61 Frames Per Second : ipod

iPod Games, You're Doing It Wrong

Derrick Sanskrit — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Like it or not, the iPod/iPhone has become a gaming platform. There are tons of statistics out there and I'm not going to bore you with them, but the fact is a lot of people are making games for the iPod and a lot of people are downloading and playing them. This post is not about educating the blog-reading public so much as a friendly word of advice to the game developers out there.

iPod game developers, remember what your platform is. No matter how Apple dresses it up or the media hypes it, the iPod is first and foremost a portable music player. The iPhone is just an iPod that also happens to make phone calls. So please, when you want us to play your games on our personal music players, do take care when shutting off our music.

Just using the examples that are currently on my iPod Touch, the biggest offender is probably Scramble Live, Zynga's Boggle clone. There is no music in the game and very minimal sound effects, so why does clicking the icon automatically shut off my music? Are you worried that listening to Nas will distract me from finding words, and if so isn't that really more of my concern than yours? Scramble is clearly designed for short bursts of casual play, so every time I play a round on the train I have my music interrupted, then end the game and go back to start my music all over again. Not cool. The same goes for THQ's de Blob. The game does thankfully use the same wonderful music as the infinitely better Wii game (sans player interaction) but it asks you upon loading the game if you want sounds enabled AFTER it has already stopped the music. Why offer sound options after turning off the preexisting sounds? Just set sounds to "on" and I'll mute my iPod if I don't like them. Or better yet, let me paint the town red to the Replacements!

Some games get away with it because the music is so integral to the gameplay, as you'd think it should be on an iPod game. Newtonica, for example, has an incredibly simple gameplay mechanic in merely flicking a sphere around to catch crystals in the correctly colored quadrants, but without the bright and lively electronic soundtrack it would be dreary and impossible to play for more than ten seconds. Radio Flare plays like a 2D side scrolling Rez by targeting up to four obstacles or enemies at a time and blowing them all up in beat with the music. Neither game has a soundtrack I'd listen to on its own, nor particularly interesting gameplay, but the play and the audio element work perfectly together to make them compelling. Both games force my iPod to stop playing music, but they would be impossible to play set to any other music, so it's okay.

And then there are the games that simply get it right. The critically acclaimed RolandoEdge, a game that I've pretty much raved about on here before, is exactly the same story. Great original soundtrack, but no problem replacing it with your own mp3s. Aurora Feint, Sway, Adventure, all great games, fun for long stretches and short bursts alike, with wonderful sound effects and the ability to keep playing your own music while you play the game. has a fantastic original soundtrack, but it's more than happy to let you listen to your own tunes instead.

With OS 3.0 coming this summer - promising access to the iPod's media library within other apps - we can look forward to greater interaction between games and the user's existing music and photos (and hopefully a legit portable version of AudioSurf), so I ask you, iPod game developers, please, think twice before shutting off my tunes. If you have to interrupt Super Furry Animals, at least make the audio component an important part of the game.

Whatcha Playing: Tappable Rhythm Sequels

Derrick Sanskrit — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:00 GMT

I love a good rhythm game, but Guitar Hero and Rock Band have always felt forced to me. Holding a plastic representation of the object I'm simulating using just feels awkward to me (the same reason I've not enjoyed my few sessions with Mario Kart Wii so far). PaRappa The Rapper and Dance Dance Revolution really did it right, making a game out of the music rather than a simulation. My favorite, as I've mentioned before, is Rhythm Tengoku, the Japan-only Gameboy Advance cart from the WarioWare team that's all about keeping the beat in a series of wild and hilarious cartoon scenarios.

It dawned on me the other day that Rhythm Tengoku's DS sequel is finally being released in the west next month as Rhythm Heaven and that it may very well be a deservedly huge hit for Nintendo. I brushed off my nearly year-old import copy last week for a refresher. I was joyously reminded of how addictive and utterly charming the game is. Using the touch screen to tap, hold, and flick isn't quite as precise as the original's button taps, but very few of the games suffer as a result. The all-Japanese text is a bit more daunting this time as they're most likely describing what you should do on the touch screen and you have to use trial and error to figure out what to do when, but I still managed to make my way straight on through the end credits without frustration. In fact, I didn't think it possible, but I find the DS version much more lighthearted and playful than the GBA game. Only one minigame returns for the sequel, the rest are all new with new characters, and it's hard not to have your heart warmed by some of them. Every time I do the mating dance with the little lizard-with-a-maraca-for-a-tail, its warm, approving chirps actually make me fall in love with it just a little.

I've also been pretty fond of Tap Tap Revenge 2 on my iPod Touch since its release a week and a half ago. The engine is overhauled and much improved since the original, which was little more than a touch screen Guitar Hero. There are local and online competitive play and achievement-like rewards, but the truly fantastic feature that keeps me playing is the licensed downloadable songs. The basic game comes with three tracks: Death Cab For Cutie's "the Sound of Settling," a world premiere of the Crystal Method's new single "Double Down Under," and a brand-new exclusive theme song from Stroke 9 (remember them?), the surprisingly awesome "Tap Tap DomiNation". As with all music games, most of the downloadable tracks are stuff I don't care about nor do I even want to try, but there are a few that caught my interest. Daft Punk's "Technologic" is a must. Breakbot's remix of Fatlip's now-legendary "What's Up, Fatlip?" is synthetic bliss. Tap Tap Revenge even had another world-premiere last week with The Prodigy's new single "Omen". Weekly updates promise a smooth stream of new material, and the casual affair is well worth the price of admission for a free application with free song downloads. I'll never be truly satisfied, though, until these games start bringing in more Professor Murder, His Name is Alive and B-52s, but hey, that's what the rest of my iPod is for.

So basically I'm spending my daily commute looking at bright colors and tapping on touch screens to catchy music. Ain't technology grand? And to think, now we've got Bit.Trip Beat at home to keep the rhythm going...

Related articles:
Make The Music With Your Games, Kids!
Fun Fact: Metroid Meets Metronome
Yuusha 30 and Wario's Micro Game Legacy

Whatcha Playing: Feintly Familiar

Derrick Sanskrit — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Way back in the summer, when the iTunes App Store officially launched, iPhone owners were inundated with hundreds of sloppy applications and poorly constructed games. It was understandable, very few platforms have quality applications so early in their lifespan. There were a few surprisingly solid apps, though, that found their supportive base. One of the first games to really endear itself to JesusPhone users was Aurora Feint: The Beginning.

Here's the high-concept: the match-three puzzle play of Nintendo's Puzzle League plus the RPG character-building of Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords with touch and tilt controls thrown in. If that sounds deliciously addictive to you, you're right.

I'd read about Aurora Feint months ago, but I only got around to downloading it and playing around with it this past weekend. As a big fan of both of the above mentioned puzzlers, Aurora Feint instantly had me hooked. In order to fit your finger, the play field is smaller than that of Puzzle League, so it's a bit harder to pull of massive chains and combos. It also doesn't have the competative head-to-head aspect of either "Puzzle" game. What it does have is compelling casual fun. Just playing in "The Mine" (essentially "Endless" mode) allows you to level up, increasing the number of magicbooks and blueprints available in the "store". Blueprints are taken to the Smith and turned into time attack challenges to introduce special item tiles into the playfield and magicbooks open limited-move puzzles (exactly like Puzzle League's "Puzzle" mode) that multiply the resources collected for each colored tile.

For fans of action puzzlers like Tetris, Puzzle League and Rotohex, Aurora Feint is very likely to please. The Beginning is a great place to start, especially as its free. That's right, pay nothing. If you like that enough, there are three versions of Aurora Feint II now available on the App Store with improved graphics and new features. The biggest of the bunch, The Arena, includes new character classes, online leaderboards, online chat and offline dueling (which really seems essential, considering the atmosphere of the game as a feudal sorcery RPG), but that version will set you back eight bucks. Thankfully, you can transfer your built-up character from Aurora Feint: The Beginning over to The Arena, so your time grinding away in the freeware version won't be wasted if you upgrade.

