I’ll be honest: I think Pocket Legends is pretty darn cool. I reviewed the game back in its infancy, and since then it’s continued to expand. If you haven’t played it before, Pocket Legends is a true MMORPG, complete with PvP, boss fights, dungeons, and plenty of loot.

The newest update charges you with “preventing a disaster of galactic proportions” as aliens once again threaten the land of Pocket Legends. Of course, this is mostly pretense for giving players some welcome features: a higher level cap, boss-filled dungeons, two PvP maps, and more loot. Who doesn’t love loot?

Here’s the list of other recent updates:

Lost Expedition Base Camp: a new towne full of quests and loot
Leaderboards: compete for most kills, most deaths, K/D ratio, most gold
Loadouts that allow you to save and reload different configurations
Item sets (collections of items that give additional bonuses when equipped)
An additional inventory slot for wearing fancy helmets
UI updates including the ability to map all 12 of your skills at once
Exploding barrels to add to the carnage in PvP
Plus a whole lot more!

If you haven’t tried Pocket Legends yet, now’s as good a time as any; the game keeps growing, with updates pushed out almost every two days, and if you don’t mind its simplicity and occasional UI annoyances, Pocket Legends can be a real blast. It’s free to try (you don’t even need to register anymore!), so what are you waiting for?

FREE!

Pocket Legends (3D MMO)

+ Universal App – Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: AWESOME
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-04-08 :: Category: Games / Role Playing

[ Pocket Legends Content Update Includes Aliens, More MMO Goodness is a post from 148Apps ]

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Based on the best selling console game of the same title, Bad Company 2 is a squad-based first-person shooter with 14 single player missions and 5 distinct battle zones (i.e. jungle heat, winter snow, desert dust). Like the console version, the app also includes room to room, ground-based combat and vehicle combat, giving you the controls of tanks and helicopters. The real treat though, if done right, could be the multiplayer mode. If it’s even as close to as good as the console version we’re all in for a treat. Look for Bad Company 2 to hit the App Store sometime in November. If the app plays as good as it looks, I’ll be expecting it to be a top 25 mainstay.

Heroes Lore: Stigmata of Gaia – Heroes Lore is little known in the west, but in Korea it’s about as big as it gets. Heroes Lore is a mobile RPG that offers an over 30 hour single player experience as well as an astoundingly successful 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 multiplayer arena. At one point, the original was seeing upwards of a million and a half online battles a day. Insane.

High Caliber Hunting – Not quite as anticipated as Battlefield or Heroes Lore, High Caliber Hunting is EA’s hyper-realistic foray into hunting. With “20 types of wild game, including Bear, Moose, Boar, and smaller critters like Squirrel, Fox, Rabbit” and 70 real brand-name firearms, High Caliber Hunting looks to be the pinnacle of mobile hunting. Look for High Caliber Hunting to launch sometime in November.

EA Sports MMA – It seems that everyone is watching MMA these days (except for me, something about arm bars makes me cringe), so EA is enthusiastically bringing their authentic MMA game to the iOS. The game features multiple fighting styles and over 20 real life fighters, enough to please any mobile warrior. Expect MMA to launch later this month.

EA Sports NBA Elite 11 – Instead of continuing with the NBA Live brand, EA is re-branding their hit series NBA Elite 11. As you’d expect, the game has all 30 NBA teams with over 450 players and unlockable legends. The iOS version even has a 3 point mode which will certainly drain hours of my time. The launch has been often delayed up to now because of the console launch of the new NBA JAM, but it should come out later this month.

On another note, hopefully NBA JAM will come to the iPhone too. Boomshakalaka!

SimCity Deluxe (iPad) – As expected, EA is bringing their ever so popular SimCity Deluxe game to the big screen. The HUD has been fully redesigned for the iPad, has many customizable features, and even simultaneous disaster strikes. Earthquakes and alien strikes await us all sometime in November.

Be sure to check out the mass of screenshots after the jump. Enjoy!

[ Huge EA Fall Lineup is a post from 148Apps ]

It’s really quite amazing how powerful the iPhone has become since the original model came out. In many respects it is a more powerful handheld game device than the current generation of dedicated gaming handhelds, even outdoing the specs of Nintendo’s latest incarnation, the DSi 3D (albeit not with the awesome 3D tech).

Spacetime Studios (Pocket Legends), realizing the vast gaming potential of the iOS, is expanding (and soon licensing) the Spacetime 3D MMO game engine to support different devices interacting on the same server. The devices aren’t limited to the iPhone/Android sphere though – they plan to make it possible for mobile users to play simultaneously with PC users.

“The Spacetime Engine offers seamless global multiplayer gameplay to anyone with an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch over 3G, Edge, and wireless networks. We plan to add Android and PC users to the mix.” said Anthony L. Sommers, co-founder and CTO of Spacetime Studios. “In the near future, it will be possible to be on the bus in California with your iPhone, playing with someone in a park in France on their Android device, and both be playing in the same server set with someone in South Korea on their PC.”

