Perth-based mum and dad team, Extra Smart Apps today introduces Touch and  Discover: Animals 1.0, their new educational iPhone app for kids. Inspired by their 2 year old daughter, Touch & Discover: Animals interactive app teaches toddlers animal names and sounds and promotes visual and auditory development in young children. This app not only helps children learn animal names and sounds, but encourages them to interact and make the same sounds as well.



Perth, Australia - With the rapid growth of iPhone sales worldwide, more and more mobile devices are ending up in the hands of young children. They are the perfect distraction when mum or dad needs some peace and quiet around the home, in the car, or when the family is out and about.

"Our 2 year old daughter absolutely loves my iPhone. Even before she could talk, she knew how to unlock the phone, find her favorite app and play a game," explained Josh Bender, co-founder of Extra Smart Apps. "It was truly amazing to watch her learn and grow using fun, simple educational apps on the mobile phone."

This inspired Josh and his wife, Erin, to create an iPhone app for their daughter to learn animal names and sounds in a fun, interactive way.

"Young children tend to learn faster with direct interaction from parents, but quality educational mobile apps can play an important role," Erin Bender said. "An iPhone is like having an entire toy box in your pocket wherever you go. Quality educational apps can be lots of fun for kids, but more importantly, they help develop a child's listening, visual recognition, reading and co-ordination skills."



Over a period of 3 weeks, the husband and wife team created an iPhone app, Touch & Discover: Animals, which not only helps children learn animal names and sounds, but encourages them to interact and make the same sounds. Erin provided the voiceover and Josh utilized his skills in web development to build the app.

After their daughter gave her approval on the app, it was released worldwide this month. With their first app released, development on an Android version is already underway which is scheduled for release in Feb/Mar 2011.

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 3.1 or later
* 18.9 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Touch & Discover: Animals 1.0 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.




Founded in January 2011 by a mum and dad team in Australia, Extra Smart Apps is dedicated to providing parents and children worldwide with fun and educational mobile applications. Copyright (C) 2011 Extra Smart Apps. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

1/ What first made you start thinking about becoming an indie developer?
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SOFIA, BULGARIA – Feb. 4, 2011 - Masthead Studios, a leading independent developer of MMOs, is excited to announce the release of its highly-anticipated MMORPG, Earthrise.

Earthrise is available for purchase digitally at www.play-earthrise.com and through select distribution partners.  Players who buy the game from the official site (www.play-earthrise.com) will receive the special Exemplar Armor Set, manufactured in the very nanoforges of Masthead Studios.

The game is also available for digital download via Direct2Drive (www.direct2drive.com).  Players who purchase Earthrise from Direct2Drive will receive the exclusive Overdrive Armor. 

In partnership with Iceberg Interactive (www.iceberg-shop.com/earthrise.html), Earthrise is available for retail purchase exclusively in Europe.  The boxed version features a limited edition bonus poster and map.

“Our team has channeled years of dedication and hard work into Earthrise, and we are thrilled for those fans who have been following us this entire time, as well as those who are just now checking us out, to experience the world of Enterra,” said Atanas Atanasov, producer of Earthrise and director of Masthead Studios.  “We are already working on updates and expansion packs to be integrated within the next few months, and are excited to continue to develop and enhance the world.”

Earthrise is a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi MMORPG set in the distant future. Featuring a unique skill-based advancement system and player-driven economy, as well as extensive, meaningful player-vs.-player combat, Earthrise gives players countless options to forge their destiny through its sandbox-style game mechanics. Whether a noble soldier in the raging conflict between the Continoma and the Noir, a criminal hiding from the law, or a world-renowned engineer whose power extends into intricate trade and politics, players’ actions will echo throughout the game world. Visit www.play-earthrise.com to learn more.

Sydney-based Quokka Studios Pty Ltd today introduces Panopticon 1.0, brings true multitouch gaming for Apple's revolutionary iPad device. Panopticon challenges the user to use up to eight fingers at once to solve puzzles that are both mental and physical challenges. It features a steampunk inspired storyline, graphics and music from acclaimed band Vernian Process. The player is challenged to complete 100 levels of increasing difficulty to defeat the Panopticon, a steam-powered overlord.



