iOS / Android / RIM / Windows mobile Gaming [Archive]

railohio

12-01-2009, 11:02 PM

I'm surprised I didn't turn up a thread on this. I'd like to hear from iPod touch and iPhone owners out there, what are your favorite games? I'm very seriously considering getting one by the end of the year. (That means the long-awaited Apple tablet will probably materialize finally in February!) The latest generation of iPod touch seems pretty capable as a portable game machine. I am primarily a sim and RTS player but I'd also be interested in hearing about first person shooters and even board games you like. So what games do you like most and what do you like about them?

ADC

12-01-2009, 11:43 PM

I haven't really delved into serious games on iPhone OS, as I usually spend most of my filthy iTMS lucre on music. That said, between the daily New York Times crossword puzzle app, Peggle, Puzzle Quest, and Scrabble, I usually find a way to get my iPhone's battery below half over the course of a day. Every now and again, I enjoy a bit of tower-defence in Square's Crystal Defenders (sadly, its follow-up, Vanguard Storm, isn't nearly as much fun; I haven't tried Square's other apps yet). Frenzic, a rather frenzied, frenetic pie puzzle game, gets a lot of play around the family on holidays, which is one reason why I don't get to jump onto AOD as much then as normal.

That said, do, please, buy your iPod touch now. I'm really looking forward to the iPad. ;)

guyverfanboy

12-02-2009, 02:24 AM

Solitaire. :sd:

ADC

12-03-2009, 01:11 PM

The word on the street (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/capcom-porting-phoenix-wright-ace-attorney-to-iphone/) is that the Capsule Computer Company is porting Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney to the iPhone. Sadly, it'll be with the same GBA graphics the game's always had rather than at least a backgrounds upgrade (as Apollo Justice had on the DS), but I've been saying for years that the Ace Attorney games belong on the iPhone and iPod touch, so I'm pleased to see that Capcom agrees.

ColoradoJim

12-03-2009, 04:02 PM

I'm considering getting an iPod touch myself mainly as a backup ebook reader to take the place of the Palm TX once it bites the dust. From what I understand you have to pay for some sort of OS upgrade to access all of the newer iPhone software.

Also is there a better way to search for game titles for the iPhone/iTouch devices? I ran across an english version of a real 4 player mahjong game that features elves I think but lost the link as that would probably be one of the first games I get for the iTouch. I'm probably missing out on one of the many spelling variations of mahjong. Finally found the title, bookmarking it this time. http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=6318

ADC

12-03-2009, 04:54 PM

I'm considering getting an iPod touch myself mainly as a backup ebook reader to take the place of the Palm TX once it bites the dust. From what I understand you have to pay for some sort of OS upgrade to access all of the newer iPhone software.
When there's a new major revision to iPhone OS (the next one would probably be iPhone OS 4.0), iPod touch users can get it for $10. I don't really like how Apple charges iPod touch users but lets iPhone users get the upgrades for free; but from what I have read in the past, it's because AT&T is paying Apple an insane amount of money per iPhone (in the $200–300 range), so Apple figures it doesn't need to charge iPhone users who are already grabbing the ankles and paying for AT&T service.

Rydsen

12-04-2009, 02:42 PM

I just got a used 2nd gen 16GB Touch from a friend of mine who finally got an iPhone and didn't need it anymore. I also purchased a new 3rd gen 64GB Touch for my fiance. We love them. I use mine for mostly working out. I put some of my music on there, just enough to listen to for 1-2 hrs during my workouts. Game-wise I really only have Tap Tap Revenge which is an addicting music rhythm game and my brother's Eliminis game he wrote and publish by himself to the App Store. It's a strategy board game that's pretty fun if you're into that sort of thing. Other than that I haven't really gamed much on it. I use the iFitness app more than anything to track my workout progress and use the BT audio support to listen to music. My fiance, however, loves playing Tetris, Solitaire, Bejeweled, and the likes on her Touch. She also plays a little Tap Tap but not like I do.

railohio

12-09-2009, 04:21 PM

Thanks for the comments, folks! I'm hoping to have my new gadget in-hand before the end of the month.

I'm still debating on the hardware I want. Part of me says to get the 8GB model because I don't need the extra space. The other part says to spring for the 32GB because there will undoubtedly be cooler upgrades/add-ons/software down the road and having a speedier computer will help with those. Can any of you out there who already have an iPod offer some advice on this choice?

I'm looking at a few games right away. I've got to get SimCity on my iPod. (I just wish they'd have ported SimCity 2000 instead.) I'd also like to try the iPod renditions of Red Alert and Madden '10. Beyond that I'll probably just browse the iTunes store and see what strikes my fancy.

guyverfanboy

12-09-2009, 04:25 PM

if you want plenty of space go for the 3rd Gen 64 GB iPod Touch. :P

ADC

12-09-2009, 05:27 PM

I'm still debating on the hardware I want. Part of me says to get the 8GB model because I don't need the extra space. The other part says to spring for the 32GB because there will undoubtedly be cooler upgrades/add-ons/software down the road and having a speedier computer will help with those. Can any of you out there who already have an iPod offer some advice on this choice?
First thing is, you may think you don't need the extra space, but you do. One of the hidden mechanics of iPhone OS is that it uses your flash space to hold "suspended state" files for all your apps, so it'll remember what the app was doing after you leave it and come back to it. For example, you're playing Peggle and you have to pop out to look at your calendar or something. Peggle will be suspended, and iPhone OS will write a suspended state file. When you're done with your calendar, you pop back into Peggle and pick up where you left off. It does this for every app you've run. Those hidden files aren't very big, but they add up. Also, if you use your iPod touch to read e-mail or surf the web, that creates cache files which are kept on the flash drive. So if you have a lot of apps, a lot of songs, a lot of videos, you'll find (as I'm doing) that 8 GB is rather cramped. You need to leave at least 1 GB of free space for all those extra hidden files. If you don't, some apps will run slowly or crash (iPhone Safari is one of the worst offenders on both counts). Get the 32-GB model at least.

And another thing: The 8-GB iPod touch is the second-generation model. Its processor and graphics chip are older and slower; it has less system RAM; and it does not support voice controls like the third-generation models do.

Rydsen

12-10-2009, 02:10 PM

Agreed, definitely spring for the 64GB model. It's only $100 more and doubles the amount of space available. That's what I did for my fiance's. You don't want to be kicking yourself in the butt a few months down the road wishing you had the larger one. And as mentioned, the 8GB is the 2nd gen still. Only the 32 and 64 are the 3rd gen which adds the faster CPU/GPU and larger RAM. It should be the clear choice. :)

ColoradoJim

12-10-2009, 03:48 PM

ADC

12-11-2009, 01:13 AM

While I don't have an iTouch yet, one possible advantage to the 8 gig version that is only generation 2 would be in battery life since it wouldn't be using the more advanced cpu/gpu which probably sucks up more juice. The problem of course is if newer software started requiring features that only the newer cpu/gpu offers. The newer bigger units are more future proof but you do have to pay more for that.
The difference in battery life isn't great. Apple claims that the battery life of the current models is 30/6 (tunes/flicks) regardless of guts; previous second-generation iPod touch models were rated 36/6 (tunes/flicks), which isn't a big deal — particularly as tunes is the iPod function that demands the least battery power.

railohio

12-23-2009, 03:17 PM

Thanks for the comments, folks! Keep 'em coming! I picked up a 32GB iPod touch today. It's charging upstairs now and I'll be out the door to work soon so it'll be ready to play with this evening when I get back. Woo-hoo! :cool:

ADC

03-18-2010, 01:40 AM

Here's an interesting video (http://toucharcade.com/2010/03/18/chaos-ring-trailer-released-looks-unbelievable/) for Square's forthcoming iPhone OS game Chaos Ring. Looks about like a PSP game. Doesn't look like the frame rate's great, but it might not be optimized yet. Says it's coming out sometime in 2010.

PS: I hope you're all playing Plants vs Zombies.

guyverfanboy

03-18-2010, 01:50 AM

PS: I hope you're all playing Plants vs Zombies.

I need to get this game eventually.

ADC

03-19-2010, 12:44 AM

lockmastah

03-19-2010, 12:55 PM

I am told that the iPhone 3GS is quite a bit more powerful than the original handset or the iPhone 3G. I hope it's true: I, using an original iPhone, just reached a stage in Plants vs Zombies in which I had so many projectiles onscreen that it slowed down like a NES shooter. Still, way fun. Possibly the best iPhone game I've found.

The 3GS has a significantly faster processor and video chip inside than the older 3G or 2G models. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone)has a decent list of specs.

Ashyukun

03-22-2010, 10:47 AM

Also is there a better way to search for game titles for the iPhone/iTouch devices? I ran across an english version of a real 4 player mahjong game that features elves I think but lost the link as that would probably be one of the first games I get for the iTouch. I'm probably missing out on one of the many spelling variations of mahjong. Finally found the title, bookmarking it this time. http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=6318
Wish I'd seen this a ways back, but we did a Core Topic on real Mahjong game apps last year since both my co-host and I love the game- there have been a number that have come out since then, but by and large our top pick still holds. The show notes for the episodes are here (http://iphone.30minuteslate.com/archives/767). Unfortunately there's a number that have come out that aren't translated, but there's a decent selection of them that have been translated at least in some form.

Also, www.appshopper.com (http://www.appshopper.com) is a much better place to search for apps in general, though it doesn't have reviews or the likes beyond pulling the data from iTunes for what people have rated the apps...

Ashyukun

03-22-2010, 10:51 AM

I am told that the iPhone 3GS is quite a bit more powerful than the original handset or the iPhone 3G. I hope it's true: I, using an original iPhone, just reached a stage in Plants vs Zombies in which I had so many projectiles onscreen that it slowed down like a NES shooter. Still, way fun. Possibly the best iPhone game I've found.
The 3GS is definitely a good bit more powerful than the original (and the 3G). But even with that, I've had PvZ lag slightly on mine when I've been throwing around insane numbers of flaming projectiles with lots of zombies on the screen. Still hands down one of the best games I've seen on the device- it's just insanely fun (especially the bowling stage... that never gets old...)

Kaikou

04-07-2010, 11:31 AM

Just started playing this game and was wondering if anyone here is playing as well?

I usually don't play these types of games as they are usually crippled for people who don't pay real money in order to progress. However this game doesn't seem to do this to any great extent...yet that is. I've been enjoying it as it is very easy to choose how often one has to play the game and most times each play session only lasts about ten minutes or so.

The game is available for iPhone, iTouch and iPad only I believe.

My sn on there is Kaikou1.

lockmastah

04-08-2010, 01:52 PM

Just started playing this game and was wondering if anyone here is playing as well?

I usually don't play these types of games as they are usually crippled for people who don't pay real money in order to progress. However this game doesn't seem to do this to any great extent...yet that is. I've been enjoying it as it is very easy to choose how often one has to play the game and most times each play session only lasts about ten minutes or so.

I downloaded the game on my iPhone a couple weeks ago but have yet to play it. I've actually been playing another Farmville clone called Zombie Farm (http://itunes.apple.com/app/zombie-farm/id339933022?mt=8). Now I see why Farmville and similar games are so addicting. :sd:

TheGreenMan

12-02-2010, 10:45 AM

Want Starcraft on your iPhone/iPad...well Gameloft's got you covered!

http://toucharcade.com/2010/12/02/gameloft-announces-rts-star-front-collision/

Gameloft loves copying other games--Halo, Uncharted, Final Fantasy--don't they? But, I guess they're games are about as close as we're ever going to get to the real things.

Gatts

12-10-2010, 09:56 PM

Does anyone have Dizzypad and if so, is the song in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS-k2l69Nes) in the game itself or is it just a song for the video?

ADC

12-11-2010, 01:26 AM

Picked up Puzzle Quest 2 for iOS devices. It's universal but seems not to support the Retina Display's 960x640 resolution. Odd omission, considering they could reuse a lot of iPad assets for the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 screens.

TheGreenMan

12-15-2010, 10:41 AM

Aralon is coming to iOS tomorrow...and it's universal. Oblivion on an iPad!

ADC

12-21-2010, 01:07 AM

Just picked up the iPhone version of Secret of Mana, making it a total of one (1) time I've purchased this game. It was $9 and will go up to $12 in some weeks. If it's not the awesomest game ever, I'll never forgive any of you Mana fans. :P

ADC

12-21-2010, 03:42 AM

Also, I grabbed a dirt-cheap iOS original game called Osmos, in which you are a mote (like a blob of jelly in space) going around absorbing other motes. Why? Because they're there, and they make you bigger! Also, why? Because it's 99¢ until Christmas (iPhone version only) of which 33¢ go to Child's Play, the charity organized by the Penny Arcade fellers. Also, why? Because it's fucking awesome! Easy to play (but not necessarily easy to master), relaxing, great soundtrack, and fun. Exactly what an iPhone game should be.

I needed a break from Angry Birds.

Fencedude

12-25-2010, 08:20 PM

So, today I found myself in possession of an 8 GB iPod Touch.

Recommendations?

Bibulb

12-25-2010, 10:14 PM

So, today I found myself in possession of an 8 GB iPod Touch.

Recommendations?

Here's the beginning of a slew :

13 Moons
The Incident
Edge
Trism
Canabalt
Eliss
Dark Nebula
Ramp Champ
Orbital
There's also the adaptations like :

We Love Katamari
Peggle
Plants vs. Zombies
Button Men
Zombie Dice
Spectre
And a few of (IMO) musthave WTFs :

NobyNobyBoy (TECHNICALLY, an adaptation, except that this is a tangential riffing on the same themes, instead of a straightforward adaptation.)
Hi How Are You
Robot Finds Kitten
Since you've got an 8 gig, you probably don't need stuff like Riven or the TellTale stuff - Riven's over a gig all by its lonesome...

Fencedude

12-25-2010, 10:20 PM

Since you've got an 8 gig, you probably don't need stuff like Riven or the TellTale stuff - Riven's over a gig all by its lonesome...

Not to mention that I most certainly am not going to play Riven again. I did that already. A long time ago.

untoldsorrow

12-25-2010, 10:21 PM

So, today I found myself in possession of an 8 GB iPod Touch.

Recommendations?

It really depends what type of style and game play you want.

For puzzle/brainteasers :
- Trainyard - Awesome brain teaser puzzle game, very simple looking but not easy.
- Cut the Rope : I have it but have not played it, my friends do and say it is one of the best games they've played on iOS.
- Charmed - Bejeweled clone but very nice twist to it, you can rotate the puzzle 90 degrees to help solve the level, freeze frame stuff and much more.

For Action :
- Hero of Sparta 1/2 - Action rpg aka Diablo style.
- OMG Ninja - Fun 2D side scroller with good controls and action.

Tower Defense:
- Field Runners - Best TD game IMO.
- The Creeps! - Fun TD also, adds some difficulty because you have to switch between attacking objects on the stage to clear them off the stage so you can place your weapon there while attacking the enemies.
- Sentinel 1/2/3 - Fun sci-fi themed TD.

RPGS - This is the genre I buy and play most.
- Secret of Mana - Just came out, well worth the sale price for a classic.
- Illusia - Also cameout recently, plays like MapleStory/WonderKing MMOs (2D side scroller).
- Sword and Poker 1/2 - Download the free demo to try it out, great freakin game.
- Chaos Ring - Pick it up while on sale, its PSP/PS2 quality graphics with good classic turn based gameplay. At full price, it is too much.

Others -
Street Fighter 4 and Star Dunk.

ADC

12-25-2010, 10:28 PM

So, today I found myself in possession of an 8 GB iPod Touch.
Recommendations?
Angry Birds
Osmos
Splode
Astronut
Puzzle Quest / Puzzle Quest 2
Game Dev Story
Plants vs Zombies
Peggle with Peggle Nights (in-app purchase)

I'd tell you not to bother with the two Final Fantasy games, but FFT is coming in 2011, based on the PSP version of the game. I can't wait for that.

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Fencedude

12-25-2010, 10:48 PM

I'd tell you not to bother with the two Final Fantasy games, but FFT is coming in 2011, based on the PSP version of the game. I can't wait for that.

Well, don't worry, I already have the PSP version.

Interesting recommendations. Mostly looking for quickish brain teasers and puzzles and the like.

Fencedude

12-26-2010, 12:33 AM

Ok, Angry Birds is awesome

Gatts

12-26-2010, 01:14 AM

Fencedude

12-26-2010, 01:15 AM

Of course now I wonder if anyone has ported Nanaca Crash or Fantastic Contraption.

I'd totally buy a port of Nanaca Crash

ADC

12-26-2010, 02:19 AM

Fencedude

12-26-2010, 02:26 AM

Hrmm...I'm not to impressed by the battery life on this thing.

Gatts

12-26-2010, 09:49 AM

Ok, Angry Birds is awesome
I've wondered what draws people to Angry Birds. It tried it out for a while, but it didn't seem to be any different from Crush the Castle. Is there something that sets it apart besides the cuter character sprites?
Perhaps nothing; I haven't tried out Crush the Castle (though I did check out its page in the App Store), so I'm not an expert. But art style can make a huge difference to players. If I looked at the two side by side, I'd probably be immediately drawn to Angry Birds.
Crush the Castle has been around for quite a while. It's a browser game that was ported to the iPhone. That's why thinking about it made me wonder if Nanaca Crash had also been ported. But yeah, you can try it out online. It's on Newgrounds like 80% of flash games. I'm just going to assume that it's mostly the character sprites that make it more popular. Since I only played about 5 levels of it, there might be something else that I'm missing.

untoldsorrow

12-26-2010, 07:55 PM

Hrmm...I'm not to impressed by the battery life on this thing.

It really depends on the game you are playing. Some games suck up battery life so quick its not even funny but others not so much. One example, Sword and Poker vs Chaos Ring. I've played both from full charge and it was about 4:6 hours, weird considering Chaos Ring is graphics heavy.

As for Angry Birds, couldn't get into it myself.

ADC

12-27-2010, 01:00 AM

Hrmm...I'm not to impressed by the battery life on this thing.
There are some games that will hit the battery harder than others. If you want to save a little battery life, you can shut off wifi (most games don't need it unless you're an achievement whore). You can decrease screen brightness in the Settings app. But even then, don't expect miracles. Just as the battery in a PSP drains before your very eyes, an iPod touch battery is not invincible.

I've found that the Puzzle Quest games just kill my iPhone battery.

Ashyukun

12-27-2010, 10:43 AM

The Number 1 thing that hits the battery on and iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad is the screen backlight. They tend to ship with the backlight turned WAY up to make the screen look as brilliant as possible, but it KILLS the battery life. I run my iPhone with the brightness less than 1/5 of the way up except when I'm using it as a GPS and am in bright sunlight. Turning the brightness down will do WONDERS for your battery life. Wifi does hit it, but it's not at the level of the backlight.

Most of the well-known games have already been covered. One that I'd recommend that hasn't been that I've seen would be The Electric Box, it's a lot like the old Incredible Machine game. Another would be Ragdoll Blaster.

I've been saying almost since I got my first iPhone that I was shocked nobody has ported Nanaca Crash to the device. I've seen a few games that have a somewhat similar gameplay- the most fun and create of these being Hotdog Down a Hallway and its sequel, Frank Further- but none of them as quite as fun and addicting as Nanaca Crash. It's especially absurd since its one-click gameplay is perfect for the iOS touchscreen.

If you've got specific questions, don't hesitate to ask- I co-host and iOS applications podcast (The Appcast).

ZenErik

12-27-2010, 12:15 PM

I don't have an iPod Touch, but I have owned an iPhone. That screen brightness hurts my eyes if it's anything above 33% or so. And that's with a matte screen protector on there.

Currently using a MyTouch 4G. With a matte screen protector and the screen brightness at 0%... Very nice device though. I haven't really looked into the gaming aspect yet. Anyone have any recommendations for Android?

iOS recommendations are welcome too since I do own an iPad.

ADC

01-19-2011, 08:52 PM

Two things occur to me to mention.

First, World of Goo for iPad is supremely awesome. Sadly, it is not a universal game and there's no iPhone version. But it's still awesome.

Second, we haven't exchanged Game Center tags! I'm ac-d-ca.

ADC

01-21-2011, 04:32 AM

Oh my goddess! WOG just turned sinister! Chapter 4 is all black and green like DOS on a monochrome screen! I finished a stage and the details popped up on the screen like usual and they were white but looked totally pink!

Also, some of the stages in this game are supremely difficult. Making bridges and towers and the kind out of goo is more art than science.

railohio

01-25-2011, 12:08 PM

As someone who doesn't visit the gaming forum much (for now) I was surprised to see my thread was still relatively active!

I purchased a number of iOS games this winter, especially when EA ran 0.99 sales. (In fact, about half the games I've yet to install on the iPod.)

Lately I've been addicted to Angry Birds, like so many other phone-platform gamers. I've also enjoyed playing GTA Chinatown and SimCity Deluxe and I just loaded up Madden 11 and NBA Elite 11 this week to start playing, too.