10000000 is a mash up of match-3 puzzle gameplay and dungeon crawling. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s very addictive and it’s a perfect time killer for mobile devices. Your goal is to escape from a dungeon by scoring 10000000 points – however it all has to be done in one session. Each time you are defeated, you are sent back to your room. However, you can use the wood, gold, and stone gathered during each run to upgrade shops, unlock new features, and gain new abilities which will make it easier and easier to make it through the game. Although there isn’t much to do after gaining the 10000000, it’s still a fun and simple game that’s best suited for mobile devices.

Choplifter HD is a remake of the classic bullet hell game. Taking control of an up and coming rookie pilot, you are tasked with getting civilians to safety under hellacious conditions. You’ll have to take on enemies both on the ground and in the air as you take civilians to safety. You’ll also have to deal with dwindling fuel and munitions, as you’ll have to restock frequently. Doing well in each mission earns you stars for each mission, and eventually upgrades for your copter. The game starts out easy, but gets challenging as you progress. Regardless of if you played the classic Choplifter, or this is your first introduction to the franchise, Choplifter HD is a fun and challenging update of a classic.

Dungeon Hearts is a puzzle/RPG hybrid. Playing as a group of heroes, you set out to defeat an evil entity. Instead of traditional turn-based combat however, you attack by matching 3 tiles. By matching up colors, you create gems which you use to attack enemies. Different types of tiles come into play as you make your way through each battle. While the game is easy enough in the first few levels, it gets harder as more types of tiles are introduced, and the playing field gets increasingly hectic. There isn’t much in the way of replay value if you can finish the game, but the battles are randomly generated, and there are 4 different soundtracks to unlock. If you have an iPad, you’ll definitely want to play that version, as it’s touch-screen controls will be easier on your hands than a mouse. While Dungeon Hearts is a bit on the short side, at $3, the price is right.

Releasing in late 2010, Infinity Blade was a very significant game for the mobile market, especially the iPad. It was the first mobile game that made use of the Unreal Engine 3. With a serious graphical powerhouse engine behind it, tablet systems would be on their way to being taken seriously as gaming devices. The game itself isn’t too shabby either. It provides an experience that is best suited towards mobile devices, although it tends to get a bit repetitious.
[Read the rest of this entry…]

A Valley Without Wind is an independently developed action game. If you buy it, you get it’s sequel for free, which is a good thing since the first game was a bit too experimental for its own good. It’s platforming action is a mix of RPG and exploration game mechanics, and the worlds you travel are randomly generated, so the game experience is different each time you play. The second game has more of a plot, along with turn-based strategy and deeper RPG customization features. While the first one was repetitive and the second one is a bit unforgiving, this two pack of games is a good value with an interesting premise and a classic old-school feel.

Warriors Orochi 2 is the sequel to Koei’s crossover fest. Orochi is being revived, so once again the warriors of the Three Kingdoms and the Warring States must join forces to stop him. The game’s cast involves 6 new characters, along with the characters added in Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends. There are new levels, new music, and a new prologue campaign in which you play as Orochi. There is a new ‘Dream Mode’ which features new unlockable imaginary stages. Even so, this game will feel more like an expansion pack rather than an all new game and if you’re not already a diehard fan of the franchise, you won’t be won over now. However, if you are a diehard fan of the series, you’ll eat it up just fine. You might even have its sequel by now.

Remember that old arcade/NES game Jackal? Of course you do. Well, this game is its spiritual successor. There isn’t much of a storyline. A terrorist is attacking the world, and your team must defeat him. Picking one of several characters, each with their own vehicle, you tear across several levels blasting things, killing enemies, and rescuing hostages. The PC version of the game contains Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman as an extra character. You can play 1 or 2 player spiltscreen offline or 4 player co-op online. There are online leaderboards as well. Like those classic arcade games of old, there isn’t much more to say about this game, and not much needed. Just download it, and enjoy the mindless destruction.

Pro Wrestling X is little more than a playable concept. However, it represents the culmination of a decade-long dream. Several years ago, members of a wrestling gaming forum were lamenting over the state of wrestling games at the time while longing for the glory days of Nintendo 64 classics like No Mercy. A troll remarked the usual ‘if you think you can do better, make your own game!’ line. A group of people soon calling themselves Wrestling Gamers United took him up on his challenge, and thus Pro Wrestling X was born. Built from the ground up (as the programmers had zero programming knowledge), PWX Uprising is a playable proof of concept which aims to bring back the glory days of the Aki-developed classics. There isn’t much to it, you pick one of 8 wrestlers and you can battle it out in 1 or 2 player matches. However, the game’s files are modable, and already fans have changed textures to give the game a new look. You can purchase it with a $5 donation, and you can get even more extras with a higher donation. While the animations and controls are a bit on the stiff side (this was in development for years), it shows the progress of dedicated fan labor and hard work. When the completed game is released, it will be even better. Learn more about the game at http://uprising.prowrestlingx.com/