Mobile Monday
Multiplayer games are a bit scant on the iTunes App Store. This week, we've got an excellent online-enabled title that serves as an example of how mobile devices can be used to bring people together for collective gaming experiences. Friendly game of Pictionary, anyone?
Trenches - Did you enjoy the browser game Warfare 1917? If so, Trenches will tickle your wartime strategy bone. Deploy troops and move them to the ditches so they can fend off oncoming baddies. Fight your way to the enemy base to win each level, but it's not as easy as it sounds, as your opponents are relentless!
Charadium - An online multiplayer game of Pictionary! Jump into a room and try to guess what image is being drawn on the top of the screen. The first person who guesses it gets the points. When it's your turn to draw, use your finger and a variety of paint colors to start sketching. Some of the players we've encountered are strikingly good artists, and there hasn't been a single griefer yet, making this game's community one of its strongest features.
Bird Strike - A surprisingly fun arcade game with a great visual style. Launch the bird from the wire, then tilt your iPhone to guide it through the sky. Avoid things like girders, which, obviously, impede your upward progress, and try to collect coins as you aim for rockets that give you a boost. Once you reach the top, it's time to come streaking down like a meteor, destroying all those pesky solid objects that were in your way before!
Choice of the Dragon - An iPhone version of the browser game reviewed earlier this week. Choice of the Dragon is a text/story-driven choose your own adventure game where you live the life of a dragon, moving from decision to decision and being as docile or cruel as you want. It emphasizes character and story interaction, not puzzles, allowing you to grow into the game's world like few titles allow you to do. The game lends itself very well to the mobile platform and is a natural fit for the iPhone. Android users can also grab the game from the Android Marketplace!
NOTE: Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info.
Are there submission guidelines for iTunes games? I don't know how to figure out the URL for them.
dsrtrosy: just right-click on the game title in iTunes and select Copy Link.
Otherwise, if you just include the game title when you submit the game, and indicate it's an iPhone game, we should be able to find it anyways.
Thanks for mentioning the Android version of Choice of the Dragon- I have the game up on my Droid now.
I see there's still no option to submit Android games for review. If your position is that you'll start reviewing Android games when there are enough Android games and gamers to make it worthwhile, it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy to maintain that that point hasn't been reached yet if you make it impossible to suggest otherwise. Would you consider adding Android to the Submit form? Even if that critical mass hasn't been reached yet, there's every reason to believe that it will soon enough.
[Sure, no problem. There's now an Android OS option to select. -Jay]
I've been playing Charadium a lot. It still somehow amazes me that such a thing is possible on a phone. One of the things I think is really cute about it is that you can go to their website and actually see/save your drawings from your game.
The griefers have started to show up, though, writing the words instead of even attempting drawings, or making guesses that are profane or insulting. Always the biggest problems with online Pictionary-style games.
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