Tag: Cut the Rope »

Gaming app behemoth Chillingo has just released details on their Spring lineup and it's looking pretty strong for pretty much all tastes comprising of a mixture of casual and more complex concepts.

There's Spider Jack, a game that looks guaranteed to enthrall fans of Cut the Rope. You have to help Jack the hungry spider collect up all the flies in each level. The trailer looks like the perfect combination of cute cartoon graphics with pretty simple yet compelling gameplay.

Continuing the simple yet fun theme, there's Spoing that has a great looking indie style to it. This time round you have to guide little Spoing, a rather cute little black ball thing, levels while collecting gems and avoiding monsters. It's looking rather simple in the trailer suggesting you direct the ball around by flinging him up trampolines, hopefully it'll get a bit harder as the levels progress. The ability to create your own trampolines certainly has a lot of potential.

D.A.R.K promises a mixture of science fiction horror survival RPG elements alongside 3D two stick shooting action. The trailer doesn't appear to offer any in game footage but the premise certainly sounds intriguing. Screenshots certainly look atmospheric. A possible rival to Dead Space?

Another cryptic title is that of Swords & Soldiers - an iOS conversion of the Wiiware and PC game of the same name. Only one image has been released so far and it makes the game look rather 'busty' offering some buxom blonde women in, er, knitted form. Chillingo promises 2D side scrolling strategy action so it'll be interesting to see how Swords & Soldiers turns out.

Vampire Rush looks a bit more obvious with Torchlight/Gauntlet style gameplay. As the trailer suggests, there'll be plenty of hack n slashing fun to be had as well as some elements of tower defense too. Hopefully there'll be plenty of looting to do too.

Dream Track Nation offers slightly mental looking 2D racing action. Physics will play an important role here in order to leap through the numerous obstacles ahead and frantic racing seems to be the order of the day here. It's also going to include a level designer which should promise some great creations amongst you and your friends.

As always, check back here for the latest on all of these titles as we hear about them. While you wait though, take a look at the selection of screenshots below.

The British Academy of Film and Television offers a select amount of Video Game awards to highlight the best of the video game industry. For the first time ever, an iOS game has won, beating out games on more traditional handheld platforms like the DS and PSP. In addition, Chillingo/Zeptolab, the developers of Cut the Rope, beat out large companies like Sony, Nintendo and Warner Bros. to take home the prize of Best Handheld Game at the award ceremonies on March 16, 2011.

Cut the Rope is a physics based puzzle game that has sold more than six million copies worldwide on the iTunes App Store. No stranger to awards, it had already been given the honor of being listed in Apple's iTunes Hall of Fame as well as our very own Best Apps Ever Awards. It's also been noticed by the Game Developer’s Choice Awards for Best Handheld Game and PocketGamer’s Best iPhone Casual/Puzzle Game and Most Innovative iPhone game. The accolades keep pouring in!

One of the most popular games of the year, it's easy to see why it's getting such attention. Overall, this is fantastic news for iOS game developers, as they receive more praise from mainstream award and media outlets for their fantastic work. I, for one, hope that this trend continues and that iOS receives more legitimate credit as a capable and robust platform for games, not just as a mobile device, but as a gaming handheld it its own right.

Cut the Rope is available on the iPhone for $0.99; however, there is a 'lite' version to test before buying as well as a free Holiday themed 'gift' app which was released in December. Cut the Rope HD is also available on the iPad for $1.99. If you haven't played this game yet, now is the perfect time to catch up on what all the award-wining fuss is about!

Chillingo, a division of Electronic Arts most recognized for its creation of Angry Birds, which sits almost always as the #1 paid application in App Stores across the world, announced today that Cut the Rope will receive a special update for Valentine's Day, February 14.

"The new Cut the Rope 1.2 update marks the annual celebration of love and affection with adorable Om Nom as cupid in a special Valentine’s Box filled with 25 gorgeous levels. A romantic and fun, “split-candy” gameplay is also introduced to challenge players as they strive to slice the right ropes to feed the insatiable green creature. Brand new artwork and a distinctive Valentine’s icon make Cut the Rope the perfect gift for your special someone" reads the official release.

