The folks at indie development studio Sundae Factory have just launched their Steam Greenlight page for their up and coming platformer/puzzle game Ecotone (PC & Mac). Ecotone is a little platform game with an evolving gameplay allowing brainwork and/or skill phases. The game’s primary focus is to invite the gamer in a strange world, and it features a dreamlike and mysterious atmosphere.

This being a Steam Greenlight project, the game must receive votes from the gaming community before the game is made available on Steam. To get more details on Sundae Factory (basically to make an informed decision), you can head over to their brand new website: www.ecotonegame.com. There is a demo of the game available on that site as well.

Once you are done, be sure to check out their Steam Greenlight page over here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=139353742

Performance Design Products (PDP) have come up with a line of Apple accessories that simply scream “Only Comic Book Fans Apply!”. Their exclusive line of Iconic Marvel Comic Covers cases for the iPhone 5 are now available exclusively via Apple Stores worldwide. Among the vintage comic book covers that represent major milestones not only in Marvel’s but also comics history in general include Amazing Fantasy #15 (published August 10th, 1962), Avengers #1 (published September 10th, 1963), The Incredible Hulk #1 (published: May 10th 1962) and Giant Sized X-Men #1 (published January 1st 1975).

These snap-on, hard plastic cases provide full access to all ports and buttons on the iPhone 5 and each comes with a satin finish which maximises carrying comfort. Each of these cases are going for USD 34.95, check them out over here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB674VC/A/marvel-amazing-fantasy-15-clip-case-for-iphone-5?fnode=47&p=5#mfr-info

The fallout from Robin’s death continues in this week’s batch of Bat-comics, with Batman & Robin #19, showing just how nuts Bats can be. In this issue, Batman takes to Castle Frankenstein, along with some really creepy experiments of his own (dissection and brain matter anyone?), in his bull-headed attempt at resurrecting Damian Wayne. The cover of this issue features Carrie Kelley….yup…the Robin from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, but this doesn’t mean she is a shoe-in for the role in the New 52. Let us see how things unfold, but in the meantime, this issue gets a 4 out of 5.

Barbara Gordon is down to two batarangs after the events in Death of a Family, but that doesn’t stop her from taking out her brother in Batgirl #19. This issue is pretty groundbreaking, not only with Barbara severing ties with her brother (and her father), but also in introducing a transgender character in the form of Barbara’s roommate. This issue is not short of action, with a big mallet, a pistol and plenty of punching and kicking filling in the void created by just 2 batarangs. 4.5 out of 5.

Injustice #13 explores Flash’s reaction, or should I say non-action to Superman and Wonder Woman’s method of dealing with unrest down under. The poor chap resorts to the one thing we mortals usually do whenever we are overcome by stress: going for a run. The Injustice mini-chapters are doing a pretty good job fleshing out the story for a mere videogame, and I wonder if the New 52 can adopt an edgier storyline like this for its mainstream characters. 4.5 out of 5.

In-conjunction with the release of the Android version of I Am Vegend, developer i-Free Innovations has slashed the price of the iPhone version down to zero for a limited time. I Am Vegend: Zombiegeddon is a mind-blowing parody of modern mobile gaming icons with original gameplay mashing the tower defense genre with the arcades of the 90’s.

Check out the iPhone version over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id583111024. Android users can get their version of the game over here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iamvegend.gp

I love beach holidays, and having lived in seaside towns all my life, the beach is never far from my place of residence. This is probably why I really like the backdrop of Big Pixel Studios’ latest iOS title, Bottle Cap Blitz, which is a beautifully rendered tropical island beach.

Players take on the role of a beach barman who has too much free time on his hands (what can I say….. beach life can be pretty idyllic), and the objective of the game is to flick bottle caps to break as many number of ice cubes in under a minute. You only need one hand to play the game.

It’s that simple but one key inclusion by the development team has made this entire premise an addictive one: Game Center online leaderboards. This plus the really simple gameplay, makes it easy for players to turn on a competitive streak to climb up the charts. I know it got me hooked from the get-go and at the point of writing I’m number 80-ish in the global leaderboard.

Helping the player gain more points are combos and power ups such as frozen cherries and watermelons; these are unlocked (including the ability to chain combos) as you hit new levels. Coins earned during the course of the game can be used to unlock new bottle caps, which is pretty cool if you are an avid bottle cap sharpshooter (the game is bound to turn you into one).

Considering that I had to pry myself from playing the game in order to write this review, it’s safe to say that Bottle Cap Blitz is a case of a casual game done right, with easy to understand and addictive gameplay, competitive elements and a beautiful interface. Nineoverten.com rates Bottle Cap Blitz at a 4.5 out of 5. Highly Recommended.

The game is available on the iTunes App Store for just USD 0.99. Check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id569448523. A review code was provided to Nineoverten.com for the purpose of this review.

General Electric, yup, you read that right, that large U.S-based company who has led the field of invention and innovation, has partnered up with Noise to launch a brand new iOS game that lets players discover hidden worlds of knowledge throughout major U.S cities. The game, titled GE Wonderground, looks to combine Foursquare-like elements with quiz questions and is also available online as a web-based game.

Launching in NY, SF, LA, Boston and Chicago, and hosted by  “Wonder Junkie” Jason Silva, GE’s Wonderground is a game of self-expansion designed to reveal obscure, intriguing facts about technology, science and engineering. “We think we know the world around us, but there’s always something more to discover,” said Jason Silva. “Wonderground engages the fundamental parts of our human nature that fuel science-curiosity, inquiry. Players will see what others miss. They will know interesting things they didn’t know. They will in effect, see through walls.”

Players can experience Wonderground either on their desktop or mobile iOS device. There they will be brought into immersive 360-degree panorama fact-finding missions. On mobile iOS devices, players can go on actual missions in the cities, unlocking clues using patented object recognition technology. As players move through the game they will learn everything from GE’s involvement in the invention of Silly Putty, to a research initiative centered around the cloning of a woolly mammoth, to the story behind why portable ultrasonic detectors are being used to detect counterfeit gold.

In celebration of the launch of Wonderground, GE has commissioned the world-renowned tromp l’oiel works of artist John Pugh, who has brought the game to life in a series of visually arresting murals in the 5 launch cities. To play Wonderground, head over to www.gewonderground.com or download Wonderground for free at the App Store: http://goo.gl/RDujL

Polish video game developer/publisher Teyon along with Japanese developer AMZY have announced that the fruit of their collaboration will be out for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo DSi. The game, titled Clash of Elementalists will be out for Europe and US based gamers this Thursday, April the 11th. The title will be available on the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system in the Nintendo eShop for €4.99/$4.99 respectively and on Nintendo DSiWare™ for 500 Nintendo DSi Points.

Battling it out in a fight to prove their superiority, players select from four distinct Elementalists, each representing one of the four planetary elements; earth, fire, water and air. Each character’s fighting style and weaponry reflects their element creating engaging and explosive rounds of powerful and fast action.

There are a total of four modes of game play available and depending on which mode is chosen, the fighting conditions such as the amount of rounds per battle, the battlefield and length of each round are adjustable. Clash of Elementalists also includes the DS Wireless feature, enabling two player matches between two Nintendo DSi™ or Nintendo 3DS systems via a local wireless connection. Here players will be able to battle against their friends in customized battle conditions or for more variety, at random

Sheep are such interesting animals, just as long as they are under the stewardship of a responsible shepherd, they live such cushy lives. HandyGames latest iOS title Clouds & Sheep Premium allow players to become a virtual shepherd, taking care of their flock of sheep. While the sheep just go about their business eating grass and drinking water, being a virtual shepherd turned out to be pretty interesting and fun.

The game gets players to do plenty of tasks, from forming rain clouds to water the pasture, seeding the land with grass and flowers, causing love to blossom among those in your flock (which creates new sheep) to more crazier stuff like jumping on trampolines and going through hoops or fire. It’s pretty busy work and each level is filled with a whole bunch of objectives riding above your tasks.

There’s something quite relaxing though playing the game once you’ve fallen into sync with all the task handling. Handygames hit the jackpot with this kind of casual gameplay as it is fun and rewards well. When done right, you’ll have a whole bunch of happy sheep generating happy stars for you to collect and to spend on buying cool stuff. At the end of each level, players are rated on how many happy, ambivalent and pissed (angry, not drunk) sheep that they have.

Each level happens to be themed and along with Clouds & Sheep Premium’s beautiful 2D graphics, the game’s visuals are certainly easy on the eyes and work to accentuate the gameplay. Nineoverten.com rates Clouds & Sheep Premium at a 4 out of 5, the game is definitely worth checking out. Clouds & Sheep Premium is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 1.99 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clouds-sheep-premium/id529061013?mt=8).

It is no coincidence that Big Pixel Studios is one of Nineoverten.com’s favourite indie developers on the iOS platform. It’s very hard not to be impressed by their string of hits such as Land-a-Panda, Off the Leash and Meow Meow Happy Fight. They are now back with Bottle Cap Blitz which will be released worldwide on the iTunes App Store on the 11th of April 2013.

Set around a beach bar on a beautiful tropical island, where an easy-going barman loves to show off his impressive bottle cap flicking skills. Players take control of the barman, and over a period of sixty seconds must smash as many ice cubes as possible by flicking bottle caps at them! Designed with a simple tap-to-shoot interface, a single tap on the screen will flick a bottle cap in that direction.

As players progress through the game and reach higher levels, they can unlock a wealth of new features and content including combos, combo chains, game boosts, and an array of extraordinary frozen fruit power-ups! Smashing the watermelon slows down time for a short period, hitting the cherry sets off an explosive bomb, bursting the strawberry activates rapid fire mode, and many many more!

At the end of a game a collection of bonuses are awarded based on the players overall performance, and their score can then be entered into the weekly tournament leaderboards on Game Center. “Bottle Cap Blitz is designed to be extremely easy to play, but with a lot of depth hidden beneath the surface,” said Paul Virapen, Big Pixel Studios Managing Director. “With simple one-handed touch controls and short play sessions, players can come back whenever they have a spare moment to try and beat their own or their friends’ high scores.”

Stay tuned to Nineoverten.com for news of the release and most possibly a review of the game!

Phew, there are not many moments available these days where I can blitz through a real-time strategy title but today was one of those days. I made the most of it by finally finishing StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. It was the final push having made it to the Korhal missions after purchasing and downloading the game a day after launch date.

I paused the game several times though and my wife, being the curious angel that she is decided to tinker around had a go (well, 2 minutes of it) on the mission where you are supposed to destroy the force shield. Needless to say, if I were to left her to her own devices, Kerrigan and gang would be dead before I finish my french toast.

My thoughts on the game? It has been a really fun romp. The enhancements to the controls and UI introduced right before the expansion felt really good and the single player experience from Heart of the Swarm proofed to be different from Wings of Liberty. The gameplay had more in common with that of MOBA titles where hero units ruled. In this case, it was the bad-assed Queen of Blades, re-zerged and pissed like hell. Kerrigan gets an almost RPG-like points system which enhances her HP and upon hitting certain thresholds, unlocks new abilities .

As such, it pays dividends to finish bonus mission objectives as the points offered help unlock her abilities earlier. And here’s the cool part, players get to choose which skills that she gets to carry into each level and since she plays an integral part of each level she’s in, this practically guarantees a different experience each time you start up a level.

The backdrop of Heart of the Swarm is still a romance story (between the star-crossed lovers Jim and Kerrigan), and of revenge. Cliched dialogue make up most part of the conversations but hey, don’t hope too much for a video game storyline. The CGI work stands out as usual and the cut-scenes done using in-game engine are pretty brilliant as well.

Aside from one technical issue (the level loads can be ridiculously long even on an Core i5 MacBook Pro), Heart of the Swarm manages to not feel like a tacked-on expansion, and instead it feels just short of a full game (it is no Brood War, that’s for sure). Not only that, it pushes the typical single player StarCraft experience to parts that have not been well-explored, mirroring Kerrigan’s story into the unknown.

Nineoverten.com rates StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm at a 4.5 out of 5. Review rig: MacBook Pro Core i5, HD 4000 graphics, 8GB of RAM.