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I like to imagine there’s an Oberlin burnout somewhere who’s made a living getting bent on ayahuasca and pitching music-history based games to different companies. My hypothetical game designer, wide-eyed and euphoric, is responsible for games like Boom Boom Rocket, Eternal Sonata, Jazz: Trump’s Journey [$2.99], and now Frederic –Resurrection of Music [$1.99/HD/Lite], by Forever Entertainment S.A.

In the first scene, set in present-day Paris, Fryderyk Chopin climbs out of his grave, speaks with the Muses, and rap-battles a French DJ with dual-wield keyboards and a jetpack. After this, he rides a horse-and-carriage to Jamaica and gets high with a reggae artist named Rob. Amazing.

As he travels the world in his mystic carriage trying to unravel the circumstances of his undeath, Chopin runs through a series of musical duels with local artists. Mechanically, this translates into a rudimentary version of Piano Hero: notes travel on a track toward a touch-screen piano keys, and players are scored on their accuracy and combo streak.

The songs in Resurrection are modern remixes of Chopin’s most famous waltzes, nocturnes, études, and marzukas, re-imagined in the style of whichever locale our hero finds himself: country in Texas, Celtic dance in Ireland, chiptunes in Tokyo. I actually like most of the music — the Resurrection soundtrack is available for purchase on iTunes [$5.99] — but they all tend to suffer from repetitive melody and relatively simple arrangements. Still, the lighthearted pop remixes fit into the game’s absurdist aesthetic much better than an orchestral score would.

With only nine songs, Resurrection is relatively short, though some players might be able to extend its shelf-life by trying to improve their scores. But even on its hardest difficulty, at its most complex, Resurrection goes out of its way to indulge and empower the player, not defeat them with impossible challenges.

Like Climber Brothers [$0.99], the real joy of Resurrection is the one-to-one relationship between tactile input and feedback: tapping the screen of my iPad is more or less a reasonable facsimile of pressing down a physical key. This is a relatively simple pleasure, but Resurrection goes to great lengths to extend it by being overly-generous  in its design — players have a relatively large window to hit notes in, and it’s almost impossible to miss enough notes to fail a song. The goal here is to listen to the music and soak up the strange animations going on in the background.

Since failure — and, by extension, most of the game mechanics — is largely an illusion, Resurrection’s real hook is its insane premise and matching art direction. In both its art direction and treatment of ethnic stereotypes, Resurrection draws on the bande dessinée style of mid-80s Lucky Luke. The voice acting, too, is hard to place: British English re-routed through Forever Entertainment’s Polish roots.

But Resurrection’s essential Europeanness isn’t limited to animation and cut scenes, and this isn’t a game so much as it is a rewriting of Chopin’s cultural identity. During the Cadet Revolution in 1830 Chopin, the son of a Franco-Polish immigrant, fled Warsaw for Paris, never to return. Resurrection ultimately leads him back to a culturally reinvigorated Warsaw, but only after he uses his musical gifts to destroy the stereotyped, corporate shills that populate the rest of the world. Chopin is cast as the savior of music, but it’s odd that he uses modern remixes, not his traditional compositions, to further his cause.

By fudging its rhythm mechanics, Frederic — Resurrection of Music actually presents itself as more of an interactive cartoon than a game. But when viewed as such, Resurrection often comes off muddled and directionless and, even at the end of the game, it’s not clear why Chopin was resurrected, who he’s “saving” music from, or if he really succeeded.

Nevertheless, Resurrection is a bold product, unafraid to be campy, kitschy, and surreal, and presented as a labor of love from a team full of ideas. This game is larger than the sum of its parts and everyone I’ve showed it to has enjoyed basking in the art and music and in the fact that Frederic Chopin uses his second chance at life to smoke dope on the beach and learn the keytar.

TouchArcade Rating:

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On this week’s episode of the TouchArcade Show, it’s a fascinatingly huge struggle to stay on topic. At the top, we discuss Paula Dean’s latest problem, why Eli is across the ocean, and several other things that are increasingly more offbeat. However, we do eventually dig into the world of iOS in order to bring you the latest, hottest, and best-est in iOS news and coverage. Games like Pocket League and Raid Leader, as well as Smash Cops all make an appearance, as well as a hearty discussion on buying habits and the Vita.

If you’d like to listen, go ahead and do so via the handy links below. Our favorite dudes subscribe to us on iTunes and Zune, though. Both are fantastic ways to get our episodes the very second they’re available on our feeds. Definitely consider it.

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-035.mp3, 46MB

One note before our show notes: Eli’s going to be in Europe for a bit, but we expect that some of the issues from this week’s podcast (caused by horrible hotel WiFi) will be addressed by next week. You’ll catch some audio burping and stuff from time-to-time and we’re sorry about that.

