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If I had to list three things the App Store needs less of, fart apps, games with zombies, and line drawing as a control method would all be at or near the top. iPhone developer Mutant Games would apparently disagree with that statement, judging by their upcoming game which merges these three App Store cliches in to one unholy abomination of a game which oddly enough looks like it might actually be fun especially considering the sky high novelty value of the game.

In Farts VS. Zombies, you play as a Chuck Norris lookalike with your pants dropped in front of an endless conveyor belt of food with your butt pointed at an incoming swarm of zombies. The foods you eat determine what kind of fart you will generate, and these fart clouds can then be routed around the room by drawing lines for them to follow. The goal of the game is to protect japanese school girls, who you will need to make sure your fart clouds stay away from while you gas said zombies. Your ultimate attack of sorts seems to be some kind of projectile vomit, which can clear entire swaths of zombies and is aimed by tilting your device.

Farts VS. Zombies has both a survival mode and a story mode… And I can't wait to see how the plot unfolds as per the trailer the ultimate battle at the end of the game is against an evil unicorn who may or may not be responsible for sending hordes of zombies your way.

Farts VS. Zombies is still in development, and hopefully by the time it's released Mutant Games will have time to implement some form of doodle graphics as well. For more information, check out the thread in our forums.

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After a tumultuous release, where Apple seemingly played yo-yo with its iTunes availability, Pro Zombie Soccer [App Store] is finally here to stay, and aren't we glad for it! Comfortably one of the more anticipated titles here at Touch Arcade, Pro Zombie Soccer is developed by the 6-man operation at Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team, whose founders have notched titles such as Plants vs Zombies and Worms into their belts.

That pedigree shows from the start– particularly where the artwork is concerned– an outstanding PvZ-stylized canvass of highly detailed, inked environments and characters make up the world of Pro Zombie Soccer. A world filled with the Zombification of everything from burly meat-cleaver weilding butchers to schoolgirls to riot-shield weilding zombie swat teams. And a lone, street-kid with a love of the world game.

The soccer-inspired gameplay of Pro Zombie Soccer begins on a stage very familiar to anyone who has played PvZ (and let's face it, who hasn't?). Zombies attack from the right of the screen, lumbering towards your lone hero armed only with a round ball at his feet. That's where the soccer gameplay starts and ends though, with the game playing out more as a sidescrolling shooter from thereon in.

By swiping up and down with your left hand you control Jax's shot angle, as you take aim at the approaching decaying horde. Releasing your thumb will let fly a thunderous kick, tearing apart zombie limbs with abandon before the ball graciously returns to your boot. It's a simple game mechanic that belays some pretty frantic action, particularly in the later game. Kicks can be charged by holding down your thumb before releasing, resulting in a power shot that is necessary to kill certain zombies.

The Zombies themselves have a range of personalities, and though most can be killed by kicking the ball into their heads (successive headshots build multipliers that are critical to hitting the highest echelons of scores), some require a more reasoned approach– our favorite being the gargantuan, viagra-induced zombie that requires a 'nutshot' to take down. Ouch!

There are three powers available to Jax as he builds up momentum; the lightning kick; the piercing kick; and the indomitable Laser attack (which sees Jax fire a kick into the heavens to knock an orbital laser off-course to reign destruction on your Zombie adversaries). Though they do alot to disperse the otherwise straightforward gameplay, we were a little disappointed to see them made available so early on. Spreading their introduction across more levels would have made their individual usage a little more special. As it is, you have access to all three from very near the start, and so the gameplay tends to get repetitive as it is almost always best to resort to the room-clearing laser attack.

The plot and level mechanics do somewhat remedy the repetitive gameplay. Just as levels start to feel same-ish, a well-placed surprise pops up that turns the game entirely on its head. One such instance sees an entire level devoted to the piercing kick, a bloodbath resulting as a million zombie limbs explode all over the screen. These aren't the exception to the rule either, as from halfway through it is clear that each subsequent level continues a headlong run into the realm of insanity.

