Joystiq

Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags sings a salty sea shanty]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/scurvy-scallywags-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/scurvy-scallywags-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/scurvy-scallywags-review-portabliss/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags sings a salty sea shanty

Ron Gilbert's Beep Games has a new game out on iOS called Scurvy Scallywags (subtitle: In the Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty), and it's a match-three puzzle game with light RPG elements and plenty of pirate humor. It's only 99 cents in the App Store right now, and that's probably all of the inspiration you need to go and download it, right matey?

Oh all right, ye lousy landlubbers, I can put an X on yer treasure maps for ye. Scallywags is a bit of pirate-infused joy. It's a simple game with mechanics that don't always light the cannon fuse, but it's got enough charm, depth, and solid fun to justify the very cheap cost of admission.

Plus, there are real sea shanties included.

Gallery: Scurvy Scallywags

Continue reading Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags sings a salty sea shanty

Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags sings a salty sea shanty originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemobileportablisspuzzleron-gilbertscurvy-scallywagsscurvy-scallywags-in-the-voyage-to-discover-the-ultimate-sea-shaultimate-sea-shantyFri, 07 Jun 2013 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Men's Room Mayhem: Please wash hands before playing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/mens-room-mayhem-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/mens-room-mayhem-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/mens-room-mayhem-review-portabliss/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Men's Room Mayhem review snapshot

The PlayStation Vita represents an interesting cross-section between traditional console games and mobile apps. During the time I've spent with the handheld, I've found myself gravitating toward its mobile-influenced games; I lost a solid week to Jetpack Joyride, and the free-to-play ecosystem sim Ecolibrium is my current obsession. Men's Room Mayhem is another successful Vita take on mobile gaming concepts, and I've had a lot of fun with it so far.

Men's Room Mayhem plays similarly to the iOS hit Flight Control, only you're in charge of bladder and bowel relief, rather than air traffic management. Patrons enter your bathroom wishing to use a urinal or a stall. Your job is to guide your customers to their destinations by drawing paths on the Vita's touch screen.

You'll need to act quickly, though - ignore your waiting customers for too long and you'll have a mess on your hands. Bonus points are awarded for maintaining bathroom etiquette (leaving empty space between urinal users), and for making your patrons wash their hands before exiting.

Continue reading Men's Room Mayhem: Please wash hands before playing

Men's Room Mayhem: Please wash hands before playing originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mens-room-mayhemplaystationplaystation-networkplaystation-vitaportablissripstoneripstone-publishingvitaMon, 03 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Karateka Classic adapts vintage martial artistry]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/karateka-classic-adapts-vintage-martial-artistry/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/karateka-classic-adapts-vintage-martial-artistry/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/karateka-classic-adapts-vintage-martial-artistry/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Karateka Classic is Karatik City come alive

It's rare for an iPhone adaptation of a classic game to work out at all; rarer still for said adaptation to be preferable to the original. Jordan Mechner's faithful iOS/Android port of Karateka accomplishes this task handily, partly because of convenient portability, and partly because of nice new features.

But more than anything else, Karateka Classic succeeds because the original's controls weren't that great to begin with. Karateka is, when you get right down to it, a game about shuffling your feet up to your opponent, and then mashing on the kick buttons until he falls over. Like every other pre-Street Fighter 2 fighting game, attacks are slow and connecting depends not so much on timing or frame counting, but the will of some capricious computer god.

Continue reading Karateka Classic adapts vintage martial artistry

Karateka Classic adapts vintage martial artistry originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosiphonekaratekakarateka-classicmobileportablissFri, 31 May 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic arrives on the iPad, and the Force is with it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-review-portabliss/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Knights of the Old Republic arrives on the iPad, and the Force is with it

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is the kind of game that's almost too big to be playing on the iPad. It's easily 30 hours long, with extensive attribute, skill, and combat systems, and it has some of the best storytelling BioWare's ever done, all set in the epic pre-film Star Wars universe. This is a monster of a classic game, and like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Baldur's Gate before it, it seems like cheating to play this game on Apple's touchscreen tablet, like you're somehow breaking the laws of mobile gaming physics, if such a school even exists.

And yet, it works. Aspyr Media is the company responsible here. It's been porting games to the Mac for a long time, and with Knights of the Old Republic has decided to start bringing what it calls "catalog Mac experiences" to iOS. Presumably, the rights were snagged from BioWare and LucasArts, and now there's a very well-made $9.99 port of one of the best Star Wars games ever assembled, running on the iPad.

Continue reading Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic arrives on the iPad, and the Force is with it

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic arrives on the iPad, and the Force is with it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aspyraspyr-mediabiowareiosipadknights-of-the-old-republicKOTORlucasartsmobileportportablissstar-warsstar-wars-knights-of-the-old-republicFri, 31 May 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Evilot takes Plants vs. Zombies to Triple Town]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/review-evilot-ios-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/review-evilot-ios-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/review-evilot-ios-portabliss/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Evilot

Plants vs. Zombies has long been one of the most popular titles on the App Store (or any platform it's been released on, really), but PopCap has only recently revealed a sequel set to arrive in another month or so. In all that time, then, it's not surprising that game developers have "borrowed" PopCap's casual tower defense formula, where you build up units in lanes to defend against an oncoming horde. Samurai Bloodshow is one of the best pretenders to the throne, and there are other games like Legendary Wars that took PopCap's premise and ran far with it.

