Last week, game-hungry Xbox One fans received two fine releases to tide them over: Rayman Legends and Strider. This week we get two more releases to drool over: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare from Electronic Arts/PopCap and Thief from Square-Enix/Eidos. Both games are now available on both Xbox One and Xbox 360, with Thief also appearing on non-Xbox platforms.

The Xbox 360 gets another couple of games to keep previous generation gamers busy: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 from Konami (now available) and the downloadable Pac-Man Museum from Namco Bandai games (which comes out tomorrow).  Head past the break for a quick rundown on all of this week’s Xbox console releases!

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

Spinning a game off into a new franchise is difficult, but sometimes it works out in the end – see Mario Kart or Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed. Now PopCap has transferred the beloved characters from tower defense game Plants vs. Zombies into a third-person shooter, and with surprising success.

Garden Warfare is a multiplayer-only shooter in which two teams (the plants and the zombies) battle it out in either Team Vanquish (death match) or objective-based Gardens and Graveyards modes. Or 1-4 players can take on the cooperative Garden Ops mode and battles waves of zombie enemies. Garden Ops supports 2-player split-screen on Xbox One, whereas the 360 version doesn’t offer split-screen. The SmartGlass “Boss mode” is exclusive to Xbox One as well.

I played Garden Warfarelast November and loved it. If you enjoy multiplayer shooters but want something more lighthearted or easier to get into, consider this one a safe bet.

• Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare – Xbox One – 10.1 GB - $39.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link
• Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare – Xbox 360 – 2.43 GB - $29.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link

Thief

This reboot of the classic Thief series (technically the fourth Thief game so far) transplants master thief Garrett into a new steampunk setting. There he will wander an unusually mazelike city, taking on story missions and avoiding the town guards.

Early word is that the new Thief suffers from an uninvolving story and excessive loading screens. The design structure is a bit rigid compared to past games as well. But it’s still good to see Thief return after an absence of several years.

• Thief – Xbox One – 21.22 GB - $59.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link
• Thief – Xbox 360 – 5.5 GB - $59.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

This sequel to Mercury Steam’s excellent Castlevania reboot sees players take on the role of vampire lord Dracula after he awakens in modern times. Drac will navigate between a realistic (but empty) city and his sprawling castle as he attempts to thwart the plans of both Satan and the Other Guy.

The word on the street is that Lords of Shadow 2 doesn’t live up to its predecessor. A muddled plot, the uninteresting city environment, and awful stealth segments all drag down what should be a stellar action game. If you’re interested in Castlevania or gothic action, I recommend grabbing the very sweet Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection and seeing whether you're still craving the sequel after that. I’m holding out for an Xbox One version, myself.

• Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 – Xbox 360 – 4 GB - $59.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link

Pac-Man Museum

If you love Pac-Man, don’t miss this multi-game collection on XBLA (which we first previewed from E3 last year). It contains:

• Pac-Man
• Super Pac-Man: My childhood favorite, this one allows Pac-Man to turn into the giant Super Pac-Man.
• Pac-Land: Speaking of spin-offs… A side-scrolling platformer based on the original Pac-Man cartoon series.
• Pac & Pal: A semi-sequel to Super Pac-Man, this one also introduces a helper ghost named Miru.
• Pac-Mania: An isometric spin on the original Pac-Man that includes multiple mazes and the ability to jump.
• Pac-Attack: A falling block puzzle game from the 16-bit era. Subsequent releases have differed significantly, and it’s unclear which version will find its way into Pac-Man Museum.
• Pac-Man Remix: Sort of like Pac-Mania, but with actual 3D graphics and plays more like the original Pac-Man.
• Pac-Man Battle Royale: An awesome multiplayer arcade game that has never been released on home consoles until now.

Plus, if you buy before the end of March you’ll get Ms. Pac-Man (which will later be sold as DLC for $5) for free. The only thing I could wish for in this collection is Jr. Pac-Man, an American game that Namco Bandai does not consider an official part of the series.

• Pac-Man Museum – Xbox 360 – ? MB - $19.99 – Xbox.com Link (Available February 26)

Note: All four games are also coming to PC, and some are coming to other platforms as well.

If you’re into space shooters, then you should check out Sector Strike for Windows Phone 8. The game has been available for iOS, Android, and Blackberry, but Windows Phone users now get to join the party. Sector Strike is a futuristic shoot 'em up designed to challenge your reflexes and wits.

Head past the break to watch our hands on video and gameplay.

The game mechanics should be familiar by now. Simply destroy the endless waves of drones in a campaign that takes you through four unique environments. Collect credits to upgrade your ship with new weapons, equipment, and abilities.  There are over 20 weapons and abilities such as hellfire missiles and call for reinforcements.

By default, you can control your ship by dragging your finger on the screen. The ship moves where you move. Avoid hitting enemy ships and the weapons they fire at you. After shooting down enemies, look out for power-up items and bonuses to collect. The ship can be equipped with cannons, torpedoes, beams, and orbs. The more of these you have, the more likely you’ll survive the waves of enemy ships.

At the end of each stage, you see your score. Before heading to the next level, you’re given a chance to spend your in-game credits. Don’t have enough? You can buy credits with real money. For example, 10,000 credits cost $9.99.

Sector Strike looks great. We like that the screen appears to shake when things explode. We also don’t have any complaints with the sound. The music goes well with the futuristic space theme.

Sector Strike is a free download from the Windows Phone Store, but don’t forget about the in-app purchases that might tempt you. Check it out if you have some time to waste and let us know what you think in the comments!

Bad Traffic is a fun game for Windows Phone 8 that deals with roadway traffic management. We have seen similar games before where you try to keep the flow of traffic going to avoid wrecks and nasty delays. Such games are a nice, casual gaming format.

Bad Traffic goes a bit further by offering a second game mode where you try to snarl up traffic, create wrecks and do everything you can to disrupt the orderly flow of traffic. Bad Traffic is a Windows Phone 8 game that caters to a wide range of gamers and has had a bit of success over on iOS and Android platforms. In the short time we've had with the game, that success should carry over to the Windows Phone platform.

Game Menus

The back-story for Bad Traffic has a Guardian Angel and a Devil’s Advocate agreeing that traffic should be a thing of the past. They do however differ in how you should eliminate traffic. The angel prefers to manage traffic flow to get everyone to their destinations without delay and the devil prefers to crash everything in sight. Which side you choose is entirely up to you.

Bad Traffic's Main Menu

The main menu for Bad Traffic has the option to play the game center screen with access to the game’s settings in the lower left corner and access to your achievements in the lower right corner. Settings include sound/music levels and pulling up the About screen. Your gaming achievements are represented in the various cars you unlock while you progress through Bad Traffic’s levels.

Bad Traffic's Mission Packs

Jumping into game play you are presented with four mission packs. You have two “save” game missions where you are tasked with managing traffic flow and two “crash” game missions where you are tasked with wrecking everything in sight. All totaled, Bad Traffic has 366 levels of play spread out across these four mission packs.

You also have an Endless Play option at the bottom of the missions packs screen. Endless Play is a “save” styled game where you have the option to choose your traffic map layout and you play until you crash.

Game Play

Each level of play for Bad Traffic sets a goal for the number of cars saved or crashed. A progress bar runs across the top of the gaming screen to reflect your progress towards that goal.

Bad Traffic Save Game

Traffic flow enters the gaming screen automatically. The “save” games require you to manage traffic to avoid crashes in the various intersections on the map. You can either swipe at a vehicle to speed it up or tap on it to bring it to a temporary stop. If cars end up colliding as they speed through the intersections, you fail the level.

The opposite is true for the “crash” games. Here you swipe the vehicles to speed up and crash into other cars. While you have a goal to reach for the number of cars crashed, you also have a game clock to worry about in the crash games. You'll need to reach your goal before time runs out or you fail the level.

Bad Traffic Crash Game

As you play either gaming mode, you will earn coins that can be used in Bad Traffic’s store. The store has upgrades to existing cars, new cars to unlock, power ups, as well as the option to buy coins via in-app purchase.

Bad Traffic Collector's Club

As mentioned earlier, Bad Traffic has 366 levels of play with 14 different cities and intersections to deal with. All totaled there are 60 different cars that include the cars you can purchase in the game’s store and special vehicles such as bulldozers that you cannot speed up, police cars you cannot slow down and armored cars that reward you with extra coins.

Overall Impression

Bad Traffic is a simple, fun gaming option for Windows Phone 8. Graphics are not too shabby and game play challenging enough to keep things from growing stale. Bad Traffic’s gaming options can satisfy your need for a time-management puzzle game or for a demolition derby styled game.

Bad Traffic is a nice choice to help you pass short bits of time with and may even hold up to longer gaming sessions. Bad Traffic is a free, ad-supported game for Windows Phone 8 that you can find here in the Windows Phone Store.

Way back in the innocent month of August, I interviewed an indie developer called Sic’em Studios about their plans to bring a duo of games to Windows Phone. Fast-forward to this month: I recently returned to San Francisco for an indie-focused event called Apps World. That provided the perfect chance to catch up with the boys at Sic’em and see how their Windows Phone plans have progressed.

As it turns out their plans have changed and Sic’em has decided not to port two of their older Android titles to Windows Phone. Instead, they’re going to release a brand new game called Text and Die for both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. With a humorous premise and retro-inspired gameplay, Text and Die should find a good home on mobile Windows platforms when it launches within the coming weeks.

Stick it to unsafe drivers

The driving concept behind Text and Die is that texting on a phone while driving is bad. Anyone with sense can agree to that, even if some of us make exceptions for those really important texts. From that reasonable philosophy, Sic’em has created a silly scenario. Players will take to the roads and make them safer by destroying unsafe texting drivers. Text on the road and die, baby.

Gameplay takes place from an overhead perspective, much like classic arcade game Spy Hunter. The goal is to ram texting drivers (who have a texting icon above them) off the road while avoiding safe drivers. Hitting a non-texting driver makes you lose fuel, which serves as a life meter in this game. Tapping the screen left or right will drive in those directions, while buttons at the bottom of the screen activate four types of items.

As you drive through a level, the speed gradually picks up – as does the number of cars on the road. Players also have a wanted level, much like the one found in the Grand Theft Auto series. The more wanted you are, the more cops will chase you. As you’d expect, cops can stop your vehicular mayhem spree for good. To get one off your tail, you’ll have to activate one of the items that sometimes appears on the road. Some of these include caltrops (spikes) and an EMP.

Level up to get the boosts

Text and Die will have a mission system similar to the ones found in Jetpack Joyride and other mobile games. Players start out with two objectives to complete, such as using a particular item or reaching a certain distance. Once both objectives have been completed, you’ll level up. Reaching new levels provides access to new boosts that can be purchased before the level starts with money from eliminating texters.

Sic’em’s Text and Die will be coming to both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 within the next few weeks. The Windows 8 version will support controllers – always a cool touch. Both versions will be paid games, with the phone game ringing up at 99 cents and the Windows 8 version going for $1.49.

We’ll let you know when they arrive. In the meantime, whatever you do: don’t text and drive!

Released over a year ago on iOS, Hungry Crew can now be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store. It’s a really simple game about fishing. You and your crew are stranded at sea. Save your mates by catching as many fishes as you can. You have the most powerful harpoons in store to spear your fish.

Head past the break to watch our hands on video and gameplay.

The only action required from you is a tap on the screen. The harpoon is constantly moving left and right. Click on the screen to shoot and spear your fish.

Avoid hitting tortoises. They are endangered species, so catching them ends the game.

You have a better chance of catching fish if you aim in front of where they’re heading. You need to calculate angle and the distance. You’ll get better the more you play. It’s a little addicting, so you’ll hear yourself saying, “one more” quite a few times.

Keep a close eye on the hunger meter on the upper left corner. The game ends when it becomes full. The meter on the top right corner is the fish stock. It increases as you catch more fish. It’s not really as vital as the hunger meter on the left.

At the end of the game, it’ll tell you the current score and how many fishes you’ve caught. The best score is also displayed along with the current max streak.

Hungry Crew is a free download at the Windows Phone Store, however there are in-app purchases available for faster harpoons. Unfortunately, there’s no way to earn points or coins within the game to buy the upgrades. You actually need to spend real money. The Viper harpoon costs $1.99 while the Cobra harpoon costs $3.49.

Overall, we like Hungry Crew and we think you will feel the same. Check it out and sound off in the comments!

Go UP! is a simple Windows Phone game that tests your speed and judgment skills. Unlike other jumper games where you simply tap the screen to jump, with Go UP! you need to tap a corresponding button at the bottom of the screen that matches the label found on the tree limb you are jumping to. The goal is to jump as high as possible before time runs out.

One wrong button tap will send your player falling to their fate, ending the game early. Go UP! may be a little on the basic side for some but the developer did a good job of creating a Windows Phone game that will help pass the time.

Layout and Game Play

Go UP! Main Pages

Go UP! has a series of main pages that includes:

• An About page that offers instructions on how to play the game and a launch tile that will send you into the game.
• A Settings page that offers three game modes. You have two time modes (15 or 20 seconds) to see how high you can climb in a set time and a 50 Climb mode where you are timed on how long it takes you to climb fifty limbs.
• High Score page that lists your top scores with each game mode.

The game screen layout has your score/time displayed at the top of the screen and your jump controls lining the bottom of the screen. Game play is simple. Each branch is labeled with two jump control button symbols. To jump to that branch, just tap the corresponding button that is at the bottom of the screen.

Some branches will have power-ups that, when landed on, will send you up a few branches or slow the timer.

Game play isn’t difficult but when you add the pressure of the clock, Go UP! can be a slightly challenging Windows Phone game. The game will test your skills at speed and recognition. Recognize the right button to press to climb the tree, tap the right button and repeat the cycle quick enough to climb as many limbs as possible. You will be surprised how often your mind says tap the “A” button and your finger finds the “B” button instead.

Overall Impression

I have to admit, when I first looked at Go UP! the game didn’t make that great of an impression on me. After playing the game for a short time, the old saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” kept coming to mind.

Go UP! Game Screens

Graphics are plain, the layout basic and the game concept simple. Yet as you get into game, the pace of Go UP! gives the game a slight challenge and appeal. I don’t know if Go UP! can hold up to lengthy gaming sessions but for shorter bits of time the Windows Phone game should do just fine. The developer wanted to create a game to help you kill the time with and I think they are on the right track.

The developer is planning on beefing up Go UP! by adding custom challenges, an online leaderboard and more. As is, Go UP! is a nice foundation that the developer can build upon and if you are looking for a mini-game to help pass the time with, it is worth a try.

Go UP! is a free, ad-supported game that is available for both Windows Phone 7 and 8.x devices. You can pick up your copy of Go UP! here in the Windows Phone Store.

Want to play a game that requires more thinking instead of furiously tapping on the screen? Well, check out Bridge Constructor for Windows Phone 8. Become a master bridge builder as you go through 40 different levels. You pass each level when cars or trucks can go across.

There are different materials available for you to create bridges, but can you stay within the budget? Head past the break to watch our hands on video and gameplay using the Nokia Lumia Icon.

Features:

• 40 Levels on the island nation of Camatuga
• Free build mode and help system
• 4 different building materials: wood, steel, cables, concrete pillars
• Color coded load indicator for different building materials
• Three different load bearing levels: car, truck and tank truck
• High score per level

There are a lot of solutions and approaches in passing the levels. The only limit is your budget. There are different materials available for each individual bridge: wood, steel, cables, or concrete pillars. Depending on the level, some materials will be unavailable. Select the material from the right side of the screen and then start creating.

We’re not going to lie. Bridge Constructor is a little tough. We think there should be more tutorials or tips to help new players early in the game. There are tips available, but they will cost you. One coin helps you get started, while two coins reveal the solution. You don’t have unlimited coins, so use them sparingly.

Once you think you’re done building the bridge, click the play button on the lower right corner. You can test the bridge with cars, trucks and even, super-heavy tank trucks. You pass when they cross the finish line on the other side.

Bridge Constructor just recently became available at the Windows Phone Store, but it has been out for iOS and Android for over a year already. There are over 11 million players worldwide according to the store listing. Bridge Constructor costs $1.99, but there’s a free trial available. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments!

Windows Phone Central Roundup: Superhero Games and Apps

Superheroes can be great subject matter for Windows Phone apps and games. From comic book almanacs to superhero themed adventure games, these titles can appeal to a wide audience.

For this week’s Windows Phone Central roundup, we have searched the Windows Phone Store for a handful of gaming and app titles that center around an assortment of superheroes. We tried to keep to those apps and games that rank with at least four stars and if we have missed your favorite superhero title, sound off below in the comments.

The Amazing Spiderman (trial/$6.99)

The Amazing Spiderman Xbox Live Windows Phone game is the official game for the 2012 Spiderman movie. It features your friendly neighborhood Spiderman as he web slings from building to building, battling the bad guys and ultimately facing off against the Lizard.

The Amazing Spiderman Main Menu

Game play is modeled after the Xbox Live console game and loosely follows the movie’s storyline. The main menu has options to start/continue a game, view your achievements, check out the leaderboards, and access the help/options menus. Options cover sound/music/dialog volume levels and turning on/off toast notifications and your Windows Phone gyroscope.

The Amazing Spiderman Help Section

The help section is brief, highlighting what the on-screen symbols and buttons represent. While brief, the help section is supplemented by on-screen tutorials that will guide you through various gaming experiences when first encountered.

The game itself involves over twenty-five missions where you guide Spiderman through New York City to battle the Lizard’s minions. Successfully completing a mission will earn you skill points that will in turn be used to unlock or upgrade Spiderman’s skill sets.

The Amazing Spiderman Web Slinging

The game screen for The Amazing Spiderman has your Spidey Health Meter in the upper left corner and a mini-map of the City in the upper right corner of the screen.

An on-screen joystick sits in the bottom left corner with various on-screen buttons appearing in the bottom right corner. These buttons will change as the need arises controlling jumping, combat moves and web slinging.

The Amazing Spiderman Combat

Graphics are well done and game play nice. It does take a little time to get used to the on-screen controls, especially steering Spiderman as he web-slings across the City. There are plenty of transition screens that involve story-line dialog but luckily, you can skip these scenes to get into game play faster.

There is a free trial version available for The Amazing Spiderman with the full version currently running $6.99. The Amazing Superman is available for Windows Phone 8 devices, and you can pick up your copy here in the Windows Phone Store. Please note that The Amazing Spiderman will not run on low-memory Windows Phones such as the Nokia Lumia 520.

Batman – Animated Series (free)

While I always enjoyed visiting the comic book rack at the local Drug Store, catching a Saturday morning cartoon featuring my favorite superhero was always a treat. Today, animated series for your favorite superhero seems to be everywhere and continues to add a new perspective on things. One of the better drawn-up cartoon series has Batman in the spotlight and the Batman – Animated Series Windows Phone app delivers the Dark Knight’s videos to you Windows Phone.

Batman Animated Series Main Menu

The app currently has fifty-four episodes in its video library, with each episode running about twenty-two minutes long. Episodes feature Batman along with appearances by Robin, Batgirl, Superman, and various villains who are seeking to bring down the Batman. Just tap on the episode you would like to watch from the main menu and enjoy the video.

Videos are streamed in MP4 format with on-screen controls to pause, play, mute, fast forward/reverse, and stop playback. Video streaming was smooth and audio quality good. My only two nits with video playback is that if you have to leave the app, your progress within the episode is not saved and after watching the episode, they are not marked as “watched” on the main menu.

Batman Animated Series Video Controls

Neither issue is detrimental to Batman – Animated Series but could help improve the overall user experience. The app is ad-supported with an ad-banner running along the side of the video screen. If you prefer an ad-free experience, it will cost you $1.99 through an in-app purchase. Personally, I didn’t see the ads being in the way but you may see it differently.

Batman – Animated Series is a free, ad-supported app that is available for Windows Phone 8 and 7.5 devices. To access the streaming videos you will need a data connection. You can find Batman – Animated Series here in the Windows Phone Store.

Dredd vs. Zombies (free)

If you are looking for an action game with fantastic graphics, smooth game play and challenging levels take a look at Dredd vs. Zombies. The Windows Phone 8 game is a staff favorite and features Judge Dredd from comic book and movie fame.

Dredd vs. Zombies Gaming Options

In Dredd vs. Zombies you play the role of Judge Dredd who must protect Mega-City One from a zombie invasion. The Windows Phone gaming title has three gaming modes that include:

• Story Mode that has thirty levels of play
• Arenas Mode that is a survival game
• PSI Mode where you are tasked with preventing future crimes (timed challenges)

Prior to each game, you will be able to equip Judge Dredd with a collection of four weapons types that include the Lawgiver pistol, a Spitgun rifle, a Widowmaker shotgun, and a Hi-Ex rocket launcher. Each of the four weapons can be upgraded using points earned during missions. Additionally you have seven equipment upgrades for body armor, backup magazines and more.

Dredd vs. Zombies Weapons Menu

The gaming screen has your health meter running across the top of the screen, a movement joystick in the bottom left corner and your weapons controls in the lower right corner of the screen. Weapons control includes a firing button and a reload button. Your ammo count will be displayed next to the reload button. One nice feature about the gaming controls is that the movement joystick disappears when not in use giving you a fuller view of the gaming screen.

Dredd vs. Zombies Control Layout

Game play is simple, kill all the zombies. Judge Dredd will face four zombie types during game play, each will different abilities. Some explode into a green goop with one shot, while others require multiple hits before they can be retired.

Along the way Judge Dredd will run across icons that will increase his ammo count and restore his health. Aiming can be done automatically or selectively by tapping on the screen at your target. The same can be said of reloading your weapons. When you empty a magazine, Dredd with reload automatically or if you want to get a jump on things with a fresh magazine before running dry, you can tap the reload button.

Dredd vs. Zombies Game Play

Judge Dredd has been available in the Windows Phone Store for some time and is one of the best action games available. Graphics are top notch, game play challenging and while I wouldn’t mind seeing more levels added to the game, with three gaming modes Dredd vs. Zombies won’t grow old too quickly.

Dredd vs. Zombies is a free game for Windows Phone 8 (including low-memory devices) with a few in-app purchases to buy credits to use with upgrades. You can find Dredd vs. Zombies here in the Windows Phone Store. If you prefer gaming on a larger screen, there is a Windows 8 version of Dredd vs. Zombies (free) that you can find here in the Windows Store.

Superheroes Wallpapers ($1.29)

Superheroes Wallpapers is a collection of about two-hundred and fifty wallpapers from five of the more popular superheroes. You have images of Superman, Batman, Ironman, Spiderman and Captain America.

Just tap on the hero’s tile on the main page of Superheroes Wallpapers and side swipe through that particular collection. When you run across an image you like, tap the save button at the bottom of the screen and the image is saved to your Pictures Hub. From there it is just a matter of finding the image in your Saved Pictures folder and setting it as your lockscreen wallpaper.

Superheroes Wallpapers Menu and Samples

While the selection is rather large, many of the images are still images from the various movies. This isn’t a bad thing but I have always been partial to the illustrated drawings of the superheroes. The illustrated superhero images come across a little more appealing than an actor dressed up as Superman or Captain America.

Superheroes Wallpapers

The biggest drawback to Superheroes Wallpapers is that lack of a trial version. The app does get a 4.5 star rating but I think it would be more attractive if Superheroes Wallpaper had a trial version that gave you access to a handful of images. I also wouldn’t mind seeing more superheroes added to the mix such as Thor, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, The Black Widow and the X-Men.

When all is said and done, Superheroes Wallpapers is a decent collection of superhero oriented wallpaper but needs to increase its catalog of heroes. I would rather see fewer Superman movie stills and more superhero choices. The app has potential but needs more variety.

