News Wrap-Up | 6th September 2013

By , on September 6, 2013
Last modified 11 years, 2 months ago

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It's a little under two weeks until Angry Birds Star Wars II lands on iOS. To whet our appetites for yet more bird-flinging fun, Rovio has given us a glimpse of its new physical docks in action.

Like the Skylanders portals, these telepods will allow you to transport the accompanying Star Wars figures directly into the game. As this sequel actually covers the movie prequels, expect to get your hands on a mini plastic Qui-Gon, a feathery Padme, and Jar Jar Binks. The launch date is set for September 19th. Many bothans die to bring you this information

So we got a bit of a surprise when we signed into the App Store this morning. Rather than the usual landslide of free-to-play endless-runners, what should pop up on our screens but a brand new - and hitherto unannounced - Call of Duty game. It's called Call of Duty: Strike Team, and it's a CoD game with a difference.

Rather than plumping for another 15 levels of military-themed first-person mayhem, Leeds-based studio The Blast Furnace has created a game which is part FPS, part third-person strategy game. If you want to see the game in action, you can watch the me talk you through the entire opening level in yesterday's hands-on video.

It's an interesting spin on the standard Call of Duty formula, but the jury's out on whether it all hangs together. Check back very soon for the App Spy review.

The other big release this week is developer 2K's new mobile racer, 2K Drive. Developed by 2K, 2K Drive was intended to be 2K's answer to Real Racing 3. It too has a garage full of licensed cars, online multiplayer, and a bunch of social features. You can even stick your own face onto your driver, which never looks weird.

Though built around a free-to-play payment model, the game was overhauled at the last minute when 2K decided they'd be better off slapping a premium price tag on it instead. Are 2K charging £2K for 2K Drive? No, they only want £4.99. You can buy it right now.

Finally this week, Bit.Trip legend Commander Video is set sprint onto touchscreens this winter in auto-runner sequel Runner 2. The most recent entry in Gaijin's quirky Bit.Trip series, Runner 2 sees the rainbow-caped commander legging it through another series of handsome environments and hazardous obstacles.

Though we understand the controls have been reworked to suit the mobile platform, everything other aspect of Runner 2 should arrive on iOS intact. These games are as tough as they are charismatic, so we look forward to putting the port through its paces.