Previously:
Myst III: Exile
Persona, Fallout, and the Trans-Pacific RPG Ideal
Holiday Blessings... and Curses
On The Road Again
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Trailer Review: Edge

Derrick Sanskrit — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Take a gander at this trailer for Edge, the new iPhone/iPod Touch game released today by mobile phone game developer mobigame and feel the waves of nostalgia for a game you've never even played.

In its presentation, Edge is equal parts Marble Madness, Q*Bert, and Tron, but it clearly has potential to be ever so much more.

Beautiful isometric geometry, subtle use of color, a soundtrack halfway between 80's new wave and contemporary chiptune, Edge may very well be the stylish iPod counterpart to artsy downloadable console titles like Eden, Everyday Shooter, echochrome, Orbient and Cubello.

As I mentioned above, Edge was just released on the App Store today. As I've been on a serious gaming binge on my iPod Touch lately, I'll be sure to check this one out, but damn is that trailer stylish!

Related articles:
Overworld: Marble Madness
iPhone Owners Are Gamers, Idiots
The Original Adventure - Now Portable
Ports That Need To Be Made: iTouchRez

Time Unveils Top Ten Games of 2008

Cole Stryker — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Time Magazine has unleashed their picks for the year's best video games. I was pleasantly surprised by a few of the choices. I'd like to think that it represents a meaningful shift in the way media evaluates games, and will in turn

I wonder if the big game publishers will follow suit. Nah.

The list...after the jump!

1. Grand Theft Auto IV
2. Braid
3. LittleBigPlanet
4. Rock Band 2
5. Gears of War 2
6. Dead Space
7. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
8. Hunted Forever
9. Fieldrunners
10. Spore

About what you expected? Thrilled to see some indie games up there with the big dogs? An iPod game?

I'm excited to see such an unorthodox lineup from the mainstream media. Hopefully this will eventually bleed through to strictly game-oriented publications.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Act Fast! Free Hudson iPhone Games Right Now!

Derrick Sanskrit — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:30:00 GMT

In celebration of the Tokyo Game Show (which ends today), Hudson Soft, makers of such wonderful games as Bomberman, Adventure Island, and Mario Party, among others, have made three of their games on the iTunes App Store FREE, but only for the length of the show (which, again, ends TODAY). If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, I strongly urge you to navigate over to the iTunes App Store (or just click the links below the break) ASAP and download these high-quality games without paying for them. Free mobile gaming! Does life get any better than this?

Aqua Forest
Use the accelerometer to solve puzzles with realistic physics, then use the touch screen to draw your own puzzles!

NeoSameGame
The classic remove-similarly-colored-touching-blocks puzzle game, with new modes added for tilt and shake features.

Catch The Egg
Use the iPhone/iPod Touch's advanced gyroscope to catch falling eggs. Be careful, though, too soft or too hard and you might break the egg in your hand. Definitely keep a good grip on your iPhone/iPod for this one.

I've only just played each of them once, so while I can't speak to the long-lasting fun to be had in each, I can assure you that they are well-polished and easily worth your zero dollars. Go! Go now!

Related articles:

Ports That Need To Be Made: iTouchRez
Newtonica Brings iPhone Gaming Into The Realm of Awesome
The iPhone as Your "Dark Passenger"
Sega CD on iPhone: I Like Where This Is Going
Will Song Summoner Be The First Good iPod Game?

The iPhone As Your "Dark Passenger"

Derrick Sanskrit — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:30:00 GMT

This past weekend's San Diego Comic-Con brought more than a few bits of game news, both anticipated and completely unexpected, but arguably one of the biggest surprises was the announcement of an episodic game based on Showtime's original series Dexter coming exclusively to Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch. Yeah, that Dexter. Finally, you'll be able to kill people on the subway and get away with it!

