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After what seemed like an eternity of waiting as we followed the iControlPad's development, we finally got our hands on one not too long ago. We mentioned a few issues that we had with the device which mostly were due to the way the current iControlPad firmware handled sending controls to the iPhone compared to how the iCade works. (This was all detailed in the previous article.) However, one of the strong suits of the iControlPad is that it seems to have an infinitely updatable firmware, and the developers behind the device recently released an update to make the iControlPad behave a lot more like the iCade– Potentially alleviating most of the issues we had with the device's functionality.

To get the firmware update, head on over to the support section of the iControlPad site and follow the instructions. Alternatively, if you prefer watching a tutorial video to reading, the guys behind the iControlPad have got you covered on that front too:

Once you've got your iControlPad all flashed to the new firmware, it should behave just like a iCade and allow you to use the iControlPad when playing the various iCade-enabled games. This new firmware option might also quicken adoption of the device, as now developers can focus on one standard across both the iControlPad and the iCade instead needing to deal with one or the other (or both).

In light of this update news, they've dropped the price of the device to $49.99 for TouchArcade readers. To get in on this deal, order through this link. This special pricing will be good until Monday, at which point it will return to its normal price of $74.99.

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We don't generally follow sales figures of non-iOS devices too closely, but this was just too good to pass up– Especially as a silly Friday news story. Marco Arment, creator of Instapaper whipped up a graph today utilizing data he compiled from GamePro, Daring Fireball, and The Wallstreet Journal to show just how poorly Android tablets are selling compared to obscure video game systems of the past:

Arment notes that the HP TouchPad was not included because they've yet to release sales figures. Similarly, the iPad was omitted from the graph because its 30 million units sold skewed the scale too much. Also, the front-runner in the chart, the TurboGrafx-16 totally owned. You can play a few of its games in the TurboGrafx-16 Gamebox [Free], although it's missing most of the more memorable titles aside from Bonk.

Anyway, this just really puts things into perspective with how much the iPad is dominating the tablet market. It's not exactly news that the Blackberry Playbook isn't selling well, but moving fewer units than the Virtual Boy? That's just crazy.

[via Marco.org]

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A month ago, I posted a hands-on preview of Manomio's iOS version of the classic Cinemaware strategy game Defender of the Crown. I'm happy to report that the game has finally landed as as Universal application (for iPhone and iPad) in the App Store [link].

Defender of the Crown was originally released for the Amiga in 1986 — but that's really not saying enough. The Amiga will always be remembered for, among many other things, being one of the most notable gaming platforms ever created. And, for a long while, Defender of the Crown was the system's undisputed flagship game title. I will quote Brian Bagnall from his excellent book On the Edge: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore, to help convey just how actually jarring an experience it was to see the game for the first time on the Amiga back in 1986.

[Amiga co-creator R.J.] Mical saw artist Jim Sachs push the Amiga to its full potential. "Jim Sachs, what a God he is," marvels Mical. "Jim Sachs is amazing. These days everyone sees graphics like that because there are a lot of really good computer graphics artists now, but back then, 20 years ago, it was astonishing to have someone that good."

The final game was a landmark in video game production values. As game designer Bob Lindstrom recalls, "The shock of seeing Defender for the first time was one of those experiences that changed the gaming stakes for all of us."

Compared to other video games of the time, Defender of the Crown established a new level of quality. IBM had Kings Quest by Sierra On-Line, a decent but primitive adventure game. The Macintosh had games like Checkers or Backgammon, or board games like Risk. Defender of the Crown had richer graphics than any computer, console, or even arcade game could boast in 1986. It was a revelation.

Of course, the above seeks to convey the magic of the title as seen 25 years ago, but despite the passage of a quarter century, the visuals still look magnificent and are a testament to both the Amiga's then-revolutionary graphics hardware and the pixel savvy of designer Jim Sachs. The accompanying audio score is superb, as well.

The game was originally mouse-based and, in this iOS release, is running under Manimio's iAmiga emulation system. As such, completely native iOS controls were not possible, but the studio has done an admirable job of converting the iPhone and iPad screen into a virtual track-pad for swipe and tap controls. Given the extra screen real estate, the game is best played on the iPad, but it's still a great experience on the iPhone and iPod touch.

