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Back in December, Rocketcat Games released their third grappling hook-themed game Hook Worlds [99¢] into the App Store, following their previous excellent efforts Hook Champ [$2.99/Lite] and Super QuickHook [$2.99]. We liked Hook Worlds an awful lot in our review as it essentially contained four separate endless running games in one package, all based around a novel hooking mechanic. Well, people who bought the game the first weekend received four worlds anyway, as the fourth world was a bonus addition for early adopters of the game.

Late-comers fear not, however, as the latest update to Hook Worlds makes available this special fourth world to all owners of the game. It’s a good thing too, as the fourth world is easily my favorite. The graphics are based on Atari 2600-era games, with extremely basic and blocky graphics, and the gameplay is loosely based on the original Hook Champ. It’s so simple and so elegant, distilling the hooking formula down to its bare essentials, that I find it to be my most played world in the entire game. You’ll have to work for it though, as non-early adopters must earn at least a Silver medal in any of the regular three worlds to unlock the fourth.

Other additions in this meaty update include Game Center support, enhanced visuals for the Retina Display, fast-app switching, and loads of new gear for the characters. Some of these new hats, hooks, and costumes are a free addition to the game but you can also buy a pack of gear for each of the characters as IAP. Each character pack costs 99¢ and adds a number of new items to choose from. It should also be noted that these items are cosmetic only and in no way affect the gameplay, and are entirely optional if you wish to support the development of Rocketcat’s games.

As a huge fan of Hook Champ and Super QuickHook, I can’t recommend Hook Worlds enough. It offers a ton of content, gameplay, and production value for the price. That said, I have definitely heard from players in our forums and elsewhere who have had a difficult time getting the hang of Rocketcat’s hooking games. With that in mind, Hook Worlds is still recommended as it’s a great entry point into the hooking genre. The controls have been simplified to just two buttons so it’s easily the most approachable of the three, and the low price point means there’s not a lot of risk if you decide it’s just not for you. If you end up liking it you can always upgrade to their previous games which offer much more complex gameplay.

Note: There have been a couple of minor hiccups with this latest update that you should be aware of. A menu display bug has crept in there, and for now this can be fixed by turning the screen flip to “off” in the options screen. Also there have been some quirks with uploading score and achievement information to Game Center, though I personally haven’t encountered this. Rocketcat is aware of these issues and is already addressing them with a patch that will be put out as soon as possible.

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Back in the early and mid-90s, NBA Jam exploded in popularity in arcades and on home consoles everywhere with its over-the-top take on NBA basketball. Throwing down monster dunks, catching fire, and trash talking your opponent were all things that made NBA Jam such a blast back then, and that core entertainment was successfully transitioned into the franchise reboot that hit consoles in late 2010. Now an iOS version of NBA Jam [$4.99] based on the 2010 console version has hit the App Store, and despite a couple of omissions it overwhelmingly satisfies in every way if you were ever a fan of the original NBA Jam series.

The familiar NBA Jam gameplay returns here featuring a relatively rule-free game of 2-on-2 basketball with an emphasis on pulling off insane physics-defying dunks and ridiculous shooting sprees. Besides adhering to a 24 second shot clock and a no goaltending rule, pretty much anything goes in NBA Jam. Any player that makes 3 consecutive shots will then be “on fire” and during this time will make a higher percentage of shots, have unlimited turbo, and be immune to the goaltending rule. If you’ve played NBA Jam in the past, not a lot has changed here, but that’s most likely for the best.

Visually the game looks stunning on iOS. The original NBA Jam was the first sports game to use character sprites that were digitized versions of real life players. The new NBA Jam takes this a step further, using 3D polygonal models for player bodies but high resolution photographs of the actual players’ faces for the heads. The effect is hilarious, and a bit creepy, as the various NBA stars make an assortment of funny or intense faces during play. The player models are fluidly animated and the overall performance is fairly smooth, though there is the occasional stutter. The game is also optimized for Retina Displays, and looks especially crisp running on these devices.

The iOS version of NBA Jam uses a smart control system that works incredibly well. There’s a virtual stick for movement, a turbo button in the opposite corner, and based on if you’re on offense or defense a button for passing/stealing and another for shooting/blocking. Using your limited turbo meter not only increases your player’s speed but also enhances your other moves, like turning a simple steal attempt into a full-blown shove of an opponent. This is cleverly and elegantly handled by holding down turbo and then sliding to one of the other two buttons, which works great in practice. There’s a training camp mode which will run through all of these controls, as well as an alternate gesture-based control option, but the default controls were easy to pick up and are my preferred method.

The meat of NBA Jam is the Classic Campaign mode that has you choosing your favorite team and taking on the 29 other NBA teams as well as several additional hidden teams. You can choose 2 players from a pool of at least 3 current NBA players from every team, and some teams have 4 or 5 players to choose from initially. Every team also has at least one unlockable player, which typically includes classic players from the respective franchise and even some mascots. Besides the Campaign mode there is also a Play Now option that will throw you into a one-off game just for fun.

Sadly there is no sort of multiplayer component to NBA Jam on iOS. As fantastic as single player is, any multiplayer-centric game like NBA Jam is always best with human competition. An online multiplayer mode would be ideal, and even a local multiplayer option would suffice, but sadly it isn’t in the cards for this initial release. Also missing are any of the Remix modes or mini-games from the console releases, which is a shame as they would seem a perfect fit on this platform.

At the end of the day, NBA Jam on iOS is just what you would expect it to be – a wonderfully updated version of the classic arcade game. It’s missing some features, most notably a multiplayer component, but the single player offering is more than competent and a lot of fun. There are a ton of in-game achievements to earn which unlock loads of hidden players and special features like “Big Head” mode or alternate basketball styles. There’s also an option to purchase these hidden goodies via IAP if you’re unwilling to work for them through regular play. Players in our forums are loving this game as well, and if you were a fan of the original or just a fan of arcade-style sports games then NBA Jam is an easy recommendation.

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One game that we enjoyed quite that was released last month is Grim Joggers [99¢] from 10tons Ltd. It’s an endless running game that differentiates itself from the many, many other similar games out there by requiring you to take control of more than a dozen runners at the same time. This unique take on the formula is complemented with wonderful pixel art and music as well as a number of Game Center achievements and leaderboards to compete on.

As we noted in our review, there was a blank space in the level select screen that hinted at an additional level to come in the future in addition to the 3 that were initially included. Today that level has become available in a free update to Grim Joggers.

The new level takes place on a battlefield under a twilight sky as you jog along avoiding soldiers with bayonets, land mines, missiles, and other hazards of war. There are also downed friendly soldiers that you will randomly come across during your run that can be rescued for bonus points. Finally there are six additional Game Center achievements to unlock that pertain to this new level. Interestingly there is now another blank area on the level select screen that hints that another new level is in the works, so we’ll definitely keep our eye out for that.

Grim Joggers is an easy recommendation if you enjoy the endless running games and are looking for one with a bit of variety. If 10tons keeps adding new levels to the game then it only stands to get better. Players in our forums are really enjoying this one as well, and if you already own Grim Joggers then mash away recklessly at your update button and check out the new Battlefield Bodybuilding level.

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Just when I thought we were finished posting things about Valentines Day today, I get an email from FDG Entertainment regarding their newly released completely free Cover Orange Valentine's Gift [iPhone / iPad]. FDG is following Chillingo's lead with their not-quite-a-lite-version of Cut the Rope, Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift [iPhone / iPad] with a similar not-quite-a-lite-version of Cover Orange [99¢ / HD].

We liked the original Cover Orange quite a bit in our review, and if you missed the game while it was free a while ago, here's your chance to give it a spin in this Valentines themed version of the game. As an aside, I wonder if we're going to see similar enthusiasm from developers during all holidays this year. I secretly have my fingers crossed for an Angry Birds Mardi Gras update, because seriously, how rad would that be?

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Stop me if you've heard this one before: Game developers are building a game that has various advocacy groups worked up before it's even released. In this particular incident of this all too familiar news story, immigration advocates are up in arms over the upcoming game Smuggle Truck by Owlchemy Labs, creators of Super Ramen BROTHers [Free]. In the game, players take control of a pickup truck loaded with illegal immigrants attempting to cross the US border. Looking at the trailer, gameplay seems similar to a amped up version of Mr. Onions, a seemingly similar physics-powered platforming game that I had a great time with.

News of this hit the Associated Press yesterday, which really couldn't possibly be better for Owlchemy Labs as it seems like everyone (ourselves included) is feverishly republishing this story in one form or another. The good news is, not everyone is taking this so seriously, as thankfully there are still some people in this world who can differentiate video games from reality. The very same Associated Press story also includes the following very choice quote from Steve Kropper, co-director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform:

"In America, we are used to trivializing everything," said Kropper. "I think 'Smuggle Truck' will do to the immigration debate what 'Angry Birds' did to ornithology."

If all goes as planned, Smuggle Truck should be available in March.

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Back in January of last year, developer Gaia released a unique game into the App Store called Sword & Poker [$2.99/Lite]. Similar to how games like Puzzle Quest 2 [$4.99] or Dungeon Raid [$2.99] wrapped a simple match 3 mechanic around an engaging RPG system, Sword & Poker is build around making poker hands from a 5×5 grid of cards and fleshes out the experience with all the usual RPG trappings of leveling up and upgrading equipment. It’s a formula that we really enjoyed when we reviewed the game upon release, and the sequel Sword & Poker 2 [$3.99/Lite] offered even more of this satisfying gameplay when it released several months later.

