Train2game News MobiStick

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Designed by the brazilian indie developers from Vortex Game Studios, the mobiSTICK is a mobile app that transform your mobile device into a fully customised joystick.

The first concept is from 2011, with an idea of using any mobile devices not just as input device, but as a support device too, with information about characters, maps and more… Something like what we have today on Wii U.

The research started in 2013, where lots of tests were created to develop a very nice and comfortable virtual gamepad using all that the device has to offer, like touchscreen, camera and accelerometer.

After 3 years of research the mobiSTICK, a virtual and fully customisable joystick is available for your smart device, but not just that, it is a joystick where the player can modify the entire experience from the app as the user wants!

In some tests, a template was built where the player is able to play some platform games using just one hand, creating lots of possibilities to adapt the app to include people with some motor difficulty back to games!

The mobiSTICK Alpha can be downloaded on the official website and very soon will go out on an Indiegogo campaign. Everyone can support the project on Thunderclap for free.

Official website: http://www.mobistick.co
Thunderclap: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/39958-mobistick-on-indiegogo
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69pSnJblVVQ
Playing with mobiSTICK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmep0xA8Jow

Train2game News Windows Android Emulator

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KOPLAYER is a Windows Android emulator that lets you run one or more virtual Android instances on your Windows 7/8/10 PC-bridging the gulf (or filling the void) between relatively scarce Windows Mobile games, Windows PC games, and Android games.

KOPLAYER makes it easy to enjoy the larger screen and added convenience of playing some of your favorite Android games on your Windows PC, whether it’s a little Angry Birds side action to distract you from work, catching up on your favorite strategy game, or playing multiple games simultaneously if you’re a gaming multi-tasker.

Installing KOPLAYER is as easy as running a simple Wizard, and KOPLAYER emulation works seamlessly via mouse right out of the gate. Opening a new KOPLAYER instance starts a basic tutorial and presents an uncluttered Android screen with a Google Play Store link. Just connect a GMAIL account, open the Play Store, and then install your favorite games.

KOPLAYER also includes KOPLAYER Multi-Manager, which lets you run multiple, simultaneous virtual Android instances-which you can name and even quickly clone, so you don’t have to re-configure every instance. For example, if you create an instance and have already installed all your favorite games, you can then clone that instance. You can run as many instances as you have screen space for, and run a different app in each one.

Thus KOPLAYER can be perfect for keeping up with your favorite ‘time-based’ F2P games like Clash of Clans, checking in on virtual villagers and their building progress when your mobile device isn’t available-or when you just want the benefit of a larger screen.

The KOPLAYER supports 1280×720 resolution and 1024×600 resolution, and it even enables you to configure the amount of video RAM dedicated to the display. You can also customize the resolution manually. There are also convenient buttons for taking screenshots and video of your games in KOPLAYER icon bar, as well as buttons for activating your camera (if your PC has one), configuring/accessing a shared folder, and adjusting your volume. And if you’re the sort who wants to play some Angry Birds on the sly at work, there’s even a default ‘boss key’ (CTRL+ALT+W).

For games with touch screen controls, you can activate the ‘keyboard’ (press F12 or click the icon in the left menu) to assign key commands on-the-fly. Click a location on the screen, and then press a key to assign the keypress to the touch screen control. For example, in Angry Birds Go! You can click the keyboard, then click over the directional arrows to assign the A and D keys to the left/right touchscreen arrows. This does mean that in some games-Angry Birds Go! For example-you must first start the action and then assign the keys because the touchscreen controls don’t appear on screen until the action starts. The keyboard control editor isn’t the most intuitive element of the KOPLAYER, so you may need to experiment with it a bit to find the optimal keyboard/mouse combination for different games. And a game designed for a touchscreen may still not play as well with emulated keyboard controls.

That said, the KOPLAYER still works very well with a variety of games, with real time and turn-based strategy games (i.e. those where a mouse makes a suitable replacement for a finger) being particularly well-suited to it. Angry Birds (and its various incarnations), Clash of Clans (an RTS game), and Clash Royale (a tower defense game) all seemed to work flawlessly, at least within the limited scope of testing performed for this review. Similar games would likely play and perform equally well.

For the true gaming multi-tasker: Using KOPLAYER’s Multi-Manager to play multiple games simultaneously.

