I’m obviously excited about Legendary Heroes. It’s got me all in a tizzy, so to speak. But why is it so noteworthy? Read on for a better explanation than “it’s looking freaking awesome!”

First of all, it does indeed look awesome. It’s another iOS strategy game, which tend to fit the platform quite well. It features some pretty impressive-looking graphics. It takes the typical 2D castle defense genre and adds a third dimension, so there will be multiple paths to take in order to reach the enemy’s tower. Lots of power-ups can be used to bolster the team’s stats. And then there are the heroes.

Eight different heroes, each with their own abilities. Smaller units are still around, but it’s the direct control of the hero unit that really sets Legendary Heroes apart. Plus it sort of fits with the name. Anyway, it’s looking like an iOS mash-up of castle defense strategies, the fodder-pounding available in games like Dynasty Warriors and the inclusion of unique player-controlled hero classes that has been all the rage lately thanks to League of Legends.

Really now, how could someone not get excited about that combination? Oh but don’t just take my word for it. There’s a cleverly placed trailer sitting down there that should close the deal. Legendary Heroes will be out sometime in early 2012 and will be free-to-play.

It appears as though a new tower defense game has been thrown into the mix, and it offers up something that most others in the genre don’t: two more sides. That is to say, it takes the concept of grid-based tower construction and bumps things up from 4 sided boxes to 6 sided cells. It’s name is HexDefense and it’s the new, Open-GL using kid on the block.

HexDefense adheres to the more “open” style of defense gameplay in which the towers themselves are used to block enemy movement. At least, some of the levels do. Others appear to be of the more traditional set-path variety. Regardless of the layout, players will have to protect their base from enemy waves for 35 levels. Earning funds to place and upgrade more towers, naturally.

Seeing as it’s already in the App Store and is totally free, it’s something for strategy aficionados to consider.

FREE!

HexDefense

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-11-08 :: Category: Games

It seems like more and more people are taking self defense classes these days. It’s a practical skill, sadly, but I also think some of them do it because it’s a lot of work and can burn off calories and tone muscles like nobody’s business. But unless someone’s nine, it can be hard to make time for lessons X number of times a week. Sometimes people just can’t make it to the dojo.

This is why we have Self Defense for All, courtesy of YawaraJitsu. This “interactive self-defense course” sticks to the basics with a chronicle of many different techniques to learn. Each one also includes 3D video (featuring models with MASSIVE HANDS) that can be viewed from multiple angles to help users to fully understand the motions.

I want to stress that I don’t believe this app will truly teach anyone to be a self defense master. Something like that requires a senei with years of experience to point out inconsistencies in forms and other students to toss around so as to get an idea for what the moves actually feel like. But I do think it’s a useful tool for students that want to keep practicing off the mat. Self Defense for All is available on the App store right now in English, Spanish and Dutch for $5.99.

$1.99

Self Defense for All

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-09-30 :: Category: Healthcare & Fitness

Get those boards ready! Find a clean mop head! Load that shotgun! Chuck is back to protect and cleanse Niceville once more.

Taking it’s cues from the original Zombie Wonderland, Zombie Wonderland 2: Outta Time! puts players back into the over-worked and under-appreciated shoes of the town’s most renowned zombie-slayer/janitor. There haven’t been that many specifics given out as of yet, but it appears as though Chuck’s continued adventures in “Why the Heck Would Anyone Choose to Live Here, USA” will be a whole ‘lotta “more.” More clients, such as the viking, Jorund. More weapons, including the Wasp Grenade. More enemies like the Zombie Knight. And more time periods in which to mop up the living dead mess, then mop up the other living dead mess.

However, the biggest change (aside from being downright bigger in the first place) is that Zombie Wonderland 2 will follow a free-to-play model, with in-app purchases. Again, no other specifics have been given but I’m assuming that means paying real cash for either more in-game cash to buy upgrades, paying real cash up front for said upgrades/levels, or a combination of the two. Of course, within a few weeks there won’t be any more questions because the game should be out by then, but why not take a gander at the new trailer and gallery of concept art to whet that whistle?

Tower defense fans rejoice! Origin8, makers of the rather popular and critically acclaimed Sentinel 3: Homeworld have seen fit to drop the price for a limited time. Okay, it wasn’t entirely their doing but rather Openfeint’s FireSale promotion. Although technically it was the thousand Openfeint gamers who voted for the price drop, I suppose.

Regardless, Sentinel 3: Homeworld is temporarily marked down to a dollar. That’s right, for an indeterminate about of time it’s possible to get a hold of one of the App Store’s most celebrated tower defense titles for next to nothing. Even better, as special “Thank You” for all the love, Origin8 has also temporarily dropped the price of the Campaign 2 DLC. So that’s another dollar. Just in case anyone was wondering, that’s $5 worth of some of the most highly regarded TD goodness for a mere $2.

I’m sure there are a fair number of people reading this who already own the game, but I also imagine a fair number of them have yet to get the DLC. No time like the present, right? And everyone else who loves tower defense games but still doesn’t own it, wave those lame excuses bye-bye.

$2.99

Sentinel 3: Homeworld

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: AMAZING
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-11-26 :: Category: Games

Origin8, makers of the popular tower defense games Sentinel: Mars Defense and Sentinel 2: Earth Defense, are set to take the fight to space. Their third sci-fi strategy game takes place a century after the last title, and according to Origin8…

Space Station: Frontier sees the player in charge of a deep space mining operation in dangerous territory on the edge of Solar System. By constructing and powering networks of mining tools and weaponry – centred on the titular space station – players must juggle resource harvesting with the defence of their station against hordes of hostile alien ships.

As you can see from the trailer below, Space Station: Frontier adds some interesting wrinkles to the core defense gameplay, as there is an upgrade and management component to your expanding space station. Origin8 has stated that this is a persistent upgrade system, allowing you to level up your station with a variety of purchased tech, and then carry over your customisation across all game modes.

Space Station: Frontier was submitted for approval on December 14th, so we should be able to get our hands on it within the next couple weeks. The full list of features is as follows:

Construct weaponry and mining tools using an intuitive tower defense style interface.

Design and power vast networks of structures, then defend them against alien incursion!

Earn upgrades and unlocks for your space station to increase its power and abilities!

Enjoy the story-based campaign mode where you are humanity’s last chance for survival.

Play one of the freeform, endless modes and compete with other players worldwide using the online leaderboards.

Mission mode provides quick tactical challenges. Beat a scenario to earn achievements!

Full OpenFeint integration provides multiple user profiles, complete offline support, online scores and lots achievements to earn.

Awesome music & sound effects by Earcom!

Also, as we reported last week, you can experience the original, critically-acclaimed Sentinel: Mars Defense for free until Christmas…

$0.99

Sentinel: Mars Defense

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: STELLAR
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2009-02-27 :: Category: Games