Games

NYT: gaming is the ‘primary selling point’ of Apple’s next-generation Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 7, 2015

Casual gaming will be a central tentpole of a fourth-generation Apple TV and downloadable games will be the primary selling point of the forthcoming device, as per The New York Times yesterday evening.

Though the next Apple TV won't take console giants Sony and Microsoft head on, Nintendo has plenty of reasons to be worried: casual gaming on the Apple TV should benefit tremendously from downloadable games via a dedicated app store and a redesigned remote with a trackpad, Wii-like motion sensors, Bluetooth and more.

Flick Kick Football goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Cody Lee ∙ September 3, 2015

Apple has selected Prodigy Design's "Flick Kick Football" as its App of the Week for this week. This means that from now through next Thursday, you can download the popular football arcade game for both your iPhone and iPad, for free—a solid savings of $1.99.

For those unfamiliar with the title, Flick Kick is a simple football/soccer game that has you scoring goals as quickly and as stylishly as possible by swiping your screen. It has multiple game modes, charming retro graphics, and the physics are smooth and accurate.

Apple rolls out brand new Twitter account dedicated to App Store games

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 3, 2015

The App Store has been on Twitter since September 2009 but as of today, a new curated Twitter account dedicated to highlighting the App Store games is available as well. It's now yet known whether gaming-related tweets will now be exclusively posted on @AppStoreGames alone or retweeted on @AppStore but it's an encouraging sign of Apple's mobile gaming prowess.

“Embrace the future of gaming,” reads the account's bioline. “Straight from our Games Editors.”

Why I’m super excited about the gaming potential of the new Apple TV

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

At this point, I think we can all agree that the state of gaming on the current generation Apple TV leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, it’s possible in some respects, through AirPlay, but it’s clunky, laggy, and never quite lived up to its potential.

With the new Apple TV, however, things will surely get better. In fact, I think that gaming is going to really hit its stride on Apple platforms with the advent of the new gaming-centric features on Apple’s upcoming refresh to its set top box.

As we discussed in the last episode of Let’s Talk iOS, gaming is set to take a gigantic leap with Apple TV gen-4. In this post, I’ll outline 5 reasons why avid gamers should start licking their chops at the potential of the device that Apple is set to reveal next Wednesday.

Dungeon of the Endless is a roguelike and dungeon defense mash-up

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Roguelike games are just about the hardest games to play because of the whole permadeath aspect. What if you were to add a heavy dose of tower defense and action role-playing adventure to your dungeon crawl?

Well, you'd get Dungeon of the Endless, a roguelike that has you sending a party out to protect against waves of incoming enemies. In the meantime, collect goods and upgrade your heroes. The game was previously only on Steam, but is now available on the iPad.

Next-generation Apple TV gaming prowess detailed in a new report

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2015

Just as the iPhone and iPad have been chipping away mercilessly at Nintendo's dominance in the handheld gaming market, Apple's next-generation set-top box should give dedicated game consoles a good run for their money.

A report by 9to5Mac's well-informed writer Mark Gurman lays out a few upcoming features for a rumored fourth-generation Apple TV that are bound to prompt gamers, casual and hardcore alike, to jump with joy.

Unreal Engine 4.9 hits with push notifications, CloudKit support and ton more goodies

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2015

Epic Games' widely used Unreal Engine that powers countless graphics-rich games like the Infinity Blade trilogy was bumped to version 4.9 today. New features include better graphics in iPhone and iPad games, the ability to use remote push notifications, support for Apple's CloudKit framework which provides authentication, databases and storage services to developers, and many other perks.

Unreal Engine 4.9 can be downloaded through the official website.

New Apple TV remote expected to feature Wii-like motion sensors

Cody Lee ∙ August 28, 2015

The new Apple TV expected to be unveiled at next month's event will feature a remote control with motion sensors, reports TechCrunch. Citing reliable sources, the site says the remote "likely includes several axis’ worth of sensors that put its control on par with a Nintendo Wii remote."

Apple has for years been rumored to be tinkering with motion control. The iPhone-maker has acquired multiple companies with expertise and proprietary technology related to the field, and it has filed several patent applications over the last 5 years regarding motion-sensing inventions.

Review: Lara Croft GO is the essence of adventure that feels unmistakably Tomb Raider-y

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 27, 2015

It only took a few minutes for me to get hooked on Lara Croft GO, a new premium title from Hitman GO creators Square Enix Montréal.

Created in partnership with Crystal Dynamics, this gorgeously done puzzle-solving adventure takes Hitman GO's turn-based strategy concept and simplicity of action to a whole new level while managing to incorporate several marquee aspects of the traditional Tomb Raider formula and gameplay.

But Lara Croft GO, a $4.99 download in the App Store, is hardly the same game as Hitman GO. More than the collection of its impressive parts—mesmerizing soundtrack, artful animations and gorgeous visuals—Lara Croft GO manages to distill the famed series down to its essence.

I spent a few hours playing and reviewing this game in the days leading up to its release, here are my hands-on impressions and findings.

Google’s new YouTube Gaming app is now available in the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2015

As expected, Google's YouTube Gaming app has begun rolling out in the App Store. Earlier this morning, Google launched a new website which sits at gaming.youtube.com, dedicated to watching and live-streaming gameplay videos.

The free of charge companion mobile app should be now available for download in your local App Store. Featuring a selection of live-streaming and on-demand content, the app acts as your one-stop shop for not just gameplay videos but video how-tos and walkthroughs as well.

Google takes on Twitch with YouTube Gaming

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2015

Originally announced two and a half months ago, YouTube Gaming went live this morning as the search giant's Twitch competitor slowly but surely comes into full view.

Basically a YouTube built for gamers, the all-new YouTube Gaming website is live in the United States and United Kingdom at gaming.youtube.com with a selection of live-streaming videos showing people playing various games.

Much like Amazon-owned Twitch service which allows people to stream their gameplay videos and others to watch it, YouTube Gaming was designed to host gameplay videos, video how-tos and walkthroughs pertaining to popular games and more.

Pocket God vs. Desert Ashes turns killing Pygmies into a strategy game

Lory Gil ∙ August 26, 2015

Fans of the popular Pocket God franchise should take note; the company that created the pygmy killing game has teamed up with Desert Ashes to make a game starring the former with the mechanics of the latter.

Pocket God vs. Desert Ashes is exactly as it sounds. The crossover game features the familiar family of worshipers fighting a turn-based strategy battle against the Landians. When those pesky land thieves invade the Island, the Pygmies prepare to fight.