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Sponsored Feature: What Android apps won in the race against iOS?
As an iPhone or iPad gamer, you may look down on your friend with his Galaxy S2 or other Android device. There are some reasons why you shouldn’t, though. Although the App Store still rules when it comes to mobile gaming, there are SOME titles that actually landed on Android first. Without further ado, then, let’s look at some of the best Android apps that were released ahead of their iOS counterparts. Little known One of the more noteworthy ones is Little Empire by Camel Games, which surfaced on Android weeks before it debuted on iOS devices. A freemium tower defence title doesn't sound like anything special, sure, but thanks to the superb presentation and enjoyable combat…
iOSSponsored Feature: Visit a sprawling fantasy world in Digital Cloud Dragon Bane Elite
Dragons aren't exactly new concepts in gaming. In both Skyrim and DragonVale, for example, these powerful and mysterious fabled creatures are part of the reason for the games' successes. Dragon Bane Elite represents an attempt on the part of its developer to illustrate the true might of the dragons in a portable game. Oh, and to reproduce the sprawling scale and depth of a desktop MMORPG on your iPhone. I spoke to Jianbo Tang from Digital Cloud, the creators of Dragon Bane Elite, to find out why this particular fantasy world is worth exploring... "Dragon Bane Elite is an MMORPG game with an epic history. The game is set in a fantasy past over 10,000 years ago. Players build their…
Sponsored Feature - CocoaChina on resurrecting a legend with Contra: Evolution
Reviving the original hard-as-nails 2D shooter Contra on touchscreen devices is either a very brave or very foolish move, depending on your perspective. CocoaChina are the guys behind Contra: Evolution, and they are confident that they have made the game work on iOS devices. Foolhardy or brave? Let's find out... To do so, we talk to CocoaChina CEO Haozhi Chen about Contra's legacy; the work that has gone into getting the touchscreen controls just right; and the challenge of making sure newcomers and long-term fans of the series are happy with the title. Resurrecting a gaming legend isn't a task that many game developers would envy. It would be all too easy to just port the original and…
Sponsored Feature: Laser Dog on stylish arcade-puzzler PUK
At first sight, it’s clear PUK knows what it is. It’s stylish, minimalistic, and cool. And with barely an introduction, players seem to instinctively know what PUK is, too. For those of you who haven't played it yet, though, PUK can be described as a “retro-inspired, super-minimal, pure action-puzzler". That’s the voice of Simon Renshaw from Laser Dog, the creators of PUK. We spoke to him about the ideas behind the game, and what Laser Dog are aiming to do with their first mobile game. "Most games that I see these days (across all platforms) tend to be entertainment focused, designed to draw you in with prettiness and comfort rather than bite," Renshaw states.…
Sponsored Feature - Cohort Games on Cirkits: Toy Robot Racing
Robots are, arguably, the best toys. A good chunky robo-figurine just can't be beaten. Only, perhaps, by cars. They look cool, can do jumps, and loop the loops. And stuff. Cars are pretty great. Well, if you asked Darran Thomas, CEO of Cohort Games, to pick a winner between robots and cars, he'd probably say both are best. And that’s not cheating. Why? Well, because as the creative director of Cirkits: Toy Robot Racing, he has overseen an almighty mash-up of the two. Darran calls it a "Combat Racer". “If I have to put a label on it, I see it as a fusion between a racing gaming and a free runner. But it draws in influences from lots of genres. At first glance, it can look like…
Sponsored Feature: Jed Games on JED-GO Untouchable for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone
Zombies. They’re (still) everywhere. These days, though, they’re about as frightening as a bad cold going around the office. We’ve been talking with Jed Games about their new app JED-GO Untouchable, and they are the first to admit zombies may have lost a little bit of their impact of late. (Well, maybe the second.) “Zombies are so popular now, no one’s surprised when you see their semi-decayed faces on-screen any more,” Jed Games say. Oh... and did we mention JED-GO Untouchable is a game about shooting zombies? But Jed Games are confident that their app does enough to blast through the global zombie fatigue and emerge on the 'other side' as a fresh an…
Sponsored Feature: Tyjamaxy Empire on Lava Samurai for iPhone
Haven’t you always wanted to open up a lava lamp and reach inside to touch one of those incandescent shimmering blobs? Well, though Tyjamaxy Empire's Lava Samurai can’t quite provide you with that experience (and I do NOT recommend it trying at home), this game does enable to you to slice and dice as many lava lamps as you ruddy well like. Seems like a fair compromise. We spoke to Karen Scarff, MD at Tyjamaxy Empire, about Lava Samurai, including its suitability for touchscreen devices like the iPhone. “Lava Samurai is a lava lamp-slashing game where you use your fingers to cut up as many lava lamps as possible, while avoiding the dreaded light bulbs. There are three…
Sponsored Feature: Destiny Development on new iOS and Android freerunner Doc & Dog
