Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Steam's THQ game pack: get $400 worth of games for 50 bucks]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/steams-thq-game-pack-get-400-worth-of-games-for-50-bucks/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/steams-thq-game-pack-get-400-worth-of-games-for-50-bucks/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/steams-thq-game-pack-get-400-worth-of-games-for-50-bucks/#commentsFiled under: ,

You may be more focused on picking up holiday gifts for friends, loved ones, and co-workers right now, but maybe it's time to treat yourself. If you're a PC gamer, you need to check out Steam's THQ pack.

It's loaded with excellent titles like Red Faction, Warhammer, and Company of Heroes - 18 titles in all. If you bought them separately, it'd run you just shy of $400. Right now, however, you can score the whole bundle for $49.99.

$2.77 per game? Come on, the energy drinks you down while staying awake for an all-night session will cost you more than that.

Don't want to shell out the fifty bones yourself? Email a subtle hint to your pals and maybe one of them will gift you the pack. Chances are good they'll end up buying for themselves, but you never know.

Steam's THQ game pack: get $400 worth of games for 50 bucks originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Believe it or not, Atari have just released a bunch of old games on their own website. These aren't clones, these aren't even 'loving interpretations' -- these are the real thing, remade by Atari themselves. This comes as part of a re-launch for the Atari website which includes an online store.

I warn you, if you read on, this might turn into more than just a mere ten-minute time-waster.

Continue reading The Atari classics are back and free to play! Asteroids, Lunar Lander and MORE!

The Atari classics are back and free to play! Asteroids, Lunar Lander and MORE! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariflash gamesFlashGamesremakeretrotime-wasterWed, 25 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Social media a smash hit on the Xbox -- 2 million users in its first week!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/social-media-a-smash-hit-on-the-xbox-2-million-users-in-its-f/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/social-media-a-smash-hit-on-the-xbox-2-million-users-in-its-f/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/social-media-a-smash-hit-on-the-xbox-2-million-users-in-its-f/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It seems the recent addition of Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm to the Xbox Live experience is proving to be a hit! The jury's still out on whether Twitter has been such a huge success on the PS3, but I'm sure Sony will release a statement soon to compete with Microsoft.

According to a spokesman from Microsoft, over 2 million users logged into Facebook using their console... in just the first week! Not only did they log in and poke their cute prospective girlfriends and answer banal questions about each other, they also created half a million Last.fm accounts and streamed a total of 120 million minutes of music -- again, in just the first week!

These crazy numbers are shocking; it's truly a case of build-it-and-they-will-come. The break-neck pace at which Microsoft and Sony update their consoles is a sure sign that competition between the PS3 and Xbox is still hotting up.

The console war is not yet over! Poor Wii... there's a new Zelda title coming soon, right?

[via CNET]

Social media a smash hit on the Xbox -- 2 million users in its first week! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>console warsConsoleWarsfacebooklast.fmps3twitterxboxWed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Delightful and haunting Braid-clone Time-Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/delightful-and-haunting-braid-clone-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/delightful-and-haunting-braid-clone-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/delightful-and-haunting-braid-clone-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Company of Myself -- Grabbed from the JayIsGames review.The Company of Myself is one of those games that you don't want to conclude. When it does end -- if you have what it takes to get there -- it leaves you feeling sad. Kinda empty. Like there's a gap in your soul that's exactly Company of Myself-shaped and there's nothing to fill it with.

The game is very simply played, platform-style. You progress through each level to the green door, passing obstacles as you go. The first few levels have dialogue where you are seemingly talking to yourself, reminding yourself how to play -- it's weird, but it works. It works really well.

But there's a twist. A twist of genius!

Continue reading Delightful and haunting Braid-clone Time-Waster

Delightful and haunting Braid-clone Time-Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braidflashpuzzleTue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waste some time and toss the turtle]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/waste-some-time-and-toss-the-turtle/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/waste-some-time-and-toss-the-turtle/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/waste-some-time-and-toss-the-turtle/#commentsFiled under: ,

No, no, really... I'm not suggesting you head to the supplies cupboard and actually toss the turtle! It's a game! NO! Not the kind of game you play with friends while drunk! A Flash game! Adobe Flash! In your browser!

Toss The Turtle is the epitome -- the end of the line -- the ULTIMATE 'fire a canon ball as far as you can' game, a genre that you might remember from the (really) olden days. The basic premise is obvious: you gotta toss the turtle as far as you can.

But oh boy is it more complicated and involved and awesome than simply firing a canon. This could be significantly more than a 10-minute-time-waster, I assure you.

Continue reading Waste some time and toss the turtle

Waste some time and toss the turtle originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsnewgroundsFri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Proper web browsing on a console: Firefox coming to the Sony PS3?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Firefox/PS3 mash-up. Stolen from CNET, who stole it from Gizmodo.It seems the age of humdrum, crippled browsers on consoles might finally be coming to an end! Though the details are very slim, with the only source being an unnamed insider very close to Sony, it is exciting news indeed if it turns out to true.

Games consoles have always had feeble browser offerings, with PS3's default browser generally considered one of the worst and most unreliable. Porting Firefox to the PS3 would make a lot of sense, especially if Sony intend to inroads against the competing XBox Live service. Or perhaps they need a proper web browser for their newly-announced iTunes-killer...?

Obviously this is very much a rumour, but it would make a lot of sense -- and it will probably appear quite soon, considering how hard Sony are pushing for a larger slice of the console market at the moment.

I wonder if Flash and the ability to stream videos from sites like YouPo YouTube will be included....

[via CNET]

Proper web browsing on a console: Firefox coming to the Sony PS3? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consolefirefoxps3sonyFri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Minim (now on iPhone): the game so nice we've reviewed it thrice]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/19/minim-now-on-iphone-the-game-so-nice-weve-reviewed-it-thrice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/19/minim-now-on-iphone-the-game-so-nice-weve-reviewed-it-thrice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/19/minim-now-on-iphone-the-game-so-nice-weve-reviewed-it-thrice/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you've been a Download Squad reader for a while, you've probably heard about the 3-D molecular puzzle game, Minim. I reviewed it back in May, and Jason reviewed it again in July (oops!). However, I've got my hands on the iPhone version now, and it's worlds better than the Flash one we played before.

The object of Minim is to match up various numbered molecules until you clear the board. When you combine two of the same number, they form a single molecule that's one number greater. Eventually, you'll wind up with just one left, and you've won the level. The thing is, Minim is a lot more fun when you can use the iPhone's gestures to rotate the game board to see what you're working with. Using the mouse in the web version was fine, but the sense of manipulating the puzzle with your fingers adds an extra element of awesome. Check out the trailer after the jump to see how it works.

Minim isn't fast-paced (although you do get time bonuses for quickly solving puzzles), so it's ideal for mobile play on the bus, in the subway, or at your desk. It's cool, we won't tell your boss. The game comes with 50 basic levels, and there appear to be another 40 mystery levels, if you make it that far. For 2 bucks, you're getting your money's worth if you're a puzzle fan.

Continue reading Minim (now on iPhone): the game so nice we've reviewed it thrice

Minim (now on iPhone): the game so nice we've reviewed it thrice originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphonemathminimpuzzleThu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Next Floor - Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/the-next-floor-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/the-next-floor-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/the-next-floor-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Next FloorThe Next Floor is an interesting blend of side-scrolling action game and tower defence game. In The Next Floor your goal is to defend against the incoming waves of bad guys. You start off on one floor of a building, and you have an elevator in an elevator shaft. You move using either the arrow keys or the A and D keys, and you point your mouse at the bad guys and click the mouse button to fire your gun.

Killing bad guys earns you money, and it's a good thing, since the waves of bad guys get increasingly fierce and you must buy weapons that you can station in your elevators to automatically fire at the bad guys. Wait, did I just say elevators with an 's'? Yep -- as the game progresses you will find additional floors of the building open up, and you have the option to buy additional elevators to defend those floors.

One thing that was not immediately obvious to me is the fact that you can move the elevators around by dragging them with your mouse, and they can move even if there are elevators occupying every floor. If you drag an elevator to a floor that already has an elevator on it, the two elevators will magically swap positions. You can use the elevators to move your man around from floor to floor, but fairly quickly your elevators will have more firepower than your poor little dude's pistol, and you'll find you're not really using him.

The 15 levels of The Next Floor provide just the right amount of gameplay; any more would have become tediously repetitive, and any less wouldn't have given enough time to build up your elevators to the incredible killing machines they can become.

The Next Floor - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action gameaction-gameActionGamearrow keysarrow-keysArrowKeysbad guysbad-guysBadGuysdudeselevatorelevator shaftelevator-shaftelevatorsElevatorShaftfirepowerfloorincoming wavesincoming-wavesIncomingWaveskilling machineskilling-machinesKillingMachinesmouse buttonmouse-buttonMouseButtonnext floornext-floorNextFloorpistoltower defence gametower-defence-gameTowerDefenceGameweaponsWed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/the-worlds-hardest-game-2-0-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/the-worlds-hardest-game-2-0-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/the-worlds-hardest-game-2-0-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World's Hardest Game 2.0So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.

Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.

The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, and you need to move around the game board collecting yellow coins or keys, and make your way from the green starting area to the green end, without getting touched by the blue hazard balls. The only controls in the game are the arrow keys to control where your red square goes.

Like I said, it looks simple. But in practice, I gave up at level 4 after over 100 attempts. I wouldn't same I'm a video game expert, but I've certainly played my fair share of games in my time, and this one is certainly one of the most difficult.

How far can you get?

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arrow keysarrow-keysArrowKeysattemptsballscoinsgame boardgame-boardGameBoardmechanicsred squarered-squareRedSquaretime wastertime-wasterTimeWastervideo game expertvideo-game-expertVideoGameExpertworlds hardestworlds-hardestWorldsHardestTue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sleepy - Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/sleepy-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/sleepy-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/sleepy-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SleepyThe best time wasters are games that are intellectually challenging, but not necessarily frantic or anxiety-inducing. Too many puzzle games rely on a beat-the-clock scenario to make games more challenging instead of simply making the puzzles more challenging. Well, Sleepy is a time waster that doesn't do that.

In Sleepy, the goal is to remove all of the colored blocks from the screen without waking them up. If you wake them up, a wakefulness bar starts to drop, and if it reaches the bottom, you lose at that level. The more blocks that wake up, the faster the bar moves, until they settle into new positions and fall back asleep.

The challenge in the game comes from the fact that you can only remove blocks of the colors given on one of the two indicator cards at the bottom of the screen. When one of the colors is a block that is sitting on top of a pile, it's not a problem, but soon you'll run into a situation when the only block you can remove will dislodge a bunch of other blocks, waking them up.

Sleepy is a cleverly-designed game with lots of replay value, a perfect distraction for your coffee-break or lunch time. And the soundtrack is perfect if you've got insomnia - just play Sleepy for a little while and you'll be headed back to bed.

Sleepy - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockcolored blockscolored-blocksColoredBlockscolorspuzzle gamespuzzle-gamesPuzzleGamestime wastertime-wasterTimeWasterwakefulnessMon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monster's Den The Book of Dread: an addictive dungeon crawling time-waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/monsters-den-the-book-of-dread-an-addictive-dungeon-crawling-t/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/monsters-den-the-book-of-dread-an-addictive-dungeon-crawling-t/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/monsters-den-the-book-of-dread-an-addictive-dungeon-crawling-t/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Monster's Den The Book of DreadMonster's Den The Book of Dread is a lo-fi, highly addictive, dungeon-crawling, RPG. Choose one of three campaigns (dungeons), create a party of four characters from seven possible character classes (warrior, cleric, mage, ranger, rogue, barbarian, and conjuror, the classics), select from one of three difficulty levels (beginner, standard, and EXTREME), and you are off to kill monsters and gather items.

Seemingly endless levels, each with their own boss, and hundreds of possible magic items (weapons, armor, potions and scrolls) make this game very compelling for the avid dungeon crawler. I played one of the campaigns to level 118 (hangs head in shame...) before giving up on finding an end boss.

Random encounters, epic rare monsters that drop wonderful items, and the promise of more treasure just around the corner make up for this game's complete lack of graphics.

If you enjoy fighting orcs, undead, dragons, dwarves, humans, creatures from Greek mythology, and myriad other foes for the promise of experience points, stats boosts, and new spells and abilities, then do NOT play this game (or you might never stop...)

Monster's Den The Book of Dread: an addictive dungeon crawling time-waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeonmonsters denMonstersDenrpgtime-wasterFri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fullmoon: delicious ten-minute Time-Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/fullmoon-delicious-ten-minute-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/fullmoon-delicious-ten-minute-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/fullmoon-delicious-ten-minute-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fullmoon is one of those delightful little games where you almost don't want it to be over. A bit like Portal, I guess. You know the end is coming -- all too soon, usually -- but... you can't stop. The end be damned! You just have to shut your eyes, finish the last puzzle and pray there's a sequel (which I'm sure there will be in this case!)

