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Earlier this month we posted about Gamevil's next sports RPG, Soccer Superstars. Much like Baseball Superstars 2010 [$4.99 / Free], Soccer Superstars comes packed with the same fantastic anime-styled sprites, multiple game modes, and best of all, the ability to train up your own super players which adds an insane amount of depth to the game.

The controls in Soccer Superstars work quite well, what Gamevil did with the controls that I particularly enjoyed was the way you didn't always have to have your finger on the virtual joystick. Instead, you only need to move the joystick in the direction you want your player to move, and they just keep on running. Holding a direction causes your currently selected player to dash momentarily. A the series of on-screen buttons work exactly how you would expect them to if you've ever played any soccer video game.

In the games I've played, the AI seemed competent enough to provide a decent challenge and overall Soccer Superstars has an arcade sports feel to it, focusing more on fun than any kind of realistic simulation. Of course, realistic simulation goes right out the door as soon as you get involved in training up your super players as they're all capable of different super moves. My favorite one turns the soccer ball in to a giant fireball and sends it careening towards the goal.

If you're the kind of person who can get entirely too sucked in to any game where you're filling experience bars, much like Baseball Superstars, Soccer Superstars will likely suck you in in the worst way. Just like how I'd grind through baseball games for the next player upgrade, I've found myself playing game after game of soccer to improve my super players.

Soccer Superstars should be hitting the App Store very soon, and when it does, we'll be taking a much closer look at the game.

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Following on the heels of the recent rerelease of Edge [$2.99] comes Mobigame's next title, Truckers Delight: Episode 1 [$2.99], an episodic retro styled arcade racer. Based on an incredibly not work safe video filled with pixel art, cartoon nudity, and many other potentially offensive things by director Jérémie Périn, Truckers Delight: Episode 1 seems to be based on just the first segment of the video in all of its 8-bit glory. Presumably, the other portions of the video will be coming as their own episodes in the future.

In Episode 1, you play as a truck driver chasing a girl in a sports car down the highway. The iTunes description mentions similarities to the classic Sega arcade game OutRun, which couldn't possibly serve as a better comparison. Tilting the phone controls your truck, and all you do is chase the girl, ramming her car whenever possible for points. A countdown timer is constantly ticking away which is refreshed by passing checkpoints, and during your pursuit you will need to fend off angry police, bikers, and avoid a constant onslaught of traffic that will slow you down.

Several power ups can be picked up during your adventure. So far I've come across three: A set of horns that allow you to ram other cars off the road easily, a rocket booster that sends you flying towards the next checkpoint, and a tongue attack point multiplier. You can also honk the horn of your truck, this doesn't seem to do anything, but I can't seem to help myself from doing it almost constantly.

Truckers Delight: Episode 1 includes an odd amount of cartoon nudity for a game on the App Store. Not only does it include the first portion of the original video, but when you pick up the power up to let your tongue fly, it quite literally results in an on-screen explosion of naked women.

I've actually had a surprising amount of fun with Truckers Delight. Mobigame did a great job of nailing the feel of endless retro racing games, and the difficulty ramps up nicely requiring quite a bit of concentration as you dart between oncoming cars in your 18 wheeler. Truckers Delight features online leaderboards which are already loaded with scores that are about twice as high as my best score, and it's hard to not get in to the catchy soundtrack included with the game.

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X2 Games, makers of X2 Snowboarding [$1.99 / Free] and last year's X2 Soccer 2009 [$4.99 / Free] just released this year's version of their amazing full 3D soccer game, X2 Soccer 2010 [$6.99].

Soccer fans on our forums are going crazy over this year's iteration of X2 Soccer, and I've got to agree with the positive reactions forum members are having playing the game. X2 Games took everything that was great about the original X2 Soccer 2009 and added new game modes, even more teams and competitions, further refined controls, better graphics across the board as well as 3GS-specific optimizations, and even smarter AI.

On top of all that, X2 Soccer 2010 comes with a full suite of multiplayer options covering local WiFi or Bluetooth as well as online multiplayer which actually works shockingly well for a fast paced sports game. The in-game commentary is decent, there are different weather effects, and if something cool happens in your game you can even save the replay.

We'll have a full review up shortly, but in the meantime, it would be difficult for our initial impressions of X2 Soccer 2010 to be more positive.

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Gamevil, creators of the Zenonia and Baseball Superstars series are bringing another RPG of sorts to the App Store. Much like the Baseball Superstars games, it sounds like Soccer Superstars is going to offer a very similar sports RPG experience wrapped in a soccer game, according to what Gamevil has revealed so far.

Soccer Superstars is said to come with multiple game modes, ranging from single exhibition games to full seasons. However, the meat of the Superstars games, at least in my opinion, comes from the "My League" mode. If you're the kind of person who can get hopelessly sucked in to games where you're improving stats and watching bars fill, you will lose entire afternoons to playing series of games to improve your customized teams and players.

As you make your way through entire seasons of games with your team, you'll be able to train your stats, buy items, and (at least in Baseball Superstars) do ridiculous things like send your players out to sign autographs or even go on dates as part of building the best team of players imaginable.

We will have a full preview of Soccer Superstars in the not too distant future, and Gamevil expects to see the game on the App Store sometime this month. In the meantime, this is as good of a time as any to check out Baseball Superstars 2010 [$4.99 / Free], we loved the game in our review, and with Gamevil dangling another Superstars carrot in front of my face, I've found myself once again sucked in to grinding up my super batters.

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Just like Freeverse's recently released Warpgate [$4.99 / $6.99 (HD)], Flick Baseball [$2.99] has had a development cycle that borders on legendary for an iPhone game. We first heard of the game in a guest article by Freeverse developer Mark Andersson, and didn't actually see it in motion until a few months later when we played a very basic (and different looking) build of the game at WWDC. Later, we posted a preview trailer that had such an impact on Baseball fans around here that it seemed to slightly overshadow the release of Gameloft's Derek Jeter Real Baseball that popped up on the App Store in the following weeks.

After our preview from last week, I've spent a considerable amount of time with the game. Essentially, if you're looking for an in-depth 3D baseball simulation game, you're going to need to keep waiting– But if you're like me and prefer sports games that have an arcade feel to them, then you'll enjoy Flick Baseball.

Each of the different actions that make up the baseball game has a mini-game feel to it. Batting works just like Com2Us's Homerun Battle 3D [$4.99 / Free / $4.99 (HD)] where you tilt your device to move around a transparent crosshair of sorts to line up your bat. Tapping the screen swings, and you can advance bases by tapping on them in the corner of the screen.

Pitching is a guessing game of sorts that you play with the AI controlled batter. You select a pitch, then tilt the device to aim where you're going to throw and tap the screen to let it fly. If you choose the same pitch as the AI batter, they get a power bonus if they hit the ball. When your pitching luck runs out and the batter lands a hit, Flick Baseball automatically has your team field the ball. While most fielding is automatic, for fly balls, you contribute by playing a timing-based mini-game where four baseball gloves come flying out of each corner of the screen. In this instance, catching the ball requires you to tap the gloves as they intersect.

Once one of your fielders have the ball, using the same interface as running bases you can tap to throw the ball. While none of these areas of the game feel particularly technical, they are still fun. Also, if you don't like batting (or fielding), you can skip entire innings to only play the portions of the game you enjoy.

Skipped innings are calculated based on the statistics of your players, which serves as a fairly in-depth subsystem that controls the entire game. As you go through a game your pitcher's stamina decreases and it becomes harder to aim your pitches. Each batter's accuracy controls the size of their tilt-controlled hit zone. Many other player stats run the rest of the game.

If you're serious enough about baseball to want to play through entire seasons, you can do that as well, and skip as many games as you'd like just like skipping innings. And if you really get in to the game, you can build entire customized teams where you can tweak, modify, and fiddle around with nearly everything imaginable to create your own team filled with players that have silly names and ugly uniforms.

As I mentioned before, if you're the kind of person who wants a highly detailed in-depth baseball game, Flick Baseball isn't the game for you. Everything in Flick Baseball seems to be optimized for quick pick up and play sessions that focuses more on being fun than overly technical or difficult.

Eventually, Flick Baseball will be available in two flavors: The "Pro" version that is available today, and a free version sponsored by Chevy that is being put together by Small Planet which is still waiting to be approved by Apple. It will retain all the core gameplay elements, but you'll be missing out on things like season mode and team customization.

App Store Link: Flick Baseball Pro, $2.99

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Football Manager is a brand name that extends right back to the very first concept of the round-ball management simulator in the early 80's. In recent years, Sports Interactive has grown the franchise into a title that is consistently (and arguably) the most authentic of the batch and if nothing else, certainly enjoys the most faithful following. To date the iPhone has been the subject of a number of smaller titles in the genre, but nothing has quite made a splash like the release of Football Manager Handheld 2010 [AppStore].

The hallmark of the bigger football management simulators is without a doubt the staggering extent of official licenses included in the game. Football Manager Handheld 2010 supports updated teamsheets for 34 leagues in 11 countries; an impressive amount of statistical data to hold in the palm of your hand. The Football Manager franchise is especially well known for its professional, orderly and clean layout; and we're delighted to see this has been successfully carried over to the handheld adaptation.

One would expect that in order to cram a feasible management sim onto the iPhone, a sizeable trimming down of features would have to occur. Though there has been a little slimming, the majority of content and features– certainly much more than we anticipated– has been retained in full. To cut down on the size, Football Manager Handheld 2010, however, does do away with player portraits and the glossy 3D game engines the last iteration of management sims have been known for. Game highlights only are portrayed in the traditional 2D full-pitch view, so that goals and set-pieces (and gruelling shots-on target that always seem to hit the woodwork) can all be visualized. The rest of the match is played out through text commentary with visual aids to assist you in keeping track of morale and momentum. Match tactics like substitutions, formations, team mentality and also specific strategies (such as the Offside Trap), can all be changed through the Tactics menu during a game, to offer that minute-by-minute control needed to overcome the best tactical minds and teams in the business.

Of the features omitted, the most sorely missed is undoubtedly the customization of individual plays and the ability to create your own formations. When one factors into it the processing undoubtedly needed for the former, and that there are 17 preset formations included to satisfy the latter, it's not that big a deal though. The new touchline instructions added in the PC version of 2010 won't be found here either; though as this was a feature added ultimately to support the 3D match engine, its omission is not unexpected.

To accomodate the issue of portability and the presumably shorter play sessions, Football Manager Handheld 2010 puts more focus on squad management than overseeing staff or stadium facilities. Scouts and assistant managers perform their duties diligently but cannot be replaced. There is still a constantly nagging board to please, who vigilantly watch your performance and spending and are more than happy to replace you though. Though some may disagree, we appreciate the refocus on what's really important in the handheld addition, and the essence of Football Managerdefinitely remains — the sheer depth of control and attention to the very finest detail.

There is potentially more gameplay to experience here than in your entire game library, particularly if you're trying to promote a lowly League club to Premiership level. Coupled with the large licensed player and team rosters that are accurate up to the latest transfer window (with minor omissions noted by readers), Football Manager Handheld 2010 is an authentic port that should have football management enthusiasts champing at the bit. For those that have never played a football sim before, we do recommend caution, as the game is ultimately designed for those who already know their way around (particularly where the football stat lingo is concerned) and already enjoy the genre. If you're eager to try it out though, SEGA have thoughtfully released a free companion application to show you the ropes.

Favorable impressions from our readers have been pouring in to our forums. It has been noted by several readers too that your own music can be played Football Manager Handheld 2010, but only after turning off the in-game sounds in the game options. 1st Generation iPod Touch users should be warned that performance is particularly sub-par on this device, with excessive load times hampering gameplay according to user, ITRocks.

App Store Link: Football Manager Handheld 2010, $9.99 and FMH Manual, Free (Instruction Manual).

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There's quite a few iPhone games in the works with trailers or gameplay videos that have been released recently that all look fairly promising. All of these games are in different stages of development, but each trailer is totally worth watching, especially the Giant Moto video if you have fond memories of Excitebike.

100 Rogues
We've been keeping a close eye on 100 Rogues since it first showed up on our radar late last year. Recently we took a closer look at the game at GDC this year, and this new video shows how playing the game will work in even greater detail.

Giant Moto
According to the thread in our forums, Giant Moto is going to come with 6 tracks, 4 different bikes, and AI opponents with 3 difficulties. I can't wait to get my hands on this game, as I've been waiting for a truly excellent Excitebike-like game for the iPhone.

N.Y.Zombies
Sure, there are a ton of zombie games on the App Store already, but this one looks like it could be cool. The benefit N.Y.Zombies has over the competition is that it apparently is going to be able to have over 40 zombies on screen at once instead of just a small handful like other similar games. We'll see if it succeeds in breaking out of the stereotypical zombie game mold when it's finally released. For more information, check out the thread in our forums.

IMO: The World of Magic
Com2Us is working on a MMORPG that looks fairly impressive. It sports some pretty intense character customization, multiple classes, and other neat perks. They're also running contests in our forums for various prizes while they build up pre-launch hype.

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In late 2008, Freeverse released the original Flick Bowling, the first of what has since become the Flick Sports franchise. Next week they plan on launching its sequel, Flick Bowling 2, which improves upon the original in every way imaginable. In fact, it's really sort of amazing to go back and look at the original Flick Bowling trailer in comparison to see how much more detailed something as simple as a bowling game has become.

Flick Bowling 2 is controlled using simple touch gestures, and once you get the hang of it, flicking your finger across the screen to bowl works really well. Unlike the original where you applied spin to the ball by swiping across the screen, your entire shot is done in one flicking gesture. To throw the ball straight you flick straight up, to curve it in a particular direction, you simply curve your finger flick. It works surprisingly well.

Another new feature in the sequel is the addition of a story mode. Playing as either Jen or Jim, you'll warp through time (somewhat like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) to face off in bowling matches against famous figures in history who also have similarly themed bowling alleys while you make your way to the ultimate bowling showdown with the evil Baron Von Schtopwatch. The game itself even admits the plot makes no sense. Aside from story mode, you can also play regular bowling games as well as a quick three frame game.

Here is a video of me doing poorly against Cleopatra:

One of the most interesting things about Flick Bowling 2 is how Freeverse is pricing it. While the original Flick Bowling launched at $4.99, the sequel will come in two flavors: A completely free ad-supported version, and a paid ads-free version. The only differences between the two games is advertising, and the paid version also comes with multiplayer. Both games will also come with DLC packs for customizing your bowling balls, as well as an additional Helen of Troy level.

Freeverse is shooting for launching Flick Bowling 2 on the 23rd, and I really recommend keeping an eye out for it, especially if in-game ads don't bother you. The bowling control mechanic is fun, the new physics engine is a massive improvement over the original, and the time traveling premise of the game, which is beyond ridiculous, is hard to not enjoy.

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A few weeks back we posted gameplay videos of an unexpected and since, highly anticipated, title coming to the iPhone this month. Well, the wait is now over, with Street Fighter 4 [AppStore] launching today! Whilst many were skeptical at Capcom's ability to port such an critically impressive console title to the portable devices, our time with Street Fighter 4 reveals a surprisingly faithful rendition, if somewhat watered down to suit the smaller scale of the iPhone.

Street Fighter 4 gives you control over 8 characters from the console version; Abel, Blanka, Chun Li, Ryu, Bison, Dhalsim, Guile and Ken (in order of appearance). The game offers an impressive move list, featuring all the special attacks from the console version, leaving out the low and medium punch/kick buttons and their respective moves. The purists amongst you may find this too much of a downsize as it undoubtedly poses a change in pace from the original and diminishes the ability to hit those ridiculously high combos. Having said that, there's no doubting its authenticity– this is Street Fighter 4 in all its glory.

It is hard really to see how any additional attacks could have been squeezed in, as the on-screen controls already take up a sizeable portion of the real estate available. Super and Ultra attacks are performed by simply tapping their respective bars (which may irk some), though they can still be pulled off in their traditional, anologue stick fashion via the SP button. This SP button also activates EX attacks and together with a Focus button, complements the kick and punch attacks on the right part of the screen. It should be noted that these on-screen elements can be moved around and have their transparency adjusted, to accommodate left-handers and minimalists alike.

Street Fighter 4 looks and runs exquisitely on the 3GS device we tested it on, with impressive animations and the same gorgeous backdrops we were treated to in the console version. Combat in Street Fighter 4 is fast and fluid, and button input is as responsive as we hoped it would be. The AI does a good job at keeping you on your toes too, and can be configured at 4 difficulty levels from beginner to gruelling. There are a number of game modes, from the standard Tournament mode (against 7 competitors, with Bison featuring as the end boss), to a "Dojo" challenge mode, together with a training mode and a single player versus mode. For those who prefer human competitors, a Bluetooth multiplayer mode is available too.

To round out the impressive feature list, Street Fighter 4 sports a full blown replay system and local leaderboards, to record your matches for later viewing, and to breakdown your winnings in both tournament and versus modes. Capcom has certainly created a comprehensive Street Fighter 4 offering, with only WiFi multiplayer and online leader boards remaining on our wish list, together with the inevitable cries for a more extensive character roster.

Street Fighter 4 is easily recommended to any Street Fighter fan or fighting game aficionado. At its core it is a lightweight port of the exceptional console title, so don't go expecting anything different if you've had your SF4 fill. On the other hand, it is amazing that such a game was ported to the AppStore in the first place and the simple fact that you can now bring Street Fighter 4 around in your pocket should be enough to sway many an eager button masher.

Impressions from our forums are collecting fast and are largely positive. Our readers have noted that there is only minimal slowdown on 3G models compared to the 3GS device we tested, and even 1G users are reportedly happy with Street Fighter 4's performance.

App Store Link: Street Fighter 4, $9.99.

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I'm not a big sports fan, in real life or on the consoles. But there's one exception: snowboarding titles. I can't get enough of them. 1080 Snowboarding on the N64, SSX on the PS2, SSX Blur on the Wii — I just love them. Sadly, none of the snowboarding games available in the App Store have really been able to do it for me. Compared to SSX on Tour for the PSP, they generally just look fairly weak.

Well, I'm happy to report that, finally, a quality snowboarding title has landed on the iPhone. X2 Snowboarding [App Store] from Exient is a highly enjoyable romp on the slopes that sets itself apart from the crowd in a number of ways.

The first thing you'll notice about X2 Snowboarding is its stylized graphical presentation. The game features particularly detailed cel-shaded graphics reminiscent of the exceptional Jet Grind Radio for the Dreamcast. They give the game more of a cartoony than realistic look, but compared to its App Store contemporaries, it looks just fine.

You've got a crowd of six boarders to choose from, each of a different nationality and with highly varied skill sets. Six different venues there are, as well, set in as many countries: USA, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and Chile. Upon each set of slopes there are three different types of competitions: Freestyle, Race, and Trick-Race. The slopes are impressively long and more varied than one might expect, providing a satisfying chunk of gameplay across the available types of competitions.

Another thing that sets X2 Snowboarding apart is the feel of its controls. Oh, there's nothing unexpected about the configuration, with a combination of tilt and touch controls (that can be customized) — it's more the general feel. Everything just feels a little "looser" than one might expect. But it's not a bad thing, in fact, somehow it feels quite right combined with the stylized visuals. And speaking of visuals, a nice instant-replay system lets you see your best moves over and over from various camera angles.

Gameplay is solid and heavy on the tricks. On-screen buttons control jump, speed boost, and "wheelies" which can be used to tie together tricks — and the trick system works great. Once in the air, you can swipe (or tilt, depending on your settings) in any direction to rotate thus, and tap on the left and right board icons that just appeared to perform various grabs. The more tricks you can tie together, the higher your score, the more speed boosts you can trigger, and the better gear you can grab in the shop to tweak your game.

Adding to the experience is a great soundtrack with songs that can be purchased through iTunes. Another feature we're glad to see is local, Bluetooth and WiFi multiplayer — for now — with online multiplayer to come in the game's first update, which will be in the App Store soon.

All of the aspects of X2 Snowboarding come together to provide a highly enjoyable game with a surprising sense of speed and immersion. I've spent much time with this one so far, and I don't see that trend changing anytime soon. If you're a gamer that likes to tear up the slopes, don't let this one pass you by.

App Store Link: X2 Snowboarding, $6.99

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