Archive for the ‘Mac’ tag
‘Arcade Jumper’ Review – A Platform Game for Mario Fans
Arcade Jumper [$1.99] by is a retro side-scrolling platform game which feels like the old classic . There's enemies to either shoot or jump on their heads, and the main character wears a red cap with red and blue clothes. Yup, that certainly sounds very Mario-esque, but fortunately there's plenty of innovation in this game too.
It's the 1980's and Eddy's brother Jimmy has been sucked into an arcade machine by 'Ghosty', the naughty child-abducting spirit with a friendly-sounding name. To save Jimmy, you need to complete 10 zones, each with three stages (30 stages in total).
Stages are completed by finding warp-tokens, then returning to the start of the stage to insert the token into the glowing arcade cabinet and warping to the next stage. There's a timer which counts down, so you need to keep moving. At the end of each zone (3 stages) you're confronted by the floating kidnapper, Ghostly, who must be chased down and then shot or jumped on before time runs out to complete the zone.
Along the way you collect fruit, like apples, bananas, oranges and cherries, coins (just like Mario) and invincibility stars. You'll also find tickets, which are used to buy game items or unlock playable characters. Sometimes these items are hidden inside crates which are revealed by head-butting into them, which is another mechanism borrowed from Mario.
If your health bar hits zero due to colliding with enemies, or you fall from the platforms, you immediately die and it's game over. Unfortunately, you're only given one life. And if you've finally managed to progress through a few zones, it doesn't matter – when you die, you'll still re-start from the very beginning, which despite the fun, can be frustrating after numerous restarts.
Each time you obtain 25,000 points you receive a "Continue" (maximum of 3), which is like a "life". This will help you progress further, but once they're used up, you still return to the very beginning in your next game. The worst part about dying is that there's six screens to pass through before restarting, followed by a slow "materializing" animation, which gets annoying, especially if you died within the first few seconds. An immediate restart should be available to avoid the frequent delays.
There's four characters to play, each with different weapon and jumping strengths. Initially only Eddie is unlocked, but once you unlock Destructoid (the robot) things become far more entertaining, as he can double jump which speeds up the whole experience. The best character, Mitch can double-jump and double-shoot.
Each time a stage starts, it's a surprise what the level will look like as Arcade Jumper cleverly displays different graphical themes (skins) for the backgrounds, levels and enemies. You might find yourself in a Mario-type level jumping on shelled creatures, in a space setting shooting at space invaders, in an urban environment capping thugs and dodging helicopters, or even facing shaggy pink 4-legged creatures wearing sunglasses and over-sized jewelry. Regardless of the level's appearance, the gameplay is the same in each theme, but it's quite nice to have this variety.
There's buttons for left, right, jump and shoot, which are responsive, although the player occasionally slides a little for no apparent reason. You can optionally unlock an alternate slider control using your tickets, which is an interesting idea, although after unlocking this I preferred the original controls. I also downloaded JoyPad [Free] to turn my iPod into a controller while playing on the iPad, which worked really well.
In addition to the main game mode, there's three mini-games you can play from the main menu to earn tickets. In 'Skeet Ball' you swipe a ball at targets. 'Pongchinko' involves dropping three balls down rows of pegs, hoping it lands in high scoring container at the bottom. While 'Space Frantic' appears to be a whack-a-mole variant, although there's no instructions. After each mini-game, tickets are dispensed based on your performance.
The tickets can be used to unlock "player assists" such as a flipper to rebound you back onto the platform if you fall or a helpful "cool space guy" who flys around you shooting enemies and is prepared to take a bullet for you, plus unlocking the three other characters. If you can't be bothered collecting tickets from the platform levels and mini-games, you can optionally purchase tickets as an in-app purchase, although this really isn't necessary.
This game is universal, as it can be installed on any iOS devices. However, be warned: when it runs on the iPad, the game dimensions are about same size as the ipod, with the extra space being used to draw an arcade cabinet around the outside, like a large border. The iPad version uses a fraction of the screen for actual gameplay.
Also, this game works on the iCade cabinet, which is becoming a selling point, however because the iPad version displays a cabinet on the screen you end up with: The game surrounded by a picture of a cabinet, which is inside the actual iCade cabinet. Something about a cabinet within a cabinet just isn't ideal. This has been brought to the developer's attention.
