The story behind the creation of Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD [$6.99] is almost as interesting as the game itself. Aralon started as a project by the two developers, Jason and Sam, that comprise Galoobeth Games. They created an incredible RPG game engine for the iPhone that was more robust than anything previously seen on the platform, allowing for multiple character races and classes, the ability to mount and ride animals, a touch of alchemy and item combination, and oh so much more. All of this functionality was set in the expansive open world of Aralon, but as exciting as the framework for the game was the visuals were completely lacking.

Then back in May of this year the guys at Crescent Moon Games, who had previous experience in open-world action games with their own Ravensword [$2.99/Lite], stepped in to give the entire Aralon game a complete visual makeover. The stunning transformation can be seen in the comparison screenshots we posted in June, but it really hits home just how far the game has come when you watch the original trailer side-by-side with an updated one. All of this pre-release hype had caused Aralon to be one of the most anticipated game releases of this year, which was reinforced by an upcoming games thread in our forums that has achieved more views than any other in the history of TouchArcade.

Today that anticipation comes to a head, as Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD has finally been released in the US App Store. It's a moment that's bittersweet in that as happy as I am to see the game finally arrive, I'm equally as sad due to how much fun it has been following along with the game's progression. Any feelings of sadness quickly fade away, however, because as soon as you fire up the expansive world of Aralon on your iOS device you realize that you're in for an experience that's unlike anything you've ever seen on the platform before. I could literally write for hours about all the different aspects to Aralon, but instead I will try to touch on the major points as well as my feelings about playing this masterpiece of an iOS game.

You start off in Aralon by choosing one of three races � a human, elf, or troll � and from there you further refine your character by choosing its class. Both humans and elves can be male or female and pick from warrior, rogue, ranger, and mage classes. Trolls can only be male and either a warrior or a rogue. Each class has its own skill tree to master as your character levels up, and they all play quite differently from one another giving plenty of reason to play through the game as each. You then customize the look of your character model using a decent selection of hair and face choices, and although the options here aren't as robust as what you would find in a console game, it's certainly the most extensive on the iOS platform.

The story of Aralon then begins, and follows a tale of betrayal and a Kingdom on the brink of collapse. As fate would have it, you are the key element to solving these problems and restoring The Kingdom of Aralon to its previous state of peace and harmony. It's certainly the kind of story that follows clichés of the role-playing genre, but it's interesting nonetheless and serves as a good motivator to carry on and see things through.

After you're introduced to the premise, a very nice tutorial gets you acquainted with the controls in Aralon. A small directional stick controls character movement, and contextual buttons handle interacting with people and objects in the environment. You can scour chests spread throughout the environment or the bodies of fallen characters to collect items. There's an impressive amount of weapons and armor to equip, each of which will actually change the look of your character.

The real fun begins when you are let loose into the world of Aralon to explore and complete quests. The expansiveness and detail of the lands is jaw-dropping. The draw distance is limited and you'll notice an occasional wonky texture here and there, but by and large the huge world of Aralon is wholly impressive. There are main quests that pertain to the storyline as well as a number of side quests to complete, all of which are neatly tracked through a helpful quest log. The log will give you plenty of information on where to go, who to talk to, or what to do in order to complete each quest. This is aided by a map that points out the different areas in the game and your location relative to them, and at no point during Aralon did I feel lost or have a hard time figuring out what to do if I'd taken a break from the game for a while.

During your exploits you will run into countless enemies roaming the land. Battles take place in real time, and while they are largely button-mashing affairs there are some strategic elements to consider. A single button performs an attack based on what your character is equipped with, like a sword or a magical attack, and a second button handles defending or parrying. The defense system is timing based, and it's quite fun to work out the correct rhythm of attacking and quickly holding up a shield to block an attack. You also have a number of special skills which you slowly unlock and enhance through the skill tree as you level up. These skills, along with practically any other item or ability, can be assigned to up to 10 quick slots at the bottom of the screen. This ensures easy access to them and lets you mix up your tactics when taking on the enemies in the game.

For as much as I could wax lyrical about all the great thing in Aralon, the reality is that it does have some problems. The most glaring of these is the sometimes sketchy animations and behaviors of the graphics in the game. You'll notice things like when you mount a horse that it immediately teleports the creature to the correct position for you to hop on, or that as you're running through the world the game will occasionally freeze for a moment while it tries to catch up with drawing the environment. Given the incredibly expansive nature of the game, these are largely forgivable and don't hinder the experience too much, but they are there.

My other issue has to do with the controls. For the most part they work incredibly well, and the ease at which you can navigate menus and the many options contained within turns something that could easily be frustrating and overwhelming into something that is pleasantly simple.�The problem comes with how the game highlights characters or objects in the game world that you can interact with. The range at which it highlights something is much too far, and it will remain locked on a character even if I'm in a building and on a completely different floor than they are. Also, if a character is standing close to an object like a chest, the game has trouble determining which one you want to interact with. You can remedy this to a degree by actually touching the object you intend to engage, but it still causes some cumbersome moments when navigating through the game.

Finally, it has to be said that with the incredible amount of quests associated with the main storyline as well as the many side quests, a lot of them can tend to feel repetitive. Don't get me wrong, they're still very enjoyable and the developers do a great job of trying to add variety to them. But in the end the majority of quests boil down to fetching or delivering items, killing a certain character or stable of enemies, and the like.

There is so much more to Aralon that it isn't even funny, like joining guilds, combining and creating items, or becoming an outlaw. But these things either don't fit within the scope of this review or are things that can only be experienced firsthand, like the first time the sun sets and gives way to a breathtaking night sky overlooking the vast land before you. I used to look at my iOS device as a small window into new worlds and fun experiences, and with Aralon I feel like I actually have a fully realized living and breathing universe sitting snugly in my pocket.

Even with some of the warts that come with an initial release, Aralon is one of the most enjoyable games I've played on the App Store. Additionally, Crescent Moon has an excellent track record with collecting player feedback when considering game updates. They have already created an Aralon suggestion thread in our forums, and are monitoring the feedback in the official release thread as well. I have no doubt that a game of this magnitude will continue to evolve and improve over time with new content, gameplay tweaks, and bug fixes. Still, it's a thoroughly enjoyable game as it is now, and I don't only suggest Aralon for fans of Western RPGs or expansive open-world action games, but I think every iOS gamer needs to pick up this title just to experience what is possible on this constantly expanding mobile platform.

Back in the early 1980s, when the game machines of the day were the Atari VCS, the Intellivison, the VIC-20 and the like, a small video game studio known as Imagic was formed by several ex-Intel and -Mattel employees to create games for the game machines of the day. The studio, which many who were gaming at the time might liken to Activision in its early days, released around 20 titles in its five-year existence, but were probably best known for�Demon Attack, Microsurgeon, and Atlantis. The last, we're happy to report, has been faithfully recreated by Nemo Games as the Universal release Atlantis Invaders [link] for the iPhone and iPad and is currently available in the App Store.

In Atlantis Invaders, the underwater city of Atlantis is under aerial attack by the deadly Gordon fleet. It's your job to save the day by manning three, fixed defense turrets in a bid to knock the enemy fighters out of the sky before they can lay waste to your city with their horrible deathray.

In the game, the leftmost turret is aimed at a fixed point toward the top-right of the screen, while the rightmost turret is aimed at a fixed point toward the top-left of the screen. Between the two is a mid-screen turret aimed directly upwards. Each turret can be fired by tapping on it, and the trick is to use the three in concert � where timing is key � to blow up every ship that buzzes the city. If an enemy ship makes it across the screen intact, it will reemerge at a lower altitude again and again until it's low enough to bring the deathray. It sounds extremely simple, and it is. But somewhere in there is an addictiveness that makes the rather basic gameplay pretty engaging.

Regarding the iOS adaptation, Mojtaba of Nemo Games said,

We tried to make the exact clone of this fantastic game with its marvellous atmosphere in every possible aspects of the original game (sounds, graphics, gameplay, scoring, etc.) and added few touches here and there, like adding OpenFeint for online scores. We took pictures of the original game and placed all parts of the city with high accuracy, we also recorded videos of the original game on emulators to calculate the speed changes of enemies and missiles one by one and used the results in the clone.�We also thought about adding features like combos, more enemies, etc. but we realized that they'll change the original feel of the game and its fantastic gameplay atmosphere, so we changed our minds and tried to do a perfect clone instead.

