Star Wars Pinball Free & Terraria iOS! Hardcore Gamers, Rejoice!

FREE! Star Wars Pinball by Zen Studios (universal, normally $1.99) — includes one table with two additional tables available as in-app purchases. If you own Zen Pinball, you'll probably want to unlock (purchase) the tables inside it instead, but since Star Wars Pinball is free (for now), why not play around with one of the tables and see if you like the game mechanics?

Light side or dark side?

I love pinball. It's not nearly as visceral and exciting as playing in an arcade in front of a real pinball machine, but playing on the iPad is pretty great — especially with the retina display. Much better than playing on the TV or PC.

Zen Studios has done a great job capturing the frenetic pace and unique physics of pinball in their sims, this app is no different. The Star Wars tables are stylish and well constructed — the sound effects, imagery and storylines feel authentic and will likely satisfy sci-fi fanatics.

Also on the App Store, Terraria!

Terraria by 505 Games (universal, $4.99) I've been waiting for this for a long time! (Still waiting for the Playstation Vita version... hopefully it's out soon!)

I haven't checked it out yet, but I have played desktop/console versions of the game (on Xbox 360 & PS3). It's a different take on survival/crafting, and isn't just a 2D version of Minecraft (iOS link). Terraria has a huge following and much has been written about it, so I won't go into detail.

The iPad has become an interesting games platform for hardcore gamers.

It's very exciting. Hopefully, more indie games and Kickstarter type projects will surface now that people are starting to take iOS seriously. Initially thought of as simply a casual games device, iOS now has games like:

• XCOM: Enemy Unknown (universal)
• Deus Ex: The Fall (universal)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (iPad)
• The Bard's Tale (universal)
• Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (iPad)
• Bastion (universal)
• Anomaly Warzone Earth HD / Anomaly Korea (universal)
• Magic 2014 (iPad)
• Ascension / Shadow Era (universal)
• Ravensword: Shadowlands (universal) — Bethesda, please give us 'The Elder Scrolls' for iPad! It can be done!
• Final Fantasy V (universal) — Square Enix also released FF Tactics, FFIII, FFIV and other games like The World Ends With You (iPad link), but with separate iPhone/iPad versions.

*MAKE SURE to check system requirements before downloading these games. Many of them are ~2GB and require iPad 3 or newer.

I could go on for quite awhile, this list barely scratches the surface — this is just skim off the cream — there are dozens more fantastic games for iOS. If you have an iPad, you can't be bored! Look at that list; look at the App Store, check out all the great stuff available right now — know it's just the beginning. Apple will likely announce new iPads soon, and with next-gen devices come better games and new ways to interact with conventional gaming devices. A current example is Xbox SmartGlass — but I'm really looking forward to Ubisoft's Watch Dogs tablet mode multiplayer.

What games are you most excited about? Did I leave your favorite off of the list? Let me know!

Oh yeah, just in case...

Cut the Rope HD is free right now, too. Whatever.

Currently, I'm enjoying Dragon's Crown for PSVITA. There's been a fair amount of controversy surrounding the game since its North American announcement and early teaser artwork, but don't let that stop you from enjoying a superb side-scrolling action RPG. For an amazing breakdown of Dragon's Crown, check out HokutoAndy's Kinja blog and his site, Art-Eater.

If you want to play, add me at XBLIVE/PSN: rainfault — just include a little note to let me know a bit about you and how you found me. (Thanks!)

Posted with Blogsy

Update on 2013-09-04 11:21 by Bradtastic

So — Terraria isn’t available for Playstation Vita (yet) but I’m thinking that I will wait until it’s out to try and get into the game. Despite many people having issues with the PSVITA, I really like the system and there are a lot of great games for it.

Although Terraria isn’t out yet for it, Atelier Mereru Plus is available now — a decent looking JRPG that I never played. I downloaded (but haven’t finished) Atelier Totori Plus, so I’m going to finish that game before starting a new Atelier game — besides, it will likely go on sale at some point (Totori+ did).

I also completely forgot about Diablo III for consoles! Yes, many PC elitists shun all console games as being inferior, but not everyone can sit in front of the computer for hours on end! I asked a friend about the PS3 version of the game, and he mentioned that it ran well with very little slowdown. So although it may be a less-pretty version, perhaps that’s okay! It can be played offline and offers couch co-op, a huge draw for some gamers and a great way to introduce friends to new games.

Post-Independence Day Post!

Hey, everyone! Did you have a good holiday? The Fourth of July is a pretty exciting day. Not just for the fireworks — the United States of America is an amazing place, despite all of the crap that goes on.

I've been busy preparing a bunch of posts for Says Brad, controversial pieces, and spent the past few days confirming Squarespace Terms of Service with their wonderful support team to make sure that my content wasn't in violation of their ToS . It isn't, so soon I'll share thoughts on violence and video games, racism, race baiting and the parallels between the Oscar Grant and Trayvon Martin.

And of course, that's not all! More about the NSA and their spy capabilities, controversial laws and ways to protect your freedoms, and as always, app and game reviews, art and, well, whatever else I feel like sharing.

