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For more than a year now, CAVE has had a reputation of releasing high quality shooters on the App Store that featured hefty amounts of action, depth, and replay value. Their bullet hell shooters Espgaluda II [$11.99/Lite] and Dodonpachi Resurrection [$11.99/Lite] are two of the finest shooters around, and they proved they could translate their particular brand of manic gameplay to a more traditional action game with Mushihimesama Bug Panic [$6.99/Lite]. CAVE’s latest title, Deathsmiles [$11.99/Lite], furthers their reputation of offering top quality shmups and us yet another excellent shooter to add to our collection.

Like the aforementioned CAVE shooters, Deathsmiles consists of a mode that mimics the arcade version of the game as well as an iPhone-specific mode with exclusive features. The arcade mode features 4 different playable characters and 8 total stages to play. The underlying gameplay mechanics are fairly straightforward. Your character automatically fires, and a button in the bottom corner toggles firing to the left or right. There’s also a button to toggle between a regular shot and a laser shot, and a third button that performs a lock-on shot.

Enemies approach at a dizzying pace, and every level from start to finish you are constantly being bombarded by an assortment of awesome baddies in all shapes and sizes, as well as absolutely massive boss battles. Slain enemies will drop items which can be collected and go towards filling a counter in the lower left corner of the screen. When that counter reaches a thousand, you can activate a powered-up state that will give you increased firepower for the duration it takes the counter to return back to zero.

These base mechanics are pretty standard shmup stuff, but as with most CAVE games the real brilliance comes from the hidden depth in the scoring systems. Playing through Deathsmiles simply to complete the game is an exhilarating (if brief) experience, but players who want to score big and are looking for an extra challenge must take advantage of the many nuances to how enemies are killed and items are collected. If you want to take the game to the next level and really learn the ins and outs of the gameplay, our forum member ColdCoffee has put together this excellent detailed FAQ thread that explains pretty much all you need to know about arcade mode and scoring tricks.

Then there's the new iPhone mode which is similar to the arcade mode but is played with a brand new exclusive character that has an interesting alternate storyline. It also features a sweet weapon and equipment system that lets you customize your character with different items that have unique attributes. You can buy items from a shop in the game or collect them when they are randomly dropped by defeated enemies. The ability to collect items adds a very slight RPG element to the game, which is awesome, and your items and gold are carried over persistently to each new play of iPhone mode.

Just about the only flaw I have found with Deathsmiles isn’t something that’s the fault of the game itself, but rather it’s an inherent problem due to actually controlling the game right on the touch screen. It’s a horizontally scrolling game rather than a vertical one, and enemies come at your from both sides of the screen rather than just the top, so your character spends a lot of time right smack in the middle of the screen. This means that by nature of controlling your character with your thumb or finger, you’re going to be blocking a good amount of enemies and bullets that enter from the sides of the screen. It doesn’t entirely hinder the gameplay, and it’s manageable with some practice and experimenting with the 3 available screen sizes, but it’s really the only area where Deathsmiles falters and is worth noting.

If you can deal with the less than ideal control situation, Deathsmiles offers a just as robust and enjoyable shooter experience as their previous efforts, if not more so. On the easiest settings, the game can be enjoyed by even the biggest shmup newbie, but deeper below the surface lie advanced difficulties and complex scoring mechanics that will tax even hardcore veterans of the genre. Multiple characters and storylines as well as Game Center achievements and leaderboards ensure that Deathsmiles can be played over and over again for a long time to come.

So far, CAVE is 4 for 4 with top-notch game releases on the App Store. If you’re any sort of shmup fan then you’ll definitely want to at least try out the lite version of Deathsmiles, and if you do be sure to check out the scoring FAQ thread and the general discussion game thread in our forums to get the most out of the experience.

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This past May, we came across one of the crazier trailers that we’ve seen for a game called Techno Kitten Adventure [Free] from Elite Gudz, and it featured a large man in an awful cat suit. But the silly video wasn’t the important part, as amazing as it was. What was important was that Techno Kitten Adventure, which previously had been been released as an Xbox Live Indie Game, was making its way to the iOS platform in a new enhanced version.

