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Showing posts with label Gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gaming. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

iPad 2 shows off its HDTV gaming prowess

Posts by Kelly
From http://www.intomobile.com/
Infinity Blade 15 314 iPad 2 shows off its HDTV gaming prowess
With the launch of the iPad 2, Apple unveiled a new Digital AV adapter that takes content from your tablet device and lets you send it to your HDTV via HDMI. The dongle is compatible both the iPad and the iPad 2, but its functionality is boosted by Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR SGX 543MP2 GPU on Apple’s second generation tablet device. While the original Apple iPad lets you stream videos and photos from your tablet to your HDTV, the iPad 2 lets you mirror content. Mirroring lets you send anything displayed on your tablet over to your HDTV. Mirrored content can include presentations, documents, photos and even games.
The folks over at TouchGen took a closer look at this mirroring functionality and were impressed with its capability. Games optimized for the second generation Apple iPad, like Infinity Blade and Real Racing 2, were ported to a 50-inch HDTV with surprising clarity and speed. They claim it is console quality and people would not know the game was coming from an Apple tablet instead of an Xbox 360 or PS 3. The only drawback is the 4:3 ratio of the tablet output that is letter-boxed on the large screen TV.
Thanks to some video work from TouchGen, you can check out these games in action below. With the souped up graphics and dual-core processor of this latest tablet offering, is Apple narrowing the gap between mobile gaming and console gaming?
[Via TouchGen]

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right




This has to be the greatest Gaming Tattoo ever..

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Epic's spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

What the Future Could Look Like for Online Poker

Matthew Kredell

A future in which online poker is legalized and regulated is the ultimate objective of the Poker Players Alliance. It's a common goal that has famous poker professionals and amateurs alike making trips to Washington D.C. to meet with their congressmen.

This future seems closer than ever, yet still so far away. The cause has built momentum, but the window for change this year is closing quickly, if not just waiting to be locked. However, the introduction of legislation by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has shed more of a light on what the online poker world will look like if this goal is finally reached.

Site shakeup: It will be interesting to see who the market leaders are after legalization. Party Poker is likely to return to the U.S., but will American players forgive what was once the world's No. 1 site for abandoning them in the first place? Harrah's, the largest casino operator and owner of the World Series of Poker, is likely to enter the online market in a big way, but whether it offers the incentives and customer service of existing sites remains to be seen. Unexpected contenders for market share will certainly arise. As for the current industry leaders, PokerStars and Full Tilt, one has to wonder whether they will have difficulty acquiring a license in the U.S. after years of operating over objections from the Justice Department. Assuming that they do get licenses, one has to wonder whether they will retain their top spots against some heavyweight competition.

Age adjustment: The age requirement to play poker in a U.S. casino is 21 years old, so it only makes sense that this would be the minimum age set by the U.S. government for playing Internet poker. This would be an end of an era for young guns who amass a fortune playing online before they are even allowed to play in the World Series of Poker. Although surely some players will find a way around the requirement -- there is no one to check identification in the home -- expect the rule to be enforced better than the 18-year-old age requirement currently imposed by poker sites. The days when a teenager decides between college and online poker will come to an end.

More taxes: The bills have made it apparent that taxes will be paid not only on winnings but on all deposits, though there is hope that these extra taxes will be absorbed by the sites and not be passed on to the players. As for players not reporting their online poker income or holding back on winnings not withdrawn, that will no longer be an option. The IRS will know exactly what you won or lost on the virtual felt -- and how old you are. Someone will have to provide a social security number for tax purposes!

Processors change: Moving money to and from the poker sites will most certainly be faster. There will be no more need to wait on paper checks. Not only is Neteller, or Neovia as it's now known, likely to return to the U.S. market but so is PayPal. The largest Internet processor in the world, PayPal abandoned the Internet gaming market in 2002. However, PayPal recently moved back into the online gaming sector -- though still excluding the U.S. -- by partnering with Neovia. Envision clicking the withdrawal button on your poker account and using the money to make a purchase at eBay or at a store with your PayPal account.

Settling disputes: Until now, poker sites have been their own judge and jury when it comes to accusations of cheating. If a site said you cheated and confiscated your account, you had little recourse. Two players who were accused by Full Tilt of using bots had their accounts closed recently but they took the unorthodox step of filing a suit in Los Angeles Superior Court in a desperate attempt to recoup their money. If the U.S. legalizes and regulates online poker, it will undoubtedly create a department that will settle disputes between players and poker sites, providing an independent arbitrator that will require that sites prove their allegations.

Poker by state: While legalizing online poker will make things easier for poker players in most of the country, the proposed legislation shows that it is almost guaranteed that states will be permitted to opt out of the program. In opt-out states, it will be more difficult to play poker than it is now. Fortunately, it's not that hard to move from Washington to California if playing online poker is a priority.

Some of these changes will be accepted with open arms and others will anger some people in the online poker community. The bottom line is that legalization and regulation will legitimize the industry. No longer will be there be worries of the DOJ seizing withdrawals or sites leaving the U.S. market, and that piece of mind is most important of all.

Follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This Is "The Gamer's PC" (1995)



http://www.cchronicles.com/files/f1ab...

Watch the full episode at the link above.

A review of the best new games of the year. Games covered include In the First Degree, Buried in Time, Mech Warrior 2, ImagiNation Network, and Phantasmagoria. Plus a visit to Microsoft's Judgment Day, a conference for third-party game developers in Redmond, Washington.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Xbox 360 Project Natal: Full-Body Motion Control One-Ups the Wii

By Adam Frucci

As rumored, Microsoft unveiled its newest control scheme today: full-body motion control that doesn't require a controller of any kind called Project Natal. Forgive my excitement, but on first glance this thing looks amazing. Nintendo should watch out. Update: Video after jump.




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Project Natal is a bar that sits above or below your TV, much like the Wii's sensor bar. But instead of sensing controllers, this thing has a camera, sensors and a microphone inside that lets it get an accurate sense of your space and you in it. This lets you control games just by moving around; kicking, jumping, whatever. But that's really just the start.



What makes this so damned cool is that it lets you do more than just play games with it. You can also move through menus by swiping your hands back and forth. The camera allows for fun features like facial and voice recognition. When you have it running, your Xbox will recognize your face and sign you in automatically.

You can start to imagine the possibilities already. Everything from Minority Report style menu control to Dance Dance Revolution games that require you to actually dance rather than just hit buttons to videoconferencing in your living room, the thing just feels like the future. And it already makes the Wii seem like a gimpy and outdated piece of tech. There's no way it can touch what this will do.

What makes this so exciting isn't what they showed off today, which seemed like glorified tech demos. No, what's amazing is to think about what creative developers will be able to do with the dev kits that just arrived on their doorsteps. This is a whole new way of controlling not only games but what's quickly becoming the media and communications hub of your living room. Get excited.

Update: Microsoft explains how it works:

Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the "Project Natal" sensor is the world's first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, "Project Natal" tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.

In addition, unlike other devices, the "Project Natal" sensor is not light-dependent. It can recognize you just by looking at your face, and it doesn't just react to key words but understands what you're saying. Call a play in a football game, and players will actually respond.

Monday, January 19, 2009

How To: Add Wi-Fi To Your Xbox 360 Smartly and Cheaply

The Xbox 360 is the best console you can buy. Except it's inexplicably missing something the Wii and PS3 have: Wi-Fi. You could buy Microsoft's $90 dongle. Or you could follow our guide.

The Xbox 360's lack of Wi-Fi is a totally killer hardware flaw—if you're not right on top of your router, you've either gotta string miles of ethernet cable or buy that pricey ass dongle from Microsoft. Unless you check out one of the cheaper alternatives. Here's every major way to get your Xbox going on Wi-Fi, sorted by easiest to hardest (but most satisfying).


Donglage
Dongles are, by far, the easiest way to get your Xbox 360 on a wireless network. But they also tend to be the priciest.

Microsoft's official wireless adapter is $87, which is absolute horseshit for a Wi-Fi antenna attached to a USB cable. But it looks the nicest and is super easy to use—just plug and play. Update: This weekend you can get one for $69.

• The next stop is a third-party wireless adapter, where you've got your pick from Linksys ($65), Belkin ($70) and hey, Linksys ($90, but it's 802.11n). Same deal, plug and play.

• Finally, your cheapest option is from...Microsoft. Turns out, a regular Xbox wireless adapter (which is a supercheap $50), works just fine, with a tiny bit of finagling: Don't put in its actual install CD. Just plug it in, and set your encryption. It might take two tries to get it to work, but it will. And, it won't eat up a USB port like the official Xbox 360 one. Spoiler alert: This is our pick for best option, based on its combo of cheapness and convenience, if you can find one.

Share Your Computer's Connection
Sharing your computer's connection is the cheapest option—it's actually the freest one. It'll work with a laptop or desktop, though a laptop is more truly wireless—the desktop bit is an option if your router's just a step too far out of the way. Basically, you're plugging your Xbox into the computer's ethernet port, and then having it use your computer's wireless connection to connect to the internet.

Windows
It's actually harder to reliably share the internet love on Windows with its cousin, the Xbox 360, than it is on a Mac: No method worked reliably for us across multiple Windows computers. But here's how it should work:

1. Share your computer's wireless connection. Microsoft actually details the process here, and it's pretty easy. From the Network and Sharing center, click on the manage network connections option on the left. From there, right click on the connect you wanna share (probably wireless, unless you're daisy-chaining 'cause your box just won't reach) and hit properties. Under the sharing tab, just check the box to allow that connection to be shared. Plug your Xbox into the ethernet port.

2. There are a few other ways to proceed at this point, and you're probably going to have try at least a couple of them to find one that'll work. You could bridge the two connections (dicey), or you could manually assign the ethernet port an IP address, detailed here (PDF). This Instructable relies on automagicalness to resolve the settings, and I have had that work in the past, though not when I was sorting through methods for this how to.

