All Articles Tagged ngmoco

Update: per comment below, Eliminate Pro and Touch Pets Pro are only available in Canada for now whole ngmoco tests their servers. Wide release to follow soon!

First-person shooter Elminate Pro [Free - iTunes link] and virtual pet sim Touch Pets Dogs [Free - iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod touch, first shown off by ngmoco at WWDC 2009, have begun making their way into iTunes App Stores around the world (we’ve confirmed them in Canada, other countries should be getting them soon as well).

Both games utilize the plus+ network for community gaming, with Eliminate looking to bring the classic Golden Eye/Halo style gameplay to Apple’s platform, and Touch Pets Dogs, the Nintendogs virtual pooch model. (Sadly, no, there’s doesn’t seem to be a way to cross over within the two games yet, and hunt the mean soldiers with doggy cuteness — or vice versa).

The price for both being zero, we’re guessing Apple’s new policy of “free games can charge for in-app purchases” is having an immediate an obvious effect. Demo without risk, and if you love one or both, they’ll figure out levels or gear or powerups or accessories you can buy to enjoy to love them even more.

Touch Pets Dogs video after the break, and if you try them out, let us know what you think!

[Thanks Alexander for the tip!]

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Ngmoco sent us word of new teasers for Eliminate, the first-person iPhone (and iPod touch) shooter they showed off on Apple’s Keynote stage for iPhone 3.0. Now, I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the teaser concept. Rather than build interest, I find they just cause me to tune out after a while. Literally, too much of a good thing.

However, Eliminate really is looking to be a good thing, if not a great thing, so I’m posting the one video so far that makes us really, really want them to get this game out. See, to me the fun in Golden Eye and Halo was never the game. It was hunting down and picking off my friends. Now, if they can ever get live streaming audio to work in real time with the game, and I can hear my friends complain that “it’s not fair” their “controller doesn’t work” and “stop killing me the moment I re-spawn” (okay, those are all actually things I say to them. Shhh!) it would be perfect. But given that it will push challenges and let you play over 3G and WiFi, and using ngmoco’s plus+ network, it could just be dang near perfect.

Now I just have to make sure Chad and Jeremy never get my gamer code…

Rolando 2 Quest for the Golden Orchid [$9.99 - iTunes link], available now for the iPhone (and iPod touch) shows that Ngmoco not only takes great gaming concepts and beautifully renders them on the iPhone, but that they can make those great concepts and renders even better.

New gameplay includes a 3D stylized world, driving, swimming, and flying, and — now the Rolandos can fight back!

The first Rolando game won TiPb’s Editor’s Choice Award last time around, how does the new one stack up? If you give it a try, let us know!

Ngmoco takes classic gaming concepts and genres, re-interprets them for the iPhone, and then makes them look better than anyone can believe an iPhone game can look. Star Defense, a galaxy-spanning take on tower defense, is no exception.

Shown off yesterday during the WWDC 2009 keynote, not only does Star Defense let you travel from planet to planet, touch, spin, and zoom your way around, deploy your firepower, and try to keep ahead of the deadly hoards of S’rath out to harshen your tower’s mellow, but it lets you challenge your friends over Facebook or Twitter for extra fun.

Star Defense is available now [$5.99 - iTunes link]

When iPhone 3.0 launches on June 17, Star Defense will use in-app purchases for expansion packs. For $2.99, for example, you can buy another galaxy of planets. A Plus Network will also allow for network play, leader-boards, and other online gaming features.

I had a chance to try the pre-release version out during the media tournament, and even though I didn’t fare to well in the rankings, I had skads of fun.

Think you can out score me? (Yeah, I do too…)

ngmoco has gone and set up a little media tournament, taking place on Twitter, with their hawt new game, StarDefense. Suiting up on TiPb’s behalf is yours truly, and you can follow my progress, and everyone’s progress, through the elimination rounds via @ngmoco or individually:

• Rene Ritchie/the iPhone Blog (@reneritchie)
• Chris Foreman/Ars Technica (@foresmac)
• Brandon Boyer/Boing Boing (@brandonnn)
• Bryan Barletta/148Apps (@BryanNO)
• Eli Hodapp/Touch Arcade (@hodapp)
• Tracy Erickson/Pocket Gamer (@TracyErickson)
• John Davidson/What They Play (@jwdavidson)
• Victor Lucas/Electric Playground (@Victor_Lucas)
• N’gai Croal/Hit Detection (@ncroal)
• Patrick Kelpek/G4TV.com (@eXxy)
• Levi Buchanan/IGN

Best of luck and… bring it on!

ngmoco just sent over their latest trailer for StarDefense, coming in May for the iPhone and iPod touch, and we’ve uploaded it to YouTube and embedded it above for all to enjoy.

In Star Defense, players take control of the captain’s chair and travel to a series of planets invaded by alien S’rath forces. Twisting and spinning complete 3-D planets, players must examine the terrain to plan tower defenses, selecting from a broad range of turrets that unleash everything from burning hot plasma to high voltage decimation. With seven planets, five upgradable tower types and three difficulty levels available at launch, Star Defense will challenge players of all skill sets, from sci-fi fans to tower defense champions.

If this really combines the skills of ngmoco with the addictive qualities of tower defense, we’re already predicting a massive slowdown in postings here as we play review this baby for hours on end.

Screenshots after the break!

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Hero of Sparta by msbaylor. (Visit the thread for video and more pics. For more Forum Reviews, see the TiPb iPhone App Store Forum!

While this app came out some time ago, I have been meaning to write a review for this app, but I always end up getting distracted playing the game, then running out of time. So finally I have distanced myself from my iPhone to bring you this review.

This is easily one of the most addicting games I have come across. ngmoco:), the developer of this game has undoubtedly created a unique gem of a game.

The point of Rolando is to roll the Rolandos (characters) around the screen and move them from one point to another while avoiding deadly monsters, fire pits, etc. In order to get them through you might find that you have to push things around, climb across boulder, drop bombs, build bridges, etc. The easiest way to describe the app is to say that it is a cross between Touch Physics for the iPhone and the old Lemmings game.

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Looking for a cool retro-arcade action title from what is shaping up to be a leading game developer/publisher on the iPhone? Than look no further than Dropship ($1.99) [iTunes Link] from ngmoco:). 

Premise:

You control a “dropship”. You save humans. You pick up cargo and delivery it safely. You do this in a time limit. 

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No, Tap Tap Revenge isn’t the more evil, Dark Side, Sith’ier version of the famed iPhone game that multi-touch tapped its way into jailbroken hearts everywhere, it’s just the new branding adopted by the new owners, Tapulous. Nate True, as famous for TTR as he was in the jailbreak community in general, stays on as developer, and has even added in double-tapper, two-player mode for good measure.

Coming soon to the App Store (we hope!)

Keep reading for Ngmoco and Rolando, after the break!

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