Techno Kitten Adventure dropped into the App Store last month to a hail of glitter and rainbows, and I even shared a few thoughts about the game on our podcast that week. Basically, Techno Kitten Adventure is a cave flyer where you travel automatically to the right, raising and lowering your position to avoid obstacles along the way. Gameplay-wise it’s about as barebones as they come, where you literally just travel for as far as possible without crashing. The farther you go, the higher your score, and that’s pretty much it.

However, where Techno Kitten Adventure earns its stripes is with the spectacularly crazy sights and sounds that blast your every sense during play. There are bright, flashing colors and all sorts of things going on in the foreground and background that are just dying to distract you during the game. There can be so much happening that it’s nearly impossible to make out the floor, ceiling, or objects in between that you’re supposed to be avoiding. This sort of artificially created difficulty would normally be frowned upon, but it’s actually kind of the point of Techno Kitten Adventure and is part of its charm.

One of my favorite parts about the game are how well integrated the visuals are with the audio, starting out fairly tame and then kicking things into high gear as the beat of the song builds up and finally lets loose. I actually find myself laughing out loud at just how obnoxious things can get during a song’s peak. I’m waiting for the inevitable seizure, but so far that threat hasn’t stopped me from continuing to play.

The reason I’m bringing up Techno Kitten Adventure this time is that the game just received a new update that adds in the star of another strange cat experience – Nyan Cat. The Nyan Cat seems to pop up everywhere over the internet, and recently in progress bars as well, and is now a playable character in Techno Kitten Adventure. Unfortunately (or possibly not), the original Nyan Cat music is not part of the deal, but the Pop-Tart body and rainbow trails of the Nyan Cat fit perfectly into the world of Techno Kitten Adventure. Besides the added feline, this latest update also adds in Game Center with leaderboards and 20 achievements.

Techno Kitten Adventure is one of those games that some people will absolutely fall in love with and some will just plain not get the appeal. Luckily, this problem is easily solved by downloading the free, score-limited demo and trying it for yourself. If it ends up tickling your fancy, there are 3 different theme packs to buy from within the demo for 99¢ apiece. They each feature their own unique songs, visuals, leaderboards, and playable kitties. If you think you can handle the flashy pizazz and window thumping beats of Techno Kitten Adventure, then bust out those glow sticks and give the lite version a go.

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Back in May, Simogo Games released Bumpy Road [$2.99], a title that was a mixture of endless runner and time trial gameplay with a whimsical art style and incredibly unique controls. I gushed about how much I enjoyed Bumpy Road in our review, and last month the game was improved further when Simogo released the first major update which added 2 new Sunday Trip time trial modes and a few other new gameplay features.

Now the 2nd major update to Bumpy Road is getting set to hit the App Store, and after giving some love to the Sunday Trip portion of the game last time, this latest update adds an entirely new endless level to Evergreen Ride. The original Evergreen Ride level has been subtitled Spring, and the new level is subtitled Autumn. It’s a fitting name too, as Autumn Evergreen Ride features new background environments and a color palette that reflects that season.

The changes aren’t just visual though. Evergreen Ride Autumn contains 220 new level segments as well as 3 new types of platforms. There are elevator platforms that move vertically up and down, “flip” platforms that are constantly disappearing and reappearing, and conveyor belt platforms that will propel your car forward when you’re riding on them. Simogo has given me a preview version of the Bumpy Road 2.0 update, and I’m really digging how all of the new elements in Evergreen Ride Autumn mix up the normal gameplay.

Much in the same way that the previous update’s “brake gizmo” really changed up how you would play Sunday Trip, these new platforms take how you might normally play Evergreen Ride and turns it on its ear. Your speed, timing, and screen location are all much more important now. For example, you may have to stay closer to the right side of the screen in order to get on an elevator platform so that it lifts you up at the right time to hit a set of gizmos placed high in the air. I normally try to stay close to the left side of the screen to give myself the most amount of time to react to what’s coming, but with these new platforms that move that’s no longer the best tactic.

