• Magic the Gathering Toolbox
• Fingle Released
• Chunky Fighters Coming
• Codito Close to Update For Puerto Rico
• Cyclades Updated
• Blog Posts Definitive List: 2-Player Abstract Strategy Games
• Victory Point Games Reveals Next Next iOS Title
• Poker Pals Updated
• Zabu Puts Full Time Engineer on Thunderstone for iOS
• Titan HD Update
• StoryLines Updated
• Legion of the Damned to Be Updated Soon
• GameChanger: Game Board for iPad Updated
• BANG! the Official Video Game Updated
• Ghost Stories The Boardgame
• Unofficial Dominion App Launched
• A Dice Strategy Board Game - ROY G. BIV Updated
• Cabals the Card Game Updated
• Whitechapel Hideout Generator Print Board Game Expansion on iOS
• Henry and the Psionic Overlords Updated
• Danger Alliance: Battles Updated
• Caylus Updated
• Assassin's Creed Recollection Update Submitted
• Fire and Dice Updated
• Aliens versus Humans" Updated
• Hive to be Newly Released on February 9th
• Magic the Gathering Toolbox - January 5
Later this month (so really, any day now), Wizards of the Coast will release an app called The Magic: The Gathering Toolbox first on iOS and later on Android. The app aims to be the ultimate game aid for Magic: The Gathering. The app aims to be not only a life counter, but to let you build decks, research strategies, and find events. You'll be able to search and filter all 10,000+ Magic cards, with new card sets automatically added. They say it wil be like having Gatherer, the Magic Card Database, in your pocket. And it will be available free! You can read more about it from Wizards of the Coast.
• Fingle Released - January 12
Released by Game Oven Studios, we're gonna go ahead and make a snap judgement and call this finger-Twister for the iPad, and probably not the first one either. For $0.99 you can play a game where you can get intimately familiar with someone else's hands. Enjoy.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/fingle/id490109661
• Chunky Fighters Coming - January 12
Brad Talton from Level 99 Games contacted us to let you know that an iOS implementation of Nick Hayes's Chunky Fighters is well on its way. Chunky Fighters is a popular print and play game that was born and lives right here on BGG. The game requires the making of 20 custom dice for the base game (and 60 more for its three expansions) relegating it somewhat to niche status. Brad believes the iOS version will help to expose the game and its designer to a much wider audience, and hopefully be the first of many PnP games that make it onto iOS. Here's a recent press release from Level 99 Games:
Quote:
"We at Level 99 Games are excited to announce that we've acquired the rights to create a mobile implementation of Nick Hayes's Chunky Fighters. Chunky Fighters is a lightweight brawling dice game where players form teams of creatures and use dice, strategy, and a fair helping of luck to attack one another down to the last man standing. The game can be downloaded for free and printed from Board Game Geek. Chunky Fighters requires players to assemble or otherwise craft their own dice. With the advent of the digital version, however, anyone can experience this exciting game without the printing and setup costs.
Chunky Fighters will be available on iPod, iPhone, and iPad, and will be downloadable for free. The game will come with the 4 initial characters from Chunky Fighters--Knight, Tentacle Monster, Wizard, and Soldier. Once you've tried and enjoyed the base game, you can show your support for the designer and for Level 99 Games by downloading the three expansion packs for 99 cents each, expanding your Chunky Roster to contain all sixteen available characters!"
• Codito Close to Submitting Update For Puerto Rico to Improve Online Multiplayer - January 12
Codito's Chris Ewington has reported that the developer is "getting very close to submitting an update with turn-based multiplayer to Ravensburger. That should help immensely since people won't have to be online at the same time anymore."
http://itunes.apple.com/app/puerto-rico-hd/id438437326
• Cyclades Updated - January 12
Perhaps it wasn't the update you were looking for but Matagot has updated Cyclades to version 1.0.1, it's very first update in the almost three months since its release.
Matago wrote:
What's new
Harpie : Can freeze the game.
Pegase : More information about what to do..
Impossible to change current view mode during soldier move.
Better screen touch detection..
You can change page in the rule by juste touché the screen.
See Battle, bad Port bonus calculation.
If you try to attack thé last play's island with Pegase or soldier, the game can avoid all over actions.
