EA Mobile has just released the first trailer for “Need For Speed Most Wanted” for iPhone and iPad. The game is a continuation of EA’s popular Need for Speed racing franchise. With Need for Speed Most Wanted EA aims to revive the ageing racing game.

Need For Speed Most Wanted features stunning dynamic physics-based collisions, exciting cop takedowns, and realistic visual damage. Be the most wanted in incredible real-world cars like the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, the Porsche 911 Carrera S, and many more!

The latest iteration has been developed by Firemonkeys, the same people who were behind Real Racing, Real Racing 2 and the upcoming Real Racing 3. With NFS Most Wanted you will experience an action packed arcade-style racing game. The game will be made available for iPhone and iPad later this month.

NFS Most Wanted will add new features like “over-the-top collision mechanics” which will result in detailed view of damages that can be caused by smashing into opponents car, walls or even cops.

… players can now accrue more detailed damage to their cars than ever before: every smash into walls, competitor cars, or pursuant cops creates an adrenaline-pumping frenzy of shattered windows, cracked headlights and flying parts.

The game will also bring real-time reflections that give a view of the game world, this feature was first showcased at Apple’s event when Real Racing 3 was previewed. The game is also expected to pack social and online features.

We are expecting more details and screenshots to be made available soon. Even though details are scarce the features planned for this release could certainly bring some freshness to the arcade-style racing genre.

Need for Speed Most Wanted Trailer

Firemint, Australia based iOS developers, have produced some of the most successful titles on the App Store. They defined the line drawing genre on the App Store with Flight Control and then produced the best racing game on the App Store, called Real Racing. To capitalise on the widely praised racing game Firemint released Real Racing 2 which proved to be an instant hit and has been featured on most “must have games list.”

EA is gearing up to make sure they maintain the lead in digital interactive entertainment platforms like the smartphones and tablets.

No financial details were disclosed. Barry Cottle, Executive Vice President and General Manger of EA Interactive said:

The Firemint team is remarkable for its critical and commercial success,

Having them as part of EAi will accelerate our position as worldwide leader in game development for mobile devices and online gaming platforms.

This is great news for Firemint and we wish them the very best.

Apple will be closing the doors on the administrative side of the iTunes App Store (known as “iTunes Connect” to developers) from the 23rd of December until the 28th. This is presumably for a well deserved holiday break for the overworked App Store Gnomes. Or perhaps so they can all join Santa at the North Pole for their Christmas job wrapping up presents for kiddies. Or is that Elves?

Anyway, not one to miss an opportunity, Electronic Arts have sparked a mini App Store price war by dropping the price of many of their iOS games to $0.99 as part of a “seasonal sale”.

Namco have seen through this and have matched EA’s price drop, and many suspect this is because App Store Top Ten lists will perhaps not be updated during that time. So whoever holds that top spot could rake in some serious impulse purchase dough over the Christmas period as people unwrap their new iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch on Christmas day, and head to the App Store to buy loot.

The losers in this will be the little guys who develop iOS software. But the big winners will be those of us that like to get mobile games at crazy prices. Chalk another win up to the legendary App Store “Race to the Bottom” on pricing.

I am not convinced that Apple’s metrics will not update during this time. But in any case any developer who can hit the Top Ten on any list in the App Store over Christmas is sure to get some healthy sales.

So if you are a dev. perhaps your only option is to follow suit. And if you are a player, or a digital musical instrument fan, or perhaps a digital artist then perhaps the Christmas holidays could be a good time to shop for some bargains from the comfort of your own home. Before heading out shortly after to see what else you can pick up cheap in brick and mortar store in the New Year.

Seen any noteworthy bargains on the App Store for Christmas? Let us know in the comments…

We recently featured 5 of the best racing games for iPhone and talked about how Need for Speed Shift provides an unparalleled gaming experience in the racing genre on the App Store. On Tuesday EA Mobile released their latest game called Need for Speed Hot Pursuit and it is available for $4.99 (View in iTunes).

The game offers a lot of content with 24 career events, different environments and 20 stunning police cars. EA sent us a review copy of this game and after playing it for a while I can surely say that the realistic 3D graphics are very impressive and the developers have done a great job with the controls (more on that in the review).

Game Features:

• Features 20 real world production cars
• Access 15 cop cars in Career and Quick Play
• Go head-to-head as Cop or Racer via local WiFi or Bluetooth
• Select from 5 cop cars and 5 racer cars in Hot Pursuit Multiplayer
• Drive Coastal, Mountains, and Desert environments with 3 lighting conditions for each
• Take on 24 Cop Career Events
• Pick up and play as a Cop in Quick Play Mode
• For the first time, experience elevation, plus gradients and split roads
• Made to maximize the Retina Display

If you enjoyed any game from the Need for Speed series for iPhone then this game is certainly worth checking out. Check back soon for a detailed review and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Trailer

Reckless Racing [rating: 4.5/5]

EA a renowned name for producing quality titles across all devices and no more so than the range of games they’ve produced for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Most of these games however are big named games ported from other game systems, Reckless Racing however breaks that mold as it debuts onto Apple’s handheld device.

There have been top down racers before but none on a held device that matches the quality of Reckless Racing especially in the graphics department. The tracks may be small but they are beautifully formed and as you race around them it’s difficult not to notice the attention to detail that has been put into this game.