Evilot also belongs in the second category. It's a recently released iPad game that has a very clear resemblance to the longtime battle of flowers against the undead, in that enemy troops come in by lanes from the right, and you need to build up units to defend treasure on the left. But while Plants vs. Zombies uses a straightforward currency system to build up its units, Evilot borrows a core mechanic from another great iOS title: Triple Town.

Continue reading Evilot takes Plants vs. Zombies to Triple Town

Evilot takes Plants vs. Zombies to Triple Town originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chilechileanevilotiosipadiphonemobileplants-vs-zombiespopcap-gamesportablissreviewsyrenaicatriple-townMon, 27 May 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/zoombies-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/zoombies-review-portabliss/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/zoombies-review-portabliss/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage

Say the name High Voltage, and your first thought might be the Conduit series of first-person shooters (or this). While the studio is indeed known most recently for The Conduit, one of its other ideas has been languishing for quite some time, namely Animales de la Muerte. Originally slated for WiiWare, and then for XBLA and PSN, the game has finally found a home on iOS.

Renamed Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte, the game tells the story of two children who must save a Mexican zoo from being overrun by a horde of zombified animals. To do this, the kids utilize every available tool of destruction, ranging from axes to shotguns, roman candles and even the occasional dollop of guacamole.

Zoombies is the most festive zombie game I've ever played, and it's also one of the most immediately entertaining.

Gallery: Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte (5/15/2013)

Continue reading Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage

Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>high-voltageHigh-Voltage-Softwareiosipadiphonemobileportablisszoombieszoombies-animales-de-la-muerteWed, 15 May 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Mosaique (iOS, Android)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/portabliss-mosaique-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/portabliss-mosaique-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/portabliss-mosaique-ios-android/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Puzzle games tend to fall into one of two categories. There are the fast and frenetic ones, where you watch pieces smash into one another, pushing your mental and physical reflexes as far as they can go before a wire is crossed and it all comes crashing down, hopefully after you've set a new high score. Then there are the Zen puzzlers. These are slow, asking you to plan the best moves for the highest score. You examine the board, analyzing its patterns and discerning how best to eliminate all those pesky blocks or orbs or gems or what-have-you.

Mosaique falls into the latter category, presenting a deceptively simple game of destroying colored blocks. At no point will it bring you either the stress or exultation of a Tetris or a Puzzle Fighter, but sometimes that's okay. Sometimes you want to sit back, relax, and watch as everything falls into place.

Continue reading Portabliss: Mosaique (iOS, Android)

Portabliss: Mosaique (iOS, Android) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphonemobilemosaiqueportablisswinning-blimpTue, 14 May 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Hiversaires (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/portabliss-hiversaires-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/portabliss-hiversaires-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/portabliss-hiversaires-ios/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Hiversaires iOS

Why am I here? What do these weird symbols mean? What is this place?

Hiversaires poses more questions than it provides answers. It's an adventure game where the player is provided no context for what is happening, thrust into a beautiful monochromatic world and forced to poke and prod through one strange area after the next.

Gallery: Hiversaires (iOS)

Continue reading Portabliss: Hiversaires (iOS)

Portabliss: Hiversaires (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david-mondou-labbehiversairesiosipadiphonemobileportablissThu, 02 May 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Robot Unicorn Attack 2 (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/portabliss-robot-unicorn-attack-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/portabliss-robot-unicorn-attack-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/portabliss-robot-unicorn-attack-2-ios/#comments

Portabliss Robot Unicorn Attack 2 iOS

Is it possible you haven't played Robot Unicorn Attack yet? It's by far Adult Swim's most popular onilne Flash game, and not only is it available to play for free (in a few different forms) in your browser, but it's about a robot unicorn collecting fairies and dashing through star crystals while the 2009 remix of Erasure's "Always" plays in the background. Seriously, you better have played this.

The game's also spawned three different versions on iOS, including the original, a Heavy Metal version, and a special Christmas edition. But now the full numbered sequel has arrived on iPhones and iPads, and it's made by PikPok, the developers behind the excellent Monsters Ate My Condo games.

I'll hit the sourest note first: "Always" isn't in this one. At least not right away.

Continue reading Portabliss: Robot Unicorn Attack 2 (iOS)

Portabliss: Robot Unicorn Attack 2 (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adult-swimalwayscorey-hartdasherasureiosipadiphonemobilemodulepikpokportablissrobot-unicorn-attacksoundtrackWed, 24 Apr 2013 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Fist Face Fight (iOS, Android)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/portabliss-fist-face-fight-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/portabliss-fist-face-fight-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/portabliss-fist-face-fight-ios-android/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Fist Face Fight is a simple, fast-paced tap-to-punch game in which you defend a heart from attacking ninjas. You act from an overhead perspective, keeping tabs on the heart at the bottom of the screen and directing a disembodied fist while ninjas and other hazards encroach from all sides.

By tapping around the screen, Fist Guy (as he shall be called from now on) will strike out at that spot in a straight line and rest. Anything in Fist Guy's path will be be punched, even the heart.

Gallery: Fist Face Fight (iOS, Android)

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Portabliss: Fist Face Fight (iOS, Android) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphonemobilenocanwinportablissTue, 23 Apr 2013 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Fish Out of Water (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/portabliss-fish-out-of-water-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/portabliss-fish-out-of-water-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/portabliss-fish-out-of-water-ios/#comments

This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Halfbrick's Fish Out of Water launches on iOS today and it's unlike any of the studio's previous games. It's a much more casual experience with a far more simple premise that is, by all appearances, aimed at capturing a younger audience.

The goal of Fish Out of Water is to see how far you can fling a fish across the ocean. Your score is calculated across three tosses, factoring in both distance and the number of times your fish skipped across the water.

Gallery: Fish Out of Water (iOS)

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Portabliss: Fish Out of Water (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fish-out-of-waterhalfbrickiosipadiphonemobileportablissThu, 18 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Gemini Rue (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/portabliss-gemini-rue-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/portabliss-gemini-rue-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/portabliss-gemini-rue-ios/#comments

Gritty, futuristic adventure game Gemini Rue started as a student project by Joshua Nuernberger. Nuernberger received help from Wadjet Eye Games, the husband and wife tandem of Dave and Janet Gilbert, who helped bring the point-and-click adventure to Steam in October 2011. The game runs on the Adventure Game Studio engine, which was first created in 1999, back when the notion of porting games to a mobile device wasn't at the front of developers' minds. Janet spent eight months adapting the AGS engine to iOS, and Gemini Rue is the first attempt at bringing one of Wadjet Eye Games' adventures to the platform. For a first attempt, it's quite impressive.

Gemini Rue has players controlling two characters located across a stretch of space from one another in the distant future. Azriel Odin, an ex-assassin, is searching for his missing brother. The other playable character, Charlie, starts the game with his memory being erased after a failed escape attempt from an unknown testing facility. Each piece of the mystery unravels at a good pace. The initial puzzles provide the backdrop for the game's well-conceived universe, itself an intriguing, nearly relatable Earth-like world full of crime. As the story progresses, the plot thickens and twists in a mostly expected manner before dropping a hefty, deep series of concepts on the player at the end.

If you think that sounds like a vague explanation of Gemini Rue's story, you're spot-on. I can't unveil the plot in good conscience; it simply needs to be played. It isn't ground-breaking by any means, but the tale is wholly enjoyable and worthwhile to anyone who enjoys dark sci-fi.

Gallery: Gemini Rue (iOS)

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Portabliss: Gemini Rue (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gemini-rueiosipadiphonejoshua-nuernbergermobileportablisswadjet-eye-gamesTue, 16 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Kersploosh! (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/portabliss-kersploosh-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/portabliss-kersploosh-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/portabliss-kersploosh-3ds-eshop/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Kersploosh! 3DS

The nice thing about really cheap games is that I can recommend them based on just one neat thing. If a game costs under $5, I can be really tolerant of annoying parts in favor of the cool parts.

Kersploosh! isn't a bad game at all. But I like it entirely because of the localization.

Gallery: Kersploosh! (3/8/13)

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Portabliss: Kersploosh! (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopkersplooshnintendoportablissFri, 08 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Interlocked (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/portabliss-interlocked-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/portabliss-interlocked-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/portabliss-interlocked-ios/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Interlocked iOS

Interlocked isn't so much a puzzle game as it is a tranquility generator. It seats you on a plush antique couch with an invitingly thick fabric. In the corner, pleasant and unassuming melodies dance from the tinny speaker of an old radio. In your lap, an ornate wooden block full of interlocking parts sits, waiting to have its secrets laid bare.

No other extravagantly phrased scenario better encapsulates my direct feelings while playing Interlocked on my iPad. It's an unassuming puzzle experience where you manipulate an object and attempt to disassemble it in as few moves as possible. It's a methodical, yet serene puzzler, one that makes excellent use of the 3D space to pose some serious challenges when attempting to break down these blocks.

Gallery: Interlocked (iOS)

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Portabliss: Interlocked (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interlockediosipadiphonemobilenikita-leshenkoportablissFri, 08 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Ikachan (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/portabliss-ikachan-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/portabliss-ikachan-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/portabliss-ikachan-3ds-eshop/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Ikachan 3DS eShop

Ikachan is a perfect snack-sized game. Coming in at around two hours, it offers a concentrated dose of pure Studio Pixel exploration.

A precursor to Cave Story, It's the same kind of lovingly pixelated subterranean environments, the same kind of mysterious, mute protagonist dropped into a society in the midst of a power struggle, and the same kind of discovery of previously inaccessible spaces via new abilities that Pixel perfected in Cave Story, but in a miniature form you can enjoy start-to-finish in a single sitting. With a cute lil' squid as the hero.

Gallery: Ikachan (3DS)

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Portabliss: Ikachan (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsikachannicalisnintendoportablissstudio-pixelWed, 30 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Noble Nutlings (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/portabliss-noble-nutlings-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/portabliss-noble-nutlings-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/portabliss-noble-nutlings-ios/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Take the character designs and look of Angry Birds, and put them in a game with the physics-based driving of a Trials or Motoheroz game, and the result is Noble Nutlings, the most Finnish game ever made.

The Angry Birds resemblance is no coincidence. Noble Nutlings is the first game from Boomlagoon, a developer founded by Rovio's former lead artist, server designer, and web programmer. Your protagonists are still a trio of spheroid critters, each a primary color. However, instead of birds in a slingshot, the Nutlings are chubby lil' squirrels in a wagon.

Continue reading Portabliss: Noble Nutlings (iOS)

Portabliss: Noble Nutlings (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boomlagooniosipadiphonemobilenoble-nutlingsportablissFri, 11 Jan 2013 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Fluidity: Spin Cycle (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/portabliss-fluidity-spin-cycle-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/portabliss-fluidity-spin-cycle-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/portabliss-fluidity-spin-cycle-3ds-eshop/#comments This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Fluidity Spin Cycle 3DS eShop

The only thing a wizard loves more than wizardry is meddling in others' affairs. So of course a great wizard decides to use his magic to bring a storybook full of creatures and imaginative places to life. And of course things go awry and it's up to you to clean old robesy's mess up.

In Fluidity: Spin Cycle, you play as Eddy, an amorphous pool of water. Eddy is a water spirit on the hunt for rainbow spirits trapped within each page of the wizard's book, and he locates each one by overcoming various physics-based puzzles and challenges.

Continue reading Portabliss: Fluidity: Spin Cycle (3DS eShop)

Portabliss: Fluidity: Spin Cycle (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsfluidity-spin-cyclenintendoportablissFri, 04 Jan 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: The Walking Dead: Assault (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/portabliss-the-walking-dead-assault-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/portabliss-the-walking-dead-assault-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/portabliss-the-walking-dead-assault-ios/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Like many of you out there, I'm a sucker for anything with zombies in it. I've read The Zombie Survival Guide and I've have mapped out my own plans to deal with a zombie invasion countless times over. I've read a ton of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic - yes, I'm that guy.

Where Telltale's The Walking Dead is about player choice and guarding a young innocent against the evils of a post-apocalyptic world, The Walking Dead: Assault throws players into a different, albeit just-as-important scenario of a zombie world: how to take out the undead.

Gallery: The Walking Dead: Assault

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Portabliss: The Walking Dead: Assault (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamagioiosipadiphonemobileportablissrobert-kirmanSkyboundskybound-entertainmentthe-walking-deadthe-walking-dead-assaultThu, 06 Dec 2012 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Angry Birds Star Wars (Multi)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/portabliss-angry-birds-star-wars-multi/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/portabliss-angry-birds-star-wars-multi/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/portabliss-angry-birds-star-wars-multi/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Angry Birds Star Wars HD iPad

I'm not the only one who played Angry Birds, wasn't that impressed, and so avoided the series evermore until the day Angry Birds Star Wars showed up. Admittedly, some of our group only returned to deride this new game's pop-culture union, which represented how big bags of money can lure you to the dark side (again).

Not me, though. As much as I like Star Wars, I've never liked the series that much. As much as I was unimpressed by Angry Birds, I wasn't that unimpressed. So a combination of the two was curious to me, rather than potentially rage-inducing. I figured I didn't have much to lose beyond three bucks and a few hours. Happily, they weren't wasted.

Gallery: Angry Birds Star Wars (iPad)

Continue reading Portabliss: Angry Birds Star Wars (Multi)

Portabliss: Angry Birds Star Wars (Multi) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-birds-star-warsiosipadmicrosoftmobileportablissMon, 12 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Borderlands Legends (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/portabliss-borderlands-legends-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/portabliss-borderlands-legends-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/portabliss-borderlands-legends-ios/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Borderlands Legends iOS

Somewhere, at any given moment, I imagine the team at Gearbox is popping champagne and fiercely patting each other on the back after striking gold with Borderlands 2. Not only is the game a commercial success, but it's also a critical darling (read our review, for example!) - a far cry from the developer's previous major release.

After loads of DLC and the inevitable three-quel, where can Gearbox go to capitalize on the money train that is Borderlands? A jaunt over to Apple's explosive iOS platform sounds like a good fit, and publisher 2K Games along with developer 2K China have done just that. The idea of playing the "mini-game" version of Borderlands didn't interest me right away, but Borderlands Legends turns out to be a perfect fit for the series and brings the franchise full circle to one of its biggest comparative franchises, Diablo.