GAMES

• Pocket League Story [$2.99]
• Raid Leader
• Helsing’s Fire [$.99 / HD / Lite]
• Geometry Wars Touch [$.99]
• Smash Cops [$2.99]

JARED’S KITTY KORNER

• Candy Ninja-Cat [$.99]

NEWS

• ‘Adventure Bar Story’ Coming to iOS
• TouchArcade At MacWorld
• Man Makes iCade NES Controller

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It’s always great to see companies with so much history (like Taito, in this case) bringing some of it to the App store. According to Famitsu [Translated], Taito will be bringing Rayforce to the App Store, and it’ll be hitting at some point this winter. (Or, before March 20th, for those of you playing along at home.)

Rayforce is a vertical shooter which I’d guess not many North Americans have much experience with. It originally hit in the early 90’s, with a new name for seemingly every region it was released in, you might remember it as Galactic Attack or Gunlock. Or, you might not remember it at all, since outside of Japanese and European arcades it was only ever available as a Sega Saturn game until PC ports started materializing much later.

[Andriasang via Joystiq]

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On this week’s show, we power through conversations about toilets and Eli’s European adventure in order to bring you the latest, hottest, and bestest in iOS. At the top, we dive into why Eli is in Finland and then discuss Dragon Shout and Brad’s latest soul-sucking strategy game, Rebuild. Later, we answer some of your user questions, and drop our takes on news-y topics like OnLive’s app and using the Siri’s tech in games.

Even though we had a man across the ocean this week, I think we put together quite the episode for all of you TouchArcade-iacs out there. If you’re not a member of the club, join up by listening to one of these links. Additionally, you can subscribe to our show via iTunes or Zune Marketplace.

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-029.mp3, 40MB

Here are your show notes and don’t forget to rate us on iTunes if you have the time. We all really, really appreciate it. Hugs and kisses!

GAMES

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Ticket to Ride is a popular board game created by board game gurus Days of Wonder. Back in May, Ticket to Ride [$6.99] was digitally converted into an iPad game, one which we thoroughly enjoyed in our review. Ticket to Ride had an excellent computer AI to play against, but the real fun was in playing another real life person. The iPad version contained a slick online multiplayer mode for up to 4 players, but was criticized for not having a local pass-n-play mode, something that should be a core element of any game based on a real life board game. Thankfully, pass-n-play did eventually come in an update a couple months following release, and there was much rejoicing.

Yesterday, Days of Wonder has gone and released an iPhone version of Ticket to Ride, dubbed Ticket to Ride Pocket [99¢]. Many iPad gamers, and of course non-iPad owning gamers, have been clamoring for a portable version of Ticket to Ride, so this release certainly should make quite a few people happy. However, Ticket to Ride Pocket has almost the exact opposite problems that its iPad counterpart had on release. It does contain a pass-n-play mode along with its single player, but does not contain an online multiplayer mode. Days of Wonder has stated this was a conscious decision, as they didn’t want to compromise the online experience with interruptions that are inherent to phones like incoming calls and spotty network coverage.

Besides lacking online play, Ticket to Ride Pocket also nixes the extra Europe and Switzerland maps from the iPad version, instead focusing on just the American map. This was another conscious decision by the developer, as they felt that the additional maps contained too much detail to be sufficiently playable on the smaller screen of the iPhone and iPod touch.

While Ticket to Ride Pocket is a more limited experience than the iPad version, it doesn’t make it a bad game at all. In fact, quite the opposite. The single player AI is quite good, and pass-n-play is adequate for when you have a friend close by. There’s also multiplayer over local WiFi or Bluetooth if you’re close by friend(s) happens to have their own device and copy of the game. Perhaps best of all is that the pocket edition is just 99¢ as of this writing.

I still think it would be nice to see online multiplayer and the additional maps added into the game, despite the developer’s concerns, and that may happens sometime down the line. But for the cheap price of entry, Ticket to Ride Pocket is a great mobile take on the board game that’s worth having a look at.

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This week’s episode of The TouchArcade Show is an awesome one because it sees the return of The Bearded One, Jared Nelson, after his Grand European Adventure. At the top, we talk about the sights, sounds, and tastes of Mordor, Germany, Paris and other exotic places. Somehow, we find the time to talk about games later on, but when we do, we cover a lot of bases. Topics include the next iPhone, the latest video game releases, Kindle Fire, and your e-mails.

If you’d like to give this a listen, go ahead by clicking that link just below. If you’d like to save a piece of us on your hard drive (and who wouldn’t) while also getting the next ‘cast the second it’s uploaded you, you should really grab us on iTunes and Zune.

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-019.mp3, 41MB

Here are your show notes. We’ll be back this Monday with another awesome bonus episode, and of course, this coming Friday with another regularly scheduled show. Send us an e-mail while you wait, by the way: podcast@toucharcade.com.

GAMES!

Eli Note: This is the European pizza bag technology I mentioned.

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On this week’s episode of The TouchArcade Show we’re joined by Jim Sterling. He’s the reviews editor over at Destructoid, the host of the re-launched Podtoid, The Escapists' The Jimquisition, and an all-around great dude who knows his video games and doesn’t mind toilet humor. It takes a few minutes to pull away from a great Gears of War 3 discussion, but when we do, we dive into the hottest and latest in iOS and handheld news, discussion, and all the usual. Expect a lot of games talk and also a lot of user question answerin’ this week.

If you’d like to listen (and really, who wouldn’t?) you can do so right below via streaming or direct download. If you want to get our podcasts the very SECOND they’re uploaded onto the Internet you can do so by subscribing to us on iTunes or the Zune Marketplace.

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-018.mp3, 33MB

Next week The Bearded One will be back fresh from his European adventure, so expect some old-school TAS next week. This coming Monday we’ll have another bonus discussion for your ears, too, so prepare your holes in advance. Thanks!

Here are your show notes:

GAMES

• Another World [$4.99]
• Do Do Egg! [$.99]
• Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack! [$.99]

FRONT PAGE

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On this week’s bonus episode of The TouchArcade Show we sit down with two of the three dudes behind Hogrocket, Ben Ward and Pete Collier. As you may know, Hogrocket is one of the several studios formed from ex-Bizarre Creations employees following Activision’s sudden and silly decision to shut down the studio. We discuss the fallout, of course, but we spend the majority of our 20 or so minutes together on Hogrocket’s first release, Tiny Invaders [$1.99], and how their hardcore development experience informs their work on the iOS platform.

You can grab this week’s episode just below via direct download or streaming. If you like what you hear, why not subscribe to us? You can do so via iTunes or the Zune Marketplace and catch our episodes the very second they’re uploaded onto the Internet. Also, it’s free! What a deal!

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-Bonus-017.mp3, 20MB

We’ll be back in your earholes again later this Friday with another regular episode of The TouchArcade Show. This week, during Jared’s final stretch of his European vacation, we’ll be joined by Destructoid Reviews Editor Jim Sterling. It should be fun!

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As most of you already know, we’re a man down for the next two weeks on The TouchArcade Show as Jared explores the infinite wonders of Europe. Have no fear, though, for we grabbed a capable voice to join us this week: Adult Swim and Player One Podcast’s Chris Johnston. At the top of this week’s show, we discuss Adult Swim’s new initiative and then flow into the usual: video games, video games, and more video games.

Specifically, we have a good time talking about the PS Vita’s impending launch and possible line-up, the whole “Nintendo won’t developer mobile games ever” thing, and dig into a really great user e-mail. Also, we give a lot of room to our recently played games section. If you’d like to give us a listen, you can do so just below via these links. You can also subscribe to us on iTunes and Zune to get our latest podcasts the second they’re listenable.

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-017.mp3, 43MB

Here’s your show notes, but before you leave us, know that Destructoid’s Jim Sterling will be our special guest next week. Should be fun! We’ll see you soon.

GAMES

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Retro gamers out there, especially those on the other side of the pond, have had a great resource available to them for reliving the 8-bit classics, in the form of Elite's ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection emulator series, which landed last October. While it had basically zero presence here in the states, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum was probably the leading home computer gaming platform in the UK and various other parts of Europe during the early '80s.

Back in May, Jonathan Needle brought an iOS port of his popular Windows-based ZX Spectrum emulator, Spectaculator [link], to the App Store, bolstering the amount of retro gaming goodness that can be had on the platform. Spectaculator's arrival managed to slip by us at the time, but with Needle's recent release of a free version (as in beer, and of ads), featuring a different set of bundled games, we're pleased to bring both of these Universal applications to our readers' attention.

The original, paid release features the following bundle of classic games:

• 3D Starstrike by Realtime Games Software
• Tau Ceti by Pete Cooke/CRL
• Dynamite Dan by Rod Bowkett/Mirrorsoft
• On The Run by Design Design
• Albatrossity by Jonathan Cauldwell
• The Fantastic Mister Fruity by Jonathan Cauldwell
• Battery's Not Precluded by Jonathan Cauldwell
• Jekyll & Hyde by Zenobi Software

The free version features a list of games written in more recent years:

• Alter Ego by Denis Grachev/Retrosouls (released 2011)
• Catch the Cash by Tom Dalby (released 2011)
• Crimbo by Little Shop of Pixels (released 2010)
• Flynn's Adventure in Bombland by Tom Dalby (released 2011)
• Gloop Troops by Little Shop of Pixels (released 2010)
• Kyd Cadet by Paul Jenkinson (released 2010)
• Kyd Cadet II by Paul Jenkinson (released 2010)

I suppose the thinking is that the free version gets recent, fan-written titles, which is a collection of perhaps less value than the classics of old. However, as a retro fan who did not grow up with the Spectrum and who owes the majority of his Speccy gaming knowledge to a certain magazine, I might be enjoying the new, free release more than the paid.

If there's a Speccy in your past, both of Needle's releases should be an instant download. If you're just a retro fan in general, at least grab the freebie and see what you think. As a member of the latter camp, I've had fun with both.

Readers are carrying on an active discussion regarding Spectaculator in our forums.

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