Games

Doom Resurrection comes to the iPhone (Review)

Like Wolfenstein before it, Id Software's Doom has been ported to just about every platform known to man. But Doom Resurrection is more than a port: it's an all-new Doom game written expressly for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Indeed, whereas Id's Wolfenstein 3D Classic merely shrunk the original down to iPhone size, Doom Resurrection offers eight new Doom 3-inspired levels (six set on Mars, the others in Hell).

However, don't expect a traditional first-person shooter experience; Doom Resurrection runs on rails, meaning you don't get to roam free throughout each level.

Instead, the game … Read more

Two fun games go on sale: iPhone apps of the week

Everybody loves a bargain. With the iTunes App Store, it's getting to the point that apps go on sale almost every week. Of course, app sale prices can be either good or bad, depending on your perspective. If you bought that fancy game for $9.99 a few weeks ago only to find out it went on sale later for $1.99, you can't help but feel a bit cheated. But it also gives you the opportunity to swoop in and grab apps you wouldn't ordinarily buy.

This week's apps are both games and are both … Read more

Sally's Spa: When chainsawing aliens isn't enough

A funny thing happened to me last weekend on my way to save the galaxy, chainsaw aliens to death, and beat the living snot out of the world's top martial artists. I painted a stranger's toenails purple--and helped her shape her eyebrows.

That's right. Instead of logging countless hours on Xbox Live, I was taken in by the unstoppable force that is Game Cafe's iPhone game, Sally's Spa. Not only is this the best iPhone game I've played (not saying a lot, since I don't play many, but still), it's one of the most addictive handheld games I've ever played.

If this is your first time hearing about Sally and her addictive qualities, here's the deal in a nutshell. In the game, you play a young entrepreneur (Sally) who starts her own spa business.

Although you'll eventually hire others to help, you take a very hands-on approach to running your business. When patrons enter the shop, an icon over their head hints at their current need. So, if a patron enters with a yellow-chair symbol, it's up to you to drag that customer to the big yellow masking chair. Once a patron is situated, you'll usually have to interact with them in some way, whether it's plucking eyebrows, applying facials, or giving the occasional mani-pedi.

This is all completely addicting thanks to simple mechanics (dragging and tapping), gameplay that keeps you constantly busy, and an upgrade system that gives you long-term goals.

Upgrading your spa equipment directly impacts your customers' comfort level, which makes them less likely to leave before you've served them, thus making them happier (and the happier they are when the check out, the higher your tips). The more money you make, the more you'll have to spend on upgrades.

Also, the side mini-game game of selling supplementary items like shampoo and skin creams earns you promotions if you sell enough. The promotions grant you access to even more expensive ancillary items that make more money when sold.

If this seems like the most capitalistic game ever, you're not far off. Although I guess Mercenaries 2 would give it a run for its money. … Read more

Get a Sony PSP 2000 for $109.99 shipped

Editors' note: This deal has expired. Dell is now selling the PSP 2000 for $159.99 (a $10 savings).

It's rare to find deals on the Sony PlayStation Portable game console, but Dell has a hot one: The PSP 2000 for $109.99 shipped. That's 60 bucks off the regular price.

While this isn't the latest and greatest PSP, it's noteworthy for being slimmer and lighter than the original--and for receiving a CNET Editors' Choice award.

What's nice is that because the PSP's been around for so long, you can now score loads of … Read more

Hands-on with the second Android Phone

T-Mobile has finally unveiled its second Android phone, but how does it stack up with the carrier's first release? If you purchased a G1 back in October, is it time to upgrade? How were the major concerns of the first phone addressed?

The MyTouch 3G won't launch in the United States until August, but the phone has been available in other parts of the world for months. The Google Ion, which made the rounds at the Google I/O conference last month, is a limited edition version of the HTC Magic, and shares the same hardware and many features with the MyTouch 3G.

Battery life One of the biggest complaints of the G1 concerned its limited battery life. Users were forced to disable many features in order to prolong use. Indeed, on my G1, I routinely had to disable Wi-Fi, GPS, and other features that I wasn't using. Normally, my phone would normally survive the day, but it was near dead when I placed it on the charger at night.

Luckily, the battery life is no longer an issue on the second Android phone. The Ion's 1300mAh battery offers increased capacity over its predecessor. Though it's only 13 percent larger than the G1's 1150mAh battery, it feels as if it has twice the capacity. Even if I leave all features turned on, my phone is still going strong at night. There have even been a few nights where I skipped charging the Ion, which is something that I could never do with the G1.… Read more

Digital postcards and an online flight sim: iPhone apps of the week

Of all the great enhancements, fixes, and goodies in iPhone OS 3.0 (video overview here), I quickly realized there was one glaring omission. With the useful addition of a Voice Memos app, an old problem reared its ugly head. The update put the Voice Memos app icon on the home page, pushing whatever lone app icon that sat in the lower right of the homepage onto its own screen on the next page. This meant that in order to maximize my use of page space (I have a lot of apps!), I now had to rearrange my apps on … Read more

Score new video games for under $20 apiece

I won't spend $50 to $60 on a video game. Just can't do it. Even $40 feels like too much. But $20? That definitely satisfies my cheapskate tendencies. So imagine my delight at learning that Walmart currently has nearly 1,500 video games priced at $20 or less.

As you might expect, these aren't the latest and greatest titles, but they're not all bargain-bin rejects, either. For example, you can get the Wii versions of Lego Indiana Jones and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for $19.82 apiece.

Xbox 360 owners can snap up Call of Duty 2: Game of the Year Edition … Read more

Peggle for iPhone goes on sale

Have you played Peggle? This iPhone game came out some time ago and was an immediate hit at the app store for its strange and extremely addictive gameplay. The game just went on sale for 99 cents, but it will only last until midnight Sunday, June 14.

The object of Peggle is to shoot balls from the top of the screen and hit all the orange pegs before you run out of balls. You can use the touch screen or the scroll wheel to aim your shot, but make sure that the shot ricochets in a direction that will hit … Read more

Five perfect puzzle games for the iPhone

Puzzle games and the iPhone and iPod Touch go together like peas and carrots (and they're nearly as good for you). They fit beautifully on the small screen, they have no awkward controls to master, and they're ideal when you have 5 minutes or 10 minutes to kill (and don't feel like killing things).

Here's a list of my five favorite puzzle games (so far):

Hanoi A beautiful rendition of the classic Towers of Hanoi game. The object is simple: move a stack of disks from one side of the board to the other. There's … Read more