Since 2013 is coming to an end (we trust you all have your parties to attend to?), myAppFree has thrown yet another deal together for you all to grab NinjaCat Bombay for free over the next 24 hours. The deal has already kicked off, so head past the break to learn more about the title and to grab the game from the store.

So what exactly is NinjaCat Bombay? It's a platformer and ninja action game with some physics. There are light RPG elements to the title in the form of skill and weapon upgrades. It's a neat game that will surely absorb hours when you're sat there pondering what to do on your Windows Phone.

NinjaCat Bombay is also currently in development, which means you have the ability to shape the game's future through feedback and suggestions. From the cool, funky music to the enjoyable combat system and gameplay, you're sure to have some fun battling through the levels.

Download NinjaCat Bombay from the Windows Phone Store for free before the deal ends (usually $1.99) by hitting the link or scanning the QR code below. Who's picking up a copy?

Into the Dead is an intense game. It throws you into a dark field full of zombies and you have to run past them. Do what you have to in order to stay alive. Keep moving and protect yourself by any means necessary. Into the Dead has been available on iOS and Android, but now Windows Phone users can play it, too.

Head past the break to watch our gameplay video.

Before you even start playing a round, we recommend going into the settings for the detail level. You can choose low or high. It works well on the high setting for the Nokia Lumia 1520. Try playing with this setting on your device to see which one works best.

When you start, you’re immediately running forward. The only actions available for you are left, right, and fire. There are four control schemes, so you can choose whichever one is the most comfortable for you. We like the tilting option to move and tapping anywhere on the screen to fire. The other option we like is controlling the directions on the left side while firing on the right side.

The zombies don’t appear to be moving fast, but they will grab and bite you if you get too close. If you graze just enough, you will stumble and most likely fall directly into another zombie.

There are crates on the field with weapons and ammo. They are glowing from far away, so you can plan ahead when maneuvering through the zombies. Bullets are limited, so fire only when really necessary.

Eventually, you will run into a zombie that kills you. At the end of the round, you get rewarded with coins for the distance. You can spend these coins for perks, but they only last one round. You can pay to start with a gun already in hand, have a head start at 1500m, hold more ammo, or find more weapon crates.

Coins can also be used to unlock weapons, zombie packs, or skip missions. Some examples for missions are “jump 3 fences” or  “set distance record without a kill.” Into the Dead can become repetitive, but these missions provide new challenges that make you say, “one more round.”

Don’t have enough coins to unlock what you want? You can spend real money in exchange for coins. For example, 10,000 coins cost 99 cents. The super coin pack with 500,000 coins costs $16.99.

Overall, we like Into the Dead. It’s refreshing from the recent endless runners that have just made their way to the Windows Phone Store. The visuals and sound are great. You’ll hear the player breathing deeply as he runs and you’ll hear zombies when they get close. It’s a horror game, so we’ll understand if you turn off the sound effects or keep the lights on at night.

Into the Dead costs 99 cents at the Windows Phone Store. That’s not a lot, but the game is free on Android and iOS. A free trial is also not available in this initial version, but we still think it’s worth downloading. Go play some rounds and let us know what you think in the comments!

From Cheese is an interesting puzzle game for Windows Phone 8 where you lead a hungry little mouse through a maze to a block of cheese.  The smelly twist is that you guide the mouse by the cheese’s aroma, drawing a path for the mouse to follow from the cheese.

From Cheese has fifty-eight levels of reverse-logic puzzles full of obstacles and dangers to work around to get your mouse to his dinner.

It may be another puzzle game for Windows Phone 8 but From Cheese’s approach to solving the puzzles makes it an appealing new addition to our Windows Phone gaming library.

The main menu for From Cheese is drawn-up with simplicity.  You have options to play the game, mute the sound, visit the about screen, and a link to the game’s website.

From Cheese Main Menu and Levels Menu

The fifty-eight levels are spread across two worlds and are re-playable.  The first few levels are more tutorial than challenging to teach you the gaming controls.

The game screen has your mouse at one end of the screen and the cheese at the opposite end.  In between the two will be a series of mazes you will need to guide your mouse through.  To do so, just tap and hold on the cheese to draw a path for the mouse to follow with the cheese’s aroma.  When you reach the mouse with the trail, tap the play button at the bottom to have the mouse follow the trail.

You can zoom-in on the game screen for more precise drawing of the scent trail when you need to navigate your mouse through twists and turns.  There is a bar sits at the bottom of the screen to show how much scent you have to use and if you need to re-draw your trail, just slide back on the bar to back up your drawing.  If your mouse becomes stuck in the maze, just tap the stop button and slide back on the bar to re-draw the trial.

From Cheese Game Screens

Some mazes have trap doors that open when the mouse runs over a floor trigger.  In these cases, you will need to route the mouse over these triggers so he can advance through the maze.

As you progress through the levels, power-ups will become available to enhance your scent trail and you will have to avoid an annoying cat and out run a rat that is also looking for the cheese.  Your final score for each level is based on how much scent you use and the time it takes your mouse to reach the cheese.

Animations are well done and the puzzles challenging.  The only downside to the game is that there are only fifty-eight levels (hopefully an update will change that).  There is a trial version available for From Cheese that lets you play the first seven levels.  The full version will run you $.99.

From Cheese is available for Windows Phone 8 devices and you can find it here in the Windows Phone Store.

Location-based games and mobile are a great fit since smartphones usually have a GPS built in and people take their phones around everywhere. Why not work that into a game, right?

Israel-based developer GreenShpits recently released its own location-based/augmented reality game for Windows Phone 8 called Mossad as part of the AppCampus program. The word “Mossad” means “Institute” in Hebrew and is used to refer to the Israeli equivalent of the CIA. Mossad allows players to travel around playing spy and acting out their own missions, but some major bugs cut into the fun.

Secret agent man

Mossad has a fun character customization component in which players dress up their own paper doll-style characters as agents. You can choose between a couple of male and female body types, but not skin color, unfortunately.