This isn't your standard pixel-hunting point-and-click affair. It's actually a lot easier than most Flash games. This probably won't last you more than the ten or fifteen minutes it takes you to drink your morning coffee -- but that's OK! Games don't have to be long -- they only have to be enjoyable.

Continue reading Fullmoon: delicious ten-minute Time-Waster

Fullmoon: delicious ten-minute Time-Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashpoint and clickPointAndClickpuzzletime-wasterThu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tinker and Hold 'em coming to Games for Windows - for free!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tinker-and-hold-em-coming-to-games-for-windows-for-free/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tinker-and-hold-em-coming-to-games-for-windows-for-free/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tinker-and-hold-em-coming-to-games-for-windows-for-free/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Have you taken the time to poke around your Windows 7 start menu yet? If not, you may have missed the "More Games from Microsoft" entry under the Games folder.

Click the shortcut, and you'll be whisked away to a web page offering some additional games you can download. Right now there are three: Peggle, Ranch Rush, and Bumper Stars.

Two more titles are coming soon. Tinker (the awesome puzzler you can see in action in the video above) and Hold 'Em (for you poker fans out there) are set to be released in the very near future.

Now, this news isn't going to make all Windows users smile. It's probably going to rub some Vista Ultimate owners the wrong way - since Tinker and Hold 'Em were two of the oft-talked-about-and-rarely-seen Ultimate Extras.

[via Paul Thurrott]

Tinker and Hold 'em coming to Games for Windows - for free! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gameshgghold emHoldEmtinkerultimate extrasUltimateExtrasWed, 11 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free boobs: It's too good to be true]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/free-boobs-its-too-good-to-be-true/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/free-boobs-its-too-good-to-be-true/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/free-boobs-its-too-good-to-be-true/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ah, Evony. Sweet, sweet Evony. Chances are if you've been online for more than a day or two and you dare step outside the sandbox of Gmail or Facebook and into the seedy underbelly of the beast, you'll have seen the Evony ads.

Take a good, long look at the advert to the right -->

OK. Now what're you thinking? BOOBS? Voyeuristic pleasures of the flesh? 'You know, it looks like she's sleeping... or enjoying herself... or both...'

To be fair, this one actually includes a brief description of the game itself ('build your empire'), but later versions aren't quite as subtle (probably not work-safe).

But we only have ourselves to blame. You see, Evony's marketing ploy must be successful or they wouldn't still be doing it. Sex sells, gentlemen. The promise of sex sells even better! Seriously, a girl pleasuring herself couldn't be further from the truth in the case of Evony, but the image hits your eyeballs and heads straight on down to your animalistic hindbrain. Before you know it -- before your rational, sensible, Internet-savvy brain can kick in -- you're clicking the ad. You're probably clicking her boobs even. It's OK -- we all do it. That's why such ads exist.

You've just been had by the Internet. But who's to blame exactly? Us, for being weak and driven by our biology? The scrupulous Web service providers that hire advertising agencies to shoot girls in skimpy panties and low-cut dresses? None of the above, I'm afraid. The inherent freedom of the Internet comes at a price, and if you think those money-grabbing bastards aren't going to milk it for all its worth, you'd be wrong.

Think about it: if the ad showed a girl gouging her eyes out and eating poop from a cup it wouldn't get quite the same click-through ratio. Why not boobs? Why not delusions of grandeur? Why not promise things you can't deliver on? Why not LIE? Who is going to stop them?

The Internet, in its rampant, unmonitored, ungoverned and anarchic state is full of examples like Evony. Lose 15lbs in 15 minutes! You've won the lottery! Click this irritating and epilepsy-inducing banner to collect your prize! Scan your infected, virus-ridden computer now... and get a bonus malware infection for free! Evony, unlike other cowboys, at least delivers a small portion of its promise -- you can play it in a browser after all -- but that's not the point.

The point is: the Internet is simply too good to be true. The problem is not that there's fake stuff out there -- there will always be fake stuff -- it just happens to be damn hard to separate the good stuff from the fake stuff. You never quite know what you're going to get after you click a link.

So remember, if something is FREE!!! or relies on a picture of BOOBS, it's too good to be true.

In fact, if you don't want to be fooled by advertising, just download whatever we feature here at Download Squad -- I guarantee we'll never sell out and recommend a boob-branded download.

