Popular endless runner Subway Surfers picked up an update today, taking the team to the Middle East.

Amira the dancer joins the squad in this release, which also includes the Old Dusty Board for use on the subway. Here's the full list of changes for the Arabia release:

• Travel to magical Arabia with the Subway Surfers World Tour
• Take Amira, the beautiful dancer, for a spin in the mystical Middle East
• Run and spell with the Surfer crew during the Wordy Weekend event
• Jump on the Old Dusty board and soar through the majestic Subway
• Collect hidden magic lamps in the Weekly Hunts to unlock sweet prizes

It's a neat update that follows previous app releases with regards to bundled additions. Give the title a download and let us know your thoughts of the new location.

Download Subway Surfers

Thanks to everyone who tipped us!

Hey, Sugar Crush addicts, it looks like King has another tasty update for you Candy Crush Saga fans. While previous updates added levels to the main board, today's 1.50.2 update brings even more levels to Dreamworld aka those alternative levels where Odus the owl acts like a drunkard, always falling off his perch.

According to the game's changelog, Tiffi, the creepy little girl is now a giant while the whale gets smaller. Perhaps more interesting is the addition of 15 more levels to Dreamworld to bring the total up to 620.

Technically this is still 15 levels behind the Facebook and iOS versions of the game, which sit at 635, but overall that is not too bad.

Candy Crush Saga may be an old release, but it is still one of the most popular around. While King, the company behind the game phenom, could have just dropped off the title on Windows Phone and walked, it looks like they are actively supporting the challenging workday diversion (this is the second update this month).

Hopefully, they will see continued momentum with Windows Phone users in downloads and in-app purchases to keep them coming back for more.

Download Candy Crush Saga for Windows Phone

Thanks, everyone, for the tips!

Update 2: The Windows Phone version is now also live in the Windows Phone Store.

Update: Halo: Spartan Strike is now out for Windows 8.1 in the Windows Store, but there's still no sign of the Windows Phone version.

Original story: After several months of waiting, Microsoft has finally released the top-down sci-fi shooter sequel Halo: Spartan Strike. The bad news is that the title, from developer Vanguard Games, is available first on iOS devices, ahead of its promised release for Windows Phone, Windows 8.1 and Steam platforms.

Microsoft first announced the game in October as an exclusive for those platforms for a release in December 2014. However, the company later announced a delay in the game's launch to "early 2015" because Microsoft and Halo's main developer 343 Industries needed to concentrate their efforts to fix the matchmaking issues in the Xbox One game Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Microsoft last told us on March 31 that they "don't have any updates" on Halo: Spartan Strike. Clearly, something has changed since iOS users can now get the game, along with its predecessor Halo: Spartan Assault, which was released for Windows Phone, Windows 8.1 and Steam in 2013.

We have contacted Microsoft to try to get another update on the status of Halo: Spartan Strike for Windows platforms. In the meantime you can get the game from the iOS App Store right now for $5.99. That's also the same price for the iOS version of Halo: Spartan Assault or you can get both games in a bundle for $9.99.

Yesterday, on Reddit, someone found a link to a new Xbox game headed to Windows Phone. The game is called 'What in the World?'. Moreover, it is published by Game Troopers, a relatively new studio focusing on Windows Phone gaming.

Those who tried to download the title were met with a pop-up telling them they did not have permission. This error is because the game is currently testing in a private beta, so there is not much to see (or report). However, from the screenshots it looks like a cross between Trivia Crack and Draw Something with a hint of Wheel of Fortune.

We spoke with Game Troopers about the title to find out a little more about the upcoming trivia game. Here is what they told us.

"The game is a single player but has deep Facebook integration to collaborate with friends in order to find the right word for each picture. There are a few hundred of hand-made illustrations that can represent movies, tv, celebrities, brands, cities/countries or fantasy characters."

Games Troopers is working with Plunge Interactive on the title, and they note "many things may change" before release.

As far as a timeframe, they are not expecting it to launch "later than May".

The Game Troopers studio has already brought numerous games to the Windows Phone platform, including Tiny Troopers and Make it Rain: The Love of Money, both of which are Xbox enabled. In addition, they are also working on Overkill 3 for Windows Phone, also due soon with Xbox support.

We may be getting on our hands on the forthcoming Xbox title, so stay tuned for that. Otherwise, we will let you know when this game is ready to launch!

Microsoft has finally released Halo: Spartan Strike for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1, several months after it announced a delay in the game's release from December 2014 to "early 2015".

The sci-fi top-down shooter is a sequel to the 2013 game Halo: Spartan Assault. Both games were developed by Vanguard Games in coordination with the Halo series's main team at 343 Industries. The game is priced at $5.99 for both versions and is a universal app, which means if you buy the Windows Phone version you get the game for Windows 8.1 for free and vice-versa.

Here's a quick description of the game:

"Halo: Spartan Strike tells a compelling new story in the Halo universe set during the events of Halo 2 on New Mombasa in 2552. As a Spartan supersoldier in a classified ONI simulation, delve into 30 challenging missions while leading UNSC troops through cities and jungles with an all new arsenal of weapons, abilities and vehicles."

"No matter where you are, Halo: Spartan Strike provides fans a piece of the Halo universe with improved touch controls and updated graphics for an enhanced pick-up-and-play experience."

"In addition to the campaign, players on Windows 8 devices can compare performance against friends in weekly challenges and attempt to take the top spot on the leaderboard. Earn Achievements that unlock an exclusive emblem, nameplate and avatar in Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One."

The good news for Windows Phone owners is that it is compatible with 512MB devices and is "buy once, get everywhere (phone, PC)". The bad news? No free trial. Also note, for the phone the game is a massive 864 MB to download!

Download Halo: Spartan Strike from the Windows Phone Store - $5.99, no trial

Download Halo: Spartan Strike from the Windows Store - $5.99, no trial

There are countless Windows Phone games in the Store that are entertaining time wasters. These are the games that are fun and challenging to play but don't require lengthy amounts of time to conquer (or fail). Pipeman 2 falls nicely into this genre of Windows Phone games with over fifty pipe laying puzzles to solve.

The game is well suited for those times you need help passing short bits of time and is available for low-memory Windows Phones. Game mechanics are easy to pick up and the puzzle levels will make you scratch your head at times as you search for a solution. Pipeman 2 makes a nice first impression and we can see why it has made its way towards the top of the New and Rising category of Windows Phone games.

The main menu for Pipeman 2 tosses out options to play the game, access the gaming options (sound/music levels), view more games from the developer, access the Help screen and rate the game in the Windows Phone Store. The Help section is a single screen that illustrated the puzzle piece movements.

Game play is scattered across fifty-four levels. Each puzzle level can be replayed and the puzzles, as you would guess, do become progressively more challenging as you move up the ladder.

While there is no point value score in solving these puzzles, you are graded on the time it takes to get everything in order. Your current time, best time and the number of moves will be displayed at the bottom of the gaming screen.

The puzzle is a series of disconnected pipes with an assortment of pipe pieces that will need to be moved into position to connect all the pipes. Puzzle pieces move horizontally and vertically (no rotation) in a confined area of the playing field. You will need to shuffle the pieces around in order to get everything in the right spot and solve the puzzle.

Some puzzles have blanks squares that will have to be shuffled about as well to make room for the pipe pieces to get into the right position. Other levels of play will have obstacles or stationary squares within the puzzle field that you will have to navigate around.

Overall Impression

While the concept sounds easy, the puzzles with Pipeman 2 can be somewhat challenging. You will find yourself getting a pipe piece in the right location, only to have to move it to allow another piece to get to where it needs to go. Overall, Pipeman 2 is a nice collection of dissection type puzzles to solve.

The only gripe I have with Pipeman 2 (and it's minor) is that the ad banner sits a little lower than normal at the top of the screen to the point it is a little distracting. I don't think it is a deal breaker but I would not mind seeing the banner being more flush with the top of the screen and more discrete.

Otherwise, Pipeman 2 is an entertaining Windows Phone game. The puzzles are challenging enough to avoid coming across as too easy and Pipeman 2 is a good option to consider for those times you need a little help passing the time.

Download Pipeman 2 for Windows Phone (Free)

The Windows Phone version of Gameloft's popular free-to-play arcade racing game Asphalt 8: Airborne received an update today that adds support for placing decals on the game's vehicles for the first time, along with a number of new Ferrari cars and more.

Here's what's new in the 1.8.0.20 update:

• CAR DECALS: The most requested feature is finally here! Customize your cars & take down your opponents with style!
• 5 NEW FERRARI CARS: Get ready for these Italian stallions, including the Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari 330 P4, Ferrari F40 & Ferrari F50, coming soon!
• GARAGE REDESIGN: Admire your beauties in an all-new environment!
• NEW CAR COLLECTION: Time to stock your garage & get exclusive rewards!

Thanks to everyone who tipped us!

Download Asphalt 8: Airborne from the Windows Phone Store (free)

Xbox is hitting Windows 10 in a big way later this year.

Announced back in January, Xbox will receive a dedicated app for Windows 10, providing Game DVR for all PC games, access to your Xbox One social features and game streaming across devices in your home network. In addition to this, independent developers will be able to include Xbox APIs into their games that appear in the Windows app store via the ID@Xbox program, currently available only on Xbox One.

I caught up with ID@Xbox head Chris Charla to discuss how the program has been faring so far, ID@Xbox for Windows 10 (phones too!), and more!

JC: Indie development has risen to prominence in the console industry narrative. Back in the 360 days, independent devs were critical of Microsoft's indie game store that was buried within several menus, and there's been that whole 'parity clause' fracas in the wider gaming media.

Do you find that indie devs are satisfied with the policies and processes of working with ID@Xbox now? How are devs reacting to the program?

CC: There's really two answers to this question. On Xbox One, we took the stand that a game is a game is a game. That's a reflection of our firm belief that games from independent studios are just as important and just as artistically valid as any other game! I think it's working pretty well in terms of making sure players see great diverse content every time they turn on their Xbox One and ID@Xbox games have been getting great support in our store. Bottom line, Xbox players are smart and it's easy for them to see the value proposition in all our games, from blockbusters like "Call of Duty" to the amazing games we have from ID@Xbox developers like "The Escapists" or "Ziggurat."

With that said, from our perspective, there's always more work to be done! To make our store better, to make our Dashboard UI better, to make our environment better for players and developers. That's what gets us up in the morning! You can see that in the monthly updates we do on Xbox One, taking player and developer feedback to heart. We don't ever think we're done, and I think you'll see us keep working to make things better for players and developers in the months and years to come.

JC: To what extent will ID@Xbox quality control indie games appearing under the Xbox banner as we move towards Windows 10/Xbox store convergence? For example, there are a lot of Flappy Bird clones in the Windows Store. Could you comment on balancing openness with the 'quality' gamers associate with the Xbox brand?

Well, on Xbox One, a game is a game, so whether the game comes to Xbox One as a Windows 10 Universal Application, or a game made with a dev kit, we expect all games on Xbox One to follow the same technical requirements, and to go through the same certification process, etc. That's part of the promise we make to players when they get their Xbox One.

We've always said that we're not trying to be censors, but we also don't think fans want to see a "fart app" with 1000 Gamerscore on the Xbox Store. We're committed to applying a similar philosophy for ID@Xbox games on Windows 10.

JC: As you may know, WindowsCentral.com was originally Windows Phone Central, and a lot of our core readership are firm Windows Phone fans. Can you give us some details on how developers can target Windows tablets and phones via ID@Xbox? Will they have access to Xbox Live, achievements, Halo Spartan Assault-like cloud saves allowing progression regardless of the device, and so on? Will there be a limit on the amount of achievement points a mobile title can deliver vs. a console version for example?

CC: So first off, if a developer wants to create games for any Windows 10 device, including phones, they should head over the Windows Dev Center and sign up! If they want to use Xbox Live – Achievements, Gamerscore, etc. – they should also get in touch with us at xbox.com/id.

We're finalizing the processes now so that we can help developers get full access to Xbox Live on Windows 10 across all devices, which, of course, includes Windows Phone. We think Xbox Live is going to be a really exciting feature for developers to include on Windows 10 and we're excited that ID@Xbox is expanding to Windows 10 to help developers take advantage of the full features of Live – Gamerscore, achievements, cloud saves, etc. – on all Windows 10 devices. What specific devices a developer targets is up to them. So a game that targets the small touchscreen of a phone or a phablet can access Xbox Live, have Achievements and 1000 Gamerscore, etc.

JC: What are your favourite ID@Xbox games in development so far? Are there any flying under the media radar you'd like to make note of?

CC: I don't have a favorite! I did have a blast recently playing "Ziggurat." It's old school and simple, but it just has a nice difficulty curve, and kind of lets you go back to the 90's and just enjoy the simple pleasures circle-strafing! Rogue-like plus fantasy FPS is just a really nice combo too. It's definitely a "ok one more time!" type of game for me. In terms of upcoming games, the number of really fantastic games that are coming is just too long to list out, but I will say that "Beyond Eyes" blows me away, and there are a couple of unannounced games coming that are really, really cool.

JC: ID@Xbox has been a source of innovation for Kinect, with games like Blue Estate, D4, Crabitron and Commander Cherry all utilizing the tech in diverse ways. Could you comment on why indies seem more willing to take on new tech vs. the big 'Triple A' devs? Could ID@Xbox be a source of innovation for HoloLens?

CC: I think independent developers sometimes have more freedom to experiment and try new things. Honestly a lot of people become independent developers is exactly so they can experiment and try new things! There's a lot of nimbleness and agility in the independent scene which is one of the reasons why it's so interesting. So, it's no surprise to me that we've seen a lot of innovation with Kinect from independent devs, and I expect we'll see more in the future!

Personally I think all game devs are going to be poised to make cool apps for Microsoft HoloLens, whether they are making games or not, and I'd encourage interested devs to go to hololens.com and sign up to get more info about the system. We'll be sharing more at Build, too!

JC: If I were to ask a ridiculous question like what's your favourite game of all time - what is the first thing that comes to mind and why?

CC: The first thing that comes to mind is "I hate that question!" Seriously to me games are so tied into what I was doing when I played them that it's hard to just have one favorite. It's like, what blew me away, or challenged me, or was an awesome game to play with friends around?

But the first game I ever really got into was "Zork" on the Apple II, so that holds a really special place in my heart, but so does "Metroid" on NES, "Phantasy Star 2" and "Sonic 2" on Genesis/Megadrive, "Bushido Blade,""Tail of the Sun,""Ape Escape,""Tony Hawk's Pro Skater," and "Rage Racer" on PS1. "Test Drive Le Mans" on Dreamcast, "Steambot Chronicles" on PS2… "Animal Crossing"… the list of favorite games gets long quickly! I will say on 360, my favorite game of the generation was probably "Fez" or "Castle Crashers," but I definitely spent the most hours playing "Geometry Wars 2" (and I still don't have the Smile Achievement!) and I play a ton of dungeon crawlers on DS.

JC: How can a prospective developers get in touch with you guys?

CC: If a dev wants to get in touch with us directly, they can reach out at id@xbox.com.

Thanks for reading!

I just want to say a big thanks to Chris Charla and Xbox for setting this up for us. I'm looking forward to the potential benefits ID@Xbox will bring to Windows Phone when it finally hits general release. If iOS and Android developers can see the benefits of targeting Windows tablets, PCs and phones simultaneously under the Xbox brand, fingers crossed, it could lead to a mobile gaming renaissance for fans of Xbox for Windows Phone. We'll have to wait for Build and E3 to find out more.

If you're a developer with the ID@Xbox program and would like to get your game featured on WC, be sure to drop me a line to jez@windowscentral.com!

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story. Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Phone Store and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features. Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows Phone news that you just shouldn't miss.

Welcome to the "Windows Phone Weekly Digest."

Windows Phone News

• Problems updating to Windows 10 preview from Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 should be over
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL camera sample gallery
• Here is the new one-handed keyboard for Windows 10 on phablets
• HTC closely working with Microsoft for a Windows 10 device
• A consistent Windows Phone experience is the unique selling proposition of budget Lumia devices
• Microsoft Lumia 540 Dual SIM is official with 5-inch 720p display and 1GB RAM for $150
• Three UK adds carrier billing support for the Windows Phone Store
• Here are our impressions of the BLU Win HD with Dual SIM LTE
• Another LG Windows Phone render revives rumors of a return, this time on Verizon
• Windows 10 for phones preview pulled for Lumia 520, 525 and 526
• There are unlocked and refurbished AT&T Lumia 1520 phones for $249.99 on eBay
• Is Microsoft developing new smartphones? Of course
• Microsoft Lumia 640 review
• An introduction to the Mi4, Xiaomi's future Windows 10 test device
• Here is why Microsoft wants hamburger menus in Windows 10 for phone

Apps

• Photoshop Express for Windows Phone gets updated, premium filters free for a limited time [Download for Windows Phone]
• Tubecast update for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 supports YouTube API v3 [Download for Windows Phone / Download for Windows]
• TrulyMadly, the popular dating app in India, arrives on Windows Phone [Download for Windows Phone]
• SCRUFF re-launches on Windows Phone 8.1 with paid tier, Cortana integration and more [Download for Windows Phone]
• Scribd pulls its Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 apps
• Movie Maker 8.1 for Windows Phone gets substantial update, we've got 100 plugin codes to give away! [Download for Windows Phone]
• Shazam update brings improved video pages, bug fixes [Download for Windows Phone / Download for Windows]
• The best Microsoft Band apps for Windows Phone
• Hike messenger update improves message load times, brings new sticker packs [Download for Windows Phone]
• Band Pro updated - bug fixes and a cloud based image collection in tow [Download for Windows Phone]
• Microsoft hints at upcoming Skype for Business Windows Phone app
• http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-health-app-gets-bug-fixes-following-uk-release-microsoft-band [Download for Windows Phone]
• Karaoke One for Windows 8 – see if you can carry a tune with this myAppFree deal [Download for Windows Phone/ Download for Windows]
• State Bank of India launches much-awaited State Bank Anywhere on Windows Phone [Download for Windows Phone]
• Uber for Windows Phone now supports Paytm Wallet for credit card-less rides in India [Download for Windows Phone]
• Band Companion adds battery status, remote shutter and notes to Microsoft Band [Download for Windows Phone]
• Latest LINE update sends new post notifications to conversations [Download for Windows Phone]
• Hands-on with 6discover for Windows Phone [Download for Windows Phone]
• SmartThings Mobile 1.1.0 brings updated SmartSetup screen, more [Download for Windows Phone]
• PicsArt for Windows Phone snags new interface, tools, and effects in latest update [Download for Windows Phone]

Games

• Dead Trigger 2 Review - Zombies, Zombies and more Zombies [Download for Windows Phone]
• Toca Kitchen 2 - test your culinary skills with this Windows Phone and Windows 8 sequel [Download for Windows Phone/ Download for Windows]
• Lara Croft: Relic Run is coming to Windows Phone soon
• Supra RPG is this week's myAppFree Windows Phone deal [Download for Windows Phone / [Download for Windows]
• Second Chance – a collection of mini-games for your Windows Phone that may drive you nuts [Download for Windows Phone]
• Checkpoint Champion – challenging your driving skills with this fast paced Windows Phone game [Download for Windows Phone / Download for Widows]
• Latest Subway Surfers update takes you to Arabia [Download for Windows Phone]
• Candy Crush Saga grabs more Dreamworld levels to beef up Odus on Windows Phone [Download for Windows Phone]
• Coming soon: 'What in the World?' is a new Xbox game for Windows Phone, here are the details
• Halo: Spartan Strike is shooting its way on Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 [Download for Windows Phone / Download for Windows]
• Pipeman 2 – a free puzzle game for Windows Phone that's not a bad time waster [Download for Windows Phone]
• Asphalt 8: Airborne for Windows Phone updated with decals, new cars and more [Download for Windows Phone]

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

Momentum Racing is a relatively new Windows Phone game that puts you behind the wheel of a wide range of cars to see how well you can handle the curves and straight-aways of street racing.

The game includes three gaming modes, ten sports cars and plenty of upgrades to give your racing cars a little more get up and go. Momentum Racing is available for low-memory Windows Phones and while it may not be strong enough to knock off Asphalt 8: Airborne but after playing Momentum Racing for the past few days, it's a respectable Windows Phone racing game within its own right.

When you first jump into the game, Momentum Racing will ask you to choose your first car to race. Cars cost gaming dollars and just by chance, the game starts you off with just enough cash to buy only one car, a Mazda RX7 look-a-like called the Zoom.

Once you have chosen your color pattern for your first car, the game tosses you over to the main menu where you will find options running across the top of the screen to access the settings, view your profile (gaming stats), jump to the garage and view your cash/coin count. You can give your coin count a boost through in-app purchases. Coins are going to be used to cheat time and instantly repair any damage your car sustains while racing.

Settings for Momentum Racing cover gaming difficulty, control choices, graphics levels and audio levels. As far as gaming controls are concerned, you have four choices that include a tilt steering option and three on-screen control layouts. The tilt steering will include on-screen controls for acceleration, reverse and two park brake controls.

As to which control layout is the best, I'm partial to the tilt steering. The on-screen control options aren't terrible but lack the responsiveness the tilt controls offer.

Along with the menu bar running along the top of the main menu, you will also see options to play one of the three gaming modes. You have a career mode where you participate in a series of races that span six seasons. There is also a Daily Challenge you can race in and a Track Creator where you can build your own racetrack to share with other Momentum Racing players. The game begins with the Career Mode available and after you complete Season One of the Career Mode, the other two modes will become available.

All of which will take some time because you will need to complete all four ladder races and four boss races to complete that first season (which is no easy task). I would have liked to have seen the additional gaming modes become available sooner or maybe the option to use your gaming coins to unlock them earlier.

Again, the Career Mode is a series of races that are progressively unlocked and span six seasons. The races are ladder styled in that you race a series of opponents on the same course that increase in difficulty as you move up the ladder.

The racing screen obviously varies slightly depending on your choice of controls. Regardless of your control choice, you will find a pause and camera button, race time and current speed displayed on the screen along with your steering/acceleration controls.

Your race view is from one of two overhead angles that can be cycled through by tapping the camera button. Momentum Racing places you on neighborhood streets with plenty of bushes, light posts and other items to crash into. The only thing you cannot crash into is your opponent (you just pass through them as if they are ghosts).

Quick tip: Even if your opponent cleans your clock is already at home eating dinner by the time you reach the finish line, finish the race. You earn cash with every race even if you lose. Granted you win more if you win but you get a small conciliation prize just for passing the finish line. You'll need to save that cash to upgrade your car to improve the odds of winning the big prizes.

As you make contact with immoveable objects, your car will sustain damage. Damage that will impact your car's performance until repaired in the garage. Repairs can be taken care of with cash you earn racing or with coins (speeds up the process).

Along with the repairs, from the garage you can tune-up your car with new engines, tires and body work, give your car a new paint job or decal and buy new cars to race. All of which can be purchased with gaming cash or coins.

Overall Impression

Momentum Racing is a challenging and fun racing game for Windows Phones. The graphics are well drawn up and the car selection respectable. Okay… the neighborhoods do look like they are filled with model homes and the shrubs seem to act more like brick walls but the graphics are still nice and the races challenging.

The only nits I can offer with Momentum Racing is that load times were slightly slow and I really did not see much difference between the low and high graphics settings. Neither are a deal breaker but noticeable.

All in all, while Momentum Racing may not give the Asphalt racing series a run for their money it has a lot to offer. While the Career Mode is the primary gaming mode, the Daily Challenge and Race Creator helps give the game a little variety and longevity.

At last check, the game only has one review giving it a 5 star rating in the Windows Phone Store. We see Momentum Racing falling along the 4 star range and if you take Momentum Racing out for a spin, let us know in the comments below what you think of the game.

Download Momentum Racing for Windows Phone (Free)

Royal Revolt 2, the popular free-to-play fantasy action-strategy game from developer Flare Games, has received a new content update for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 that, among other things, adds support for the new Alliance Wars feature.

Here's the change log for the update, which brings the version number to 1.8.0.0:

• Alliance Wars are here.
• Win Alliance Wars and unlock exclusive Elite Boosts.
• Win Fiefdoms in an Alliance War and unlock new Sigils.
• Enjoy the various improvements, polishing and bug fixes.

While the game is free to download and play, there are options for in-game content purchases.

Download Royal Revolt 2 for Windows Phone from the Windows Phone Store (Free with IAP)

Download Royal Revolt 2 for Windows 8.1/8.1 RT from the Windows Store (Free with IAP)

We had our first look at Halo: Spartan Strike last October and we're glad that the game is finally available. We'll have a full review coming soon, but we know a lot of you want to see some gameplay already on Windows and Windows Phone devices. You can buy it once and download on both your devices. What's also awesome is that your progress is synced no matter which device you use.

Watch our first gameplay video on a Lumia Icon and a Surface Pro 3.

In Halo: Spartan Strike, you must lead troops to prevent Earth from being overtaken by Covenant and Promethean enemies. It feels a lot like Halo: Spartan Assault. You move and shoot with virtual joysticks. You move with the left joystick while you aim with the right joystick. Weapon selection is on the top right corner and there's an action button on the lower right corner to open doors, get in, or get out of vehicles. There's a great tutorial within the game to make you familiar with the controls.

There are 30 missions through jungles, cities and more. Enemies and points of interests show up on the radar at the top left corner. It's not hard to figure out who to shoot and where to go.

Even if you're not a huge Halo fan, Spartan Strike is one of those games that you need to have on your phone. It has gunfights, explosions, vehicles, and they all look great in the game. Synced progress between Windows and Windows Phone is an excellent bonus, too.

Halo Spartan Strike is priced at $5.99. If you buy the Windows Phone version, you get the game for Windows 8.1 for free and vice-versa. There is no free trial available, but hopefully our gameplay video helps you decide whether this game is worth the purchase. Stay tuned for our review, but let us know what you think if you've already been playing with it.

• Download Halo: Spartan Strike from the Windows Store ($5.99, no trial)
• Download Halo: Spartan Strike from the Windows Phone Store ($5.99, no trial)

Virtual reality is one of those buzz phrases that has been around for ages, but rarely moves beyond niche technology. One creative way to bring it to the masses is by reducing user cost, and that can be achieved through Google Cardboard.

The Google Cardboard initiative lets companies create cardboard VR helmets with lenses that can be sold for $5 and up. Users then insert their phone into the device, and like a View-Master from childhood, you now have a cheap VR helmet.

Game makers Nival have now released a game for Windows Phone called InMind VR as a way to explore this technology for Microsoft fans. The game is rather short and is more of a demonstration of the technology. However, it is certainly well done and very intriguing.

To begin, just download the free game to your Windows Phone 8.1 device. You can then put your phone into one of the many Google Cardboard helmets, which can be purchased direct from vendors (or even on Amazon).

From the game description:

" This first demo allows the player to experience the journey into the patient's brains in search of the neurons that cause mental disorder. Submerge into the microworld and experience the miracles of the human mind."

"The future is nigh. The humanity is standing upon the brink of a new era where modern healthcare makes tremendous scientific advancements. With the help of nanotechnologies, a surgical prototype bathyscaphe allows its operator to shrink to a microlevel and travel inside the patient's body."

InMind VR lets you float through a brain where you can see individual neurons. When you come across a red one (damaged, diseased) you look at it by tilting your head. Once locked, you will automatically fire a weapon at it to destroy it.

The game uses a split-view pane for each eye and the accelerometer/gyroscope for head movement. Moving your head around (with the Google Cardboard and phone combo) results in letting you "view" the virtual world, in this case, the human brain.

InMind VR is free, very well done and quite clever. Hopefully, this will not be the first and last VR game to come to Windows Phone, as this style of immersion certainly has its benefits.

Watch the two videos above of the gameplay and trailer to get a better idea of how it all works, then download the title below!

Download InMind VR for Windows Phone 8.1 (Free, requires gyroscope)

Pancake Panic is an interesting Windows Phone game in many respects. The game was developed in one week as a way to help teach primary school students, ages 9-11, in the UK how to code. The developers, Chaos Created, provided these workshops for students in hopes of possibly inspiring them to pursue these skills further.

The goal of Pancake Panic is rather simple, catch as many falling pancakes as possible before time runs out. There are also bonus items available to collect that will improve your chances of bettering your score. Available for low-memory Windows Phones and Windows 8 devices, Pancake Panic comes across as a fun game to pass short bits of time with.

The layout and design of Pancake Panic isn't very complicated. The main menu will display your high score with options to play the game and view the settings. Currently the only option available in the settings is to mute the audio.

The gaming screen shares the simple layout with your chef positioned at the bottom of the screen with an empty platter. Pancakes will begin falling from the top of the screen and you will need to move the chef left or right to catch the pancakes.

You move the chef by tapping the left or right side of the screen. Movement is a little on the sluggish side and Pancake Panic is not a game where you need to try to predict where the next pancake will fall. I found the most success in constantly moving your chef around and catching pancakes of opportunity. On the plus side, if you fail to catch a pancake there is no penalty.

There is a bank button in the lower right corner that will bank any pancakes you have collected. Only the banked pancakes will be added to your gaming score. You have a limited number of banking button opportunities so you will need to choose wisely when you clear your platter.

You will want to bank your pancakes with regularity. The higher the stack is on your platter, the more unstable it can get. If a pancake falls off your platter, it is lost forever. Speaking of which, the physics of the game allow you to slide pancakes on the platter by using the sides of the gaming screen. This will give you a chance of making the stacks a little more stable.

Again, the goal is to bank as many pancakes as possible within the 90 second gaming timer. Along with the pancakes falling from the top of the screen, Pancake Panic will also drop a few bonus items to help you boost your score. These items include:

• Clock: This will add five seconds to your game timer
• Strawberry: This will add a bank opportunity to the round
• Rainbow Strawberry: This strawberry will launch a pancake frenzy where the pancakes falls at a crazy pace
• Golden Strawberry: This strawberry will double your stack score when you bank pancakes and has a ten second duration

As you might guess, you will need to catch these bonus items with your platter to collect them.

Overall Impression

Pancake Panic is a fun Windows Phone game to pass short bits of time with and a nice gaming foundation to build upon. The developers are still working with various primary schools to find ways to improve the game such as more power-ups, new animations and other ideas the students come up with.

The game will challenge your skills at timing and balance to see how high you can get your stack of pancakes. In playing the game over the weekend, I have to admit that Pancake Panic has a slight addictive quality. The sluggish movement does get a little frustrating but you learn to adapt.

It will interesting to see how this game progresses as the developers work with the primary school students. As is, I do not know if Pancake Panic has the strength to be a "go to" game but it is a solid game to have in your library to pick up from time to time.

Download Pancake Panic for Windows Phone (Free)

Download Pancake Panic for Windows 8 (Free)

Prime World: Defenders is a relatively new tower defense game in the Windows Phone Store that offers a slight fantasy gaming feel. The Windows Phone game combines the traditional elements of a tower defense game with a touch of magic to help you defend various locations within your Kingdom from invading monsters.

Prime World: Defenders has over twenty-six towers, plenty of upgrades and thirteen types of spells to unlock. Graphics are nicely drawn up (just a little on the tiny side) and game play has its fair share of challenges. Available for low-memory Windows Phones and Windows 8 devices, Prime World: Defenders is a nice addition to the tower defense genre of games and a entertaining time consumer.

When you first launch Prime World: Defenders, the game will send you directly to a tutorial gaming level. The primary goal is to defend your location from an invading army by placing defensive towers along the invading force's path. Let too many monster make it across the screen and you will fail the level.

Tiny dialog screens will walk you through the tutorial and covers placing defensive towers and using your magic nicely. The only downside to the tutorial is that the dialog messages are extremely hard to read, especially with the Windows Phone version (smaller screen and all).

Once you complete the tutorial, Prime World: Defenders will send you to the gaming map, which lays out the twenty-three missions of the game. Each mission will include a number of invasion waves that you have to defend against that concludes with a boss that has to be defeated.

There is a traditional main menu for Prime World: Defenders that will appear after you finish the tutorial, exit the game and return to the game. It is a roundabout way of doing things but the main menu has options to jump into game play, view the game's leaderboard, view your achievements (the non-Xbox style), access the game's settings and view the game's encyclopedia. The encyclopedia offers information on the thirty-six types of invading monsters, the twenty-six towers and your storyline progress.

The levels of play are available from the map screen that will highlight your experience level, cards (towers) collected, silver count and star count across the top of the screen. Down the right side of the screen is a Home button to return to the main menu, a button to access the game's settings and to access your game talents (more on this in a second).

There are picture storyboards that will appear before each mission to illustrate the game's backstory on how you must defeat the evil forces and restore order to the kingdom. You can tap forward through these storyboards to get to game play quicker.

The gaming screen for Prime World: Defenders has your health points and prime points (resources used to place new towers or upgrade existing units) in the upper left corner of the screen. The invasion stats (wave/number of units) are in the top center and pause, speed switch, settings and level information button can be found in the upper right corner. Settings cover sound, music and narration levels.