Sydney, Australia - Panopticon, a new release for the iPad from Australian developer Quokka Studios Pty Ltd, brings true multitouch gaming to the iPad. Panopticon challenges the user to use up to eight fingers at once to solve puzzles that are both mental and physical challenges.

Quokka Studios CEO Daniel Ashworth said, "The iPad has a tremendous multitouch display that can accurately track up to 11 simultaneous touches, but we've seen very few games that make use of more than two at a time. We wanted to create a game that took full use of the multitouch surface of the iPad to deliver a novel gaming experience. We believe Panopticon offers a gaming experience that is quite different to anything else on the market."

Panopticon has a steampunk inspired storyline, graphics and music from acclaimed steampunk band Vernian Process. The player is challenged to complete 100 levels of increasing difficulty to defeat the Panopticon, a steam-powered overlord that has siezed control and is controlling the minds of all humanity.

Device Requirements:
* Compatible with iPad
* Requires iOS 3.2 or later
* 76.7 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Panopticon 1.0 is for the iPad and is available now for $1.99 (USD) in the iTunes App Store in the Games category.



Quokka Studios Pty Ltd is an independent software developer, based in Sydney, Australia and specialising in development of creative software for the mobile device market. Copyright (C) 2011 Quokka Studios Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

London-based indie games developer, White Bat Games, today introduces Fruit Frenzy 1.0 for iOS. This addictive puzzle game features beautiful hand-drawn graphics and a toe-tapping musical score. In Arcade mode, the game is frantic fun as players match fruit together as fast as they can. In Puzzle Mode, players will solve brain-bending puzzles at their own pace. The game's unique gameplay will reel players in, while online leaderboards and achievements will keep them hooked.

London, United Kingdom - Juice the fruit with Freddy the Fennec Fox and his colourful cast of friends by sliding the rows and columns of the board. Players must line up fruits of the same type along the middle row to score points. With it's new style of gameplay, Fruit Frenzy adds a unique twist to the popular puzzle game genre.

Fruit Frenzy was one of OpenFeint's Featured Games for its launch week, showing their appreciation of its high production values and refined gameplay.

In Arcade Mode, players must match fruit together as fast as they can to stop the screen filling up. The game starts easy, but as the players learn the game, it gradually gets faster and more difficult. Freddy's friends will come out and watch as players advance through the difficulty levels!  In the frantic Time Attack mode, players must play against the clock to score as many points as they can in three minutes. They can post their scores online and compete with other players of the game locally and worldwide.

In Puzzle Mode, players are challenged to solve a huge variety of devious puzzles. In some, they'll be asked to clear the board in a set number of moves. In others, they'll have to create massive combos. Every puzzle is different!  Four puzzles are available to start with. Players complete the four in any order to unlock the next four puzzles. This mode follows the same rules as Arcade Mode but creates an entirely different game!

Fruit Frenzy has detailed, colourful graphics which will appeal to all ages, and a toe-tapping musical soundtrack!  With Retina graphics support for the iPhone 4 and HD graphics for the iPad, the game looks great whichever device it is played on.

The game features:

* Five difficulty levels make the game great fun for both casual and more advanced players

* Arcade and Time Attack Modes: Fast action that'll test players' quick thinking and reactions

* Puzzle Mode: A slower paced game where the player solves unique brain-bending puzzles at their own pace

* Stunning graphics: Retina mode for iPhone 4 and HD mode for iPad

* Great musical soundtrack, which automatically turns off if the player is listening to their own music

* Online leaderboards and achievements with OpenFeint

* A 'help' section which clearly explains how to play the game

* Suitable for the whole family

Device Requirements:

* Compatible with all models of iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

* Requires iOS 3.1 or later

* 13.8 Mb

Pricing and Availability:

Fruit Frenzy 1.0 is priced at USD 0.99 (or equivalent in other currencies) and available worldwide through the App Store in the Games category.

