Games

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iPhone Game Controller 'Backbone One' Announces Subscription for New Users

Andrew Orr ·

Backbone One is a game controller for iPhone that plugs into the device’s Lightning port. The company announced new features, which includes a subscription service called Backbone+.

Backbone+ gives players access to: Exclusive perks, like free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, other service free trials, in-game items, and many more perks to come. Access to the revamped Backbone app, including the trove of new features above as well as future ones.

All new users will also automatically receive 1 year free of Backbone+ membership with their purchase of Backbone One. It renews after 1 year at $4.17/mo billed annually (about the cost of a latte).

Silly millennials, it’s only one coffee a month!

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How Well Do the M1 Pro and M1 Pro Max Chips Handle Games?

Andrew Orr ·

Apple said that its latest chips, the M1 Pro | Pro Max are great for content creators like developers and photographers. What about gamers?

All games were run at a full-HD-equivalent resolution (1,920 by 1,200 pixels) because the two new MacBook Pros have differing native display resolutions. (Testing at each laptop’s native resolution would have rendered the scores non-comparable.)

‘NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition’ Now Available to Play on Apple Arcade
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'NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition' Now Available to Play on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition is the latest title in the world-renowned, best-selling NBA 2K series exclusively on Apple Arcade. Live your NBA dreams on the hardwood and run with today’s top stars like Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, Karl-Anthony Towns and more – in an authentic NBA 2K experience. Choose from your favorite NBA teams and take on competitors in Quick Match featuring updated 2022 NBA rosters. Compete head-to-head with a friend in Online Multiplayer mode, or play 3v3 street basketball in Blacktop mode.

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The Story Behind 'Frenzic', a Puzzle Game That Launched in 2007

Andrew Orr ·

Frenzic is a puzzle game from The Iconfactory that launched on Mac OS X in 2007, and came to the iPhone in 2008. Back in July, the team told its story. The original game has been discontinued but a remake called Frenzic: Overtime is now on Apple Arcade.

Our first prototype used a “sweet solution” with Safari’s web technologies. While it was an excellent way to test out game interactions and to get us even more excited about the iPhone, it just wasn’t enough to do the game justice. In retrospect, it is pretty sweet that you can still play Frenzic 1.0 in a web browser.

‘GRID Autosport’ Gets More Game Controls in New Update
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'GRID Autosport' Gets More Game Controls in New Update

Andrew Orr ·

Feral Interactive has released a new update for GRID Autosport on iOS and Android, with a focus on further refining the game’s control options. Leading the pack is Arrow Touch Pro – a much-requested alternative layout for Arrow Touch steering that enables the use of manual acceleration. Following close behind is the brand new, fully-customisable Throttle Slider, allowing players to set their acceleration with pinpoint precision. This patch also adds full support for the latest DualSense and Xbox Series X|S wireless controllers, as well as language support for Traditional Chinese.

‘Total War: ROME REMASTERED’ Now Available for M1 Macs
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'Total War: ROME REMASTERED' Now Available for M1 Macs

Andrew Orr ·

On Thursday, Feral Interactive announced that Total War: ROME REMASTERED is now available on the Mac App Store, complete with native support for Apple silicon. A rebirth of the genre-defining strategy game, ROME REMASTERED comes with an extensive graphical overhaul and improvements to almost every aspect of gameplay. High definition models, textures and visual effects bring the game world to life on modern displays, with 4K optimization, ultra-widescreen and UHD resolution setting the stage for empires to rise again. Also included are two expansion packs which have been given the same remastering treatment as the main game. Recreate history’s most ambitious military campaign in Alexander, or re-write history as marauders encroach on the gates of Rome in Barbarian Invasion.

‘Before Your Eyes’ From GoodByeWorld Games Comes to Mac
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'Before Your Eyes' From GoodByeWorld Games Comes to Mac

Andrew Orr ·

In Before Your Eyes, players embark upon a thought-provoking journey with the Ferryman who is tasked with shepherding souls to the afterlife. They move through time by using real-world blinking to interact and progress through the story. Before Your Eyes’ unique blink interaction mechanic offers a novel way for players to control the story and become more immersed, as their progress is determined through their eyes and detected through the player’s webcam. Purchase Before Your Eyes on Steam as part of a deluxe content bundle including the game, its complete soundtrack in MP3 and lossless formats and an artbook with concept art, character designs and insight from the team for US$13.49. The deluxe content is also available separate from the game for US$7.99.

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Roblox Moves to Add Voice Chat With Spatial Audio

Andrew Orr ·

Roblox is preparing to add voice chat with spatial audio to make its virtual worlds mimic the physical world better.

Say you’re hanging out in a virtual skatepark in Roblox with spatial audio enabled: skaters in the half pipe with you would sound loud and clear, just like they would in real life. But you wouldn’t be able to hear someone walking around on the sidewalk across the street, since they’re too far away. To have a private conversation with a nearby friend, you might peel off and walk toward a store down the block.

 

New Roleplaying Game ‘Baldo’ Available on Apple Arcade
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New Roleplaying Game 'Baldo' Available on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Journey through a magical land teeming with mysteries to unravel. Baldo: the Guardian Owls is full of challenging puzzles to solve and intricate dungeons to explore. Traverse this captivating open world as Baldo, and meet a host of quirky and unforgettable characters, as you struggle to decipher the cryptic prophecy, and thwart destiny. From delightful whimsy to thrilling adventure, discover new towns and their distinctive inhabitants, fight ferocious foes, locate hidden temples, and collect objects both magical and mundane to obtain powerful new weapons, or to help unveil the myriad secrets of this strange land.

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Smash Hit Asphalt 8: Airborne Racing to Apple Arcade

Jeff Butts ·

Apple Arcade might have been launched to help new and exclusive games, but Cupertino has been adding some really hot titles to the subscription gaming service. On August 27, 2021, you’ll be able to download the popular racing game Asphalt 8: Airborne through Apple Arcade. Sure, the franchise is up to Asphalt 9, but this version won’t tempt you with in-app purchases.

One interesting aspect of having Asphalt 8 available on Apple Arcade is the change in the gameplay model. Current Asphalt games (including Asphalt 8) are free-to-play, meaning that anyone can download them without paying, but the game offers multiple items that can only be obtained through in-app purchases.

 

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‘Pokémon UNITE’ Launches for iOS and Android on September 22

Andrew Orr ·

Nintendo Switch game Pokémon UNITE is coming to the App Store on September 22, the company revealed on Wednesday.

Preregistration has already kicked off on the App Store and Google Play Store. If you haven’t preregistered already, there’s an added incentive to do so. If preregistration totals reach 2,500,000, participants will receive a Pikachu Unite license. And if preregistration numbers hit 5,000,000, participants will get a special Holowear—Festival Style: Pikachu.

Scrabble-Like Game ‘wurdweb’ Now Available on Apple Arcade
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Scrabble-Like Game ‘wurdweb’ Now Available on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Apple Arcade players who love puzzles should check out the new game wurdweb. Grab words from a list and cross them with words on the board. Puzzle your way towards a Finish Tile, put down enough words, or put down as many
words as you can. In this game, you’ll find: Infinite unique puzzles, generated by an intelligent algorithm; Tangle Mode, where you pick up extra words to put down 15 words; Precise Mode, where puzzles have a single solution; Daily, Weekly and Monthly Mode, where you put down as many words as you can. On top of that, you’ll also find; 20+ word themes, some of which are rather…peculiar; Plenty of puzzle variations to challenge how you play; Cute little characters who walk around in your puzzles doing absolutely nothing. Play with controllers compatible with your device.

‘Doodle God Universe’ is Out on Apple Arcade
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‘Doodle God Universe’ is Out on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Fans of Doodle God, rejoice! The newest game in the series, Doodle God Universe, is now available on Apple Arcade. In this addictive puzzle & world building game mix and match different combinations of elements to create an entire universe. As you create each new element, watch your 3D planet come alive in amazing animation. But beware, the power of creation may have unintended consequences, inventing the wheel might just trigger a zombie plague or a powerful volcano,

Basketball Game ‘Ultimate Rivals: The Court’ Now on Apple Arcade
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Basketball Game 'Ultimate Rivals: The Court' Now on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Get ready for the ultimate arcade action basketball game featuring sports athletes from the NHL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL Players Association, and US women’s soccer national team players. Players will create powerhouse squads consisting of their favorite pros to compete with their friends and family in 3-on-3 games with tons of above-the-rim acrobatics. With more than 130 superstars from across the sports world, players have access to a dream roster of top athletes, but they’ll have to choose wisely to combine the pros’ playing styles and maximize their impact on the court. Set in a digital world in the near future, Ultimate Rivals: The Court is the first basketball experience to gives fans the ability to play as their favorite athletes wherever and however they choose, with pros such as NBA’s Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and legendary athletes like Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Shaquille O’Neal; WNBA’s Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins-Smith; USWNT’s Alex Morgan; NFL’s Juju Smith-Schuster; NHL’s Alex Ovechkin and legend Wayne Gretzky.