Remember the Thai movie Ong Bak? It was memorable for its over-the-top action scenes and the movie’s star Tony Jaa was hailed as the next big thing in the martial arts film industry. The guy is now back, this time lending his likeness in a brand new action game developed by STUDIO HIVE that will be released this year on the PC, iOS, Android, PSN and XBLA.

Titled Ong Bak Tri, it’s being released to celebrate the fourth movie of the Ong Bak franchise which will be released in 2013 as well. The developers have worked closely with movie director Thossaporn Poonnart as well as the creator and main choreographer of Ong Bak, Panna Rittikrai. Made using the Unity Engine and utilizing a 2.5D perspective, check out the screenshots below to see how beautiful looking this game is:

Stay tuned to Nineoverten.com for news as and when the game is released.

Vivid Games’ Ski Jumping Pro had plenty going for it. Like its Real Boxing stablemate, the game boast really awesome graphics and attention to detail, right down to the Telemark landing style that the player’s skiing avatar employs. However, thanks to a news item on an aerial freestyle skiing event that I was watching the other day, I came to realise that the game is essentially a one tricky pony.

For starters, the gameplay experience consists of jumping off the ski-ramp and try and nail a huge distance. Unlike real-life where skiers can end up doing cartwheels in the snow, wiping out is incredibly difficult to do in Ski Jumping Pro. The most frequent mistake that you can make is to come up short of the distance marker, which can be due to just two factors: poor timing in tapping the screen or the inability to adjust to wind direction. Both of these are actually really easy to overcome even in Pro gameplay mode.

As such, it gets pretty boring real fast. The ability to customise your skier, in terms of abilities, outfits and equipment are superfluous once you realise what the game can and cannot do. The environments are modelled after real-life locations but most players would agree with me that one has no time to look around while jumping off a ramp. Ski Jumping Pro comes with two game modes, a Quick Jump mode and a Career mode and these just highlight the dearth of ideas in this game.

After the really exciting stuff dished out by Real Boxing, Ski Jumping Pro had plenty to live up to but falls short of expectations. Nineoverten.com rates Ski Jumping Pro at a 3 out of 5. Ski Jumping Pro is available on the iTunes App Store at a price of USD 0.99, you might want to check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ski-jumping-pro/id585599497?mt=8

A review code was provided to Nineoverten.com for the purpose of this review.

I just found a new obsession, working up the Game Center leaderboard of a brand new shmup called Jet Space for both the iPhone and iPad. The game takes place in space where players pilot a spaceship through an endless series of caverns. You’ll need nerves of steel to pilot your craft, as the amount of free space can be tight with plenty of enemy craft, ranging from rockets to UFOs, out in force.

Confounding matters is the limited amount of fuel that your craft can carry. Fortunately there are fuel cans to replenish your space craft and blowing stuff up nets you crystals that you can then use at certain checkpoints to buy different weapons, shield and yes, extra fuel. Fulfilling the myriad missions available in the game, such as destroying x number of enemy bases or rockets will net players with additional crystals as well.

I think what the developers at Netox have succesfully done with Jet Space is to create an addictive blend of difficulty, competition and gameplay, topped up by vibrant 2D graphics and I must say a really catchy house-techno soundtrack. In other words, Jet Space is perfect. Each new run through the game is randomly generated so it ensures that the experience will never be dull.

Nineoverten.com rates Jet Space at a 4.5 out of 5. The game is available on the iTunes App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jet-space/id585552737?mt=8

Plenty of interesting games released for iOS devices this week and as usual, Nineoverten.com highlights the cream of the indie crop. Check out the following list of games, one of which is available for free on the iTunes App Store, and with a disturbing theme concerning animals:

Lost Tales of Egypt HD

This hidden item game is set in the mysterious desert sands surrounding ancient tombs of the once-powerful Egyptian Pharoahs. Players are tasked with looking for objects in beautiful and richly detailed levels. The game features over a thousand hidden objects, two game modes and bonus sliding tile puzzle segments. Lost Tales of Egypt HD by SelectSoft is available on the iTunes App Store for the iPad at a price of USD 2.99: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lost-tales-of-egypt-hd/id596992480?ls=1&mt=8

Crazy Highway

This brand new, not to mention free, iOS title from KeitGames takes the gameplay from Frogger and turns it on its head. Basically instead of controlling all manner of wildlife trying to cross a busy highway, you are sending the vehicles out to make them into roadkill. To aid you in this endeavour, you have nitrous oxide, tranq shots, and even a monster truck power up. It’s one crazy premise and it is worth checking out: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alone/id537026501?mt=8

Hackycat

How do you save cute kitty cats from exploding? According to Kenneth Wong’s latest iOS title, you’ll need to kick, knee or headbutt them up into the air like a soccer ball and they must never touch the ground. There are over two dozen Hackycats to unlock using the cheezburgers you collect while playing the game. Think you can hack it? Hackycat is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 0.99, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/id570127207?mt=8

Catch the Kid

Splash Fox Games’ latest iOS title will have players playing the role of parents waiting for their kids after school. Your job would be to “catch” the kids coming out of the school in an endless stream and match them with their respective parents. The game promises great, frantic fun and features hand-drawn graphics and Game Center integration. Catch the Kid is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 0.99: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id587094611

Redneck Revenge: A Zombie Roadtrip

Good old reliable BulkyPix has just released this game, which features a redneck named Red, walking around shooting zombies. There are plenty of environments featured in this game, including Red’s Bar, Route 66, the Junkyard and the Graveyard, with a lot of weapons and Easter Eggs to match. Redneck Revenge is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 0.99, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/redneck-revenge-zombie-roadtrip/id594428590

Maybe I should start a new classification for iOS games on my blog, games that you can play with one hand while patting a baby to sleep. It’s actually more difficult then it sounds given that some games, even with one hand, would require 110% of your concentration, which leaves none for the poor baby. So, I guess the folks at Playtend would be delighted to know that their latest iOS title, Train Empire would do nicely in a busy parent’s schedule.

The gameplay in Train Empire is primarily inspired by tabletop railway sets with a little bit of seasoning from bigger virtual siblings such as Transport Tycoon. Players choose from four different time periods, which in when put together, span from 1850 to 2050. Each era features its own set of levels along with unlockable coaches, engines and freight segments for players to assemble their trains.

How a train is assembled will ultimately allow players to pick up more freight and passengers in each level, there are quotas to be met and players are rated, Angry Birds style, on how much they exceed the quota. Earlier on I mentioned that this can be played while watching over a baby sleep, this is because all you need is a simple tap on certain parts of the screen to stop the train or to to change tracks. The challenge here is that as the eras push forward towards modernity, the trains get faster and may require a faster reaction time from players.

Train Empire features beautiful 2D graphics which complements the gameplay really well. Adding to the competitive element would be Game Center integration. Players who are out for a more challenging time may find the game to be a little bit of a pushover, but for me, a new dad with a baby to care for, it clocks in as being just right for my busy schedule, I’m confident that kids would find the game entertaining as well. What’s more, it’s like having a table top railset but in my iPad, what’s not to like about that . Nineoverten.com rates Train Empire at a 4.5 out of 5.

Train Empire by Playtend is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 1.99, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/train-empire/id569641118. A review code was provided to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.

The folks at Uruguayan indie game development outfit Ballpit Monster Studios have just come up with their maiden title, Frog Orbs. This impressive effort is, in the developers’ own words, a “ribbiting” re-imagining of the old school arcade shooter, but this time for mobile devices.

Players utilize the powers of elemental orbs to destroy waves of invading Benglings; these nasty things are out to destroy your tasty supply of flies. With various enemy types, plenty of levels and an upgradable arsenal of spells, Frog Orbs is set to provide some really cool casual gaming fun.

The game is available for free on the iTunes App Store, check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/frog-orbs/id566577285?ls=1&mt=8

HeroCraft releases two brand new missions for Majesty: The Northern Expansion, licensed by the original IP owner Paradox Interactive, for iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®. Along with the update comes a price cut for the game, which is now selling on the iTunes App Store at a 70% discount. Check out the rest of the press release for details:

You have probably already slain all the trolls, put down the revolt of the paladins and conquered the hostile Northern Lands. You think you have enough tactical knowledge to command your army of heroes, wizards, freaks and misfits… but war is not the only trouble in the Kingdom! Your Majesty, this time you will have to find a solution how to overcome the Tax Crisis as well as Overpopulation. What will you do if a local dragon refuses to pay his taxes for the last 100 years or an immigrant from an unknown kingdom kills your monsters?

Don’t wait until your subjects rise up in rebellion. Put on your crown and go and reign! Moreover, starting today iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch® users can buy Majesty: The Northern Expansion for only $0.99 USD. Check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/majesty-northern-expansion/id577053259

“What an apt title for a game..”, I was thinking to myself when I was reviewing Wingbreaker, an arcade shmup like no other on the iPad. At first glance it has a lot in common with most games in the same genre, there’s a plethora of weaponry to choose from and a bunch of alien UFO-enemy types to blast them with.

Here’s the part where the game differentiates itself from the competition, in the area of handling damage. The ship that you control in-game comes with a rechargeable shield but when that shield fails, the first two things that gets destroyed are your wings. You may think this as trivial but losing either wing would result in one less weapon slot for all those nice power-ups you collect along the way. Lose both and you’ll have a really hard time destroying certain enemy ships.

Wingbreaker’s control scheme is bog-standard iPad-tilting fare but I don’t think you can go any better than this. The 3D graphics on the other hand are pretty nifty. There are 22 missions available in game (along with an arcade mode), and players are graded with a star-based system on how well they fulfill mission objectives. Having said that you’ll need to fulfill at least one mission objective (in effect gain one star) in one level before proceeding to the next.

The developers added a nice touch to the game with a UFOPEDIA, with entries explaining the various weapons and UFO ships found in the game. It wasn’t necessary but not many devs go about doing that in the first place. Nineoverten.com rates Wingbreaker at a 4.5 out of 5. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Created by the folks at RiggermanGames, the game can be found on the iTunes App Store for free for a limited time. Check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/wingbreaker/id555119638?ls=1&mt=8

We’ve got a couple of interesting games out on the App Store today for iOS devices, and both have something in common, they are based on existing IPs! First up is an Angry Birds clone by Californian indie developer Slimstown Studios called Dragonbites: Smokin’ Bunnies. Priced at only $0.99, this catapult-subgenre game turns the category on its head by introducing enemies that fire back, proudly juvenile humor, and the ability for players to use any type of bunny-based projectile in any order they choose.

“Dragonbites: Smokin’ Bunnies” is developed by RES Interactive, creators of the Dragonbites license, and published by Slimstown Studios. Check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id572421059?mt=8

Next up, fans of classic board game Stratego can now revel in their battlefield cunningness as Keesing Games brings the game into the digital era with today’s launch of Stratego as a free-to-play online game and paid mobile app for iPad. Developed and published by Keesing Games, a Dutch developer renowned for the Zigiz.com game portal, the officially licensed version of the international board game from Royal Jumbo is available to play now on Facebook, iPad, at Stratego.com and partner sites.

Stratego is available for $6.99 from the App Store on iPad or for free on Facebook or at http://www.stratego.com/.

Indie developers Jeffrey Chee and his wife have been working on a brand new iOS title which is best described as Theme Park meets Hotel Management. In Hotel Story which is slated to be released on Valentines Day 2013 for the iPad and iPhone, players set up their dream resorts with various facilities, decorations and tours with the hopes of bringing in all kinds of tourists.

So instead of roller coasters, water rides and concession stores, prepare to create hotel rooms, saunas, gyms, libraries, vending machines etc and stock them up with consumables. Taking cue from games such as Animal Crossing, you get to visit other players’ resorts as well. I actually wonder why anyone hasn’t come up with such a game until now and if you are a fan of games such as Theme Park and Theme Hospital, Hotel Story should fit right in.

Stay tuned to Nineoverten.com for more updates on Hotel Story, in the mean time, don’t forget to check out the preview trailer above.