All in all, expect to do some Googling and troubleshooting if you go the Windows route.

Mac
You'd think this would be easy, 'cause I heard somewhere that Macs just work, and internet sharing on Macs typically ain't hard, but there is a tiny bit of jujitsu involved here. This method, from Joystiq, is the most reliable one I used.

1. On your Mac, pop open Terminal, and type "ifconfig en0" (number zero, no quotes). A whole bunch of crap will pop up. Find where it says "inet 192.xxx.x.xxx" (it should be 192, anyway). Write that junk down. It will probably be 192.168.2.1, like mine. Also find out your router's IP address, which is most likely 192.168.1.1 (Linksys) or 192.168.0.1 (D-Link uses this), depending on your manufacturer. If you have Apple's Airport gear, the router will be at 10.0.1.1.

2. Then plug your Xbox 360 into your Mac, open up Sharing in Preferences. Turn on internet sharing, and share your Airport's internet connection with ethernet.

3. On the Xbox, flip to your network settings (under system settings), and enter the IP address you got from the terminal freaky deaky earlier but + 1, like 192.168.2.2 to my original 192.168.2.1. Subnet should be 255.255.255.0, and then set your gateway as the ifconfig number, 192.168.2.1. Under DNS (back one screen, then down), put in your router's actual address for both. Test your Xbox Live connection. Your NAT might suck, but you can get on Xbox Live.

Hack Your Router
This method is the least straightforward, and requires a little bit of work on your part. Essentially, you're buying a second router (a cheap one, for about $40) and installing custom software on it that turns it into a giant wireless antenna that's hooked up to your Xbox 360.

There are tons of Linux custom firmwares for routers nowadays, with DD-WRT and Tomato being the most popular. Tomato is a bit more user friendly, but it works with far fewer routers than DD-WRT. DD-WRT works with dozens of different routers (click for the list).

Whichever firmware you go with, the method for putting on your router will vary from device to device, with Buffalo routers being a notorious pain in the ass. Tomato includes instructions with the firmware download—but here are some of the details, and Lifehacker's complete guide to installing and using Tomato.

DD-WRT is my preferred firmware. Here are the detailed install instructions, but with most Linksys routers, you can just drill into the router settings from the web address (192.168.1.1) and upload the DD-WRT firmware, directly, making it pretty easy. But some routers require different, exceptionally specific install methods. So check out the list before you run out to Best Buy or Circuit City.

My preferred router for this because of its tininess and cheapness (under $40), was the Buffalo G-125, which required you to flash it over TFTP backdoor the DD-WRT firmware onto it during a brief window of time, like Luke dropping those bombs into the Death Star's vent shaft. It's a pain in the ass, but everything else about the Buffalo routers make it worth it. Unfortunately, you can't buy it in the States until the next month or so, so your cheapest bet is is Linksys's $40ish WRT54G, which unfortunately, has different install methods depending on the revision. The DD-WRT wiki is very good, so you shouldn't run into problems following it.

Once you get either firmware installed, you're going to set your hacked router up as a wireless client.

1. You're going to need to go into the hacked router's settings. Set the hacked router to client mode.

2. These numbers are going to vary slightly based on your router, but you need to assign it an IP address—if your main router's IP address is 192.168.0.1, set your hacked router at 192.168.0.2 or 192.168.0.101 (a number that's in your main router's DHCP server range). Then make the gateway and DNS the same IP address as your main router.

3. When it reboots you're gonna have to re-login to whatever IP address your hacked router is. Do that, go back in, and give the hacked router the same SSID (name) as your main router (Linksys, gizrox, whatever you have it named). You can also configure wireless security at this point, though for me, it's always been kind of flaky, WEP in particular, so you might have to play around to see what works.

4. To test, try to get online using the hacked router as your internet connection, with all of your computer's IP settings left on automatic. If it works, plug the hacked router into your Xbox. If not, check out the DD-WRT wiki for more halpz.

4. On your Xbox, you can leave everything set to automatic—the hacked router does all the work.

The hacked router method might take the longest, but at least you won't have a useless dongle when the Xbox 720 comes out, you'll have a full-featured router, and it's cheaper than the official dongle. Plus you'll have a feeling of accomplishment that will carry over to gaming, so you should kill a lot more people in Call of Duty.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

50 Skills Every Real Geek Should Have


Back in our September 2008 issue, we published a list of 9 Skills Every Nerd Needs – a lighthearted examination of the essential abilities Maximum PC readers should have in their geek arsenal. We still stand by that list, but we were somewhat one-upped last month when we saw that Gizmodo had since run its own list of 50 key geek skills. Their list was very respectable, but we thought that we could do better by not only expanding and refining our original story, but actually teaching you these skills. The highest echelon of geeks will be able to do everything in this list, and this is by no means a full categorization of the complete geek skillset – only what we consider to be the most indispensable abilities. Have anything to add to our list? Post it in the comments!

