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Classic arcade game fans were extremely excited when developer Taito announced at E3 2010 that a Bubble Bobble game would be coming to the App Store. They then revealed at this year's Tokyo Game Show that the game would be called Bubble Bobble Double, and would feature an authentic port of the original arcade game as well as a new style game based on the Bubble Bobble universe. Just a couple of days ago, Taito tweeted a short gameplay video of this new mode, and later tweeted another video of the classic mode in action. Earlier today, Bubble Bobble Double [$4.99] went live in the App Store. After giving both game modes a thorough spin, I'm definitely left with mixed feelings.

On one hand, it's incredible to have the original Bubble Bobble arcade game with me at any time on my device. All one hundred of the original levels are here, with the original music and sound effects that are so near and dear to many gamers' hearts. The problem is that all this nostalgia is represented on a tiny game screen with virtual controls that leave a lot to be desired. I understand Taito's dilemma though, as thumbs would just block too much of the gameplay if they had the game running on a larger portion of the screen. There is a zoom option but it really only makes the screen marginally bigger, and while the game is still very playable it's harder to enjoy on the small screen.

The virtual controls themselves work alright, it's just that Bubble Bobble is a game that really requires tactile feedback while playing. It can be really frustrating trying to focus on the onscreen action and end up losing a life because my finger slipped off of the virtual d-pad, or that I accidentally hit jump instead of shooting a bubble. Again, it's not unplayable by any means, just not ideal. One cool aspect of the classic mode is that you can choose to bring the second player into the game at any time. This player is controlled by AI and helps you defeat the enemies on each level. For a game that was really at its best with two players in the arcade, this is a neat addition, although I'd love to see an actual two-player mode via WiFi or Bluetooth.

The new mode found in Bubble Bobble Double is where the package kind of falls flat. Here, your character sits in a fixed position as enemies attack in various formations from every angle. Tapping an enemy puts them in a bubble, and tapping them again pops that bubble thus defeating the enemy and giving you a fruit bonus. The blast from the bubble popping can destroy other enemies near it, similar to how chain reactions are caused in games like Splode [$1.99] or Sneezies [99¢/Lite]. Enemies trapped in bubbles can also be flicked around the screen to get them near other enemies to set up combos, or combine with others trapped in bubbles to create an even bigger bubble to pop.

The new mode has plenty of levels, collectable items, and online leaderboards through OpenFeint. The problem is that it's just not very much fun. Gameplay consists of mostly mindless tapping, and enemies enter the screen too quickly to really utilize any kind of strategy by flicking them around and creating combos. Most levels can be completed easily by just frantically double tapping every enemy, and you're really only ever in danger if you do try to go for elaborate scoring opportunities. After playing through some of the zones in this new mode, I honestly just wasn't compelled to keep going.

The classic mode in Bubble Bobble Double can still be a lot of fun despite its shortcomings. The ability to continue as many times as you want or start a new game from any previously beaten level are nice touches, and the pseudo two-player aspect actually adds to the experience. As for the new mode, it's just plain underwhelming compared to the timeless gameplay and design found in the original game. Depending on how big a fan of Bubble Bobble you are, you may find Bubble Bobble Double a solid purchase. I've easily spent much more than the price of this game both in arcades and on home console versions over the years, and I'll make do with the less than ideal screen size and controls just to enjoy the game over again. But if you were looking for an innovative twist on a classic game like what was found in Taito's Space Invaders Infinity Gene [$4.99/Lite], then you'll most likely be left disappointed.

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Well, it looks like Apple's Game Center is helping developers bring some nice features to the App Store. Firemint just announced tonight that they will be introducing a 4-way online multiplayer update to their popular Real Racing game using Apple's Game Center.

Real Racing was one of the highly anticipated racers for the App Store and was met with great reviews. But one of the most requested features was some sort of online multiplayer. While Firemint had provided users with local Wi-fi multiplayer, unless you had direct access to a lot of iPhone toting friends, you were stuck playing against the AI. Well, pretty soon, you'll be able to play against smack-talking anonymous strangers.

Real Racing also happens to be on sale at $2.99 at this time.

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We've seen many of our favorite games updated in the last few weeks now that Apple's Game Center has gone live. Predators by Chillingo is next in line, and one of the more premium apps to receive a little extra achievement love to extend its lifespan. Thankfully, Chillingo and developer Angry Mob Games have taken this opportunity to renew interest in Predators with additional levels, weapons and other content, too.

Since the last we looked at Predators, where we were impressed by just how faithfully it captures that authentic Predator feel, it has been updated (in version 1.2) with Retina Display support for you lucky 4th gen owners. Of special note in the new 1.3 update are two new survival modes which thoughtfully address criticism in our review that the initial offering of just one survival level got a little too repetitive.

The developers have also added additional weapons, such as the useful long-range melee Razor Whip, and a host of new combos to go with it. Of course, Predators wouldn't be much without enemies to use said weapons on, and so 3 additional (and challenging!) enemy Predators have been added as bosses to make use of these new abilities; the final Super Black Predator said to be quite ferocious and a real test of your accumulated skills.

We're still playing through Predators again to unlock the new content ourselves, but we're pleased to see that there are now 31 achievements to work towards in Game Center, and all the high score tables have been ported over to Apple's new platform too. We're glad that Chillingo have stepped up and responded favorably to our feedback, and we're confident that all the new additions (and the temporary price drop) will entice fans back to the game for another play through and attract newcomers too, particularly if you're a 4th gen device owner and missed the Retina update.

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Back in July we brought word that Gaijin Games had teamed up with Namco Bandai to develop an iOS adaptation of Gaigin's Wiiware rhythm action title BIT.TRIP BEAT. We're happy to report that the fruits of their labors have just made their App Store debut, with a version for both the iPhone / iPod touch [link] and the iPad [link].

One of a series of four Bit.Trip titles by Gaigin (published through the Wii Shop by Aksys Games), Bit.Trip Beat is something like a cross between Pong and Rez as an accelerometer-equipped Atari 2600 might play them. The game puts you in tilt or touch control of an on-screen paddle with the goal of bouncing waves of oncoming blocks whence they came. The impact timings of the aforementioned blocks are synched with the excellent chiptune audio track while abstract / futuristic animations float in the backdrop, both of which give the game its sort of Rez dynamic. And, it's all done up in brilliant colors and oh-so-lovely jaggy, chunky pixels, with a chiptune soundtrack appropriately accompanying the on-screen action.

The further you progress through the game, successfully returning oncoming blocks, the more complex and evolved the visual presentation becomes. Miss too many blocks, and the visuals slowly regress to a simple, black and white state, in another apparent nod to Rez.

Says Gaigan founder Alex Neuse,

“We're very excited for the BIT.TRIP series to join in the fight against digital boredom alongside the rank and file of legendary Namco franchises, such as PAC-MAN, Katamari Damacy and Mr. Driller. When considering a publishing partner for our series on mobile devices, Namco was among our top choices. After playing the final iPhone version, we positively freaked out. Namco has brought an absolutely pure BIT.TRIP experience to the mobile market and we look forward to continuing the series with them."

And I'd have to agree with Neuse as regards the "pure" nature of this game on the iOS platform, if "pure" speaks to a faithful, well-implemented conversion. I've spent significant time with the Wiiware original, and the game plays wonderfully on the iPhone and iPad. In fact, I find that the game offers more precise controls on the iOS devices than it does using the Wiimote — in touch-control mode in particular (though tilt is also an option). In my opinion, it's more enjoyable on the iPhone or iPad than on the Wii.

BIT.TRIP BEAT features local and online multiplayer (through Game Center), but at the moment it's only two-player head-to-head — four-player is coming in a future update. What's more, three additional levels (for now) are available as in-game, downloadable content. (One of the complaints about the original is the somewhat limited gameplay content.)

See the developer's short trailer featuring a bit of gameplay, or have a look at the Wii video we posted earlier, featuring nearly identical game content.

BIT.TRIP BEAT is one of those games that draws you in and sends you to a sort of 'zone' where much of the mundane meatspace world just kind of falls away. Anyone who enjoys rhythm gaming or retro-styling in general should have a really good time with this one.

BIT.TRIP BEAT for the iPhone and iPad are currently on a limited time, 50% off sale at the time of this writing.

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From the "better late than never" department of the TouchArcade command center comes news of an update which just hit the App Store mere moments ago for Gameloft's Rogue Planet [$4.99 / Free]. Rewinding all the way back to WWDC last year when we first got a peek at the game before it even got picked up by Gameloft, Aurelien Kebeci, CEO of the French development group Agharta Studio mentioned online multiplayer coming in a free update.

When Rogue Planet was finally released, we thought it was great in our review, providing a surprisingly deep (and great looking) turn-based strategy experience, although we were disappointed by the lack of multiplayer options. Today's update implements complete online multiplayer, and much like similar games, can support up to 32 concurrent games at once.

The update just went live, so there doesn't seem to be anyone around to play with yet, but we've really got to commend both Gameloft and Agharta Studio for sticking to their promise of providing online multiplayer. If you caught our original review and were waiting for the multiplayer update, or have since removed the game from your device, now is the time to either download the game or resync it to give online play a try.

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It's been a while since we've posted a whole mess of HD games for our iPad readers to sink their teeth in to. We've taken a look at the iPhone counterpart of all of these games before, and while most of them only have a few features with mentioning that are exclusive to the iPad (aside from high-resolution graphics), the wait is over if you've been holding out for a HD release.

Ninjatown: Trees Of Doom! HD!, $2.99 We had a great time with the iPhone version of this game when we reviewed it, and the iPad game comes with the same great ninja jumping gameplay that any fan of see how far you can climb games like Doodle Jump will love. One thing that made Ninjatown awesome on the iPhone was its crisp cartoony graphics which turn in to a blurry mess when run at 2x mode on the iPad, a problem that has since been solved by this HD release.

Cubed Rally Racer HD, $1.99 I still play Cubed Rally Racer a ton after our overwhelmingly positive review of the game, and since the tracks in the game are completely randomized, it really never gets old. Cubed Rally Racer HD is the same game with one major difference: Split screen multiplayer. The non-HD version looks OK running at 2x mode, but if you’ve found yourself enjoying single device multiplayer as much as I have on the iPad, you’ll have a ton of fun playing split screen.

Skee-Ball HD, $1.99 Apply the incredibly recognizable brand name of Skee-Ball to Gravek’s 10 Balls 7 Cups, and you’ve got a game that has spent nearly as much time on the best selling lists as Doodle Jump, Pocket God, and other classics. The HD release comes with the same ball rolling gameplay along with four optional DLC packs to customize the lanes and balls.

Zentomino HD, Free Little White Bear Studios’ released the iPhone version of Zentomino early last year, and the HD version plays identical with one major difference- It’s totally free with optional level packs available via in-app purchase if you find yourself wanting more after playing through the included levels. Definitely grab this one, especially if you share your iPad with kids, since the game is simple enough for everyone to enjoy.

Land Air Sea Warfare HD, $9.99 It’s extremely rare to find a realtime strategy game on the iPhone that’s fun to play due to just how much is going on in your typical RTS which doesn’t really lend itself to the limitations of a small touchscreen to control the battle. Land Air Sea Warfare blew us away in our review, providing an excellent pocketable RTS experience. The HD version is even better, and it works so well that playing it will really make you crave ports of RTS classics like StarCraft or the Warcraft series on the iPad more than ever.

Highborn HD, $2.99 There’s quite a few good turn-based strategy games on the App Store, but Highborne is one of the great ones. We really liked the gameplay, graphics, and everything else in our initial review of the iPhone version. Much like Land Air Sea Warfare, Highborne HD is a little bit easier to control on the large screen of the iPad and looks great in high resolution.

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Our favorite bird flinging pig poppin' game Angry Birds [99¢ / Free / HD] hardly needs an introduction anymore. Everyone from friends of mine who staunchly consider themselves non-gamers to random people of all types I end up waxing iPhone games with either have heard of, played, or in some cases, are even working on clearing the whole game with 3 stars. Of course, the game still has a little way to go before it eclipses Doodle Jump, as I haven't seen an angry bird on stage at a Lady Gaga concert yet, but the upcoming plush toys are a good start.

The latest update might be the best one yet. Game Center integration supplements Chillingo's Crystal adding achievements and even online leaderboards, giving a whole new purpose to revisiting old levels to beat the scores of your Game Center friends. Crystal achievements seem to transfer over, so be ready for some huge achievement spam the first time you launch the game after updating.

Angry Birds has been high up on my list of favorite iPhone games for quite a while now, but I hadn't been playing it much since I got my iPhone 4 as the game looked worse than most when upscaled to the resolution of the Retina Display. The game pulls a complete 180 with this update, as the new high resolution graphics makes Angry Birds one of the best looking 2D games I've played on the iPhone, and the amount of detail you can see when zoomed out now is really amazing.

Of course there's 15 new levels to plow through, adding even more content to a game that is already stuffed to the brim. Don't waste any time updating Angry Birds, and if you haven't downloaded this game yet, you're really running out of reasons to hold off, as the amount of entertainment you will get out of this 99¢ purchase is mind boggling.

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We thought we'd seen the peak of innovation this week when ARDefender showed just how an augmented reality game should be made. Revolutionary Concepts and indie developer Nicolai Troshinsky had other ideas though, and have delivered something truly…well, revolutionary. If Augmented Reality is the idea of superimposing a game world onto your real world, then what has been done in UFO on Tape [App Store] can only be described as Transplanted Reality– a window into another world right in your hands.

UFO on Tape is a straightforward concept delivered in the most captivating way. It starts by showing you a re-created view of an iPhone camera (no actual use of the camera is ever made), as if it were pointed out the window of a car. Your girlfriend next to you then tells you that she's seen something strange in the sky. With your camera, you zoom in on the object, only to discover it is in fact, a UFO. As it darts around the sky and weaves amongst buildings, your task is to keep the zippy UFO firmly locked in your sights.

UFO on Tape delivers its incredible realism in two ways– firstly, through a pixel-perfect, photo-realistic representation of a video reel; and secondly, through the use of the iPhone 4's gyroscope, or if unavailable, the accelerometer. These two mechanics go hand in hand to make it actually seem as if you are controlling a camera phone and pointing it at something in the sky, all while looking through its viewfinder.

Naturally, use of the gyroscope is preferred, as it allows you to orient yourself to the ground and move the camera around as if it were actually in your hand, giving the most accurate experience. That's not to take anything away from the accelerometer though, as both functioned well to deliver similar results (if less dramatic on the older devices).

The game itself is extraordinarily simple, but also very challenging. The pesky UFO seems aware of your attentions, darting backwards and forwards at varying heights– frequently trying to lose you amidst the tops of buildings. Not only that, but it occasionally darts into your peripheral vision too, which is restricted by the blur of the outline of your car window. Explaining this in words is already doing it an injustice, but it is the most amazing thing to witness your game world restricted by something as routine as the view out your car window.

The entire experience is further enhanced by the interaction with your girlfriend. As you hone in on the flying saucer she'll make all kinds of comments; ranging from stunned disbelief to utter dismay if you happen to lose your target. If it does get away, she'll quickly start barking orders trying to direct you in the way it seems to have gone. Her fully voiced lines flow seamlessly are surprisingly plentiful– in the 30 or so games I played, I was frequently surprised by the new comments that pop up, there are that many. The dressing down she gives you from time to time– "You idiot! You lost it!"– and certain other memorable comments never tire, either.

The ambiance in UFO on Tape also deserves a special mention, as it has been meticulously crafted to such a degree of accuracy that it almost goes unnoticed, as it does when you're really driving. If you do hone in on it though (headphones help), you'll notice the sounds of the city behind you, from the purr of your own engine, to passing cars, sirens in the background and even the tick-tick of your turn signals as the car presumably negotiates the streets to afford you the best view. A creepy, X-Files like soundtrack really underlines the excellent audio work in UFO on Tape.

UFO on Tape is a singular experience, not for its dramatic level of content and replayability– in fact, the game itself is quite basic, with a standard high score table recorded on Game Center– but for the immense attention to detail needed to successfully bring its world alive in the palm of your hand. The true-to-life look, sounds and handling all come together to deliver something really special that simply must be played to be believed. We're telling you now, screenshots do not do this game justice, so get out and grab UFO on Tape pronto if this review has even piqued your interest in the slightest.

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A couple of weeks ago we took an exclusive hands-on look at the puzzle platformer GravBot [Free] from Team Phobic, the developer responsible for games like Bounce On [$1.99/Lite], Bounce On 2: Drallo's Demise [$3.99/Lite], and Tunnel Shoot [99¢]. Earlier tonight, the game went live in the US App Store. GravBot is free to download and initially comes with 12 levels. These levels ease you into the game mechanics and give you a great taste of what GravBot has to offer. If you like what's contained in this glorified demo, then there are two additional level packs available as in-app purchase. Each of these level packs contains 20 increasingly difficult levels, and are 99¢ apiece. Here is an excerpt from our hands-on preview talking about the gameplay in GravBot:

In GravBot, you'll play as a tiny robot who must collect all of the batteries on each perilous level. In order to accomplish this, you can spin the entire level either 90 degrees left or right or entirely upside down to change the direction of gravity. Your robot can travel left and right on its single tire, and will fall towards whichever way happens to be down at the time. Levels are filled with hazards like spikes, enemies, and lasers which will kill instantly if not avoided. The batteries can be tricky to get to, and a color-coded system of trapdoors, elevators, and various other obstacles will need to be triggered by switching a lever or pushing blocks onto buttons – all in the name of snagging every last battery on a given level.

While just completing each level is sufficiently challenging and fun, the real hook toGravBot is trying to obtain gold medals for each one. The game keeps track of how many times you switched gravity to complete a level, with bronze/silver/gold medals awarded for using it efficiently. What is really satisfying is when you figure out a way to win gold using fewer gravity switches than is required. Due to the physics engine in the game, you can sometimes make it to a hard to reach area without changing the gravity and instead gliding through the air or just barely catching the edge of a platform and hanging on.

There's really not anything I don't like about GravBot, and it has become one of my most favorite puzzle games that I've played on the iPhone. The graphical style is cute, with support for Retina Display, and the GravBot robot exudes a ton of personality in the game. The levels are all really cleverly designed, and there's a tremendous amount of replay value going back to each one and trying to complete it in the most efficient way possible, earning medals and competing on the Plus+ leaderboards as you go. There's no risk in downloading the game for free and trying out the initial 12 levels, and the IAP level packs offer a great value for money if you're looking for more. In fact, I would love to see some additional level packs released down the line sometime. Players in our forums are enjoying the game as well, and it appears that the talented folks at Team Phobic have another hit on their hands with GravBot.

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We're not sure what has possessed the publishers of dozens of amazing iPhone games to decide that tonight was the night to hold a massive sale — but it's happened. And you can benefit from it.

A huge number of high profile games have dropped in price to all time lows. The number of high quality games you can pick up for $0.99 right now is amazing. We hand picked a few to highlight here, but below we've listed dozens more. Every game on this list is worth the sale price, so now's your chance.

A few notable games dropping to $0.99 include:

Osmos, $0.99 Osmos was originally released in late August of 2009 for the PC, and went on to win numerous awards. The multi-touch controls work wonderfully on the platform and it’s a natural fit for the iPhone. We highly recommend picking this one up. Review

Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, $0.99 We choose Tiger Style Games’ Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor for our 2009 Game of the Year. Spider is an original concept built specifically for the iPhone by a small self funded team. Review

2K Sports NHL 2K11, $0.99 It wouldn’t be hard for NHL 2K11 to claim the title of best ice hockey game on the iPhone, since the competition is sorely lacking. But it surprisingly goes above and beyond and offers a truly full-fledged NHL experience on a mobile platform. Review

Archetype, $0.99 Archetype delivers one of the most robust, beautiful, and most importantly fun first person shooter (FPS) experiences that can be had on the iPhone. Review

Here's the rest of the list, grouped by price. Unfortunately, this appears to be an iPhone / iPod Touch phenomenon mostly. Only two games (marked below) are iPad native.

$0.99

• Civilization Revolution ($6.99 -> $0.99)
• Soccer Superstars ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• 9 Innings: Pro Baseball 2011 ($4.99 -> $0.99)
• Baseball Superstars 2010 ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• Need for Speed Shift ($6.99 -> $0.99)
• Bookworm ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• Geometry Wars: Touch ($4.99 -> $0.99) Universal
• Puzzle Agent ($4.99 -> $0.99)
• Monkey Island 2 Special Edition ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• Doom II RPG ($3.99 -> $0.99)
• Assassin's Creed II ($5.99 -> $0.99)
• Zombie Infection ($2.99 -> $0.99)
• Peggle ($2.99 -> $0.99)

$1.99

• Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Risk: The official Game ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Zenonia 2 ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Mirror's Edge ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• ACE Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Myst ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Doom Resurrection ($6.99 -> $1.99)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ($5.99 -> $1.99)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• NCAA Football by EA Sports ($4.99 -> $1.99)
• Command & Conquer Red Alert ($4.99 -> $1.99)

$2.99+

• NFL 2011 ($4.99 -> $2.99)
• Real Racing ($4.99 -> $2.99)
• Call of Duty Zombies ($9.99 -> $4.99)
• Call of Duty Zomies HD ($9.99 -> $4.99) iPad Only
• FIFA 10 by EA Sports ($6.99 -> $4.99)

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