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[Tunesmith]

Each month, the iOS GAF community hosts a thread for new game releases, rumors and discussion that define the fast-moving world of iOS gaming.

The OP will contain games that released both towards the end of the previous month and games that have released during the current month.
All the games listed will have been highlighted by the GAF community in one way or another. This way you can keep tabs on the best games and at the same time curate an excellent resource to look back on to find games you may have missed.

Also keep an eye out for the ‘GAF iOS Challenges’; events where GAF battle it out on the Game Center leaderboards of a chosen game for both fame and fortune (prizes donated by members of our community).

Game OT here

I hadn't heard a thing about it, picked it up based solely on the name (free to play), but it's really fascinating -- It's sort of like Plants vs. Zombies mixed with Donkey Kong Jr. Math.

Every turn, you draw 2-4 cards and 6 numbers -- then you have to add, subtract, or multiply your numbers together to generate the "resources" to play your specific card. So if you want to play a card with a 17 cost, and you have a 1, 2, and 9, you can play it with 9 x 2 - 1 = 17, then play the card. You play cards to summon units, then click "Fight" to have them roll out down the lanes.

If you use up all six numbers, you get a "Calculord" bonus that gives you a fresh set of 6 numbers, and if you are able to deploy all of your units, you pull an extra 2 cards for your next turn. So it's in your best interest to be smart with what numbers you use, since smart play lets you deploy more units.

Play in the lanes is also kind of cool in that you have two "classes" of units -- offensive based or push-based. The push-based units are typically more defensive and actually shove units back down the lane; your units march down the lane in the order they're summoned, so it's best to start with a push unit or two and then have offensive units behind them.

It's really, really cool. I've only played the first two battles but there looks to be a shit-ton of customization (full deck building, including winning units/cards from enemies and even determining what extra numbers you use for playing cards).

Warning: It does have ads and IAP, though -- it has a "Fun Club" option where you can sub to gain extra cards and remove ads (it's a one-time payment), and there are expansion decks of units that look to be 99 cents or $1.99. I think it's worth a toss, though, as it's really clever.

It's basically a collector card game + lane-based strategy RPG + simple math. Try it if you can handle getting to a desired number under 100 (at least from what I've seen) using addition, subtraction and multiplication with a set group of numbers (which is actually a deck of numbers you can edit later, crazy) to deploy your units. You get a bonus (I think it's an extra turn?) if you use all the numbers you're given for your turn.

Wow that's an awesome game. Easy to get into, fun strategies and addictive. Love it.

All around a much better game [than Bug Heroes 1].

It plays a little like a MOBA now. You are not just defending your base, but in PvP you have to destroy the enemy's, and there are ally creeps. There are 25 heroes and they play very different from each other. In the first game all the bugs were suited for everything, now they have very specific roles and very different skill sets, which greatly improves the tactical depth. Now you only take 2 heroes, but they are both present in the battlefield and you freely switch between both or give commands. Since each hero is very weak and limited alone, you need two heroes that complement each other well. You will play in a completely different way depending on the heroes you take.

There's also more stuff in the way of RPG elements, like equipment system, scrolls, persistent upgrades, etc.

Also, many more enemy types and the game plays much better all around.

It's also not just a bit better visually, it's like one generation ahead.

It's really better in every possible way. The first game didn't really grab my attention.

Definitely superior to the first Bug Heroes

It's fast and action-packed, with tons of tactical depth. Controlling two heroes is fluid and adds so much strategy and each hero plays differently. It's also extremely generous and balanced; you'll never have to spend a cent on the game beyond the initial purchase to experience everything the game has to offer. The wealth of content, variety, and depth here rivals the best PC indies IMO and I haven't even tried multiplayer yet

I'm playing Oquonie.
It's really beautiful, but I've absolutely no idea of what I'm doing.
If anyone knows how to pass the first stage, I'm all ears.

EDIT: Ok....I'm getting the hang of it and now at least I have a clear target and understood how to traverse the various inter dimensional worlds.
It's starting to get better and better now...liking it much more than Hiversaries.
Graphically is a joy...so weird, so alien, so beautiful.

Oquonie, after admittedly a struggling first hour I was able to get through thanks to the lovely graphics, clicked suddenly and now I'm pretty hooked.
Somehow I think I got how the weird universe is regulated and I know what must be done.
Now I'm trying to do it, and it's a lot of fun.

EDIT: now it's getting really serious. Was quite a while since I had to get pen and paper to solve a puzzle or to map a world.

I am blown away. It's so great. It's literally... wow.

It's beautiful and has really nice music. The gameplay is pretty much just walking around and solving a variety of puzzles. Some are pretty easy, while others are quite clever.

Just completed Tengami.

Pure poetry.

A short but touching experience with sky high production values and some mind bending puzzles.

Took me a bit less than 4 hours (most of all spent walking around), but I really enjoyed the ride, very relaxing.

Definitively NOT suited to the inpatients or action lovers.

It's free but not really freemium. There is one currency and while there are some currency packs, buying the Ultimate Power pack IAP (doubler + ability to rebuild your character's skills) makes the progression feel perfect, so it's more like a free game with a $1.99 unlock

As for the game itself, it's great. There are 70 waves, a boss every 10 waves, and while the first handful feel more like tutorial battles, the game soon ramps up and puts your skills to the test. The slower combat mixed with the hectic waves of enemies reminds me of Mage Gauntlet, in that positioning, smart use of your abilities, and timing strikes is key to success rather than fancy combos. The enemies are varied and each require different tactics, and every new power or buff you unlock adds some new strategy to your repertoire. The stylish pixel graphics, the humorous vibe, and the music add to the overall polish.

I'd definitely recommend giving it a try

YESSSS

THREES IS SO DAMN GREAT

I love how like you evolve (for me at least, cause I'm stupid as hell) from just matching to REALLY REALLY thinking about what's coming next and the mechanics of the tile movement.

And of course, the presentation and charm of the thing.

I've played one game of Threes and I can already see that this game is genius. There's just so much granularity in the leaderboards and stats, giving you a ton of ways to challenge your Game Center friends. Beautifully designed, too.

Man Threes is so sick! That feeling when you get into the groove and start comboing in consecutive turns and start getting huge numbers. I still don't think I have a good strategy just yet, a lot of the time I end up lucking out with a nice chain, but I'm getting there! Just to be sure, there's no way to tell which 'axis'/row/column a card/block will come out of, right? If there is like a T shape and I move the blocks up, it's 50/50 that the next block will come out left/right, right?

Eliss Infinity is pretty great as well. I'd recommend it to anyone who liked Hundreds last year. I would say the menu system is a little obtuse for the sake of being artsy, but it's fine once you've figured out where everything is.

yah eliss infinity is dope as eff too. great GREAT day for gaming

I've been totally out of the iOS loop and had no idea Eliss Infinity and Threes were releasing on the same night. Oh my God! Threes is a wonderful little puzzler and Eliss Infinity is like the ultimate love letter to the iDevice. Pure joy. : )

Just got Eliss Infinity. I was a big fan of the first game, but always found it too cramped on my old iphone 1 (gosh, it was that long ago). Needless to say, playing Infinity on my air in native res is a breath of fresh air. I recently reinstalled the iphone version of the original Eliss in anticipation for the new one, and that seems to make the graphical/performance differences much more staggering. Those come in little touches, like having small drop shadows on everything for more of an "extruded" look, much sharper (yet still stylistically aliased) edges as opposed to the crappy scaled up iphone 1 res, and an improved interface and general presentation.

Really - and I'm only running on the first 10 minute impressions here - the multitouch mechanics just feel so much more at home on a full tablet screen. Since this is essentially a game that lives and dies by the way you separate and manipulate your planets, it really does kind of a make for a smoother experience over all. Is it worth 3 bucks if you already have original? Maybe not. If you never played the original? Definitely.

Then again, besides the arpeggiator (which is actually pretty amazing), I have barely scratched the surface. Hope to post more impressions as I get a bit deeper in (there are a few more game types I need to mess around with more).

Game OT here

 

[Tunesmith]

A better, yet more cumbersome iOS 7 gamepad: hands-on with the MOGA Ace Power - Engadget
MOGA Ace Power Gamepad Review - 148Apps
Hands-on with the MOGA Ace Power - the first MFi iPhone controller for iOS 7 - Pocket Gamer

This website keeps track of all the controller enabled games. It gets updated regularly.

Here are a few video reviews of iCade supported titles (thanks Alextended!)

iCade hardware

Blazing Star
Shogun: Rise of the Renegade
Gridrunner
ElectroMaster
Enborn-X
Midway Arcade
Vectrex Regeneration
Temple Run

Here is a summary of other iOS game/iOS device related threads!



iOS Hidden Gems

iOS Apps |OT|
iOS 7 |OT|
iPhone 5S |OT|

Rules

• Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you want to be added or taken off the list, following this text formatting:
  
  GAF Name = Game Center Name / iOS Device(s)

• When adding someone, add From GAF to the friend request and your NeoGAF name as to easily tell who's who.
• Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you are already on the list but want to update your profile with more info like iOS devices(s) owned, or to just change your existing GC profile.
• We are on the list and, if you are too, it's OK to add us even if we're not best buddies; don't be shy: we enjoy having more GAFers challenging us on the friends leaderboards.
• Don't just wait for others to add you first you should at least add some of the profiles posted above yours if you want to get the ball rolling... It's really up to you. Ideally the last member of the list will be the one to add the profiles above his, and so on and on with each new member. Or maybe just add whoever you like, that's also an option.
• Remember: Your real name will be visible to your GC friends.
• You can add everyone on the list at once; click the second sheet on the iOS Membership list and read the instructions, works on iOS and Macs

###
The form to enter yourself to the list is here: quote to see
###

Q - How do I back up my game saves for games that do not support iCloud save games?
A - Use a file manager program such as i-FunBox (PC/Mac) - It's free and requires no jailbreak.
i-FunBox has many different features, but to back up save games you would just want to do the following:

• Click the iFunBox Classic tab
• Connect your iOS device, via WiFi or USB, it should then appear in the Connected Devices list on the left side of the UI.
• Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to back up save games for.
• Select the Documents and Library folders and copy them one at a time to your PC/Mac - this will copy the folders and all their contents. They contains your save files and settings for the game. Some games only use Documents, some use both.

To restore a backed up save game do the reverse.

• Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to restore save games for.
• Select the Documents and/or Library folders and choose to copy from PC/Mac.
• Navigate to where you saved the backed up Documents and/or Library folders on your PC/Mac, open them and select all the files within it and open them. This will copy the folder contents back onto your iOS device.
• Restart/fully close the game itself and your saves should be back!

Check that the file structure of the game is retained, e.g. GameName > Documents > files after you're done (no Documents folder within the Documents folder!), otherwise the game will not recognize your restored saves!

Q - How do I hide my Real Name on Game Center?
A - Your real first and last name (taken from your Apple ID) will be shown to your GC friends. If you value that information and want GAF's leaderboards to show your GAF nickname instead, here's how you do it:

• Go to http://appleid.apple.com and log in with your Apple ID details via "Manage your Apple ID".
• In the "Name, ID and Email Addresses" section, click Edit on the Your Name field at the top.
• Change you First and Last name (you must enter both) to whatever you like (e.g. First Name: Tunesmith, Last Name: GAF)

Done, now that's who you're going to be listed as on your friend's Game Center leaderboards. This will affect Game Center *and* your Apple ID. If it's the same account you use for App Store/iTunes, you will still be able to use it for iTunes/App Store's purchases (you can still buy whatever you want like you could before) *BUT* in the receipt it'll show your nickname or whatever you chose as First Name and Last Name when you changed those fields. The first time you will use the modified account on App Store/iTunes, you will be asked to verify the account by re-entering the 3 digits code of the credit card's CCV security code (if you make your purchases using a credit card).

Q - Should I buy this new high-priced game or wait for a sale?
A - Maybe! Just be aware that iOS games have a tendency to go on sale frequently and unpredictably, even recent games can be a dollar rather than premium $4-5. Spend your pack of gum money wisely.
As a recommendation, set up a RSS feed for the price changes on http://appshopper.com/ which will then notify you of any price fluctuations for old and new games alike.

Q - I just got an iPhone/iPad. What are the best games?
A - In addition to checking out the past month's iOS Gaming threads, visit Best iOS Games Ever v1 / Best iOS Games Ever v2 / iOS Hidden Gems. You're welcome.

Q- For gaming, should I get the iPad Mini 2, or iPad Air?
A- Both have their pros and cons. The Mini 2 is cheaper and smaller but there is a slight difference between the Air's A7 chip and the mini's A7: the mini's is around 100MHz slower -- 1.3GHz compared to the Air's 1.4GHz. Other than that they're both identical in spec. It's very much a coin toss between if you want a 9.7" or a 7.9" screen.

Q- I'm a new iOS user, what non-gaming apps should I get ASAP?
A - This thread would be a great place to start. Asking here wouldn't hurt either!

Thanks to Fuu & Dash Kappei for handling the community list's past/present duties, Dash Kappei for running the iOS Challenges, past OT hosts for having done a wonderful job and finally to our iOS Gaming community for keeping these threads alive!

 

[More_Badass]

New thread!

Got some impressive releases coming this month
The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 - 2/6
Bug Heroes 2 - 2/20
Wave Wave - 2/20

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

woooo new thread!

I'm still plugging away at BG2, amazing times. Also started Republique today and I've got to say I'm very impressed. It has a fantastically polished feel and I can't wait to get stuck into it.

 

[Stallion Free]

Republique Ep1 and the final level of Rayman Jungle Run are my only real goals this month.

I played 20 or so minutes of Republique the other night and I wasn't really sold on the control scheme. It felt really awkward.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Just finished Republique, liked it better than I thought I would. Pretty good stealth and puzzle elements. And I think I'll take that $.99 season pass!

 

[j0hnny_385]

Just bought Republique + Season pass.

 

[PFD]

Just finished Republique, liked it better than I thought I would. Pretty good stealth and puzzle elements. And I think I'll take that $.99 season pass!

I hope you got the IAP already, because I think the discount was only for 24 hours

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I hope you got the IAP already, because I think the discount was only for 24 hours

Yep, already nabbed it!

 

[Dash Kappei]

I'm the last bastion of hope for non shitty OSes, still rocking iOS6 despite Republique trying to lure me in

Btw, did anybody here played Walking Dead Season 2 on iOS? I really need to know what does it say to confirm it's actually using your season 1 save, can't find anything online and I suspect it's not using my save. It doesn't seem to work the same as on PC, that's why I'm asking specifically for people who have the game on iOS.

 

[heringer]

I hate episodic gaming. Wanted to grab Wolf Amomg Us but I hate having to wait for months to see the ending of a game. Couldn't pass that Republique season pass though.

 

[Ninja Dom]

I got Ninja Village but I haven't started playing it yet. I haven't dived into a Kairosoft game since Grand Prix Story and the original Game Dev Story.

Big mention to a release from last month. Shadow Blade is well worth your time. Really tight controls. I'll call it a mix between Mark of the Ninja and the old Shinobi arcade games. No IAP and some great level design (heavily inspired from the castles of Super Mario 2D side scrollers). Great game!!

 

[Snuggles]

I hate episodic gaming. Wanted to grab Wolf Amomg Us but I hate having to wait for months to see the ending of a game. Couldn't pass that Republique season pass though.

I don't hate episodic gaming as long as each episode is released in a consistent and timely matter, but usually I'll wait for a few eps or the complete season before I dive in. Thanks to sales it's always way cheaper that way anyways.

 

[Vyer]

How is the Dungeon Keeper iOS release?


Excited for Wolf Among Us ep 2

 

[Shearie]

Just want to say that I've been playing the shit out of Polara.

 

[killercow]

How is the Dungeon Keeper iOS release?


Excited for Wolf Among Us ep 2

Dungeon Keeper is awful. Not worth a single minute/penny.

 

[FlashFlooder]

Dungeon Keeper is awful. Not worth a single minute/penny.

sadly, I have to agree. One of my favorite games of all time, was really excited when I heard it was being ported to iOS. I fire it up, play through the tutorial, then proceed to dig out my first square of dirt..... 4 hour timer pops up. A big fuck you to whoever thought up this scheme.

 

[Heel]

Steph Thirion Announces 'Eliss Infinity' Launching February 6th

Looking forward to this one. The original was before my time on iOS and I never got around to buying it.

 

[Wthermans]

I hate episodic gaming. Wanted to grab Wolf Amomg Us but I hate having to wait for months to see the ending of a game. Couldn't pass that Republique season pass though.

Same here. Very rarely seen it work out. Would rather wait for the full release as you can enjoy the whole story and always get a better deal in the end.

 

[Deku Tree]

new thread tag. anything new this month?

 

[PittaGAF]

I got Ninja Village but I haven't started playing it yet. I haven't dived into a Kairosoft game since Grand Prix Story and the original Game Dev Story.

Big mention to a release from last month. Shadow Blade is well worth your time. Really tight controls. I'll call it a mix between Mark of the Ninja and the old Shinobi arcade games. No IAP and some great level design (heavily inspired from the castles of Super Mario 2D side scrollers). Great game!!

Really?
I was under the impression it was another '3 star' game...am I wrong?
Are levels big?
I'm asking because I saw some videos and seemed like the classic 3 star game with very short levels...I was really hoping for something more 'Metridvania' (or at least one big world instead of level bits).
Am I wrong?

 

[killercow]

Really?
I was under the impression it was another '3 star' game...am I wrong?
Are levels big?
I'm asking because I saw some videos and seemed like the classic 3 star game with very short levels...I was really hoping for something more 'Metridvania' (or at least one big world instead of level bits).
Am I wrong?

It's not a "Metroidvania" that's for sure. It's more like a fast paced platformer where the goal is to do a perfect run. It's stylish, fun and fast paced. I, too, recommend it.

 

[PittaGAF]

It's not a "Metroidvania" that's for sure. It's more like a fast paced platformer where the goal is to do a perfect run. It's stylish, fun and fast paced. I, too, recommend it.

Thanks...not what I was looking for but seems interesting.
Downloading

 

[PFD]

Really?
I was under the impression it was another '3 star' game...am I wrong?
Are levels big?
I'm asking because I saw some videos and seemed like the classic 3 star game with very short levels...I was really hoping for something more 'Metridvania' (or at least one big world instead of level bits).
Am I wrong?

Think of it as a ninja themed League of Evil

 

[Tunesmith]

I'm the last bastion of hope for non shitty OSes, still rocking iOS6 despite Republique trying to lure me in

I really don't get your hate towards iOS 7, Dash.

It looks different sure, but you get used to that in no time and the functionality way surpasses iOS 6 (GC Leaderboards being the only exception).

 

[colinp]

So my friend was saying there's a Groove Coaster arcade machine in Japan. Isn't that wacky? I'm going to keep my eyes open for it. Said you can even put on headphones when you play to block out noise.

Anyway, hurry up and get to page 2!

 

[RealityPales]

Just got myself an iPad Mini with retina! First time checking out one of these threads - very well done I might add. Any suggestions for games I've missed over the years?

Definitely going to check out Ninja Village though.

 

[vagabondarts]

I know I'm late to the party, but Hoplite is very fun and replayable. Great mechanics that I keep going back to

 

[colinp]

I know I'm late to the party, but Hoplite is very fun and replayable. Great mechanics that I keep going back to

Yes! Love it! Such a fantastic game.

 

[PFD]

I suggest mentioning the tweak that adds Dualshock 3/4 support to iOS somewhere in the OP

 

[Flunkie]

How is the Dungeon Keeper iOS release?

terrible

 

[sqwarlock]

I've been tempted to buy Pro Strategy Football 2013 for a while now, and I was really hoping it would go on sale for the Super Bowl. Since it's not, can anyone tell me if this is/isn't worth the $4.99?

 

[igor]

I hate episodic gaming. Wanted to grab Wolf Amomg Us but I hate having to wait for months to see the ending of a game. Couldn't pass that Republique season pass though.

Quite the opposite for me. Larger games just don't really work for me on mobile systems. At least smaller chunks feel more digestible. What I don't like is that most of these games don't offer iCloud, so there's problem with saving and space because the episode is not separate. But other than that, playing through backlog seems more manageable.

Speaking of episodic games, how long it is to beat first episode of Republique? It does have a feel of an AA game in some ways, but hey, so does DX the Fall, or Infinity Blade 3. I like having a stealth game on my iPhone, but the touch controls often get confused which ends up screwing up a tactic. The story is already a bit meh, convoluted mumbo jumbo to make the story appear deeper than it actually (probably) is. At the moment looks like a weak Kojima rip off story wise. And Jennnifer Hale's fake french accent is embarrassing :O
It's a decent game, but I guess I was expecting a bit more from it?

 

[PFD]

I just realized the ending music in super hexagon is the normal music played backwards. Mind blown...

 

[MEsoJD]

Where the hell is FFVI for ios?

 

[MEsoJD]

I suggest mentioning the tweak that adds Dualshock 3/4 support to iOS somewhere in the OP

It's awesome! I ordered a stand for my phone right after.

 

[Stephen_drewz]

Why oh why did I install Flappy Bird.

 

[MasMe]

Where the hell is FFVI for ios?

Not released yet and we haven't new info. I don't know why :\

 

[lutheran]

Yep, already nabbed it!

I just bought the season pass right now for 99 cents, all it says on my main screen is 0% in the Season Pass section. Is that the way it should look since none of the other parts is available yet?

 

[killercow]

I just bought the season pass right now for 99 cents, all it says on my main screen is 0% in the Season Pass section. Is that the way it should look since none of the other parts is available yet?

No it should move. At least mine got to 100%. Try restarting the app!

 

[Neuromancer]

How's Space Hulk? I'm almost done with Warhammer Quest and looking for something to replace it.

 

[lutheran]

No it should move. At least mine got to 100%. Try restarting the app!

I restarted the app and now there is a > sign in the window and 5 windows inside of it. I think I am good to go..when I went into the cart section it said I already purchased it and won't get charged again for a re-download.

 

[TheNamelessOne]

I'll ask again since I didn't get an answer in the previous thread. Anyone tried Marvel Run Jump Smash! and CSN give a quick verdict?

 

[NeoGAF.]

Any worthwhile games like Cannabalt with unique art styles?

 

[omg_mjd]

Any worthwhile games like Cannabalt with unique art styles?

Mirror's Edge. It nails the distinct aesthetic of its console/PC counterpart and there's a lot of depth to its mechanics too.

 

[PittaGAF]

How's Space Hulk? I'm almost done with Warhammer Quest and looking for something to replace it.

It's great but very different from Warhammer Quest as the original boardgames are.
Not only that, while WHQ has been translated in a videogame, SH is almost a 1:1 port (not a pro or con per se, just different).
If you like SH boardgame, look no further (they had problems in the beginning but they patched them).

EDIT: be sure to complete the last black quest just recently added that concludes properly WHQ main quest.

 

[Gamecocks625]

Mirror's Edge. It nails the distinct aesthetic of its console/PC counterpart and there's a lot of depth to its mechanics too.

Agreed. Only thing missing is retina support for the iPad version.

 

[More_Badass]

Any worthwhile games like Cannabalt with unique art styles?

Polara is one of the best runners of IOS, I consider it an IOS classic
Granny Smith is a great auto-runner/platformer
Vector is an auto-runner, with awesome parkour animations and it's very challenging

 

[Neuromancer]

It's great but very different from Warhammer Quest as the original boardgames are.
Not only that, while WHQ has been translated in a videogame, SH is almost a 1:1 port (not a pro or con per se, just different).
If you like SH boardgame, look no further (they had problems in the beginning but they patched them).

EDIT: be sure to complete the last black quest just recently added that concludes properly WHQ main quest.

Ok thanks. Do you know where off the top of your head I have to go to pick up that quest?

 

[PittaGAF]

Ok thanks. Do you know where off the top of your head I have to go to pick up that quest?

It shows up only after you heve completed all the other black dungeons.
Just wander about till the text shows up (

Spoiler

in Averland, it's near the other one

Be absolutely sure to copy your save safely somewhere with ifunbox...it's very unluckily to complete the dungeon at the first try...son in hardcore you are screwed