Superheroes Wallpapers is currently running $1.29 and is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices. You can find Superheroes Wallpapers here in the Windows Phone Store.

The Dark Knight Rises (trial/$6.99)

In the same manner as The Amazing Spiderman, The Dark Knight Rises is an Xbox Windows Phone 8 game inspired by the movie sharing the same name. The Dark Knight Rises feature Batman in all his Gotham glory as he battles his way through the city, protecting everyone from the villain Bane.

The Dark Knight Rises Menu

The storyline follows the movie fairly closely and features main characters such as Catwoman, Lucius Fox and Commissioner Gordon. The Dark Knight Rises includes dozens of missions and random events to keep the game interesting. You get to deal with hostage situations, bomb squads, jail breaks and car chases.

The main menu offers options to start/resume the game, view your collectibles, achievements and leaderboard, access the help/options menu and visit the Tech Shop. Game options include sound levels, toast notifications and auto orientation settings. The help section is a little lacking in that it is a collection of all the game play hints you would otherwise see during game play.

The Dark Knight Rises Tech Shop

The Tech Shop on the other hand offers more information on your weapons, skills, vehicles, and other special items. It is where you go to unlock and upgrade these items.

Game play takes you through a series of missions with various storyboards popping up from time to time. The dialog can give you a little insight on your missions but if you prefer to jump into game play, you can tap the screen to scroll through the dialog faster.

The Dark Knight Rises Grappling Hook Swing

The gaming screen has a mini-map in the upper right corner, a movement joystick in the bottom left corner and action controls in the lower right corner of the screen. Special items control buttons are in the upper right corner of the screen for you batarangs, binoculars, and other specialty items. You can adjust your orientation by swiping at the screen or have it done automatically.

The Dark Knight Rises Combat

The Batman’s health meter is a little deceptive in that it circles the mini-map, making it easy to overlook. Each time you take damage, the screen will flash red but you need to be careful and not let your health meter sneak up on you and run dry.

Game play is decent, again much like what you see with The Amazing Spiderman. Movement takes a little time to get used to and you will find yourself over shooting turns and doorways often. I do think both the Spiderman game and The Dark Knight Rises plays better from the console than the smaller screen of our Windows Phone.

The Dark Knight Rises Bat Glide

That’s not to say The Dark Knight Rises is a bad game. It has exceptional graphics, challenging missions but feels just a little cramped. There is a free trial version available for The Dark Knight Rises with the full version running $6.99. It is available for Windows Phone 8 and you can find The Dark Knight Rises here in the Windows Phone Store. It will not run on low-memory Windows Phone devices.

Marvel Comics Almanac (free)

If you are a fan of Marvel Comics, the Marvel Comics Almanac is a must have for your Windows Phone. The app contains a plethora of information on all the Marvel superheroes and villains. Add downloadable images, video clips and full episodes and Marvel Comics Almanac shapes up to be an appealing comic book reference source.

Marvel Comics Almanac Main Pages

The main pages for Marvel Comics Almanac include:

• Feature Page: This page highlights one of the many characters in the Marvel Universe.
• Sections Page: With a keyword search field at the top of this page, you will find tiles to find heroes from key superhero groups such as the Avengers, the Guardians, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Spiderman.
• News Page: Get the latest news and highlights on the Marvel Comic industry.
• Recently Updated: Character information is updated periodically and this page will highlight the heroes and villains that have updated information on their pages.
• Most Popular: Here you will find the more popular heroes to view such as Iron Man, The Hulk, Wolverine and more.
• Seldom Seen: This page highlights the Marvel characters that don’t get a lot of attention.
• Support Page: Here is where you can view the About screen, contact the developer and remove the ad-support with a $.99 in-app purchase.
• Video Page: Marvel Comics Almanac has a collection of over eighty full episodes of animated series. The Videos Page highlights just a few of these videos.

Marvel Comics Almanac Main Pages (Part Two)

In drilling down to a character’s page, you will find a short biography on the superhero or villain. Depending on how much information is available on the character, you will find additional pages for the character’s attributes, a video gallery, an image gallery, and sound bites from the character. While still images can be saved to the phone, the sounds cannot. At the bottom of each character’s pages, you will find a control button to pin the character to your Windows Phone Start Screen.

Marvel Comics Almanac Character Pages

All totaled, Marvel Comics Almanac is a wealth of information on the collection of Marvel Comic superheroes and villains. The Windows Phone app is a free, ad-supported app that is available for Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices. You can find Marvel Comics Almanac here in the Windows Phone Store. There is also a Windows 8 version of Marvel Comics Almanac (free) that you can find here in the Windows Store.

Any Stand Outs?

Each of the apps and games in this week’s roundup are quality titles for our Windows Phone. With respect to the games in this week’s roundup, Dredd vs. Zombies may very well be the strongest performer for a mobile platform. The Amazing Spiderman and The Dark Knight Rises will appeal to fans of Spiderman and Batman but may be better suited for the larger screens of a gaming console (e.g. Xbox). Both are enjoyable games but felt a little cramped on the 4.5” screen of the Lumia 1020. Dredd vs. Zombies has more fluid game play on the smaller Windows Phone screen.

Each of the apps approaches the superhero genre a little differently. If you are a fan of the Batman animated series, the Batman-Animated Series app is a nice way to get your fill of the dark knight. Marvel Comics is a very comprehensive resource for the Marvel comic book line. Superheroes Wallpaper has a nice collection of wallpapers but tends to focus more on movie images, which gives the app a limited feel. I would have rather had seen more drawings than photographs.

These are just a few of the superhero-oriented titles available in the Windows Phone Store. The Avengers are represented with two games (Avengers Initiative and RJS!) but they are not rated as high as you would expect. My guess is the lack of a trial version hurts these two games which is a shame because RJS! isn’t that bad of a game.

While there were plenty of Superman related apps, I was a little surprised not to see any Superman games. I also wouldn’t mind seeing the Lego series of games find their way to the Windows Phone Store. I think Lego Batman would make for a great mobile game.

So what say you? Have we missed your favorite superhero game or app? Is there a superhero missing from our Windows Phone Store that you would see make it to the platform? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Time was we posted an article about a new Xbox Windows Phone game (or games!) every week like clockwork. Those days are long behind us, never to return again. But I do get to write about the weekly Xbox console releases, which is almost as fun. And this week we actually do have a new Xbox Windows Phone game, on the unusual day of Friday: FIFA 14 from Electronic Arts! We hear a last-minute bug kept it from releasing on Wednesday.

FIFA 14 is the latest in EA’s extremely popular football/soccer sports series. Last year’s FIFA 13 was originally a Nokia exclusive, and only just became available to all Windows Phone users a month ago. Now all of us (with phones that have 1 GB or more RAM) can enjoy this year’s rosters and new features. And unlike FIFA 13– which sells for $4.99, this year’s game is free to play. More details and Store link after the break!

Features

• REAL PLAYERS. REAL TEAMS. REAL LEAGUES: Welcome to the most authentic football game on Windows Phone 8. Feel the excitement of every pass, shot, and tackle with new touch controls. Plus, live every moment of real-world football mastery with EA SPORTS™ Football Club Match Day.
• FEEL THE PASSION: Featuring 34 leagues, over 600 licensed teams, and more than 16,000 players. From the English Premier League to La Liga and beyond. Plus, for the first time on mobile, listen to commentaries in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish!
• BUILD YOUR ULTIMATE TEAM: Earn and trade, or buy and sell FIFA players to create your own fantasy team. Choose your play style, formation, kits, and more. Compete in tournaments to earn coins, then spend them on new players and items to improve your team. Play for free or purchase packs. The choices are endless!
• FIFA FANATICS: Classic modes like Manager, and Kick Off are available for purchase in-game.

Good free to play or bad free to play?

Unless you have a conservative mindset, there’s good free to play and bad free to play. Gameloft’s Real Soccer 2013 is what we call the bad kind, a game that asks for money at every turn and is extremely difficult to enjoy without paying. Is FIFA 14 better then?

Yes! The main game mode is Ultimate Team Mode, in which players manage a team and play its games throughout the season. That’s all you get for free, but make the “Unlock All” purchase and you’ll get Exhibition, Tournament, and Manager modes. Pretty much the same as just buying the game outright.

During the normal Ultimate Team Mode experience, you’ll also have the option of buying packs of cards to use for managing the team’s roster, upgrading their skills, and more. But you never have to pay real money if you don’t want to – the cards can be bought with soft currency earned through playing games. So FIFA 14 sounds like the good kind of free to play overall, and worth a download.

• FIFA 14– Windows Phone 8 (1 GB of RAM or higher) – 888 MB – Free – Store Link

Better late than never. Games from iOS and Android keep rolling into the Windows Phone Store. This time, it’s Level 22. Metal Gear Solid fans are going to love this game. You play as Gary, who wakes up late after partying hard the night before. This isn’t the first time Gary’s been late for work, and he could be fired if he’s spotted arriving at his desk after everyone else yet again.

Watch the official trailer below.

Gary works on the 22nd floor. Help him work his way up without being spotted. Tapping on different areas of the offices moves Gary into those positions. Some objects can be interacted with. For example, you can push vending machines, enter vents, hide inside closets, or pick up certain items. You can drag around the screen to scout the area, but you can’t pinch to zoom

.

There are a few things Gary can do to avoid being spotted. Obviously, you want to be away from your co-workers’ line of vision. Fortunately, they move around and sometimes even fall asleep at their desks. Timing is important. Props can be used as well. Some missions let you hide inside a box and even move around with it. Of course, people will get suspicious if they see a box moving around by itself. You can also cover your face with a newspaper to avoid being identified. Security guards are smarter though and tend to get more suspicious if you get too close.

Sometimes, hiding and sneaking around aren’t enough. More daring actions are required. This game lets you booby-trap photocopiers, give laxatives to your co-workers, knock them out, poison them, or even expose them to harmful radiation.

Level 22 costs $1.99 from the Windows Phone Store. We’re having a lot of fun with it. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments!

Thanks for the tip, Elloy K.!

Space Kitty is a cool puzzle game for Windows Phone, tasking players with rotating the space station to save scared aliens. There are numerous puzzles to test one's mind and it's a great little game to pass some time. Over 100 levels are available to keep you occupied and if you haven't yet downloaded the game, it's listed for free through a partnership with myAppFree.

Not only are the graphics cute and well-designed, the gameplay is both addictive and fun. A perfect way to start the weekend off. You can download Space Kitty from the Windows Phone Store for free over the next 24 hours. Also, download myAppFree to keep on top of all the deals available for your the Windows Phone.

The Windows Phone gaming emulation scene is dominated by a few prolific developers: Duc Le (who took over for M.k), Andre Botelho, and Samuel Blanchard. Samuel created two emulators in the early days of Windows Phone (Purple Cherry and Blue Tomato) before largely disappearing from the scene for a couple of years.

Loyal Windows Phone readers learned what Samuel had been up to when we interviewed him last year. While busy with other commitments, he continued to plug away on a new GameBoy Advance emulator for Windows Phone 8. Today that emulator finally showed up on the Store as Purple Cherry X. Although Purple Cherry X lags behind competing emulator VBA8 in a few key areas, it also brings an entirely new perspective and features of its own. Read on for our full review.

Main Menu

The first thing you’ll notice about Purple Cherry X is its striking visual design. At the top of the main menu, you’ll see an arrangement of screenshots from the three most recently played games. Links to Import games, the app’s Store, and Settings sit below the recent games. Swipe to the right for the full games list.

Instead of a solid color for the background, the menu system uses colorful imagery from Yoshi’s Island (a Super NES and GameBoy Advance game). The background actually has multiple layers to it, which truly goes above and beyond what we expect from a mobile app’s menus. And animated stars appear whenever you make a selection.

The VBA8 family of emulators has just received a lovely visual overhaul, but Purple Cherry X still outshines them (to say nothing of the ugly UIs in the EmiPSX emulator family). Maybe not the portrait mode graphics though. The original GameBoy-inspired "frame" looks unpolished and doesn't mesh well with a GameBoy Advance emulator. Then again, nobody plays emulators in portrait orientation anyway.

Game menu

Emulators typically come with a public domain game which users can play without having to import additional files. Purple Cherry X includes two such games: Anguna: Warriors of Virtue (a top-down action-RPG) and Maya (a match-3 puzzle game). Surprisingly good for free games, especially Anguna. Both titles can even be restored from one of the menus if deleted.

The game menu doesn’t waste space with a giant title like some other emulators. But it does have letters that you can press to bring up the alphabet menu and jump to ROMs starting with specific letters. These take up a lot of space and it’d be nice if we could toggle them.

My only other complaint is that games are represented by a generic GameBoy Advance icon rather than individual screenshots. You can view a screenshot within each game’s submenu, but not from the game selection screen itself. Hopefully the developer will add screenshot browsing in a future update.

Importing games

Purple Cherry X offers three main methods of importing ROMs (games). Games must use either .GBA or .ZIP file extensions.

• Quick Download: To unlock this unique feature, users must make an In-App Purchase of 99 cents (or $1.49 if you want to get rid of ads too). Having done so, you can search for ROMs directly within the app. Users can then download ROMs directly from the search results. It’s very convenient, but totally not legal.
• OneDrive: Formerly known as SkyDrive, this is the most common method of installing ROMs in Windows Phone emulators. At press time, Purple Cherry X’s OneDrive integration is half broken. It only sees .ZIP files and not .GBA files. The developer has already fixed the issue and submitted a new build, so this won’t be a problem for long.
• File Extension: Import games via email attachment or web browser.

Settings

Purple Cherry X is light on settings at launch, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they get fleshed out more in the future. The standard performance options like toggling sound or enabling frame skip are all present. You can lock the screen into Portrait or Landscape mode, and even enable an accelerated Turbo mode when the Camera button is pressed.

Controls are where the emulator really falls short at present. The controls menu is referred to as “Paddle,” an incorrect term resulting from language issues. The one single control option is to adjust on-screen control opacity for landscape mode. The app really needs the option to reposition buttons, as well as toggle the “C” button with something more useful…

Controls

When in landscape mode, you’ll find the L and R buttons positioned at the middle edges of the screen – kind of unusual, but certainly more accessible on large screens like the Lumia 1520’s than putting them at the top. At the top right corner of the screen are the Select and Start buttons. Not a terrible position, but slightly hard to reach on the 1520.

The primary action buttons B and A at the bottom-right corner. Just above them is the C button, which I initially expected to function like pressing both B and A at the same time. After a little research, I realized that C is the button to toggle backlight on the GameBoy Advance SP... A completely useless function to emulate as far as I know, though maybe some odd game used it over the years. But replacing C with a button for both A and B, or even a button to toggle autofire (another missing option) would be much better. Update: Samuel tells us that C does perform A + B. Not sure why it didn't seem to do so when I tested it.

Purple Cherry X does not support MOGA controllers at present. Luckily, Samuel does plan to add them in the near future. Pairing the MOGA controller with a compatible emulator turns a Windows Phone into a true portable console, so the MOGA support will definitely be appreciated.

Extra features

Besides the lovely menus, Purple Cherry X offers some cool features that some other emulators lack. Each game gets its own dedicated menu from which players can manage save states (user-created save files) and even adjust settings specifically for that game (instead of universally).

Down at the bottom, the game menu tracks time played and how many times you’ve played that game. Players can save the auto-created screenshot of the game and share it via email and social networks. You can also pin the game to the Home screen, in which case a cropped version of the screenshot acts as its live tile.

Overall Impression

Purple Cherry X is a great way to play classic GameBoy Advance games like Zelda: the Minnish Cap and the Pokémon series. The games run pretty much perfectly on a Lumia 1520, and the on-screen controls function great as well.

There are still some rough spots like the absence of screenshots during game browsing and the emulator’s overall lack of control options. The language needs some proofreading as well. But all of these things will probably improve over time. As long as Samuel keeps improving the UI and adds MOGA controller support, Purple Cherry X will provide VBA8 with some serious competition.

• Purple Cherry X– Windows Phone 8 – 5 MB – Free – Store Link

You’re probably tired of hearing this, but we love it when more developers port their iOS and Android games into Windows Phone. Another example is Hungry Monstr. Originally released over two years ago on other platforms, it’s now available for Windows Phone users.

Playing Hungry Monstr is simple. The aim is to keep all Monstrs away from your ice cream cart. Head past the break for our hands on video and gameplay using the Nokia Lumia Icon.

This games tests your reaction time. Stay calm while waves of Monstrs rush for your ice cream cart. Just flick or drag the Monstrs into their matching colored tubes in the corners of the screen. It looks easy at first, but then feel the addictive rush as the Monstrs come faster and in bigger numbers.

Features:

• Hi-res graphics
• Full multi-touch gameplay
• 2 game modes for short or lengthy play
• Cute Monstrs and animations
• Simple addictive play
• Deep scoring mechanics to discover
• In game Statistics - all sorts of interesting tidbits!
• 3 difficulty levels - suitable for kids to adults
• Game does not require internet access and will run 100% without it

There are two game modes in each level. If you only have a few minutes, select Monstr Frenzy where you only need to keep out 3 frenzy waves for a total of 3 minutes. If you have more time to waste, then select Endless Rainbow where the waves gradually get harder. It's all about how long you can survive in Endless Rainbow mode.

Flicking a Monstr into the wrong tube creates a bad situation that can escalate very quickly. They get stuck, blocking the tube for other Monstrs for a few seconds. Quickly flick the other Monstrs to the other corresponding tubes or else the numbers will overwhelm you.

Hungry Monstr is a free download from the Windows Phone Store. Blowfish Studios, the developers of the game, are testing if there is a market for Windows Phone and are looking to port over a few of their other games in the coming weeks. Check out their first game for Windows Phone and let us know what you think in the comments!

There are plenty of zombie games available for our Windows Phone and Deadlings is one of the latest offerings for Windows Phone 8. Deadlings is a platformer styled game that has puzzle game elements.

Graphics are well done, game play simple and the levels are challenging enough to keep you on your toes. Deadlings offers over one hundred levels of play giving the game a little longevity as well as entertainment value. We covered the game's announcement, now we'll take a closer look at things.

Story Line and Main Menu

The story line with Deadlings has Death feeling a little on the lonely side so he begins “Project Deadlings” where he buys a local factory and builds a lab where he can begin training an army of zombies. Death trains his zombie minions by running them through various mazes filled with deadly traps, obstacles and brains.

Deadlings Main Menu

The main menu for Deadlings contains options to access the game’s Facebook and Twitter pages, view the About screen, access the game’s settings and jump into game play. Settings are minimal and includes turning on/off sound effect and music.

The game lacks a help section but Deadlings does a nice job of providing pop-up windows that will illustrate game play. Still, it would be nice to have a reference section to explain each zombie type’s skills and some of the rewards are.

Deadlings Map

When you are ready to jump into the game, tap the “Play” button on the main menu and you will be sent to the game play map. Deadlings has over one hundred levels of play that are progressively unlocked and re-playable. Levels currently span four phases, each offering unique challenges.

Game Play

As you play Deadlings, pop-up windows will appear at the start of each level detailing game play for that particular level.

Deadlings Game Tutorial

Each level of play with Deadlings begins with an overview of each level. Your start point is a green tower with a golden gear circulating around it. The exit point is also a green tower but has a green gear circulating around it. In between these two towers will be dangers such as spike pits, circulating saws, triggers to open walls, and more. The goal is to make it to the exit and consume as many brains you can along the way.

Launching your Zombies on the Level Map

To begin play, tap the starting point and depending on the level you will need to choose a direction your zombie will exit. Some levels utilize different zombie types and in these cases, you will need to tap the icon for whichever zombie you want to send out into the maze.

The four zombie types include:

• Bonesack zombies who can run and jump across the levels
• Creep zombies who climbs on the walls and ceilings
• Lazybrain zombies who moves slower
• Stencher zombies who uses powerful gas clouds to fly across the levels

You will need to evaluate the overview map for each level to see if you need to deploy a certain type of zombie to reach triggers or if exiting left or right gives you a survivable path to the exit point.

Deadlings Game Screen

The game screen has a toggle switch that will send you from the game screen to the map view, your brain count, your game timer and a pause button running across the top of the screen. In the bottom left corner of the game screen this is an acceleration button to give your zombies a burst of speed.

Your zombie will begin running in the direction you choose right out of the gate. To have the zombie perform an action (jump, jump onto walls, release a gas cloud, etc.) just tap the screen. Because the zombie starts moving non-stop, Deadlings does have a fairly quick pace that will test your reactions and timing.

Deadlings Creep Zombies Climb the Walls

If at any point you need to re-evaluate your plan of attack to make it to the level’s exit, just tap the directional arrow in the upper left corner to view the map overview. As you advance through the levels, zombie management comes into play where you may have more than one zombie in action at a time.

At the completion of each level, your performance will be graded on the number of brains consumed and your time. You also can earn rewards and the skulls can be used as currency but it isn't clear how you can spend them (hence the need for a reference/help section).

Overall Impression

Deadlings is a nicely animated Windows Phone 8 game that has plenty of gaming levels to keep you busy for a while. Game play has plenty of variables keep things interesting and overall, Deadlings is an appealing addition to the Windows Phone 8 gaming library.

Deadlings on Windows 8

My only nit is that the game needs a help/reference section. I don’t think it is detrimental for the game’s success but it would take some of the guesswork out of things. Otherwise, Deadlings is a fun game to pass the time with.

There is a free trial version available for Deadlings that will let you play the first several levels to get a feel for things. The full version is currently running $1.99 and is available for Windows Phone 8. You can find Deadlings here in the Windows Phone Store.

There is also a Windows 8 version of Deadlings with the same layout, same game play, just a larger screen. Deadlings for Windows 8 is running $1.99 (trial version available) that can be picked up here in the Windows Store.

A lot can happen in a week, especially in the Windows Phone Store. New apps come and old favorites get updated with new features. Which is exactly why we like to take a little time to reflect and help highlight any cool apps you might have missed. This week we’ll look at Stack, Poki, myTube and others! 

New

Stack– We like clean and beautiful apps. The cherry on top is when those apps are very functional. Which is exactly why we like Stack, a new Buffer client for Windows Phone. With Stack you can automatically schedule updates to go out to your various social networks, like Twitter and Facebook. This is an indispensable tool if you’re planning a product or apps launch. Or maybe you just want to increase your social media clout. Grab Stack in the Windows Phone Store. ($1.99/Trial coming)

Geico– Great news if you’re a Geico Insurance customer. There’s a new official app out on Windows Phone. The app allows you to check your Geico policies, view and access digital ID cards, pay your bill, change your payment plan and much more. Get Geico in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

ROCKRADIO.com– We’re big fans of Digitally Imported (DI.FM). Which means we’re also pretty big fans of its sister networks JAZZRADIO.com and SKY FM. We’re even happier to see ROCKRADIO.com join the Windows Phone club. The new app gives you access to over 40 stations with every genre of music imaginable. Grab ROCKRADIO.com in the Windows Phone Store. (Free/Subscription option)

Updated

Xbox One SmartGlass– The one app to control your Xbox One picked up an update this past week. There aren’t any new features in Xbox One SmartGlass. Instead you’ll find the app cleaned up a bit with easier access to your Game Clips. Grab the new Xbox One SmartGlass in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

myTube– One of the best YouTube clients for Windows Phone went to version 1.5 this past week. Indeed, it’s myTube with a new Live tile, logo, new themes, improved audio-only streams and much more. Get the new myTube in the Windows Phone Store. ($0.99/Trial)

Poki– Our favorite Pocket reader picked up its first update this past week. Poki is now at version 1.1 and introduces new features and fixes. The new features you look forward to include auto-completion for tags editing, new Live tiles, Vimeo & YouTube support and more. Get the latest version of Poki in the Windows Phone Store. ($1.99/Trial)

Beta

Nokia Camera–Live life on the edge? Then you should be running the beta for Nokia Camera. It’s a look at features and functions coming to future versions of Nokia Camera. The update this week brings a new design for the photo library, the ability to automatically play videos and more. Grab Nokia Camera Beta in the Windows Phone Store (Free/Lumia only)

Toib– Looking for another YouTue client on Windows Phone? Then join the beta for Toib, a beautiful new YouTube app from the dev behind Phonly. The app is beautiful and worth trying out. More info on joining the beta can be found on the original post.

Games

FIFA 14– Big fan of football/soccer? Then you’re going to want to pick up FIFA 14 for Windows Phone. The game requires 1GB of RAM, but gives a pretty compelling football experience on Windows Phone. FIFA 14 gives you access to real players, real teams and real leagues all for free. Get FIFA 14 in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Purple Cherry X– Looking for an emulator to run all your old favorite GameBoy Advanced games? Then you’re going to want Purple Cherry X, a new GameBoy Advanced emulator for Windows Phone. Grab Purple Cherry X in the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

Have any favorite apps from the past week? List them below!

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape is a relatively new Windows Phone puzzle game that has you escaping various puzzle levels and staying one step ahead of watch guards. You stick to the shadows to remain unseen and elude the spotlights that scan the puzzle.

You will also need to avoid a handful of traps and collect stars along the way that will boost your score and earn you bonuses. Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape makes a nice first impression and comes across as an entertaining action/puzzle game for our Windows Phone.

Main Menu

The main menu for Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape has a straightforward layout with button tiles to review the game, buy the full version of the game, view the leaderboards and view the achievements running across the bottom of the screen. Links to the game’s Twitter and Facebook pages are stacked in the right corner just above the mute button for the gaming sounds. The “Play Game” tile sits center screen and will take you the gaming levels screen.

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape Main Menu

The main menu lacks a help section but the game has a nice collection of tutorial screens that appear before each level of play that will cover any new gaming features you need to be aware of.

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape Tutorial Screen

Gaming levels are separated into three chapters with ten levels per chapter. Levels and chapters are progressively unlocked and can be replayed. Through an in-app purchase of $1.29, you can buy the full version of Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape and open up an additional twenty levels and new enemy types.

Game Play

The goal of Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape is to guide your player through a maze, avoiding the spotlights, guards and other obstacles. Movement is simple in that you draw a line for your character, the larger circle, to follow to the exit. The length of the line you draw is limited so it may take a few turns to reach the exit.

Avoiding the Guards Lights

The first few levels are not very difficult but give you a feel for the gaming controls. At the top of the gaming screen, you will find an ad-banner and your gaming stats. Run the Shadow’s gaming stats include your power-ups, star count, soul point count and your score. Stars are collected throughout the levels and can be converted to soul points, which in turn can be used to buy power-ups such as audio traps, flash bombs and an path boost that will let you draw longer lines.

To access the power-up menu, just tap on the score area. You will need to double-tap the screen to activate a power-up. Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape does have in-app purchase opportunities to buy stars and soul points to get a jump on stockpiling your power-ups.

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape Power-up Menu

As you advance through the levels things get a little trickier in that you will have to avoid contact with the maze walls, avoid the prison guards and navigate around trap doors.

Guards will have spotlights and if you stray out of the shadows into the light, the guards will swarm on your location and capture your character. Trap doors have switches that you’ll have to find and position your hero up against it to open the door.

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape

The exits can be a little on the tricky side due to their position on the screen. There will be levels where the exit is sitting adjacent to the Windows button. If you draw you path or line too far, it is easy to make contact with the Windows button and send your Windows Phone to the Start Screen.

Once you send your character through the exit, a scoring summary will appear and you will have the option to advance to the next level, replay the current level or jump out to the main menu.

Overall Impression

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape is an entertaining Windows Phone game. Game play is not complicated but does require an accurate touch, patience and timing.

The only nit I have with game play is that the power-ups aren't the easiest to access. Double tapping to get to the power-up menu then tapping to activate just felt a little cumbersome. Additionally, while the tutorial screen do a good job of walking you through game play, I wouldn’t mind seeing a help section added to the main menu for reference.

Still, all in all, Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape is a fun, casual game for Windows Phone that is a nice option to consider when you need a little help passing the time.

Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape is a free, ad-supported game that is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices. You can find your copy of Run the Shadow: Alcatraz Escape here in the Windows Phone Store.

Attention, cat lovers! There’s a new game that you might like. It’s called Catorize. It has been available on iOS and Android, but now Windows Phone users get to play it too. You play as a little cat, jumping onto platforms to collect colored stones. Avoid falling off, touching spikes, or getting near scary creatures because this cat doesn’t have nine lives.

Head past the break to watch our hands on video and gameplay.

Catorize is a physics-based puzzle game that reminds us a little bit of Angry Birds. You launch the cat by dragging your finger on the screen. There’s a guide on screen that shows the general direction of your jump. You’re not here to knock out pigs or break down walls, though. You simply have to collect colored stones located on different platforms. The levels are completed after the last stone is collected.

You can control the power of jump with one click or finger touch. This is also possible while you are in midair. You can change directions as you please to collect those stones. At the end of each level, you get rated with up to three stars. If you are able to collect the stones in the minimum amount of moves, you'll beat that level with three stars.

Levels get harder as you progress. Variations show up as well, so you won’t get bored. New elements such as bubbles, sand, gum, spikes, or spiders appear in certain levels. You’ll need to adjust your jumps to adapt to these new elements. For example, sand stops the cat from bouncing, while bubbles help the cat float.

Catorize is a free download from the Windows Phone Store, however it is ad-supported. You’ll see ads all over the place except when you’re actually playing. There is an in-app purchase available for $1.29 that removes the ads. Have time to waste? Check out Catorize and let us know what you think of it in the comments!

Thanks for the tip, Ajay!

If you are a fan of the retro look, you may want to check out the Windows Phone 8 game Space Squids. It is an endless, side scrolling space combat game with minimal controls and equally minimal graphics (which isn’t a bad thing) that is reminiscent of videos games of old.

Space Squids calls upon you to pilot your space craft, battling wave upon wave of enemy ships and bosses. While the game approaches things in a simplistic manner, Space Squids is a fun game to pass the time with and nifty addition to the Windows Phone gaming library.

Space Squids has simplistic graphics and an equally simple interface. The main menu has options to play the game, displays your best score and an option to rate the game in the Windows Phone Store. A music note sits in the lower right corner that acts as mute button. The goal of Space Squids is to fly your space ship across the screen for as far as you can. Along the way you get to battle alien space craft and bosses. Enemy space ships vary in speed and in the number of hits required to take them out.

The gaming screen with Space Squids has your gaming statistics spread across the top of the screen, which includes your score, level, number of missiles, number of lives and a pause button. Gaming controls run across the bottom of the screen that include your fire button, missile launch button and up/down directional arrows.

Game play is transparent. You move your ship up and down to avoid colliding with enemy ships and enemy weapons fire while firing your own weapon to destroy the enemy ships. As you progress through the game, you will encounter boss ships that a little more effort in destroying.

For the most part, game play was enjoyable with Space Squids and the pixelated graphics does have a certain amount of appeal. I did experience a few performance issues that locked the game up and required me to re-launch to the game to get things moving again. The game freezing did not occur often enough to drive you crazy but enough to be noticeable.

If you’re in the mood for a retro gaming experience or just looking for a casual game to help you pass the time Space Squids is well worth trying. Space Squids is a free game that is available for Windows Phone 8. You can find Space Squids here in the Windows Phone Store.

A few days ago, we reported that Microsoft is looking to create an open-source framework for bringing Xbox Live features to games for all mobile platforms. An additional report from The Verge has since added additional fuel to the fire, giving us a slightly clearer picture of what that means for Xbox Live on Windows Phone and other mobile devices.

Xbox Windows Phone has long been in dire need of a change. Read on to find out what went wrong, and how likely it is that the upcoming open-source framework will set mobile Xbox Live games back on track.

A system in need of change

Fairway Solitaire

It’s difficult to remember nowadays, but Xbox games were actually a selling point of Windows Phone 7 back when the platform launched in late 2010. That year, Microsoft reached out to numerous mobile developers across the world and encouraged them to port their games to Windows Phone as Xbox Live titles. In some cases, the big MS actually paid the developers to do the porting, but not always.

Of the 63 Xbox games announced for the Windows Phone 7 launch window, only 52 made it to market. A few, like Real Soccer and Asphalt 5 showed up as late as 2012 – well past the launch window. Many others were quietly cancelled without notice, making them vaporware. Check out our look back at Loondon, one of those vaporware titles.

In the early days of Xbox Windows Phone, Microsoft allowed some developers and publishers to self-publish their games. Normally, a company must have self-published retail Xbox titles in order to get that privilege. Sadly, the days of allowing companies to publish their own Xbox games are over. Fairway Solitaire was planned as an Xbox game but ended up an indie title due to that woeful constraint.

These days, the only Xbox games that appear on Windows Phone are published by Microsoft, EA, or Ubisoft. Even if a smaller developer wanted to release an Xbox game for Windows Phone, they would have to negotiate a publishing agreement with Microsoft thus losing an extra cut of the game’s profits, as well as control over that title’s future. So nobody makes Xbox games any more.

A tortuous certification process

MiniSquadron

The other major malfunction in the mobile Xbox system has long been the rigorous certification process. In order to be Xbox-enabled, games must be submitted for certification. The actual testing is done by low-wage contractors outside of Microsoft, who we’ve been told often provided vague or unhelpful feedback in the past.

One game, MiniSquadron actually took longer to push through certification than it did to develop! And after the game released with a few bugs unsquashed, the developer actually chose to delist it rather than face another round of certification. Another indie title that launched with severe bugs is I Dig It from InMotion Software. The Xbox Live certification team refused to allow the I Dig It bug-fixing title update to pass for a whopping eight months!

Just today, a former developer of Xbox games for Windows Phone and Windows 8 told us:

“Doing anything with Microsoft and Xbox Live is such a drain on our resources, and the sales just still aren't there on Microsoft's mobile platforms.  I believe it is best to launch without Xbox Live integration.  Then you have the freedom and flexibility to make your game the best it can be, not be hamstrung by Xbox Live services.”

Even Gameloft, a publisher that can better afford to pay for the slow and costly certification process chose to stop producing Xbox titles for Windows Phone last year. They still make Windows Phone games, but without the Xbox features that many gamers crave.

We saw the writing on the wall long before Gameloft jumped ship. In early 2013 I wrote a series of seven lengthy editorials chronicling all the problems facing Xbox Live games on Windows Phone. Only one of my grievances has been addressed (the need for a mobile Halo game), though requests for independent volume control and support for installing games on SD cards will finally be met when Windows Phone 8.1 rolls out.

Something different this way comes

Halo: Spartan Assault

Now that we’ve gotten the history lesson out of the way, let’s look at The Verge’s report. The website initially found a Microsoft job posting (which has since been removed ) that reads:

"We will create a modern framework that is open-source, lightweight, extensible and scalable across various platforms including Windows Store, Windows Phone, iOS, and Android."

The Verge goes on to add a bit of additional insight from its own source:

“Microsoft is aiming to "win back" game developers from its competitors by making Xbox Live a lot easier to integrate into apps and games. Xbox Live, in its current state, requires certification and permission from Microsoft, but in the future the company is planning to have fewer restrictions and better tools for game developers to integrate the functionality into titles.”

The obvious good news there is that certification for mobile Xbox Live games will at long last be eased. The current, Draconian certification process is basically copy-and-pasted form the Xbox 360, without any special concessions for mobile or indie developers.

Although large publishers like EA, Gameloft, etc. produce a lot of best-selling mobile titles, a significant portion of the most popular mobile games (including Flappy Bird) come from individual developers or very small teams. Remember, Microsoft made a few special publishing deals and/or threw some funding around in the early days of Xbox Windows Phone, but that pretty much stopped in 2012. Even those indie developers fortunate enough to self-publish during 2010-2011 still had to contend with a certification process that is overly rigorous and yet inefficient. No wonder they left.

Attracting developers back to Xbox Windows Phone is only part of Microsoft’s goal here. The job posting stated that the new framework will support Android and iOS as well. I’ve argued before that Xbox features should be exclusive to Microsoft platforms, so Xbox support on Android and iOS is bad for Windows Phone. But the sad reality is that there are important people within Microsoft who use iPhones and Android phones and just don’t care about the Windows Phone department’s success over their own departments.

Think back to Halo: Spartan Assault. If Microsoft couldn’t have also brought that game to Windows 8, Xbox One, and Xbox 360, the Windows Phone version never would have happened. Opening up Xbox Live to iOS and Android is a necessary evil in order to actually get the mobile Xbox Live certification process straightened up and revive Xbox Windows Phone. Let’s get developers making Xbox games again before we worry about whether our friends on iOS and Android unlock Achievements.

Will Microsoft really ease mobile Xbox Live certification to the point that lapsed developers who once supported Xbox Windows Phone will come back?

Maybe more Xbox Windows Phone games will come after FIFA 14 after all.

The way the Verge tells things, you’d think Microsoft might be trying to position mobile Xbox Live as an equivalent to iOS’s GameCenter and Android’s Google Play services. That’s what Windows Phone gamers have long been crying for: a way for developers to add Achievements to their games without signing away control of the game or slowing down the process of getting games and updates to market.

It’s certainly possible that the recent leadership changes within Microsoft (including those that took place last week) have finally paved the way for revamping the mobile Xbox Live certification process. Although I fear there are few gamers making decisions like these that affect Xbox Windows Phone, the need for adjustment has been plain to see since 2010.

Even without the framework that Microsoft plans to build, a recent development has opened up a new, easier way for games on Windows Phone and non-Microsoft platforms to incorporate Xbox Live features. All Xbox Live functionality is available as web calls now. In other words, features like having an Achievement list and unlocking those Achievements can be done by communicating with a web server without much extra work from the developer. Theoretically, any game for any platform with web access can have Xbox Live features. Microsoft just has to approve that game as an Xbox Live title.

Returning to the new cross-platform framework revealed by the job posting, our Xbox Live developer source tells us that Microsoft has not started discussing the framework with third-party developers yet. As such, the initiative could still be pretty far off. But GDC and Microsoft’s BUILD conference are just around the corner. Perhaps the big MS will open up about the framework it’s creating during one of those events.

Math games can be really fun. Take a look at Save the Hamsters, for example. This Windows Phone game has cute hamsters that are lost and need to find their way home. Pass each level by solving the math problems and going though obstacles such as boxes and ropes. Watch out for the cutters!

Head past the break to watch our hands on video and gameplay.

Features:

• 10 locations in full version
• 200+ levels in full version
• Adorable characters
• Supports wide tile
• Supports full version purchase on Windows Phone 7
• In-app purchase feature for Windows Phone 8

The early levels make a great introduction on how to play this game. The hamsters have numbers on their chest. Place them in the correct positions so that the math equations are correct. Tap on boxes if a hamster is resting on one, and they’ll drop down.

It looks really simple, but more obstacles show up in later levels. For example, there may be ropes in which they’ll be hanging on. This might remind of another game called Cut the Rope. Other things show up like chains, cutters, revolving platforms, and steel beams.

Solving the math equation and passing the obstacles are enough to pass the levels, but each level also has up to three stars for you to collect. You’ll want to collect all three stars so you can unlock the bonus levels.

Save the Hamsters cost $1.49 at the Windows Phone Store. There is a free trial available if you want to test it out before spending your hard-earned money. We think the full version is worth the purchase. The graphics look great and we’re actually having a lot of fun solving these math problems and obstacles. Go download it now and let us know what you think in the comments!