Name These Connectors!

Finding hidden hardware gems in bins of archaic cards at computer shows and swap meets is an ever-so-crucial nerd skill. Frequently the only way to discern the difference is to do an on-the-spot ID of the edge connector. True nerds should be able to identify even the most esoteric connector in their sleep (if they sleep with their eyes open, that is). Can you separate the crap from the kick ass? No cheating!

A. PCI-Express connector
B. DDR memory
C. Dual-channel RIMM

Run All Your Essential Apps on a USB Stick

Any real nerd is almost sure to have a USB thumbdrive in his pocket at all times. After all, USB flash storage is pretty much the best way to keep data conveniently at hand. What the average nerd might not know, however, is that it’s possible to install all sorts of apps on a thumb drive, meaning that you can use your USB stick as a mobile platform for your browser, email and instant message client, office suite and more. That means you can access these programs, settings intact, from any computer with a spare USB slot.

It’s all made possible by PortableApps.com, an open source platform for portable software. To get started with PortableApps, go to this page and download whichever version of the portable suite suits your needs. Then run the installer, and choose to install to the root of your USB drive. In the future, if you want to add additional portable applications just download the app, then select “add a new app” from PortableApps’ options menu and browse to the .paf.exe file you downloaded.

Right now, there are portable versions of heavyweights like Firefox, Thunderbird, and OpenOffice, as well as a whole ton of other, awesome programs.

Straighten the Pins on an Older CPU

There are two quick ways to realign bent pins on older CPUs.

The first, quickest way is to take a credit card and run it through the rows of pins in each direction, which will realign lightly-bent pins.

If a pin is bent too far for the credit card trick, use the barrel of a mechanical pencil to sheath the pin and gently bend it back up straight.

To Many to post here click here for the rest....

Thursday, December 4, 2008

100+ iPhone Games That Use the Accelerometer

The iPhone’s built-in accelerometer has opened up a new world of mobile gaming, introducing fun, engaging, and interactive applications from virtual golf to racing games, mobile beer pong, and more.

Here are over 100 free and paid apps that are worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for ways to waste some time, say in line at the grocery store, or in the car on your way to some holiday festivities this year.

Tell us about your favorites in the comments.


Free Apps

You can get these apps for free, no strings attached. You can also find some “lite” versions of some paid applications.


Top Rated

Cube Runner (4.5 stars) – In this game, you “fly your ship across a landscape whilst avoiding the many treacherous cubes which lie in your path.” It’s like a flight simulator where everything is made of cubes.

PapiJump (4 stars) - Tilt your device to move Mr. Papi to the left and right to get him higher and higher towards the goal.

Touch4 (3.5 stars): Remember Connect 4? Here it is in all its iPhone/iPod glory. It’s multi-player and works over Wi-Fi. Okay, so the only accelerometer feature is shaking out the pieces, but that’s a game in itself, right?

JellyCar (3.5 stars): Possibly one of the hardest but addicting games that uses the accelerometer. In this game, you guide a little squishy car through squishy worlds trying to reach the exit.

Pretty Cool

iGolf (3 stars): Swing your iPhone like a golf club and the accelerometer gauges how fast you swung and how far your shot will travel.

Snowball (3 stars): Tilt your device to slide a penguin across some ice to keep him alive. The goal is to collect as many snowflakes as you can.

Space Path (2.5 stars): Use the accelerometer to stay balanced on the “space path” while you watch out for space junk and meteorites.

Scroll Driver (2.5 stars): Navigate your car along a straight road while avoiding obstacles – without crashing. The car points in the direction of the tilt when moving forward.

Square Jams (2.5 stars): Use the accelerometer to guide balls into hills. The description says it will “test your surgeon-like skills and patience.” Now that’s marketing!

Oh My Egg! (2.5 stars): Use the accelerometer in this game to guide a fat little chicken named Jack who can’t jump or fly and needs to collect eggs.

Silkworm 3-D (2.5 stars): Steer a silkworm using the accelerometer so that it can eat apples before the silkworm gets too long. Similar to the TiltSnake app, but with better graphics and more challenges.

iThrown (2.5 stars): The “game” in this app is trying not to destroy your iPhone while testing how fast you can throw a ball. Just hold onto your iPhone for dear life and throw a pitch.

Two-Up (2.5 stars): Gamble like the Australians when you use your device to toss two coins in the air and bet on the results.

Fire Tail (2.5 stars) - Capture different parts of your game “territory” to win in this game. Use the accelerometer to move or use the touch screen.

Worth a look

PocketHoops (2 stars): This is a simple physics-based basketball game that uses the accelerometer to influence gravity and bounce your ball off walls and perform trick shots.

Apache Lander (2 stars): Use the accelerometer in this game to land your helicopter safely on a heli-pad before you run out of fuel.

TiltSnake (2 stars): Modeled after the time-proven arcade game “Snake,” the accelerometer is used in this game to pilot a snake that needs to eat food in order to grow. As the snake gets bigger, you have to move faster, you remember the game.

Handy Snake (2 stars): Another “Snake” app. You use the accelerometer to control a snake who’s trying to catch rabbits while avoiding spiky creatures and a hungry mongoose.

iSKBan3D (1.5 stars): You are a cube of smiling ice in a space-world. The goal is for you to use the accelerometer to move along a path and push stones to where they belong on the path.

Beer Pong PRO (1.5 stars): This game utilizes the accelerometer to capture your arm motion when throwing the ping-pong ball. It’s multi-player too, so who needs a ping-pong table and plastic cups when you can just flick your wrist and take a swig from the bottle?

Apocalypse (1.5 stars): You are Go Go, an eye creature who must collect crystals while flying around avoiding falling enemies (by tilting) on his hoverboard.


Paid Apps

These apps range from $0.99 to $9.99. Most of them have free equivalents, but look out for the ones that have a “lite” version.


Top Rated

HupplePupple (5 stars): Tilt your device to guide a jumping smiley face around different worlds trying to collect hearts to bring to his girlfriend.

Shock Ball (5 stars): Protect your “Energy Orb” from obstacles and hazards by tilting your device and dodging “Shock Balls” to survive

Crazy Egg Jump (5 stars): You’re an egg and you must tilt your device to navigate your way into empty flying nests.

Python (5 stars): One of several “Snake” replicas for the iPhone where you use the accelerometer to move your snake around while eating fish and avoiding your own tail.

2079 (4.5 stars): This spaceship shooting game plays like the famed “Geometry Wars” and uses the accelerometer for movement.

Gaia (4.5 stars): Rotate your device to eliminate blocks that come into your way while playing through 20 hand-illustrated nature themed puzzles

Zone Warrior (4.5 stars): Part space flight, part arcade action, use the accelerometer to guide your spaceship in this game.

Scoops (4.5 stars): Stack your cone high into the sky by tilting your device left and right, catching as many scoops as you can and avoiding falling vegetables.

iTexun (4.5 stars): Navigate a 2-D environment by tilting your device to guide your ship through space while avoiding fiery pursuers.

Dashball (4.5 stars): Destroy colored blocks by controlling a bouncing ball with your accelerometer.

iSnake (4.5 stars): Tilt your device to play the classic “Snake” game that has graphics with a little more pizazz.

Bubble Bang (4 stars): Tap 2 or more bubbles of the same color that touch each other to let them explode. Re-sort and stack the bubbles by tilting the device.

Hairball (4 stars): Guide yourself as a hairball through an endless clogged pipe trying to keep pace with a continuous onslaught of filthy sludge.

Block Breaker Deluxe 2 (4 stars) – This brick breaking game lets you use the accelerometer to re-arrange and rotate brick formations by tilting the device.

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Cart 3D (4 stars) - This is a 3D kart-racing game where you tilt your device to get through 12 different tracks.

SolarQuest (4 stars): A space game where you “explore, duck and dodge” your way around to escape the planet’s gravitational pull.

Alien Attack (4 stars): Defend the earth from alien invaders by tilting the device from left to right in order to move your spaceship.

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing (4 stars): Use your device as a steering wheel to become the “ultimate VIP of urban racing”.

Kitten Jump (4 stars): Tilt your device to help a kitten jump from cloud to cloud while eating up butterflies and counting stars. Yup, I’m not kidding.

Beer Pong U (4 stars): A beer pong game that uses the accelerometer for aiming and throwing to “play beer pong on the go.” Because that’s what beer pong was made for, right?

De Blob (4 stars): Using the accelerometer, you can swoosh around as a blob and grow in girth, weight and speed as you devour paint pellets. Then use the pellets to paint the monochromatic world in bright colors.

Pass the Pigs (4 stars): This is a dice game using pigs as the device. Using the accelerometer, you can “shake shake shake” and roll your pigs as you try to reach 100 points

3-D Vector Ball (3.5 stars): Battle your way through an electronic labyrinth and use your accelerometer to serve, deflect and spike your way to glory.

Spore Origins (3.5 stars): Also available in a free “LE” version, you can tilt, turn and twist your custom-made creature through 30 levels of primordial ooze with the accelerometer.

Super Monkey Ball (3.5 stars): Guide a little monkey entrapped in a plastic ball to the goal by tilting your iPhone/iPod in the right direction and while collecting bananas though a variety of slopes and turns.

Blue Skies (3.5 stars) – Also available in a free “lite” version, you can use the accelerometer in this game to pilot your helicopter and out-maneuver enemy tanks, planes, helicopters, blimps and mines.

SuperBall 2 (3.5 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, this pong-type game uses tilt controls to maneuver the ball in 23 different levels.

iFroggy Prince (3.5 stars): A mix between Frogger and Labyrinth, use your device to tilt your way through levels to challenge both your reaction time and your brain.

Matrix (3.5 stars): Guide a tiny little man through a maze by tilting your device in the direction you want him to go.

Ball in a Cup (3.5 stars): Tilt your device left or right to fling a ball into a moving cup.

Draconis (3.5 stars): Tilt your phone to move and play this 2D/3D shoot-em-up space game through 5 different levels.

FlashRiders (3.5 stars): Race your flash cycle against a computer opponent and stay alive by using the accelerometer to turn your cycle and avoid the “Flash Trails,” obstacles and outer walls.

Eat Bunny, Eat! (3.5 stars): Tilt your device to move a bunny and catch falling carrots while avoiding falling cans.

iNCLINE (3.5 stars): In this space-racing game, you use your accelerometer to guide yourself through space trying to pick up things and make it to the end.

Stellar Blaster (3.5 stars): Fly a ship through space while avoiding and/or vaporizing asteroids.

Tilt A Sketch (3.5 stars): This game uses the accelerometer to draw on a canvas using the constant pressure of gravity to ruin your work. Hard and extreme levels make it harder and harder to complete a picture.

TouchSports Tennis ‘09 (3.5 stars): Use your device as a racket and play tennis in this 3D sports action game.

AstroTilt (3.5 stars): This “Breakout”-type game uses the accelerometer in “tilt” mode to move the ball towards the blocks you want to break.

Aqua Forest (3.5 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version this is a very neat physics-based app where you can use the elements of nature, like water and heat to create realistic scenarios (like adding fire to water to create steam). It also has games where you use the elements to reach the end of a maze. Watch the YouTube video for a better look. It’s $7.99 but probably one of the better apps I’ve played around with.

Tilt Fighter (3.5 stars): This Galaga-style arcade game uses the accelerometer to maneuver your space ship past asteroids and through enemy fire.

Topple (3.5 stars): Stack and balance shapes and use the accelerometer to tilt your device and keep the blocks from tipping over.

Bubblets Tilt (3.5 stars) Arrange colored bubbles in a row to build your score before the bubbles reach the top. Use the accelerometer to tilt your screen to re-shift your bubbles into new groupings.

Plank (3.5 stars): Balance marbles on a log and try to match colors using the accelerometer to win in this game.

Virus (3.5 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, this game utilizes real-time physics, blood-flow simulation and depth of field to defeat “viruses.”

Tilt Me (3.5 stars): Tilt your divide to roll some balls around mazes while making music as the balls collide with the walls and floor.

Shooter (3.5 stars): Shoot flying objects passing through day to night in different place, cities or landscapes using the accelerometer.

Pretty Cool

Cow Hunt (3 stars): This hunting game uses the accelerometer to aim at different types of cows which include army cows that parachute down, ninja cows, and cows with forcefields.

Cube Runner II (3 stars) – Much like the original free Cube Runner, you “fly your ship across a landscape whilst avoiding the many treacherous cubes which lie in your path,” except this time, the accelerometer also accounts for how fast you’re going by either tipping forwards or backwards.

Hooked: Pocket Fishing (3 stars): Catch some fish with this game that uses the accelerometer to cast and catch fish.

twistedBugs (3 stars): Try to kill as many bugs as you can within 60 seconds while the accelerometer moves bugs around.

Space Truckers (3 stars): Another space game, if you can really believe it. Fly your deep space transport ship “Betty” through congested space lanes by tilting your device and try to deliver your cargo.

Spacemania (3 stars): Classic arcade space shooter that takes place in the year 3043 and utilizes the accelerometer to navigate through space.

Serpents (3 stars): Tilt your device to block opponents and force them to collide with each other in an explosion of flames.

iSoccerFor2 (3 stars): Foosball for your iPhone! Control the handles with your fingers, but use the accelerometer to cheat the match.

Ninja (3 stars): Tilt your device to move a little ninja around while trying to avoid any obstacles. The goal of the game is to live as long as you can.

My Little Tank (3 stars): Choose accelerometer mode to move a tank and experience some miniature military mayhem.

MarbleMash (3 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, you can race a marble against time in 150 different mazes using the accelerometer to guide your ball into a hole.

PAC-MAN (3 stars) & Ms. PAC MAN (2.5 stars) - Also available in a free “lite” version, dodge pesky ghosts by tilting or rotating your phone in Accelerometer Mode.

Armado (3 stars) – Also available in a free “lite” version, Armado is from the developers of Spore Origins for the iPod and iPhone. The accelerometer in this game guides Armado (an armadillo) as he rolls, jumps and crashes his way through this 3-D game with pretty impressive graphics.

Venger (3 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, Venger is a 3-D space shooter. The accelerometer is used to steer your spaceship through trenches, tunnels and asteroid fields.

Moto Chaser (3 stars) – This is a motorcycle game with turns and jumps all steered by the accelerometer. Reviews claim that the accelerometer is “spot on.”

RhinoBall (3 stars) - Play as Rhino the hamster from the new Disney movie “Bolt.”

iFish (3 stars): A fishing game where you can catch over 50 different types of fish. The accelerometer controls casting and hooking.

GTS World Racing (3 stars): Accelerate, brake and steer using the accelerometer around 64 track layouts in 16 different worldwide locations.

Worth a Look

Dougie Moo’s Aqua Antics (2.5 stars): Guide a floating cow through water trying to collect and match colored balls.

Catch the Egg (2.5 stars): Try to catch eggs that are falling from the sky. The accelerometer determines whether or not you catch the egg. Reviewers seem to agree that buying a carton of eggs would be more worth the money though.

Bubble Trap (2.5 stars): Trap bugs inside of bubbles using the accelerometer to guide the bubbles.

Tripzee (2.5 stars): Roll the dice by shaking your device in this Yahtzee game.

Treasure Land (2.5 stars): Find treasures while avoiding deadly insects by utilizing indicators that use the accelerometer interface.

iHunt (2.5 stars) – This hunting game features accelerometer-based aiming and lets you hunt deer, pheasants and clay pigeons.

I Fishing (2.5 stars): This fishing simulator uses the accelerometer to cast, jig, aim your lure, and fight fish.

Wings Flight Simulator Experience (2.5 stars): Probably the most visually-appealing of the flight simulators, you can use the accelerometer in this game to coast around the 3-D world of over 50,000 square miles.

Crash Landing (2.5 stars): Tilt your iPhone to land your shuttle safely on a platform or the moon. The accelerometer controls the thrust, speed, angle and position.

AutoMangle (2.5 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, this game totes itself as an “addictive vehicular combat game” with 192 different gameplay configurations. In general, the accelerometer is used for steering.

Beach Volleyball (2.5 stars): Play volleyball with your accelerometer while listening to your own music and soaking up the digital rays.

Xhake Shake (2.5 stars): Shake, flip, rub and tap your device to challenge your eye-hand response.

Head2Head 3D Racing (2.5 stars): Use the accelerometer to race your way through this game that uses physics emulation to control the vehicle suspension.

SpaceWar (2 stars): Guide your advanced spacecraft through space by tilting the device and destroying as many enemy spacecrafts as you can.

Quaddrazz (2 stars): Dissolve a 3D cube made up of dice by rotating or switching dice into rows of the same color or number.

MetalAngel (2 stars): Use your accelerometer to fly your ship across the universe. Drop atomic bombs and grab gems while you’re at it.

Paper Airplane (2 stars): Pop as many balloons as you can by throwing a paper airplane, without hitting any birds. Use the accelerometer to navigate your plane.

Amazing Maze (2 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, the accelerometer is used in this game to guide balls to the center of a maze.

Elemental (2 stars): Also available in a free “lite” version, play this game to guide a little ball through earth, wind, fire and water using the accelerometer to open gates to new maps and worlds.

iBullseye (1.5 stars): In the most basic of all shooting games, this is simply a game to test your accuracy and steadiness using the accelerometer.

Balloonacy (1.5 stars): Tilt and guide a balloon around mazes that increase in difficulty as you progress.

Agents of Interpol (1.5 stars): A game that’s not very recommended by its users, this one uses the accelerometer to track a fugitive doctor’s global path of disruption.

Adrenalinic (1 star): Yet another space game where you tilt your device to avoid comets and other space junk while collecting yellow and blue stars.

Downhill (1 star): Ski and snowboard downhill by tilting your device.

LightSword Defense (1 star): Wield you LightSword while trying to battle space lasers.

Not Yet Rated

Pocket Skiing (not yet rated): Three tracks of skiing use the accelerometer to race against time to reach the race track checkpoints.

Prickly Pete (not yet rated): Guide Prickly Pete through the deep sea by using your accelerometer, eating eggs for energy while fighting off predator fish.

iLander Christmas Edition (not yet rated): Make sure Santa lands safely by tilting your device and landing his balloon between the yellow poles.

Interested in more iPhone resources? Check these out:

- Blogging: “13 Apps to Turn Your iPhone Into a Blogging Machine
- Gaming: “12 Great Free Games for the iPhone and iPod Touch
- Video: “Beyond YouTube: 10 Top iPhone Video Apps,” HOW TO: Convert Videos for Your iPhone
- Navigation: “15+ Free iPhone Apps to Navigate Your World
- Google: “Great Google iPhone Apps Not Made By Google


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Top 10 Greatest Gaming Achievements

There are certain games that are so difficult, or expansive, or demand such a level of time, effort, and skill, that they are known forever for their demands of a player. This list shows the Top Ten Greatest Achievements in Gaming. These achievements heralded the coming of a truly great gamer, for only someone with a wealth of time, skill, and patience could manage to accomplish these incredible feats.

#10: Find Every Warp Pipe - Super Mario Bros. (NES)

The beauty of Super Mario Bros. was always in its simplicity of look and design. It was quite a shock, of course, when the first warper accidentally walked through the top of World 1-2 to find the hidden Warp Pipes to Worlds 2, 3, and 4. From then on, every player of classic Mario has scrambled to find the elusive Warp Pipes and to beat the game in even lower record times. One of the first truly great gaming achievements.

#9: Collect the 7 Chaos Emeralds - Sonic the Hedgehog (GEN)

Though the method evolved over time, the task has always been the same: Sonic must collect all 7 Chaos Emeralds to finally defeat Dr. Robotnik. While many intuitive gamers have found tricks and shortcuts to help lessen the burden of collecting these rare gems, it has always been quite the task to track down each link in unlocking Super Sonic and the Final Zone. Even with tricks in hand, the fact remains that collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds will be one of the most memorable and most enjoyable achievements in gaming.

#8: Collect Every Heart Piece - The Legend of Zelda (NES)

Thanks to the wonders of enhanced graphics, storylines, and strategy guides, younger gamers probably don't appreciate the effort it takes to find long lists of items, such as the Heart Pieces in LoZ. However, back in the 80's, to find and collect every Heart Piece was a daunting task to say the least, and only one with a wealth of time, creativity, and Rupees could ever hope to search every stone of Hyrule to find all of them. If not for battery backup, some say this task might have been impossible.

#7: Earn all 120 Stars - Super Mario 64 (N64)

As the flagship title for the N64, Super Mario 64 had a lot of things going for it: creative and intuitive controls, innovative level design, beautiful graphics... the list goes on, I'm sure. However, SM64 also holds the N64's first great goal, and one of gamings most demanding achievements: to gain all 120 Stars. While every Mario game was lengthy to some degree, the sheer number of Stars Mario had to collect just to beat Bowser, 70 in all, was quite the chore to collect. The remaining 50 Stars were not mandatory, but only one who collected all 120 could call himself a Mario Master.

#6: Escape Zebes with 100% Completed - Metroid (NES)

Metroid has the record for one of the longest list of powerups and expansions to date, so many gamers instantly respect the man who can finish the game and gain all of them. Of course, the respect and prestige gained by completing Metroid with 100% was never the motivation for doing so: we only ever wanted to see Samus show a bit of leg.

#5: Reach Level 60 - World of Warcraft (PC)

The MMORPG known as WoW has propelled itself to legendary status faster than almost any PC game to date. Dismissing, of course, the practices of "gold-farming" and "power-leveling," the single most glorious achievement in all of Azeroth is undeniably to reach Level 60, maximum level. While the first few levels may be simple enough, the sheer amount of experience needed to gain levels late in the game makes this feat one of the most tiresome and tedious on this list. The sight of a Level 60 character is enough to instill true fear in the heart of any noob.

#4: Find Every Fatality - Mortal Kombat (ARC)

The Mortal Kombat series has always been known for its level of violence and gore, but what truly pushed it over the top was its Fatality system, in which finishing combos literally tore enemies apart in an orgy of death and destruction. The problem was that there was no single maneuver that would result in a Fatality; each character had a different combination for his/her personal Fatalities, and, in later games, for environmental Fatalities. Only a true arcade fighting master could locate and perform every single Fatality with no outside help. A true achievement.

#3: Save EVERY SINGLE Victim - Zombies Ate My Neighbors (GEN)

One of the greatest, most known, and most valued cult classics of the Genesis era, Zombies Ate My Neighbors was an incredibly long shoot-em-up, in which two teenage heroes quested to save all of their neighbors from a monster invasion. What made this achievement so difficult is not that saving the victims was difficult (you just had to locate and touch them), but that there were 10 in each level, that there were 55 levels (with 3 bonus stages), and that, in most circles, for the feat to truly be respected, it must be done in one sitting. Only one who has seen the game can truly appreciate how much effort goes into this immensly frustrating task.

#2: Beat a MAX song on Heavy - Dance Dance Revolution (ARC)

A truly noteworthy and heavily respected achievement, to say that you can master (or, in some cases, even pass) one of the series famous MAX songs is quite the brag. To say that you can do so on the hardest difficulty, however, is a privilage handed down to only the most talented of DDR dancers. To call yourself a MAX master is to say that countless quarters, cramps, and failures have amounted to a truly great dancer.

#1: Complete the Pokedex - Pokemon Emerald (GBA)

This is it: the pinnacle, the Holy Grail, of gaming achievements. Only someone with a nearly limitless amount of time, skill, and drive could ever hope to complete the Pokedex, all 386 entries. What made this task so horribly difficult (aside from the sheer number of obtainable Pokemon) is that Nintendo decided to nix backward compatibility with the GSC era of games, meaning that the Legendaries from that game (meaning Lugia and Ho-oh) could only be obtained through Nintendo special events. Add to this that certain RSE Pokemon had the same problem, and you have one serious gamer traversing the entire US/Japan, trying desperately to catch 'em all.

These tasks represent the most challenging gaming has to offer. While there are certainly many other difficult tasks, none are quite as famous, prestigious, or enjoyable as these. To complete each of these tasks marks you as a truly gifted player, one deserving of much respect, and certainly much bragging rights.

List by JackKieser