Gallery: Borderlands Legends

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Portabliss: Borderlands Legends (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-China2K-Gamesborderlands-legendsGearbox-SoftwareiosipadiphonemobilePortablissWed, 31 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Liberation Maiden (3DS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/portabliss-liberation-maiden-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/portabliss-liberation-maiden-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/portabliss-liberation-maiden-3ds/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Snapshot or Portabliss Liberation Maiden 3DS

The adage "leave them wanting more" immediately came to mind upon completing Liberation Maiden, a feat which took a little under two hours to accomplish. Level 5 and Grasshopper Manufacture's 3DS eShop shooter is engaging enough to whet the palate, but the ideas presented by its design don't feel like they have enough time to mature.

It's almost like the development team started out with the design document for an entire, full-length shooter, and then decided to only made the first five levels. Thankfully, those five levels are exciting, twitchy arcade fun with Level 5's trademark of polish and Suda 51's sense of style.

Gallery: Liberation Maiden

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Portabliss: Liberation Maiden (3DS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopgrasshopper-manufactureLevel-5liberation-maidennintendoportablisssuda-51Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: NightSky (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/25/portabliss-nightsky-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/25/portabliss-nightsky-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/25/portabliss-nightsky-3ds-eshop/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss NightSky 3DS eShop

I can never think, or write, about NightSky without using the word "meditative." So I'm just going with it. NightSky is meditative in the extreme. It throws calm and serene imagery all up in your face. It's not overly easy; rather, the combination of clever level placement, soothing music and subtly beautiful visuals make the whole experience more ... well, meditative.

When the 3DS port was first announced, Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez told us it wouldn't display in 3D. However, the final game does include stereoscopic visuals. "We tried it and it looked better than we thought," Rodriguez explained to Joystiq, simply. "But then we had to ditch the gyro," referring to plans to use tilt controls.

Gallery: NightSky (3DS eShop)

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Portabliss: NightSky (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopnicalisnifflasnightskynintendoportablissThu, 25 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: God of Blades (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/portabliss-god-of-blades-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/portabliss-god-of-blades-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/portabliss-god-of-blades-ios/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

White Whale Games took worldbuilding seriously in God of Blades. Well, maybe "seriously" isn't the right word. God of Blades takes place in a world inspired by pulp fantasy novels, Roger Dean, and '70s album covers; a world of alien rock outcroppings, odd-colored skies and demonic sword-fighters. Levels are introduced by mocked up sci-fi or fantasy book covers, and bosses come with names like "Koz the Hungerer, wielder of Boneblister."

It's not entirely serious, but White Whale Games is committed to this world. And then you run through it at top speed, waving a sword around.

Continue reading Portabliss: God of Blades (iOS)

Portabliss: God of Blades (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god-of-bladesiosiphonemobileportablisswhite-whale-gamesWed, 03 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Rayman Jungle Run (iOS / Android)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-rayman-jungle-run-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-rayman-jungle-run-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-rayman-jungle-run-ios-android/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

I think I'm starting to understand a paradox embraced by the level designers of Rayman Jungle Run. To do good, and to earn praise from their players, they must do evil. They must string together chasms, ropes, hills and hazards in a way that rewards concentration and casts failure into a bottomless pit. It's a thankless job that thrives on devious impulses, and I am grateful for it.

Rayman Jungle Run is a mean, clever purification of Ubisoft's console game, Rayman Origins. The immediate reward of playing it can be seen in the gorgeous 2D artwork, which is vivid proof of the UbiArt engine running well on mobile platforms. There's more personality crammed into Rayman's spirited run than you'll find in the entirety of some other games - and he doesn't even have a leg to stand on.

Gallery: Rayman Jungle Run

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Portabliss: Rayman Jungle Run (iOS / Android) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidauto-runiosipadiphonemobileportablissrayman-jungle-runubisoftTue, 02 Oct 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: The Denpa Men (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-the-denpa-men-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-the-denpa-men-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/portabliss-the-denpa-men-3ds-eshop/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss The Denpa Men 3DS eShop

The Denpa Men (officially The "DENPA" Men: They Came By Wave) seems at first glance like something new, alien, and weird, thanks to its augmented reality gimmick and, well, this video. But upon actually playing it, I discovered that this game was designed for comfort in a way that I wish every classic RPG had been.

I don't mean it's easy - in fact, only one of my four-person party survived the boss battle at the end of the demo. But everything about the interface is streamlined to allow you to play without any of the repetitive annoyances that turn people off of classic dungeon RPGs.

Continue reading Portabliss: The Denpa Men (3DS eShop)

Portabliss: The Denpa Men (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopgenius-sonoritynintendoportablissthe-denpa-men-they-came-by-waveTue, 02 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Cave Story (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/portabliss-cave-story-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/portabliss-cave-story-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/portabliss-cave-story-3ds-eshop/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Cave Story 3DS eShop

In discussing any specific version of Cave Story, it's not particularly useful to evaluate it on its gameplay merits. Any version you pick up is going to be great on those terms. Even if you're playing it with a keyboard on PC, the controls are going to be responsive and movement is just going to be fun. It's one of the best Metroidvania-style games on any platform, and the release of a new version is just another excuse to try it. So try it!

