Apple has been doing a variety of crazy promotions on iTunes for, well, basically forever. Free songs given away in all kinds of ways, free apps through Starbucks, and now, apparently, promo code generation through Facebook? I don't understand the dark rituals taking place behind the scenes to extract promo codes from the ether, but here's what I do know:

Following this link and mashing a few buttons on Facebook will get you a promo code to download Halfbrick's Jetpack Joyride [99�] for free. It's the first of a new promotion process courtesy of Apple, and I can't wait to see what else they end up giving away for free. Now, I've got no idea either how long this promotion is going to last, when it's going to rotate to something else, and how many promo codes there are to give away. This news is so hot off the press I burnt my hands.

Seriously, we love Jetpack Joyride and there is absolutely no reason to not take advantage of this offer. Also, it seems you can even generate a code if you already own the game, and then give that code to someone else.

Exciting times we live in.

Hey it's Wednesday again, and time for another onslaught of iOS releases. If you're looking for something to do while you inevitably wait for the Battlefield 3 servers to come back up (if tonight is anything like last night), here are a ton of games to keep you occupied. Also, speaking of Battlefield 3, we've seen no sign of the Battlefield 3 Aftershock iOS title that EA has been teasing. I would have bet on that launching along side the PC and console versions of the game… But, I suppose that's why I don't gamble. If you want to get in on the iOS Battlefield 3 anticipation, head on over to this thread which seems like it has been going for an eternity in App Store time.

Anyway, it's the same old song and dance as last week, the week before that, and basically every Wednesday night. All of these games will be available on the US App Store at 11:00 PM Eastern. Although, if you live east of us, chances are they're available now, or will be very soon.

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Blosics, 99� / HD - Forum Thread - Another popular Flash game ported to the App Store! But, the real question is, is there room on your device for another object flinging physics game? There always is on mine.

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Candy Town, 99� - Forum Thread - Finally the age old question of what do you get when you combine a match three with line drawing mechanics and cup cakes has been answered. Ultra-casual match three titles often seem to do pretty well, and it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case with Candy Town.

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Chicken Coup Remix, 99� / HD - Forum Thread - I'm not entirely sure what is different about this remix other than a change in publishers from the original Chicken Coup [$1.99], but if you're crazy about sorting games and liked Chicken Coup, I guess Remix is worth a try.

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Dawn of Magic, Free - Forum Thread - Cool trailer, check. Classic RPG gameplay, check? Price… Free? I'm anxious to give this game a try, and I've really got my fingers crossed that the IAP is actually optional, because there's nothing worse than getting invested in a cool RPG and hitting a freemium pay wall.

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Flick Tennis: College Wars, $1.99 - Forum Thread - Now this is a curious game. I'd be onboard for the tennis alone, but they've thrown in RPG elements and a story told via an in-game comic book of sorts… And multiplayer? Alright, I'm in.

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Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, $9.99 - Forum Thread - The latest modern military shooter from Gameloft. 13 levels including "AAA scenario-scripting," and 12 player online multiplayer with 6 maps and 7 different game modes.

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Ninja Pong, 99� / HD - Forum Thread - I've always said the #1 thing missing from the game of Pong is ninjas, so thankfully we finally got that all straightened out. Gameplay amounts to moving a platform around to help ninjas jump around, and "Tiny Ninjas" is even on the feature list.

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Peak Gold, 99� / HD - Forum Thread - This hooking game puts you to the task of collecting tons and tons of gold, which seems like as good of a task as any given the skyrocketing price of gold.

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Riptide GP, $4.99 - Forum Thread - I've been really looking forward to this turbo-charged jet ski game. There's 12 tracks, 6 jet skis, 3 game modes, and stunts- Lots and lots of stunts.

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Saving Moo, 99� / HD - Forum Thread - The iTunes description of this game is remarkably vague, but what I can tell you is that the gameplay somehow involves cows defending Earth from aliens. Seems reasonable.

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Shantae: Risky's Revenge, Free - Forum Thread - This game blew the doors off game critics on the Nintendo DS last year, and now it's available on the App Store. Better yet, it's free with a $2.99 unlock to get to the rest of the game so you can see if the controls jive with you.

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SpinTrip, 99� - Forum Thread - This platforming adventure game focuses on rolling around the world utilizing power-ups called "Chibs." Check out the trailer to see all the different abilities you can have.

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Tiny Token Empires, 99� - Forum Thread - A match three combined with a turn-based strategy game sounds absolutely crazy. So crazy it might just be totally awesome.

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World Mosaics, $1.99 - Forum Thread - Like picross games and wish you had more of them on your phone? Well, you're in luck, because this is exactly what you require.

We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled iOS game programming to get the word out about a really sweet rapid prototyping tool for the iPad released by Two Lives Left, creators of Wheeler's Treasure [$2.99] and Pilot Winds [Free]. It's called Codify [$7.99], and utilizing the Lua programming language along with a ton of clever touch-based interface elements lets you quickly and easily throw together whatever game prototype you might be dreaming of.

I've heard more than a few developers attempting to create similar tools for the iPad, but all of them have hit various roadblocks in the Apple approval process because they all (in one way or another) allowed you to get code and assets onto the device and execute it. Codify sidesteps this by coming with a wide variety of assets, but unfortunately all of your creations will be trapped on your own device. Right now, there's no way to export (or import) anything, although Two Lives Left have told us they've submitted an update to Apple that has this functionality and they're planning on working with the approval teams to come to some kind of solution.

Either way, Lua is easy to learn and even with your prototypes stuck on your own iPad Codify can be an incredibly useful tool. If you come up with a game idea, you can quickly toss it together and see if it's worth pursuing. In fact, I'd almost say keeping these prototypes trapped on your device is a good thing as it serves as a fantastic rough draft to then redo in a more serious development environment.

Last week ustwo™'s Whale Trail [99�] hit the App Store. It was quickly featured as game of the week, and was met with tons of critical acclaim. We thought it was great in our review, and most other reviews online that I've seen mention similar feelings. Sure, the gameplay is a little on the basic side but Whale Trail's production values are absolutely through the roof.

A behind the scenes video from ustwo™ recently was released, and aside from the game's producers and designers providing their thoughts on the game, ustwo™ also revealed the staggering amounts of time, energy, and money that went into the project. "Chief Wonka" Mills also discusses the concept of a "succailure," citing previous apps Papercut [$5.99] and Nursery Rhymes with StoryTime [$3.99]. Both well received, with tons of support from Apple, but neither turning a profit.

Take a look:

Another interesting point raised in the video is the significant advantage that indie developers can have. Running a design firm like ustwo™ is expensive, and investing in the App Store is risky business when you've got a full office, staff of employees, and all the other expenses that come with that. The App Store is a curious place, as it really makes no difference to the end user if you're working out of your bedroom or releasing projects from a design firm that have invested over �500,000 into them. Every iOS developer has equal chances of discovery, visibility, and success� Assuming of course that they put out a good product.

We're anxious to see what ustwo™'s next move is going to be. Whale Trail is going to need to be downloaded a ton to break even, especially at a 99� price point. I'd love to say "hopefully this doesn't discourage them from iOS development," as I think it's outfits like ustwo™ that seem the most likely to push the platform forward, but how much of a financial hole can they dig themselves keeping their fingers crossed that critical acclaim and love from Apple eventually turns into the hundreds of thousands of downloads they need?

Huge news, dinosaur enthusiasts: work on Telltale Games' Jurassic Park: The Game has wrapped and it's hitting this November 15 across almost every major platform under the sun � with the exception of ours. Fear not, though. According to a press release, the iPad version is slated to hit the App Store "shortly after" this sweeping release. We can only guess what the hold-up is, but it's known that dinosaurs are feisty talent to work with and probably don't enjoy being shrunk to fit onto 10-inch screens. Or put into parks, for that matter.

Jurassic Park: The Game, from what we gather from other reports, is a spin on the Telltale adventure game formula, as it'll supposedly be much more action oriented. It's been compared to Heavy Rain on a few occasions, too, though that really doesn't tell us much.