See a video of the Atari 2600 version of Atlantis running in an emulator.

Atlantis Invaders, like the original Atlantis, is basically a re-jiggered take on the Missile Command formula that, to today's gamers, will exude a retro feel. I was a big fan of most of the Imagic releases I encountered and, as such, have enjoyed spending time with this one, but gamers without a particular retro bent may want to try the free, lite version [link] before making the jump.

Right now Atlantis Invaders is on a 50% off sale at $0.99 [link].

Apparently taking a hint from Rovio with two versions of their game, Angry Birds [99� / HD] and Angry Birds Seasons [99� / HD], Doodle Jump [99� creators Lima Sky just released Doodle Jump Christmas Special [99�]. The game is basically little more than Doodle Jump with a Christmas theme, which is a-ok by me.

If you already own Doodle Jump, I'm not sure how much sense there is to re-buy the Christmas Special, but if you're the kind of person who likes endless jumping games who also happens to like Christmas, I can think of worse ways to spend 99�. Doodle Jump Christmas Special is home to both Game Center and some fantastically detailed Retina Display graphics, and all the new Christmas enemies couldn't be cuter.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for consoles and PC is a great, isometric action-adventure that successfully combines the exploration, the high-octane action sequences, and the puzzle elements of a solid�Tomb Raider title with the combat of a good dual-stick shooter. It's not a perfect game. I think the setup to larger tasks is often are redundant (go here; grab this; repeat) and the crowd control options are lacking, but overall it's a fun game with a satisfying level of depth, especially in its item and equipment systems which allow you to boost Lara's skills by doing optional tasks or finding items scattered throughout the world.

Surprisingly, Guardian of Light will soon be available on the iOS in North America, and it appears to be a faithful port in regards to mechanics and game world, which is why I've mentioned all this. But during my playthrough of this version, I've discovered that the things that don't come across so well are the visuals, sound, frame rate, and control. I know � bummer!

Let's parse this. A lot of textures in the game look terrible, while some needed sound effects simply aren't replicated. Take, for example, the tumbling bridge section right outside the Spider Temple. No crumbling sounds are emitted in the cut-scene that betrays the two muddy bridges' stability. And while that's bothersome, the fact that Lara can clip through the final bridge's geometry and fall to her doom is even worse. I don't even know what to chock that up to other than poor implementation.

This scene, despite all of its action and stupid missteps, manages to hold up well in regards to frame rate, which makes it all the more mystifying whenever frames start dropping during low-octane portions of the game.

You can deal with these things; I can deal with these things. But, I think the real deal-breaker is Guardian of Light's on-screen controls, which make shooting, jumping, rolling, and basic item navigation a nightmare. The game is playable, sure, but it's obvious the game's enemy balance wasn't tweaked, nor were its action sections, for an on-screen UI. Guardian of Light is, essentially, still a game built for users with a controller. That's a problem because the UI �too poorly spaced and and just not responsive enough to replicate the experience and demand of a controller.

The iOS is the first platform that Guardian of Light has successfully launched its fantastic online co-op component alongside, which has one player playing as Lara while the other handles a warrior named Totec. What makes this such a compelling addition is that the game changes in meaningful ways with two people; puzzles that demand interdependence and unique action scenarios are made available in this mode.

Sadly, this iOS version of the co-op appears a bit on the shoddy side. Between Eli and I, our game's crashed a total of five times while starting up a match and our invites to each other didn't work in the first place. We had to, hilariously, use random matchmaking to find each other. I shouldn't say this component is broken exactly , but it's obvious Square Enix needs to take a look at this component's implementation.

What kills me here is that there's a great game buried in�Guardian of Light iOS � a game that has satisfying combat, great loot systems and upgrade paths, a fun story, a good co-op component, and some stellar puzzles. But… these silly problems are killers. The good news is that all this stuff is fixable, particularly the ticky-tacky visuals, sound, and network stuff. The question is, will Square Enix address this stuff? I hope so. Guardian of Light is fantastic and I wish I could enjoy this version just as much as the others. We'll hold our official in-depth review until we see a patch since it's really hard to recommend this game as it is on launch.

