Here’s a game for all our friends in Sweden. Quizkampen is now available for Windows Phone. It comes to our platform via Android and iOS, where it’s already picked up a sizeable number of fans. Today you can join your iPhone and Galaxy friends with Quizkampen. Let’s check it out.

Download the app and you can sign in with either Facebook or your own account. From there you’ll be ready to play some quiz games. Quizkampen features:

• Over 40,000 questions
• 200 questions added daily
• 20 different categories with fun ones like TV series, video games, and more
• Submit your own questions to the game
• Smart rating system to compare your skills with the rest of Sweden

Sadly, we don’t speak Swedish. Although we do love ourselves some Swedish Fish (and babes), we didn’t get a chance to enjoy the game like many of you will.

Hit up the Windows Phone Store to download Quizkampen for free. You’ll of course need to know some Swedish to really have fun. Don’t forget to use the QR codes below or swipe to the right to grab the game. Enjoy! 

Thanks for the tip Samuel S!

Are you noticing more apps and games from iOS and Android making their way to Windows Phone? Here’s another one. Girls Like Robots is a puzzle game about seating arrangements. The goal is to make everyone happy by seating them next to their friends.

You can’t please everybody all the time, so it can be challenging. Head past the break to watch our hands on video and walkthrough.

The logic is simple. To pass a level, you need to keep everyone happy. You have to keep a few things in mind. Girls like robots, but dislike nerds. Robots like girls, but can’t handle being surrounded by 4 of them. Nerds like girls, robots, and edges, but don’t like sitting next to other nerds. The game does a great job explaining the likes and dislikes when introducing new characters.

It all starts easily, but new and surprising elements get introduced as you play. While still taking care of the likes and dislikes of everyone, you may need to leave one seat open or deal with characters that are constantly moving around. Some levels also require you to push bugs towards a student that likes them.

The happiness meter on the left side of the screen has three levels. At the end of each stage, you get tokens depending on how high the happiness meter has reached. The heart button on the lower right corner shows the general relationships between the characters on the grid. If you need to be reminded of their likes and dislikes, just double-tap or press and hold a character.

Girls Like Robots offers over 100 puzzles to solve and includes a storyline to make it more interesting. Another feature is the Face-a-mizer which lets you customize the characters.

You can download Girls Like Robots from the Windows Phone Store for $2.99. There’s also a free trial available. If you have room for another puzzle game, definitely check it out.

Have you heard or played Girls Like Robots on other platforms? Let us know in the comments!

You can’t count on much from Xbox Windows Phone games (what few there are these days) other than Xbox Live Achievements. But lots of gamers love those, so there exists a significant crossover between Windows Phone gamers and users of the two primary Achievement sites: TrueAchievements and Xbox360Achievements.org.

Surprisingly, neither site has released a Windows Phone app… until now. A developer called Divided Pudding (who also published xkcd Comic Reader back in March) has just released a TrueAchievements app, called TrueAchiever. Despite not using the exact site name, it appears to be pretty much the site’s official app. How does it measure up to the site? Find out in our full review!

Getting started

TrueAchievements is a site dedicated towards tracking Xbox Live Achievements earned, providing guides and other assistance towards earning Achievements, and allowing Achievement hunters to socialize with each other. The site supports Xbox One Achievement tracking, which Xbox.com amazingly still can’t do. TrueAchievement is truly an invaluable resource for Achievement hunters, despite the rough and unintuitive layout of the site.

That poor layout and lack of mobile optimization gives TrueAchiever ample opportunity to craft a better mobile experience than the real site. And the app does make many of the TrueAchievements site’s functions faster and easier to access on your Windows Phone device.

However, at present it lacks some of the site's functionality. For example, you’ll need to have registered at the real site before you can use the app. Otherwise you’ll get smacked with a rejection notice like poor George. Once you have a TrueAchievements profile, logging in to the app is as easy as entering your Gamertag.

Achievement browsing

Having logged in, users will be able to view all of the Xbox Live games and apps in which they have earned Achievements. You can already do that through the Xbox Live portion of the Windows Phone Games hub, but TrueAchiever goes above and beyond with its Achievement tracking.

For each game listed on a user’s profile, it also shows a meter and percentage reflecting how many of that game’s Achievements the user has earned. You can probably calculate that information in your head or use a calculator, but it’s faster and more fun to have the information at a glance.

It gets better. Select an individual game and you’ll be taken to a list of that game’s Achievements. The same page also displays how many registered TrueAchievements users have played a game, and how many have completed it (earned all Achievements). The ratio of users played/users completed gives a general indication of how difficult or time consuming that title’s Achievements are – or whether it has any unobtainable ones.

A game’s Achievements can be sorted by alphabetical order (the annoying default), TA score (a proprietary Achievement value based on rarity), Locked or unlocked status, and GamerScore value. I’ve always found the Locked/Unlocked sorting option to be especially useful when calculating which Achievements I still need to complete.

Achievement lists can even be pinned to the Start screen so that you can jump straight to them at a later date. The tiles the app creates are awfully low resolution, but they still provide a great shortcut for Achievement hunters.

As mentioned before, TrueAchiever and its source site can track and browse Xbox One Achievements. It goes without saying that using the app to look through those Achievements is much faster and easier than doing so through the console itself.

Guides

Perusing games and seeing which Achievements you still need to complete is nice, but the app’s Guide functionality truly sets it apart from the phone’s built-in Xbox features or any other resource. See, the TrueAchievements site allows users to create guides for individual Achievements (as opposed to full game guides like Xbox360Achievements.org). When you’re just working on a specific Achievement or two, nothing is quite so convenient as quick access to guides for the ones you need.

TrueAchiever can display those guides – with some caveats. You can’t tell which Achievements have guides and which don’t from the Achievement screen; you have to select the individual Achievement and see whether a guide comes up. Fine for now, but that needs to change in the future.

Having selected an Achievement that does have a guide, users can read both the guide and comments left on the guide by other users, and watch attached YouTube videos. You can’t leave comments or rate a guide from within the app, two elements that also need fixing. Nor can we write guides from within the app, which is less essential but still totally doable from a mobile interface.

The author of the guide appears at the top of the screen. Just a nitpick here, but the word “Author” is unnecessarily abbreviated as “Athr.” Since the app has plenty of room to display the full word, it shouldn’t be calling my peers and me Athrs.

Those complaints aside, it’s still terrific to have quick access to Achievement guides on the phone. Selecting an Achievement and reading over its guide proves so much faster than slowly navigating to the same page on the phone’s web browser.

The guide text fits the screen much better. It correctly displays bold and italic text too. Even some of the best Windows Phone apps can’t do that, for some reason.

You can reduce or increase the guide text font, which should be handy for people will smaller phones like the Lumia 520 or more robust ones such as the 1520. A Maximize/Minimize button next to the font size controls seems to do nothing at present.

More features present, in need of changing, or missing

TrueAchiever isn’t just about getting Achievements for yourself. It lets you read over your friends’ Achievements too. The app’s actual friends list is limited to the top 11 positions on your TrueAchievements friends leaderboard, oddly. I’d love to browse my full friends list as well. But in the meantime, we can at least search for individual gamers and look at their lists.

One of my favorite features of the site is the friends feed. This feed, similar to the Xbox One feature displays a list of you and your friends’ recent accomplishments. The TrueAchievements site allows members to comment on individual Achievement gains and accomplishments, sort of like Facebook. You can pat a friend on the back or just ask her how she got that tough Achievement.

The app does have a friend feed function, but it could be a lot more useful. It only displays Achievements won, not accomplishments like site anniversaries or other milestones. Selecting an Achievement from the feed just takes you to that Achievement’s page on the actual TrueAchievements site; it doesn’t even lead to the app’s version of the same page. Nor can users comment on Achievements, etc. or private message each other through the app.

The final feature on my wishlist is for users to be able to request updates from within the app. TrueAchievements only scans players’ Achievements once a day on its own. We can request additional updates through the site, but the app doesn’t support that just yet.

Okay, one more thing: that awful Live tile/Store icon needs to go!

Overall Impression

TrueAchievements is a must-use site for gamers who enjoy Xbox Live Achievements. Even if you’re not a huge GamerScore hunter, the social nature of the site (seeing what friends are playing, etc.) can be plenty of fun.

Don’t let the laundry list of missing features dissuade you from grabbing TrueAchiever. It handles Achievement tracking and guides much better than mobile Internet Explorer. Going after those hard-to-get Achievements will be easier with TrueAchiever than ever before. The app does have lots of room for improvement, but most of the missing features will surely come in time.

With so few new Xbox Windows Phone games on the horizon, let’s do our best to earn what Achievements we can as we wish for a change of heart from Microsoft.

• TrueAchiever – Windows Phone 8 – 3 MB – Free – Store Link

Thanks to Stumbleduck06for tipping us on the app!

Not long ago, we published an in-depth preview of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare for Xbox One and 360. Electronic Arts had invited us to play the game’s competitive Team Vanquish mode, which proved to be tons of fun. Somehow, the transition from tower defense to third-person shooter works really well with Plants vs. Zombies.

Of course, most decent shooters have more than one game type. Garden Warfare is no exception. This week, PopCap revealed a gameplay video and new details about the game’s “Gardens and Graveyards” game type. The capture and defense-based mode will require serious teamwork in order for one of the game’s rival factions to succeed. Check out the video and our impressions after the break.

Gardens versus graveyards

Garden Warfare’s competitive modes are team based affairs. “Gardens and Graveyards” supports two teams of 12-players, making for massive 24-person shoot-outs. Things would get cramped if the levels were too small. The video that PopCap released shows a gigantic map consisting of interconnected islands and multiple bases to capture and defend, so breathing room shouldn’t be much of a problem.

The Gardens and Graveyards game type puts the Plants in charge of defending their garden bases from the invading zombies. They’ll do so with guns and glory, plus some base fortifications. The defend-the-base aspect is quite similar to the mainline Plants vs. Zombies games, except with much more action this time.

The Zombie team starts out in the lair of the nefarious Dr. Zomboss – the final boss of the original Plants vs. Zombies. From there, the undead team will rush towards the first of the Plants’ bases. If the Zombies manage to take the base, it becomes a respawn point and puts them one step closer to capturing their final objective. The Plants can retake the base, but they’ll have to contend with the Zombies’ fortifications when they try it.

The Zombies’ final objective in the video’s Driftwood Shores map is the Plants’ Mega Flower Lighthouse. Will they succeed in capturing it? Not if the Plants team plays skillfully and pulls together when it counts.

More to come

Garden Warfare features two more game modes: Team Vanquish and Co-op (probably not the final name). In Team Vanquish, the goal is simply to help your team reach 50 kills (called Vanquishes here). Team deathmatch has been done to death in first- and third-person shooters, but Garden Warfare stands out thanks to its unique classes and the creative special abilities each class gets to wield. See our hands-on impressions for more details.

As for co-op, the online mode supports up to four Plants players. They’ll take on waves of AI zombies and bosses in their efforts to keep their gardens (and human creators) safe. The Xbox One version also allows 2 local players to team up in split-screen co-op. The 360 version is limited to online play.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare arrives both on the Xbox One and 360 on February 18 of next year. The Xbox One version will cost $39.99 while the Xbox 360 version will ring up for $29.99. Preorder either console version to receive two in-game card packs that will unlock various customization options.

Need some games to fill up your Windows Phone device? Now may be the perfect time because Gameloft, a popular video game developer and publisher based in France, has just reduced prices on nine of their best games for Windows Phone by at least 50% for the Holidays. Check out the discounted titles after the break. You might find something you like.

Order & Chaos - a true real-time, full-3D MMORPG on your Windows Phone. Now $2.99 (Store link)

N.O.V.A.3 - Fight for mankind's survival in this space shooter. Now $2.99 (Store link)

Modern Combat 4 - first-person shooter with real-time online multiplayer. Now $2.99 (Store link)

The Amazing Spider-Man - The official game from the 2012 movie, “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Now $2.99 (Store link)

The Dark Knight Rises - The epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy arrives in the exclusive video game inspired by the movie. Now $2.99 (Store link)

Lets Golf 2 - Newest edition of the popular Let’s Golf series is just the thing you need for the most exciting golf adventure you’ll ever find. Now $1.99 (Store link)

Assassin's Creed - Altaïr's Chronicles HD - You are Altaïr, a Master Assassin sent by the Order of the Assassins on a quest to steal the Chalice from the Templars in order to end the Crusades. Now $1.99 (Store link)

Brain Challenge HD - Complete brain training program with total brain activity coverage and a personalized coach to help all brain profiles. Now $1.99 (Store link)

Uno - The world-famous card game is faithfully reproduced for mobile and also features exciting new rules. Now $1.99 (Store link)

You can check out the entire holiday collection here. Which of these nine games from Gameloft are you buying? Let us know in the comments!

Windows Phone Central Roundup: Games and apps for the Holiday Season

With Christmas right around the corner, what better way to get into the Holiday Spirit than with a few Christmas themed Windows Phone apps and games?

This week’s Windows Phone Central Roundup features a few such games and apps.  We pulled a handful of the top rated apps and games from the Windows Phone Store for this week's roundup.  There is one app to give your Windows Phone lockscreen a holiday touch, a couple games with a Holiday touch, and one app to keep track of Saint Nick on his global journey.

Sleigh (free)

Sleigh has been around the Windows Phone Store for some time now and is an endless slide/jump game from the developers of the Windows Phone game Penguin.  Game play isn’t much different than Penguin or other slide/jump game such as Rainbow Rapture or Sunny Hillride.

Sleigh's Game Play Instructions

You control Santa and his sleigh as he slides up and down a series of hills and valleys.  You tap/hold the screen on the down-slope to gain momentum and release your hold on the up-slope to send Santa flying through the air.

Along the way you can collect presents scattered on the ground for speed boosts.  The goal is to travel as far as possible before the timer runs out (illustrated by the bar graph in the upper left corner).  As Santa catches air, time will be added to the clock.

Santa Catching Some Air

Sleigh has clean graphics, straightforward game play and is a fun game to pass the time with.  There is an odd sort of enjoyment in seeing how high you can get Santa's sleigh to soar through the air.  I doubt that Sleigh could hold up to marathon gaming sessions but if you need something to do while waiting in line at the restaurant, in the parking lot as your significant other runs into the store for "one last present", a friendly distraction at the office party or are just looking for a fun way to pass a few minutes with Sleigh is worth the download.

Sleigh is a free, ad-supported game available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices.  You can pick up Sleigh here in the Windows Phone Store.

AE City Jump-Christmas (free)

There are plenty of established Windows Phone games that adds a Holiday theme to game play.  We have seen such updates with Tiny Death Star, Rail Rush and AE City Jump-Christmas. 

AE City Jump's Main Menu

AE City Jump-Christmas is another endless/infinity action game that has you swinging from rooftop to rooftop within various global cities.  The Holiday theme comes in the form of a new city level that has you jumping from gift box to gift box.  Beyond that, the game looks just like it did pre-holidays.

Game play is simple with your character swinging from a rope.  As the player approaches a building or gift box, tap the screen to release your characters hold on the rope.  If you have timed it right, the shadowy character will land safely on the box top and earn points.  Time it perfect and the figure will land in the center of the rooftop for bonus points.  If your timing isn’t just right, your player will fall to their demise and the game ends.

AE City Jump Gift Box City

The goal, as you would guess, is to rack up as many points as possible and swing as far as possible.

The gift box level is the second city and can be unlocked one of two ways.  You can score 2000 points in the first city, New York, or pay $.99 through an in-app purchase.

Like Sleigh, AE City Jump is a simple game that is an entertaining option to pass the time with.  Graphics are a bit on the minimal side but they work and the animations are well done.  I like how the jumper struggles to gain their balance when your timing is borderline.

All totaled, AE City Jump-Christmas is a nice choice of games and the gift box city does give the game a little Holiday spirit.  AE City Jump is a free, ad-supported game available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices.  You do have a few in-app purchases to unlock levels or buy energy units that are used as “second chances” when you crash and burn.

You can find AE City Jump-Christmas here in the Windows Phone Store.

My Christmas Tree (trial/$1.29)

My Christmas Tree is a creative Holiday app for Windows Phone 8 that lets you create and customize a Christmas tree wallpaper that can be used as your Windows Phone lockscreen or shared amongst friends.

The app is laid out simple with a gallery page where you can create new scenes or view ones previously made.  The creation page has a respectable collection of tree ornaments and lights to decorate your tree with lining up the left side of the screen.

My Christmas Tree Menu and Build Screens

Across the bottom of the screen you will find control buttons to choose your background, tree style, or hide/reveal the ornament menu.  All totaled you have twenty-two ornaments, four tree toppers, four backgrounds, and eight tree styles.  You can also add your own image as a backdrop for the tree.

To start decorating, just tap an ornament to select it and then tap the spot on the tree you want it placed.  If you don’t like what you see, just tap the ornament to remove it.

Once complete, your Christmas scene can be,

• Shared
• Set as your lockscreen
• Saved to your Pictures Hub
• Pinned to your Windows Phone Start screen.

You can find all these options (as well as a Help Section) up under the three-dot menu on the scene creation screen.  I would have liked to have seen the ability to add text to your Christmas picture but maybe that can be a feature for next season.

My Christmas Tree Samples

My Christmas Tree is definitely a seasonal app for Windows Phone 8 but a fun way to decorate your phone for the Holiday Season.  It is also a nice addition to the Kid’s Corner (if applicable) to give your kids something to pass the time with.

There is a free trial version available for My Christmas Tree.  The full version will run you $1.49 and the app is available for Windows Phone 8 devices.  You can find My Christmas Tree here in the Windows Phone Store.

Reindeer Roundup ($1.29)

Reindeer Roundup is an entertaining physics-based puzzle game for Windows Phone 8.  The game challenges you to stack an odd assortment of reindeers all in an effort to collect Santa’s lost gifts.

The game has fifty levels of game play where reindeers parachute in from the top of the screen.  You tap the parachute to take control of the deer and stack them on a pedestal that sits at the bottom of the screen.

Reindeer Roundup Menu and Settings

You have a wide assortment of reindeer from tall, skinny reindeers to short, fat reindeers to reindeers in a cube of ice.  You need to be extra careful with the ice reindeers because they will slip and slide.

To add to the challenge of balancing the reindeers on top of one another, you have candy canes appearing at the sides of the screen that will swipe at your reindeer stack.  If they make contact with your stack, the reindeers will topple and you fail the level.

Reindeer Roundup Game Screens

The goal is to stack the reindeer up the screen until the reach a variety of objectives.  Some levels require you to reach a string of lights while others call for you to conceal a series of lights.  Once the first objective is reached, you then have to stack the reindeer a little higher to collect one of Santa’s gifts.  When you reach any objective, the stack must stay balanced for three seconds before victory is proclaimed.

Reindeer Roundup is an enjoyable, casual puzzle game that has appealing graphics and challenging game play.  Holiday Season or otherwise, Reindeer Roundup is a great gaming choice for your Windows Phone 8 device.

Reindeer Roundup lacks a trial version and is currently running $1.29.  However, we have seen the game offered as a free game from time to time.  You can find your copy of Reindeer Roundup here in the Windows Phone Store.

Where is Santa? (free)

If you have kids, you are going to be asked on Christmas Eve (if not before) where Santa is.  Many local television stations will have Santa Updates during Christmas Eve to keep children updated on the jolly old elf’s progress around the globe.  If you can’t make it to one of these updates, there is a Windows Phone 8 app that might help.

Where is Santa? allows you to follow Santa’s every move.  The app will also chart your current location and  give you an estimated time of arrival to your location.

Where is Santa? Global View and Home View

Where is Santa? has a easy to follow layout with a radar scan button in the bottom right corner and a My Home (my location) banner button in the upper left corner.  Settings are positioned beneath the three-dot menu and are limited to turning on/off your Windows Phone location services.  You can also get rid of the ad banners from the settings through an in-app purchase of $1.49.

When you tap the radar scan button, the app will update Santa’s location and a written update on Santa’s activities will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.  Tapping the My Home banner will send the map to your current location and display Santa’s estimated time of arrival.

Where is Santa? may not be a Windows Phone 8 app that has wide reaching appeal but for those with small children, it can be a fun distraction.  You may even be able to use the estimated arrival display to encourage them to go to sleep quicker.  Hey, it’s worth a try!

Where is Santa? is a free, ad-supported app available for Windows Phone 8 that you can pick up here in the Windows Phone Store.

Happy Holidays!

The holiday themed apps and games in this week’s roundup represent but a small portion of what is available in the Windows Phone Store.  The games are more casually oriented but entertaining nonetheless.

I’ve always had an appreciation for endless slider/jumping games so Sleigh has a bit of personal appeal.  It is easy to find yourself raising and lowering in your chair with the Santa sleigh as he flies through the air.

My only nit with AE City Jump-Christmas is that once your character lands on a rooftop or gift box, it takes a few seconds to transition to the next jump.  It is hard to get any type of rhythm with AE City Jump because of the lag time.  Otherwise, it is a fun game to choose if you need help passing the time.

Reindeer Roundup is a challenging game that tests your ability to stack and balance objects.  Game play varies ever so slightly to keep things interesting and prevents the game from going stale too quickly.

While the games may be able to survive year round, My Christmas Tree and Where is Santa? are definitely seasonal titles.  My Christmas Tree is a creative way to give your Windows Phone a touch of the Holiday spirit.  Where is Santa? can be a sanity saver if you need have small children desperate to find out how close Santa is from their house.

As with any of our roundups, if we’ve missed your favorite app or game for the Christmas Holiday Season sound off in the comments below.

Game developer 10tons is getting into the Christmas spirit with some new offers on Windows Phone games. Azkend 2: The World Beneath joins Heroes of Kalevala and King Oddball, each having their price slashed by a fair amount. If you're looking for some superb deals on addictive and worthwhile games, read on past the break.

Azkend 2: The World Beneath

Azkend 2 is a sweet puzzle game that tasks you with finding three or more of the same object in a row (much like other similar puzzle titles). The story sees you traveling from England to the US, but your ship gets into trouble and is somehow trapped in a whirlpool. There's also a neat finding mini-game to keep it fresh as you progress.

You can download Azkend 2: The World Beneath from the Windows Phone Store for $1.29 (normally $4.49)

Heroes of Kalevala

If you're more into constructing your own magical village, you'll want to check out Heroes of Kelevala. With more than 140 hand-crafted levels, featuring unique match-3 gameplay such as lock bomb combos and tar fights, this title will turn your Windows Phone into an addictive gaming device.

You can download Heroes of Kalevala from the Windows Phone Store for $1.29 (normally $2.49)

King Oddball

King Oddball is an interesting and unique title (and by unique, we mean it will almost certainly freak you out), which sees the player control a disembodied head who can throw boulders with his tongue to effectively conquer the world. You wouldn't be wrong to think the gameplay is much like Angry Birds, but there's enough here to keep you from feeling cheated. 

You can download King Oddball from the Windows Phone Store for $1.29 (normally $2.49)

Be sure to check out the deals over on the 10tons website, including offers for titles on other platforms.

Reality TV fans might have heard of Ice Road Truckers. It’s on the History channel, featuring the activities of drivers who operate trucks on seasonal routes in remote Arctic territories in Canada and Alaska. The official app has been available for iOS and Android for a while now. Fans of the show who are also Windows Phone users can now play the game, too. It has just arrived at the Windows Phone Store.  The initial version has a one major bug, though.

Head past the break to watch our gameplay video.

The controls are very basic in Ice Road Truckers. Press and hold the right side of the screen to turn right. Press and hold the left side of the screen to turn left. Press both sides to go faster. The goal is to drive as far as you can in slippery terrain while avoiding rocks, trees, or lakes.

Collecting coins on the road give you currency to use at the Truck Store. You can buy power-ups like extra boosts over ramps or the ability to destroy rocks and trees. You can also purchase characters that have different abilities. For example, Lisa has an extra chance to avoid damage while Alex can see farther down the road.

If you don’t have enough coins for the store, there are in-app purchase options with real money. You can buy 250,000 coins for $4.99.

Ice Road Truckers has been on television since 2007. There has been seven seasons so far.  Even if you’re not a fan of the show, you might like the game for its simplicity. However, we don’t recommend downloading this initial version. We notice one major bug where there the map after a game sometimes does not go away when you restart a level. It becomes unplayable unless you quit and restart the game. We hope that gets fixed in an update.

Ice Road Truckers is 99 cents at the Windows Phone Store without a free trial. You should probably wait for the next update before buying this game. If you feel adventurous, check it out anyway and let us know what you think in the comments.

The amount of marketing that’s been done for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is ridiculous. Some future marketing classes will definitely be looking back at the amount of work that Paramount Studios has done to promote it. For example, Will Ferrell has been in character as Ron Burgundy on CNN and ESPN in the weeks leading up to the movies premiere. Now we’ve got an official Anchorman 2 game for Windows Phone.

According to Ron Burgundy, the following game is “the greatest app in the history of western civilization”. Here’s what you can do in the game:

• Tons of brand new lines from Ron Burgundy, voiced by Will Ferrell
• Simple swipe-to-toss gameplay, easy and fun for everyone
• 4 different locations: The News Teams' new NYC apartment, Ron's shag-tastic RV, the 24 hour newsroom, and Tino’s Jazz Bar
• Play in real life!  Print out a copy of the Table Top Rules with a nearly life-size portrait of Ron to accompany your games with actual ice!

The game has been loaded up on our Lumia 1020 and performs well. It’s nothing innovative, but it’s pretty fun to hang out with Ron Burgundy on our Windows Phone.

The movie comes out today. Anyone seeing it?

Want the game for your Windows Phone 8 device? Download clocks in at 41 MB. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store for $0.99. 

Via: Windows Phone Blog

Windows Phone owners have been enjoying the sprint in Temple Run, but many have been anxiously awaiting the release of the game's sequel - Temple Run 2. We've got some fantastic news for you as the game has just been released. Not only that, but we have support for Xbox Live! Speed on past the break for the details, links, QR codes, coins and more.

If you're not familiar with Temple Run 2 (or the Temple Run series itself), you're looking at another infinite runner, designed to test your reactions and skill as you traverse through the environment, avoiding obstacles, collecting coins and being a general badass. In Temple Run 2, all this gameplay is enhanced with cliffs, zip lines, mines and forests to provide more variety in each play through. 

Not only are the graphics vastly improved in Temple Run 2, compared to the outdated original (even though it's still a classic and worth the download), but you're also set to battle new obstacles to test your experience in endless runner games. But fear not as you'll have more powerups to choose from and achievements to unlock - so prepare your hands for some grinding action as you aim for those G's.

So who are you able to play? Just like in versions already available on other platforms, you can control Guy Dangerous (the default character), Scarlett Fox, Barry Bones, Karma Lee, Francisco Montoya - Spanish conquistador, Zack Wonder - American football player and Montana Smith. 

Just like the original game, there's the option to purchase optional upgrades like the coin doubler, as well as coin packs to help you fund your Temple Run 2 addiction. If you're short on cash, there are a few ways to get some free stuff, including daily and weekly challenges. Finally, you have some artifacts to obtain (as well as the XBL achievements), leaderboards and statistics to boast about.

What are you waiting for? You can download Temple Run 2 from the Windows Phone Store for free (needs 1GB RAM - Windows Phone 8 only). Can you outrun the cursed idol?

Update: Microsoft's Joe Belfiore just confirmed that 512 MB support is coming in a future update

Big thanks to everyone who tipped us!

While some may say we have too many puzzle games in the Windows Phone Store, they remain a great option for the times you have a little time to kill.  Number Rumble hopes to join the number of quality puzzle games available for Windows Phone.

Based on playing the trial version, we can see the appeal Number Rumble has.  It tests your math skills along with your ability to manage combinations of numbers.  There’s a slight addictive quality to the game and if you are looking for a slightly different puzzle game for your Windows Phone, check out Number Rumble.

The concept behind Number Rumble is that you are given a collection of numbered blocks that you have to combine to add up to a preset value.  You must find the right combinations to use all the numbers, cleaning out the game screen.

For example, you have six numbers available and must find combinations that add up to 8, choosing up to two number blocks.

The game is divided into thirty levels and the quicker you complete each puzzle, the better your score (up to three stars).  The gaming screen for Number Rumble has a reset button and mute button scattered across the bottom of the screen.  Your puzzle variables will be displayed above your numbered blocks.  Just tap on a block to highlight it and then tap on the other blocks to combine them.

The gaming levels start out on the easy side but do progressively get more challenging.  The only downside to the game is that with only thirty levels of puzzles, it may make game play short lived.  One can hope the developer updates the game and adds a few hundred more levels to Number Rumble.

There is a trial version available for Numbers Rumble that lets you tackle the first five puzzles.  To unlock the remaining twenty-five levels will cost you $.99.

Number Rumble is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices and you can find it here in the Windows Phone Store.

Love skateboarding? Even if you don't (or are unable to) participate in the sport, you can enjoy yourself on your Windows Phone with Skateboard Party 2 from Ratrod Studio. This is a brand new skateboarding game with gorgeous graphics, addictive gameplay and a lot to offer those who skate for real. Even better? It's co-launching on iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

If you find yourself sat in the daily commute (or anywhere else for that matter) with a handful of minutes to spare, you'll want to grind on past the break to see what this new, hip game is all about. 

Enabling players to skate in eight unique locations, Skateboard Party 2 brings variety to the table, whether it be customising the boards, trucks or even wheels with real and trusted brands. You'll find yourself practicing some sick moves and landing those awe-inspiring combos that you could only dream of completing on a real skateboard - unless you're a professional skateboard with a Windows Phone, of course.

There are 9 characters to choose from, each can be customised to your heart's content with the above board options and favourite gear. A free skate mode is present just in case you wish to remove the time constraints and just enjoy the air flow through your hands as you ride along the environment pulling off new stunts and mastering your skills.

Don't worry if you prefer skateboarding with others as this game will also enable you to go up against mates in the new multiplayer mode, but you can also challenge skaters from all over the world using online leaderboards - who doesn't want to be at the top? Although this isn't an Xbox Live title, there are achievements included, as well as the ability to gain experience and upgrade your favourite character.

The controls are fairly easy to get used to and Skateboard Party 2 lets you customise the controls to best fit your playstyle. With over 40 unique tricks that can be worked into hundreds of combinations, there are many hours to be poured into this game. Experience gained from play can be used to upgrade your skater's attributes and you won't mind any grinding with the selection of music available.

You can download Skateboard Party 2 from the Windows Phone Store for $1.99 (Windows Phone 8 only - 343MB - no free trial, but we highly recommend the download). There are optional in-app purchases available for you to increase your level of experience points. Thanks to everyone who tipped us!

A few months ago, we interviewed Game Insight about their Windows Phone and Windows 8 offerings. The US- and Russia-based publisher has already released My Country and Rule the Kingdom for both platforms. Their sister company NARR8 also offers the NARR8 app on Windows 8. During our talk, they revealed that My Country 2020 would be coming over to Windows devices, as well as future titles.

Now Windows Phone Central is proud to exclusively announce another Game Insight title that will come to Windows Phone 8 in 2014: Tank Domination. The tank combat genre is currently doing big business on multiple platforms, from PC to consoles to mobile. World of Tanks is going strong in beta on Xbox 360, for example. Tank Domination will bring that same style of gameplay to Windows Phone 8. Head past the break for gameplay details, our hands-on video of the iPad version, and more Game Insight news.

Preparing for battle

Like World of Tanks, Game Insight’s Tank Domination is a free to play online-only game. After logging in, players arrive in their own personal tank hangar. From there you can manage your tanks, purchase equipment and upgrades, and hop into battle.

Every good tank combat game needs an armada of realistic tanks for players to drive, and Tank Domination doesn’t disappoint. Each is based on a real-life vehicle or concept tank from the United States, Russia, and China.

Tanks falls into Light, Medium, Heavy, and Artillery categories as well. A tank’s size determines its movement speed, durability, and firepower – the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Artillery are a special class, with limited movement and defense but especially high damage capabilities. A light escort can be essential to keeping Artillery tanks safe.

Various tanks and armaments will unlock for purchase as players level up. 30 is the highest level, at which point you’ll have everything unlocked. You can own three tanks by default, with defeated tanks becoming unavailable for a short time. A fourth tank slot will cost Warbucks, the game’s premium currency.

Tank you very much

Tank Domination on iOS currently offers a single game type for up to 20 players: Capture the Flag. Game Insight plans to add new modes over time, so the Windows Phone version could possibly launch with more.

Capture the Flag is a team-based game type. The two teams strive to steal each other’s flags – by reaching the flag and staying with it long enough, you’ll win the game. Matches can also be won by eliminating all of the other side’s tanks; no respawns here.

Tanks are slow and deliberate vehicles. As such, touch screen controls work better in games like this than faster-paced shooters. A stick on the left side controls movement. A button beside it will set the tank to moving forward without the need to press the stick. On the right side of the screen, you’ll find another stick for aiming, as well as buttons to zoom the view and fie.

The tanks in this game can use multiple types of ammunition. Each ammo type has its own damage rating, reload time, and other properties. You can actually switch ammo types during the match, allowing you to match your firepower to your opponents.

More to come

Game Insight has multiple titles in development for the first half of 2014. The publisher couldn’t confirm, a specific time frame for Tank Domination’s release, but it should arrive on Windows Phone sometime next year. It will be free to play. A Windows 8 release is likely too, though it hasn’t been set in stone yet.

After producing mostly casual games like city builders, Tank Domination will be Game Insight’s most hardcore game so far. It’s also proof of the publisher’s excitement for Windows Phone. “Windows Phone will follow Android and become the next big thing,” a representative told us.

Game Insight has seen a forty percent increase in Windows Phone users since publishing their first game in 2012, and the platform continues to grow. The same applies to Russia, the company’s home territory. Game Insight predicts that country’s mobile market will expand by 71 percent by 2016. Hopefully Windows Phone holds onto a big piece of that pie… The availability of Game Insight’s software there certainly won’t hurt.

Books too

Game Insight’s interactive reading app NARR8 launched on Windows 8 earlier this fall. The app offers a variety of exclusive episodic interactive stories with animation, sound, and voice. Naturally, we wondered if a phone version would follow the tablet app. Turns out, it will! NARR8 will come to Windows Phone 8 in 2014.

We’ll have more Windows Phone and Windows 8 news from Game Insight early next year!

The Xbox One isn’t due for another retail game release until early 2014. Luckily, early adopters have a steady stream of downloadable releases to keep them busy until then. Peggle 2 (review coming soon) showed up not long ago, and Halo: Spartan Assault is due out on Christmas Eve.

This past Friday another game popped up somewhat unexpectedly: Max: The Curse of Brotherhood from Press Play and Microsoft Studios.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is the sequel to Windows Phone 7 launch title Max and the Magic Marker. It also happens to be exclusive to Xbox One and 360, with the 360 version coming later next year. Can a 2D-style platformer still excite the senses on next gen consoles? We just so happen to have video footage of the first two levels to share with you guys. Check it out after the break!

Sibling rivalry

At the start of the game, Max comes home from school to find his little brother Felix playing with (and breaking) his toys. Then he does what any of us would do, and looks online for a way to get rid of the kid. Max discovers a spell for brother removal and reads it aloud, not expecting anything to happen. But something does happen: he and Felix are swallowed up into a portal and transported to another world.

Awakening in the new world, Max sees a giant monster lumbering off with his little bro. He quickly runs after them… At which point players are now controlling Max in full 2D gameplay with 3D graphics.

Initially the game plays just like any other 2D platformer. Max can run, jump, crawl under spaces and climb ladders and ropes. The platforming feels much better with a controller than the previous game did on a phone’s touch screen though, so that’s a plus.

Drawn to life

Before long, Max meets a mysterious old woman who imbues his marker with magical powers. That’s when the gameplay gets really interesting. Now Max can use the marker to affect the game world and solve puzzles.

Hold the Right Trigger to whip out Max’s magic marker, which you then control like a cursor with the left stick. In this game, the marker can only interact with specific glowing portions of the game world. The marker can raise platformers from the ground with the A button or break them apart with the X button. A platform can only be raised once; if you need to adjust its height you’ll need to crush it and craft a new one.

The puzzles that we’ve seen so far are simple and intuitive – no getting stuck on a single screen for ages or anything like that. But Max will surely gain new abilities as the game continues.

Hopefully the difficulty remains as approachable throughout the game as it is now. Developer Press Play went overboard at times with the difficulty in the first Max and especially their previous phone game Tentacles. I’d hate to see The Curse of Brotherhood veer into frustrating territory as well.

We’ll have a full review of Max: The Curse of Brotherhood before the New Year. If you’re dying for an Xbox One platformer, this game looks like a safe bet.

• Max: The Curse of Brotherhood– Xbox One – 3 GB – $14.99 – Xbox.com Store Link

Game titles from iOS and Android keep coming to Windows Phone. Here’s another one. Bee Leader is a beautifully designed game with a cool flight model & fun physics. You’re a big bee flying around the world and hovering over flowers to collect nectar. Want to play it on a bigger screen? The Windows version has also just been released.

Head past the break to watch our gameplay video.

You earn points when turning nectars into honey. Enemies and bad weather will try to get in your way. Bee Leader has already been downloaded millions of times on other platforms. Will it be a hit on Windows and Windows Phone 8?

There are different ways to control the big bee. Under the settings, you can choose joystick, touch or tilt. We find the joystick mode easiest to use, but try them all out to see which one works best for you.

The goal is to collect as much nectar as you can before the sun sets. The faster you get nectar back to your hive, the more honey you'll make. There are plenty of bonuses on each level - nectar, honey, time, and bee buddies. The more bee buddies you find, the more nectar you'll collect. More nectar means more honey.

There are 16 levels over 5 different worlds: Just Desert, Country Life, City Heights, Island Time and London Fun. Each world has different obstacles, enemies, flowers, bonuses and other interactive goodies. The great visuals and sound make this game really enjoyable.

Bee Leader is available at the Windows Phone Store for $1.49. Unfortunately, there is no free trial. This could be a good time to use that $20 store voucher if you have recently purchased a Lumia device. The Windows 8 version costs $1.99.

Is this your type of game? Let us know in the comments!

Windows Phone users have waited a long time to get Hill Climb Racing, but the developers bring the Christmas update for the popular physics-based driving game around the same time on Windows Phone, Android and iOS. Version 1.13 adds 2 new levels and one vehicle.

Don’t worry if you don’t have enough coins to unlock the new items. Watch the video after the break to see what’s new.

In Hill Climb Racing, you play as Newton Bill, a young aspiring uphill racer. You face the challenges of unique hill climbing environments with many different vehicles. Earn points from daring tricks and collect coins to upgrade your car and reach even higher distances.

The controls are easy, with just two buttons: gas and brake. Think again if you believe you can just get through the levels by just pressing down the gas pedal. You’ll need to figure out when it’s good to accelerate and when it’s time to slow down.

The Christmas update brings two new levels: Xmas and Night. Newton Bill also gets a Santa suit. The Xmas level has Christmas trees on the road. You can either try to drive over the trees or speed up to go through. The new Night level is obviously darker. You depend on your vehicle’s headlights to guide you through the level.

Hill Climb Racing 1.13 also introduces the new dragster. It stays low to the ground with a huge rear wheel and smaller front wheel. It’s hard to imagine a dragster car in real life racing uphill in uneven terrain, but you can do it in this game.

Hill Climb Racing is a free download at Windows Phone Store. The ads don’t get in the way while you’re playing, but you can remove them by purchasing coins at the store. The most affordable option is 150,000 coins for $1.99.

Are you a Hill Climb Racing fan? Let us know what you think of the Christmas update in the comments!

Thanks for the tip, Talk4Lig!

If you have be experiencing wantingness for new gaming levels to your favorite Angry Birds game, today is your lucky day.  Updates have gone out to just about every Windows Phone 8 Angry Birds gaming title, adding new levels, characters and features.

We will start with the original Angry Birds game being updated to version 4.0.  Based on the Windows Phone store details the update adds 30 extra levels in a new Short Fuse episode.  You also have 15 new levels in a Birthday Party episode and a new wave bomb feature.

Angry Birds Rio

Angry Birds Rio makes the jump to version 1.8 and adds twenty-six new Rocket Rumble levels, two new characters and fireworks.

Angry Birds Seasons leaps to version 4.0.1 which adds twenty-five new levels with four bonus levels.  There is a new Arctic level and a new underwater attack where you can plan a surprise attack on the pigs by flinging the birds under the icy Arctic waters.

Angry Birds Star Wars

Angry Birds Star Wars adds thirty new levels with version 1.5 that includes fifteen new space battles that feature a massive Imperial Star Destroyer and fifteen Death Star levels.  You also have the possibility to unmask Lard Vader to see who is hiding behind the mask.

And do not worry, Angry Birds Star Wars II is also in on Rovio’s massive update wave.  The update takes Angry Birds Star Wars II to version 1.2.1 and delivers the latest Battle Naboo chapter to the game with forty-four new levels and three new free characters.  This includes twenty new Pork Side levels, twenty new Bird Side levels and four new secret levels.

Angry Birds Star Wars II Telepod Support

The update also brings Angry Birds telepod support to the game where you can teleport your favorite character into the game through your Windows Phone camera.

The update collection delivers over 125 new levels to the Angry Birds Windows Phone games with the only version of Angry Birds not receiving an update being Angry Birds Space.  Add all this with the minor updates Angry Birds Go! has been receiving and Rovio is giving the Windows Phone platform a good bit of well-received attention.

You can find the updated versions of the Angry Birds games through the following Windows Phone Store links or by scanning the QR Codes below.  Each game is available for Windows Phone 8 and has a trial version.  The full version of each game is currently running $.99.

Thanks, everyone, for the tips!

Angry Birds

Angry Birds Rio

Angry Birds Seasons

Angry Birds Star Wars

Angry Birds Star Wars II

Big Bang is the first Rabbids game we've had on Windows Phone 8. If you're not familiar with the franchise, Rabbids are crazy, raving rabbits that cause mischief and wreck havoc wherever they go. In this physics-based title, the pesky little terrors are in space and require you, the player to help pilot them about. 

Are you ready to become an expert Rabbit pilot? Good stuff. The goal is to thrust a Rabbid into space, control its trajectory using a jetpack and planet gravity to complete 150 silly, whacky and challenging missions. Players are able to traverse through 10 different galaxies, each offering 15 unique missions. 

Doesn't sound crazy enough to be a Rabbids game? How about bouncing on Space Duckies, hitting Space Cows or even flying your Rabbid to the Sun? You're surely getting the idea now, when firing up Big Bang you're to forget everything logic and immerse yourself into the universe of the unknown. 

A ranking system is present to progress with your Rabbid and unlock achievements. Upgrades and customisations are available for the Rabbit, enabling you to personalise the experience slightly to how you'd like to progress. When playing through levels, be sure to collect coins to upgrade the jetpack and increase its power output. Helmets, bats and more are available to create some real interesting looks.

With the crazy space animals, cheese planets and even UFOs, your Rabbid will be screaming "Bwaaah!" alongside yourself as you experience the whacky gameplay of Big Bang. The title is already available on both Android and iOS, but it's good to see Ubisoft expanding its horizons. What's more is Big Bang on Windows Phone is compatible with Xbox Live, just in case those achievements aren't worth anything.

You can download Big Bang from the Windows Phone Store for $0.99 (Windows Phone 8 only - 41MB). Thanks, Chad, for the tip!

While we expected AMA Ltd.’s Animal Park Tycoon to hit the Windows Phone Store a few months ago, the game quietly snuck on to Store shelves last week.

Animal Park Tycoon is a popular management game that places you in charge of a zoo.  You start out small and build your zoo empire by adding attractions and animals to your park to keep visitors interested in visiting your park.

Key features of Animal Park Tycoon include:

• Collect and manage up to fifteen species of animals and unlock new species to bring more variety to your zoo
• Play six different environments that include the Plains, Savannah, Polar Region, Mountains, Jungle and Swamp
• Unlock two legendary animals to bring fame to your park, a Unicorn and Cthulhu

Animal Park Tycoon also includes a series of mini-games to keep things interesting.

Along with building attractions and bringing new animals to your zoo, you will also have to manage the finer points of operating a zoo such as regulating ticket and concession prices.  You will need to find a balance to cover your operating costs and keep visitors coming through the gates.

Animal Park Tycoon is a free game, available for Windows Phone 8 devices.  You can find your copy of Animal Park Tycoon here in the Windows Phone.

Thanks, Mohamed, for the tip!

There's never a quiet day in the Windows Phone community when we're talking about app updates. Developers enjoy submitting regular releases to the store, introducing new features and functionality, as well as fixing a bug here and there. Today we're covering Snes8x and Freddy. Head on past the break to see what's new in each app.

Snes8x

First up is Snes8x, which now has MOGA controller support - both Pocket and Pro versions are compatible. The popular Super Nintendo emulator for Windows Phone is packed full of features for those who enjoy some retro gaming here and there. The only requirement for the new MOGA controller support is GDR3 (or Update 3 as it's now known).

The controller can be enabled in Settings > Input and you're good to go. Version 1.4 also includes a possible fix for the virtual controller freezing issue, which has caused problems for users.

You can download version 1.4 of Snes8x from the Windows Phone Store for free. It's worth noting that Windows Phone Central does not support the illegal acquisition of video games, including ROMs.

Freddy

Next up is Freddy, a physics-based arcade game, where players are tasked with preventing Freddy the Frog from eating the poisonous balls, which fall from above. It may sound like a super easy game, but don't be fooled and head in blindly, this game gets more difficult as you progress.

Version 1.1.0 brings bug fixes, general improvements and special Christmas themed levels. We can tease that more levels, language support, achievements and more improvements will be coming in future updates. Be sure to grab this challenging, cute little game over the festive period to appreciate the latest update.

Grab Freddy from the Windows Phone Store for $0.99 - Windows Phone 8 only and free trial available. 

Thanks to everyone who tipped us!