Free boobs: It's too good to be true originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadvertisingcommentaryevonyop-edrantWed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zune HD software update brings 3D games, widescreen keyboard]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/zune-hd-software-update-brings-3d-games-widescreen-keyboard/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/zune-hd-software-update-brings-3d-games-widescreen-keyboard/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/zune-hd-software-update-brings-3d-games-widescreen-keyboard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Zune HD 3D games
The Microsoft Zune HD is an intriguing device. It's a pretty good portable media player. It can handle 720p HD video in WMV and H.264 formats, and it has excellent audio quality. It even packs an HD radio tuner. And the NVIDIA Tegra chipset enable some pretty flashy (but still useful) graphics in the user interface.

And the Tegra procesor means the Zune HD can also handle some pretty slick games and other applications. Up until now, that meant a few games, a calculator, and a weather application. But now Microsoft has added a few new 3D games to the Zune Marketplace: Audio Surf: Tilt, PGR: Ferrari Edition, Checkers, Lucky Lanes Bowling, and Vans sk8: Pool Service. There's also a new Piano application.

The new games are pretty slick and really help demonstrate the power of the Zune HD platform. Unfortunately, it's still not much of a platform. There are over 100,000 apps in the iPhone app store. There are 15 in the Zune Marketplace.

Granted, all of the Zune apps are free (although you have to put up with a brief add for the Zune Pass music subscription before they start). But where are the third party apps? Where are the chat, Twitter, and Facebook clients? Or calendar and contacts applications? Heck, with the graphics capabilities on the Zune HD, where's Virtual Earth?

Anyway, the new applications should be available to anyone who updated their Zune HD to run version 4.3 of the Zune software. The update also brings a few other changes, including support for a larger virtual keyboard in landscape mode and an auto-suggest feature for text input.

You can check out my brief hands-on video with the new games after the break.

Continue reading Zune HD software update brings 3D games, widescreen keyboard

Zune HD software update brings 3D games, widescreen keyboard originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d games3dGameszunezune hdZuneHdWed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Did you know you could play Commodore 64 games on your iPhone?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/did-you-know-you-could-play-commodore-64-games-on-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/did-you-know-you-could-play-commodore-64-games-on-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/did-you-know-you-could-play-commodore-64-games-on-your-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

C64 emulator on the iPhone. Image ruthlessly stolen from the c64iphone.com website.
Maybe you did, maybe you didn't... but now you know!

The aptly-named Commodore 64 Emulator is yet again available in the App Store for the frugal sum of $4.99 (£2.99 for my fellow imperialists).

It was originally released back in June but unavailable due to violation of Apple's rules on launching executable code (which is what an emulator does). Then in September it was actually approved by Apple -- but only for a few days because of another security issue.

And now... it seems it's back! Properly! 30% faster!

There's bad news however: you can only play games downloaded from the App Store. No uploading your own abandonware ROMs I'm afraid. Maybe some enterprising fellow will manage to hack it...?

There's a fun and detailed 9 minute video of the emulator in action after the break.

[via TouchArcade -- or visit the emulator's official site]

Continue reading Did you know you could play Commodore 64 games on your iPhone?

Did you know you could play Commodore 64 games on your iPhone? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c64c64 emulatorC64Emulatoremulatoriphoneretro gamingWed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phytrix: a Tetris-Meets-Match-3 Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/phytrix-a-tetris-meets-match-3-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/phytrix-a-tetris-meets-match-3-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/phytrix-a-tetris-meets-match-3-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Phytrix is another entry into the venerable genre of falling block games. Pieces in various shapes and colors descend from the ceiling, and your objective is to rapidly organize them so that three or more blocks of the same color are touching, which makes those blocks disappear. Yes, it's two classic games - Tetris and Match 3 - rolled into one.

That's not all, though. Each level of Phytrix has its own rules. For example, maybe you need to clear 40 blocks without removing any purple triangles. This sounds insidiously challenging, but Phytrix doesn't punish you very harshly for breaking the rules. Instead of losing the game when you make the wrong piece disappear, you just get a row filled in at the bottom of your screen, pushing your pile of pieces upward toward certain doom.

It's like Tetris, except that those filler rows aren't permanent. You can remove them by clearing more of the right pieces. As a result of this leniency, Phytrix doesn't get tough until several levels in. It's a neat idea for a game, and it's fun to play for a while, but it could offer more of a challenge.

Phytrix: a Tetris-Meets-Match-3 Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blocksgamesphytrixtetristime-wasterTue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Max out your World of Warcraft character with a free, open-source application called Rawr]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/max-out-your-world-of-warcraft-character-with-a-free-open-sourc/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/max-out-your-world-of-warcraft-character-with-a-free-open-sourc/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/max-out-your-world-of-warcraft-character-with-a-free-open-sourc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This is one of the most popular and effective tools to improving your WoW gameplay. No, it's not the Peggle add-on (though that is very cool) -- I'm actually talking about an external application! Something you can use in the office, away from your gaming PC!

This tool is very popular amongst the serious World of Warcraft players but chances are, if you're a little more casual, you've probably never used it, let alone heard of it.

I'm about to tell you how all of those weak, made-of-paper mages do so much more damage than you and your rusty, rogue swords. You've probably wondered how -- try as you might -- one particular player always does more damage or heals more. "They must be cheating, damnit!" Well... almost! They're actually using an application called Rawr.

Rawr lets you experiment with different weapons and armor, upgrades, sidegrades -- you name it, Rawr lets you do it. We WoW players call it 'theorycrafting': it's like... Warcraft only... in theory. You don't have to actually be playing WoW to theorycraft. In fact, many people theorycraft in a loud and excited manner, often in public, on the back of napkins (it can be very embarrassing). The term itself predates World of Warcraft incidentally, originally coming from the Starcraft days of yore.

If I haven't sold it to you yet and you need further proof as to why Rawr is awesome, just watch the video after the break.

Continue reading Max out your World of Warcraft character with a free, open-source application called Rawr

Max out your World of Warcraft character with a free, open-source application called Rawr originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codeplexmmorpgworld of warcraftWorldOfWarcraftwowMon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RPGs like Fallout and Oblivion coming to your iPhone?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/rpgs-like-fallout-and-oblivion-coming-to-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/rpgs-like-fallout-and-oblivion-coming-to-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/rpgs-like-fallout-and-oblivion-coming-to-your-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wolfenstein on the iPhone. Totally ripped off from Joystiq.

After an acquisition that most of us thought was fairly minor news, it turns out that John Carmack of Doom and id Software fame is a mobile games enthusiast! Not only is id Software still flogging the Doom horse, but we may be in for a little treat in the coming months. Gaming iPhone users are probably already aware that Wolfenstein is available and it's really good. And on the back of its success they are now looking to release other classic titles, new franchises and even... role-playing titles.

In Kotaku's great interview with the man himself, Carmack discusses the roadmap for id's iPhone games and some other really interesting possibilities. Amongst others: Fallout might come to the iPhone. One of the most popular franchises of all time is owned by id Software's parent company Zenimax. The path is there! This is more than mere positive thinking! He even admits that some early proof of concepts have been developed...!

I don't think we can expect to see it soon, but if a Fallout title appears it can only be a matter of time before we start seeing other RPGs -- and eventually... more massively-multiplayer online games. That reminds me -- do people play FarmVille on their iPhone? They must do...

[via Destructoid]

RPGs like Fallout and Oblivion coming to your iPhone? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appid softwareIdSoftwareiphonerpgSun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Number Ninjas is an addictive, equation-solving Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/number-ninjas-is-an-addictive-equation-solving-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/number-ninjas-is-an-addictive-equation-solving-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/number-ninjas-is-an-addictive-equation-solving-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Everybody loves a good Time Waster. Everybody loves ninjas. And everyone loves solving mathematical equations, right? Number Ninjas is all this goodness rolled up into one slick little Flash game!

You play the number one, armed with a ninja's favorite projectiles: throwing stars. And by "stars" I mean +, -, /, and *. To complete a level, you've got to defeat enemy numerals using the correct operator to satisfy the equation in the bottom right corner.

Sure, nailing this eight with a + would do the trick, but who knows what other numbers lurk around the next corner? Perhaps there's a two waiting to pounce? Who knows how many other nasties this guy brought to the fight. Getting the correct mix may take you a few tries on some levels, but I didn't find the process frustrating.

If you want a good way to keep your brain limber for a few minutes, Number Ninjas is a good way to do it.

Number Ninjas is an addictive, equation-solving Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualflash gameFlashGamegamingmathninjaninjasFri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST