It may not be the best game out there on Windows Phone Store, but Star Wars: Tiny Death Star is annoyingly addictive and one of the guilty pleasures of several amongst the Windows Phone Central crew.

Available for both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices, the game combines Star Wars with time management gameplay. Your mission is to build up the Death Star and make the Emperor happy. The retro graphics add to the game’s unique charm.

The Windows Phone version just got updated to version 1.4.0.2 that brings Facebook integration and allows you to save games across devices. You’ll also be able to see which of your other friends are also playing Star Wars: Tiny Death Star. The update brings new Salvage Droids that you can send on missions deep into galaxy to collect valuable resources for your Death Star.

You can collect exclusive floors, characters, and other rewards that you can’t obtain anywhere else.

Along with the Windows Phone update, the Windows 8 version also got bumped over the last weekend to bring in the Facebook integration that saves your progress across devices.

You can download Star Wars: Tiny Death Star for free for Windows Phone 8 devices from the Windows Phone Store or for Windows 8 devices from the Windows Store. The addictive gameplay will keep you hooked, and now with the ability to sync games across devices, you’d only move forward and upward!

Thanks, shmsnh, for the tip!

After a few consecutive weeks of new Xbox One releases, we finally reach a week with no new games released. Well, unless you count the Project Spark Beta, which has just become available on Xbox One. But dedicated next-gen gamers are probably still busy with the refreshing Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, which we’ll be reviewing soon. Next week will see the launch of Titanfall, the Xbox One’s heaviest hitter yet though, and the Xbox One Media Remote is still due out this Friday.

Xbox 360 gamers do have some new games to play, including the long-awaited South Park: The Stick of Truth from Obsidian and Ubisoft. On the XBLA front, Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season 2 - Episode 2: A House Divided is now available for download as well. Details and Store links for both games, plus a preview of next week’s Xbox console releases after the break!

Project Spark Beta

Project Spark is Microsoft and Team Dakota’s unique game creation and sharing tool/game. Players can build their own games in a variety of styles: platformer, shoot-em-up, RPG, and much more and then share them online. Anybody can build a game quickly using the simple Crossroads mode, or go deeper in the full Create mode. Or just download games shared by others and have fun! Check out our preview from E3 2013 for more details.

You can download the Xbox One beta by Binging it from the dashboard or queuing it using the Xbox.com link below. But to actually play the beta, you must sign up for it (or have already signed up) at JoinProjectSpark.com. People who have already been accepted into the Windows 8 beta and redeemed their keys within the Windows 8 game can just hop into the Xbox One version using the same Gamertag with no extra steps. If you haven't redeemed your Windows 8 key, I hear it won't work in the Xbox One game. Redeem it first and then enjoy!

• Project Spark Beta– Xbox One – 1.44 GB – Free – Xbox.com Link

South Park: The Stick of Truth

There have been a few good South Park games before, especially South Park: Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! for XBLA. But there’s never been a really great game based on the show, until now.

The Stick of Truth is a turn-based role-playing game based around a live-action RPG played by the children of South Park. As the New Kid, you get to create your own character from several classes: Fighter, Mage, Thief, and Jew.

What follows is a 12-hour-ish adventure featuring actual writing and voices by the producers of South Park, plus lots of fun references for fans of the show. It’s incredibly funny, daring, and offensive, so much that the European and Australian versions have a few sequences of anal probes and the like censored out of them.

Early reviews indicate the game is also very buggy, which shouldn’t surprise anyone since it was developed by Obsidian. Hopefully patches will iron out the kinks, but even with the jankiness this one is worth a buy for South Park enthusiasts.

• South Park: The Stick of Truth– Xbox 360 – GB - $59.99 – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link

The Walking Dead: Season 2 - Episode 2: A House Divided

Just as Obsidian has a reputation for releasing buggy games, so does Telltale have a reputation for releasing games with poor frame rates (despite their relatively simplistic graphics). But fans love them anyway, because Telltale’s adventure games tell excellent stories and usually offer fun choices for players that encourage multiple playthroughs.

The first Walking Dead season is already a hit on XBLA and other platforms (which sadly include iOS but not Windows Phone). This episode of Season 2 won’t disappoint players, especially those who enjoy the Clementine. A young girl who has reached maturity far too early thanks to the zombie apocalypse, Clementine provides the series with heart – and lots of interesting moments. She’s the central character in Episode 2, which should be a lot of fun.

• The Walking Dead: Season 2 - Episode 2– Xbox 360 – 405 MB - $4.99 – Xbox.com Link

Next week on Xbox consoles

Titanfall (Xbox One)

The first game from ReSpawn Entertainment (the studio founded by the creators of the Call of Duty series) is almost upon us! This online-only first-person shooter allows players to take part in large-scale matches against both other players and CPU-controlled bots. The result is a multiplayer experience that also feels like a single-player campaign. And yes, there is a real campaign comprised of multiplayer matches and story sequences.

Besides me great graphics and the development team’s pedigree, Titanfall also promises some unique features like player-controlled mechs (giant robots) called Titans. Players also enjoy a great degree of freedom outside of the mechs thanks to jetpacks and a wall-jumping ability.

Lots of Titanfall info has leaked lately, but the game will still be a thrilling experience for FPS enthusiasts when it arrives on Xbox One and PC next week. Titanfall will also be bundled with the Xbox One console, with a Titanfall-themed controller available separately. The Xbox 360 version will follow on March 25 in the US and March 28 in Europe.