App Store Links � Note: This game is currently available internationally, but won't be available in the US App Store until 11:00 PM Eastern.

• Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light, $6.99
• Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light HD, $9.99

Big news for all the Trenches [$.99 / Lite] and Stenches [$.99] fans out there: game creator Thunder Game Works is submitting an update to Apple that will bring competitive as well as co-op components to both games via Game Center. Thunder tells us that online is one of the most asked for features, so it's pleased to indulge the fans.

For Trenches, the update will add online man-versus-man competition to the Battle or King of the Trench modes. It will also add cooperative play to Skirmish, Zombie Horde Mode, and King of the Trenches. For Stenches, Thunder is taking a Left 4 Dead approach, allowing fans to team up as the zombie horde versus human-controlled British forces. Both games will also receive voice chat. Neat, right?

Thunder thinks this patch might make it out before Christmas, but these updates' eventual releases are up to Apple. The dude in Cupertino who hits the "certified" button likely has a mountain of various apps in front of him, so don't be surprised if you can't get your hands on this until after the App Store thaws out on the 28th.

Well this came totally out of left field, but there are few surprises that I appreciate more than "Oh hey, by the way, there's a new Monkey Island game." Monkey Island Tales 1 HD [$6.99] is the first part of a five episode series of adventure games that was originally released for the PC and Mac, as well as making appearances on both WiiWare and PSN. The game takes place in a 3D environment where (much like other Monkey Island games) you guide Guybrush Threepwood through a series of misadventures. These puzzles are very similar to other adventure games and involve clever use of the environment, items, and dialog choices.

We haven't gotten official word yet on when the rest of the series will be making their way to the App Store, but the original episodes were released on the PC about a month apart, so I've got my fingers crossed for episode 2 sometime in January. We plan on taking a closer look at the game, but with the onslaught of releases today we've got quite a huge pile of games to go through. In the meantime, swing by the thread in our forums.

In a world collapsing in on itself under the weight of its machine-churned puzzle games, World of Goo was a breath of fresh air when it was released in 2008. It was smart, varied, deep, gorgeous, and, above all, entertaining. The iOS version of the game will be hitting the US App Store tonight, and to no-one's surprise, it's still just as good.

The truly surprising thing is that this iPad version is easily the definitive version of the game oft-praised puzzler. You get a real sense of connection with the game's world as you dip your finger or fingers into it, and the technical mastery displayed in this port is near unparalleled. Everything just feels perfect. It's as if this was the version of the game we all should have played first.

At first, World of Goo is about manufacturing bridges and towers with the stretched tissue of little balls of goo. The point is to provide a path that other goo balls can follow into a metal pipe, the end point. Physics play a key role in this process: you'll need to build sound structures, which sounds easier than it is. Goo isn't concrete.

Each level requires a set number of goo balls to reach the pipe, and each goo ball you use for a structure counts against the total provided. This constant negotiation of goo resources is pleasing because it forces you to think around the obvious solution, which is often one of brute building.

The game doesn't rest on this basic formula. It has a bevy of twists and spins on this concept and mechanic in each level, providing a stream of different looks at what is possible to do in the game. A lot of levels even introduce new goo balls with very different, game-altering properties. There's a change of pace opportunity around every corner, be it from the introduction of helium-filled goo balls, vicious gusts of wind, and so on.

Diversity can become a bugbear in because explanation and experimentation are often required in large amounts. Developer 2D Boy mitigates this by walking the fine line between handholding and intuitive design. Levels are presented in such a way that it's clear what needs to be done, while signpost text written by the game's clever Sign Painter provides subtle hints and teases if a structure is too strange.

The Sign Painter is a perfect example of the game's character and tone. This writer of signs is bizarre and cheery, much like the game's unusual art. And if you doubted the power of a hand-drawn approach in this day and age, just take a look at this game. The art is detailed and beautiful and full of character-defining quirk.

On a related note, the sound design is stupendous in that it helps to add even another layer of character to the goo balls by allowing you to identify them simply by ear. Very cool stuff.

