There's no way to beat around the bush on this. Even though many developers have gotten onboard the universal app train, a select few have implemented any cloud-based game save storage system to allow you to sync progress across devices. Of course most server-based free to play games already do this, but in your typical super-casual 99� time-waster, your progress is largely locked onto the device that you're playing it on. I can't really fault developers for this, as implementing such a system would largely be overkill for most games, and maintaining the entire online infrastructure to track cross-device progress in a game like Dungeon Raid [$2.99 / Free] would be silly for the developer to do by themselves. For them, there's not much benefit. It would take a heck of a lot of engineering, and servers cost can be substantial� But that's where Apple comes in.

Monday's keynote introduced us to iCloud, an entirely free cloud-based storage system usable by everyone who owns a recent iOS device, and every developer who wants to use it. So, while it might have been entirely unrealistic for the Dungeon Raid developer to do all this himself, Apple has made it nice and easy.

I've spent most of the day today discussing the prospects of iCloud with many of the developers around WWDC and really one word can describe the temperature of each conversation: Excitement. According to developers who have attended various iCloud-centric WWDC sessions, implementing iCloud-based storage of game saves will be nearly as trivial as dealing with gave saves stored locally on the device is now. This means that as developers inevitably work on tweaking their various apps and games to make them more iOS 5 friendly over the next few months, they'll also likely switch their storage methods over to iCloud, as there's little reason for them not to.

It's still early though, and we're really just scratching the surface of what's possible on the first day of WWDC. One thing I wasn't able to get a very solid answer on was how this was all going to work between standard and HD versions of games. For instance, right now Game Center works like this: If you release your game as a universal app, you can share Game Center leaderboards and achievements for that game across all iOS devices. However, if you release the same game as a separate standard and HD version, Game Center treats those as entirely different apps, and as such, keeps leaderboards and achievements for each app individually.

It's an interesting problem, and no one is sure right now if there's a real solution. Apple obviously seems to want developers to focus on universal apps, but developers vastly prefer two different apps due to pricing flexibility, chart advantages, and several other very valid reasons. If Apple is sticking with the same restrictions as they have for Game Center leaderboards, I hope this just spurs developers to continue the trend we've started to see in offering universal compatibility in the HD version.

This truly seems to be the best of both worlds, as developers can still retain pricing flexibility for two different apps, while providing universal compatibility and cross-device iCloud save syncing while still providing a lower-priced option for those who only own an iPhone or iPod touch.

Another potential snag might be in how game saves are reconciled across multiple devices that might not always be connected to the internet. For example, if you've got a non-3G iPad and an iPod touch, and play the same game on both before returning to a friendly WiFi network. Each game will have different amounts of progress, and the developers I've spoken to so far aren't really sure how things will shake out once these two different game saves hit the iCloud.

Surely this is something Apple has considered, and I'm almost positive we'll find out the answer to all these questions and more in the next few weeks as developers delve into iOS 5. One thing is for certain, holy cow am I happy that cloud-based game save storage will practically be a standard feature in the not too distant future.

We all had a suspicion that Infinity Blade [$5.99] was continuing to sell well at this point in its life, but we haven't had a number to back us up. Now, we do. According to Epic Games and creator Chair Entertainment, the hack and slash third-person action game has raked in around 10 million dollars in earnings. That's… a lot of games and in-game gold sold.

What gives, asks the indie developer with a good game that hasn't accrued this kind of landmark dough? While Infinity Blade is a good game and a technical marvel to boot, it's also had a heck of a lot of external support from two well-known entities: Epic and Chair. I think that helps to explain why it's sold so much in so little time. It was also a flagship game for the UDK, which certainly drew some a lot of extra eyes to the project.

Epic released this number for a reason: it wants me, you, and every developer out there to know that there's a market for core, Unreal Engine 3-powered titles out there. Mark Rein, Epic VP and co-founder, says in statement that Epic is "looking forward to our licensees achieving spectacular results of their own," as if this perfect storm isn't so perfect.

I suppose we'll see.

While I still have reservations about how a fleshed-out, retail build of Shadow Gun will look on touch devices, it's hard not to get excited about its potential. In another video that showcases its apparent visual splendor, creator Mad Finger is also giving viewers a solid look at the action component of it, which appears to be ripping a page or two from Gears of Wars' book. One can only hope that the writing is on par, too � if I don't hear the words "ten sh*t loads," I'm out.

This is an E3 reveal, so of course there's other news that goes along with it. At the event, Mad Finger is announcing, officially, that the game will be coming to Android on devices that have a NVIDIA Tegra 2. In addition to being available on the Android Marketplace, it'll also be sold on the Tegra Zone app.

In case you missed it in our previous post, Shadow Gun tells the story of a muscled-up bounty hunter named John Slade. His mission, in the futuristic world of 2350, is to kill Dr. Edgar Simon, a geneticist who is hiding out in a fortress filled with monsters of his own design. It's like The Island of Dr. Moreau, except with more guns and muscle!

If you're wondering about iOS support, while the developers haven't specifically mentioned which devices it will run on, they've gone ahead and posted a thread in our upcoming games forum.

Perfection is a strong word, but Capcom isn't shying from using it when describing Street Fighter 4: Volt, a fleshed out iPod Touch and iPhone sequel to the original Street Fighter 4 [$4.99]. Volt will feature a cast of 18 characters, and will see the addition of Wi-Fi competitive play, which was something its predecessor lacked. It'll also, according to Capcom, offer "perfected" action with a control feature set reminiscent of the original game.

Of those 18 characters, four will be new to iPhone and iPod Touch series: Balrog, Vega, and Cody will make their debut alongside a "mystery character." If I were a betting man, I'd bet that this mystery dude is one of the four new cast members of Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition � Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu, or Oni.

The teaser trailer revealed during E3 shows a lot of the in-game action, but it doesn't do a great job at expressing that the touch controls can be customized, just like they can be in Street Fighter 4. Neat!

Looking good, right? No word on price, but Capcom has confirmed that launch will be soon � the game should be available on the App Store this July.

Superbrothers' Sword & Sworcery [$2.99 / HD] can now be considered a financial success. In a new post on the game's official blog, Superbrothers' went on record for the first time about the game's sells, noting that it has shifted over 200,000 copies on the App Store. The fees and costs incurred over the development have been recouped and, I suppose, the team can now start planning elaborate vacations on forgotten islands.

A lot of games sell big on the App Store, but it's rare when one like S&S does. It's an adventurous point and click game that blends old-school concepts with experiential art and musical points of design. It was a risky project from the onset.

I'm not sure if we can point to one specific reason as to how the game managed to rope so many consumers in. But whether it was the social media presence it had, the fantastic critical reception, or the fact that it was just a good game, people obviously took note and went out to grab one of the most fascinating and intuitive titles on an Apple device. And it's only two months in. This thing hasn't peaked yet, right?

On a slightly related note, I think there's something up Superbrothers' collaborative sleeves. Superbrothers' Craig Adams had this to say �on Twitter earlier this afternoon: "Sword & Sworcery news, final: the project launched around the vernal equinox & the summer solstice is just a few weeks away…" I'll leave the speculation to you.

Some of my most beloved iOS games are the ones that perfectly fill those little gaps of time while I'm standing in line or waiting for a bus. Bitsize Games' Robo Surf [$0.99] is ideal for that role, with simple one-touch controls and gameplay that fills a few seconds or a few minutes depending on what you need.

At first glance, it looks pretty standard. You control a surfing robot (what else?) traversing a dangerous seascape. You build waves by tapping, pressing and releasing the screen to control your altitude. You keep going until you hit something or crash into the ocean, and then it's game over. There's a slight twist�you collect oil barrels scattered across the sky to build up turbo, which you can use to ignite your robot and fly straight through obstacles and the bosses that pop up every 500 meters�but the game is functionally pretty similar to endless runners and other obstacle dodgers. So why can't I put it down?

Probably because Robo Surf gives me reasons to keep going. I often struggle with high-score plateaus, but that's not a problem here. You unlock a new checkpoint after each boss encounter, and you can start your game from any of them. If the game were just a high-score fest, this would be pretty pointless�the leaderboards record your total travel distance, not your stopping point�but there's a lot more to Robo Surf than your top score.

The achievement system, for example, is my favorite thing about the game. Some developers include Game Center achievements like they're something to mark off a checklist. There often isn't much thought put into the sort of value they'll add. Robo Surf brings them to the forefront. Every so often, you'll be presented with a challenge: surf for 500 meters, maybe, or collect 20 oil barrels in a row. They're the same achievements you could earn at any point, but it feels a lot more satisfying to meet them this way.

Earn enough achievements, and you'll unlock new characters to ride the waves with. The friendly box-headed Robo, your starting bot, can be replaced with characters from three indie PC titles, Walkie Tonky, Iji and Blueberry Garden. The upgrades are purely cosmetic, but having them there as a carrot kept me playing to earn achievements, which in turn encouraged me toward more creative and challenging ways to play. By the time I unlocked all the playable characters, I was utterly hooked.

It helps that Robo Surf looks and sounds great, with engaging art and a cheery retro soundtrack underlying the action. There are lots of goodies to look at, between the cartoony birds, bats and bosses, and the backgrounds that change every few hundred meters. And if you need more to do, you can give the speedy 10 Wave mode a shot. This gives you ten touches to try to earn the best possible score, a short-form challenge that's inspiring some fierce leaderboard competition.

Robo Surf is lighthearted and fun, with enough hooks to turn it from a momentary distraction to one of my new favorites. Our forum users are loving it, too. It's hard for a game to stand out in such a crowded genre, but this one shines. Be sure to give it a look.