Will the iPhone kill iPod Click Wheel gaming?

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Family, iTunes, iPod, iPod nano, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, OriginalsYes, and it’s about time we put it out of its misery. Even before the iPhone, the iPod never stood a chance as a legitimate gaming device. This saddens me somewhat, too, because I really wanted it to be. I viewed gaming on the iPod much as I do on my Macintosh, in that I didn’t buy a Mac to play games, but if there are games available, I’ll certainly play them. Unfortunately, developers just never put much thought into iPod games, and Apple didn’t seem interested in helping out. The main problem, of course, is the scroll wheel. There are very few games that can be effectively controlled with a wheel, and developers just haven’t been able to work around that. Games such as Mini Golf, Vortex and Peggle are workable, but only because of the simple control schemes that mainly involve spinning in a circle. Okay. But why is Sonic the Hedgehog on the iPod? Bomberman? Pac Man? These are big name titles, sure, but trying to control them with a click wheel is an exercise in frustration and futility that only turns gamers away from the iPod. Games for the iPhone are being developed specifically for the iPhone. Developers are excited about the touch screen and accelerometer, and are already putting them to good use. Obviously, developers didn’t have that excitement about the iPod’s click wheel. As a result, we got a mess of games with titles we recognize—Scrabble, Yahtzee, Pole Position, Pirates of the Caribberan(?!)—because that’s the only way people would buy them. Even EA, apparently recognizing no one wants to play pool on an iPod, threw their popular Sims franchise label on top of it in an effort to move some copies. They did the same with The Sims Bowling and The Sims DJ. Actually, The Sims DJ goes in a direction that more games should have, in that it puts your music collection into the game. It’s not just background music while you play; rather, the gameplay is built around your music. It’s an original concept that could only work on the iPod. The same goes for iQuiz, which creates trivia games based on your own music. This is what more developers needed to do, instead of just throwing unplayable ports of cell phone games at us. Or, someone could’ve given us an iPod game pad. I imagine if the market had been there, someone would have. I’m not a developer and know little of design, but I can’t imagine it would’ve been hard to put together a cradle in which the iPod classic and 3G nano would sit, placing a D-pad to the left of the click wheel and a few buttons to the right. The D-pad would take over the touch commands of the click wheel, and the buttons would take over the wheel and center button clicking functions. With that device, the games would be able to be played as they’re meant to, and the entire catalog would open to all iPod owners on a device combo no larger than a Nintendo DS. Of course, the problem with such a device is that Apple updates the form factor of the iPod so frequently that it would have to be a wide open design to avoid becoming obsolete within a year or two. Plus, as I mentioned at the top of the article, people aren’t buying iPods for the games. The Nintendo DS and Sony PSP have that market covered, so it’s unlikely the type of person looking to play Sonic the Hedgehog would look to do so on an iPod. And so, we’re back to game design. Developers need to put games on the iPod that work on the iPod, which is why I’m thrilled to see a company as huge as Square Enix getting into the mix with Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes. Here’s a game that not only works with the click wheel (it’s not a perfect fit, but the turn-based strategy gameplay doesn’t require quick, precise control, and is therefore more forgiving), but that takes full advantage of the your music collection; the songs on your iPod actually become ”Tune Troopers.” How cool is that...building an army based on your music. I just added this game to my collection, and can’t wait to see what type of soldiers songs such as Queen’s “Ogre Battle” and “Vultan’s Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)” give me. Or, for that matter, “Particle Man” from They Might Be Giants. So, is there hope for iPod gaming, or is this too little, too late? I fear it’s the latter, but I hope Song Summoner does well enough to convince Square Enix to embrace the iPhone and iPod touch platforms. Support from big name developers and publishers will improve public perception within the gaming community, and that can only be good for sales. After all, showing friends Vortex on the iPod never convinced anyone to run out and buy one, but Super Monkey Ball could certainly have that effect. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Is the iPod touch 2.0 update worth $10?

iPod touch users can download the iPhonde 2.0 software for $10. Christopher Breen contemplates whether this update is worth your hard-earned sawbuck.

iPod and iPhone Case Roundup: Working up a sweat

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An ode to my iPod video

How do I love my iPod video? Let me count the ways. Seriously, I adore this small piece of technology. It's nearly 3 years old now -- I ordered it the first day it was available -- and this 5th generation 30GB iPod video unit is still chugging along and making our lives better. First and foremost, it is an absolutely fab music player. Apple did it right. My iPod offers all the audio control I could ask for including my much-beloved parental controls that keep my kids from blasting out their ear drums. On behalf of parents everywhere, thank you Apple for giving my kids' ears a chance to grow up. I'm not a serious audiophile, fussing about detailed audio reproduction. I have listened to music of every genre, podcasts, audio books and so forth on this thing and it still sounds great. The iPod video is the perfect size. It fits in my hand and my pocket, my purse and my backpack. It's quite a bit smaller and lighter than my iPhone despite its onboard hard drive. More of my overflowing praise for the iPod video below...Continue reading An ode to my iPod videoRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Review: Polk I-Sonic ES2 iPod speaker system

If you've ever wanted to buy a song you heard on the radio, Polk's I-Sonic ES2, when combined with a recent iPod, makes doing so easy thanks to iTunes Tagging.

Appletell review - Spore Origins for iPod

Section: Software + Apps, Games, iPod + iTunes, iTunes, iPod, iPod nano, Features, Review Genre: RPG, Strategy Format: iPod Game Developer: Maxis Mac Port: Electronic Arts System Requirements: 3G iPod nano, 5G iPod classic, 28.7MB free space Price: $4.99 It may be hard to believe, but the release date of one of the most anticipated video games in a long time is nearing. In recent months, starting with the Spore Creature Creator, we have been teased and taunted with little samples of the game, intended to keep our breath bated until the 12th of September. Now, the latest appetizer for the entree that is Spore has been released. The newest installment, titled Spore Origins, has been released for game-compatible iPods in the US. Through the 18 levels of Primordial Tide Pool goodness, EA hopes to give a taste of what the full version will present itself to be. Before I even downloaded the game, I was very excited to take a look-see at the latest Spore teaser. The second I caught wind of its release, I went straight to iTunes to get myself a copy. I subsequently installed the game on my iPod, and the excitement ended there. My first try to play the game ended in my iPod crashing at the title screen. Granted, this is just an iPod and Spore’s a formidable game, but I wasn’t expecting any crashing, let alone before the gameplay even started. After reseting my iPod, I went for another go. The second attempt ended almost as badly, with the game freezing while loading the first level. Once more, I reset my iPod and tried again. Third time was not the charm. Not knowing what else to do, I went into iTunes, removed the game from my iPod, re-downloaded it, and re-installed it. That seemed to have done the trick, as I was up and running after that. All things ran smoothly until the end of the 17 level. While loading the 18th and final level, the game again froze. I thought that it was just my luck, but it turns out many initial downloaders experienced similar issues.  As for gameplay, I didn’t expect much, and that’s what I got. Initially, there are no predators, and you are free to pig out in the first level of the primordial soup. After five levels of play, you are offered a chance to upgrade your “Spore.” Upgrades range from coloring to body shape to body parts, the latter of which provides you with everything from mouths and tails to shells and flippers. Within each category of body part (Perception, Offensive, Defensive and Movement), there are three levels, each with more benefit then the last.  The 18 levels get progressively harder, but none of them impossibly so. They also get very repetitive, with the only changes coming from the upgrades obtained every 5 levels and the increasing difficulty from stronger foes. The levels took me around 2-5 minutes each to beat, and I got to the 17th level (before it froze) in around 45 minutes of straight playing. If you can overlook the critical freezing and crashing, this game isn’t much in the way of entertainment, as it gets quite boring and makes your hand hurt like crazy. Unless you are a crazed Spore fan like me who can’t stand waiting for another two weeks for the actual game, I wouldn’t suggest spending your money on Spore Origins, but rather a worthwhile iPod game such as Monopoly or Mini Golf, both of which haven’t gotten old after extensive play. Or, if you’re feeling quite miserly, you could just stick to Vortex, which its quite the game given its free nature. For those of you who roll with a different mobile device, the game is planned for its iPhone, iPod touch, Nintendo DS and other platform release on September 7th. Appletell Rating: See other iPod game reviews. Buy Spore Origins Full Story » | Written by Mark Rowland for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »