Staff Writer with the 148Apps Network since August 16, 2010
Mild mannered programmer by day; gamer, podcaster, and writer by night. Blake is a staff writer for 148Apps, as well as the Managing Editor at GamesAreEvil.com. He also co-hosts and produces the EvilCast Recap podcast with fellow gaming junkies Ross Polly, Keri Honea, and Chris Nitz.
As you may have already read, earlier today Tweetbot just released a fresh new release of their extremely popular iPhone Twitter client. Going along with that, developer Tapbots has also announced that there is finally an iPad version of the application available on the App Store.
The new application makes use of the extra screenspace of the iPad, by streamlining the already exceptional dash interface. Among the highlights of the tool are the gesture controls that greatly simplify Twitter stream navigation. Along with redefining interface, users will also be able to go in and manually modify what is shown on screen. Trust us, customization is always a good thing.
If there were one complaint about this news, it is that Tweetbot is not available as a Universal app. That said, when something is this useful, there isn’t anything wrong with plunking down a few extra bucks to support the developer. Check it out, because it will no doubt be money well spent.
Who doesn’t love a good shooter set in the days of a World War III tainted apocalypse? The wild west has risen again, and the multiplayer shooter Warm Gun will help figure out how it truly was won.
A little birdie from the game’s developer over at Emotional Robots decided to chirp in our ear about a brand spankin’ new update that just moseyed its way into the App Store. Among the most prominent changes, players will immediately begin seeing a 40% increase in performance, no matter what iOS device they are using. Also, lets not lose sight of a newly introduced interface and an entirely new map: Coldshot.
Probably the best part of the entire announcement is the fact that until the end of February Warm Gun will be marked down to a mere $1.99. So now looks to be as good a time as any to holster up and take a step into the past… or is it the future? Where is Marty McFly when you need him?
It is hard to pinpoint why, but there is just something about superheroes that make for amazing video games. iNoko Studios thinks that they may have just created the next great hero for iOS gamers: Half Breed.
Players are placed in the form of an unnamed super-soldier that has been abducted by aliens. So what makes this hero so special? He has the ability to shoot lightning bolts from his hands! Talk about a shocking development for enemies, to say the very least. Here is a sneak peek at what you can expect from this intriguing new action game:
Half Breed was actually designed and developed by Clinton Akins, an active duty soldier, while he was fulfilling a yearlong combat deployment in Iraq. Akins has already committed to donating a percentage of the ad-based proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps wounded war veterans. Why not download this free app and do your part to support the cause?
When it comes to racing games on iOS, it is safe to say that there are more than a couple of options. However, very few have the look and feel of the gorgeous visuals found in a Square Enix game. Though it isn’t from the famed Japanese developer, the upcoming game Speed Blazers, from developer Fraktalvoid seems to to be hitting on many of the same visual cues. If you are still skeptical, take a look at the trailer below and judge for yourself:
Now do you see what we mean? Regardless of how the game actually looks, there seems to be a very interesting and strategical approach to racing that might be worth taking a good long look at. The title will feature thirty two stages at launch, with more to come down the road. It is slated to hit the App Store in the next couple of weeks, so keep your eye out. But be careful, Speed Blazers might be so fast that you just might miss it!
Finding the way around a new city is never any fun. Between not knowing where you are and where anything is, it is a recipe for disaster when it comes to having a night out on the town. But what if there were a personalize mapping app that did all of the legwork for you? The new app Scout from TeleNav does just that, and a whole lot more.
Imagine being lost in a dark part of town and wondering where you could find a nice quiet pub. That frost brew is only a few clicks away thanks to Scout, which will find all of the locations around you that might just fit the bill. Plus, if you liked the place and would like to return there in the future, just place a bookmark and you can find your way back at a later date. When combined with their stellar website, and upcoming integration with vehicles, this could very well be the navigation wave of the future. Climb aboard!
