Lloyd Hannesson

It’s a great time to be a iOS gamer! With titles coming out like Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night or Trundle HD, there really is something for every taste on the App Store! In this episode we run down the latest and greatest, let you in on a few great sales and give you all our reviews of We Farm, AirAttack and Helsing’s Fire!

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Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes!

Shownotes

Coming soon…

It's a great time to be a iOS gamer! With titles coming out like Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night or Trundle HD, there really is something for every taste on the App Store! In this episode we run down the latest and greatest, let you in on a few great sales and give you all our reviews of We Farm, AirAttack and Helsing's Fire! Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free. Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes! Shownotes Coming soon...

It was a long road, but we are back. Neither exploding computers nor the heavens opening up and trying to drown us could keep us away from the show! In this episode I let you guys know about my first foray into Red Dead, Sam talks about God of War and Joe lets us know about the weird hybrid that is Demon’s Souls. Hope you enjoy the show.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player.

Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter.

Show Notes

Coming soon!

It was a long road, but we are back. Neither exploding computers nor the heavens opening up and trying to drown us could keep us away from the show! In this episode I let you guys know about my first foray into Red Dead, Sam talks about God of War and Joe lets us know about the weird hybrid that is Demon's Souls. Hope you enjoy the show. Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player. Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter. Show Notes Coming soon!

A big hello to our new listeners! We normally get these out every week, please forgive us for the last couple weeks of no new show! We have a great episode this week with Anthony giving us his review of the iPhone 4, loads of game release chatter, sales like mad and some great reviews of Land Former, Piyo Blocks 2, Wolf Boy, EXO-Planet, and Reeder for iPad!

Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free.

Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes!

Shownotes

Hosts

• Lloyd Hannesson – twitter
• Anthony Catanzaro – twitter

Notable Releases

• iPhone
  • Archetype – $2.99
  • Vampire Origins – $2.99
  • Wolf Boy – $0.99
  • Ultravoilet Dawn – $0.99
  • Xenome Episode 1 – $4.99
  • Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge – $7.99
  • LED Light for iPhone – FREE
• iPad
  • Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge for iPad – $9.99
  • Star Wars: Cantina HD – $4.99
  • NanoTank – $0.99

Sales

• iPhone
  • Terminator Salvation – $0.99
  • Blokus – $0.99
  • Fishing Kings – $0.99
• iPad
  • The Fallen – FREE ($0.99)
  • Meteor Blitz HD – $2.99 ($4.99)
  • Pac-Match Party HD – $0.99

Great Updates

• Spheroids – $0.99
• Saucelifter – $1.99
• Siri – FREE
• Canabalt – $2.99

News

• Hulu + – FREE – $9.99/month subscription
• fring – FREE

Reviews

• LLOYD: Land Former – FREE – BUY IT!
• LLOYD: Piyo Blocks 2 – $0.99 – BUY IT!
• LLOYD: Wolf Boy – $0.99 – MEH…
• ANTHONY: EXO-Planet – FREE
• ANTHONY: Reeder for iPad – $4.99

Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda
Web: http://touchofgaming.com
Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

50b07ab8d83f47f1b1f4606110545e6c

A big hello to our new listeners! We normally get these out every week, please forgive us for the last couple weeks of no new show! We have a great episode this week with Anthony giving us his review of the iPhone 4, loads of game release chatter, sales like mad and some great reviews of Land Former, Piyo Blocks 2, Wolf Boy, EXO-Planet, and Reeder for iPad! Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free. Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes! Shownotes Hosts Lloyd Hannesson - twitter Anthony Catanzaro - twitter Notable Releases iPhone Archetype - $2.99 Vampire Origins - $2.99 Wolf Boy - $0.99 Ultravoilet Dawn - $0.99 Xenome Episode 1 - $4.99 Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge - $7.99 LED Light for iPhone - FREE iPad Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge for iPad - $9.99 Star Wars: Cantina HD - $4.99 NanoTank - $0.99 Sales iPhone Terminator Salvation - $0.99 Blokus - $0.99 Fishing Kings - $0.99 iPad The Fallen - FREE ($0.99) Meteor Blitz HD - $2.99 ($4.99) Pac-Match Party HD - $0.99 Great Updates Spheroids - $0.99 Saucelifter - $1.99 Siri - FREE Canabalt - $2.99 News Hulu + - FREE - $9.99/month subscription fring - FREE Reviews LLOYD: Land Former - FREE - BUY IT! LLOYD: Piyo Blocks 2 - $0.99 - BUY IT! LLOYD: Wolf Boy - $0.99 - MEH... ANTHONY: EXO-Planet - FREE ANTHONY: Reeder for iPad - $4.99 Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda Web: http://touchofgaming.com Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721 50b07ab8d83f47f1b1f4606110545e6c

I think it’s safe to say that Nintendo “won” E3 2010, if you like talking about those sorts of things. Right from the get go (Well, not with the botched live demo of Zelda), Nintendo showed that it has more to offer to the Core Games. The Wii and DS are not just for kids. The 3DS will do more to accent that point then anything else. Edgar hit the show floor this year, listen in for his thoughts.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player.

Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://dslifepodcast.com/podcastfeed/

I think it's safe to say that Nintendo "won" E3 2010, if you like talking about those sorts of things. Right from the get go (Well, not with the botched live demo of Zelda), Nintendo showed that it has more to offer to the Core Games. The Wii and DS are not just for kids. The 3DS will do more to accent that point then anything else. Edgar hit the show floor this year, listen in for his thoughts. Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player. Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://dslifepodcast.com/podcastfeed/

E3 rocked for all of the consoles out there, and the iPhone wasn’t happy to be left out. The number of devs who are developing for the iOS platform continues to impress us. It’s going to be a good year to be gaming on your iPhone or iPad! In this episode we review Guitar Hero, Super QuickHook, Zombie Wonderland, and LightBike 2!

Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes!

Shownotes

Hosts

• Lloyd Hannesson – twitter
• Anthony Catanzaro – twitter

Notable Releases

• iPhone
  • Super QuickHook – $1.99
  • Zombie Wonderland – $0.99
  • Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter – $4.99
  • GodFinger – FREE
  • Pix’n Love Rush – $0.99
  • iBooks – FREE
  • Apple Store – FREE
  • Iron Man 2 Lite – FREE
• iPad
  • GodFinger – FREE
  • i Dig It HD – $9.99
  • Spirit HD – $2.99
  • Foosball HD – $2.99

Sales

• iPhone
  • Geometry Wars: Touch – $4.99 ($9.99)
  • Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 – $4.99 ($9.99)
  • Tilt to Live – FREE ($1.99)
• iPad
  • Galcon Fusion – $1.99 ($7.99)

News

• iPhone 4 shipping
• iOS 4 out today!
• E3 Announcements
• ngmoco announces We Farm, We City and Touch Cats
• Gameloft – Ultimate Spiderman: Total Mayhem, Dungeon Hunter 2, Let’s Golf 2
• Square Enix – Secret of Mana

Reviews

• LLOYD: Guitar Hero – $2.99 – BUY IT
• LLOYD: Super QuickHook – $1.99 – BUY IT
• LLOYD: Zombie Wonderland – $0.99 – SKIP IT
• ANTHONY: LightBike 2 – FREE – BUY IT

Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda
Web: http://touchofgaming.com
Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

E3 rocked for all of the consoles out there, and the iPhone wasn't happy to be left out. The number of devs who are developing for the iOS platform continues to impress us. It's going to be a good year to be gaming on your iPhone or iPad! In this episode we review Guitar Hero, Super QuickHook, Zombie Wonderland, and LightBike 2! Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes! Shownotes Hosts Lloyd Hannesson - twitter Anthony Catanzaro - twitter Notable Releases iPhone Super QuickHook - $1.99 Zombie Wonderland - $0.99 Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter - $4.99 GodFinger - FREE Pix'n Love Rush - $0.99 iBooks - FREE Apple Store - FREE Iron Man 2 Lite - FREE iPad GodFinger - FREE i Dig It HD - $9.99 Spirit HD - $2.99 Foosball HD - $2.99 Sales iPhone Geometry Wars: Touch - $4.99 ($9.99) Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 - $4.99 ($9.99) Tilt to Live - FREE ($1.99) iPad Galcon Fusion - $1.99 ($7.99) News iPhone 4 shipping iOS 4 out today! E3 Announcements ngmoco announces We Farm, We City and Touch Cats Gameloft - Ultimate Spiderman: Total Mayhem, Dungeon Hunter 2, Let's Golf 2 Square Enix - Secret of Mana Reviews LLOYD: Guitar Hero - $2.99 - BUY IT LLOYD: Super QuickHook - $1.99 - BUY IT LLOYD: Zombie Wonderland - $0.99 - SKIP IT ANTHONY: LightBike 2 - FREE - BUY IT Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda Web: http://touchofgaming.com Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

It’s E3 wrapup time, late we know! We’ll get this sorted out and on time soon. Hear us talk about Move, Twisted Metal, Playstation + and more! It was a great E3 this year, and we have some great things to say about Sony’s offerings.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player.

Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter.

Show Notes

Topics Covered:

What are we playing

• Joe: Red Dead Redemption
• Sam: Final Fantasy IX, Resonance of Fate, (Super Mario Galaxy 2)
• Lloyd: 3D Dot Game Heroes

Release List

• PS3
  • Transformers: War for Cybertron
• PSP
  • Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker
  • TNA: Cross The Line

News

• Full keynote available for download on PSN
• 3D Support
  • Killzone 3 shown
  • Sly Collection/MotorStorm Apocalypse
• PlayStation Move
  • Pricing Announcements/Release Date
  • Playstation Zapper!
  • Sorcery Announced
  • Heroes on the Move
• PSP
  • New Ad campaign – Marcuspsp.com
  • Announced that over 70 new titles will hit before December
• Playstation Plus
  • Pricing and content
• Little Big Planet 2 – Create games, not just levels
• Portal 2 and Steamworks hitting the PS3
• Gran Turismo 5 – November 2nd
• Twisted Metal PS3 surprise announcement

Reviews and Email

• VOICEMAIL:
• EMAIL:

Contact Info

Twitter: @dasme, @atkins_sam, @joecruickshank
Web: http://xmbcast.com
Email: xmbcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

It's E3 wrapup time, late we know! We'll get this sorted out and on time soon. Hear us talk about Move, Twisted Metal, Playstation + and more! It was a great E3 this year, and we have some great things to say about Sony's offerings. Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player. Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter. Show Notes Topics Covered: What are we playing Joe: Red Dead Redemption Sam: Final Fantasy IX, Resonance of Fate, (Super Mario Galaxy 2) Lloyd: 3D Dot Game Heroes Release List PS3 Transformers: War for Cybertron PSP Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker TNA: Cross The Line News Full keynote available for download on PSN 3D Support Killzone 3 shown Sly Collection/MotorStorm Apocalypse PlayStation Move Pricing Announcements/Release Date Playstation Zapper! Sorcery Announced Heroes on the Move PSP New Ad campaign - Marcuspsp.com Announced that over 70 new titles will hit before December Playstation Plus Pricing and content Little Big Planet 2 - Create games, not just levels Portal 2 and Steamworks hitting the PS3 Gran Turismo 5 - November 2nd Twisted Metal PS3 surprise announcement Reviews and Email VOICEMAIL: EMAIL: Contact Info Twitter: @dasme, @atkins_sam, @joecruickshank Web: http://xmbcast.com Email: xmbcast@gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

Edgar and I get together to talk about all things Super Mario Galaxy 2 including our reviews! It won’t be spoiling anything to say that we loved the game, and we are sure that you all own it by now, but please forgive us as we gush over the title for a large chunk of the show. With E3 approaching we cover a lot of the other news items that have snuck out over the last little while. As mentioned in the show, be sure to keep an ear out for our E3 wrapup shows. Edgar and I are hoping to do at least 2 shows for each of the WiiSpot and DS:Life podcast, time permitting of course.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player.

Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://wiispot.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter.

Shownotes

What are we playing

• Edgar – Picross 3D, Steam Mac, Heavy Rain, Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Lloyd – Super Mario Galaxy 2, Picross 3D, Steam Mac

Release List

• Vacation Isle: Beach Party
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
• Green Day: Rock Band

WiiWare/Virtual Console

News

• Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
• Nintendo Livestreaming E3 press conference
• New FCC filing for Wii Remote could mean Motion Plus Intergration
• NHL Slapshot coming to the Wii
• Rumors are flying about a GoldenEye remake for Wii/DS, with golden wii peripherals
• New GoldenEye 007 for Wii? The rumor is back
• Nintendo TV launches in the UK
• Wii video showing hardcore games – link to video plz
• GH5 edited for the Wii
• Retro City Rampage bringing 8-Bit GTA to Wii
• Grease the Game coming, support mic and balance board, saps self respect
• Sonic Colours coming to Wii and Ds in the Fall

Reviews and Email

• EMAIL: none

Contact Info

Digg: Digg.com
Facebook: Become a fan!
Twitter: Follow Dasme
Web: http://WiiSpot.com
Email: wiispotpodcast @ gmail.com

Edgar and I get together to talk about all things Super Mario Galaxy 2 including our reviews! It won't be spoiling anything to say that we loved the game, and we are sure that you all own it by now, but please forgive us as we gush over the title for a large chunk of the show. With E3 approaching we cover a lot of the other news items that have snuck out over the last little while. As mentioned in the show, be sure to keep an ear out for our E3 wrapup shows. Edgar and I are hoping to do at least 2 shows for each of the WiiSpot and DS:Life podcast, time permitting of course. Today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com – get a FREE audiobook download at audiblepodcast.com/vgpod. Over 75,000 titles to choose from for your iPod or mp3 player. Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://wiispot.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter. Shownotes What are we playing Edgar - Picross 3D, Steam Mac, Heavy Rain, Super Mario Galaxy 2 Lloyd - Super Mario Galaxy 2, Picross 3D, Steam Mac Release List Vacation Isle: Beach Party Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 Green Day: Rock Band WiiWare/Virtual Console News Super Mario Galaxy 2 review Nintendo Livestreaming E3 press conference New FCC filing for Wii Remote could mean Motion Plus Intergration NHL Slapshot coming to the Wii Rumors are flying about a GoldenEye remake for Wii/DS, with golden wii peripherals New GoldenEye 007 for Wii? The rumor is back Nintendo TV launches in the UK Wii video showing hardcore games - link to video plz GH5 edited for the Wii Retro City Rampage bringing 8-Bit GTA to Wii Grease the Game coming, support mic and balance board, saps self respect Sonic Colours coming to Wii and Ds in the Fall Reviews and Email EMAIL: none Contact Info Digg: Digg.com Facebook: Become a fan! Twitter: Follow Dasme Web: http://WiiSpot.com Email: wiispotpodcast @ gmail.com

We are back and have a great episode for you this week! We chat at length about the AT&T changes that happened over the last few days, talk about the international iPad roll out and clue you in to a contest that Capcom is running! In this episode we give you our reviews of Mega Jump, LilRacerz Pro Rally, Cubed Rally Racer,The Infinity Project, and AirDisplay!

Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes!

Shownotes

Hosts

• Lloyd Hannesson – twitter
• Anthony Catanzaro – twitter

Notable Releases

• iPhone
  • Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies II – $9.99
  • Prince of Persia: Warrior Within – $9.99
  • Robot Unicorn Attack – $2.99
  • HECTOR: Badge of Carnage EP1 – $3.99
• iPad
  • Paper Toss HD – $2.99
  • Fastlane Street Racing HD – $3.99
  • Chop Chop Runner HD – $3.99
  • Prince of Persia Retro – $0.99

Sales

• iPhone
  • The Package – $0.99 ($2.99)
  • NOVA – $4.99 ($6.99)
  • Defend your Castle – FREE ($2.99)
  • Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front – $4.99 ($6.99)
  • Assassin’s Creed- Altair’s Chronicles – $4.99 ($5.99)
  • Zombie Infection – $4.99 ($6.99)
  • Shrek Forever After – $4.99 ($6.99)
  • Kyle’s Quest 2 – FREE ($0.99)
• iPad
  • Resident Evil 4 iPad Edition – $4.99 ($9.99)
  • Hero of Sparta HD – $4.99 ($6.99)

News

• AT&T major changes to data plans.
• New Street Fighter character teased

Reviews

• LLOYD: Mega Jump – $0.99 – Buy it!
• LLOYD: LilRacerz Pro Rally – $0.99 – Buy it!
• ANTHONY: Cubed Rally Racer – $1.99 – Wait for it!
• ANTHONY: The Infinity Project – $3.99 – Buy it!
• ANTHONY: AirDisplay – $9.99 – Buy it!

Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda
Web: http://touchofgaming.com
Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

We are back and have a great episode for you this week! We chat at length about the AT&T changes that happened over the last few days, talk about the international iPad roll out and clue you in to a contest that Capcom is running! In this episode we give you our reviews of Mega Jump, LilRacerz Pro Rally, Cubed Rally Racer,The Infinity Project, and AirDisplay! Download a Free Audiobook. Start Your 14 Day Free Trial with Audible.com Today If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes! Shownotes Hosts Lloyd Hannesson - twitter Anthony Catanzaro - twitter Notable Releases iPhone Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies II - $9.99 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within - $9.99 Robot Unicorn Attack - $2.99 HECTOR: Badge of Carnage EP1 - $3.99 iPad Paper Toss HD - $2.99 Fastlane Street Racing HD - $3.99 Chop Chop Runner HD - $3.99 Prince of Persia Retro - $0.99 Sales iPhone The Package - $0.99 ($2.99) NOVA - $4.99 ($6.99) Defend your Castle - FREE ($2.99) Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front - $4.99 ($6.99) Assassin's Creed- Altair's Chronicles - $4.99 ($5.99) Zombie Infection - $4.99 ($6.99) Shrek Forever After - $4.99 ($6.99) Kyle's Quest 2 - FREE ($0.99) iPad Resident Evil 4 iPad Edition - $4.99 ($9.99) Hero of Sparta HD - $4.99 ($6.99) News AT&T major changes to data plans. New Street Fighter character teased Reviews LLOYD: Mega Jump - $0.99 - Buy it! LLOYD: LilRacerz Pro Rally - $0.99 - Buy it! ANTHONY: Cubed Rally Racer - $1.99 - Wait for it! ANTHONY: The Infinity Project - $3.99 - Buy it! ANTHONY: AirDisplay - $9.99 - Buy it! Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda Web: http://touchofgaming.com Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

I have to apologize for the delay in getting this episode to your ears! We recorded this episode over a week ago, but due to some craziness here was not able to get it up and published to the web. Hope you enjoy it anyways Sadly, Joe-Bot 9000 does not make an appearance in this episode.

In this episode we chat about ModNation Racers, We hope you enjoy, please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions!

Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter.

Show Notes

Topics Covered:

What are we playing

• Joe: GTAIV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Half Minute Hero, ModNation Racers Demo
• Sam: Final Fantasy XIII, Modnation Racers (PSP)
• Lloyd: 3D Dot Game Heroes, Mod Nation Racers Demo

Release List

• PS3
  • ModNation Racers
  • UFC Undisputed 2010
  • Activision Blur [street 10/20]
  • Clash of the Titans
• PSP
  • ModNation Racers

News

• Sony released Little Big Planet 2 FAQ. Game is going to be huge
• Sony POs US Air Force
• Killzone 3 to be revealed in next GamePro in 3D
• Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep dated, PSP bundle
• Sony offering Devs code to slow down Piracy
• More PSP2 rumours

Reviews and Email

• VOICEMAIL:
• EMAIL:

Contact Info

Twitter: @dasme, @atkins_sam, @joecruickshank
Web: http://xmbcast.com
Email: xmbcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

I have to apologize for the delay in getting this episode to your ears! We recorded this episode over a week ago, but due to some craziness here was not able to get it up and published to the web. Hope you enjoy it anyways ;) Sadly, Joe-Bot 9000 does not make an appearance in this episode. In this episode we chat about ModNation Racers, We hope you enjoy, please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions! Subscribe via iTunes or directly: http://xmbcast.com/podcastfeed/. Follow me on Twitter. Show Notes Topics Covered: What are we playing Joe: GTAIV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Half Minute Hero, ModNation Racers Demo Sam: Final Fantasy XIII, Modnation Racers (PSP) Lloyd: 3D Dot Game Heroes, Mod Nation Racers Demo Release List PS3 ModNation Racers UFC Undisputed 2010 Activision Blur [street 10/20] Clash of the Titans PSP ModNation Racers News Sony released Little Big Planet 2 FAQ. Game is going to be huge Sony POs US Air Force Killzone 3 to be revealed in next GamePro in 3D Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep dated, PSP bundle Sony offering Devs code to slow down Piracy More PSP2 rumours Reviews and Email VOICEMAIL: EMAIL: Contact Info Twitter: @dasme, @atkins_sam, @joecruickshank Web: http://xmbcast.com Email: xmbcast@gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

We are already at 59 episodes on the Touch of Gaming podcast, can’t believe we’ve talked about so many awesome iPhone and iPad games! That doesn’t change here as we review Phoenix Spirit, Pinball HD, The Impossible Game, and Anthony talks about Jump Desktop Update 2.0. Enjoy the show!

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes!

Shownotes

Hosts

• Lloyd Hannesson – twitter
• Anthony Catanzaro – twitter

Notable Releases

• iPhone
  • Split/Second – $6.99
  • Shrek Forever After: The Game – $6.99
  • Strike Knight – FREE
  • Phoenix Spirit – $0.99
• iPad
  • Dominion HD – $4.99
  • Hero of Sparta HD – $6.99
  • Compression HD – FREE
  • Gomi HD – $4.99

Sales

• iPhone
  • Ninjatown: Trees of Doom – $0.99 ($1.99)
  • Topps Flip – FREE ($0.99)
  • Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition – $2.99 ($4.99)
  • Monopoly – $2.99 ($4.99)
• iPad
  • Need for Speed: Shift – $9.99 ($14.99)

News

• Netflix and Air Video add video-out support in latest updates
• Prince of Persia classic heading to the iPhone
• Official Twitter App hits the store
• OS 4.0 has tethering
• iPod touch with camera shows up from Vietnam

Reviews

• LLOYD: Phoenix Spirit – $0.99 – Buy it
• LLOYD: Pinball HD – $2.99 – Buy it
• ANTHONY: Jump Desktop Update 2.0 – $19.99 – Buy it
• ANTHONY: The Impossible Game – $0.99 – Skip it

Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda
Web: http://touchofgaming.com
Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com
Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

We are already at 59 episodes on the Touch of Gaming podcast, can't believe we've talked about so many awesome iPhone and iPad games! That doesn't change here as we review Phoenix Spirit, Pinball HD, The Impossible Game, and Anthony talks about Jump Desktop Update 2.0. Enjoy the show! If you like what you hear, please Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review! And while you are here, Please send in your questions so we can reply in future episodes! Shownotes Hosts Lloyd Hannesson - twitter Anthony Catanzaro - twitter Notable Releases iPhone Split/Second - $6.99 Shrek Forever After: The Game - $6.99 Strike Knight - FREE Phoenix Spirit - $0.99 iPad Dominion HD - $4.99 Hero of Sparta HD - $6.99 Compression HD - FREE Gomi HD - $4.99 Sales iPhone Ninjatown: Trees of Doom - $0.99 ($1.99) Topps Flip - FREE ($0.99) Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition - $2.99 ($4.99) Monopoly - $2.99 ($4.99) iPad Need for Speed: Shift - $9.99 ($14.99) News Netflix and Air Video add video-out support in latest updates Prince of Persia classic heading to the iPhone Official Twitter App hits the store OS 4.0 has tethering iPod touch with camera shows up from Vietnam Reviews LLOYD: Phoenix Spirit - $0.99 - Buy it LLOYD: Pinball HD - $2.99 - Buy it ANTHONY: Jump Desktop Update 2.0 - $19.99 - Buy it ANTHONY: The Impossible Game - $0.99 - Skip it Twitter: Follow Dasme, TofG and Nukoda Web: http://touchofgaming.com Email: touchofgaming @ gmail.com Voicemail: (323) 284-6721

Released on Wednesday as part of Microsoft’s now annual “Summer of Arcade” feature, Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a direct sequel to the original Hydro Thunder which was released on Sega’s Dreamcast some 11 years ago, and was a game that I absolutely adored. The game has been developed by Vector Unit, a small 6 person studio, and is published by Microsoft Game Studios.

To put it simply, you drive a number of high tech speedboats through 8 different water based environments, in a series of different challenges.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane, especially for a downloadable title has wonderful art direction, and looks phenomenal at full flight. There are 8 tracks in all, from Lake Powell – a hark back to the original game – to the infamous Area 51. The water effects and physics in the game, alongside the chaotic environments consistently impress, with the explosions, whirlpools, secret passageways and even an angry fisherman boat, its captain yelling at me in Dutch.

For fans of the original, Hydro Thunder Hurricane retains the much loved arcade-style gameplay, with simple, loose controls, which are nevertheless hugely enjoyable. The learning curve that Vector Unit have placed into the game is nigh-on perfect, the controls are immediately accessible to first time players, so that anyone can literally pick up and play, but when mastered, they are immensely satisfying. There are few things more gratifying than powersliding you speedboat round a corner using boost, whilst overtaking two or three opponents.

As in the original, blue and rarer red boost icons are scattered about the tracks and award varying amounts of boost power and the “hydro jump” ability, which is crucial for propelling your boat up into secret tunnels, grabbing rarer boost items or secret ‘packages’ or simply overtaking slower opponents.

There are several different game modes included in the game, the first being the obligatory race mode, then Ring Master, which is a slalom-esque game mode (similar to Fan Runs in Blur, for those who have played it), Gauntlet, which is a time trial game mode, but with bombs on the water than when hit critically slow you down, and tournament mode, which combines all of these events.

Racing in any mode, including the very enjoyable 4-player split-screen or 8-player online, earns credits, which unlock new content, such as, tracks, game modes, boats and boat skins.  Whilst the game encourages you to try all the game modes by unlocking specific ones at specific times, so you cannot, for example, do all the races, then all the gauntlets and so on (you instead have do some of each to unlock more), this can be overcome, as the game allows you to replay the same event, and earn the credits over and over again.  For those who may not enjoy a certain game type, this is a well thought out feature, as it means you can’t really get stuck in the game.

Boats, as well as the AI opponents are sorted into three classes, with the higher class boats capable of the fastest speeds and far superior mid-air maneuvering.

The wealth of unlockable content in Hydro Thunder Hurricane doubles as incentive to explore and master each race course, especially when several achievements are awarded based on you finding a certain number of hidden packages for example.

Another example of Vector Unit’s intelligence when thinking about their game design is apparent in the way that they have incorporated friend lists into the game. Vector Unit taunts you with on-screen glimpses of your friends’ best leaderboard times as you cross checkpoints along the track.

The only possible downside to the game, for myself, is that is perhaps it doesn’t have enough content. However, one must remember that it is only a downloadable title, not a full priced retail game. What is promising however, is that there is already a ‘downloadable content’ button on the main menu, so it seems as though Vector Unit is not putting the game out and leaving it.

All in all, Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a glorious addition to the heritage of a much loved game. The game looks beautiful, plays very well and is a hell of a lot of fun. For the 1200 points that Microsoft are charging, and the re-playability of the game, the highly enjoyable multiplayer, and the pick up and play nature of the title, Hydro Thunder Hurricane comes easily recommended. Vector Unit can be proud.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Microsoft killed Xbox 360-to-PC cross platform projects because PC gamers routines wiped the floors with console gamers, according to Rahul Sood, founder of luxury computer designer Voodoo PC and CTO of gaming at Hewlett-Packard.

In 2007, Shadowrun, that let gamers on both Xbox 360 and PC destroy one another for sport. Shadowrun, based on a Dungeons and Dragons-type pen-and-paper RPG, flopped the cross-platform feature was dropped, though it resurfaced once or twice in third-party titles as the years shot by.

Sood says in his blog that Microsoft killed the project when it found that “mediocre” PC gamers could wipe the floors with the very best players on Xbox.”The goal was to bridge Xbox gamers with PC gamers so they could play against one another in games like Unreal, or Gears of War. This was all part of their Live strategy, and had Microsoft just stuck to their guns and made it work PC gaming might be in a much better position than it is today,” said Sood. The assertion that PC-gaming is on its way out has been a popular maxim year after year, yet it never seems to come to pass.

“There was a project that got killed at Microsoft. This project was designed to allow console gamers and PC gamers to interact and battle over a connected environment,” Sood went on.

“Personally I wish it would have stayed the course. I’ve heard from reliable sources that during the development they brought together the best console gamers to play mediocre PC gamers at the same game… and guess what happened? They pitted console gamers with their ‘console’ controller, against PC gamers with their keyboard and mouse. The console players got destroyed every time. So much so that it would be embarrassing to the Xbox team in general had Microsoft launched this initiative. Is this why the project was killed? Who knows, but I’d love to hear from anyone involved – what happened?”

Sood reckons had Microsoft kept the project alive, it might have resulted in the Xbox integrating into the PC.

There’s no doubt that console games currently hold vast sway and gaming studios are sold on the concept since without a centralized digital distribution model like Steam, they can still sell physical media, itself a form of DRM.

There’s something to be said for simplicity in design. A simple design, if executed well, can make a great game. And while we may not be looking at a great game with Star Hammer Tactics, we’re certainly looking at a decent mini.

The basic premise is that the human race is at war with a race of creatures known as “The Nautilids.” You’re a commander in the earth forces, and with a fleet of starships at your command, you must cut a swathe through opposing Nautilids and win the war. There’s a lot more detail to the story, but it doesn’t come out in the gameplay. The campaign is strictly a set of battles, beginning with “This is the enemy, go get ‘em.” Instead, you have to select the “Story” option from the main menu, where you’ll be led to a few walls of text detailing the specifics of the war. To be honest, the story’s pretty standard stuff, but this game was never meant to have heavy story elements. No, this is a strategy game. So it’s made and broken on how rewarding the gameplay is.

The strategy elements aren’t especially deep. Basically, there are three types of ships. Fighters, Freighters, and cruisers. Freights and cruisers have the capability to fire missiles and cause massive damage, whereas fighters move quickly and can only engage in ship-to-ship combat. Ship-to-ship combat is entirely automated – just place one ship next to an enemy’s and at the end of the turn, the two will battle until one is destroyed. Naturally, engaging a single ship with 2 or more of your own significantly increases your odds. Missiles don’t hit instantaneously, only covering a certain amount of distance each turn. They don’t corner well, either, or detect obstacles, so evasion or hiding behind asteroids can prevent some nasty knocks against your hull.

Doesn’t look like much, but the strategy’s decent.

The graphics are entirely unremarkable – there’s no real animations to speak of, your ships are static images that move on a tiled board. Ditto with the missiles. The sound is nothing to write home about, either. A few very basic sound effects and the same mellow soundtrack in the background get old pretty quickly.

That’s pretty much the gist of it. It’s a bare-bones strategy system, but it serves its purpose. For the dirt cheap price of the game, you’re getting a tight (if basic) strategy system on your PSP. There’s no wireless multiplayer, but there’s a hot-seat mode where you can pass between you and a friend, because apparently nobody told Black Lab that nobody cares about hot-seat gameplay anymore. But the game is cheap, it plays fine, and it can kill time if you have a few minutes to spare. There’s not a whole lot else you can ask for a Mini, I guess.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The PlayStation blog has announced the first firm details for LittleBigPlanet 2’s US release, giving it a release date of November 16th.

Fans of the first game should also be prepared for the Collector’s Edition of the game, pictured above. It looks to be one of the most essential in recent years, though a warning that the package is truly limited may produce a flurry of pre-orders. For just $79.99 you get a plushie SackBoy, LBP themed bookends and a host of exclusive DLC including costumes of Sony favourites Ratchet and Clank and characters from Toy Story and Tron.

We are definitely excited about the prospect of playing LittleBigPlanet 2 over the Holiday season, and be sure to check out the DLC screenshot gallery below to whet your appetite.

The trailer above comes straight from the San Diego ComiCon, where Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is impressing with its extensive multiplayer modes. Look out for even more news from Ubisoft over the next few months, as us here at Nukoda are super excited for the prospect of getting our Assassination on in November when the game arrives on 360, PS3 ad PC.

Over a year has passed since the release of Dragon Quest IX in Japan. Selling close to 5 million copies in that time, the game has finally made it to Western shores. Can the game achieve the same level of success over here, and does the 9th entry in the series live up to its predecessors?

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky (its western only subtitle) is a game of risks. First off, the game is a full DQ sequel on the Nintendo DS. It’s not a spinoff or a side story, but the sequel to the PS2 classic VIII. Add to this the new focus on a multiplayer experience and this is definitely a new breed of Dragon Quest game. You and up to 3 other friends can journey together, each with fully customisable characters though the experience still has one main host, the only person who progresses in the story. With no Wi-Fi support though, the appeal of this is lost slightly on Western shores. It’s a step away from the conventional series format that can often work for the better, but as with any Co-Op focused game, the single player experience has suffered.

Unlike Dragon Quest’s brother RPG series Final Fantasy, the story has always took a backseat to gameplay. Never cut-scene driven, the character found in the supporting cast and the world itself is enough to make exploring a joy. This isn’t the case with Dragon Quest IX though, mainly due to the lack of other characters accompanying you. Your character begins as a Celestrian, a guardian for the local village. This takes an expectedly rough turn for the worse as an earthquake sends you back down to the human world, stripped of your Halo and Wings. While this story is engaging at first, you soon begin to realise that it is little more than an excuse to help people and complete ‘missions’ for them; the horridly named bennevolessence you gather from good deeds aiding your cause. The plot is very thin, and with no accompanying characters like VIII’s Yangus and Jessica, there’s very little heart left in the world you explore.

After about 3 hours of solo adventuring, you are given the opportunity to create up to 8 more teammates using the same basic, but easy to navigate character creation tools used once you begin the game. Customisation is a big deal this time around, every weapon, piece of armour and accessory being visible on your squad. Add to this the ‘job’ system in place which allows you to change the Vocations of your team, adding to the tactical nature of the deceivingly simple battle system.

In this way though, Dragon Quest IX retains near enough everything that fans of the series are expecting to see. Regulars will find familiar music, enemies and gameplay elements throughout the adventure. The Alchemy Pot from VIII makes a welcome return, this time giving results instantly and with recipes found in bookcases replacing the trial an error approach. Enemies you fight are still identical to those elsewhere in the series, expect to see Slimes and Drackies throughout the adventure, even if the way they move around in battle has been revamped.

When engaged in battle with an enemy, all those involved move around the space as they ready their attacks. This adds some visual flair to the otherwise tinkered to perfection battle system of the series, the standard turn based format remaining as solid, and addictive as ever. The ability to increase a chracters tension, resulting in a higher amount of damage, is still present, but with the main character being the only one who can use it, the tactical flavour it gives is weaker this time.

One of the most impressive aspects of the game has to be how good it looks. It may not be a replica of VIII on PS2, but the cutesy well natured style of the game is great. Probably on par with Final Fantasy IV, those worried about losing the epic scale of the series will not be disappointed. The lack of voice acting is a slight issue though, as it was one of the most endearing qualities of the last game. When other similar quality RPGs can manage a serviceable amount of dialogue, such a high budget title should be paving the way. That said, this is every bit a worthy successor to VIII’s fantastic production value and anyone worried about the platform choice can rest easy.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky is a tricky beast to review. For the lucky few who play the game with 3 like minded friends, this is one of the best multiplayer games for the DS. Outside of that, this is a very good game but it doesn’t hold the same level of polish or immersion that DQVIII did. Sentinels of the Starry Skies is a worthy entry in the series though, with just shy of everything a great RPG needs to be successful. The best original RPG to come to DS yet, even if very little is really ‘original’ in the world of Dragon Quest.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

While checking out the pictures on the App Store for SnoShred prior to downloading it for review, I began to become excited at the prospect of playing such a good looking Snow Boarding simulator on my iPhone.

What I wasn’t ready for was how unplayable SnoShred actually is. The design is basic, giving you the option to pick between a male or female character, which board you ride and a course from the paltry selection and your off. Once on the board though things begin to take a turn for the worst as you attempt to steer your surprisingly good looking character through gates and over jumps. This is rarely fun thanks to the poor motion control that forgoes any actual control over your rider, instead forcing you to turn your iPhone ridiculous amounts to make any change in direction occur.

Graphics are smooth, despite the bland textures of the snow grating after only a few minutes. But what good are graphics when in a mode where pulling off near impossible tricks is necessary to win. To pull off tricks in SnoShred you have to gain speed by pressing the acceleration button, below which is an area that must be held in order to jump. If you’ve acheived this, then you have to move your thumb back to where it was before to pull off tricks. Its far too frustrating to enjoy and could have been so easily fixed by moving the jump ‘button’ to the other end of the screen.

I really can’t recommend SnoShred to anyone looking for snowboarding action on their phone. Yes the game is pretty but there’s very little fun to be had here.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

2K Games has announced details of exclusive DLC coming to the PS3 version of Mafia II on release day.

Included in every new copy of the game (activated via a code in the sealed box), The Betrayal of Jimmy is a set of arcade style missions where you play as Jimmy, the muscle of your Mafia family. Purely focused on the action sections of Mafia II, this seems to be quite a substantial extra piece of DLC supposedly worth $9.99 on the PSN if you pick up the game preowned.

This is yet another example of closing content off to those who buy a game pre-owned, though for Mafia II this content is locked for 360 owners too.

Look for more on Mafia II as we approach the game’s August release, and check out 3 screens from the DLC below.

With PlayStation Move just 2 months away, Sony have confirmed the configurations for each of the bundles heading to North America on launch.

For those yet to purchase a PS3, a pack priced at $399.99 will include the console, a DualShock 3, a PlayStation Move Controller, PlayStation Eye and a copy of Sports Champions; everything you need to get started with Move. For $99.99 those who own a PS3 already will be able to get the same deal, probably the highest price Sony could have got away with for an optional peripheral like this. Standalone Move controllers will cost $49.99, while the optional Navigation controller (A DualShock 3 serves the same purpose) will set you back $29.99.

Check out all three ways to buy a Move Controller in the gallery below, and look for PlayStation Move on US stores on September 19th.

For a DS sequel to one of the most well loved, but low selling PS2 titles the collector’s edition pictured above might seem a tad extravagant.

Most likely conceived as a thank you to the few but hugely dedicated Okami fans in the world, Okamiden will be packaged in a huge box with a selection of exclusive trinkets. The best of the bunch has to be the super cute headphones pictured below, though the DVD, soundtrack cd, Artbook and plushie keyring are sure to be adored by fans too.

The offer is set to hit Japanese stores when the game releases on September 30th, pricing reaching ¥8000 (Around $90). Let’s hope that Okami fans in the West will have the same opportunity when Okamiden reaches our shores next year.