Train2game News Joystick App

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Coming soon to iOS and Android, Joystick is an incredible new app set to revolutionise the way gamers can consume news in the future!

Joystick is the World’s First one-stop destination where they can watch all live gaming tournaments across Youtube, Twitch & Azubu.

Joystick will also allow users to create a bespoke personalised news feeds in which they can follow their favourite pro-gamers across all social media and keep up with all different types of gaming news plus watch entertaining game shows.

The Joystick GUI is slick, intuitive and a bespoke news feed can be created in seconds. The user will select their choice of platform, genre and topic before being presented with their personally crafted news feed.

The Joystick trailer is available to watch: https://youtu.be/4ej77ZESa-4

Joystick You’re In Control…

Train2game News Iron Maiden Legacy of the Beast Founders Packs

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Nodding Frog, Roadhouse Interactive and 50cc Games are pleased to announce that the  Founders Packs for their  Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast  mobile game are now available direct from  www.ironmaidenlegacy.com/founders 

Founders Packs and Collector’s Editions are relatively commonplace in PC and console gaming circles, but something new in mobile gaming. In keeping with the spirit of innovation prevalent throughout Iron Maiden’s career, Legacy of the Beast Founders Packs will offer fans and players limited edition collectibles, exclusive insider access to game-design forums, rare in-game Eddies and boatloads of ‘Ferryman’s Gold’ (in-game currency) to commemorate the launch of the game.

“There are tons of Maiden fans at Roadhouse, and rock, metal and punk is a big part of our studio culture with lots of the team wearing band shirts at any given time. We decided to create some exclusive apparel to celebrate the launch of the game and show off the many iterations of Eddie that appear in it. It’s been fantastic to see the band’s fan base show their support for the project online, engaging with our social channels and sharing their views on what we’re up to. Alongside the T-shirts, Hoodies, and other cool swag, we’ve created a new opportunity for fans, gamers, and newcomers alike to have an even greater role in the creation and direction of the game with the Founders Forum” says James Hursthouse, CEO, Roadhouse Interactive. 

Llexi Leon, Creative Director, Phantom Music Management, added “With the Founders campaign we’re offering exclusive access, awesome in-game items, and some killer custom-designed Iron Maiden gear. As a video games Collector’s Edition addict I’ve been particularly thrilled to curate this range, and we’re all excited to be pioneering this approach in the mobile space. We’ve combined items you might expect like T-shirts and Hoodies with totally new offerings, such as exclusive character art cells, a gorgeous giclee on canvas print, and a beautiful digital art book.”

“We’re offering incredible value in every pack, working with our partners at Global Merchandise and Dark Ink Art to ensure the same top quality products our fans expect, but at an unprecedented discount to celebrate this amazing game and the expansion of the Iron Maiden universe. Our friends at Onkyo have even provided a limited number of the remarkable hand-wired Japanese made Ed-Ph0n3s as part of our top tier Eternity pack, a jaw dropping collection that’s limited to 666 units on a first come first serve basis.”

All those who order a Founders Pack will get to participate in online discussions with the development team, be granted access to exclusive community forum content, and have the opportunity to vote on the direction of the game and proposed content.

Seven packs have been created, five of them themed to in-game iterations of the band’s iconic mascot, Eddie, in a variety of character classes. The Packs range from the digital only Part of the Legacy Pack, right up to the strictly limited Eternity Pack that contains all the character class Eddie T-Shirts and art cells from previous tiers, a pair of extremely limited items including an archival quality print on canvas and a premium embroidered hoodie, topped off with a set of Onkyo’s Maiden Audio Ed-Ph0n3s, representing amazing value across the board.

Priced in Canadian Dollars and shipping worldwide, the packs are available for a limited time only and will be dispatched throughout June / July 2016, to coincide with the game’s global launch.

At the time of going to press, the in-game digital add-on packs will be an option only applicable for Android users.

Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast, is an action-packed, free-to-play epic mobile RPG steeped in Iron Maiden mythology, and launches on both iOS and Android platforms in June 2016. “Maiden Vancouver, Played Everywhere!”

Train2Game News Miitomo

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Nintendo’s first app made exclusively for smart devices, Miitomo, will launch in UK & Ireland in March for both iOS and Android phones and tablets. Today, Nintendo outlined the steps that fans can take to be among the first to get in on the social fun.