Then, for whatever reason, both Sword & Poker games and accompanying lite versions disappeared from the App Store late last year. Even more puzzling is that the titles still appeared in the App Store but if you actually tried to download any of them you were met with a message that they were no longer available. I had since emailed Gaia, as did many members in our forums, to see if I could find out what the deal was. Unfortunately none of us ever received a response.

While we still don’t know the reason for their absence, Sword & Poker, Sword & Poker 2, and both lite versions have since become available for download once again. I can’t say for sure if something like this will ever happen again, so I would suggest that if you’ve had interest in any of these titles you should waste no time picking them up just in case. At the very least give the lite versions a try, as both Sword & Poker titles offer a fun and unique experience that shouldn’t be missed, and it's great to see them finally return to the App Store.

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After seeing a ton of success with their massive holiday 99¢ sale, the folks at EA Mobile are once again going on a discount binge. While not quite as extensive as that previous sale, a number of EA titles have temporarily dropped to 99¢ as part of an "I  ♥ 99¢ Sales" sale. Check out the following list of discounted games which are directly linked to the App Store:

iPhone/iPod touch games:

• Battlefield: Bad Company 2
• Mirror’s Edge
• Tetris
• SimCity Deluxe
• Pictureka!
• The Simpsons Arcade

• Need For Speed Hot Pursuit
• Need For Speed Undercover
• Need For Speed Shift

• The Sims 3
• The Sims 3 World Adventures
• The Sims 3 Ambitions

• Monopoly
• Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition
• Scrabble
• Risk: The Official Game
• The Game of Life Classic Edition

• FIFA 11
• FIFA 10
• NBA Elite 11
• NCAA Football
• Madden NFL 11

iPad games:

• Reckless Racing HD
• Pictureka! for iPad
• Snood for iPad
• Yahtzee HD
• Clue: Secrets & Spies

The sale is said to run for 48 hours, so make sure and grab whatever you like while it's currently discounted. We'll keep our eyes on AppShopper.com to see if any new titles are added to this sale, as several new games were added to the sale just as I've been working on this post. Also, there's still a load of EA titles that are still 99¢ from their last big sale, so it may be worth rummaging through their catalog to see if there's anything you may have missed.

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In my time with TouchArcade, I've played a lot of games. Heck, a good chunk of my day is devoted to picking up where I left off the previous day on the AppShopper new games listing, and looking through every single game that appears on the App Store. Anything that even looks vaguely interesting I'll download and spend a fair amount of time with. Why is this at all relevant? Well, since I'm up to my ears in iPhone gaming the whole week, I try to unplug as much as possible during the weekend, unwinding away from the world of iOS.

But why am I telling you all this? So you realize just how big of a deal it is when I spend the entire weekend playing a game. Not because I'm powering through it to review it, but because it's so much fun that I can't put it down. In fact, I completely drained my iPad batteries twice before just giving up and playing plugged in to the wall. I'm telling you all this so you realize just how fantastic Mika Mobile's Battleheart [$2.99] is before I even get started on why.

Many developers have tried their hands at making iOS RPG style games, Aralon: Sword and Shadow being the latest and greatest example of a traditional RPG arriving on the App Store. But where Aralon and so many other games fail is that they're great games that just so happen to run on the iOS platform, rather than being a great iOS game. It's a distinction that becomes clearer and clearer as time goes on, as developers split between sticking with largely conventional controls adapted to the touchscreen in the form of virtual controls and developers who create games like Battleheart that could only exist utilizing the multitouch interface of iOS devices.

Battleheart takes traditional RPG elements found in party-based RPGs and even to some extent MMORPGs and boils them down to their essence. At its core, gameplay consists of managing a four member party through various battles. There isn't really any story to speak of aside from random flavor text describing characters and levels, characters only have four equipment slots, and there's only two statistics for each class to even worry about. In my early time with the game the latent RPG power gamer inside of me initially thought that how simple everything initially seems to be was a significant drawback, but oh, how wrong I was.

Instead of endlessly delving through menus, min-maxing, and everything else, the entire focus of Battleheart is fantastic party synergy and touch-based battle management. Playing through the game slowly unlocks additional classes available via an in-game tavern where they can be hired. A wide variety of classes are included, but they all fall under the three standard class roles: Damage dealers, meat shields, and support classes. As you progress in the game, intense micromanagement is required of each of these types of classes, and it's incredibly cool how it all goes together.

