Earlier this month we brought news of Elite Systems' initiative to expand on their ongoing retro rebirth efforts and bring a host of classics of old to iOS � those that originated on platforms beyond the ZX Spectrum, which was their initial source platform. Studio co-founder Steve Wilcox was kind enough to provide us with builds of the first wave of titles that will soon arrive in the Elite Collection of 8-bit home computer games to share with our readers.

The first Elite Collection titles that will arrive in the App Store are Datasoft's 1987 magical platformer Black Magic, Image Works' lovely 1992 release First Samurai, and the frantic 1992 space shooter Enforcer from Manfred Trenz. Every one of these titles is very well implemented in iOS and is among the top tier of games to be found on the 8-bit platforms of decades past.

Let's have a look.

Black Magic

The evil wizard Zahgrim has turned good Aganar to stone. Being a ghastly sort of wizard, Zahgrim has removed his six eyes and placed them in different locations across the land so they may view the destruction being wrought in his name. Your task is to recover each eye and place them, one by one, into the empty sockets of the Blind Statue. Hordes of monters roaming the land make this a challenge, but you've got your arrows and magic to aid you, and a bit of help from a somewhat fiendish troll.

In researching Black Magic for this post, I found a great many fond recollections gamers shared of hours spent chasing down the six eyes of Zahgrim. The title is very well loved and secured an 8.2 user rating from Lemon64.

Enforcer

Enforcer: Fullmetal Megablaster is an excellent side-scrolling space shooter released for the Commodore 64 in 1992. That it is, indeed, excellent should come as no surprise, given that it was written by Mafred Trenz, the developer behind the Turrican series, the C64 version of R-Type, and The Great Giana Sisters. Enforcer features some of the best graphics ever to grace the C64's screen and the on-screen action is furious and maddeningly difficult.

The game features six levels through a range of space and cave backdrops, with an boss waiting at the end of each. It is a very well-received title that has secured an 8.3 user rating on Lemon64.

First Samurai

First Samurai, released for the Commodore 64 in 1992, puts you in the shoes of the first samurai in history. You start out as a hermit travelling through an ancient land, but with enough food � and sake � you will grow stronger and stronger, gaining power and eventually becoming a samurai. That is, if the daunting enemy creatures don't do you in first, which they probably will.

First Samurai is, without question, one of the five best looking C64 titles I've ever encountered and features very nice platform combat action. Elite's iOS version features glass-smooth sprite animation and brings a truly worthwhile platformer to our favorite mobile game devices. First Samurai got an 8.3 user ranking at Lemon64.

The Elite Collection titles detailed here will be available in both standard (iPhone, iPod touch) and HD (iPad) versions that are playable in both portrait and landscape orientations. (All videos in this post are of the iPad HD versions of the games.) Each title features the latest implementation of Elite's iDaptive control system, which allows highly customized placement of both virtual joystick and virtual key controls on the game screen, as illustrated in the embedded videos. I am in hopes that Elite will consider the addition of iCade support for all of these titles, to allow for an even more authentic retro game experience.

Elite has gathered quite a collection with which to launch their new retro effort, and I must confess it's been rather painless labor running through these titles in preparation for this post. For the retro fans out there, each of these titles is a no-brainer buy � obviously � but, as I am one who appreciates the simpler formulas of old, I must urge even those without a nostalgic bent to have a close look at the provided videos and consider giving these titles a shake.

My crotchety old self is often of the mind that "they don't make 'em like they used to," when it comes to games I really want to spend time with. This initial Elite offering is a rather good representation of "the best they ever made 'em." And there's much more of this ilk on the way from the studio. It's a pretty great time to be a (retro) iOS gamer.

We will let readers know when the first three Elite Collection titles go live in the App Store this weekend and will keep the news coming on future titles in the collection, as we hear it.

Whoa, it's Wednesday again, and what a Wednesday it's been. Crazy announcements everywhere between all the Amazon stuff this morning and things leaking out of the Unity's Unite convention like Bladeslinger and some other surprises behind the scenes (potentially… even… contests) has had me as one busy bee. So, excuse this extraordinarily late "Coming Tonight" soon to be "Out Now" post!

Anyway, on with the show!

Boss Battles, Free � Forum Thread � I bet you can't guess what this game is full of. Hint: Boss Battles. Backflip studios seems to have taken the vertical shooter genre and distilled it down to the best part: Fighting gigantic robo-aliens in space. And for free, I'm totally down.

Commander Pixman, 99� � Forum Thread � Is there room for another Super Meat Boy-esque game on the App Store? I'm going to say… Yes! Provided the controls are good, of course. Games like this make me yearn for a real analog stick.

FIFA 12, $5.99 / HD � Forum Thread � Hey it's EA's annual installment into the FIFA series. Will it be phoned in as badly as this year's Madden? I really hope not, but I can't wait to find out.

Fling a Thing, 99� � Forum Thread � It seems tonight's theme is games with gameplay that's entirely described by the game's title. Much like Boss Battles, in Fling a Thing, you quite literally fling a thing.

Fly Run, 99� � Forum Thread � This game totally reminds me of that old Counter-Strike map that had you playing in a kitchen where everything was so big that made you feel super tiny. Google isn't producing the result I'm looking for, but surely someone out there knows what I'm talking about.

Jelly Defense, 99� � Forum Thread � I always have room for another tower defense game on my phone, especially one with a cool art style. Make sure you check out the trailer, as holy cow they put a lot of effort into it.

Katamari Amore, Free � Forum Thread � Awesome, another Katamari game on the App Store, this time it's free with IAP and (hopefully) also free of the horrible performance issues of the original iOS Katamari title. Stay tuned for our review.

Piggy Adventure, $1.99 / HD � Forum Thread � Ever imagine Lost Vikings but with farm animals instead of, well, vikings? Well, today is your lucky day.

Pixel Ranger, 99� � Forum Thread � I am in love with the art style of this game, and can't wait to give it a try. This combo-centric shooter sports 73 different types of enemies, two game modes, and eleven power-ups. I'm so in.

Robotriot, 99� � Forum Thread � This sci-fi platformer had me at "Hello!". I'm a little worried about there only being 12 levels, but if those levels are as awesome as I hope they will be, I'm totally a-OK with that.

Slam Dunk King, Free � Pik Pok asks, "Are you a good enough baller to become the Slam Dunk King?!" The answer to that is a resounding "No". There is not a single gene in my entire array of genetic code that could ever make me a Slam Dunk King. (But this game looks fabulous, and it's free.)

Squishy's Revenge, Free � Forum Thread � This game looks like a combination of ChuChu Rocket and a block sliding puzzle, which sounds like an incredible combination.

Yesterday we posted a great video on rapid prototyping in Unity, and among other comments came confusion as to why we're focusing on Unity lately. This, my friends, is why. Aside from having a real cool company culture, Unity is powering some downright incredible iOS titles recently, and it's only getting better. Anyway, Bladeslinger was announced mere moments ago, and the trailer has sent my monocle blasting off into space:

Watch that trailer. Seriously, just watch it. Then watch it again, make sure you're viewing it in HD, and kick it into full screen. If Luma Arcade is to be believed, this is what it will look like on current-gen devices.

So what do we know about the game? Not a whole lot just yet, aside from a vague description and a bullet list of features. It's a third person "action brawler" where players will be pitted against multiple enemies (at once, apparently) in both ranged and close quarters combat. It's set in a dystopian future, which always is a great setting for a game, and comes packed with "intuitive touch controls" designed exclusively for touch-based devices. There's said to be an engaging storyline that will play out through "hours of unique gameplay," and there's even talk of high replay ability.

As far as release dates are concerned, Luma Arcade is sticking with the delightfully vague "Q4 2011", which hopefully will give me time to track down my monocle so it can blow right off my face again the next time they tease some more details on the game.

When a new "jumping game" appears on the App Store, it's sometimes difficult to feel excited because there's just so many of them, and they usually all feel the same. But, despite the genre being thrashed to death, it appears there's still room for a little creativity. Com2uS have recently released Escape the Ape [99c], which while definitely fitting nicely inside of the vertical jumper mold, mixes things up a bit by requiring you to draw your own platforms to jump on in real time.

Here's the story: Jo-Jo the curious chimpanzee tried to snatch a precious jewel, which was clutched in the hands of a giant gorilla statue. Unfortunately for Jo-Jo, the statue came to life and wasn't impressed with the little furry kleptomaniac. The thieving monkey fled upwards, into the trees, with the agitated ape in hot pursuit. …And that's where you step in.

