Feed: Slide To Play Top Stories - AggScore: 38.6

Padvance Report: Mobile vs. Consoles Games, Awesome iPad Mics, and Dolphin HD Review

The Padvance Report returns with a hot debate on mobile games vs. console games, an excellent iPad condenser microphone, and a great alternative to the stock Safari browser on iPad. Watch a longtime Nintendo exec go at it with a CEO of a mobile games company. Learn more about the MXL Tempo microphone. Last, but not least, is a review of the fine Dolphin Browser HD. Let's roll!

DICE 2012: Mobile vs. Console

Former Nintendo of America exec Perrin Kaplan and Addmired CEO Gabriel Leydon engaged in a vigorous debate at DICE 2012. The topic at hand: console games vs. mobile games. While both sides can certainly learn from the other, the respective business are still very different. Check out arguments on which side has the brighter future here.

MXL Tempo Condenser Microphone for iPad Video Interview

Whether you're a traveling podcaster or a musician on the go, you should definitely check out the MXL Tempo. This high-quality condenser-microphone works with the iPad through the Camera Connection Kit. Learn and see more about this fine microphone here.

Dolphin Browser HD for iPad Review

Although Safari on iPad does a serviceable job, it lacks many features found in modern desktop browsers. Dolphin Browser HD brings all that to the table and more. Learn more about this fine web browser and find out if it's right for you here.

Beat Sneak Bandit Review

Simogo may be fairly new on the development scene, but they've already made a name for themselves with games like Bumpy Road and Kosmo Spin. As odd as both of those games are, Beat Sneak Bandit takes the insanity to a whole new level. It has an offbeat concept, requiring you to tap in time with the music to move through puzzles. There’s really nothing else quite like it on the App Store.

The plot of Beat Sneak Bandit is just as crazy as every other aspect of the game. Duke Clockface has snatched up all of the world’s clocks, and it’s up to Beat Sneak Bandit, with the assistance of his frog friend Herbie, to sneak into his lair and take them back. Clockface is a clever cat, however, setting traps for our righteous thief that force him to move with the beat.

Beat Sneak Bandit’s level design and controls all revolve around rhythm. Every set of 14 levels features variations on a tune, with different audio cues controlling parts of the environment, like trapdoors and alarms. Figuring out each level’s rhythmic pattern is the key to successfully stealing back the clocks. The goal of each level is to collect the large clock as well as four smaller clocks.

The Bandit will only move when you tap to the beat. Tap out of time, and any clock on the same floor as him will explode. The time signature for every level is 4/4, which makes it easy to grasp the concept. However, we wish Simogo had mixed up the soundtrack with different time signatures.

Collecting the optional, smaller clocks unlocks bonus shadow levels. What makes these special is that there are no colors, making some elements of the game (such as color-coded switches) more challenging to use. These bonus levels help shake up the formula, and collecting all of the clocks is a great goal for a second playthrough. In total, there are 57 levels, the last of which is a boss fight that will put your rhythm tapping skills to the test.

As much as we enjoyed Beat Sneak Bandit, it may be considered an acquired taste for some. For the rhythmically challenged, or those who hate playing games with the sound on, you might not enjoy Simogo’s latest composition as much as we did. However, if you love crazy indie games, then you’re destined to love Beat Sneak Bandit as well.

Rovio Announces Angry Birds Space

Rovio Mobile, creators of the world's most popular iPhone game, Angry Birds, announced a new game on their blog today: Angry Birds Space. According to some reports, NASA is involved with the game as well. There's a teaser trailer and a website, but neither has any significant details on how the game will look or play.

You can check out the teaser site here, which is barely more than a logo at this point. Engadget also reports that NASA and National Geographic will be involved with the launch of the game, but we're not sure about how. More details on Rovio's next game should come out around GDC in early March, and the game will launch for unspecified platforms on March 22.

What would you like to see in the next Angry Birds game? 3D graphics? Augmented reality? Online multiplayer? Or just more of the same fowl-flinging gameplay?

[via Rovio Blog]

Diggin' Dogs Review

Once you get past the cutesy title, Diggin' Dogs is a seriously imaginative game. You must help three young pups dig their way through dirt and ice, past bees and poisonous mushrooms, to reach lost treasure. So it's similar to Where's My Water?, but it sports a lot of its own ideas, like using the accelerometer to carefully avoid obstacles. Diggin' Dogs is a surprise at every turn.

Each level begins and ends the same. Your dogs begin burrowing their way to hidden treasures that lie at the end of the level. Between your dogs and the treasures is an obstacle course of enemies and hidden gold. There are three dogs, and by swiping your finger across the screen, you can remove the dirt from the level. The goal is to remove enough dirt to create tunnels, guiding the dogs to safety and to gold. Various pockets can be found on each level, most often containing gold coins or dog bones, and by freeing the dirt around these pockets, you can steer the treasures towards your dogs.

Once you have created tunnels, you can tilt your device left and right to move the dogs in that direction. Note that you can't move one individual dog. All must move at once, except when it comes to jumping. By flicking up on one dog, you can make it jump to access out of reach areas or treasure chests.

You receive points at the end of each round, tallying the amount of gold you grabbed as well as how many dogs you were able to help make it to the end. If you lose even one dog, your score is significantly reduced. At times, you can set traps for your enemies, like sharp-teethed bear traps, which kill the bees on sight. The key is to take your time and be aware of your surroundings: it may save a pooch or two.

Your dogs can also use super-powered helmets to help them along the way. A helmet can only be worn by one puppy, so you'll need to strategize how that dog will help his compatriots. One helmet magnetizes your dog, drawing gold coins to him. Another rids your path of poisonous mushrooms.

Your rate of success is ultimately determined by the number of dog bones you can find in each level. Every level contains three bones, but they aren't always in plain sight. Once you have accumulated enough bones, you unlock the next collection of levels. Each new collection offers new challenges to enhance the gameplay.

This game is so imaginative that it's hard not to have fun while playing. Just like in Where's My Water, being able to create tunnels with a simple touch of your finger is very satisfying gameplay mechanic, and your puppies have a lot of personality. Our only gripe with the game is the camera system, which follows the puppies as they dig deeper. You can't ever move the camera where you want it, which means you don't have much chance to see what is to the left or right of you.

Diggin' Dogs has a surprising amount of depth, and the clever developers of the game definitely keep you on your toes. It may bear some resemblance to Where's My Water, but it's hard to care too much when we're having this much fun. Treasure-hunting dogs, super-powered helmets, pirate ghosts... Who could ask for anything more?

Update: Tuesday Twitter Giveaway: Armed and Gorgeous, Atari Games, and More

This week's winners have been chosen! Read on to see which features you think need to make it into the iPad 3, and who won a game code this week for Armed and Gorgeous and the Atari games.

The following tweets win game codes:

@RubbyLoo: The iPad 3 should have Retina display and a better battery life.

@lr1919: A d-pad, select, start, A, & B buttons.

@pizzirani: The one item that is a must have for me in an iPad 3 would be a quad core processor!

@jteek2000: The iPad3 feature i'd like is upgraded HD video capture

@drexiel: iPad3 should come equipped with Infinity Blade 2, 8-12mpx camera and Flash Support.

@choocs: May the iPad 3 have a collaborative document-syncing service included in iCloud!

@Scykei: The iPad 3 must have retina display. I hope it makes skipping the 1st and 2nd generation worthwhile....

@zekkwin: Unlimited browser tabs on Safari. If it's going to be more powerful, do improve the Internet experience.

@Retronaut42: The iPad 3 should have Flash support. I've had enough broken videos in my Internet browsing!

@kon_ami: This is wishful thinking, but would like the iPad 3 do play Flash and 3D videos.

@gaebedi: The iPad 3 should have a quad core processor - it would be soooo fast!!

@stricklyall: I expect the iPad 3 to have better speakers for my game time.

@alee67: The iPad 3 should have a built-in fusion plant, so you never need to worry about charging it.

@PCbasics_Blog: The iPad 3 should support micro USB or a way to transfer files quickly.

@automaticjim: iPad 3 should have siri and in a slightly smaller form factor.

Thanks for entering, everyone!

Win a $10,000 App Store Gift Card

To celebrate its upcoming 25-billionth App Store download (think about that number for a second), Apple is holding a contest where you could win a $10,000 gift card. All you have to do is purchase and download an app or fill out an online form.

The question is, what would you do with $10,000 in apps? (Hopefully one of your answers is to gift me a copy of Final Cut X!)

Best of the Presidents Day 2012 Sales

It seems like just yesterday we posted the best of the Valentine's Day sales. (In fact it was last week). But iOS game developers don't pass up a chance to put their games on sale, and this time it's Presidents Day that they're celebrating. Read on to find our picks for the best free and $0.99 weekend game sales. We'd particularly like to point out that both Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD are on sale for $0.99. Just saying.

Free

Assassin's Creed Recollection for iPad - Review - 3/4 - (was $0.99) - Open in iTunes

The Blocks Cometh - Review - 3/4 - (was $0.99) - Open in iTunes

Pirate Gunner HD - Review - 4/4 - (was $0.99) - Open in iTunes

Plunderland - Review - 4/4 - (was $1.99) - Open in iTunes

$0.99

The Adventures of Tintin - Review - 4/4 - (was $6.99) - Open in iTunes

Crazy Hedgy - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Dead Space - Review - 4/4 - (was $6.99) - Open in iTunes

Earthworm Jim - Review - 4/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

End Night HD - Review - 2/4 - (was $2.99) - Open in iTunes

Eternal Legacy - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Eternal Legacy HD for iPad - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Fifa Soccer 12 - Review - 4/4 - (was $9.99) - Open in iTunes

Grand Theft Auto 3 - Review - 4/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD - Review - 4/4 - (was $9.99) - Open in iTunes

Gangstar Rio: City of Saints - Review - 3/4 - (was $6.99) - Open in iTunes

Hero of Sparta II - Review - 4/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Hero of Sparta 2 HD - Review - 4/4 - (was $6.99) - Open in iTunes

Monopoly for iPad - Review - 4/4 - (was $9.99) - Open in iTunes

Neuroshima Hex Puzzle - Review - 3/4 - (was $2.99) - Open in iTunes

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Rayman 2: The Great Escape - Review - 2/4 - (was $2.99) - Open in iTunes

Reckless Racing HD - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Scrabble - Review - 4/4 - (was $1.99) - Open in iTunes

Scrabble for iPad - Review - 4/4 - (was $9.99) - Open in iTunes

The Settlers HD - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

The Sims 3 - Review - 3/4 - (was $6.99) - Open in iTunes

Shift 2 Unleashed for iPad - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

The Sims 3 Ambitions - Review - 4/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

The Sims 3 World Adventure - Review - 3/4 - (was $2.99) - Open in iTunes

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - Review - 4/4 - (was $1.99) - Open in iTunes

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for iPad - Review - 3/4 - (was $4.99) - Open in iTunes

Canabalt Developer Working on Hunger Games iOS Title

Adam Saltsman, the maker of Canabalt and Gravity Hook, announced on his blog yesterday that he's currently working with Lionsgate Films on his next iOS game, The Hunger Games: Girl On Fire. The game will be released close to when the movie hits theaters, which is March 23.

Both the game and the movie are based on the first book of the popular trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The book tells the story of a girl named Katness Everdeen who takes part in a deadly reality show in a post-apocalyptic world.

Describing the The Hunger Games: Girl On Fire on his blog, Saltsman says that, like Canabalt, "it does feature a running character, but the focus of the game is more on marksmanship and strategy... It's a small idea, but a tight one too. Almost like a teaser game, in the same way there are teaser trailers."

