Features

The Rumour Mine: Secret of Mana next week, SSX rebranded, and Sword and Sworcery EP in 2011

Save a few pennies for one last game

The Rumour Mine: Secret of Mana next week, SSX rebranded, and Sword and Sworcery EP in 2011
|

It's our final trip to the mine for 2010! No doubt we've had some good rumours this year, but plenty of great ones are still to come in 2011.

This week, with the holiday break mere days away, we're able to eke out a few juicy titbits for you.

Not every game maker has yet to close up for the holidays. Square Enix is still slaving away, while Capybara and heavyweight EA Mobile toil on titles for the new year.

Sword and Sworcery EP not hitting iPhone and iPad until 2011

One-of-a-kind pixel adventure Sword and Sworcery EP is unsurprisingly missing 2010. 2011 is the new vague release window for the highly creative and stylish iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad title from accomplished developer Capybara Games.

That's just as well given what has been a season packed with too many games. Capybara ought to take as much time as needed to make its unique game as good as possible.

It's also likely that the delay stems from work on other, thus far unannounced, games. Whatever the case, it should be worth the wait, if our hands on impressions from E3 are any indication.

Long-delayed SSX for iPhone and iPad rebranded Deadly Descents

SSX: Deadly DescentsAnnounced nearly two years ago, SSX mysteriously disappeared from the release schedule and EA Mobile has keen to keep it quiet. That silence is sure to end soon with reports of the game being rebranded and primed for a winter 2011 release on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

SSX: Deadly Descents, as it will be called, will mirror the style and gameplay of the recently revealed console versions. More realistic than over-the-top, this new interpretation of gaming's most popular snowboarding series is all about death-defying stunts and runs down dangerously steep slopes. Look for extreme locales like the Himalayas and Antarctica.

Along with pulling off tricks, you'll need to survive in these treacherous environments. Sliding down K2, for example, may involve avoiding the shadows cast by trees because of the drop in temperature that could freeze you to death. Just how EA Mobile puts this new instalment together should be a treat to watch.

Secret of Mana to hit iPhone just before the holidays on December 23rd

Secret of ManaWith Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions now officially a spring 2011 title, that leaves us with Secret of Mana between now and the end of 2010.

Square Enix may butt up to the end of the release calender with this classic, rumour pegging it for a December 23rd release.

That's incredibly late - so late, in fact, that Apple has announced it will shut down submissions for the App Store that day. How is it possible, then, that Secret of Mana can come out next Thursday? Well, if Square Enix submits the game and it's approved earlier in the week, then it could be available for sale on the 23rd.

Several low profile iPhone and iPod touch games are slated for release on Thursday, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. Still, it may behove Square Enix to hold this anticipated role-playing port back until early January given the recent glut of games that has drained everyone's wallet.