One of the more interesting developments of the last few years has been the introduction of using a website such as Kickstarter.com in order to raise funds for an independent game’s development. One such game that is need of a little aid is UFHO2, a puzzle game from small Italian developer Tiny Colossus. Based off of the studio’s short lived online experience, UFHO, the sequel is hoping to bring the title’s unique brand of brain busting to the masses.
The project is already a quarter of the way to its final goal and needs to raise another few thousand in funds before February 11th. Once that has been reached, the game will kick up into full production, targeting the iOS platform and primarily the iPad. Here is the development team’s elevator pitch for the game:
If you would like to pitch in to help the cause, you can take a look at UFHO2′s Kickstarter page and contribute whatever you see fit. Who knows? It might just be a classic in the making.
If there is one thing that stinks about exercising, it is that it’s nearly impossible to work out and game at the same time. Hoping to make the arduous task of physical fitness slightly more tolerable, developer BitGym has released an awesome new game to make the minutes fly by. Racing fans will be glad to know that Fit Freeway will now allow them to get their daily dose of pedaling in while indulging their inner competitor, all at the same time.
Finding an outstanding use for the front facing camera, the on-screen car can actually be controlled using head tracking. As for the accelerator, the iOS device will use the inner sensors to monitor the vibrations of the workout equipment. So the harder you pedal the faster the car moves. This is an amazing idea that we can’t believe that someone didn’t think about sooner.
Be sure to give the game a download and put the pedal to the metal in your next workout! Let us know what you think of it in the comments.
At this point it pretty much goes without saying that TomTom is one the most widely used GPS services on the market. As part of this expansion, they brought their prowess in the navigation world to iOS. As one might assume, this was a lucrative decision for the company that has paid off for consumers tenfold.
One thing that TomTom has been great about doing is updating their software with different and unique pieces of functionality, features lacking in the competition. At CES they previewed their upcoming 1.10 update, and the name of the game is social networking. The core software will now link up with Twitter and Facebook to share destinations and arrival times, all without ever having to leave the application. Heck, they even made this data available for transfer via text message and email as well!
While this is not exactly in the realm of transportation directions, it certainly makes interesting uses of features already on iOS devices. We will have more information on the update when it nears release sometime this quarter. Until then, keep both hands on the wheel.
If there was one thing that the iPad had working against it, it was the lack of cell service. Sure, it has iMessage and some have 3G, but sometimes a two minute phone call can communicate the same amount of information as twenty texts. This is why the new app Line2 HD is so groundbreaking, because it successfully turns an iPad into a phone.
Accessible via both wifi and 3G, the application keeps users in constant connection with their own personal phone line through the Line2 service. Complete with caller ID, the ability to call out, receive text messages, and even voice mail, the monthly cost for the service is a mere $9.95 a month or $99.50 for the entire year. Though this may sound costly, just remember what we all shell out on a monthly basis just to pay cell phone bills. In the long run it could actually be quite the money saver.
This functionality is just the tip of the iceberg, so check out the video below and give the free app a download. After all, with a free seven day trail, what do you have to lose?
These days it is getting very hard to find something good on television. Between quality content getting cut and Kardashians become even more prevalent, it seems like the deck is stacked against the casual viewer. But what if there were a tool that tracked your preferences and actually could recommend content that you might enjoy? This is exactly what the newest revision to the Peel app can do, along with making that TV Guide all but obsolete.
The new 2.0 update to the application is now leveraging the power of social networks to connect users with even more customized content. All that needs to be done is log in with someone’s Facebook account and the suggestions will start rolling in from other users and friends. This is a great way to see how your tastes compare to friends and maybe discover a hidden gem or two that might have otherwise never been given a chance. Take the free app for a spin and let us know what you think!
Have you ever seen one of those ancient black and whit photos and wished you were there? Yeah, me neither… But in case you feel misplaced in the current century, the upcoming app Old Timey Photo Booth is coming to make your dreams come true.
Will it allow you to climb into a Delorian with Marty McFly to zap yourself into the past for a photo? Of course not, it is impossible to find a functioning flux capacitor is this day and age. Instead it allows you to take photos on an existing iOS device and overlay those images on honest to goodness vintage images.
While it isn’t exactly a time travel, it is still neat to seen ancient looking photos with familiar faces. Keep an eye peeled for this unique tool, because it is slated to hit the App Store by the middle of the month. Until then, you can get back to your research with Doc Brown.
Telltale Games are back at it again, fellow gumshoes, and they are bringing some of the biggest names in Law & Order history along for the ride. With two episodes already in the can for the Law & Order franchise, today marks the launch of the third episode in the series: Killer Smart. Here is the rundown of the case:
In Episode 3: Killer Smart an investigation of bodies dumped along a lonely stretch of road in Long Island is underway. The killers are revealed to be an intelligent sociopath and a dim-witted thug, who bizarrely decide to represent themselves in court. The sociopath attempts to manipulate his partner’s weakness to turn the case against him. But the partner is fiercely loyal. The player must now decide how to wedge them apart—or convict them both.
Can the detectives crack the case, or is this another file that will go cold? The only way to find out is to download this latest $2.99 installment or buy the entire six episode season for $12.99. No matter how you cut it, this is a deal that you shouldn’t let slip through the cracks.
When looking back over some of the most exciting developments of the last two years, it would be hard to ignore the groundbreaking cloud gaming solution, OnLive. The company was founded around the idea of taking dated hardware and allowing gamers to play a high-end gaming experience, all through the streaming power of the internet.
The technology behind the service is impressive enough to provide a quality gaming experience, with very little lag time, which makes today’s announcement a relative no-brainer. OnLive is planning to apply this streaming technology to desktop virtualization. All those crazy pipe dreams about being able to have a true desktop experience away from the keyboard may finally be coming to fruition.
iPad will be the first iOS device to be able to fully take advantage of this new technology, when they debut their free OnLive Desktop app soon. Among the pieces of software available for virtualization at launch will be Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, which are viewed by many as the holy trinity of office productivity.
Though the base application will be a free, there will be microtransations that can be used to add in additional storage space, applications and, you guessed it, games. There are also plans of releasing a professional tier application, for $9.99 a month. This second service would bump the storage space from a mere 2GBs to a hulking 50GBs, as well as add in even more applications and features.
If the technology works as well as their gaming service has, business folks will undoubtedly be lining up in droves to take part. Better yet, the company’s use of cloud computing could put the need for purchasing a high end workhorse PC on the back burner, in exchange for an iPad. That seems like the kind of trade off that the mobile masses could strongly support. Plus, this sure makes it a whole lot easier to suggest expensing an iPad on the company’s dime. THANK YOU ONLIVE!
It is that magic time of the year where electronics manufacturers trot out their prize show ponies at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. Aside from being the first big trade show of the year, it is also used as an opportunity for companies to debut their new products. After the standout success of ION Audio’s iCade, at last year’s show, it only seemed like a matter of time before we were treated to their next innovative takes on the peripheral.
Today they were proud to announce that they have not one, but THREE new additions to the iCade line, two of which are aimed at making better use of your more portable iOS devices. Here is the full rundown of what you can expect to see in 2012:
iCade Jr
If it wasn’t obvious from simply eyeballing it, this is a miniaturized version of the original iCade cabinet that started it all. Featuring a fully articulated joystick, the device also has four front facing buttons as well as four that are around the back of the cabinet’s assembly. Why exactly are there four buttons around back? Who knows, but you can bet that the first person to figure it out could stand to make quite a bit of money from the App Store. Meant to nestle a iPod Touch or iPhone inside, this is perfect for the arcade junkie on the go.
iCade Mobile
Just in case you couldn’t tell from the image above, this next re-envisioning of the iCade brand retrofits an iPhone or iPod Touch into something that more resembles the form factor of Sony’s early iterations on the PlayStation Portable. What it lacks in joystick it makes up for in a D-pad, which could be either a really good or really bad thing, depending upon the quality of the materials used to construct the device. Based purely upon the image above there also appears to be some sort of ergonomic hand grips behind the molding of the chassis, which should hopefully ease the wrist strain that has previously been associated with gaming on the smaller iOS hardware.
iCade Core
Remember everything that you liked about the iCade? Well what if we told you that you could have the same functionality, without having to haul around that gigantic cabinet everywhere? The iCade Core will attempt to do this by removing the exterior case assembly and focus on keeping the form factor to a minimum. Simply put, all of the core mechanical pieces of the previous monolith have been shrunk down to fit into a glorified joysick arcade pad. In the back of the station is a grove and docking station where gamers can securely dock their iPad and get back adventuring down retro gaming memory lane.
These all look like great additions to the already outstanding iCade family. What could be coming next an even smaller model for your iPod Nano? We sure hope not, but only time will tell…
A wise man once said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” If that is the case, then developer Jinqi Pang might as well be writing Popcap a love note in the most gushing prose imaginable. Just a look at their game Castle Attack – Ultimate HD+ and you will see why.
In case it wasn’t apparent, this new puzzler set during the Han Dynasty, seems just a tad like the Popcap powerhouse, Plants vs Zombies.
Instead of gathering sun beams, Castle Attack has players gathering food that is produced on a regular basis by cook units. These can then be expended to purchase other units used to protect the castle. Though unit names may be different, the core conceit of the game remains the same.
Lets just hope that the production values live up to the Popcap standard as well, because this game will set you back a hefty $9.99. If you have the chance to check it out, let us know what you think of it in the comments below.
Telltale Games are back at it again, bringing more of their point and click goodness to the iOS. Mirroring the cinematic Jurassic Park experience already available on the PC, the iPad 2 exclusive second episode will continue the quest embarked upon in the series’ freshman effort.
“The Cavalry,” as this newest installment is christened, will actually follow two separate plotlines. In one branch Nima, Gerry and Jess will continue searching for a shortcut, pushing the trio through a never-completed roller coaster. The other side of the story will focus on a rescue team desperately in search of survivors. If nothing else, this certainly sounds like a compelling direction to resume the action.
Also, iPad 2 owners shouldn’t forget that all of the current as well as upcoming Jurassic Park episodes will take advantage of iOS’s unique AirPlay functionality when combined with an Apple TV. Why just play something on a tablet when you can experience it on the big screen, right? This should be a mission jam packed with exciting dinosaur encounters that players will not soon forget.
They always say that during the holidays it is better to give than to receive. Cut The Rope developer ZeptoLab seems to have taken that to heart. To show their unwavering dedication and appreciation to the fans they just released update version 1.6 to the App Store classic, entitled “Buzz Box,” completely free of charge.
So over a year after this iOS mainstay debuted it is once again, both literally and figuratively, changing the game. Here is what you can expect to find in the newest update:
“The award-winning, physics-based puzzler you can’t get enough of introduces Om Nom to a new box filled with 25 exciting levels. The update also introduces a Busy Bee feature with bees that never stop buzzing as they keep moving and stretching the ropes, bringing a challenging new element to the game…”
Just in case you were curious to see how the new “Busy Bee”s will mix things up, check out the trailer below. For those out there without this installed on every iOS device under the sun, what the heck are you waiting for? We promise that you will not regret it.
When an iOS game has over 1.6 million unique users every single day, it is pretty safe to say that it might be successful. One of the very few apps that can boast that kind of statistic would be the run away success Cut The Rope. Just trying to wrap my brain around the absurdity of that many players in a single day is nigh impossible, so I don’t even bother trying to comprehend the game’s total download count of over 60 million across the iOS and Android platforms.
So with that many people being invested in the plight of poor little Om Nom, you might have wondered where the little critter came from, what exactly it is, and how it came to love sugary treats. ZeptoLab decided that the best way to answer this and many more questions was to launch a new comic, explaining his entire origin story. The series’ companion app just launched yesterday on the App Store, with a completely free first issue.
If the first story strikes your fancy, the rest of the episodes will be available for two dollars. There will also be a full print run of the comic coming next year, so there is a little bit of something for everyone. Give the first issue a read and let us know if you like it in the comments.
Fans of the combat racing game Death Rally already know that this is truly the game that keeps on giving. After snagging tons of acclaim upon release, the title has seen a remarkable SEVEN free updates. Move over Rovio, because Remedy Entertainment is gunning for the crown of best fan service.
Here is a laundry list of some of the new features included in this well timed holiday present:
ROAD WARS MULTIPLAYER: Experience the complete multiplayer campaign. Unlock cars and weapons by destroying your opponents. Advance your career. Claim the crown.
FRIENDS PLAY: Round up your friends on your own Friends Game Channel. Use auto match and never get lost.
BATTLE MODIFIERS: Turn the odds in your favor. Use Shotgun Blues to make your auto machine gun shoot shotgun shells, or start your race using nitros with Quick Start.
WAR PAINT: Unique paint job for Shrieker and Vagabond that brings these cars’ performance to a whole new level!
NEW RANK SYSTEM: From Roadkill to Battle-Hardened Captain, track your progress more accurately than ever before on your way to becoming the Adversary. Carry your shield with pride!
Easily the most remarkable piece of this announcement is the addition of a complete campaign focused entirely on multiplayer content. This kind of support, especially in the arena of multiplayer gaming, is rarely seen this far after a launch. Plus, all of the added features such as the new ranking system and battle modifiers show an added dedication to keeping the game as balanced as possible.
If you have yet to check out Death Rally, it is well worth a look. In celebration of the update the game’s price has been dropped to ninety nine cents, so now is certainly the opportunity to take advantage. Fire up the throttle and gear up for one hell of a race.
iOS has had a longstanding love affair with the “matching” game genre. It is pretty much impossible to execute a search on the App Store without turning up at least a couple in every batch of results. Developer Exit Strategy Entertainment is hoping to get in on a little bit of that action as well with the announcement of their new game: Planet Buster.
Aside from being an action oriented puzzle game, Planet Buster also acts to introduce players to the “Pirates of New Horizons” universe, which the company hopes to build out with an 3D action adventure game coming soon. If you would like a taste of what you can expect from this power-up based mind bender, check out the trailer below.
The game features forty eight unique stages and an additional fourteen challenge levels, so it is bound to keep players busy for quite some time. Give it a look and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Earlier this year microtransaction based games were just starting to hit their stride on iOS. One such title that dipped its toes into those waters was the Rodeo Games developed Hunters: Episode One. The game landed a four star review back in March, and went on to be downloaded an impressive 600,000 times over the last nine months. The tactical RPG/strategy genre was a perfect fit for the iPhone and iPad, and fans seemed to feel passionately the same way.
A chief complaint about the game was that it lacked a clear cut campaign, or protagonist for that matter, for players to invest themselves in. Having heard the input from fans and critics alike, Rodeo Games are proud to announce that Hunters 2, a proper sequel to the game, is in the works and will feature a full single player campaign. Following the story of Hero class character Caius Black, players will finally get their next chance to jump into the deeply immersive and detailed worlds of the Hunters universe.
Here are some of the improvements and enhancements that Rodeo has in store:
“…included are new enemies races, environments, mission types and of course more guns and gear! Under the hood, we’ve built a new graphics engine which can handle real-time dynamic lighting along with loads of customization options.”
The new game is scheduled to launch in Spring of 2012 on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. There aren’t any details on what specific devices will be supported, but this will no doubt be discussed as the release date more rapidly approaches. Check out some of the preview images below, just to get a taste of the action that will be coming your way next year. But until then, if you haven’t checked out the original game, you really owe it to yourself to give it a look. After a few hours of play you will probably be just as excited as we are!
What is the best way to make a great game even greater? Developers 5th Cell and Iron Galaxy are hedging their bets that the wave of the future is voice recognition. For this very reason the recently released Scribblenauts Remix for iOS is getting a much deserved revision, exclusively for iPhone 4S users.
Expanding on the already amazing feature set of the Scribblenaunts universe, all that iPhone 4S owners will need to do is talk to their phone in order to populate the game world with a multitude of awesome objects. Unfortunately if you own any other iOS devices you will be on the outside looking in. That said, this is still an exciting development for what is arguably one of most innovative games on the platform.
There is no word as to whether there are plans to add voice support to other devices down the road, but we can all cross our fingers. Check out the trailer below to see the new voice controls in action.
Game Center: Grundy The Man
OpenFeint: Grundy The Man
Twitter: 
As you may have already read, earlier today Tweetbot just released a fresh new release of their extremely popular iPhone Twitter client. Going along with that, developer Tapbots has also announced that there is finally an iPad version of the application available on the App Store.
:: WELL-BUILT MACHINE
Who doesn’t love a good shooter set in the days of a World War III tainted apocalypse? The wild west has risen again, and the multiplayer shooter 
It is hard to pinpoint why, but there is just something about superheroes that make for amazing video games. 
Finding the way around a new city is never any fun. Between not knowing where you are and where anything is, it is a recipe for disaster when it comes to having a night out on the town. But what if there were a personalize mapping app that did all of the legwork for you? The new app 
One of the more interesting developments of the last few years has been the introduction of using a website such as 
If there is one thing that stinks about exercising, it is that it’s nearly impossible to work out and game at the same time. Hoping to make the arduous task of physical fitness slightly more tolerable, developer 
At this point it pretty much goes without saying that 
If there was one thing that the iPad had working against it, it was the lack of cell service. Sure, it has iMessage and some have 3G, but sometimes a two minute phone call can communicate the same amount of information as twenty texts. This is why the new app 
These days it is getting very hard to find something good on television. Between quality content getting cut and Kardashians become even more prevalent, it seems like the deck is stacked against the casual viewer. But what if there were a tool that tracked your preferences and actually could recommend content that you might enjoy? This is exactly what the newest revision to the 
Have you ever seen one of those ancient black and whit photos and wished you were there? Yeah, me neither… But in case you feel misplaced in the current century, the upcoming app Old Timey Photo Booth is coming to make your dreams come true.
Telltale Games are back at it again, fellow gumshoes, and they are bringing some of the biggest names in 
When looking back over some of the most exciting developments of the last two years, it would be hard to ignore the groundbreaking cloud gaming solution, 
Remember everything that you liked about the iCade? Well what if we told you that you could have the same functionality, without having to haul around that gigantic cabinet everywhere? The iCade Core will attempt to do this by removing the exterior case assembly and focus on keeping the form factor to a minimum. Simply put, all of the core mechanical pieces of the previous monolith have been shrunk down to fit into a glorified joysick arcade pad. In the back of the station is a grove and docking station where gamers can securely dock their iPad and get back adventuring down retro gaming memory lane.
Instead of gathering sun beams, Castle Attack has players gathering food that is produced on a regular basis by cook units. These can then be expended to purchase other units used to protect the castle. Though unit names may be different, the core conceit of the game remains the same.
Telltale Games are back at it again, bringing more of their point and click goodness to the iOS. Mirroring the cinematic Jurassic Park experience already available on the PC, the iPad 2 exclusive second episode will continue the quest embarked upon in the series’ freshman effort.
They always say that during the holidays it is better to give than to receive. Cut The Rope developer 
When an iOS game has over 1.6 million unique users every single day, it is pretty safe to say that it might be successful. One of the very few apps that can boast that kind of statistic would be the run away success 
Fans of the combat racing game 
Easily the most remarkable piece of this announcement is the addition of a complete campaign focused entirely on multiplayer content. This kind of support, especially in the arena of multiplayer gaming, is rarely seen this far after a launch. Plus, all of the added features such as the new ranking system and battle modifiers show an added dedication to keeping the game as balanced as possible.
iOS has had a longstanding love affair with the “matching” game genre. It is pretty much impossible to execute a search on the App Store without turning up at least a couple in every batch of results. Developer 
Earlier this year microtransaction based games were just starting to hit their stride on iOS. One such title that dipped its toes into those waters was the 
Here are some of the improvements and enhancements that Rodeo has in store:
What is the best way to make a great game even greater? Developers 
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