I unfortunately missed out on the chance to play Rage of the Gladiator when it was originally released on the Wii, despite my legitimate interest. Luckily I’ve gotten a second chance because Gamelion is porting it over to iOS devices as a fully re-mastered and arguably definitive version.

The basic story is that Gracius, the main character and gladiator extraordinaire, is fighting for his freedom and for revenge against those who’ve slain his father. How? By cutting a swathe through a horde of inhuman bosses. Anyone who’s played Infinity Blade will be familiar with the adapted control scheme (tap arrows to dodge left/right, tap buttons to block, swipe to attack), but combat in Rage of the Gladiator feels decidedly more arcade-like than Epic’s, well, epic. Attack and response time is a bit faster, fights are broken up into three “rounds” much like a boxing match, and there are a number of weapons and skills to unlock and purchase as you progress.

Again, while Rage of the Gladiator is indeed similar to that other popular swipe fighter it’s not exactly a carbon copy. There’s a noticeable emphasis on giving each combatant their own personality, and with the addition of a jump button and some rather complex combo attacks it can be quite the ordeal to make it through a fight in decent shape. It‘s definitely a challenge but every pattern can be learned eventually and it can be exceedingly satisfying to knock a particularly bothersome foe in the jaw with a warhammer in slow motion.

Anyone interested in a first-person arcade-esque gladiatorial beat down should keep an eye on the App Store. There’s no official word on a price but Rage of the Gladiator is set to release sometime in November.

The Backstory
It’s tough to really pin down the goings-on in fighting games. Story isn’t a particularly big focus most of the time and can lead to all kinds of weird stuff. An evil dictator bent on world domination creating a female clone of himself is just one example. Suffice it to say, so long as there’s a reason for wacky folks to fight the hows and whys don’t matter so much. As is the case with Street Fighter. Ignoring the nitty gritty the important thing to understand here is that Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, and the rest have gathered once again to beat the snot out of each other for their own personal reasons. And our amusement, of course.

The Gameplay
Street Fighter IV Volt (and by extension the original iOS release) had one major hurdle to overcome: controls. Virtual sticks and buttons just don’t compare to physical ones no matter how much someone might love their touch screen. Thankfully Capcom pulled them off quite well. While the overall action is a tad slower than most console offerings the fights are still frantic and movement is pretty tight. Whether it’s learning the ropes in Training, tackling the campaign, or taking on other players from across the globe in online matches there’s something for every kind of fighting aficionado. Having a roster of 22 playable characters is nice, too.

How does it Compare?
With practically an equivalent amount of content to its console counterpart and controls that aren’t a hindrance, Street Fighter IV Volt is as good as it gets on iOS. Aside from the concessions for controls and visuals (characters are no longer 3D, which affects the presentation and story segments) it’s pretty much the same game. It’s even got online multiplayer, which is something not even earlier Street Fighter console releases have sported until recently.

It’s not exactly 1:1, but Street Fighter IV Volt does a downright admirable job of giving iOS users a comparable experience to their console bretheren. It’s got the roster, the moves, the modes, and the multiplayer. What more could a fighting game lover on-the-go wish for?

*NOTE: “Console-quality” refers to the quality of the experience, not just the graphics. This is about the depth of gameplay, content, and in some cases how accurately it portrays the ideals of its console counterpart.*

$4.99

STREET FIGHTER IV VOLT

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-06-30 :: Category: Games

$0.99

$4.99

STREET FIGHTER IV

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-03-09 :: Category: Games

Known as Death Sword in the US, the 1987 Commodore 64 classic is coming to PC, Mac, iPhone and iPad as early as February 15, 2012. Also previously known as Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, the new title will be Barbarian – The Death Sword and is developed by Microids and published by Anuman Interactive. Gameplay will be similar to the original one-on-one fighting style as well as will integrate cross-platform multiplayer. It’s not clear as to if Mac warriors will be able to compete against PC warriors or if it will only be Mac versus iOS. I’m sure there would be a lot of happy fighters if one could fight against PC, Mac, iOS or Android. And it’s very nice to see that it will still feature the ability to sever opponent’s heads and celebrate the ensuing shower of blood. Of course, this time it will be in updated 3D graphics. And yes, there are still scantily clad women involved, if that’s something anyone cares about.

When I reviewed Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting earlier this year, I enjoyed it but it was a bit shortlived. With only 12 monsters to defeat, the experience ended way too quickly for my liking. A shame given the enjoyment gained from the title. Fortunately, someone must have been listening as four new monsters and a new weapon, Gunlance, have been added to the title, bolstering the enemy battles up to a not too shabby 16.

The new monsters: Diablos, Azure Rathalos, Kirin and Lunastra, are set to offer a sound challenge to fans of the game, and I’ll be sure to not spoil the experience with any extra details.

Besides the extra monsters and the new weapon, Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting has also benefited from a new Replay Function. For those players who manage to clear the quest without needing to continue, they can now record their entire playthrough from a variety of different camera angles. Twitter functionality has also been added so that fans can tweet the results of their battles and exchange questions and information on the game.

Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting is available now, priced at $4.99. Existing owners get the update for free.

$4.99

MONSTER HUNTER Dynamic Hunting

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-06-01 :: Category: Games

Way back when, we reviewed FaceFighter and rather enjoyed its fighting mechanics mixed with being able to ‘beat up’ whatever can be photographed. A year later in celebration of over 3 million downloads, Appy Entertainment released FaceFighter Gold offering all the previous expansions for free as well as some new features.

We’ve gone past Gold with the arrival of Universal app FaceFighter Ultimate as of now. FaceFighter Ultimate promises lots and considering the previous success rate will undoubtedly deliver too. The Career mode offers new AI enabling players to fight even more challenging opponents. Playing regularly ensures the reward of free gold coins that can be used to buy more Fighters, Weapons, Weapon Upgrades and Arenas. On that note, there are 8 new arenas to choose from and weapons can now all be upgraded. Finishing moves encompass the likes of frying pans, rubber chickens, lightning strikes and giant ape paws keeping everything suitably light. Even an UFO abduction is possible!

Multiplayer via Game Center is also available and a whole plethora of in-app purchases too for those who want to get on with unlocking extras by buying coins. Plus there’s the ever fun element of being able to add the faces of anyone imaginable by simply taking a photo of them. One such example comes from the fight between President Obama and the Speaker of the House John Boehner.

The only limitation to this app is one’s imagination. Find Justin Bieber irritating? I know I do. Take a photo of him and stick him on top of a body in FaceFighter Ultimate. Instant stress relief! Heck you could even use a photo of your boss (note: my boss is lovely) if you’ve just had enough and need to vent.

Check out the potential of FaceFighter Ultimate with the official trailer below. The app is out now for all iOS devices.

FREE!

FaceFighter Ultimate

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2009-07-24 :: Category: Games