• Titanfall – Xbox One – $59.99 – Amazon Link
• Titanfall Xbox One Console Bundle – $499.99 – Amazon Link
• Titanfall Controller – Xbox One – $64.99 – Amazon Link

Dark Souls II (Xbox 360)

Spiritual successors to Demon’s Souls on Playstation 3, the Dark Souls games from From Software and Namco Bandai are some of the most challenging action-RPGs on the market.

Players will die quite a lot as they face deadly enemies and constant perils. Death proves even more punishing in part II, as each death reduces your maximum HP until it reaches 50 percent of the original total. Only a rare item will restore a player’s humanity and maximum HP limit.

Other changes include a new leveling up system, the ability to fast travel between bonfires at will (which causes enemies to respawn), and an improved lock-on ability during combat. To be honest, the Dark Souls series is way too hardcore for me. But I can see why people with more free time and/or masochistic tendencies are drawn to the series’ beautiful universe and deep gameplay.

• Dark Souls II– Xbox 360 – $59.99 – Amazon Link

The Earth Defense Force series of third-person shooters started out as budget titles on the Playstation 2 in Japan, though they also made it to Europe with new branding as either Monster Attack or Global Defence Force. Americans didn’t have a chance to experience the series until the third main game Earth Defense Force 2017 launched on Xbox 360 in 2007 (and later, the Playstation Vita). The fans of niche titles who were fortunate enough to play 2017 quickly fell in love with its bizarre fifties sci-fi vibe, huge hordes of enemies, and massively destructible environments.

The American developed sequel, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon unfortunately didn’t fare as well as its predecessor. Smaller hordes of bullet-sponge enemies, a slow and painful grinding system, too few levels and enemy types, and awful writing and voice acting all led to disappointment for series enthusiasts. Now at long last, Sandlot and publishers D3 and Namco Bandai have delivered the true follow-up to 2017 as Earth Defense Force 2025 on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. 2025 is one amazing game if you give it a chance.

Earth’s only hope

EDF 2025 takes place seven years after the last game (the story ignores Insect Armageddon). Humanity has rebuilt after the last alien invasion. Suddenly an armada of giant insects erupts from below a Japanese metropolis and terrorizes the citizens. The alien Ravagers and their army of bugs, robots, and monsters are back!

That’s what you’ll be doing in all of 2025’s 85-plus levels: fighting lots and LOTS of bugs and robots. A few simple cinematics play before certain levels, but the narrative mainly develops through in-game radio chatter. EDF commanders, soldiers, scientists, and even news reporters provide unique commentary during each level. The actors deliver their lines with earnestness and just a touch of tongue in cheek, which is often quite funny and lends to the B-movie atmosphere nicely.

Class warfare

The one thing Insect Armageddon really got right was adding four unique classes to the EDF formula. 2025 borrows the idea, offering four distinct classes of its own:

• Ranger: The all-around soldier class returns from 2017. He’s fast, has good health, and versatile weaponry such as assault rifles, rockets, and missile launchers.
• Wing Diver: Probably the best class in the game, this female character can fly at high speeds thanks to her jetpack. Her weapons and jetpack both draw from the same energy reserve (which replenishes after a brief time), so players need to balance flight and firing.
• Air Raider: This support class lacks much in the way of weaponry, though he does get some remote control explosives and wire traps. He can refill other players’ health and weapon energy, and even summon vehicles like tanks, helicopters (which handle terribly), and mechs.
• Fencer: The tank class carries a whopping four weapons (or shields) at a time. His weapons include hammers, spears, Gatling guns, and more. Fencers move excruciatingly slowly on their own, but certain weapons give them the ability to dash and dash-cancel rapidly.

Collect (and blast) them all

While each class is different and fun to play, the true joy of EDF comes from its structure and grinding system. The offline campaign consists of 85 stages, which tend to last from 5-15 minutes each. Every stage can also be played on five different difficulties. And unlike most games, players are actually encouraged to play on all those difficulties. Weapon drops vary by difficulty, so harder difficulties dole out much better loot than lower ones.

Yes, 2025 has lots of juicy loot to find. Enemies randomly drop weapon crates, armor (which boosts your maximum health), and health refills. You won’t know what weapons you’ve picked up until the level ends, at which point weapons and armor get tallied up. With an arsenal of 790 weapons spread across the four classes, loot hunters will love searching for all those guns on the various difficulty levels.

The other element that makes EDF so special is its destruction. Enemies come in gigantic swarms, which make for spectacular explosions of bug bits when they get blasted with explosive weaponry. Not only that, but virtually every building in the game is fully destructible as well. Blasting buildings out of the way makes the aliens easier to find, and the game doesn’t even penalize for it either.

Multiplayer

As most Diablo players know, killing monsters and hunting for loot can be so much more fun with a friend. 2025 capitalizes on that by offering both 2-player split-screen co-op and 4-player online co-op. The split-screen player can’t access her own profile or earn Achievements, however. She’ll have to use the main player’s characters and weapons.

The online mode is 2025’s multiplayer ace in the hole. All four players use their own profiles and can earn Achievements, provided each plays from his own system. Split-screen players can join online games, but the guest player is still restricted to sharing progress with the first-player.

Offline, both players share armor pick-ups but only the class that picks up a weapon gets to keep it. Everyone gets a weapon or armor pick-up when someone picks one up during online games, eliminating concerns about hogging the loot.

Strangely, level unlocking progress is separate for offline and online games. Reach the 13th mission offline won’t unlock it online, or vice versa. That does provide extra replay value, since you’ll pick up more weapons and armor each time you play through either mode. Online also adds nine extra missions to keep players busy.

The actual online lobby interface is beyond clunky, but at present there are open games at all hours of the day. One annoying aspect of joining games in progress is that you have to wait in the lobby until the other players finish their mission. The game doesn’t let you watch their progress or even display a timer of how long they’ve been in the mission. 2025 is Sandlot’s first online game as far as I know; hopefully they streamline the online modes in their future games.

Downloadable Content

2025 currently has two downloadable mission packs, with a third on the way later this month. The first costs $2.99 and includes five new missions, while the second and third ring up at $8.99 and pack twenty new missions each (all of which support the standard five difficulty levels). None of them add new Achievements, but that doesn't mean they're not worth buying.

The first pack is so short, you can probably skip it unless you're a completionist. But the second pack is a must-have. It contains the game's single best level for farming weapons and armor (Mission 16), a new enemy variant or two, and some exhilaratingly tough missions. Hopefully the third pack will prove just as enjoyable.

Achievements

If you’re looking for a quick and easy 1,000 Gamerscore, EDF 2025 is not for you. Its Achievements fall into two very time consuming categories. First there are Achievements for beating the campaign with all four characters on four of the five difficulties. That’s a whopping 16 playthroughs of a very long game! That number can be cut in half by playing split-screen with two different classes, since each class gets credit for beating levels together.

Besides completing the main campaign, you’ll also gain Achievements for collecting various percentages of the weapons. It will take some grinding (and probably a bit of online research) in order to find them all. 2025 will keep Achievement hunters busy for a very long time.

Overall Impression

Earth Defense Force 2025 is a niche title that won’t appeal to everybody. Although improved from 2017, the graphics remain unspectacular and the frame rate dips when things get hectic. Sandlot is a small developer with big ambitions, after all. The relatively low-fi visuals enhance the game’s B-movie atmosphere, really.

2025 is so unabashedly fun and offers such a wealth of content, making its minor flaws much easier to forgive. If you like hunting for loot, chaotic firefights, and blowing things up, don’t hesitate to give this one a chance. Note that the Xbox 360 version of 2025 maintains a much higher frame rate than the Playstation 3 version, especially in split-screen. Xbox is definitely the way to go with this particular game.

• Earth Defense Force 2025– Xbox 360 – 4.82 GB – Amazon Link– Xbox.com Link

Just last Tuesday I lamented the lack of Xbox games for Windows Phone, and the hurdles that led to their scarcity. Maybe somebody up in the clouds at Microsoft heard gamers’ prayers, because today we have a new mobile Xbox game to play! Coincidence? I think not.

Throne Together from Rogue Rocket Games (who love answering emails) and Microsoft has fully launched on Windows Phone 8 with Xbox Live features at the ready. The game soft launched in certain territories in January, but without Xbox Live support. The Windows 8 version picked up Achievements about two weeks ago, and now both versions are all caught up. They’re also free to play, so they won’t break the bank. Impressions and Store links after the break!

Game of Thrones

Throne Together is a block-stacking puzzle game. 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 and drag them down from the top of the screen. Tapping without dragging will rotate the piece. Let go of a piece and it keeps falling on its own. 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 your 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. You’ll need to earn three stars in all 65 levels for an Achievement, by the way.

In-app Purchases

Throne Together is monetized in a few different ways. It 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.

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.

Also, the Windows 8 version has ads that players could pay to remove. But I haven’t seen them in the phone game yet. Maybe they show up farther into the game, or maybe they’re gone.

Facebook and cloud support

When you first start the game, you’ll be asked to sign in to Facebook. The Facebook connection allows players to send each other lives and little notes about who likes who and how mean the teacher is. Well, maybe not the notes. Unfortunately, the Facebook feature (for me at least) is broken at launch. I get an error message when I sign in, so I can’t connect to it. Shouldn't the soft launch have caught that?

On the plus side, Throne Together does support cloud saves – just like every Xbox Windows Phone game should. Even better, progress is shared between Windows Phone and Windows 8. That’s how you dual-publish a game.

• Throne Together– Windows Phone 8 – 29 MB – Free – Store Link
• Throne Together– Windows 8 and RT – 42 MB – Free – Store Link

Thanks to TNTJudbud and "John Lampard" for the tip!

Top Gear fans are now able to put their driving skills to the ultimate test by racing the Stig on Windows Phone. Launching globally, Race The Stig is today available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Those of you who may be familiar with the endless runner concept will quickly familiarise themselves with Race The Stig. The title is a 'endless racer', taking players through some of the most iconic Top Gear locations.

The goal of the game is to collect as many golden nuts as possible whilst avoiding obstacles and vehicles by jumping, ducking and dodging. There are some of the series' most recognisable challenge vehicles available to drive, including Richard Hammond's Oliver, Jeremy's Italian police car and James' Amphibious Triumph Herald. There are numerous references to the show, making for an enjoyable, humorous experience.

Collecting golden nuts is important as it's the in-game currency. When you've collected enough in your inventory, you can head to the store and pick up new consumables, powerups, helmets and vehicles. Missions can be completed to receive score multipliers and other rewards. These come in multiple batches, including weekly and monthly.

What you see in the current version is not final as new content will be "regularly" added to the game, which will include more iconic vehicles and locations, extra crash helmets and tougher challengers. Players will also be encouraged to compete against friends through social media and will be rewarded for high scores.

You can download Race The Stig from the Windows Phone Store for free. There are only a few in-app purchases to support app development, including the removal of advertising ($0.99) and doubling the nut collection, as well as packs of nuts for those who don't wish to grind through the game to get the best gear.

What's your highest score? I've only managed 4,134 so far but I can definitely see me grinding my way through the become the best. See if you can beat my miserable attempts!

SpaceScribble is a free Windows Phone game where you take command of a space ship to battle enemy vessels and dodge a rather aggressive asteroid field.

While the doodled graphics are absent of color, they are well done. The doodle-styled space ships flying across graph paper has a certain level of appeal and helps set the game apart. Game game play is rather challenging, somewhat addictive and has a nice pace. All totaled, SpaceScribble is an attractive gaming option for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices.

Main Menu

The main menu for SpaceScribble has options to start the game, view gaming instructions, view the online leaderboards, and access the game’s settings. You also have links in the lower corners of the main menu to view more games from the developer and the About screen.

The instructional screens are well done, interactively walking you through the various elements of the game. Settings for SpaceScribble include music/sound levels, vibration on or off and turning on/off the automatic fire control. In theory, if you turn off the automatic weapons fire, a fire button will appear on screen. I say "in theory" because I couldn't get the setting to turn off the automatic fire to stick.

As you jump into game play, you will have the option to choose your space ship and control method. SpaceScribble has your entry-level ship and six additional ships that you can purchase/unlock with the money you earn during game play. Control options include:

• Touch input to drag your space ship around the screen
• Tilt controls to move your ship by your Windows Phone sensors

The touch input controls are a little more responsive and precise than the tilt controls. This can come in handy when dodging asteroids or enemy weapons fire.

Game Play

The gaming screen for SpaceScribble has your graph paper backdrop and once your space ship is drawn, the action begins. Across the top of the screen you will find your score and level of play and your ship’s vital statistics that include health, shields and ammunition.

Across the bottom of the gaming screen is a collection of icons that represent power-ups. You can catch boosts during game play (little shiny star-like objects) as you destroy the enemy ships that can unlock these power-ups. They will be highlighted when available and tapping them will activate them.

Again, ship movement is accomplished by touch or with your Windows Phone sensors and weapons fire can be done automatically or by a weapons button. The pace of the game is such that the touch option for movement and automatic fire seems to work the best (especially seeing that turning off auto-fire has a bug). In addition to the standard weapon's fire, you also have a special weapon that can be fired with a secondary touch of the screen.

Enemy space ships invade the gaming screen from all angles and can fire upon you from all angles as well. You shouldn't let your guard down once a flight of ships have passed because they can fire to the rear as well as to the sides and front. Some ships will require multiple hits from your main weapon to destroy them but the special weapon seems to obliterate them quicker. Along with the squadrons of ships that skirt across the screen, you also have some enemy ships that will chase your ship across the screen.

Along with the enemy ships, you will find yourself contending with an asteroid storm that you’ll have to maneuver your ship through. Eventually you will reach a boss ship that takes considerable effort to eliminate. The boss ship’s health meter will run across the bottom of the screen and once defeated you will advance to the next level where game play gets a little more difficult.

Once you’ve exhausted all your ship’s lives, the game ends with a scoring summary screen. Here you can add your name to the online leaderboard and see how many credits you have earned to buy new ships with.

Overall Impression

SpaceScribble is a very enjoyable space shooter game. While graphics are minimalistic, the game is well presented. Game play is challenging, fast paced and will keep you on your toes. My only nit (and it is a small one) is that you often forget about the power-up icons because you are concentrating so intently with avoiding asteroids and enemy ship fire.

I don’t know but it might have been better to offer the power-ups in a more traditional manner. That is having the power-up icon drop randomly from destroyed space ships and activated when collected by your ship.

Nonetheless, SpaceScribble is a great gaming option for your Windows Phone. Don’t be surprised if you begin to develop calluses on your fingertip from sliding your space ship around the game screen so much.

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

Another month and another update for the popular endless runner Subway Surfers. And no, this one too does not have 512 MB RAM support, so you can stop reading if that is what you want to know.

Instead, users today can head to the Store to update their Subway Surfers game to version 1.2, which includes the new New York City ‘World Tour’ theme. Previous world tour themes included Seoul, Miami and the Christmas theme (Mumbai was skipped due to timing with the other platforms).

Granted, this is just a re-skinning of the app, resulting in some Shamrocks appearing on walls in anticipation of St. Patrick’s day, more power lines, brick buildings and a cop wearing NYC blues. Likewise, you can now collect little Statue of Liberties for weekly contests, in addition to unlocking new boards or characters.

Subway Surfers ‘World Tour’ thing is a bit of a gimmick, but it’s one we like. It keeps the game fresh and even throws you off a bit, due to the altered backgrounds. Plus, the weekly challenges and contests give you something to work towards.

No word still on 512 MB RAM support, as that looks like something that might not be happening after all. Still, never say never. For now though, you’ll need 1 GB of RAM or more to play the free Subway Surfers.

Pick up 1.2 of Subway Surfers: New York City, World Tour, here in the Store.

Thanks, Sumit P., for the tip 

When Xbox One was released in Europe, masses rejoiced that Microsoft’s latest console would include a free copy of FIFA 2014 or Forza 5. Meanwhile in the colonies, Xbox One users had no free game included and thus had to drop the value of an Xbox One along with another $60 just to get started.

Now, Microsoft is announcing that Xbox One consoles in the United States will include a digital copy of Forza Motorsport 5 for a limited time.

Turn 10 Studio’s Forza Motorsport 5 was one of Microsoft’s premier launch games for the Xbox One and took advantage of the console’s new trigger force feedback. The game was well received by video game critics and is an excellent game to get started on your new console.

Tracks in the game include the Bernese Alps, Prague Circuit, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, TopGear Test Track, Test Track Airfield, Road Atlanta Raceway, and many more.

Have you not purchased your Xbox One yet – does Forza 5 sweeten the deal?

Source: Major Nelson

Peggle 2, PopCap’s long-anticipated follow-up to their casual hit Peggle, launched as a timed Xbox One exclusive back in December. As I mentioned in our review, the multiplayer features weren’t quite ready at that time. The online Peg Party mode simply didn’t work for me and many other players, nor was the promised local multiplayer mode available. Still a great game, but players definitely missed the multiplayer.

This week, Peggle 2 finally got its multiplayer features via title update. Not only does the 4-player Peg Party actually work now, but the new 2-player Duels mode can be played locally or online! Is multiplayer the grape jelly that Peggle 2’s peanut butter sandwich needed in order to be delicious? Check out our impressions, screenshots, and hands-on gameplay video after the break!

Duels Mode

The Duels mode is new to Peggle 2, but it has previously appeared in mobile versions of the original Peggle– which sadly never made its way to Windows Phone. After entering the multiplayer menu, players can choose from Local Duel and both private and public online Duels. When playing locally, you’ll need two controllers and a second Xbox Live profile (which doesn’t have to be Gold).

Each player chooses her character from the game’s selection of five Peggle Masters, though you may also opt for a random character. The host can select the level and opt to adjust a few options, such as how many green pegs appear in the level, the length of the shot timer, and set the number of rounds (turns) for the match. Then the duel begins!

In Duels mode, both players take turns on the same game board. Your goal is to outscore the other player, so you really have to make each turn count. However many green pegs the host selected, only one of them appears at a time. Hitting a green peg in order to activate your character’s power can mean the difference between winning and losing, so be sure to go after them whenever they appear.

Duels mode suits Peggle 2 very well. Even when it’s not your turn, watching the other player’s shot (and hoping she misses) proves quite entertaining.

Peg Party

This 4-player mode (which first appeared in the original Peggle on Xbox 360) is only available online. Select Smart Match and Peg Party, then sit back or play a little single-player while the matchmaking does its magic. Shortly thereafter, you’ll be notified that your online game is ready to begin.

In Peg Party, all four players get their own boards. Each player gets one shot per round, with the goal of outscoring the competition. You can see tiny versions of the other players’ boards off to the side, or zoom in on them after completing your turn.

The game declares a winner for each round, creating a highly competitive atmosphere as the match nears its conclusion. Exclusive artwork of the lead Peggle Master appears between rounds as well, which should please fans of the game’s beautiful character designs. After the predetermined number of rounds wraps up, only on Peggle Master will be crowned the victor. Everyone can then choose to stay in the host’s lobby and play another game with the group if they like.

Almost perfect

The multiplayer update makes Peggle 2 better than ever. Even after you’ve completed the game’s 60 levels, mastered each level’s challenges, and unlocked all of the character outfits, you can still come back for Peggle fun with friends.

The update does not add new Achievements – not a big surprise since it’s a free update. But it doesn’t address Peggle 2’s two chief weaknesses, either. The game still lacks leaderboards, severely impacting its single-player replay value. And “Color Blind Mode" (a seemingly simple addition) remains MIA as well. Hopefully PopCap will address those issues in a future update.

If you're still rocking an Xbox 360 and haven't moved on to the Xbox One yet, don't despair. Electronic Arts recently announced that Peggle 2 will be coming to Xbox 360 (complete with Duels mode) on May 7!

• Peggle 2– Xbox One – 1.69 GB - $11.99 – Xbox.com Store Link

Dark Lands is a tremendously popular Windows Phone game that was updated this morning to version 1.1.4 to add cloud saving to the table.

For those not familiar with Dark Lands, it is an endless runner styled game that adds combat and role-playing game elements into the mix. The graphics are stunning and game play addictively challenging. Along with fighting orcs, goblins and other monster the game also includes unique boss battles as you progress through the game.

Along with minor bug fixes and performance tweaks, the version 1.1.4 update adds a cloud saving solution that will let you save your gaming progress. This will let you transfer progress to a new Windows Phone or other platform if you find yourself borrowing an iPhone or Android device. It will also let you restore progress should you ever have to re-install Dark Lands on your current Windows Phone.

The downside for some will be that cloud storage is linked to Facebook login. Just log into your Facebook account off the main menu and your character profile and gaming progress will be saved. I would liked to have seen a OneDrive option offered but Facebook may be a more universal option and likely easier to use for cross platform access. Nonetheless, being able to back-up your gaming progress is a welcomed feature.

If you haven’t tried Dark Lands, it is a free game that is available for both Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices. You can find Dark Lands here in the Windows Phone Store.

This March 11, PC and Xbox One gamers around the globe will be suiting up for Titanfall; the game that will mark the largest launch thus far for Microsoft’s Xbox One console library. Unfortunately, if you live in South Africa and have preordered Titanfall, you will not actually get to play it, as Electronic Arts has canceled the game’s launch there.

If you preordered the game via Origin in South Africa, you will be receiving an email stating that the Titanfall team has “decided not to releases Titanfall there at this time”. The email cites that after conducting internet testing, the team has determined that the available internet would not be fast enough to “guarantee a great experience.”

For those wondering, only PC orders for Titanfall in South Africa have been canceled – Xbox One has yet to launch within the country.

Do we have any readers from South Africa that preordered Titanfall for their PC?

Source: MP1ST; via Neowin

When it comes to video games there’s not much we like more than Halo. Which is why we’re pretty stoked to see this endless runner game from the Halo universe. It’s called Spartan Runner and you play as a Spartan. Your objective? Get as far as you can and kill as many members of the Covenant as possible.

Spartan Runner features many memorable characters, weapons, sounds and backgrounds from the Halo universe. Grunts? Check. Elites? Check. Sniper? Check. Freaking Hunters? Check.

Gameplay is simple. Tap one button to jump and another to shoot. You can collect credits to use on perks for the next time you play. It’s not a bad game overall and one worth downloading since it’s both free and has no ads.

How is this all legal you ask? The developer cites a page on Microsoft’s website about “Game Content Usage Rules”. It appears the material there might apply to just video reviews and machine, but here we are with Spartan Runner ready for you to download onto your Windows Phone.

Want Spartan Runner? It’s 110% free and available for download from the Windows Phone Store.

Via: Reddit

We've gone through a rather busy week and while we're sure many of you are battling through both Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and South Park: Stick of Truth, there are some Windows Phone app updates you may not be aware of. Pass the break to learn what's new in Maxthon, SongArc, Fhotolens and more.

Maxthon Browser (1.2.0.1000)

Internet Explorer is a fairly solid mobile web browser, especially with version 11 just around the corner in Windows Phone 8.1. That said, consumers love choice and the option to install alternative browsers from the Windows Phone Store brings us the likes of Maxthon Browser, a popular desktop browser for mobile.

Here's what is new in version 1.2.0.1000:

• Access your history and recently visited pages in just one click
• Navigate through multiple pages with the Back/Forward Gesture
• Save web-page images to the device's album

If you're looking for an alternative web browsing experience, download Maxthon Browser from the Windows Phone Store.

Fhotolens (2.0)

We've covered Fhotolens from the earliest beta versions and for those not familiar with the Windows Phone photography app, it provides your camera a virtual 10-24mm lens and HDR capture capabilities. The app has been updated several times since its public release and now we're looking at quite the bump to version 2.0. This latest release adds new ISO support under manual shooting, as well as HDR tone mapping.

You may notice it taking slightly longer than previous version, but this is due to the size of the final image on 1GB+ Windows Phones being doubled. Download the full version of Fhotolens for $1.49 (free trial available).

SongArc (2.1.0.1150)

This is one of those rare gems on the Windows Phone Store, which offers something unique to consumers. Taking an interesting take on music and notes of every track, SongArc puts both your music knowledge and reaction times to the ultimate test. We've been massive fans of the title since release and version 2.1.0.1150 just keeps on giving. Here's what is new:

• Drums can now be hit on-screen (optional)
• Performance improvements
• Bug fixes

It's a welcome update for those who don't wish to look odd in public waving their smartphone around. You can grab SongArc from the Windows Phone Store for free.

​Odds and ends

As well as the above app updates, we've been notified of some minor releases pushed through to the store:

• Internships Lens (1.0.2946.0)
• LINE (3.3.1.327)
• PicsArt (1.2.0.0)
• Galactic Rush (1.0.2.0)
• Simple Calendar (3.4.1.0)
• Vyclone (2.1.1.0​)

Windows Phone has grown steadily since its introduction in 2010, recently surpassing Blackberry as the third most popular mobile OS in the United States. As that growth continues, more and more app and game developers are dipping their toes in the Windows Phone ecosystem. One of the most recent game developers is Alda Games, based out of the Czech Republic.

Alda is a relatively new indie developer, with two published mobile games to its name. Both of those games are now available on Windows Phone 8:  Save the Snail (a physics puzzler) and World of Cheese (a logic puzzle game). Head past the break for impressions, video, and Store links for Alda’s newly-released games, which happen to be completely free!

Save the Snail

This game takes me back to the early days of Windows Phone gaming, as it happens to be a physics puzzler. Each of the 24 levels requires players to save one or more snails from various hazards like deadly sunlight and a hail of rocks, I think.

Unlike many physics games which let you place tools anywhere on the level in order to achieve a desired effect, the tools in Save the Snail can only be dropped down from above. For instance, you can drop a pencil onto the two objects beside the snail in order to create a shelter for it. The drop-down mechanic simplifies the gameplay a bit, making it appropriate for younger players or people who are new to physics games.

Levels also contain one or more stars that you can collect by dropping an object onto them or causing the snail to roll into them. These contribute to your star rating for the level. You also need to move quickly, as a count-down timer will add to your rating if you solve the puzzle before it expires. This provides a good challenge and reason to replay and perfect levels.

While Save the Snail is fun and easy to play, it does have a few rough edges. The game currently asks for users’ location data, even though the gameplay doesn’t use location in any way. That’s surely a submission error that can be easily fixed. The actual graphics also look a bit stretched on my Lumia 1520’s display, as if they weren’t properly optimized for the Windows Phone aspect ratio. The “More Games” link on the title screen doesn’t work. Finally, there’s no music.

On the plus side, the game really is free with no In-App Purchases. Instead, it’s supported by ads between levels.

• Save the Snail– Windows Phone 8 – 25 MB – Free – Store Link

World of Cheese

No, this isn’t a sequel to World of Goo. The premise of the game is that a couple of mice are out to do whatever they can to get some tasty cheese. I never much cared for cheese, but this game allows me to better understand the mouse perspective. I mean, cheese is like their favorite thing!

The game consists of 40 levels divided up into various themes. You might struggle to understand what’s going on the first time you play, due to a complete absence of tutorial text. But once the concept becomes clear, it’s actually quite a simple game.

Each level consists of a scene with a mouse and different interactive objects. One features a fence that is missing two boards, along with some wood, paint, and nails on the ground. Simply dip the paint brush in the paint, then drag it to the boards to paint them. Place the boards on the fence, add the nails, and then hammer them in. Once you’ve completed the scene, your mouse will get some cheese.

World of Cheese is perfect for kids since it encourages critical thinking. Without instructions, your kid will have to experiment and find the interactive objects in each scene. It’s a cute game. Of Alda’s two initial releases, this one also seems to be the most polished. The “More Games” link leads to the publisher’s web page, and the game itself features a catchy tune. No location services either... But that Game Center icon on the main menu needs to go.

Like Save the Snail, World of Cheese is completely free. I didn’t even see any ads during my brief time with it, though they might pop up later on.

• World of Cheese– Windows Phone 8 – 65 MB – Free – Store Link

Next up: Defend Your Life

Alda’s third game has yet to be released on any platforms. But thanks to the Unity Engine, it will launch on Windows Phone alongside iOS and Android.

Defend Your Life is tower defense game with a unique premise. Players take on the role of a human body’s immune system, tasked with defending the body against viruses and other threats. You’ll be able to build and upgrade four different towers as you battle 20 malevolent enemies.

Like Alda’s first two games, Defend Your Life looks like it’s aimed at a younger audience but has enough gameplay and polish to entertain adults as well. With 15 levels of tower defense action, it should be a fun bite-sized experience when it launches on Windows Phone within the coming months.

Seeing as how Alda’s games are all built with the Unity Engine and simple touch interfaces, they would seem to be a good fit for Windows 8 and RT as well as phones. Alda Games tells us that they haven’t started working with Windows 8 yet, but they’re definitely interested in bringing the tablet experience to Windows gamers. All told, Alda Games has the potential to be as big a hit with mobile Windows gamers as another Alda we know...

Another week has flown by. We didn’t have a busy week in the Windows Phone Store, but we did pick up a few high profile applications. Facebook Messenger is now available and there’s a brand new Dropbox client that’s worth downloading if you’re a big fan of the service. Let’s check out all the best new app, app updates and new games from this week available in the Windows Phone Store.

New

Facebook Messenger– The app was announced at Mobile World Congress a few weeks ago and is now available on Windows Phone. That’s right. Facebook Messenger had a fairly quick turnaround time from announcement to launch. Facebook Messenger lets you talk with all your Facebook friends, share photos, stickers and more. Download Facebook Messenger from the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

CloudSix for Dropbox– Rudy Huyn has released his first cloud storage client for Windows Phone. It’s called CloudSix for Drobox and has already been met with rave reviews. The app gives you all the functionality you’d expect and more for a Dropbox app. There are also some special features to let other Windows Phone developers tap into it. Grab CloudSix for Dropbox from the Windows Phone Store. (Free/In-app purchase)

Device Shot– Looking to promote your app? Give it a professional edge with Device Shot for Windows Phone. The app allows you to create images of various Windows Phone with your apps screenshots inside the mockup. It’s a great way to share screenshots of your app and make them look a bit better. Download Device Shot from the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$0.99)

InstaPlace Pro– Instagram pictures are about to get a lot better with InstaPlace Pro for Windows Phone. The app will overlay text, like location info, onto your images. The results are fun pictures to let your friends and family members share in your adventure. Pick up InstaPlace Pro from the Windows Phone Store. ($1.49)

Animal Face– Speaking of elevating Instagram pictures. Get Animal Face. This is probably our favorite nonsense app of the week. Take pictures of yourself or friends and add hilarious animal faces to them. That’s all there is to it and the results are amazing. Get Animal Face from the Windows Phone Store. (Free/In-app purchases)

Updated

Podcast Lounge– The native podcast experience on Windows Phone is a bit lacking. Sure it does the basics fine, but if you want a little more functionality you’re going to need to look at other apps. Podcast Lounge for Windows Phone just picked up a big update that’s worth looking at. Biggest changes in version 2.0 of Podcast Lounge? How about Smart Playlist support, backup/restore functionality, new player screen with scrubbing, revamped settings and more. Get Podcast Lounge from the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$1.99)

Line– Windows Phone has an app for nearly every major messaging platform. Line picked up an update this week that will make fans of the service pretty happy. Version 3.3 of Line includes a sticker shop, improved call quality, custom notifications and more. Grab the latest version of Line from the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

2Flicka– The official Flickr app on Windows Phone won’t be updated anytime soon. Doesn’t matter if you’re rocking 2Flicka. It’s a great Flickr client for Windows Phone that just went to version 1.5 in the Store. It features the ability to upload single or multiple pics to photosets, toast notifications, pinning various sections of the app to the Start screen and more. Grab 2Flicka from the Windows Phone Store. (Trial/$1.29)

Games

Throne Together –Need another Xbox Live-enabled game for your phone? Then check out Throne Together for Windows Phone. It’s brand new puzzle game out this week. Place blocks on the map to build castles and have fun. It’s free to play. Grab it from the Windows Phone Store. (Free)

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

Video game studio Illyriad is looking to score a new Guinness World Record and smash the previous holder for the largest video game player vs player (PvP) battle. Taking place this Friday, March 14, Microsoft is seeking players to participate in this world record attempt and stress test the public alpha of Illyriad’s new title, Age of Ascent.

Not familiar with Age of Ascent? It’s a new space-based resource and battle game. What makes this interesting and on-topic for Microsoft is Windows Azure is powering the online title, and it’s a browser game – perfect for those who don’t have much storage space free or the fastest computer in the world.

Say hello to the "Ultra" MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) experience. Those who have been seeking a new game full of combat with thousands of players involved, this could well be the next best thing. Think action. Lots and lots of action.

"There be ships everywhere, captain."

It’s easy to get started. There’s nothing to install, no accounts to be created, and all that’s required is for players to visit the URL (www.ageofascent.com), be assigned to either team and you’re in-game. If you're thinking of participating, bookmark the website today for more convenient access.

James Niesewand, CEO of Illyriad explains the concept:

"It's essentially trying to prove the worth of some of the technology that we are working with, namely WebGL and Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud technology. WebGL allows games to run natively in your browser without downloads, installs, or plugins."

If you’re available on Friday, March 14th, be sure to get involved and encourage friends and family to pop along. The two parties do urge participants to tweet and share their experiences while in-game, using the hashtag #ageofascent.

Check out the official website for more information. Further reading:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Official forum

Badland (www.badlandgame.com) is a popular, atmospheric side-scrolling adventure game, which is already available for iOS, Android and BlackBerry. We've just been made aware that the developers plan to bring the title across to Microsoft's mobile platform. While no firm date has been confirmed, it's positive to know that we can expect to see Badland for Windows Phone in the near future.

Players are tasked with controlling one of the forest's inhabitants to find out what's wrong with the world. Throughout the journey, a variety of traps and obstacles stand in the way, tasking players to utilise the physics based gameplay and navigate through levels.

Local multiplayer is available for up to four players to battle it out against one another on a single device. The object is to survive and optionally bash competing players into a spinning circular saw. Whether you're into the single player or multiplayer modes, Badland looks and sounds great. It's an addictive experience we can't wait to see on Windows Phone.

Stay tuned to our feeds. We'll keep an eye out and alert you all once it's available. Thanks, Fahad, for the info!

1 Phoenix Force is one of the latest Windows Phone 8 titles funded through the AppCampus project. It is a fast-paced shooter where you control a variety of Phoenixes as they battle over seventy bosses to save the Earth.

We have seen some fantastic titles being generated through the AppCampus such as Dark Lands, SongArc and Foundbite. In the short time we’ve spend with 1 Phoenix Force, it has the potential of being another success story for the AppCampus project.

The story line is simple with 1 Phoenix Force; destroy the enemy bosses before they destroy you.

1 Phoenix Force has a gaming map that calls upon you to travel from continent to continent battling these bosses. You won’t have to worry with battling minions, instead you go straight to the head honcho, the big cheese, the big kahuna. The game has seventy bosses to wage battle with that have a vast collection of weapons to throw at you.

Levels are progressively unlocked, re-playable and as you progress through the game additional Phoenix Force members become unlocked. Levels become harder the further you progress and there will be times you have to face multiple bosses at the same time.

The pace of the game is quick and you have to stay on your toes to avoid enemy fire. Phoenixes are controlled by touch with your weapons fire done automatically. Settings cover sound and music levels along with turning on/off the game's vibration feature.

If you are in need for a quick gaming fix, 1 Phoenix Force should fit the bill nicely. 1 Phoenix Force is a free game that is available for Windows Phone 8.

You can find 1 Phoenix Force here in the Windows Phone Store.

Rayman Fiesta Run has had a storied time in the Windows Phone Store so far. The game soft-launched in early February, but was only available in a few regions like India. Then in mid-February the game appeared in the Windows Phone Store for everyone, but was pulled shortly after that. Now it looks to finally be back in the Windows Phone Store for those who haven’t picked it up yet.

Head into the Windows Phone Store and you should be able to pick up Rayman Fiesta Run. We’ve received a few tips that the game is back and available for all. I personally haven’t downloaded it before today, but was able to finally download it a few minutes ago.

The game so far has great reviews in the Windows Phone Store and definitely worth a download if you were a big fan of the original Rayman game on Windows Phone – Rayman Jungle Run.

Rayman Fiesta Run goes for $2.99 and does not include a trial. The game works on devices with 512MB of RAM, like the Lumia 520. You can download Rayman Fiesta Run from the Windows Phone Store. Want to play it on your Surface 2? Grab it from the Windows Store. 

Hopefully it isn’t pulled this time! 

Thanks for the tip Brandon E!

Windows Phones are great for mobile gaming, especially when it comes to Xbox Live integration. There are thousands of titles available spanning a number of categories and myAppFree is partnering with some of the developers to make four popular games free this week – Second Chance Premium, Tim the Fox, Dengen Chronicles, Super Agent. Head past the break for details and store links.

Second Chance Premium

This game of games brings 32 mini-games of just 5 seconds each to your smartphone. With each game testing your mind and reflex skills, there's plenty of content for the price, which is free for today only. Perfect for when you only have a moment to space while waiting for public transport to arrive or to bypass the time while a loved one speaks on the phone (with someone else – we don't recommend ignoring partners).

• Second Chance Premium – March 10th (usually $1.99)

Tim the Fox

Not only can adults enjoy games on their Windows Phones, but toddlers have a range of titles that help teach them basics in life before (or during) education. Time the Fox is one such game, which includes information on how to dress for the weather, distinguish edible and non-edible foods, count from one to ten and create awesome puzzles. It's a must-have for any youngling looking to make it big in life.

• Tim the Fox– March 11th (usually $1.99)

Dengen Chronicles

Those who enjoy card games with some fantasy elements should check out Dengen Chronicles. It's a mix of both strategy and role-playing genres, creating an enticing and addictive experience. Manga lovers will be able to rejoice at TCG and RPG elements being fused together. Players are tasked with picking a side (Ninja, Fantasy, Robot and School), creating a deck and start awesome fights. This week, the in-app purchase will be free.

• Dengen Chronicles​– March 12th (in-app purchase, usually $4.99)

Super Agent

Previously known as Mossad, Super Agent is an interesting Windows Phone 8 title that incorporates your Windows Phone location services into an augmented reality spy game. Players are assigned various missions that are location based and essentially involve locating or hiding virtual items. How about it, agent?

• Super Agent– March 13th (usually $0.99)

To find out where the above deals came from and how to check out more on the store, download the myAppFree app.