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Pocket Gamer Postbag - Popcorn Dragon, Might and Magic iOS, iPad mini compatibility, Word Fighter

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Pocket Gamer Postbag - Popcorn Dragon, Might and Magic iOS, iPad mini compatibility, Word Fighter
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Want to know about the status of an upcoming game, how to finish a tricky puzzle, or which device to buy? You're in luck - the Pocket Gamer Postbag is the place where we answer all your burning questions.

This time, we're mostly answering questions about games that seem to have vanished off the face of the earth. Mobile games that were announced, then were never heard from again.

We'll also cover iPad mini compatibility; iCloud saves; and the answer to life, the universe, and everything. That should do it.

The curious -Drs- asks: If you bought a new iOS device, would iCloud keep your game progression, medals, and stats?

That's the way that iCloud is supposed to work, yes. If you have multiple devices on the same Apple ID and you are logged in to iCloud, progress in a game should be mirrored across the two devices.

The catch is that the developer must code that functionality into the game, and very few do.

Games like Lili, Random Heroes, Rayman Jungle Run, and Pocket Planes do all save your data through iCloud, though.

To find out if a game uses iCloud, install the game and then go to the 'iCloud' tab in your device's Settings app. From there, choose 'Storage & Backup', then 'Manage Storage', and then look at the 'Documents & data' list.

curtisrshideler was bursting with questions, but we only know the answer to this one: I was excited long ago when I heard that PopCap was coming out with that Popcorn Dragon game. Any news, good or bad?

Good question.

This movie-themed game - which had a popcorn-hungry monster chowing down on his favourite snack - was announced by EA and PopCap in 2011, but we haven't heard a peep about it since.

popcorndragon

A PopCap PR representative gave us the following thoroughly unhelpful answer: "I can't provide additional comment on the status of Popcorn Dragon."

Given how long it's been since it was revealed, and how little we've heard about the game since then, I wouldn't hold my breath on this one ever coming out.

The inquisitive Andrew Mawson inquires: Should most upcoming games be compatible with the iPad mini? I have a fourth-gen iPod touch and after only eight months there are some games I cant play due to compatibility issues.

All Apple devices will become old, haggard, and incompatible with the hip new apps at some point. It's just the rule in a world where gadgets are upgraded incredibly quickly.

The iPad mini is already a little behind the times, seeing as it uses the same chip as the ageing iPad 2.

But, developers are not going to release games that are only compatible with the iPad with Retina display (a.k.a. the iPad 4) any time soon - there just wouldn't be a large enough target market... yet.

You might notice that you're missing out on special graphical features on the iPad mini, but we think almost every game for the foreseeable future should definitely play ball with it.

The all-knowing Zephram wanted to check: Is the answer to life, the universe, and everything really '42'?

You'd think that after seven and a half million years of calculation, the answer would be halfway accurate.

We'll give Deep Thought the benefit of the doubt here.

mr_bez thought long and hard about the perfect question, then opened his mouth to ask: Whatever happened to Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes on iOS?

Here's another game that seems to have been lost to the echoes of time.

Ubisoft said it would port this DS and Xbox Live Arcade game to iOS and Android back in June, but we haven't heard a peep from Ubi about it since.

mightmagic

Though Ubi is keeping very quiet about this game, a source tells us that the mobile version is still in development at Tag Games, and is actually in the final stages of production.

It should be finished in December. That means - cross your fingers now - that the game will hit the App Store this year, or early 2013.

doc sez: What in the heck happened to Feel Every Yummy and Word Fighter?

Washington-based indie studio Feel Every Yummy announced Word Fighter - a vocab-based RPG - in August 2011, but the team has been in radio silence since March 13th.

Until just earlier this month, that is, when Feel Every Yummy co-founder Gian Cruz tweeted: "Approved! Be still, my heart."

Looks like the game will be out soon, then, but - judging by this tweet - rocking the new name Writer Rumble.

Thanks for your questions, everyone. Got more? Chuck them in the comments section below.
Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer