Can it really have been twenty years since the landmark title Another World launched on the nearly forgotten Amiga?  According to the calender, it can.  Another World debuted on the Amiga and has conquered a variety of platforms over the years; iOS lovers should be honored to find that the game’s 20^th anniversary incarnation has found its way to iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

While the 20^th anniversary of Another World brings with it a few new goodies that we’ll get into in a bit, it’s mostly notable for the authenticity of the port to iOS.  Players already familiar with the adventure will relish the chance to view the trials and triumphs of physicist Lester Knight Craykin through the crystal eye of the Retina display.  Those new to Another World will get the genuine experience in perhaps its most beautiful incarnation. Lester was clearly born to be a video game hero; it’s doubtful many of his fellow scientists possess the athleticism to endure his adventure.  Nor do Ferraris fit into most of our ideas about physicists.  Nonetheless, Lester hops into his Ferrari and heads to the lab with nary a worry.  Unbeknownst to our hero, lightening will strike while he’s exercising his brilliance in what turns out to be a less than stable experiment.  As a result, Lester finds himself trapped in a box, underwater.   Once the first challenge—not to drown—is conquered, Lester doesn’t have to wait long for a second.  He’s taken captive by a race of alien beings, and must add escaping to his list of things to do in order to return to Earth.

Lester may be more fit than the average physicist, but he’s not packing much heat—just a taser.  And he relies more upon his wits to succeed than he does on his pitiful inventory  or his lack of combat skills.  Instead, Lester will walk and run his way through stages, He accomplishes  his goals through a simple user-iterface, using touch-hold and swipes for manuevering, and taps in the corner of the screen to fire his phaser.

The simplicity of the interface does, however, highlight one aspect of the game that may irk new players.  Like many other games of its time, Another World relies on players having the patience to make (sometimes many) multple play throughs of the same scenes in order to progress.  There are save points, but not nearly enough compared to more modern games.  All in all, though, new players will be surprised by the sophistication of Another World. Considering that it’s held its edge for twenty years, hwoever, they shouldn’t be too surpised.

For veterans, the well-executed HD makeover and the additional difficulty levels are a special treat.  While visual makeovers of old games sometimes seem to tarnish the spirit of the original, Another World’s 20^th anniversary HD edition is beautifully done.  A little added detail, crisper character graphics, and much better lighting enhance the original rather than cover it up.

$4.99 is a small price to pay to either relive the glory of Another World (iTunes Link) or to experience it for the first time.  The twentieth anniversary of the game is available in iTunes now, and it’s a worthy addition to any gamer’s library.

4:33 Creative Lab put some work into promoting their new title Secret of Chateau de Moreau prior to its release.  That combined with its overwhelmingly positive focus group feedback and extensive data testing made this a hotly anticipated title.  Of course, building up hype is a double-edged sword—if the game can’t live up to the hype once it hits the streets, the negative vibe spreads fast.  So did the devs overplay their hand with this one.

Don’t think so.  Secret of Chateau de Moreau is probably the best adventure/mystery title in the App Store right now.  It’s a story with a classic feel presented in a beautifully designed game that has all the makings of an instant classic itself.  Adventure genre games are ideally driven by a story that sucks you in, and Secret of Chateau de Moreau has this nailed.  The story itself is a traditional whodunit, packed with updated plot twists and complicated by mysteries within mysteries that will leave players guessing.  The story gets its hooks in you from the start—pay attention to opening scenes of the game, folks.  Antoine Moreau, the main character, needs to start gathering clues from the get-go.  If, that is, you plan to prove your innocence, claim the fortune left to you by the late Count Moreau, and reveal the real killer.

As the title of the game and the title of the deceased suggest, you’ll be making your way around a castle to solve these mysteries.  Antoine will have to navigate a pretty vast environment, including the three story chateau, its grounds, and a tower on the grounds to gather the necessary information and solve the 100+ puzzles built into the game.  The controls are spot on, giving you simple menus for exploration, adding objects to your inventory, and interacting with the various NPCs throughout the game.

Secret of Chateau de Moreau offers challenge after engaging challenge in a polished, detail-heavy, beautifully designed environment.  Besides solving puzzles and gathering clues, Antoine will need to move carefully through a world of intrigue—every decision and interaction will affect your chance to win and how the win (or loss) plays out. There are over 40 alternate endings, which adds to the authenticity of the immersive narrative.  While stepping into story driven games sometimes feels like being taken for a ride, that’s not at all the case with Secret of Chateau de Moreau. You’re in the driver’s seat—for better or worse.

Another reason the game makes such a great impression is its visual presentation.  Detailed illustrations in a gorgeous period style blended with anime inspiration complete the feel of this dark mystery and bring the story to life.  The audio is also well-executed for a game of this type, with realistic sound effects enhancing the overall impact.

Secret of Chateau de Moreau is priced at $4.99.  Considering the price of comparable PC or console games (and this one’s probably better), it’s a great deal. You can download it here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-secret-chateau-moreau/id456142869?mt=8

Lite Version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lite-the-secret-chateau-moreau/id456145663?mt=8

Get ready for the wildest two-wheel ride on the App Store! Xtreme Wheels takes you on an amazing, hazard filled trip over explosives, ladders, barrels, twisted ramps, huge gaps, and precarious cargo containers all on a powerful trial bike. Balance and speed are what you will need to complete the increasingly difficult courses without breaking every bone in your riders body! Explosive barrels line the course and can be your friend or lethal foe by boosting your speed and height or bringing a very quick end to your riding career. Whether you survive as a champion or fall to the ground as a loser, Xtreme Wheels promises to be a spectacle both in gameplay and visuals, making it an eye-popping experience unlike any other on a handheld device.

Name: Xtreme Wheels| Download from: iTunes | Price: 4$

Don’t let incoming phone or FaceTime calls interrupt what you’re doing on your device any longer. CallBar re-designs the incoming phone and video call interface to allow you to use your device while it’s ringing. Choose to answer, decline, or even dismiss the incoming call depending on your choice. Upon dismissal, the bar will shrink and cover the status bar – a safeguard just in case you choose to pick up the call after all or you accidentally dismissed. You can answer or decline the call from this dismiss view also. Dismissing the call silences the ring or vibrate, which is done by tapping the banner, hitting the Power button, or pressing the Volume buttons. To re-enable the ring or vibrate, simply tap the banner to bring the banner back up. All the above functionalities are available from the SpringBoard, within any application, and on the lockscreen. You could be texting, updating Twitter, surfing the web, or in the middle of using any application – CallBar allows you to continue what you are doing without interruption and gives you the option to handle the situation with ease.
* Compatible for both phone and FaceTime video calls
* Supports all iDevices on all firmwares 4.0+ (including iOS 5 betas – will support full version upon release)
* Settings for CallBar can be found in the Settings.app (excludes iOS 5 beta users – iOS 5 full version will support Settings)

Need help jailbreaking your phone? These guides and tutorials will show you how to jailbreak your iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch.

Name: CallBar| Download from: Cydia| Price: 4$

Double Dragon, the ground-breaking horizontal-scrolling action game with its legion of loyal arcade- and console-versions fans, returns! Better, meaner, and right in the palm of your hand with this original app for the iPhone and iPod Touch!!! This Double Dragon includes a host of new original features just right for the iPhone, a sleeker look to the venerated Double Dragon world, new characters, dazzling combo attacks, and sumptuous sound.

Name: Facebook | Download from: App Store | Price: 4$

Vibrafications is a tweak that allows you to set custom vibration patterns to different alerts. You can set a custom pattern for individual contacts in mail or sms, or you can set a default pattern for mail and sms in general, and you can define custom patterns for push notifications, or a default one for all push notifications. Patterns include things like vibrate three times for half a second each with a quarter second in between each vibration. No new icons are added to your home screen. Options can be configured in your Settings app. Need help jailbreaking your phone? These guides and tutorials will show you how to jailbreak your iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch.

Name: Vibrafications| Download from: Cydia | Price: 4$

Turn your iPhone into a game controller for your Mac or PC! Watch the demo video after the break…

Features:

• 5 controller layouts
• Connects over wifi and ad hoc.
• 2 player support
• Combo presses
• Adjustable settings

Name: Joypad - Wireless Game Controller | Download from: App Store | Price: 3$

NBA JAM is now ready to rock your iPhone or iPod touch with all the over-the-top, high-flying, 2-on-2 arcade basketball action just like you remember it – and like you’ve never seen before! So go to the hole. Go strong. Go for the monster jam.

Name: NBA JAM| Download from: App Store | Price: 4$

iHound uses a combination of the significant location GPS, real time GPS and WIFI signals built into your iDevices to determine its location. Using the app and iHound Software’s unique tracking website, you can:

• Track the location of your device: The iHound App reports your location to iHound’s servers every time the device makes a significant location change.
• Sound the alarm: Send your iPhone or iPod Touch a push notification with a loud alarm, whether you’ve lost it at the coffee shop or under your sofa.
• Set up Geofencing Location Alerts: Receive alerts and check in automatically with Facebook, Foursquare, and/or Twitter when you arrive, simple to use and completely opt in.
• Manage your account using iHound’s Mobile Web Site: Using our intuitive mobile web site optimized for iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android Users, you can track multiple devices on multiple platforms and set up geofences with ease while you are on the go.

Name: iHound Tracker | Download from: App Store | Price: 4$

The official Jenga game is here! Designed in consultation with Leslie Scott, the original creator of Jenga, Jenga for iPhone/iPod touch lets you take the tower building experience anywhere.

Name: Jenga| Download from: App Store | Price: 4$