According to the game's Facebook page, you'll control Katniss as she tries to escape the pursuit of Capitol-engineered tracker jackers. "Defend Katniss from her attackers with her hunting bow. Leap through treetops with intuitive touch controls. Help Katniss make her way back to District 12!"

If you're a Hunger Games or Canabalt fan, be sure to read the full blog post for details on how the game came to be and who Saltsman is collaborating with to make it.

Frederic - Resurrection of Music Complete Review

Zombies are becoming a fairly tired symbol in video games, but what about zombified 19th Century composers? For the time being, they’re as fresh as the undead can possibly be, and Forever Entertainment has delivered a strong argument for their presence on the App Store.

Their game Frederic is a rhythm game based on the afterlife of master composer Frederic Chopin. It’s a very story-heavy experience, and the game’s developers show no lack of reverence for their fellow Pole in the game’s motion comic cutscenes, which generally look sharp. For reasons that will become clear as you play through the game’s extraordinary story, Frederic Chopin has been resurrected and, as he wanders the globe trying to find out why, he ends up in musical duels with people in different parts of the world.

Each of these duels involves a re-imagining of one of Chopin’s many well-regarded works. The gameplay isn’t terribly novel; it will feel familiar if you’ve played Rock Band or other games like it. This doesn’t take away from how enjoyable it is, though. The music itself is really impressive from top to bottom, as the game features really tasteful and interesting takes on Chopin’s music that neither disrespect nor diminish the source material.

What isn’t necessarily quite so respectful, though, is the game’s illustrations of different kinds of people. Frederic doesn’t feel like an encyclopedia of stereotypes, but it does have some questionable depictions in its narrative. For example, Ireland is represented by a leprechaun-like man, and Jamaica’s avatar is a Rastafarian who’s way into certain psychoactive plants. At some point these kinds of images can cross lines of decency, but we’re not sure if Frederic is guilty of such an offense or not. It’s worth considering, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide if Forever Entertainment was tactless or not in this regard.

Ultimately, the story in Frederic is pretty light and goofy, or at least that’s the way its voice acting makes it seem. Either the voice cast is hamming it up a bit on purpose or they’re not very good. Either way, it’s endearing and it makes sitting through the non-gameplay portions of Frederic quite enjoyable.

Though you’ll spend much of the game’s story mode sitting through motion comics, the entire package is charming and fun. The gameplay is satisfying the first time through and worth coming back to for leaderboard competition and higher difficulties. Frederic isn’t revolutionary, but it’s so well-done and engaging that it’s impossible not to recommend it.

Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy) Working on Three iOS Games

Hironobu Sakaguchi -- best know as the longtime director and producer of the Final Fantasy series -- has revealed that he's working on three iOS games. What started out as an innocent question from a Twitter follower became a major revelation for RPG fans around the world. Check out the details below.

According to Andriasang:

Since The Last Story's release early last year, we've all been wondering what Final Fantasy father Hironobu Sakaguchi has been up to. Out of nowhere today, he provided an update. It appears that Sakaguchi may be working on iOS games.

That's games, plural. A follower at Twitter asked Sakaguchi for details on his next game. Sakaguchi responded that his new game is for iOS, and he's making around three titles.

I'm completely psyched for Sakaguchi games on iOS. The man directed two of my all-time favorites: Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V. He supervised the outstanding Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG. He produced dozens of games that are considered all-time classics. Sakaguchi's most celebrated games were on 8-bit and 16-bit platforms, so perhaps working on an iOS game with a smaller team (as opposed to the hundreds it takes to make a console game) would be ideal for him. Whatever the case may be, I know I'm buying these games on day one...because it's frickin' Sakaguchi!

Any of you psyched to see what Hironobu Sakaguchi brings to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch?

[Via Andriasang]

Mountain Lion Continues the iOS-ificiation of OS X

As Chris mentioned earlier today, OS X Mountain Lion has some powerful social gaming features thanks to its Game Center integration. On a larger scale, this upcoming OS X release shows how influential iOS -- particularly on the iPad -- has become. Just take a look at the marketing copy being used: "You love them on the iPad. Now you'll love them on your Mac." Let's take a look at some of the ways OS X is becoming more like iOS.