Arcade Jumper is a fun game, especially once you've unlocked the double-jump. However, the restart delays are excessive and the constant returning to the beginning is wearing thin and may stop some players from seeing the zones full of sloping and tilting platforms, asteroids and fireballs ….and probably other stuff I haven't seen yet, because of constantly returning to the beginning. Arcade Jumper has plenty of potential as some small tweaks could improve the player's experience dramatically, but as is it's still an interesting take on a Mario-like platformer that's worth having a look at.
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Live Coverage of Apple’s ‘Let’s Talk iPhone’ Event
Best iOS Games September 2011
Our ratings for games we reviewed in September are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a 3 or higher is considered a "good" rating.
Our final scores are not the product of any traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others. Keep in mind, this listing is comprised of games we reviewed in September, and not necessarily games that were specifically released in September.
5 Stars
Machinarium, $4.99 – [Review] – [] – This game generated a heck of a lot of controversy when it was revealed that it'd only run on the iPad 2 only, which had us more than a little worried about its performance if it requires top-end hardware. It turns out, Machinarium runs fantastically, despite its Adobe Air-based innards. If you've got the hardware, don't miss this remarkably clever adventure.
Another World – 20th Anniversary, $4.99 – [Review] – [] – It's hard to find a game on the App Store with more history behind it than Another World. Touch-based controls (as well as an optional virtual D-pad) along with both original and remastered graphics make for an outstanding port of this classic adventure game.
Tiny Heroes, $1.99 – [Review] – [] – geoDefense and geoDefense Swarm cranked tower defense on the App Store up to 11, and, dare I say it, Tiny Heroes makes a great attempt to crank it to 12. Or, at least, 11 and a half. This fantasy-based tower defense title should not be missed by anyone who even vaguely fancies the genre.
King of Dragon Pass, $9.99 – [Review] – [] – No lie, I've spent more time playing this game than all the other games that we reviewed in September combined. If my exhaustive review wasn't clear enough, here's all you need to know: If you like simulation games, you needed King of Dragon Pass on your iPhone yesterday. I've still got my fingers crossed for an iPad version, but I'm more than happy managing my clan whenever I've got a few seconds to spare on my iPhone.
Monsters Ate My Condo, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – Adult Swim and Pik Pok joined forces to bring us one of the craziest matching games we've ever seen on the App Store. The game requires matching similarly colored floors while appeasing nearby color-coded monsters, each with a more ridiculous super-power than the last. Also, you can score billions if you're good. Billions!
4.5 Stars
Fling a Thing, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – It seems physics-based game that rely on flinging mechanics always work well on iOS devices. Fling a Thing follows this formula, and the addition of a crazy art style, excellent puzzle progression, and, well, things to fling makes it a great little game to have.
Gyro13 – Steam Copter Arcade HD, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – It took way too long, but developers are finally starting to utilize the Unreal Engine in some interesting ways. Gyro13 puts you in charge of a cool looking gyrocopter to rescue miners trapped inside of a shockingly dangerous mine. The graphics and sound are great, and the skill requirement makes completing objectives feel like a major accomplishment.
Where’s My Water?, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – This super-fun liquid-centric physics game puts you in the driver seat of helping an alligator take a shower. Sure, it's hard to come up with a more ridiculous premise, but maybe that's part of this game's charm. A wacky scrolling mechanic on some levels is the only thing we have to complain about, otherwise Where's My Water is fabulous.
Orbit1, Free – [Review] – The iPad is home to a ton of awesome single-device multiplayer games, and Orbit1 is one of the finest we've seen so far. Simple controls combined with incredibly fun gameplay make for the perfect game to play with friends while waiting in line, or doing anything else where you're bored and have an iPad as well as four people hanging around.
GoatUp, $1.99 – [Review] – [] – Jeff Minter's Llamasoft is responsible for releasing quite a few great retro-inspired games, and GoatUp is no exception to that. It's an endless climber with a fantastic retro spin, complete with graphics to match. If you've been a fan of Minter's previous works, make sure you don't miss this one.
jAggy Race, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – What do the best kart racers always have? If you answered "TONS of jumps," you are correct. jAggy Race is filled with jumps and all sorts of other aerial stunts to perform in the wide array of tracks it comes loaded with.
Radballs, $0.99 – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – We fell in love with RadBalls inside of the first few seconds of , and by the time it was over we were ready to yield our first born to its creator. Oh, yeah, the game is fun as hell too. It's a music-centric matching game that even allows you to use your own tracks. Check it out.