The video below does a great job at showing off all of the new elements in Evergreen Ride Autumn, and some of the new strategies you’ll need to utilize to be successful:

I really have adored Bumpy Road ever since its release, and the last update did a great job at adding interesting new gameplay elements while retaining the core feel of the game. This newest update is no different, and even feels more substantial than the last. The Bumpy Road 2.0 update is currently working its way through the Apple approval process, and Simogo hopes to have it release before the month is over. Make sure to pop into our forums and let everyone know what you think about Bumpy Road, and we'll let you know when the 2.0 update becomes available.

As an aside, Simogo's first iOS game Kosmo Spin [Link] is currently free to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the company's inception. It contains a similar type of quirky art style and gameplay as Bumpy Road, and is definitely worth grabbing while free.

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It feels like a long shot, but there’s a chance we could see Octodad 2 on the iPad. The Young Horses, an incorporated branch of the original Depaul Game Experience crew, has revealed that it’s working on a follow-up to the original, and depending on how the funding fairs, we could see  additional projects like a motion-controlled console port, a booth for gaming conventions like PAX, and a possible iPad port.

Octodad is a curious third-person PC and Mac adventure game that has you, as the eponymous character, masquerading as a human and constructing a mannequin so you can avoid having dinner with your wife. The overall goal is to never be suspected as anything less than a loving, human husband, which is harder than it sounds. Movement in particular is abstract. You use a combination of thrusts and button presses with the mouse in order to plant on foot in front of the other recreating, somewhat, the gait of a human.

I’m… cautiously optimistic about how the movement mechanics in particular will translate to the iPad, but I’d love to see it despite the questions that I have. The Kickstarter page for Octodad 2 features the following video that teases some of what you’ll see in the sequel.

No firm release date for Octodad 2 has been noted. You can bide your time with the original, for free, at the game's official web site.

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Last year, Capcom raised the bar for traditional fighting games on the touch screen with Street Fighter IV [$4.99], and a couple of weeks ago they upped their game again by releasing Street Fighter IV Volt [$6.99] with online multiplayer. To a lesser degree, we’ve also seen Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 [99¢/HD] on the App Store, and although quirky and rough around the edges it still offered up a decent portable experience for fans of that series. With SNK Playmore’s recently released The King of Fighters-i [$7.99], we now have all the major players of the mid-90s 2D arcade fighter rivalry once again battling it out with each other, this time on the App Store.

While SNK’s various fighting franchises all had a pretty dedicated following, it was always the Street Fighters and Mortal Kombats of the world that stole the mainstream spotlight. Now here, more than a decade later on iOS, SNK Playmore has brought their A-game for a shot at the iOS fighting crown. And true to its namesake, The King of Fighters-i takes that crown by elevating touch screen fighters to the next level. It’s missing the marquee feature of online multiplayer that Street Fighter IV Volt can boast about, but when it comes to control responsiveness, speed, performance, visuals, animations, and approachability, The King of Fighters-i tops the competition.

The King of Fighters-i is based off of the newest entry in the franchise, The King of Fighters XIII which hit arcades last Summer and is slated for a home console release this October. The game comes with 14 playable characters, and anybody who knows the King of Fighters series knows that that is just a fraction of the monstrous roster of total available fighters. But it’s a decent start, and all of the included characters are interesting and fun to use. Plus, SNK Playmore states in the game’s description that 6 additional characters will be coming by October in free updates, most likely in time to coincide with the console release of the game.

The meat of The King of Fighters-i lies in the 4 single player modes. First, there is the traditional arcade mode lets you engage in the 3-on-3 team battles that are a staple of the series or regular 1-on-1 matches. Then there is an endless mode which is your typical game of survival as you face off against as many consecutive opponents as you can using just one gauge of life, which gets refilled slightly in between rounds. Finally, there is an excellent training mode which not only lets you spar against a computer opponent with many adjustable parameters but also features a fantastic combo training section that will teach you how to pull off some of the extensive combos in the game, some of which are incredibly elaborate.