"This 1.2 update is our gift to you this Valentine’s Day for being the greatest fans out there; we hope players love the new box, levels and features just as much as we enjoyed creating it,” states Efim Voinov, CTO of Zeptolab. “Thank you for the continued support, we are already working closely with Chillingo to enhance the game and think fans will be extremely delighted!”

Such holiday updates are becoming more and more popular, even within Cut the Rope's own development. In December of last year, 148Apps reviewer Brad Hilderbrand announced the Christmas update of the popular application, which to date has now sold more than six million copies. Conservatively, that means Cut the Rope has generated over $4 million in revenue (after Apple's 30% commission), not taking into account the price difference between the iPad and iPhone version of the immensely popular game. It stood as the sixth most popular paid-for iPhone game in 2010.

When 148Apps reviewed the game last year, writer Carter Dotson awarded it 4 stars. "Cut the Rope is ingenious, following a similar formula to Angry Birds – charming graphics, simple gameplay that gets complexity steadily layered on top of it in a way that feels natural, almost without even feeling like it’s getting more difficult" he writes. "That is just brilliant game design, and with more levels promised, Cut the Rope has an exciting future, but is still great with even just the core game content."

Available for $0.99 on iPhone and $1.99 for iPad, a free lite version is also available to download, allowing you to try-before-you-buy. A sneak peak video of the update is available below:

Epic's Infinity Blade, the action RPG boasting some of the most impressive visuals to date on iOS machines, has shattered sales records and become the fastest-grossing app ever. The game has earned $1.65 million in only five days of availability, handily beating Cut the Rope as the fastest game to a million dollars in sales. when you break down the numbers it all comes out that Infinity Blade managed to shift 271,424 copies in less than a week. Pretty impressive by any stretch.

Of course there are some caveats to this record-setting achievement, not the least of which is the matter of price. Since Infinity Blade retails at $6.99 it only had to sell one-sixth the number of copies Cut the Rope did in order to claim the fastest to a million crown. So while the title has still done very well, its sales haven't been quite as brisk as those of Om Nom the candy-munching monster. Also, we'll have to wait and see what sort of longevity the game sees, as only time (and sales) will tell if it's a true juggernaut of the app store or simply a novelty act that people check out to see if it lives up to the hype and then move on. Word of mouth and long-term sales will be the true barometer of lasting success.

Still, $1.65 million is nothing to sneeze at any way you slice it. Epic and Chair have to be very excited with the early success their game has enjoyed. Reviews have also been mostly positive, so there's no reason to suspect Infinity Blade won't continue to be a big deal for a very long time. Could this become the highest-grossing, best-known app of all time? It's still too early to know for sure, but it's seeming more and more like a distinct possibility.

[via GI.biz]

As if it weren't hard enough to walk away from the adorable Om Nom and his insatiable desire for candy, we've just learned that Cut the Rope will have its hooks into us a bit longer as Chillingo prepares for the release of Cut the Rope: Holiday Edition. Tis the season to fall in love with the game all over again.

The new title will be a standalone game available free of charge and should show up in the App Store any day now. The game features 25 new stages as well as a new "Christmas Sock" mechanic. Apparently the magical stocking will allow you to teleport candy from one place to another, putting a whole new wrinkle in the experience. All of this will be bundled with new music and achievements, not to mention a generous helping of holiday cheer.

It's nice to see high-profile games getting in on the holiday spirit, and it seems that games published under the Chillingo banner are leading the way. First we got Angry Birds Halloween, which has now morphed into Angry Birds Seasons and is providing a new level every day throughout the holidays. The only difference was that while that update went for $0.99, the new Cut the Rope content is free, which is an even sweeter deal.

More than current Cut the Rope owners, this promotion seems aimed at the folks who will be getting an iOS device for the holidays and are looking for fun new apps to add. If Chillingo can hook them with a free tinsel-strewn version of an already addictive game, then the odds are very high that those same consumers will go pick up the full version of the standard game practically immediately. It's a smart strategy indeed, and one from which all us current Cut the Rope owners will also stand to benefit.

[via Joystiq]

As the year winds down and we look ahead to the next decade it's time for all those wonderful end-of-year lists we all get so excited about. Today we have some exciting news, as Apple has detailed all the top paid and free apps for the iPhone and iPad, as well as the top grossing apps on each platform. Here's the full rundown, for your edification.