To help Jo-Jo escape the ape, you draw lines on the screen, which instantly become trampolines, bouncing the mischievous monkey higher.� There's nothing for Jo-Jo to land on, just the trampolines which you draw. If you can predict where the monkey will fall and draw a line in the right spot, you'll do well, bouncing him increasingly higher. The trampolines can be drawn on an angle, to bounce Jo-Jo sideways, so he can collect items such as jewels and bananas, or avoid obstacles.

If you fail to draw a trampoline for the monkey, or draw it in the wrong place, he'll fall back down into the arms of the chasing ape, ending your game. This means you have to swipe a trampoline every couple of seconds, because each bounce only takes Jo-Jo a little way up the screen, after which your trampoline disappears and he falls back down.

The "chase" aspect of this game adds excitement, as the trees start shaking and dropping leaves when the ape draws closer. Eventually, the ape's head and arms appear at the bottom of the screen. This is the time to draw some quick trampolines, or if you've gathered enough yellow bananas you can tap the full glass of fresh banana juice to perform a bigger life-saving bounce, to get ahead and gain some breathing room.� Oh, and if Jo-Jo collects an unripe green banana, his banana juice supply is depleted.

Another way to get ahead of the ape, is to perform a combo-jump. This is achieved by doing three "cool" jumps in a row, which seems to be awarded if Jo-Jo bounces perfectly in the middle of the trampoline without hitting any obstacles (although I'm not 100% certain of this, as it doesn't always seem to work and isn't explained). When a super combo-jump is executed, Jo-Jo flies upwards in a burst of stars, with his fist in front, like Superman.

Branches occasionally jut out, which slow your momentum on the way up, but if you land on top of a branch it bends and catapults the monkey higher. Or, Jo-Jo can grab hold of a red helium balloon, to float upwards. During the balloon ride, tilt controls are used to maneuver left or right, while collecting additional balloons prolongs the ride.

You can tell how high you are during the game, as birds periodically display signs stating the altitude. As you get higher, the background view changes and new obstacles appear. There's cobwebs which ensnare you like a cocoon, requiring some quick left-right swiping to break free before the ape catches you. And there's lamps, which � for some unexplained reason � make you grow in size, turning little Jo-Jo temporarily into an over-grown pixelated monkey who fills the screen and grabs all the jewels quite easily.

The jewels you've gathered can be used to buy items in the store. This includes stronger banana drinks which give more lift, trampolines which look thicker and give more bounce and the "Midas Touch" which increases the likelihood of a jewel appearing. The first upgrades for these items are quite affordable, but it will take quite a few games and jewels to upgrade these items to level 3. Although, of course, you can optionally use IAP to purchase jewels online.

Your final score is the number of meters climbed. Com2Us use their own online hub for leader-boards, requiring you to sign-up at their website, so there's no Game Center connectivity provided, but 30 achievements are available in-game.

Escape the Ape has been interesting to play over the past couple of days, and the game trailer (above) is quite amusing, so I've definitely got my 99 cents worth of entertainment, but the novelty of swiping trampolines every couple of seconds is wearing off, especially given the large gaps between upgrades. Although, admittedly, I'm still curious about what happens to Jo-Jo and the Gorilla at the top, assuming there is a top to get to, of course.

Just a smidge over a year ago, Epic announced that the Unreal Engine would be hitting iOS. We've seen a great game or two developed in the UDK since (Infinity Blade [$5.99] being the obvious example), but most studios outside of Epic seem to still be feeling the engine out. Those cautious, early days might finally be coming to an end, thanks in part to Gyro13 [$5.99].

This game is sexy, pulling out most of the bells and whistles we've come to expect from the Unreal Engine. Textures, lighting and shadows are all top notch. But we've seen that before, and slick visuals don't make the game. Luckily, Gyro13 follows through with outstanding gameplay, an original soundtrack and even a hint of a story.

You play a pilot of a gyrocopter, tasked with rescuing people in a mine that's filling with deadly gas. In each of the game's 24 levels you're told how many miners there are to save and how long you have to save them before the gas overtakes you. You can survive it, but your cargo hold is unprotected and your passengers will die.

Speed is of the essence, but so is safety. Your ship is fragile, so a few slight bumps against the wall will blow you apart. Thanks to a complicated set of controls, avoiding the walls and obstacles can be a serious challenge. Your ship moves on a central axis, controlled by an on-screen slider. Slide to the right to tip your nose down and left to raise it up. That covers the steering, and a separate button controls thrust. You can also tap the screen to pulse certain obstacles in front of your ship. It's complicated, but that difficulty is fundamental to the game's success. It takes quite a while to get the hang of it, but practice enough and it'll click. When it does, Gyro13 comes together beautifully.

Rescuing the trapped miners takes skill. The mines they're trapped in are filled with all kinds of old equipment, explosives, wind tunnels and poisonous gas clouds. And those are just the early obstacles. The time limit is generous in most levels, but only if you can get through cleanly. Crash your ship and you'll be sent back to the last checkpoint, but with 5 more seconds on your total time. As time gets tighter and tighter, landing on those platforms to pick up the miners becomes an exercise in cost/benefit analysis. Is it worth it to save the miner who's so badly injured he can only crawl slowly to the ship? It might cost the lives of the other eight miners in your hold, and you might not save him either. Could you make the hard call?

It's an elegant experience, one made even better by the accompanying soundtrack. Tense techno beats increase the anxiety of the last moments of breathable air slipping away. A few other bits and pieces help Gyro13 stand out, including unlockable skins for your ship. Each level's introduction is voiced, too � and while the voice acting isn't top of the line, I've certainly heard (much) worse.

Gyro13 isn't the most ambitious title we've seen built on UDK, but it is one of the best so far. I only have one major complaint: you can't see how much time you have left in a level, so if you've forgotten your time limit some of the hard choices become moot. Otherwise there's little left out � even the currently-absent Game Center support is planned for the first update.

Still, this is a challenging title, and it's one that requires players to commit to an unusual control scheme. I grew to love those controls, but if you're worried they're not your style you can always get a few more opinions in our discussion thread. For the daring, though, there are miners to be rescued, and it looks like you're the only one who can do the job.

So, Amazon let the cat out of the bag this morning and announced its low-cost and full-color seven inch tablet, Kindle Fire (and a less relevant-to-our-interests new touch-centric Kindle). Fire is an Android-powered device, though you wouldn't recognize that fact from its UI alone. It'll hook into Amazon's cloud, be able to stream Amazon movies from its download service and, just like the Kindle, connect with Amazon's rich e-books store, but the one thing that really caught our attention was, of course, the promise of games.

At the press event held today, Amazon's demo Kindle Fire had a pre-loaded icon for Angry Birds, heavily suggesting that Rovio Mobile's property will debut with yet another tablet computer this year. After the event, Amazon opened up its Kindle Fire advertisement page, displaying Angry Birds Rio, Plants vs. Zombies, Cut the Rope, Doodle Jump, and even Peggle on the device. That page states that every app that touches the device will be "Amazon tested on Kindle Fire for the best experience possible." The Fire has a 16-million color display, a resolution of 169 pixels per inch, and it runs on a dual-core CPU. No camera or 3G, though.

Fire will hit this November 15 at $199 � a price that, if the device turns out to be good, gives potential owners a legitimate low-cost option to play Android games. This is an opportunity we haven't really seen yet from an actual company with chops in the tablet space (excluding the HP Touchpad ridiculousness), so we'll definitely keep our eyes on Fire as it grows and hopefully becomes the iOS-y platform that Amazon wants it to be. Also, it plays Angry Birds, guys! Whoo!

[Via Gizmodo, Engadget]

When Madfinger Games said that Shadowgun [$7.99] was going to be available on the 28th, I think most of us assumed that they meant at 11:00 PM Eastern like most iPhone games with planned release times. If you were planning on spending the day jealously cursing New Zealanders who have been able to get their hands on the game nearly a day before you, I've got a better plan: Just go download it now.

While we prepare our review, the best place to head is our forums where initial impressions and comments are rolling in. It seems the main criticism is lack of multiplayer, but Madfinger says they have "a lot of plans" for it. Some have even already beaten the game, and are reporting back that completing Shadowgun's single player campaign on medium takes around 5-6 hours.