Games

Jump looks retro like Pong, but plays like a 21st century arcade game

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 4, 2018

Pong may be have been created 42 years ago, but its legacy lives on in the hearts of gamers everywhere. It also lives on in the design aesthetic of game developers. Its minimalist visage may have been a necessity of the times, but it got the job done with very little visual details and still made for an excellent video game.

Jump has a similar artistic appeal. It is made up of dashes and dots. However, don’t let the looks fool you. This is nothing like Pong when it comes to game mechanics. You might think it is more fun, depending on your opinion of arcade games.

The best Games of 2014

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

For me, when it comes to games, there are so many amazing ones that it is difficult to decide which gets top billing. When Sebastien asked for my pick, I almost had an anxiety attack just thinking about it.

Luckily, the pick for best apps and games is a collaborative effort and the weight of this list did not rest solely on my shoulders. The writing team at iDB submitted their favorites for this year’s best game and the entries were put to a vote. The winner, runner-ups, and the game we think is the best ever, are listed for you below.

Heads Up and Facebook Messenger among most downloaded iOS apps in 2014

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Apple has shared some cumulative end-of-the-year lists for best performing iOS apps of 2014. The lists, which have been posted in the App Store, include top paid apps for iPhone and iPad, top free apps for iPhone and iPad, and the top grossing apps for iPhone and iPad.

There aren't too many surprises here, with familiar names like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat ranking high. Still, it's interesting to see which titles had major success this year, and which ones didn't. Below you'll find the top 10 apps from each of the categories.

Another Nintendo emulator sneaks onto App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

A file management app innocently named Floppy Cloud, which contains a hidden emulator of the Nintendo NES and Super Nintendo, is now available in the App Store.

As pointed out by TouchArcade, its developer Kyle Hankinson has cunningly exploited the annual App Store shutdown to sneak Floppy Cloud onto Apple's servers “moments before the iTunes freeze,” which started yesterday and ends on December 29.

Developers are unable to upload new code to the App Store during the iTunes freeze window so Floppy Cloud should be available on the App Store for a few days before Apple pulls it first thing in the morning on December 29.

Space-themed board game Galaxy Trucker comes to iPhone with pocket edition

Lory Gil ∙ December 23, 2014

A few months ago, Galaxy Trucker launched in the App Store exclusively on the iPad. Fans of the original board game were subject to tablet playing, or not playing at all. Luckily, the game’s developer realized that iPhone owners are board game players too and reacted accordingly.

Galaxy Trucker Pocket is the iPhone version of the popular space ship building card game. Players connect different cards to their ship’s engine in order to build the most epic space racer in the galaxy. If you don’t place cards in ideal locations, you may see your ship crumble to pieces.

Docking Sequence is a retro graphics shuttle-landing simulation game

Lory Gil ∙ December 22, 2014

There are loads of simulation games out there. You can take flight in complex military plane cockpits, ride the rails as a train conductor, and even build an entire city as mayor. How about a docking simulation game that takes place in outer space?

Docking Sequence is such a game. Players navigate a shuttlecraft through treacherous environments in an attempt to safely land on a space station. Think Gravity mixed with Interstellar, only in 8-bit.

Stair: Slide the Blocks to Ascend review – the name says it all

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

I love it when a completely new type of game comes out. It’s not that often that we, as game reviewers, get to play around with something that has not yet been done to death in one form or another, even in our most favorite genres.

Stair: Slide the Blocks to Ascend is different than most types of games I’ve played, yet its simplicity makes it so easy to get engrossed in that it seems like I’d been playing it for years. It is technically an endless jumper, but not like Knightmare Tower or Ninja Up. We’ve got a hands-on game review of Stair for your reading enjoyment today.

Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest games discounted in Square Enix holiday sale

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 12, 2018

Joining Halfbrick and others, Square Enix has launched a holiday promotional sale for all of its iOS games. So for a limited time, you can pickup some of the studio's biggest titles for iPhone and iPad at a significant discount.

The Square Enix library contains a number of popular console ports, including Final Fantasy 1-6, and Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as multiple Chaos Rings and Dragon Quest games. We've listed all of the discounted titles below.

Top Farm, a FarmVille-like game from Fruit Ninja creators, now available globally

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 19, 2014

As Fruit Ninja and the rest of Halfbrick's lineup of paid iOS games has gone free for a limited time, the company on Friday released a brand new iPhone and iPad game in the App Store. Top Farm, a would-be FarmVille killer, actually soft-launched in select markets a year ago and it's now available worldwide.

A free-to-play download, Top Farm is a farm simulation game created by Brazil-based studio Vostu in which you must harvest crops, craft goods and explore new colorful and vibrant lands.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut review

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Fans of tactical military turn-based strategy games can step into a future where humans merge with technology to become superhuman. Sprinkle a little magic into the equation and you’ve got a tactical game for every walk of life.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut is such a game and features a dystopian future where tech and magic collide, creating the kinds of criminal element you would never wish to encounter in real life. We’ve got a full game review of Shadowrun: Dragonfall for you right now.

bit Dungeon II is a classic roguelike inspired by Zelda

Lory Gil ∙ December 19, 2014

No one ever said that crawling through dungeons was easy. But the payoff makes it worth the effort. In roguelike games, permadeath is what makes the work so hard. What’s the point of looting all of those treasure chests if you’re just going to lose them when you die anyway?

Adventure, that’s the point. bit Dungeon II has it in spades. Head out into the ethereal world where spirits and demons collide in epic and dangerous battles. Explore dark dungeons and fight major bosses in this traditional roguelike game.

Fruit Ninja and all other Halfbrick Studio games are free right now

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

The folks over at Halfbrick Studios must be getting in the holiday spirt, because they just discounted their entire library of iOS games down to free. That's right, for a limited time, you can pick up any one of their popular apps for iPhone and iPad, at absolutely 0 cost.

Even if you're not familiar with the Halfbrick name, there's a good chance you've played one of their titles. The studio is responsible for a number of iOS hits including Fruit Ninja, Monster Dash, Jetpack Joyride and more. Full list of games and App Store links below.