There are 20 levels all up in Pro Zombie Soccer spread over 8 different environments. The levels can be played through in about two hours, which unlocks a hardcore mode (which pits you against way more zombies) and a Zombie Odyssey, survival mode. Though it's not the most content-heavy game out there, if the story mode was any longer it might have taken away from the game rather than added to it. Certainly any additional levels (if they are added as DLC) would need new gameplay mechanics to keep them interesting.

All told, Pro Zombie Soccer injects something a little different into the soccer games we're being bombarded with leading into the World Cup. Its PvZ feel is just as much a reference to its great artwork as it is to its quality finishing. Hardcore mode should provide just enough challenge for those who breeze through normal mode, and Crystal integration ensures all your scores are recorded, and your actions in-game are rewarded with craft achievements. What really makes Pro Zombie Soccer stand out in the end though is its entertaining story sequences and gameplay tie-ins, and a finale that is just plain epic. At only $0.99 (limited 66% off World Cup sale), it's a good time to pick it up.

Note: For those of you toying with OSi4, an update is already in the pipeline to resolve current errors with the yet-to-be-released OS and PZS should be ready to go for it soon.

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For those whose fondest memories of growing up in the 80s and 90s involve playing through the various iterations of Super Mario Bros, platforming never seemed sweeter. For a handheld device especially, that never looked like changing– the 80s spark that created the Mario fever isn't easily replicated and Nintendo will never share its magic. It is fortunate then that the 80s also saw the birth of an infamous title known as The Great Giana Sisters, a title that attempted to challenge Nintendo's platforming dominance.

Now on the iPhone after a re-imagination on the DS in 2009, Giana Sisters [App Store] is an enhanced version of a tongue-in-cheek attempt in 1987. The levels have everything you would expect of a Mario-inspired game– refined run-and-jump platforming, fireball power-ups, brick smashing, coin collecting and even castles with Bowser at the end (well, a look-a-like cousin at least). In fact, it is not until well into the second world that Giana Sisters even hints at an identity of its own.

By the third and fourth worlds however, an attitude easily rivalling that of their plumber pals shines through. And the sisters will need every bit it as the game is rife with pitfalls and dangers. Crumbling platforms, deadly waters and razor sharp stalagnites– as well as a battalion of terrifically crafted enemies, some of whom would as soon run you down as fire a bazooka at you– are all thrown at our heroines. Not all enemies can be defeated by fireballs and head-stomps either, often needing deft and precarious jumping to avoid. The sisters do have a little help though; dispensers spit out shakeable soda bottles to clear brick obstacles or put out fires and dispense man-sized, floating bubble gum balloons to fly around in. A handy flower pot check-point is also available in most levels to save your progress.

The original title featured 32 levels all up, which are all playable after completing the game, but it's the whopping 80 newly crafted levels that will keep you most occupied in Giana Sisters. Negotiating your way through these levels is a breeze, with both a Classic and Touch scheme available. The Classic mode works a treat and is the recommended setting, the finely-tuned left and right movement and jump and attack buttons are well-placed on the screen. As in our early impressions though we had difficulty getting used to the Touch scheme, particularly the jumping mechanic which proved too tedious. Both settings have a swipe feature for looking below or above your current platform.

The production values in Giana Sisters go beyond just a carefully crafted platform game however, as it both looks and sounds superb. The artwork is crisp and detailed with gorgeous, layered backdrops and themed levels really setting the scene to distinguish each area. The soundtrack is really something to write home about too; layering on that nostalgia thick with keyboard-heavy midi-esque tracks that run the gamut of upbeat to dark and ominous.

Giana Sisters is certainly deserving of its tremendous cult following. As a widely appealing game, it is easily recommended to all as a fresh take on classic platforming. It draws its strength from its unashamed inspiration, offering a tight, fully-featured and excellently crafted platformer that really raises the bar for the AppStore. Achievement hunters and competitive types will also be glad to know that Giana Sisters comes packaged with OpenFeint support for both achievements and leaderboards.

Impressions from our discussion forums have been wildly positive. Be sure to check out the developer's trailer above for a closer look.

App Store Link: Giana Sisters, $4.99

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