1112 episode 03, $4.99 – [Review] – [] – We enjoyed ourselves through the first two episodes of 1112, and the third installment is no different. I'd start with the earlier games first, just so you're playing everything in order. Now… If the developer could start releasing more than one episode a year…
DrawRace 2, $0.99 – [Review] – [] – The original Draw Race was a ton of fun and Draw Race 2 is better in absolutely every way. The line drawing control mechanic is fantastic, and the menu system could potentially fool people into thinking it was a real serious business racing game.
The rest of the game ratings can be seen in their respective rating categories (also found in the sidebar navigation): 5 Stars, 4.5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars, and 2 Stars.
As always, we expect there will be some debate about relative scores, but keep in mind that everyone's personal ratings may vary based on individual tastes.
For more of our favorite iOS games, check out our "Best iPhone Games" category which includes all of these monthly posts as well as other special compilations of the greatest games the App Store has to offer:
- So You Just Got a Verizon iPhone… Let's Get You Up To Speed!
- – An App Store Gaming Guide
- Best iPod Touch and iPhone Games: 2010 Buyer's Guide
- 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites – Eli
- 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites – Blake
- 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites – Brad
- 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites – Jared
- Best iPod Touch and iPhone Games: 2009 Buyer's Guide
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24 Hours Until the iPhone Press Event
While Apple keynotes themselves are always a lot of fun, I actually almost like the day immediately before the keynote more. Speculation on what's coming reaches a climax, and all you've got to do is wait a day to see who was right and who was wrong. provides a rundown of possibilities from the hardware lineup, and subsequent rumors make an iPhone 4S seem as more and more vague leaks of "iPhone 4S" branding appear. Following case leaks and a few other shaky rumors, there hasn't been a very strong indication that the is coming at all– At least not yet.
Regardless of what the new iPhone looks like, the addition of the A5 processor should make the iPhone 5 (or 4S) a pocket-sized power-house. recently posted a set of benchmarks of mobile GPU's, and the GPU in the iPad 2 is still blowing the doors off the competition:
The rumor mill seems to be in agreement that the "main" feature to be touted at this keynote will be an entire new voice-powered "Assistant." Check out a demo video that MacRumors compiled based on rumors of how it will work:
has an interview with the co-founder of Siri, the company who is believed to be behind this new technology, who has the following to say:
Make no mistake: Apple’s ‘mainstreaming’ Artificial Intelligence in the form of a Virtual Personal Assistant is a groundbreaking event. I’d go so far as to say it is a World-Changing event. Right now a few people dabble in partial AI enabled apps like Google Voice Actions, Vlingo or Nuance Go. Siri was many iterations ahead of these technologies, or at least it was two years ago. This is REAL AI with REAL market use. If the rumors are true, Apple will enable millions upon millions of people to interact with machines with natural language. The PAL will get things done and this is only the tip of the iceberg. We’re talking another technology revolution. A new computing paradigm shift.
So here comes the fun part, what do you think is going to come of tomorrow's keynote? A spec-bumped iPhone 4S? A surprise reveal of an entirely new iPhone 5? New iOS 5 features that haven't been revealed yet like Assistant? New iPod touches to coincide with the iPhone launch? Or will something come out of left field like the iPad 3 with Retina Display, or a million other things that could potentially happen that Apple managed to keep a total secret?
Personally, I think the iPhone 4S is happening but I just can't shake the thoughts of the potential redesign. I'm not sure how credible the weird case "leaks" we've seen are, but the rumored redesign I just can't rationalize in any way other than a design like that is coming. What reason could Apple, a company who historically has put immense importance on a refined user experience place that icon in their own apps? It just doesn't make sense!
I guess we'll find out tomorrow, but, in the time being, we can let our speculation run wild– At least for another 24 hours or so.
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‘Loop Raccord’ iPad Review – A Video-Editing Game for Remixers
If you're constantly disappointed by the knockoffs, cash-ins and "me-toos" of the App Store, then 's Loop Raccord [$2.99] is the game for you. Best described as a game of video editing, it's strikingly original, much like another iOS game Nicolai designed called UFO on Tape [99¢]. On PC, it's been a finalist at the Independent Games Festival and at IndiCade and was featured at the Experimental Gameplay Sessions at GDC. And now it's available on your iPad.
Loop Raccord is all about motion. In playing, you'll queue short video clips so that the motion of one flows into the other — a raccord, by the game's terminology, Spanish for "continuity." In one clip, a letter might be dropped on the ground. In a clip below, a finger will stroke a hairbrush. It's your job to line those motions up so the finger begins its movement the moment the letter hits the ground, creating a chain reaction of sorts. It's strange and slightly cerebral, but also very compelling.
Don't be scared off by the "experimental" label. Loop Raccord is very much a game, one with all the motivational nudges we're used to. Scores and achievements are tracked with Game Center. Multitasking support seems to be missing, however, so beware of closing the game midway.
There are three game modes: Single Loop, Double Loop and Infinite Loop. In Single Loop, you're tasked with creating a single chain of clips flowing from one to another. You're scored on how accurately you can chain the clips, and how many tries it takes you. Double Loop is the same, but pits two local players against each other on either side of the device.
Infinite Loop is a bit different. In creating an endless raccord, you're scored only for the ones you get right on the first try. A high score in Infinite Loop is based off how many of those single swipes you can chain in a row. It's a tense mode, but one that allows you to keep trying for as long as you'd like.
Controlling the clips is quite simple – swipe left to travel backwards through a clip's frames, and right to travel forward. The clip will play from the moment you lift your finger. If you've successfully connected it to its predecessor you'll earn a ranking for accuracy and be able to move to the next. If not, you'll be informed if you're at least close to the correct solution.
The experience isn't without a few hitches. The clips are largely well-chosen, pulled from 's massive collection. But a few are just a bit too ambiguous, with multiple motions that could fit the requirements. It's best to play Single Loop until you've seen most of the clips, so you're not surprised mid-combo in Infinite Loop. The interface is also a bit confusing, especially when you complete a Single Loop without any feedback to indicate you're done.
Then there's the sound issue. Each clip still contains its audio. As you chain more and more clips the sound layers become increasingly complex until you hear little more than noise. It's a cool effect at first, but it can get seriously stressful. I can't play more than a few minutes with the sound on without getting anxious, so you might find the mute switch needs to be applied liberally.
But that aside, Loop Raccord is a game worth experiencing. I've never played anything like it. In some ways a successful loop feels like a Rube Goldberg machine, where the momentum from one clip launches the next, over and over ad infinitum. But it's a machine built of strange and wonderful video clips. For that alone, I'd recommend taking a look.
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Back Up Your iPod Click Wheel Games – They’re Gone From iTunes
Here's a brief public service announcement of sorts to those of you out there who are still rocking the click wheel iPod and regularly use it to play games– At some point last night they vanished from iTunes entirely. If you haven't already, now is a fantastic time to back up your existing library of click wheel games, as it's really not clear if you'll ever be able to download them again. A free would work perfectly for this, or really any other cloud storage service that you can just upload your games to and forget about.
Reading further into this move by Apple, it seems reasonable to think that this might be the end of the iconic click wheel line of iPods. that there haven't even been any new releases in the click wheel iPod game library since 2009. The click wheel iPod wasn't updated in last year's iPod event either, casting even further doubt onto the fate of the device. With Apple pushing so hard into cloud-based services and the shocking array of media streaming apps available for iOS devices, it seems reasonable to think that the company feels there's no longer a place for the non-iOS large-capacity traditional iPod.
Seriously though, back up those games.
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‘Panda Picnic’ Review – This Summery Puzzler May Leave You Waiting Around
A cute panda, a match three puzzler, and a summery theme with cute accouterments such as picnic baskets and watermelons — where can Panda Picnic (Free) go wrong? I mean, if you literally think about the idea of pandas out on a picnic together, you immediately start smiling. Or at least I do. I'm assuming the picnic basket is full of bamboo, though — not my idea of a scrumptious lunch. Maybe I'll hang with the humans after all.
Enough about food: Let's talk about how Panda Picnic works. If you have ever played the notoriously popular Words With Friends, at least one pat of the format here will look familiar, and that's the part where you play with online friends. Panda Picnic has one flaw right out of the gate, in my opinion, and that is that is does not have a single player mode to allow you to practice on your own. Your options are to start a game with a Facebook friend, a random opponent, or a local friend.
There is nothing wrong with any of these options as long as the other player actually takes their turn, which can take ages if said person has gotten distracted from their phone and is dicking around updating their profile or whatever else it is we spend years on the internet doing. With a game as popular as Words With Friends, the waiting is not as bad, but with Panda Picnic, your best bet is to have at least three or four games going at a time. At least that way, you have more chances of actually making a move.
