Ever since it launched on mobile Aspyr Media has been slowly releasing new DLC and updates for Civilization VI(Free) on iOS and Android. The most recent content updates have been for the Leader Pass while we’ve seen minor bug fix updates a few months ago. Ever since iOS 17.4 hit, the game has not been playable on iOS or iPadOS devices running it or 17.4.1. I hadn’t played the game on mobile at all since updating, so was not aware of this. Thanks to a tip from a reader over the weekend, I’ve been looking into this and have tried launching the game on all devices I have at home. Across four different iPhones and three iPads, the game does not let you play anymore. It gives you an error on launching, and remains on the splash screen shown below. I tried reinstalling it and had no luck. Aspyr confirmed that it is aware of this over a month ago, but there is no ETA on a fix.
Games and apps breaking on newer iOS versions isn’t new, but when you have a game like Civilization VI that costs more to get the DLC and game (outside sales) on mobile than other platforms, you expect some level of support. As of this writing, I don’t recommend buying the game on iOS until this is fixed. Who knows how long it will take as we still don’t even have updates to improve the visuals for iPads from years ago, let alone the current ones. If you’ve not played it yet, read our initial iPad review here and my updated review with expansions and more here based on how the game was when it still worked on up to date iOS versions then. I also reviewed the New Frontier Pass content and the state of the game in 2021 on iOS here. You can try out Civilization VI for free on the App Store for iOS here, and I recommend checking it again when either iOS or the game get updated to make sure it works before buying. I’ve reached out to Aspyr to check in on the status of the fix, and will update this news story if we hear back.
Following Apple’s announcement of April 2024’s new games headlined by a brand-new exclusive Puyo Puyo game in the form of Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, Sega has released a new gameplay trailer for it. Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop launches on April 4th exclusively for Apple Arcade, and the new trailer goes over the game modes, multiplayer, tutorials, and also ends with a teaser for new characters and modes coming in future updates. I’m curious to see how much content is included in Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop at launch. We’ve had some games release with what feels like cut down content to push out updates. Since this is the first Puyo Puyo game in the West in a while, I hope it makes a good first impression. Watch the new Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop overview trailer for Apple Arcade below:
As shown in the trailer and revealed with the game’s original announcement, Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop will have online multiplayer for up to four players in total. It will also have a narrative, photo mode, and more when it launches. If you’d like to play Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop and have an active Apple Arcade subscription, you can sign up here to be notified for when it goes live or have it downloaded. Check out the official Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop website here. I’ll definitely be playing Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop when it arrives next week. What do you think of Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop and did you play the localized Puyo Puyo Tetris games?
TrampolineTales’s superb slot machine-based roguelike Luck be a Landlord($2.99) is discounted on iOS, Android, and Steam right now. The Steam Deck Builders Fest is currently on, and I figured this would be discounted for PC, but I also noticed it is also down to its lowest price yet on both iOS and Android. The Steam discount is 56% off while the mobile discount is up to 50% off depending on platform and region. If you’ve not gotten it yet, read my review of Luck be a Landlord on iOS here covering the launch version of the game. Since launching, it has gotten quite a few updates with new balance adjustments and fixes. Watch the Luck be a Landlord launch trailer below:
As for potential future updates, I hope we get landscape mode support to iOS this year if it is still feasible. Luck be a Landlord is currently $4.39 on Steam and $2.99 on iOS. If you’ve not gotten it yet, you can buy Luck be a Landlord on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. A Steam demo is available here if you want to sample it before buying. I definitely recommend it on both iOS and Steam DEck. Have you played Luck be a Landlord yet on any platform or will you be buying it during this sale?
Following the Coral Pukei Pukei event going live, Niantic and Capcom have revealed the Monster Hunter Now(Free) April 2024 event list and roadmap for the game on iOS and Android. The Coral Pukei Pukei event continues, but a whole event dedicated to Deviljho is planned from April 29th. To prepare for this, thunder element quests will take place from April 15th to April 22nd featuring more rewards from Zinogre, Tobi-Kadachi, and Tzitzi-Ya-Ku. The MH 20th Anniversary quest continues with part 2 as well. This takes place from April 22nd until May 26th with a new layered t-shirt releasing only during this event. Qualily’s Special Quests return during the month as well from April 8th until April 14th with rewards now including Wander Droplets and more. Check out the Monster Hunter Now April 2024 event list and roadmap below:
If you’ve not played Monster Hunter Now recently or are planning to just start playing, I put together tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it and what do you think of this set of events?
Ahead of next month’s new Apple Arcade games, a few notable updates and events are live for many games on the service. Let’s get into them. Beast Bio Exo Arena Suit Team has begun its newest season today. Beast Bio Exo Arena Suit Team Season 3 brings in Vesper, the new character alongside the Galactic Series, new map, matchmaking improvements, and more. Angry Birds Reloaded brings in 30 new Space levels, the new Alien Pig boss, three new themed costumes, and more today. Simon’s Cat – Story Time continues to be one of the most-updated games on Apple Arcade with 50 new levels and bonus levels featuring coins to collect today. Cut the Rope 3 brings in nine new Nommies and 27 new levels today. Goat Simulator+ is celebrating Easter with the Easter Bunny coming to Goatville with eggs hidden all over. You can unlock the Chocolate Goat during this event. I missed this update a few days ago, but Hellow Kitty Island Adventure has a new event until March 25th to celebrate International Day of Happiness. This includes surprise gifts and more.
Castle Crumble adds support for new events with today’s update. I assume more levels will join in soon. Gameloft’s SongPop Party brings in support for the Forgotten 90s in April, 90s-2010s Rock in May, 60s country classics in June, and more playlist support. Disney SpellStruck brings in Sulley with his Scream Surplus power, a new limited event, and more this month. With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Beast Bio Exo Arena Suit Teamhere, Angry Birds Reloadedhere, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, Cut the Rope 3here, Goat Simulator+here, Castle Crumblehere, SongPop Partyhere, Disney SpellStruckhere, and What the Car?here. 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 Apple’s updates this week?
Ten years. Ten danged years. That’s how long it has been, minus a couple of months, since I reviewed the very first Adventure to Fate game, Quest to the Core. It was a game with a humble scope, but what it did it did well. While not without its share of rough edges, it was a compelling little turn-based RPG. When the time came for a full-on follow-up, Adventure to Fate: Quest to the Futurecleaned up most of the issues I had with the original game. It’s been around eight years since that game came out, and while the series hasn’t been in the deep freeze the entire time (Adventure to Fate: Future Arena came out a few years back), we’re finally seeing another full-blown follow-up in the form of Adventure to Fate Lost Island($4.99).
