Want to download Lady Gaga’s latest hit song “Marry The Night”? You can do so for free on Tap Tap Revenge. Leading up to New Year’s Eve, Tap Tap Revenge is giving away a song a day, including a few holiday favorites, Grammy nominations, and hit singles from the world’s biggest music acts, including Lady Gaga, whose new hit song “Marry The Night” is today’s free track.

No Tap Tap Christmas would be complete without a little Coldplay.  The band’s new hit song “Hurts Like Heaven” is the free track of the day on December 25th, and because we can all use a little post-Christmas cheer, Tap Tap Revenge is also giving away Bootsy Collins & Snoop Dogg’s “Happy Holidaze 2012” on December 26.

Other hit songs being given away for free in Tap Tap Revenge’s holiday promotion include, “Feel So Close” from Calvin Harris, “Body Work” from Morgan Page (ft. Tegan & Sara) and The Band Perry’s smash hit “If I Die Young.”  The free music doesn’t stop there, as Tap Tap Revenge will also be giving away songs from cool artists like:

• Alkaline Trio “American Scream”
• She Wants Revenge “Take The World”
• Coleman & Chris “Outta My Head”
• Ivy “Fascinated”
• Chancellor Warhol “Crystal Clear”
• The Outfield “California Sun”

Tap Tap Revenge was the App Store’s #4 game app of 2011 and is the most successful mobile music franchise of all time.  It is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, or on Android. Check it out over here on the iTunes App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tap-tap-revenge-4/id405373266?mt=8

It’s that time of the season where we look back on the year that has just gone by and…….. come up with a Best Of list. This year, Nine Over Ten 9/10 is doing something that hasn’t been done before in the history of this site. For the first time ever, we’ve got like enough stuff to fill up not one, but SEVERAL categories including iOS Games, Comics, Music and many more. Check it out:

Nine Over Ten 9/10′s Best of 2011

Best iOS Game: Tiny Tower

This game had me playing for weeks, even months. My girlfriend (now fiance) even went to the extent of cheating in the game to get a leg up on me. Micro-managing a simulated tower with all its residents and businesses can actually be fun..I wonder why real-life building supervisors are a grumpy bunch.

Notable Mentions: Anthill: Tactical Trail Defense, Mage Gauntlet

Best Comic Book Series: Uncanny X-Force

Personally I’m more of a DC fan, but if there’s a comic book which features an ensemble cast (which features Wolverine, Psylocke, Deadpool, Archangel, Fantomex and a Deathlok who can’t help but feel love now) mixed with incredible writing and art, these bunch of mutant wetwork specialists are your go-to-guys.

Notable Mentions: Detective Comics, Batman, Venom

Best Movie: X-Men: First Class

This was actually pretty darn good, with an interesting ensemble cast. It’s a movie meant to wash away the bad aftertaste from stuff like X-Men: The Last Stand and Wolverine and gives the franchise the opportunity to well…start over with flying colours.

Notable Mentions: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Music Release: Torches (Foster the People)

Torches is by far the best thing I’ve heard through my pair of Grados this year, and it’s an incredible aural experience. It’s easy to get addicted to any of the tracks in this CD and at the moment I can’t help but put Call It What You Want on repeat!

Notable Mentions: None

Best Book: Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson)

The guy died this year and because of that his autobiography was released earlier than its original release date. The book helps readers understand the person behind the innovations that came out of Apple. The guy wasn’t perfect, but the book is the perfect primer with regards to him.

Notable Mentions: None (I tend to buy books that are published the year before..they tend to be cheaper that way)

Hush…did you hear that? “Hear what?”, you ask. LOL. The Humble Indie Bundle 4 just gotten a little more interesting (as if it isn’t at the first place) with the inclusion of the soundtracks to ALL the games on offer in the bundle. Yup, you read that right, there’s a whole lot of MP3 files to download when you purchase HIB4, but it’s all in support of charity and those indie devs behind the games.

Honestly, I bought HIB4 just for Gratuitous Space Battles but hey, don’t let me stop you as the bundle is home to 6 other great games. Looks at it this way, how often do you see Super Meat Boy, Bit.Trip Runner and GSB sitting in the same bundle? Check out Humble Indie Bundle 4 and the soundtracks that come with it right over here: http://www.humblebundle.com/

Christmas has always been known as a time for giving and we would like to kickstart this year’s Nine Over Ten 9/10 Christmas 2011 Gift Guide with a question: why not gift a gift and do your bid for charity as well? The Humble Indie Bundle 4 is the perfect avenue for this. Not only can you purchase this bundle which consists of amazing indie games such as Gratuitous Space Battles, Super Meat Boy, Bit.Trip Runner and many more, as a gift, part of the purchase goes to American Red Cross and Child’s Play Charity. Check it out over here.

If you are feeling a little more generous, you can always head over to the nearest NGO or Charity out there and donate. Here are some organizations that are closer to home in my case:

• National Cancer Council of Malaysia: http://www.makna.org.my/
• National Council for the Blind: http://www.ncbm.org.my/
• National Kidney Foundation: http://www.nkf.org.my/

OK, with that charity bit out of the way here’s our annual gift guide for Christmas 2011, this time it has something for everyone, I think, ranging for the bookworms to tech heads (I’m actually adapting my Amazon wish list for this year’s Christmas guide):

Books

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (Hardcover)
2. Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape: The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil, the First Five-Times Winner of the Tour de France by Paul Howard (Paperback)

Electronic Devices and Gadgets

1. Apple iPad 2
2. Kindle Fire
3. Arduino UNO Board
4. Grado iGi In-Ear Headphones

Video Games

1. Nintendo 3DS
2. Batman Arkham City Collectors Edition
3. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collectors Edition

Movies

1. Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]
2. Harry Potter: The Complete 8 Film Collection [Blu-ray]

Music

1. Torches (Music CD) by Foster the People
2. Pickin’ Up The Pieces (Music CD) by Fitz & the Tantrums.

If you need more gift ideas, check out our super popular guide articles:

• Ultimate Guide to Getting the PlayStation Vita (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Nintendo 3DS Accessories (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Nintendo DSi LL/XL Accessories (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Sony PSP Go Accessories (click here)
• Nintendo DSi Accessories Guide (click here)

This is pretty cool. While most augmented-reality apps make use of real world visuals through a camera, WildChords, from Finnish devs Ovelin utilises the iPad’s microphone with the sound of a real-life guitar strummed by the player in order for players to learn how to play a guitar AND at the same time lull a whole bunch of wild virtual animals. Check out more details for this free app with the press release below:

TAMPERE, FINLAND – November 10, 2011 – Ovelin, innovators of creative music education, today announced that WildChords will be hitting the App Store for iPad devices around the world on November 17, 2011. Initially free to download, WildChords includes 26 fun and motivating exercises that will have beginners and intermediates alike addicted to learning chords and scales, while additional lessons may be purchased in packages. Awarded the Ludus Project’s “Best European Learning Game 2011,” WildChords will also be coming to the iPhone in the near future.

Combining the addictive characteristics of iOS gaming with the iPad’s integrated microphone, the educational game is played with a real guitar (acoustic or electric) at the pace and skill of each musician, instantly providing feedback on progression and skill. In WildChords, players step into the shoes of Giuseppe as they strum through lessons to hypnotize and collect escaped zoo animals, all in an effort to lure them out of Ovelin City.

Each set of lessons will have players venturing through Ovelin City in search of the animals and building their guitar skills, learning techniques through instructional lessons that teach proper chord and scale executions. WildChords also includes an integrated tuner to provide a one-stop solution for learning how to play the guitar, while Facebook and Twitter integration allows for sharing achievements and accomplishments with friends.

Main features:

• No Additional Equipment Needed – WildChords utilizes the iPad’s built-in microphone so all that’s needed is a guitar to rock on. It even has a tuner with auto and manual string selection modes.
• No Experience Needed – Increasingly difficult lessons are unlocked as your skills progress, so beginners can start fresh while intermediate guitarists can advance quickly to levels that suit their experience.
• Practice Motivation – The entertaining game removes frustration from the learning process and makes practicing fun, complete with instant performance feedback.
• Variety – Choose from 26 free lessons and songs, with additional content packages available for purchase.
• Track Your Progress – Progress reports and milestones based on your actual recorded playing allow you to assess your skills and track your improvement.
• Achievements – Earn rewards for overcoming specific challenges and share with your friends on Facebook.

For a peek at some of the lessons in WildChords, visit the official YouTube page at: www.youtube.com/ovelinbird

Most readers would know that I really like indie video games (even though I do sound harsh on some of the more uninspired games…what to do….tough love?) but what about other kinds of indie stuff? I’m not into indie films, most likely due to the lack of exposure (I don’t even know where to start), but it’s a different matter altogether when it comes to indie music.

Thanks to my colleague’s (who has an awesome blog over here) regular airing of indie tunes on the office’s airwaves, I got to listen to quite a number of indie acts, and a particular favourite of mine would be Fitz and The Tantrums’ Moneygrabber. Other favourites would be Ellie Goulding’s Lights and Paperdoll’s Don’t Let Me Dance on My Own. Check them out below:

Any other suggestions? Do drop them in the comment box

There’s no better way to start the week than with a really interesting app, and this time, it’s an Augmented Audio music instrument app that is really one of its kind on the iTunes App Store. While most AR apps overlay images (particularly 3D ones) over a real time video feed, this app called TableDrum allows users to sync the sound of any real physical object to trigger a real time response of high quality drum sounds.

“By altering sound through live interaction on an iOS device, TableDrum pushes the boundaries of table drumming. Users interact with objects in their surroundings, teaching the app their distinct drumming sounds, augmenting the input of up to four simultaneous sources into a complete drumming experience,” says Rasmus Larsson, Software Developer at Dohi Entertainment.

“We wanted to make everyday sounds come to life and give the user the same experience as if playing on a real drum set. This is just the beginning.”, says Emanuel Dohi, CEO and Creative Director at Dohi Entertainment.

Users are able to teach up to four individual drum pads a distinct sound and assign them associated high quality drum sample sounds. A classic rock kit is included and four more high quality kits are available through In-App Purchase, including Electro & Glitch and Ethno & Jazz kits. In total there are 40 unique drum samples available.

Check out the video above… it’s pretty cool right? Users can build a virtual drumset out of practically anything and just goes to show that there’s more to augmented reality then to just mash-up 3D pictures. Dohi Sweden’s TableDrum is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 3.99, check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tabledrum/id441759017?mt=8

It’s about time that the Tap Tap franchise moved in to this, Tapulous and Fox Digital Entertainment has announced today the release of Tap Tap Glee for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Tap Tap Glee combines the finger tapping action of the Tap Tap Revenge franchise with the beloved music from Fox’s genre-defining, award-winning television series Glee.

Just to give you some idea on how these two heavyweights are in their own domains, Tap Tap is one of the most successful games in the history of the iTunes App Store and has been the #1 app in 37 countries. “Glee” on the other hand is the powerhouse across multiple platforms and holds the record for the most single entries (156) on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ever, beating both Elvis Presley and the Beatles.

Music available for the app includes the “Glee” cast’s rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”, the show’s biggest hit with more than one million downloads to date via iTunes, and “My Cup,” from the season two finale.  An additional 50 tracks from the vast library of “Glee” songs are available through In-App Purchase.  Tracks range from pop to classic rock to show tunes, and new promo tracks will be released daily.  eBay Mobile is the presenting launch sponsor of Tap Tap Glee, and will be promoting the eBay app for iPhone and iPod touch.

Tap Tap Glee includes a host of special features created just for GleeKs. For example, fans can connect to a “GleeKs vs. Jocks” Facebook wall, and for the first time in a Tap Tap game, click on a friend’s profile and “slushy” them by posting to their Facebook wall.  The app will also include exclusive video from Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, which opens in theaters on August 12.

“There has never been an artist-branded Tap Tap game with the breadth of music, features and social media integration that Tap Tap Glee has, and that really speaks to the unique premise of the show and its music,” said Tim O’Brien, VP of Business Development and Marketing for Disney Mobile.  “This game brings together two of the most popular franchises in music to create a must-have gaming experience for all GleeKs.”

“Tap Tap Glee is the most recent example of our efforts to deliver amazing experiences to fans of our content on emerging platforms,” said Matt McMahon, VP of Mobile for Fox Digital Entertainment. “The combination of these two incredibly popular brands has produced a fantastic game and another way for ‘Glee’ fans to interact with their favorite music while they’re on the go.”

The launch of Tap Tap Glee on the App Store coincides with the theatrical release of Glee: The 3D Concert Movie in theaters in August 12th, with additional content updates expected around the launch of the third season of “Glee” on Fox.

The Tap Tap Glee App is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Like the game MultiPong? Well I know I do (check out the review here). The enterprising guys over at Fingerlab have just released the original soundtrack for the game on the iTunes Music Store. Specially edited and rearranged by its creator King Q4, “MultiPong OST” contains the four best tracks of the game.

To celebrate this, MultiPong is going for free on the iTunes App Store for the next few days, starting from now! Click here to purchase the soundtrack, and click here for MultiPong.

It’s like a British invasion over here on my iTunes library. I bought a bunch of tracks from iTunes by Adele and Ellie Goulding, pretty good stuff. One thing to note though, the iTunes version of Lights (Ellie Goulding) differs from that of music video version that was just released recently.

I guess that the music video version is Americanized. LOL. But anyways, check out the videos below (noticed that YouTube has some new embed codes, so if you are viewing this with an iDevice, you should be seeing the HTML 5 version of the videos). Enjoy!

P/S: It’s a Sunday, so non-gaming related posts abound. Regular game reviews will resume Monday.