Saturday, October 31, 2009

Eliminate and Touch Pets: Dogs Are Finally Released (in Canada), Both Free!!

EDIT: Eliminate is now out for free WORLDWIDE!

The extremely anticipated titles, Eliminate, and Touch Pets: Dogs, by ngmoco:), have finally arrived in Canada. And they're both FREE. If you don't know what they are, let me catch you up:

  • Eliminate is a first person shooter, and you are a robot employee of Arsenal Megacorp, and must test out their weapons, armor, and various other items in any of 5 different arenas. The main game mode is worldwide online multiplayer, and the game is released in Canada first to test out the servers. Since the game is free, ngmoco:) must have a form of income, right? Well, to earn credits online, to buy and upgrade your suits/weapons, you have to have energy at the time. You can buy additional energy for real money, but you don't have to. Your energy recharges a certain amount (Enough for about 8 games) every 240 minutes. (Though the time is not completely decided yet. The in-app purchases for Eliminate cost $1.99, $9.99, and $29.99, which give you high amounts of power cells, which allow you to play online and earn credits. You can also trade in each power cell for 1,000 credits. However, you still have to level up online to buy certain items. You must have a Plus+ account to play the game. (Or you can make one on the spot)
  • Touch Pets: Dogs is another free title. It is similar to Nintendogs, and you must adopt and care for a dog, one of seven breeds. (Including a Robot Dog) You can make them become a certain profession, and train them to gain different skills. I have not gotten up to the career portion of the game yet, so I do not know what it is like. It has a system similar to Eliminate, but instead, it limits the time you play with your dog (kind of). You slowly gain "food bowls" over time, or can buy a premium version of the game with a lot of food bowls to start out with. Your progress is transferred to the other versions, because the Plus+ network, which is in both titles, allows it to sync with all of your Touch Pets games. You can also let your dog have "playdates" with your Plus+ friends' dog(s), and even while your dog is "away," you can still play with it!
So, that's the scoop, and hope you enjoy Eliminate and TouchPets: Dogs!
If you're wondering, ngmoco:) anticipates a worldwide release in a few days, since this is essentially just testing.

Links:

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Dungeon Hunter Review


Enter a world filled with peculiar and unusual creatures such as zombies, skeletons, and loads of other monsters! You wake up in a strange place. Confused, you take a look around and see a fairy. Only dead people can see fairies. Hm. There’s only one explanation for that! Guide your character through a series of quests in a number of locations and destroy anything that comes in your path! Dungeon Hunter, one of the greatest RPG’s on iPhone!

Dungeon Hunter can be pretty much described in one word: ‘Diablo.’ Like 80% of Gameloft’s titles, Dungeon Hunter is based off another hit game. This RPG hack n’ slash game is phenomenal. There are hundreds of customization options for your character. Starting the game for the first time, you can choose from three different classes; “Warrior,” “Rogue,” and “Mage.” Warrior’s skill is strength. The class Rogue’s skill is dexterity. Finally, energy is Mage’s skill. A fairy is by your side to assist you on your task. She has special powers used to defeat enemies. Along with your fairy, you are given a weapon (daggers, swords, knifes, etc.) to destroy the creatures with. So many different armor and weapons are available to use. These items can also be sold for gold and you can use gold to purchase other items with the merchant.

Gameloft allows you to use one of two control methods. The first is the typical Gameloft style; joystick on the left and action buttons on the right. The joystick is to control your character’s movement (obviously.) There are three action buttons on the right. The one on the bottom is used to swing your weapon at an opponent. The middle one is to use your special. The uppermost button is to use your selected fairy’s power. There are five fairies each having their own unique power (you have to discover a fairy during different quests.) The second option is to tap the part of the screen you want your character to go and you are still given the three action buttons on the right. I tend to use the first control option when I am playing because it feels better then just tapping the screen; it feels as if you have more control over your character. However, something that really bothers me is the fact that the joystick can get unresponsive sometimes. Hopefully, Gameloft will address this issue in a future update.

To access your skills menu and view your character’s information, you select the button on the top left. Here, you can see what level you are on, your class, how many experience point you have, and your remaining points. Each time you level up (to level up you have to reach a certain number of experience points) you gain 2 points to increase your character’s skills. You can improve his Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Energy. Statistics are also available to look at. All the items you’ve collected can also be seen here. You can select the types of weapons or armor you want your character to have. Everything from your head to your foot can be customized. There is a number of “Special” you can choose from and each special can be leveled up. Your specials can be changed in-game by dragging the action button from left to right. Lastly, in this menu, if you are lost or are unaware of what you are doing, you can see what quest needs to be completed.

Graphics in Dungeon Hunter are astonishing. What Gameloft has accomplished is really pushing the limit. I’m astonished the iPhone can handle so many objects on a screen with gorgeous graphics. The game has no bugs or lags, playing on a 1st generation iPod Touch.

Pros:

Consists of all RPG Elements

Excellent gameplay with interesting story

Lengthily game

Tons of items you can pick up

Detailed upgrades

Cons:

Unresponsive controls (at times.)

Bottom Line:

This deep RPG contains all the elements a hardcore RPG gamer is looking for. With a lot of replay value (3 classes to play with), several upgrades, and an interesting story, Dungeon Hunter is a must buy.

Scores:

Graphics: 5/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Controls: 4/5

Replay Value: 4/5

Overall: 10/10 (not an average)

Link: Dungeon Hunter, $6.99

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Win Rocket Monkey For Free!! 3 Promo Codes to Give Away!


We have received 3 codes for Rocket Monkey, courtesy of "people operating technology," to give away to our lucky readers. (You!) Read on for the mini-review and how to enter...

Rocket Monkey, $.99, is a game where you guide a monkey through space, in between two groups of rocks. Asteroids are all over the area, and you have to avoid them while moving forward. If you hit them or the top and bottom of the screen, you lose. To go up, press and hold on the screen, and to go down, wait for the monkey to drop. The controls are implemented well, and are very easy to use. As you get further in the asteroid belt, the asteroids start moving up and down, and appear more frequently. Once you get really far in, it becomes a frenzy and you finally crash. However, the game is so addictive that you just want to keep playing it over and over. (Also the fact that there's a contest going on, but I'll talk about that later.) The graphics in the game are incredibly good, everything is animated in 3D, and the framerate is great. A few things that could be added in updates are speed boosts, different obstacles, checkpoints every 1000 points, and different game modes, such as one where you have to avoid asteroids and collect fuel.
Once you lose a game, the fun isn't over. You can submit your score online, and compare it with your friends and everyone in the world with Open Feint. There are also achievements that can be unlocked, some based on distance in one game, and pure skill, and others for total distance if you aren't amazing at the game. Now, this increases the replay value dramatically, but the contest going on currently gives you even more motivation to keep playing. The goal of the contest, originally posted here, is to be the first person to get a score of 5000. The prize: A $200 iTunes Gift Card! This promo code giveaway probably won't be over by then, so if you want a chance, buy the game and keep playing. However, my current top score is only 2032 (Try to beat me on Open Feint, I'm ZamZar), so I'm not sure if someone will even get to 5000 by the time the promo codes get sent out.

Overall: 9/10


Now, back to the contest. There are two ways you can enter:

1. Comment on this post saying the gaming network Rocket Monkey uses for Achievements and Leaderboards. (Hint: Check the iTunes Description or the Mini-Review above for the answer) Also post either your Twitter account or your email address so we can contact you if you win.
2. Make sure you are following @TouchReviewsTK on Twitter, and ReTweet the following phrase: "RT and Follow @TouchReviewsTK to win one of three FREE PROMO CODES for Rocket Monkey! To see more details visit: http://rfly.me/rmpcc" You can ReTweet this message 5 times a day for extra entries!


