Monday, July 1, 2013

Games of the week: Layton Brothers, Iron Sky Invasion, Random Heroes 2 and more!

Games of the week: Layton Brothers, Iron Sky Invasion, Random Heroes 2 and more!

It's Sunday, and that can only mean that it's time once again for a roundup of the iMore teams most played games of the last seven days. We've got a real variety this week, with a healthy dose of iOS games accompanied by a couple for those Mac gamers out there. Let's take a look.

Random Heroes 2 - Joseph Keller

I have fond memories of my Nintend Entertainment System. It was the first video game console I ever had, and I had a lot of fun with it. Mario, Zelda, and Mega Man were my first, and to this day some of my favorite, gaming experiences. So when I pick up a game like Random Heroes 2, a side-scrolling action-platforming game, it sort of feels like returning to my gaming roots. Random Heroes 2 features an eclectic group of heroes, each with unique abilities, battling aliens across several stages. Use the touch controls to navigate around levels, using the A and B buttons to fire and jump, respectively. You can even aim your weapon using the A button. You can buy different heroes and weapons with the coins and items that you either earn by playing the game or buy from the in-game store. With engaging action and at times challenging platforming, Random Heroes 2 is a great time if you want a fun challenge that gives you a dose of good, old-fashioned 2-D action.

Dumb Ways to Die - Simon Sage

One of the great free games climbing the charts lately is Dumb Ways to Die. Players have to successfully get through a gauntlet of simple minigames for as long as possible, though they become progressively more difficult. These can range from shooing away piranhas from your crotch, swatting bugs, and holding onto balloons so you don't dive onto the tracks. The art style fantastically morbid - cute little characters are constantly getting maimed in new and exciting ways. As you play, you unlock more of them as your life counters. The best part about this game is that it's actually a kind of public service warning by the Melbourne transit association to make sure people don't do stupid things near the tracks. There's [even a cute music video](Dumb Ways to Die). Well-played, Australia. Well-played.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - Chris Parsons

I love racing games but I'm more a fan of silly racing games rather than serious ones so when I came across Sonic & Sega All-Stars racing I had to give it a go. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It's a pretty sweet kart racing and doesn't really involve much effort to play, plus the included AirPlay support is awesome. It's free to download and while the nags to upgrade are there, they're not really bothersome. If you Mario Kart was your game back in the day, you'll feel right at home here.

Iron Sky Invasion - Peter Cohen

The movie "Iron Sky" is one of my guilty pleasures - it's pure B-movie sci-fi cheese, but that's rather the point: space Nazis living on the Moon attempt an invasion of Earth. TopWare Interactive responded last year with a video game for PC and consoles based on the movie. Now they've adapted it for iOS. This isn't the deepest game I've ever played on my iPad, and it's not the most challenging, but it's a good bit of fun: You defend Earth from the invading Moon Nazis as you fly seven different experimental space spacecraft ranging from nimble fighters to heavy bombers. You can collect salvage to recharge your shields and use different weapons like rockets, laser cannons and plasma launchers as you go up against wave after wave of invading Moon Nazis in 18 missions - you'll even have to blow up gargantuan Space Zeppelins. Iron Sky was firmly tongue-in-cheek and so is this game, which is more than a nod to classic space dogfighting games of yore like Wing Commander.

Layton Brothers Mystery Room - Ally Kazmucha

Layton Brothers Mystery Room is a detective game in which you'll work as Lucy Baker to solve cases with the unstable Professor Layton. You'll comb over case files and use scene reconstructions in order to figure out who committed each crime.

As you work your way through the game, the crime scenes will become more intricate and you'll have more evidence to comb through and suspects to comb through. If you're a fan of crime scene games, this one will be a great addition to your file. It isn't terribly difficult but some of the case files will keep you thinking.

Dirt 2 - Richard Devine

I've played rally games on consoles since the very first Colin McRae title all those years ago, and while Dirt 2 isn't the very latest in the series which was born from that, it's an impressive game nonetheless. I actually picked this up as part of the Feral bundle, but it's well worth the asking price in the Mac App Store. Dirt 2 has a whole host of different rally style races to take on, and a bunch of different vehicles in which to do it. It looks fantastic, and if you hook up something like an Xbox controller it becomes an identical experience to that on the console.

I'm not traditionally a big Mac gamer, but Dirt 2 has been my go-to fix ever since I acquired it. And there's a lot of life to be had from it.

Lego Batman - Rene Ritchie

Lego Star Wars was good. Lego Indiana Jones was okay. But Lego Batman… It was the Dark Knight truly triumphant. I bought it for the PS3 when it first came out and spent many hours playing it with my little brother and my god children. When it became available for the Mac App Store I bought it again, just for the convenience. There's a sequel now, with Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Lego Justice League along for the ride, any why it's technically great, it doesn't have the awesome, word-less feel of the original.

If you've never played Lego Batman, or any of the Lego games before, you're in for a treat. It's everything you love about the classic pop heroes mixed with great, family friendly game play that varies from adventure to racing, and a mind-bogglingly large cast of characters. (From Nightwing to Harley Quinn, Batgirl to Clayface.)

I'm not a big video game player, but Lego Batman was and is some of the most fun I've ever had playing video games. The Tim Burton score doesn't hurt either.

    


It's Sunday, and that can only mean that it's time once again for a roundup of the iMore teams most played games of the last seven days. We've got a real variety this week, with a healthy dose of iOS games accompanied by a couple for those Mac gamers out there. Let's take a look.

Random Heroes 2 - Joseph Keller

I have fond memories of my Nintend Entertainment System. It was the first video game console I ever had, and I had a lot of fun with it. Mario, Zelda, and Mega Man were my first, and to this day some of my favorite, gaming experiences. So when I pick up a game like Random Heroes 2, a side-scrolling action-platforming game, it sort of feels like returning to my gaming roots. Random Heroes 2 features an eclectic group of heroes, each with unique abilities, battling aliens across several stages. Use the touch controls to navigate around levels, using the A and B buttons to fire and jump, respectively. You can even aim your weapon using the A button. You can buy different heroes and weapons with the coins and items that you either earn by playing the game or buy from the in-game store. With engaging action and at times challenging platforming, Random Heroes 2 is a great time if you want a fun challenge that gives you a dose of good, old-fashioned 2-D action.

Dumb Ways to Die - Simon Sage

One of the great free games climbing the charts lately is Dumb Ways to Die. Players have to successfully get through a gauntlet of simple minigames for as long as possible, though they become progressively more difficult. These can range from shooing away piranhas from your crotch, swatting bugs, and holding onto balloons so you don't dive onto the tracks. The art style fantastically morbid - cute little characters are constantly getting maimed in new and exciting ways. As you play, you unlock more of them as your life counters. The best part about this game is that it's actually a kind of public service warning by the Melbourne transit association to make sure people don't do stupid things near the tracks. There's [even a cute music video](Dumb Ways to Die). Well-played, Australia. Well-played.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - Chris Parsons

I love racing games but I'm more a fan of silly racing games rather than serious ones so when I came across Sonic & Sega All-Stars racing I had to give it a go. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It's a pretty sweet kart racing and doesn't really involve much effort to play, plus the included AirPlay support is awesome. It's free to download and while the nags to upgrade are there, they're not really bothersome. If you Mario Kart was your game back in the day, you'll feel right at home here.

Iron Sky Invasion - Peter Cohen

The movie "Iron Sky" is one of my guilty pleasures - it's pure B-movie sci-fi cheese, but that's rather the point: space Nazis living on the Moon attempt an invasion of Earth. TopWare Interactive responded last year with a video game for PC and consoles based on the movie. Now they've adapted it for iOS. This isn't the deepest game I've ever played on my iPad, and it's not the most challenging, but it's a good bit of fun: You defend Earth from the invading Moon Nazis as you fly seven different experimental space spacecraft ranging from nimble fighters to heavy bombers. You can collect salvage to recharge your shields and use different weapons like rockets, laser cannons and plasma launchers as you go up against wave after wave of invading Moon Nazis in 18 missions - you'll even have to blow up gargantuan Space Zeppelins. Iron Sky was firmly tongue-in-cheek and so is this game, which is more than a nod to classic space dogfighting games of yore like Wing Commander.

Layton Brothers Mystery Room - Ally Kazmucha

Layton Brothers Mystery Room is a detective game in which you'll work as Lucy Baker to solve cases with the unstable Professor Layton. You'll comb over case files and use scene reconstructions in order to figure out who committed each crime.

As you work your way through the game, the crime scenes will become more intricate and you'll have more evidence to comb through and suspects to comb through. If you're a fan of crime scene games, this one will be a great addition to your file. It isn't terribly difficult but some of the case files will keep you thinking.

Dirt 2 - Richard Devine

I've played rally games on consoles since the very first Colin McRae title all those years ago, and while Dirt 2 isn't the very latest in the series which was born from that, it's an impressive game nonetheless. I actually picked this up as part of the Feral bundle, but it's well worth the asking price in the Mac App Store. Dirt 2 has a whole host of different rally style races to take on, and a bunch of different vehicles in which to do it. It looks fantastic, and if you hook up something like an Xbox controller it becomes an identical experience to that on the console.

I'm not traditionally a big Mac gamer, but Dirt 2 has been my go-to fix ever since I acquired it. And there's a lot of life to be had from it.

Lego Batman - Rene Ritchie

Lego Star Wars was good. Lego Indiana Jones was okay. But Lego Batman… It was the Dark Knight truly triumphant. I bought it for the PS3 when it first came out and spent many hours playing it with my little brother and my god children. When it became available for the Mac App Store I bought it again, just for the convenience. There's a sequel now, with Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Lego Justice League along for the ride, any why it's technically great, it doesn't have the awesome, word-less feel of the original.

If you've never played Lego Batman, or any of the Lego games before, you're in for a treat. It's everything you love about the classic pop heroes mixed with great, family friendly game play that varies from adventure to racing, and a mind-bogglingly large cast of characters. (From Nightwing to Harley Quinn, Batgirl to Clayface.)

I'm not a big video game player, but Lego Batman was and is some of the most fun I've ever had playing video games. The Tim Burton score doesn't hurt either.

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Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis
Eliza Dushku
Adriana Lima
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