As a kid, I really liked playing hidden object games, the “technical term” for a game involving looking for a list of items within a picture. There was a particular children magazine that held a contest featuring such a game and silly young me bought multiple copies of the magazine (so that I can have multiple entry forms) to create a bigger chance of winning the top prize, which was a LEGO set.

Anyways, in the age of video games, hidden object games are a dim a dozen these days, and while I’m pretty sure that there are plenty on the iPhone, this is the first time I’m reviewing one, having gotten it as a review request in the mail. Operation Camouflage is the latest offering from Disney, and it’s a hidden object game based on the hit movie, Toy Story 3!

Playing as Sarge and his group of toy soldiers, players have to look for a list of items in places such as Andy’s room, Bonnie’s room and Sunnyside Daycare. While the game keeps things interesting by making items a little abstract (and thus harder to find) with a hard mode to boot (read: timer), there are some gripes that I can’t seem to shake off. For starters, the game is definitely suited more for the iPad rather than the iPhone, thankfully the game is a universal app for both devices.

The beautiful high-res graphics prove to be a double-edged sword. While the game looks pretty, items tend to be really small and the zoom function is slow and it stutters. There’s no penalty for just simply tapping around the screen randomly without finding anything. But I guess this was a deliberate decision considering the target audience is after all, children.

On that point, Toy Story 3: Operation Camouflage is one of those games to keep the kids occupied when Mummy or Daddy need some peace and quiet to work over their income tax submission. Check out the game over at the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toy-story-3-operation-camouflage/id386171639?mt=8.

If you are looking to buy those Toy Story toy soldiers, check out the Toy Story Collection Bucket o’ Soldiers containing 72 toy soldiers and a certificate of authentication. Check it out over here: http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-47yl-71-7g-49-en-84-j-70-3y5w.html

The guys and girls over at Nexx Studio must be a really happy bunch as they announced that their game, Glow Puzzle for the iPhone, has been downloaded over 1 million times  in just 10 days and the count stands at over 1.6 million downloads as of now. In addition to this, Glow Puzzle’s first major patch (v 1.1.0) has been approved and released today. This new patch features over 60 new and more levels in Level Pack 2.

Users who have not purchased the Level Pack 2 (it’s an in-app purchase) will still get to enjoy new maps in the form of additional 5 free levels. A double validation process has also been instituted in this update in order to help users on older iOS (3.0) who were having trouble downloading additional Level Packs. Glow Puzzle also now features high-res icons for both the iPhone 4 (taking advantage of Retina Display) and the iPad versions of the game.

Glow Puzzle is available for free on the App Store, check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glow-puzzle/id370410649?mt=8

Zattikka, the mobile phone and browser gaming giant has recently announced the released of Prism: Light the Way for both the iPhone and the iPad. The company has been on a roll in recent times, with this announcement coming on the heels of the USD 5.5 million in funding raised by Zattikka parent company for research, recruitment, developing and marketing its portfolio of browser-based and mobile phone-based games.

Check out the following press release for further details on this new game:

Zattikka announces Prism: Light the Way for the iPhone and iPad. Addictive Light-Based Puzzler Launches Today

London, 23rd August, 2010 – Zattikka, a major new player in social and casual gaming across online and mobile platforms today announced the launch of Prism: Light the Way, a compulsive and unique puzzle title now available for iPhone and iPad.

In Prism: Light the Way creatures known as Glowbos are dying from darkness and only the healing light of smiling, friendly Bulboids can save them. Taking place across 120 varied and challenging puzzle boards, your mission is to transport the Bulboid’s energy beams to the Glowbos via touch gestures and a generous allotment of devices to help you. As well as the core Puzzle mode, Infinite mode gives you an infinite number of random puzzles to play at your leisure, and Time mode adds pressure with a ticking clock and online high scores. Hyper mode further deepens the gameplay with an action orientated gameplay twist.

“Prism is such a fun game to play, whether you prefer the more relaxed puzzle mode or the high pressure challenge of Time mode” said Head of Product Development Matt Spall. “This is also our first game for the iPad and it looks fantastic on the higher resolution screen”. Prism is available now via the iTunes App store, price based on territory:

• U.K. £1.19 (iPhone) £2.99 (iPad)
• E.U. €1.59 (iPhone) €3.99 (iPad)
• U.S.A. $1.99 (iPhone) $4.99 (iPad)

While I was in Saigon for a holiday last weekend, indie developer Villain has released their highly acclaimed iPhone based MMOFPS, Archetype, for the Apple iPad in the form of Archetype HD.  The best part is, you can take part in cross platform matches between iPhone, iPod touch and iPad players! Check out the press release below for more information:

Archetype HD Brings Stunning ‘iPwnage’ to the iPad with Exclusively Optimized Version of Popular Multiplayer First Person Action Shooter

Highly-rated Online FPS from Villain Delivers High-res Large-screen Mobile Mayhem for Just $4.99; Launch Celebrated with Special ‘Ten Days of iPad’ Giveaway

San Francisco, CA – August 19, 2010 – Villain™, an independent publisher of fiendishly entertaining portable game titles, announced today the launch of Archetype HD, an all-new fully optimized iPad version of its top-selling and critically acclaimed online first-person shooter game for the iPhone and iPod touch.  Now available in the App Store worldwide, Archetype HD stays true to the Archetype lineage of console-style online FPS experience but delivers an even higher-resolution display that has been optimized for the larger screen iPad platform. Archetype HD features multiplayer team deathmatches through an expansive set of levels and game types for Apple iPad for US$4.99.

“Archetype HD brings a whole new scale of iPwnage with intense FPS gameplay that is jaw-droppingly good on iPad,” said Dane Baker, Lead Producer at Villain. “Everything that has made our game such a hit with fans, including the recent additions of the Avarice level and the Rocket Arena, is featured in Archetype HD. In addition, the in-game HUD was redesigned to take advantage of the iPad screen size so, fans of the device can dive into our special brand of multiplayer mayhem.”

Players enter team deathmatch battles starting as lowly cadets and advancing to higher ranks as they earn experience points and medals, including each match’s coveted “MVP” medal. Up to ten players can compete at one time with up to five players per team battling across six different levels using six unique weapon types and two kinds of grenades. Players wreak havoc using the game’s precise dual joystick-style controls in a new big screen HUD configuration designed for the iPad, bringing the best aspects of FPS gaming to the revolutionary Apple device.

Archetype HD players can join cross-platform online matches with the robust community that has quickly grown to more than 280,000 Archetype fans on iPhone and iPod touch while enjoying a full set of FPS features including player rank-based team matchmaking, melee combat, buddy lists, and radar-based player tracking. Archetype HD offers a console-style experience over Wi-Fi or 3G that gamers can enjoy on the go—or on the couch at home. Players can share their exploits via Facebook™ and go online to track and compare their stats to other players while competing to reach top-10 leaderboards.

Archetype HD is published by Villain and developed by San Francisco-based MunkyFun, Inc. The game is available on the App Store, visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/archetype-hd/id380751457?mt=8 for $4.99. To follow Archetype on Facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/archetype and on Twitter, visit http://twitter.com/archetype.

To celebrate the launch of Archetype HD on iPad, Villain will be giving away one iPad a day for the first ten days of launch. For more information and to learn how to enter, visit madebyvillain.com/archetype.

Pocket Legends, the MMORPG available for the iPhone/iPad has just had a major update which aims at bringing the game up to speed with it’s console/PC counterparts by providing features such as story-driven quests, deep character development, open-ended zones and much more. This fundamentally changes how Pocket Legends is going to be played and most like it’ll even more WoW-like. Here’s the trailer:

Check out the new feature set that client update 1.3 brings to the fore:

• World Map and additional Townes: This next update for Pocket Legends opens up the world map and lays the foundation for massive expansion!
• Lore, story and more: For the first time in Pocket Legends, players are immersed in the rich story of this unique realm of animal heroes,
• Quests: A new mode of play has come to Pocket Legends! Story-driven QUESTS provide new narrative lines to follow as players advance their character.
• Open-ended zones: Players experience Pocket Legends in a whole new way: large, continuous quest zones, reminiscent of traditional PC games… but playable with anyone, anytime, anywhere!
• New player tutorial quest zones: Private story-driven instances await new Pocket Legends characters: here players learn about questing, vendors and more.
• Optimizations and customizations: The game runs much better on lower-end devices and opens up the possibility of more character customization.

This kind of slipped under my radar but it’s never too late to put up a good bit of news. Oceanhouse Media has been having great success with its Dr Seuss releases on the iPhone and iPad and now they have launched their latest Dr. Seuss e-book apps, “Yertle the Turtle” and “The Big Brag”. Check out the following press release for further details:

Dr. Seuss’s “Yertle The Turtle” E-Book For iPhone and iPad Released From Oceanhouse Media

Oceanhouse Media, Inc. announced the release of two new Dr. Seuss eBooks for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Both eBook apps were immediately featured by Apple as New & Noteworthy on the App Store. The children’s classic Yertle the Turtle (http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/yertletheturtle/) is now available in the App Store for $3.99. In addition, Oceanhouse Media released the Dr. Seuss short-story The Big Brag (http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/thebigbrag/), available for only $1.99.

All Dr. Seuss eBooks are designed as universal apps that can be used on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for no additional charge. These apps also include special high-resolution graphics for the iPhone 4 Retina display. Yertle the Turtle, first published by endeared author Dr. Seuss in 1958, has been adapted for the first time to an interactive book format for the iPad and iPhone. This eBook combines the beautiful artwork from the original book with innovative features that promote reading in young children, including highlighted picture / word associations, professional narration and custom background audio.

High-resolution artwork for the iPad and iPhone 4 is included, in addition to standard artwork for the iPhone and iPod Touch. As the story unfolds, Yertle the Turtle, king of the pond, is unsatisfied with the stone that serves as his throne. He commands the other turtles to stack themselves beneath him so that he can see further and expand his kingdom. The stacked turtles are in pain, and Mack, the turtle at the bottom of the pile, asks for a rest. As the stack of turtles gets higher and higher, poor Mack is in distress. Mack asks Yertle for respite, but Yertle just tells him to be quiet. Fed up with Yertle’s abuse, Mack decides he has had enough and does something to upset the balance of power, setting all of the turtles free.

“These interactive apps allow a child to become an active participant as they read a book,” said Michel Kripalani, President of Oceanhouse Media. “We our passionate about engaging children in the learning experience through the use of technology.”In Dr. Seuss’s short story, The Big Brag, both a rabbit and a bear boast they are the “best of beasts.” The rabbit can hear far away, but the bear boasts he can smell even farther. Ultimately, both animals are humbled by a mere worm who looks ‘round the world – right back to his own hill – where he sees “the two biggest fools that have ever been seen!”

“Bringing the words of Dr. Seuss to life with these engaging eBooks is a treat for both children and adults,” said Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. “We are pleased that Ted Geisel’s (Dr. Seuss’s) works are some of the most popular eBooks on the App Store.”

Oceanhouse Media, creators of the award-winning Dr. Seuss apps, have seen five of their Dr. Seuss eBooks reach the #1 rank for paid books in the App Store. Most recently, Green Eggs and Ham (http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/greeneggsandham/) took the #1 spot in the App Store for both the iPhone & iPad Books category.

For more information on these products and direct links to the App store, please visit www.oceanhousemedia.com/drseuss (http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/drseuss).

I enjoy running and I was pretty excited over the release of Adidas’ miCoach running app for the iPhone. The app basically keeps track of your workout, using the iPhone’s GPS to measure distance (and record the route taken), along with the other metrics such as calories burnt, pace and elapsed time. It even measures effort and has real-time voice coaching. You would think an app with such a feature set would at least be selling for a fee, but no, miCoach is available for free!

The best part is the app syncs with your online miCoach account (http://www.adidas.com/my/micoach/), by doing so your workouts are uploaded to Adidas’ servers and you get to access them on a really slick web interface. The web application makes it even easier to view details on your previous workouts, and more importantly, it has a goal-based planning system to help you create a training plan. There are tools to update your schedule and also to manage your running routes!

The schedules planned online can be then synced to the miCoach app on the iPhone, and you have a choice of going for the planned training plan (using goals such as training for a race, etc) or custom workouts set on the calendar.

This app is probably going to be indispensable for me whenever I go out for my training runs and the feature set (plus the free price-tag) makes it a highly recommended app. You don’t even need the range of Adidas’ miCoach equipment to be used in conjunction with the app, although having the heartbeat monitor will allow for your heart rate to be recorded during the workout.

One caveat though, the app only runs on the iPhone 3G, 3Gs, iPhone 4 and the iPad (WiFi + 3G models), and if you are using an iPod Touch, you are out of luck. miCoach is available for free on the App Store, check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/micoach/id383809424?mt=8. Try out the app, sign up for a miCoach account (or vice versa) and you’ll be probably on your way to running with more endurance/better times.

Remember Worms on the PC? I’ve played the original Worms and its various iterations; there’s something about blowing up an entire team of opposing worms with crazy weapons (try a banana bomb or a sheep bomb) that kept me coming back for more. For the record, Worms Armageddon was the best. The year is now 2010 and the guy behind the Worms franchise, Team 17, are about to launch Worms Reloaded on the PC (available on Steam for pre-order, launching on the 26th of August).

As a treat (especially for those in desperate need of practice), Team17 has introduced a very special price reduction – for a limited time only – for Worms in the App Store. This covers the  iPhone, iPod Touch and the recently released iPad edition. The mobile game, which is a classic action-strategy title, provides almost limitless mayhem with stacks of entertainment for single-players and multi-players.  Worms was the 3rd best selling game app in the UK 2009 (7th App overall) and was No.1 in a host of territories. It is the first time the game has been discounted since its launch in July 2009.

The new RRP for the price reduction follows, based on territory:

• UK – £2.99 reduced to £1.79
• US – $4.99 reduced to $2.99
• Europe – €3.99 reduced to €2.39

For more information on Worms titles, check out www.team17.com or www.facebook.com/worms team17

Back in 2008, Conniption Entertainment gave us Zombie Invasion on the iPhone, and it turns out it is a merely a taste of things to come. This time around, the zombies have invaded the iPad in Zombie Invasion 2 HD and it brings the popular shmup to greater heights (and increased level of zombie destruction) with more ammo/guns and zombie to shoot at. Not to be left out, Zombie Invasion 2 will be made available for the iPhone later this year. Check out the press release below for details on Zombie Invasion 2 HD for the iPad:

SAN DIEGO, CALIF., July 27, 2010 – Conniption Entertainment announces a sequel to it’s hit game Zombie Invasion,  Zombie Invasion 2 HD for the iPad, to be released on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. “Back in 2008 we brought the App Store it’s first zombie game, Zombie Invasion, which was a huge success for us. Now we’re very excited to announce Zombie Invasion 2 HD for the iPad! More guns, more zombies, more levels, way better graphics, and an awesome soundtrack. We really think iPad owners are going to love it!” said Michael Seltmann, COO of Conniption Entertainment.

The zombies are back! And they brought friends, lots of them! Like the prequel, this game is all about survival and high scores. It’s a global competition for daily, weekly, and all time high scores. Earn a spot on the leaderboard by strategically managing your money and ammo. Accuracy will earn you valuable point multipliers. Watch the gameplay video below:

What’s New in Zombie Invasion 2 HD?

• More zombie types!
• New weapons: pistol, magnum, shotgun,  machine gun, flame thrower, RPG, chainsaw, and a laser canon.
• Four new battlegrounds: USA, China, Mexico, and Africa.
• New controls: Touch the direction you want to attack instead of tapping the zombie.
• New custom scored music for each new battleground.

More guns, more zombies, and more levels! Zombie Invasion 2 HD has everything our players have requested. Zombie Invasion 2 will be available later this year for the iPhone 4 with support for the Retina Display.

This is pretty mindless bloodletting we have here in Angry Viking for the iPhone. If 3D hack n’ slash games were popular back in the day, I’m pretty sure that those nut jobs from Columbine would have come up with something like Angry Viking instead of cheap-ass Doom levels.

While the violence in Angry Viking is practically under the category of “ludicrous gibs“, it’s the Madworld-like graphics (and well-animated one at that) that catches the eye. I really like the art direction in this game and makes playing an “angry viking” chopping his way through hordes of villagers and guards (and cows) a rather…mindless yet satisfying experience.

My only gripe with the game is that you are bound to get hit first whenever you encounter an enemy head on. Come on, flanking is for sissies and if I keep getting hit head on, I’ve to keep looking to chop up cows to get my character’s health back. On the plus side, the more enemies you mow down, you get to access special moves such as the crazy tornado move that works best in a crowd.

Angry Viking may be a little derivative (God of War comes to mind, and so does going on a rampage in GTA), but the graphics and sheer bloodletting on the iPhone makes the game a rather interesting addition to anyone’s gaming library on Apple’s mobile device. Check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-viking/id376982560?mt=8