What is more useful than evaluating each new version is unpacking the differences between the many, many versions. With that in mind, the new Cave Story for the 3DS on eShop is Cave Story in 3D, but it is not Cave Story 3D.

Gallery: Cave Story (3DS eShop)

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Portabliss: Cave Story (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsCave-StoryeshopnicalisnintendoportablissFri, 28 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Bad Piggies (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/portabliss-bad-piggies-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/portabliss-bad-piggies-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/portabliss-bad-piggies-ios/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Angry Birds is iOS gaming's juggernaut; even now, it regularly tops the App Store charts in both money earned and time played. Rovio, the Finnish company who created Angry Birds, put together dozens of mobile games before its first iOS release, and has seemingly hesitated to release anything else after it. The studio doesn't want to cannibalize its own success, so all we've seen from Rovio since Angry Birds' 2009 iOS release is a series of rebrands (including Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Space), and one licensed remake of a sandbox contraption game called Amazing Alex.

Bad Piggies, then, is the first original title we've seen from Rovio in years, but even it doesn't go too far off the multibillion-dollar reservation. It's a game set in the Angry Birds universe, that follows the green pigs and their goal of grabbing eggs rather than the frustrated fowl trying to demolish them. But instead of unleashing furious destruction by catapult, Bad Piggies asks the player to create modular vehicles that will cart the pigs across a level, reaching a map piece goal at the end.

Continue reading Portabliss: Bad Piggies (iOS)

Portabliss: Bad Piggies (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidangry-birdsbad-piggiescreationiosipadiphonemobilephysicsportablisspuzzlesroviovehiclesWed, 26 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Fractured Soul (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/17/portabliss-fractured-soul-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/17/portabliss-fractured-soul-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/17/portabliss-fractured-soul-3ds-eshop/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

If the cancellation of the retail DS and 3DS versions marked the end of Fractured Soul, it would have been a tragedy. That would have been the case five years ago. Instead, Endgame Studios just got to self-publish it on the eShop for a lower price than it would have commanded at retail. And that's why 2012 is pretty cool.

Gallery: Fractured Soul (9/12/12)

Continue reading Portabliss: Fractured Soul (3DS eShop)

Portabliss: Fractured Soul (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsendgame-studioseshopfractured-soulnintendoportablissMon, 17 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Puddle (Vita)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/portabliss-puddle-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/portabliss-puddle-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/portabliss-puddle-vita/#commentsThis is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Portabliss Puddle Vita

Back in January, Konami released Neko Entertainment's Puddle on XBLA and PS3's PSN. The puzzle action game has you control a small amount of liquid through hazardous mazelike environments by tilting the environment back and forth.

Then in July, Neko released a downloadable version of the game for PlayStation Vita, and I'm happy to say that Puddle has finally trickled down into its natural home. Now that it's on the Vita, it seems perfect for portable play, and extremely well-suited to the Vita's overwhelmingly numerous control options.

Continue reading Portabliss: Puddle (Vita)

Portabliss: Puddle (Vita) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>neko-entertainmentplaystationplaystation-vitaportablisspuddlevitaMon, 10 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Super Hexagon (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/portabliss-super-hexagon-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/portabliss-super-hexagon-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/portabliss-super-hexagon-ios/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Super Hexagon.

Portabliss Super Hexagon iOS

I feel weird about rendering a verdict about a game I've played for, at most, 48 seconds in a single session, but that's just how Super Hexagon works. Besides, that 48 seconds was hard-won after dozens of less successful, even briefer attempts. I'm reasonably sure I get the idea.

Super Hexagon takes place in a semi-random, spinning spiral of increasingly complex shapes. All you have to do is turn left and right, by holding either side of the device screen, to guide a little triangular pointer between the walls that are continually closing in.

That's how it works mechanically, but to reduce the game to "spinning around for a few seconds" fails to tell the whole story. It's essential to experience Super Hexagon as a whole: as a pulsing, infinite maze of shifting colors, aggressive chip music (by the excellent Chipzel) and the disembodied voice of writer Jenn Frank, flatly informing you when you've made it to the next level, or when you're starting "again." It's an overwhelming experience - for a few seconds at a time. The short span of a game means designer Terry Cavanagh can challenge you as much as he wants. Starting over means the end of 20 seconds of progress, not an hour, so failure isn't as jarring as it is in most games. Which is good, because failure is more common here.

Super Hexagon is beyond ideal for the mobile format. Mobile games work best when they can be enjoyed in short, impromptu sessions. A complete game of Super Hexagon can be played, and enjoyed, in half a minute. And then whatever spare time you have will likely be filled with consecutive half-minute sessions.

Super Hexagon is available, temporarily on sale for $0.99 on iTunes . We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.

Portabliss: Super Hexagon (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hexagoniosiphonemobileportablisssuper-hexagonFri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Great Big War Game (iOS, Android)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/portabliss-great-big-war-game-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/portabliss-great-big-war-game-ios-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/portabliss-great-big-war-game-ios-android/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Great Big War Game.

Portabliss Great Big War Game iOS, Android

Turn-based strategy games are in for something of a renaissance, it seems. A brand new XCOM is on the way, Hero Academy has made a splash on iOS and is now headed to PC, and now, Great Big War Game has landed on iOS and Android, with Windows, Mac and Blackberry Playbook versions on the way. Great Big War Game, the sequel to Great Little War Game, takes a few cues from military-themed turned-based strategy games, reminding me in particular of the colorful Advance Wars series.

The gist of it is pretty simple: You gather resources, build units and then use your tiny tanks and soldiers to outwit and destroy the enemy.

Gallery: Great Big War Game (iOS, Android)

Continue reading Portabliss: Great Big War Game (iOS, Android)

Portabliss: Great Big War Game (iOS, Android) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgreat-big-war-gameiosipadiphonemobileportablissSat, 04 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Kid Icarus Of Myths and Monsters]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/25/portabliss-kid-icarus-of-myths-and-monsters/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/25/portabliss-kid-icarus-of-myths-and-monsters/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/25/portabliss-kid-icarus-of-myths-and-monsters/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Tumble Pop.

Portabliss Kid Icarus Of Myths and Monsters

Kid Icarus and Metroid are inextricably linked in their early history. The two NES games came out in parallel, as silver-boxed "Password Paks" in the US, and both were produced by the late Gunpei Yokoi. Also thanks to Yokoi, both saw sequels on the Game Boy that maintained the basic gameplay of the original in portable form. For Metroid 2, that meant isolation and exploration. For Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, which has joined it on the 3DS Virtual Console, it means "really weird and difficult."

In other words, this Game Boy game is really only recommended to people who have played the NES game and therefore know what they're getting into. Virtually every element that made the NES game such an anomaly are present here, including rooms full of flying monsters or tiles that attack you in large numbers; reapers who freak the hell out and send little flying versions of themselves after you; maze-like ending levels to each world; and eggplants.

Continue reading Portabliss: Kid Icarus Of Myths and Monsters

Portabliss: Kid Icarus Of Myths and Monsters originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsgame-boykid-icaruskid-icarus-of-myths-and-monstersnintendoportablissWed, 25 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Tumble Pop (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/portabliss-tumble-pop-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/portabliss-tumble-pop-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/portabliss-tumble-pop-3ds-eshop/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Tumble Pop.

Portabliss Tumble Pop 3DS eShop

When I started playing my review copy of Tumble Pop, I went in completely fresh. I had barely heard of it, paid little attention to it, and knew almost nothing besides having been published by Data East. And now I have a pleasant little pastime sitting on my 3DS, ready to provide me a few minutes of idle, low-stress entertainment whenever.

Tumble Pop sort of follows the Bubble Bobble school of platforming. Each level is a series of vertically stacked platforms in which various monsters wander left and right. There's a variety of cute ghosts, invisible men (or walking hats and gloves), some ... fire sprite things, a couple of clowns - your basic assortment. Your job is to patrol each enclosed stage and suck up all the monsters with your backpack-mounted vacuum cleaner. They'll respawn out of gates a few times, and the stage ends once you've picked up all the monsters the stage has to offer.

Continue reading Portabliss: Tumble Pop (3DS eShop)

Portabliss: Tumble Pop (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdata-easteshopnintendoportablisstumble-popMon, 23 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Nihilumbra (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/04/portabliss-nihilumbra-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/04/portabliss-nihilumbra-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/04/portabliss-nihilumbra-ios/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Nihilumbra.

Nihilumbra does its best to make you feel pretty worthless. As a black, undulating, vaguely human figure, you glide across the landscape, attempting to find meaning while also outrunning the void. As Nihilumbra reminds you consistently, you are part of the void, and you will be part of it again no matter how hard you try to outrun it.

I couldn't help but try though, because, as it turns out, the best way to evade an ever-approaching void is to solve simple physics puzzles.

Continue reading Portabliss: Nihilumbra (iOS)

Portabliss: Nihilumbra (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beautifun-gamesiosipadiphonemobileportablissWed, 04 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Bomb Monkey (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/portabliss-bomb-monkey-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/portabliss-bomb-monkey-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/portabliss-bomb-monkey-3ds-eshop/#comments Portabliss Bomb Monkey 3DS eShop

Portabliss Bomb Monkey 3DS eShop

Renegade Kid's Bomb Monkey is a refreshingly simple falling-block puzzler. You line up blocks of the same color, and then drop a bomb to destroy all adjacent same-color blocks within the bomb's one-block blast radius. It's sort of like a simplified Puzzle Fighter, since there's no timer on the bombs and they aren't color-coded. There are added complexities, like locked blocks that require two bombs to clear and an optional mode that lets you rescue a monkey from a cage (by blowing it up), but the foundation is almost immediately understood.

I'm totally not saying that as a bad thing, either. Maybe more than any puzzle game I've played, Bomb Monkey immediately gets you into the pleasurable business of making giant chain-reaction combos and watching everything on the screen vanish.

Gallery: Bomb Monkey (3DS)

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Portabliss: Bomb Monkey (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsbomb-monkeynintendoportablissrenegade-kidThu, 28 Jun 2012 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Ketzal's Corridors (3DS eShop)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/portabliss-ketzals-corridors-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/portabliss-ketzals-corridors-3ds-eshop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/portabliss-ketzals-corridors-3ds-eshop/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Ketzal's Corridors.

Ketzal's Corridors is an unusual puzzle game, in that the task you're asked to perform is pretty simple - you rotate a single 3D shape to fit through matching shapes cut out of walls. No big deal, right? You just rotate it until all the blocks form the correct profile.

The difficulty, at least for me, is entirely in the controls. Normally, that wouldn't be a good thing, but it forms the entire basis of the challenge, forcing you to think quickly about what you're doing in order to navigate a 3D space. You're flying toward those walls at a high speed, and trying to rotate the block in three dimensions in time. Translating three-dimensional movement into presses of the d-pad and R button is as hard as it sounds. It is not intuitive at all, forcing you to practice before you can acquire the skill.

Or maybe that's just me. Maybe I have bad spatial skills. I can imagine the kind of person who rotates Tetris pieces in both directions, instead of hitting a single button over and over again every time, picking this up. I'm certain even those geniuses will find something to like here, as there are challenges beyond the basic fitting-in. Often, a hole will have heart-shaped items in it, which you collect by touching it with the block, further influencing your movements and giving you another rapid-fire decision to make. In addition, there are moving obstacles to deal with.

Oh, and you're timed. A timer counts down constantly, encouraging you to hold the L button to speed through each consecutive wall, and adding another layer of pressure.

A game very much like this one, also developed by accessory maker Keys Factory (baffling!), came out on WiiWare under the title ThruSpace, but it works better as a portable game. Not because it's divided into bite-sized challenges, though it is - simply because it's a lot more effort to put down a Wii game in a hurry and pick it back up when you've calmed down. You have to turn the TV back on and everything, instead of just opening the 3DS up again.

Ketzal's Corridors is available on the 3DS eShop for $6.99. We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.

Portabliss: Ketzal's Corridors (3DS eShop) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopketzals-corridorsnintendoportablissWed, 09 May 2012 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Amoebattle (iOS, DSiWare)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Amoebattle.

Traditionally, real-time strategy games have been the domain of the PC. Attempts have been made to move the genre to other platforms in the past, some more successful than others, but demanding complexity and mouse-centered control schemes have typically kept it from flourishing elsewhere. Enter Amoebattle, a real-time strategy game for iOS (with a DSiWare version on the way next month). Cute though it may be, the heart of real-time strategy definitely beats below its adorable exterior.

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Portabliss: Amoebattle (iOS, DSiWare) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsAmoebattledsiosipadiphonemobilenintendoportablissFri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Chaos Rings 2.

During GDC this year, Cave Vice-President Mikio Watanabe implored smartphone and tablet game developers to price their products appropriately: a high-quality game should come with a higher pricetag. Square Enix's Chaos Rings 2 certainly follows Watanabe's advice.

At $18 on iPhone and $20 on iPad, it's among the higher-priced big-name iOS releases. But that old adage of "getting what you pay for" applies, too, as Chaos Rings II is a superb RPG that easily justifies its premium pricetag.

Gallery: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS)

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Portabliss: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemedia-visionmedia.visionmobileportablisssquare-enixWed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Angry Birds Space (iOS, Android, PC, Mac)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Angry Birds Space.

Love it or hate it, there is no avoiding Angry Birds. It's everywhere. It's in your phone, it's on the toy shelves, it's tied in with movies and, if all goes according to plan, it will be spun off into its own movie before too long. Today, Angry Birds takes off for the final frontier in Angry Birds Space, a project that evidently has enough gravitational pull to get NASA itself involved.

And yet, when you get right down to it, it's just more Angry Birds with a few extra tricks up its sleeve -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

Gallery: Angry Birds Space (3/8/12)

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Portabliss: Angry Birds Space (iOS, Android, PC, Mac) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidangry-birds-spaceiosipadiphonemacmobilepcportablissrovioThu, 22 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Waking Mars (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/portabliss-waking-mars-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/portabliss-waking-mars-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/portabliss-waking-mars-ios/#comments Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Waking Mars.

Waking Mars, a new iOS action-adventure game by Spider dev Tiger Style, does a great job of putting a console-style narrative experience on phones, matched to a simple method of gameplay that ensures easy touchscreen control and uncomplicated pick-up-and-play design. In short, it's one of the most successful "big" games I've played on my phone.

The game (formerly known as Lost Mars) is based on an extraordinarily unlikely combination: Martian cave exploration and gardening. Just ... stare at that sentence for a second. Enjoy the cognitive dissonance.

Gallery: Waking Mars (3/1/12)

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Portabliss: Waking Mars (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonelost-marsmobileportablisstiger-stylewaking-marsThu, 01 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST