Among the best things in life is playing printed games in person with family and close friends. When those are not convenient we like iOS Board Games.
News, reviews, previews, and opinions about board gaming on iPhones, iPads, iPods and even Android devices. (iPhone board games, iPad board games, iPod board games, Android board games)
• War on Terror Coming? • iDixit Update • FITS Coming Soon • Puerto Rico in Beta Testing • Catan Updated Again • EveryGame Updated to Version 2.0 • Army of Frogs Releasing July 22 • Reiner Knizia's Money Updated
• War on Terror Coming? - June 2 Some of you may have been around long enough to remember the 2006 tempest in a teacup that was brought on by Terrorbull Games's release of War on Terror. This was well before the the more serious game by GMT of similar namesake. TerrorBull posted to their blog in June (yeah, we missed it too) that an iOS app was in the works. Evidently three different developers have told the TerrorBull guys that it would be impossible. Yet, a year and half in, the originators of the board game balaclava are not dissuaded. We'll see!
• iDixit Updated - July 12 I'll be honest, I'm pulling for Toboco and iDixit. I really like the print game and believe they have an entertaining and novel idea for an app...when it works. I've already spilled enough ink about that and am curious as anyone to see how they will pull out of the nosedive they took at launch. I also think that the improvements to Game Center in iOS 5 that will happen in the Fall could possibly be the savior for many iOS board game apps with less than responsive online play experiences. Time will tell.
In the meantime, Toboco has issued an update to their beleaguered app, one which could possibly improve the app's reputation among the 20k+ downloaders for this app. Here's the latest:
Toboco wrote:
What's new
More than 20 000 downloads, thanks all of you for your support! 1.0.2 out now, the ghost players update - only players ready to play are displayed when creating or joining a game - notification sent to all players when someone leaves, then game is cancelled - when a player sends iDixit to background mode, he has 7 minutes to get back in game before being kicked
1.1 under progress (scheduled august 2011) - chat module while in lobby and in game - speed selection of game: blitz, normal and slow - leavers will be flagged - game will go on if someone disconnects, as long as 4 players stay in game
• FITS Coming Soon - July 14 Tribeflame tweeted late last week that Reiner Knizia's FITS is now being reviewed by the Doctor himself. They hope to send it to Apple soon afterwards.
• Puerto Rico in Beta Testing, Coming Soon - July 14 A relatively new poster at TouchArcade.com going only by the name of Ravensburger has posted some screenshots and a request for pre-launch beta testers for the highly anticipated app implementation for Puerto Rico. A nearly identical thread by new user RavenburgerDigital was also posted right here on BGG. In the original post Ravensburger speaks of "high expectations" and "making the best game possible". Indeed!
If I were to speculate, and I will, I would guess that Puerto Rico does not release in July as previously stated by Codito, if only because Ravensburger has now stepped up front and center calling the app Puerto Rico by Ravensburger, and because July 2011 was Codito's release schedule, and not necessarily Ravensburger's. Also, just starting semi-open beta testing could add some time as well, not to mention the time between submission of app and release. Of course I could be wrong and I hope that I am, but why get my hopes up? And everyone seems to be waiting with baited breath, thinking "take the time you need, just get it right."
We've recently seen a couple of excellent launches (Ticket to Ride and subsequent quick update, and Ascension) and its clear what getting out of the gate on the right foot can bring to the success of a game. Here's hoping that Ravensburger gets it right too.
Here are some screenshots:
• Catan Updated Again - July 15 It would appear that Catan was updated yet again by USM late last week to version 2.1.2. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting just a little confused, but here's the latest:
USM wrote:
What's New
2.1.2
- Fixed UI settings, message windows will no longer appear partially off screen after updating directly from 2.0 to 2.1.1 - Revised achievement triggers - Restored campaign progress - New cheat code: In the campaign mode go to select player and enter „CatanWarp*“ (* = 1–15) as your player name and confirm. Exit the game via the home button and restart it. The campaign can now be continued from the specified level number (1–15). Levels up to the specified number will be unlocked in the custom game mode as well. - Various smaller optimizations Already bought the seafarers expansion and it is locked after updating to 2.1.X? Don’t worry; your initial purchase is already saved in your iTunes account. However for technical reasons you have to select “Buy” again. Confirm and an iTunes message will tell you that you’ve already purchased it and that you can re-download for free. You will NOT be billed twice!
• EveryGame 2.0 Released - July 15 App designer, Nathaniel Dirksen, has posted that EveryGame, the app that allows you to construct and move digital board game components for tablet-based play, has been updated to version 2.0 in a huge release which includes
Nathaniel Dirksen wrote:
* Bluetooth hands * Play-by-email improvements * Much greater Easy-Game-Maker flexibility (tabs and decks of cards) * New display options to make piece display more useful and appealing * New actions to cycle between sets of sides or rotations * User defineable sounds for actions * Many more small improvements
Nathaniel is most excited about Bluetooth hands, a feature that allows people to use iPhones or iPads to view their hands, leaving the first iPad on the table to represent the main board. I've called this "console mode" myself, but I like the visual I get with "Bluetooth hands".
• Army of Frogs Releasing on July 22 - July 18 The guys at Big Daddy's Creations have finally emerged from the relative quiet of their primordial pond to let us all know that Army of Frogs is coming on July 22nd! In a rare blog post for their very attractive web site BDC goes straight to the heart of the matter, highlighting that the app will be released both for iPhone and Universal priced at $1.99 and $4.99 respectively, will support 2-4 players in Pass & Play, will have asynchronous online multiplayer, a first for BDC and feature 6 different AI opponents.
This is surely good news for the participants of our recent poll, who's biggest category of agreement was over the desire to have varying and challenging AI/computer opponents for solo play. And certainly, time-strapped users wanting to play against human opponents should be just as happy to hear about async. We're certainly excited for all of it!
And one more thing about the release of both an iPhone and Universal app rather than an iPhone and iPad app. How smart is that?! BDC seem to be making a good bet that enough iPad owners are also using smaller iOS devices as well while still serving iPhone/iPod owners who most likely make up the lion's share of devices and leaving the decision which to get to the users. Seems a pretty shrewd strategy to me.
Here are some more shots:
Hey, and a promo video too:
• Reiner Knizia's Money Updated - July 15 We here at iOS Board Games just never get tired of talking about Reiner Knizia's Money. We'd like to think he has a lot of it. Skotos, who just might hold the record for licensing Knizia games for iOS, has trued up the game mechanics to the actual print game rules and made some other improvements in the update to version 1.40:
Skotos wrote:
What's new
There are now fewer currencies in games with less than five players (per official rules). iPad users may now move to High Society and Kingdoms games via icons on menu. (Others will become available as we update them). French and German users will now find localizations for those languages.
I admit that I've checked the app store everyday in July for Puerto Rico. I also admit that this news will do nothing to deter me from this daily practice.
Codito handed off Puerto Rico to Ravensburger two months ago today. I can't help but wonder if it wasn't quite ready to go.
Taken together, items here (including threads and GeekLists) and items at TA — and reading between the lines — paint a picture of two companies who might not have the greatest working relationship in the history of commerce.
BTW, regarding the post above, Ravensburger has said at TA that "early August" is the earliest we'll see the game. Translated into Actual Reality, I'm guessing Labor Day weekend.
That might not be a bad thing, though. As the post mentions, initial impressions have become a huge factor in iOS gaming. A solid launch is key; a disastrous launch can be crippling.
It's a slug-themed Hexxagon clone. The game isn't perfect, and sports a few bothersome drawbacks:
-the slug theme is sorta grody, though the graphics are cute and well done -the devil and angel theme is unnecessary, and even off-putting (my born-again sister won't let me play the game with her kids due to a pentagram featured in the graphics) -the iPhone version doesn't scale down enough, making it unplayable at that size; the iPad version is fine -the AI is ridiculously tough even on the easiest setting and the first level, making it not-fun to play solo.
Those quibbles aside, though, it's a fine implementation and a good buy if you want a virtual copy of Hexxagon in your life.
PS: Go players will be amused by this review of the game: http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/06/tuaws-daily-iphone-app-battle... . The author compares it to "the old Chinese game of Go" without apparently knowing anything about what Go actually is. (I think he has it confused with Othello / Reversi.)
After reading the post by RavensburgerDigital it sounds like Puerto Rico is being released for the ipad only. I didn't realize that till now, does anyone know if there are plans to bring it to the iphone as well?
After reading the post by RavensburgerDigital it sounds like Puerto Rico is being released for the ipad only. I didn't realize that till now, does anyone know if there are plans to bring it to the iphone as well?
I am reminded that I still have the PC version of PR. It includes the first expansion (alternate buildings), but not the 2nd one (Gem, Jeweler, and whatever else that came in the Alea Treasure Chest).
l10n0fjudah wrote:
After reading the post by RavensburgerDigital it sounds like Puerto Rico is being released for the ipad only. I didn't realize that till now, does anyone know if there are plans to bring it to the iphone as well?
If screen real estate is an issue, surely they could seriously consider it anyways? I was skeptic that Ascension would work on Iphone/IpT, but it turned out to be pretty good.
Dixit really needs an option for text rather than voice clues. I'm amazed they keep ignoring that.
QFT.
While they didn't phrase it exactly that way, Toboco says there will be a "chat module while in lobby and in game" in August. If I am envisioning correctly how that would work, I see no reason why such a chat feature could not be used for a text clue, along with the audio clue.
for this app. Here's the latest:Toboco wrote:What's new
