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The Rumour Mine: Cut the Rope holiday edition, new Micro Machines, and shooter Homefront on iPhone in 2011

A few surprises still in store before the end of 2010

The Rumour Mine: Cut the Rope holiday edition, new Micro Machines, and shooter Homefront on iPhone in 2011
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With the end of the year rapidly approaching, the number of new games that have yet to be announced for release before the clock strikes midnight on December 31 is dwindling. Still, you can expect a few surprises.

Bigger projects are lined up for 2011, so even if your interest isn't piqued by the holiday slate there's sure to be something that catches your eye next year.

What games are you looking forward to during the holiday season? What about in 2011?

Om Nom to munch on candy canes in holiday edition of puzzler Cut the Rope

If Angry Birds could do it, why not Cut the Rope? The newest 59p/99c iPhone gaming sensation is going to try its hand with a seasonal release, this one geared to cheery Christmas fans. Cut the Rope: Holiday Edition is currently being developed for an early December release.

Aside from the obligatory new levels, it's not entirely clear what the game will offer.

Angry Birds Halloween
was criticised for its lack of new features (adding pumpkins to be smashed for extra points didn't do it for reviewers), so the hope is that developer Zeptolab will do more for this holiday release than string up some coloured lights. New gameplay mechanics could go a long way toward making this holiday edition worthwhile.

Regardless, Cut the Rope: Holiday Edition is almost guaranteed to be a hit and you can be sure that I'll be downloading it on day one alongside what are sure to be half a million or so other people.

EA Mobile working on new iPhone and iPod touch Micro Machines game

It's a been a few years since we've seen the micro cars that pack major gameplay, but a source tells me EA Mobile is working with a developer on a new iPhone and iPad game in the Micro Machines franchise.

After a long stint with publisher Codemasters, it appears that Hasbro has decided to shift the Micro Machines mantle over to EA, which has done well by the company's board game properties.

It's an exciting revelation, particular since several attempts at the Micro Machines formula have been tried on iPhone, though none have really nailed it. Developer Digital Sauce came close with Nano Rally and Pixelbite Studios did a number with top-down off-road racer Reckless Racing, yet neither have the same charm of the real deal.

That's likely to change next year, as development on the game has already started. Ad-hoc multiplayer is planned with online multiplayer being discussed. A track editor - something missing from Micro Machines V4 on PSP and DS - is up in the air.

It's unclear what the game's official title will be, although it sounds unlikely that it will get the official V5 label; instead, expect a subtitle or to be simply titled Micro Machines. Whatever the new instalment is called, we'll know for certain next year, when the game is scheduled for release.

iPhone version of THQ shooter Homefront in the works for next year

HomefrontFirst person shooters are becoming quite the hot commodity on iPhone and iPod touch, which is why THQ Wireless has started development on a version of alternative history shooter Homefront for release in March alongside the console version.

The game supposedly takes major plot points and condenses them into a brief campaign rather than fully rehashing the console version or embarking on a side story. It would be nice, however, if a different approach were taken such as telling the story from a different perspective, offering a prequel plot, or even ditching the first person for isometric action much like how Killzone: Liberation was treated on PSP.

With the game still far out from release many of the details remain vague and the source made it clear that there could be changes in the next couple months.

Early previews of the console game have been favourable, so here's hoping that an equally appealing iPhone and iPod touch companion game can find its way to the App Store in March.