Some time ago, I contacted Soma Games, a new developer in the portable market, about any titles they had in the queue for release. I previously covered their game G when it was little more than concept art and an idea.
Soma Games released G a little while back and I had a chance to test it out and see if the game matched the plans of the developers. Safe to say, it is an unexpected and awesome surprise considering the bulk of what is on the iTunes Apps Store.
Casual Games, Game Design, iPhone
It is well known that the iPhone has already established itself as the cell phone for this generation. At the same time, Apple’s iPod Touch became the mp3 player with its multi-functionality, essentially an iPhone-Lite. With major developers and publishers forced to cut staff and fiscal projections dramatically destroyed, there is a new bastion for many gamers – the independents and the Apple Apps Store. Soma Games is currently in the production of G, an iPhone game in the same element as Gravity Wars.
Business, Nintendo DS, PSP, iPhone
The Nintendo DS Lite and PlayStation Portable have been fighting the secondary console wars in the handheld market. Nintendo has a substantial lead, with a massive user base and large variety of games. The PSP is more for the hardcore gamer who wants to both game and use the video and music playback capabilities of the PSP. But now, with Apple slyly entering the gaming market via the iPhone, who will be the handheld leader?
PC gamers know, if you wanna game on a PC, you have to do it on Windows OS. Yes, there are notable exceptions. The different Linux flavors have a number of games that really aren’t half bad, and Apple is starting to come around to some serious games. But there are always exceptions to the rule. Because of the iPhone, Apple is rewriting those rules.
While, looking up everything I could on the new Android phone, I came across this little piece of gold shot, I guess, from some guy’s living room. Besides his vehement and hushed affection for the iPhone, what the hell is he whispering for? And what on earth does he look at?
This made me laugh so freakin’ hard.
Every time a new phone comes out with a touch screen, every obliquely tech related blog comes out with some story title like, “*New-Phone-Name* The iPhone Killer?” And each time it’s total crap. So this is not about an iPhone killer. Rather, what makes the T-Mobile’s G1 better and worse than the Apple iPhone?
With a touchscreen, a trackball, and a QWERTY keyboard, the G1 has more hardware potential than the iPhone. If that were the only factor involved, the G1 would have headlines, CBS news shorts, and lines wrapping around mall T-Mobile stands.
Now, I’m not one to say I told you so… until after I’m proven right. Has that time come yet? Nope. Not quite. “What on earth are you talking about,” you ask?! Oh, just this little concept called the “DS Mobile” I dreamed up over a month ago that our friends over at GoNintendo soundly rejected after pangs of nausea. No, no announcements as of yet, but this little known publication *cough*Forbes*cough* happens to agree with me.
If you’ve got an iPhone sporting the new 2.0 firmware, chances are you have Super Monkey Ball. (And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?) But there’s more goodness to be culled from the iTunes app store besides playing games. There are plenty of cool apps out there, and some of the best ones don’t cost a penny. After all, when you spend a big chunk of your disposable income on limited-edition video games, free and useful stuff is a godsend.