Located in London, England, White Bat Games is a small game developer that produces original and quirky games to the very highest quality. It offers a full array of games development services for all of it's clients. Formed of experienced industry professionals who have produced best-selling games on a large variety of console formats and game genres, White Bat Games has the spark of originality that makes it's games stand out. Copyright (C) 2011 White Bat Games. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Part one of a series of articles about monetising web games has been posted over at Flash Game License.  I would imagine a number of our readers might be interested in this, so hop on over and take a look!  It's an informative and quite detailed read.

Happy Path is a game for PC / Mac / online play (you need the Unity plug-in).  It was created in just 48 hours by Kory Vandenberg for the Global Game Jam 2011, and is an experiment experiment in environmental and narrative game design.

doPanic Studios today introduces Cubetastic 1.0 in the Mac App Store. Created as a uniquely challenging puzzle experience, this game plays out as a three dimensional maze where users guide a light from start to finish by combining and recombining the cells on a cube. This uniquely structured puzzle adventure requires users to think three dimensionally if they hope to successfully advance within the game from one stage to the next.

 

Regensburg, Germany - doPanic Studios, an innovative new development company focusing on applications for Apple devices, has announced the recent release of Cubetastic onto the Mac App Store. Running on Apple devices operating on Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later, Cubetastic is an imaginative new game that blends elements of maze based puzzles together with 3D combination puzzles that require twisting and turning in order to solve.

Set atop a 3D cube consisting of smaller rotating cubes, users are tasked with navigating a ball of colored light from its starting tile to the designated finishing tile by arranging and rearranging the cube to create a solid path consisting of same colored tiles for the light to cross on. Developed to provide users with a puzzle game that offers boundless challenges and boundless entertainment, Cubetastic is currently available on the Mac App Store on sale for just $1.99 for a limited time only.

This uniquely structured puzzle adventure requires users to think three dimensionally if they hope to successfully advance within the game from one stage to the next. This progression is immense in its scope as Cubetastic is designed with over 150 sequentially more difficult levels. Players are able to choose from different cube sizes - with larger cubes presenting users with more sophisticated challenges. Different colored light pieces can be used during play while a multitude of bonus tiles give users a variety of items to help them during play. This ensures that gameplay stays fresh and exciting even after repeated plays.

Though Cubetastic is built to provide users with the most challenging puzzle experience possible, the game itself is developed to be as user friendly as possible. Numerous easily understandable tutorials are provided to help new players learn the fundamentals of the game quickly and effectively. The game's controls are kept simple and intuitive to keep users focus where it should be - on the gameplay itself.

This exciting puzzle adventure is also currently available for the iPad, with an iPhone version of the game due to come out in the near future. A perfect game to challenge either yourself or friends and family members, Cubetastic mixes addictive game dynamics with endless challenges and levels to provide users with a puzzle gaming experience that is nearly impossible to stop enjoying - much less one they can stop playing.

System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later
* 14.3 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Cubetastic 1.0 is on sale for $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Games category.


http://www.cubetasticapp.com/

doPanic Studios is an up and coming development company located in Regensburg, Germany. The organization creates applications across a variety of focuses for use within both the mobile and conventional consumer technology industries. The company is committed to blending original thinking with hard work to create premium applications for the pleasure of tech consumers worldwide. (C) doPanic 2011. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

California based Studio Pepwuper today announces Megan and the Giant 1.0,  its first episode in a series for iOS devices. Megan and the Giant is a story and character-driven family stealth adventure game for anybody who describes themselves as young at heart and who loves a good story. Players will guide Megan on a journey to rescue a mysterious new friend. Sneak around London with the intuitive tap control, and outsmart the pursuers with strategic planning and the use of hilarious items.

Covina, California - Studio Pepwuper is pleased to announce the release of its first episode in the series, "Megan and the Giant" today, a story and character-driven family stealth adventure game for anybody who describes themselves as young at heart and who loves a good story.

