We recently got our hands on a trio of iPhone games all currently available in the App Store. Whether or not you think iPhone games need buttons to work, we were fairly impressed by each of these offerings.
Whether you're looking for stocking stuffer ideas or a game to keep you busy on a long holiday trip, we highly recommend checking out any and all of these solid titles. Best of all, they won't break the bank and are perfect for gamers of all ages.
(Credit:
Sega/Other Ocean)
Super Monkey Ball 2 ($9.99)
Now before you balk at its $10 price tag, realize that Super Monkey Ball 2 offers most of what its console-counterpart would. We're talking over 100 levels of monkey ball tilting and rolling, mini-games, and Wi-Fi multiplayer. Not to mention, this is arguably one of the prettiest iPhone games we've seen, and it maintains a very solid framerate throughout.
So how does it play? While it may take you a few minutes to get used to the accelerometer functionality, we were really impressed with how well the title controlled. Though it's a bit tough to make turns on a dime--and stopping is harder than we would have liked--the second iPhone Monkey Ball game is sure to entertain previous fans and newcomers to the series.
(Credit:
Bitforge)
Orbital (99 cents, Free)
It might look like a simple puzzle game, but the amount of depth and strategy found in Orbital is mind-blowing. The basic object in Orbital is to destroy orbs by carefully aiming your cannon towards them while bouncing off the walls and other orbs already in the playing field. Each orb contains three hits (the number is displayed inside each orb), and will explode once it has run out of collisions. There's also a danger zone located at the bottom of the screen which you'll want to avoid reaching--think of maxing out the number of bubbles like in Bust-a-Move.
Two different game modes (Pure and Gravity) allow for the same basic mechanics, though your strategy may change between the two. What really got us hooked to Orbital was the multiplayer as it allows two people to switch back and forth turns, each trying to destroy each other's orbs.
There's a free version of Orbital available too, which allows for unlimited multiplayer and a score of up to 15 in the single player mode.
(Credit:
Critical Thought)
GeoSpark (99 cents)
GeoSpark instantly reminded us of Geometry Wars with its oddly shaped vector graphics and presentation. But underneath its familiar appearance, GeoSpark is truly an addictive game, forcing you to move quickly.
The objective in GeoSpark is to grab like-objects by linking them together to score points. You do this by essentially dragging these shapes together (you can link up more than just two in a row) and then letting go to cash in your score. You must accomplish this all while avoiding non-matching shapes--the catch being the more you chain together like-items, the stronger gravity you create. When this happens, other objects begin to flow towards your chain, and if one touches it, you lose your points.
GeoSpark has that emergency screen-clearing button found in Geometry Wars, but instead of shooting objects, it's your job to link matching ones together.
As we mentioned earlier, all three of the iPhone games featured here are available now on the App Store and are compatible with both the iPhone and iPod Touch. Check out more screenshots from all three games in our slideshow below!
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Altec Lansing)
To date, Altec Lansing's little portable Orbit speaker has come in a few different colors and designs. The latest offering, the Orbit USB ($49.95), offers USB connectivity so you can conveniently plug it into your laptop.
In going to USB, the overall design of the speaker hasn't really changed (though we do prefer the black finish), but Altec has added a flip-out kickstand to the bottom, so you can prop it up at a 45-degree angle. Previously, the speaker fired upward or you could stand it up on its side, though not an angle. The kickstand is definitely a nice bonus and it appears to slightly improve the sound quality by having the speaker fire in a more optimal direction.
Earlier Orbits were battery powered, but the iML237 has no battery option; you must plug the USB cable into a computer for power. It's also worth noting that with other Orbits you had the option of using the integrated 3.5 millimeter plug to connect to a computer's speaker port or directly to an MP3 player or other device with an audio output. However, this model, as we said, is only designed for use with a computer.
So, how does it sound?
Read the full review of Altec Lansing's Orbit USB iML237 to find out.
On Sale Now: $37.48
View the latest prices for Altec Lansing Orbit USB iML237
Hot on the heels of Altec Lansing's new Orbit, iLuv has announced a mini portable speaker as well. The offical name of the product is the iSP100 Mini Portable Stereo Speaker for iPod, iPhone 3G, 2G and MP3 Players and it will be available "worldwide" in the next few weeks and will carry a list price of $34.99.
