Electronic Arts is bringing all the hard-hitting action of the Ultimate Fighting Championship with EA SPORTS UFC. You can choose from a roster of over 70 fighters in four divisions such as Jon Jones or Georges St-Pierre, and each fighter has their own special moves that you’ll be able to unlock as you play.
Price: $4.99
Version: 1.1.16
App Reviewed on: iPhone 4
Graphics / Sound Rating: Game Controls Rating: Gameplay Rating: Replay Value Rating: [rating:overall]
The sport of mixed martial arts has exploded in the last five years. What was once a slightly more underground and under-exposed activity has now transformed into the multi-billion dollar industry that we see today. While replacing professional wrestling as the typical American household’s carnage of choice, MMA has been striving to receive even more mainstream exposure. Following in the footsteps of THQ’s UFC franchise, Electronic Arts have tried to recreate the visceral violence and brutality of the octagon with their own title, the very originally named MMA. Can the game live up to the pedigree of its star studded lineup, or are we looking at a drastically unprepared contender?
Right out of the gate it is impossible to ignore the downright stunning visuals. This is not your typical mobile offering and reflects a concerted effort to set a tremendously high bar for both appearance and animations. We are talking about PSP levels of polish here, the likes of which have been rarely approached on the iPhone. The character models appear lifelike, actions look fluid and the combat imparts the feeling of impact and intensity. Though there are several moments that distract from the immersion, such as the occasional clipping through the opposition during matches, everything seems genuine and authentic otherwise.
Unfortunately, the same attention to authenticity and quality cannot be said for the control scheme. The most glaring example of this is using the tilt controls to move your character left and right across the screen. Not only does this make for painfully awkward gameplay, but it also feels sluggish and unresponsive. Onscreen cues for punching, grappling and even kicking seem somewhat more fluid, but still seem to miss the mark and don't necessarily mimic what would be considered to be the real action happening in the ring. EA stuck their neck out on this one, taking a definite risk with the control scheme, it just didn't pay off this time out. Here is to hoping that they get a chance to try it again next season.
Speaking of the season, the career mode is where the meat of the MMA product resides. Here players will be able to design their own character, train them through a variety of different mini-games, and throw down with some of the biggest names in the sport. With genuine stars like Fedor Emelianenko, Jake Shields, and Alistair Overeem attached, this once again plays into the authenticity of what should have been a lackluster, unlicensed game. There is even in-match commentary, as is the case with every other sports game ever produced; it is a nice extra touch but grows repetitive far too quickly.
This should have been EA's chance to plant a firm foothold in the landscape of portable mixed martial arts games, but sadly MMA feels like more of a misstep. While passable, this far under-delivers on the promise that a typical EA Sports title normally brings to the table. Maybe it is time for them to throw in the towel on this season and start fresh next year.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - Based on the best selling console game of the same title, Bad Company 2 is a squad-based first-person shooter with 14 single player missions and 5 distinct battle zones (i.e. jungle heat, winter snow, desert dust). Like the console version, the app also includes room to room, ground-based combat and vehicle combat, giving you the controls of tanks and helicopters. The real treat though, if done right, could be the multiplayer mode. If it's even as close to as good as the console version we're all in for a treat. Look for Bad Company 2 to hit the App Store sometime in November. If the app plays as good as it looks, I'll be expecting it to be a top 25 mainstay.
Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia - Heroes Lore is little known in the west, but in Korea it's about as big as it gets. Heroes Lore is a mobile RPG that offers an over 30 hour single player experience as well as an astoundingly successful 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 multiplayer arena. At one point, the original was seeing upwards of a million and a half online battles a day. Insane.
High Caliber Hunting - Not quite as anticipated as Battlefield or Heroes Lore, High Caliber Hunting is EA's hyper-realistic foray into hunting. With "20 types of wild game, including Bear, Moose, Boar, and smaller critters like Squirrel, Fox, Rabbit" and 70 real brand-name firearms, High Caliber Hunting looks to be the pinnacle of mobile hunting. Look for High Caliber Hunting to launch sometime in November.
EA Sports MMA - It seems that everyone is watching MMA these days (except for me, something about arm bars makes me cringe), so EA is enthusiastically bringing their authentic MMA game to the iOS. The game features multiple fighting styles and over 20 real life fighters, enough to please any mobile warrior. Expect MMA to launch later this month.
EA Sports NBA Elite 11 - Instead of continuing with the NBA Live brand, EA is re-branding their hit series NBA Elite 11. As you'd expect, the game has all 30 NBA teams with over 450 players and unlockable legends. The iOS version even has a 3 point mode which will certainly drain hours of my time. The launch has been often delayed up to now because of the console launch of the new NBA JAM, but it should come out later this month.
On another note, hopefully NBA JAM will come to the iPhone too. Boomshakalaka!
SimCity Deluxe (iPad) - As expected, EA is bringing their ever so popular SimCity Deluxe game to the big screen. The HUD has been fully redesigned for the iPad, has many customizable features, and even simultaneous disaster strikes. Earthquakes and alien strikes await us all sometime in November.
Be sure to check out the mass of screenshots after the jump. Enjoy!
When it comes to supporting iOS devices, it would be impossible to ignore EA's massive mobile development wing. Not only have they successfully ported numerous versions of their successful console games to to iPad and iPhone, but with the addition of the Hasbro lineup, they have also recently released a new casual-focused series of titles. With that in mind, they were proud to unveil their upcoming software releases across the iOS platform.
Yahtzee
Following in the footsteps of board gaming big brother Scrabble, Yahtzee is an iPad exclusive that promises to bring the glory of the dice roll to the forefront. Actually, this isn't Yahtzee's first ride in the iOS rodeo, as evidenced by the 2009 release of Yahtzee Adventures for iPhone. This "adventuring" mode looks to be making an HD return, along with the classic mode that everyone has come to know and love.
The innovation doesn't end there, however, as there are also several other modes that look to bring a unique twist to the tried and true Yahtzee formula. In "Rainbow Mode," color categories are added to the mix, while "Duplicate Mode" brings a more strategic approach to gameplay and scoring. If you are looking for something more multiplayer centric, the "Battle Mode" should be just what the doctor ordered, combining the already addicting action with a quick thinking element to the frenzy to another level.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I were to leave out the best idea ever: "Duplicate Rainbow Mode." This takes all of the fun of the single player component and makes it playable for several bodies. It is hard to say if this is targeting fans of the recent internet meme, but isn't everything better with double rainbows?
Lite Brite
Okay, I am going to go out on a limb and say that no one, and I mean NO ONE asked for this. That's not to say that the idea of making a Lite Brite application for the iPhone isn't at least neat, but I mean, seriously? On the brite side (yeah, I know it was painfully punny) there are bound to be numerous people who will have memories that were derived from making their own glorified dot-matrix illustrations.
Though I kid about the motivations behind an app of this nature, it would be perfect for both young children and in a classroom enviroment. Plus, if you are a parent, who wouldn't want to share an digital version of a toy that brought them countless hours of enjoyment? Probably the best part of the entire application is the ability to share your created images with the entire world via email or Facebook. Who would have ever thought that Facebook would become the equivalent of the refrigerator "wall of fame" for the digital age?
FIFA 11 As is the case with every EA Sports title,
this could simply be seen as a case of "another year, another dollar." Lately, however, the house that Madden built has been trying to provide players with more incentive to make the jump to next years' game. Along with the obligatory roster updates, reflecting the ever shifting ecosystem of international soccer leagues, more that five hundred teams will be included in the iPhone version. That is a staggeringly huge number, especially given the limited footprint that they try to maintain. Along with the roster updates come a new cast of stadiums to play in, fifty to be exact.
If there is one thing that you can say with complete assurance, it is that EA listens to their community. In response to complaints about last year's control scheme, you now have complete control over your players with both casual and advanced levels of interaction. Catering to the hardcore soccer fans you will now the ability to pull off tricks like the pros, using intuitive gesture based controls. Lets just hope you are ready to guide your team through an entire season of madness.
FIFA 11 will be bringing the pitch to App Store in October of this year.
MMA
Mixed Martial Arts have become what the World Wrestling Federation was to the American culture in the 1980s and 90s. Tapping into the carnal desires of males everywhere, stadiums are packed across the globe, all in the name of witnessing gladiatorial style beatdowns. It was only a matter of time before someone decided to bring the battles to consoles, as THQ successfully did in 2009 with UFC: Undesputed. Never one to pass up an opportunity to make a quick buck, EA tossed their hat into the octagon in June of 2009, announcing MMA and slating it for a 2010 release date. At the time it was unknown that the game would be coming to iOS, but you won't hear me complaining.
Featuring twenty Mixed Martial Arts legends including the likes of Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock, MMA combines visceral action and touch controls to bring you ever closer to the mayhem and intense action. You will be able to chose from the impressive roster of real-life combatants or design your own character, then play through a career of bare-knuckle brawling. In between matches you will even have the chance to take part in mini-games to level and improve your character, as you compete to be the best fighter in the world.
MMA will assuredly bring the pain when it hits the App Store in October.
The Sims 3: Ambitions
Based off of the immensely popular PC game franchise, The Sims 3 hit the iPhone last year to solid reviews. While it is not known how well the game sold, it is safe to assume that it did well enough, considering that it was followed up earlier this year by the release of The Sims 3: World Adventures. Following the logic of, "third time is the charm," EA has The Sims 3: Ambitions slated for release sometime very soon.
Whether you import a character that you designed in the earlier iPhone games or decide to create your new character from scratch, there are many new and interesting tweaks on the traditional Sims gameplay that will surely keep you busy micromanaging for quite some time. After deciding from career paths such as teachers, chefs or rock stars, you will have the chance to live out your fantasy lives like never before. Just be sure to give yourself ample time to enjoy yourself torturing those poor Sims. Afterall, that is the whole point of the game... right?