News revised English rules.
News German version.
Starting video is now subtitle for German and English languages.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/cyclades/id464676595
• Blog Posts Definitive List: 2-Player Abstract Strategy Games for iPhone, iPad - January 14
Nick Bentley, a BGG user, posted an entry in his Abstract Game Design Blog called a Definitive List: 2-Player Abstract Strategy Games for iPhone, iPad. Since we haven't really done a round up of abstracts, you might check it out and find some good abstracts, many of which we've covered at one time or another.
• Victory Point Games Reveals Next Next iOS Title - January 15
In their January 15 newsletter, Victory Point Games has revealed that the third title receive to the iOS treatment (Levée en Masse, the second is in development) will be Hermann Luttmann's undead-themed Dawn of the Zeds. Here's the full quote:
VPG wrote:
We have learned a lot from releasing digital Loot and Scoot and will be taking these hard-earned lesson forward with our next project. John Welch has visited us at the VPG offices and met with the app game development team. They were busy discussing the approaches and features for app game version of John’s Levee en Masse game, and are looking ahead to the game what will follow, Hermann Luttmann’s Dawn of the Zeds.
• Poker Pals Updated - January 16
Chillingo has updated Poker Pals to version 1.3. Here's the latest:
Quote:
What's new
• Facebook Integration: Post on a friend’s wall or on your wall about Poker Pals. Find games with your Facebook friends who play Poker Pals.
• Redesigned Contacts invite screen: Find friends who have an email address registered with Poker Pals and play a game or send any contact an invitation to play via email or text message.
• National Affiliation: Choose a country’s flag to display on your chip.
• New Black and Gold Chip: Earn achievements to advance your chip color even further.
• Zabu Puts Full Time Engineer on Thunderstone for iOS - January 16
We learned in a BGG post from Milton at Zabu Studios that Zabu Studios has put a full time engineer on Thunderstone for iOS. The Facebook implemenation has been getting a very enthusiastic and positive reaction from BGGers. Zabu does not yet have a release date but will keep all of us informed when they have a more solid estimated time of arrival.
• Titan HD Update - January 17
Valley Game has updated their renamed Titan HD app to version 1.0.1. Here's what's included:
Valley Games wrote:
What's new
Added Release Notes viewer
Players can now tap on the Phase Icon to help locate their active Legions on the Masterboard
Battle Summary Dialog contains scoring information
First-time use tips can now be reset by disabling, then re-enabling them
Fixed problem where Angel Summoning could fail
Fixed issue where Angel Summons and Fight/Flight dialogs could be dismissed again as they faded, causing errors
Fixed issue where Battleland Entry Side chooser could be dismissed again as it faded, causing errors
Corrected a few minor graphical issues
Application has been correctly labeled as requiring iOS 4.2
Application has been renamed to "Titan HD"
http://itunes.apple.com/app/titan-hd/id488026817
• StoryLines Updated - January 17
Root-One, developer of the iOS implementation of Eat Poop You Cat app known as StoryLines has updated it to Version 2.5.
Root-One wrote:
What's new
In response to popular demand, we are introducing All-Play StoryLines!!
Any StoryLines player can contribute to any All-Play StoryLine. Your All-Play StoryLines should finish much faster for more fun!
http://itunes.apple.com/app/storylines/id464977336
• Legion of the Damned to Be Updated Soon - January 17
In a BGG post, Offworld Games says they are getting closer to their Universal update to Legion of the Damned, screenshots should be posted soon.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/legion-of-the-damned/id450141076
• GameChanger: Game Board for iPad Updated - January 18
The app for use with Studio Sophisti's GameChanger hardware game board has been updated to version 1.4. Now you can play against opponents over Game Center and some other stuff:
Quote:
What's new
- enter player names in AnimalMania
- extra cards & questions in The Magic Schoolbus
- compete with other players in GameCenter
http://itunes.apple.com/app/gamechanger-game-board-for/id455...
• BANG! the Official Video Game Updated - January 18
Palzoun and SpinVector have updated both versions of BANG! the Official Video Game to version 2.1.6. Better Online Gameplay is the mix, so give in another try. Plus both apps have been dropped in price to $0.99 for the time being.
