Pool Live Tour is a popular multi-player game over on Facebook and is now available on our Windows Phone. As you would guess, the game is an online multi-player billiards game that has you competing against your Facebook friends (or random Facebook members) to see who the best pool shark is.

Along with the online games, Pool Live Tour also has a daily challenge to tackle and practice games. Graphics are nice, gaming mechanics simple and overall, Pool Live Tour is an attractive billiards game for Windows Phone.

Simple Layout

Pool Live Tour's main menu is simply laid out with options to play a game online, try your hand at the daily challenge and play a practice game. Online and the daily challenge require you to log into the game with a Facebook account. If you don't care for Facebook, the practice games are available which has two gaming modes that include a single game where you face off against the computer and a two-player game that is played over Bluetooth.

The game has four pool halls to visit, each with a different billiards game to tackle. Each pool hall is progressively unlocked as you advance in player lever and include:

• Moe's Pub Rack and Roll Bar for an International Game of International Billiards
• Slick Willies Pool Hall for a game of American Billiards
• Chateau Billiard for a game of Geewa
• Manhattan Sky Loft for an American Billiards match
• Nine Ball Palace for a game of Nine Ball

Each pool hall has an aim assist mode or you can play without for added challenge. If you aren't exactly sure on the rules of play, just tap the 'rule' tab that sits below your play choices.

The daily challenges are for bragging points and an easy way to earn some extra coins. The game includes challenges such as clearing the table as quickly as possible.

As you play and win games, you'll earn coins and gold. Each game requires an entry fee of coins and you can use either gold or coins to purchase new pool cues in the game's store. There are over fifty cues to choose from that vary in design and abilities. If you are in a hurry and want to increase your coin and gold counts, in-app purchases are available for both that range from $1.99 to $49.99.

Game Play

Regardless of your gaming mode, Pool Live Tour's game play is consistent. You play from an overhead view of the table with your cue resting on either side of the table. Across the top of the screen you will find access to your cue collection (and store), player stats and a settings menu where you can mute the sounds or give up the game.

Shots are lined up by touch controls. Tap and hold the screen and your cue will line up behind the cue ball. Slide your finger around the screen to line up your shot and slide back to set your shot's power. When everything is lined up just right, release the screen to take your shot.

You will be inclined to tap/hold the screen behind the cue ball but there isn't always room to line things up to your liking. Luckily, you can set up your shot by tapping anywhere on the table to give yourself more elbowroom. If you don't like how a shot is lining up, slide your finger off the table to start over. Just keep in mind that you have a minute to take your shot.

Online, multi-player games are fun but if one player walks off to get a snack it could take forever for them to complete their turn. I like the minute time limit in that it keeps the flow of the online games moving at a nice clip. Game pace does have a casual pace but it doesn't take an eternity to complete a game.

As far as finding an opponent to play, Pool Live Tour boasts 2.5 million players and I don't think it took longer than a few seconds to pair me up with an opponent.

There is a chat feature with the online games to allow you to instant message with your opponent from a selection of short phrased (e.g. good shot, oops, etc.). It may not be an open chat feature but does the job of congratulating your opponent on a nice shot or acknowledging you just screwed up your own shot. At the conclusion of your game you can either challenge your opponent to a rematch, find another player to challenge or return to the main menu.

Pool Live Tour does have gaming achievements (192 of them) and the more you win, you can level up which opens up additional pool halls and makes available more advanced pool cues in the store.

Overall Impression

Generally, in real life or with video games I suck at billiards. It's not that I don't like the game, I just never got the hang of it. However, regardless of my billiards handicap, I found Pool Live Tour to be an addictive Windows Phone game that is rather entertaining to play.

I would have liked to have seen a registration option independent of Facebook but it is what it is. On the plus side, it does open up the option to play games online through the Facebook if you want to jump to a larger screen.

The only performance issues I found in playing Pool Live Tour is that it really eats up your battery and the back of my Windows Phone (Nokia Lumia 925) kept getting warm after a few minutes of play. Nothing that would melt your phone but the warmth was noticeable.

Overall, Pool Live Tour is a fun Windows Phone game to kill the time with. Games aren't too terribly long and you can probably knock one out in about five to ten minutes. Hopefully my billiard skills will improve and I can give my opponents a run for their money.

• Pool Live Tour - Windows Phone 8 - Free - Store Link

Blitz Brigade is a first-person shooter (FPS) from Gameloft, which has just been released for Windows Phone. It's not entirely new since Android and iOS already have the game, but it's an official title nonetheless. Essentially, players are tasked with selecting from a range of five classes to team up with other players from around the world and break some bones. Fan of Unreal Tournament, Team Fortress and other classic shooters? You'll want to check out Blitz Brigade on your Windows Phone.

A total of up to 12 players can battle it out at any given time with soldier, gunner, medic, sniper and stealth classes available to mix gameplay up and provide something to suit everyone's play style. There are multiple gametypes available too, including domination mode where you'll need to control the battlefied, as well as the usual deathmatch everyone knows and loves.

Providing Blitz Brigade an edge over other mobile FPS attempts is the inclusion of vehicles, sporting three different terror on wheels to select from. If you're mad about weaponry in such games, there are over 100 weapons to choose from to really dig deep and personalize how your character performs on the battlefield. Then you have the arena-style taunting and kill phrases to keep you amused when blowing heads off. An added bonus is the voice chat for enhanced teamplay.

Don't worry if you're not a seasoned veteran in the realm of shooters as there are 120 unique missions to complete, which will aid you in mastering specialized skills for each class, as well as getting a taste for what the tanks and helicopters can do.

• Download Blitz Brigade for Windows Phone (free – 1GB RAM required)

A massive thanks to everyone for the tips!

Last week the Xbox One received a barrage of no less than four downloadable ID@Xbox releases: Another World, Contrast, R.B.I. Baseball 14, and Zombie Driver. The ID@Xbox program allows indie game developers to publish their games directly to the Xbox One marketplace without most of the interference they would face on the Xbox 360. This week seems to have only one indie title in store for Xbox One gamers, but it's a good one: Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition from Drinkbox Studios.

The availability of Guacamelee, a Metroidvania-style action platformer with 2-player local co-op would be good enough news on its own, but getting the Xbox One version for free is even better. Guacamelee! is this July's Games with Gold title, so all Xbox Live Gold members can get it for free this month. Read on for impressions, hands on video, and details about how the Games with Gold program works for Xbox One users.

Macho libre

Indie games often feature unique concepts and settings. Guacamelee! certainly runs with that concept thematically, as the game draws inspiration from Mexican folklore and lucha libre (masked wrestling) culture.

The story begins with Juan Aguacate, a farmer bumping into his childhood friend the president's daughter at a humble pueblo church. No sooner do the two arrange to attend a local festival together than Juan's lady love is kidnapped by Carlos Calaca, an evil skeleton who has escaped from the underworld. Juan must don a magical mask in order to become a luchador and rescue his beloved.

Awesomely different story aside, Guacamelee! draws its gameplay inspiration from classic games like Super Metroid and Zelda II. Juan and his partner Tostada explore beautiful Mexican locales and villages in a nonlinear 2D platforming setting. The heroes will gain new abilities like double jumping and new wrestling moves from "Choozo" statues (inspired by the Metroid series) they find along the way. These skills allow players to return to previous locations in order to reach new areas and secrets. A helpful map screen keeps the navigation and quest tracking manageable.

Being a game about super-powered wrestlers, Guacamelee! naturally features a strong close-quarters combat system. Besides standard punches and kicks, our heroes can grapple weakened opponents and perform dramatic wrestling moves. Pounding enemies into the ground gets the point across, but tossing them in any direction you like can knock over other enemies or simply clear a path to safety.

Flicking the right analog stick performs a dodge roll. Dodging is important to avoid damage, and some enemies can only be damaged by dodging. The timing takes some getting used to, but adds a nice degree of skill to the combat.

Toasty twosome

Luchadores often wrestle in tag teams, so it only makes sense for Juan to do the same. Guacamelee! offers local 2-player co-op, an unusual feature for the genre. But first one player has to complete the introductory sequence alone. After Juan acquires the luchador mask, a second player can join in or drop out at any time.

The second player takes on the role of Tostada, the mysterious lady wrestler who guides Juan on his journey. The two can brutalize opponents together, throwing them back and forth and performing devastating combos. As long as one player remains in the fight, the other will eventually respawn and join back in. Either player can also turn into a bubble and float towards the other fighter's location, preventing a partner from getting stuck during difficult platforming sections.

Online co-op would have been a great feature for Guacamelee!, but this is an indie game without a AAA budget, after all. This style of game works perfectly as a single-player experience, so think of local co-op as a bonus instead of a missed opportunity.

Achievements

Guacamelee! features 30 Achievements worth a total of 1,000 GamerScore. In addition to the standard completion based stuff, some of the Achievements are fun and creative. For instance, you'll unlock one for performing a Frog Stomp move on the desert-roaming Chupacabra.

Drinkbox Studios really want players to complete the game multiple times. Unlocked costumes even transfer between save files. And so the game has a nice and easy Achievement for starting a second save file. There's also an Achievement for beating it on hard difficulty, so you might combine those into one step.

Besides beating Hard mode, the most challenging Achievements involve fully exploring all areas and attaining Gold ranks on all Inferno challenges (tough challenge levels). You'll also have to complete an extremely punishing and difficult treetop area in order to get the true ending and another Achievement.

Prepare to wrestle!

Fans of explorative platformers like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Dust: an Elysian Tale will love Guacamelee's unique take on the Metroidvania formula. The previous Playstation 3 version's DLC included in this new and improved version, making an already fine game even better. Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition has the chops to become a true champion of the genre. It tastes pretty good on chips, too.

• Guacamelee! – Xbox One – 812 MB – $14.99 (Free in July for Gold members) – Xbox Store Link

How Games with Gold works

As the first new release title to be given away for free by Microsoft, nobody owns the Xbox One version of Guacamelee! yet. The game represents a significant advancement for the Games with Gold program and brings it one step closer to the Sony's similar Playstation Plus program.

I still see people asking about the Xbox One's Games with Gold program, so let's explain what the program means for gamers. Xbox Live Gold members can "buy" current Xbox One Games with Gold titles for free either through the Xbox website or their consoles. You don't even have to own an Xbox One to add the game to your account. So you might as well grab it now and have it ready for if and when you do get the One.

Xbox One Games with Gold titles work like Playstation Plus free titles on Sony consoles. That means that they are tied to your account forever as free games. But you can only play games acquired this way while you have an active Xbox Live Gold membership. An internet connection is required to play these free games as well.

If you bought a one month Gold membership, you'd be able to play Guacamelee! for that month. After your subscription expired, the game would no longer be playable. But! Should you ever renew the Gold membership; any Xbox One Games with Gold titles that have been tied to your account will become playable again.

One really cool thing for non-Gold members is that activating an Xbox Live Gold trial will actually allow you to tie Xbox One Games with Gold titles to your account and play them! So if you're not keen to pay for Gold at the moment, you can still use a trial to grab the game and have it ready for the next time you subscribe. Or just play the heck out of it until the trial expires.

Even if you're dead set on never subscribing to Xbox Live Gold or you just don't have reliable access to an internet connection for your console, Guacamelee! is well worth a purchase on its own.

Microsoft shut down its free-to-play PC game, Age of Empires Online, on Tuesday evening, less than three years after the online real time strategy game launched in August 2011.

The game, which was originally developed by Robot Entertainment and then by Gas Powered Games, was based, somewhat loosely, on the Age of Empires RTS series from the now defunct Ensemble Studios. Microsoft had high hopes that the well known franchise, combined with its free-to-play design, would prove to be popular with online games. In October 2011, Microsoft released a Windows Phone app for the game, which let users check their in-game stats, view recipes for items and more.

In the end, however, Age of Empires Online's design, which included microtransactions to purchase premium content via real money, did not sit well with players. In 2012, Microsoft changed that plan and let users purchase that kind of content via in-game "Empire Points" that could be collected via gameplay, which truly made it free to play.

In January 2013, Microsoft announced that no more additional content would be added to Age of Empires Online, followed in September with the announcement that the game itself would shut down July 1. On Tuesday, in a final blog post, Microsoft showed that during the lifespan of the game, there were over 500 million single player missions played, along with over 13 million multiplayer quests and over two million arena matches.

Microsoft plans to publish Age of Empires: World Domination, an all new game made specifically for mobile devices, including Windows Phone, later this summer.

What do you think about Age of Empires Online ending its run after less than three years?

Source: Age of Empires Online

Disney's Hidden Worlds hit the Windows Phone Store late last month and challenges you to find objects hidden in plain sight. A game of I Spy of sorts that takes you to three different worlds based on three Disney stories.

The story behind the game has you protecting the worlds of Beauty and the Beast, Tangled and Aladdin from a mysterious villain who is threatened these worlds' existence. You team up with Chrona and the Inklings to keep these worlds safe and restore their story lines.

While the game is fun with Hidden Worlds, I couldn't help but feel navigation could have been a little less busy.Nonetheless, Disney's Hidden Worlds has plenty of picture puzzles to solve and, overall, is a fun title to add to your Windows Phone gaming library.

Hidden Worlds Layout

Hidden Worlds has a user-friendly layout that sends you directly into game play from the get go. When you launch the game, you immediately meet Chrona who is seems to be the caretaker of the three worlds involved in the game. Along with a band of misfits, the Inklings, Chrona protects these worlds from danger and keeps things running smoothly.

A dark ink (that looks like fog) falls over these three worlds and a mysterious villain is threatening to disrupt these three stories. Chrona greets you from the start of the game and walks you through game play rather intensely over the first few missions. Chrona and the Inklings will maintain a presence throughout the game, leaving very little guesswork with missions. Which is a good thing in that there is not a help section that you can tap into for reference or how-to directions.

You still have to do the heavy lifting in finding the hidden objects in the various picture puzzles.

Speaking of which, each picture puzzle represents a key movie moment from the Beauty and the Beast, Tangled or Aladdin. Each picture will have over fifty hidden objects that you'll need to identify through various missions. There will be puzzle where you are given a word description of the item you have to find or a thumbnail section of the picture you have to identify.

The game has a few menu displays that are more or less world maps. There is the Worlds View that displays all three worlds you must protect, the individual view of each world and Inkspire. Across the top of each menu view, you will find your experience points/level, your energy level and your gem counts. Energy is used to take on missions and both gems and energy can be purchased through in-app purchase opportunities that range from $.99 to $99. Fortunately, your energy will be replenished over time and as long as you pace yourself, you should be able to avoid the IAPs.

Gaming world views are laid out in similar fashion with missions or quests line the left side of the screen. In the bottom right corner of the screen, you will find options to visit your Friends hub, visit the craft center and find a mission to play. The Friends Hub is where you can chat with Facebook Friends and gift items or energy.

You also have an Inkspire Button that sits about mid-way up the right side of the screen that sends you to Chrona's world that serves as a gaming summary area. Tap on each section of Chrona's world to pull up gaming stats, missions that need to be completed and more.

Hidden Worlds Game Play

Game play with Hidden Worlds isn't very complicated but has many facets. You have to tackle a series of missions or quests to restore order to the world you are visiting. Along the way you will collect items that can be used to craft items that will also help you restore the story line of the world.