Starting 17th February 2016, people in UK & Ireland will be able to pre-register for Miitomo by creating a Nintendo Account using their Nintendo Network ID, social Network accounts or email address,. People who pre-register for Miitomo will be among the first to be notified about the availability of Miitomo when it launches in March.

Miitomo is a social experience that uses Nintendo’s Mii characters to engage friends in a lighthearted, playful and welcoming social setting. Mii characters first debuted on the Wii console and to date, more than 200 million Mii characters have been created around the world. Using Mii characters users will be able to interact with their friends in an entirely new way to spark fun and interesting conversations by answering questions such as “what song has been stuck in your head lately?”, “do you believe in aliens?”, or even “if you saw a nose hair sticking out of your friend’s nose, what would you do?” By answering questions in Miitomo users will be able to discover surprising information and secrets about their friends, as well as share their experiences with others easily by taking and sharing photos featuring their Mii using the Miifoto feature.

Nintendo’s new My Nintendo rewards program will launch alongside Miitomo in March 2016, and will be able to connect with Miitomo. A special Miitomo bonus will be offered to anyone in UK & Ireland that creates a Nintendo Account between 17th February and the launch of Miitomo in March. My Nintendo aims to become much more than a traditional rewards program. It is a more comprehensive service that rewards users for interacting with Nintendo products and services in a variety of ways. Miitomo users with a Nintendo Account will be able to take advantage of My Nintendo to enhance their experience.

Including Miitomo, Nintendo plans to release approximately five smart device applications by the end of March 2017.

More information about Miitomo, Nintendo Account and My Nintendo, will be available on https://miitomo.com/
in the coming weeks.

Train2Game News Reverse The Odds seeing success

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All 4 Games announced today that Reverse The Odds, a cancer cell analysis game commissioned by Channel 4 for the joint Stand Up To Cancer campaign with Cancer Research UK (CRUK), has had almost 4.5 million slides analysed by the public to date.

Inspired by the tremendous effort made by citizen scientists the world over; CRUK hope to reach their new target of 5 million analysed slides by the end of March 2016. In order to reach their new goal, they’re calling on the power of the public on World Cancer Day to help beat cancer sooner.

“Reverse The Odds is helping to expand an important cancer study that could shed light on how to treat certain types of bladder cancers more effectively. Thanks to the game, anyone can take an active role in fighting cancer. And with a target of 5 million images to analyse, I’d encourage as many people as possible to pick up their mobiles and do their bit for World Cancer Day by helping to bring kinder treatments to clinics, sooner.” -Dr Anne Kiltie, CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Raidiation Oncology at the University of Oxford, and leading researcher for Reverse The Odds.

The Emmy award-winning mobile title, which launched in October 2014, was developed in collaboration with Maverick Television’s Multiplatform team, Glasgow based developers Chunk Digital and CRUK. The game allows players to analyse real images of cancer cells, contributing to vital research being carried out by multiple researchers and scientists across the CRUK. Players directly help to speed up this normally time-consuming process by simply playing the game. Data is then fed back to those working to find new and kinder ways to fight the disease.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have reached this amazing new milestone in Reverse The Odds and can’t thank those enough who’ve contributed with their analysis so far” said Colin Macdonald, Channel 4’s Games Commissioner and Head of All 4 Games “Our new goal is to help CRUK reach the 5 million mark by the end of March, and with the help of our citizen scientists, we believe this can be achieved”

The game is available to download from the App Store, the Google Play Store on the Amazon Appstore for free now.

Train2Game News Mobile game to support LGBTQ

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Atari®, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, today announced the worldwide availability of Pridefest™, an original social-sim game inspired by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community.

