NaturalMotion Games'�Icebreaker Hockey [99�] is a bit difficult to describe. Not because it's a complicated game, it's not � but it so resembles the studio's�Backbreaker series of games it's a bit hard to really dig into the premise of it without noting its pedigree.

So, if you've played�Backbreaker, you're going to know what to expect from�Icebreaker, but if you've avoided the series because you're not a fan of football, you'll be in for a treat.�Icebreaker takes the same, challenge oriented, tower-defense-in-reverse aspects of�Backbreaker and puts it on the ice.

The basic premise of the game puts you in control of a single skater, puck on stick, trying to make a goal. In your way are a set number of defenders and a goalie that will attempt to stop you. You can think of it as a game dedicated solely to the breakaway. While that sounds simple enough, the game does a good job of ramping up the difficulty slowly as you complete each of the ten challenge modes. Ten might not sound like much, but considering there are also three different difficulty settings, you'll end up with a lot of bang for you buck. There's also an endurance mode that tasks you to survive an endless number of waves � for the obsessive types it provides an increasing challenge as you move through the various waves.

Each challenge will also net you a star rating, which is used to unlock achievements and is factored from you overall score, which you can compare on the leaderboards through Game Center.

Control wise, if you played�Backbreaker, you're going to instantly recognize the setup for�Icebreaker. Tilting your device moves your skater left and right, and a series of buttons lets you dash, deke and spin. While it's one part reverse-tower-defense, the other part is all high-score game. You rack up points as you're skating along for deking out of the way of an incoming attacker, hitting score zones and for holding slap shots for ridiculous amounts of time. If you're the type of person who likes to rub it into a digital goalies face, you can also showboat to increase your score.

All of these factors combined make getting a high-score on a level a balance between the two different modes. If you take too long to unleash a slap shot, a goalie will pop you in the face or if you spend too much time rolling into the high score patches, the defensemen will eventually catch up and take you out. While you want to get the highest score along the way, you main mission is to put the puck in the back of the net and if you fail you'll have to start the wave over again. Thankfully, aiming the shot is handled automatically and as long as you get the shot off, it'll usually get past the goalie.

There are no licensed teams here, but if you've been itching for an arcade-style hockey game for iOS, this will fit the bill perfectly. You do get to customize your player with one of several different team types, skin color, number and name, but for the most part you're controlling an empty avatar whose only goal is to put the puck in the net.

Hockey fans haven't had much to choose from on the App Store, so if you've been longing to lace up your skates, this will certainly give you something to do. It's not the console-perfect simulation�NHL 2K11 promised to be, but it controls and plays a heck of a lot more smoothly. It's a casual, easy to pick up and play hockey game that has a surprising amount of depth and skill hidden inside of it for those willing to give it the time.

Bumpy Road [$2.99] is a great game for a lot of reasons. Its art, sound, and controls fit snuggly together, establishing it as one of the most complete, whole, and well-refined games that we've taken a look at recently. And while there's a bunch to do in the game, there's even more as of now. A free update to the innovative physics-based platform game has been pushed out, adding 100 new level segments, the "gruesome and sneaky Break Gizmo," and two new tracks for the "Classic Sunday Trip."

Complimenting this, of course, are five new Game Center achievements, and some new leaderboards, which round out the experience nicely.

On the technical side � what's an update without a band-aid � developer Simogo has tweaked the title so its start-up loading is faster. On the game's blog, Simog reckons that it's now "three times faster." Good. I don't like waiting.

Definitely give Bumpy Road a shot if you're looking for a new game. As I referenced earlier, we do have a review for the title. Catch it!

Earlier the other week, we brought you news that Activision was kicking off a new stat-tracking service for Call of Duty called "Call of Duty: Elite." In addition to giving fans a web portal, the mega publisher plans to release native applications for the iPad and iPod Touch that do much the same thing. Bungie has since fired first so-to-speak by offering a stat-tracking application of its own for Halo: Reach (and possibly more games to come).

You can download "Bungie Mobile" [Free] for free. And while it gives you all that you need to know about your K/D ratio, it also lets you view your Spartan's armor, the challenges of the week, the commendations that you've earned, and last but not least, connect with the rich Halo community still residing at Bungie.Net, the one-stop-web portal for all things Halo including stats.

The latter is an important point: part of the reason why this was released was to give fans free stuff. As of now, you can unlock a Bungie Nameplate and special Blue Flames over the app for Halo: Reach. Bungie is giving users without an app a shot at other fun stuff, including never-released artwork and commemorative t-shirts.

You can learn more about that via Bungie's Web site.

If you're wondering what the hubbub is all about, know this: 343 Industries is now the studio behind the IP. Its first title will be Halo 4, �a new chapter in a three-part continuation of the original Halo series.