Palzoun & SpinVector wrote:
What's new
A new achievement that unlocks "Claus the Saint".
Better Online Gameplay.
Several fixes.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/bang!-hd-official-video-game/id4...
• Ghost Stories The Boardgame - January 18
Repos Production has updated Ghost Stories The Board Game to version 1.2. The update includes:
Repos Production wrote:
What's new
–––––––––––
MAIN FEATURE
–––––––––––
• Step-by-step undo is available ! Now, when you make a mistake, the undo button just cancel the last movement.
–––––––––––
OTHERS
–––––––––––
• Rules interface improved : you can scroll between pages
• German language added
---------
BUG FIX
---------
The app does not crash at launch anymore. If the problem persists, just delete it from your iPad and reinstall it.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/ghost-stories-the-boardgame/id45...
• Unofficial Dominion App Launched - January 19
This story broke last week with the stealthy launch, by an outfit known as Hammer Technology, of an app named Dominion by Donald X. Vaccarino which was none other than an iOS implementation of the world famous Dominion by Donald X. Vaccarino. Donald and Rio Grande Game's own Jay Tummelson were quick to get involved in the situation through a number of BGG posts and after a brief time of confusion the issue seems to have been settled by Jay's public statement on the app, posting "as long as it is free, it is allowed, at least for a few weeks until the licensed app becomes available."
In a later post in another thread Jay also updated BGG users about progress on the official implementation of the deck-building favorite. Jay writes that he has "been very pleased with the product the licensee has produced. I have played it using Safari, Firefox, iPad, and iPhone and it works well on all these platforms. I am told it works on others, but that is all I have at my immediate disposal." Jay also mentioned a simple AI, useful for learning the game. He also wrote that he expects it to be available in the "VERY near future."
Knowing developer schedules as we do, we are going to temper excitement a little bit. But given that there is a working and publisher sanctioned app, we'll spend some time with the new app which does feature original art, local games vs up to three AI opponents, and online two player games.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/dominion-by-donald-x.-vaccarino/...
• A Dice Strategy Board Game - ROY G. BIV Updated - January 21
A Dice Strategy Board Game - ROY G. BIV is an app whose release we had missed in early December. It has since been updated five times since. ROY G. BIV is a game app in which two players use 49 7-sided dice and a 7x7 board purportedly "combines the logic of chess, the simplicity of Go, and the risk-reward elements of Poker. It requires players to be able to calculate a variety of possible moves quickly while planning several moves in advance." Sounds like strategy gold, eh? Well you can try it for free.
According to developers Black Ops Marketing, the game really has one rule: "A played die captures/scores any lower value die in the ROW or COLUMN it is played in. The Player scores the total value of all captured dice, and the captured dice change to the value of the played die."
Additionally, this app has some interesting multiplayer features though Game Center including a unique 2 player "game negotiation module" which they say "sets the standard in 2 player gaming." Players get two rounds to negotiate agreed settings. If diplomacy fails, the computer decides the setting randomly.
The app also has a ranking system for two player games where both the winner and loser get leader board points in every game. How much they get is dependent upon how well they played, rewarding great losing play more than easy victories.
Got that? Good. Here's what's in the update:
Quote:
What's new
1. All Variations & 2 Player Games are Free! See you on Game Center!
2. Leaderboard is working correctly for 1 player and two player. We hope...
3. Scoring bug whereby player 2 did not get the correct amount of points on a 1st turn capture has been corrected.
4. The sound issue that turned your ipad or iphone into a sound stun weapon capable of neutralizing people 50 feet away has been corrected. Sorry about that!
5. Large Help - Rules Button on Home Screen.
6. Help screens reordered.
7. Turn Indicator moved from top of screen to dice in hand area for higher visibility.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-dice-strategy-board-game/id...
• Cabals the Card Game Updated - January 23
Cabals the Card Game, the app that combines trading card games and board games, has been updated by developer Kyy Games to version 1.04. Here's the latest:
Kyy Games wrote:
What's new
*Friend Matches
*4 new rare cards, 1 for each cabal
*Fixed the timeout issue
*In-game change, which allows to see the opponent details
*In-game change, actions can be used also by dragging and dropping
*UI change: all the non-targeted actions are now used by pressing on either hero.