In this first episode, players will be introduced to the wonderful world of "Megan and the Giant". Players will guide Megan, the curious, good natured, and talkative main character, on a journey to rescue a mysterious new friend. Sneak around London with the intuitive tap control, and outsmart the pursuers with strategic planning and the use of hilarious items!

Featuring:

* Cute illustration-style 2D characters mixed with a colorful 3D environment

* Easy, minimum effort control. Just tap on the screen and move around

* 30+ Levels, 4 Chapters taking you through different London scenery

* Lifelines! Bananas, Cardboard Boxes, Cups of tea and more. Gain new items to help you as you advance through the game

* Escape scenarios from the London City Police, Angry Dogs (not birds), and other fun pursuers throughout the city

* Kid-friendly story and gameplay

Brandon Wu, the founder of the Independent games studio, Studio Pepwuper, took his inspiration for the game from children’s story books such as Roald Dahl, inspirational comic characters such as those seen in Disney films, and the emotive story lines in movies from the Ghibli studio. A trip to London in 2009 gave him the idea for the story’s setting.

The vision of Studio Pepwuper and all of it’s games in the future is to expand the scope of video games. Brandon hopes to “create games that my wife and mother would enjoy playing. I want to change the view that video games are violent and mind-numbing, and show the world that games can be an inspiring, motivating and educational form of entertainment.”

His quest to demonstrate to non-gamers that video games can be a serious form of entertainment - on par with TV, movies, and books - has led him to create story and character-driven casual games with an episodic structure. Episode 1 is available today on iTunes App Store.

Device Requirements:

* 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPod Touch 3G (32GB/64GB), or iPod Touch 4G

* Support for earlier devices to come soon

* Requires iOS 3.2 or later

* 46.4 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Megan and the Giant 1.0 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

Based in Los Angeles, Studio Pepwuper makes games for those young at heart. Fall in love with the characters, get hooked on the storyline, and enjoy a game that, with a no-gun and violence policy, you can feel good about playing with your children too. Copyright (C) 2011 Studio Pepwuper. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

See also:

Studio Pepwuper announces Megan and the Giant for iPhone

Look out for an interview with Brandon Wu on www.indiegamenews.com soon!

Vancouver based Dingo Games today announces Tasty Planet 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. In Tasty Planet, players control a tiny ball of grey goo which eats everything smaller than itself. The more it eats, the bigger it gets. As players make their way through the game's 60 levels, the goo grows from a bacteria eating microbe to a planet gobbling monster. Now there is no stopping this out-of-control bathroom cleaner.

Vancouver, Canada - Dingo Games today is pleased to announce the release of Tasty Planet for the iPhone and iPod touch. In Tasty Planet players control a tiny ball of grey goo which eats everything smaller than itself. The more it eats, the bigger it gets. As players make their way through the game's 60 levels, the goo grows from a bacteria eating microbe to a planet gobbling monster.

Comic strips throughout the game tell the story of two scientists trying to create the world's greatest bathroom cleaner. Using nanotechnology they design a ball of grey goo to eat all the dirt and bacteria in a bathroom automatically. Unfortunately, a slight miscalculation causes their ball of goo to eat more than just bathroom dirt; it starts eating everything. Now there is no stopping this out-of-control bathroom cleaner.

Tasty Planet was originally released for Mac and Windows. The new iPhone version of the game features a brand new user interface, title screen, comics, and four different control methods (defaulting to tilt).

Device Requirements:

* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

* Supports the Retina Display

* Requires iOS 3.0 or later

* 17.5 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Tasty Planet 1.0 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

Dingo Games is an independent game developer located in Vancouver, Canada. Originally started by programmer James Sayer, Dingo Games became a husband and wife team when he married artist Kristin Wilson (now Kristin Sayer). Copyright (C) 2011 Dingo Games. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod, iPad and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

See also:

My review of Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds (for PC)

One Man Left Studios today announces the first paid expansion for its Tilt to Live HD 1.4, called Viva la Turret. Available as an In-App Purchase, users can access a new weapon, the Perforator turret, and a new gametype called Viva la Turret. Tilt to Live HD is an arcade shooter with five different modes of play and a unique combat system. Earning 3.5 million lifetime points in Viva la Turret will unlock the new Perforator weapon for use in the game's Code Red and Classic game modes.

Montgomery, Alabama - One Man Left Studios today is pleased to announce the release of the first paid expansion for Tilt to Live HD, a 2010 Best App Ever Award nominee for the iPad. With the Viva la Turret Expansion users can access a new weapon, the Perforator turret, and a new gametype called Viva la Turret.

Tilt to Live HD is an arcade shooter with five different modes of play and a unique combat system. Rather than endlessly firing at enemies, players must evade the horde and reach a weapon to activate it. On contact, without the need for any onscreen buttons, each of the ten unlockable weapons unleashes a different offensive attack. These include a burning barricade, an ice blast, and a spinning shield of spikes. All of this action is controlled exclusively by responsive, customizable tilt controls.

The app features four times the arena space of its counterpart, Tilt to Live for the iPhone. It is downloadable as a free demo, which can be expanded to the full version via In-App Purchase.

In Viva la Turret, Tilt to Live HD's fifth gametype, players must make expert use of the new minigun turret weapon against an endless barrage of fresh enemy formations. Each turret lasts six point-earning seconds, during which players are fixed in place, vulnerable to droves of foes bearing down from all angles. Earning 3.5 million lifetime points in Viva la Turret will unlock the new Perforator weapon for use in the game's Code Red and Classic game modes.

Device Requirements:

* Compatible with iPad

* Requires iOS 3.2 or later

* 18.7 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Customers who have already purchased the Full Version of Tilt to Live HD can buy the new content as a 99 In-App Purchase. For newcomers, the app's amended Full Version now includes everything for $4.99 USD. That's all ten unlockable weapons and all five gametypes, including the new Viva la Turret content.

Based in Montgomery, Alabama, One Man Left Studios is a game development studio for the iDevice platforms. Tilt to Live for the iPhone, currently enjoyed by a half million users, and Tilt to Live HD for the iPad. 

Related News:

Auralux is a very simplified real-time strategy game that minimalises everything down to a single element - one type of base (although three sizes, which means three production speeds), and one type of unit.  You face two AI opponents across 15 levels - with the bases set in different geometrical shapes.  Once you beat the three toughest levels, you unlock "speed mode" - the same game, same levels, but much faster.

It sounds like an implausible game concept - with no options to build up better bases and units etc, where could the strategy be? - but the game actually plays rather well.  It takes maybe 2-3 games to start getting the hang of it properly, and while your basic strategy doesn't really change, there is a little variation between the levels.  The basic strategy is much the same as I play every RTS with - basically strangle the opposition's supply lines, slowly build up an overwhelming force and launch it all at the enemy's final remaining base in a spectacular finale.  The game is perhaps a little too simplified - once you've completed all the levels there is little incentive to go back and play them again, though you can try to beat your best time.  Apart from your basic strategy, timing and keeping an eye on what your opponents are going, along with working out the best route for claiming bases, is the key to beating this game.  The computer AI isn't very challenging really, but they will still zap you if you don't pay attention!

Graphically it's quite minimalist as well, but it all looks rather cool - especially playing in speed mode when all three competitors are involved in attacking each other, it looks rather like a firework display.  The music's fine too, but my favourite aspect of Auralux is how the gameplay affects the music - when your units attack or are attacked (always resulting in both units being wiped out, as their strength is exactly the same), they make a sound, which is incorporated into the soundtrack.  Since attacks usually involve scores of units at a time, this lasts for most of the level.  (Play the demo... I don't think I've described that very well!).

Auralux would appeal most of RTS addicts who need something that can be played in bite-sized chunks.  It's not greatly challenging, and it could certainly do with some extra features, but strategy games that can be played for a only a few minutes at a time if required are pretty rare. 

Announcing the first "Become The King" Tournament. It's time to put your money where your mouth is! In an effort to raise awareness of the Swing King iPhone game Nicholas Henson is throwing the first Tournament for the app. Compete for the number one spot on the Swing King Leaderboard and claim your prize. The goal is to jump off the swing and see how far one can land. The Tournament begins on Feb 1, 2011 and ends on April 31, 2011.

Savannah, Georgia - Announcing the first "Become The King" Tournament. It's time to put your money where your mouth is! Compete for the number one spot on the Swing King Leaderboard and claim your prize. In an effort to raise awareness of the Swing King iPhone game Nicholas Henson is throwing the first Tournament for the app. The Tournament begins on Feb 1, 2011 and ends on April 31, 2011.

The person that reaches the number one spot by April 31, 2011 at midnight will be rewarded with $500 and the title of Swing King! The proceeds of this Tournament will go towards adding additional features to the game including new obstacles, enemies, more attachments and possibly a whole new game mode. More Tournaments are planned for the future and simply owning the game will automatically allow you to compete in future Tournaments.

The goal is to jump off the swing and see how far one can land - this time with the help of birds hovering in the sky and attachments to give the player extra boosts. The farther the player lands, the more points can be obtained. With these points, users are able to purchase additional attachments that will allow to gain more altitude, speed, hover, or skip over rocks on the ground. One can also buy additional points with the in-app purchase right from the beginning.

It's simple to enter:

* Download the Swing King iPhone game for only $.99 cents.

* Login or Register with Openfeint through Swing King to get your highscore on the leaderboard.

* Tap your way to victory and the Grand Prize.

Device requirements:

* Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad

* Requires iOS 3.0 or later

* 14.3 MB

Pricing and availability:

Swing King 1.0 is only $0.99 (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and is available exclusively through the App Store in the Games category. Nicholas is looking forward to users' feedback and will be glad to answer any questions about Swing King and the "Become The King" Tournament. What are you waiting for?! It's time to prove that you are the Swing King! Don't think you got what it takes? No worries there is plenty of time to hone your skills. There are more Tournaments planned for the future! Please Read the Official Rules for details at Swing King online.

Nicholas Henson is an individual developer of his first iPhone application Swing King. He's currently a United States Soldier and has had a great passion for iPhone since it first came out. When working on the app, he had one thing in mind: to let people re-live an amazing experience of jumping off the swing right in the iPhone. Copyright (C) 2011 Nicholas Henson. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

In the cold north of Scandinavia a small group of Danish dreamers is trying to achieve the impossible. They are making an AAA first-person shooter without the involvement of the big corporate publishers that are dominating the industry. The game is Interstellar Marines, an epic trilogy about mankind’s first encounter with another sentient species.

Interstellar Marines is the world’s first truly independent AAA blockbuster game. Instead of working under the tight reins of big publishers, Interstellar Marines is made with help from the community that directly supports ongoing development. By pre-ordering the game and unlocking special accounts, users are granted early access to a series of smaller prototype games released online as the development moves forward.

So far three games have been made available online, and are playable in a browser on their community website www.interstellarmarines.com: An interactive 3D tour called The Vault featuring several of Interstellar Marines’ characters; the advanced shooting range Bullseye where players test their skills against various targets aboard the military space shuttle AIV Kitty Hawk; and finally Running Man, a true first-person action experience where players face an onslaught of combat robots while training to become an elite marine.

As of this date, over 67,000 users have signed up for the dream and played one of the smaller releases. Each release offers high-quality production values brought to life in the powerful Unity engine. These playable slices provide a sneak peek of the Interstellar Marines universe, but at the same time players are helping to test and improve important core mechanics of the game, sharing suggestions and feedback that play a critical role in designing an epic trilogy that our fans genuinely believe in and want to play.

Interstellar Marines is the brainchild and dream of Game Director Kim Haar Jørgensen and CEO Nicolai Grønborg, who together came up with the initial concept during a family party back in 1993. It was not, however, until 2006 that development of Interstellar Marines began in earnest with the creation of Zero Point Software.