For more frequent updates, cool links/videos and artwork, check out my Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook page. (Also: 360/PSN/vita gamers, I'm currently playing Borderlands 2, Soul Sacrifice, and a few others — if you want to play, message rainfault and let me know who you are and how you found me! I'm also on Guild Wars 2, but less frequently this month: Bradtastic.1623)

Posted with Blogsy

Ubisoft for AC3: Using social networks well

Ubisoft just sent me an email that I think is brilliant — it's a notice to "help unlock the world gameplay premiere of Assassin's Creed III."

It goes on to say, "tweet, share, and recruit friends to unlock the footage."

How brilliant is that?!

There's even a progress bar included, ostensibly showing the current status of the effort. Though somewhat transparent, this is still an effective way of getting fans to market for you, to earn** something you would've given away anyway.

What do you think of their marketing campaign for Assassin's Creed 3?

RAGE is art

RAGE is one of those games that transcends itself. Roger Ebert once said that video games can't be art. He's obviously wrong, and probably isn't good at games, but he should play RAGE. After spending a fair amount of time with the game, I've developed some strategies for the mini-games as well as the gunplay. Maybe I'll share my RAGE Frenzy deck list.

I hope id releases RAGE Frenzy for iOS. That'd be splendid. (I'm still hoping that @SEGA releases Derby Owner's Club for iPad, or for any system... maybe a LIVE Arcade game.)

Batman, Battlefield 3, Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, Modern Warfare 3... a lot of art, incoming!

Topical leads to seriousness

I’ve been chatting with Daniel — a “student” of mine — while playing some Borderlands (2K Games’ masterwork RPS — role-playing shooter); he’s figured-out, over this year, that his serious interests involve writing. His love of videogames is a natural outlet, and hopefully, writing about games (or for them?) can become a career for him.

As some readers of mine might remember, I’ve wanted to write about games for some time. I dabble in it, from time-to-time, usually at Gamespot. I tried making a dedicated gaming blog, but never could make enough free-time to pick up the necessary momentum to carry the project along.

I might have another chance now… and an opportunity to do things differently.

In discussing videogame reviews, one facet stood apart — particularly interesting to me — the nature of trust. People generally read reviews to accumulate more information, to make a better decision. However, if the reader doesn’t trust the reviewer, the review won’t mean much — that’s if it’s even read!

Why should anyone trust a review? How can we assess whether or not the author shares similar views, has similar tastes?

At the time, I didn’t think of this thought-trajectory as being particularly-profound, but it lead me to new findings, new ideas and concepts. Free-association, mixed with a bit of luck, I suppose. 

I’ve decided on a few fixes; I thought about what makes me trust a review — and the reviewer, what I think when we don’t share the same tastes, and what makes me come back for more. I also thought about Bradloves and Bradtastic.com, and the future. Indeed, 2010 looks like a turn-around year.

Before I get back to work, I thought I’d mention quickly: I’ve been told that I’m hard to shop for, get gifts for. That’s not at all true. At my Links page, I have two wish lists (so far) — each with gifts ranging the gamut. If you don’t have lists of your own, you should think about making one (or five)!

My way of dealing.

Entertainment and work…

Chronic pain has an effect like Chinese Water Torture.

I’ve been looking for a full website sponsor — that search still continues as smaller donations and contributions trickle in (of course, it’s all appreciated!) — meanwhile, life goes on. Sometimes “real life” responsibilities get in the way of artistic and intellectual pursuits; I would like to be able to write more, sketch more and blog more, but bills have to get paid somehow, and I have responsibilities to my family.

Still, I suppose everyone needs an outlet of some kind.

About four years ago, I purchased XBOX 360. The system hadn’t been out long; it was hard to find, and several reports of the “red ring of death” had tainted the system’s reputation. Still, I took the plunge, getting the most basic edition imaginable. I’m glad that I did.

XBOX LIVE is an absolute treat. Although the initial shock of the Gold Membership fee made me initially hesitant, even skeptical — as if I were paying for online “adult entertainment” (what does “Gold Membership” sound like to you?) — I wanted online play. Bare, the service was worth it.

Now, it’s even better.

With Netflix Watch Instantly and Party viewing, wireless controllers with chatboard attachments and integrated Windows Live chat, the 360 is a social entertainment hub. To add to that, Microsoft is integrating Facebook and Twitter. Social networking and gaming are being made even more accessible.

I have the Elite system now, with an Ace Combat 6 faceplate and 120gb hard drive. When I’m not working, resting, eating, writing or drawing… I can be found playing some LIVE ARCADE game, or recently, Borderlands, DJ Hero, Forza Motorsport 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (COD6).

Gaming together would be fun. During a nice jam session or first-person shoot-em-up (FPS, or “RPS,” role-playing shooter — Borderlands), pain has less of a hold on me. Got 360 LIVE GOLD? You can help… we can play!

Gamertag: Rainfault

Changes at Superfloo.us — I’ve added an Ink section.

The first post should appear later today. I’ve already started it, but I’m having some technical issues with my current tablet and netbook. Both are slowing me down. I’ve added a few pick-me-ups here, at Thinkgeek. Some of my friends and contacts have some cool things going; I’ll share more on that later, and try to review several of their projects.

Maybe I can even convince them to give some free products and/or goodies away as presents to lucky readers!

Until then… I have some work to do and things to straighten out. It’s way too hot here in Oakland; my southern-view collects sunlight from rise to set, and the temperature in my unit becomes unbearable without AC — due in-part to screens and computers. I try to rest during the heat (and light) of the day. I’m more awake from twilight to sunrise.