As if simply touching a screen with your finger and interacting with an iPad game wasn't magical enough, Disney Mobile is taking things to the next level with a special toy and game tie-in for Cars 2. All Things D recently got a first glimpse at the first "Disney Appmate," a weird experiential racing game that requires Cars 2 toys. Basically, you turn on the game, put a toy Cars car on the surface of the iPad, and then you push it around and explore (and crash into things in) the virtual top-down world that Disney Mobile has developed alongside the corporeal item.

The meatspace-slash-cyberspace tie-in isn't a new concept by any means, but it's interesting to see a new product utilizing the iPad's touchpad enter the realm. Also, this is definitely the mother of all free-to-play experiments so far. The game part will be free and packaged in with a $20 blister of two interactive Cars 2 toys.

Kids love the gadget and word on the street is that they also love toys, so on a conceptual level this all sounds like a promising venture. We can't really envision a world in which this actually takes off, but hey, who saw that electricity thing coming? You? Nope.

[Via All Things D, 9 to 5 Mac]

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You remember the brothers Marsh, right? They're the two dudes behind NimbleBit of Tiny Tower [Free] fame? We chatted with them on our podcast? Glad we're on level because the dynamic duo was recently in the news for doing something other than making a wildly successful free-to-play game. In a heartwarming move, the Marshes gifted 35 iPad 2s and a bunch of "other equipment" totaling more than $30,000 to a small school in City Heights. Undoubtedly, this'll go a long way in improving the school's technology education and teaching in general. Also, it makes us go "Awww."

The reason? The school's principle was the duo's technology and business teacher at their old high school. In a statement to Sign On San Diego, Ian Marsh, the right brain of NimbleBit, said they just wanted to give back.

"We knew we wanted to do something to give back, but we didn't know exactly what to do. I'm a geek when it comes to tech stuff. When I was in school, I would have died if someone handed me an iPad," he said.

Props to these guys for using some of their skrilla to make the world better. In the spirit of the Marshes, I think I'm going to send a picture of my biceps to my old gym teacher. I think she'll appreciate that. I mean, who wouldn't?

[Via Sign On San Diego]

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Big Blue Bubble's Burn The Rope Worlds [$.99] is an intensely faithful follow-up that feels like a yearly iteration of a well-trod franchise. It's as great as its predecessor is, but only in the strictest sense. It's as if the core of Burn The Rope [$.99 / Lite / HD]was transplanted, not massaged and implemented, into this sequel, which makes the staggering amount content the only meaningful mark of differentiation between the two games. A better name for this would have been Burn The Rope: More Burn The Rope � a great proposition, but a flat approach to sequel design.

If you're new to Burn The Rope, the short of it is that it's a rotation-based puzzle game where you control multiple points of interest (fire) on a line of virtual rope by tilting your phone. If you tilt it the wrong way, the flame goes out. You're awarded with medals and progression if you manage to burn significant chunks of rope, which can be a harder task than you'd think since additional flame can spurt whenever it hits fulcrum points. Colored rope and bugs are later introduced as complimentary parts that add to the strategy. By setting fire to a bug, you get a special color of flame that can only effect that color of rope.

The disconnect between the characterization of the flame and the actual fire mechanic is an issue in Worlds just like it is in the original, but Worlds is a much more coherently themed package. As its namesake implies, there are several worlds to visit and all four of them have an effective thematic hook. The coloring of the puzzles and the art design in general are the real stars of the approach, as they subtly give each world a vibe that the others don't have. Each world is also represented by an avatar overlord, but just like with fire character, Big Blue fails to connect these things in a meaningful way.

If you tire of one world, you can switch to another freely, which is a great touch that can stall the monotony of long sessions. The increased focus on bugs and colored rope helps too, as well as the intricately produced � and sometimes wildly angular � puzzles. In the first title, these three constituent parts fleshed out a fire mechanic that could quickly get dull. In this one, the focus tends to give levels more of a puzzle-y vibe and add to the strategy, as well as compliment an overall pace that feels ramped up.

One of the key improvements outside of Worlds sharper presentation is the cornering of the flame: tough angles are easier to manage from a rotation and a difficulty perspective. This alone makes for a slightly better experience on an already tight and refined foundation that, really, had no other significant flaw. It's just more fluid now.

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If you're going to take home one thing about Worlds, it should be that � sure, it's more of the same, but the "same" part is consistently fun, well-produced, and well-designed. Worlds straight up has the potential to provide hours of entertainment. The 100 puzzles that Big Blue has added is like an extra and prettier layer of icing on a fab cake.

There are a few misfires. The penetration of ads across the "Puzzle of the Day" and the full-screen ads before regular campaign missions are disruptive. On a more insignificant note, the new Snake-like game mode "Endless Burn" feels like an out-of-place and tacked-on feature. It doesn't feel like a part of the game, it doesn't play like the game, and it plain just isn't that much fun to fiddle with.

Worlds fulfills at least one promise of any sequel: it's more of the same great game. And while we'd love to have seen more progression, this is still a fantastic product that should keep you busy in bursts or even in couch sessions. I recommend it.

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