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Pac-Attack [$2.99] is a new puzzle game from Namco featuring everybody's favorite ghost-munching yellow circle. You may already be familiar with the game from its original SNES/Genesis release, or from one of the many Pac-Man compilations over the years. This new iOS version is a bit different from the original, featuring graphics that are more akin to the retro Pac-Man rather than the cartoonish look of the 16-bit offering and an online competitive mode through Facebook. Gameplay remains largely the same, however, and if you liked the original game then you should also like Pac-Attack on your iPhone or iPod touch.

Pac-Attack plays similar to Tetris or other block clearing puzzle games. Groups of three blocks consisting of solid pieces, ghosts, or Pac-Men will drop from the top of the playing field. Filling an entire row with solid blocks clears that row, and when you drop a Pac-Man block he'll make his way down into any available spaces in his path eating ghosts along the way. The solid blocks and ghosts both abide by gravity, so if there are openings below them they will fall down to fill the space, adding a bit of strategy to how you lay down blocks. After eating a certain number of ghosts a fairy will appear as a block at the top of the screen and will eliminate any ghosts in the eight rows directly below where you place her.

There are three main modes in Pac-Attack. The first is aptly named Pac-Attack mode, and is essentially an endless high score run which has you earning points by clearing the board as the game progressively speeds up, and if you blocks reach the top of the screen it's game over. Before starting the game you can choose one of four difficulties as well as the starting speed of the falling blocks, which is a nice touch.

Next up is Puzzle mode which features 100 different preset levels in which the goal is to clear all the ghosts on the board. The groups of blocks you receive are predetermined and must be placed in just the right way so that Pac-Man can run down the board and gobble up every ghost. This mode is a lot of fun, but can be incredibly hard as you get farther into the 100 levels. Finally there is Scramble mode, which is essentially a timed version of Pac-Attack mode that lets you compete with your Facebook friends.

Pac-Attack isn't an incredibly remarkable game, but it is well made and can be pretty fun if you enjoy Tetris-like puzzle games. The graphics are sharp and controls work really well, offering four different onscreen button layouts or a direct dragging option. The Puzzle mode is where I spend most of my time, and there are some fiendishly clever game boards contained in that portion of the game. The Scramble mode with Facebook Connect is nice, but I would have much preferred Game Center integration for high score tracking. If you have a soft spot for Namco's famous mascot, or have nostalgic feelings for the original game, then give Pac-Attack a look.

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The other big game I got to spend some time with at Capcom's Media Tour event is Dead Rising Mobile, a portable version of the 2006 Xbox 360 game Dead Rising. In the game you'll play as photojournalist Frank West who has become trapped inside a zombie infested mall in the fictional city of Willamette. As one of the few non-zombified humans left, he'll have to fight off the attacking hordes of zombies using whatever means available to him inside the mall until military support can reach the location and offer aid. Dead Rising Mobile looks to encompass as much of this original console release as possible on the iOS platform, similar to what Capcom did with Resident Evil 4 [$1.99/Lite/HD] on iPhone last year. After playing the game I can honestly say they're off to a great start, but definitely have a ways to go.

The focus in Dead Rising Mobile is on the actual combat with zombies, and using the many different makeshift weapons spread throughout the mall to wreak havoc on them. Capcom is striving to have all of the different weapon variations from the original in the mobile version, though at this point the weapon selection I ran across seemed sparse. The number of zombies roaming around the mall also seemed in short supply, though this is something that Capcom is currently trying to improve upon. It's not clear how big the storyline element will be in Dead Rising Mobile, though you will be able to rescue other survivors during the game. Thankfully you won't need to escort them around the mall as you did in the original game, which proved a cumbersome and frustrating game mechanic. Rather you'll just be told that a survivor is in your company and must taken to another part of the mall before a timer expires.

One of the more interesting aspects to Dead Rising Mobile is the social network integration using Facebook and Twitter. If Frank is killed in the game, you can send a rescue call out over either service to show up in your friends' feeds. One of them can in turn respond to that call by entering a special code into their own version of the game, thus rescuing you and allowing you to continue on from the same point in the game. If your friend is unable to rescue you in time, or just plain chooses not to, then your character will turn into a zombie which they can seek out and kill in their own game. This is definitely a unique idea, and should reveal who your real gaming friends are, although it remains how well it will work in practice. Having my game progress hinge on a buddy's motivation (or lack thereof) to fire up his copy of the game and pull a rescue maneuver makes me nervous to say the least.

At this early stage it's hard not to be impressed seeing a game like Dead Rising running on an iPhone. The Retina Display graphics looked sharp, with a convincing mall environment and characters that are fairly detailed and animated nicely. As a huge fan of the original Dead Rising, however, the two standout features of that game were the sheer number of zombies in your vicinity at any given time and the incredible amount of interesting ways to dispatch them. At this point in time, Dead Rising Mobile just isn't quite to that level yet. The social networking aspect of being rescued is an interesting idea, but I'm not entirely sure how much that will add to the gameplay in the end. Hopefully in the next couple of months Dead Rising Mobile can evolve a bit more in the right direction. The game, which is currently being discussed in our forums, is scheduled for release during the holiday season, and we'll bring you any new information on Dead Rising Mobile as we get it.

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One of my real iPhone favorites — a game that I actually play for fun (a rare thing, given the number of titles we move through to find the gems among the chaff out there) — is Imangi's Harbor Master [link], which The Independent recently dubbed the third best app in the App Store. And the iPad version, Harbor Master HD [link] is the best Harbor Master experience to be had, thanks to the device's large display. Happily, Imangi's v2.0 Harbor Master update, which went live just a few hours ago, brings some of that big-screen detail to the iPhone 4's Retina display.

Imangi lists the enhancements in this update:

• Completely remastered high resolution graphics for the iPhone 4.
• New level! We adapted Cargo City, our most popular map from the iPad version, for the iPhone screen. It has 3 cargo types, so it takes "multitasking" to a whole new level.
• iOS4 multitasking support.
• Fixed twitter support so you can tweet your scores again.
• Rotation support, so you can hold your device however you want!
• A ton of bug fixes.

Imangi's current graphics guy, Kiril Tchangov, reworked all of the game's original art from scratch, putting his own, more "painterly" spin on the design, the studio tells us.

I think most people will be most excited about the new level, Cargo City. Cargo City is our most popular map from the iPad version, so we really wanted to bring a version of it over to the iPhone. It works really great on iPhone. With 3 cargo types, you have to turn on another part of your brain to control all those boats. You'll really like it. Here is the iPad version right next to the iPhone version, so you can see how we had to change it around to adapt it to the smaller screen.

The Harbor Master v2.0 update is a free download for current owners of the game.

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Classic arcade game fans were extremely excited when developer Taito announced at E3 2010 that a Bubble Bobble game would be coming to the App Store. They then revealed at this year's Tokyo Game Show that the game would be called Bubble Bobble Double, and would feature an authentic port of the original arcade game as well as a new style game based on the Bubble Bobble universe. Just a couple of days ago, Taito tweeted a short gameplay video of this new mode, and later tweeted another video of the classic mode in action. Earlier today, Bubble Bobble Double [$4.99] went live in the App Store. After giving both game modes a thorough spin, I'm definitely left with mixed feelings.

On one hand, it's incredible to have the original Bubble Bobble arcade game with me at any time on my device. All one hundred of the original levels are here, with the original music and sound effects that are so near and dear to many gamers' hearts. The problem is that all this nostalgia is represented on a tiny game screen with virtual controls that leave a lot to be desired. I understand Taito's dilemma though, as thumbs would just block too much of the gameplay if they had the game running on a larger portion of the screen. There is a zoom option but it really only makes the screen marginally bigger, and while the game is still very playable it's harder to enjoy on the small screen.