Interestingly, this game will take us all back to Isla Nublar during the events of the first movie. Somehow, it'll squeeze in new dinosaurs, new locations, but also pay its respects to the beasts and places we fell in love with in the first place. Neat!

We've already told you just how awesome Fish Labs' Galaxy On Fire 2 is in our review, which hit almost exactly one year ago. Since then, the original title has been updated a few times, and a DLC pack hit. In addition, Fish Labs had been teasing a high definition version of the game initially running on Tegra devices for way too long.

Well, that HD version hit earlier this month as Galaxy On Fire HD, released exclusively for A5-equipped iOS devices. It's even universal, to run on either your iPad 2 or iPhone 4S. Better yet, it can use either OpenFeint or iCloud to sync progress between devices. It launched with a few technical hiccups which kept us from sounding the alarm to go out and download it immediately, but those things have all since been fixed in subsequent updates.

Galaxy On Fire 2 HD is the exact same game as Galaxy On Fire 2, with substantially better graphics. If you already own Galaxy On Fire 2, there's basically no reason to "upgrade" to the HD version unless you just want some additional eye candy. However, since the game is so "old" (in App Store terms, anyway), it wouldn't surprise me if there's a bunch of people out there with 4S's or iPad 2's that never heard of it the first time around� In which case, there's no better time to hop on this awesome game.

Namco Bandai is planning to roll a couple of new levels into Katamari Amore [Free] tomorrow. Seven in total, actually, one of which is Tekken-themed, are scheduled to hit in an update to the App Store-exclusive Katamari successor. Each will be playable across all of the game's modes in the "unlocked" (read: paid) version, but only the first of these will be available in the base, free-to-play experience.

Confusion is a natural reaction to any and all update news for a game that's essentially split between financial models. Just think of Amore as a demo that you can morph into a full, retail-ish game with your hard-earned coin. Also, like with the first level pack, this update basically requires a purchase of the 'full' game.

Here's a look at what's coming:

We weren't impressed with Amore, which continues our streak of disappointment in a series that really should feel at home on the iPad and iPhone. New levels aren't the fix, but for the fans it does have, I'd imagine it's enough to keep them invested.

You can read our review here, if you're interested in learning more.

How much should a game punish you? This is the question that hangs over Mountain Sheep's Bike Baron [$0.99] but the answer is totally subjective. Me, I can take a bit of brutality. Sadistic level design appeals � to a point. You'll need at least as much tolerance as I have to enjoy this game, but if, say, Trials HD is your high water mark for cruelty to gamers, you'll find a lot to like here.

Bike Baron successfully merges an excellent interface with charming art and sound design. Those things pull you in, and then the game tries to break you. If you're looking for a casual biking experience where you'll spend a lot of time soaring through the air, look elsewhere. If you get gleeful at the thought of pixel-precise jumps, trial and error, and endless retries, well, you might be a bit mad. Not that there's anything wrong with that � those are the exact things you'll find in Bike Baron.

Mountain Sheep has built over 40 levels that range in difficulty from easy to extreme. In more practical terms, they range from conventionally defeatable to unreasonably sadistic. All you need to do is get the Baron and his bike across the finish line. The controls are simple � stop and go buttons are positioned on the right, and buttons to tilt your bike are on the left. The levels are all quite short, and they're absolutely stuffed with checkpoints. You'll need 'em all before long.

Bike Baron comes from the cartoon school of physics. Levels are designed with a certain wackiness, with huge jumps, loops and explosions. But the Baron is slightly more realistic in design. Like most people, he's vulnerable to hitting his head, blowing up, smacking into ledges or crushing himself under his bike. Honestly, if you're going to participate in this kind of extreme biking, you really ought to be made of hardier stock.

But the Baron's fragility is only half the problem. The other half is the level designers at Mountain Sheep, who I've cursed several times an hour since starting their game. It doesn't take long to reach levels that require insane precision. Hit a jump at the wrong speed or angle and you're toast. Heck, a small dip in the road handled incorrectly can leave you little more than a smear across a ramp.

It's a frustrating approach to level design, and its exacerbated by touchy physics and stiff controls. Whether it's a good frustration or a bad frustration depends on how patient you are, how comfortable you are with repetition, and whether you're the sort that will throw your device after getting killed one too many times.

But for all that frustration, Bike Baron is exceptionally well-made. While everything about the game is set up to get you into the action as quickly as possible, it's also set up to ease frustration and charm players in the process. The menus are gorgeous, showcasing some of the game's excellent art. The sounds of fanfare echo organically to celebrate your successes and gruesome deaths. A comprehensive statistics screen shows you just how many times you've won or died, and you can enable ghost mode to compare your attempts.

For the casual player, the level-unlock system is a blessing. Each level costs one star to open, and at first you earn a star for every finish line you cross. Bike Barons doesn't let you off that easily for the entire game, though. Eventually, to earn a star you'll need to make it through under a time limit, collect all the coins, finish without a single crash or flip like a madman. Still, as long as you can pull off enough of those goals you can skip ahead to (nearly) any level you want. With up to three stars to be earned each level, there's (almost) no reason to keep bashing your head against anything you find too frustrating.

Only the best of the best will make it through all seven of the bonus Joker levels, though. Those are only unlocked if you earn three stars on every preceding level. I've only seen the first few, but I've heard that they crank the difficulty level up to 11. Enjoy?

Mountain Sheep is still planning for the future of Bike Baron, but in the meantime you can entertain yourself with user-created levels. The level editor is comprehensive and easy to use. Discovering levels is a bit tougher: you can only share them with level codes. Mountain Sheep has compiled some of the best on its website, and you can find more in our discussion thread.

Difficulty aside, the only serious issue I've had with Bike Baron is the lack of a quick level reset. It's easy to reset back to the previous checkpoint, but depending on the star you're trying to earn that isn't always enough. Occasionally checkpoints also position you in a spot you can't proceed from without awkwardly backing up. It's enough that going to the menu and resetting the level isn't ideal.

The Game Center integration is a sore spot, too. One leaderboard tracks your overall score for all the levels you've played, and there are only three achievements to earn, so all in all it's a bit bare bones.

Otherwise Bike Baron is solid, if you're into the difficulty it puts forth. It's not a type of difficulty that I'm particularly fond of, being as reliant as it is on pixel-perfect positioning. But that's not to say the game doesn't do a fantastic job of it. If you're looking for punishment, you can't do much better than this.

I'm not totally sure what the occasion is, but there sure does seem to be a ton of sales going on this week. Perhaps it's some pre-Halloween celebrating, or maybe developers have seen the number of new iPhones sold this month and want to capitalize on all of the potential new iOS gamers. Whatever the reason though, I don't think anyone will argue with getting some great deals on some new games. Without further ado, here's a list of some recent price drops and freebies from the past 24 hours:

• Reckless Getaway, $2.99�? FREE (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• To-Fu 2, 99� ? FREE (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• League of Evil, $1.99�? 99� (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• Tactical Soldier: Undead Rising, $4.99�? $2.99 (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• Hypership Out of Control, 99�? FREE (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• Joining Hands, $2.99�? 99� (Universal) � [Review] � [Forum Thread]
• Chicken Balls, 99��? FREE � [Forum Thread]
• Chicken Balls HD, $1.99�? FREE � [Forum Thread]
• Puzzle Quest Chapter 1, $1.99�? FREE � [Forum Thread]
• Puzzle Quest Chapter 1 & 2, $4.99 ? $1.99 � [Forum Thread]
• Puzzle Quest HD, $4.99�? $1.99 � [Forum Thread]

A couple of things about the list above. First of all, all the versions of the original Puzzle Quest games have been updated with iOS 5 support and visual enhancements (including Retina Display support), as well as have been tuned up in the way of bug fixes. Second, Tactical Soldier: Undead Rising is due to get a humongous update with a brand new campaign available via IAP, and we'll be giving that a spin and will report back on it soon. But, the sale is supposed to only last until the update hits, so if you have any interest then you should definitely jump on it quickly.

In fact, that pretty much goes for every sale, as the prices can fluctuate on a whim. Make sure to jump at the chance to grab what interests you before these sales run out, and always keep a copy of the AppShopper [Free] app on your device to stay on top of the constantly changing App Store.