multiplayer

Apple's iOS 4.1 update brought many tweaks to the operating system, but none higher-profile than the long-awaited Game Center. Touted as a feature of iOS 4.0, Apple's attempt to create a hub for iOS gaming could be seen as a way to take on Sony and Nintendo, or to demonstrate gaming legitimacy over Android. In reality, it's really an idea born of convenience: there are thousands of games in the App Store, and no great way to tie them all together via a single launch pad.

Does the iPhone even need a Game Center? Not … Read more

Today on preGame, we'll take a look at the multiplayer modes of two highly anticipated shooters: Medal of Honor and Crysis 2. It's no secret that the Modern Warfare franchise has changed the face of online military-based shooters and with the two gameplay trailers we'll screen today, we think that change is as apparent as ever.

A few technical difficulties prevented us from demoing our scheduled game today, Shank. Fortunately, we'll be able to show you the graphic novel-inspired beat-em-up downloadable title next week, along with a chance to win one of two codes redeemable for … Read more

It's often been argued that Madden, EA's premier exclusive sports franchise, has had nowhere to go with its yearly editions--that users are paying for glorified "roster updates." Though it's true that many of Madden's yearly tweaks have bordered on the nearly invisible to those who weren't hard-core fans, EA Sports has taken a decidedly opposite approach to Madden 11's improvements.

Here, we look at the console version of Madden, specifically on the Xbox 360. Read here for our take on the iPad version.

Scott: "Simpler. Quicker." These are advertised on the box boldly. Clearly aware that the video game version of football has become a little like gridiron Street Fighter, with too many moves to explain without hours spent on proper training, much less the 40 seconds between plays, the emphasis in this year's Madden has clearly been placed on streamlining and mainstream appeal. Is that a smart idea, and more importantly, does it work?

Edging toward simplicity is not a trend limited to Madden. Shooters, RPGs (Fable III, in particular), and casual games have all been boiling down their interfaces, removing text and icons, and making complexity easier to grab in a shorter period of time. … Read more

I'm happy to announce I received my iPhone 4 in the mail today, five days before it was scheduled to arrive. After quite a bit of time spent transferring purchases, arranging apps, and checking the appropriate boxes in iTunes, I've activated and synced my new iPhone. Frankly, with a few reboots and trying to manage which apps should be synced and which shouldn't, the process hasn't gone as smoothly as I might have hoped. I even had a period of time where none of my apps would launch at all (gasp!). Fortunately, it's all sorted out.

Now that I'm up and running, I'm immediately noticing a significant speed boost, which is not saying much since I came from the iPhone 3G, but it is still a huge relief. Of course, the best part about upgrading is that I get to use apps I could previously test only on our in-house iPhone 4. Though I will continue to cover apps that work on most iPhones, this week I'm going to focus on a couple of apps that are perfect for your (and my) new iPhone 4.

This week's apps include a utility to give you a bit of light and a first person shooter that's probably the best yet in the iTunes app store.… Read more

Pew Pew Land is a cartoony tower-defense game with fairly conventional gameplay but cool two-player capabilities over Bluetooth.

Fans of the tower-defense genre will quickly pick up Pew Pew Land's touch-screen interface and fast-paced tactics: you have to defeat a fixed number of enemy waves on each level, strategically placing a variety of upgradable towers (eight types in all, from simple shooters to rockets and lasers) along a fixed path with an entrance and exit. If you let too many enemies get by, the level ends. The game's help is scant but adequate, and Pew Pew Land's … Read more

I've had the 32GB iPad for almost two weeks now and I'm really happy with my purchase. There are not as many apps available at this early stage as I had hoped, but I suspect that there are many developers working furiously to make their app ready for the new device.

So far, most of the apps I've tried for iPad are fine-tuned, HD versions of their iPhone counterparts. While it can be a little hit or miss as far as whether they are worth the extra cash (especially if you already paid for them on iPhone), … Read more

The board game Blokus has long been a family favorite in the Broida household, but there's just one problem with it: to really enjoy the game as it's meant to be played, you need four players. Consequently, either everyone plays, or no one does.

Blokus for iPhone adds AI to the mix, meaning you can finally go it alone if you choose. But virtual opponents are just the tip of the gameplay iceberg: you can also play against other iPhone/iPod/iPad users, either locally (via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) or online.

In case you're not familiar with the game, Blokus could best be described as four-player Tetris--except that instead of trying to nestle various block shapes together, you link your like-colored blocks by their corners. The object is to place as many of your own blocks as you can while blocking the other players from laying theirs.

It's a snap to learn, and endlessly fun to play because the outcome is always different. The actual board game does offer two- and even three-player variants, but they're just not the same as squaring off with a foursome.

Interestingly, the app offers similar variants--some of which are a little confusing. For example, "Classic 4" is the standard game, though you're the only human player. Same goes for "Classic 2," in which you take on the role of a second human player. "Duo," its name notwithstanding, is another single-player exercise, but played on a smaller board with just two colors instead of four.… Read more

We Rule is a real-time kingdom simulation game where you'll need to earn money to expand your kingdom. Earning money in We Rule requires that you grow crops and build factories and shops that will bring in a steady income over time. The touch-screen interface is fairly intuitive for choosing what type of objects you want to build, but lacks descriptions of buildings making it difficult to predict how much income you will gain by placing a specific type of building. Part of the fun is finding out which building will net you the most cash. You also can … Read more

Press Your Luck is an iPhone game that's based on the popular game show "Press Your Luck" from the 1980s. The app does a great job of recreating the format of the original TV version, with three contestants who battle to answer four trivia questions in order to add to their spin count for when they face The Big Wall at the end of the round. Each correctly answered question gets you three more spins at the Big Wall. Once it's your turn to spin, you'll have the option to spin or pass, which you … Read more