The game screen can be zoomed, rotated and viewed at an angle through a series of touch gestures.

At the bottom center you will find you selection of defensive towers and magic spells. To bring a tower into play, tap/hold on the unit icon and the available placement locations will be highlighted for you to drag the unit to. You can tap on an individual unit to review its abilities or sell it. You cannot upgrade a tower unit during game play but can upgrade its effectiveness through the Talents menu (more on this in a second).

Game play is your typical tower defense action. You place your towers to inflict as much damage before the enemies reach the end of the path. Towers range from straightforward explosive canons to canons that will slow down your enemy to canons that will poison your enemy. Monsters also vary in size, strength and speed. As you dispatch monsters, you will earn prime points that will be needed to add more towers to the battle or upgrade those already in play.

Along with your towers, you can call upon magic spells to inflict wide spread damage to your enemy when your towers are being overwhelmed by the monsters. You also have gaming speed controls that will let you speed through an attack wave or wave off the pause that occurs between attack waves.

At the conclusion of each level, you will have the opportunity to unlock new spells and tower styles to use during game play. You will also earn gaming currency that can be used to increase your talents at using magic and tower. Just tap the talent button located in the bottom right corner of the map screen to increase a spell or tower's damage, lowering the cost for towers, add the ability to combine towers and more. Talents will cost you a bit of gaming cash and gives the game a slight RPG aspect.

As with many tower defense games, any resources you have accumulated during game play will not carry over to the next level. However, some levels begin with a few towers already in play. It is a nice touch and helps Prime World: Defenders stand out a little more from your run of the mill tower defense games.

Overall Impression

Prime World: Defenders is an entertaining tower defense game for both Windows Phone and Windows 8 devices. Graphics are well done, the game has plenty of tower and monster styles and game play offers plenty of challenges. I also like how the Talent menu and other features offers a slight RPG feel to the game.

The only complaint I have with Prime World is the small text size. While my eyes are showing their age, I imagine younger gamers will have trouble ready the small fonts.

One quick observation on the Windows 8 version of Prime World is that game progress does not transfer between Windows 8 and Windows Phone devices (which is a shame). I also found playing the Windows 8 version a little more enjoyable in that the larger screen pulls out a lot more detail from the graphics. In that respect, Prime World: Defenders is an ideal game for tablets.

Overall, if you are searching for a fun tower defense game for your Windows Phone, Prime World: Defenders is well worth checking out. At last check, the game is pulling down a 4.5 star rating in the Windows Phone Store. The Windows Store has the game rated at 4.3 stars. We think both ratings are spot on.

If you try Prime World: Defender, let us know in the comments below what you think of the game.

Download Prime World: Defenders for Windows Phone (Free)

Download Prime World: Defenders for Windows 8 (Free)

Developer Megapop has launched a Windows Phone version of its popular tower defense game Trolls vs Vikings. The game was previously released for iOS, Android and Windows 8.1.

Much like Plants vs Zombies, this free-to-play title has the gamer creating defenses on the troll side in order to fight off waves of Viking enemies. Here's what you can expect from this game:

• 70+ Levels – 20+ hours of gameplay
• 40+ wacky and wonderful characters
• Astounding depth of play – Unlock Hard mode, discover an all new game
• Movable and active units – More fun, more action
• Massive Boss fights – Thor, Odin and others
• Social features – Beat your friends

While the developer just announced the Windows Phone version this week, the game has been in the Windows store for about a month. Also, Trolls vs Vikings is a universal app for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1. However, it does not currently work on phones with 512MB of RAM.

Check out the game trailer above to see what it's all about.

Download Trolls vs Vikings from the Windows Store (free)

Download Trolls vs Vikings from the Windows Phone Store (free)

Remember the game Cut the Rope ? The adorable puzzler game with that ever so hungry critter named Om Nom? Well, he is back in the just released Cut the Rope 2 for Windows Phone. Sure, the iOS version came out in December 2013, but better late than never.

Like the previous Cut the Rope game, this new version brings tricky missions, medal earnings and fun gameplay for those who want a quick puzzle game. Let's see what is new.

Cut the Rope 2

• ALL NEW LOCATIONS TO EXPLORE! Travel through an interactive map to discover new locations filled with candy collecting, rope cutting action.
• ALL NEW CHARACTERS TO MEET! Find 6 new characters, the Nommies, to help you on your unexpected journey.
• ALL NEW HATS TO BRAG ABOUT! Customize Om Nom, choose your favorite candy and select your finger traces.
• ALL NEW ADVENTURES FOR OM NOM! Experience completely new graphics, sound and gameplay elements, including the ability to move Om Nom.
• ALL NEW MISSIONS! Collect the perfect number of stars and strategically gather fruit to complete the mission in each level.

MEET OM NOM'S NEW FRIENDS, THE NOMMIES!

• Roto can carry Om Nom to the best candy catching locations
• Lick can make small bridges with his tongue to help Om Nom reach his goal
• Blue can lift Om Nom to new levels of candy hunting fun
• Toss can throw objects, including candy
• Boo can scare Om Nom to jump to new heights
• Snailbrow bravely rolls on walls and ceilings and pushes candies around, like a boss

Cut the Rope 2 is a 95 MB download, and it runs on Windows Phone 8.0 and 8.1 devices, including those with 512 MB of RAM. Plus, it is free. Check out the trailer above and grab the game below.

Download Cut the Rope 2 for Windows Phone (Free)

Thanks, @sunco, for the tip!

While details are still a bit scarce, Telltale games announced today that it is teaming up with Marvel for a new game series to debut in 2017.

Telltale announced the partnership earlier this evening on its blog:

"Announced this evening in San Francisco, we're excited to reveal an all-new partnership with the incredible team at Marvel Entertainment. We'll be teaming up on the development of an upcoming Telltale game series project set to premiere in 2017!"

Outside of the partnership and a target date of sometime in 2017, there aren't any other details to go on. However, you'll recall that Telltale Games has been behind a number of fantastic episodic games for popular franchises such as Tales from the Borderlands and The Walking Dead. Hopefully the developer can bring its fantastic touch to some new stories centered in the Marvel universe, but we'll have to wait a bit longer to get a peek at what Telltale and Marvel have up their sleeves.

Source: Telltale Games

No argument here. There is a vast selection of word games available in the Windows Phone Store and many of them are entertaining, enjoyable and addictive titles. Word Lord is a fairly new word game offering that hopes to join the ranks of the must have Windows Phone games.

The game is basically a hidden word game that has two gaming modes and three boosters to help you along the way. Graphics are minimal and in playing Word Lord for a short time, it comes across as a fun word game to pass the time with. Word Lord is available for low memory Windows Phones.

The main menu for Word Lord greets you with options to choose between the two gaming modes, start game play and pull up additional menu items from the three-dot menu. The additional items includes viewing the leaderboards, viewing a help screen on the boosters, accessing the game's options and viewing the About screen. Gaming options include setting your nickname, muting the sounds, choosing one of three themes (Daytime, Night and Sea) and choosing your language.

The two gaming modes with Word Lord include a timed game and a move limited game. The timed game challenges you to identify as many words from a 5x5 grid of letters in two minutes. The move limited game also has you identifying as many words as possible from the grid but you are limited to ten moves. The longer the word, the more points earned and your words have to be at least three letters long.

Just tap and drag your finger along the letters to create the words with horizontal, vertical and diagonal connections being allowed (cannot back trace).

As you create words, the letters used will be removed from the playing field and new letters will fall into place. Boosters line the bottom of the screen that can be used to help you create larger words and score more points. These boosters include:

• An X mark that will remove one letter from the field of your choice
• An asterisk that will create a universal letter at a selected place
• A Plus Mark adds ten seconds or one move to the game

As you complete games, the points you score are banked and can be used to purchase additional boosts.

Game play isn't much different than any other find a word type game. The move limited mode adds a nice challenge to the mix in that you really need to hunt down longer words to make the most of your ten moves. This mode is more of a concentration game with the time game is one of reflex or speed.

Overall Impression

The more I played Word Lord, the more the Windows Phone game grew on me. The game doesn't have many bells and whistles but the simple design makes Word Lord well suited for short gaming spurts as well as longer gaming sessions. The game is just a nice, clean looking, challenging Windows Phone game. I have to agree with one of the Windows Phone Store reviews that Word Lord is a real time killer.

The two gaming modes complement each other and the theme options are a nice touch to offer up a little variety in the game's appearance. It's hard to find anything to complain about with Word Lord. The game ran smoothly, was challenging enough to avoid becoming stale and the graphics were nicely drawn up. Word games may not be your cup of tea but if they are, Word Lord a title worth adding to your Windows Phone gaming library.

Download Word Lord for Windows Phone (Free)

This week's Windows 8 myAppFree deal is an interesting combat game where you take on the role of gladiator fighting for your life in the arena. The twist is that you are chained to a partner and have to work together to battle your way to victory.

The Windows 8 version normally runs $2.99 and there is also a Windows Phone version that typically runs $.99. Neither version has a trial and if you've been sitting on the fence about picking up Enterchained, now is your chance to save a few bucks. Over the next twenty-four hours, you can pick up Enterchained, through the myAppFree campaign, free and being a universal title when you pick up the Windows 8 version you can grab the Windows Phone version free as well.

The concept behind Enterchained is simple. You are tossed into the gladiator arena where you have to battle a wide range of foes and battle your way to victory. The hitch in this concept is that you are chained to an allied combatant, which limits your freedom of movement and actions.

While game play is mostly the same with both versions the Windows 8 version lacks touch screen support but does have support for two player co-op play in addition to the single player paired with an AI player mode. It is recommended to use game controllers for the co-op play. Otherwise, you may find the keyboard a little cramped.

The Windows Phone version lacks a co-op mode you do have on-screen controls to hack and slash your way through the gaming levels with an AI companion chained to your side.

The action is fast paced and in just tinkering with Enterchained this morning, it comes across as an entertaining action game for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone devices. It will be nice when the Windows 8 version picks up touchscreen support though.

Again, the Windows 8 version is normally priced $2.99 and the Windows Phone version $.99 with neither version having a trial. Enterchained is a universal title and over the next twenty-four hours, you can pick up both free.

Please Note that it may take a little time before this deal is reflected in the myAppFree app due to the various time zones. However, the deal is already active in both the Windows and Windows Phone Stores.

Download Enterchained for Windows 8

Download Enterchained for Windows Phone

myAppFree

Windows Central is proud to be partnering up with myAppFree to bring you savings on Windows Phone apps and games. myAppFree is a free Windows Phone app and service that highlights special deals for software on the Windows Phone Store. Make sure you download their app to keep track of all the specials they run weekly, as you'll never know what you may find.

Windows Central will continue to highlight select Windows Phone apps and games, such as Enterchained, from myAppFree on a regular basis as a benefit to the Windows Central community. Additionally, with myAppFree expanding to offer deals from the Windows Store, look for us to shine the spotlight on the myAppFree deals for Windows 8 apps and games on a regular basis as well. Many of these deals will be universal apps so you'll double your savings.

Download myAppFree for Windows Phone

Download myAppFree for Windows 8