Messenger: This feature is currently available as a standalone beta download and I already love it. It combines the functionality of iChat, FaceTime, and iMessenger. That last tidbit is particularly useful. While mobile voice and data prices have been declining, carriers still charge a ridiculous amount of money for text messaging. iMessenger for iOS allowed customers to give phone companies a big "Eff you!!!" by allowing for text chat over data. Messenger allows seamless integration of those "free" text messages and other conversation on Mac.

Notifications: A feature introduced in the last iOS update -- and really, heavily cribbed from Google Android -- these alerts are a brilliant way to stay on top of a lot of information. Notifications can be seen with a simple swipe, adding more of an iOS feel. A lot of my friends swear by Growl for notifications, but this is something that's better on the OS level. I love Android notifications and like the ones on iOS. Hopefully OS X notifications hit that sweet spot of providing information without being intrusive.

Twitter Integration: Like the last iOS update, Mountain Lion features heavy Twitter integration. Having a social network integrated on the OS level is an extremely powerful thing. It's one thing to be able to tweet out a link. Making it simple to tweet information, photos, and videos from different apps is fantastic (and potentially dangerous/embarrassing). As a tech writer, this is also useful for "When will Apple buy Twitter?" speculation stories.

Gatekeeper: Mountain Lion allows users to choose which apps can be installed. You can go for a total walled-garden effect (just like iOS!) and allow Mac App Store programs only. You can let your Mac be as free as the Wild West and install anything you damn well please. Or you can use a blend of Mac App Store programs and those with a verified "Developer ID". The paranoid lot see this as a way for Apple to eventually wall off OS X. I see it as a smart security option; I've known too many people that have hampered their computers with rogue programs.

iCloud: Apple is betting big on cloud services. As expected, Mountain Lion features more iCloud integration. iCloud is only going to get bigger -- across several Apple products -- in the future. There's a lot of potential for interesting and innovative services here. Also, you should help spread the Apple-is-buying-Dropbox rumor.

AirPlay: AirPlay is super useful for business presentations, watching movies, sharing photos, and more. The feature first appeared in iOS and now it will be in Mountain Lion.

As you can see from the list above, OS X is taking some of the best iOS features and making them available on Apple desktop/laptop computers. Some longtime Mac fans aren't digging it, saying that OS X is getting dumbed down. Personally, I love it. I love that my iPad and MacBook have similar behaviors and features, and that feel will only become more unified in the future.

What do you think of Mountain Lion? Do you like that OS X is becoming more like iOS?

Beat Hazard Ultra Review

First of all, if you have problems with bright flashing lights, strobe effects, or are simply vulnerable to photosensitive seizures, skip this game and don’t look back, because this is definitely not the game for you. With that aside, Beat Hazard Ultra is a fast arcade-style shooter that is just (potentially) full of energy, and we loved almost every second of it. On the surface, it’s fairly standard-- if you’ve played Geometry Wars, then you’re already familiar with how this works on a basic level.

The controls can be set to one “stick” or two, with virtual thumbpads which can be set to be fixed or move around a little bit with your thumbs. In twin-stick mode, the left moves your ship while the right controls the direction of your blasts; if you decide to go with one stick, then firing is automatic and you just move the ship. But don’t think that the latter makes things much easier, as the ship still has to turn, and evasive maneuvering is still a key trick to master.

That said, the game does run into some of the usual problems of having such a control scheme, but they are usually fairly minimal. And unlike other titles, you seldom (if ever) have to worry about obscuring anything important with your thumb.

The game features plenty of other little bits to toy with and customize, including Game Center Achievements, in-app purchases, and “perks” you can open up and utilize by collecting in-game currency. These can give you extra lives, score multipliers, and more. Plus, there are a variety of modes, including quick play, survival, boss rush, and even a “chill out” mode (for practice).