As for controls, The King of Fighters-i is set up very much like Street Fighter on iOS, right down to the virtual controls which can be placed anywhere on the screen that’s to your liking. Despite the similarities though, The King of Fighters-i controls come out on top, and feel a notch above Street Fighter in terms of overall responsiveness. There's a punch and kick button, a button for evading, one dedicated to simplified special moves, and a fifth button used for entering a hyper state when one of your special meters is filled. These special meters also allow you to do super and EX moves. All of this is explained well in the tutorial that gets you off an running with the basics without much hassle.

The one big feature I love about the controls here is the inclusion of simplified special moves. This allows specials to be pulled off just by hitting a direction along with the dedicated special moves button. For someone like me who isn’t as intimately familiar with each character’s move sets, this allows me to use any character on a whim and not have to worry about constantly checking a move list in the pause screen and trying to memorize their special moves. It really encourages using and exploring different characters rather than the ones I’m normally comfortable with, and also makes the game a bit more playable with virtual controls.

At this point, the bones of The King of Fighters-i seem fairly comparable to other entries in the genre, but it’s in the overall execution where the game really outshines its opponents. The first thing you will notice is that The King of Fighters-i is much faster than other fighting games on the App Store. The action can get really fast-paced, but thanks to the excellent controls it’s not a problem to keep up. Also, I’ve never ran into so much as a stutter in frame rate while playing, and load times are lightening quick.

Graphically, the game is pretty incredible. It contains static backgrounds similar to Street Fighter IV, which is kind of a bummer, but the backgrounds in The King of Fighters-i are much crisper and more vibrant than the drab, fuzzy ones found in Capcom’s offering. Where the game really stands out visually is in the amazing hand-drawn sprites which are animated so fluidly it almost feels like you're watching a cartoon. The character sprites are a bit jagged around the edges, but you’ll hardly notice once you see them in motion. The animations, to me, are what make The King of Fighters-i feel the most like an actual console fighter as opposed to just a mobile version of one.

With all the things there are to love about The King of Fighters-i, there’s still one big thing missing which is the lack of online multiplayer. This might normally have been forgiven on a platform like the iPhone, but since Street Fighter IV Volt just proved that it’s possible to pull off and will likely only get better in the future, it’s something I’d like to have in a fighter. There is a local Bluetooth multiplayer mode, but in my limited testing the  performance seemed fairly sluggish. Still, I appreciate its inclusion and hope that SNK Playmore will explore more options for multiplayer in the future.

As a single player experience though, The King of Fighters-i has a lot to offer. The several arcade modes and combo training alone will keep you busy for some time, not to mention the Game Center leaderboards and achievements, but there’s also a really great collectible component to the game. Coins can be earned while playing the various modes and then spent in an in-game shop on things like concept and promotional art as well as collectible character cards. There are also different pre-fight dialogues for every character matchup in the game, which is a cool little detail if you have any vested interest in the various story elements of the characters. Luckily, it can also be disabled in the options if you choose so as not to slow down the matches starting.

I really can't find much fault in The King of Fighters-i apart from a lack of online multiplayer. If that ever comes into the picture it will just be icing on what is already a very delicious single player cake. Players in our forums have been raving about The King of Fighters-i since release, and as far as iOS fighters are concerned it’s raised the bar significantly against the competition, including the mighty Street Fighter.

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Crescent Moon's Aralon: Sword and Shadow is one of the App Store’s meatier games, so it often demands a meatier price point. If its standard price of $9.99 is too much for you to swallow, I think you’ll dig this news: the game, which is a Universal app, is now just $4.99. That’s, like, a total of five dollars of savings! Think of all the things you can buy with the money saved!

In case you didn't know, Aralon is one of the most advanced RPGs on the App Store. A convenient analogue is the Elder Scrolls series, which generally boasts the same attributes: first-person perspective, somewhat deep spell combat systems, tons of quests, and an open-world. We reviewed it awhile back, so give that a read if you’re interested in learning more.

A new update, by the way, has hit since we last talked about Aralon. The latest version has hammers and maces, as well as 'specialty' IAP items. Several bug fixes, including the crash bug in Uthu’s Fortress, have been fixed, too. Not too bad for a free update.

In other Crescent Moon news, the studio has given us a few new screens of Pocket RPG, which development for appears to be going well. We're told that the game will launch alongside an update that adds "target assistance" (read: auto-aim) for casual players and includes notable refinements and tweaks to the overall product. Neat! Now, check out those screens I mentioned earlier:

Pocket RPG launches this Thursday, July 14th.

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When I think about excellent but underrated games on the App Store, Marco Mazzoli’s Spirit [99¢/HD] immediately comes to mind as a prominent example. Launching back in February of last year, Spirit is a neo-retro arcade game that uses a control mechanic that’s perfectly suited to the touch screen. You control your tiny “Spirit” with your finger, and as enemies appear on the screen they are dispatched by quickly circling your Spirit around them, creating a vortex that sucks them in.

Things get increasingly hectic as more enemies show up and you try to encircle them in a vortex without also running right into them. Ultra-responsive controls ensure that it’s never the game’s fault when things eventually go sour, and a nuanced scoring system adds layers of strategy to the gameplay. Last November a new Pulse mode was added into the game which basically turned the core game on its ear and offered a completely new way to play. It almost felt like Pulse could have been its own separate game rather than a free update to the existing Spirit app, but I didn’t complain.

So, Spirit is pretty brilliant, and I like it quite a bit in case you couldn’t tell. It’s also been a well-supported game, receiving quite a few updates in the past year and a half since its release. However, one thing Spirit has been missing is high resolution visuals, and the colorful neon lines in the game look a bit jaggy on newer devices. Thankfully that problem has been rectified with the latest update to Spirit.

The developer has redrawn all the graphics in the game to utilize Retina Display and iPad resolutions. Like its classic arcade inspirations, Spirit has pretty minimalist visuals, but the extra fidelity of the high resolution art definitely makes a big difference. Aside from the visual improvements, this update also brings a slew of minor optimizations and tweaks, most notably better performance on older devices. Also, Spirit has a snazzy new icon.

If this is the first you’re hearing of Spirit and you enjoy a good arcade-style high scoring game, then you should definitely give it a try. Both Spirit and the iPad native Spirit HD are currently on sale for just 99¢, and are easily worth every penny. There is a dedicated group of players in our forums who would agree, and when it comes to original arcade experiences they don’t get much better than Spirit.

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The Incredible Machine [$2.99] for iOS has been updated to include the content that spurred its recreation in the first place. The entire 1993 version of the Rube Goldberg puzzle game, including its pixilated visuals, is now accessible within the app for the price of free.

Also, more challenging puzzles have been added. A total of 15 “expert” missions are a part of this update, adding to an offering of around 75 total puzzles designed, in part, by Jeff Tunnel, the dude who created the original game.

Tunnel joined up with Playdom in 2010 after founding PushButton Labs in 2009. He was with Sierra On-Line when The Incredible Machine was originally created and published.

Remember Casey’s Contraptions [$2.99]? That’s the physics-based puzzler that we prefer in this specific genre, but it’s wild that its source material, the original The Incredible Machine, is now available within a re-make that came out a month after Casey’s Contraptions launched. I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime happenstance. We were a part of history, people! Do we get a prize or something?

[Via PocketGamer]

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Ever since we posted the first trailer for 1-bit Ninja [$1.99] from developer Kode 80 I’ve been anxious to get my hands on the title, and after a small delay past its intended release date it’s now available in the App Store. 1-bit Ninja is a platforming game that's an homage to the classic handheld gaming systems of the 80s, but with a modern technical twist. At any point in the game you can tilt the perspective, exposing the previously flat 2D terrain as a 3D environment à la Paper Mario. It’s a neat effect, but also one that impacts the gameplay as it allows you to discover hidden aspects of a level, which makes for one of the most unique platforming experiences in the App Store.

The first thing to notice about 1-bit Ninja is that it completely nails the retro look and feel that it was going for. The game looks like it could have launched right beside Super Mario Land on the Game Boy two decades ago and would have fit right in. Despite the simplistic, blocky pixel graphics, there still manages to be a ton of character and style in 1-bit Ninja’s visuals. Those without a fondness for the handheld gaming graphics of yesteryear may not be so impressed, but for the rest of us the look of 1-bit Ninja should bring back memories of the good ol’ days.

Of course, it’s easy to get snapped out of that retro nostalgia haze once you shift the perspective to 3D. Touching either of the upper corners of the screen will swing the camera around and give you a look farther down the level either ahead or behind you. The effect is quite awesome, and still impresses me each time I see it. Beyond just looking cool, it also serves a critical function: checking certain parts of a level in 3D will expose hidden paths and secrets which are integral to completing every goal in a level.

There are 20 levels across 4 worlds in 1-bit Ninja, and just completing a level will unlock the next one. This is easier said than done, though, as each level is fairly lengthy and can be quite difficult to complete. You’re given 2 minutes to finish a level, and there are coins to collect and enemies to kill along the way which will add to your score. Each level also has 5 bonus coins to seek out and collect, some of which can be very tricky to get to. Going back to discover these bonus coins and shooting for better times and high scores give the levels in 1-bit Ninja a ton of replay value, though unfortunately there’s no online component for me to see how I stack up against my friends.

I was worried that constantly checking everything in 3D for secrets would slow down the pace of the game, and in fact, it kind of does. But that’s all part of the grand scheme of things in 1-bit Ninja. The game is really designed for two different types of play. One has you taking your time and exploring every nook and cranny for secrets and bonus coins, while at the same time learning the layout of a level. Once you’ve played a level enough to know what the optimal route is, then you can go for the perfect speed run. It works out incredibly well, and I’ve had a great time replaying levels over and over again trying to master them.

One of the radical design choices in 1-bit Ninja is the controls. Kode 80 has boiled the controls down to just two buttons, one that moves you forward and one that jumps. The inability to move your character freely back and forth completely changes how you play the game. If you miss collecting a coin or taking the path you wanted you aren’t able to go back and correct your mistake. You’ll just need to file that information away for consideration in a future run through of the level. To me, this makes for an interesting twist on a traditional platforming game, and I appreciate the different strategy that is needed in order to be successful. But for people who are just interested in having a new Mario-like game, you might never warm up to the idea of only moving in one direction.

If you can approach 1-bit Ninja with the right expectations, it’s easily one of the most enjoyable platformers in the App Store. The retro visuals are a delight and the 3D camera shift effect adds a super unique element to the game. The control style does take some getting used to, but after about 15 or 20 minutes with the game I had the hang of things and haven’t had a problem since. Opinions are pretty split in our forums, with some loving the unique twist on platforming and others unable to accept the limited movement.

Personally, I’m completely hooked on 1-bit Ninja, and if you think you’re able to accept some of the design decisions in the game and you're a fan of its retro aesthetics, then I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

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Casey's Contraptions [$2.99] was already a great game before this week's update. In our review, we applauded it for its charming approach to creative physics puzzling. But there was one outstanding concern: for a game with a full-featured level editor, it really sucked not to be able to share new levels with the world.

Turns out the developers got right on top of fixing that problem, because the newly released 1.1 update adds a global level sharing system. You can still share your contraptions with just your friends by email, but now you also have the option to share with the whole world. You can also download other users' creations by heading to the My Contraptions menu and hitting the Download Contraptions button. This takes you to a website that lists all the published contraptions, which you can grab with the tap of a button.

This leads to a new problem that anyone should be glad to have—an overabundance of choice. Thankfully users need to successfully play through their levels to post them, so there are no worries about broken levels. But given how popular level sharing is already, I won't be surprised if a ranking system shows up soon.

For those of you playing with children or family members, there's more good news—a user profile system has been added with support for up to six individual players. There are also a few bug fixes and tweaks to round things out.

It sounds like the next update will give us even more reason to keep playing. According to the developer, there are plans for a new location, new items, and the highly-anticipated iPhone version. The iPad version should be going universal too. Great news all around for Casey's Contraptions.

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