Gameloft goes west
The Oregon Trail, an Apple II classic, is coming to the iPhone and iTouch. The original Oregon Trail computer game was developed in 1971 by Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann, and Paul Dillenberger. The game taught school children about the realities of 19th century pioneer life. The player assumed the role of a wagon leader guiding his party of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon's Willamette Valley along the Oregon Trail via a Conestoga wagon in 1848.
This old-school, side-scrolling voyage was entirely remade to take advantage of the multitouch display on the iPhone or the iPod Touch. The game incorporates the iPhone/iPod Touch accelerometer into some of the minigames and combines that with updated graphics and sounds, with the end result being a nostalgic, fun, and educational journey. Priced at $5.99, it would make a great gift, or an inexpensive self indulgence.
All of the decision-making and problem-solving fun of the original game, plus additional features, take the Oregon Trail experience even further than before. It has eight skill-based minigames like hunting, fishing, wagon repairing, river crossing, rafting, telegraphing, gold panning, and berry picking. Random events, such as disease, bandits, and hitchhikers, that the real pioneers faced increases the challenge. Side missions add more depth to your journey and affect your westward trek. The game has been completely updated with colorful and animated graphics. To prepare for your departure, you select the members of your party, choose your departure date, and purchase supplies.
Maintaining its western motif, Wild West Guns is another Gameloft release, and unlike The Oregon Trail, this game requires quick hand-eye coordination to remain alive in this shooter. Do you think you have the fastest thumbs in the west? If so, put up or shut up with 18 challenges featuring typical western environments like saloons, deserts, and trains, plus diverse targets and enemies including cowboys, sheriffs, and vultures. The game also has interactive backgrounds that allow you to shoot elements to earn more points. This app is selling for $4.99 in the iTunes App Store.
Former radio DJ turned
journalist Dan Ackerman grew up in the Bronx and now lives in
Manhattan. He’s covered music, technology, and video games for
more than 10 years. His latest album, Tales Out of Night School
is available now. 
Joseph Kaminski,
when not juggling the dual demands of parenthood and HD gaming, is a
life-long Manhattanite and can be found testing the latest tech in
CNET’s Lab. 
Julie Rivera grew up
and currently resides in Brooklyn. When she's not deejaying,
bartending, or fixing gadgets for friends on the outside, you'll find
her testing, troubleshooting and developing benchmarks for laptops in
the "fish bowl" known as CNET Labs. 
Scott Stein, CNET's
newest laptops editor, was born in Queens and grew up a Long Islander -
and is now raising a kid in NYC. In addition to covering games and
tech, writing screenplays, and performing improv in seedy downtown
establishments, he's also a die-hard, season-ticket-holding Jets fan.