Available now on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch as well as on Google Play for Android devices, Pridefest is a free-to-play game designed to emulate the colorful atmosphere and inclusive spirit of the hundreds of real-world Pride parades held annually around the world. In anticipation of the launch, Atari first showcased Pridefest at NYC Pride and Flame Con where members of the LGBTQ community and allies received an exclusive sneak peek of the game. For more on their reactions and excitement, check out the highlight video https://e1.m.tt/a/nrrobhrb.html

To download on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch:
https://e1.m.tt/a/vttkmjzb.html

To download on Google Play for Android devices:
https://e1.m.tt/a/vttkmgbk.html

“Pride is only one small portion of the diverse LGBTQ culture and community, but it is one centered on freedom of expression, the pursuit of equality, and shared celebration. Pridefest was designed to celebrate progress the LGBTQ community has made toward equality while working to emulate the spirited and celebratory atmosphere of today’s real-world parades,” said Fred Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer of Atari. “It was that spirited atmosphere that especially drew us to the idea of Pride as an overarching theme and parades as the core gameplay mechanic. ”

As the new mayor of a city that has seemingly lost its fun and color overnight, Pridefest players are tasked with bringing the city back to its former glory. The mayor must transform buildings from dull to bright by spreading joy throughout the city, acting as the Grand Marshal and restoring pride throughout the city, neighborhood by neighborhood. Players can showcase their personality by customizing avatars, shops and storefronts, and pride flotillas while following an engaging storyline through more than 40 quests to unlock new content. Fill the “Fun Meter” to achieve the city’s optimal happiness and make the citizens cheerful again.

“As Atari’s first game developed in support of LGBTQ equality, Pridefest works to bridge the gap between this underserved community and the gaming industry,” said Chesnais. “While creating a fun, inclusive game members of the community and allies can enjoy was an important goal, we hope that Pridefest also serves as a platform for members of the LGBTQ community to connect in a safe, supportive atmosphere.”

Packed with social features designed to encourage players to connect on a global scale – Pridefest boasts one-to-one chat functionality, options to visit and run pride parades in far-off cities created by other Pridefest players, as well as a “club” system that allows the formation of in-game groups. The various social features can be turned on or off, based on the preferences of players.

Also essential to the Pridefest experienceis the level of personalization, which is incorporated throughout the game. Avatar customization gives players the choice of dozens of body types, hairstyles, clothing, and accessories to personalize. Pride flotillas provide another opportunity for customization, with various themes, mascots, decorations, and more available to incorporate into each parade.  

Pridefest is developed in partnership with Mad Marshmallow. To learn more and download on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch or on Google Play for Android devices, visit PridefestGame.com.

Train2Game News Iron Maiden mobile game

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Roadhouse Interactive, 50cc Games and Metal legends Iron Maiden are pleased to announce that Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast, an action-packed, free-to-play RPG steeped in Iron Maiden mythology, will launch worldwide this summer on iOS and Android platforms.

Following a series of hit action sports titles for Red Bull Media House, Warhammer 40,000: Carnage, a Games Workshop ARPG, and Food Battle: The Game for YouTube sensations SMOSH, Roadhouse Interactive’s development and publishing divisions have been working hand in hand with Iron Maiden and their Phantom Music Management team, who have granted unparalleled access to the vaults in order to create a truly authentic Iron Maiden game.

Developed in close collaboration with Iron Maiden’s management, players take on the role of the band’s iconic mascot, Eddie, in his many forms – each with unique abilities. Players explore new worlds, travel through time, and battle a cast of dramatic and engaging characters drawn from the expansive catalogue of Maiden’s albums and art. Gameplay is enhanced with a soundtrack using songs spanning the band’s entire career, including previously unheard live recordings of Iron Maiden classics adapted for the game by engineer Tony Newton under the close scrutiny of bassist and founding member Steve Harris.

“We always thought Maiden’s music and imagery with Eddie could be perfect for gaming and it’s something we have been looking at doing again since Ed Hunter in 1999. Now in 2016 it can all be done on a smartphone which makes it even more accessible for all our fans and also all the gamers out there,” comments Harris.

Iron Maiden’s latest album, The Book of Souls, was released in September 2015 to popular and critical acclaim, hitting the #1 spot in over 40 countries and reinforcing their position as one of the most relevant and influential bands in music today. This year they will embark on the The Book of Souls World tour and with fan excitement at fever pitch it’s the perfect time to expand Iron Maiden’s legend into gaming.

Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast will be available later this year on iOS and Android platforms. See http://www.ironmaidenlegacy.com for ongoing releases about the game.

Train2Game News MU Origin Android Beta

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WEBZEN, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play games, announced today that the first Closed Beta for its mobile MMORPG MU: Origin will start on Google Play on the Android mobile platform on the 25th of January.