There's little wrong with World of Goo. I tend to think the physics on the larger balls introduced later in the gamer are a bit too wonky; there's a degree of luck almost in dealing with them as they tend to bounce wherever they like. I'm also not a fan of the fact that you can't pinch and zoom to get an overview of a level. 2D Boy keeps the camera tight and forces you to scroll sideways to see other parts of a map.

To be clear, this is a port. I've yet to see a level or a mechanic that wasn't present in other builds of the game. But it's a fantastic�recreation, so much so that I've become convinced that this is the best version available. The touch controls are responsive, simple, and precise. Your finger, it turns out, is just as good as a mouse or a Wii Remote pointer. The intangible here is what it feels like to directly interact with the game's world. It just feels right. Picking up and applying goo is natural, as if your finger was intended to be used with this game in the first place. It's wild, man.

Puzzle games are a dime a dozen on the App Store, but World of Goo is easily one of the best ones available. It's charm, level of polish, and stream of new mechanics and ideas will keep you invested, while its other qualities will probably make you wish that every game from this point forward could be as imaginative and intuitive. Check it out.

App Store Link: World of Goo for iPad, $9.99 (Available in the US at 11:00 PM Eastern)

Here's a neat one. The creative nucleus of Infinity Blade [$5.99] was originally concieved as a Kinect title instead of an iOS game. Game creator Chair Entertainment's co-founder Donald Mustard explains in another delicious Joystiq interview post.

"We always have some cool ideas on deck, and kind of the inception of Infinity Blade began as a discussion around: 'If we were going to make a Kinect title, what would we make? What would a Chair Kinect game look like?'," he said.

"That discussion happened, you know, a year and a half ago. We had this really cool design, and it's not that dissimilar from the game you're playing today; it's just been refined and adapted to the iOS screen, which honestly I think is where the design works the best. "

Mustard neglected to get specific about what ideas were being thrown around in these conceptual stages of Infinity Blade, but theoretically, a Kinect version of the action RPG would have you acting out the sword swings and parries and near-miss dodges with your body and arms instead of your fingers. It's a neat idea, and what's wild is, it could totally work. Kinect fairs best with broad, sweeping motions such as a pretend sword slash. But that's not to say Infinity Blade sucks on the iOS. It's, as we've said before, a fantastic Chair joint.

The kicker here is that even though plans changed for Infinity Blade, a Kinect version could still happen. "Yeah," other Chair co-founder Geremy Mustard told Joystiq, "if the Kinect really takes off over the holiday season, who knows?"

Who knows, indeed. Maybe I'll actually turn on my Kinect again if Chair decides to bless it with the gift of Infinity Blade.

[via Joystiq]

Riven: The Sequel to Myst [$5.99] might have just been ported for the last time. (Eh, who are we kidding.) Developed in 1997 for the PC, Riven has seen releases on the Mac OS, Pocket PC, the original PlayStation, and even the Sega Saturn. This morning, Riven was released for the iOS a little more than a decade after its original creation.

As its name outright says, Riven is a continuation of the Myst series. It's a point-and-click adventure locked in a first-person perspective, much like its forerunner. And it features a similar approach to puzzle design and basic world navigation. Essentially, you're a walking�monkey wrench�that can fuss with levers and various other mechanical devices in addition to being able to decipher codes and symbols.

If you've played Myst proper or Myst [$4.99] iOS,�in other words, you'll probably feel right at home with Riven.

Our forum members have been pretty excited for this port and seem happy with it thus far, which is to be expected. Cyan Worlds, the original developer of Riven and Myst, are the dudes making Riven iOS possible. They kind of know what they're doing at this point, you know?

Today is the eve of the final Thursday in December before the pre-holiday iTunes Connect freeze. Starting on December 23rd and running until the 28th, developers won't be able to release new games or updates, or change any of the prices of their games. Last year the top sales charts also got frozen, and no one knows if that's going to be the case again this year or not. What we're seeing now is the mad rush to get everyone's games released before the freeze. If you were looking forward to a game with a holiday release date that isn't in this list, it's still possible that it will get released, but it's looking more and more unlikely as we get closer to the 23rd.

All of these releases work just like they do every week. They appear for download in New Zealand first, then as the Earth slowly spins around and it becomes Thursday in more regions the games slowly filter out. For those of us that use the US App Store, all of these games will be available at 11:00 PM Eastern.

Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � The highly anticipated collaboration between Crescent Moon Games and Galoobeth Games is almost upon us. We were impressed with the depth of the game in our preview last week, and the excitement for Aralon couldn't possibly be higher in its massive thread in our upcoming games forum.

Real Racing 2, $9.99 � [Forum Thread] � Last week Firemint revealed the full details on just what to expect in Real Racing 2. A career mode, licensed cars, and tons of track are all some of the goodies that we're going to be in store for. Oh, yeah, and there's also 16 player online multiplayer that basically rewrites what to expect of iPhone online multiplayer gaming.

World of Goo for iPad, $9.99 � [Forum Thread] � As mentioned in our recent preview, World of Goo on the iPad is simply incredible. It was a remarkable game before it hit the App Store, winning buckets full of awards and scoring many 10/10 reviews… and the touch interface only serves to make the game even better. I've been unable to put this game down since we scored our preview copy. If you have an iPad, you need this game.

Dungeon Defenders: First Wave, $2.99 � [Forum Thread] � This is the second game available on the App Store that utilizes Unreal Engine 3, but the graphics aren't what's impressive about Dungeon Defenders. What's truly awesome about it is the Game Center-powered multiplayer that allows four players to play together in a cooperative mix of tower defense-like gameplay mixed with an action RPG. It's even universal.

N.O.V.A. 2 � Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � Gameloft is back again with a second installment in the N.O.V.A. series. This one will have you battling through 12 chapters in the singleplayer campaign, which I have a feeling will take a back seat to the 10 player online multiplayer. 10 maps are included for online play with 5 different game modes which include standard and team based deathmatch, capture the flag, freeze tag, and instagib.

Geared 2, 99� � [Forum Thread] � We loved the original Geared, and its sequel seems better in every way. Gameplay amounts to figuring out how to place gears to make the target gears spin, and unlike other gear-based games there isn't any kind of grid for the gears to lock on to, allowing you to place them wherever you like. Oh, and to make things better, it's launching at a buck and is universal.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2, 99� � 15 missions are included as well as 4 player online multiplayer. In comparison to other games being released today, that doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it's a game from a popular franchise that's also launching at 99�� A price I'm not sure many expected.

Shadow Guardian, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � Gameloft's take on the Uncharted series. Gameplay involves lots of running, gunning, jumping, climbing, and of course, treasure hunting.

Hook Worlds, 99� � [Forum Thread] � Evolving the Hook Champ and Super QuickHook world even further is Hook Worlds, a swinging game that Rocketcat Games is calling four games in one. Four game worlds are included, and while they all rely on swinging of some sort, each world looks and plays different thanks to four different characters with their own abilities.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � An incredibly unexpected release by Square Enix, especially as I (and I doubt I'm alone on this) were expecting their next games to be their classic ports of RPG's they've been talking about forever now. We don't know a whole lot about this right now other than it's a cooperative spin on a Tomb Raider game with an isometric viewpoint. I admit, my interest has been piqued.

Altered Beast, $2.99 � [Forum Thread] � My mother would literally murder me if she had any idea just how many quarters I pumped in to the local Altered Beast machine. I'm surprised it took Sega this long to release this game, as in my eyes it's just as classic as Sonic. Either way, it comes loaded with their new bluetooth multiplayer compatibility for two player beasting.

Broken Sword � The Smoking Mirror: Remastered, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � The continuation of the Broken Sword series, in a universal app. We loved the first installment, and are expecting great things from its sequel.

The Game of Life for iPad, $6.99 � [Forum Thread] � While The Game of Life is nowhere close to as near and dear to my heart as Monopoly is, I love board games on the iPad. This version has a few exclusive features such as being able to view the whole board and local multiplayer with up to 6 players at once. I'm still waiting for my iPad version of Mouse Trap!

Pix'n Love Rush DX, $3.99 � [Forum Thread] � I still can't get enough of the original Pix'n Love Rush for the iPhone, and the iPad version seems to be dripping with even more high scoring retro charm.

ZombieSmash HD, $2.99 � [Forum Thread] � We thought the original was great in our review, and from the looks of it, the iPad version provides even more zombie punishing action. The HD version adds multitouch controls for even more zombie mayhem.

The relentless onslaught of Gameloft iOS releases continues, as they have announced that their Uncharted-like action-adventure game Shadow Guardian will be launching December 16th. For those of you familiar with the intricacies of preset App Store release dates and the mysteries of global time zone differences, that means that Shadow Guardian will be hitting the New Zealand App Store in the next few minutes and should appear in the US App Store at 11pm EST tonight. Gameloft has also provided a brand new trailer for Shadow Guardian in anticipation of its release:

If you've played the Uncharted games on Playstation 3 before, then you will likely be able to point out the many similarities in this trailer for Shadow Guardian. But, as always, it's pretty unlikely that we'd ever get to see an official version of Uncharted on iOS, so I will gladly take this close approximation. There's a discussion currently underway for the game in our forums, and assuming we don't die of exhaustion from the avalanche of other games set to release tonight, we'll take a closer look at Shadow Guardian after it becomes available in the US App Store.

Chair Entertainment's Donald Mustard has shared some spectacular news with the folks over at Joystiq. The first update to Infinity Blade [$5.99] is due out at some point next week and it'll add a total of five new weapons, five fresh shields, five helmets, a brand new set of armor, and a new foe called the "Marrow Fiend" to the action RPG.

Mustard calls this a "booster pack." It's the first of two planned, the second of which will see a release at some point in January.

Chair hasn't been shy in the past about its plans to support Infinity Blade post release. Online competitive support has been promised, in addition to new items, areas, and monsters. As for when we'll see those new areas and multiplayer? Well, these might take a bit to create considering that the Infinity Blade team is only 12-men strong and quality is a serious priority.

But that doesn't mean Mustard didn't have anything to share on that front. Speaking about new areas, Mustard said "There will be new areas to go to, the story will be evolving a little more as you see what the God King is really up to, and we're going to let people down into the dungeons." He added that these new foes in the dungeon will "make the [current] enemies look like nothing."

Ah, so exciting. Anyone else tap out their current character and itching for some new content? Surely I'm not the only freak out there.

[via Joystiq]

Remember way back in July when we came across some poorly translated information that hinted at Yoot Saito's Yoot Tower/The Tower II coming to the iPad? And remember the following month when that game, which was now known as The Tower, was released in the Japanese App Store only, much to the disappointment of gamers in other countries? And finally, do you remember just last week when we posted that The Tower would be renamed Yoot Tower for its US release but most likely would not make it out before the end of the year? All of these wonderful memories have brought us to the point we are at right now: the English version of Yoot Tower for iPad has finally made its way into the US App Store.

If you're still feeling kind of lost, Yoot Saito is an innovative Japanese game designer who created SimTower back in 1994, a simulation game similar to SimCity in that you had to manage different resources and expansion, but instead of building a sprawling metropolis you built a structure vertically into the sky. The sequel to SimTower that arrived a few years later, called�Yoot Tower, is what the iPad version is based off of. A brief description from our post last week:

Yoot Tower is a simulation joint that plays like a vertical take on�Sim City. In the game, you'll play as a building manager with a mission to build a massive tower. This tower, however, won't just be filled with bricks, iron, and cement. No, it'll also house people � residents and workers and the like � who all have individual stress levels and needs. Negotiating these needs, while continuing to build your tower and placing desire facilities, composes the core of a game. So, like a good sim,�Yoot Tower appears to have quite the interesting juggling act between you and outside forces.

And here is a brief gameplay demo from July of the Japanese version of The Tower running on the iPad:

So it seems that we were wrong in assuming that there would be no way Yoot Tower would be approved in time for the holidays, despite its submission date and the impending App Store lockdown next week. I think it goes without saying, though, that we are overjoyed to have been incorrect about that. Head on over to the Yoot Tower forum thread for some discussion on the game, and we'll be bringing you a full review just as soon as we've put it through its paces.