The ambition was always to make the most believable and immersive sci-fi first-person shooter on the planet. No photon lasers, no plasma-injected needle guns, and no impossibly bulky energy armors, but rather a realistic future where mankind is about to have its first historic meeting with another sentient species—with unknown consequences.

Interstellar Marines is about evolving the FPS with inspirations that the team has assimilated since the birth of the genre. The goal is a progressive step forward driven by compulsive interest in science fiction, role-playing, military realism, and respect for immersion. Interstellar Marines will connect players to a personalized action experience with satisfying character upgrades and dozens of weapons. A nuanced cooperative campaign (because playing with friends is awesome) will be anchored by compelling and unpredictable story twists, and competitive multiplayer gameplay will rival AAA efforts, while introducing memorable new elements.

So far no release date is set in stone for the roll-out of the Interstellar Marines Trilogy, however design and development continues on all aspects of the game — including more playable releases planned for 2011 and beyond.  We will continue to regularly post news, media, progress reports and development insight on the dedicated www.interstellarmarines.com community site, with contests and special promotions planned for the months ahead.

Interstellar Marines Screenshots:

EAMINGTON SPA, UK Blitz 1UP signs arcade puzzler Purify Puzzle, developed by Paper Child Studios for worldwide PC release

Blitz 1UP, the Indie game initiative from Blitz Games Studios, have today announced the signing of Purify Puzzle, an arcade puzzle game developed by Paper Child Studios. With original gameplay and a unique look and story, Purify Puzzle is set for worldwide release in February this year.

Your job is to help Ashley, a good witch living in the human world, whose precious spell book has been stolen by evil spirits. As you move through the haunting landscape you’ll be helped by Maximilian the vampire, the rebellious son of the king of the netherworld. To get through the puzzles and purify the land you have to overcome powerful spirits, such as the Pumpkin King and Skull Knight. An original score and beautiful, hand-drawn animations draw you through Ashley's spellbinding world, while high-definition story cinematics tell the story of her battles, victories, and losses.

Featuring classic arcade gameplay and head-to-head multiplayer, Purify Puzzle has something that will appeal to everyone:

* Three single player modes: Time Attack, Survival, and Arcade

* Over 30 levels of single player arcade action

* Head-to-head local and online multiplayer, with leaderboards to track scores from around the world

* Rich, hand-drawn, anime-influenced art style tells an engaging story

* Fun, quirky and original sound score.

"Paper Child Studios have created a really fantastic game in Purify Puzzle, it's choc-full of old-school arcade puzzle goodness that harks back to classics like Puzzle Bobble and Super Puzzle Fighter,” says Blitz 1UP Producer Neil Holmes. “We're really excited to add Purify Puzzle to the growing list of great games that Blitz 1UP has supported. We love it and we think you will too!"

Adds Michael Lubker, Paper Child Studios’ Producer: “We are very excited to have Blitz's support and expertise in bringing Purify Puzzle to market. We hope that it will bring success to our game projects current and future!”

Defy Gravity is an interesting arcade puzzle game that looks for all the world like a platformer, and plays like one for about the first three seconds.  Then the twist comes in - your player can shoot gravity fields that can either attract or repel objects.  The most obvious uses for these are to enable your character to jump longer / higher, reach places your jumping alone can't get you to, and make enemies get out of the way.  There are quite a few uses for your gravity wells though - it's up to you to experiment and find out how best to use them.  On most levels (as far as I can see) there is more than one way to achieve your goals, so the game has quite a flexible approach.

Defy Gravity looks nice and sounds good, and plays very well - animation is smooth, the controls are responsive (mouse + keyboard), the levels are well designed and the game will certainly give you a challenge.  Some levels look completely impossible to start with, but eventually you begin to work out strategies for getting past even the most imposing of obstacles.

If you like puzzle games with an element of action to them, you'll definitely enjoy Defy Gravity.