Games - page 20

Stagehand flips the platform game formula on its head

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This ingenious "reverse platformer" is one heck of a game.
Photo: Stagehand

To achieve maximum success, iOS game developers need an idea that’s both reassuringly familiar and strikingly new. That’s exactly what Stagehand delivers: The new platform game employs a clever twist on the popular endless-runner genre, with a sprinkle of ’90s classic Lemmings thrown in for good measure.

Stagehand is a game that looks like a side-scrolling platformer, but instead of controlling the character, you move the stage,” developer Matt Comi told Cult of Mac. “We call it a ‘reverse platformer.’ The protagonist, Frank, runs and jumps all by himself. It’s the player’s job to make sure he doesn’t run into walls.”

Flipboard, Stagehand, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It’s the weekend, which means that it’s time to ditch all the chores you had planned and instead sit down and try out some of the week’s most significant new apps.

From a tremendous “reverse platformer” to a nifty attempt at revolutionizing your magazines-reading experience, here are the apps and app updates that intrigued us this week.

Malevolent Machines is an endless runner for shoot-em-up fans

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Because who wants to just run in an endless runner?
Photo: Goodnight Games

Do you like your endless runners with a dose of run-and-gun action, a sprinkle of old world steampunk style, and a whole lot of pixel-art charm?

If so, you’ll probably get a kick out of Malevolent Machines, a new auto-runner game from Goodnight Games, which promises to take gamers of a certain age back to their misspent youths playing Metal Slug and Altered Beast — and to drag younger players along for the ride, too.

Check out the trailer below:

Nintendo delays Animal Crossing for iOS

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Animals will have to wait a bit longer to cross.
Photo: Nintendo

Animal Crossing, another Nintendo game bound for iOS, is being delayed until April at the earliest, according to the company’s most recent financial statement. Originally it was set to arrive on iOS by the end of March.

Gamers shouldn’t be too upset, however, as they’ll have Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Heroesannounced at the same time as Animal Crossing, but launching over the next few days — to play instead.

Breakout Ninja, Sonny, and other awesome iOS games

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend all!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

For whatever reason, I’ve been playing a ton of iOS games this past week, so with that in mind I decided to focus on games for this week’s “Awesome Apps” instalment.

Whether you’re looking for something quick and easy to while away your Sunday, or a far more in-depth gaming experience that’ll keep you busy until the bad weather ends, I’m confident you’ll find something on this list to enjoy.

Check it out:

Breakout Ninja fights to be the best one-button runner

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It's got some gorgeous graphics too!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Anyone who remembers the glory days of Shinobi or Ninja Gaiden may want to check out the recently-released Breakout Ninja.

A super-simple ninja game with one-tap control mechanics, it’s incredibly addictive, and could well turn out to be one 2017’s early breakout (no pun intended) hits.

Oh, and did we mention that it’s the work of just one man?

A Christmas miracle: RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic arrives on iOS

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Well, that's the Christmas break taken care of!
Photo: Atari

Just in time for the holidays, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic has arrived in the App Store — giving would-be theme park designers the perfect $5.99 early Christmas gift to themselves.

Combining features from the acclaimed RollerCoaster Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, this title offers a touch-optimized take on the classic management sims which swallowed up so many, many hours of my teenage years.

Super Mario Run gets off to a flying $4 million start

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Super Mario Run on iOS
Where's he running to? The bank, apparently.
Photo: Apple

The eagerly-awaited Super Mario Run made upwards of $4 million worldwide in its first day on the market, according to analytics company App Annie.

The analytics firm suggests that the game — which represents the first official appearance of  Mario on iOS — was downloaded around 10 million times, and was the top-ranked game by downloads in 60 of the 151 countries it launched in within hours of its debut.

Ready, get set, go download Super Mario Run for iOS

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That's today!
Photo: Nintendo

At long last, Nintendo’s long-awaited Super Mario Run has sprinted into the App Store, in what is certainly the biggest iOS game launch of 2016 after Pokémon Go.

Marking the first time Nintendo’s most iconic character has been available on iOS — outside of dodgy third-party game emulators — a demo of Super Mario Run is downloadable for free, while the whole game priced at $9.99.

Pac-Man and Lemmings can now be played on MacBook Pro Touch Bar

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Retro games have invaded the MacBook Pro.
Retro games have invaded the MacBook Pro.
Photo: Erik Olsonn

The new MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar might not be the most useful tool for professionals quite yet, but it’s quickly becoming a perfect playground for retro gaming. Two new hacks bring classic games Pac-Man and Lemmings to the Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro’s tiny OLED display seriously limits gameplay, though: You can barely make turns in Pac-Man, but it still looks better than Doom on the Touch Bar.

