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As an avid fan of the retro aesthetic, it's with a hopeful heart that I try out every retro game in the App Store that I come across. Sadly, all too often the charm ends right there — with the aesthetic. But, on the occasions where all those blocky pixels and glowing vectors are backed up by addictive gameplay, I'm a happy gamer, indeed. And a happy gamer is what two titles from Dan Bliss at BinarySquare have made me. They're not new releases, but titles we seem to have overlooked for whatever reason and it's only in the last month or so that I've spent real time with them.

Dragon Panic - $0.99

Originally released almost two years ago, Dragon Panic [App Store] is a cute little dodge and blast game that looks like something you'd see on a Sega Master System.

The game puts you in tilt-based control of one of two dragons, Berny or Blaze, trapped in a sort of dungeon of horrors. Said horrors come in the form of spears, skulls, arrows, and potions falling from above. You must run about the dungeon, blasting the falling implements with a ball of flame that can only be fired diagonally upward at a fixed angle. If you miss and an object hits the floor, it cracks a floor stone, which will shatter on a second impact, cutting you off from a section of the dungeon. If an object hits you, it's game over. And, blasting one of the potions grants a boon, such as eliminating all falling objects onscreen, replacing a missing floor stone, or adding a ricochet to your fireballs.

Just going on the description alone Dragon Panic might seem like an overly simple, unremarkable game, but after one round I was hooked. It packs a definite just-one-more-time draw to rank on the leaderboards.

SpaceBlast HD - $1.99

An iPad-only title, SpaceBlast HD [App Store] (no relation to the earlier SpaceBlast for iPhone) is a straight-up Asteroids clone that does a great job of capturing the glowing vector aesthetic — complete with a slight flicker — of the classic Atari shooter.

Destroy the rocks and stay alive is the name of the game, as you'd expect, and black holes, weapons upgrades, and an online scoreboard are planned in a future update.

SpaceBlast HD's "vectors" are semi-trasnlucently rendered over a space scene backdrop, an effect that evokes the old cardboard + mirror + CRT arrangement that added color to certain vintage arcade cabinets. Below the playfield are onscreen buttons for rotation, thrust, shields, fire, and hyperspace that "clack" like the real thing.

I'm hoping most readers have played a game of Asteroids at some point. SpaceBlast HD is the closest thing I've seen to that experience on the iPad.

Dan Bliss previously brought us the retro-inspired Buganoids, Kerplinkus, and Space Out.

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Here's one that will make a select few of our readers stand up and shout, while merely drawing a faint "hmm" from the rest. But, as Arnold and myself are among the standers and the shouters… Last night, in honor of the 20th anniversary of their founding, the Free Tools Association (or FTA) released a free bundle of their classic demoscene productions and games wrapped in their ActiveGS Apple IIgs emulator as the Universal application ActiveGS – Best of FTA [App Store].

FTA and the associated groups Apple Chemical Software (ACS) and Second Sight Software were well known in the pre-web online Apple II communities for their to-the-metal, assembly-coded demos, games, and utilities that pushed the Apple II to its limits. Among the included productions are Nucleus and Modulae, probably the most well loved and beautifully executed demos to be found on the IIgs, as well as the playable demo of the group's take on the pseudo-3D shooter Space Harrier. Those checking out this collection who have no Apple II in their past should note that the Apple IIgs, which was released in 1986, is an 8/16-bit computer that runs at 2.8MHz — and that's in "fast" mode.

The Modulae demo, running under emulation on a Windows machine:

The group's ActiveGS emulator used in this application is a front-end for the multiplatform KEGS, which emulates the Apple IIgs and, by extension, the Apple IIe. It's available in both stand-alone applications and as a browser plug-in and is the primary emulation system behind the Virtual Apple ][ website where hundreds of Apple II programs can be run online.

In this iOS version, the emulator simply provides hard coded execution of FTA's demos, so it won't work as a general emulator.

UPDATE: Developer Olivier Goguel has chimed in on the comments thread and provided a link to a video of a version of ActiveGS running on the iPad, loaded with many more Apple II demos and games than are featured in the App Store release. But don't get too excited...

For approval reason, this version contains only FTA product! For a sneak preview of the full version, have a look at this video, but don't expect it to be live soon...

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Hopefully everybody has been grabbing the free game we posted earlier today SpikeDislike [Free], but there's another freebie deal on a great game that slipped by us until just now. Puppet War FPS [Free] is an arena style first-person shooter that is currently free for today as well. It originally launched in June of last year, and we really liked it when we reviewed it. You play as a hapless janitor who gets locked inside the studio of a popular children's puppet show. The puppets have decided to turn homicidal on humanity, and it's up to you to blast the stuffing out of endless waves of them using all sorts of interesting weapons.

Puppet War FPS originally launched with just one arena to battle in, the studio, but last August it received a huge update with additional locations and other improvements. There was now a night time version of the studio, and a brand new street scene level with it's own accompanying night version, bringing the total number of locations to 4. Also a Survival mode was added which was a very welcome addition if you just felt like hopping into a quick game for some puppet fragging without committing to the level based nature of the Campaign. A number of other gameplay tweaks and control improvements went on to make the updated version of Puppet War FPS an overall tighter experience.

