Games

Magenta Arcade review: tap to destroy everything in this mobile vertical shooter

Vertical shooters are a lot of fun and some of my favorite types of games. The Raiden series is always in my iPad games folder. I enjoy the fast-paced action and all out attack from the top of the screen.

Magenta Arcade is a vertical shooter that takes place in a fantasy world where you are a god granting wishes to your people. When disaster strikes, you must retaliate with an unceasing blast of firepower on the enemy. We’ve got a game review of Magenta Arcade for you right now.

Firewatch preview: stunning mystery adventure for Mac set in Wyoming wilderness

If you own a Mac, the name of developer Panic may ring a bell. What do you mean 'no'? This Portland, Oregon based studio is responsible for some well-known Mac utilities, such as the FTP app called Transmit (now available on iOS as well) and the brilliant web editor Coda, to name but a few.

Anyways, Panic has provided the funds to launch a small but scrappy new game studio, Campo Santo. And Panic and Campo's inaugural Mac game called Firewatch will be a sight to behold, that's for sure.

A mere glance at this eye-candy of a game tells you that Firewatch is going to be something special, an atmospheric adventure bound to push the envelope in terms of both graphics and storytelling.

Adventures of Poco Eco – Lost Sounds combines music and puzzle in a retro future

There have been a number of bands and artists that have collaborated with app developers to come up with a way to release an album digitally. There are apps with videos, scrapbook style content, and even strange visual elements.

Adventures of Poco Eco is a game created to coincide with the launch of Hungarian musician Iamyank’s newest six-song album, Lost Sounds. Players explore a visually dense dreamy atmosphere while listening to the album. Solve mini puzzles to unlock new levels and hear new songs.

Apple names Dark Echo its Free App of the Week

Apple's editorial team has named Dark Echo by RAC7 Games its latest Free App of the Week, meaning the $1.99 game will be available at no cost until next Thursday, March 26.

Dark Echo is a minimalist puzzle game in which you use sound to explore mysterious environments and escape from an unseen evil through eighty ominous levels.

Dice Town comes to iOS: get ready to gamble

If you follow my reviews, you know how much I love board games that are ported to iOS. I am especially excited about the ones I’ve never had the chance to play in real life. I can find out whether I want to invest in the board game by playing a few rounds of the digital version.

Dice Town Mobile is an iOS port of the land grab game of luck and fortune. Just like in trading stocks, the more you risk, the bigger the win. But, the higher the stakes, the more chance you have of losing it all.

Modern Combat 5 goes free, gains MFi controller support, new multiplayer, Support soldiers, more

In addition to going free for the first time (regularly a $4 value), a barrage of new features have been added to Modern Combat 5 in a brand new Spring update to Gameloft's excellent war shooter (an App Store Best of 2014).

Now available in the App Store, Modern Combat 5: Blackout version 1.2 finally supports 'Made for iPhone' game controllers, both form-fitting and extended variants.

There's a brand new multiplayer mode available called Zone Control in which you must capture and defend areas to boost your score. Other improvements include new weapons and character classes and additional character customization.

Nintendo changes tune, confirms bringing its beloved videogame franchises to mobile

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo confirmed Tuesday a broad partnership with fellow Japanese videogame maker DeNA that will see it create games for smartphones and tablets based on its classic characters, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The iconic company has also teased its next-generation gaming system code0named "NX."

For a long, long time a staunch opposer to porting its prized Mario, Zelda and Pokémon videogame franchises to mobile, Nintendo has thankfully changed its rigid stance in response to lagging sales of its own console hardware and software and the mobile gaming industry becoming an estimated $25 billion market.

Prison Life RPG review: survive, escape, or die in prison

There are simulators for all kinds of life experiences, including running a theme park, building a bustling metropolis, and owning the airlines. There is a darker side to life, though. Now, anyone can be a part of it.

Prison Life RPG is a lot more creative than its name implies. It is a prison life simulator where players must make friends, join gangs, and stab people in the shower in order to survive. We’ve got a hands-on game review of Prison Life RPG for your reading pleasure.

MATE.. is a fast-moving twitch game that will leave you spinning

Every once in a while, a really hard game finds a home in the App Store. Not complex or difficult to understand, but really, really hard. MATE.. is one of those games. No matter how many times you play it, it is nearly impossible to get through more than a few seconds before slamming into a wall and losing.

Rocket Joust review: unseat your opponents on a rocket-propelled mount

I’ve tried a couple of jousting games in the App Store. They look cool and have great graphics, but similar to golfing video games, I’m not a big fan of the type of games where you have to time the swing, or attack, with precision. I prefer to run amok and swing wild.

Rocket Joust is a competitive arena game where players try to knock their opponent off of their mount with a good solid stab. Timing is less important than attacking your foes with unrestraint. We’ve got a game review of Rocket Joust for you today.

8bit Doves is Apple’s new Free App of the Week

Today is the day Apple's editorial team gets to cherry-pick a new iOS app to feature as the App Store's Free App of the Week. Are you ready for something completely different this time around? Good, because this week's gem of a game is 8bit Doves (regularly $2.99).

The charming retro title incorporates a Gameboy like color scheme and pixelated graphics which evokes pleasant memories of the golden age of 8-bit gaming.

Spread across three worlds (Sweet Dreams, Deep Sleep and Nightmare), 8bit Doves employs simple mechanics in the form of an intuitive two button gameplay. Your goal is simple: you must fly through each stage and reach the exit. Those who manage to get doves to follow them along the way will earn some extra bonus bragging rights on Game Center.