MU: Origin is an upcoming mobile MMORPG, successfully transferred Full 3D PC MMORPG MU ONLINE’s enormous amount of contents and applied the latest mobile game trends: the game system and user interface which are optimized to mobile devices, and the splendid graphics. MU: Origin allows players to experience a full 3D PC quality real-time MMORPG on their mobile device.

MU: Origin is a mobile game developed through WEBZEN’s IP franchising business – WEBZEN grants the franchisee the right to use a developed concept, including graphics, trademarks, character and even publishing technologies to create a new game. Along with MU: Origin’s IP franchising alliance, a Chinese partner company launched the game in Chinese market, and WEBZEN lead to its game service in Korea as well as giving them its guidance and support for the entire game development phase.

While mobile game markets have grown rapidly, this business model started from the idea that it would be able to lead even more global gamers to a mobile game by taking advantage of high brand awareness of PC online game MU ONLINE. In fact, the strong performance of IP Franchising was primarily due to mobile game MU: Origin based on the well-known PC online game MU ONLINE.

Since MU: Origin officially launched in Korea, April 2015, the game was ranked on the top 1 game of Korean top-grossing charts in both Google Play and App Store. Furthermore, MU: Origin was ranked on the top 1 game of App Store’s top-grossing charts in China, and the game was ranked in the top 5 games of Google Play’s worldwide top-grossing charts in May 2015.

MU: Origin still has a significant number of registered players, with more than 120 million accounts in China, and 20 million downloads on Google Play Store only in Korea. Amongst many mobile games in the markets, the game has been in the top-tier position in both two countries.

Additionally, WEBZEN has already secured an influential channel ‘WEBZEN.com’ to bring its games to the global market with 60 million players from all over the world. To promote the game in the West, the WEBZEN team is planning to organize cross-promotions with other PC games on it’s the global game portal ‘WEBZEN.com’.

From 12th January through to 31st January, 2016 (PST), any Android phone or tablet user who can access to Google Play and a compatible device in Europe, North and South America can sign-up for early access to try the game during Closed Beta phase on the official MU: Origin website at: http://muorigin.webzen.com/

Just a few thousand players will be selected to take part in the first round of closed beta testing, and participants who receive an invitation letter by e-mail will be able to download the game fully localized into English for free. The Closed Beta will be running from 25th January until 31st January, 2016 (PST).

Full release of the game is currently scheduled for spring 2016, as well as expansion into other platforms including iOS.

Interested players are invited to check out the game’s official forums found at http://forum.webzen.com/forum/en/mu-origin-english more information, and MU: Origin’s news and updates will be available on its official Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MUOriginWEBZEN/

Train2Game News Worms 4 on Android

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Games industry veteran and independent games label Team17 are excited to announce that Worms™ 4 is now available to download for Android via the Google Play Store with a limited time 50% launch discount available.

Worms™ 4 is the definitive handheld Worms™ experience featuring an all new enriched cartoon look and improved design for mobile.

Worms™ 4 features:

·         80 Single Player Missions
·         Synchronous Multiplayer Matches – Battle against opponents from around the world with real time one-on-one online multiplayer matches!
·         Brand New Weapons – Wreak havoc with brand new weapons including Hailey’s Comet!
·         Weapon Upgrades – Players can collect more than a hundred weapon upgrades to make their worms more powerful! Mix and match weapon upgrades to suit your own strategy
·         Five Gorgeous Locations – Do battle in five beautiful hand drawn regions: Middle Turf, Candiville, Wacky-Habara, Tomorrow Islands and the Fro Zone
·         Fantastic Customisation Options – Individually customise each worm and give their team the personal touch!
·         Factions – Choose an allegiance, and fight under the banner of Red or Blue! The daily tug of war competition pits faction against faction, with the winners reaping the benefits of extra in-game rewards!
·         World Events – Each week dynamic events take place around the game’s world map. The player enters into these events and competes against other players, with the aim of representing their faction and earning prizes for fellow faction members
·         Daily Challenges – Partake in fun optional daily challenges to earn yourself and your faction additional rewards!
·         Connect with Friends – Connect your Facebook account to battle your friends in online multiplayer or view your friend’s progress on the world map screen and compete to beat their scores

Worms™ 4 is available to download now for Android from the Google Play Store with a limited 50% launch discount available. Currently £1.99 / $2.49 / 2,49 €, usually £3.99 / $4.99 / 4,99 €.