Not much is known about the game beyond this announcement, only that it will incorporate text messages and phone calls for a more immersive experience and – of course – gesture controls... you know, for... um... slicing people up after you've brutally murdered them. Since that's all we know about the game right now, I've gone to the liberty of coming up with a few more ideas of how the iPhone's features could make Dexter a truly immersive gaming experience:

– Use the iPhone's accelerometer to virtually bludgeon your victims into submission. Red flashes on the screen indicate that you're doing it too hard. An audible grunt/sigh from the speaker indicates a successful knock-out!

– Shout into the iPhone microphone to intimidate your victims into admitting their heinous crimes.

– Leave the game idle on your desk with Google Maps open to simulate long, uneventful stakeouts.

– Call your sister regularly to talk about how difficult her life is.

– Hold off important work-related text messages and voicemail until the really interesting parts of the game, so you have to quit and wait until next time to find out what happens.

– Batista has dragged you to the bar again! Let your fingers do the awkward dancing in a DDR-style touchscreen minigame.

– Use that 3G network to learn Spanish.

Related articles:
Sega CD on iPhone: I Like Where This Is Going
Will Song Summner Be The First Good iPod Game?
Spoiler Time: The Next (Awesome) Season of "Dexter"

Will Song Summoner Be the First Good iPod Game?

John Constantine — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Square-Enix, they of the beloved, monolithic RPG franchises Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, have quietly released an original strategy RPG for, of all things, the iPod. Even more surprising is how cool it sounds. In Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes, you build an army (Tune Troopers as they’re called in-game) using the songs stored in your iPod. You level your forces through the usual fighting and whatnot but you can also build their stats by listening to the song that created them. That is, frankly, one of the coolest game features I have ever heard of in my entire life.

It’s interesting to hear about such a unique and well-considered game coming out specifically for the iPod, especially in light of the recent announcement of the iPhone’s grand gaming aspirations. Games have been coming out on the iPod for close to two years now, but they’ve been pretty terrible. A little wheel is just not conducive to controlling even the simplest of games; Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are unplayable messes, and the less said about Sonic the Hedgehog the better. Apple’s success with the iPod in Japan, not to mention the slow iPhone sales, certainly has something to do with Square-Enix’s efforts on the platform, but it’s still strange.

I’m not sold on gaming for platforms not specifically built for gaming. Cell-phones, iPhones, Blackberries, iPods, etc. aren’t ergonomically sound for videogames. Sure, they’re fine for card or board games, even simple puzzlers like Snood, but anything deeper is a stretch. RPGs do seem like a good fit, but Square-Enix and any other developer throwing their hat in the ring will have to make sure that the game they build is made for very quick, short use.

Do you play games on your iPod? Do you like them? Let us know in the comments

Listen to Video Games Live in your Car

Nadia Oxford — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:10:00 GMT

Tommy Tallarico isn't everyone's bestest friend, but his project, Video Games Live, is certainly worth seeing (listening to?) if it comes to your town. Video Games Live combines orchestrated versions of classic gaming tunes with recorded footage from the respective games. It's a relaxing, memorable way to spend an evening.

It might not be possible to attend Video Games Live if you live out in the middle of yemesvelt with coyotes for companions; the show tends to stick to larger cities in North and South America as well as Europe and Asia. Well, hang on to your opossum pelts: this summer, EMI Classics will be distributing a Video Games Live collection over iTunes and on CD.

If there's one weakness Video Games Live can be faulted for, it's the lack of retro remixes. Sure, mainstays like the Super Mario Bros theme and the famous Tetris jingles are present, but for all the leaping and yelping Tallarico does about being oldskool, you won't hear much from the pre-Playstation era at his show. At the show I attended, Tallarico mentioned he got a lot of requests for Chrono Trigger music. He finally obliged...with Chrono Cross.

Ergo, don't be surprised when you look at the playlist and notice a lot of material from the current and last generation.

The track listing includes:

Kingdom Hearts

Warcraft Suite

Myst Medley

Medal of Honor

Civilization IV Medley (They played this when I attended the show; it was sexcellent)

Tetris Piano Opus 1

God of War Montage

Advent Rising Suite

Tron Montage (Okay, a little oldskool slipped in)

Halo Suite

Castlevania Rock