*Danann: The base cost of Sidh increased to 4
*Danann: The base cost of Decompose increased to 4
*Zahir: The loyalty cost of Depraved Aristocrat lowered to 1
*Vril: The activation cost of Blitz trooper lowered to 2
http://itunes.apple.com/app/cabals-the-card-game/id463736980
• Whitechapel Hideout Generator Print Board Game Expansion Released on iOS - January 23
We admit we're not sure we understand how this app works, but we understand that it is supposed to be an Official add-on expansion for the print board games Letters from Whitechapel and Whitechapel™ Letters from Hell and that it is NOT a stand-alone game. Also, it's by iNigma, the developers of the Kingsburg: Serving the Crown app.
This app lets you play the optional rules Hideout Generator and Catch Me, If You Can. With the Hideout Generator, the Jack player can choose his Hideout at random during the point six of the set up rules. It can be played in 4 difficulty levels: Normal, Easy, Medium and Hard.
As far as we know this is the first iOS-only expansion to a print board game that we know of. Do let us know if you have the print game and how this app works with it. The app is for iOS Universal and priced at $2.99.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/whitechapel-hideout-generator/id...
http://itunes.apple.com/app/whitechapel-hideout-generator/id...
• Henry and the Psionic Overlords Updated - January 23
We were contacted by the developer of this app, Hourglass Interactive, to let you know that the app has been updated to version 1.1.0.
Hourglass Interactive wrote:
What's new
- added 'eagle scout' leaderboards and achievement: start and play game without using purchased reroll/guig and your score appears on the eagle scout leaderboards. Win a game without using the cheats and get the eagle scout badge.
- adjusted turn queue wait and max free turns
http://itunes.apple.com/app/henry-psionic-overlords/id473716...
• Danger Alliance: Battles Updated - January 24
TOME Studios has updated its turn-based battle game to version 1.2. The new update includes:
Quote:
What's new
* A new soldier joins the ranks - Jansson the Rifleman
* Many improvements
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Dash Race Updated - January 24
Dash Race is an app we've never covered before. It's appears to be closely related to Bolide and other turn-based racing sim board games. It would appear that developer Hans-Juergen Richstein has given this app a major update. Check out some of the new features, fixes, and improvements:
Quote:
What's new
Thanks for far more than 200.000 downloads to date. This update brings you a whole lot of exciting new features and improvements, see list below.
As always, please renew your 5* rating for every update to keep new features coming. If you have any comments, wishes or issues to report, just drop us a mail. Follow @rombos_de on Twitter to always get the latest news first hand.
New:
• A new control schema: one finger will only operate the target determination, avoiding accidental scrolling (especially useful on iPhone/iPod). To scroll and pinch, use two fingers. If you prefer the old schema, you can switch back to it in the settings (called "Pro" mode).
• Optionally choose triangles as a background grid. This gives a whole new challenge for your driving strategy!
• Make the choosen grid invisible. This will provide an additional thrill for experienced drivers.
• Use a text chat feature in online races to provide messages to your opponents (e.g. if you are not using voice chat for that race)
• A new free track with a "Space" theme
• A whole bunch of new achievements, especially lots of additional Guru-puzzles
• Play your own iPod music instead of the built-in background tunes (switch them off to keep iPod running in background)
Improved:
• Proceed started games after you lost a player's gamecenter connection. Just reconnect them and continue were you left off
• Allow changing number of gamecenter players within Gamecenter invitation dialog. Additional players will use free or robot slots, so to play online you just need to choose at least one Gamecenter player and can then see how many you get actually invited.
• Comprehensive error messages around gamecenter handling in case something goes wrong
• Robots adapt better to rookie drivers
• More balanced scoring in challenge mode, giving more focus on the first passing the finish line and extra penalties on exceeding the winner's number of total moves
• Switching off device's sleep mode during GC matching to allow for longer automatch procedures, making it more likely to find players
Fixed:
• Switching voice chat on from within the game sometimes failed
• Printing of tracks from iPad
• Don't autoscroll to focus current player while panning or zooming
• General stabilizations, especially around Gamecenter handling
http://itunes.apple.com/app/dash-race/id412719734
• Caylus Updated - January 24
Big Daddy's Creations posted on the Caylus site that they would update Caylus to fix some launch version problems. A week later the app was updated. Here's the latest:
Big Daddy's Creations wrote:
What's new
- memory management enhanced
- AI crashing due to making illegal moves fixed
- more responsive UI
http://itunes.apple.com/app/caylus/id486202473
• Assassin's Creed Recollection Update Submitted - January 25
UbiSoft has updated Assassin's Creed Recollection to version 1.5.6.