Get a peek at the Touch Bar gameplay in the videos below.

Super Mario Run will require always-on internet connection to play

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Mario won't run anywhere in offline mode.
Photo: Nintendo

Super Mario Run will sprint into the App Store on December 15, but while there’s plenty to be excited about with Nintendo’s first Mario game to hit iOS, there is one big potential downside for users: the game requires constant internet connectivity.

According to Mario creator and Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto, the decision to include no offline mode was made for anti-piracy reasons.

TouchSwitcher, Super Cat Tales, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Looking to get up to speed on the week’s hottest apps? We’ve got your back!

In a week in which Thanksgiving celebrated being happy with everything we’ve got, and then Black Friday showed how angry people are about things they don’t yet own, we’ve combed the latest apps to bring you the cream of the crop.

Whether you’re looking for a great retro-styled platformer or a brilliant iOS scanning app, we think you’ll find something to entertain you…

Doom blasts onto MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar

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You can now play DOOM on the Touch Bar.
You can now play DOOM on the Touch Bar.
Photo: Defractive b3ll/YouTube

The jury is still out on whether the Touch Bar will become a useful tool, but one clever coder has already discovered that it’s absolutely terrible for playing video games on.

The Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro is officially the latest absurd piece of tech to run Doom. Apple’s guidelines specifically bans games from running on the Touch Pad but that didn’t stop a developer from porting it onto the narrow screen that’s only 60 pixels heigh.

Check it out:

Apple ramps up efforts to remove old apps from the App Store

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You can remove stock apps in iOS 10, but you can't swap them.
Bad apps are getting booted from the App Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The great App Store purge is finally underway.

Apple warned developers in September that it plans to remove apps from its store that don’t meet quality standards of being “functional and up-to-date.” According to a new report, the deadline to meet those standards has passed and thousands of crummy apps are now being removed.

Hype, 1-Bit Rogue, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Want to find out which apps were gracing our iPhones, iPads and Macs this week? Check our list below.

From a search engine that will search every single thing to ever grace your Apple device to a couple of awesomely fun retro-inspired games, this is the perfect way to spend the remainder of your weekend.

PinOut, Civilization VI and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With Apple’s earnings call and Thursday’s Mac event, there was plenty of serious business in the world of Apple this week. That’s why we’re choosing an all-game lineup for this “Awesome Apps of the Week” installment.

Plus, when the titles are this good, it’s hard to ignore them! Check out our picks below.

One-day discounts on Lytro camera, Steamcrate subs and more [Deals]

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This 2015 App of the Year will reinvent the way you work and collaborate with PDFs
This 2015 App of the Year will reinvent the way you work and collaborate with PDFs
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We’ve always got a great raft of deals on great gear and gadgets, but for one day only those prices are dipping even lower. From the award-winning PDF Expert to the revolutionary Lytro Illum camera, a powerful tool for capturing online video and a year of access to a library of awesome games on Steam. Each is discounted even further than their already reduced price but just for one day, so now’s the time to jump on this:

Google Trips, Vulture Island and other awesome apps of the week

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'Appy weekend.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re looking to unwind this fine Sunday by sampling the latest App Store delectables for your iOS device, have no fear: Cult of Mac is here to help!

Whether you’re on the hunt for a great new story-driven Batman game or a new travel-planning app, we think you’ll approve of our picks.

Check them out below. You won’t be disappointed.

Telltale’s eagerly anticipated Batman game finally hits iOS

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Check out the gorgeous, rotoscoped-style artwork.
Photo: Telltale

Promising to take you inside the “fractured psyche” of Bruce Wayne, a gorgeously animated new Batman iOS game plunges players into a branching narrative that features plenty of DC Comics’ favorite Bat-characters.

The first episode of Batman: The Telltale Series — from Telltale Games, maker of great iOS titles like Tales from the Borderlands and The Walking Dead — lands today, and it looks like another story-driven winner. Check out the trailer below.

Super Powerboy and the other iOS games we loved this week

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One of the week's many great games!
Photo: Super Powerboy

With all the game-related goodies we heard about at this week’s iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 event, we decided to focus on mobile gaming for this week’s “Awesome Apps” installment.

Whether you’re searching for a jaw-droppingly stunning platform game, an excellent RPG card game, or a unique messaging game based on a hugely popular TV series, we think we’ve got what you’re looking for.

Check out our picks below.