Elite Systems has built up quite a reputation for their iOS conversions of 8-bit classic games such as Skool Daze, Chuckie Egg, Jack the Nipper, Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy with the ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection offering a great nostalgic experience.

More memorable titles from days gone by are set to be released soon with another 9 titles from three different countries of origin added to the roster. Originally stemming from North America comes action adventure title Black Magic, supply and demand orientated multiplayer game M.U.L.E and RPG Alternate Reality: The City. From Germany comes shooter Enforcer, soccer management sim Bundesliga Manager and R-Type clone Denaris. Finally, from UK studios, is sci-fi side scrolling shoot em up Uridium, puzzle shooter Paradroid and my personal favorite ninja based platformer First Samurai.

All these retro delights will be available soon with auto save functionality and iDaptive Controls, meaning there will be user-definable controls to make things even simpler for gamers.

We’ll be sure to keep track of the development of these titles. Why not check out ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection in the mean time?

$2.99

ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-10-03 :: Category: Games

Holmade Games, creators of Hurdle Turtle and preservers of all things retro, have recently unleashed their newest creation on the App Store. Pixel Whirled is an arcade shooter in which players have to constantly flip back and forth between the ninja and pirate sides of the screen while shooting down encroaching waves of enemies. Isn’t it nice when two mortal enemies can put aside their differences in the name of self-preservation?

Pixel Whirled has received a few new additions in its transition from an Xbox Live Indie Game to iOS. Mostly the expected Game Center Achievements and touch controls, but it looks as though a few “super cool” power-ups have also been thrown in. This is all in addition to the retro arcade goodness already contained within, of course.

If Pixel Whirled sounds interesting (and really, why wouldn’t it?), why not do a quick search for it on the App Store? It’s available right now for the low cost of one dollar.

$0.99

Pixel Whirled

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-09-24 :: Category: Games

As a gamer of 20 odd years, it excites me to see the release of a reimagining of a timeless classic. That’s one of the reasons why my iPhone houses Arkanoid and Space Invaders: Infinity Gene – some titles just don’t get old.

While Frogger is quite a classic, it has aged just a bit in recent years. So the prospect of it being revitalised is very cool indeed, which is fortunate as this is exactly what’s happened with Frogger Decades.

Graphics and animations have been brought up to date in time for Frogger‘s 30th birthday and there’s even a hint of a storyline. Frogger comes back home to find a map to his birthday party pinned on his front door, and thus starts a wild and wacky adventure to make it to the party on time. Five different environments are available with the memorable frog having to jump, hop, swing and dodge his way around obstacles.

It’s the same classic gameplay that made players fall in love with Frogger the first time, just spruced up with a modern paintbrush to enthral once more.

Frogger Decades is out now priced at $1.99. Oh and it’s an universal app which will keep iPhone and iPad owners happy!

$0.99

Frogger Decades

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-09-01 :: Category: Games

While futuristic technology is amazing, sometimes it’s nice to retreat back to a simpler time. A time where writing in notebooks was the big trend for expressing creativity. A time when it was possible to run out of space on a page rather than a document simply carrying users onto the next one automatically. Fancy relieving that? Try Molenotes.

It’s an attractive looking app that ensures the user feels as if they’re writing on a real page in a real book. Users can choose to express themselves in handwriting, academic type-set or in a typewriter style manner. Five notebook looks are also available. Users can also add custom colored tabs and titles as well as manually stamping the current day’s date. Users can even add a bookmark to their notebook to know exactly where they last looked.

Limitations are there of course. Once a page is full, users must enter more information on the next page. There’s a 32 page limit too. That’s all part of the old fashioned charm, however.

Molenotes is out now for all iOS devices and is priced at $0.99.

$2.99

Meernotes

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-07-10 :: Category: Productivity

If there was one thing that made retro gaming great, it was the simplistic game designs.  Never was the player forced to learn different key combinations or gestural controls to play a game, it was just easy and straightforward to understand.  While this may not seem like a big deal to some, the newly released Ice Tales is a return to form that is very welcome in my eyes.

Embracing the day when you didn’t need a Ph.D in physics to solve a puzzle, the game combines streamlined mechanics with an amusing eight bit soundtrack to create this generation’s version of retro goodness.  What is old is new again, and this game is here to prove it.

On top of everything else, if you become a fan of the game on facebook, you can get the opportunity to win one of five hundred free copies of the game.  If that isn’t a good reason to support a title, then I don’t know what is.

$0.99

Ice Tales

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-05-31 :: Category: Games

Coming soon to the app store is Hard Lines – a game that appears to happily capture the spirit of Pac-Man, Snake and Geometry Wars all in one go.

Like all the best arcade style games, Hard Lines is all about how long the player can last. Players must guide Lionel the line through the Geometry Wars style arena, ensuring that they don’t collide with an enemy’s tail (just like Snake).

Gaining the best high score is the order of the day here with OpenFeint support allowing for global comparisons, and there will be 6 different gameplay modes providing some fresh but fast paced entertainment. Developers, Split Milk Studios, promise a good healthy dash of humor too so it’ll be interesting to see how that works out in the full product.

Hard Lines will be available on the App Store in the near future and we’ll be sure to provide more information soon. For now, take a look at the screenshot gallery and trailer below.