News Archive

0

Indie developer lauds Windows Phone

As the Windows Phone continues to gain traction in the mobile phone market, the Windows marketplace appears to making the process for adding apps easy for developers. The marketplace passed the 100,000 app mark last month, and one indie developer’s statements help explain why the phone may see increased success.

Brian Calder of Tiny’s Fury Studios, which recently released Monster Katz on the Windows market, was pleasantly surprised by the process. Calder, who has experience working with iPhone, Android and Windows Phone, said Tiny’s Fury was planning on launching its premiere title on the Xbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG) marketplace, and wanted to have the game on multiple platforms. Since, Calder did not have a lot of time to code multiple versions of the game, he decided to try just one first, and “we realized we could port our code to Windows a lot easier than we could port it to Android or iPhone.”

Read the rest of this entry »

0

A design blog takes a look at home screens, praises Metro

"The main purpose of smartphones should not be to launch apps."

What is the one thing that immediately makes Windows Phone stand out from its competition? Even people with little experience on smartphones will notice how Windows Phone’s interface looks and feels a whole lot different than the more conservative solutions employed by iOS and Android.

A design blog, Cooper Journal has posted an interesting look into the Metro user interface. The article praises Windows Phone for trying to push the envelope on what a smartphone interface can be. All the information immediately available on the start screen keeps things simple and user friendly, something other interfaces should also strive for.

Check out the article for a quick, in-depth look at Metro, it’s importance, competitors and history. It’s an interesting read for any smartphone or design enthusiast.

0

Deal of the Week: Plants vs. Zombies

Every week, the Windows Phone marketplace puts a new title on sale. Don’t miss your chance!

This week’s deal is Plants vs. Zombies by PopCap Games. You can now get the game for $2.99, discounted from $4.99.

Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense game where your aim is to use different, strange plants to keep zombies away from your front door. Each plant has its own offensive and defensive capabilities, but so do the zombies. Planting the right kind of seeds in strategic places makes all the difference.

Not sick of zombies yet? Then check out this game here, for $2.99 or scan the tag below.

0

Deal of the Week: Bejeweled Live

Every week, the Windows Phone marketplace puts a new title on sale. Don’t miss your chance!

This week’s deal is Bejeweled Live by PopCap Games. You can now get the game for $2.99, discounted from $4.99.

Bejeweled is one of the most popular tile-matching puzzle games in the world. The odds are you’ve already played some version of it. The objective is basically to swap adjacent gems with each other, forming chains of three or more vertical or horizontal gems. The affected gems disappear, give you points and may start a chain reaction.

Get instantly addicted by checking out the game here, for $2.99 or scanning the tag below.

0

BAFTA winner Mush to be released this week on Windows Phone

The ridiculously adorable, BAFTA award-winning game, Mush, is set to release on Windows Phone on July 4th. Not only does the game look very beautiful, but it also takes full advantage of the control features offered by a mobile device and uses them creatively.

You control Mush by changing his moods. Mush moves around when you tilt the phone, but the way he moves depends on how he feels. You can, for example, draw a smile on the screen and he floats happily in the air or draw a frown and he drops down to the ground, depressed. Each emotion gives Mush new abilities and helps him solve puzzles and avoid beasties.

  • Touch, tilt and shake the phone to change your character’s emotions!
  • Each emotion unlocks a brand new ability!
  • Stunningly textured artwork, cute characters and physics based puzzles!
  • 20 Xbox LIVE Achievements!
  • Trophies to earn!
  • Leaderboards!

Check out the official site for screenshots and more, to whet your appetite.

0

Microsoft managers hinting at more features for Windows Phone 7.8

There’s been a wild debate going on about whether or not the new start screen is the only new feature in Windows Phone 7.8 update. It’s certainly the only thing Microsoft has announced, but they’re being suspiciously non-specific about this.

Windows Phone team member and Senior Product Manager, Larry Lieberman recently talked about Windows Phone development at TechEd2012. He gave an interesting statement to an audience question about 7.8 features:

“Will Windows Phone 7.8 get new features as well that you can access as a developer? Maybe. We haven’t announced it yet.

All we’ve announced is the new Start screen at this point. Sorry, nothing new to announce. You’re asking me stuff I can’t answer.”

It feels like Microsoft is still considering its options at this point. Another Senior Product Manager, Ben Lower seemed much more certain of the additional features in a tweet some time ago.

The update will be available in late 2012, after the actual Windows Phone 8 launch. There’s still a lot of time for them to decide what to actually include in there. We’ll just have to wait and see what Microsoft is cooking up. Which features would you like to see in Windows Phone 7.8?

Source: WPCentral, WMPU

0

City Gossip Review

As social networks have grown larger and more inclusive they’ve become bloated – filled with spamming posts and unknown “friends”. Designed for city dwellers, City Gossip offers an alternative to the size and clutter of other social networks. By basing their community on city-location the news stays local and relevant. Can City Gossip garner the support required of a social network and establish themselves as the local alternative?

Windows Phone City Gossip App Social Network Photos

Read the rest of this entry »

0

Skulls of the Shogun to have cross-platform play, asynchronous XBLA play

Skulls of the Shogun just keeps getting better and better. The developers have now confirmed that the game will indeed have the ability to allow different platforms to play with each other, using wireless connection or 3G networks. Thanks to asynchronous play, it’s also possible to, for example, start the game on your Xbox 360 and move the same game to your Windows Phone and continue from there. Skulls of the Shogun is the first Xbox 360 game to support this feature.

The platforms supporting cross-play are: Windows Phone, Windows 8, Windows 8 Tablets and Xbox 360. Game sharing is not supported, so you’ll have to get a new copy for each of the platforms you want to use cross-play on.

Skulls of the Shogun will be available this Fall, as a launch title for Windows 8, also released simultaneously for Windows Phone and Xbox Live Arcade.

Source: The Skulls of the Shogun Site, Destructoid

0

Chickens Can’t Fly gets a big update, drops to $0.99

Fans of chicken dropping action are in luck: a big update has rolled in for the popular game, Chickens Can’t Fly. Here’s the changelog for the new version 1.1:

  • Dive deep in the new Aquarium Laboratory
  • Xbox LIVE Multiplayer: Challenge your friends and see who’s better!
  • Customize your chicken with new skins
  • Unlock Avatar Awards!
  • PDLC: The Dojo Laboratory and more skins
  • A new ringtone
  • Option to change the game’s language manually
  • Performance improvements

That’s a lot of neat stuff, and with the new low price of $0.99, it’s really a no-brainer: if you’re attracted to this game on any level, just go and buy it!

Get it here, for $0.99 or scan the tag below.

0

Deal of the Week: Gerbil Physics

Every week, the Windows Phone marketplace puts a new title on sale. Don’t miss your chance!

This week’s deal is Gerbil Physics by Pencel Games. You can now get the game for $1.99, discounted from $2.99.

Gerbil Physics is, as you would expect, a physics based puzzle game featuring cute rodents. Your task is to use explosives to free the gerbils from their prisons. You place bombs simply by tapping the screen and try to do as much damage as possible with the resources available on each level.

 

If you’ve always wanted to put high explosives next to adorable desert rats, check out the game here, for $1.99 or scan the tag below.

Page 5 of 25« First...34567...1020...Last »