From the dust and dirt being spun up by the spinning tires, the water bubbling over rocks in the stream that you have to drive through at times and the detail in the buildings that crowd the track the game just sparkles, especially on the iPhone 4’s Retina Display. The beauty doesn’t deminish either when playing online or suffer from slow down which is good to see.

The sound, the music at least, could be pretty decisive, with a banjo laden track being repeatidly played throughout the game. This can be turned off however so if it does get on your nerves it can be easily switched of. The sound effects are effective too with the cars sounding suitably throaty as they charge around the off tracks.

The single player game is split into three modes, Dirt Rally, Hot Lap and Delivery. The first two pretty much speak for themselves, in Dirty Lap you race against either 4 or 6 AI controlled cars to win a race over a set number of laps while in Hot Lap it’s just you against the clock, and your ghost, as you race around the 5 tracks on your own.

One of the down sides to Reckless Racing is the number of tracks especially considering how small they are. Individually the size of the tracks is just perfect for the racing but overall having only five tracks, 10 if you count the reverse of them, is rather limiting and I certainly hope that more tracks become avialable in a future update.

The final game type is Delivery, a unique addition which tasks you with collecting trailers of goods and delivery them as quickly as possible. This mode is played on a new unique track and can be played over 3, 5 or 8 minutes at a time. Deliver the goods fast and you will be rewarded with more money. I liked this addition to the game and if more tracks are added to this mode too and it gets added to the multi-player option then it will make a great game even better.

So that brings me on to the multi-player option. Playing certain games against your friends and other real people online an make or break a game and so it is great to see online multi-player added to Reckless Racing from the word go. As mentioned previously the two modes available to play online are Dirt Rally and Hot Lap and the host of the game gets to choose which type of race you’ll be playing.

When playing online you are taken into a Lobby where all the hosted games are listed. Considering this game has only just launched I was pleased to see the amount of games available to join. Listed in the Lobby is the name of the race, entered by the host, and the current number of players. What’s not included is the type of race being played or whether the race is in progress or not. It would be nice to see these options available in the Lobby before entering the race.

There’s also no overall ranking or leagues to compete in so while racing online is smooth and has little or no lag in my experience the fact that there is no lasting reward to it other than race itself left it feeling a little lacking. That being said the online racing is fun and adds extra value to the overall gaming experience.

All of this however would amount to nothing if the controls weren’t up to the task. No worries there though either as there are five, yes five, sets of controls to choose from as well as the ability to choose auto accelerate and the sensitivity of your steering. Standard steering mode was my favorite, utilizing four separate buttons for left, right, accelerate and reverse seemed to offer the maximum level of control and dexterity, having id that though having tank, tilt, half wheel and whole wheel options will enable everyone the opportunity to find the right solution for them.

For some people used to paying no more than 99 cents for a game may see the $2.99 price tag two high, for me however it’s worth every cent and should further updates add more tracks and online rankings it while make this game easily my #1 game on the iPhone 4.

Pros

• The best lookig racing on the iPhone
• Controls that simply work
• Online multi-player that’s as smooth as silk

Cons

• More tracks need
• Onlone ranking to add extra value

$2.99 (View in iTunes)
Category: Games
Released:Oct 21, 2010
Version:1.1.5
1.1.5
39.3 MB
Languages:English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Seller:Electronic Arts
Reckless Racing (TM) © 2010 Pixelbite AB. All Rights Reserved.
Rated 4+
Requirements:Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later

Ngmoco was recently acquired by Japanese gaming outfit DeNA for $400+ million and today EA annouced that they have acquired Chillingo Ltd., one of the premium independent games publisher. Chillingo has been making headlines for all the right reasons in the last few months. Their recent launches for iOS devices have been major hits on the App Store and they recently announced a strong line up of upcoming games.

Press Release:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced it has acquired Chillingo Ltd., a leading independent games publisher. With the acquisition of Chillingo, EA Mobile™ has increased market leadership on the Apple® platform and strengthened its position as the world’s leading wireless entertainment publisher. The acquisition combines Chillingo’s expertise in cultivating the ideas of independent developers with EA’s global reach in mobile publishing. Chillingo is widely recognized for publishing highly original and successful games from the developer community. EA is committed to preserving Chillingo’s independence enabling them to manage and cultivate their great network of relationships to deliver the optimal gaming experience for consumers.

About Chillingo

Chillingo publishes innovative games and software for various platforms. Other hit iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad™ titles include Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Helsing’s Fire, Predators, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Minigore, iDracula, and Modern Conflict. For more information about Chillingo please visit chillingo.com.

About EA Mobile

EA Mobile™ is the leading wireless entertainment publisher with award-winning game franchises such as Tetris®, Bejeweled®, The Sims™, and Need For Speed™. The EA Mobile portfolio also includes casual games based on the company’s partnership with Hasbro, Inc. including MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE (in the U.S. and Canada) as well as sports blockbusters from the EA SPORTS™ brand, including Madden NFL Football, FIFA Soccer and NASCAR®. EA Mobile develops games for multiple mobile platforms including mobile phones, smartphones, the iPhone®, iPad™ and iPod® touch. For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.eamobile.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Earlier today EA Mobile sent us an update about their latest release to hit Apple’s App Store. If you enjoy RPG’s then you would be happy to know that Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia is now available for iPhone and iPod touch! Heroes Lore is the #1 best seller from Korea, and it is now available for your iOS device.

The game is currently available for purchase in New Zealand store and you can bookmark this URL to know when it appears in the US store.

Key Features Include:

Dual Roles! Fight for Neo-Soltia or Askra

Plunge into the midst of a war between the once magical sky-kingdom of Soltia and the kingdom of Askra. Choose to battle in the roles of the “Neo-Soltian” Kei or the Askran Rits. Be immersed in over 30 hours of gameplay filled with virtually limitless maps, challenging quests, and fearsome foes.

Undertake Single-Player Quests

The Single-Player Story Mode extends over 6 deeply detailed areas of adventure, from the Soltian Forest to the Enzak Desert to the Rowen Plains. Also explore Neo-Soltia and 3 more key cities. Every environment contains monsters that can be peaceful…or extremely aggressive.

Battle Online for a Total RPG Experience

Fight online in player vs. player (PVP) battles, or unite with another player and challenge other two-person units in epic multiplayer warfare.

Wield Stunning Weaponry in an Array of Combinations

The bold battle mechanics let you execute a wide variety of fighting moves. Kei and Rits each wield 2 types of weapons within 5 different classes. Each weapon provides 9 offensive or defensive skills. Engage the characters in hours of battle with different combinations of swords, shields, guns, and blades.

In case you missed it, last week EA Mobile released one of the most popular simulation games in the App Store called ‘The Sims 3 Ambitions’

The game offers a lot of new content and has already proved to be a huge hit by reaching the Top 25 paid category in less than a week.

The Sims 3 Ambitions for iPhone offers all new career mode, build mode and now your sims can also have babies!

For the first time ever on iPhone & iPod touch, turn your Sims’ hobbies into fulfilling jobs. Will your Sim become a Firefighter? Rock Star? Artist? Teacher? Chef? Sports Star? Get down to business with new career-oriented goals, mini-games, outfits, and locations. Follow your Sims to work and see them get happier as they make their dreams come true.

Think big with the improved and expanded Build Mode feature. Resize, add, or delete rooms, floors, walls, doors, and windows as you make a new home for your success-driven Sim. Buy and sell furniture and objects. And now you can also build workplaces like a Bistro, a Preschool, or a Night Club for your musical Sim to rock.

Your most requested feature is here! For the first time on iPhone & iPod touch, your Sims can have babies! Feed them, play with them, and put them to bed! Watch Sims babies become Sims toddlers. Take them to the park, play hide-and-seek, or give them a little cuddle. Having Sims children changes everything!

If you enjoyed The Sims 3, The Sims 3 World Adventures then you will certainly want to try out The Sims 3 Ambitions. If you have already bought the game let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Risk [rating: 3.5/5]

We played a lot of board games in my family from Scrabble and Monopoly to Trivial Pursuit and Game of Life and it was a tradition to get a new family board game from Father Christmas each year which we would play on Christmas Day afternoon. However, this tradition never extended to one of the most renowned board games in the world, namely Risk.

When asked to review EA Mobile’s version of Risk on the iPhone my only expectations where of those I’d heard about the game rather than experienced directly. Subsequently I think I come to the game with a relatively unique perspective on the game.

The game starts with a suitably military feel about it, from the squaddies running into battle, tanks and military music the scene is set and you are left under no illusion that you are going to getting involved in a mighty battle.

For those expecting to get into some 1st or 3rd person perspective shoot outs will be in for a surprise as Risk is a strategy game where your ultimate goal is to rule the world. You can start the game with the computer setting your starting territories and troop placement or you can set them manually. As a beginner to the world or Risk I opted for the random placement.

Talking of being a beginner the game includes a decent tutorial that covers the basics of game play and takes you through the 3 steps that make up each turn. First you need to draft your troops and the number of troops you’ll have to deploy will be based on the number of territories and continents you have under you control.

Next up is the attack phase where you can march into neighboring territories. It’s not quite as easy at it seems though as you have to choose whether the attack will be a skirmish, total war or a retreat. The success or failure of each attack is controlled by the roll of the dice and as such nothing is guaranteed. A skirmish will give you more control over your attack while as the name suggest ‘All Out War’ is a do or die maneuver.

Your final step is the fortify step where you get to move your troops between your own territories and then it’s the next players turn, be that a computer controlled player, or a real person via either Pass N’ Play on a single device or using multiple devices on a local wireless network. One trick that has been missed here is the inclusion of a online multi-player option either in real-time or even via a play by mail type option. As a game that concerns global domination being able to play the game globally would have been a great addition.

The game play process is repeated until your domination is complete, or in my case my surrender was complete! It took me 4 games until I finally got the hang of how to make successful inroads into my opponents lands but the hard work paid off with a feeling of achievement especially when I won my first game.

There are limited extras to the game as I have seen in similar titles and as this is based on a board game it suggests that it is a simple port of the game and this could be limiting to gamers expecting extra features and options. The game does include it’s own version of achievements though and claiming all 12 of them would be an achievement in itself.

At $1.99 some players may be a little disappointed by the lack of options but the game does play well and it’s actually made me want to go out and get the board game version of Risk to play too!

Pros

• Simple tutorial for beginners
• Risk on the road
• Authentic gameplay

Cons

• A challenge for the color blind players
• No online multi-player
• Limited options

Reviewed on an iPhone 4

Price: $1.99 (App Store)
Category: Games
Released:Jul 22, 2010
Reviewed Version:1.4.88
Size: 8.3 MB
Languages:English, French, German, Spanish
Seller:Electronic Arts
© 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Requirements:Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

“The release of Madden NFL 11 upholds EA’s legacy of innovation in the mobile industry,” said Travis Boatman, Vice President of Worldwide Studios for EA Mobile. “Total Defensive Control, a brand new feature for iPad and iPod touch, redesigns how you play defense giving you more control and ultimately, making it more fun. If you have a mobile device and you’re a football fan, then this is the game for you.”

Madden NFL 11 for iPad and iPod touch

Madden NFL 11 is the most fun and complete NFL experience ever made for mobile devices and is available today from the App Store.

• Win With Defense – Total Defensive Control delivers the fun on defense. Play both sides of the ball with equal intensity with the all-new “Total Defensive Control.” TDC allows players to pause the action, position their defense and deliver game-changing hits like never before.

• Quick Play Decisions – With the new GameFlow playbook based on the console game’s new feature, players spend less time in the playbook and more time on the field. Keeping the game’s momentum going and shortening overall time per play is perfect for gaming on the go.

• Control the Action – With the innovative feature called “Hot Routes Everywhere,” players pick almost any football player pre-snap and literally draw their movement on the field while creating the play on the go. This year, draw routes on passing and running plays, along with defense.

• Graphics and Controls Befitting the Game – With HD-quality graphics for iPad, optimized graphics taking full advantage of the new Retina display and 3GS maximized visuals, football players rumble into action in authentic stadiums as gamers get drawn deeper in the experience.  Controls are maximized for each device including a unique passing wheel designed exclusively for iPad.

• Unmatched Authenticity on Mobile Devices – With 32 NFL teams in authentic stadiums, choose from updated rosters featuring nearly 2,000 real players even seeing players’ names on the their jerseys in the iPad version.

• Play Your Way – Whether playing rivals via Bluetooth on the iPod touch or jumping right into a solo game, Madden NFL 11 delivers like never before. Play through an entire 16-game schedule in Season Mode making trades and tracking stats for a team and the entire league. In Playoffs Mode, replay last season’s historic playoffs all the way to the Super Bowl.

• Additional Features Coming Soon – Upcoming free iPad updates scheduled in time for the kick-off to the NFL regular season include retro-style “Vintage Voltage Football” and multiplayer gameplay.

Madden NFL 11 is available today from the App Store for iPad and iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.  A version for feature phones is also available with an Android version coming later in the year. Assets and additional press information can be found at http://info.ea.com.

EA Mobile has a solid reputation for its pioneering and market leadership in mobile gaming.  EA Mobile has been a definitive player with the rise of Apple devices as gaming platforms. Popular games include SCRABBLE, Tetris, MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP, which have consistently ranked among top sellers and, in 2009, The Sims® 3 was the #1 best-selling game on the App Store.  For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.EAMobile.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EAMobile or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EAMobile.

About EA Mobile

EA Mobile™ is the world’s leading wireless entertainment publisher with award-winning games such as Tetris®, Bejeweled®, The Sims™, and Need For Speed™. The EA Mobile portfolio also includes casual games based on the company’s collaboration with Hasbro, Inc. including MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE (in the U.S. and Canada) as well as sports blockbusters from the EA SPORTS™ brand, including Madden NFL Football, FIFA Soccer and NASCAR®. EA Mobile develops games for multiple mobile platforms including mobile phones, smartphones, the iPad™ and iPod®. For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.EAMobile.com.

EA Mobile today announced the availability of it’s much awaited simulation title for the iPhone and iPod touch called “SimCity Deluxe” .

We had published the first screenshots of the game when it was announced in early May. SimCity Deluxe is now available in the App Store for $6.99 [iTunes Store]

Sim City is one of the all time great casual games, and SimCity Deluxe for iPhone is the latest title from this storied franchise.

Brief Description:

Build and manage your dream city with a newly updated SimCity experience for iPhone & iPod touch. Designed for dedicated and casual fans, let your inner urban planner run wild.

Key Features

• SimCity gets a Makeover on iPhone/iPod Touch
• Improved UI – Larger buttons, better flow and more accessible items have been added to make the user experience as smooth as possible
• Visually Enhanced – Graphics and frame rate have been improved, making this game closer in visual style to SimCity 4

For those interested in the results, you can expect a review of financial results for the first quarter, outlook for the future and other developments. The webcast will be available here

EA also announced some exciting titles for the iPhone 4, iPod touch and iPad to look forward to:

• MADDEN NFL 11 – iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
• Reckless Racing – iPhone and iPad
• NCAA® Football − iPhone 4 and iOS3.x
• SimCity™ Deluxe – iPhone and iPod touch
• The Sims 3 Ambitions – iPhone and iPod touch
• YAHTZEE™ – iPad
• RISK – iPhone and iPod touch
• R-Type – iPhone and iPod touch

What do you think about these upcoming games from EA Mobile? Let us know which one are you most excited about. Stay tuned for more info and reviews when these games are available on the App Store.

