Games - page 8

GameSir G4 Pro is the cross-platform game controller you’re looking for [Review]

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GameSir G4 Pro review
GameSir G4 Pro game controller can be used with iPhone and Android devices. And iPad and PC too. Plus Nintendo Switch.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The GameSir G4 Pro is a wireless game controller that works with iPhone and iPad but also PC, Android and Switch. It resembles a wireless Xbox controller but with a flip-out mount for holding an iPhone.

I did quite a bit of gaming with the G4 Pro. Here’s how it stood up.

Get a blast of retro vector-graphics action with PewPew Live

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Take a free spin of retro vector-graphics action with ‘PewPew Live’
PewPew Live is like Asteroids raised to 11. And it’s free!
Photo: Apple/Jean-Francois Geyelin

Remember Asteroids? Well, PewPew Live is like that arcade classic on steroids. (So… as-steroids?) Zoom through space and blow up everything in fast-paced action.

There hasn’t been a new game added to Apple Arcade in over a month, so if you’re looking for something fresh, take PewPew Live for a spin. And it’s free!

Add game to your iPhone with GameSir X2 side-by-side game controller

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GameSir X2 Bluetooth Mobile Gaming Controller works with iPhone and Android
The GameSir X2 Bluetooth Mobile Gaming Controller is compatible with Apple Arcade and cloud-gaming services.
Photo: GameSir

Clip the GameSir X2 Bluetooth Mobile Gaming Controller to an iPhone or Android to add physical controls to the handset. It uses a split design that puts the buttons and joysticks on either side of the screen.

GameSir also launched the F7 Claw Tablet Game Controller for larger devices.

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run gets its first big update on iOS

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Crash Bandicoot: On the Run
Crash keeps on running.
Photo: King

Back in the day, it took more than a year — from September 1996 to October 1997 — for fans of Crash Bandicoot to get a second dose of action with the game’s sequel.

Jump forward to 2021 and fans of Crash Bandicoot: On the Run who have completed the game, launched on iOS in March, can already get a second fix of Crash action courtesy of the title’s first big update.

In-app purchacus: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery rakes in $300 million

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Harry Potter
No signs of slowing down yet.
Photo: Jam City, Inc.

If you check Amazon, the Harry Potter books remain big sellers, even approaching a decade-and-a-half since the last volume was released. While Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery can’t claim that kind of longevity, the iOS game continues to be a cash machine three years after launching.

According to a new report from Sensor Tower, the game — which launched in 2018 — has reached player spending of $300 million. In Hogwarts Mystery, players create their own characters, and then guide them through daily life at Hogwarts — including attending classes, forming friendships and rivalries, and more.

Mario Kart Tour rakes in more than $200 million, most of it on iOS

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Mario Kart Tour has the second best debut month ever on mobile
Now that's a reason for Mario to be happy!
Photo: Nintendo

Nintendo’s mobile game Mario Kart Tour has surpassed 200 million downloads and $200 million in lifetime revenue, a new report from app analytics firm Sensor Tower says.

The United States remains the biggest market for Mario Kart Tour, representing 37.4 million downloads and $76 million in revenue across iOS and Android. According to Sensor Tower, Google Play makes up 56.2% of global installs, compared to 43.8% on iOS. However, the App Store comes out on top in generating revenue — making up a whopping 63.4% of total lifetime spending.

Game on! Microsoft starts Xbox Cloud for iPhone and iPad public testing

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Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPad and iPhone
iPad and iPhone users will soon begin testing Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing them to play 100+ console-quality games.
Photo: Microsoft

Lucky beta testers will get first access to Xbox Cloud Gaming this week. This allows subscribers to play 100+ console-quality games on an iPad or iPhone.

Apple put restrictive rules on cloud-gaming services wanting to appear in the App Store. Microsoft’s solution was to create a web app for its service.

Google Stadia makes iPad gaming competitive with top consoles [Review]

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Google Stadia on iPad review
With Google Stadia, your iPad can run console-quality games.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Google Stadia could be the answer for anyone who wants to play console-quality games on an iPad. There are many big-name titles to choose from, and players can use off-the-shelf game controllers. This is cloud gaming — everything is played online so the service doesn’t take up space on your iPad.

I spent quite a bit of time playing Stadia games on an Apple tablet. Here’s why I recommend it.

Apple Arcade makes a serious play for your gaming dollar

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Apple Arcade is closing in on 200 games.
Apple Arcade includes 180 titles at a cost lower than what the average American spends on iPhone games.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Hey, iPhone gamer, save yourself some money: Subscribe to Apple Arcade. A recent study showed that the average American spends way more on games every year than the annual cost of Apple’s $4.99-a-month gaming service.

Plus, the deal just got a lot better. Almost a dozen original games debuted on Apple Arcade last Friday, and the service added a bunch of classic ones as well. After launching with just a few dozen games in 2019, Apple Arcade is now closing in on 200 really great titles.

New Star Trek and NBA games lead major Apple Arcade expansion

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Apple Arcade
The 11 original games that just debuted on Apple Arcade cover a wide range of genres.
Graphic : Cult of Mac

Apple made a huge push for its gaming service on Friday, launching 11 original games. These cover a range of genres, from NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition to Star Trek: Legends. And Fantasian from the creator of the Final Fantasy series also launched in Apple Arcade. Plus many, many more.

Apple Arcade adds 21 classic games and App Store greats

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Apple Arcade just added
The total number of games in Apple Arcade passed 180 on Friday.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s subscription gaming service grew significantly Friday. Apple Arcade added 30 titles and two new categories: Timeless Classics and App Store Greats. This adds favorites like Monument Valley and Fruit Ninja Classic. And there are now versions of Suduku, chess and other perennial favorites.

“Today we’re launching our biggest expansion since the service debuted, now offering more than 180 great games that include new Arcade Originals, Timeless Classics, and App Store Greats,” said Matt Fischer, Apple’s vice president of the App Store.

Travel the roads to solve the mystery of a perplexing Hitchhiker on Apple Arcade

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Versus Evil ’Hitchhiker’ road onto Apple Arcade on Friday
Versus Evil’s Hitchhiker is a mystery story and game in one.
Photo: Versus Evil

Hitchhiker asks players to travel the highways exploring the unknown while also confronting new dangers. It’s sort of a mystery novel in the form of a game. But unlike a book, choices you make when speaking to people you meet affect how it all comes out.

The game launched Friday on Apple Arcade.

How to get Apple Arcade games as soon as they launch

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How to get Apple Arcade games as soon as they launch
Here’s how to make upcoming Apple Arcade games automatically install themselves.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The App Store lists Apple Arcade games that’ll debut soon. If one of these upcoming titles looks interesting, subscribers to Apple’s game service can set it to automatically install as soon as the app becomes available. No waiting… it’ll be on your iPhone or other Apple device as soon as possible.

Here’s how.

Average iPhone game takes up 76% more space than it did 5 years ago

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Roblox
This was last year's top game -- weighing in at 222MB.
Photo: Roblox

Games in the App Store are getting bigger. An average of 76% bigger over the past five years to be precise. That’s according to a new report from app analytics platform Sensor Tower.

The firm recently analyzed the average file size of the top 100 revenue-generating mobile games on the U.S. App Store for each year since 2016. This includes only the file size of the original download, and not any additional content.

Flip through puzzles in Sp!ng on Apple Arcade

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Sp!ng debuted Friday on Apple Arcade
Sp!ng is designed to be challenging but not stressful.
Screenshot: SMG Studios

SMG Studios calls Sp!ng “a stress ball for your brain.” The goal of the new title is to maneuver a ball through a maze while collecting gems, but in a relaxed way. There’s only one control to grab the ball, spin it and release it.

The puzzle game debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.

Play iPhone games with keyboard and mouse with new KeyMander 2 Mobile

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IOGear KeyMander 2 Mobile debuts in mid-March.
Hook your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV to a keyboard and mouse for gaming with the KeyMander 2 Mobile from IOGear.
Photo: IOGear

The IOGear KeyMander 2 Mobile is for iPhone users that prefer gaming with a keyboard and mouse instead of a touchscreen or controller. It works with Apple Arcade, Google Stadia and App Store games. Even ones that don’t offer native support for desktop-type input devices.

Beyond iPhone, it also works with iPad and Apple TV.

Final Fantasy creator handcrafts epic Fantasian for Apple Arcade

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‘Fantasian’ is coming soon to Apple Arcade
Fantasian for Apple Arcade
Screencap: Mistwalker/Apple

Fantasian is the next creation by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also made the classic Final Fantasy series. His latest mixes computer-generated characters with handmade sets for a truly unique look.

The role playing game by Mistwalker is set to debut on Apple Arcade for a variety of platforms.

Crash Bandicoot’s first new iOS game in a decade opens for preorders

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Crash Bandicoot is getting his first new mobile game in 10 years
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run is coming to the App Store this month.
Photo: King

Preorders for Crash Bandicoot’s first iOS game in a decade are now up and (endless) running.

The endless runner game, titled Crash Bandicoot: On the Run, is the famous PlayStation mascot’s first game for the iPhone since 2010’s sequel to Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, a game that’s no longer available through the App Store. It is scheduled to hit the App Store on March 25.

Bouncing light looks unbelievably beautiful in new puzzle game Lyxo

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Lyxo
Halfway between a physics puzzler and a psychedelic light show.
Photo: Emoak

Lyxo is an ultra-realistic game about bounced light. It’s also one of the most aesthetically beautiful games to arrive in the App Store for quite a while. And, yes, it’s possible to be both at once.

“I first had the idea while lying in bed one morning,” Tobias Sturn, the one-person development studio known as Emoak, told Cult of Mac. “I saw a beam of light falling beautifully into the room, and cutting through the shadows. Immediately, I thought of a game where the player uses mirrors to guide a beam of light through a completely dark room.”

Jump forward a little over a year, and this week Lyxo launched on iOS. Sturn took us through the game’s creation, including opening up his sketchbooks, and explained his crash course in physics to build the game engine.

Blast through zombie hordes in Survival Z on Apple Arcade

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Blast through zombie hordes in ‘Survival Z’ on Apple Arcade
Battle zombies in Survival Z, a new game a bit darker than the usual on Apple Arcade.
Photo: Ember Entertainment

Blast through waves of zombies in Survival Z, an action game that launched Friday on Apple Arcade. You’ll be facing different types of shambling undead and must destroy them with an array of weapons and traps.

Metroidvania game Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night gets speed run mode, more

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Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
A spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Photo: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, the “spiritual successor” to the excellent Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, just got a big update on iOS.

The game made its debut back in 2019. It’s a Metroidvania type video game, set in 18th century England during the time of the Industrial Revolution. It started life as crowdfunding venture led by Symphony of the Night assistant director, Koji “Iga” Igarashi.