The preview I posted last month is basically a review of the release version of the game, as all that was left to finish at the time of that post was the in-game documentation. I'd urge anyone who's never played the game to give it a read. I think it's safe to assume that anyone who has played the game before already jumped right to the download link on seeing the story title.

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Early this morning Bloomberg ran a story regarding the latest Nintendo 3DS price drop fiasco from a side that you don't often hear from: Investors. As you may recall from the last episode of this mobile gaming financial soap opera, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has remained vigilant insisting that as long as he is in charge Nintendo will only be making games for its own line of hardware.

Investors don't agree, especially as Nintendo stocks dip to six-year lows. Specifically, Masamitsu Ohki, a fund manager for a Tokyo-based investment management company explains: “Smartphones are the new battlefield for the gaming industry, Nintendo should try to either buy its way into this platform or develop something totally new.”

The best example of how badly investors want the big N to get involved in smartphone gaming came in early July when we caught wind of a potential Pokemon game coming to the iPhone. This caused Nintendo stock to rocket up the most it had in four months, although gains were quickly lost when Nintendo announced that it was not involved with this Pokemon release.

On this news, Japanese investment firm MF Global FXA Securities Ltd. released a note explaining that “They just don’t get it,” urging investors to sell Nintendo stock "because a management once feted for creative out-of-box thinking have just shown how behind the times they are.” Other financial megaminds are insisting that Nintendo use its $10b cash stockpile to acquire companies to help them position themselves better in the changing face of mobile gaming.

It remains to be seen what if any effect the 3DS price drop will have both on player adoption rates as well as Nintendo stock prices. While the system itself may be cheaper, a lower price point doesn't change the fact that consumers as a whole have gone cold on 3D, one of the main selling points of the system. Similarly, the 3DS software library is still as bleak as it ever was, with no respite on the horizon until Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 hit this holiday season, which seems like forever compared to the fast-paced world of the App Store where great games are released on a daily basis.

Most, if not all of us at TouchArcade grew up on Nintendo platforms and likely wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the NES, the SNES, and the market that Nintendo essentially forged out of the video game crashes of the late 70's and early 80's. It's sad to see a company losing their way, and I'm honestly not entirely sure how Nintendo's dedicated portable gaming devices and $40 games can compete in a world flooded with capable smartphones in hundreds of millions of pockets and enough 99¢ (and free) content available to last a lifetime.

I think we all knew the days of the dedicated portable gaming device were numbered, but I'm not sure any of us expected this would come so soon.

[via Bloomberg, MacRumors]

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11 Bit Studios decision to make a tower defense game set in a bombed-out, alien-infested world otherwise full of sand, bullets, and bombs doesn’t seem like an inspired design direction for a downloadable game from a new studio, but it totally is. Despite its over-saturated genre and its dull name, Anomaly: Warzone Earth [$1.99 / HD] has something new to share and its fresh conceits are executed in some of the most graceful, simple, and visually striking ways I’ve seen in a long time. It nails its strategy component by providing unique constructs, it nails its controls, and it nails its look, which is really is a treat on touch devices.

The easiest way to express what Anomaly does is with the phrase “tower defense in reverse,” which sorta sounds cheesy, but it’s pretty good approximation. Basically, you control the creeps in an environment laced with enemy turrets. Anomaly takes this idea a step further by giving you control over what kind of creeps you can build, the order in which you place your creeps,  and by also allowing you to plot out the course you’ll take dynamically during the mission.

Outside of this next-level take on tower defense, what’s really magical about this game is that the mixture of troops you deploy in the field — whether it be a combination of tank, APAC, missile launcher-thing, shield generator, or whatever else — changes the way you’ll approach each given mission, altering the paths you take in subtle, but important ways. If there was ever a game primed for replays, this is it. It's insane flexible.

You alter your direction, for the most part, because of the way the turrets are designed. Some, for example, only spit high-damage ‘bullets’ in one direction, while others blast electricity or throw out pulses that disrupt your approach. In other situations, it's the environment you'll need to plot around. All these obstructions ensures that your creep build is fluid, which makes for a very satisfying strategic experience. My lizard brain is still a little unnerved by how deep such a tremendously simple-looking game like this can be.

There’s a lot that goes into creep formations. Early on, you’ll get the ability to trade in-game cash for armor and weapon improvements on a per level basis. Later, you’ll receive the ability to buy other vehicles that flesh out a range of attack options. There's even one that can churn out one of Anomaly’s other remarkable — and ultimately satisfying — mechanics: power-ups. As you kill turrets, you’ll be able to retrieve powers that can mask your troops, heal them, or re-direct enemy fire. Eventually, you’ll get access to a bomb that’ll eliminate foes en masse according to your drop location. The implications of how you deploy  power-ups in a given situation has a huge impact on how you play, build, and move, too.

The decision to render the game in a top-down perspective was an apt one, considering this is almost a god game of sorts. You direct all the movement, the moment-to-moment action, and drop power-ups onto the field with direct touches into the game world. The touch in general is precise, fluid, and native-feeling, which is awesome, but also doubly-awesome considering that this is a port of a mouse and keyboard game.

One of my few issues with Anomaly loosely ties into the activation of power-ups. If you’re not on the ball, it’s very possible that you could accidentally drop one while scrolling through a level. And, hey, while we’re on the subject of bad — the writing and setup are both dreadful.

None of the writing really matters, though, as it’s really just a crutch for the premise of the next level, most of which bring a new design element to the table. One of my favorites is the one that has you killing specific power plants with live wiring scattered throughout the level. This premise revolves around identifying which plants to destroy first, while avoiding the lines you can't get to just yet.  In other levels, you’ll also find yourself doing the normal video game stuff like escorting, protecting, and stopping enemies from damaging specific goals. Outside of the campaign, there's a tack-on mode Horde-ish mode that adds wave-based play into the mix. It's okay, but not anywhere near as entertaining as the core experience.

It’s ridiculous how much Anomaly has to offer and how natural it feels on touch devices. I don’t think it’s out of line to call it one of the best games on the market at the moment, as its easily one the visually sharpest, most well-produced, and executed out there. If you want a tower defense game that does things differently, or if you just want a solid strategy title that gives you near complete control over the experience, this is it.

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Texas Hold'em is one of those games that's better in person. It just isn't the same if you can't pull out your best poker face. But as we mentioned in our preview, you can now get that experience from the comfort of your couch if you've got an iPad 2, because Full Deck Hold'Em [$2.99] includes video chat integration in its multiplayer gameplay, and it works beautifully.

For those who aren't on the latest, greatest hardware, it also has nearly everything else you could ask for in a Hold'em app: sixteen AI players to compete against, up to four-player multiplayer through Game Center, eight tables with a range of buy-ins and a lot more. There are some rough spots in the interface, but the core experience is great.

The video functionality is awesome. I haven't played a game that makes this kind of use of the iPad 2's front-facing camera before, and I'm impressed with how well it works. The video quality is limited by the hardware, of course, but it's more than sufficient for keeping an eye on your opponents and chatting freely. Since this review was written before release we only had the chance to test it with two players, which worked without a hitch, but the game supports it for up to four players, which sounds super cool. The experience is like playing face to face with friends, and it makes things so much more fun. On the other hand, if being on camera sounds like the worst thing ever, the game offers granular control for who you want to see and who's allowed to see you — if anyone.

If you'd prefer to go solo, you'll be happy to know that there's a great mix of AI opponents in the game. According to GRL Games, each of the opponents has a unique personality, and they also model their behavior from your play style to improve over time. It's a bit hard to actually see the nuances of that at work, but I can say from experience that the different AI players feel distinct from each other, and they're all fairly convincing. They won't play stupidly, but some play more aggressively than others, and some like to bluff when they can. Most of them are quite cautious, though, and tend to fold on a dime. Still, while it can't replace the intensity of playing with other people, the AI certainly puts up a good fight.

For players who find the game a bit too challenging, there are plenty of opportunities to keep from busting out. The game will bail you out if you run too low, and each day you can take a spin on the slot machine for a chance at bonus winnings to keep the cash flowing. If you need a big influx of cash because you want to hit one of the higher-end tables, you can also buy chips with real money. If you're good for cash but need a little assistance in taking down the AI, Full Deck Hold'Em offers free, sponsored powerups that let you stack the odds just a tiny bit in your favor.

Though the game starts you off with a $200 buy in and $10 bet limits, you can work your way up to no limits tables and eventually a $20 million buy in for the big spenders. You can also rank on the Biggest Hand leaderboard and collect Game Center achievements for beating the AI, winning with specific hands and winning or losing big. It's enough to keep the biggest Hold'em fans busy for a long time.

Early on, however, don't be surprised if you have some trouble with the game's interface. It's largely lacking the little considerations that help players orient themselves. A more obvious turn indicator would be nice, for instance, and with such a big screen to play with, it's strange that the betting controls are jammed into the lower right corner. It would also be nice to be able to see how much you're betting, even in limit games — especially since new players may not immediately understand how betting differs when there are limits. There's a lot going on in Full Deck Hold'Em, and a little hand holding really wouldn't hurt.

But those things are fixable, and according to the developer we should see improvements to the interface in the first update. The big stuff is all in place, with AI that's up to a challenge and online multiplayer that's made even better with video chat. If you have even a basic understanding of how to play Texas Hold'em, you won't have any trouble digging deep into Full Deck Hold'Em — and if you don't, I'm sure the sharks kind people in our discussion thread will be happy to help you out.

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Oh hey, it's Wednesday again. There's a ton of great games coming out this evening, although, for us, they're all overshadowed by Anomaly Warzone Earth. We've been looking forward to this game for so long it isn't even funny, and it's finally here.

Wednesday nights work different from most nights of the week on the App Store because iOS developers just love setting the release dates for their games to Thursdays. Being a global market and all, the App Store has different regions governed my different time zones. Because of this, things get released in New Zealand first since thanks to their proximity to the International Date Line, it becomes Thursday there before everywhere else. Things slowly trickle out until 11:00 PM Eastern when everything finally hits the US App Store.

Here's what's coming tonight:

Anomaly Warzone Earth, $1.99 / HD – Forum Thread – As mentioned before, we couldn't be more excited for this game. It's essentially tower defense in reverse with a whole heap of sci-fi stylings on top of it. We've had our hands on various pre-release versions, and couldn't be more happy with the game.

Cado, 99¢ / HD – Forum Thread – This seems to be a physics-based puzzle game where you've got to roll a ball into a hole. It might not be the most innovative thing ever, but I'm digging the simple doodle-based art style.

Candy Boy, 99¢ / HD – Forum Thread – A match three with puzzle platforming mechanics? That actually sounds just crazy enough to work. I'm curious to see how well each genre compliments the other.

Defender of the Crown, $2.99 – Forum Thread – The Amiga classic comes to the App Store in all of its retro glory. Manomio has redone the controls to require no typing, and I expect this port to be just as awesome as their previous retro ports.

Exitium: Saviors of Vardonia, $1.99 – Forum Thread – Action RPG's have been fairly successful on the App Store between both Zenonia and Inotia as well as other series. Exitium seems to follow in their path with some incredibly awesome looking graphics.

Flick Soccer!, 99¢ – Forum Thread – Full Fat Games is applying the awesome gameplay found in Flick Golf to the sport of soccer (or fútbol or whatever they call it outside the land of liberty) and I'm expecting it to be just as much fun.

Full Deck Hold'Em, $2.99 – Forum Thread – We've had our hands on a preview copy of this game for a few days now, and just when you thought that everything in the world of iOS poker had been done, GRL Games adds video chat. It's amazingly fun playing online, as the video feed makes you feel like you're actually playing poker with a friend instead of just playing an online game.

Fossil Feast, 99¢ / Lite – Forum Thread – This release from Namco has you in charge of piloting a pterodactyl and eating everything in sight. An upgrade system seems like it'll add some depth to the game.

Julius Styles – The International, $2.99 – Forum Thread – It's finally here. Wesley Snipes' game! I'm still not entirely sure what's involved in it, but the iTunes description mentions a morality system. That's always fun.

Let's Golf! 3, Free – Forum Thread – I love Hot Shots Golf which basically means I've loved all the Let's Golf games. This most recent one takes a freemium approach to things, which seems like it could work well depending on how Gameloft implements their payment system.

NyxQyest, 99¢ / Lite / HD / HD Lite – Forum Thread – This platformer leans heavily on Greek mythology, which could potentially be really cool, and you play as a girl with wings which sounds pretty awesome to me.

Pickpawcket, 99¢ – Forum Thread – This game pits cats against dogs to… steal art. Get it, you're a Pickpawcket. Stealth mechanics seem to be the name of the game here.

Pigs in Trees, 99¢ / HD – Forum Thread – In this game, you play as a pig in an airplane defending his tree from birds. (Sound familiar?) The art looks great, and there's always room on my iPhone for another line drawing game it seems.

Rugby Kicks, Free – Forum Thread – As an ignorant American, I'm not entirely sure what you do in rugby but it seems to apparently involve kicking a ball for points. The iTunes description makes it sounds like there's a lot of customization and depth, so if you're into rugby this might be a freebie to try.

Spacelings, 99¢ – Forum Thread – This space-based puzzle game requires you to adjust your tractor beam to suck up lost space cadet dudes. I like the premise, and although it's hard to see in the video, the game seems to have some great looking graphics.

Zen Wars, 99¢ – Forum Thread – The makers of Legendary Wars seem to have realized that the best part of any RTS-like game is base building, and built an entire game around that. There's even online Game Center multiplayer to see who can construct the best cannon-packed base.

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This past April, developer Physmo released Mos Speedrun [$1.99/Lite], a platformer with a retro aesthetic and an emphasis on completing levels as quickly as possible. We really liked Mos Speedrun in our review, and in fact I became rather infatuated with trying to shave even a fraction of a second off of level completion times in order to inch my way up the Game Center leaderboards.

One thing that drove me nuts, though, was seeing other players’ times that were better than mine and not realizing what special shortcut I was missing out on in my own run. With the latest update to Mos Speedrun, sharing your best runs for all to see just became a whole lot easier with a new replay recording feature.

Recording a run is incredibly simple. Just pause the game during any level and press the little “R” icon in the upper left corner. It will ask you to confirm, and then will quickly record your best run for that particular level and save the video right to the camera roll on your device. From there, you can easily upload the video directly to YouTube or otherwise send it along to whoever you wish. Here’s an example of my run from level 2-5 that I uploaded using the new recording feature:

What’s really cool about the replay recording is it allows you to capture and record your best run from any level in the game, not just the levels that have Game Center leaderboards associated with them. One caveat though is that the recording only works on the 4th generation iPhone/iPod touch or the iPad, so if you’re the owner of an older device then don’t be surprised when you don’t see the recording icon appear in the game.

Despite this limitation, the new video recording feature is a really great addition to an already fantastic game. If you’ve got a compatible device, make sure to grab this latest update for Mos Speedrun and start uploading your best times (so I can check them out and steal your techniques).

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The collective hive mind of TouchArcade couldn't possibly be more excited for Machinegun Jetpack, unless of course Halfbrick succumbs to our demands of including their own Phil Larsen as a playable character. Anyway, it seems that the previous video released by the Australia-based development studio was just the first of a series slowly teasing the game before its release in the (hopefully) not too distant future.

If this is the first you've heard of Machinegun Jetpack, it's a game we've been following for what feels like an eternity that continues the adventures of Barry Steakfries previously featured in Monster Dash [99¢] and Age of Zombies [$2.99]. Like those two games, Machinegun Jetpack takes a familiar game type (in this case, the cave flyer) and turns it up to 11, as evident by the previous video and made even more obvious by the latest surprisingly Phil-less developer diary:

I'm loving all the power-ups included in the game, and it's music to my ears to hear that there's potentially even more coming via updates. This game looks so incredibly over the top, I can't wait to play it.

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We've been following the activity of gaming legend Graeme Devine's GRL Games since he left Apple and decided to start his own studio. A chat at GDC later revealed that the motivation for his departure from the company had a whole new layer of awesome to it: He just wanted to make games with his daughter. Since then they've released Full Deck Solitaire [Free] as well as Full Deck Poker Solitaire [$1.99 / Free].

Tomorrow, the Full Deck family of card games will get its third entry: Full Deck Hold'Em. We've had our hands on an early copy of the game, and aside from being an all-around awesome iPad-powered poker experience, the iPad 2 video chat functionality is just awesome. You can see a glimpse of how it works in the following video:

We'll have a full review of the game when it's released tomorrow night, but in the meantime, I hope the video chat implementation in Full Deck Hold'Em spurs similar integration in other online games. It makes playing with friends so much more fun, compared to say, just taking your turn in Words With Friends where there's little to no interaction beyond just dropping some tiles on the board.

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