So what has changed? You know, not as much as you might think. We’ve got a whole new quest here, of course. Lots of new enemies to battle, lots of places to explore, lots of new loot to find, and plenty of interesting combinations of races, classes, and abilities to tinker around with. A big box of new toys, and new reasons to play with those toys. For many of us, that’s more than enough. Particularly given we don’t really see many games of this nature anymore. A single, reasonable, upfront price. No IAP. No ads. Pay your five bucks, enjoy your game. Ten years ago that was only a little uncommon. Today it feels as rare as hen’s teeth, especially for a mobile-exclusive release.
The story of the game, such as it is, is that you’ve crashed on some kind of weird island. You need to find four goobers to get off the island, and each of those goobers is located in a different location. You can’t just Uber over to them, either. Each of them is waiting at the end of a veritable dungeon’s worth of exploration and battling, and if that isn’t enough, they’re also protected by a bunch of dorks who won’t hand them over without a fight. Luckily, fighting is the one thing you’re really good at. Well, I hope you are, anyway. You’re going to be doing a lot of it.
Like in previous games, the exploration part of Adventure to Fate Lost Island is relatively trivial. There are secrets to find and objects to interact with, but the path to your goal is generally linear and merely requires you to move from bite-sized screen to bite-sized screen until you reach it. It’s not boring or anything, but you won’t need to worry about mapping things out or anything like that. Finding treasure is always a good time, and running into NPCs and objects like Weapon Forges keep things from getting too monotonous. Still, the meat of this game lies elsewhere and I think it’s well aware of that.
Battles! Turn-based battles! That’s what Adventure to Fate has always been about at its core, and that’s where all the magic happens. Broadly speaking, the appealing aspects of this series and this game come from three components. You’ll need to learn the ropes of all of them if you want to have a smoother ride through the game, though you can to an extent brute force your way through a good chunk of the game by grinding if you’re pig-headed about it. I strongly recommend not being pig-headed. The first Dragon Quest game is right over there if you’re looking for that kind of battle system. There are a lot of random encounters in this game, but there are also a lot of fixed ones and it’s those that will give you serious trouble if you try to power through. Anyway, those three bits you need to manage.
First, your character build. Each installment of the series has given the player different kinds of options to build their character with. Lost Island essentially gives you the kitchen sink experience. You get ten races, twelve classes, six crafting specialties, a couple dozen pets, plenty of gear slots and tons of cool gear to fill them with, and a massive number of skills that you’ll earn as you gain levels. It goes without saying when you have this many variables at play, balance goes out the window to an extent. But finding those broken builds is a big part of the fun, and there’s always something new to challenge yourself with if you’re seeking more thrills. You have lots of character slots you can make use of, and I recommend experimenting to see which ones fit your needs best.
Next, preparation. This has been a major part of Adventure to Fate right from the start, and it’s no less vital here. You can only use items and skills that you have equipped, and you’re generally tightly limited as to how many of each you can have available to you in combat. Items are mainly consumable, too. If you forget to refill your pockets after using what was in them before your next fight, you can easily get caught out. Bringing the right mix of skills to take on a tough battle can make a seemingly impossible situation more than manageable. You’ll also want to keep on eye on what gear you have equipped. Pure defense and attack might be the order of the day in most fights, but you’ll also want to take advantage of various special effects and resistances for certain encounters. You’ll also want to keep on top of your shopping, and of course manage your health and ability points as you make your way through each area.
Finally, execution. The battles in Adventure to Fate are turn-based affairs, with you and your pet on one side and up to three enemies on the other. You’ll have a limited amount of stamina points you can make use of on each turn to take actions with, and so will your pet. You take your turn, then the enemies take theirs. Continue until either they’re all dead or you are. And that does mean your character. Your pet can’t keep the fight going on its own. Do not let your health drop to zero or you’ll fall unconscious and wake up back at the start of the area. In a straight blow for blow fight, you will generally be at a disadvantage. You have to make a plan, use your skills as best as you can, and gain the upper hand with your strategy. Basic battles don’t drag on too long, but you’ll have to watch your ability points carefully when things go on longer.
Frankly, this game is incredibly deep in these respects. I’m probably making it sound like it’s complicated, but the reality is that it’s pretty easy to get started in this game. It doesn’t give you too many options at the start, allowing you to get used to the proverbial water before it starts gradually turning up the heat. The UI makes a lot of sense and is perfectly suited to mobile, too. Want something you can play one-handed in portrait mode? This game has you more than covered. Since it’s all about besting each battle, one by one, it’s easy to dip in and out of. Those linear dungeon designs mean that even if you have to take a long break between sessions, you won’t be lost. And the blessed game auto-saves constantly, so if you need to pop out at a moment’s notice you won’t lose much, if anything at all.
Presentation-wise, it’s all quite familiar. The Oryx sprites make a return, but they’re not only quite scarce these days but actually pretty nostalgic. The UI does its job and give you all the information you need while making it very easy to do what you want to do. The game also sports full VoiceOver support so that visually-impaired players can have just as much fun as everyone else. No, it’s not going to challenge Final Fantasy XVI in terms of its production values. But it gets across what it needs to, and there’s certainly a charm to its no-nonsense approach to the RPG genre.
If you’re an RPG fan who likes a good battle system or character customization systems, you’ll find a wealth of enjoyment in Adventure to Fate Lost Island. If you’re looking for an intricate story, hot graphics, or a fancy world to explore, this might not be your cup of tea. You could certainly levy the accusation at Lost Island that it perhaps doesn’t push its design in new directions enough when compared to its predecessor, but what might have felt like going to the well one too many times in 2018 instead comes across as rather refreshing in 2024. Easily worth the asking price, and a game that will do a nice job of filling the RPG lover’s time for hours upon end.
Earlier today, Mojang announced and released the Minecraft($6.99)Marketplace Pass subscription. This includes over 150 pieces of content made by creators available to subscribers. This content covers worlds, skin packs, and more with new content refreshed each month. A free Character Creator item set will be available to subscribers to claim each month. The subscription is priced at $3.99 per month. Content will rotate out as well and the FAQ page confirms that you will need to purchase content that leaves the catalog if you want to continue using it while playing. Packs will not be deleted from your storage until you delete them. Watch the trailer for the Minecraft Marketplace Pass below:
If your subscription ends or you cancel it, you can purchase and download any world template saved to your cloud storage within 18 months of the subscription ending. Monthly character creator items can be kept after being claimed. Mojang also confirmed that Realms Plus includes the Minecraft Marketplace Pass. If you subscribe to Minecraft Marketplace Pass and want to use Realms Plus, you will need to cancel the former and subscribe to Realms Plus. The subscription is available to access from all devices with Minecraft Bedrock Edition. This includes mobile as well of course. It isn’t available in the Java Edition. What do you think of the Minecraft Marketplace Pass and will you be subscribing or using the free trial to check it out today?
Following pre-installation going live earlier this week, HoYoverse has released the newest major Genshin Impact(Free) update. Genshin Impact version 4.5 “Blades Weaving Betwixt Brocade” brings in an alchemic potion shop in Mondstadt, the new 5-star playable character Chiori, the Chronicled Wish system for characters and weapons together, the Training Guide for developing characters, new mini-games, and more on iOS, Android, PS5, PS4, and PC platforms. Full patch notes for the update are here on the official HoYoverse blog for the game. This update also adds the Uraku Misugiri and Dialogues of the Desert Stages weapons, an update for the Genius Invokation TCG with new character cards and action cards. Watch the new Genshin Impact version 4.5 update trailer below:
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 boy, Shaun’s running late tonight. So late that he doesn’t have time for any silly jokes. I’ve made a list; feel free to check it twice. 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 new month means a new season for Marvel Snap, and this time around the theme is Avengers vs X-Men. As always this means some new cards to play with, along with some new locations and variants for existing cards. So far the first couple of cards don’t seem to be getting a lot of play, but I suppose we’ll have to see how things unfold over the next few weeks as the remaining cards come into play with their interactions. Also, no new Spider-Mans. That means no coveted award for you this time, Second Dinner. You know how to change that.
Saint Patrick’s Day is this week, and that means this article and next week’s will have some updates dedicated to it. I mean, who doesn’t love all the green and what-not? In the Saint Patty’s event in Jetpack Joyride, you’re up to the usual business. Collect the event tokens and you can get your hands on some event rewards, in this case the Lucky Lass, Celtic Harp Jetpack, and Clover Clunker. You know what you have to do if you want them. I wish you all the luck in the world if you’re going for them.
Okay, I guess the name of this one is now Tiny Tower: Tap Idle Evolution. Sure, that’s fine. Nothing says ‘evolution’ quite like a game from over a decade ago. Anyway, another Saint Patrick’s Day event here. How does that shake out? I’m not actually sure yet because as I write this the event isn’t live yet. This update also adds some new languages to the game, plus some balance adjustments and bug fixes. Yes, I’m still playing this. No, I’m not exactly sure why.
We’re not quite done with the Marvel stuff for the week yet, because Contest of Champions also got a nice little update in the last seven days. We’ve got a couple of new Champions in the game, with The Destroyer and The Serpent coming to show off their skills. I’m assuming at this point we are taking some major liberties, because The Destroyer versus most heroes is going to end very badly. Some new Quests and Events associated with these new faces, along with a few other things to keep you busy while you wait for the next update. But no new Spider-Mans, so no coveted award for you either, Kabam.
Over to the Apple Arcade version of NBA 2K24, and it’s a pretty hefty one this time. The big things is the addition of eight more Greatest of All-Time players, with names like Shaq, Michael Jordan, and David Robinson in the number. There is also some new All-Star gear, roster updates, and more. You know what? Shaq played a superhero once in a movie, that’s close enough. This is our winner of the coveted UMMSotW award for the week. Moving on!
With that having been done, let’s move along to another Apple Arcade game that got updated in the last week. SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit has been a bit dry for the last several months, but it got a splash of water with this latest version. There’s a new Tale of the Deep to play, following Gary the Snail’s daily life in Bikini Bottom. It’s a lot more interesting than you might think. Use your snail powers to get past anything that comes between you and reuniting with your bestest buddy in the world. Presumably very slowly, though I can’t speak to a snail’s speed underwater. Maybe they are fast down there? I try to keep away from the sea. Full of monsters, I assure you.
Blessed be those Subway Surfers kids and their consistent update schedule. Always providing me something to stick in these articles every few weeks. This is actually a bit more exciting of an update as usual, because it adds a new mode to the game. It’s called Floor is Lava, and it’s going to seriously put your skills to the test. If you manage to rise to the challenge, you can unlock Red Panda. But that’s not all! This update also packs in Easter and Saint Patrick’s Day events, complete with their own characters and boards associated with them. There’s also a Holi-themed outfit for one of the kids. Plenty to dig into if Subway Surfers is your jam.
Of course, we have to get our fill of puzzle game updates for the week. This one isn’t fully free, so we’ll have to have another later on, but for now let’s enjoy the moment. Spire Blast has eighty, yes eighty, new levels for you to play set in the Floating Rivers. It’s a magical new land where rivers float, instead of sinking the way they usually would in our boring reality. Eighty levels! That’s a lot of spire blasting. You’d best get on that if you haven’t already.
No, we are not done with Saint Patrick’s Day updates yet. Temple Run 2 isn’t going to miss a beat with that, as you know. Nidhi Nirmal gets a Holi-themed outfit, Easter and Saint Patrick’s Day pets join the fray, classic seasonal characters like Springwynd and Bunny Guy make a return, plus a whole lot more. It’s a busy month with a variety of holidays and the demon monkeys won’t let you go home until you properly celebrate all of them! Sorry, that’s just how demon monkey rules work.
We’ll finish things up with the obligatory free-to-play matching puzzle game update for the week, this time uncreatively going with Toon Blast because my dinner is probably ice cold by now. You get the usual fifty new levels to play, and this time it has something to do with a carousel. Why? How? I’m not equipped to answer those questions, but I’m sure the Toons are getting into some kind of trouble that will be easily resolved by matching colors. That’s just how things go.
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!
