Home » Apps with tag 'port'
R-TYPE II Review
These days, the notion of guiding a spaceship from left to right in the hope of stopping an alien invasion is rather quaint. In the days of R-Type, however, this flavour of sci-fi blaster was still considered cutting-edge. Irem's side-scrolling shooter series introduced massive power-ups and screen-filling bosses to a generation of gamers. As a result, seeing these games faithfully reproduced in the palm of our hands creates a strange nostalgia. As far as content and visuals are…
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challengeClassic Japanese adventure novel Banshee's Last Cry comes to iOS as a free download
When you think of Japanese games, the first genre that usually jumps to mind is the traditional RPG. But the country also has a love of interactive novels. Though these text adventures are rarely released in the west, Aksys Games' latest release brings a classic of the genre, Banshee's Last Cry, to iOS for free. First published in 1994 by Chunsoft on the SNES, Banshee's Last Cry was one of Japan's first sound novels. Its popularity has seen it released on multiple platforms within the country, and now, after twenty years, Aksys Games has released an English translation on iOS. Playing very similarly to a choose-your-own-adventure book, the game charges you with solving a grizzly murder in…
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…
METAL SLUG 1 Review
There's one thing that has held back previous releases of the METAL SLUG franchise on the iOS platform, and that one thing is simply its 'controls'. The games are, without question, just as amazing as they were in the arcades and the perfect fodder for gamers after a hardcore side-scrolling shooter, but games like this live and die by their controls and sadly SNK PLAYMORE has missed an opportunity to come up with a novel solution. If you've never played METAL SLUG, I thoroughly recomm…
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Spectromancer Review
[This game was featured as the mini-review for the Friday News Wrap-Up for the 21st of September, 2012] If you’ve played Hothead’s ‘Kard Combat’ then you’ll know what you’re in for with Three Donkeys’ iPhone and iPad title ‘Spectromancer’. Players are handed a ‘deck’ comprised of an infinite amount of various cards, each requiring a certain amount of ‘mana’ to cast. Each turn you’ll earn a base amount…
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The World Ends with You: Solo Remix for iPad iPad Review
You know a game has a grip on you when you say something like, "I'd have bought a Nintendo DS just to play it". The World Ends With You (TWEWY) was just such a game for me, and knowing that I'd get to play it again on the iOS platform immediately dredged up a host of happy memories spent lazily enjoying its Beat'em-up RPG-like gameplay. The reason I'm gushing from the outset is to establish a base-level of 'rose-tinted glasses' for our readers/viewers and perhaps to soften the blow of…
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BLAZING STAR Review
There are many game systems that while having a decent collection of titles, just never gained widespread market appeal and withered because of this. Luckily thanks to downloadable services, re-releases, remakes, and the App Store, a lot of the best games of these systems can be played by a whole new generation of fans. One such example is the Neo Geo Home System, and the subject of the current review, Blazing Star. Released in 1998, what we have here is a classic side-scrolling shoot…
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Pandemic 2.5 Review
It's a strange thing, but some may know the meme, but not the game that was responsible for creating it - I am of course referring to Pandemic II by Dark Realm Studios. Even if you were half way around the world, Madagascar closed its borders if it heard you had a runny nose. The developer is back, this time in iOS form, to bring its infamous infection simulator to the masses, adding in a few tweaks to make it a worthwhile purchase for returning fans. Your task is simple - infect and…
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Conceptis Fill-a-Pix Review
[Editor's Note: Apologies for the video being unavailable for so long - YouTube is currently updating their back end again and it seems some features are missing at this time. We've found a work-around for now and hope this won't be an issue again soon!] Earlier we reviewed Prismapix, a puzzle game where the player uses minesweeper-like clues to know what tiles are safe to uncover a picture on and which are not. That game was based on a simpler kind of logic puzzle, and that's exactly…
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Prince of Persia® Classic Review
The original Prince of Persia by Jordan Mechner was a gaming classic, with its fluid animation, exotic setting and adventurous gameplay. The game was remade for the XBLA a few years ago, updating the graphics, adding more animations, and new modes along with achievements. That version was amazing and now has been ported to the iPhone. Can the touch screen deliver as wonderful an experience as a controller however? The answer sadly is no. Part of what made the original and the remake g…
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Sonic CD Review
Lucky were those who owned a games console in the 90s - luckier still were those who had access to multiple consoles. However, at least growing up, it was rare indeed to find someone with a decked out Genesis complete with CD drive. As such Sonic CD was only ever enjoyed in bursts at retail stores and despite ports to other platforms, it was never quite a complete experience. Enter one Christian Whitehead, a proof of concept on the iPhone and after two years we now have access to the p…
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Galactic Phantasy Review
When you first look at a game like Galaxy Pirate Adventure by Sunfish Studio Limited, it's hard not to be misled and think you're in for a Privateer-like experience set in a pirate-infested universe. The first hint is in the game's description as it clearly calls itself a 'full 3D RPG', which is literally exactly what it is. You play as the Prince of Pirates, however you've been cast out in to the 'waters' by your father (the 'King' of Pirates if you're wondering) to adventure and gro…
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Another World - 20th Anniversary Review
In a recent News Wrap-Up I confessed that I had never played Eric Chahi's classic title Another World and I've always felt a twinge of regret on that score. Thankfully the 20th Anniversary release of the title from Bulkypix and retro-game specialists DotEmu has helped me to correct this oversight, but does this 20 year old game stand the test of time? You play the role of Lester, a research scientist who finds himself transported Out of This World and you'll need to face off against t…
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Defender of the Crown Review
Most gamers who discovered their love of the medium during the 80s probably remember Defender of the Crown. Released on the Amiga in 1986, what we have here on the iphone is a complete port of that title (and not a port of any of the many other ports the game had). After the assassination of the king, you return to England and find yourself amassing an army to occupy lands, reunite the country, and defend against Norman factions vying to take over. So the game is turn-based and presen…
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NyxQuest Review
It's hard to believe NyxQuest is a port of a Wiiware game released in 2009. Not due to its presentation or anything along those lines, but rather that upon playing the game, you'd swear it was created with a touch interface in mind. Most people should know the story of Icarus. Given wings held together by wax, he flew too close to the sun, the wax melted, and as a result he plummeted to Earth. On one of his flights he discovers the goddess Nyx and the two fall in love. The world below…
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