UbiSoft wrote:
What's new
- New challenge missions at the end of the single player campaign:
The setup of the game can be different (faster, AI advantage,...)
You’ll be able to play against a random list of predefined AI decks
Up to 4500 credits can be won
Up to 7000 Xp can be won
- New reward system:
Up to 500 Credits can be won each day
100 XP / 50 Credits for each win
50 XP / 25 Credits for each draw
20 XP / 10 Credits for each lost (instant quit is not rewarded)
- "Quit" instead of "main menu" when in-game, will send you to the defeat screen in multiplayer (and will give you your reward if not instant quit)
- Added a filter button in the in-game carousels
- Memories interaction fixes in the Stock menu
- Various changes in the Artwork menu
- Display the name of the opponent, in-game and in the deck selection screen (you can choose your deck knowing who is your opponent)
- Display Uplay login windows instead of an error message when you are not logged in Uplay
- Notify why a deck is invalid in the deck builder
- Memories fixes (we will provide you a complete list, but you can already see what has been said here on the forum)
- Localization fixes
- Various network fixes (more tolerant to packed drop, try to reconnect automatically in the reward screen if the connection was lost,…)
- Various stabilization fixes (less crashes, no more freeze in the reward screen…)
http://itunes.apple.com/app/assassins-creed-recollection/id4...
• Fire and Dice Updated - January 25
Here's another December 2011 release that slipped right by us. Released by Sky Parlor Studios, this one is a highly touted dice rolling game app where the object is to score the most points by strategically using your resources gained by rolling 4 (and up to 7) dice to make combinations that help out the town. Fire and Dice is also similar to Balut, Kismet, Farkle, and Yamb (or Jamb). The app is for iOS Universal and priced at $1.99. It's been updated twice now with the latest major update to version 3.0 including:
Quote:
What's new
*January 25th, 2012* - MAJOR UPDATE!
★ New Menu System!
★ New HELICOPTER Function!
★ Now supports OpenFeint!
★ Added New "Key to the City" Feature!
★ Earn Hero Points!
★ High Score Table!
★ Provide In-Game Feedback!
★ News Feed!
★ Game Center Leaderboards!
★ Game Center Achievements!
★ OpenFeint Leaderboard System!
★ OpenFeint Achievements!
★ Various Bug Fixes
★ Removed all loading screens!
http://itunes.apple.com/app/fire-and-dice/id483012975
• Aliens versus Humans Updated - January 26
The app by Leisurerules Inc. that is inspired by the "best aspects of X-Com" has been updated to version 1.1.0. Important new additions include:
Quote:
What's new
+ New Mission Editor lets you create and play your own missions!
+ AvH is now UNIVERSAL
+ 2 new levels of zoom
+ New 3 star rating for missions
http://itunes.apple.com/app/aliens-versus-humans/id471665058
• Hive to be Newly Released on February 9th - January 26
Designer, John Yianni, has posted in the BGG forums that the official iOS implementation of Hive will be released again on February 9th. The app will have a new developer. It will also be free for the first seven days of its release and the revert to a paid app. All involved are encouraging you to download the app at that time. We'll certainly remind you when it releases!
VPG wrote:We have learned a lot from releasing digital Loot and Scoot and will be taking these hard-earned lesson forward with our next project. John Welch has visited us at the VPG offices and met with the app game development team. They were busy discussing the approaches and features for app game version of John’s Levee en Masse game, and are looking ahead to the game what will follow, Hermann Luttmann’s Dawn of the Zeds.
Quote:What's new
but there is online-play
, this game is like a fusion between 'Panzer General' and 'Battle for Wesnoth'. Each turn you can do a host of activities in order to build up your economy, bolster your castle defenses, and create armies in order to ultimately defeat your opponent.