Square Enix has released a new SaGa Emerald Beyond gameplay trailer today focusing on Siugnas, Dismal King. Siugnas is one of the protagonists of the game, and this new trailer shows off what happens after he has been removed from his throne. He gets recruited as a general and is sent to take on many invaders. His story is about regaining his abilities as the Dismal King. If you’ve not kept up with it, SaGa Emerald Beyond is a brand-new mainline SaGa game, and the first in nearly a decade. It will be out next month for mobile, PC, and consoles simultaneously worldwide. It is also a standalone game. Watch the SaGa Emerald Beyond Siugnas, the Dismal King, trailer below:
SaGa Emerald Beyond launches on April 25th worldwide across iOS, Android, Switch, Steam, PS5, and PS4. If you missed the gameplay showcasing exploration and compaions, watch it here. Pre-orders and pre-registrations are not up for the game on mobile yet, but you can wishlist SaGa Emerald Beyond on Steam here ahead of its release date. If you haven’t played a game in the series yet, read Shaun’s reviews for Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remasteredhere, Romancing SaGa 2here, Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legendhere, Romancing SaGa 3here, SaGa Frontier Remasteredhere, and also SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitionshere if you’re curious about the mobile versions. Have you played a SaGa game before on any platform, and what do you think of SaGa Emerald Beyond so far?
Following its recent soft launch, Supergiant Games and Netflix have finally announced the Hades mobile release date with a new gameplay trailer. If you’ve not kept up with the game’s mobile release details, Netflix announced that Supergiant Games’ brilliant rogue-like Hades() would be coming to iOS through its new games initiative. This is a rare Netflix mobile game to be iOS-exclusive with no planned Android release. Given Supergiant Games’ prior mobile releases, this isn’t surprising though. Hades for iOS will be launching worldwide on March 19th through Netflix. Pre-registrations should now be available, and Netflix has showcased Hades iOS gameplay in a new trailer which you can watch below showcasing the touch controls and more:
Having adored Hades on Steam, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X since launch, I’m looking forward to playing and reviewing it on iOS through Netflix. Netflix’s announcement mentions 60fps performance, redesigned menus and interfaces, fully customizable controls, cloud saves, achievements, and offline play support. I hope the team can potentially add a higher frame rate cap if it is feasible for modern iOS devices. If you’d like to grab Hades on iOS, it is in soft launch in the Philippines, but you should be able to pre-order it on the App Store for iOS here. Check out our forum thread for it here. Hades is a stunner on the Steam Deck OLED, and I look forward to seeing how it feels on iOS this month. Have you played Hades on console or PC so far, and will you be trying it out on Netflix when it launches on March 19th worldwide?
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. With Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year in the rear view mirror, we’re in one of those quiet periods for seasonal updates. Well, I’m sure another one will be along before too long. For now, it’s a mixed assortment of updates to look over. 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 relatively major update for Sonic Dream Team has arrived. It doesn’t feature any new levels, but it does bring Time Trials into the mix for those who like to perfect their runs. Yes, there are leaderboards. There are also eight new boss missions to play, and Dr Crabulous, the Factory Foreman, and the Guardian Hunter have all gotten some new moves you’ll have to watch out for. Not too bad, and hopefully just the start of where this game is going.
Curiously, this week sees a couple of games switching up their monetization models. First is this game, which I believe is called Cards Infinity but has obviously changed its name to something more SEO friendly. Anyway, this game is now free to play with absolutely no ads. There is a single IAP called EXTRA now that costs $1.99 and gives you some additional options and features. It also, you know, kicks some money in the direction of the developer, who has continued working on this game in the two years since it first launched.
Oh, I said we were done with Valentine’s Day updates, but here’s one last one I suppose. The Mass Affection level from Waste of Space is available as a limited-time Valentine’s event. You can unlock Chad, the romantic goat, and he’s looking for love in all the wrong places. Sure, who wouldn’t want an overly amorous goat running around? Seems like a very good idea.
Note that this update at the very least also applies to the Apple Arcade version, and maybe also the Netflix version but they don’t know how to write decent update notes. Anyway, you get a new Monkey Sub Paragon, Nautic Siege Core. What are these monkeys up to? Hm. There is also a new intermediate map named Sulfur Springs, a new Co-Op Boss Challenge mode, some new Map Editor goodies, and more. It seems a rather robust update all around, so give it a go if you haven’t dipped in for a while.
A new kingdom comes into play with the Spore Grove Kingdom, bringing sixty new levels to Castle Crumble. Spore Grove, eh? Sounds like some sort of fungus kingdom. A mushroom monarchy, if you will. There are also some new events, plus some challenges from the Mushroom King. I didn’t even make that one up, that’s his name. Trust the fungus. There are some other optimizations and fixes here, but I’ll let you sort through those yourself.
Time for the obligatory free-to-play matching puzzle game update for this week, and I am lazily picking Toon Blast. What can I say? I’m late for dinner and not even close to done my work. As usual, you can look forward to fifty new levels to play, and the theme this time is something to do with a lost phoenix. Search for it. Find the phoenix. Only good things will happen if you do. Is that enough for the formatting? I don’t know, but I’m too hungry to worry about that now.
I do love seeing updates for Cut the Rope 3 pop up. It reminds me of the good old days of the App Store. Oh no, am I nostalgic for iOS games? Surely… surely time cannot be passing that quickly! EXISTENTIAL CRISIS-INDUCED REBOOT! Okay, so we’ve got thirty new levels in this latest version of the game, complete with ten new Nommies. You get a new location to play around in, and some kind of magnet thingamabob to make use of. You want to skip animations? You can do that now. There’s also some chicanery involving iMessage chats here, but that’s none of my business.
It takes a lot of courage to hunt dungeons, but some people have done it six times. Big respect. Just… thwacking away at those stone walls, and what-not. This update add the new Bloodthirty Knight class to the game, and let me tell you, they love them some blood. Can’t get enough of that bloodiful stuff. There are also some new features in the form of the Expedition and Reawakened Guardians, both of which unlock when you reach character level forty. Push on to level forty-six and you’ll get access to the new Idol Weapon Star Up feature as well. You have to Star Up those weapons if you want to knock down those nasty dungeons for good. And then you can use the dungeon meat to make dungeon Sloppy Joes. Nice.
I see this is now called Minion Rush Running Game in the App Store. Sad that the Minions alone aren’t enough to catch eyes for this game. Oh well. I’m sure they’ll regain their popularity soon enough. This update brings three new Special Missions to complete. In the House of Flying Minions, the Minions are joining an acrobatic competition to celebrate the Lunar New Year (oh, there was one more of these then too). In Minion Racing, Gru’s daughters have signed him up for a sports race, and it’s up to the Minions to put together a car that will help him earn the checkered flag. Finally, in Lucky Day the Minions are on the hunt for a four-leaf clover so that they can win the lottery. Hijinks, I tell you! Hijinks! Also: new costumes Zodiac Bob and Racer.
But I’m not as hungry as these large xenomorphs, am I right? Actually, is it hunger that drives them? They seem to be focused on other things. Best not to think too hard about it. At any rate, this is the other game today that is changing its monetization model. Rather than one up-front payment for the game, it’s now free to try out the first two missions. This will let you see if the game is for you, and if it runs nicely on your device. If you enjoy it, it’s just a single $14.99 USD IAP to unlock the full game and all of its DLC. I’ll give this the UMMSotW award for this week, because more people need to try this excellent game out and this update will facilitate that.
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!
This week, we’ve already seen a huge content update hit for Sonic Dream Team and Apple confirm that more Apple Arcade spatial games are coming for Apple Vision Pro. Today, a few notable games on the service have gotten new content updates including both App Store Greats and Apple Arcade Originals. Goat Simulator+ has brought in the Mass Affection level from Waste of Space for its Valentine’s Day event. This lets you unlock Chad, the romantic and elegant goat in-game. Cut the Rope 3 has added in 30 new levels and 10 new Nommies. The update also now lets you skip animations. Simon’s Cat – Story Time lets you watch classic Simon’s Cat videos in the Cat Den through the TV Player in addition to support for 50 new levels coming each week.
Castle Crumble has gotten its monthly update bringing in Spore Grove Kingdom with 60 new levels, new story content, challenges, and more with a reduced overall game install size. The final notable update of the week is Disney Coloring World+ with its Princess Valentine’s Day Cards update letting you make new cards with Disney Princesses to save and share. With the updates done, head over to our forum threads for Goat Simulator+here, Cut the Rope 3here, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, Castle Crumblehere, and Disney Coloring World+here. For all other 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 Apple’s newly revealed games and bringing Apple Vision Pro games to the service?
This month’s Marvel Snap(Free) deck-building guide is rolling in a little later in the month than usual, but it was necessary to let the meta cool down a bit before giving any advice. This last month has been another tumultuous one, and some cards were introduced and then nerfed almost immediately. Things appear to be stable for the moment, so I’m shooting my February shot. Remember as ever: today’s winning deck could be tomorrow’s moldy chip dip. These guides are one way to keep your finger on the pulse of the scene, but they aren’t the only method you should be using.
Note that most of these decks are the best of the best at this point in time. They assume you have access to a full range of cards. I’ll once again be including the five strongest Marvel Snap decks of the moment, and I’ll throw in a couple more decks that don’t need things that are too hard to get and are just sort of fun to play with. You know, a little variety and all of that.
Planet Hulk had some effect on things as it rolled out over the course of January, but the bigger impacts could be felt from the various nerfs and buffs Second Dinner was applying to an assortment of cards. Blob, for example, went from hero to zero in no time flat. We’re a little ways into the Black Order season now, and it seems to be more stable both on the season’s end and on the end of balance changes made through updates. With all this upheaval, things are going to be looking very different again with this month’s best decks.
It’s bizarre to see such a basic deck running wild like this, but there’s no denying it: Destroy Deadpool is as hot as it gets right now due to a few smart adjustments and additions. The strategy is in the name of the deck. Use Forge, Hulkbuster, and Nico Minoru to beef up Deadpool, then keep murdering him over and over again using your destroyer cards like Venom, Killmonger, Carnage, and heck, even Nico on some turns. If you play it right, you could potentially end up with an extremely powerful Deadpool, a jacked-up Venom, a wildly boosted Knull, a free Death, and some pesky Wolverines doing their thing. Alioth is there for insurance. A powerful deck, and I can’t imagine Second Dinner is going to let it keep going like this, so enjoy it while you can.
Hela & Lockjaw
Included Cards: Blade, Black Knight, Lockjaw, Lady Sif, Dracula, Jubilee, Black Cat, Hela, Magneto, Giganto, The Infinaut, Death
A spin on the classic Lockjaw deck, with an added Hela punch that will bring back any absurdly powerful cards you happen to have discarded while playing. It’s the usual routine. Get Lockjaw out as soon as you can, and then start playing your cards. They might swap in a very powerful card, and that’s fine. They might swap in a weak one that will potentially discard a very powerful card, and that’s also fine. The optimal play here is to get Hela out at the end to bring in those beefy cards you may have discarded, but there’s plenty of insurance here if you can’t pull that off.
Odin’s Heroes
Included Cards: Spider-Ham, Korg, Zabu, Jeff, Rockslide, Thor, Beta Ray Bill, Darkhawk, Shang-Chi, Ms Marvel, Jane Foster Thor, Odin
There are two things going on with this deck, and they harmonize very well. On the one hand, this is a Darkhawk deck. Use Korg and Rockslide to add cards to your opponent’s deck to beef up our favorite guy in alien armor. Guy who swaps bodies with alien armor? I’m not sure where he’s at these days. We also have Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and Jane Foster Thor, who of course aim to add power-boosting hammers to your deck and draw them out. Odin is here to trigger any and all of those hammers and deck-fillers on the final turn, giving you a last-minute burst of power. Spider-Ham and Shang-Chi are there to pester the opponent, Jeff and Ms Marvel can add some extra power wherever you like, and Zabu helps you get ‘Hawk and Bill out faster if needed.
Lockdown
Included Cards: Nebula, Medusa, Zabu, Jeff, Storm, Shang-Chi, Ms Marvel, Jessica Jones, Iron Lad, Vision, Alioth, Doctor Doom
Nothing too new here. It’s mostly the same Lockdown type we’ve seen for ages, with a few tweaks to adjust for the latest balance changes. Use Storm and Nebula to persuade your opponent to put their cards where you want them to, use your moving cards to capture locked locations, hope Iron Lad copies one of your big-pants cards, and finish up with either Alioth or Doctor Doom as the situation calls for. Outside of the key players, some of the smaller parts of this deck have changed to adapt to the meta a bit. Zabu is here to get 4-Cost cards out at a higher rate, some useful 4-Cost cards have been included, and Shang-Chi and Alioth are here to ruin your opponent’s day if they dare to play something big.
Annihilus Bounce
Included Cards: The Hood, Nico Minoru, Forge, Iceman, Beast, Zabu, Falcon, Shang-Chi, Werewolf By Night, Enchantress, The Sentry, Annihilus
The predictability of the popular Annihilus decks means they’ve cooled off considerably, but this one is still doing fairly well. It’s a bit of a complicated one to use, but the goal is mainly to throw a lot of garbage your opponent’s way, whether that be by using Annihilus to mail The Void and The Hood their way or by lobbing ice shots, Shang-Chi punches, and Enchantress zaps at them. If things go well you can even use Beast to bring back Sentry so you can play him again for Double Voids. All the while, Werewolf will be bouncing around getting stronger.
And now, a couple of fun decks for those still climbing up the collection ladder or who simply want to try something different.
Mister Negative & Mr. Knull
Included Cards: Yondu, Carnage, Ravonna Renslayer, Ironheart, Mystique, Magik, Mister Negative, Shang-Chi, Iron Man, Jane Foster Thor, Arnim Zola, Knull
As effective as they are, destroyer decks can feel a bit one-note. This one mixes things up by bringing in the familiar Mister Negative deck and smashing them together into one cool fusion. The interesting thing about this one is that you only have Carnage and Arnim Zola as destroyers of your own cards. Used effectively, they can certainly add to your Knull total, but Yondu and Shang-Chi are also here to add to that by destroying your opponent’s cards. You can make a massive late-game play here if things roll out in your favor, and Magik gives you a bit more runway to pull it off.
Here’s our “starting out” deck for this month. One of the important things to remember when playing Marvel Snap is that you only need to win two of three locations. It’s smart to keep that in mind as you play, and this deck can help get you in the habit. Antman and Captain America go great in full locations. Cards like Mister Fantastic and Klaw can go in the location you’ve given up on to boost locations you are aiming at. Namor also isn’t a bad choice for the location you’re passing on, as him sitting there alone might win it for you. Armor and Cosmo can help protect your chosen spots, and Nightcrawler can help fake out the opponent.
And that’s it for this month’s deck guide. We’ll return with another one of these in March to see where things stand after the Black Order event has fully played out and a month’s worth of balance changes have done their thing. There’s certainly a method to the new cards this season, and I’ll be interested to see if they have the desired effect. Happy Snapping!
Dead Cells is one of the best games of the last decade across platforms. Originally on PC, it made a huge splash on consoles before seeing a superb mobile release. Since launching, it has gotten multiple major free content updates and paid DLC packs. Today, Motion Twin and Evil Empire both announced that Dead Cells update 35 will be the final major update for the game as Evil Empire moves on. Motion Twin’s announcement confirmed that the Clean Cut Update that hit PC and consoles back in April 2023, will be coming to mobile later this year. I assume Update 35, the final major content update, will arrive in 2025 for mobile. Speaking of mobile, Dead Cells is available on iOS, Android, Netflix, and Apple Arcade. Watch the Dead Cells trailer below:
If you’ve not gotten Dead Cells yet, read my 2023 review update here covering the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC, patches, state of the game, and more. Dead Cells was our Game of the Year in 2019 when it hit iOS as a premium release done by Playdigious. With update 35, the game will have had 4 DLC packs, 18 updates, and more across 5 years by Evil Empire. You can play Dead Cells on iOS, Android, Netflix for mobile, Apple Arcade, Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS4, and PS5 worldwide. My favorite versions are the Steam Deck and iOS releases. What do you think of Dead Cells if you play it regularly?
Devolver Digital published Loop Hero() on PC and console platforms back in late 2021, and it is now coming to mobile through Playdigious. Shaun loved Loop Hero on Switch. Read his thoughts on it here where he scored it 4.5/5. I own the roguelike RPG on Steam and Switch, but haven’t played much of it yet. With the new mobile version announced for April, I’ll just wait and play all versions around then to compare and see how the game feels. Loop Hero will be a free to start release. Watch the Loop Hero mobile release date trailer below:
Loop Hero will be priced at $6.99, but you can pre-order and pre-register for it to get a 10% discount. Playdigious confirmed that Loop Hero will have cloud save support, Game Center achievements, a revamped interface for mobile, iPhone 15 optimization, and will be compatible with MFi controllers. The game will be free to try letting you play the first chapter before the single unlock in app purchase for the full game. If you’d like to play it, you can pre-order Loop Hero on the App Store for iOS here and pre-register for it on Google Play for Android here. Have you played Loop Hero before or will you be trying it out on mobile on April 30th?
Last year, Playdigious announced that it is bringing simulation RPG Potion Permit($4.99) from MassHive Media to mobile. Potion Permit debuted on PC and console platforms, and it has seen physical and digital releases with a new Deluxe edition out as well. There’s a demo available on other platforms if you’d like to try it before buying it Potion Permit has you playing as a chemist in Moonbury curing patients by gathering ingredients, brewing potions, and exploring while building relationships with the various folks. Potion Permit on mobile includes Game Center achievements, cloud saves, controller support, and iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and Pro max optimization. Watch the Potion Permit mobile trailer below:
I’ll be reviewing Potion Permit on iOS in the near future so stay tuned for that. It has just launched for $4.99 on iOS and Android worldwide with a launch discount. This price will go up to $6.99 on February 13th. If you’d like to grab it on mobile, you can buy Potion Permit on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check it out on Steam here (with a demo) and Switch here if you’d like to play it there. Have you played Potion Permit before or will you be trying it on mobile this week?
After I basically gave up hope that they’d update them, Square Enix finally pushed out major updates for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on mobile and Steam bringing in features from last year’s console releases. Not all platforms were treated equally though, but a lot has changed for the better if you own or are looking to buy the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games on iOS, Android, and Steam. Last year, I compared the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster across console, mobile, and PC to help people decide which version they should play, and also to find out which version I considered the best overall. This new Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster platform comparison in 2024 aims to help you decide which platform is the best version specifically for you, and also to showcase any improvements since launch across the board while covering the state of the games today. I will compare features, performance, convenience, price, and more for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on Nintendo Switch, iPhone, iPad, and PS5 here.
Note that while the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games are PS4 games, they run via backward compatibility on PS5, and that’s how I’ve tested them for this article. The Switch versions have been tested on Nintendo Switch OLED and Nintendo Switch Lite. I’ve also detailed what the current and existing issues are in these ports in the visuals and performance section of this article. The iPhone versions have been played on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 12. The iPad versions have been played on iPad Pro (2020).
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series explained
If you’re completely new to the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series, it brought the first six Final Fantasy mainline games to iOS, Android, and Steam. These releases aimed to bring the gorgeous pixel aesthetic of the original games to modern displays with quality of life improvements, new arranged music, and more. The classic Final Fantasy games have hit mobile and some have even been on PC before, but we’ve never had 2D versions of Final Fantasy III or Final Fantasy IV on mobile or PC before and PC never saw any version of the first two main games before this set of releases.
When the games were brought over to console, Square Enix released the collection on PS4 and Nintendo Switch with a slew of improvements and updates making those versions the best. Back then, I played the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on my PS5 through backward compatibility and also my Nintendo Switch OLED model and Switch Lite. The new console versions debuted with a pixel font option, the ability to use the original soundtrack in addition to the new arrangements, many difficulty modifiers, and more.
As of last week, Square Enix updated the Steam and mobile versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series. The Steam version got all of the improvements and new options, but the mobile version didn’t end up getting everything.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster on iOS and Android got the in-game boosts like the experience gain modifiers, no encounter toggle, and more. The highlight was also controller support finally being added into the mobile versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on Steam got the fixes and updates mobile received, but also had a classic font and alternate music option. For some reason Square Enix didn’t add these to mobile, which is very disappointing. I can’t imagine it is too much of a file size increase to warrant them being afraid, but I’d love for this to be added. Right now, Square Enix is treating the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on mobile as a lesser version despite the high asking price.
Shaun reviewed the complete Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection on Switch here. You can also read his detailed reviews of the individual games. Check out his review of Final Fantasy Pixel Remasterhere, Final Fantasy 2 Pixel Remasterhere, Final Fantasy 3 Pixel Remasterhere, Final Fantasy 4 Pixel Remasterhere, Final Fantasy 5 Pixel Remasterhere, and Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remasterhere on iOS. He also did a special RPG Reload on them here.
Now let’s get into the comparisons and differences.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster features by platform
As of the first week of February 2024, there are no major differences in features between PS5 (PS4), Nintendo Switch, and Steam. The mobile versions are lacking the new music and font options, but barring that, all versions have the important features included now. To reiterate, the mobile versions were updated with controller support, boosts, game-specific fixes, and more.
The boosts or difficulty modifiers on all platforms let you adjust a few gameplay elements like experience from 0 to 4x, turn off random encounters, and more.
The new option to let PlayStation, Switch, and Steam owners use the original soundtrack means the in-game music player on those versions lets you listen to both the new arrangements for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster and the original soundtracks. The PS4 version includes trophy support as well with each game having its own platinum trophy if that matters to you. All versions also have the ability to skip some cut-scenes which previously could not be skipped on PC and mobile versions.
On paper, the console and Steam versions are easily the way to go for the new font and soundtrack options included, but what about performance and price?
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster price on Switch, PS4, PC, and mobile
All six games are available separately or in a Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster I – VI Bundle on iOS, Switch, PS4, and Steam. Buying the games individually ends up costing a lot more so keep that in mind before you make your purchase. You cannot upgrade to the bundle for a discount. Currently, the bundle is priced at approximately $65 on iOS, $75 on PS4(PS5 backward compatibility), $75 on Switch, and $75 on Steam. There is no bundle for Google Play as of this writing. Square Enix also discounted the games recently for a limited time.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster font – which version has the font fixed?
On PS4/PS5, Steam, and Nintendo Switch, you can use the new Pixel Font which isn’t perfect, but a massive improvement over the original font. This option is not present on mobile sadly, and is the only major flaw left in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster on mobile.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster – visuals and performance
All versions look the same outside of the font options. Performance is where things differ. The Switch version and mobile devices have similar additional performance issues due to poor frame pacing. Note that on the iOS side of things, this isn’t consistent and will vary by device. These frame pacing issues are not present to the same degree in the PC version and some mobile devices, and the PS4 version (on PS5) in my testing. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is noticeable enough to annoy me until I get used to it in an hour or so. Load times are also where things differ. PS4 on PS5 and PC on an SSD offer the fastest loading. Switch is slower than most mobile devices as well. On iPhone 15 Pro, I had no issues with the mobile versions load times.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster scrolling issues and performance issues explained
There are two major issues in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series across platforms right now. The first is the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster scrolling issue that affects every version on every platform regardless of your hardware. This is the persistent feel of judder or what makes the game not have smooth movement. This happens because the characters move at 80 px/sec which is faster than the game’s own frame rate. The solution to this would be Square Enix patching the games to have movement at 60 px/sec or 120 px/sec to be double the target. You could also try and uncap it to 80 on PC, but I didn’t try any mods here.
One easy way to notice this is when you move diagonally compared to horizontally. The movement speed lines up better there. You can also see how smooth movement should feel in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster by playing Final Fantasy V and moving on a Chocobo on PS4 / PS5. This is also a good place to perfectly see the second performance issue the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster features on some platforms. The video below from AustinSV on YouTube (one of my favorite channels for games) timestamped does a fantastic job of showcasing the technical issues:
On Switch and some mobile devices, in addition to the scrolling issues, the games feature some noticeable frame pacing issues. Digital Foundry has covered frame pacing issues quite a bit, but what basically happens especially on Switch, is an additional feeling of choppy animations or stutter when it isn’t actually dropping frames, but not being able to display frames at a constant pace. As an example, a game running at 60fps should display each frame at 16.67 milliseconds. If that doesn’t happen, you will no longer feel like the game is running smoothly despite it actually still reporting 60fps as the frame rate.
This is where the frame time graph comes into the picture. I realize I’ve gone quite a bit off topic to try and explain these two issues, but I hope to help you understand that the issues in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series’ performance are not just “low frame rate” like I’ve seen mentioned online in places.
Right now, the only way to fix this is Square Enix patching the movement speed or player mods on the PC version. There is no other solution. If you play the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster and don’t notice any of these issues or aren’t bothered by them, that’s fine as well. For those who haven’t bought the games yet or are sensitive to specific scrolling and performance issues, I wanted to try and be as clear as possible. I’ve dropped games that have awful frame pacing at 60fps before, and would’ve loved to have not wasted money on them had I known the technical issues. The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games are not cheap, and the bundle costs as much as a full priced modern game so I hope this article helped explain the current technical issues present years later.
If you didn’t want to get into the details of these issues, let me summarize them for you:
iOS: Scrolling issues but no major frame pacing issues on newer devices.
PS4 (on PS5): Scrolling issues but no major frame pacing issues.
Switch (on OLED and Lite): Scrolling issues and frame pacing issues.
Steam (on Steam Deck): Scrolling issues but no major frame pacing issues.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster – controller support
As of this writing, all versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster offer controller support. Previously only PS4, Switch, and Steam versions had it, but the iOS and Android versions received it in last week’s update. I tested this with multiple controllers on iPhone and iPad, and had no issues. You need to enable the controller support as shown in the image above. This is only possible when you have a controller paired or attached to your device.
Which version of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is the best? – PC, mobile, Switch, or PS5
In its current state, the objectively best versions are on PC and the PS4 version played on PS5. This is because they offer the smoothest experience despite suffering from a few issues that all versions have. With the additional font and soundtrack options, all versions barring mobile offer the most complete and polished experience.
If you don’t have a problem with the font and don’t care about the classic soundtrack option, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on mobile has enough fixed and updated now to warrant it being a worthy consideration. The technical improvements over Switch already make it better on that front.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster – Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch for the best portable version
The Switch version even with the performance issues was previously better than the Steam Deck version thanks to all the additional features included. These have since been patched into the Steam version making the Steam Deck the best portable way to play the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series across the board.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster physical release
If you, like me, enjoy owning physical games, the only version available is the Asia physical release on Switch which I recently bought. The North American and European PS4/Switch physicals are long sold out. I hope Square Enix re-releases the physical in the future. Right now, the only way to get a physical release is the Asia Switch version. The version I own from Asia is pictured above.
Which version of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster should you buy?
If you value portability above all and have access to multiple platforms, the Steam Deck is the best place to get the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series right now. While the Switch version has the font and music options that aren’t on mobile, it suffers from added performance and technical issues. These might not be as big of a problem for you as they were for me, but it is unfortunate that Square Enix is yet to fix any of the poor scrolling issues since launch on all platforms.
If you don’t care about portability, the PS4 version on PS5 or the PC version will be the best version of the game for you. I’d also recommend installing the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games on your PS5 SSD for the best experience.
If the font doesn’t bother you and you don’t care about the classic soundtrack option, the mobile version is at par with the Steam version on Steam Deck on any modern iOS device. The mobile version also has cloud saves across devices.
Once the font is fixed, I will likely make the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on mobile the go to way for me to replay these games.
Hopefully my new Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster 2024 platform comparison helped you decide where to buy the newest release of the classic Final Fantasy games. I’m hoping Square Enix eventually patches mobile versions to get the font and music options, because right now the iOS and Android versions are lacking on that front.
Right now, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series is available on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PS4 (playable on PS5 through backward compatibility).
If Square Enix patches the mobile versions, I’ll update this feature.
Ahead of its launch beginning tomorrow, HoYoverse beganHonkai Star Rail version 2.0 update pre-installation over the weekend. Honkai Star Rail 2.0 will also add Apple Vision Pro compatibility mode when it arrives. If you’ve not kept up with the update, 2.0 will bring in three new characters including Black Swan, the beginning of Penacony’s Trailblaze Missions which will continue across 2.2 and 2.3, reruns, and more. Since this update is larger than prior ones with its new location and much more, the download size is quite a bit bigger than expected. It is just over 12GB on iPhone and nearly 17GB on PC. Watch the new Honkai Star Rail version 2.0 update trailer for Black Swan below:
Barring the new content, I’m very curious to see the new Apple hardware specific updates that arrive in 2.0 including how the team handles Apple Vision Pro support. If you’ve not gotten Honkai Star Rail yet, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. Check it out here on PS5. Have you been playing Honkai Star Rail regularly since it launched on mobile, PC, and PS5 and what would you like to see future updates?
It’s about time for another over-the-air update for Marvel Snap(Free), and this one is thankfully a bit less nerfy than some of the previous ones. I suppose it speaks to the fact that none of the new cards from Planet Hulk seem to be unbalancing things too significantly, which is nice. That said, we do have some changes to look at, and look at them we shall.
Let’s start with a very positive change to Luke Cage. He was a common sight in several decks up until his nerf a couple of months back, which seemed to slam him right into the ground. Well, this update reverts his ability so that it affects all locations instead of just one again, but it also makes some changes to his stats to try to find a middle ground. Luke Cage goes from 2-Cost 3-Power to 3-Cost 4-Power, which officially means he can be part of the Silver Surfer gang.
Next is the Hulkbuster, which is getting a change I won’t call a nerf or a buff, exactly. It’s aimed at cutting how powerful it’s making Deadpool without knocking its feet out from under it completely. Hulkbuster has gone from 3-Cost 5-Power to 2-Cost 3-Power, which will let you play it a little earlier and won’t give quite so much beef to the Merc with the Mouth.
Heimdall is getting a little buff, and I think it’s one that is probably well past due. He’s going from a 6-Cost 8-Power card to a 6-Cost 9-Power card. Still outside of Shang-Chi’s target area, but a little stronger. This isn’t the only change looking to help some lesser-played movement cards, as Spider-Man 2099 is going from a 4-Cost 6-Power card to a 5-Cost 9-Power card. That’s a big boost, which might get some players to try him out with cards like Herc.
The last card getting changed in this update is a curious one. I’ve seen Ghost pop up now and then in some decks, and her ability to control when your On Reveal cards are activated certainly has strategic value. Still, one gets the sense she could be seeing more play. To that end, she’s moving from 1-Cost 2-Power to 3-Cost 5-Power. I think most people who want to use her ability plan for some late-game surprises, so it should be a positive move for her. Also, that’s another card for the Silver Surfer gang.
That’s a wrap for this update. Not as big as the last couple to be sure, and if anything I think it feels like maybe the team didn’t have any particularly pressing concerns to address outside of fixing Luke. Which is good! It means things are balanced at the moment. Still, I’m sure some of you will see some effects from this. Will you be adding any of these cards to your decks? Or are you just happy to see Luke doing his thing again? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
So what has changed? You know, not as much as you might think. We’ve got a whole new quest here, of course. Lots of new enemies to battle, lots of places to explore, lots of new loot to find, and plenty of interesting combinations of races, classes, and abilities to tinker around with. A big box of new toys, and new reasons to play with those toys. For many of us, that’s more than enough. Particularly given we don’t really see many games of this nature anymore. A single, reasonable, upfront price. No IAP. No ads. Pay your five bucks, enjoy your game. Ten years ago that was only a little uncommon. Today it feels as rare as hen’s teeth, especially for a mobile-exclusive release.
First, your character build. Each installment of the series has given the player different kinds of options to build their character with. Lost Island essentially gives you the kitchen sink experience. You get ten races, twelve classes, six crafting specialties, a couple dozen pets, plenty of gear slots and tons of cool gear to fill them with, and a massive number of skills that you’ll earn as you gain levels. It goes without saying when you have this many variables at play, balance goes out the window to an extent. But finding those broken builds is a big part of the fun, and there’s always something new to challenge yourself with if you’re seeking more thrills. You have lots of character slots you can make use of, and I recommend experimenting to see which ones fit your needs best.