EA Mobile recently announced their upcoming game for iPhone/iPod touch called “R-Type” The game is a classic side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game in which you control a space fighter to defend humanity.

R-Type for iPhone keeps 100% true to the original game allowing fans to get back to the ‘80s video-arcade experience in the palm of their hands.

Some features include:

• Blast off and strike the evil Bydo Empire. Pilot a futuristic fighter, the R-9a “Arrowhead,” and attack wave after wave of Bydo baddies in old-school side-shooter style
• Wide variety of different power ups and ship upgrades
• Includes original arcade game features including eight unique levels with 8 different bosses each and three different controls – tilt, touch and virtual D-Pad
• 3 different control modes and multiple difficulty modes

R-Type for iPhone and iPod touch will be coming soon from EA Mobile.

R-Type for iPhone Screenshots

Skate It by EA [rating: 4/5]

Skateboarding has transferred form the real world to the virtual gaming world very well. The user base for both activities is very similar, predominately young males that will play games and skateboard too, so put the two together and you’ve got a pre-built demographic for any skateboard game of which there have been a few.

Touchgrind, Vans SK8: Pool Service and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and just a couple of the skateboarding games that have proven there success so is there room for another skateboarding game and if there is does it deserve your hard earned cash? As we know EA have produced many quality iPhone/iPod Touch apps already so seeing them bring their Skateboading franchise to the iDevice’s I was excited to see how it handled.

Not surprisingly for a game from EA Mobile the navigation and menu system is nicely polished and provides a simple method to access all of the different areas if the game. From the main menu you’ll be able to select from the 3 main areas of the game including Freeskating, Career, My Spot and My Skate and it ‘s My Skate that I would recommend you head off to before you do anything else despite your eagerness to jump straight into the Freeskating option.

You’ll want to come back to the My Skate area through-out the game but so that you can track your progress, customize your boarder and manage your profiles but the reason for heading over here first are the two tutorials that cover the basic and advanced techniques of which will help you get up and skating quicker than if you just head for the tracks. Each tutorial takes you through a specific style of trick and you have to complete them to move on to the next.

Controlling your boarder is via a variety of virtual buttons, gestures and the accelerometer. The combinations work well and while I initially missed being able to use a virtual Dpad I soon found myself not missing it at all. You can also go through a tutorial that shows where all the keys and buttons are an what they do.

The two main game options are Freeskate and Career Mode and as you would expect the Freeskate allows you to play for fun while career mode is where the fun really begins as you complete a wide range of challenges that help you to unlock new features including new kit for the ‘My Spot’ section. More on that to come later!

There are a great range of challenges in each level and depending on your area of expertise you will find some easier to complete than the others. However repeating them is easy especially if you stay in the challenge area. The graphics aren’t going to blow you away but they do look good and each of the 20 unique skate parks look completely unique with each of them offering them something different and offers plenty of variety to keep you playing Skate It again and again.

Unlocking the challenges will unlock the different locations that you can then move on to play, however as mentioned previously they also unlock different pieces that you can use to create your own unique skate parks in the ‘My Spot’ area which you can then go and skate around. This offers limitless possibilities with your own creativity being your only limitations and while being able to share your creations with other players either locally between iDevices or over the internet would make things even better it’s still a lot of fun to skate around your own creations.

The only downside to Skate It by EA is the lack of any multi-player or sharing options. For example you do have the option to record your best, and worst, tricks for viewing later but there’s no option to share or upload the the video’s to show them off. Equally disappointing is the lack of any multi-player option especially considering that in real life skateboarding is such a community based sport. What is included though are multiple profiles so if you and others want to play the game on a single device you can keep your progress separate.

Overall ‘Skate It by EA’ is another great addition to the skateboarding genre, had it included an option to use a virtual d-pad and multi-player options it may have reached the heady heights of 5/5, for now though it will fall just short.

The Good

• 20+ environments to skate
• Multiple profiles
• Plenty of tricks to master
• Build you own environments

The Not So Good

• No virtual d-pad control
• No multi-player or sharing options

Price: $6.99 (iTunes Store)
Released: May 10, 2010
Reviewed Version: 1.0.70
1.0.70 (iPhone OS 3.0 Tested)
Size: 102 MB
Language: English
Seller: Electronic Arts
Skate It © 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. All Rights Reserved. EA, the EA logo and SKATE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. All sponsored products and company names, brand names, logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Rated 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later.

Top EA Mobile titles are now available at discounted price of up to 80% off. The spring sale starts today at 12:00 am ET

If you would like to read reviews of the above titles, you can browse our Electronic Arts category.

EA has still not confirmed the release date for any of their upcoming titles however they revealed some new screenshots of Sims 3 World Adventures and Skate It.

Skating and Snowboarding games seems to be the latest trend in sports games on the App Store and EA is ready to release their upcoming game Skate It in May.

Skate It Features

• Get a real feel of a true skate experience as you conquer the skater nirvana that is “San Vanelona” or roll through real-world locations.
• Use the revolutionary touchscreen Flick-it controls to pull off ollies, kickflips, heelflips, Pop Shuvits, and more.
• Freeskate as a selected pro skater, or as your own customized guy or girl. Score Personal Bests in Career mode, and get sponsorships and perks galore.
• Own challenges and KILL them to get the really good stuff — from new boards to outfits. Unlock fresh skate spots, too. Gain enough gear and create your own killer skate park.
• Capture every sick line or epic bail on camera. Replay footage to view your mastery or just for your own amusement.
• You can even shred to a soundtrack from your own music library.

Skate It Screenshots

Sims 3 World Adventures New Screenshots

EA Mobile had sent us early screenshots of SPORE Creatures in December. The game just like SPORE Origins focusses on evolving your creature by eating everything lower on the food chain and socializing with other creatures.

SPORE Creatures for iPhone allows you to explore the environment and  even create your own creature with more than billion possible combinations and share it.

The game is available for $6.99 (iTunes Link)

Check back soon for an in-depth review.

We just received an update from EA Mobile regarding their latest upcoming game for iPhone/iPod touch called ‘Sims 3 World Adventures’

Sims 3 World Adventures for iPhone brings an all new Sims experience and allows you to take your Sims on thrilling adventures to world famous destinations. The user interface and graphics appear to be quite similar to the original Sims 3 for iPhone. The new locations will open the possibility for interaction with more characters and emotions. With Sims 3 World Adventures you will also be able to customize the look of your character to match the local culture.

One feature that could  make this game very popular is the ability to transfer characters from The Sims 3 (original) iPhone game to Sims 3 World Adventures. You’ll even be able to transfer some of the purchased content from in-app purchases from the old game.

Game Description

EXPLORE 3 EXOTIC DESTINATIONS
…”Al Simhara,” Egypt… “Champs Les Sims,” France… “Shang SimLa,” China. Each exciting location is loaded with a world of possibilities for danger, adventure, and romance for your Sim.

MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Enjoy an international twist on the Sims-style gameplay you know and love with 52 new goals, 4 new mini-games — plus personas, careers, and quests.

ENJOY MORE CUSTOM CONTENT
Let your Sim sport the local looks of the culture and acquire worldly tastes. There are lots of new clothing styles, furniture selections, and even new face types to choose from.

IMPORT/EXPORT BETWEEN THE SIMSTM GAMES FOR iPHONE® & iPOD TOUCH®
Yes! You can transfer your Sim back and forth between the iPhone® & iPod touch® versions of The SimsTM World Adventures and The SimsTM 3. So bring your favorite Sim on your adventure.

INCLUDES SIMS-STYLE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT FROM WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS
Travel to the tunes of artists like LeAnn Rimes – singing in
Simlish, of course!

Sims 3 World Adventures iPhone Game Screenshots

Need For Speed Shift [rating: 4.5/5]

EA Mobile is certainly having a great new year with 15 game titles in the Top 100 paid apps category. EA have have been successful in achieving high quality gaming experience with NFSU for iPhone. We reviewed Need For Speed: Undercover in May and it scored a perfect 5 star rating.

If you love racing games and want to choose the best one it might just be a little difficult as there are are some exceptional racing games in the App Store. Asphalt 5, Fast & Furious The Game, Real Racing and Fastlane Street  Racing give you a range of options to choose from and each game offers great graphics and gameplay. So does Need For Speed Shift live up to all the hype and praise it has received?

In Need For Speed Shift for iPhone EA Mobile has focussed the gameplay on precision driving. Your main goal is to build your driver profile, earn enough stars to unlock events, earn cash to unlock 20 stunning cars and customize them to your taste. The game offers 3 international locations to race in (Chicago, London & Tokyo) which are packed with 18 unique tracks and various race modes.

NFS Shift for iPhone offers 3 game modes which includes Quick Race, Career and Multiplayer. In Quick Mode you can choose the tiers, tracks and cars you unlocked in the career mode and get right into the race. You will spend most of your time in the career mode trying to build your driver profile, unlocking tracks and cars. In this game if you want to progress you will have to earn enough stars and you can do that by driving like a pro and winning the first position. One of the best aspects about NFS Shift is that if you do not do well in one event but have enough stars, you will be able to participate in the other events. The game also supports multilayer over bluetooth and local wi-fi. Gameloft has taken the lead in successfully offering multiplayer capability over internet in Asphalt 5 and we would like EA Mobile to offer the same.

Each tier in NFS Shift has different events to win, these include Circuit race, Sprint, Driver Duel, Eliminator, Time Trial and Drift. Winning an event enables you to win the prize money and podium places, profile points and special achievements determine the stars you will earn.

The most important aspect about NFS Shift gameplay is to improve your driver profile, to earn profile points you have to earn badges. As you race in different events the game tracks your driving and grades you accordingly. Your profile will evolve from precision to aggressive based on your driving style and earn you badges like ‘Clean Race Master’ if you avoid hitting other cars or ‘Racing Line Master’ if you stick to the racing line.

NFS Shift uses tilt control to steer and if you turn on the steer assist and auto brake on then it will be easy to follow the racing line and earn more precision points. As this games takes full advantage of real physics be prepared to slow down on sharp turns or you will end up going off the track while your opponents take lead. The Head-up Display (HUD) makes the transparent data on screen unobstructive and adding a professional feel to the overall racing experience. Racing games cannot be enjoyed to the fullest if it does not feature different camera angles and I was glad to note that you can choose your preferred viewing angle from 4 available options.

The best camera angle has to be the cockpit view where you can see the steering wheel and as you hit another car or crash it damages your windshield and causes a slight blur effect on the sides. If you have played NFSU on your iPhone/iPod touch then you would be familiar with the drifting gestures. To drift in NFS Shift you just need to twitch your device in the direction of bend. Overall the controls are very responsive however, I had to set the tilt sensitivity to maximum and found the nitro boost container button a little obstructive and would have preferred a forward tilt gesture instead. To pause the action simply swipe two fingers downward anywhere on the screen.

One of the most disappointing aspects about NFSU was the lack of customization options but, in NFS Shift EA Mobile has paid close attention to address this issue. You can customize almost every aspect about the gameplay. The game offers 4 control options (Rookie, Professional, Expert and Custom) which allow you choose manual/auto transmission, turn auto brake on/off, hide/show racing line and choose the steering assist. If you are a control freak and want to immerse yourself completely then you may choose the expert mode and turn off all the assists. The developers have even taken care of the smallest customization details which include tweaking sound, play your own music, change the units and included a tutorial track.

The menu interface in NFS Shift is quite similar to NFSU. To buy, upgrade or customize your car you need to tap ‘My Cars’ option and here you can tap on the screen to be able to take a 360° look at your car, pinch to zoom and rotate to view from all angles. The car designs are highly detailed and make the game very special as it features almost all the cars that I one would love to race in. (View the complete list of cars here.)

If you are looking for a racing game for the iPhone which can provide you the most realistic racing simulation then your search ends with Need For Speed Shift. The game gives you an unparalleled gaming experience with superior physics-based accelerated 3D graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 integrations, which in my opinion has set a new standard in iPhone gaming and you will no longer miss the console version when you are on the move.

Price: $6.99 as of Jan 06, 2010 (iTunes Store Link)

Version reviewed 1.0.0

The Good

• Physics-based accelerated 3D graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 integration
• Customization options with different camera angles
• Amazing range of cars offered
• High Quality Sound Effects and Rock music

The Not So Good

• Lacks multiplayer over internet
• Nitro boost button obstructive

Reviewed by: Ravin

Need For Speed Shift iPhone Video

Video by: Stuff.tv

EA Mobile wants to thank their customers for making them the number one gaming publisher in the App Store by offering up to 50% off on their iPhone games.

After the success of the Game Feast Sale, The 25 Games ‘til Xmas Sale, EA mobile is happy to announce the GAME ON! Sale, which runs from today 22/12/2009 to 08/01/2010

UPDATE: The Simpsons Arcade is now available on the App Store (iTunes Link)

EA Mobile recently announced the first ever Simpsons game for the iPhone and iPod touch! ‘The Simpsons Arcade’ is a throw back to the actual arcade game from the early 90s. You can play as Homer as he tries to save Springfield from devious villains.

Get ready for doughnut-chasing daredeviltry on iPhone^® and iPod touch^®. Join Homer on a hilarious chase through Springfield in drooling pursuit of frosted fried dough. Clueless and hungry, he has no idea that his desired doughnut is the key to a devious scheme hatched by sinister Springfield forces…

Key Features:

• Use touchscreen controls to punch, grab and flip, kick, butt slam, jump, pick up and throw objects, belly flop, and dodge enemies
• Authentic sound effects and famous character voices by the real, live actors from “The Simpsons” give the gameplay a true Springfield accent
• Earn and activate “Family Frenzy” power-ups to summon help from Marge, Maggie, Lisa and Bart, who can come to Homer’s rescue.
• Help Homer race through 25+ levels in 6 different environments including Krusty Land, Channel 6, and Downtown Springfield
• Listen to your own music as you play this daring and sugary arcade adventure.

THE SIMPSONS ARCADE: iPhone Gameplay

THE SIMPSONS ARCADE: iPhone Game Screenshots

Video by: touchArcade

SPORE origins was one of the early hits for EA Mobile on the App Store and now they are ready to bring SPORE Creatures to the iPhone/iPod touch, due soon.

SPORE Creatures picks up right where SPORE Origins left off.

Key Features

• CREATE your very own custom creatures.
• EXPLORE environments on a quest to save the galaxy
• COLLECT creatures, parts, and Bio-Powers
• EVOLVE your creature to overcome challenges
• CONNECT to share or show-off.

SPORE Creatures: iPhone Gameplay

Video by: touchArcade

SPORE Creatures iPhone Game Screenshots

UPDATE: Need for Speed Shift is now available on the App Store for $9.99 (iTunes Link)

We just received an update from EA Mobile regarding their highly anticipated racing game of the year, Need For Speed Shift. The game will be releasing on December 18 worldwide.

Need For Speed™ takes it back to the track with the most visceral and aggressive simulation racing game ever seen on iPhone® and iPod touch®.

FAST LOOK AT THE FEATURES:

• Drive 20 awesome cars, including the BMW M3 GT2, Lamborghini Gallardo & Pagani Zonda
• Access both live Bluetooth and local WiFi Multiplayer across 6 modes
• Race on 18 unique tracks in stunning international locations (Chicago, London& Tokyo)
• Shift into either local WiFi or live Bluetooth Multiplayer across half a dozen modes.
• Jump into Quick Race or dominate the circuit in Career Mode
• Select from 3 Difficulty Settings (Rookie, Pro, Veteran)
• Immerse yourself in physics-based accelerated 3D graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 integrations

New Screenshots

To quote We Are Scientists, it’s a HIT, IT’S A HIT!

The return of thee classic board games of all time sails onto the iPhone and into the 21st century with two fresh gameplay modes adding to the classic hit ‘n’ miss. Starting with Salvo mode which lets you target as many points on your opponents board as you have ships in the water and Superweapons mode which lets you choose three additional weapons to the standard single shot missile which really mixes up the game dynamic with mines, cluster bombs and other unlockable weapons earned through achievements or promotion. Rounding off the package Battleship for iPhone has an excellent multiplayer mode which supports WiFi, Bluetooth and pass ‘n’ play for those friends who just don’t have an iPod touch or the game to play against.

As you’d expect from such a game, everything has a Navel Military theme albeit a bit too cartoony for my liking but no major issue. By default the game has 3D cutscenes and not just pre rendered CGI films but dynamic cutscenes that reflect the position and condition of your fleet, while they look good they also sneakily ramp up the tension as you see armaments flying through the air and always curve slightly to the left. Thankfully these can be turned off as they do add a good amount of time between turns and I personally feel they don’t add much to the gameplay.

The screen you’ll be spending the most time is the peg board, green for yours and blue for your opponents complete with traditional looking ships, pegs and nice explosions on hits along with gunshots, the sound of the ocean, it couldn’t be more fitting along with the the odd bout of rousing military band music really piles on the the atmosphere.

The only sizable issue I have with this game other than being *way* too addictive is that the lineup sight on the standard missile isn’t as clear as it could be, with the x and y axis showing as feint translucent lines on the game grid which could easily be mistaken for being in different rows or columns and cause the player frustration.

A great port of the all time classic board game with new weapons and modes, bringing interesting and new dynamic gameplay while remaining true to it’s root.

Price: $2.99 as of 15/12/09
Version reviewed 1.0.5

The Good

• Classic addictive gameplay
• fresh new game modes

The Not So Good

• Annoying sights on standard missile
• Lots of loading screens

Reviewed by: @TylerDurdan

Dragon’s Lair [rating: 4/5]

It’s not very often that the music in a game will entice me in but on this occasion it did. After turning the game on for the first time I left my iPod touch on the table while I completed a few chores, before long however the exciting, orchestral, atmospheric music was dragging me back to see what all the excitement was about!

Dragon’s Lair was a ground breaking arcade game back in the 80’s and many hours of teenage boys life’s were lost in the exciting and beautiful world of Dragon’s Lair as they attempted over and over again to rescue the princess and now, yet again, another ‘classic’ has been ported to the iPhone/iPod touch for the old romantics to reminisce over and new players to fall in love with. It seems now that there are an equal numbers of re-makes hitting the App Store as there are new games, anyway, on with the review.

The best way to describe the game is as an interactive graphic novel where, you don’t have direct control over the main protagonist, a knight named Dirk the Daring, but instead influence his movements via the virtual on-screen control pad and action button. It really is that simple, however like a lot of games simple controls do not make for a simple game.

You can play the game in two modes, Home & Arcade. Home mode is the simpler of the two options and includes additional scenes that weren’t available in the original game back in the 80’s while Arcade mode is the original version which will predominately be chosen by those wishing to go back in time and return to their childhoods. The major difference between the two modes though is that in Home mode you will repeat each scene until you successfully complete it while in Arcade mode if you fail a scene you will move onto a new scene before coming back to the failed scene to complete later.

The game launches with Dirk the Daring making his way over the draw-bridge heading into the castle to find the princess ready to defeat anyone and anything that stands in his way. The action starts even before you get into the castle though as you are ambushed by a monster from the moat. Defeating this first monster is nothing that a correctly timed slash of your sword won’t sort out and to do that all you need to do is make sure that you hit the action button as soon as it lights up. Failure to do this we’ll see Dirk the Daring get grabbed by the monster and pulled down into the moat.

Failure or even Dirk’s death is no big deal in Dragon’s Lair though as after a quick cut-scene, where your skeletal body will return to its previous form, you’ll be thrown back into the action to try once again to defeat your foe. It’s this repetitive nature that can become a little annoying, matched equally by the frustration in the pressing of the buttons not being recognized and the subsequent failure of a scene.

The graphics and animation have been beautifully reproduced on the iPhone/iPod touch however you may find that many of the castle rooms, dungeons and caverns go by in a blur as you’ll be too busy concentrating on getting the order and timing of your button presses right to ensure that you don’t have to repeat the process all over again.

As mentioned earlier the atmosphere is enhanced by the music, sound effects and while the game can be a little frustrating you will more than likely find yourself coming back for more to get past a tricky level in your attempts to rescue the princess. Not that this will take very long though, the more proficient gamer will complete the game in under an hour and with no multi-player options or online scoring to add a more competitive edge to the game there will be limited reason to play the game again.

Dragon’s Lair looks great for retro gamers and it will provide an invaluable piece of history that they can carry around in their pocket. However the unresponsive controls can make the game very frustrating and at a cent under $5 I would expect the game to have more than an hours worth of game play.

The Good

• Looks great
• Sounds wonderful
• Great for retro gamers

The Not So Good

• Unresponsive controls
• Repetitive game play
• Too short

Reviewed By: @CraigWillis