Freerunning games have been a staple part of mobile gaming for as long as I care to remember. And, yes, I care. Deeply. Before you ask, no, Temple Run 2 is not a freerunning game. It's an endless-runner. Because, well, it doesn't have an end. Freerunners, however, do. See. Anyway, Russian outfit Destiny Development have decided to enter the freerunning fray with their new iOS and Android game Doc & Dog. Konstantin Andryushchenko, the director of international business development at Destiny Development, tells us why the stylish and characterful Doc & Dog doesn't shy away from its freerunning roots one bit. Read on to find out more... AppSpy: First of all, could you summarise D…
Sponsored Feature: Like A Crocodile Games Studio on Tapforss for iPhone and iPad
The App Store has given rise to a whole new generation of indie developers. But, with the increasing popularity of indie games, it has become unclear as to what the term ‘indie’ actually means. We spoke to Janos Filip, the founder of Like A Crocodile Games Studio, who claims to have created “A True Indie Title” called Tapforss. Filip explains the premise of this game in simple terms... In Tapforss, you control “a curious-looking crystal sphere, which you must navigate through mysterious caverns overcoming obstacles along the way". “It is a challenge of both your precision and wit, as many of the tasks need thought as well as action," Filip adds. "Th…
Sponsored Feature: Ladbrokes on Ladbrokes Tomb Raider for iPhone and iPad
Lara Croft has certainly been around the block. Since 1996, she’s climbed onto consoles, swam onto PCs, and swung onto handhelds. Now, though, she’s jumping over to iOS... but not in the way you might expect. Ladbrokes Tomb Raider, featuring Lara Croft, is a slot machine app, you see. We spoke to a Ladbrokes representative to discuss the marriage of one of the biggest icons in gaming with one of the most popular genres in the smartphone market. So, how do Ladbrokes Mobile use Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider name to make their app stand out from all the other slot machines on the App Store? “A new storyline, called the The Secret of the Sword, was created exclusively…
Sponsored Feature: Milestone Interactive Group on Worbble for iOS and Android
Word games and quiz games aren't in short supply on smartphones, so combining the two genres isn't a bad idea if you want to stand out from the crowd. Milestone Interactive Group's latest title, Worbble, does exactly this. And its developer hopes players find it to be an inspired concoction. Jayont R Sharma, chairman and CEO at Milestone Interactive Group, spoke to us about why it decided to combine the two gaming genres, why Worbble should appeal to both puzzle and word game enthusiasts, and why it encourages competitive play between players. Its name might be a little peculiar, but playing a game of Worbble is easy enough to get your head around. "Worbble is a unique 'brain game' t…
Sponsored Feature: IntenseGames Limited on Infinity Run
It's hard to stand out from the crowd - especially when you're a platformer on the App Store. IntenseGames Limited believes its latest title, Infinity Run, has enough fresh and novel elements to make an impact in a highly competitive genre, though. We had an opportunity recently to sit down and chat to Alexander Kutehov, project manager of Infinity Run. Among other things, Alexander revealed more about the aforementioned unique gameplay elements, how much work went into the touchscreen controls, and what's planned in terms of updates for the game. Oh, and whether Android gamers can look forward to a bespoke version of the game. AppSpy: What does Infinity Run offer that peopl…
Sponsored Feature: Gamerizon on Chop Chop Ninja World
There's a very good chance that if you own an iOS device, you've run into one of the Chop Chop titles. Developed by Gamerizon, these games are fairly easy to spot. They usually star cartoon characters with small egg-shaped bonces, and they generally boast easy-to-grasp control schemes. Chop Chop Ninja World is the latest instalment in the Chop Chop series, and serves as a direct sequel to 2010's Chop Chop Ninja. Marton Lizée, chief creative officer at Gamerizon, spoke to us about how this is the most expansive Chop Chop game yet, how the online elements add to the experience, and how the title could be heading to a microwave near you. AppSpy: Can you explain what the aims and ob…
Sponsored Feature: Developer Ayogo on its iTheme app
_jpg_240x140_q85.jpg "Sponsored Feature: Developer Ayogo on its iTheme app")
You look at your iPhone several times a day. Wouldn’t it be a more enjoyable if your display boasted a stunning and individually designed background? Ayogo has now come up with a design solution - iTheme. The app allows you to change the background of your iPhone’s display to a number of tailored themes, and Kai Banholzer - CEO and developer at Ayogo - spoke to us about how iTheme isn’t just a basic screensaver-changing app. So what exactly does iTheme do that helps it stand out from an increasingly competitive App Store? “iTheme offers a unique and different approach,” Banholzer explains. “While traditional wallpaper apps contain loads of scr…
Sponsored Feature: NARR8 Limited on NARR8 for iPad
Those 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books were impressive back in the day. Nowadays, however, most people will likely want something shinier, something all new - something they've never seen before. NARR8 Limited has created a digital book reader that it hopes will be all that, and more. We spoke to Alexander Vaschenko, founder of the team that developed NARR8, to find out about what the app does; how it is constantly expanding and improving; and the reasons for making it free to download. AppSpy: What exactly is NARR8 - and why should people be excited about it? Alexander: There's no all-in-one application or place where interactive books of different genres - from motion comics to…
