It’s been a little while since the last update to SoMoGa’s fine port of Lunar, Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch($9.99). It’s been a longer while since its last major update, version 2.0. Four years and eight years, respectively. Well, late last week SoMoGa suddenly dropped an astounding update to the game, bringing it up to a spiffy 3.0 with a ton of great features. Let’s go through all of it, shall we?
So, Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch. The only way to buy the English version of Lunar in any form these days shy of diving into the second-hand stores or picking up that PSP remake. Even SEGA couldn’t swing a deal to bring the English version of the SEGA-CD original to its Genesis Mini 2. That makes this a rather important app, and one that I certainly wouldn’t want to see disappear. Publisher SoMoGa isn’t exactly active on the App Store, with just this game and Vay($0.99) in its catalog. With literal presidential terms passing between updates at times, it wouldn’t be weird to expect them to throw in the towel and head home.
But no! Glorious update! Amazing update! In the category of graphics, the game now runs at 60 fps on all compatible devices. Excellent. Widescreen support has been improved, and a number of effects that haven’t been working right since the original Saturn version are now properly implemented. The audio quality has been improved, and you can now choose between the PSP and Saturn versions of the soundtrack. You can also adjust audio levels separately for various components in case you want the music to be quieter than the voices or something.
Tons of new Bluetooth controllers are supported now, and the settings can actually be accessed in-app rather than having to go through your device’s Settings app. Yes, this app is that old. You can now speed up gameplay in both battles and exploration, allowing you to move through the game more quickly. You can now hide the touch controls and switch to the classic UI in case you’re playing with a controller and want a more vintage feel, and you can switch between two different difficulty settings. The easier one lines up with the Japanese Saturn version, while the harder one matches the American PlayStation version done by Working Designs.
In essence, you can pretty much Saturn this port up or down as you prefer. And that is awesome. The only casualty here seems to be the ability to play the game in Portrait mode. If the feature is still there, I must have missed it. If it is gone, that is somewhat unfortunate. Sometimes I just like to play Lunar with one hand while I’m sword-fighting with Mikhail with my other hand. But it’s a small price to pay for all of these fine improvements. The app has been completely rejuvenated, giving me renewed hope that if I nag SoMoGa enough we will get a port of Lunar: Eternal Blue someday. You have given a Nall a cookie here, my friends.
You’ll need a device that uses an A10 CPU or better to use this new version of the game. That means an iPhone 7 or up, or an Apple TV 4K, that sort of thing. Provided you do (and I hope you do), you can update your game or go ahead and buy it if you haven’t before and dig into a fancy-pants version of one of the finest RPGs of the 16-bit era. Seriously, though. Lunar: Eternal Blue. Conk whoever you have to on the head to make it happen.
So, you’re a Marvel fan looking to get into Marvel Snap(Free). Maybe you’re a card game fan seeking the latest hit. Maybe you meant to click on another story but your finger slipped and here you are. Whatever your reason, you’re here now. Am I locked in the cage with you, or are you locked in the cage with me? It doesn’t matter. I’m here to impart some advice from playing the heck out of Marvel Snap since its launch. This is more of a beginner’s guide, but there are some tips in here that perhaps even regular players can use. At the very least, I hope it’s entertaining.
The first steps are the easiest. Go download the game on your platform of choice from the store of your choice. Play through the tutorials. They’re very good. Mr. Brode and his team worked hard on them. They will teach you the basics of the game in a way some text on a website really can’t replicate. Everyone gets the same basic starter deck, and it will suit your purposes for a little while but not too long. You’ll also get the same few card unlocks during the tutorials that everyone else does. Once you’ve done that, swing on back here.
Alright, with that done, let’s talk about this guide. I’m going to give you advice in three different sections. First, how to build a deck. I won’t go super-deep here, but there will be a guide for that later. Just some basic deck-building theory to get you on your way. Next, some tips for playing. A special focus on the Snap mechanic here in particular. Finally, some advice for how to use your resources to keep on moving smoothly.
Deck Building 101
Your starting deck is a nice little potpourri that demonstrates various types of card features. You’ll probably have swapped out one or two cards by the time you’re reading this. Maybe you are a little attached to it. I’m sorry, you need to get rid of it. Well, not right away. But it isn’t going to be helpful to you for very long, so let’s build a new deck or three.
Generally speaking, your deck should have some kind of theme. Some cards work together better than others, and you’ll want to have as many of those lovely situations coming up as possible. You’re going to be limited by the cards you have, of course. You might also want to avoid having 100% of your eggs in a particular basket, because the other player might have a counter to your core strategy and then you’ll be in trouble. Let’s look at a few basic deck types.
Destroyer Deck
The goal of this deck is to take advantage of cards that gain power through destruction. Nova, for example, will give all of your other cards +1 Power when he is destroyed. Bucky comes back as the much stronger Winter Soldier. The key element of these decks are your triggers. At lower levels, Carnage and Deathlok are likely to be the ones you have access to. It’s best to include both to increase your chances of pulling one, because if you never do the jig will be up. It’ll be a while before you have a thematically appropriate 5-Cost or 6-Cost card to fill this out, so take your pick of Iron Man/Blue Marvel and a powerful heavy hitter like Hulk or America Chavez until then.
Movement Deck
This one focuses on moving cards around to take advantage of various buffs. Vulture, Kraven, and Multiple Man all benefit from moving or having things moved to them. Doctor Strange, Cloak, Heimdall, and Iron Fist will help you make those moves. Buffing up Multiple Man before he copies himself makes his clones stronger, so you might want to include some cards that can buff him like the Hulk Buster. Vision and Heimdall will likely take your 5-Cost and 6-Cost positions, but Blue Marvel is a good idea to include as well since he can buff all of your clones.
Discard Deck
This deck can be a little hard to build at first unless you get really lucky with the cards you get, but it’s a real grower. You’ll notice some cards force you to discard another card to play them. A counter to the Power of those cards, but also a penalty you can twist to your advantage. Wolverine is a good choice, as even if he is discarded he will pop up somewhere. This deck really gets cooking when you get Morbius and Apocalypse. Morbius gets stronger for every card you discard, and Apocalypse gets stronger the more times he is discarded. Dracula is another good choice, as at the end of the game he takes on the Power of a card discarded from your final hand.
Hopefully you get the general idea. We’ll look at more decks in greater detail in a future guide, but this should at least get you on the way with some ideas.
Playing the Game 101
The first piece of advice happens before you even start a round. At any given time, a particular location will be featured. Keep a variety of decks and try to take advantage of that location by using the best set-up. Of course, it’s also worth remembering that other players will be doing the same. It might be a good idea to prepare a deck that counters the kind of deck that people would use in the featured location. Yes, this is partly a psychological game.
This probably should go without saying, but the most important tip I can give here is to have a strategy. You only have six turns and twelve cards in your deck. Think about each move you are making and which card you are playing. Is this going to help you win? Are you thinking about how cards work together? Are you keeping in mind that each location can only hold four cards? Sometimes due to luck of the draw you don’t have a great move to make, but you should always be looking for one.
The left location will be revealed first. If you have a good card to play there, by all means. Otherwise, it might be wise to play your first card on the middle or right location. Cards played before the location is revealed aren’t subject to conditions that would normally happen as soon as you play the card there. If the location is revealed as something like Luke’s Bar or The Sanctum Sanctorum, this could benefit you. It also avoids running into players who throw out a card that gets stronger if you play a card at the same location on that turn, as most players start with the left.
Think carefully about when to play a card that buffs other cards. You might be tempted to get it out right away, but it can be far more effective as a late-game surprise. The same goes for debuff cards. Keep your Energy in mind, but throwing a last-minute wrench into the works can be a very good move.
Remember that the ultimate goal is to win two of the three locations. Not one. Not three. Two. Don’t spread yourself too thin, but don’t focus too much on one location either. Keep an eye on where your opponent is focusing their cards. There’s no point throwing away good cards when you can just take the other two spots to win. One extra tip is that players tend to shy away from locations that reduce Power. You can usually win these spots with less resistance, provided you have the right cards for the job.
This is fundamentally a game about math. Many a player faces a loss because they didn’t add up the numbers right and ended up playing too weak of a card to win a location. But this is also a game about reading your opponent. Think about what kind of cards they might have in their hand and use that in your calculations. Someone playing a bunch of Discard cards is probably holding Apocalypse or Hela. If someone plays Moon Girl, they almost certainly have Devil Dinosaur. At the very minimum, you should be prepared for a Hulk. Give yourself a buffer.
Tying into the last point, don’t be afraid to retreat. Do the math. If you can’t win, get out of there. You’ll always lose fewer Cubes by running than you will by playing through a certain loss. Be honest with your chances. Lower-level players tend to stay on the sinking boat, but as you rise through the ranks you’ll notice more players retreat when things look bad. Be like the higher-level players.
So, the Snap. This is the titular mechanic of the game, and it’s where a lot of excitement comes from. If you’re confident in a win, feel free to Snap. That’s why it’s there, right? But the Snap is a lot like raising in Poker. It’s an expression of confidence, and one the other player might take as you having something they can’t see that they should be afraid of. If they’re teetering, a Snap can be the push that makes your opponent retreat. Thus, you can use it to bluff. If you’re trying to bluff, know when to Snap to make it look like you’re legit. The best time for this is when a location is revealed. Your opponent might assume the location favors your hand or deck and think twice about continuing.
Resource Management 101
Assuming you are playing without paying, you’ll want to use your Credits and Gold carefully. Make sure you’re completing Missions to keep the Credits and Gold coming in, and don’t forget to claim rewards. You can only have six active missions at once, and you’ll miss out if you’re full up when the next set pops. Sometimes you’ll have to play a different deck or use a different strategy to clear these missions, but it’s always worth making sure you have as empty a list as possible.
To start with, I recommend that you only use your Gold to buy Variant cards. Those not only look cool but are also a source of more Collection Level points. You’ll get Gold at a trickle, so make sure you get Variants you like. The more you upgrade a card, the more expensive the next upgrade becomes. Variants are a nice way to give you cheaper upgrades as the supply of new cards starts to slow down.
As for your Credits, those should be used wisely. It’s always best to directly upgrade cards that you already have Boosters for. You’ll get the best value for your Credits by upgrading higher level cards. If you don’t have enough Credits, it’s better to wait. Once you’ve exhausted all of the cards you have Boosters for, head over to the Shop and see what’s available for Fast Upgrade. Again go for the higher level cards here as they will yield the best bang for your buck.
That’s all for this guide, friends. I’ll be back again with more in-depth guides on certain aspects of Marvel Snap, particularly with regards to deck building. For now, this should get you on your way and give you a good foundation to work from. Oh, and don’t forget to have fun while you’re playing. That’s the point, right?
Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. Well, we’re right in the meat of the end-of-year holiday sandwich. There aren’t usually a ton of updates around this time, but I’ve found some for you to look over anyway Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!
A flood of mysterious origins has left five clans of mountain folk trying to recover. This latest update brings in Outlanders Chronicles Volume II, titled Flood and Fire. That translates to six new levels that tell the story of the clans learning to band together and discovering the source behind the flood. You can also enjoy these new leaders and building styles in Sandbox mode, if you like.
The Endless Seasons and Romance update comes to Wylde Flowers and seeks to rejuvenate the game for those who have perhaps wandered off. The town is preparing for a Spring Fling festival, and there’s a lot happening as a result. You can now improve your standing in the coven and become Keeper of the Wheel, which allows you to change the seasons as you see fit. There’s also some new spouse dialogue and dates to enjoy, and a few other bits and bobs to discover.
Well, this is almost two weeks old now, but I just saw it. Needs must, so here it is. The Terror’s Tide update adds a new zone and story to the game, some new leveling mechanics, a couple of events, five new Legendary Gems for rich people to blow their money on, and a few other winter-related things that may or may not still be going on as you read this. Oh, and some bug fixes and other little improvements. The kids love those.
This update to the Apple Arcade version of Dead Cells brings in the same stuff that hit the regular version of the game a few weeks back. Enter a new gold-plated biome by diving into a flashy chest and battle some new enemies that are looking to lighten your pockets by any means possible. The theme continues with new gold-based weapons and mutations, too. There are some new accessibility features, the Panchaku balancing update, and performance improvements for AppleTV to enable 60 frames per second gameplay. Not bad.
It has been brought to my attention that I’ve made an absolute mockery of the Obligatory Free-to-Play Matching Puzzle updates by not including them in the last couple of articles, so I have an extra or two in the pipe today. Here’s the first, and it’s Royal Match. You get one hundred new levels to play, with a new Winter Camp area that will help you feel the chill of the season virtually in case reality isn’t enough for you. There’s that box ticked.
Here’s a partly holiday-tinged update to Crash of Cars, complete with six new cars to play with. Frozen Vale is back for a limited time along with the Santa Sleigh, but I imagine they won’t be around too much longer. There are also some new quests to complete, and a new VFX skin. Not really a game that needs new stuff really, but it’s always nice to see that kind of thing.
Another Eden has a collaboration event going on with the Tales series right now, so that’s fun. This update adds Crown of the Pale Dawn to that end, along with new encounters with Moonlight Flower Hismena and new weapons for the Nagi Octofighter character class. There’s also a new Fateful Encounter that touts the best of 2022 for those willing to pay for it. I haven’t checked in on this game in a while, but maybe I should just to see what there is to catch up on.
Whenever I remember Another Eden, I also tend to remember AFK Arena. These two games are joined at the neural hip in my brain, and I have no idea why. Anyway, this is a fairly usual update for AFK Arena. A new character in the form of Celestial hero Veithael – The Shining Sword, matching Bountiful Trials for test play purposes, and some new content to challenge. There’s a lot more besides that, so give it a look if you’re particularly curious.
I did promise more than one Obligatory Free-to-Play Matching Puzzle update, so here is the other one. It’s Toon Blast, and it has the usual fifty new levels to play. Some sort of business about slippery slopes, and I’m not going to put in the work to find out if that’s intended to be taken literally or metaphorically. Anyway, that settles it. I’m sure I didn’t forget anything this week, so let’s bring things to a close.
Two new season-appropriate racing seasons to dive into, with the chilly Winterfest and rolling into Lunar New Year festivities. Beyond that, it’s up to you to rebuild the Syndicate, unlocking new decals and cars as you go. There are eight new cars to enjoy, including the Bugatti Bolide, Ares S1, the McLaren 650S GT3, and more. Asphalt 9: Legends also defies reality by adding animated decals. I mean, why not? We have the technology. It’s not like you’ll violate traffic laws by playing a video game.
That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week, and see you next year!
Mr Traffic(Free) from Dashy Crashy(Free) developer Dumpling Design hit iOS earlier this year for free with an Android version arriving a week later. Since launch, Mr Traffic has been updated with new features, cosmetics, and more. There were even ad changes. Over the weekend, the Mr Traffic 2.0 update hit bringing in progression system changes, holiday costumes, a new Lucky Box IAP, changes to make certain aspects simpler, and more.
Any in app purchase will now remove ads permanently. Other changes include the removal of coins, special traffic (sports, trucks, and taxis). The Time Out meter has been removed alongside Costume Skills being disabled to make things less complex. Mr Traffic is free to play. You can grab it on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Head over to our forum thread for Mr Traffichere for discussion around the game. Have you played Dashy Crashy or Mr Traffic from Dumpling Design yet?
Following last week’s release of World Heroes 2, baseball game 2020 Super Baseball has launched on iOS and Android. 2020 Super Baseball debuted back in 1991 and it aimed to be a “near future” sports game. It features two leagues of six teams competing to win the championship. The gameplay here involves landmines on the field and upgrading player stats through armor for protection. Check out a screenshot from the Android version of 2020 Super Baseball below:
You can buy 2020 Super Baseball ACA NeoGeo on the App Store for iOS here and Google Play for Android here. As with prior releases on mobile, this costs half of what it does on consoles at $3.99. If you’ve not heard of the series or seen it in action on mobile yet, Shaun has reviewed most of the releases so far in the ACA NeoGeo series on iOS. Check out his reviews for Top Hunter Roddy & Cathyhere, Samurai Shodown IVhere, Alpha Mission IIhere, Metal Slug 5here, Shock Troopershere, NAM-1975here, ZED BLADEhere, PUZZLEDhere, The King of Fighters 2002here, Big Tournament Golfhere, King of the Monstershere, Last Resorthere, Aero Fighters 2here, Burning Fighthere, Robo Armyhere, Mutation Nationhere, Twinkle Star Spriteshere, and Aero Fighters 3here. Check out the official website for the series on mobile here. What’s your favorite recent ACA NeoGeo release and are you grabbing today’s release?
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run(Free) is shutting down less than two years after it hit iOS and Android worldwide. An official announcement posted on Facebook reveals that Crash Bandicoot: On the Run servers will be taken down on February 16th, 2023. In app purchases have been turned off as of yesterday with the game currently not available to download on iOS and Android for new customers. Crash Bandicoot: On the Run is an online only game so this server shutdown means the game will no longer be playable in any form after February 16th, 2023 unless King ports it to something else.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run launched as a free to play entry in the beloved Crash Bandicoot series. Details on prior seasons and updates are here. It even featured a collaboration with Spyro. Head over to our forum thread for the game here to see what players thought of the game. Did you play and enjoy Crash Bandicoot: On the Run on mobile over the last year or so?
Regular readers will know that I am pretty deep into that Marvel Snap (Free) fever. It’s just such a perfect overlap of fan service and well thought-out mechanics that I can’t stop playing. I ran into someone who had Agatha Harkness in their deck the other day, and let me tell you, that was hilarious and awesome. Cough. Anyway. The nice folks at Second Dinner have shared their immediate roadmap for the game, and I thought I’d go ahead and share that with you. Let’s have a look, shall we?
You probably don’t need me to walk you through all of that. There’s a picture right there. But just in case, let’s look at some highlights. In the “Coming Soon” category, the big deal is obviously being able to battle versus friends. I think this will be something I use a lot, so I am glad to see it. Name change isn’t a feature people will use a lot, but those who need it will be happy it’s there. Artist credits, great. More language support, fantastic. Infinity Split Mod Details, I need more details.
The “In Development” stuff includes an improved UI for PC users, a Smart Deck feature that will help you fill out your deck builds, an Unranked Mode where you can clear missions without worrying about losing ranks or cubes, and some new competitive modes that details are scarce on at the moment.
Presumably far-off is the “In Concept” stuff. Social elements like Guilds and Leaderboards, extra collectibles like emotes and emojis, Mythic variants (presumably to generate a bit of money which is fine), Booster magnets to help you get the Boosters you want, and a few other things. Yes, that all sounds nice.
Anyway, that’s just a little peek at what is coming down the line for Marvel Snap. It’s a game I hope goes on for a long time, and if it’s managed as carefully in the future as it has been up until now, I think we’ll be playing it for years to come. Is there anything you’d like to see added to the game? Feel free to comment with your ideas below, I think Ben Brode sometimes reads this site. Right, Ben? Right?!
Gameloft’s My Little Pony: Mane Merge() is this week’s new Apple Arcade game. It is an Apple Arcade Original from Gameloft arrives as the second Apple Arcade Original. My Little Pony: Mane Merge has you going on an adventure with mini-games, matching action, and more. It also includes sticker collecting with more than a 100 stickers available with weekly challenges. Check it out on Apple Arcade here. Check out the official website here. Alongside My Little Pony: Mane Merge, many games have gotten holiday themed updates on Apple Arcade.
SP!NG has gotten its final update of the year bringing in the No Way Home Theme based on the developer’s first Apple Arcade game, one life mode, 18 new lost levels, and more. SP!NG will also be updated in 2023. The Oregon Traile brings in The Chisholm Trail, a new character class: cook, eight new achievements, and much more today. Jetpack Joyride 2 brings in the sticker album, a new Santa skin, a new Pompom jetpack, and performance improvements today. HEROish brings in new cards for all factions in multiplayer, improvements to the abilities on existing cards, level cap upgrade to 50, cross platform multiplayer, and more.
Hanx101 Trivia brings in hot seat multiplayer with two to four player support on the same device today. Goat Simulator+ brings in MMO today into the Apple Arcade app. This includes five classes, many quests, and more from the Goat Simulator MMO. The final update of the week is Subway Surfers Tag bringing in the guard’s companion as an enemy in all arenas. Once you defeat Dog, you get outfit parts. This update also has enemies spawning in waves and batteries being replaced by health. With the updates done, head over to our forum threads for My Little Pony: Mane Mergehere, SP!NGhere, Jetpack Joyride 2here, The Oregon Trailhere, HEROishhere, Hanx101 Triviahere, Goat Simulator+here, and Subway Surfers Taghere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of this years releases on Apple Arcade?
The excellent Vampire Survivors(Free) released on iOS and Android last week for free following its announcement at The Game Awards 2022. Read my Steam Deck review of it here. and iOS review here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well. Today, the long-awaited ‘Legacy of the Moonspell’ DLC released on Xbox and Steam for $1.99. This DLC adds eight characters, a massive new stage, 13 new weapons, and more. I’ve been playing it for review on Steam over the last week. Poncle announced in the launch post that the DLC will be coming to mobile in early 2023. Watch the DLC launch trailer below:
As of this writing, there is no price point for the mobile DLC. The announcement mentions them figuring out how to make it available in “a fair way”. Ideally the mobile DLC would be available with an option to remove ads permanently. I know I’d happily pay for it. Hopefully the DLC will be out with cross platform save sync as well. Until then, try out the game if you haven’t already. You can get Vampire Survivors on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. It is free without any in app purchases. It only has optional ads you can view to earn more gold when you get a game over. Check out our forum thread here for more discussion and impressions around the port. What do you think of it if you’ve downloaded it already?
If you’ve been keeping up with Square Enix’s mobile releases, you probably have SaGa opinions by now. The series, which had always had a spotty localization record, went dormant in the West for a long time following the 2005 release of Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song on the PlayStation 2. I can only assume the Western release of Romancing SaGa 2($17.99) did better than expected, as we’ve received a veritable flood of SaGa releases since. All of those games have seen global releases regardless of their original localization status, meaning that we have just about the entire series available on mobile. And now fate has brought us here, back to Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song($24.99).
This is a remaster of the PlayStation 2 game, which was itself a remake of the Super Famicom title Romancing SaGa. You never quite know how extensive the changes will be when a game from that era makes a reappearance, but in this case the changes are many and fairly significant. They range from new content (characters, story) to quality of life improvements, and the end result is a game that so greatly outclasses its previous incarnation that it renders it nearly irrelevant. I think it’s frankly as good as it can be without actually ripping the whole thing up and starting from scratch. If for some reason you are trying to decide between the PlayStation 2 version or this one, it’s an easy choice.
While I’m sure not many readers played the previous release (the franchise went dormant for a reason after all), I’ll quickly detail the additions and improvements. Most obviously, the graphics have been enhanced and upscaled. I have mixed feelings about the art direction of this game, but it’s never looked better than it does here. The UI and menus have been redone, which they would obviously need to be for mobile users. It looks good and is as functional as you are going to get when applying touch controls to a game originally designed for a controller. There are some nice quality of life improvements like a high-speed mode, extremely useful mini maps, and a highly welcome New Game + option that fits this game like a glove.
As for new content, there’s actually quite a bit to see. Like with SaGa Frontier‘s remaster, we’ve got a new playable character with their own episode. Aldora the Sorceress, who those familiar with the original will remember as Mirsa’s ally, is now selectable and has her own story about her travels with the Legendary Hero. There are also a handful of new recruitable characters, with Schiele being a highlight. There are some new classes to tinker with, which is always a nice thing to see in remakes and remasters of games with job systems. Additionally, there are a bunch of new super bosses. They’re… something. For those players who found the original game didn’t satisfy their desire for challenging encounters, eat up.
Curiously, part of the intention behind the original Minstrel Song was to go back to a more traditional and approachable format after the decidedly mixed response to Unlimited SaGa. Yes, this is the SaGa team (circa 2005) trying to make an easily digestible game. Does it work? Yes and no. At the end of the day, this is still a SaGa game. It has all the quirky systems you would expect from the series, has a tendency to be opaque and offer few clues about what to do, and focuses more on mechanics than story elements. It revels in its unorthodox nature, though it is rather orthodox in its unorthodoxy if you’re familiar with the series.
That last bit is perhaps the key to it. If you’re looking to get into the SaGa series, this is a decent enough starting point. It will teach you a lot about how the series works, and you may well find yourself able to appreciate the other games more having played through this one. I’m not sure it’s the best starting point anymore, but it’s a good one. But in the grand scheme of RPGs, this is still a game that requires a bit more work on the player’s part. While the original Romancing SaGa was the fourth part of the SaGa series, it was the third game in the series made by the same team. If you’ve played the Game Boy games, the original game followed on from Final Fantasy Legend II, bringing the ideas and philosophy of the series to the 16-bit world. With, you know, all that implies.
I won’t spend too much more time talking about the original 16-bit game though, because the PlayStation 2 game was already a significant remake and this remaster takes it even further. You’ll start this game by choosing from eight different characters at the start, and once you’ve gotten through the first bit for each, you’re more or less on your own to make your way in the world. It’s full of things to do and people to meet, though how much of that you find on any given playthrough is up to you. It wants you to replay it, and if you enjoy what it offers you almost certainly will do so.
That open approach is the calling card of this game, and it demonstrates how in a lot of ways this was a title far ahead of its time. But it can also be daunting to players used to a more guided approach. I recommend taking advantage of all of the tutorials and instructions the game offers, mostly through kids hanging around in the towns. It will leave you better equipped to enjoy what the game has to offer. If you’re feeling uncertain or anxious, I recommend starting with Albert. It will hold your hand as much as this game is willing to. Those who just want to dive into the open scenario goodness should pick Barbara, who is more or less tossed into the fray immediately.
I’m not going to talk too much about the story. Stories? It’s all engaging enough with some truly interesting twists and world-building, but it’s far from the main reason to play the game. No, it’s the mechanics that are the highlight here. The Glimmer (SPARKING) system returns, allowing you to learn new techniques pretty much any time just by using other ones. In true SaGa fashion, your stats will upgrade based on your actions. There are no traditional level-ups here. The class system also requires you to have certain skills leveled among other requirements. In general, tough battles in this game are best dealt with by rethinking your party build and tactics. Grinding is an option, but it’s a very bad idea due to a core part of the mechanics: event rank.
Basically, time passes in the world of Minstrel Song. At certain points enemies will get stronger, new quests will open up, and old quests will disappear. The thing that determines how the time passes is the number of battles you’ve fought, which feeds into something called your event rank. Grind too much and you’ll miss out on a lot and only end up making the enemies stronger. At the same time, you’ll want to move time (and fight battles) at a decent pace lest you reach the end before some quests have a chance to open. Your relationship with your event rank will largely determine what you can and can’t see in this world, and is one of the things that makes this game so replayable.
It’s worth taking your time going through, because completing sub-quests not only adds to the narrative texture of the game but also helps you power up in various ways. You’ll find new characters and other things that are frankly worth seeing. And that’s really who this game is for, I think. While the Final Fantasy games are roller coasters, taking you on a fairly straightforward route with pre-planned surprises and turns, the SaGa games tend to be more for the explorers. The people who like to experiment. The ones who like to poke around and see if they can put one over on the game. If that is you, you’ll find an absolute ton of value in this game.
If you have played any SaGa games in the past and had a good time with them, you’ll almost certainly like Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song. Its presentation is a little odd but the game itself is a fairly safe entry in the oddball brand. On the other side, if you haven’t been able to get into past games like SaGa Scarlet Grace($29.99) or SaGa Frontier($24.99), nothing in here is going to change your mind. If you’re somehow fully new to this whole business, this isn’t the worst place to dip your foot in. Those tired of the same old JRPG mechanics or those who generally have an open mind may want to give this one a go.
As for this mobile version in particular, it’s excellent. The aspect ratio means you’re getting bars on the side if you’re playing on iPhone, but the visuals look fantastic and the UI is both functional and attractive. You’ve got full controller support here, thankfully. One never knows with Square Enix releases. Even if you aren’t using a controller, you’ll find the touch controls are more than up to the task. Sure, it’s a little expensive relative to other mobile games, but it’s cheaper than the console versions and every bit as good.
Overall, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song is a fantastic re-do of a game that had lots of room for improvement, and this mobile port is top-shelf. SaGa fans will eat it up, and even if you’ve played the original you may want to check this out for its new content and additions. There are certainly some awkward carry-overs from its PlayStation 2 origins, like the lack of a player-controlled camera, and that may chafe some. It’s also a SaGa game through and through, and that’s either going to have you jumping with joy or running for the hills. I leave it up to you to make that final decision, but I know which side of the line I’m standing on.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. Holiday updates are in full swing now, as there aren’t that many more shopping days before the big day. That said, there are a few non-Christmas updates in the queue. I tried to get a nice mix. Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!
Bloons TD 6 has its mega holiday update for you to dig into and enjoy. Battle the powerful Armored Behemoth, Dreadbloon. Check out One Two Three, the newest Beginner map. Nab the new Sleigh Churchill skin for Captain Churchill to set the festive mood. Revel in the majestic glory of new trophy store items, various balance adjustments, a few little QoL improvements, and the tasty Who-Hash that is bug fixes.
A new update for Mini Metro usually means there is a new map to play, and yes, that is the case here. This time it’s Boston’s turn, with a spiffy new map in honor of America’s oldest subway system celebrating its 125th anniversary. Can you recreate the T? Add in some bug fixes and performance adjustments and you have a nice way to cap off the year from the folks at Dinosaur Polo Club.
Nothing speaks to the ideal of the season quite like a Christmas tree, and nothing speaks to the reality of the season quite like a Christmas Tree Blade. See if you can earn this new blade in the Christmas Tree event and try to level it up by grabbing duplicates. ‘Tis the season to spill some juice with a well-placed slice. Deck those halls with fruit gibs, just like Santa would do it.
Temple Run 2 knows what it’s doing with winter stuff, and this update certainly reflects that. You’ve got a new Winter Toyland zone where you can go sledding in the snow and enjoy the festive decorations. New character Conductor Watty calls back to that horrifying CG movie with Tom Hanks. There’s also a new Powered Pet in the form of the Aperion Express. That all seems fine for a holiday update. Yes, well done, Imangi. I’m sure you were waiting for my approval and you now have it.
I love Horizon Chase 2. Just a great racer, even if it does play it pretty safe in a lot of ways. This update is the first big one, and it’s going hard. There’s a new country in the World Tour, taking you to Japan. Hey, that’s where I am! Complete Japan and you’ll get a new car called Dream. There are two new Master Tournaments to challenge, some new control options, new paint, improved car customization, improvements to multiplayer, and a bunch of bug fixes. I’ll give this the UMMSotW award for this week due to its shameless pandering to me. C’mon guys, you’re embarrassing me.
That Sneaky Sasquatch tried to put one over on us again, but I’ve managed to find out the latest update info anyway. This new version brings in a new chapter for the storyline which sees you trying to achieve your political ambitions by becoming mayor of the town. Make friends with the townspeople, customize the town as you like, dress up your new pals in custom outfits and give them new names, learn some duck moves, operate a cargo elevator, and enjoy some new UI improvements. It’s never a bad time when you dig into a new Sneaky Sasquatch update, and this is not going to break that pattern.
Uh oh, Jean’s eyes are red again. That never bodes well. The Dark Phoenix is here in this update themed around the Destiny of X comics event. There’s a new playable character in the form of Polaris, Magneto’s daughter. You also get new uniforms for Jean Grey, Cyclops, Beast, and Angel. A new World Boss is here, and yes, it is Dark Phoenix. Jean Grey gets her Tier-4, and Polaris comes in hot with a Tier-3. Someone check and see if Scott is okay. He sometimes goes a bit… bonky when Jean is involved.
Well, let’s see what the latest update for Mortal Kombat has to offer us. Oh hey, new character. It’s Diamond MK11 Liu Kang. He brings in some new MK11 team synergies and decided to bring some nunchaku to the fight. A little rude, but I guess you have literal hell demons involved. In the spirit of the holidays, we’ve got Bo’ Rai Cho’s Divine Advent Calendar. Starting on the 14th, check in every day for some free goodies in the run-up to Christmas. Kombat Pass Season 2 is now available, offering a Gold Kombat Cup Sonya Blade among other rewards. There’s a new limited White Lotus Tower to challenge, plus a new capital-C Challenge involving Klassic Smoke. Wow, that’s a lot.
You know, there are probably some characters that could be pulled in to try to make a Christmas-themed update this year, but that’s not the way it’s going down this time. No, this time we’re getting one of those fancy characters from early on in Disney’s history. Cinderella joins the playable roster, and I am certainly willing to see her kick some butt. She’ll lose her shoe alright, when she breaks her foot off on the enemy’s rear-end. Bibbidi-bobbidi-BOOM. Oh, plus bug fixes.
Another game that doesn’t usually miss a beat when it comes to holiday-themed updates, Subway Surfers comes out surfing as usual with its Christmas event. This time the kids are rolling into their home turf of Subway City, where they’ll enjoy the beautiful lights and winter scenery while nabbing all the goodies they can. Elf Jake and the new Snow Cloud Board await. You can also dive into a North Pole-themed Tag Time Attack, with Elf Yutani waiting at the end. Not enough elves? Elf Fresh is also available if you can nab enough Event Coins. There’s also a Holiday Calendar with even more treats for you. Not bad at all.
That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!
Last night, Vampire Survivors(Free) from Poncle finally hit iOS and Android worldwide for free. The massively-popular indie game has been one of the most-played games on Steam Deck since launch, and I’ve enjoyed playing it daily across Steam Deck and on Xbox recently. Read my review of the 1.0 launch here to learn about the game. In this review, I will focus on the iOS port, the features included, and what I’d like to see in updates.
Despite Vampire Survivors exploding in popularity on Steam, it only got its hooks in me on Steam Deck. I kept hoping for a mobile version with portrait support, and that has now happened. Vampire Survivors on iOS and Android is a free game with no in app purchases. It is ad-supported, and there is currently no way to pay to not have any prompts to watch ads. This isn’t like most free to play games where you forcibly see junk while playing, but a very unobtrusive button to watch an ad if you want. I hope there’s a way to pay to disable this permanently.
Now, the actual mobile conversion plays great on my iPhone 11 and iPad Pro (2020). When you initially boot up the game, it loads in portrait, but you can change this from the second screen in the options menu. This cannot be done while on a run though so keep that in mind. The options also let you adjust the sound effects, disable flashing, adjust the volume, hide damage numbers, and more. There are no control options or anything, but given the gameplay, those aren’t needed.
When it comes to the controls, Vampire Survivors is still a single stick game where you move and shoot at the same time. It is perfect for portable and portrait play with your thumb. While you can play it in landscape mode on iPhone, I’d only recommend doing so if you are using a Razer Kishi or Backbone One controller on your phone. I found those setups the comfiest so far.
Despite Vampire Survivors officially being announced during The Game Awards, it actually went live on the App Store and Google Play quite a few hours prior. Having played it a lot before the announcement and during The Game Awards, I’m ecstatic with how good most aspects of this conversion are. I just hope a future update can let us pay to completely disable ads and tracking with a one time in app purchase. I’m looking forward to trying out the DLC when it launches next week on Steam and eventually on iOS.
As for what I’d like addressed in future updates, some of the touch targets, while similar to the scaling on PC, are a bit small on iPhone. I hope these can be improved over time. The other issue is the game currently does not seem to have iCloud save syncing. If it does have it, I’ll update this, but I didn’t manage getting it working across four devices and two different iCloud accounts. The developers are working on letting players bring progress across mobile and PC/Xbox, so maybe that is when cloud saves will be sorted, but this is worth keeping in mind if you play on multiple devices like I do. Having the game suspend your run when you leave it and it closes in the background would also be a nice addition in a patch.
If you’re curious about where to play it right now, I’d say the best option is iPhone in portrait or landscape with a controller attached. I didn’t care much for it with touch controls on iPad, but using an external controller is great. Note that there are black bars in landscape mode depending on your device. I hope a future update can add ultrawide screen support, but that might not be feasible with how the game is designed.
It feels surreal to see Vampire Survivors have such a great version on iOS and Android already. I kept thinking it might release on Nintendo Switch and eventually PlayStation following the Xbox and PC versions before coming to mobile. Not only is it worth downloading, but it is completely free. Hopefully the mobile version eventually catches up with the PC and Xbox versions so we get DLC and updates at the same time. Until then, I’m getting back to trying to reach where I am on Steam Deck on my iPhone from the start, and having an absolute blast with Vampire Survivors again.
Dinosaur Polo Club’s Mini Metro($3.99), also available on Apple Arcade as an App Store Great, Android, Nintendo Switch, and Steam, just got its holiday update adding a new map and more. This should be rolling out to other platforms soon if it isn’t already available. The update has gone live on iOS and Steam as of this writing. This holiday update brings the USA’s oldest subway system to the game with the Boston map. The Boston, Massachusetts metro is celebrating its 125th anniversary, and it is now available in-game. This update also has performance and audio tweaks to some maps. To unlock Boston, you need to score 500 in Stockholm or Saint Petersburg. I’m glad to see the game continue to get new content so many years later.
This update follows the Tashkent update, Lunar New Year update, Budapest update, and Addis Ababa update hitting the game over the last year or so. Mini Metro is one of the best games you can play on a touchscreen. If you’ve not played it yet, read Shaun’s glowing review of it. If you’re on Android, it is also available in Google Play Pass in addition to Google Play. If you’re on Apple Arcade, you can play Dinosaur Polo Club’s newest game Mini Motorways or Mini Metro+ through the service. Read about that here. Do you still play Mini Metro regularly and what do you think of the recent updates?
Dead Cells on iOS from Playdigious recently released on Apple Arcade in the form of Dead Cells+(). Dead Cells+ is an App Store Great featuring all prior DLC and updates. At The Game Awards 2022, Motion Twin revealed the next major DLC for Dead Cells with a new collaboration. The Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC is due in Q1 2023 on PC and consoles. This will likely come to iOS and Android soon after we get the indie crossover update. Playdigious has been great with bringing the mobile version closer to the PC release. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC has two new biomes, three epic bosses, new weapons, familiar characters, music from Castlevania, and a lot more planned. Watch the Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania animated trailer below:
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC is planned to be priced at $9.99 on PC. This is double the usual DLC price on PC for Dead Cells DLC and Motion Twin went with this price point to reflect the scope of the DLC and the Castlevania IP use. Check out this Steam post for more screenshots from the DLC. If you’re curious about Dead Cells on mobile read my interview with Playdigious covering it and Streets of Rage 4here. You can buy Dead Cells on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android. If you’re unsure whether to grab it on mobile or Switch, read my comparison here. What do you think of Dead Cells and its current state on mobile and PC?
At The Game Awards 2022, Innersloth announced the next major update for Among Us(Free). This update is arriving today for all platforms and it will bring in the new Hide n Seek game mode alongside new cosmetics and pets. This update is the game’s biggest update of the year and it also has a few surprises teased by Innersloth on Twitter and in the new gameplay trailer. This update arrives after the Hololive collaboration update. The update isn’t live as of this writing, but it should be available in a few hours on iOS, Android, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Watch the Among Us Hide n Seek game mode trailer below:
If you’ve not gotten Among Us yet, it is available for free on the App Store for iOS here and Google Play for Android here. Check it out on Nintendo Switch here and Steam here. Here’s our forum thread for the game. Among Us is available on mobile, Xbox, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. Where have you been playing it recently and what do you think of the state of the game in 2022?
Easy Come Easy Golf() from Clap Hanz is one of my favorite games on Apple Arcade. It has been updated quite a bit since launch bringing in new modes and improvements. It recently launched on Nintendo Switch as well. Read my Apple Arcade review of it here and Shaun’s Switch review here. Today, Easy Come Easy Golf has been updated on both Switch and Apple Arcade to version 1.9.0. The highlights are Stroke Standoff play and the new level cap. Watch a trailer for Easy Come Easy Golf update 1.9.0 below:
Instead of waiting for other players, you can now play each hole directly as of version 1.9.0 on Switch and Apple Arcade. This aims to make multiplayer faster and more casual. The other addition is the level cap increasing to 40. This level cap requires Albatross golf shots with a specific character. Easy Come Easy Golf is out now on Nintendo Switch for $19.99 here and on Apple Arcade here. Check out our forum thread for Easy Come Easy Golf (previously Clap Hanz Golf) here and the official website for the game here. Check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum with threads on every game in the service here.
Last week, side-scrolling shooter Pulstar hit mobile platforms as the newest ACA NeoGeo series release from Hamster and SNK. Read Shaun’s review of it here. Today, fighting game Art of Fighting 2 has launched on iOS and Android. Art of Fighting 2 debuted in 1994 featuring 12 fighters competing in the King of Fighters ultimate fighting championship. It featured the Rage Gauge mechanic alongside weak and strong attacks with the recovery system. This is definitely one of my least favorite releases from SNK’s older fighters, but I’m still glad to see it be released on mobile for more people to try it. Check out a screenshot from the Android version of Art of Fighting 2 showcasing the on-screen buttons and gameplay below:
You can buy Art of Fighting 2 ACA NeoGeo on the App Store for iOS here and Google Play for Android here. As with prior releases on mobile, this costs half of what it does on consoles at $3.99. If you’ve not heard of the series or seen it in action on mobile yet, Shaun has reviewed most of the releases so far in the ACA NeoGeo series on iOS. Check out his reviews for Top Hunter Roddy & Cathyhere, Samurai Shodown IVhere, Alpha Mission IIhere, Metal Slug 5here, Shock Troopershere, NAM-1975here, ZED BLADEhere, PUZZLEDhere, The King of Fighters 2002here, Big Tournament Golfhere, King of the Monstershere, Last Resorthere, Aero Fighters 2here, Burning Fighthere, Robo Armyhere, Mutation Nationhere, Twinkle Star Spriteshere, and Aero Fighters 3here. Check out the official website for the series on mobile here. What’s your favorite recent ACA NeoGeo release and are you grabbing today’s release?
Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. Oh yes, here come the Christmas updates. Quite a lot of the games featured today are doing the holiday thing, with only a few doing their best to ignore the hub-bub, bub. Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!
Oh hey, time for another chapter of the main story of Fire Emblem Heroes. Book VII kicks off this Wednesday. You’ll have to battle the Golden Seer across time with the help of your new five-star Mythic Hero, Seiðr: Goddess of Hope. This update also includes improvements to the Arena, Binding Worlds, and a few other bits. But really, it’s mainly about that new Book VII content.
Alright, game number two and we’re already into the Christmas updates. The Christmas event sees you handing out some, er, gifts to some deserving Gingerbread Men. There are some new event levels, and some new skins in the form of the Gingerbread Man and a green-suited Santa Claus. Naturally there are also some new emotes and event icons to unlock.
Here’s another Christmas-themed update, this time for the long-running tower builder. Get a reward every day from now until Christmas in the Advent Calendar, look for presents hidden in your tower, spin the lucky wheel for presents of your own, and enjoy the festive decorations. A pretty standard event for this game, but you can’t deny it nails the feeling of the season.
No Christmas stuff in this one, as near as I can tell. Instead, it adds a Sticker Book to the game. There are more than one hundred achievements to aim for, and you’ll need to get all of them if you want to fill out that Sticker Book with all of the stickers. Meta content! It can’t hurt, can it? Probably not. Do kids still do sticker books? Those were a big thing when I was a kid. I was under the impression they kind of fell off, but everything comes back sooner or later. I, for one, am waiting for Spider-Man pasta and tomato sauce to come back.
I’m letting this one stand in as the Obligatory Free-to-Play Matching Puzzle update for this week, despite it not really being free at all. Anarchy reigns, my friends. Nothing you can do to stop me. Anyway, this update adds a new set of shelves to the Treasure Trove, which means sixty new puzzles, new items to collect, and some new tournaments to test your mettle on. No Christmas stuff here either, I think. Oh well. If every kid was good, no kid would be. That’s what that guy from The Incredibles would say, probably.
Alright, back to the Christmas stuff. Angry Birds Reloaded has its holiday event lined up, and it’s… you know, it’s fine. Typical Angry Birds holiday update. You get daily rewards via Red’s Holiday Calendar and a new episode called Pie Hard Part II with forty-five festive new stages to play. Pie Harder? Pie Hard with a Vengeance? Live Free or Pie Hard? A Good Day to Pie Hard? Just tossing out some names for upcoming episodes. Call me, Rovio.
Marvel Snap gets its first feature-adding update since its wide launch, bringing in the new Token Shop along with Series 4 and Series 5 cards. Collect Tokens and trade them in for a rotating selection of cards you don’t have yet. Series 4 and Series 5 cards can potentially be found as soon as you start collecting Series 3, but they are both pretty rare. Despite a general lack of Spider-Man specific elements in this update, I am still awarding it the coveted UMMSotW for this week.
Zookeeper World also likes to keep up on the big holidays, and its update is right in step with the crowd. The Christmas 2022 event is now available, with some special hand-crafted puzzles for you to solve. Clear as many as you can to earn some cool Christmas rewards. That’s about all there is to it, but that’s probably all there needs to be to it.
Well, we could hardly go a Life Day without checking on the most popular on-going Star Wars mobile game. LEGO Star Wars Castaways is having a Star Wars Holiday Special event where you can complete quests to earn season-appropriate minifig parts. The Island hub gets a winter makeover, and a new Holosims level has been added. This update also includes a new enemy, and some exclusive Hippodrome Trials. Santa Vader! Ugly Christmas Sweater Leia! A Christmas Pod Racer! They’re all here, and they are festively glorious.
Somehow, we’ve got two LEGO games with Christmas updates this week. LEGO Brawls is the other one. There isn’t another one after this. I promise. Anyway, some of the stuff from previous Christmas events returns. Get some limited-time winter and holiday unlocks while they’re hot and ready, and enjoy the sweet themed decorations. Collect toys at the Elf Clubhouse and try to be the first team to collect fifty presents. That seems reasonably merry, I’ll allow it.
That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!
Following the reveal of the release date and more for Genshin Impact(Free) version 3.3 ‘All Senses Clear, All Existence Void’, HoYoverse showcased the Genius Invokation TCG that arrives this week in the update. Today, pre-installation for the update has gone live on iOS, Android, and PC platforms. This 3.3 update brings in new characters, the interlude for the Archon Quest, a new season of events and challenges, and the aforementioned Genius Invokation TCG. Ahead of the update’s launch later this week, you can now pre-download the update. On iOS, this is 1.58GB. Watch the Genshin Impact 3.3 update character demo – “Wanderer: Of Solitude Past and Present” video below:
The 3.3 update launches on Wednesday worldwide and it will also add Italian and Turkish text support. If you haven’t checked out Genshin Impact yet, you can download it for free on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The PC version is available on the official website here and the Epic Games Store. If you play on iOS, with iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 and later, you can use PS5 and Xbox Series X|S controllers to play Genshin Impact. We featured Genshin Impact as our Game of the Week when it released and awarded it our 2020 Game of the Year. I also featured it as one of the best iOS games to play with a controller. Have you been playing Genshin Impact recently and what do you think of the game’s current state?
Following the major update for Dead Cells on iOS and Android a few days ago, Playdigious has brought Dead Cells+() to Apple Arcade. As an App Store Great, Dead Cells+ includes all prior paid DLC and content updates. It also has exclusive mobile leaderboards. If you’re curious about Dead Cells on iOS, read my review of it here and also my interview with Playdigious here. You can Dead Cells+ on Apple Arcade here. Hopefully updates arrive simultaneously on iOS, Android, and Apple Arcade going forward. Despite already owning this on iOS, it is a great get for Apple Arcade. Watch the Dead Cells+ Apple Arcade trailer below:
Alongside Dead Cells+, many notable games have gotten holiday themed updates. Crossy Road Castle version 8.5 is out now adding in the Sticker Book with more than 100 achievements to unlock all the stickers. Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure brings in 60 new puzzles, new tournaments, and new treasure trove items in today’s update. Angry Birds Reloaded gets into the holiday mood with Red’s Holiday Calendar, Pie Hard part II, and 45 new levels. LEGO Star Wars: Castaways brings in an exclusive holiday event letting you earn holiday-themed minifigures, a new winter look for the island hub, a new Holosims level, new enemies, and more.
LEGO Brawls also has a holiday update out now with the Jingle Brawls season returning with limited-time unlocks. The final update of the week is Zookeeper World celebrating its Christmas 2022 event with new puzzles and rewards. Check out our forum threads for LEGO Brawlshere, LEGO Star Wars: Castawayshere, Angry Birds Reloadedhere, Temple Run: Puzzle Adventurehere, Crossy Road Castlehere, and Zookeeper Worldhere, and Dead Cells+here. Head over to our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion around every game on the service. What do you think of December 2022’s games?
The “In Development” stuff includes a
