Lately, it’s become quite popular amongst App Store developers to do ports of web-based flash games for the iPhone, and Chrome Wars Arena [App Store], playable here on Kongregate, is a continuation of that trend. Chrome Wars, which is described by developers Jaludo Group B.V. as a turn-based fighting game, has deep roots in the RPG genre. Its biggest appeal lies in its upgrade/level up system that allows players to improve and customize their bots as they battle their way through the 50 challengers in the “Chrome Wars Tournament.”

After creating a custom bot, players will be begin a path that will take them through six arenas to battle their way (one enemy at a time) to the top. Each victory will earn your robot money and five skill points to spend on increasing total health, attack power, speed, etc. Losing a fight will provide a player with a bit of cash as well, so if players get stuck in a rut, they can always use that spare cash to buy any number of upgraded parts from the well-stocked in-game shop to tilt the odds in their favor.

One word of warning that I should probably give to those interested in the game is that you’ll definitely need a comprehensive strategy when distributing those skill points. I spent many of the initial 20 points that come with new robots on upgrading my speed stat, and that really came back to bite me in the butt later when I had barely upgraded my health (called “grit” in the upgrade menu) or power. My robot’s attacks were lightning fast but packed about as much punch as my grandma’s left hook, so I wasn’t very successful in most fights.

When not working their way through the 50 baddies in the arena mode of Chrome Wars, players can take the fight online against random opponents. It’s best to fully complete the game’s arena mode first (thereby getting all the upgrades you can) if you’d like to have any chance of success online, but it’s also possible to play against people you know, if that tickles your fancy.

Fights in Chrome Wars Arena work pretty much exactly like they do in the flash version (albeit with some UI modifications so the game fits the device better), so if you’d like to check out the game for yourself, try it on Kongregate.com first. Slower-paced RPGs like Chrome Wars Arena aren’t for everyone, but plenty of people (myself included) can appreciate some good old fashioned turn-based battles, so you don’t have anything to lose by at least giving the game a shot and trying out that free flash version.

App Store Link: Chrome Wars Arena, .99

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Armed conflict isn’t something to be taken lightly. Man attempting to snuff out of the life of fellow man is a despicable phenomenon and one that many games have tried to replicate in lurid detail.

The same, however, cannot be said of ToonWarz. This intentionally lighthearted first-person shooter may showcase tons of heavy weaponry, hordes of bloodthirsty enemies, and plenty of daring missions from which you may never return, but it’s also notable for chirpy characters that wouldn’t look out of place in the panel of a Sunday comic.

Comical carnage

A five-mission single player campaign has you locating items, tracking down individuals, unlocking doors with keys and so on. While these aims are hardly taxing on the gray matter, they’re a cut above most other shooters content to drop you on a map and expect you to kill indiscriminately.

Along the way you gain access to an array of firearms including sniper rifles, machine guns, and rocket launchers. These items of ordinance require ammunition, but thankfully your standard firearm has unlimited bullets so you always have some kind of offensive option.

Two control methods are on offer here: a split-screen option and dual analogue stick configuration. The first uses the left-hand side of the screen for movement and strafing, while the right-hand side is reserved for aiming and turning. Separate buttons are overlaid on the screen to facilitate inventory access, jumping and discharging your weapon.

The second option attempts to replicate the twin-stick control system employed in N.O.V.A., Minigore, and the upcoming Guerrilla Bob.

No laughing matter

Sadly, neither choice grants satisfactory command. The various on-screen buttons are packed too closely together and during particularly fraught moments it’s all too easy to accidentally touch the wrong one.

Movement is also erratic and jumpy. Reducing the control sensitivity helps matters slightly, but even when you’ve managed to cajole the interface into offering you something that is close to a happy compromise you find that the hard work is undone by the over-use of “screen bob” to simulate the movement of your character’s head.

Realistic as it may be, this feature is especially problematic and in some cases – ours included – can induce unpleasant bouts of stomach-churning motion sickness.

Other game-breaking problems ensure that ToonWarz quickly becomes bogged down in the mud-filled trenches: enemy AI is dumb, character models are basic and the lack of mid-level checkpoints means that if you die during one of the 20+ minute single-player scenarios, you have to start again from the beginning.

Multiplayer promises

It’s a shame that these fundamental issues are present because the multiplayer element of ToonWarz is great – matches are easy to organise and the lag is almost non-existent. You can even play over 3G, although wi-fi is preferable as it offers greater stability.

The biggest issue with online matches is the size of the maps: they’re far too cavernous for small groups of players.

Unfortunately, such multiplayer bravery can’t save ToonWarz from its fate. With so many shooters already swarming the iPhone battlegrounds this title is going to quickly get lost in the melee, despite offering an above-average online experience.

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The incredibly long and detailed tutorials will tell you all you need to know; suffice to say that you need to keep both sides fighting for as long as possible. Swipe your finger on a side to provide them with weapons, which range from flame throwers to bubble guns. Keep your eye on the hilarious headlines, because they can sway the battle. Choose between three different modes–Normal, Hardcore, and Escalation, each more difficult than the last–and three different teams, and watch as the landscape and the armies get torn up. Turn the iPhone vertical to pause the game.

The graphics of Balance of Power are very South Park-esque, which goes along quite well with the morally dubious nature of this game. Gameplay is fast-paced and smooth, but remember to keep the frontlines within the green area–it’s easy to tip the scale too far and cause one side to win the war. The background music is exciting, but the voiceovers steal the show, as they are in character and very well-done; reading the news ticker is always good for a laugh. The concept for this game app is innovative, and hopefully added content in the future will make it even better; as it is, the game is not quite as challenging as others…going through the tutorials would probably take up more of your time than playing a couple of levels.

Here is a video demo of the Balance of Power app on the iPhone:

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OMG Pirates! is a game that takes one thing very seriously– non-stop action. From the get go, you are introduced to a simple plot– your ninja town is in ruins from a pirate invasion, and your silent hero tasks it upon himself to take out every last pirate he can find. The action never lets up, and is only briefly interrupted by the hilarious modes of transportation between one area and the next and the quirky pirate dialogue from the various bosses you encounter, before you proceed to dispatch them in true ninja flair.

Each action your ninja takes is an impressively animated feat, be it a combo attack that launches your enemy into the air, or a chain of flip attacks to get out of trouble, you’ll be pulling off some terrific looking moves. Your ninja is controlled with a shuriken-styled analogue stick that offers 360 degrees of movement and there are only three other buttons available to control your ninja; a green jump button; a red attack button; and a gauge/button in the top-left corner that fills as you attack your enemies. This button can be used to unleash a devastating super attack that is both unblockable and affords you invincibility for the length of the attack.

This simplistic control scheme belies an extensive repertoire of combos that gradually unlock as you gain experience, a meter that is independent of the game mode you are playing in, but which bestows upon your ninja the skills to progress through the more challenging encounters in OMG Pirates! Not only will you need to learn how to counter each enemies’ unique attacks, but to complete the game and excel at the Hard and Survival modes that are subsequently unlocked, you will have to master your ninja’s evasion moves, counters and individual attacks, as well as learning the “tells” unique to each enemy and boss. In this sense, OMG Pirates! has all the hallmarks of a competent console fighter, even ranking your ninja prowess each level on a rather ruthless scale.

To round out the package, a catchy pirate-ninja fusion of melodies pervades each level. Sounds are also used as enemy tells throughout the game, so if you are trying to reach those Master ranks, it is advised that you keep the sound on and pay attention. If you prefer to play your own music, that option is also available.

OMG Pirates! is an easy recommendation. The campaign comprises 10 levels spanning a few screens each, and an unlockable Hard and Survival mode, as well as a number of ‘secret’ cheat modes that are unlocked on accumulating 5, 10 and 15 master ranks; will ensure that even the most die-hard ninjas will have both their blades and appetites whet by OMG Pirates!.

App Store Link: OMG Pirates!, .99 (introductory price)

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In the game you control your old fart by a simple left and right arrow and you attack via three buttons, a kick, punch and by spinning your stick.  I can only assume that spinning your stick is a defensive move as it did nothing to the enemies and its not explained in the gameplay what it does.

To be honest, the gameplay was the biggest let down and half the time you didn’t know if you were hitting the enemies and eventually you have to walk over the top of them to register a hit.  The levels are repetitive and the enemies on the surface look ok but their two frame animation cheapens the whole game.

As I said in the beginning, this is a great concept and probably makes a fun flash game but the development is rushed and really needs to be have had more time spent on it. If they want to warrant the price tag they will need to update it soon with a lot of work.

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The game has 4 modes: Story, Survival, 100 Rounds and Training. In Story mode, you play the role of a Tap Fu Trainee out on a mission to recover candy that the Sweet Tooth Clan has stolen from your village. Under the tutelage of the Elder Tap Fu Master, you gradually learn new skills. The story is told through cut scenes, dialogue boxes and muffled dialog. One of the things to keep in mind is that Tap Fu’s Story mode is a work in progress that currently only includes Chapter 1: Ninjas (7 levels). While additional chapters are planned in later updates, the content that is there right now offers just a glimpse into future installments.

Meanwhile, Survival mode offers high-scoring opportunities by battling a continual onslaught of enemies. A variation can be found in the other mode 100 Rounds where you must defeat the entire wave of enemies to move to the next round. Both modes provide the option of playing in two different locations: Mount Fuji and Sakaki Forest. Whether in the village or on the mountaintop, the colorful backgrounds look terrific even though they are limited in variety.

The big selling point for Tap Fu comes in your Tap Fu Trainee’s fighting abilities. These abilities—blocking, quick attack, jumping, spin kick, back kick, roll, and fireball—visually look great and the entire combat system is intuitive and well implemented.

Using either the virtual d-pad or specific finger gestures, these various moves can be performed. The easier of the two control options is the d-pad with specific action buttons that appear when available. The gesture-based controls require a bit of practice, but are also well implemented. Jumping for example can be accomplished by swiping upwards, while swiping downwards will result in a roll. In general, the quick punch/kick attack is activated by tapping the screen and will be your primary method of attack against ninjas.

Tap Fu includes a local and online scoring system which awards points for combo moves and style. The game also incorporates an achievement system for points scored, battle combos, damage inflicted, and length of survival.

In both Story and Survival modes, Ninjas do become more difficult to slay as you progress, as well as gain the ability to cloak their appearance and teleport from one place to another. While the gameplay can get intense, it is also becomes rather repetitious as there is a limited variety in the enemies. We also found the difficulty ramp up in survival modes to be very slow, making an average session drag out into more of a grinding experience than we wanted.

While the game’s art and core fighting mechanics are wonderfully executed, the current version of the game noticeably suffers from the inclusion of only an abbreviated story mode. Tap Fu can still be fun a game for those looking for a casual fighting experience, but we expect that it will quickly grow old those hoping for a deeper game.

App Store Link: Tap Fu, .99

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And at first glance it appears to be a real contender for the iPhone heavyweight boxing title.

The game, developed for iPod touch and iPhone, has been described by Realtech VR as, “the original real-time 3D MMA fighting game on the App Store”. Now in its third incarnation it continues to build on the success of its predecessors.

Iron Fist Boxing comes complete with three entirely new game modes: Speed bag training, punching bag training and punch-o-meter.

And with a longer career mode enabling you to fight in numerous locations and against more characters than ever, the new version ensures you won’t get tired of punching people in the face any time soon.

With regards to gameplay the developer has promised a “totally revamped input system that is far more responsive” as well as “high quality audio and real time 3D graphics never seen on the iPhone”.

What’s more you can listen to your own iPod library while still hearing in-game sound effects. So, Eye of the Tiger combined the relentless pounding of leather on eyeball sockets it is then.

Other new features enable you to compare stats with friends wirelessly as well as gain access to the worldwide online score board in order to see who the champ really is.

An online multiplayer mode is currently in beta, so hopefully you’ll be able to touch gloves and come out roundhouse kicking strangers in the head in the near future.

Check out the action in following video.

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