Kotaku: ipod gaming

Would You Buy An Apple Gaming Console?

Mike Fahey — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:30:00 MDT

The prospect of another company jumping into the console market is laughable to most people, and for good reasons. It isn't a market you can just leap right into. You need connections, capital, and consumers hungry for any product you put on the market. Over at Cnet's The Digital Home, Don Reisinger suggests that only one such company exists - Apple.

Apple has the infrastructure in place through iTunes to create a real value proposition for those that want to extend the capability of their console beyond gaming and has the cash — about $20 billion — to not only invest in the best components on the market, but in an online gaming experience that could rival Xbox Live. That cash could also be put to good use by acquiring major developers (did someone say Take-Two?) that could go from third-party powerhouse to Apple's first-party publisher."

Having just bought an iPod Touch last week despite having a perfectly functional Zune with 10 times the storage space, I can see Don's point. Apple has gone beyond making products. Now they simply create things people want. Would you want an Apple gaming console?

Apple is the only other company that can release a game console [The Digital Home]

Eyes On The Macworld 2008 Jobs Keynote

Mike Fahey — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:40:04 MST

While the 2007 Macworld keynote speech by Steve Jobs didn't prove to be the gaming bonanza we had hoped, it did introduce the iPhone to the world, which over the past year, along with the iPod itself, has proven more than capable of handling the odd video game. We've seen Sonic the Hedgehog show up on iTunes, a PlayStation emulator for the iPod Touch and iPhone, and even brand new games for the iPod from Harmonix and Masaya Matsuura, creator of PaRappa. We'll be keeping an eye out on this year's speech, which starts at 9AM Pacific (12PM Eastern), just in case Steve decides to drop any juicy gaming tidbits.

Popcap Pops Peggle to iPod

Mike Fahey — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:20:23 MST

Well it's a banner day for iPod gamers, if such a thing exists. Along with Sonic the Hedgehog from Sega, that king of casual PopCap Games have released an iPod version of their popular puzzler Peggle onto the iTunes Store today. Sharing Sonic's $4.99 price point, the game contains all 55 levels, 10 magical powers, 75 Grand Master challenges and th two-player duel mode from the PC and Mac versions. The game's aim and shoot mechanic seems perfect for the iPod's click wheel, making me wonder how well Bubble Bobble would translate. If I had one of those newer, cooler iPods I would definitely purchase Peggle, simply because of the comfort I found playing it while I waited for the Orange Box to download over Steam. Of course I never played it again after that, but I am a fickle gamer, dammit.

PopCap Launches Peggle Game on iPod
Front-Runner for Casual Game of the Year Available on iTunes Today in Six Languages

SEATTLE, Washington - December 18, 2007 — PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, announced that beginning today Peggle™ is available for play on the iPod. Casual gamers can download Peggle from the iTunes store for US$4.99, and the game is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Peggle has been downloaded more than 10 million times on the Web since its introduction in March 2007, and this enormous success prompted PopCap to accelerate development of the iPod version.

Peggle utilizes the iPod's clickwheel and sharp high-resolution display. Another special feature of the iPod-optimized version of Peggle is the ability to listen to your own personal music playlists while enjoying the game. The iPod version of Peggle includes all 55 levels, 10 magical powers and 75 Grand Master challenges, as well as the two-player Duel Mode, of the PC and Macintosh original.

"The clickwheel input of the iPod is a natural fit for controlling Peggle, so we knew this adaptation of the game would be amazing," said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of PopCap. "And with the Duel Mode included, two players can pass the iPod back and forth while battling their way to Extreme Fever!"

In Peggle, players fire a metallic silver ball from the top of the screen, relying on gravity to propel the ball downwards while it ricochets off orange and blue "pegs". The goal is to clear all the orange pegs from the screen before running out of balls. A moving "bucket" at the bottom of the screen offers free balls, while green power-up pegs give the player one of ten different abilities courtesy of the ten "Peggle Masters" who guide players through the game. These power-ups include explosive area-clearing blasts, lobster claws which serve as pinball-type flippers, and "fireballs" that cut through all pegs in their path. "But nobody can really be told what Peggle is like," said Kapalka, "you just have to play it for yourself." Available on retail store shelves, on the Web and now on iPod, Peggle is the must-have game of 2007.

Sonic Races To Your iPod

Mike Fahey — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:20:08 MST

Old school and new school clash as Sega announces the original Sonic the Hedgehog now available for play on the latest batch of iPods. For $4.99 on the iTunes Store you can download and play the classic platformer on your iPod Nano with video, iPod Classic, or fifth generation iPod. What, no iPhone?

"Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the most beloved video game characters of all time," said Simon Jeffery, President and COO of SEGA of America, "And with the installed base that iPod enjoys Sonic now becomes available to a whole new group of casual and hardcore gamers just in the time for the holidays."

Unfortunately I only have a crappy little white 2GB Nano, so I'll just have to rely on one of the 20,000 other things I have laying around my house that are capable of playing the game. *sigh*

Sonic The Hedgehog Comes to the iPod
Fan-favorite Sonic The Hedgehog Now Available for Purchase or Gifting on the iTunes Store

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that Sonic The Hedgehog is now available for play on the new iPod nano with video, the iPod classic and the fifth generation iPod. Sonic The Hedgehog was originally introduced in 1991 and has become one of the most popular video game franchises in history, selling well over 45 million copies. Sonic fans can purchase and download the game from the iTunes Store for $4.99 (www.itunes.com). Sonic has been designed specifically for the iPod and is available on the 22 iTunes Stores around the world.

"Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the most beloved video game characters of all time," said Simon Jeffery, President and COO of SEGA of America, "And with the installed base that iPod enjoys Sonic now becomes available to a whole new group of casual and hardcore gamers just in the time for the holidays."

iTunes customers can buy the game for themselves, or easily give the gift of Sonic The Hedgehog. Similar to music and video content on the iTunes Store, customers simply find the game on iTunes and click the "Gift This Game" button.