GDC 2013: Ananse Productions Gets Clever with Letters

ometimes, the best and most addictive games show up on the most compact platforms. Tetris, for instance, took the world by storm, and most folks preferred playing it on the Game Boy as opposed to the NES. Keeping this in mind, being in a golden mobile age presents a many opportunities for developers looking to create enjoyable experiences for these widely used on-the-go-platforms.

One such game, Letter Clever from developer Kwasi Mensah of Ananse Productions, features addictive Tetris and Scrabble-like qualities in a competitive word game frenzy. The mobile title even breaks new grounds by including play options for the blind, so yes -- this game will literally speak to you.

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Bullet Heaven, Episode M1 - Vritra

ini. Mobile. Shmups.

Welcome to Bullet Heaven M, the mini, snack-sized, on-the-go Bullet Heaven looking at Mobile and Handheld shooters for your phones, tablets and portable gaming systems. This Season 4 series will examine games that we just can't directly record for Bullet Heaven (PSP notwithstanding) in a shorter, concise format.

Didn't like it? Let me know where to improve, and Bullet Heaven M will evolve in turn!

In Episode M-1, we take a look at the 2012 iOS and Android release, Vritra, a side-scrolling shmup with dragons. Worth the $2? Watch to find out!

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QCF: Hairy Tales

There's often a fine line between what makes a good and bad puzzle game. While some puzzles can be deceptively hard and rewarding in certain games, other puzzles for some reasons can just be frustrating. And when a game is made of nothing but these challenges, you better be sure that they're fun and well designed, because without anything else, a pure puzzle experience just doesn't have much to fall back on.

Hairy Tales is very much one of those pure experiences. It's a cheap little game that's all about its main mechanic and little else. And while that can be commendable for a pure gameplay centric title, sometimes it just doesn't work.

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QCF: ARC Squardon

The future of handheld entertainment is a hotly debated one. Nintendo's 3DS gives gamers on the go a portable 3D entertainment center that not only plays games in surprisingly clear 3D, but also allows for relatively speedy online play, internet browsing and even Netflix from a WiFi hotspot. Sony's PlayStation Vita sports some surprisingly high fidelity, handily running games very similar in scope to the PS3.

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PAX East 2012: Wither Studios Interview, Crowman and Wolfboy

During our coverage of PAX East, Press Pause Radio was sure to make our rounds throughout the indie alley portion of the show floor, and we stumbled upon Wither Studios and their showcased game, Crowman and Wolfboy. After seeing the details, GeorgieBoy made it his goal to interview the indie studio and learn more of the silhouette duo’s iOS venture.

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