To start with, players will only have access to the free clothing and hair styles available. You’ll have to complete missions or make an In-App Purchase in order to get the credits needed for the nicer stuff. Tapping a category of item reveals the stuff for that category, but the menus don’t always like to load – as shown in our hands-on video.

Head to base

Between missions, players can head to base by selecting the icon at the bottom of the screen. The base consists of a single grainy panoramic picture, from what I can tell. The player’s boss stands in the middle of the base and provides instructions.

Oddly, the boss’s instructions are too wide for the screen, forcing players to scroll in order to read them. The text can be scrolled up and down, so it’s not “baked in” to the background art…

At the start of the game, there’s nothing else to do at the base. Tapping anywhere just takes you back to the map screen. Presumably, more interactions will unlock as players progress.

Gameplay

The core gameplay in Mossad involves finding and completing missions from a map of the player’s real-life surroundings. As you do this, you will (presumably) earn credits and progress through the ranks of the game's spy agency.

After selecting a mission, you’ll read a short description of its objectives. These tend to involve locating or delivering an item or message, from what I’ve seen so far. You then press the camera icon at the right side of the screen and start looking into the camera feed…

Mossad uses augmented reality to hide items and objectives within the environment surrounding the player. You’ll have to watch the camera feed and allow the red arrows that appear on it to guide you to your destination.

After reaching the destination (which can be either close or far, depending on the selected mission), an item should be hovering on-screen somewhere in the vicinity. Line it up dead-center in the camera and tap the screen to complete your objective.

Bugs located

Completing objectives is where things get hairy. I’ve only been able to actually finish a mission once. Every other time, the game either doesn’t recognize that the mission is done, and continues flashing the camera indicator, or it simply crashes. So for me, it’s impossible to progress. See the problem in action in our video above. Maybe you guys will have better luck?

The game has potential. Hopefully the developer can iron things out with the next update.

• Mossad– Windows Phone 8 – 13 MB – Free – Store Link

Colorblind is a fast-paced reaction styled game for Windows Phone 8 that can be deceptively challenging.

The game presents you with a series of colored squares that you have to tap based on directions that appear at the bottom of the game screen. 

It sounds easy but you have to tap as many correct squares within sixty seconds.  The more you tap, the higher your score and one wrong move will end the game.  Colorblind will test your concentration, reaction time and is a fun game to pass short bits of time with.  It also has a battle mode where you can challenge a friend head to head.

Colorblind isn't a complicated game for Windows Phone 8 but it can be a challenging gaming option.

Colorblind Main Menu and Game Screens

The main menu for Colorblind has options to jump into a single game or launch the multi-player battle mode.  Additionally you have options to set your player name, view the high scores, view the help screen, turn on/off audio, and turn on/off vibrations running across the bottom of the main menu.

The online battle mode allows you to battle a friend or a random Colorblind player.  The battle mode is still in the Beta stages and it appears that the player base is somewhat slim at the moment (had trouble finding an opponent).

Colorblind Battle Mode Set-up

Game play is, again, simple.  You are presented with four colored squares that are labeled.  At the bottom of the screen, you will be instructed to tap one of the squares and when you tap the square, another direction will appear.  The challenge is that the labels on the colored squares do not always match the color.

You will get instructions to tap the text green or tap the color green.  Playing under the clock if you rush too quickly it is easy to tap the green colored box when you are supposed to tap the box labeled with green text.

Colorblind Game Screen and Round Summary

If you tap the wrong box, the game will end.  However, you have eyes that can be used to save your game and send you back into the action (a mulligan of sorts).  Eyes can be earn, purchased or rewarded for rating the game.  Should the game end, a round summary will be displayed showing your overall gaming stats, the stats for the current game and the top scores from the online leaderboard.

Colorblind is an option to consider if you are looking for a game to help you pass short spurts of time.  Game play is surprisingly challenging and the game has a slight addictive quality.  It is surprising that you can read the instructions one way and your hand will go the exact opposite.

Colorblind is a free, ad-supported game available for Windows Phone 8.  You can find Colorblind here in the Windows Phone Store.

We’re still playing Subway Surfers every day, as the endless runner has raced to the top of our games list. But that doesn’t mean all is well with the game yet on Windows Phone.

For one, it doesn’t have 512 MB RAM support, which is becoming a bigger deal as low-cost Windows Phones become more and more frequent. The other issue is general updates. Today, Kiloo Games has released a new version of Subway Surfers entitled ‘Mumbai’ for iOS and Android. But Windows Phone won’t get it for some time.

In a tweet responding to Windows Phone Central reader Guilherme, Kiloo games noted that “The Mumbai update will not be out for WP8.  However, when the next update is out it will be available for all platforms!”

That means we have to play the waiting game, and it’s not at all clear when that update will occur, though we’re not expecting it today, that’s for sure.

It’s also not clear if this is because the Windows Phone version is just a cycle behind due to it's recent platform launching, or if this will be a regular issue for the popular runner. Hopefully 512 MB support and the new themed Mumbai won’t be too far off.

For now, you can find Subway Surfers here in the Store. Need more endless runners? Check out our best-of list.

Source: Kiloo (Twitter 1, 2); via WPCentral Forums (Himanshu)

AppsQuiz is a new Windows Phone game that tests your knowledge of the Windows Phone Store icons (or logos) for many of the apps and games that are on the shelves.

The game is similar to the many logo/trademark trivia games (Iconmania, Logoarama, etc) but instead of guessing the manufacturer’s branding you are tasked with identifying a Windows Phone app or game based on its Store icon.

AppsQuiz is a fun game for your Windows Phone.  The game only has fifty levels, which may make it short lived for some, but we are hopeful that the next update will add more gaming to the mix.

With each level of play, AppsQuiz will present you with a Windows Phone app or game icon and a collection of letters that are to be used in naming the game or app.  To help keep things interesting, each icon will have a cartoon mask to make it a little more difficult to identify (some of the time).