Full Contest Rules:
1. You must have a US iTunes account to redeem the codes. If you do not, you can do whatever you want with the code that is within iTunes' User Agreement.
2. Only the specified amount of entries per person. Entering with multiple Twitter or email accounts is not allowed.
3. The contest will end on Tuesday, October 20th, at 11:59 PM PST. If in your time zone it is October 21st, you may enter the extra times for that day.


That's it, and good luck winning the promo codes!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Tweetie 2- Vastly Improved Twitter Client- Now Available!

There are lots of Twitter clients available on the App Store, including my personal favorite, Tweetie. A few days ago, its sequel was released, Tweetie 2, and has skyrocketed to the #2 Paid App position in the US. It has a completely new interface, and is ultra-fast. It has tons of new features, including Geo-Location, threaded Direct Messages, and mass follow/unfollow. There is now no reason not to get Tweetie 2!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Shrek Kart by Gameloft is Out!

Shrek Kart, a great looking kart racing game by Gameloft, has just been released for $4.99! Features include:

  • 4 SINGLEPLAYER MODES: Single Race, Tournament, Challenges and Arena modes
  • LOCAL MULTIPLAYER MODE: Challenge your friends to eat your dust via Wi-Fi (with up to 6 players) and Bluetooth (2 players)!
  • MILES OF RACING FUN with 19 cups in the Tournament mode and 72 challenges to face!
  • 10 UNIQUE KARTS: Each character has custom built his or her own vehicle, each with a special ability and different characteristics.
  • 11 DEFENSIVE & OFFENSIVE POWER-UPS: Drop the Cow That Jumped Over the Moon on an opponent or shoo away those Angry Bees by wiping off the screen with your finger!
  • 15 TRACKS (12 Speedways & 3 Arenas): Beautiful 3D environments from throughout the Kingdom, from Shrek’s home in The Swamp to the palm-lined streets of Far Far Away.
  • MORE THAN 10 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS: Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Ogre Triplets, Puss In Boots, Gingy, 3 Little Pigs, Pinocchio, Big Bad Wolf and the Ghost of Lord Farquaad!
  • iPod LIBRARY ACCESS: Rock out to your own personal soundtrack while you speed towards the Finish Line! (Works with the OS 3.0 software update.)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Rally Master Pro Preview


Rally Master Pro is an upcoming highly-aniticpated game by FishLabs which was first previewed some time ago. It has extremely high graphics, as Touch Arcade recieved a BETA build of the title on iPhone...



It's said to include approximately 27 action-packed tracks, weather toggles for sun, rain and snow and controls with touch and tilt movement. This title has recieved high ratings for regular mobile devices, and to bring it to the iPhone will make it even better, I can assure you.

Here are some extra screens:







Here's from Fishlabs:

Depending on the track surface and weather, a variety of dust, spray, and even dirt particles will be generated for each individual tire. The various kinds of particles act quite differently. On dry, dusty tracks the car leaves a massive cloud of dust while racing through a forest on a rainy day you can literrally see the mud flying.
….
Thanks to the high-powered 3D chips (OpenGL graphics acceleration) in the iPhone, we can light the vehicle in a variety of ways, depending on the weather: with lots of light and shadows when it’s sunny, diffuse when the sky is overcast, and correspondingly dim in rain and storm.

This game is expected this Autumn.

Soosiz- 2D Gravity Based Platformer- Released!


You may or may not have been looking forward to Soosiz, but I was. It's a cool looking platformer where you jump through different planets, with 65 levels across 7 worlds. Each world introduces a new gameplay element, ranging from slippery ice to gravity fields! It's only $1.99 for the weekend, so buy it now!

Car Jack Streets is Free for the Weekend!


Car Jack Streets
is a very well-made Grand Theft Auto clone for the iPhone. It features many cars and other vehicles to hijack, a top-down view, many big weapons to go crazy a kill innoncent people and over 80 minutes of action-packed music to keep you entertained for hours.

In competition with Gangstar: West Coast Hustle, Car Jack Streets is initially cheaper and free for this weekend only! So hit that download button now:

Crash Kart Vs. Krazy Kart Vs. Cocoto Kart -- Which is THE Best Kart Racer?


I'm an avid kart racing fan. I have tons of console kart racing games, and enjoy almost all of them. So, at the release of the App Store, I immediately had to get Crash Kart. Then, when Krazy Kart came out, I absolutely had to get that too. Then, when Cocoto Kart came out, I knew I had to add it to my collection. So, I now have all of the quality kart racing games in the App Store, and what do I do? I compare them, so you can choose which one fits you the best, and give you an in-depth description of each individual game.
First off, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, now $2.99. ($5.99 at launch) This is the first of the kart racers, and it shows when playing the game. As you play through the 12 tracks, with one of 8 different characters, the frame rate is low, and the graphics look outdated. (Unless you're on an iPhone 3GS, or iPod Touch 3G, then the framerate is fine, but the graphics are still bad) The tracks have good designs, but without any difficulty levels, you can finish the game in an hour. The 8 power-ups are good, but are exactly the same as Mario Kart for consoles, but with different skins. (Which isn't necessarily bad) Vivendi tries to incorporate missions, but "finish in front of that guy" missions aren't exactly very different from the main mode. To control the game, you can tilt the device, and tap a corner of the screen when you get a power-up.

Pros:
Good Track Design
Relatively Fun
Crash Bandicoot Characters

Cons:
So-so graphics
Short, even for the low price
No multiplayer


The second kart racer released, Krazy Kart Racers, now $7.99, is a huge improvement over Crash Kart. It has 16 tracks, 10 characters, 5 single-player modes, and 3 difficulty levels. Strangely, even though Metal Gear Solid is Konami's biggest franchise, they decided not to include a character from it. The graphics in Krazy Kart are close to the level of Mario Kart DS's graphics. (Blocky, but very good looking) The frame rate is good, and looks amazing on a newer device. The track design is boring at first, but then gets more interesting as you play through the game. To control your character, you can either tilt or use a slider. There is always auto-acceleration. Even though the game is very good, there isn't enough content to justify the $7.99 price point.
Because of the lack of buyers, even though there is worldwide online multiplayer, no one is ever online. If you want to play somebody, you have to go through a confusing process, then just wait until somebody comes. Sometimes the multiplayer makes the game crash, which is even more annoying. If you succeed in starting a multiplayer match, the older devices have a disadvantage, because the newer ones load so much faster that their countdown starts a second early.

Pros:
Very fun
Cute, great graphics
Tons of content

Cons:
Multiplayer doesn't work like it should
Too expensive
Sometimes randomly crashes


Last, but not least, Cocoto Kart Online. Cocoto Kart is the bargain kart racer, priced at $.99. It has 10 tracks, and 5 battle mode maps. There are also 12 unique characters, each with slightly different speeds and handling. Out of all of the kart racers, this is the most similar to Mario Kart. It has two 5 track cups, which have 50 CC, 100 CC, and 150CC difficulties, plus Mirror Mode. Mirror Mode makes each track like a new level, and adds tons of replay value to the game. The cups are way too difficult, unless you are a master kart racer. However, if you learn the shortcuts in the maps, it becomes more fun to race, and easier to beat the CPU. There are four options to control. You can use two arrows with/without auto-acceleration, or tilting with/without auto-acceleration. The tilting isn't extremely accurate, and sharper turns can be done easier with the arrows. The frame rate is very good, and the graphics are in between the levels of Krazy Kart and Crash Kart. You view your kart from further behind than the other two games, which increases the sense of speed. Now, we come to the online multiplayer. That's what the game is really about! In this aspect, Cocoto Kart completely crushes the other games. Its multiplayer is fantastic, and includes a battle mode, and unlike Krazy Kart, where you have to wait in the lobby, you can go back and play whatever mode you want while you wait. However, you won't need to, because unless you play at some time in the middle of the night, there are always people on. (Even in the middle of the night, people across the world could still be playing) The interface is simple, and the servers always work, and seem to connect to eachother.

Pros:
Fun tracks + shortcuts
Good graphics
Amazing multiplayer

Cons:
Hard singleplayer
So-so tilting controls


Bottom Line- Which Kart Racing Game Should You Get?
Crash Kart is out of the question. It's completely inferior to Krazy Kart and Cocoto Kart. If you have the other two kart racing games, and want more, then try Crash Kart.
Krazy Kart's most impressive feature is multiplayer, yet it doesn't work very well, and the game is way too expensive. If you have lots of money, and want a lot of content, buy Krazy Kart.
Cocoto Kart is a steal, with fun tracks (and lots of shortcuts!) and incredibly good multiplayer. You should pick this up no matter what. Even if you don't like kart racers, Cocoto Kart could make you become a fan of the genre.


Links:

Friday, October 9, 2009

Photoshop for iPhone! And it's FREE too!

Well, some say that Photoshop for iPhone is impossible. Some say the iPhone cannot handle it. Well how about a slimmed down verison of Photoshop, wit basic tools and an uploading feature? Adobe says that's possible, as Photoshop Mobile.

This title comes with the basic top tools, which you are most likely to use. These include:
  • Crop, rotate and flip
  • Colour: Exposure, Saturation, Tint, Black and White
  • Filters: Sketch, Soft Focus
  • Effects: Vibrant, Pop, Border, Vignette Blur, Warm Vintage, Rainbow, White Glow, Soft Black and White
Adobe is also giving 2GB of free online space if you sign up on their website, and I also believe you can upload picture from this app to the free service.

Gameplay Video of Upcoming RPG "Ravensword!"


Late in the Summer, Crescent Moon Games announced their upcoming and graphically intense (in 3-D) RPG, "Ravensword." This game has been anticipated by many, and it's looking great.


As you can see, the graphics look fantastic. However, you'll only be able to view graphics like these on your device if you own a 3rd Generation iPod touch or iPhone 3GS. The game will be available on other iDevices, however, the graphics won't be as good.

The controls are being changed, although the ones in the current build is great. Currently, the controls are similar to Resident Evil; the 360 degree joystick with action buttons on the side. I assume they will either exempt this method, or add another one (use the joystick to move your character and swipe the screen to change your direction.)

You can level up your characters attributes and earn skill points.

This game is a one of a kind; there are no 3D RPG titles with such intense graphics.

Ravensword" should be available in the App Store later this year.

"Command & Conquer: Red Alert" Available October 23!

Earlier this year, EA gave us a sneak peak of their upcoming Real Time Strategy title.

Using a multi-touch control system and featuring 12 Combat Levels, "Command & Conquer: Red Alert," is expected to release October 23rd.


Take a look at the app description

The Cold War is hot again with COMMAND & CONQUER™ RED ALERT™ for iPhone® and iPod touch®

Experience real-time COMMAND & CONQUER™ strategy as the Soviet or Ally factions. Control the battlefield with touch-screen power in up to 12 combat levels. Create and command war squads in realistic environments. Manage supplies with an intuitive combat system, and escalate the game with hi-tech weapons you develop.

The Cold War is hot again with COMMAND & CONQUER™ RED ALERT™ for iPhone® and iPod touch®.

Experience real-time COMMAND & CONQUER™ strategy as the Soviet or Ally factions. Control the battlefield with touch-screen power in up to 12 combat levels. Create and command war squads in realistic environments. Manage supplies with an intuitive combat system, and escalate the game with hi-tech weapons you develop.

KEY FEATURES

ACHIEVE VICTORY WITH TOUCH-SCREEN POWER
Drag and scroll to gauge the battlefield. Pinch-zoom in and out of the action. Select and move units with a tap. Control multiple units at once!