The Spacetime 3D Engine should be available for developers sometime in 2011, and Pocket Legends should be getting the multi platform treatment soon. Beware though, the world is now one day closer to being able to play World of Warcraft-like games on the go. Our collective productivity is in trouble.

FREE!

Pocket Legends (3D MMO)

+ Universal App – Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: AWESOME
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-04-08 :: Category: Games / Adventure

[ Pocket Legends Is Going Extremely Multiplatform is a post from 148Apps ]

Blue Defense: Second Wave!
Cat in a Box Games is back at it with a sequel to their hugely poplar Blue Defense game from 2008. It is up to you to defend the Blue planet from those obnoxiously evil Red and Green enemies. Packed with a new Gauntlet mode, leaderboards, level select, 24 enemy types, and 64 levels will keep you busy for a long time. This pick-up and play Editor’s Choice game has been destroying free time for gamers all over; it is your time to see what the hype is all about.

$0.99

Blue Defense: Second Wave!

+ Universal App – Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: NOT FEELING BLUE
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-09-30 :: Category: Games / Action

BIT.TRIP BEAT
Namco has decided it was high time to take the game of Pong, fuse it together with interactive beats, put a pretty coat of paint on it all, and push it out to iOS devices. You decide if tilt controls work best, or if you like touching the screen as you move a paddle up and down to bounce beats back to where they came from. Crazy scores, fun retro visuals, and four-player action make this a splendid addition to your gaming collection.

$1.99

BIT.TRIP BEAT

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-09-30 :: Category: Games / Music

$3.99

$6.99

BIT.TRIP BEAT HD

iPad Only App – Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-09-30 :: Category: Games / Music

Across Age HD
FDG Entertainment is taking gamers back to the 16-bit era with this 2D action adventure RPG style game. Not to be forgotten, real environmental puzzles bring on a bit of the nostalgia that took the SNES by storm. Choose from two switchable characters to fight off the enemies and solve puzzles in a game boasting a 15-hour playtime. If you have been missing your SNES, venture over to the App Store and check out this throwback to a classical era.

$7.99

Across Age ™ HD

iPad Only App – Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-09-21 :: Category: Games / Adventure

$4.99

Across Age ™

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: ARPG GOLD
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-02-11 :: Category: Games / Adventure

FREE!

Across Age ™ EX

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-03-25 :: Category: Games / Adventure

FlightBoard – Live Flight Departure and Arrival Status
Turn your iDevice into a classic Arrival and Departure board reminiscent of the Charles de Gaulle Airport. This app covers 4,000 airports with 1,400 airlines worldwide. Instantly search for flights, easily switch between departure and arrival, and enjoy updates every 5 minutes. If you spend a lot of time doing the airport shuffle, this app just might be the time saver you need as you do the Gate Transfer Marathon.

$3.99

FlightBoard – Live Flight Departure and Arrival Status

+ Universal App – Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-09-29 :: Category: Travel

PlainText – Dropbox text editing
Sometimes you just need a simple, distraction free, and uncomplicated text editor to get your work done. Hog Bay Software has a free app that will allow you to connect to your Dropbox account, and then edit, or create, simple .txt files. All that hard work saves in a UTF8 encoded file for easy sharing regardless of your OS or word processor of choice. Simplicity can be a good thing at times.

FREE!

PlainText – Dropbox text editing

+ Universal App – Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-09-28 :: Category: Productivity

[ Five For Friday: Week of October 01, 2010 is a post from 148Apps ]

Welcome, readers, to another edition of iD&D. Last month we took an epic journey through the inner workings of the app store map power house, Battle Map. Our review took readers through the powerful tools that Battle Map offers, and showed the versatility of customization and real time interaction through the external monitor options. Check out the newest update for Battle Map in the app store now.

This month, we’re taking a dip into the wide world of dice rollers. They come in all shapes and sizes, from bare bones options to the extremely customizable and programmable options. There are tons of dice rollers out there, so we’ve decided to take a closer look at 3 different apps this month, three different apps next month, and provide a comparative analysis of each of these 6 apps. Well, I’m “die”ing to get into this month’s article so let’s jump right in.

$2.99

Pip

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2008-12-02 :: Category: Games / Board

Pip, from Mystery Coconut Games, offers beauty in a simplistic package. Pip is, simply put, a dice roller. Pip includes the standard 7 dice that are required in a d20 game: d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, d4, and a percentile. These are dragged onto the “table” from a side menu showing each of the 7 dice. Only the color is customizable. It’s like having a dice bag filled with as many of the standard 7 as you could ever need.

Pip uses an actual table that is rolled by shaking the iPod or iPhone. The physics engine powering Pip does a great job of emulating the actual movement that dice would make if shaken in a specific way. Pip offers multiple tables as well. These tables can be scrolled through with a swipe of the finger, offering some versatility in its simplicity.

Who Pip is for: Pip shines at the basic users must have dice roller. Its basic design and intuitive control structure make it an absolute asset in games.
Who Pip is not for: Pip isn’t for a complex player looking to calculate complex equations in a single roll. There is no “d20-4” options, so you’ll be doing your own math if you use Pip.
Issues: Pip’s drag and drop display is somewhat cut off on my 3rd gen iPod, making it difficult (but not impossible) to drag the percentile from the menu to the table.
Recommendation: If you’re looking for a simplistic dice roller, you cannot find a better option than Pip.
Side Note: In case you were not aware, a pip is the dot usually found on 6 sided dice that come with games such as monopoly. True to its name, Pip (the app) keeps the dots on 6 sided die. Good show!

Update: The tab button that hides and shows the dice panel can actually be dragged up and down, showing access to fudge and average dice, as well as a delete all button. With the additional dice options and the ability to scroll through the dice, my main issue with Pip is cleared up. Thanks to Coconut Games for clearing that up for me.

$0.99

Mach Dice

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2008-08-13 :: Category: Games / Role Playing

Mach Dice takes the general ideas evident within Pip, and splashes in a few additional options. Graphically Mach Dice is a bit less appealing, though respectable in its own right. It’s the options that really help set Mach Dice up as the next step in dice rolling needs. Aesthetic options such as d6 edges, numerical or pip display, and background colors are mixed in with such utilization options like tilt and shake sensitivity, labels on d10 and d3 (Fudge or standard), and how the physics work.

Perhaps the key difference between Pip and Mach Dice is the ability for Mach Dice to add variables into the equation. A very basic screen can be brought up allowing for d(variable) to be added or subtracted from ability scores, etc. or from other d(variable) rolls. Mach Dice offers five different tables, with differing backgrounds and arrows to scroll between. Each table can have a different set of dice on it, and a history list shows a seemingly endless set of previous rolls.

Who Mach Dice is for: The users who need a little more versatility than Pip, while being ok with a step down in graphical design. The inclusion of the variable sided die with added modifiers is a big jump from Pip. FUDGE gamers will find the required dice in Mach Dice’s options.
Who Mach Dice is not for: With added features comes added interaction. Where Pip has a simple drag and drop interface, Mach Dice requires equations to be input into the system to work properly.
Issues: Changing the color of dice is somewhat forced into the input screen. It’s an extremely distracting method to change the color of dice. Also, I’ve had instances where one of the tables come up without any graphics at all, and I can only see the top and bottom interface bars.
Recommendation: Mach Dice isn’t as crisp an experience as Pip, but still offers additional versatility without sacrificing simplicity. It’s an extremely cheap option at $0.99, and really is a great choice for the individual looking to gain an added level of customization. It’s by far the simple option for any Do-It-Yourself Gaming System (FUDGE) gamer.
Side Note: The developer recently updated Mach Dice to include the FUDGE dice, and based on his blog posting on his website, plans at least a few additional updates in the future. Support = Win!

$2.99

Quick Roll – d20 Dice Roller

iPhone App – Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2008-12-22 :: Category: Entertainment / Dice

Quick Roll is the first feature powerhouse app on the list, and is dangerously close to becoming my must have companion for all of my gaming adventures. Quick Roll throws the graphical representation of Pip and Mach Dice out the window, and frankly I think it’s a great decision. Five tabs separate the different screens available in Quick Roll including a pre-programmable roll tab, an attack tab, a roll history tab, a profile tab, and a free form tab. These features work together to make a truly winning app.

Who Quick Roll is for: Quick Roll is for the guy with multiple characters, multiple rolls, complicated character sheets, and a need to get everything under one nice umbrella app.
Who Quick Roll is not for: Quick Roll steps out of the realm of graphics and into the realm of power. It’s a lot of versatility, and if you can’t see yourself using it to its full potential, I would recommend sticking with a lighter roller.
Issues: The attack tab is good in theory, but is limited in customization making it difficult to use for people with multiple attacks w/ differing damage rolls.
Recommendation: Quick Roll provides me with everything I need, without offering me things I don’t. It’s not pretty, it doesn’t have a physics engine or a nice graphical roller, but it fits my needs. If you need power without beauty, get Quick Roll. Its slick design will keep you happy for a long time.
Side Note: Quick Roll takes a lot of up-front work, especially if you

Next month we will conclude our two part special on Dice Rollers. We will be taking a look at Multi Dice Roller, RPG Calc, and the powerhouse Dicenomicon.

Is there a dice roller that you use that’s not on this list? Let us know what it is? What do you like about it? How does it compare to the above apps?

[ iD&D: Dice Rollers Part 1 is a post from 148Apps ]