The virtual controls themselves work alright, it's just that Bubble Bobble is a game that really requires tactile feedback while playing. It can be really frustrating trying to focus on the onscreen action and end up losing a life because my finger slipped off of the virtual d-pad, or that I accidentally hit jump instead of shooting a bubble. Again, it's not unplayable by any means, just not ideal. One cool aspect of the classic mode is that you can choose to bring the second player into the game at any time. This player is controlled by AI and helps you defeat the enemies on each level. For a game that was really at its best with two players in the arcade, this is a neat addition, although I'd love to see an actual two-player mode via WiFi or Bluetooth.

The new mode found in Bubble Bobble Double is where the package kind of falls flat. Here, your character sits in a fixed position as enemies attack in various formations from every angle. Tapping an enemy puts them in a bubble, and tapping them again pops that bubble thus defeating the enemy and giving you a fruit bonus. The blast from the bubble popping can destroy other enemies near it, similar to how chain reactions are caused in games like Splode [$1.99] or Sneezies [99¢/Lite]. Enemies trapped in bubbles can also be flicked around the screen to get them near other enemies to set up combos, or combine with others trapped in bubbles to create an even bigger bubble to pop.

The new mode has plenty of levels, collectable items, and online leaderboards through OpenFeint. The problem is that it's just not very much fun. Gameplay consists of mostly mindless tapping, and enemies enter the screen too quickly to really utilize any kind of strategy by flicking them around and creating combos. Most levels can be completed easily by just frantically double tapping every enemy, and you're really only ever in danger if you do try to go for elaborate scoring opportunities. After playing through some of the zones in this new mode, I honestly just wasn't compelled to keep going.

The classic mode in Bubble Bobble Double can still be a lot of fun despite its shortcomings. The ability to continue as many times as you want or start a new game from any previously beaten level are nice touches, and the pseudo two-player aspect actually adds to the experience. As for the new mode, it's just plain underwhelming compared to the timeless gameplay and design found in the original game. Depending on how big a fan of Bubble Bobble you are, you may find Bubble Bobble Double a solid purchase. I've easily spent much more than the price of this game both in arcades and on home console versions over the years, and I'll make do with the less than ideal screen size and controls just to enjoy the game over again. But if you were looking for an innovative twist on a classic game like what was found in Taito's Space Invaders Infinity Gene [$4.99/Lite], then you'll most likely be left disappointed.

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Earlier this morning, developer Taito briefly announced on their Twitter the existence of a game called Bubble Bobble Double for iPhone and iPod touch devices. The initial tweet had nothing more than the shot of the title screen that you can see to the right, but just about an hour ago they uploaded a video of early in-game footage of Bubble Bobble Double. Taito had originally announced the existence of a Bubble Bobble game for iOS devices back at E3 in June, and this is what our own Eli Hodapp had to say about the possibility of such an immense classic coming to the iPhone:

The next retro classic Taito is bringing to the App Store is Bubble Bobble, and I doubt I'm alone in hoping this game gets the same amazing treatment as Space Invaders did in Space Invaders Infinity Gene [$4.99]. Today all they were able to show is a basic demo of the game running with touch controls, but they assured me that Bubble Bobble for the iPhone would feature both a "retro" mode, and a new game mode they weren't willing to talk any specifics beyond telling me to not "expect something just like the original."

The video that Taito released tonight shows the new gameplay mode hinted at at E3:

I have to admit, I have no idea what is going on in this video. But I'm definitely intrigued. Taito notes in one of their tweets that Bubble Bobble Double will include a faithful recreation of the original arcade game as well as this brand new mode. A decent version of the original running on my iPhone is enough reason for me to get excited about this release, and Taito has proven that they can deliver a fresh take on an old gameplay concept with Space Invaders Infinity Gene giving me reason to be excited about this new mode as well. No word on a release date or pricing yet, but you can join in on the discussion of the game in our forums and we'll bring you any new information on Bubble Bobble Double as it becomes available.

