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Did you Know Space Hulk Now Supports Cross-Platform Game Saves?

Posted by Rob Rich on May 21st, 2014
iPad App - Designed for iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: LET THEM COME :: Read Review »

Yesterday we mentioned that Space Hulk had received an update that added a new cross-platform co-op mode. Well we've also just figured out (thanks to the questions posed by 148Apps commenter Delnit) that it also supports cross-platform game saves. This means that you can carry over your campaign and multiplayer progress from your Mac/PC to your iPad and vice-versa, ensuring that you'll always be ready to sacrifice a squad of genetically engineered supersoldiers in the name of The Emperor.

Here's how you do it:

Las Vegas! Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Rob Rich on May 9th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: HIGH ROLLER
Roll some dice, place some bets, and hopefully come out on top in this iOS adaptation of a family-friendly board game.
Read The Full Review »

Battleship Airstrike Adds a Bit More Excitement to an Old Classic

Posted by Rob Rich on October 25th, 2012

Did the Battleship movie get you all pumped up and ready to take on some hostile aliens? Yeah, me neither. In fact it was fairly unimpressive. Classic Battleship, on the other hand, is all kinds of alright. EA Mobile’s upcoming Battleship Airstrike looks to sit somewhere in the middle, containing the spirit of the classic board game and coupling it with a faster-paced asynchronous multiplayer experience.

Imagine a typical game of Battleship. Each player takes their turn one shot at a time, trying to find their opponent and sink their fleet before they meet a similar fate. Battleship Airstrike ratchets the formula up a bit by allowing players to take multiple shots per turn. In addition to that, special limited use shots can be purchased with money earned through play in order to gain some possible advantages. Advantages such as destroying a ship with a single hit or deploying a kind of artillery sonar that doesn’t cause damage but will reveal vessel locations within a certain number of tiles.

Once a turn is completed - which may consist of several strategic bombings and even paying for repairs on your own damaged (damaged, not destroyed) ships - it’s all submitted to the servers and the opposition is alerted. Typical asynchronous multiplayer stuff, really. It’s more the mold-breaking multi shot turns and special shells (not to mention the possibility of repairs!) that make Battleship Airstrike enticing.

Battleship Airstrike should be out sometime this fall.

Ticket to Ride Pocket Updates to 1.1, Includes Multi Mode

Posted by Chris Kirby on February 6th, 2012
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: PERFECT PORT :: Read Review »

I make no secret of the fact that I am seriously addicted to Ticket to Ride on iOS. Of all the designer board games currently rushing to the App Store, none is as polished in presentation and gameplay as TtR. Unbelievably, the translation from analogue to digital is seamless.

Yet, something has been missing from the iPhone version of the game, Ticket to Ride Pocket.

Until now, that is.

Version 1.1 has just be released to the App Store and it contains what many fans (including me) have been waiting for: Multi Mode. Is Multi Mode true online play or something more akin to Words With Friends-style asynchronous play? From my experience, the answer is both.

Multi Mode is designed primarily to be played in asynchronous mode, with players taking turns at their whim over the course of hours, days, or even weeks. However, my experience has shown that many online players prefer to simply play their game online in real time, and Multi Mode easily accommodates that choice. So, it's the best of both worlds: head-to-head play when time permits, and asynchronous play for when it doesn't.

In fact, the straight-up multiplayer version of the game is preferable, as turns in Ticket to Ride can be very short indeed. While I don't want to imply that there are no strategic choices to be made in the game (quite the opposite, actually), the time it takes to play a turn is miniscule compared to a turn in Scrabble or Words with Friends. Asynchronous play is a welcome addition, but you may find yourself playing more than one game in real time.

If you've never heard of Ticket to Ride (gasp!) or never played TtR Pocket, I urge you to take a moment and read our glowing review of the game when it was released. Then, take the plunge and start building your railroad empire. I'll meet you online. My Gamecenter user name is Skinnerbox. Challenge me to a game anytime!