Speaking of making moves, here's how it all works. Each level opens with a slot machine in the bottom of your screen, and the puzzle with the panda curating it for you up top. You'll take a spin, get a series of different fruits, and decide if those are the ones you want for your next turn. If you have some coins accumulated, you may be able to spin again (these can be won or purchased in microtransactions). If not, you may be stuck with what you got. You'll notch each of these in a little slingshot and hurl them up to the top of the board, Bust-A-Move style. There's a little tally on the right side of the screen that shows off how many of each fruit you still need to completely clear the board too, which I mostly just forgot was there in the first place.
The controls are very accurate, and I do like that there is a chat feature in case you want to actually speak to the person you're playing, although I never used it myself. The sounds are fun, and my only small complaint was the panda does this thing where he flicks his tongue in and out of his mouth like a snake and looks a little drug-addled. But hey, his problems have nothing to do with the gameplay, so you really don't have to worry too much about him.
Panda Picnic is pretty cute, and I admit I did enjoy the gameplay. Ultimately, however, I would wander away from it because it took so long for people to make moves. Playing with a local friend was more satisfying for me, as the gameplay could actually flow and I didn't have to do so much waiting. If you're on the lookout for a free puzzler you can play online with at anytime though, you may find the arcade twist to the gameplay hits that sweet spot you were hoping for.
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‘Psychonauts’ Gets An Official App, Mac Version Released
We were shot some unexpected, but welcome news from this afternoon. The studio, which is probably most known for Brutal Legend but let’s not talk about that because it ugh, has launched its very first iOS application: the Psychonauts Vault Viewer [Free]. As the name implies, it’s a companion app that lets fans view every slide from the game’s vault with the added bonus of commentary from Double Fine’s Time Schafer and Scott Campbell. In addition to learning a thing or two, you’ll probably get a few laughs. Also, it’s free and universal.
Here’s a small taste of Tim and Scott in just one of the slides:
TIM: “Now, he’s way up in the air. Is there an artistic term for that? Can you tell?”
SCOTT: “Uh, air-spective.”
TIM: “And what is the dad doing? Is he unapproving? Is he saying, ‘why are you throwing my baby in the air?' "
SCOTT: “He’s probably like, ‘I don’t understand the fun in this.' "
TIM:“And you snuck in a little cleavage, too, which is your way… sneaky.”
In other Psychonauts news, Double Fine has also launched a Steam update for the title alongside this app, adding in cloud saves and achievements and a small tweak said to make the game’s brutal Meat Circus level “slightly less punishing.” A Mac version of Psychonauts [$9.99] is also now live on the Mac App Store and Steam. Play this game, people! It's great!
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‘Katamari Amore’ Review – Another Roll Around the Katamari World
Back in the depths of 2008, we had our hearts broken by I Love Katamari. The controls were problematic, there were performance issues, it was Katamari, but it was a mess. Now Namco is taking another shot at winning our love with Katamari Amore [Free].
Full disclosure: I'm a Katamari fan from way back. I got in on the ground floor with on PS2 and I've played every console release since. Over the years the formula has become a little stale, the craziness has started to feel a little forced, but I'm still a person who loves to roll things up. Sushi, cats, Ultraman, I'm not picky. So it's with a heavy heart that I tell you that Katamari Amore is a loveless thing.
Yes, yes, it's Katamari! On iOS! But that's not enough. The framerate gets choppy at times, especially on my 3GS. The controls are improved over the last outing, now offering one virtual pad, two virtual pads or tilt. The two-stick method is essentially the same as the console controls, if a bit stiff. The method for switching controls is awkward and confusing, but whatever. Technically this game is pretty much fine. It's just completely and utterly joyless.
The level design is the worst offender. One of the joys of the Katamari series is exploration. Strange scenarios can be found if you pay attention. You might find bears corralling humans at a campfire, or a hidden shrine to sashimi. It doesn't often make sense, but it rewards curiosity. In Katamari Amore, you'll find whatever random items are needed to make you bigger, strewn appropriately to allow you to progress. The most interesting thing I found in my travels was a space dog with an astronaut, and I guess the game thought it was interesting too because I got an achievement for rolling it up.
And that's emblematic of the whole problem with Katamari Amore. Nothing is there just for fun. To clear most of the Story Mode levels you'll need to roll up nearly every item available. This turns the game from a frantic size race to a tedious exercise in hunting down the one item you need to get just big enough to get the next batch of items. It's a bare-minimum philosophy that permeates everything — the King of All Cosmos's dialogue, the levels, the items and the entertainment value.
We mentioned that this game would have a special Pac-Man themed level, and it does. But don't get too excited. It's basically one level of the classic game, but with terrible controls and an obnoxious camera angle. There are better ways to play Pac-Man.
If none of this concerns you and you just want to get your Katamari on, here's what you need to know. The game is free to download, and contains one level of Time Attack mode. With an in-app purchase of $3.99, you can unlock all six currently available levels. Each has a Story Mode (in which the King asks you to roll up a specific item that always happens to be the largest item in the level), time attack, an exact size challenge and eternal mode. There are more packs on their way, but there's a reasonable amount of content here to start with.
It's not that Katamari Amore is completely terrible. There are a few technical speedbumps, but it's competent on the whole. Some of our have decried the graphics, but simple art is a series staple. And it's a functional game, with plenty to do. It's just that it could be so much more.
Most of the things Namco has left out aren't the things that would push the limits of the platform – they're the humor and the spirit of the series. iOS games can be made with love and joy, they can be funny and charming. Those are things the Katamari series has had in spades, and it's a shame they're missing here.
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A Close Flyby of Mac Classic ‘Glider Classic’ for iOS
A few days back we posted word that John Calhoun would soon be launching an iOS version of his classic early Macintosh game, Glider, in the App Store. Glider Classic [link] is now available for download and I've had a chance to put it through its paces. Let me share my impressions.
The good news is that Glider Classic for iOS is just what Glider was for the early Macs: quaint casual gaming with nicely frustrating puzzle elements and a simple visual aesthetic.
That simple assessment should be enough to let those familiar with the original title know that it's definitely worth a grab. For the uninitiated, let me explain the magic of the formula. (But I'll go ahead and toss out a spoiler: you want this game, too.)
Glider was originally released by in 1988 as shareware. It presents a simple proposition: fly your paper glider through a house filled with obstacles, room to room, and get it outside. The only controls were (and are) "move left" and "move right." Air vents on the floor and sources of heat, such as lights and stereo equipment, keep your glider aloft. And don't land on anything. That's it. It's a task that sounds far simpler than it is, and giving it your best is a whole lot of fun.
The original game featured modest aesthetics — line drawn shelves, simple dithered object shading, etc. — and that was, in part, forced by the limitations of the original platform, which was a Macintosh with an 8MHz CPU and a 512×384 pixel black and white display. The developer made the best of it way back when and the result was a charmingly simple, yet complex, casual game. The formula worked, and worked well. And so, in bringing Glider to the staggeringly more powerful iOS platform of today, Calhoun has maintained the control and visual aesthetics — the former by way of left / right tap controls, and the latter by entirely , but doing so in an intentionally minimalist fashion. The result is a game that looks and plays like the modern analog of the original that it is.
For those familiar with the earlier versions of Glider, Calhoun indicates that Glider Classic, from a gameplay perspective, is something of a mix of all of the titles from version 4, on down. He considers his commercial release of the game, Glider Pro from Casady & Greene, to have strayed a bit from the solid formula of the earlier releases, and so it was not a basis for the iOS version.
The house in Glider Classic features five different floors plus a basement level to fly through. The first floor is a pretty easy run, but the challenge ramps up notably as you progress. The developer not only hopes to add more houses to the game in a future update, but may also bring the classic Mac OS "house editor" to Mac OS X Lion, which would allow users to create their own play areas for the iOS version as well as the possible Mac App Store version that he indicates is likely to arrive at some point.
The current v1.0 release of Glider Classic runs on the iPhone 3GS and 3G iPod touch devices, on up, including the iPad (it's a universal application). Calhoun let me know, however, that he has already submitted the v1.0.1 update to Apple, which enables support for earlier iPhones and iPod touch devices, and squashes a few minor bugs, as well.
Glider is just a great little game with a lot of personality. And whether or not you've spent time with it in the past, it's a treat to play on modern iOS devices. The only criticism I can make. based on my time with the title so far. is the lack of online leaderboards. However, I discovered in a recent conversation with the developer that Game Center integration is on the list for a future update.
As indicated in our earlier post, John Calhoun recently left Apple after 16 years in order to bring Glider Classic and other titles to iOS. Last month he released Lab Solitaire [App Store], a photo-realistic version of Free Cell. For a bit more history on his days as a Mac game maker, I recommend checking out Bitmob's article entitled "," as well as MacScene's interview.
Glider Classic is currently available for a limited time at an introductory price of $0.99.
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