Japanese site AppBank spotted an iPhone version of the fantastic Resident Evil 4 on the Japanese app store, and managed to get a lot of screenshots and the above video. Of course, the app has now been pulled; most likely due to a leaked release, I’d say. The footage is pretty extensive- if this is a fake, they’ve done a brilliant job of making it look real.

In an interview with Kombo, PopCap Games’ PR director Garth Chouteau has noted that the highly acclaimed Plants vs. Zombies will follow its cousin Peggle onto other platforms: XBLA, PSN- even the DS and iPhone. Chouteau is quoted by Kombo on the matter:

…Peggle for XBLA is a good example of a game that we took that was popular on the PC and we spent probably twice as long as anyone else would have figuring how to make that game really good for Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade, and I think you will see that with Plants Vs. Zombies–I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next…

Since PvZ was such a success, both commercially and critically, it can only be good news that it can come to a bigger audience. I only hope that they make a DS version as good as Peggle DS.

Currently, the only two ways to control the iPhone in games are with the touchscreen or the accelerometer, and someone obviously took an issue with this. From this supposed “problem” the Gamebone controller was born. With an 8-way D-Pad, built-in Bluetooth connection, and multicolored A, B, C, and D buttons, the Gamebone is an admirable attempt at iPhone gaming control- but Gizmodo brings up some good points with the controller.

Firstly, the games would have to be compatible with the controller, and I have a hard time believing that successful iPhone developers would go out of their way to develop something compatible with this controller. Secondly, without a physical connection the iPhone, the iPhone would just be a screen, without a stand, but 22moo, the developers behind the Gamebone, claim they’re going to remedy this after the controller is released.

The developers seem to have the right mindset going into this though- they’re asking users to suggest a price for the Gamebone, since they don’t have any price point yet. My main question, however, is why a bone?

Now I wonder if GameStop will come out with an app?

Source: Joystiq

Peggle, the disgustingly addictive Plinko-like game, is now available on the iPhone and iPod Touch for $4.99.

“Our new adaptation of Peggle for iPhone and iPod touch was truly a labor of love,” stated Andrew Stein, director of mobile business development at PopCap. “We spent huge amounts of time specifically optimizing this version of one of our favorite games to one of the world’s coolest devices, so that it was just right.”

The above excerpt is from the press release and is talking about new features such as zoom, new types of shots, and an enhanced UI better suited to for the devices.

Game Stooge

Confession time: I’ve never actually played any of the Metal Gear Solid games. Well, to completion anyway; I own a copy of MGS2: Substance for the Xbox, but I’ve never actually played it past the the first level. I got confused towards the end of it, and I just never picked it up. When Konami announced Metal Gear Solid Touch, I thought it would be a great way for me to finally get into the MGS franchise.

I knew they’d worked hard on it, because they mentioned how Kojima actually scrapped the entire game and started from scratch halfway into development. Konami said it wouldn’t be a lot like the console games, and I didn’t expect it to, but with such a great legacy, how would Metal Gear Solid Touch live up to the Metal Gear games before it? Would it finally get me into the Metal Gear series? Hit the jump for the full review.

Metal Gear Solid Touch is set up like a shooting gallery, where you’re ducked behind a barrier, only to come up often to shoot strategically placed PMC soldiers, Haven Troopers, and Gekkos before they shoot you. The game gives you a life bar to make things fair, and adds a circular meter around your enemies’ heads, which is like a countdown until they begin to fire at you. It starts off in the yellow, and makes it’s way to the cautionary red, when you should probably begin ducking behind the barrier.

The controls are super simple- drag your finger across the screen to move the aiming reticule, tap the screen to fire, pinch your fingers to switch to the sniper, spread your fingers to move back to your M4, lift your finger to duck behind the barrier. They’re easy to pick up which makes it a simple game to pick up at any time. One thing I didn’t like about the controls was how sluggishly the sniper reticule moved. It’s easy to move the M4 reticule from one side to the other, but it takes a couple of drags with the sniper to aim at someone across the screen. This can easily be fixed by zooming out THEN moving, but it’s still a hassle to do so. It also took me a while to find out how to pause the game. Turns out that you just have to turn the screen from a landscape position to a vertical position, but Konami didn’t bother to mention this in the explanation of controls.

Some of the first things you’ll notice about the game are its graphics. They’re fantastic, especially for an iPhone game, and rival anything you’d see on a PSP or DS currently, but this could be because the models barely ever move. Snake only tilts to aim, and the PMC troopers only move when they fall. One of the second things you’ll notice is that there are missionaries in the game. You probably shouldn’t shoot them. I learned that the hard way.

MGST takes you into 12 missions across 2 acts, and Konami’s promising the addition of 8 more levels soon, too. The game has a story that (according to Konami) is similar to that of MGS4, even though the story is in no way essential to the plot. As a matter of fact, it’s all presented through text-based cutscenes that can be easily skipped. If you’re still annoyed by the story, you can play the Survival Mode of the game, which is just a straight shooting gallery, where you play until you lose. The main mode of the game has a rather lengthy boss fight at the end of the game with Raven, and it’s one of the only two boss fights in the game, the other being one with Laughing Octopus. The boss fights are confusing at first, as you have to figure out how to defeat them on your own, which is a nice change of pace from the usual “shoot the giant red spot on their chest” boss.

The UI of the game is very clean and minimal, with only a lifebar, a timer, a counter of remaining enemies, and a label showing which mission you’re in, tucked away in the corner. One of the cooler parts of the game is the way you procure extra life and different weapons. By shooting yellow chickens placed across the map (yes, chickens) you can get more life, and shooting green little frogs gives you either a rocket launcher or invisibility for a short time, though it’s much more common for rocket launchers to be present when Gekkos or helicopters are attacking you. It’s a case for PETA for sure, but still very useful.

If you get sick of the game, you can always take a look at some of the extras the game has. For those of you like me that don’t know much about Metal Gear Solid, the game has the entire history of Metal Gear Solid so you can catch up, complete with art from the games. There’s also Drebin’s Shop, which allows you to buy 3D art of characters for the Drebin Points you’ve accrued over the course of gameplay. Unfortunately, that’s as far as it goes for the game’s extras, and the 3D art is kind of lame.

Overall, Metal Gear Solid Touch is a great game, even if it’s not a lot like other Metal Gear Solid games. The shooting gallery format works great with the iPod touch/iPhone format, and the lack of an important story means more gameplay, less winded cutscenes. At $7.99, it’s a biiiiiiit pricey for a shooting gallery, but still something any iPhone owner should check out.

That’s right, you can now use your iPhone to fight global warming. How, you say? Simple — buy the new app called ‘A Real Tree’ and you will actually be buying a real tree (go figure) that will be planted on your behalf somewhere in this crazy world of ours.

Hans Chung, founder of Mokugift and developer of the Real Tree app, had the following to say:

“Our ‘A Real Tree’ app makes tree-planting as easy as buying your favorite song. With the click of a button, iPhone or iPod touch owners can buy ‘A Real Tree’. Trees are then planted by partners, who are award-winning tree-planting organizations in 12 countries fighting deforestation and poverty.

Our app is not the pinnacle of user interface design. In many ways it is a bit crude. We wanted to focus not on the app, but on the meaning and impact.

Unlike other apps that claim to be environmental by donating portion of their revenues to eventually fund some undefined portion of a tree, ‘A Real Tree’ plants one real tree every time ‘A Real Tree’ is purchased on the iTunes store. It is that simple and straight forward, just like our name.”

So how much does this thing cost? Well, I would think with the importance of oxygen, the price of a tree must be more than a few pennies. Wrong! A Real Tree is actually only a paltry 99¢. Considering how much this could impact the environment (if you believe in that sort of thing), the price of A Real Tree seems totally worth it. Now I just have to spend a few hundred bucks to get a iPhone for it to work on…

You can find more info and links to buy A Real Tree at arealtree.com.

Hooray earth!

Do you hate missing a call because your phone is a few feet away and you just don’t feel like getting up to answer it? This man feels your pain.

Silicon Valley software engineer and aspiring inventor, Kazu Terasaki, is attempting to give his iPhone a pair of legs to go with it’s massive collection of apps. The contraption, in it’s current state, is more of a misguided crawl than a walk, but it has promise.

Soon, we’ll all be able to eat Cheesy Poofs and play World of Warcraft without so much as shifting a butt cheek, while our personal robots go to work and cater to our every need. In the mean time, let’s root for Kazu, so we never have to go AFK to answer our iPhone ever again.

Hit the jump to see the walking iPhone robot feet in action.

Have something you think we should show on Geeked-Out? Email it to us.

