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Orion Racer [App Store] from Techlogica is a futuristic racing game that draws influences from the classic F-Zero and Wipeout franchises. It features crisp visuals, a silky smooth framerate, and a tremendous sense of speed.  While it lacks the robustness of some games, it makes up for it with it's focus on a pure racing experience.

The inspiration in this game is obvious from the initial boot up. The hovering vehicles, the sound of the thrusters, the overhead camera that slowly pans down behind the racers before the start. The soul of F-Zero is definitely present here — and it's a good thing. Each of the four vehicles available in the game have a distinctive feel from one another, and you get a different experience using each one. The tracks are nicely designed, featuring twists and turns reminiscent of Wipeout, that only get more maniacal the deeper you advance in the game. There are no weapons, jumps, hazards, or damage of any kind. Hitting the rails merely slows you down, and you cannot fly off the edge. It's an experience that's stripped down to the core — just you versus the track with the competition breathing down your neck — but it manages to be a whole lot of fun in it's simplicity.

The main campaign in Orion Racer is a tournament that has you racing through the 10 available tracks in succession. Placing 1st in the tournament unlocks the fourth vehicle, and placing 3rd or better unlocks the final track for play in the additional single race, time trial and two-player Bluetooth modes. (The first nine tracks and three cars are unlocked from the start.)  The time trials have online leaderboards and the ability to watch replays of the top 25 fastest laps for each track, lending a decent amount of replay value to the game. There are also sliders in the options screen to adjust AI difficulty, brake assist, and tilt sensitivity. You can really tailor the game to your liking, although steering is a tilt-only affair (no option for touch).

While it doesn't sound like a whole lot on paper, Orion Racer really stands out in terms of actual gamplay. The sense of speed is exhilarating, most likely due to the omission of any real graphical bells and whistles. It's still quite visually appealing though, and moves at an incredible clip. Tacks are intelligently designed and are a thrill to play through, delivering a feeling somewhat akin to riding a rollercoaster. It reminds us of why we played games like F-Zero in the first place — it looked great, played fast, and controlled just about perfectly. Orion Racer succeeds in all of these areas, and while some additions could certainly add to the game, what's here is a fun package that's worth taking a look at for fans of racing games.

App Store Link: Orion Racer, $2.99

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Revolutionary Concepts sent us a new screenshot and a note saying they are working around the clock on their port of Data East's arcade classic Karate Champ to the iPhone. The partial list of features include:

• Dual Stick Control (no D-Pad or buttons).
• Virtual arcade cabinet surround (no thumbs covering the action)
• 1 Player vs CPU over 12 environments
• 2 Player Mode via Bluetooth and WIFI
• all the bonus rounds
• all the classic 80's sounds
• Super large Character Option
• Old school scanlines on/off

Karate Champ was a 1984 arcade game that was one of the first fighting games and was later ported to the Apple II and Commodore 64. They are hoping to get the iPhone version of the game out by April.

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A few weeks back we posted gameplay videos of an unexpected and since, highly anticipated, title coming to the iPhone this month. Well, the wait is now over, with Street Fighter 4 [AppStore] launching today! Whilst many were skeptical at Capcom's ability to port such an critically impressive console title to the portable devices, our time with Street Fighter 4 reveals a surprisingly faithful rendition, if somewhat watered down to suit the smaller scale of the iPhone.

Street Fighter 4 gives you control over 8 characters from the console version; Abel, Blanka, Chun Li, Ryu, Bison, Dhalsim, Guile and Ken (in order of appearance). The game offers an impressive move list, featuring all the special attacks from the console version, leaving out the low and medium punch/kick buttons and their respective moves. The purists amongst you may find this too much of a downsize as it undoubtedly poses a change in pace from the original and diminishes the ability to hit those ridiculously high combos. Having said that, there's no doubting its authenticity– this is Street Fighter 4 in all its glory.

It is hard really to see how any additional attacks could have been squeezed in, as the on-screen controls already take up a sizeable portion of the real estate available. Super and Ultra attacks are performed by simply tapping their respective bars (which may irk some), though they can still be pulled off in their traditional, anologue stick fashion via the SP button. This SP button also activates EX attacks and together with a Focus button, complements the kick and punch attacks on the right part of the screen. It should be noted that these on-screen elements can be moved around and have their transparency adjusted, to accommodate left-handers and minimalists alike.

Street Fighter 4 looks and runs exquisitely on the 3GS device we tested it on, with impressive animations and the same gorgeous backdrops we were treated to in the console version. Combat in Street Fighter 4 is fast and fluid, and button input is as responsive as we hoped it would be. The AI does a good job at keeping you on your toes too, and can be configured at 4 difficulty levels from beginner to gruelling. There are a number of game modes, from the standard Tournament mode (against 7 competitors, with Bison featuring as the end boss), to a "Dojo" challenge mode, together with a training mode and a single player versus mode. For those who prefer human competitors, a Bluetooth multiplayer mode is available too.

To round out the impressive feature list, Street Fighter 4 sports a full blown replay system and local leaderboards, to record your matches for later viewing, and to breakdown your winnings in both tournament and versus modes. Capcom has certainly created a comprehensive Street Fighter 4 offering, with only WiFi multiplayer and online leader boards remaining on our wish list, together with the inevitable cries for a more extensive character roster.

Street Fighter 4 is easily recommended to any Street Fighter fan or fighting game aficionado. At its core it is a lightweight port of the exceptional console title, so don't go expecting anything different if you've had your SF4 fill. On the other hand, it is amazing that such a game was ported to the AppStore in the first place and the simple fact that you can now bring Street Fighter 4 around in your pocket should be enough to sway many an eager button masher.

Impressions from our forums are collecting fast and are largely positive. Our readers have noted that there is only minimal slowdown on 3G models compared to the 3GS device we tested, and even 1G users are reportedly happy with Street Fighter 4's performance.

App Store Link: Street Fighter 4, $9.99.

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I'm really not even sure what to make of Gundead Defense [App Store]. It's a free tower defense game set in 1885 where cowboys are battling zombies in the wild west. While the premise is beyond ridiculous, the gameplay is extremely solid and it even features some functionality I haven't seen in other tower defense games before.

Gundead Defense follows the standard tower defense formula in that there are creeps traveling down a set path that you need to defend. Instead of placing towers, you position members of your posse armed with different kinds of weapons. You can also dispatch different henchmen down the path to fight with the creeps to supplement your defenses, which creates this interesting second layer of strategy to the game as you not only need to manage placing and upgrading members of your posse, but you also must strategically order your henchmen to attack to exploit the weaknesses of the various zombie types.

In addition, there's also a multiplayer mode where you can either play on a single device, or with two devices via Bluetooth. When playing via Bluetooth, both players play at once on a split map and you can see where your opponent is placing towers and everything. It's really cool, and again, I can't believe they're not charging for any of this.

The included single player has seven maps and features both a quick play mode and a story mode that focuses on your posse robbing a bank and being jumped by zombies. There's also a single 99¢ DLC level pack that adds an additional seven maps and allows you to play as the zombies who have completely different abilities. Purchasing the DLC pack also will let you play as the zombies in multiplayer.

I've been having a great time with Gundead Defense, and highly recommend downloading it. If you somehow haven't played a tower defense game before, this freebie is an excellent introduction to the genre.

App Store Link: Gundead Defense, Free

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Three games we recently previewed all have since made their way on to the App Store. If you've been looking for some games to get your kiwi flying, hockey playing, zombie shooting fix, look no further.

Fly Kiwi Fly!, 99¢

From our preview:

In Fly Kiwi Fly, you play as a small yellow kiwi who wants to fly, much like the unrelated YouTube hit video "Kiwi!" (which you should really watch if you haven't seen it before).

Motivated by watching the Space Shuttle on TV, you take flight and somehow earn money by constantly jumping off a cliff. This money is then spent on upgrades in the in-game shop that will allow you to jump higher off the start, briefly glide, or even rocket forward among other things.

I shot my own hands-on video of early gameplay, but this recently released trailer gives you a much better idea of what the game is like once you buy some upgrades:

Stinger Table Hockey, $1.99

From our preview:

Stinger Table Hockey effectively duplicates the same insanity of a real hockey table, and while the controls are still in the process of being tweaked, I thought they worked pretty well. Basically, dragging up and down on a track moves that player back and forth, and swiping right or left on the same track causes the player to spin around. It's pretty intuitive, and works well enough to be fun.

There is a single player mode that allow you to play against an AI opponent which is a little on the lame side since the fun part of hockey tables were always playing with another person. Thankfully, Stinger Table Hockey has both bluetooth and wifi multiplayer that I can't wait to try out. There are also tournament modes, and skill tests that feature shootouts and other challenges.