Top 10 Paid iPhone Apps

1. Angry Birds
2. Doodle Jump
3. Skee-Ball
4. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz
5. Fruit Ninja
6. Cut the Rope
7. ALL-IN-1 GAMEBOX
8. The Moron Test
9. Plants vs. Zombies
10. Pocket God

Top 10 Free iPhone Apps

1. Facebook
2. Angry Birds Lite
3. Words With Friends Free
4. Skype
5. Tap Tap Revenge 3
6. The Weather Channel®
7. Paper Toss
8. Bing
9. ROCK BAND FREE
10. Talking Tom Cat

Top 10 Grossing iPhone Apps

1. MLB.com At Bat 2010
2. Angry Birds
3. Call of Duty: Zombies
4. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz
5. FriendCaller 3 Pro
6. Zombie Farm
7. TomTom U.S.A.
8. TETRIS®
9. Plants vs. Zombies
10. Doodle Jump

REad even MORE lists after the jump.

Angry Birds developer Chillingo may cease to be an indie darling in the near future, as EA has bought the company. Reports put an the deal at $20 million cash, but the future of all the studio's properties are still up in the air.

Chillingo was already a hot commodity after Angry Birds, but the massive success of the recently released Cut the Rope has truly turned the UK developer into a den of rock stars. While companies like Activision, Gameloft and even Intel were vying for the studio, EA was able to close the deal.

"By acquiring Chillingo, EA Mobile is increasing its market leadership on the Apple Platform as well as reaffirming its position as the world's leading wireless entertainment publisher," EA's Holly Rockwood said in a statement.

It sounds like EA wants to keep Chillingo in the mobile space, but we can't help but wonder if the studio will be asked to dabble in consoles and handhelds as well. EA has dabbled with physics games by publishing Boom Blox on the Wii, but the series has stalled and perhaps the company is looking for a new franchise to bring to non-Apple audiences. There's also the distinct possibility EA could request a totally new IP from Chillingo, one which could be backed with a big budget and marketed across all platforms.

Where things may get tricky is in regards to ownership rights of games published under the Chillingo banner. Rovio created Angry Birds, while ZeptoLab made Cut the Rope, and, at least according to Rovio, the development studios still own those properties. A Rovio spokesperson says his company “controls the Angry Birds brand and any future products,” so at least that franchise may remain apart from this deal.

At any rate, let us be among the first to congratulate Chillingo and wish them the best of luck under the new ownership. They've already proven what talented, dedicated people can do when they put their minds to it so they deserve all the success and wealth they've earned. Well done guys, keep up the good work.

[via Mashable]

Don't burn the rope. Just cut it.

On This Episode:

Carter and Dennis Fong of Raptr talk about the new Raptr app for iPhone. It lets people track their friends and receive push notifications for messages from their friends on Xbox Live, Playstation Network, Steam, the Raptr network, and more.

Carter also talks to Semyon Voinov of ZeptoLab about Cut the Rope, what went into the design and concept of the game, and how the game has performed relative to their expectations.

Who We Are:

Host: Carter Dotson

Guest: Dennis Fong, Raptr

Guest: Semyon Voinov, ZeptoLab

Music:

"Beatnes7 (Theme to The Portable Podcast)" by The Eternal - Download on iTunes here:

"Nanocarp" by The Eternal

How to Listen:

Click Here to Subscribe in iTunes:

Click Here to Subscribe via RSS.

Listen on WRGT Radio every Friday at 4pm Central

Listen Here: [powerpress]

Apps Mentioned on This Episode:

Cut the Rope
Cut the Rope is a melding of ninja slicing skills, a bit of puzzler fun, and physics game-based game play. Chillingo is adding yet another wildly addicting game to their repertoire of games. This time, players will need to feed a hungry monster, appropriately named Om Nom, a piece of delicious candy that is precariously bound in some ropes. Intuitive game play, stunning visuals, and addicting entertainment will be the drugs that keep players tied to this game all weekend.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Sega has brought the blue racer back to life, but this time in the classic form that so many gamers know and love. This rendition features four zones with four acts each, seven special stages, revamped Dr. Eggman (or Robotnik, as us old timers remember him) battles, and the Sonic Spin Dash ability. So many fans have been clamoring for this proper sequel. Sonic in all his original glory, what more needs be said?

Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus
Gameloft is looking to take players back to the field of battle with Black Pegasus. Refined controls, which include a gyro control scheme for you iPhone 4 owners and gyro-based QTEs, are just the starting point to this new FPS. Choose from one of three playable characters, 15 weapons, and 12 battlefields compose the single player fun. The multiplayer adds to the package with 10-player fights, four modes, 72 ranks, and XP progression. Can this really still be called a phone game with all this content?

Corel Paint It! Show
The default photo app is lacking a bit when it comes to enjoyable ways to view picture slide shows. Corel has taken up the torch and developed an app to remedy this issue. Paint It! Show allows photos to be pulled in from the iPad photo library or right off Facebook. From there, watch as those photos are hand painted in beautiful and artistic fashions worthy of sitting down and enjoying.

TeacherPal
ITWorx has taken the iPad to the classroom and given teachers a new tool. TeacherPal allows educators to organize classes and students. A simple interface means teachers can track attendance, grades, and even the bad behavior of unruly kids. Guess those thumbtack antics are going to be easily remembered now, darn it.

Chillingo seems to have found their next Angry Birds - take a game with a simple yet unique concept, layer complexity on top of it, add some colorful graphics and charming characters, and watch it shoot to the top of the charts. Cut the Rope follows this formula to a T, and it works brilliantly.

Cut the Rope has you trying to get the piece of candy in the level from its starting point into the mouth of Om Nom, the adorable green creature in each level, while trying to collect stars scattered throughout the level to unlock more levels. Your main tool to accomplish this is via cutting the ropes that the candy is suspended from to navigate it through the level. The later levels introduce new tools like bubbles, air gushers, adjustable length rope, and more. Of course, to keep things saucy, you have hazards like spikes, electric fields, and spiders that climb the ropes to keep getting the candy into Om Nom's mouth more than just a simple goal.

Cut the Rope is just simple bliss to play. The way that you have to solve some of the puzzles require planning and/or quick reaction times, and getting all 3 stars on the more challenging levels is extremely satisfying. Succeeding at this game just makes you feel ingenious for having solved something that seems impossible at first glance. It's all a great formula for an addictive game. The graphics and animations are great - the game is very colorful, and Om Nom is very fluidly animated, cutely changing expression whenever the candy gets near. While the game ships with 100 levels, the developer promises more levels coming soon.

The main problem with Cut the Rope is that you often have tight spacing or timing windows, and it can be easy to accidentally slash something you didn't mean to, or to accidentally slash a rope when you wanted to rotate a lever to raise your rope. Although you can easily restart a level, it is still frustrating when you have a plan and can't execute it because something else was slashed when you didn't mean to do it. Also, the game occasionally features large levels that scroll, without any way for you to scroll around and view the rest of the level before you get there besides the view at the beginning of the level.

Cut the Rope is ingenious, following a similar formula to Angry Birds - charming graphics, simple gameplay that gets complexity steadily layered on top of it in a way that feels natural, almost without even feeling like it's getting more difficult. That is just brilliant game design, and with more levels promised, Cut the Rope has an exciting future, but is still great with even just the core game content.

Note: While this game was reviewed on the iPad, the iPhone version has the same gameplay and levels, and is available in the App Store as well.

You're the best around, nothing's gonna ever keep you down!

On This Episode:

Carter and guest hosts Blake Grundman and Brett Nolan discuss the year 2010 for iOS gaming, and talk about some of their favorite games from the past 12 months.

Who We Are:

Host: Carter Dotson

Co-Host: Blake Grundman, 148Apps and The EvilCast Recap

Co-Host: Brett Nolan, AppAddict.net

Music:

"Beatnes7 (Theme to The Portable Podcast)" by The Eternal - Download on iTunes here:

"Nanocarp" by The Eternal

How to Listen:

Click Here to Subscribe in iTunes:

Click Here to Subscribe via RSS.

Listen on WRGT Radio every Friday at 4pm Central

Listen Here: [powerpress]

Apps Mentioned on This Episode: