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Feb

[New Game] Shogun Rise Of The Renegades Brings "Bullet Hell" To Android With Hours Of Flying Bullets, Sheer Chaos

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Games, News

The developers at int13.net introduced Shogun Rise of the Renegades to the Android Market today, bringing "bullet hell" gameplay reminiscent of Japanese arcade games from the 1990s to the palm of your hand.

For those not in the know, the Japanese sometimes call "bullet hell" style games "danmaku," referring to insane shooters in which players can generally expect most of the screen to be filled with flying bullets.

Shogun definitely delivers on this reputation, providing a continuous stream of chaotic scrolling shooter action. One of Shogun's claims to fame is its dynamic, addictive gameplay - it's easy to get hooked on the manic action and crisp, retro environments offered by Rise of the Renegades, and the game keeps things interesting with hours of entertainment.

Dec

Classic Arcade Game 'Dragon's Lair' Comes To Android, Quirky Cutscenes Included

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Games, News

Fans of retro-gaming, rejoice - Dragon's Lair has made its way to Android. Originally available as an arcade game back in 1983, this quirky game takes you on the journey of a brave knight on a mission to save a beautiful princess - a pretty typical storyline indeed. That's probably the only thing typical about this game - given its age, that is.

Dragon's Lair changed the way games were played when it hit the scene; controls were different, graphics were better, gameplay was more fluid - you name it, Dragon's Lair made it happen. Now all the 30-year-old cutting edge tech is available on your Android phone or tablet, with every last quirky cutscene and the original controls included.

Nov

[New Game] OrangePixel's "INC" Is An 8-Bit Platform/Shooter for $2.75

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Games, News

Orange Pixel, creators of the well-received "Meganoid", just released a platform/shooter called "INC".

There are 40 levels of robot blasting action, and 8-bit styling and sound effects. It's sort of like Mega Man. The description claims "hard-but-fair gameplay," so there's retro difficulty to go along with those retro graphics. Xperia Play owners will be glad to hear that all their fancy buttons are supported (like you couldn't tell from the giant video thumbnail).

8-bit shooters don't really need a story, but just for good measure: "[In] The year 2135, the world is ruled by Corporations, humans are slowly being replaced by robots and machines, and the most powerful humans are now looking for ways to transfer their souls into robots, for eternal life." TL;DR: "Shoot things.

Nov

Duke Nukem 3D Lands In The Android Market, Brings Back 1996 With Style

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Games, News

For the past two weeks, we've been chomping at the bit for some good, old fashioned 1991-style ass-kicking-action. The kind of retro goodness that takes you back to the days of old while simultaneously filling your blood-lust as you saving the Earth's women from being alien-abducted for purposes of breeding. Yeah, I'm talking about none other than Duke Nukem 3D.

The official port of DN3D landed in the Market earlier today, ready to rock your world on all "newer multi-touch devices." It's optimized for phones and tablets, boasts intuitive touch controls, and installs to SD by default. The $0.99 pricetag will get you Episode 1, but if that's not enough action for you, episodes 2 and 3 are both available via in-app purchasing.

Aug

[Review] ApzOrb: Funny Spelling, But A New Skin For An Old Snake

Posted by Matt Demers in Game Reviews, Games

Not all classics need to be updated. Sometimes, an adherence to simplistic (yet addictive) game design will win out over flashy graphics any day.

The Pitch

ApzOrb is an update of the traditional "Snake" game that most of us have played on monochrome cellphone screens. However, instead of entertaining us with different shades of grey, this game has made color a vital part of how the game plays.

Instead of having to eat apples to extend the length of your block-snake, you seek out squares of similar colors. When consumed, your snake assumes that color; if you're navy and consume a sky-blue block, your color will shift accordingly.

Aug

[Review] Deflecticon Throws Some New Features To 3D Pong And Thrives In A Touch Environment

Posted by Matt Demers in Game Reviews, Games

Ah, nostalgia. I remember back in the days of surfing through AddictingGames.com there was a game called CurveBall. In what must have been cutting-edge coding at the time, you were put in control of a 3D pong paddle which could influence the way a ball was shot by moving the paddle as they made contact. It was pretty much a high-tech version of tennis, and was pretty kick-ass.

Deflecticon is a game that's similar to CurveBall (it's even mentioned in the description), only instead of using your mouse, you use your finger on your smartphone or tablet. You face off against a number of computer controlled opponents, with multiplayer to come in the future.

Aug

[Review] Bloo Kid Would Like To Think It's A Throwback To "The Classics" - Too Bad It's The Same Old Crap

Posted by Matt Demers in Game Reviews, Games

Bloo Kid is a throwback to the older, 8-to-16-bit art style of the days of gaming yore. As the aforementioned Bloo Kid, you traverse levels that only take up one screen, killing enemies until they stop spawning. There is no scrolling involved, which I suppose is meant to be part of its "old school" design. Health is handled by Zelda-style hearts.

To add incentive along the way (and to unlock further levels) you are tasked to hunt for stars: one for killing all enemies, one for surviving without getting hit, and another that arbitrarily shows up before the level ends. This last one bugs me a little bit, as if you're across the level from the star when it appears, you have little-to-no chance of getting in it time.