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I’m sure there are a lot of folks out there that took a quick glance at Millipede Creative’s Bullistic Unleashed [$0.99] and just kept moving. After all, the screenshots are filled with crude humor, the trailer a repository for irreverence, and there’s more lewd imagery and graphic violence than you can shake a stick at. However, if you look past all the window dressing, you’ll quickly discover that Bullistic Unleashed is an excellent game that combines several different genres successfully.

Bullistic puts you in the role of a bunch of cocky bulls that decide to demolish a shopping mall as well as all its inhabitants. You’ll accomplish this through 20 different levels, each with their own obstacles and layouts (including the now literal bull in a china shop). Cause enough damage in a level, and you’ll unlock the next. You’ll also unlock seven different bulls available for use by collecting hidden coins in each level. Each bull has their own special moves and physics attributes.

While it’s easy to describe Bullistic Unleashed as a simple physics-based title, it’s a bit more complicated than that.  Yes, you slingshot animals (bulls, in this case) across levels in an effort to cause as much havoc as possible. But, while similar games pit you against specific enemies, Bullistic wants you to simply cause as much damage as possible. Also, the game is littered with accelerators, elevators and barrels which have the potential to greatly extend the life of your bull after the initial shot. Also featured are bumpers and various obstacles that can put your bull out of play.

With all these elements, Bullistic plays like a hybrid of Angry Birds, Peggle, and pinball. That may sound like a strange combination, but it works surprisingly well. While the initial physics and slingshot are obviously important (and can make or break a level), the additional level elements are always in play and add an element of chance that keeps you coming back even when a level seems impossible. There’s a certain amount of timing and precision that provides additional rewards to the patient gamer. Levels are also compact, making this an easy title to play on the go.

All of this leads to a game that is widely accessible while providing incentive to gamers that want to put forth more effort. Furthermore, it’s also simply a blast to play. The wanton destruction never gets old, and there’s a ton of different ways to complete levels (especially when you start unlocking the different bulls). Later levels also have a surprising amount of strategy, and finally hitting 100% destruction on a level is an extremely satisfying experience.

In addition to the well-executed gameplay, Bullistic also gets a lot of the supplemental elements done right. The retina visuals are clear and detailed (for better or worse), with very little slow down. There’s enough content to keep most gamers satisfied (although I would like to see more levels in a future update). Even the presentation is top notch, with amusing menus and IAP shops. One minor complaint is the game’s excessive pushing of social network features and IAP, although neither is required to succeed at the game.

Let’s talk about humor, because Bullistic Unleashed is one of the most hilarious games I’ve ever played. Relatedly, it’s also one of the dirtiest games I’ve encountered in the App Store. You slingshot the bulls across levels using, well, their balls. Also, there’s a lot of gratuitous violence and screen-filling blood splatters as your bulls massacre the mall inhabitants (launching your poor bull into a meat grinder is certainly a sight as well). Let’s not forget the cows either, as your bulls will immediately stop the destruction if they get anywhere near their bovine companions (I’ll leave you to figure out why).

However, it’s not all juvenile jokes. Bullistic has a lot of enjoyable wit, especially with the various descriptions of the different bulls, as well as the general story. There’s enough pun-play involved that you know that the developers attempted to strike a balance between wit and crude humor – but then decided to go all out on the latter at some point.

There’s no doubt that Bullistic Unleashed isn’t for everyone. The over-the-top violence and humor will simply not work for some people. However, I implore anyone on the fence to bite the bullet and check out this title. It strikes that hard sought balance of accessibility, appealability (again, for some more than others) and enjoyability with very little in terms of detraction, and it’s certainly one of the better physics-based titles that I’ve checked out.

TouchArcade Rating:

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It looks like today is the day of really good updates for really good games that we really like a lot. Really? Yes, really. We were just treated to an update for our Game of the Year 2011 runner-up Anomaly Warzone Earth [ $1.99 ] that added support for the new iPad, and there was plenty of rejoicing.

Now, the rejoicing gets cranked up to 11 as our actual Game of the Year 2011, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP [ $4.99 ], has been given a similar treatment, bringing the visuals up to par for the beautiful Retina Display of the new iPad.

Sword & Sworcery has been on fire as of late, with a PC version of the game hitting Steam last week and then taking home no less than 5 awards against some stiff competition in the Canadian Video Game Awards show this past weekend. All this comes just about a month after the 1 year anniversary of the game’s release.

To celebrate the update, the developers have posted on their blog this awesome Sworcery wallpaper made specifically in high resolution for the new iPad (click for full size version).

If you’ve accidentally had your head buried in the sand for the past year and have no idea what Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is all about, be sure and read our full review of the game for the skinny. It’s one of the most imaginative and beautiful point and click adventure games around, and the soundtrack by Jim Guthrie is absolutely phenomenal.

It’s an essential experience for iOS gamers, and with today’s new update it’s the most gorgeous the game has ever looked. And much like Anomaly, if you aren’t an iPad owner but want to get in on the fun, you can check out the iPhone/iPod touch only version Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Micro [ $2.99 ]

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Late last year, iOS game developer Two Lives Left released Codea [ $9.99 (HD)]. Originally known as Codify, Codea offered developers everything they needed to rapidly prototype an iPad game… On an actual iPad. Codea has come a long way since then, and today, the first game developed entirely inside of the app has been released.

Cargo-Bot [ Free (HD)] is a puzzle game where players program a robot to move crates around. 36 levels in all are included, there’s a 3 star grading system, and you can even record solutions to upload them to YouTube.

Cargo-Bot is free, and worth a look to see what’s possible inside of Codea. According to the Cargo-Bot site, the Codea Xcode Template used to convert the Codea files into an actual game that can be submitted to Apple will be released soon. Neat!

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Just last week we were teased by a trailer for My Little Hero, an upcoming game from Acne Play, the developers of the awesome platformer Pizza Boy [ $1.99 ], and being published by NCSoft. As we lamented at the time, the trailer was indeed quite teasery, and all we really knew about My Little Hero was that it was an action adventure game featuring a young boy, a dream world (or perhaps nightmare is more accurate), and a scary stuffed animal stealing boogie man.

Today we finally get the first gameplay video for My Little Hero and as promised it most certainly looks like an action adventure game. And, in a big departure from Pizza Boy, the gameplay and visuals are entirely in 3D.

I’m actually really digging the kid-centric them going on in My Little Hero with the slingshot as a weapon, cardboard sword and armor, and that inflatable donut thingy with a duck on it that you wear around your waist when swimming. What is that thing called again? Anyway, it looks cute is what I’m getting at. I’m pretty interested to check out My Little Hero when it hits, which according to the trailer should be sometime next month.

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In a “good news/bad news” sort of situation, I always like starting with the good news first. Maybe it’s just me, but it makes the bad news easier to stomach. So, try this on for size: The Fighting Fantasy game books were originally first published in 1982, starting with The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and blossoming into a full-blown series of gamebooks. What’s a gamebook? Well, imagine one of those choose your own adventure novels from when you were a kid (You do remember those, right?) except with more interactivity. Instead of simply turning to page 92 to to jump across a pit or turning to page 59 to go down the tunnel to the right, you need to roll actual dice to do a skill check to see if you can make it across the pit.

This adds a great element of randomness to things, and it feels more like you’re playing the book instead of just making arbitrary decision along various branching paths. I like ‘em a lot, and if you’re a fan of fantasy novels I’d go as far as saying this whole series is a “must-have,” especially considering at the current sale price of 99¢ you can buy the whole set for less than one dead tree version will run you.

Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, $0.99 – Deep in the caverns beneath Firetop Mountain lies an untold wealth of treasure, guarded by a powerful Warlock – or so the rumor goes. Several adventurers like yourself have set off for Firetop Mountain in search of the Warlocks hoard. None has ever returned. Do you dare follow them?

Fighting Fantasy: Deathtrap Dungeon, $0.99 – Deep in the caverns beneath Firetop Mountain lies an untold wealth of treasure, guarded by a powerful Warlock – or so the rumor goes. Several adventurers like yourself have set off for Firetop Mountain in search of the Warlocks hoard. None has ever returned. Do you dare follow them?

Fighting Fantasy: Citadel of Chaos, $0.99 – The Citadel holds a dark and dangerous peril for anyone foolhardy enough to venture through its gruesome gates. And yet venture you must for your mission lies at the heart of the Citadel, with the dread sorcerer, Balthus Dire!

City of Thieves, $0.99 – Terror stalks the night as Zanbar Bone and his bloodthirsty Moon Dogs hold the prosperous town of Silverton to ransom. YOU are an adventurer and the merchants of Silverton turn to you in their hour of need.

Fighting Fantasy: Creature of Havoc, $0.99 – You begin this adventure not knowing where you are or who you are. All you know is that you are some kind of creature of instinct, understanding little. During the course of the adventure, it may be possible for you to begin to control your bestial nature, to find out more about yourself, and even to learn your destiny. But even if you know all this, success is by no means certain, for the traps and terrors of Trolltooth Pass are many … Are you ready — to become the Creature of Havoc?

It doesn’t matter what order you play them in, so just download and start with whatever sounds the most interesting.

Now, the bad news. Big Blue Bubble, the developers responsible for bringing these gamebooks to the App Store, are on the verge of having their licensing agreements expire. It doesn’t sound like they’re being renewed either, so once these are gone, they’re gone. This also means there won’t be any updates for any of them, so don’t expect any Retina iPad enhancements, or tweaks/bug fixes if future iOS upgrades break the apps.

We’ve yet to hear when the licensing agreement actually expires, but needless to say, you should jump on these sooner rather than later if you want them.

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A long time ago, in July of 2010 to be exact, a little iPhone game by the name of Prisoner 84 [ $2.99 ] from Hidden Games had me sleeping with a nightlight. See, Prisoner 84 is a 3rd person survival horror game, and despite being on the tiny screen of my phone, it managed to pack in one of the most creepy experiences that I’ve had on any platform.

Now, I don’t want to oversell anything here. At face value, Prisoner 84 is a fairly basic, slow-paced 3rd person action game. It can be completed in just a couple of hours (or longer if you really explore), the various puzzles in the game are pretty straightforward, and the graphics aren’t really anything to write home about.

However, don’t let any of that turn you off. Prisoner 84 absolutely nails one aspect of horror games, and arguably the most important one: atmosphere. Footsteps echo in the otherwise dead silent halls of the cellblock setting. Soft murmurs and growls suddenly sound off in the distance. Gruesome scenes of violence hint that there’s something out there responsible and those who came before you weren’t so lucky. It can be downright chilling.

I could go on and on about how much I love the mood of Prisoner 84, but you can just read all about it in our original review. Really, what I’m more interested in talking about is the substantial update that has just hit this nearly two-year old game. Prisoner 84 launched in 2010, and aside from a maintenance and bug fix update that hit shortly after release, it’s been untouched since. That’s why I was completely blown away to see an update waiting for me in iTunes just the other day.

The game is now Universal and runs at Retina resolution on the iPhone 4 models and the new iPad. Also, on iPads and 4th generation devices additional graphical flourishes and more detailed character models have been included. The original release of Prisoner 84 sported some really blocky characters, and post-update things have really been improved.

It also looks fantastic in Retina resolution, though there are plenty of low-res textures you’ll run into that remind you you’re playing an older game. Still, from where Prisoner 84 was at originally, the difference is night and day thanks to these improvements. (Trailer is from the old version, FYI).

Rounding out the update is multitasking support, an improved user interface, and various gameplay tweaks – all welcome additions. I love when developers spring new updates on their customers, even if a game is years old, and if you missed out on Prisoner 84 before then now would be a great time to check it out. Just keep in mind that it is very slow-paced, and because it’s an older game it’s not quite as cutting edge visually. But if you can appreciate a moody atmosphere that will creep your pants off, then Prisoner 84 is among the best on the App Store.

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If you pay attention to the world of iOS game music, you might already know Whitaker Trebella’s work. He has composed themes for games that include Super Stickman Golf [$0.99], Tilt to Live [$2.99] and Velocispider [$1.99]. But now he’s taken on the role of game developer. Trebella’s first game, Polymer, is due to hit the App Store soon, and we’ve had a chance to play with a recent build. It’s a strategic shape-creating game, in Trebella’s words, enhanced with a great soundtrack.

A polymer, in the parlance of the game, is a complete shape, one with no unfinished edges. You achieve this by sliding rows and columns back and forth to move pieces into place. A skilled player might be able to use every piece on the board, but each piece you move takes six or nine others with it. Larger creations become exponentially more difficult to make without disruption, but they’re oh so satisfying to reach for. It’s almost a shame to destroy them, but that’s where the points come in.

Like so many developers, Trebella came to iOS with no prior programming experience. But his time composing for big names of the indie scene convinced him that he needed to make a game of his own. A little study, a little elbow grease, and a year and a half later we (almost) have Polymer. But playing the game, you can see how much Trebella picked up in his time spent on the periphery of iOS development. It’s ridiculously savvy to the realities of both touch screen gaming and the iOS market, things most first-time developers struggle with.

It should come as no surprise that Trebella brought his musical talents to bear on Polymer. It isn’t a music game, but it can be quite musical. Each of the game’s three modes has its own soundtrack. You enhance that soundtrack while you play, destroying polymers that chime out musical tones. Each track is in a different key, and the sound effects, notes in the chromatic scale, are designed to fit within the key of the current track. In laymen’s terms, let’s just say the sound blends beautifully with the music.

Polymer’s three modes give you a lot to play with. One lets you race for the highest score you can hit in two minutes, and it’s polar opposite is a mode that requires you make the best single polymer you can in any length of time. The third ratchets up the tension in a sort of survival situation: you must destroy ticking time bombs by incorporating them into polymers. They come faster and faster until you eventually explode. The game also has a nifty unlockable system that introduces you to each element of the game piece by piece.

We don’t have a release date quite yet, but Polymer has been submitted to Apple for approval so it’s just a matter of time. Stay tuned—we’ll take a closer look on release and give you our final verdict. An educated guess in the meantime: it looks like Polymer is destined to eat a lot of the hours of thoughtful gamers.

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Last week we previewed our upcoming app for TouchArcade. We’ve been anxious to get the app finally released into the hands of our users and have been working toward that goal for many months.

Our original plan had been to launch it on Monday of this week. Unfortunately, our lead web/backend developer was in a terrible accident over the weekend and is in critical condition. We are still hopeful for a full and meaningful recovery. Given the circumstances, we were unable to launch the TouchArcade App as planned.

We are still working hard towards that goal, and another of our developers is familiarizing himself with the code so that we can launch in the near future. Thank you for your patience.

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Fans of 2D Minecraft-ing on iOS have had it pretty good with the excellent Junk Jack [$2.99/Lite], but the developers at Bytebin Studios want to know what would happen if you take a similar Terraria/Minecraft sandbox idea, placed it in a steampunk setting, and let everyone connect to one giant persistent world together online MMO style. The result is Deepworld, and you can get a pretty good idea of what it’s like in this new gameplay trailer.

Deepworld is in an alpha state but is close to entering beta, and as the game stands right now it contains procedurally generated worlds, a robust crafting system, a day/night cycle and weather effects, and a limited number of enemies. It will also be coming out for Mac, and since the game world is stored in the cloud, there will be cross-platform play between the iOS and Mac versions.

Longer-term goals for Deepworld are a dynamic ecosystem that can be dilapidated and brought back to health, a steam-based power source for creating vehicles and machines, and social game types like Capture the Flag and Freeze Tag. While the idea of something like Deepworld is certainly intriguing, it’s also incredibly ambitious for an iOS title. I’ll feel much better once the initial product gets released and I can actually try it out, and much like Junk Jack or Minecraft itself, Deepworld will likely evolve over time.

It sounds like Deepworld is set to initially launch pretty soon, and we’ll keep an eye out for a specific release date. Until then you can swing by our forums to talk about the game.

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Galcon [ $1.99 ] creator Phil Hassey, who also released the poultry-themed Galcon parody Chickon [ Free ] on iOS this past November, has revealed his latest upcoming project which is titled Dynamite Jack. In it, you play as a Space Marine who has been captured in battle and enslaved by your enemies to work in a mine. Naturally, you don’t take kindly to this, so you set out to break free from the mine and defeat your captors.

Gameplay in Dynamite Jack is top-down and in “glorious 2D”, and totally looks like a mashup of elements from the classic Bomberman and Metal Gear series, perhaps with a dash of Syndicate thrown in there for good measure. Basically, it looks just about as awesome as you’d imagine that combination of games to be, as you can see for yourself in the game’s trailer.

Right now Dynamite Jack is shooting for a May launch on Mac and PC, but as Phil told me over Twitter, a port of the game to iPad following the desktop version launch is extremely likely, and he even makes special mention of it having iCade support. In another tweet, Phil says he built Dynamite Jack from the beginning with the iPad in mind, so the porting process should hopefully go pretty smoothly.

I’m really loving the look of Dynamite Jack based on the video, and I’ll be anxious to check it out when it hits the Mac and PC next month. As for the iOS port, it sounds like it will become a reality, and I’m sure we’ll have more information on that in the coming weeks.

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