For instance, the party that I've found myself preferring consists of a monk, a witch, a cleric, and a bard. At the start of the battle I'll get my bard to start playing his song targeting the monk, get the cleric healing the monk, then position them towards the back of the battlefield spaced apart a little bit. I'll position my witch in the center, then put the monk on patrol picking up monsters as they appear on screen. The monk then holds their attention (or tanks them, if you're down with the lingo) while I focus the attacks of both the monk and the witch on individual enemies until everything is dead. Rinse and repeat with each wave of bad guys, paying special attention to prioritizing keeping monsters off both the bard and cleric.

How you do all this really is the clever part of Battleheart. It's entirely touch driven, so having the cleric heal my monk is as simple as drawing a line originating from the cleric and ending at the monk. Similarly, having the monk run after an enemy and attack it is as easy as drawing a link from the monk to the baddie. It's even multitouch friendly, so commanding both my monk and witch to attack a single target just amounts to using two fingers to draw lines from both of them converging on a single enemy. To move your party members around, you draw lines the same way, only ending the line at wherever you want to move them to.

Using this incredibly simple interface method, you're able to run what essentially amounts to a four player MMORPG party all by yourself. It all goes together very well, and really feels like a similar experience as you're rushing to pull monsters off your healer while rotating healing around, focus firing enemies down, and using various forms of crowd control. Enemies aren't completely mindless either, with some that won't just contently beat on your tank, and instead will go directly after your healer. Some enemies are healers as well, and you'll need to drop everything and slay them as soon as possible. The list goes on and on.

Tapping a particular unit during a battle selects it, at which point you're able to use various active abilities by tapping their icons on the top of the menu. These abilities vary wildly, and really encourage you to try mixing and matching different party members to see which ones you like. The whole reason I've found myself preferring the monk, for example, is his starter ability attacks everything on screen which is incredibly useful when a huge wave of monsters appears and they're running everywhere attacking random party members. Similarly, the witch gains an area effect damage over time spell, which works great once I get all the monsters stacked up and attacking my monk. The cleric has an ability that shields its target for a brief period of time, which allows my monk to easily take the damage of everything beating on it.

It's crazy how it seems no matter which classes you mix and match, you always seem to have abilities that compliment each other. Also, as your characters level up, every five levels they unlock an additional pair of abilities that you must choose from. These can be switched at any time in between battles, allowing even more customization and party synergy. Sometimes these choices will be two entirely different active abilities, or sometimes they'll be two similar passive abilities with different effects. In the case of the bard, you're given the option to have his song either give an additional 50% damage bonus, or an additional 50% armor bonus.

As you begin to master micromanaging your party, the game throws curveballs at you in the way of challenging boss battles. My favorite is a slime boss, with gimmicks that will be familiar to anyone who has been through Naxxramas in World of Warcraft. In the first phase, it's a big fat slime that spews pools of acid at your party members. These pools cause damage, causing you to keep your entire party moving to avoid them. Just when you think it's about to die, it splits in explodes in to tons of tiny slimes that get blown to the edges of the screen. They all slowly creep together, and combine back in to the main slime. The fight goes like this until you're successfully able to kill all the little slimes before they reform. It's a ton of fun.

The only real drawback of the game, if you'd even call it that, is the lack of any kind of in-game documentation. I actually found myself enjoying the fact that the game doesn't hold your hand through everything, as it gives it almost a retro air of discovery about it when you figure out what purpose a particular class serves. If this isn't your cup of tea, the thread in our forums offers an exhaustive amount of information about basically every class, ability, and equipment upgrade you'll come across on your quest.

If you can't tell by now, I really have nothing but good things to say about Battleheart. It successfully scratches the MMORPG itch of party-based combat while being a completely pick up and play game single player game. To sweeten the deal, it's even universal, with graphics optimized for the Retina Display if you're playing on a newer device. I've found myself preferring playing on the iPad, but the game is just as good on the iPhone. Another great thing that's been pointed out by our community is that Battleheart works great as a two player game, with each person responsible for half the party thanks to the multitouch input. The fantastic graphics are also cartoony enough and gore-free that you can even share the experience with kids without issue.

Battleheart is an absolutely effortless recommendation.

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Nothing says “business” quite like a baseball video game with the word “baseball” in the title, so make sure you’re sitting down for this one: Square Enix Europe has announced a game called Big Hit Baseball for the iOS.

Slated to release “soon” on the App Store and created by Beautiful Game Studios, Big Hit Baseball looks to be more of an arcade joint as opposed to a straight-faced simulation like, say MLB: The Show or whatever on the big consoles. In the press release issued this morning about the game, Square notes the “frantic” nature of the game and also talks up the fact that Big Hit features a total of three cup tournaments and 20 different teams.

Fans of Big Cup Cricket [.99 / Lite] and Championship Manager rejoice — not only is your dev of choice involved in this project, but Square is heavily suggesting that Big Hit Baseball is being built off the foundation of those two games. Also, get ready for this: Big Hit will include a name editor. Now, there's no excuse for not having an entire team of Brad Nicholsons.

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