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE FACTION
Fight for Soviet domination or battle to restore peace with the Allies. Deploy military might unique to each side and engage in different campaign storylines.

BATTLE THROUGH 12 COMBAT LEVELS
Fight in Skirmish Mode on two different battlefield maps with war squads you create and control.

MANAGE TROOPS ON REALISTIC BATTLEFIELDS
Command units in different environmental conditions. Build your base and manage supplies with a new easy-to-use combat system.

ARM YOURSELF FOR WAR
Employ classic units like Kirov Air Ships and new units like the Paladin Tank. Or R&D new technologies to destroy your enemies.

Screenshots







Thursday, October 8, 2009

Rock Band Screenshots and Information Revealed!

Alongside Tap Tap Revenge, EA are also polishing up Rock Band for the iPhone and iPod touch. Rock Band is a simple rhythm game similar to Tap Tap Revenge, where you tap the beats as they fall to the bottom of the screen.

This morning, EA held a meeting where PocketGamer, TouchArcade and many other blogs have managed to get a hands-on preview and a detailed list of what's to come.

Here is the song list for the upcoming title:

"Attack" - 30 Seconds To Mars
"Girls Not Grey" - AFI
"Move Along" - All American Rejects
"Sabotage" - Beastie Boys
"All The Small Things" - Blink-182
"Hanging on the Telephone" – Blondie
"Learn To Fly" - Foo Fighters
"Everlong" - Foo Fighters
"Bad to The Bone" - George Thorogood & the Destroyers
"Hymn 43" - Jethro Tull
"Bad Reputation" - Joan Jett
"Simple Man" - Lynard Skynard
"Ace of Spades '08" – Motorhead
"Debaser" - Pixies
"Ladybug" - Presidents of The United States of America
"Give It All" - Rise Against
"Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pick Ups
"Cherub Rock" - Smashing Pumpkins
"Take The Money and Run" - Steve Miller Band
"We Got The Beat" - The Go Go's


There will be 20 songs as above included in the application, and additional tracks will be available for purchase as DLC (downloadable content). Below are screenshots posted by EAmobile and at the end is a video from TouchArcade showing the interface of RockBand:


















For the text which will be on the AppStore page description, click here.
This title is set to be released later this month.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Real Soccer 2010 Review

A year ago, Gameloft introduced the App Store to soccer. Real Soccer 2009 became an instant hit with its gorgeous graphics, great controls, and good amount of replay value. Sequels tend to be worse then the original game, however, Gameloft has changed that. Real Soccer 2010, developed by Gameloft, is now live in the app store, and I must say, it is a lot better then Real Soccer 2009. Many improvements have been made and they've added a lot of new game modes. The real question is, is this the best soccer game in the App Store?

Available for only $6.99, Real Soccer 2010 brings many new things to the table, when it comes to iPhone and iPod Touch gaming. This licensed soccer game features eight leagues with 245 teams. 14 stadiums are available in 3D as well. This beauty really does show the iPhone can handle high quality games. The commentary sounds fantastic and brings a console like experience to your iPhone or iPod Touch. In Real Soccer 2010, Gameloft introduces several new game modes including “Enter the Legend,” “Club Master,” and “RS League.” All the other game modes from RS09 are available as well (Cups, League, etc.). Replays can also be saved and uploaded to YouTube!

“Enter the Legend” is an extremely fun and well done game mode where you create your character (you can edit his appearance/attributes as well) and you play him in an entire season. Your character is selected on a team, and you play as him in every match. Points can be obtained if you play well and you can use those points to improve his skills (Attack, defense, etc.) “Club Master,” is where you manage a team for an entire season. There are three different competitions; League, Cup, and Champion events. Players can be transferred to other teams. Lastly, “RS League,” is a cool new game mode where you play as just one team and challenge 177 other teams. Your scores are submitted online around the world and you can climb your way to the top. It’s a really fun and competitive mode.

Gameloft even added in online multiplayer with the addition of local Wi-Fi , multiplayer. You can play people from all around the world in matches and improve your Global ranking. However, there is one flaw to this mode. There is a lag. When I first played online, the lag was horrible. The online games were unplayable. Yet, today I tested it, and it seemed to work a lot better. There was a lag, but it was not as bad. It still was playable, but just not flawless. (By the way, I won 4-0!! :D) Let’s hope Gameloft improves the online multiplayer. They even added “Gameloft Live,” a program where you make friends and accomplish different achievements.

Graphics in Real Soccer 2010 are stunning. It’s obviously not PS3 graphics, but it really reminds me of FIFA on my PS1 or even PS2. These graphics are on of the best for an iPod Touch/iPhone game. The characters and stadiums look great and it shows that Gameloft put a lot of effort into this title.

Two different control systems are available in the game. One is the classic method (the same one from RS09.) The classic control system has a D-Pad to control your character’s direction. On offense, to pass you press (or hold depending on how far you need to pass the ball) “B.” You can drag “B” up to kick the ball higher. To shoot, you press or hold “A,” and you can drag “A” up to shoot the ball higher. To sprint, you either double tap the D-Pad direction you are going in, or you shake your device. The new control method Gameloft introduced is the 360 virtual joystick. To sprint, you just drag the joystick in the direction you want to go in. The “Floating Joystick” is where you can move the joystick anywhere on the screen. This can get extremely annoying when you are trying to select another player on defense. When you touch another player, it just brings the virtual joystick there. Passing and shooting are the same with both methods. I prefer the new system because it’s easier to use and better then the old one, mostly because of the joystick (only when you choose to turn Floating Joystick OFF).

All in all, Real Soccer 2010 is a big improvement from Real Soccer 2009. It shows the capabilities of the iPod Touch/iPhone. Now, a couple questions are probably running through your mind. “Should I get this if I have X2 Soccer 09, FIFA 10, or Real Soccer 09?” “Should I get this or X2 Soccer 09/FIFA 10?” These questions are incredibly difficult to answer. However, I strongly recommend you first try out X2 Soccer 09 by playing the lite version. See how that is for you. I recommend you purchase RS10 over X2 Soccer 09 because Real Soccer has a lot more game modes, and it’s a newer version of a soccer game. FIFA 10 and Real Soccer 2010 are extremely similar. The only major thing FIFA has over RS10 is it features almost every single league in soccer. FIFA is also more authentic and it’s a console franchise. However, FIFA has no online multiplayer. The best thing to do is to view different videos on YouTube and try out X2 Soccer’s lite version. At the moment, I recommend you cross out X2 Soccer from your list, and view different videos of FIFA and RS10. It all depends on the person and what they expect from a soccer game.

Pros

Many new different game modes, including the best one “Enter the Legend.”

Improved and Outstanding Graphics

Improved Controls

Cons

Online Multiplayer Lags

Not every Team is Available

Bottom Line

Overall, Real Soccer 2010 brings a full console quality soccer experience to your iPhone and iPod Touch. Get it now.

Ratings

Graphics: 4.5/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Controls: 4/5
Sound/Music: 3/5
Replay Value: 5/5

Overall: 9/10 (not an average)

Link: Real Soccer 2010, $6.99

A year ago, Gameloft introduced the app store to soccer. Real Soccer 2009 became an instant hit with its gorgeous graphics, great controls, and a good amount of replay value. Sequels tend to be worse then the original. However, Gameloft has changed that. They released Real Soccer 2010 with lots of improvements and even new game modes. The real question is, is it worth upgrading from 09 to 10?