Zombie Cannon Carnage, $1.99

From our preview:

In Zombie Cannon Carnage, zombies from outer-space have crash landed on Earth. Instead of sticking around to endlessly munch on succulent Earthling brains, they decided to build a makeshift cannon from spare circus parts to fire themselves back in to space. With semi-randomized gameplay, various purchasable power-ups, all kinds of obstacles to run in to, and tons of explosions, Zombie Cannon Carnage is one of the better (and substantially more hectic) cannon firing games I've played recently.

Gameplay is similar to other cannon firing games in that you aim your cannon, fire, and see how much stuff you can hit. Each zombie is equipped with a jet pack that has a limited amount of fuel which is capable of sending you flying forward for a brief period of time. When you finally crash in to the ground, you can self destruct for even more points.

Aside from the official trailer, we also shot some gameplay footage:

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As we reported late last month, Touch Arcade had the opportunity to visit Gameloft's Manhattan offices and spend a bit of hands-on time with their upcoming WWII-based first person shooter, Brother in Arms 2: Global Front. Tonight the game landed in the App Store and, after spending a few days with this final build, we have some thoughts to share on Gameloft's latest.

When the first Brothers in Arms title for the iPhone landed in the App Store back in November 2008, it was a highly notable release and almost certainly the most complex 3D game to be released for the platform at the time. It was (and is) a well executed iPhone take on an extremely popular console / PC franchise, wowing most but drawing criticism for a "difficult" control system.

Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front, designed from the ground up specifically for the iPhone, comes to us over a year later.  So what has a year brought us in the sequel to such a bold initial platform release? Quite a bit, it turns out.

Brothers in Arms 2, weighing in at over three times the filesize of its predecessor, brings to the iPhone a much larger game experience. This time around it's a first person affair, as opposed to the third-person, over-the-shoulder experience that is the first title. Actually, when in duck-and-cover mode, BIA2 does jump out to third person — and that's something you'll see often, as using crates, walls, and tanks for cover is pretty much par for the course in this title. That is, when you're not sprinting across the battlefield, manning the turret in a jeep or tank, or piloting a "glider" through heavy flack. Yea, it's pretty intense.

BIA2 drops you neatly into WWII as the young American soldier David Wilson on a mission to push back the Germans and Japanese and get the backs of his brothers in arms in the thick of battle. But, before long, an ominous bit of correspondence reveals that his actual brother, Eric, has been killed and was given the medal of honor — but that medal was revoked due to uncertain circumstances. It's Wilson's additional mission to get to the bottom of the mystery and clear his brother's good name. Pretty heavy stuff, really.

The tools of the trade are many. Available weapons include bazookas, fixed machine guns, flame throwers, Thompson submachine guns, and grenades. (The default play mode offers targeting assistance, which I find helpful, but it can be disabled.) There are three different modes of play, in all, to choose from. The default is a mission to mission progression through 13 levels across five different locales: Pacific, Sicily, Normandy, Germany, and North Africa. Any unlocked locale can also be chosen for quick play in Campaign mode. And, finally, local network play is possible by way of either WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity.

The game's control system feels a bit more workable than that of the original iPhone release. This is due, in part, to the various refined methods of multitouch, onscreen controls offered, but also to the fact that, during the year that's gone by since the originals release, we've come to know a great many 3D shooters utilizing dual-stick (and the like) controls. We're just far more used to this iPhone control mechanic than we were back in November 2008. Whatever the precise combination of reasons, you're going to find BIA2 to feel more comfortable than did the original release.

While BIA brought impressive visuals when it made its debut, so too does BIA2, and that's said taking into account the significant raising of the bar that's taken place over the past year. The environment models have indeed grown in complexity, but more impressive are the subtle visual touches that BIA2 brings. Shafts of light through the trees, HDR blooms (there's an options toggle there) — it all comes together to make for a pretty amazing looking game, very "modern console"-like (on my 3GS).

The game features various trophies that are granted based upon particularly savvy battlefield performance, as well as for finding as many "Kilroy was here" tags as possible. Performance is tracked by way of the integrated Gameloft LIVE network.

And, while the game offers excellent action, often at a frantic pace, it does have a few shortcomings. Framerate is generally quite high on the iPhone 3GS, but occasional (loading?) lags do occur, causing brief pauses in the action and studders to the audio at times. As well, in an apparent glitch where I went off the expected story line, I entered a room and wiped out everything alive, exited the room, only to find it once again full of enemies upon revisiting said room — though this was an isolated occurrence.

And, about that room full of soldiers, or soldiers anywhere in the game, really — the enemy AI that commands them is quite basic. If you're re-playing a scenario after having died, the enemy does the exact same thing the second time around, making it quite easy to wipe out the lot. A little more complex / varied AI would certainly add depth to the battle experience.

See Gameloft's recent trailer video for a look at a variety of in-game scenarios.

That I can pick a few nits in the title does not mark Brothers in Arms 2 a game to avoid. On the contrary, it is a highly enjoyable, action-packed shooter that offers some of the most intense battle sequences you'll find on the iPhone, making this latest from Gameloft a gaming experience that's rather hard to pass up.

App Store Link: Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front, $7.99

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Across Age [App Store]
Current Version: 1.1
Our Review
Forum Thread

This update addresses several of the issues that those in our forum thread had with the game upon launch, mainly control-related problems. An expanded d-pad with visual feedback and reduced angles for diagonal movement should help with most of the control problems people were having before, and those who couldn't quite figure out how to do team actions now have a separate control option that they can choose which utilizes two separate buttons for team moves. Various other balancing issues have been addressed, and dying three times in one room with now restore your character with full health–a much needed concession that will help prevent players from getting stuck in an area.

Battle Blasters [App Store]
Current Version: 1.1
Our Review
Forum Thread

This update seems insignificant since it's only adding bluetooth multiplayer to the game, but in reality it's a pretty huge deal. I asserted that multiplayer was the most crucial thing that Battle Blasters lacked when I reviewed the game shortly after its release, as the only option it offered at the time was a somewhat broken same-device multiplayer feature. Now that bluetooth multiplayer is out (and online multiplayer is still on the way, apparently) a lot of people will likely return to Battle Blasters to finally take on friends who also own the game. I know I will.

Chop Chop Ninja [App Store]
Current Version: 1.1
Our Review
Forum Thread

We really liked Chop Chop Ninja, so the addition of three new levels, eight new enemies to fight against, and two new powerups in this update will most certainly see us giving the game another go. OpenFeint has been added as well in this update, so fans of the game can look forward to trying to collect all 18 achievements and making a name for themselves on the seven new leaderboards.

Finger Physics: Finger Fun [App Store]
Current Version: 1.4
Our Coverage
Forum Thread

Finger Physics has been well-supported with content updates and fixes, and it's good to see this trend continue in this newest update, which adds in 18 new levels. Aside from the two new stages which contain the new levels, a Doodle Jump cross-promotion has been integrated, for those interested. An often-requested retry button is now present after each level is completed, so perfectionists and high-score chasers will now have an easier time grinding for better times.

The Horrible Vikings [App Store]
Current Version: 1.1
Our Review
Forum Thread

Driving Range Island (essentially an open-ended survival mode) is now playable, and should provide some entertainment for those who have finished The Horrible Viking's campaign. Also included in this update are new–and much more difficutl–levels. Random shark encounters add a new dimension to Viking's gameplay, so if you've had your fill of Viking-launching the new levels, new modes, and slightly added element of gameplay variety with the addition of the sharks should be enough to convince you to come back for more.

Speed Forge Extreme [App Store]
Current Version: 1.2
Our Review
Forum Thread

This feels like several updates combined into one. Aside from a large variety of bug fixes, a new "inverted career" allows advanced players to take on races with an increased difficulty level and all weapons and powerups unlocked from the start, and Crystal integration now allow for online leaderboards and achievements. A mini-map now helps track navigation, and shorter loading times (along with the ability to skip arena fights) keep things moving at a fast pace.

Tiki Towers [App Store]
Current Version: 1.3.0
Our Review
Forum Thread

A new "underwater" world adds content to Tiki Towers in this update, and magnets have been added as a resource to aid in tower construction. The biggest news for those who love the game is undoubtedly the addition fo pinch-zooming during both building and playback, which will essentially allow for a much higher level of control to see what could be improved in your constructions.

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As a kid, one of my absolute things to play at the arcade with my Dad was the hockey table machines. If hockey tables (or arcades for that matter) were before your time, a hockey table is similar to a foosball table with players on opposite ends controlling a team of miniature hockey players that are controlled with handles that can be pulled in or out to move the player in their track and spun to make them move their stick around. Much like foosball you could either play this with extremely calculated moves, or, my technique of choice, wildly flail the handles about, spinning your players like crazy and knocking the puck all over the place.

Stinger Table Hockey effectively duplicates the same insanity of a real hockey table, and while the controls are still in the process of being tweaked, I thought they worked pretty well. Basically, dragging up and down on a track moves that player back and forth, and swiping right or left on the same track causes the player to spin around. It's pretty intuitive, and works well enough to be fun.

There is a single player mode that allow you to play against an AI opponent which is a little on the lame side since the fun part of hockey tables were always playing with another person. Thankfully, Stinger Table Hockey has both bluetooth and wifi multiplayer that I can't wait to try out. There are also tournament modes, and skill tests that feature shootouts and other challenges.

If all goes as planned the guys at Stinger Games are going to finish tightening up the controls and physics and should have Stinger Table Hockey on the App Store sometime next week.

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I'm not a big sports fan, in real life or on the consoles. But there's one exception: snowboarding titles. I can't get enough of them. 1080 Snowboarding on the N64, SSX on the PS2, SSX Blur on the Wii — I just love them. Sadly, none of the snowboarding games available in the App Store have really been able to do it for me. Compared to SSX on Tour for the PSP, they generally just look fairly weak.

Well, I'm happy to report that, finally, a quality snowboarding title has landed on the iPhone. X2 Snowboarding [App Store] from Exient is a highly enjoyable romp on the slopes that sets itself apart from the crowd in a number of ways.

The first thing you'll notice about X2 Snowboarding is its stylized graphical presentation. The game features particularly detailed cel-shaded graphics reminiscent of the exceptional Jet Grind Radio for the Dreamcast. They give the game more of a cartoony than realistic look, but compared to its App Store contemporaries, it looks just fine.

You've got a crowd of six boarders to choose from, each of a different nationality and with highly varied skill sets. Six different venues there are, as well, set in as many countries: USA, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and Chile. Upon each set of slopes there are three different types of competitions: Freestyle, Race, and Trick-Race. The slopes are impressively long and more varied than one might expect, providing a satisfying chunk of gameplay across the available types of competitions.

Another thing that sets X2 Snowboarding apart is the feel of its controls. Oh, there's nothing unexpected about the configuration, with a combination of tilt and touch controls (that can be customized) — it's more the general feel. Everything just feels a little "looser" than one might expect. But it's not a bad thing, in fact, somehow it feels quite right combined with the stylized visuals. And speaking of visuals, a nice instant-replay system lets you see your best moves over and over from various camera angles.

Gameplay is solid and heavy on the tricks. On-screen buttons control jump, speed boost, and "wheelies" which can be used to tie together tricks — and the trick system works great. Once in the air, you can swipe (or tilt, depending on your settings) in any direction to rotate thus, and tap on the left and right board icons that just appeared to perform various grabs. The more tricks you can tie together, the higher your score, the more speed boosts you can trigger, and the better gear you can grab in the shop to tweak your game.

Adding to the experience is a great soundtrack with songs that can be purchased through iTunes. Another feature we're glad to see is local, Bluetooth and WiFi multiplayer — for now — with online multiplayer to come in the game's first update, which will be in the App Store soon.

All of the aspects of X2 Snowboarding come together to provide a highly enjoyable game with a surprising sense of speed and immersion. I've spent much time with this one so far, and I don't see that trend changing anytime soon. If you're a gamer that likes to tear up the slopes, don't let this one pass you by.

App Store Link: X2 Snowboarding, $6.99

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Arcade fighter fans should probably sit down for this news. As IGN reports, Capcom has just announced that the latest installment of what is perhaps the most popular fighting series ever created will shortly be landing on the iPhone and iPod touch. That's right, Street Fighter IV is on the way.

Set to arrive in the App Store sometime next month, Street Fighter IV is no quick port, hastily tossed at the iPhone in the name of getting a mobile version out on the streets. Capcom has apparently taken the iPhone conversion of their brawler quite seriously. They've spent months perfecting the on-screen virtual control systems, alone, realizing that the game demands highly precise controls for true mastery. And, despite the iPhone's diminutive screen, visual assets have been taken directly from the existing, high-resolution games. The character models are reportedly the same as in the other versions, only slightly scaled down, and with little color or detail loss, to speak of.

While Capcom has not listed the full roster of fighters to be included in the iPhone version, they have confirmed that Ryu and Ken will be aboard. The studio indicates that the iPhone version will include both classic characters from past installments, as well as new characters from existing versions of Street Fighter IV. Each character will include their complete move set, as well as their highly-animated Ultra Combos.

Friends who want to tear the virtual stuffing out of each other are in luck, as the iPhone version fully supports Bluetooth multiplayer for head-to-head brawls, in addition to the standard tournament matches.

We'll keep readers updated with additional details on this exciting upcoming release as we get them. See a gallery of iPhone Street Fighter IV screenshots over at IGN.

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