The primary game is where you are presented with a picture and have to identify hidden objects from within. You do have hints available and the quicker you solve the puzzles, the higher your score.

Find the object and tap on the screen to pull it out of play. The game does register taps that are not correct so you'll need to be careful at randomly guessing. If you get stumped, there are hints available to highlight the area of the picture you need to concentrate on.

As you solve the puzzles, you will earn items (ink, paper, etc.) that will be used to craft special items to lead characters back on script or to upgrade buildings to restore them to their old selves before damaged by the ink fog.

You may find yourself tackling the same puzzle twice to build up your inventory to craft the needed items or upgrade a building so you can advance to the next mission. As you advance through the game or re-play the same picture puzzle, the difficulty of finding items increases. Luckily, you can zoom into the picture to help you find the items.

Again, you final score is based on the accuracy of finding the items, the speed in which it is done and any consecutive items you discovered. The more points, the more stars you earn and the more items you can earn as well.

Overall Impression

Disney's Hidden Worlds is a fun, challenging game but game play seemed to be all over the place at times. While there is game structure, if Chrona didn't pop-in to make sure you were headed in the right direction I could see players getting frustrated and lose interest quick.

Hidden Worlds isn't a terribly hard game to figure out, there is just a lot to digest.

As far as game performance goes, the puzzles are well drawn up and challenging. The only nit I have is that at times the touch screen can be a little difficult. There were times I would have to double or triple tap an item before the screen recognized things. You do hear a little jingle when you tap the right item but I would like to see some form of feedback on a wrong choice as well to avoid constantly tapping an item.

I've gotten used to Disney's IAP's and have learned to pace my game play. While the energy supply is limited, it will replenish in time and to avoid the IAPs all you need to do is pace yourself. This will also help the game from growing stale too quickly or you finishing all the missions too soon.

While I wouldn't mind seeing a better organized menu structure as long as Chrona is around I cannot complain too loud. Overall, Hidden Worlds isn't a bad gaming title from Disney. I don't think it will top Maleficent or the Where's My Water series from Disney, but it is worth checking out.

• Disney Hidden Worlds - Windows Phone 8 - Free - Store Link
• Disney Hidden Worlds - Windows 8 - Free - Store Link

This afternoon at 4:30 PM EST we're kicking off our first of (hopefully) many live game streams on Twitch.tv. We tested things out last night in Titanfall, and should be all warmed up to blow some stuff up later on today. You can subscribe to the Windows Phone Central Twitch channel here, where we'll also be archiving gameplay if you can't make the livestream.

We're still testing the water for doing this sort of thing, since it's not only outside of the usual content we provide on Windows Phone Central, but it's really unique for any of the Mobile Nations sites. For now we're playing on PC, but obviously Xbox games are in the cards for the long run, and we'd really like to do giveaways eventually. In the meantime, we're all ears when it comes to feedback. What games do you want us to play? Should we be doing Xbox titles exclusively? Would you rather be checking out mobile games? Who on the editorial team would you like to see playing? Or is Twitch just not your thing at all?

Though you can always catch the action right on the Twitch site, there are a few Windows Phone apps you can use to watch while on the go, like LiveGaming(Store link) and Infinite Game Stream(Store link). We'll be active in the chat, so hope to see you guys there!

Blitz Brigade was covered only yesterday for Windows Phone and today we're back with the Windows 8 version. If you own a Windows tablet (or have a gaming rig built) it's possible to download the Gameloft title from the Windows Store. Just like the Windows Phone version, Blitz Brigade is an online first-person shooter that shares similarities with the likes of Team Fortress and Unreal Tournament.

Blitz Brigade also includes vehicles, sporting three different terror on wheels to select from. If you're mad about weaponry in such games, there are over 100 weapons to choose from to really dig deep and personalize how your character performs on the battlefield. Then you have the arena-style taunting and kill phrases to keep you amused when blowing heads off. An added bonus is the voice chat for enhanced teamplay. It's a neat title we're sure many gamers will enjoy.

Let us know how you find the game in the comments.

• Download Blitz Brigade for Windows Phone
• Download Blitz Brigade for Windows

Top Gear: Race The Stig, an endless driver game based on the mute driver in the popular Top Gear BBC TV series, just received a new content update today for both its Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 versions.

The object of the game is to drive your vehicle a car's length ahead of the one being driving by the Stig while also dodging a ton of traffic and collecting gold nuts at the same time. This new update adds three new helmets for the player character to wear and more importantly three new cars to drive, including the Top Gear Taxi and the Escapade SUV.

There are also some new obstacles to avoid and more challenges to complete. Finally, the player can actually purchase the Stig's own Muscle car for use in the game.

You can download the free Top Gear: Race the Stig game right now for Windows Phone 8 in the Windows Phone Store and for Windows 8 in the Windows Store.

Gun Club 3: Virtual Weapon Sim is a feature rich shooting range game for your Windows Phone. It not only has a weapon simulator for dozens of weapons but you also have a firearms range experience that has you battling Zombies, tossed in the middle of a World War II battle and trying your hand at long distance shooting with sniper rifles.

Gun Club 3 has rather nice graphics, the weapons handle with a good amount of realism and the range courses are challenging. Navigation can be a little overwhelming with the many options available but if you like shooting galleries, Gun Club 3 is a Windows Phone app worth trying.