Available for only $6.99, Real Soccer 2010 brings many new things to the table, when it comes to iPhone and iPod Touch gaming. This licensed soccer game features eight leagues with 245 teams. 14 stadiums are available in 3D as well. This beauty really does show the iPhone can handle high quality games. The commentary sounds fantastic and brings a console like experience to your iPhone or iPod Touch. In Real Soccer 2010, Gameloft introduces several new game modes including “Enter the Legend,” “Club Master,” and “RS League.” All the other game modes from RS09 are available as well (Cups, League, etc.). Replays can also be saved and uploaded to YouTube!

“Enter the Legend” is an extremely fun and well done game mode where you create your character (you can edit his appearance/attributes as well) and you play him in an entire season. Your character is selected on a team, and you play as him in every match. Points can be obtained if you play well and you can use those points to improve his skills (Attack, defense, etc.) “Club Master,” is where you manage a team for an entire season. There are three different competitions; League, Cup, and Champion events. Players can be transferred to other teams. Lastly, “RS League,” is a cool new game mode where you play as just one team and challenge 177 other teams. Your scores are submitted online around the world and you can climb your way to the top. It’s a really fun and competitive mode.

Gameloft even added in online multiplayer with the addition of local Wi-Fi , multiplayer. You can play people from all around the world in matches and improve your Global ranking. However, there is one flaw to this mode. There is a lag. When I first played online, the lag was horrible. The online games were unplayable. Yet, today I tested it, and it seemed to work a lot better. There was a lag, but it was not as bad. It still was playable, but just not flawless. (By the way, I won 4-0!! :)) Let’s hope Gameloft improves the online multiplayer. They even added “Gameloft Live,” a program where you make friends and accomplish different achievements.

Graphics in Real Soccer 2010 are stunning. It’s obviously not PS3 graphics, but it really reminds me of FIFA on my PS1 or even PS2. These graphics are on of the best for an iPod Touch/iPhone game. The characters and stadiums look great and it shows that Gameloft put a lot of effort into this title.

Two different control systems are available in the game. One is the classic method (the same one from RS09.) The classic control system has a D-Pad to control your character’s direction. On offense, to pass you press (or hold depending on how far you need to pass the ball) “B.” You can drag “B” up to kick the ball higher. To shoot, you press or hold “A,” and you can drag “A” up to shoot the ball higher. To sprint, you either double tap the D-Pad direction you are going in, or you shake your device. The new control method Gameloft introduced is the 360 virtual joystick. To sprint, you just drag the joystick in the direction you want to go in. The “Floating Joystick” is where you can move the joystick anywhere on the screen. This can get extremely annoying when you are trying to select another player on defense. When you touch another player, it just brings the virtual joystick there. Passing and shooting are the same with both methods. I prefer the new system because it’s easier to use and better then the old one, mostly because of the joystick (only when you choose to turn Floating Joystick OFF).

All in all, Real Soccer 2010 is a big improvement from Real Soccer 2009. It shows the capabilities of the iPod Touch/iPhone. Now, a couple questions are probably running through your mind. “Should I get this if I have X2 Soccer 09, FIFA 10, or Real Soccer 09?” “Should I get this or X2 Soccer 09/FIFA 10?” These questions are incredibly difficult to answer. However, I strongly recommend you first try out X2 Soccer 09 by playing the lite version. See how that is for you. I recommend you purchase RS10 over X2 Soccer 09 because Real Soccer has a lot more game modes, and it’s a newer version of a soccer game. FIFA 10 and Real Soccer 2010 are extremely similar. The only major thing FIFA has over RS10 is it features almost every single league in soccer. FIFA is also more authentic and it’s a console franchise. However, FIFA has no online multiplayer. The best thing to do is to view different videos on YouTube and try out X2 Soccer’s lite version. At the moment, I recommend you cross out X2 Soccer from your list, and view different videos of FIFA and RS10. It all depends on the person and what they expect from a soccer game.

Pros

Many new different game modes, including the best one “Enter the Legend.”

Improved and Outstanding Graphics

Improved Controls

Cons

Online Multiplayer Lags

Not every Team is featured