We've been following Halfbrick's upcoming effort Machine Gun Jetpack ever since we got our dirty hands on it at GDC this past March. We instantly fell in love with the gameplay that was built around one of Barry Steakfries' most infamous weapons from Monster Dash [99�], the machine gun jetpack (duh). We've also posted a couple of developer diary videos that the team at Halfbrick has been filming during the creation of the game, giving some insight into their development process of Machine Gun Jetpack.

Except, it's not called Machine Gun Jetpack any longer. Remove that name from your mind, and say hello to Jetpack Joyride, the brand new moniker for Halbrick's brand new game. You might be thinking "why on Earth would they change the name of something that sounded so freaking awesome?", and at first I felt the same way. But after watching this following video, Halfbrick's own Phil Larsen and Luke Muscat put up a pretty strong argument as to why the name was changed.

Basically, the game has evolved so much over the past several months and there's now so much awesome stuff in there that it's no longer just about the machine gun jetpack, but rather a bunch of different and equally cool kinds of jetpacks, as well as tons of other crazy goodies. In short, Jetpack Joyride has evolved into a total gaming beast brimming with variety.

Since it's been nearly 6 months since we last got to hang with Phil from Halfbrick, it warms our hearts to see his bright, shining face in that video. Sure, we got to yap with him on a bonus TouchArcade Show podcast last month, but that doesn't come close to actually hanging out with the man � nay, the legend � in real, physical reality. Oh, also, Jetpack Joyride looks absolutely bonkers.

We've got the final product in our (still) dirty hands, and we'll give you a hands-on look at it later this week. This should properly whet your appetite for you to get your own (probably) dirty hands on the game on September 1st when Jetpack Joyride launches for 99� as a Universal app. Keep your eyes fixed on this space for our preview this week or drop by our forums to discuss the newly renamed Jetpack Joyride.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Look, I'm not one percent sure if HungryMaster's [$2.99] over-the-top It Came From The East design and approach is supposed to feel like its ridiculing and therefore exposing the condition some Japanese games are in when they come to the West, but I really, really want to take it at face value. Because if it is satirical and as self-aware as I think it is, it's absolutely brilliant � the broken English, the ridiculous cast, and the collection of oddball mechanics bolstered by the low-definition approach to audio and visuals paint a truly hilarious picture of sub-par import games in a wholesome and entertaining way.

I know I can't accurately describe the game's premise to you, and hopefully that's the point of HungryMaster. But here's what I know. You play as an overly bubbly young anime girl with green hair who is visited, suddenly, by a magical talking cat named Saten. The cat tells the girl that she can have magic, too, in some fancifully broken English complete with spelling errors. From there, they have discussions about fruit and monsters that I can't follow, but I get the distinct impression that it's all riffing on anime tropes and bad translation efforts.

From a mechanical standpoint, I hesitate to call this a dual-stick shooter, even though it does feel like one. The entire game from what I've seen revolves around moving around a small forested environment and killing little monsters with magical bursts. In turn, these monsters drop food that you have to return to houses when a quota is filled. It's simple and comically offbeat, which is exactly what I expect out of games like these. HungryMaster pushes it all to the next level with its cuteness, horrible dialogue, and hilarious arcade underpinnings which include scan lines and other lo-fi quality presentation tactics. Again, brilliance on display here � if this is supposed to be riffing on the oddity of the import game.

The sad thing is that HungryMaster doesn't work so well as an iPad game. The game doesn't separate its movement and firing mechanics well, as both require you to hold down your finger around the character. With an iCade, however, the game pops. With the joystick, you can move around Delica with precision and ease, and with buttons, you can control your magical attacks in a much more profound and precise way.

Straight-up: I couldn't stomach the game part of HungryMaster without the iCade, but in using it I was actually able to get into the action � to really wander around the world and pummel the monsters I wanted to without fumbling, covering up the action with my fingers, or taking damage based on said fumbling. Without a doubt, I think this is a must-have title if you have an iCade. Don't miss it.

Also, if this isn't satire, I take all of this back, but still maintain that this is ridiculous fun with an iCade regardless.

Previous games we've covered in this series: Mos Speedrun. Check out our list of iCade titles here.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Well now here's something you don't see every day, especially from a company like EA, and especially from a series that among other bragging rights includes the best selling PC game of all time…! The Sims 3 World Adventures [Free] is free today, as part of a particularly confusing promotion as historically speaking Sims games have had absolutely no problem selling like crazy on the App Store. World Adventures is sort of the odd man out of the bunch on the App Store, as instead of focusing on typical Sims-like activities of decking out your house and simulating the various mundane tasks which you yourself do every day, it sends you off to several exotic locales to complete various goals.

The cool thing with this one is that if you've got a sim in The Sims 3 [99�] you'll be able to import and export them to go on your world adventure. The Sims 3 World Adventures didn't have that great of a critical reception when it first launched, but how much can you really complain about a free Sims game?