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Last month, Handmark released the 3D object manipulation puzzler Blaze: Fire Puzzle for both the iPhone [link] and the iPad [link]. We didn't cover the title at the time, but I've spent a good bit of time with the title this weekend and have had a pretty good time of it.

The first thing you might notice upon seeing our gameplay video or trying your hand at the title is its similarity to Zen Bound. Indeed, the game is basically Zen Bound, but with fire and candles instead of a paint-soaked rope (and classical tunes instead of ambient audioscapes accentuated with plucks of the koto). It's a definite derivative title, but given the ridiculous amount of time I've played the Zen Bounds, it's an interesting variation on what's undisputedly Secret Exit's formula.

Blaze takes you through 45 different candle-adorned 3D objects with the objective of lighting every single candle — and fast. This is done by way of touch controls — one finger to twist, two fingers to rotate — just like Zen Bound or, in the case of the iPhone 4, using the integrated gyroscope if you choose. (I recommend not choosing, though — it's a far inferior method of manipulation as compared to straight-up touch.) You start off with but one of the many candles on your object lit. From there, the goal is to manipulate the object such that all candles become lit, with a gold medal achieved for completing the task in a stated (and short) number of seconds. The physics of fire-lights-what's-above is an interesting twist (ugh…) on the Zen Bound formula.

The iPhone version of Blaze utilizes the Retina display for high resolution rendering, while the iPad version takes full advantage of its screen real estate. Both versions feature social networking integration with OpenFeint, Twitter, and Facebook.

So, if you're a seasoned Zen Bound veteran, is this game for you? I consider myself a member of that camp and have had a great time with Blaze. If you're all wet behind the ears and have clocked zero time behind either title…and have to choose just one, I would probably urge you towards Zen Bound, as it feels a bit more polished, more refined — but the enjoyability of both titles is quite similar.

Anyone on the fence can try out the limited, free version of the game for both devices:

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Adult Swim's Robot Unicorn Attack [99¢] had an update hit mere moments ago to add full OpenFeint support with both online leaderboards and achievements. If you've been annoyed by your inability to truly boast about your best runs other than posting to Facebook or Twitter, make sure you grab this update ASAP.

If you still haven't downloaded the game yet, it's still on sale for 99¢ and I really recommend picking it up. It's a quirky take on the see how far you can go platform game type that has become so popular on the App Store, and it's even available online as a free Flash game. The inclusion of online leaderboards answers my only gripe about the game, and I really can't recommend it enough.

Illusion Labs' Labyrinth 2 [$4.99 / Free] also saw an update today which aside from high resolution graphics for the Retina Display of the iPhone 4 and new iPod touch also added Game Center leaderboards and achievements. There are 36 achievements in all to farm, and if you're looking to fill up your Game Center achievement listing, Labyrinth 2 is an awesome game to do it with.

We loved Labyrinth 2 in our review, and really recommend at least trying the lite version out if you've yet to play the game yet. With Retina Display graphics and Game Center support, this is an already awesome game that just got much more awesome.

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Swedish iPhone developer Acne Play released their second game on the App Store today. With fantastic art similar to their other title, Comet [99¢], Pizza Boy [$1.99] is a platformer with some of the best controls I've seen in the genre. The story is ridiculous as expected, told through fantastic comic book style sequences that explain that an evil bird has stolen your pizza– of course you need to get it back. Unfortunately, between you and your beloved pizza pie are all kinds of obstacles, enemies, pits, trampolines, and everything else a good platformer needs.

Pizza Boy's graphics are highly reminiscent of excellent platformers of the 16 bit era with some perfectly paired chiptune music to go along with them. (They even put the whole soundtrack up online to listen to.) The game is host to all the gameplay mechanics required for a good platformer, with an odd culinary twist. Instead of collecting coins you pick up strawberries, and 100 strawberries award an extra life. Instead of tossing fireballs you throw soda bottles which are available in a limited quantity from soda machines that you stomp on. In addition, you can collect letters to form the word "pizza," and you can even rescue cats on each level for bonus points.

Where Pizza Boy really shines is in the control department. Pizza Boy's iTunes description mentions something Acne Play is calling the "Smart Touch System," which I'd normally write off as just a gimmick, but the controls are just fantastic. I'm not sure how much magic is in the Smart Touch System but while playing Pizza Boy I never ran in to issues I usually have with platformers on the iPhone such as missing buttons, sliding my finger off the D-Pad, and other fat fingerings that often result in death.

What kills me about Pizza Boy is how little content there is in the game. The developers even went as far as to say in the iTunes description that it would only take a half hour to play through. They later clarified this via email by saying that it was a guesstimate for how long it would take an experienced player, and it took me close to 45 minutes. The worst part about all this is that Pizza Boy is great, and the entire game really leaves you wanting more. The only online scoring there is in the game is the ability to brag via Facebook or Twitter, which pains me even further because a short score-centric game like this could have a decent amount of replay value injected in to it with some form of online leaderboard.

Pizza Boy really reminds me a lot of the recently released physics puzzler No, Human which also was over before you knew it, leaving you wanting much more. Just like No, Human, if you decide to give Pizza Boy a try you'll be rewarded with an awesome platformer, but the credits roll just as you really start to get in to it.

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It's Labor Day Weekend in the U.S. and most every retail sector in the land is offering major product sales — and the App Store is no exception. So, without further ado, the following games are available for a reduced price through this three-day, holiday weekend.

Namco

• BurgerTime Deluxe $1.99 → 99¢
• Garters & Ghouls $1.99 → 99¢
• Ms. PAC-MAN $4.99 → 99¢
• PAC-MAN $4.99 → 99¢
• PAC-MAN Remix $2.99 → 99¢
• PAC-MAN (iPad) $4.99 → 99¢
• Pole Position: Remix $2.99 → 99¢
• Pool Pro Online 3 $1.99 → 99¢
• Rolling 5 Dice Poker $4.99 → 99¢
• Solitaire: Deck of Cods $4.99 → 99¢
• Star Trigon $1.99 → 99¢
• Tamagotchi: 'Round the World $4.99 → 99¢
• Lt. Fly Rise of the Arachnids $1.99 → 99¢
• Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima $4.99 → 99¢
• Galaga REMIX $2.99 → 99¢
• Dig Dug REMIX $2.99 → 99¢
• PAC-MAN Championship Edition $2.99 → 99¢
• I Love Katamari $4.99 → 2.99
• Ridge Racer Accelerated $4.99 → 2.99
• …among others

Sky Burger, Free (down from $1.99) NimbleBit’s Sky Burger is a fun exercise in burger stacking that’s seen a great deal of success since it recently went free; presently it’s sitting at #6 free title in the App Store. Now’s the time to grab it.

Glu Mobile

• Build-a-lot $1.99 → 99¢
• Transformers $1.99 → 99¢
• Build-a-lot 2 $2.99 → 99¢
• Mini Golf $1.99 → 99¢
• Transformers G1 $1.99 → 99¢
• Deer Hunter: African Safari $6.99 → $2.99
• Jump O'Clock $1.99 → 99¢
• Stranded: Mysteries of Time $1.99 → 99¢
• Deer Hunter 3D for iPad $4.99 → 99¢
• Glyder 2 for iPad $1.99 → 99¢
• Super KO Boing 2 for iPad $2.99 → 99¢

Robot Unicorn Attack, $0.99 (down from $2.99) If there’s any game in the App Store that is double rainbow all the way, it is without question Adult Swim’s Robot Unicorn Attack. It’s got unicorns!!

Electronic Arts

• Boggle $1.99 → 99¢
• CLUE $1.99 → 99¢
• Littlest Pet Shop $2.99 → 99¢
• MONOPOLY $2.99 → 99¢
• MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition $2.99 → 99¢
• RISK: The Official Game $4.99 → $1.99
• THE GAME OF LIFE Classic Edition $2.99 → 99¢
• Trivial Pursuit $2.99 → 99¢
• YAHTZEE Adventures $2.99 → 99¢

I Dig It HD, $4.99 (down from $9.99) InMotion Software’s I Dig It HD is an iPad take on the iPhone original that we — and most everybody else — loved. On the bigger screen, it’s bigger action and all the fun of the iPhone version.

The titles listed here represent a pretty good highlight of what's out there for less this weekend, and additional deals are being discussed in an active forum thread.

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Today Apple held its media event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and unveiled its work in significantly evolving a number of its mobile and media products. I had a chance to see it all first hand and spend some hands-on time with the fruits of the company's recent labor.

The announcement that is likely of the most interest to our readers is the arrival of the new iPod touch, thinner than ever and featuring the same razor-sharp Retina display used in the iPhone 4. (And, holding the new device in my hand, I can confirm that the screen is every bit as sharp as that of the iPhone 4.) The upgraded device is, indeed, basically "an iPhone 4 — without the phone," with a few exceptions. It utilizes the same A4 processor used in the iPhone 4 and the iPad, and features integrated gyroscopes for added in-game control precision. It has front- and back-facing cameras, as well, allowing FaceTime video chats. But the rear-facing camera offers a relatively low 960×720 pixel resolution, as compared to 2592×1936 pixels on the iPhone 4. That means it produces photos that are only 14% the size of those taken with big brother iPhone 4.

But, we're gamers here! And in that capacity, the new iPod touch is a golden mobile gaming device. During today's event, Steve Jobs indicated that the iPod touch is presently the #1 selling mobile game device, outselling Sony and Nintendo's devices, combined. He revealed that 1.5 billion entertainment and game app downloads have passed out of the App Store. With the dramatic enhancements on most every front that the new iPod touch puts in the hands of gamers, we don't expect the touch to give up the crown anytime soon.

Another big announcement that Steve had in store is the reinvented Apple TV. No longer a scolding-hot slab of metal and plastic with the footprint of a Mac mini, the new Apple TV is a quarter the size of its predecessor, shrouded in black plastic, and cool to the touch.

This time around, Apple dispensed with local media storage and has positioned the new unit as a video streaming device, built on a video rental model. First-run HD movies can be rented at $4.99 per, with HD TV shows available at $.99 an episode — all HD. Netflix streaming is integrated, as well. And all of the local media sharing capabilities of the original device (tying to computers in your home for media display on TV) are preserved, with the notable addition of media streaming from an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. And all that, which I can confirm fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, can be had for just $99.

The new Apple TV should be of particular interest to our readers for another reason — it's based on Apple's A4 processor. Intel is not inside, this time around. Given that, it's clear that the new device is based on some form of OS X for the ARM processor. Apple isn't calling it iOS but, if it's not iOS proper, it's something extremely close. But, likely, it actually is iOS under the hood. Daring Fireball's John Gruber recently lent strong confirmation of that, as well.

And if, indeed, the new Apple TV is an iOS device, is there an App Store in its future? Let's hope so…

Apple also showed a new iPod shuffle which, happily, brings back the buttons of the previous versions and also demonstrated the new iPod nano. The nano is about the size of the shuffle, but features a multitouch display and a user interface styled after iOS (though it's not iOS-based). It's a pretty amazing device to play with, extremely light, small, and functional. It's not improvements all around with this one, though; the new nano lacks video recording as well as playback capabilities. It seems Apple's decided that's functionality to be found only in the iPhone and iPod touch.

On the software front, Apple has released iTunes 10 (available now), which offers several interface improvements as well as Ping, a new social network of sorts that allows iTunes users to follow one another and share news of what they're listening to online. Facebook integration is in place as well. iOS 4.1 will be released next week and will include a number of new features including the launch of Game Center — Apple's leaderboard network. Other improvements include bug fixes, and performance enhancements for 3G owners. iOS 4.2 was also previewed which will finally bring OS 4 to the iPad and is due in November.

It's clear from today's event that Apple has been keeping a laser focus on the areas that have become its clear domain: media and mobile.

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