to mine crystal.

It's a wonder that many developers have cited difficulty in translating traditional mouse controls to the touch interface as the major reason RTS games aren't featuring on the AppStore (just read the comments from Blizzard above). Pixel Stream have managed to come up with a control scheme that feels both intuitive and responsive and allows for a surprising amount of micromanagement too. That's not to say we were completely satisfied with the control options, as we would have liked to see a way of de-selecting units and assigning control groups (to on-screen buttons perhaps?) or selecting all units of the same type to better co-ordinate your army in combat, but the basis for a successful system is certainly in place. A few tweaks could make it really exceptional.

We were very impressed by the online service provided via Pixel Stream's Zing Network. Private matches were simple to setup and the matchup system found opponents nearly instantly, or would revert to an AI player if players weren't available. Games played on WiFi naturally ran very smoothly but we were surprised to find that 3G connections were just as capable. Armada's netcode and graphics performance also appeared to be in peak form, as we piled scores of units on screen at once, upwards of 30 or 40, and noticed no perceivable performance hit on our 3GS device. Our 2G Touch device skipped only a few frames too, but combat certainly remained playable.

The 5 maps initially available in Armada can be played in any configuration from 2-4 players, with 4 player battles being a (manic) highlight in our time with the game. The maps all have different configurations and slightly different themes, though their function is more strategic than aesthetic, as each has a number of crystal farms for you to expand to in order to gain a leg up on opponents. The units themselves are crafted in simple 3D; they are evidently low-poly with low resolution textures. That's not to say they don't look nice though, as they are all easily recognised on the battlefield and get the job done. Each race has a completely unique style individual to their personalities too (for example, the Cyborgs are clean-lined and shiny, whilst the Humans are more rugged looking).

Armada also features an underlying upgrade system called A.R.M.S in-game, which we are admittedly on the fence about. 10 customizable upgrades (in total) can be applied to your profile, each one boosting the abilities of 1 particular unit in your arsenal. For example, a Mech 1 speed upgrade will boost the movement speed of any 1st tier Mech that you create by 30%. There are hundreds of upgrades to choose from covering the whole gamut of attributes for each unit (and the mothership too). Upgrades are purchased by credits which are awarded for playing matches, with wins and larger scale matches equating to larger returns.

The A.R.M.S system was intended to offer an additional layer of strategy, but it ends up playing out more like a ranking system on FPS games, where players that stick with the game have a significant advantage over those who play infrequently. To give an example, one player on our forums, backtothis– who is currently on top of the leaderboards– claims to have upgraded his level 1 Mechs to the point where they can destroy level 3 Tanks. This costs an exorbitant amount of credits to do however and won't be an option available to the average player for quite some time. We sincerely hope the developers will keep an eye on this, as the upgrade system could be a major source of serious imbalance issues in future match-ups, something that is far more detrimental to RTS' than other genres.

Armada makes serious inroads into capturing the essence of popular real time strategy games on a portable device. It is clearly influenced by the greats such as Starcraft, and in some ways actually manages to distil the epic unit-to-unit match-ups and combat strategy that made that game a hit. Its focus on unit management over building management ensures a narrower scope of battle that is well suited to shorter, more intense matches. It already has a tight control setup in place (which could still use some tweaking) and a match-up system that works– and works well. Our major concern is with the potential abuse of the upgrade system, the effect of which largely remains to be seen, and whether the developers can keep up with the inevitable balancing updates required.

At this stage though, we're ultimately impressed by what 3-man developer Pixel Stream have done; they have catered for RTS fans in a way that other larger developers had thought too difficult. With the promise of offline play in the near future, Armada is an effortless recommendation to any RTS buff looking to test their APM on the touch devices in a competitive environment. To check out the gameplay for yourself, take a peek at the developer's trailer above or hit up our forums for other readers' impressions.

App Store Link: Armada – Galactic War, $0.99 (Introductory Sale Price).

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It seems our love affair with monsters and zombies is still as strong as ever, as there seems to be no let-up on these apps appearing on the AppStore. Well, at least Chillingo thinks so, releasing Monster Mayhem [AppStore] — a castle defense game which seems a mash-up of MonsterKill, Zombieville and even a dash of Plants vs Zombies.

The game begins by introducing a horde of incoming monsters, all ready to descend upon the graveyard over which you are custodian. Naturally, this gravekeeper happens to have an arsenal of weapons at his disposal (don't they all?), and that's about all there is to the story. Monster Mayhem plays a lot like MonsterKill, but instead of enemies coming in waves down the screen, they use the horizontal screen real estate to stage their charge. The whole game has a great look that closely resembles the aforementioned PvZ.

At first, Monster Mayhem seems much like other castle defense games. Though you don't have to flick characters around in finger-seizing fits typical of the genre, there is still the need for endless swiping, particularly as you begin with a knife. Here it draws parallels with MonsterKill, where knife attacks are effected by swiping across an enemy. Unfortunately each swipe seems only to hit one monster, only worsening the inevitable digit agony.

Fortunately, the gameplay offers a reprieve of sorts by introducing firearms that are all tap-tap-tap. It means that your finger isn't being worn to a nub by tricky gestures, instead going back to a simple shooting range gameplay where your finger is the trigger. Having said that, you'll be faced with a lot of mad tapping, where finger soreness is still a reality (indeed, a likelihood), something that may still turn people away but at least is a step in the right direction for the genre.

There are 7 different weapons on offer in Monster Mayhem from handguns to flamethrowers and then the ol' room-clearing nuke. Each of these can be upgraded several times, which changes the type of weapon to a more powerful variant (think an Uzi to an MP5). It's nothing amazingly original, but it's still a nice touch to see. What's more, each weapon handles a little differently; grenades are lobbed at the screen for instance, whilst flamethrowers are waved around to devastating effect. Chances are though, you'll stick to powering up and using only a couple of these, as shotguns don't scatter as expected, and the more powerful weapons cost a heap to keep supplied with ammo.

As far as cannon fodder goes, there are 20 different types in Monster Mayhem, from frankensteins to creepy crawlies and 5 additional, huge bosses to defeat. Every time you encounter a new enemy, you get a cool little scorecard that details their strengths and weaknesses, and what weapons will not work on them, and it's all stored in a Monster Handbook available from the menu. It offers a light layer of strategy as you consider what weapons to use on what enemies and which monsters to engage first. Special mention has to go to the use of the old-school Chinese vampires too, which are creepy even in their cute PvZ-like form.

There are over 30 levels to mow through here, with some really gory-but-cute combat spread over 6 different worlds. After completing the game, you'll unlock the Madness difficulty, a self-explanatory Endless mode and a Boss Rush Mode which includes waves of boss-only monsters. The latter is an interesting addition that is unique to Monsters Mayhem.

On the face of the game is a simple looking castle defense game, but peel that back and you'll find more of a gallery shooter than the flicking frenzy of other castle defenders. The various game modes included should keep you engaged for a while, particularly as the campaign mode's high score is recorded on Chillingo's Crystal platform (which also includes a nice selection of achievements). We did encounter a few intermittent stuttering bugs during our play on the 3GS device (where the game pauses for a brief moment) which we're hoping will be remedied in future updates, but other than that Monster Mayhem is a great monster mash that should get castle defense fans thoroughly excited but may still prove too prohibitive to those protective of their fine motor skills.

Be sure to check out the developer's trailer above for your own look at the game, and have a look at our forums to see other users' impressions.

App Store Link: Monster Mayhem, $1.99.

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We love to see new game titles that take particular advantage of the iPhone's attributes and bring just a little something different to the player. One such game is the upcoming isometric parallax puzzler FixPix from eBoy / Delicious Toys.

Heavy on the pixel art (in a very good way), FixPix challenges you to tilt your iPhone to and fro in order to arrange the various layers of the onscreen scene into a coherent view, in an exercise that should be linked in Webster's entry for the word "parallax." Tilt, tilt, score! is the name of the game here. Definite points for uniqueness.

FixPix should appear in the App Store any time now, but those especially anxious for some hands-on time with this title should visit the web-based demo page.

[ via Fast Company ]

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Last year we took a look at Flower Garden [App Store] from Snappy Touch, the virtual flower garden for your iPhone or iPad (it's a universal app). And while it's more of a simulation / eToy / work of eArt than a game, we found it to be something special. For Mothers' Day weekend, author Noel Llopis is making the game available for free download through the App Store. Why send dear ole' Mom a physical bouquet when you can put a Flower Garden in her pocket?

In Flower Garden, you can plant different types of seeds, water them and watch them bloom. Some flowers bloom immediately, while others may take some care over time. Once you have a collection of flowers, you can even cut them and send them to your friends in an electronic bouquet. There's no real goal to Flower Garden, though there are various seeds you can unlock as you grow more flowers.

We've had the pleasure of meeting up with the game's author Noel Llopis at several West Coast iPhone-related events and are impressed by the maintenance he's given the app; in the past year there have been 12 updates in all. It's a fun little app to spend time with. Those who like what they're hearing and who enjoy the pitter-patter of little feet about their home might want to have a look at Noel's spinoff title, Lorax Garden [App Store] — Flower Garden with the Dr. Seuss touch.

App Store Link: Flower Garden, Free (weekend sale)

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Our April game ratings are in place now, and here are the top of the heap. Our monthly "best of" round-up summarizes the top rated games that we looked at in the previous month. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a 3 or higher is considered a "good" rating.

Our final scores are not the product of any traditional measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others.

5 Stars

Chaos Rings – One of the most ambitious RPG games we've seen so far for the iPhone. The graphics and gameplay are exactly what you'd expect out of a Square Enix RPG. Battle in parties of two in classic turn-based battles as you make your way through a story that's just as ridiculous as any other Japanese RPG. (Review, App Store: iPhone)

4.5 Stars

Babylonian Twins – Sixteen years in the making, Babylonian Twins delivers an amazingly challenging yet satisfying iPhone and iPad puzzle platformer. In many modern platformers, I've felt like I'm just mindlessly going through the motions to make it to the end of each level. Babylonian Twins, however, really keeps you enthralled throughout. (Review, App Store: iPhone, iPad)

Pocket Legends – This free online multiplayer game for both the iPhone and iPad that is a ton of fun and playing in a party with your friends is especially impressive while you're playing via 3G as the netcode does a great job in providing a lag-free experience. Additional content is available via in-game DLC, but you can really get a good feel for the game before you ever need to buy anything. (Review, App Store: iPhone, iPad)

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 – A surprisingly competent port of the classic skateboarding game. Everything is included from the original, and once you get used to the virtual controls, you'll be performing endless combos in no time in the many included skating locations.(Review, App Store:iPhone)

Espgaluda II – Bullet hell at its best on the iPhone. Even not being a huge fan of the genre, we fell quick and hard in love with Espgaluda II. It is the best 2D shooter experience in the App Store with great touch controls. Note: It will only run on the latest generation devices. (Review, App Store: iPhone 3GS, 3rd Gen iPod Touch, or pixel-doubled on iPad)

Honorable Mentions

There were several additional games this month that we felt we should highlight even though they didn't fall in the highest tiers.

Warpgate – A space conquest game with an amazing sense of scope. Warpgate has cool graphics, an interesting faction system to get involved in, and a dynamic in-game economy that can keep you busy for as long as you remain interested in the game. (Review, App Store: iPhone, iPad)

Geometry Wars iPad – A marvelous port of the XBOX Live Arcade game, it includes all the different game modes and has individual online leaderboards for each of them. The graphics are great, the music fits perfectly, and overall we just really want this game on our iPhones as the dual stick control method doesn't feel ideal for the iPad. (Review, App Store: iPad)

Sketch Nation – While the gameplay of the games created in Sketch Nation are generally just simple vertical shooters or other very basic games, the ability to draw and create your own game is one of the best uses of the iPhone camera we've seen. Even if you can't draw, you can still have a great time making a terrible game based on your own art that you photograph. (Review, App Store)

The rest of April game ratings can be seen in their respective rating categories (also found in the sidebar navigation): 5 Stars, 4.5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars, and 2.5 Stars.

As always, we expect there will be some debate about relative scores, but keep in mind that everyone's personal ratings may vary based on individual tastes.

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The multi-award winning game Edge [$.99] by Mobigame returns to the App Store again, in the U.S. and United Kingdom. If you haven't heard by now, there has been an ongoing legal battle over a trademark dispute on the name "Edge". Resulting in the game being pulled off the App Store multiple times and being resubmitted with different names like EDGE, EDGY, and Edge by Mobigame. Well it looks like the battle is over, as the game has reappeared and Mobigame says:

Thanks to us the word "edge" is now free to exist on the App Store like on any other marketplace, and games like Mirror's Edge, Shadow Edge, Killer Edge Racing or Edge by Mobigame can live on our iDevices.

Edge is a game where you are in control of a colorful cube that you must guide through multiple 3D isometric mazes, packed with puzzles to solve and challenges to overcome. With the choice of touch or accelerometer controls, as you can see in the video, the game requires quick thinking and skill to make your way through all the mazes.

Overall, Edge is a great game that we thoroughly enjoyed playing and recommend that you pick it up. Especially since, the game is on sale this weekend to celebrate its return to the App Store once again. Normally $4.99, the game is currently only $.99, so now is a better time than ever to pick up this excellent game. And hopefully Edge is here to stay for good.

App Store Link: Edge, $.99

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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has purportedly dubbed Apple's iPad and iPhone devices to senior executives as the "enemy of the future," according to the Times Online UK.

His words come at a time when Nintendo is witnessing falling profits, as millions own a DS and a Wii — and an iPhone. Oddly enough, Iwata's remarks come little more than a month after Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told Kotaku "Clearly it doesn't look like their platform is a viable profit platform for game development because so many of the games are free versus paid downloads."

It's unknown as of this press time if Nintendo has a time machine, a T-1000 of their own, or one of those cool fountains people throw pennies in. But one thing is clear: the family-friendly developer appears to be readying itself to compete with Apple going forward.

According to Times Online, Iwata also told his executives to consider their fight against Sony's handheld, the PlayStation Portable, as over and won.

The question of how the company will position itself to fight the "enemy of the future," though, remains unanswered. Perhaps the answer simply lies consistently releasing decent games over its own handheld digital download platform, DSiWare.

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When the App Store first launched, I don't think anyone imagined that the iPhone would be such a marvelous platform for retro gamers. The amount of games out there that are either direct ports or heavily inspired by classic titles has been absolutely awesome both for fans of these vintage games and newcomers who are getting to experience the roots of video gaming for the first time.

Revolutionary Concepts, the guys behind the phenomenal port of the LaserDisc arcade game Cobra Command [$2.99] just revealed a video of their next game, Karate Champ. The attention to detail is absolutely astounding, between the arcade style cabinet controls, the gameplay itself, and even the announcer voice which is a dead ringer for the Commodore 64 SAM voice.

Released to arcades in 1984, Karate Champ was one of the first fighting games. It later made its way to the Apple II, the Commodore 64, and the NES among other platforms. According to Revolutionary Concepts, it will be submitted to Apple this week and it will launch at $1.99 as soon as it is approved.

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A couple weeks ago, we reviewed Motocross Challenge, a long lost Gameboy Advance game that never came to be which found new life on the App Store. Despite being more than 5 years old it actually turned out to be a really great experience on the iPhone. Solid controls, a polished interface, OpenFeint integration, and a high fun factor combined to make for one of the best motocross games on this platform. Now it's gotten even better as version 1.2 has gone live and adds real-time multiplayer through OpenFeint, as well as a much requested tilt calibration option.

Previously, multiplayer was restricted to OpenFeint friend challenges. You could pick from any track to race 3 laps as quickly as possible and then send that time to any of your friends to see if they could top it. It was nice and actually worked pretty well within the game's structure, and this feature is still kept intact with the latest update. But most likely you'll forget all about the challenge system once you've had a taste of the exciting real-time racing.

Upon choosing Multiplayer from the main menu, you'll select the new option Vs. World. It will bring you to a bike selection screen where you can choose from your available unlocked motorcycles. While you're doing this it's quietly matching you up with people in the background. A few moments later, the players are set and the race begins on a randomly selected course. There's only the option of racing in 3 lap races online, no trick attacks, but it's incredibly simple to get into and a ton of fun. Where you place in the race earns you points that you'll collect as a badge of honor for how well you do and how much you play, similar to an online ranking.

Also noteworthy in this release is the addition of a tilt calibration. You must start a race and access this option from the pause menu, which is a bit clunky but works as advertised. The real star of this update is the online racing which adds unlimited replayability to this already fantastic game. If you have Motocross Challenge, give the update and online multiplayer a try. If you still haven't pulled the trigger on purchasing yet, now would be a great chance to join in on all the fun. A new Lite version is also now available.

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