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Enough already with the Breakout clones. Gameloft's Block Breaker Deluxe might have sold like the clappers on mobile, but there's 768 other variants of the classic bat-ball'n'bricks arcade game that have sunk without trace. We don't need any more! Do we?
Under Siege Studio thinks we do, and it's putting its money where its mouth is, in the shape of Ark-Annoyed (like Arkanoid, see?). And to be fair, the design does put a novel twist on the formula.
You still have to hit a ball with a bat, but this time there's only ever one brick on screen at once, with a points counter that ticks down � so the quicker you hit the brick, the more points you score. And then carry on in this vein.
There's a Warp feature to get you out of tight spots where you don't think you're going to hit the brick, and a four-player competition mode to see if you can beat your friends.
Meanwhile, the game works with the RumbleX high-scores community, so you can test your brick-busting abilities against the world.
One of our happiest surprises about DS gaming in 2006 was the fact many titles based on the big movie blockbusters tried to do something a bit different. We really enjoyed Monster House and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, while even Cars had the occasional mini-game moments. And Eragon the DS game was much better than Eragon the film.
So where does that leave Shrek the Third?
Well, the first thing to note from the two released screenshots is that the game maker (Vicarious Visions, who was also behind Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam) seems to have gone for an impressive-looking 3D graphics approach. The environments look great.
In terms of the action, the screens show a melee battler, with Shrek and Puss-in-Boots wielding fists and sharp objects to defeat Prince Charming's henchmen � he's trying to take over the kingdom of Far, Far Away, of course. Apparently, each of the playable characters, Shrek, Donkey, Puss-in-Boots, Fiona, Fiona's rebellious cousin Arthur, and Sleeping Beauty have their own special attacks.
Less violent parts of the game will be the so-called Princess puzzle and platform levels, where you get to play as Fiona and Sleeping Beauty and brains not brawn to get out of difficult situations.
In terms of the plot, the game appears to follow some of what goes on in the film but new characters and areas will also be introduced. For example, you'll fight through the game-exclusive Evil Queen's Castle location.
Six multiplayer mini-games (Castle Attack, Shrekleboard, Frog Herder, Shooting Gallery, Catacombs Leap and Ships Ahoy) are also promised.
Shrek the Third is released in conjunction with the film in May.
It sounds like a sequel, but Ghost Recon 2 is actually the first time Ghost Recon has been turned into a mobile game. Gameloft has done the honours, and the result looks like a blastfest of significant proportions.
You play Captain Mitchell, who's the boss of an elite US special forces ghost unit (sadly, this doesn't involve driving enemies from the battlefield by putting sheets over your head and shouting "BOO!").
It's 2014, and your job is to protect the US border against a bunch of Mexican rebels wielding burritos big guns. To help you, you've got all manner of high-tech weaponry, a souped-up jeep, and a crack team of special forces soldiers.
The game will also feature interactive scenery, presumably so you can blast it out of the way to feel even more manly while carrying out your duties.
Ghost Recon 2 is out this month, so get set for a suitably explosive review in the near future.
This could be the Borg vs McEnroe (or, potentially, Federer and Nadal, for younger readers) clash of the video game world, as Namco Bandai's Smash Court Tennis 3 takes on the imminent Virtua Tennis 3 from Sega.
The former isn't expected to make its appearance until the summer, but the nature of game development doesn't automatically mean it has months left to get itself in shape � all of its features and play dynamics will probably have been locked down by now.
So far, we know that players are able to compete as or against 16 pro tennis players, including all conquering Roger Federer and 2006 French Open champions Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin.
As you'd expect from any sports title these days, customisable items such as racquets and sportswear feature prominently (there are twice as many items as the game's previous version), while the characters based on real-life stars have been modelled to perform in convincing fashion.
That doesn't mean you can't teach them a trick or three. Developing and acquiring skills � such as hit speed, serve accuracy or footwork play � make up an important part of the Pro Tour, which sees you entering the globe's various competitions (the courts appear modelled on real venues, although they are not officially licensed) in order to rise to become the world's number one player.
Other modes include quick-thrill Arcade and Exhibition options, as well as a Tutorial mode to get you acquainted with the franchise's traditionally responsive and intuitive game dynamic.
In addition, Namco Bandai is promising a selection of imaginative mini-games, gamesharing for head-to-head fun, and ad hoc support for full-on competitive play.
On paper, everything looks promising, then. But on paper Borg should have eased to his fifth Wimbledon victory when he met a young McEnroe for that classic confrontation back in 1980 � and things didn't quite go according to plan.
Smash Court Tennis 3 will inevitably have to face up to Virtua Tennis 3 (and its predecessor, too: 2005's highly regarded Virtua Tennis World Tour), and we'll know how difficult that match is likely to prove when we get our hands on Sega's contender later this month. Smash Court Tennis 3 may yet need all the preparation it can manage between now and release.
Our resident driving expert is away – probably doing donuts in a deserted multi-storey carpark – but we know he's looking forward to Test Drive Unlimited.
And with the release date almost visible in the distance, it's time for the obligatory promo video download. Cue the funky electronica...
All the features that got us excited seem to be in place. The graphics are crisp, and the sense of speed palpable, with no pop-up in evidence. There are also plenty of shiny-looking cars: 30 manufacturers, such as Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Saleen, Shelby, and Jaguar are included.
It's harder to tell how the game handles from a video, but the 'slipstream' and 'drift' cues are present and correct. The 'if it moves, challenge it to a race' gameplay is highlighted too, as is the four-way head-to-head wi-fi racing mode.
Check it out for yourself by hitting the 'Watch It!' button to get your hands on the 38MB QuickTime movie.
Test Drive Unlimited is due to hit the streets on the 23rd March.
How do you buck the trend of entirely original mobile games not selling as many downloads as they ought to? If you're I-play, the answer apparently lies in scantily-clad ladies thumping one another with bedding. Pillowfight is that game, and we won't argue with the publisher's claim that it's "the only game to feature gorgeous gals battling each other with pillows". You get to play a French maid or cheerleader, and the controls are resolutely one-thumb. The game will also be the first to feature I-play's new 'I-play lounge' technology, enabling you to upload high scores and download wallpapers of the contestants as you progress through the game. Pillowfight should be out in May, and when we talked to I-play boss David Gosen at 3GSM for an interview we'll publish later this week, he hinted that it may also become an online casual game, or even transfer to Xbox Live Arcade in the future. Exciting stuff. For now, here's hoping it kicks off a new genre of casual games based on popular boarding-school activities. Gameloft could do Midnight Chinese Burns, for example. Glu could do Super KO Bogwash. And... okay, maybe not.
For a game famously inspired by the dollhouse decorating habits of creator Will Wright's daughter, it's amazing how many different situations the concept of The Sims has been applied to. There's been everything from pets, to hot dates, university, celebrities and business. Oh, and ants – really!
Now, with its latest version for Nintendo consoles (in this case Wii and DS), in MySims Electronic Arts appears to have decided to drop in elements from a couple of other simulation type games too, notably Sim City and Theme Park.
Of course, you'll start off creating your own highly customisable little fella (or gal). Everything from body shape to clothes and hairstyle – pig-tails, baseball caps, dreadlocks and mohawks – will be optional and, in contrast to previously games, presented in a highly manga-esque art style. You'll also be able to unlock extra clothing, hairstyles, accessories and expressions throughout the game.
But the main focus of MySims is customising the rundown leisure resort in which your MySim finds itself. In this respect, the game seems to be a bit like the DS version of The Sims 2, a game we were suprised to enjoy as much as we did, in which you had to take over a tired hotel and build it up into a successful operation.
In MySims, however, the game's scope appears to be much bigger, as you get a selection of basic building templates and object creation tools to shape the total look and feel of your resort – everything from new homes and businesses to leisure pursuits and even furniture, as well as the ability to landscape the environment with flowers and plants.
That said, as a single-player-only experience (again, like The Sims 2), it seems you'll have to follow a fairly linear plot, as the residents of the resort provide you with their requests and missions to satisfy. Less sandbox then, more join the dots.
News reaches us from Japan that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd sold half a million copies on day one of its release.
Of course, Japan is a land of cryto-zoology fanatics. If it's plastered with dragons (or any other mythical beast for that matter), be it a lunchbox, a packet of tissues, or a game, then chances are it will sell by the lorry load there. So it comes as little surprise that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd has given the PSP software sales a beastly boost.
Still, if the popularity of the new Monster Hunter game is sustained beyond its launch weekend, then the bundle (which includes the bizarre inclusion of cuddly meat) of the game could help to shift a few more PSPs in a region that currently seems near-obsessed with the DS.
Even though there have been roughly five million PSPs sold in Japan so far, games released for Sony's handheld seldom make a dent in the Japanese top ten. Demand for Monster Hunter Portable 2nd however has been greater than even the likes of Pokemon Diamond, Dragon Quest Monsters Joker and Final Fantasy III. All top-selling DS titles, all with monsters.
Perhaps the real question is: Are monsters the new stealth? Probably not, but at least they are helping to fly the PSP flag where it needs flying most.
Hovr has officially launched an advertising-funded mobile games service, following a two-month beta test that saw more than 200,000 free game downloads.
The service already has more than 100 games on offer, and reckons that advertising will help more people to start downloading games to their phones, rather than just playing what's preloaded when they buy them.
"Most people who play games are just playing free demos or the games that are preloaded on their phone," says Hovr president Vipul Sawhney. "And when you ask them what's holding them back from buying new games, one of the biggest reasons is price. Games are out of reach for a large majority of mobile subscribers."
Hovr's solution is advertising-funded games, using its technology to insert ads in the dead space within games, such as loading screens.
The company has signed deals with over 15 developers and publishers, including Kiloo, Ozura and Robotube Games. However, the big names – like EA Mobile, Gameloft and Glu – are conspicuous by their absence.
"We're definitely interested in speaking to the larger players like those companies," says Sawhney. "The situation is that it's still early days for these advertising-supported games, so we're starting off with some of the smaller publishers."
Hovr hasn't announced yet who'll be advertising within the games on its service, although Sawhney says you can assume it'll be media-savvy companies who are keen to reach 12-29 year-olds, plus companies selling other forms of mobile content, such as ringtones and wallpapers.
Sawhney is also keen to stress that its service isn't just about adverts. Hovr also includes social networking profiles, where you set up a profile on the Hovr site, invite your friends to join, and can upload high scores – and be sent an alert when a friend beats your score.
That said, this does filter into the advertising side too. "With all these capabilities, we have a much more targeted impression of who you are, and when you play," reckons Sawhney.
"We can use this to target you in the manner that's most relevant to you. We don't share your personal data with advertisers, but for example an advertiser like a beer company might come to us and say they want to target people who are 21 years or older, and who can buy beer in the US."
One obvious reason why some of the big publishers haven't dived into the ad-funded model may be their fears that giving games away for free with ads will stop people from buying full-price games. It's certainly something we've heard them say at industry conferences. How does Sawhney respond?
"We don't see that at all," he retorts. "People will realise it's not the case. We'll actually be helping the premium downloads, because we'll be getting people who are unaware of mobile gaming to try it on a free level first, but then they'll go on and buy premium games if they have a good experience."
Hovr went officially live today: check the website here. And stand by for a feature later this week, where we'll be testing a selection of the games, to see how they compare to the ones you can pay for elsewhere. (Click 'Track It!' to be reminded via email).