As an aside, it will be interesting to see what this kind of freebie promotion means for EA on the App Store. As evident by Christmas of last year, they can basically take over the top paid charts at will… And it seems they have the same sway over the free charts as well.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

We think the next update to Liv Games' Zen Wars [$1.99] needs to include a Rampart-like icon with a similarly constipated man pointing urgently at fire, but the update we've just received will keep us busy and, more importantly, on speaking terms in the meantime. In addition to a bunch of bug fixes, Liv Games has added a new "one life" multiplayer mode, which has been designed to dramatically whittle down the time spent in each online, cannon-filled affair. The old three life I Don't Have Anything To Do Today mode still exists, so don't panic, please.

Specifically with the bug pass, Liv Games has eradicated the "players playing" bug which showed a perpetual 0, as well as tidied up an issue with survival that kept users from earning achievements. Lastly, Liv has also tuned up the transparency of the HUD when you're working around the top of the screen.

�

�

Zen Wars is a pretty radical game. Jared "Sleeping Beard" Nelson gave it some major props in his review from earlier this month, which you can view here if you're stilling thinking about jumping on the Zen Wars train despite its awful, awful icon.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Before Mega Mall Story and Pocket Academy, we were pretty sure that Kairosoft's next big US iOS release would be Grand Prix Story. It seemed like an educated stab since the game was ported stateside to Android phones, translated, and had the appearance of being just as solid as its other titles. We were wrong, but now the developer seems poised again to bring its car themed managing simulation to iOS in the states. As you read this, fans in Japan are getting hands-on with the game for the iPhone and iPod Touch, which leads us to believe that it'll hit here next, as all it requires is a translation pass with already-translated text.

We could be totally, horribly wrong, and hilariously, we kinda invite that. Grand Prix Story, a game that puts you in the role of a racecar manager, is a known property now. We'd rather get another surprise (or Game Dev Story 2) � whichever will sate our taste for simulation.

Communication with Kairosoft is something we're still struggling with at the moment, but we have fired off an e-mail to see what's up. While we wait, we're drawing up Excel spreadsheets for Grand Prix Story in preparation just in case.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Normally, multiplayer updates are celebrated by the fans and community surrounding a title, but in the case of Uno [$.99 / HD / Free]�fans are bitter over the whole ordeal. According to the 50 plus one-star reviews (and counting) that the game has raked in post-update, Uno has become a bad, crash-riddled title filled with ads, bugs, and broken gameplay. We didn't see this one coming.

Alongside multiplayer and new leaderboards, several new issues introduced via the update are rubbing people the wrong way, and none more than the bug that keeps the game from launching after its updated, which is a pretty rational reason to throw a bad review the game's way. Unfortunately, when it does work, paid users are now being served ads, which again, is a pretty rational reason to drag the title under the bus since ads weren't a part of the original deal.

Users are also complaining about IAP cards leading to bad play. Apparently, you can purchase special cards in the game that can be pulled out whenever, including even in multiplayer. If this is the case, well, wow � that's definitely not good.

On the bright side, it's hard to believe that Gameloft won't answer these concerns in some meaningful update down the line. When that'll be though is anyone's guess. We've put in a word to the publisher to see and will update if / when we hear back.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

If achievement data is an actual lens into intent, it appears as if Angry Birds Seasons [$.99 / HD / Free] is set to be the second full Angry Birds [$.99 / HD / Free / HD Free] game to be graced by the Mighty Eagle. The dudes over at fan site Angry Birds Nest have spotted several listings for Mighty Eagle in Angry Birds Seasons' Game Center data, indicating that Rovio Mobile is about to drop the level-shattering and Angry Birds' completely optional IAP bird into the mix.

Seasons, of course, is the holiday-themed Angry Birds joint that Rovio updates whenever an extraordinarily pleasant day in certain joyous months need to be celebrated. Often, players are restricted from playing too much Seasons at once, as it unlocks levels per day. This hits me as something that might put a damper on the Mighty Eagle as a value proposition, but we'll have to see how Rovio handles and rolls in the update. Who knows? Maybe it'll be free.

I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise. Rovio likes money. Also, it has said in the past that the Mighty Eagle will be coming to different platforms, iterations, and versions of the uber-popular franchise. Seasons seems like a natural progression. Also, if you haven't yet, you should debate giving the Mighty Eagle a try in Angry Birds. It's not just a cheat mechanic, it's actually a whole new game mode for each level.

UPDATE: While this story sat in queue waiting for to be published the update was released this morning. Go grab the Mighty Eagle if you're looking for something new to do in Angry Birds Seasons!

[Via Angry Birds Nest]

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Chillingo sure knows how to be timely. Their newest game, Conan: Tower of the Elephant [$1.99], was slated to come out around the same time as the 2011 film remake, which means that they hope lots of people will stroll out of the theatre feeling all barbarian-like and search the App store to find this game. I have to hand it them though, giving a nod to one of the original Conan the Cimmerian stories with the title and storyline was a nice touch.

Like the original Robert E. Howard short story it is based on, Tower of the Elephant sees Conan setting his sights on a great tower in order to steal a precious gem from a demon sorcerer named Yara. Using comic-inspired cutscenes to illustrate story arcs and top down gameplay in order to complete quests, the game offers an attractive presentation and makes it pretty easy to slip into the world of Arenjun.

A simple tutorial opens the game, teaching you how to interact, attack and manage your inventory. Controls are basic, with a d-pad for movement on the bottom left and a large circle for attacks on the lower right. I found that the d-pad was sometimes unresponsive for a moment after an event where I talked to someone, but for the most part it was accurate.

When it came to battle, attacking and defending were both available, but I found that hacking away at my enemies was the most effective method of taking them out. Well, they don't call these games "hack and slash" for nothing (although when it comes to fighting bosses, that defend button will be much more useful). You also have a bar that fills up as you fight and allows you to pump up your attack for a short amount of time when you need it � really handy for when you get jumped by a gang of grubby thieves who are dumb enough to think taking on a barbarian is a good idea.

A lovely, hand-drawn world map is available in the menu to show you your way as you explore these lands, along with a menu to keep track of your quests and inventory. These interfaces are really pleasant and I enjoyed using them. Seeing at a glance how to find a merchant or the location of a treasure chest made the game easy to navigate. In addition, whenever Conan gets a major quest, a small arrow will appear before his feet that shows you where to go. One of my biggest pet peeves is wandering around a world map with no idea where I'm going, so I appreciated this bit of attention to detail.

Of course, there are fetch quests as well, but I found that the story and gameplay was streamlined in such a way that I actually enjoyed even doing something as simple as going to collect a copper pipe or take out a band of thieves. Everything in the game is executed well and caters to making the player comfortable while experiencing the game universe, and it really shows in the final product. Even purchasing new items and armor was easy, giving single options rather than a huge list of things to choose from and stats to compare. Some gamers who enjoy that process will not like this. For me, it took away a step that would normally distract me in an iOS action title and allowed me to get back to the gameplay.

Also compatible with Game Center, you can watch achievements pop up as you play. Tower of the Elephant also offers access to a service called Crystal, which offers perks such as profile customization, sharing game results on Twitter and Facebook, and inviting friends to play the game. You can sign up for Crystal within the game as well, which was cool to me � I hate having to surf to some other website on my phone to do that type of thing.

You won't do anything wildly new in Tower of the Elephant, but what you can do is enjoy some good old fashioned gameplay where you kick butt and take names, enjoy quests, and rack up achievements for it. What could have been a boring movie tie-in turned out to be a solidly enjoyable entry in Chillingo's action library. If you're in the mood to kill stuff and feel like a badass, Tower of the Elephant is a winner.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->

Late last month, a game we're pretty fond of called Disc Drivin' [$1.99/Free/HD] received a meaty new update with 3 brand new tracks and a new obstacle. Now just a few short weeks later and the folks over at Pixelocity Software have gone and released yet another update to Disc Drivin' and this time have added a couple of great features that people have been asking about for a long time.

First off, you can now check how many of each medal you've earned over the total amount of games you've played. There's always been a running list of your 10 most recent games where you can see where you placed as well as replay everybody's final turn, if you wish, to see how it all went down. That feature is nice, but I've always wondered how I've done overall, and now I can check on this anytime in the Settings menu.

Also worth mentioning is the new ability to swap the power-up buttons on the bottom of the screen. As most players know, sometimes it can be pretty awkward trying to activate a power-up immediately after taking your turn because the button was always on the right hand side of the screen, and in my case this was directly under my flicking hand. Having the ability to put that button on the left side of the screen is pretty nice.

However, the huge new feature added in this update to Disc Drivin' is the often requested ability to customize your disc. There are tons of different disc designs to pick from, broken down into packs of 4 or more discs each. Each pack can be unlocked for a 99� in-app purchase, and you can further customize the discs by choosing their 2 colors. Of course, you're also welcome to change up the colors on the original "flame" design disc for free.

The disc and color customizing interface is simple to use, and I was really surprised to see how much having a custom disc added to the game's enjoyment. I mean seriously, aren't you just totally jealous of my pink and blue disc that looks fit for a 4-year old girl? Thought so. I've nicknamed it "Jared's Magical Ponydisc Adventure", FYI.

If you're a Disc Drivin' fanatic like myself and others, then be sure you've grabbed this latest update and have pimped out your ride. If you haven't given the game a spin yet, there really should be nothing stopping you from trying out the fully-featured ad-supported free version.

<!-- PHP 5.x -->