All of the above come together to form a well-rounded package that is a solid representation of the genre. But the fact of the matter is, none of the above are what sets this game apart. What makes this game unique is the music, which one could subjectively say is the best soundtrack to a game ever.

What makes the soundtrack so great is that it’s based on your iTunes playlist. But this doesn’t simply change what you hear during the game-- it also affects how you play. Each song represents one stage, and the arrangement of foes depends on what the song sounds like.

Furthermore, the music also affects your weapons, so as the intensity of the music picks up, the enemies become faster and more furious, as do your weapons. And by grabbing the different power-ups that appear, your ship becomes a juggernaut of light as the sounds of laser fire and explosions help turn virtually any song into a cool anthem of battle.

The way the gameplay and music come together creates an experience like no other, one which can be best described as harmonious. It’s amazing to think that this was developed by one man, and it makes about as good a case for packing your iTunes playlist as anyone can make. Incidentally, if you don’t have a very big music library, you can also connect to an internet radio station and allow it to generate stages that way.

There is, however, a small downside we have discovered: for whatever reason, it would seem that not all songs play correctly in the game. We have only encountered this with one song so far (a cover of the Killer Instinct theme), though it was consistent with every attempt to play it. The tune came out very, very slow-- so much as to be almost unrecognizable, much to our regret. It may simply be a fluke, but it’s something to be aware of.

Even with the small flaws, we cannot recommend Beat Hazard Ultra enough, unless you either hate shooters or have issues with bright flashing lights (or both). It is a unique experience with nearly limitless potential, and we just can’t get enough.

Under The Radar: February 16, 2012

In addition to our regular news, reviews, and previews, once a week we gather up the App Store's best new indie games for our Under The Radar feature. Even though you probably haven't heard of these games before, they've each got something special (like a great art style, or unique twist on a familiar genre) that make them worth trying. Here are our picks for this week's standouts.

VR Mission

"Snake? Snake!!" That's what you'll be shouting as you stealthily creep past heavily armed guards in this riff on the Metal Gear Solid training missions. In addition to guards, you'll have to avoid trap doors, security cameras, and laser tripwires. Your main character looks like a whole lot like MGS's Solid Snake, right down to the bandana and mullet, but it's no clone: VR Mission adds multiple bonus objectives and an in-game store where you can buy more spy gear.

Price: $1.99

Buy from iTunes

Time of Heroes

In this turn-based strategy game, you play as a band of sword-and-axe wielding Nords who discover a new continent. The first locals you meet are giant, pig-headed trolls, and that's when the battle begins. When you move your units into attack position, you'll trigger a 3D cutscene that shows the melee. In an added tactical twist, you'll get more experience points and level up faster if you target your enemy's weakest minions, but it makes combat more difficult than focusing on the leader.

Price: $2.99

Buy from iTunes

Hyper Snake

Cell phone gaming's original hero, a line that has to avoid its own tail, is blasted into the future with Hyper Snake. With grid-based neon graphics reminiscent of Geometry Wars, Hyper Snake is one trippy Snake game. You can pick from six different game-modes, like the Pac-Man-esque Eat mode, where power pellets turn your aggressors into snacks. For an even bigger challenge, the entire game is controlled only through tilt.

Price: $.99

Buy from iTunes

Four Hats

In this clever game, you play as a Beatles-esque band called The Four Hats. Like in A Hard Day's Night, you'll have to run from screaming crowds of fans before they smother you with their adoration. You can switch between band members, each of whom has a different special ability. One has a beanie that helps her float across gaps, another has a hard hat for smashing obstacles, and one dapper gent even has a top hat he can hide in.

Price: $.99

Buy from iTunes

FantasyXRunners

If you're looking for an auto-running game with a splashy RPG style, FantasyXRunners fits the bill. You start off with a regular fighter, but as you race through levels, timing your jumps and attacks, you'll earn gems that can be used to unlock more characters with special abilities. Each round also gives you a bonus objective, like killing ten enemies in a row, which will give you more gems. The environments and characters will be familiar to anyone who's ever played a Final Fantasy game, and this is the most fun we've had with an auto-runner since Jetpack Joyride.

Price: $.99

Buy from iTunes

OS X Mountain Lion to Allow Cross-Platform Gaming

Today Apple announced details of its next Mac operating system, OS X 10.8, popularly known as Mountain Lion. The overall theme of this update seems to be further integration with iOS, meaning Apple will be making their Mac apps more compatible with their iOS apps. What's of key interest to gamers is that they're bringing a Game Center app to the Mac and enabling cross-platform multiplayer between Macs and iOS devices.

Game Center, of course, is Apple's social gaming platform, featuring online leaderboards, a friends list, and online multiplayer. In the past, we've criticized Game Center for not offering any significant features we hadn't already seen in other social gaming platforms on iOS. However, making iOS games compatible with Mac games is a large step in the right direction.

The only example of cross-platform multiplayer Apple has shown so far is Real Racing 2, which they've demoed to various media outlets. We're hoping to see a lot more developers take advantage of this feature by the time Mountain Lion comes out this summer, and trying it out for ourselves. As far as we're concerned, the more people we can play online with, the better.

SpongeBob's Super Bouncy Fun Time Review

SpongeBob Squrepants is ready to take on Bikini Bottom in his very own physics-based puzzle game. Are you ready? (Proper response: "I'm ready! I'm ready!")

SpongeBob Squarepants has been on the air for over 12 years, which is remarkable longevity for a kids' show. The little sponge who's best known for living in a pineapple under the sea still manages to thrill his young audience by frying up random adventures alongside dozens of Krabby Patties. In other words, you never know what you're going to get when you sit down with Mr. Squarepants.

SpongeBob's Super Bouncy Fun Time (hereafter referred to as "SSBFT" for the sake of the writer's sanity) will likewise knock you for a loop. Oh, sure, you think you're merely downloading an Angry Birds-type game that features SpongeBob and his friends instead of a bunch of irritated fowl, but as soon as you clap your eyes on the SSBFT's title screen, you will think, "Oh dear. What have I gotten myself into?"

That's because the graphics in SSBFT are rendered in a chibi anime style. On his own, SpongeBob is kind of cute, or about as cute as a slimy, brainless undersea creature is capable of being. When outfitted with an anime aesthetic, though, SpongeBob will give you cavities. And then he'll give those cavities diabetes. In other words, SSBFT will make you go "Squee!"

Happily, SSBFT has some solid mechanics to back up its cutesy visuals, since it plays like a combination of Angry Birds and the arcade classic Breakout. SpongeBob sets out to catch jellyfish in dozens of levels scattered across five different locales. Curiously, to "catch" the jellyfish, he shoots them down with a gun-like object (hmmm).

Either way, your goal is to shoot every jellyfish in a each level using a pre-set number of balls. Several obstacles get in your way, including breakaway walls, barrels and bowling balls (which can be tipped over to smack the jellyfish), and wildlife (Sea Bears!). Offing jellyfish will net you coins, which you can use to buy power-ups if you're having a particularly rough time in a level. The better you do at clearing a level, the more stars you earn. Standard stuff, but setting off a chain of destruction is still enormously satisfying.

SSBFT's adorable visuals and relatively easy-going gameplay make it an obvious choice for younger players (which are presumably still the core of SpongeBob's fanbase), though older players will still enjoy themselves no matter how many times they tell themselves that happiness and sunshine are stupid. In fact, older players may want to help out the tykes at times, because SSBFT has one big flaw: slinging a ball at the jellyfish requires you to pull your finger out rather than in (as is the case with Angry Birds) which, in turn, can make it difficult to lob a good, strong shot at the top of the screen.

Otherwise, SSBFT isn't an especially original game, but it's fun, it's cute, and it's full of jelly. If you're at all affectionate about SpongeBob Squarepants, make sure you pick it up. Just don't turn your back on anime Patrick. He will swallow your soul.