The Rumour Mine: Chrono Trigger on iPhone, Space Invaders Infinity Gene HD, and Meat Warrior
And you though Veggie Samurai was a shameless knockoff
Everybody likes to make fun of knockoffs, but how many of us actually shun imitations in favour of the real thing? If we did, then street vendors peddling fake Rolex watches and imitation Louis Vuitton handbags wouldn't be open for business.
I feel as though we're willing to put up with derivative products if they're convincingly made. As gamers, we can swallow borrowed gameplay as long as it's done well. N.O.V.A. was considered fun because it was well made, despite the lashing it took for being so much like Halo: Combat Evolved.
Then there are games like this week's rumoured Meat Warrior. Instead of promising a quality take on Fruit Ninja, it sounds like a shameless riff.
Veggie Samurai tried the same thing and due to its inferior design, it wasn't able to sell as well. What do you think: does it matter to you if a game is a copycat so long as it's good?
Just when you thought the food fracas had reached its finale, indie studio Cloven is about to turn up the heat with Meat Warrior. A fleshy take on the Fruit Ninja recipe, it's all about carving up pieces of raw meat that are flung across your iPhone or iPod touchscreen.
If you've never heard of developer Cloven, you're not alone - Meat Warrior will be the outfit's first game. Just how it plans on dressing the simple slash mechanic is unclear, aside from replacing fruit with meat, that is.
There doesn't seem to be much else to explore in a sub-genre that has become quickly crowded.
Still, Lady Gaga's recent meat dress debacle proves that there's interest in raw flesh, and in that regard Meat Warrior will have a drumstick up on the competition.
Square Enix to announce iPhone version of Chrono Trigger before end of 2010
With remakes of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II having already been released for iPhone and iPod touch, and Final Fantasy Tactics and Secret of Mana on their way, why not complete the classic role-playing picture with Chrono Trigger?
A source has confirmed that Square Enix has scheduled the announcement of the iPhone and iPod touch version of Chrono Trigger for this year. However, the game won't be available for download until 2011.
If you haven't partaken of the gaming goodness that is Chrono Trigger then you've got much to look forward to - even more than those who have played this phenomenal game to death. Mark this one 'must-watch'.
Space Invaders Infinity Gene HD coming to iPad this year
It was among the best iPhone games of 2009, has been highly anticipated as a download for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and it'll be a hit once again when it arrives on iPad: Space Invaders Infinity Gene HD is coming before the end of 2010.
Taito has been working to prepare this fantastic re-imagining of Space Invaders for consoles, yet that effort has also been in part to ready the game for a high-definition iPad release. The high resolution graphics necessary for a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 release are easily translated to iPad, which runs at a comparable resolution.
Unfortunately, it looks like the price will be comparable too. Don't expect Space Invaders Infinity Gene HD to appear at less than £5.99/$9.99 - that's double the price of the iPhone and iPod touch version, but on par with the console versions.