The isP100 is a budget mini stereo speaker powered by three AAA batteries.
(Credit: iLuv)Like Altec Lansing, iLuv is touting the mini speaker's "big" sound and something it calls 720° Surround Sound. It, too, features a retractable cable with a 3.5mm jack that connects to the headphone jack or audio output of any MP3 player, laptop, or portable DVD player. The speaker is powered by three AAA batteries and comes with a carrying pouch.
It's hard to imagine that this tiny speaker would sound all that good--most tiny speakers just don't deliver impressive sound. But we suspect that like the Orbit, it will sound OK for casual listening. The whole surround thing seems a little ridiculous, but we'll reserve final judgment until we get our hands on a review sample.
Sound quality aside, the budget mini portable speaker category appears to be hot. We expect to see even more products like this come out in time for the holiday buying season since this has stocking-stuffer written all over it.
Comments?
(Credit:
Altec Lansing)
We promised that a full review of Altec Lansing's just-announced Orbit MP3 iM237 was forthcoming--and now it's done. Here's the quick take with a link to the full review below.
The good: The Orbit MP3 iM237 is a compact, attractively designed portable single speaker that runs on three AAA batteries and comes with a protective carrying case; sound is OK for a speaker this small; integrated cable plugs into headphone jack of MP3 players and other devices.
The bad: While it's inexpensive, this model is a bit pricier than the previous Orbit; overall thin sound; distorts at higher volumes.
The bottom line: We like the new and improved version of Altec Lansing's portable single speaker, the Orbit MP3, better than the previous model--but it costs a bit more. Read the full review of Altec Lansing's Orbit MP3 iM237.
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Altec Lansing)
In case you missed it, Altec Lansing has undergone a corporate makeover and is showing off a new logo along with several new products, including a pair of funky-looking PC speakers and a couple of sleek iPod speaker systems. We'll be getting review units in soon, and will actually have a full review of the new Orbit posting shortly.
Here's the rundown--and some links--for easy reading:
Two new inMotion iPod speakers from Altec Lansing
PC speaker-design alert: Altec Lansing goes mod with Expressionist Bass
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Altec Lansing)
It's the little iPod speaker that could. The Orbit, Altec Lansing's inexpensive mobile iPod speaker has a new design and new name: The Orbit MP3 iM237. We like it better than the previous model.
This single speaker, which is about the size of two hockey pucks stacked on top of each other, runs on three AAA batteries for about 24 hours and has a hideaway cord that plugs into the headphone jack on just about any MP3 player, including all the iPods and iPhones, as well as laptops and portable DVD players. The $39.95 speaker ships with a protective carrying case (with a convenient belt-clip carabiner) and a lanyard to strap around your wrist (I guess that's what it's for).
The understated iM237 now features a power button that lights when the speaker is on. On the earlier model, some people complained that without a light it was easy to forget that the unit was on and the batteries would run down. Doh!
As one might expect from a speaker this small, it doesn't sound all that good. But it also doesn't sound terrible, which is about all you can ask. We think it's worth more like $20 (the older Orbit sells for $30), but at $40, it's not exactly expensive.
Expect the new Orbit in stores soon. What do you guys think? Is it worth buying?
(Credit:
Altec Lansing)
Altec Lansing has had its fingers in the iPod speaker business for several years now, which may explain why the company has been one of the most innovative when it comes to design; the retro-slick iM7 boombox and the ultrathin iM600 provide some excellent evidence of that. Further proof has now materialized in the form of the Altec Lansing Orbit-MP3, an ultracompact speaker that connects to any MP3 player or audio source. The MSRP for this speaker is only $40, but it can be found online for less than $30--an exceptional value given its versatility and passable sound quality. Read the full review.
The Orbit
(Credit: Altec Lansing)The Altec Lansing Orbit is a fine device that may not offer the sound quality you're typically looking for at a special event, but can certainly do the job at any other time.
... Read moreDon Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
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