Now you can grab this excellent shooter for free if you hurry. It's supposed to be free for today, February 23rd only, so depending on when you catch this post the price may already have increased. Puppet War FPS was definitely recommended at its various price points ranging from a dollar to three, and I would suggest downloading as soon as possible while it's currently free. It features some really attractive visuals and solid first-person shooting action. Plus, you get to blast the heads off of puppets, which should be reason enough to check it out. There's loads of further impressions in the thread in our forums, and don't miss out on this latest freebie for Puppet War FPS.

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Back in December, Hudson somewhat surprisingly released an emulator app for their cult-classic 16-bit console TurboGrafx-16. This emulator, called the TurboGrafx-16 GameBox [Free], features a free-to-download shell that includes the full game of World Sports Competition and houses a hefty selection of other titles that can be unlocked via in-app purchase for $2.99 each. There's also one new rotating tile per day that gives you a chance to play that particular game for 10 minutes, up from the initial 3 minutes offered on the app's release, as a sort of demo to decide if you want to purchase the full version.

We really liked the TurboGrafx-16 GameBox in our review, noting that its virtual controls were about as good as they come on an iOS device that emulates games designed for physical controls and a favorable save system ensured that you could retry tricky sections easily without causing too much frustration. The initial selection of games available for in-app purchase in the TurboGrafx-16 GameBox featured a range of very good to mediocre titles, with a couple of must-haves like Bonk's Adventure, Ninja Spirit, or R-Type. Today Hudson has released an update for the TurboGrafx-16 GameBox that adds 5 new titles to the in-app catalog which are listed below:

Bonk's Revenge by Hudson Soft

Detana!! TwinBee by Konami

Kaizouchoujin Shubibinman by NCS/extreme

Double Dungeons by NCS/extreme

Benkei Gaiden by Sunsoft

Like a few of the games in the initial release of TurboGrafx-16 GameBox, 3 of the 5 new titles are the PC-Engine versions of the game, the Japanese counterpart to the TurboGrafx-16. As such, their menus, dialogue, and instruction manuals are entirely in Japanese with no option for an English version. For a game like Detana!! TwinBee this isn't as much of an issue, as it's just a vertical shooter and knowing what's going on is secondary to blasting stuff out of the sky. But in the case of Benkei Gaiden, it's a heavily dialogue-driven RPG which will be hard to enjoy if you aren't able to read Japanese text.

Also worth noting is that the full version of Bonk's Revenge is currently free to play as part of a special promotion. Seeing as this will likely be the title that most people are interested in, it's a great chance to actually try it out yourself before committing the cash to unlock the full version. Make sure to update your game to the latest version and give Bonk's Revenge a spin and check out the other 4 new titles in the TurboGrafx-16 GameBox.

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iPhone developer Moregames Entertainment has an impressive collection of games under their belt. iDracula [$2.99 / Lite] was one of the first really great dual stick shooters released on the App Store, and both Knights Onrush [99¢ / Lite] and Knights Rush [99¢] are great castle defense and action games set in a similar fantasy universe. One game you might not be too familiar with of theirs is Orions: Legend of Wizards [$4.99], a fairly complicated card-based battle game with a seemingly small but very hardcore following.

If you were a part of that following, you're in for a treat:

The sequel is set to land next month, and aside from a totally redone campaign mode, and even the ability to customize your decks for use in single duels. There is even going to be online multiplayer. The down side of all this is that the small but hardcore audience I mentioned earlier that loved the original aren't too happy to see many of the features and functionality originally slated for updates now appearing in a brand new game. Personally, I'm just glad to see them at all, as the original Orions was a ton of fun, and I can't wait to play it online.

For more information on the game, check out the thread in our forums.

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"Once more, the angels descend upon Gilverado…"

On Friday we reported that Cave announced that their 2007 arcade danmaku / bullet hell shooter DeathSmiles, which made its way to the Xbox 360 in 2009, would be coming to the iPhone this Spring. The studio has followed up with a press release providing additional details as well as a trailer video showing the action to come.

Enter the world of Gilverado, a kingdom plagued by hideous monsters and tortured souls. Choose from four angels with unique demonic familiars and battle against a storm of enemies pouring out of Hell's gates! Fight your way out of tight spots as you are surrounded by enemy units and bullets from both sides of the screen. The unique left and right shooting mechanic of Deathsmiles will keep you on your toes as you dodge and weave through complex enemy fire, beautifully crafted by the modern masters of shmups, CAVE.

DeathSmiles is a side-scrolling, gothic horror-styled shooter that sends hosts of enemies your way from all four sides of the screen, delivering highly intense onscreen action. It offers a choice of the order in which its various stages are tackled as well as of the character you play: Windia, "the foppish English girl;" Casper, "the sassy German;" Follett, "the cautious French girl;" or Rosa, "the California valley girl."

The Xbox 360 version features three play modes: a straight port of the arcade version, an "arranged" mode that offers independent control of a second on-screen character, and a graphically enhanced mode offering more lavish visuals.

Cave has also announced that their excellent Mushihimesama Bug Panic [App Store] will receive an update in March bringing Bluetooth and 3G/WiFi multiplayer, a choice to turn the Autobomb feature on or off, a choice of Attack Modes (lock or direct), as well as an update to the "lite" version [link], enabling players to play through all stages in the first world and also the Score Attack Mode.

Cave, who has produced 48 danmaku shooters over the past 16 years, has recently been recognized as "the most prolific developer of danmaku shooters" by the 2011 Guinness Book of World Records: Gamer's Edition.

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Fans of CAVE’s manic shooters get ready for some exciting news. The developer has just announced over their Twitter that their next iOS game will be none other than the oft-requested Deathsmiles. Deathsmiles is a departure from their traditionally vertical scrolling shooters, like Espgaluda II [$8.99/Lite] and Dodonpachi Resurrection [$8.99/Lite], and scrolls horizontally. However, the intense bullet hell, humongous bosses, and general over-the-top nature of their games is present.

We literally have zero information on what the iOS version will contain, but check out this trailer for the Xbox 360 Deluxe Edition that was just released in Europe to get an idea of what Deathsmiles is all about:

Keep your eye on this space as we expect CAVE to send out an official press release detailing their upcoming launch of Deathsmiles, but we were so excited for the news that we just had to get the announcement out there. CAVE is currently showing off the game in playable form at a media event in Japan, and they have also announced that a new mode called Bug Battle will be coming to their excellent dual-stick shooter Mushihimesama Bug Panic [$4.99/Lite] soon, and we’ll have details on this as well just as soon as we get them.

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Early last month we took a look at Bug Heroes [$1.99], a dual stick shooter of sorts that borrows gameplay elements from many different genres. In the game, you play as one of three bugs, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You must switch between them to protect your pile of food, and dish out punishment to the invaders looking to steal it. We went in to detail in our review:

The bulk of Bug Heroes takes place in the Adventure mode. Here you battle in 4 different environments using a combination of three different characters as you defend a stockpile of food from an onslaught of hungry insect enemies. Money is collected as you defeat enemies which can then be used on various types of upgrades. You can add several different types of turrets to your food pile to protect it while you are away, or you can buy better weaponry to increase the offense of each character. Gameplay involves exploring each environment to collect additional food to add to your stockpile while simultaneously fending off enemies. The game ends when all three characters die or your entire food reserve is depleted. …Read More</a

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Well it's Wednesday again, which means many things, but in the world of iOS it means one thing: A tidal wave of game releases. If you recently picked up a Verizon iPhone, and haven't yet experienced a App Store Wednesday, here's how it works- Developers can set specific release dates for their various games and apps on the App Store. Games released today had their dates set to 2/17/11. The trick is, these games are released internationally, as the clocks in each region tick over to actually being the 17th. This allows us to get an early heads-up on what's coming out, before things are actually released on the US App Store at 11:00 PM EST.

Here's what's going to be available:

Starfront: Collision, Free + $6.99 IAP – [Forum Thread] – I've spent many sleepless nights hoping for Blizzard to actually release a legit iOS port of StarCraft, and while I hate to continue using the "Well, at least I appreciate Gameloft bringing a game we'll never see on the App Store as a clone!" excuse… I have to. I'm a little more excited for the eventual and inevitable release of Starfront: Collision HD, but impressions for the iPhone version of the game have been positive so far in our forums. I can't wait for people to start downloading and playing this game, as the online four player multiplayer sounds like it could be excellent.

Back to the Future Ep. 1 HD, $6.99 – [Forum Thread] – Words can't fully express how much I love the Back to the Future trilogy, so naturally, any video game (save that horrible NES game) based on the series gets me totally excited. This game has already been released on both the Mac and PC, and has additional episodes in the pipeline. We're going to be reviewing this ASAP to see how the iOS port is, as Telltale's track record of iOS releases hasn't exactly been spotless.

The Blocks Cometh, 99¢ – [Forum Thread] – We posted a preview earlier, but this game plays similar to The Incident in that your goal is to avoid falling blocks, and climb as high as possible. There is a free Flash version, but it looks like the iOS port is going to be great.

Volcano Escape, $1.99 – [Forum Thread] – This 2.5D platform-shooter has an interesting premise in that in each level you're trying to escape from a volcano. There seems to be a ton of weaponry, power-ups, and even online leaderboards and achievements.

Bug Wars, $1.99 – [Forum Thread] – An arcade style first person shooter of sorts where you must save the world from an invasion of… bugs? (Well, at least it's not another zombie game.) It looks like there's an impressive amount of weapons to use, and I admit, I'm a total sucker for any game that has massive bosses like the one found in the above trailer.

Ridge Racer Accelerated HD, Free + IAP – [Forum Thread] – Well, it's Ridge Racer, on the iPad. I would have hoped that a little more care would have gone in to this port, but judging by the screenshots, these are some seriously low resolution textures for a "HD" game. Regardless, if you can't get enough Ridge Racer, now you can have it on your iPad.

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