Gun Club 3 layout

When you launch Gun Club 3, you are presented a menu screen with options to view your gaming statistics, review your player profile, access the gaming options and jump to the gaming menu.

The game's statistics will break down your use of each weapon. If my count is correct, there are thirty-four different firearms that you can use with Gun Club 3 that include handguns, assault rifles, shotguns and sniper rifles. Gaming options cover your control layout, audio and sound effects. Your player profile will display your achievements and level ranking.

As you first start the game, Gun Club 3 will walk you through a series of tutorials on game play. Everything from basic weapons operation to the various courses of fire you can run through.

Gun Club 3 has two main gaming menus that you will be operating from. The first is an armory menu where you can choose which weapon you would like to use, upgrade your weapons, buy new weapons and run the weapons simulator (more on this in a second).

The weapons simulator is a neat feature that lets you manipulate and fire the various weapons you own. The simulator covers everything from moving the slide back and loading the weapon to recharging its magazine and firing the weapon. If you have any accessories for the weapon, the simulator covers those as well. The only downside to the simulator is that you can only tinker with the weapons in your arsenal. It would be nice if the full armory was available in the simulator but this gives you something to work towards.

Then next menu will be where you choose which course you want to shoot. The three courses with Gun Club 3 include:

• Alley: A more traditional target range where you face off against paper targets.
• Warehouse: This is more of a Hogan's Alley set-up where you will have multiple targets popping up from behind crates, out from shadow and from catwalks.
• Allied: This is an interesting firearms course that places you in a World War II setting and using World War II weapons. These courses are restricted to time specific weapons so you cannot drop in a modern assault rifle into the mix.

Each course has a number of events that are progressively unlocked and progressively more difficult. It appears that there are about 100 different events, each re-playable, for the Warehouse and Allied courses.

While the Alley course is basically target shooting, the Warehouse and Allied courses have a few options to choose from that include:

• Pistol Courses: You shoot from a stationary position at a series of targets that pop-up.
• Action courses: These courses have you moving about, taking out targets as they appear.
• Daily courses/challenges with loaned weapons
• Marksman courses (rifle courses)
• Zombie attack: You have to shoot the Zombie targets before they eat your brain.
• Competition (against computer players)

Throughout the menus, across the top of the screen, you will see your current level, ammo count and cash/gold coin count. Each course will require a unit of ammo and the ammo units will replenish automatically, one unit every eight minutes.

Cash and coins are earned during game play and is used to buy new weapons, upgrade weapons or buy ammo. If you want to get a jump on things, In-App Purchases are available to buy cash, coins or ammo units ($2.99 to $99.99). Just tap the cash/gold coin display to pull-up the IAP options.

Game Play: Lock and Load

Your gaming screen is fairly consistent throughout Gun Club 3, only varying when the weapon type dictates. Prior to the start of each course, you will have to tap the screen to begin the game.

Across the top of the game screen you will find your score, a timer and your current ammo count. You have a series of on-screen weapons controls that include a fire button that sits behind the weapon, a reload button that sits adjacent to the weapon and a sight picture button that sits on the opposite side of the screen to the weapon. The sight picture button will pull the weapon up to the screen as if you were aiming down the barrel of the firearm.

Targeting is done by touch. Tap and slide a finger across the screen and your point of view and weapons movement will correspond accordingly. Weapons will automatically reload but if you anticipate and reload manually, it will save you a few seconds. Seconds that could cost you the game.

Marksman courses are a little different in that you are shooting a rifle through an optics scope. Targeting movement is done using your Windows Phone tilt sensors. You can disable this feature and go to a touch method like the one you use with other weapons but the tilt movement adds to the challenge and, to a degree, the realism of the game.

Courses do have goals such as a set number of targets or time limits. Each successful run of a course will earn you experience points and cash.

Overall Impression

I was very skeptical of Gun Club 3 when we received the suggestion to review the game. I was concerned that Gun Club 3 was like other weapons simulators that relied on graphics and (poor) sound effects to simulate the weapons. It was nice to see that Gun Club 3 went beyond the basic simulator and presented an entertaining Windows Phone game.

The weapons action is rather accurate in both mechanics and reaction when shot, sound effects work (although not as loud as the real thing) and the courses of fire challenging enough to keep you interested.

I don't mind the IAP options or that you have to use an ammo credit to shoot a course. You start the game with plenty of ammo credits to keep you busy for a while and if you pace your game play, the only reason for the IAP's is if you get impatient and want to buy a certain weapon sooner than later.

Shooting may not be everyone's cup of tea but if you are looking for a feature rich, entertaining firearms simulator Gun Club 3 should be on your short list. Gun Club 3 is not available for low-memory devices and while there isn't a Windows 8 version, I could see this game working out really well when played from a tablet.

• Gun Club 3: Virtual Weapon Sim - Windows Phone 8 - Free - Store Link512 MB devices not supported

It may be the 4th of July, the special public holiday for the US, but that hasn't halted publishers from releasing new versions of apps on the Windows Phone Store. The large story today is how Microsoft has updated its Feedback to Nokia system app to rename it to simply "rate us", which has been joined by Atmosphere Weather grabbing some new Live Tile styles, as well as some other apps. Pop past the break for the full read through and to see what's new in your favorite apps.

Feedback to Nokia

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In fact, it should be pretty darn obvious what has changed in this latest version (2.5.2.7). Microsoft has opted to rename this system app to "rate us", dropping the mention of Nokia. The app performs as one would expect, enabling consumers to leave some helpful comments about their experience on Windows Phone. The latest release simply makes it clear now all feedback is going through Microsoft and not to Nokia, which sold its hardware and devices division to Redmond.

Fear not with the data collection. We highly doubt Microsoft employees are laughing at your mug shots with their camera suite

• Download rate us for Windows Phone

Atmosphere

We only just covered this new weather app on Windows Phone, but the developer has already released a new version (1.1.1.3) of Atmosphere. This release focuses on adding some functionality sported by competitor apps and not Atmosphere, which is handy for those who are wanting to make the switch but simply cannot live without some flipping Live Tiles and forecast predictions.

Here is what's new:

• 5 day forecast on back of wide tile
• Better design on wide tile front
• Smaller timestamps on tile back as requested
• Settings management of tile transparency improved
• Fixed graphics inconsistencies
• Tap map for fullscreen radar

That's quite the update and one we're sure will bring some smiles to users. Let us know how you're getting on with Atmosphere, or if you've returned to another weather app.

• Download Atmosphere for Windows Phone ($0.99)

Tapatalk

Tapatalk is the superb forum extension which enables community members to follow and engage in discussions across multiple bulletin boards, including our own Mobile Nations communities. The app was recently updated with dark theme support, but today we're looking at yet another neat feature – landscape orientation. As well as the new viewing angles, the team have also implemented some optimization improvements to further boost the app speed.

We strongly recommend this app with version 2.0.1.4 installed, especially if you frequently visit our communities across the Mobile Nations network.

• Download Tapatalk for Windows Phone

BADLAND

The critically acclaimed game BADLAND recently launched on Windows Phone and today we're looking at a sizeable update, adding new levels, missions and achievements to unlock. If you're unfamiliar with the name, BADLAND is a very popular atmospheric side-scroller that came to Windows Phone from the world of iOS, Android and BlackBerry. Sporting not only single-player but multiplayer capabilities, it's a neat title to have installed for a highly immersive visual and audio experience.

Version 1.0.3.0 of BADLAND brings the following to players:

• Day II levels for the Co-Operative mode:
• 40 new levels
• 120 new missions
• 6 new achievements

If you're a fan of puzzle adventure games and haven't yet tried BADLAND out, we strongly urge you to do so, especially with the latest update patch.

• Download BADLAND for Windows Phone ($3.99)

Odds and ends

• Nokia Storyteller (2.1.0.4)
• Sleeve Music (3.2.8.0)
• Start Screen Clock (2014.703.1905.1772)
• Zello (1.3.0)

A massive thank you to everyone who tipped us!

OverVolt: crazy slot cars, a really cool miniature slot cars game that was released for Windows Phone just a few weeks ago, is now available with its premium content unlocked for free for a limited time.

The game received a new update on Friday that includes these changes and additions:

• Removed Live birthday permission because not needed
• Graphic improvement
• Bug fix logout Live users
• Bug fix system music crash
• Performance improvement
• Reduced app size
• New languages: Spanish, Mexican, Russian, French, German, Vietnamese, Chinese

More importantly, the premium content for OverVolt, which normally costs $2.49 to unlock, is currently free, but there's no word on how long that situation will last. Here's what you get in the premium version:

• The complete single player experience: three scenarios and thirty levels
• Unlimited multiplayer
• +5000 credits
• Free saving of personalized car textures

You can download OverVolt: crazy slot cars right now in the Windows Phone Store. Will you be getting this game now that the premium content is free?

There are people hanging by their necks and it's up to your archery skills to free them before they die. The idea behind Gibbets 2 is a little disturbing, but playing the game is surprisingly fun. It has been available on iOS and Android for a while, but now Windows Phone users can start playing it too.

Want to see how it looks like? Head past the break to watch our gameplay video with the Nokia Lumia Icon.

In Gibbets 2, you use a bow and arrow to cut the ropes. To shoot, press and hold anywhere on the screen and swipe to pull back the arrow. There's an indicator on the screen that shows you where the arrow will be heading. Release your finger to shoot. It's similar to aiming with Angry Birds.

The victims have a life bar above their heads that is continuously depleting. You'll also notice that the color of their face changes as the life bar gets closer to zero. If you miss and hit the victims, their life bar goes down even more. What's a little strange is that if you hit them really hard with an arrow and they fall down, it's counted as a success. It works even if you hit them directly on the head!

You're given a limited amount of arrows per level. Completing a level with the smallest amount of arrows gives you a higher score. Watch out for bonus points inside bubbles located around the levels. Hitting those bubbles give you extra points. You can earn up to three stars per level.

There are over 50 levels available in Gibbets 2. It's a free download from the Windows Phone Store, but it has ads. We recommend removing those ads with an in-app purchase of 99 cents. Unfortunately, this initial version does not support low memory devices. Give this game a try and let us know what you think of it in the comments! We think you'll like it.

Spell-O-Mania is a Windows Phone game that will test your spelling bee skills in simple fashion. The game offers a wide range of words with helpful hints such as word length, meaning and origin.

A Cortana-like voice guides you through game play, delivering not only the word to be spelled but also your hints. Spell-O-Mania doesn't have many bells and whistles but does a nice job of challenging your spelling skills. The game could use a little polishing up but, all-in-all, Spell-O-Mania isn't a bad Windows Phone educational game.

Simple layout, simple game play

There isn't much to Spell-O-Mania's layout. Just tap the splash screen to pull up the game's main menu that has options to play the game, view the help screens, walk through the game's tutorial, rate the game in the Windows Phone Store and a back button to return to the splash screen (presumably to view the gaming credits).

The tutorial is an audio walk through of game play that does a nice job of explaining what each feature of the gaming screen represents. There is a bug in the system however when you tap the back button off the main menu. While this button will return you to the splash screen, it locks up the game. The only way to return to the main menu is to re-start the game.

There are no settings with Spell-O-Mania. There is no music and you cannot mute the game because the words and hints are announced audibly. I wouldn't mind seeing levels of play (difficulty) added to give the game a little more age flexibility. As is, I would probably guess the word library is more Middle-School age or older oriented.

The gaming screen for Spell-O-Mania isn't very complicated with a red button to have a word spoken that you'll have to spell. You have three hints and three tries to spell the word correctly. The three clues includes the word's meaning, origin and length.

Just use the Windows Phone keyboard that pops up to spell out the word and when you think you have things right, tap the 'Check' button. If you are correct, the game will congratulate you and you can generate another word. If you are incorrect, you have three tries until you fail completely. Should you fail, the correct spelling is revealed and you can move on to the next word.

At the bottom of the gaming screen are two button tiles, one to send you back to the menu and the other to reset the game. The general layout of the gaming screen isn't bad but the keyboard blocks the hint buttons. I could not help but think that the game flow would be smoother if the hint buttons were along the top of the screen to avoid hiding the keyboard every time you used a hint.

Overall Impression

Spell-O-Mania may not appeal to everyone but overall, the game isn't too shabby. It does need a little polishing to help it shine a little brighter though.

Along with tweaking the game screen appearance (hint buttons up top) and adding levels of difficulty, I would like to see the splash screen automatically transition to the main menu. If you need to have a means to display credits, simply replace the Back button with an About button. I also wouldn't mind seeing a statistics page to let you review your spelling performance.

On the positive side, a pop-up window appears during the game that suggests more features are on the way. Features such as the various difficulty levels, time challenges, score sheets and more. When the developer delivers these features, Spell-O-Mania will definitely have more pop.

While there is some room for improvement, I can see Spell-O-Rama coming in handy if you need to practice for an upcoming spelling bee or just want to brush up on your spelling skills.

• Spell-O-Mania - Windows Phone 8 (including 512MB devices) - Free - Store Link

Piano Tiles is an addictive, yet sometimes frustrating game now available on Windows Phone. Previously, only cloned copies were available, but the title was recently published on the Windows Phone Store under the developer's name. In fact, it's so official, the developer has even linked to this version on its website. So, what exactly does Piano Tiles provide players? As the name suggests, it's a game requiring players to tap piano tiles, but there's a twist – you're not to tap the white keys. It may sound simple enough, but it's not.

The goal is to tap each black piano tile as they scroll across the screen. Eighteen game modes are presently available in this release with some famous tracks included. Classic, arcade, zen, rush and relay modes ensure there's enough content to keep everyone returning, while Arcade+ takes the gameplay to the next level. Each mode offers a unique take and layouts differ per track, making it difficult to master without trial and effort.

We'd urge everyone to uninstall the clone they may have downloaded and show support for the original developer by downloading this release. We're sure with great support from the Windows Phone community they'll update the game in future. The studio even states on the app listing that improvements and updates are planned.

Let us know how you get on and what scores you manage to achieve.

• Download Piano Tiles for Windows Phone

Thanks, Ruflaxx, for the tip!

We love discovering fun games from indie developers. Here's one you might like. It's called Dark Way Down, a puzzle game from Daniel Fairley. It has been released recently for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Want to see how it looks? Head past the break to watch the gameplay on the Nokia Lumia Icon.

Dark Way Down is very simple. The goal is to light up all the tiles without running out of moves. To move, just swipe on the screen. If you land on a tile that's already lit, it will turn off. As you progress into further levels, more tiles are introduced. Some levels also have barriers, which don't allow you to go certain directions. If you're on the left edge of the board and swipe left, you end up on the right side.

Instead of numbers, each level has a name. Some examples are Lost, Shunned, Lucid, Drowning, and Conformity. Dark Way Down contains 25 puzzles in total.

If you find yourself taking the wrong step in the middle of solving a level, click on the retry button on the top left corner. The options button on the top right corner lets you switch on or off the music and special effects.

The graphics in Dark Way Down is really simple. It's two-dimensional and uses monochromatic colors. It works well with the story of finding light in a world of darkness.

In a blog post, Daniel says he started developing the game after being challenged by a friend. He says he's not particularly good at puzzle games, so designing Dark Way Down was difficult. He's satisfied with how the game has turned out, but says he will steer away from the category for the time being.

Dark Way Down is a free download from the Windows Phone Store. There's no catch, either. There are no ads or in-app purchases. It also supports devices with low memory. Go download it now if you have some time to waste and share with us what you think!

Destiny, the long awaited sci-fi first person shooter from developer Bungie, the original creators of the Halo series, will launch its beta test July 23 for Microsoft's Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles, a week after it begins for PlayStation 3 and PS4 owners.

At the moment, the only way anyone can participate in the Destiny beta test is to pre-order the full game, which will be released on September 9. The beta test period will end on July 26 and anyone who plays in the beta on that day will get an exclusive in-game emblem that can be transferred to their character in the full version of Destiny. Bungie added, "The Beta will include character creation, story missions, cooperative and social activities, competitive multiplayer, and more."

Microsoft recently confirmed that the final version of Destiny will get an increase in its previously planned resolution, thank to the company ditching the Kinect add-on requirement which allows developers more access to the console's hardware.

Will you be joining the Destiny beta test later in July?

Source: Bungie.net

Developer Bungie and publisher Activision have announced the contents of the special limited and Ghost editions of the long awaited sci-fi first person shooter Destiny, which will begin its beta test July 24 for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 game consoles.

Both the limited edition and the collectors "Ghost" edition will include access to the Destiny Expansion Pass, which will cost $34.99 on its own and give Destiny owners access to the game's first two downloadable expansion packs, which will cost $19.99 each if bought separately.

In addition, the $99.99 limited edition and the $149.99 Ghost edition will include the game disc itself in a SteelBook case, along with exclusive in-game items and real world content such as a field guide, a star chart and postcards. The Ghost edition will also have a Ghost replica with motion-activated lights and the voice of actor Peter Dinklage, who also handles the voice of the AI character in the game. There's also a letter of introduction and some "golden age relics" like a photo, sticker and patch.

For gamers who don't want to deal with all that physical content, Bungie and Activision will release the Digital Guardian Edition, which will be an all-download version of Destiny. The $89.99 price tag gives buyers the digital download of Destiny, access to the Destiny Expansion Pass and all of the digital content from the regular limited edition. The game will be released on September 9th.

What do you think of these special editions of Destiny and will you spend the extra money to get the included content?

Source: Destiny website

We've got some fantastic news for those who own Windows Phones with only 512MB of RAM and wish to play Subway Surfers. Since the game was released, consumers have cried out for low-end hardware support and the developer has taken note. Joe Belfiore previously confirmed that said support is on the way and today we've learned that Subway Surfers will be compatible with 512MB of RAM in the next update, which will take players through Paris as part of the World Tour.

As touched on above, the streets of Paris is where the crew will be travelling to next. As well as the new area and lower hardware requirements, new colorful outfits for Coco and Prince K will be available, alongside new powerup awards and a sci-fi Teleporter board. It's a neat move by the developer, Kiloo, who has shown strong support for Microsoft's mobile platform with a steady stream of content patches (keeping the title up-to-date with the iOS and Android counterparts).

We'll let you all know once the update goes live for Windows Phone, which should be within the next few days.

Microsoft has announced plans to release Zoo Tycoon Friends, a new entry in the long running zoo simulation game series that will be developed specifically for Windows Phone and Windows 8 devices.

The game, which is being developed for Microsoft by Behaviour Interactive, will allow gamers to take control of their own zoo, with over 40 animal species to take care of inside its borders. Gamers will have to create habitats for their animals and keep them well fed and protected, while also keeping their visitors happy with things like concession stands and other activities.

The Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions will be synced together so that progress on a Windows Phone device can be saved and then continued again on a Windows 8 tablet or PC, and vice versa. There will also be new Xbox achievements to be unlocked and leaderboards to compare your scores and progress with others.

The game will be free-to-play and will be released sometime later this summer. What do you think of Microsoft releasing this new Zoo Tycoon game for mobile devices?

Source: Microsoft

Sometimes, simple is best. We love games that we can simply pick up, play for a few minutes, and then move on to whatever we need to do. WhatWay is one of those games, but you might get addicted to it. This game is about visual and spatial processing and how fast you can react. Want to see how it looks? Head past the break to watch some gameplay with the Nokia Lumia Icon.

The best way to tackle this game is to start with the tutorial. You need to swipe the direction of the appearing arrow or swipe the direction of the odd one. For example, if there are 5 arrows pointing up and 1 arrow pointing down, you have to swipe down. The idea is really easy, but you have probably heard of an old saying, "easier said than done." Don't worry about touching the arrows. You can swipe from anywhere on the screen

There's a countdown timer for a minute and 30 seconds, but it's immediately game over if you swipe the wrong way. The faster you are, the more points you earn. You don't earn points for being too slow.

At the end of a round, you see your score, average reaction time, number of arrows cleared, and the maximum streak. Our current best score is 695 points. Can you do better?

Even though we enjoy playing this game, we think the visuals need improvement. The buttons do not look very pleasing and there's something about the typography that just seems off.

WhatWay is a free download from the Windows Phone Store. It is ad-supported, so you'll see advertising in the game. If you want to remove the ads, you can get the pro version for $1.29. Have some free time? Check out Whatway and let us know you think in the comments!