On this week's bonus episode of The TouchArcade Show, we speak with FakePup's Miguel Rafael. He and his studio just released Super Bit Dash [$.99], an 8-bit runner with a few cool twists to the action model. We love the look and feel of it and, basically, and wanted to get with FakePup and see where the game was going and what the studio is all about.

Turns out that FakePup has a great story, so we're pretty pumped to share it with you via our podcast. If you'd like to give this a listen feel free to do so below via direct download or streaming. Subscribers to our podcast on iTunes and Zune get our podcasts the second they're uploaded onto the Internet, so get on those services if you want to fill your earholes with our goodness the second we release it.

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Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-Bonus-024.mp3, 22MB

We'll be back a little later this week for another regular episode of The TouchArcade Show. We also have quite a few bonus podcasts lined up, too. Catch it!

We've nailed our collective pants to our chairs, but they keep flying off when we look at the first image from Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas. Finnish developer Cornfox & Bros describes it as a Zelda-'inspired' action adventure game that seeks to put the focus on puzzles and exploration instead of RPG sub-systems and menus. It's also gorgeous -- like, your-pants-will-pop-off kind of gorgeous.

The name of the game is derived from the fiction's ancient sea monster who "terrorizes" the World of Uncharted Seas. You'll play as a "nameless hero" tasked with killing this monster and saving his sister. In order to accomplish these things, you'll need to explore the world in boat and on foot, and undoubtedly plunge into some puzzle-y areas filled with treasure.

We don't know about you, but we can't help thinking about Wind Waker whenever we look at the art and consider Cornfox & Bros's pitch for Oceanhorn. Bring it on, we say, because the world needs more of these games.

UI and effects not final or missing, FYI.

Cornfox & Bros, one of the gaggle of developers responsible for Death Rally if you didn't know, is expecting Oceanhorn to hit at some point in 2012. This reveal first appeared to our forums and the studio says it'll continue updating its thread as it reveals new information. There's also a blog, too, which is revealing some other cool mechanics. For example, apparently Oceanhorn can attack "at any time" while you're sailing the high seas in your upgradeable boat. So excited!

Supermono Studios is proving that its willing to go back to the drawing board with its open-world-meets-LittleBigPlanet racing game, Forever Drive [Free]. Under advisement from fans, the studio has released a free update to the game that demonstrates dramatic refinements and tweaks to the core action and building models. The game had been under some... fire from fans who believed its free-to-play business model was proving too restrictive.

The biggest change? Users can now earn more credits by racing. Before, it appeared that the only way to obtain the game's currency was to purchase them. Also, this update gives users five free track slots and the ability to edit their own tracks without the need to purchase more slots. New monorail scenery and bad track reporting functionality are in this update, too.

We've been pretty high on Forever Drive for a while now, but we're stoked to see creator Supermono flatten out some of the hillier spots in an otherwise cool title. This update is teasing "brand new modes" so look out for more in the near future.

Blade aficionados Small Ball and gaming goliath Activision have teamed up to promote the publisher's upcoming release Prototype 2 on the App Store. ProtoSlice [Free / HD] is the name of the combined effort and it's been available as a free download since earlier last week.

ProtoSlice isn't in unfamiliar creative territory for Small Ball. The game tasks users with pressing humongous buttons while avoiding and maneuvering sharp blades... which is pretty much what you do in Small Ball's other blade game, Slice [$2.99 / HD]. The catch in this one is that the blades are actually Prototype 2 protagonist James Heller's mutated hands. Heller is a viral freak, much like the series first dark hero Alex Mercer.

A tie-in game from Activision? It's pretty common. As TUAW points out and we've talked about before on our show, Activision is not all that into the App Store despite raking in the dough with Call of Duty: Zombies [$4.99]. The trend for the publisher with its releases indicates that its more interested in promotion or exploitation than anything else.�ProtoSlice's release is further�is reinforcing this perception of the publisher's desires. Other big name publishers out there might be leveraging existing IP, but they're also creating new ones, too.

Anyway, ProtoSlice is a thing that you can play now, and if you're a fan of the series in question here, you probably want to check it out. It's loaded with little images and links to more information about Prototype 2, which is cool. I guess.

DanLabGames'�DynaStunts [$2.99] places itself in a difficult spot from the start. Motocross games, trials games and even racing games are genres that are already looking well stocked on the App Store. Just in the last few months we've seen several motocross games pop up, including a few solid ones, but while DynaStunts might initially look like another trials game, it might be best to think of it as something else altogether -- a platformer.

For anyone who has played a significant amount of motocross games, this is the most evident in the control scheme. It's reversed, as in, the gas and brake are on the left, while the tilt is on the right -- like a platformer, but not like most other games of this ilk, where the tilt is usually on the left. There's no option for customization either, so if you've been playing a lot of say, Bike Baron[99�] recently, you'll have a hard time grasping the controls. The developer has mentioned in the forums that customization is on the to-do list, along with adding Game Center achievements, but if you train your brain to think of DynaStunts like a platformer, you should get the hang of it quickly.

It feels like you're supposed to play it more as�Sonic the Hedgehog on wheels. DynaStunts isn't particularly difficult to get through, but it is a lot harder to complete it with all the score modifiers. Each of the 25 tracks comes with three sets of challenges: finish it, grab all the stars and complete different tricks. They're also each sectioned off into five different cups with different stage designs and obstacles.

The problem with that is that you can't take on individual tracks at a time, you can only load up a cup and play it through to completion, which makes tackling each of the objectives a little more difficult, not to mention playing on the go can be a bit a trying if you need to walk away. Thankfully, the benefit is that the track design never gets stale and you'll find new and interesting power-ups, obstacles and other goofiness as you move along.

Collecting stars isn't just for showing off on the leaderboards though, as the more you collect, the more you can customize your bike and your character. You can, if you're feeling especially lazy, also just buy these via in-app purchase, but it's far more fun to grind up to get the outfit you want.

The general vibe of DynaStunts is cartoon-centric, from the track design to the characters and even the stuff you see going on in the background. Stylistically, it reminds me a bit of the art associated with the Gorillaz, especially the cell-shaded characters. On a retina display is looks fantastic, but even on the supported older devices it's still one of the beter looking motocross games out there. The style is consistant too, from the menu screens to the track design, you feel like its all a part of a single world.

The aesthetic comes with one slight problem. The camera's close view is great for showing off what's happening around the track, but it also means you'll have a hard time seeing what's coming next. Most of the time it's not a big issue, but since there aren't checkpoints here and the levels are relatively small, it can be a bit annoying if you're consistently missing something and have to routinely restart each time.

The game also struggles a bit with the reload process, namely in that the physics occasionally take a good ten or fifteen seconds to fully play out, leaving you there frustrated and waiting to start the level again. I'm a bit of stickler when it comes to fast reloads in these types of games, but even grading on a curve for my pet peeve still leaves it failing in this respect. I really just want to race around, not watch my dead character flop around explosive boxes.

In general, DynaStunts still manages to be a solid experience. It's casual enough that most people should be able to pick it up, but it's also packed with enough content that those who want to can explore it further.

Big Pixel Studios, creators of the adorable physics puzzler Land-a Panda [99�/HD/Lite HD] and the cat-tastic dual-stick shooter Meow Meow Happy Fight [$2.99/HD], have temporarily dropped the price of one of their other major titles, Piyo Blocks 2 [Free]. A sequel to the original Piyo Blocks [99�/Lite] that was released in 2009, Piyo Blocks 2 takes everything that was great about that first game and improves upon it, resulting in one of the most enjoyable match-3 games around.

I know what you must be thinking, "A match-3? Seriously? I am like, SO over that", and normally I'd totally agree with you. Except that Piyo Blocks 2 just happens to be my personal favorite match-3 out of them all (just slightly ahead of Gemmed! [$1.99/Lite], in case you were wondering), and if you don't already own this game then downloading it while free is a mandatory action. There really isn't a more feature-rich match-3 game available on iOS.

First off, you have 6 different modes for your single-player pleasures, each utilizing a slightly different set of rules or visuals based on the core match-3 mechanics. Each mode is quite fun in its own way, and there's heaps of Game Center/OpenFeint achievements and leaderboards to keep you occupied as you get your match on while solo.

However, one of the coolest things about Piyo Blocks 2 is that it contains multiplayer. You can go head-to-head against somebody close to you by way of Bluetooth or a local WiFi network, or you can jump online and play people from across the globe. In fact, that is part of what spurred this freebie promotion, as Big Pixel wants to enlarge the player pool for online matchmaking. There's really no better way to do that than to lower the barrier of entry to free.

This trailer is a bit outdated as far as listing some of the features, but it should give you an idea of what you're in for after you download�Piyo Blocks 2:

In addition to all of the above mentioned features, Piyo Blocks 2 was also just recently updated with Retina Display support. This is something I had been hoping for for a long, long time and it pleases me to no end to see all the little Piyo blocks in such crisp resolution. Big Pixel Studios are known for their wonderful sounds and visuals, and Piyo Blocks 2 is no different. In fact, I would suggest downloading the game for the soundtrack alone, as it is dangerously catchy and gets stuck in my head on at least an every-other-day basis.

I understand that there are a ton of match-3 games out there, and with so many options which one ends up being your favorite largely depends on personal preference. That said, Piyo Blocks 2 earns top spot for me, and I really can't recommend it enough. Make sure to snag it while it's still free, which should be at least another day or two.

Highline Games have released W.E.L.D.E.R. [$1.99] which stands for 'Word Examination Laboratory for Dynamic Extraction and Reassessment", The amusing game trailer (below) suggests that words are at risk of becoming extinct, but that's not really part of the gameplay. It's just more interesting than saying: "Move letters around to form words", which might sound dull and done-to-death;� but this intriguing word game is neither of those things, it's unique and will activate your brain.

The game features an 8x8 grid which is full of letter tiles. The idea is to form words with four or more letters, by moving letter tiles around in various ways. The "Basic Swap" involves tapping any two neighboring letters (horizontally, vertically or diagonally adjoining) so they swap positions. The words must be written from left-to-right or top-to-bottom, much like a crossword puzzle. There's no time limits (thank goodness), although a certain number of words must be formed to complete each level.

As you play, you can unlock three other types of swap:� A "Reverse Swap" is done by selecting a bunch of letters, then double tapping to reverse their order. "Group swaps" involve selecting some letters, then dragging them over one space. And finally, the useful "Jump swaps" let you tap any two movable letters on the board (even if not adjoining) and they'll exchange places, as if teleporting. But you only have a limited number of each swap type.

When you form a word, those letter tiles disappear, and any letters above cascade down to fill the gap, including some new letters. Therefore, it's wise to form words near the bottom of the screen, so more letters fall from above, increasing the odds of creating another word by luck. Although, this is definitely a game of skill, where a puzzle-loving wordsmith will triumph.

At the start, you're only given 25 basic swaps to achieve the target number of words for the level. Once your swaps are depleted, the game ends. But if you form valid words, you earn points, and receive more swaps, allowing you to play longer. Five basic swaps are given for each 250 points, with special swaps given each 500 points. Little on-screen meters display how close you are to receiving the next batch of swaps.

There's also some special tiles: Words which incorporate gold tiles double the score, there's diamond encrusted 3x score multipliers plus a 4x multiplier. Blank wooden tiles can be stamped permanently with any letter by double tapping, but this costs one swap and scores no points. Red-hot letter tiles are apparently too hot to touch, so you can't swap them, but they fall like regular tiles if you form words below. Broken tiles can't be moved either, but these don't fall. The un-moveable tiles can be removed by forming a word around them.