Source: getrobo

Armin Heinrich has created an application for use on the iPhone called “I Am Rich”.  What’s it do?  Absolutely nothing except put a glowing red gem on your screen.  Oh, and it also shows that you are either a total douchebag or a complete idiot because the damn thing costs $1000.

Somebody apparently didn’t think it was all that cool of an app, however, as it is now gone from the iTunes App Store.  So, did the creator make any money?

Sadly, yes.  In the less than a day that the app was available, eight people inexplicably downloaded it.  After Apple’s cut, that boils down to approximately $5880 assuming, of course, that Apple allows him to keep any of it.

There’s a chance Apple will refund the money to users who may not be satisfied or thought the whole thing was a joke, which I assume is all of them.  This guy, for example, claims it was a just a mistake.  I, however, claim him to be a total retard.

Armin Heinrich states that it was Apple that removed the app, not him, but he was never contacted about it or told why it was removed.  He later confirmed that he has so far not received any money from the sales and that Apple was intending to refund the money to two of the eight buyers.

Regardless of whether they bought it by accident or on purpose, they should be killed.

Source: LA Times

Yes, you read that right. Courtesy of our Japanese friends in… well, Japan, comes an iPhone flash program that simulates mammories for your touching pleasure. If you think that sounds creepy, you’re not alone. It is creepy.

Dubed paiTouch (pai = boobs) the program is a version of a flash program you can check out here. I suppose I should say its NSFW, but it looks nothing like an actual breast. Which, is probably why this guy made it. He hasn’t seen one.

What’ll they come up with next? A pocket pool simulator? God help us if they do.

Source: Gizmondo

Swedish inventor and assumed iPhone owner, Peter Huvander, created the iYo to power his phone though the long Swedish winter.  Because of the lack of light during the dark season (really?), Huvander needed to find a solution to his inability to harness the sun’s power.  Mine would have been to just plug it in.

The iYo uses “induction power” to create the juice necessary to charge the iPhone, and is easily understandable when you look at this simple diagram:

Okay, so maybe that doesn’t explain much, but check out this awesomely produced iYo commercial to make you believe in the power of the yo-yo:

iYO YOYO from Peter Muungano on Vimeo.

The next step for me would be to get an iPhone in the first place, but I’m not all into that, uh, whatever it is that makes people want iPhones. Regardless, charging your phone with a yo-yo? Apple certainly is cornering the market on chic dorkiness.

Source: DesignBoom

If you want to play Tetris (or a game that looks and plays just like it) on your Apple iPhone for free, then you had better hurry to the App Store and download it soon.

The makes of the real Tetris game contacted Apple regarding “Tris”, a blatant knock off of the classic puzzle game, asking that it be removed.

In response, Noah Witherspoon, creator of Tris, explained on his blog that he is a broke college student with no means to fight the accusation.

“Well — I’ve received notice from Apple that they’ve been contacted by The Tetris® Company about Tris. That, I’m afraid, is essentially game over. Do they have a case? No. Not really …

The trouble is, I’m a college student, and not an affluent one, and I simply do not have the time, energy, or resources to fight this battle right now.”

Sounds like a smart move by Noah, especially since most people would argue that they would have a case and he wouldn’t stand a chance in hell of winning.

Source: touchArcade

EA was showing off four iPhone games yesterday at their Studio Showcase, and while two of them (Tetris and Sudoku) are already available, the upgrade to Scrabble, Scrabble Bonjour, and Spore Origins are still forthcoming. Read on for our hands-on impressions.

Spore Origins

Honestly, I’m not sure why this is necessary, but here it is. Spore Origins is basically a version of the swimming around, eating things stage of Spore that uses both the tilt and touch mechanics of the iPhone. Tilting, of course, is used to control your swimming blob of a creature, and aim at anything smaller than you to gobble it up. You can also collect little power up orbs like poison, which sickens anything that tries to eat you.

The creature building is all touch based. Pinching the body to change it’s shape is pretty neat, and while it’s not anywhere near as exciting as the full creator, there are still lots of color and pattern options, horns, eyeballs, and things to unlock as you go. The iPhone title launches along with the full game on Sept 7th.

Scrabble Bonjour

For Scrabblers who already own the basic Scrabble title, Bonjour will just be a free upgrade, but it’ll be an awesome free upgrade, since it gives you the capability to play with a friend.

That’s pretty much the news, but let me also say that I really like the “Best Word” feature. Basically it let’s you totally cheat and have the computer pick your most point-packed move–three times per game. The most awesome part is that it alerts your opponent to the fact that you used it, so there is no way to feign awesomeness.

I wish the pop-up message had been a little snarkier, though. A missed opportunity for fun, there. Bonjour will be available sometime this fall.

Sega isn’t one of the top four mobile developers, but they did have this early iPhone hit.

Mobile gaming is a growing industry. Better phones, better developers, and better quality games are contributing to an upward spiral of quality cell phone gaming. And according to media analyst Screen Digest, the top four developers of mobile phone games are tightening their grip on the market.

EA Mobile, Gameloft, Glu and THQ Wireless saw their collective shares of the global market double from 11 percent to 22 percent in 2007, and the figure is rising steadily.

Western Europe remains fertile soil for mobile game development, and Gameloft is pressing the attack on EA Mobile for the number one spot.

As of March 31, 2008, Gameloft was reporting earnings of $40 million, a cool million shy of EA Mobile’s figures ($41 million, for those who don’t like math). Screen Digest expects Gameloft to surpass EA mobile within the year.

However, the US market, which is rapidly developing, may eventually surpass mobile leaders Europe and Asia to become the biggest market for cell phone games.

The marriage of rising technical capabilities and quality developers should produce some blockbuster mobile titles, a necessary step to improving the cellular phone’s viability as a platform. And as top developers gain more of the market share, the likelihood of seeing something a little deeper than Tetris on your phone is looking good.

As the release of the new iPhone model approaches this Friday, more iPhone specific games are popping up all over the web. The unique nature of the phone’s technology paired with the sheer brand power that Apple has the iPhone in position to take the mobile gaming market by storm.

Below are just a few of the many videos floating around the web depicting iPhone games in development.

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D

3D racing game by Polarbit. Release date information not yet announced.

Rolando

Physics-based platform/puzzler by Simon Oliver. Estimated August release.

Raging Thunder

3D realistic racer by Polarbit.. Release date information not yet announced.

Tap Tap Revenge

Rhythm game by Nate True. Available for download July 11th.

trism

Unique puzzle game by demiforce. Available for download July 11th.

Most of the games in discussion for the iPhone, including the ones shown above, are hovering at around $5-20 a pop. While this may seem a bit pricey, if you consider the fact that the phone itself (along with its service plan) is no bargain, we think interested owners will be able to swing it.

[Thanks Pete]

Source: ZodTTD.com [via Gizmodo]

After reporting the revelation that Playstation 1 games could now be played on PSP’s via remote play, they can now be played on Apple’s iPhone, though the touch-screen controls could take some time getting used to.

The emulator is unofficial, but after being under an intensive beta it is now fit for the public on both the iPhone and the iPod Touch. At version 1, psx4iphone already sports impressive controls, a good compatibility rate and save states.

The software is on Installer.app (unofficial website for iPhone software) and can also be downloaded for manual installation here.

For more information please visit the creators of the emulator at ZodTTD and watch this following video demonstration:
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

The iPhone is smart, and it guesses what you are trying to type. So why does it know about the KKK and not the roadside assistance organization AAA?

I received a message from my girl at work asking me to bring a few things home with me on my way. I was about to sarcastically respond by saying “k” as in “ok” several times in a row. I started to type “kkkkk” when suddenly the iPhone asked me if i meant to type “KKK”!

I thought, “Let’s see if it does that for other repetitive three letter organizations. How about AAA? The phone doubles as a navigation system, so surely it will recognize AAA?”

Negative. While the iPhone recognizes the letters “KKK”, it doesn’t seem to know the organization known as “AAA”. This brings me to the question: What exactly has Apple been teaching its little bundle of joy?

Want to see for yourself? Type kkk or kjk or even lkk and your happy little iPhone will ask you if you mean the KKK.

I’m not calling Apple racist, but I just think it’s funny. After all, how often do you need to text someone “KKK” over “AAA”? Which is more likely to be the subject of a text message: “My KKK meeting is running a little late” or “I have to call AAA to change my flat tire”?

I am willing to bet that this will be fixed when Apple releases their first firmware update. Just a hunch.

Do you long to play World of Warcraft on your lunch break, in the rest room in between meetings, at your desk when your boss isn’t looking … or maybe your boss is the one in his office with the door shut playing it on his new iPhone right now.

One user on Gametrailers.com posted a video showing that he thinks good times can be had on a small screen … with plenty of pinching and pecking of course. We don’t think this looks very “fun” but have a look for yourself.