Official applications like this are more rare than you'd think. Publishers and studios don't blow a portion their 25 million dollar-and-up budgets on small social-focused apps that connect to console experiences, despite the power of the "always thinking about the game" mentality that their on-the-go nature inspires. It's nice to see a high-profile studio like Bungie give it a shot in earnest.

If you'd like to don a tin-foil hat with me for a second, I think this also means that Bungie won't be afraid to pump out a similar support application for its forthcoming MMO.

Speaking of crystal balls, Bungie revealed in a post earlier today explaining the sudden appearance of Bungie Mobile that it will "tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what Bungie Aerospace is all about." I've been thinking that it has a connection to said MMO. I'm not sure that's the case now. We'll see soon enough � July 7 is the cut-off date.

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that Ten One Design was getting ready to release a smaller version of their wonderful Fling controllers for the iPad which would be suitable for use on iPhone and iPod touch devices. There was a lot of negative backlash to this announcement though, and I can sort of see why. The promo image for the Fling Mini showed that using 2 of the controllers at the same time really blocked much of the screen of the device, and it was hard to imagine how it could be practical to play games this way.

Last week at WWDC, Eli and myself both got our hands on an early pair of the Fling Minis and put them to the test. Surprisingly, the screen blockage is almost a complete non-issue when you're actually using the Fling Minis. The plastic that the Fling Mini is comprised of is translucent and doesn't really block any more of the screen than your own thumbs normally would. But, that's not to say that they don't come with some quirks and they won't work on every game that you'd hope. For the games that they do work with they work exceptionally well, and just like the Flings on iPad they offer a smooth and tactile control option over using a touch screen alone.

Eli has put together this fantastic comparison video showing off the difference between the original Fling, which you can read our original review of, and the new Fling Mini:

In my own experience, I've found several games that work near perfectly with the Fling Mini. Both Bug Heroes [Free] and Max Adventure [99�/Lite] are two of my favorite dual-stick shooters that don't come with many compromises when using the Fling, which you can see in this second hands-on video. There will be times when accessing a UI element or menu option will be difficult because the Fling Mini is blocking that part of the screen, but it's easy enough to detach a suction cup and swivel the controller out of the way to gain access to these. It would be cool if there were tiny hinges in the connector arms of the Fling Mini so you could quickly flip them up to access the entire screen. Perhaps in a Fling Mini version 2.0.

The Fling Mini is also well-suited to some games that use just a single analog stick or a d-pad for movement, and one interesting thing is how well it works with the Joypad Game Controller [Free] which we also covered at WWDC this year. Especially with the Joypad SDK now offering the ability to use analog sticks, one or two Fling Minis combined with an iPhone or iPod touch and the Joypad app could make for a really nice controller for playing an iPad or desktop game.

One example of a game that did not work so well is Age of Zombies [$2.99/Lite]. I had high hopes for this one as it employs a touch anywhere scheme for its set of dual-stick controls, which would mean precise placement of the Fling wouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately there is no way to access the grenade button while using the Fling with this game, which is a pretty big problem. You can avoid this by using only one Fling on the left control stick, but this gives the game an inconsistent feel. Also, games that utilize buttons in the lower corners of the screen, like many first person shooters, are also basically unplayable due to the plastic spirals of the Fling Mini blocking those areas of the screen.

The thing I like most about the Flings is that they just "feel" good. The movement is solid and smooth, and for the games that they work well with they are definitely an enhancement. On the larger screen of the iPad, the original Fling works with a greater number of games and there are much fewer instances of inaccessible UI elements. These problems are amplified with the Fling Mini and the smaller iOS screens, but it isn't a total deal breaker and for the select games that they do work well with they feel absolutely brilliant.

One of the first things I asked Ten One Design about the Fling Mini was whether they would also work on an iPad, thus negating needing two different styles of Flings. While there's technically nothing preventing them from working on an iPad, almost all iPad virtual analog sticks require a larger range of motion than what is afforded by the smaller Fling Mini. You may be able to come up with a few games that work well on the iPad with a Fling Mini, but for the most part you are better off using the original Fling with that device.

Really the best thing to do is find a friend who owns a pair or head to an Apple store and try out the Fling for yourself. If you like the way they feel and can deal with limited game compatibility, then they are a great purchase. Hopefully more developers will incorporate special settings for using a Fling controller in their game, especially with them now being available on iPhones and iPod touches.

You can currently pre-order the Fling Mini in a 2-pack for $24.95, and they should be shipping sometime in mid-to-late July. The original Fling for iPad is available now in 3 colors at a price of $19.95 for a single controller or in a 2-pack for $29.95.

Product Pages:

• Fling Mini 2-Pack (Pre-Order)
• Fling for iPad