Like Scrabble, each letter has a different point value and bonus points are awarded for forming multiple words in the same turn. At the end of the level, bonus points are also awarded for any unused swaps. Final scores are fed into five Game Center leaderboards, along with a healthy 47 achievements. The game also supports iCloud game saves, allowing players to switch devices and resume playing.

The dictionary word-set seems reasonable, although some valid words are declined. Rude words are not permitted and this extends to some body parts.�And the word "Mens" (with a diamond M) was declined. But overall, the game has correctly identified almost all of the words entered. If you're not familiar with a word formed, you can tap it to view the definition. And the developers plan to add support for additional languages� in future. And you can submit words to the developers.

The in-game music is unusual, yet strangely soothing and deserves a mention. It sounds more like ambient background noise; almost a mixture of white noise, an old fashioned oxygen machine, with the occasional fan.� At first I thought the music was faulty, then I wondered if it was using monotonous sounds to hypnotize me into a trance, to hold my attention ...and if so, it's working, because the more I play this game, the better I become and the more enjoyable the experience.

There's a couple of things to watch out for.� As soon as a word is formed, it's scored and removed, so if you plan to make the word "Toaster", and form it from left to right, the game would recognize "Toast" as a word and the letters would disappear before you wrote the full intended word. Therefore, long words should be formed from the outsides in, to avoid accidentally spelling any small words.

It's also easy to move letters unintentionally. Firstly, because the "C" and "G" characters start looking similar after a while. Or secondly, by tapping the screen without realizing another character's already selected, wasting a precious jump swap. These recurring human mistakes are frustrating since one bad move can end your game. Lastly, the game rules button takes you to a website, which is fine ...providing you have WiFi access.

W.E.L.D.E.R. has twelve levels, which grow longer and use more challenging tiles as you progress. The games become quite slow and considered once your supply of swaps dwindles and you search for an elusive swap, but that's a good thing because this game challenges you. The developers advise other gameplay modes are planned, so we're curious about what comes next. For this initial release however, W.E.L.D.E.R. is one word game that has captured my attention, and is worth checking out.

If you're a 90s-era adventure game enthusiast, then you are no doubt familiar with the Monkey Island series from LucasArts. These classic games have gotten the facelift and rerelease treatment on the App Store in recent years, with the excellent Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition [$2.99/Lite/HD/Lite HD] and Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge [$2.99/Lite/HD/Lite HD]. Each of these titles retains the core gameplay of the original versions while also adding optional updated visuals and additional modern features, and are pretty essential for iOS-owning fans of the series.

But if you weren't around for the originals, then there's a good chance you know Monkey Island from the episodic series reboot that Telltale Games codeveloped with LucasArts for the WiiWare and PC in 2009, called Monkey Island Tales. We quite enjoyed the game�in our review from when the first episode came to the iPad last December, and the remainder of the 5 episode collection of Monkey Island Tales was released on iOS earlier this year with equally enjoyable results.

While adventure games seem tailor made for the large screen and touch capabilities of the iPad, I think it goes without saying that there's a good amount of gamers out there that would love to have a version of Monkey Island Tales that fit snugly in their pocket. Telltale has begun to fill this need, as over the weekend Monkey Island Tales 1 [$6.99] was released for the iPhone and iPod touch.

It doesn't really appear that there's any additional enhancements to this version over its iPad counterpart aside from being formatted for the smaller screen, but when the source material is already pretty great then that isn't really necessary. If you are an iPad-less iOS gamer who has always wanted to give Monkey Island Tales a try, now is your chance. Or, if you're already a fan of the iPad version and you just feel like having the game with you in your pocket at all times, you know, just in case, then you should check out the new Monkey Island Tales 1 for the iPhone and iPod touch. We'll likely see the rest of the series released in smaller form in the near future, too.