AppsQuiz Menu, Game Screen and Cheat Options

As you correctly identify the icon, a congratulatory message will appear with options to advance to the next level or visit the Windows Phone Store to download the app or game.  Additionally with each correct identification, you will earn gems that can be used to purchase cheats when you are stuck on an icon.

Overall, AppsQuiz is a fun game for your Windows Phone.  Some of the icons are really easy to identify, while others may make you scratch your head for a bit (level 35 is our personal favorite).  AppsQuiz has fifty levels of play and that may be the only real downside to the game.  However, this may be short lived issue in that additional levels are slated for the next update.  

AppsQuiz Masked Icon and Download Option

AppsQuiz is currently a free app that is available for both Windows Phone 7.x and 8 devices.  The free offer is for a limited time only after which the price will jump to $1.99.

You can find AppsQuiz here in the Windows Phone Store.

Here’s a nice change from the usual endless runners of late, as a decent traffic management game is now available for Windows Phone. The company behind Traffic Frenzy, Games2Win (site) produces many short-attention-span games for iOS and Android, with this title being popular on the latter. The development house is slowly bringing over many of those games to Windows Phone, and this is one of those.

Traffic Frenzy is a free game with solid, bold graphics. Its purpose? You have to manage traffic by acting as a traffic light switcher. In theory, this sounds like the dumbest thing ever—what’s next, Teeth Brushing Frenzy? In reality, the free game is kind of a fun, no brainer.

Game setup borrows from the Angry Birds style of 1 to 3 stars for mission success and various levels of increasing complexity. Cars race back and forth and you need to regulate them by controlling the traffic light. You can also use various powerups like Speed Up, Slow Down and the most hilarious, Airstrike (that’s a little extreme).

In between levels the music is a bit obnoxious but there is something OCD and cathartic about the game. Regardless, it’s free and ad-driven with some optional in-app purchases. We’ll file it under “dumb but amusing”.

Pick up Traffic Frenzy for Windows Phone 8 here in the Store or scan the QR code below. 512 MB devices are a go for this game!

Via: WMPU

After all those December deals on Xbox Windows phone games, it’s only natural that the return to a single Xbox Red Stripe Deal of the Week would be less exciting. And so it is! This week’s Xbox sale game is alchemic puzzle game Doodle God from JoyBits. Doodle God last went on sale for 99 cents in July– here’s another chance to get it on the cheap.

If the repeated Xbox sale doesn’t light your fire, perhaps the remaining Red Stripe Deals will do it. Instead of two non-Xbox deals, we have five this time – all Windows Phone 7 and 8 compatible. Games Drive Hard Taxi from JuJu-Apps, Jack Hale from Igor Maliukh, and Toilet People from Muki Software are on sale for 99 cents. Productivity apps Chronos Calendar and Yivosoft Recorder also get discounts. Head past the break for descriptions, pictures, and Store links!

Doodle God (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $2.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 24 MB Store Link

Doodle God started as a popular indie game that was later upgraded to Xbox Live status. It’s a puzzle game themed around alchemy. You start out with only four elements to mix and match, each combination creating a new element. The object is simply to make them all, which requires tons of experimentation and thought. What makes glass in real life? Fire plus sand. Combine those ingredients in-game and you’ve just unlocked glass, which can then be mixed with many other elements.

The Windows Phone version suffers from a bug that can make certain Achievements impossible to earn if you accidentally press the hint button. So don’t press that button! The developers promised to patch it but never came through, unfortunately. Also bad, the game dropped to 99 cents for a lengthy time before returning to the too high $2.99 price. 99 cents is what it should cost all the time. If you follow a guide, you’ll get the Achievements in just a few hours. See our review for details.

If you don’t care about Xbox features, the latest sequel Doodle Kingdom sells for $1.99.

Drive Hard Taxi (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $1.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 47 MB Store Link

I bet you didn’t know Windows Phone had a Crazy Taxi clone. Oh, but it does – and it drives hard.

Being a Windows Phone 7 game, the graphics are kind of basic. But where else on the platform are you going to find the thrill of picking up passengers and transporting them to their destinations in 3D? Nowhere, unless SEGA ever returns to the platform and gives us the real Crazy Taxi that iOS users have been playing for a year.

Official description:

“Drive Hard Taxi is ultimate 3D driving experience for Windows phone. Amazing 3D graphics with real life 3D physics engine running the world. Total freedom of movement in the city area. Please read the driving lessons from the ingame help.”

Jack Hale (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $2.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 11 MB Store Link

Remember that Tom Cruise movie Jack Reacher? Neither do I. But Jack Hale uses the same naming convention, which proved to be box office poison in 2012. If this ever gets made into a movie, the developer (who uses our forums) needs to change the name to be more descriptive than just some dude's name.

Anyway, Jack Hale is a sci-fi themed overhead shooter with polygonal graphics. A good choice for Windows Phone 7 users who've already beaten Extraction: Project Outbreak and can’t play flashier games like Dredd vs. Zombies or Halo: Spartan Assault.

Features:

• Play in full 3D: unique levels, numerous enemies, a variety of weapons and special effects are waiting for you.
• Try the cool shooter in the best traditions of “kill them all” games, you never see so many enemies on one screen on Windows Phone.

Toilet People (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $1.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 62 MB Store Link

I still don’t get the name on this one. Are the people made of toilets? Do you play it on a toilet, or in one? Or are they just saying that all of the struggles in our lifetime will be flushed away at the end? No one really knows. But our own George Ponder says this one “isn’t a bad game” in his write-up. That’s good enough for me. And hey, the graphics aren't bad.

Features:

• Beautiful fully 3D visuals with 60 fps.
• Simple enough to understand rules in few minutes yet complex enough to keep your interest.
• Play with up to 4 friends on the one device or with bots.
• Use phone camera to make avatars for you and yours friends.
• More than half an hour original soundtrack so it will never get old.

Chronos Calendar (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $1.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 1 MB Store Link

Hey, a premium calendar app. Do you own one yet? Well, we've covered Chronos Calendar several times over the years and even compared it to other calendar apps in a round-up article.

Features:

• Practical calendar with read/write sync possibilities for google.com/outlook.com/hotmail.com& live.com.
• If you are looking for a calendar without all the sync mess you can run Chronos using only internal events (no internet).
• Chronos is also able to read from the built-in Windows Phone Calendar. Unfortunately due to OS-restrictions it's only possible to read from it, if you have a WP8 then you're able to create appointments. But no edit or delete.
• Lots of customization for the live tile.
• Language support for a lot of countries.
• Built-in holidays and other various special days for over 50 cultures/countries exists.

Yivosoft Recorder (Windows Phone 7 and 8)

Regular price: $1.99 Sale price: $.99 Download size: 4 MB Store Link

Now here’s an app I actually need. Yivosoft offers audio recording functionality far beyond the stuff included with Windows Phone by default. Look at that fancy interface and those advanced editing features. No longer will you have to wear a wiretap when you're on an undercover mission behind enemy lines. Just turn on the app, lock your screen, and they'll never even know what hit them.

Features:

• Unlimited recording. 
• Recorder, Pause, one touch play back.
• Advanced Playback
• Email any size recording without having to register
• Recorder on Startup
• Sync to PC (With Easy Sync Desktop software) even over the internet.
• No recording Limit
• Run while locked
• Prevent Lock screen.
• Record on startup.
• Email export and Cloud download for large files.

Six games and apps is a lot for a Red Stripe sale. Will you guys be picking anything up this week, or are you like me and all spent out from Christmas?

In the past few weeks, we’ve been telling you about games from iOS and Android that have made their way to Windows Phone. This includes games like Hill Climb Racing, Yeti on Furry, Into the Dead, and more. Skyfehl is different. It has just released for Windows Phone 8 and will soon head over to the other two platforms. It’s surprisingly fun and we think it’s worth checking out.

Head past the break to watch our gameplay video.

The game is very simple.  The sky is crumbling down and the only way to save the world is by body checking meteors. Don’t let them hit your head or else the round is over. It sounds silly, but that’s what makes it entertaining.

You might be familiar with some of the characters in the game. It includes Hulk Hogan, a Ninja Turtle, Ken from Street Fighter, Arnold Swarzenegger, Sonic the Hedgehog, Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, and more. Signifer, the developer of Skyfehl, says more characters are coming.

There are only two things you can control: go left or right. Touching the left side of the screen will move your character to the left, while touching the right side of screen moves them to the right. It's cool that the screen tilts with your movement.

You earn 10 points for every meteor you hit from the side. Collecting power-ups increases the points you get per meteor, but there are drawbacks. For example, one power-up turns the screen red and wavy, while another power-up turns the screen black and white. This makes it more difficult to see the meteors that could hit your head.

When the round finishes, you can see your score. It asks for three letters to save your name in the high scores. Let your friends play on your device to see if they can score higher.

We didn’t expect much from Skyfehl, but we actually like it. It’s a great time waster and we’re glad to see it first at the Windows Phone Store. Skyfehl costs 99 cents. Unfortunately, a free trial isn’t available for the initial release. We’re not sure if the developers will add that option in the future, but we still think it’s worth the download. Give it a go and let us know what you think in the comments!

Windows Phone Central Gaming Roundup: Role Playing Games

Role playing games (RPG) can be an entertaining way to pass the time with and the Windows Phone Store has plenty of options to consider.

We sifted through the top rated role playing games in the Windows Phone Store and tapped four titles for this week’s Windows Phone Central Roundup.  The gaming titles cover taking on the role of a mobster to being a fantasy warrior.  These games can be a fun way to escape reality and if you are not careful, they can be rather time consuming.

Rule The Kingdom (free)

Rule The Kingdom is a role playing game where you work to build a kingdom by overseeing home construction, troop recruitment, farm crops and defend your empire from trolls, skeletons and other monsters.  It tosses in a little SimCity styled gaming action on top of the Dungeons and Dragons styled quests.

Rule The Kingdom Player Profile - Inventory

When you first launch Rule The Kingdom you will need to set your character’s name and you will then be guided through a series of tutorials on game play.  From there, additional tutorial lessons will pop-up when new gaming features become available.

Game play is launched from your kingdom’s map that is lined with a lot of information, almost to the point of being on the cluttered side.  In the upper left corner of the screen, you will find your character’s gaming stats (experience level, health, etc.).  Along the top of the screen, you will find your coin and gem counts (used to buy gear, upgrades, potions and the sort) and links to your friend listing, the game’s shop and the game’s combat quests.

Rule The Kingdom City View

Down the left side of the screen are icons to view your game quests, icons to build up your army.  Along the right side are links to the developer’s web site, a quick travel button to your home city and access to your character’s inventory.  Along the bottom of the screen, you will find any spells available and your travel mode (walking/running).

Rule The Kingdom Quest Information

Playing Rule The Kingdom involves traveling from quest to quest, visiting with the citizens of your kingdom and tending to their needs.  You can use gems and food items (collected from the baker in your home city) to recruit and train troops to join you in your travels.

Combat is automatic as you approach the enemy and as you slay the enemy, gold and experience earned.  You can also find gold, gems and other items in abandoned treasure chests that are scattered throughout the kingdom.  You also have the option to buy gold and gems via in-app purchase.

Rule The Kingdom Combat

Rule The Kingdom is a fun role-playing game and while appealing, I could not help but think the game is better suited on a larger screen.  It is an enjoyable game to play on your Windows Phone but the small print and graphics can be tough to follow.  It would be nice to hide all the menu options to open up the game view a bit.

Luckily, if you become hooked on the Windows Phone version there is a Windows 8 version that can be installed on a larger computer screen.  Unfortunately, your progress will not transfer between devices.

Rule The Kingdom is a free game and available for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices.  You can find the Windows Phone version here in the Windows Phone Store.  The Windows 8 version can be had here in the Windows Store.

Reaper (free)

Reaper isn’t your typical role playing game.  It combines RPG elements for character development with a platformer styled game play.  The game has outstanding graphics and animations and the menu screen ranks amongst the best as far as appearance is concerned.

The story line has you playing the role of Reaper, a black swordsman tasked with traveling the lands and slaying thousands of enemies to restore all that is good.  Along the way you gain experience, earn coin and upgrade your character and buy more efficient and effective gear.

Reaper Main Menu

As with all of the RPG games in this week’s roundup, Reaper starts you out with a series of tutorials that guides you through the various aspects of game play.  In a nutshell, you travel around a map and take on various quests along the way.

Reaper Map View

Combat is conducted in two-dimensional style with directional arrows at the bottom of the screen controlling your characters movement and a series of taps and swipes controlling the attack and defensive moves.  Combat has an arcade feel and at times a very quick pace.  The only downside to things is that once you are committed to a mission/quest and are defeated, there is not a way to back out of the mission/quest.

Reaper Combat Screen

At the completion of each combat round, you are awarded gold and experience.  When you have earned enough experience to upgrade your character’s skills a mask will flash on the map view to take you to the level up screens.  When not flashing, the mask will take you to your profile page where you can manage the Reaper’s gear.  There are shops scattered about the map where you can spend your gold to buy better weapons and gear.

Reaper Level Ups

Overall, Reaper is a nice balance between an RPG game and an action-packed arcade game.  Animations and graphics are impressive and game play challenging enough to keep things interesting.

Reaper is a free game up and you can advance your character to level 10.  After which, you have a collection of in-app purchases to unlock additional gaming packages.

Reaper is available for Windows Phone 8 and you can download your copy here in the Windows Phone Store.  If you are looking to play Reaper from your Windows 8 tablet, there is also a Windows 8 version (free) of Reaper that you can find here in the Windows Store.

Mafia City (free)

Mafia City offers you the chance to become a mobster, build your criminal empire and move up the ranks to become a Mafia Boss.  Mafia City is an online, multi-player game that is more strategy oriented than on-screen action.

When you first launch Mafia City, you will need to register with the gaming server to create your gaming identity.  The game will then launch an extensive tutorial that walks you through everything from hitting the gym to increase your character’s strength to robbing other players for cash.

Mafia City Tutorial, Map and Combat Screens

Game play is centered around a city map with your player stats lining the top of the screen, activity links lining the right side of the screen and menu links scattered across the bottom of the screen.

Mafia City is an online game and requires a data connection to play.  Being an online game, you have the opportunity to chat with other players, create your own mob family with friends and fight, rob and cripple other players online.

Mafia City Character Upgrades, Inventory and Casino Games

The city map has various destinations that include a gym to build your character’s abilities, a mall to shop for gear, a real estate company to buy/invest in properties, and a casino to take part in games of chance to earn some easy cash.

Mafia City is a decent game but may not appeal to everyone due to the lack of arcade action.  Fight scenes are more or less a series of sound effects and on-screen slashes that are done automatically.  While most of the game is strategy oriented, you do have the casino for the times you need a little hands-on gaming.

Mafia City is a free game that is available for Windows Phone 8 devices.  You can snatch your copy of Mafia City here in the Windows Phone Store.

Final Fantasy III (trial/$15.99)

Released just a short time ago, Final Fantasy III is the latest installment of the RPG gaming series for the Windows Phone platform.  In this Xbox Windows Phone game, you are tasked with guiding your character, chosen by a magical crystal to journey out into the world and save it from the darkness.

Final Fantasy III Opening Mission

You start the game with one of the youths trapped in a cavern where he must fight his way to safety.  In many respects, the journey through the cavern serves as a tutorial giving players a feel for the movement and combat controls.  You also have the opportunity to gain some equipment from the stranded treasure chests you stumble across.

As you escape from the caverns, you find a large blue crystal that taps you as the chosen one.  Your character is then transported out of the caverns to the surface where you visit cities, chat with town folk, take on various quests and build your party.

Final Fantasy III Map View

Game play is decent but can be frustrating with all the transition screens that you cannot tap past.  For example, when you run into a monster to battle the screen will flash and the scene will pan across your opponents.  It would be nice to tap past this transition and jump right into the fight.

Final Fantasy III Combat

Graphics are a little on the basic side and reminded me of something you would find on a Nintendo DS, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  I just expected a little more pop out of the graphics. 

Final Fantasy III does have a nice on-screen joystick to guide your player around the screen and the ability to save/load games can come in handy.  Final Fantasy III can easily keep you busy for a marathon gaming session and with the ability to save your game, it can fill those shorter game time needs as well.

While an enjoyable RPG option for your Windows Phone, the biggest hurdle Final Fantasy III has to overcome is the price tag.  There is a free trial version for Final Fantasy III and the full version is currently running $15.99 (ouch).  

Final Fantasy III is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices and you can find your copy here in the Windows Phone Store.

Best Break from Reality?

As the RPG genre transitions to the small screen, allowing for flexible game saves and mobile friendly controls these games have become an entertaining way to pass the time with on our Windows Phone.  Based on Windows Phone Store ratings, the four titles in this week’s roundup represent some of the best gaming titles available.

But is there a best amongst the best?

The answer may rest with personal preference.  If you prefer the fantasy role playing titles, Rule the Kingdom probably offers the wider range of gaming activities.  You battle monsters, find buried treasure, help build cities, and farm crops.  It does play a lot better on the larger Windows 8 screens.  The Windows Phone version just feels cramped on the smaller screens.

Reaper plays more like a platformer game on steroids with its RPG features to advance your character’s abilities and upgrade their weapons.  Final Fantasy III is another good (yet expensive) option to consider and has a slight retro feel to it, reminiscent of older RPG games.

Mafia City will likely catch the eye of those looking for a role playing game where a life of crime replaces a life of slaying orcs and goblins.  Mafia City goes a step further and hopes to attract those who don’t need arcade action with their RPG games.  It is a challenging, multi-faceted game but lacks the visual pull at times.  Personally, I see Mafia City as more of an acquired taste not only with the subject matter but the gaming style.  Mafia City has its moments but the game may not have as wide of range for appeal as the other gaming titles

All four titles have a certain amount of appeal and if role playing games are your cup of tea, each is worth a try.  As always, if we have missed your favorite Windows Phone RPG game, feel free to share in the comments below.

Seasons is a multi-player endless runner game for Windows Phone that has you racing through various worlds.  You jump, duck, dodge, smash, slide and even fly around various obstacles.  What makes Seasons a unique endless runner game is the multi-player mode where you can race a friend using a local Wi-Fi network.

To celebrate the New Years, the developer will be offering the Windows Phone game free over the next few days.  The game normally runs $.99 and is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices.

You can find Seasons here in the Windows Phone Store.  The price change went into effect a short time ago and it may take some time for the price change to show up in all markets.

The calm before the storm. Tomorrow a good chunk of the Windows PhoneCentral crew heads off to Las Vegas for CES. This past week also saw a relatively slow news period for the world of Windows Phone, Windows 8, and Xbox. Between Christmas ending and New Year’s there wasn’t much happening. Nonetheless, some new apps did come to the Windows Phone Store and some of your other favorite apps were updated. Missed out because you were too busy recovering from festivities? We got you covered. Let’s check out the app highlights of the Windows Phone Store for the past week.

New

4Blend HDR–We love photography around here and do our very best to try out every photography app in the Windows Phone Store. For all you HDR fans out there you might want to check out a new app called 4Blend HDR. With it you’ll be using your Windows Phone and Nokia’s Imaging SDK to create high dynamic photographs. The app is pretty great and already picked up an update after launching. Pick it up in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Citlink Indonesia– In Indonesia? Odds are you probably have used Citilink at one point or another to get around. The low-cost airline has just produced an official app for Windows Phone users. The app allows you to book flights, check in, and get the status of your trip. Get in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

SpiceJet– Speaking of low-cost airlines. Indian airline SpiceJet has just released their official Windows Phone app. It’s also exclusive to Windows Phone for the time being with no mobile apps available for iOS or Android users. You can book your flight and check your status all from within the app. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Updated

Readit –Our favorite Reddit client for Windows Phone received a huge update this week. Readit was updated to version 1.4, which is most notable for addressing battery depleting and overheating issues with the CPU. Outside of those improvements you’ll see the app receive a ton of refinements in terms of UI/UX and features. The new Gfycat integration also allows for faster and smoother gifs. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$1.99)

UnfollowSpy–One of our favorite apps for managing who we follow on Twitter was updated this week. The recent update for UnfollowSpy for Windows Phone brings an overactive friends view, details for users profile and much more. There’s also Instagram support coming soon. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. (Free/In-app purchases)

Fandango– Fandango for Windows Phone is back. The app disappeared months ago due to terrible reviews and a non-functioning app. The app now sits at version 1.6 and actually works. Check it out in the Windows Phone Store for all your movie booking news. (Free)

Cal –The stock calendar application is decent on Windows Phone. However, third party developers fill the feature gap all the time. Cal is one of those apps that features both minimalist design and more advanced stats over the stock app. The latest update introduces new custom colors, a week view, a today button, a light theme and much more. Get it in the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$1.99)

Super Calendar– Cal not jiving with you as an alternative to the stock calendar app? Super Calendar is another one of our favorite calendar apps and it too saw an update this week. The app was updated with two new day views, two month views, a refined week view and so much more. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$2.49)

6tag – Rudy had a busy week updated all his apps with new features and starting work on a new project. His Instagram client, 6tag, received an update that allows for videos to be saved to a user’s SkyDrive. Grab the update from the Windows Phone Store. (Free/In-app purchases)

6snap– We said Rudy had a busy week and we weren’t kidding. The latest update for his Snapchat app, 6snap, brings the ability to draw on videos, multi-line text support on videos, and more. Big fonts were also introduced in an earlier update in the same week. Grab 6snap in the Windows Phone Store. (Free/In-app purchases) 

iHeartRadio– Still love terrestrial radio? Then you’re probably a big fan of streaming service iHeartRadio. The app was updated to version 1.0 in the summer that introduced a new design. That update however left some users with streaming issues. A version 1.1 update hit Windows Phone devices this week that addresses those shortcomings. No changelog accompanied the update, but users are reporting that streaming is working again. Give iHeartRadio a go in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Beta/Sneak peeks

FilmOn– In the coming weeks FilmOn TV will have their Windows Phone 8 available for users. There’s a public beta in the meantime that a lot of you are participating in. We are too, so we’ve given you all a sneak peek at the app for the popular streaming service. The app is most notable for allowing users to stream local affiliate channels and other networks like FOX, ABC, CBS on their Windows Phone. Check it out in action.

Weather+–Can you have too many weather apps in the Windows Phone Store? Maybe, but we’re still going to highlight any beautiful and unique ones we come across. Weather+ is coming on the tenth of January, but we’ve got your first look at an interesting weather app. We’re big fans of the clean interface and gestural navigation that the app uses. Check it out in action.

Games

Into the Dead– Still into Zombie games? Then you’re going to want to check out Into the Dead. It’s an intense zombie game from iOS and Android that’s now available for Windows Phone. Warning, don’t play this at night unless you want to get spooked. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. ($0.99)

Traffic Frenzy– Need to kill some time? Then you’ll want to check this game out. Traffic Frenzy comes to us from Android and looks to be really fun. In the sense that it’s a free game that will pass the time. What’s gameplay like? Hint: You’re a traffic light. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Light week in terms of new apps. But we’ll be sure to have a busy week ahead with CES. Don’t like our list? Sound off with your favorite apps and games from the past week. 

Based on the Dreamworks movie, starring Hugh Jackman, Real Steel is an underworld fighting Windows Phone 8 game set in the near-future, where 2,000 pound robots fight in a no-holds barred battles to the death. In many respects, Real Steel is a futuristic version of the classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.

The game has been available on XBox Live Arcade, iOS and Android for a while and has now made its way to the Windows Phone Store.

While the game description claims it to be a smash hit with over 6 million downloads across all platforms, it is a little awkward to release a licensed game two years after the movie released and didn’t hit the jackpot in reception.

Also, the app hasn’t impressed most on XBLA and iOS/Android all this while. The Windows Phone version isn’t much different. While it is an interesting game with an engaging gameplay, it’s pretty slow and rough and could do with a major update. The game includes a Tag Team mode which lets you team up two of your favorite mean machines and take them to glory.

The game is available for Windows Phone 8 devices for $0.99 from the Windows Phone Store. There’s no trial version available, which may hurt the game's appeal. If you give it a spin and test your skills in the steel sport, let us know how you like it.

Thanks, everyone, for the tips!

Romans From Mars is a new game for Windows Phone 8 that pits you against an invading Martian army led by the God of War, Mars.  You play the role of the Roman soldier perched high atop a castle wall armed only with a crossbow.

Romans From Mars has enjoyed a decent amount of success over on iOS and Android platforms.  Based on just a short time playing the Windows Phone game, it should share similar success on our platform as well.

Game play is straightforward, take out the invading Martians before they reach the castle walls.  There are ten different types of alien invaders and your crossbow can be upgraded to improve its destructive ability.You also have power-ups that give your soldier the elemental powers of fire, ice, earth and lightning.

Graphics are well-done, game play slow at first but quickly picks up speed and overall, Romans From Mars makes a nice first impression.  The game does load a little on the slow side though.

Romans From Mars is a free game with in-app purchases to build up your bank account for gaming store purchases.  Romans From Mars is available for Windows Phone 8 devices (including low-memory devices) and you can find your copy here in the Windows Phone Store.

Thanks, Tomi, for the tip!

If there’s one thing Microsoft hates, it’s for consumers to know about an Xbox Windows Phone or Windows 8 game before that game is released. You’ll recall that a slew of Xbox-branded games for mobile Windows platforms popped up at the end of 2013, most of which had never been announced or publicized by the platform holder.

Still, a sharp-eyed tipster has discovered a game that could be the next Xbox release for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1/RT: Throne Together from Rogue Rocket Games and Microsoft Studios. Throne Together has already soft-launched in Canada and Finland. At first glance, it appears not to be Xbox-enabled. But Windows Phone Central has confirmed with the developer that Xbox is definitely in this game’s future.

Throne Together is a fun and free little puzzle game. Head past the break for instructions on how to get it, plus our hands-on video!

King of the castle

We haven’t written about Rogue Rocket Games before, but the indie developer has previously released a few games you might recognize: Xbox-enabled Gunpowder for Windows 8 and non-Xbox SushiChop for Windows Phone and Windows 8.

Their latest game involves building castles. Each level starts out with a partially constructed castle. The player’s job is to add various shaped pieces to the castle without causing it to fall down. Put too much weight on the lower pieces and they will develop cracks or even break, so you need to distribute the weight evenly.

To place those pieces, tap or mouse click and drag them down from the top of the screen. Tapping without dragging will rotate the piece. Let go of a piece and it drops straight down. The pieces come in many shapes and sizes, not just squares and rectangles. Players will also unlock special pieces like doors and windows that provide bonus points when placed in specific locations.

Initially you’ll have only one piece to choose rotate or place on the structure, but eventually you get to choose from several pieces at a time. Only pieces that touch the castle’s throne or connect to touching pieces will contribute to the player’s score.

By completing a level’s objectives and reaching different score milestones, players will beat the level and earn up to three stars. Some of the early objectives include reaching a target size, reaching the target score, and using a specific number of blocks.

Free to play mechanics

Being a free to play game, Throne Together is monetized in a few different ways. One of those is advertisements, which will show up during menu screens after players have completed the first few levels. No biggie. The ads will presumably be removable via an In-App Purchase, though the option to do so doesn’t work yet.

The game also uses the same life system found in Frozen Free Fall and Candy Crush Saga. Failing a level makes you lose a life. Lives take time to recharge. Run out and you’ll either have to wait for more or pony up for an In-App Purchase. Thanks to Facebook integration, players can also ask their friends for extra lives.

Finally, players can opt to purchase limited-use boosts in order to make levels easier. These take time to unlock. The first one you’ll get, cement, strengthens structures and reduces their chances of crumbling.

Prince Charming

Even though Thrown Together is a relatively simple puzzle game involving stacking blocks together, the developers have managed to instill the game with more style and personality than you’d think. The dragon assistant Fidget always sits above the score box at the left side of the screen. Not only is he very well drawn, he also animates according to whatever happens on-screen – sort of like the Peggle Masters in Peggle 2, though not as silly.

Upon completing a level, the game tallies up various bonuses based on the castle structure and then awards an overall star rating. During that tallying process, a delightful cartoon monk pops up and performs the calculations. The style used on the monk and dragon reminds me of French cartoons like The Triplets of Belleville.

To Xbox or not to Xbox?

Look at Throne Together’s Store page and you’ll notice a distinct lack of Xbox branding on the game’s icon. Play the game itself and you won’t run into any Xbox dialogue or Achievements either. So like I said, it certainly appears not to be an Xbox game.

Appearances can be deceiving though! The Windows 8 Store page clearly shows a screenshot with an offline Xbox profile at the top corner of the screen. That alone proves that the game either will be Xbox-enabled or was planned to be at one time.

Remember also that Microsoft is publishing Throne Together, just like they did Rogue Rocket’s Gunpowder– a game with Xbox features. Microsoft requires most indie games to be published by either the Microsoft Studios label or an existing major publisher in order to be Xbox-branded.

The big MS also seems to have funded this game’s development on top of publishing it. Throne Together is very likely the publisher-funded game that the developer blogged about back in August.

That’s enough beating around the bush. We contacted the developer, who responded: “[both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.1] will get Xbox Live-enabled versions of Throne Together very soon.” So Xbox Live is definitely happening!

That leaves a question, though. If Throne Together is destined to be an Xbox Windows Phone and Windows 8 game, why doesn’t it have Xbox branding on its Store icons and in-game right now?

Earlier I said that Microsoft doesn’t like for (non-console) Xbox games to be announced or outed prior to their release. That way, nobody can get excited about a game in advance. Seriously, their mobile gaming PR is so messed up.

Soft launching the game without its Xbox features could certainly be a strategy for keeping that Xbox status under wraps. When the official release rolls around, the game can be updated with the Xbox features that so many gamers crave.

Soft launch

As we explained back whenAlphaJax soft-launched on Windows 8, a soft launch is when a game releases in smaller territories prior to its official release. This is done to bug test the game in a live environment and gather player feedback ahead of the official launch.

Throne Together is currently available only in Canada and Finland, so you’ll need to change your Windows Phone or Windows 8 device’s region to one of those countries (I recommend Canada, the land of maple syrup and ice hockey) in order to download it. Because the game is free, you won’t run into payment issues.

On Windows Phone 8, you can find the Language + Region menu under Settings. On Windows 8, you can choose Settings from the charm bar. Then select Change PC Settings/Time and language/Change Region Settings. Don’t forget to change the device’s region back to your actual region after downloading the game.

Update: Some readers have had trouble getting the game even after switching regions. Not sure what's going on there. One reader said he got the Windows Phone game (but not the Windows 8 version) to download from Sweden, so maybe try that.

Throne Together is quite a unique and clever puzzle game. Fans of the genre should definitely grab this one when it becomes officially available. If you can’t wait, here are the Store links. Remember, you’ll have to use region-switching trickery to get it before the proper launch.

• Throne Together– Windows Phone 8 – 28 MB – Free – Store Link
• Throne Together– Windows 8 and RT – 41 MB – Free – Store Link

Thanks to TNTJudbud for telling us about the game!

Gameloft spent a little time with us at #CESLive to discuss their upcoming gaming title, Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War.

Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War is a first person shooter optimized for touch control and is slated for release for Windows Phone 8 later this quarter.  The game will be a free to play with in-app purchases.  The demo looks good and controls look very user friendly.

Let us know what you think of the demo in the comments and for more 2014 CES coverage, head on over to the CESLive portal. 

Rail Rush is a popular Nokia exclusive endless runner and today we've been alerted to a rather large update in the form of the Undersea World. This new world offers an immersive experience as you traverse through the realm, avoiding obstacles and tackling monsters. We're now looking at version 1.6.

As well as the new world, players can also take full advantage of Captain Nemo for 15,000 gold. It's a sweet update that we're sure everyone will enjoy, should you wish to purchase for the new world of course.

You can download Rail Rush from the Nokia Collection on the Windows Phone Store for free, and the Undersea World will set you back by $1.99 (or 3 world passes if you wish to give it a test run). Thanks to everyone who tipped us!

On New Year’s Day, we wrote about a recent App Campus game released for Windows Phone 8: Mossad, from Israel-based indie developer GreenShpits. Mossad marries location-based gaming with searching for virtual items in the real world via augmented reality, something you don’t see all that much on Windows Phone.

While Mossad’s unique gameplay made the game noteworthy, a few major bugs tempered my enthusiasm for it. The developer took notice of our report, and quickly released a patch that addresses most of my concerns. Head past the break for post-update hands-on video and impressions!

Mossad version 1.0.0.3 release notes

• Bunker screen: we added animation to make clear the screen is scrollable, and adjusted the text size to fit.
• Profile screen: bug causing the categories to stop responding after coming back from the "Add Credit" screen was fixed.
• Mission completion bugs have also been addressed.

Post-patch experience

Let’s address those fixes point-by-point. First, the Base or Bunker screen is a place that players can visit in order to receive instructions from their boss. Prior to the update, the boss’s text was not formatted properly and extended beyond the border of the screen. That has now been fixed. The game also pans towards your boss the first time you visit him, providing a nice cinematic touch.

The Profile screen is where players go to set up their profiles and customize their characters. Until you visit it, you’re only a guest. The game offers several degrees of customization, including gender, hair color, clothing, and accessories.

Before the update, a bug caused the different customization categories to load extremely slowly – turns out it wasn’t responding to player input for a brief time. The categories now load instantly as intended.

Most disconcerting of all in our initial play session was a bug that caused missions not to complete. The whole game structure revolves around accepting missions and then completing them in order to earn credits, items, and increase your rank. Because I couldn’t complete missions, I couldn’t progress through the game properly.

That issue was actually a result of my profile having played the beta before moving to the final version of the game. After our first article ran, GreenSphits wiped my profile in order to fix the problem. The issue would never have affected regular users, they tell me, so you guys can download the game without fear of encountering it.

Joining the agency

So what’s Mossad about, anyway? It shares a name with that of the Israeli Secret Service. It was made by developers living in Israel, after all. But the agency that players join in the game is a fictional one, not the real life agency that Israel haters love to hate. If you think that way, you’re probably not going to give the game a chance. But Mossad is not a political game, and players should try not to approach it from that perspective.

Mossad is a game in which players search for items within their actual surrounding environments. Find the correct item or location (it can involve some walking) within the time limit in order to succeed. Try it out for an augmented reality experience and the chance to pretend you’re a spy in your own neighborhood.

• Mossad– Windows Phone 8 – 13 MB – Free – Store Link