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Drop whatever you are doing and head over to the App Store right now. This is not a drill. There are some pretty crazy Valentine's Day sales going on right now, but this… this is beyond crazy. World of Goo HD [Link] for the iPad, the same World of Goo HD that we gave a glowing five star review to and chose as our 2010 iPad Game of the Year, is currently being sold for just under a dollar. We thought World of Goo HD was a bargain at its original price of $9.99, and a must buy when it dropped to $4.99 last month, but at 99¢ you should basically just shift into "click buy button" mode.

If you still need convincing, there is a forum thread full of positive impressions from our members. Honestly though, when a game that is the caliber of World of Goo HD can be purchased for money that is likely swimming around in your couch cushions, it should be a no-brainer. If you own an iPad and don't own World of Goo HD, buy it immediately. If you don't own an iPad buy it anyway, so that in the event that you do get an iPad sometime in the future you'll be prepared. Better hurry though, as the sale will only last for one day and the clock is already ticking. Now, go!

App Store Link: World of Goo HD, $0.99 (iPad Only)

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Disney is on the verge of releasing the third installment to the Jelly Car trilogy. We just got the heads up from them along with a video showing some gameplay along with a brief interview of sorts with Jelly Car creator Tim "Walaber" FitzRandolph. If you're a fan of the series, it's worth a watch to see what the original versions of the first Jelly Car looked like. (Did you know it originally was going to be an Xbox Live Arcade game?)

Jelly Car [Free] is still one of my favorite games, and worth downloading for the soundtrack alone. Its sequel, Jelly Car 2 [99¢ / HD] continues the magic, and the improvements in the Jelly Car 3 has me really excited for it.

Disney is telling us that it's being released tomorrow, which usually would mean that it's going to pop up on the App Store sometime later tonight. However, the standard tricks of looking for the game on international App Stores don't seem to be working, so we're not entirely sure when it is that Jelly Car 3 will be appearing. Either way, we can't wait to give it a try.

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One game that we enjoyed quite that was released last month is Grim Joggers [99¢] from 10tons Ltd. It’s an endless running game that differentiates itself from the many, many other similar games out there by requiring you to take control of more than a dozen runners at the same time. This unique take on the formula is complemented with wonderful pixel art and music as well as a number of Game Center achievements and leaderboards to compete on.

As we noted in our review, there was a blank space in the level select screen that hinted at an additional level to come in the future in addition to the 3 that were initially included. Today that level has become available in a free update to Grim Joggers.

The new level takes place on a battlefield under a twilight sky as you jog along avoiding soldiers with bayonets, land mines, missiles, and other hazards of war. There are also downed friendly soldiers that you will randomly come across during your run that can be rescued for bonus points. Finally there are six additional Game Center achievements to unlock that pertain to this new level. Interestingly there is now another blank area on the level select screen that hints that another new level is in the works, so we’ll definitely keep our eye out for that.

Grim Joggers is an easy recommendation if you enjoy the endless running games and are looking for one with a bit of variety. If 10tons keeps adding new levels to the game then it only stands to get better. Players in our forums are really enjoying this one as well, and if you already own Grim Joggers then mash away recklessly at your update button and check out the new Battlefield Bodybuilding level.

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What’s the best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day? I think the dudes over at Zepto Lab would argue that dishing out flowers, sugar, and frilly things to the special person in your life isn’t the right way to go about it. No, it’d probably want you to dig into its special V-Day update for Cut The Rope [.99 / HD] and pass on all the usual lovey-dovey junk.

As for that update, expect to see Om Nom with Cupid wings in 25 additional levels filled with themed art including half candies and pleasant backgrounds. Also, the game will soon reflect the change with a new, presumably adorable, themed icon.

Here’s a video of the new levels in this new “box.” Publisher Chillingo tells us that new features are coming alongside the new levels:

Not bad for free, right? But even if you don’t own the game, it’s definitely a lot cheaper than a box of chocolates. Give your mate some Cut The Rope. You’ll save money and, if he or she gets hooked, you won’t have to listen to their crap all night long! Bonus!

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We first reviewed Big Blue Bubble’s Burn the Rope [Link] back in late December, and really enjoyed the unique gameplay despite a few minor complaints. Among these were the lack of Retina Display graphics or Game Center, and an annoying bug that made it difficult to burn a rope around tight corners, thus making it harder to 100% a level for a gold medal. Then last month, Burn the Rope received a substantial update taking care of most of these complaints. Game Center was integrated with leaderboards and achievements, that nasty bug that prevented 100% completion on levels was fixed, and 16 brand new levels were added to enjoy.

I had previously said when the last update came out that the only thing left that I wanted to see out of Burn the Rope was support for Retina Display, and with today’s update my final demand has been met. The Retina Display support really makes the graphics pop, but Big Blue Bubble didn’t stop there. This update also contains another 16 brand new levels, as well as 3 new insects to deal with and new bonus rounds to complete.

The first new bug is the firebug which will explode when ignited by your flame and burn everything within its blast radius. Next are electric bugs which travel in pairs and once one is ignited it will shoot a bolt of electricity to its partner that will start an additional flame burning in a different area of the puzzle. Finally, water bugs will extinguish a flame that comes into contact with them, so you must make sure to have another flame burning somewhere before encountering them.

Also new in this update are bonus rounds which can be played upon completion of certain levels in the campaign. Here you’re given a puzzle that is crawling with a ton of bugs and the goal is to try and burn as many of them as possible before a short timer runs out. These levels are a fun break from the normal ones that can require some intense strategizing.

Burn the Rope was a fun puzzle game to begin with, and it got even better with these past two updates. Now that Retina Display support has been added, I can’t really see how it can be improved any further aside from just adding more levels to play through. There are now a total of 112 levels including all the new ones, so Burn the Rope is definitely a good investment for the amount of content it contains. The game is currently still on sale for 99¢ though the developer has stated the price would to up to $1.99 with this latest update, so it can change any time. If you have yet to grab Burn the Rope, now would be a great time to do so with so much content added since the initial release.

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Fear not, Angry Birds fans, for more content is now available for your game of choice. In between their frequent dips in their money bin, the folks at Rovio Mobile managed to find the time to drop another update to its season version of Angry Birds, aptly titled Angry Birds Seasons [.99 / HD]. This time, it’s Valentine’s Day content.

As usual, you’ll find more swine to slay, though you’ll be stomping the little green fellas in levels with soft shades of pinks, blues, and reds. Also, as you’ll notice here, the structures in levels tackle Valentine’s themes and as if that wasn’t enough, there’s also fluffy little hearts that float. Overall, you're getting 15 levels and several new Achievements to earn.

Both versions of the game, the HD for iPad and the regular iPod and iPhone version, have received this update, so definitely go check this out if you’ve got a few more minutes. Or, hey, if you’re got a lot of time on your hands, send a Valentine’s Card from the game. Kidding (or am I!?)

In other news, Angry Birds [99¢ / HD] proper played a (very small) part in the Super Bowl last night, as a hidden code was featured in an ad for the upcoming movie Rio. Videos of anything to do with the Super Bowl or Super Bowl commercials have been disappearing from YouTube all day, but here's a decent one that's still up of the ad:

To unlock the secret level, go to level 13-12, and shoot the white bird backwards to bomb the hill that the birds are on. A football shaped golden egg will appear, which will then allow you to play a special Rio level. Upon beating said level, you'll be prompted to enter a contest to go to a special screening of the movie in Rio de Janeiro. If you don't feel like jumping through all of these hoops, you could just click here and enter the contest but that seems like much less fun.

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Just a quick heads up that my current favorite obsession Disc Drivin’ is having a 99¢ sale this weekend. Disc Drivin’ is a turn-based racing game that we reviewed back in December that uses an asynchronous online system to allow racing with people all over the world at your leisure. Take your turn, then the game sends that data along to the other players in the race, and when it’s time for your turn again a simple push notification lets you know.

It works wonderfully well, and just a few days ago we detailed the past updates for Disc Drivin’ which included random online matchmaking in the latest one. Players have also been discussing the game and trading usernames in the game’s official thread and the dedicated username swapping thread.

There has always been a fully-featured ad-supported version of Disc Drivin’ available, and the ad-free version usually sells for $2.99. If you’re one of those people who have been enjoying the ad-supported version but didn’t quite feel like ponying up the 3 bucks to upgrade, now’s your chance to do so for just 99¢. If you haven’t yet tried Disc Drivin’ then give the free version a spin, and if you like what you see make sure to grab the full version for a dollar before it jumps back up in price after the weekend is over.

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Just a quick heads up here on a major weekend sale that's underway on the highly popular Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episodes One [$0.99] and Two [$1.99], both down from $7.99 for 87% and 75% price reductions, respectively. Both titles are also available on XBLA, PSN, and Windows, but these are the lowest prices we've seen for them on any platform.

As described by creators Penny Arcade and Hothead Games,

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is an RPG-Adventure game set in the comic-book-meets-pulp-horror-meets-H.P. Lovecraft deranged 1920s universe of New Arcadia, delivering mature and compelling entertainment to gamers via accessible episodic delivery. The creative collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike ‘Gabe’ Krahulik and Jerry ‘Tycho’ Holkins, legendary game designer Ron Gilbert and veteran producers Hothead Games results in a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience that pushes bizarre characters, outrageous combat, and adult humor to the precipices of darkness.

Players join Gabe and Tycho, the crime-solving team of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, to combat savage enemies and solve mysteries hidden deep in the sinister heart of New Arcadia. The ominous 1920s landscape features distinct artwork and characters designed exclusively by Krahulik and brought to life by the Hothead team.

Gamespot called the adventures well worth the initial XBLA price of $20 USD for any Penny Arcade-loving gamer. Any Mac user who meets that description should find this weekend sale an absolute steal.

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With a new year upon us, we're bringing back our monthly best game listings. Our ratings for games we reviewed in January are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. 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 traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others.

5 Stars

Dead Space™, $6.99 – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – "Console quality" is a phrase that's thrown around a lot to describe portable games, and really, it's a fitting title for this iOS-exclusive version of Dead Space. Sure, we're still irked that there aren't any control configuration options, but that shouldn't stop you from picking up this game, and it hasn't stopped us from playing through it multiple times. We tend to prefer Dead Space for iPad [$9.99] over its iPhone counterpart, but both are fantastic games that should be a part of your collection. EA started 2011 off with a bang by releasing Dead Space, and if this is setting the benchmark for the quality of games we're going to see out of them for the future, this is going to be one hell of a year.

Dungeon Raid, $2.99 – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – As mentioned in our review of the game, with the number of fish in the match three sea, it takes a lot to make one that's just as fun (if not more so) than the match three staples like Bejeweled 2 and other classics. Dungeon Raid accomplishes this by distilling the Puzzle Quest formula down to its basics, and providing match three gameplay that retains its simple nature while offering a shocking amount of depth via random equipment and character upgrades. Also, there's much more to matching than just high scoring, clearing each type of block has a purpose, and the order you clear them in can mean life or death. This game has stolen hours of my time, I can't recommend it enough.

4.5 Stars

Pocket HalfPipe, $0.99 – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – This incredibly awesome skateboarding game is highly reminiscent of the halfpipe in the classic NES series Skate or Die, but with much better graphics and crazy dual stick controls that allow you to pull off all kinds of moves. The game could easily be described as basic, but it's so much fun that we don't care. The tricks you'll be able to pull off after a bit of practice are cool, and stringing a massive chain together is hugely rewarding. We'd love to see some additional depth or customization thrown in, but as it is, Pocket Halfpipe is just so much fun to play that it doesn't seem to matter.

Bug Heroes, $1.99 – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – Much like how Dungeon Raid took typical match three gameplay and made it awesome, Bug Heroes takes the dual stick shooter to the next level. The core of the game is based around the typical dual stick shooter formula, but multiple playable characters (each with strengths and weaknesses) as well as elements of both castle and tower defense make this a game that everyone needs to check out. Just keep in mind, it will be very difficult to go back to your basic survival-mode dual stick shooter after this.

The rest of January 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 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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I've been experiencing different levels of excitement for Monty Python's Cow Tossing [99¢ / HD] since I saw the first details on the game at the International Mobile Gaming Awards last month. Since then, I posted the trailer, and generated a bit of excitement from fellow Monty Python fans in comments and on our forums. The game launched yesterday, and I couldn't wait to try it.

See, I've been a Monty Python fan as long as I can remember, and have watched Monty Python and The Holy Grail more times than I could even estimate in my lifetime. I suppose it's my own fault for letting my imagination run wild, but I figured classic Monty Python style Holy Grail humor combined with Angry Birds gameplay could have been a combination that worked incredibly well.

Monty Python's Cow Tossing is based around the point of King Arthur's quest in The Holy Grail where they come across the French stronghold on the search for the grail. After an exchange of taunts, the French claim to have the grail, and Arthur demands it. At this point, the French launch a cow over the wall at Arthur and his men, which is what you'll be doing in Cow Tossing– Launching farm animals at English knights who are often positioned inside of various structures which will also need to be destroyed, exactly like Angry Birds.

Unfortunately, things go pear shaped quickly. The game takes an incredible amount of time to load each level, even on recent devices. The physics of the game itself are crazy, and not in a good way. Aiming is entirely too difficult, and the additional adjustments that allow you to move the catapult around a bit only serve to make things more convoluted. Also, in the event of you actually hitting a weak point of the English defenses that causes it to fall over, the frame rate often drops to unbelievable levels. There's more that I didn't like, but you probably get the idea.

Despite all this, Monty Python's Cow Tossing does happen to have a few interesting things that are vaguely redeeming. Instead of being limited by the amount of ammo you have, you're forced to complete each level in a certain amount of time. Each level features an English battering ram rolling towards your French defenses, and if this battering ram reaches you, the level is over. The English defenses that you must destroy are often built on top of this battering ram, which forces you to re-adjust your aim with each shot instead of just getting more accurate via trial and error.

Another cool thing is how power ups are handled. They drop from the sky and you can time your shots to match your ammo to its corresponding power-up for a bonus effect. For instance, if you launch a cow through the cartoony bacterium falling from the sky it will turn in to a mad cow and do tons more damage. There are also power-downs to avoid, and launching your animal through them will cause your shot to fall to the ground.

All in all, Monty Python's Cow Tossing is full of wasted potential. There are clips of the movie included, so presumably they had quite a bit of free reign over the Holy Grail IP, which is why it makes so little sense to me how little of the movie's humor actually translates to the game. I was hoping for an absolutely ridiculous parody of Angry Birds, and instead all we really got was a half-baked Angry Birds clone with a Monty Python skin.

The moving battering ram and its associated defenses are a neat feature, and it's nice that they've included some clips from the movie in to the game. Overall, I'd just download Angry Birds and either rent or buy Monty Python and The Holy Grail from iTunes instead.

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