In 2013, the OUYA seemed to be the micro-console that the press just loved to hate. But you know what? We didn't. In fact I still rock out with my OUYA on a regular basis. Despite all of the company's initial bungling, this little powerhouse delivers exactly what it promised - a living room portal for amazing indie games, with loads to discover.It's also become the defacto multiplayer gaming device in our house. Whenever friends come over, we're all too happy to break out Towerfall or Mrs. Dad vs. korv - and it's even easier to do when you realize that the OUYA supports additional controllers from other devices (we use PS3 controllers, for example).And with Toto Temple Deluxe coming soon, there's really no better time to pick one up.So what are the savings you'll be netting through the latest Gamezebo deal? The OUYA normally runs for $99, so you'll be saving $14 right off the bat. But we're also throwing in a $25 game credit that you can use on the OUYA Discover Store - so that's $39 in savings! And better yet, every game on the OUYA is free to try, so when you spend that game credit, you'll have done so wisely.If you've been thinking of picking one up, stop waiting. This thing has the Gamezebo Seal of Approval. I seriously love my OUYA. You will too. Click here to pick one up today.
Here's a nifty little fact about myself: whenever I write anything here on Gamezebo, I always have cartoons playing on the TV in the background. I'm not sure why, but it probably has something to do with the fact that I LOVE CARTOONS. I'm telling you this now because a lot of tonight's big new mobile releases are all wonderfully zany in their own right: just like the perfect Saturday morning cartoon!From trying to land an airplane amidst a fiery inferno of wreckage, to solving puzzles with little block-headed guys called the Stubies, every new game you'll be able to play tonight has a decidedly cartoonish aspect to it, which typically translates to an awesomely high factor of FUN. Oh yeah, and there's also the new game from one of Cartoon Network's most popular and highest rated shows! So which new games will you be using as cartoon substitutes later on tonight? Let us know in the replies!
Facebook has dropped two partners, HasOffers and Kontagent, from its mobile ad measurement program for holding onto user data too long, according to AdExchanger's blog. Yes, I know - it's not as sexy a news story as what's the latest happening with Flappy Bird. But this is news that is actually far-reaching, and affects any game developer who pays for installs to drive traffic to their games in an attempt to reach (and stay in) the Top 10 game charts. (e.g., everyone aside from developer of Flappy Bird).It is widely acknowledged that the best ad partner to drive installs for apps is Facebook. Only Facebook has the mobile reach through its news feed and targeting capability to really push the needle with game installs. It's not cheap, but it works (hence why Facebook earns $1.3 billion - more than half its revenues - through mobile today). When Facebook lifts a finger, the mobile game world shakes.
We're all pretty big fans of mobile games around these parts of the internet, and if you're here visiting Gamezebo, then it's a pretty safe bet that you are too. But even though you might play the occasional game or two on your smartphone or tablet, do you ever consider yourself to be a full-fledged "mobile gamer"? Well today we want to find out the answer to one very important question: how deep does your addiction to mobile gaming go?Maybe you dream about flinging birds out of slingshots every night? Maybe you have a Cut the Rope-themed iPhone case? Maybe you're like my Dad and have to check in every day to get a free power-up in Angry Birds Star Wars? Well whatever it may be, we've compiled a list of the 10 biggest red flags that let you know when you've been bitten by the mobile gaming bug. Doctors think they might never find a cure."What are some of the other ways you know that someone is a mobile gamer? Take a break from playing that game on your phone and let us know in the replies!
Oops, they did it again. Back in January, Candy Crush Saga maker King underwent a great deal of public scrutiny about the choices they've made in the world of IP protection. Initially it was about a trademark on the word CANDY, but as the week unfolded it turned into a battle over Stoic's The Banner Saga trademark, and then even accusations of cloning. King CEO Riccardo Zacconi managed to quell the internet's furor with a seemingly heartfelt response on the issues that had been brought up.But now some new information has been brought to our attention that doesn't quite jive with what Zacconi was preaching.Lost in the shuffle of that January week was a little story about Albert Ransom, the creator of CandySwipe. As the creator of a match-3 game involving candy that pre-dated every incarnation of Candy Crush, Ransom had been fighting the CANDY CRUSH SAGA trademark for months. And he told Gamezebo that he intended to fight their mark on the word CANDY, too.Now, only weeks after our initial article, King is fighting back.
We love Kentucky Route Zero here at Gamezebo. Love love. It was our pick for 2013 Game of the Year, and that was based solely on the first two acts (of a planned five). And like most fans of the game, we've been waiting for Act III to surface so that we can continue the story. And it's been a long wait. Act II was released at the end of May 2013.So what's the hold up?The developers at Cardboard Computer recently took to their blog to explain the situation, reassuring everyone that development is coming along swimmingly (and when it comes out, it will have been worth the wait):
There has been a lot of speculation about why Flappy Bird was removed from the App Store and Google Play by its creator on Sunday. At the time, we were left with some cryptic tweets that led many to believe the game's success had given him a nervous breakdown.But in his first interview since removing the game, Dong Nguyen reveals his true motivations for killing the Bird. It wasn't a mental health breakdown - it was a crisis of conscience."Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed," Nguyen told Forbes. "But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it's best to take down Flappy Bird. It's gone forever."In a world where most developers are trying to figure out how to make their games more addictive, Nguyen finds himself swimming upstream like a salmon. Whether you agree with his decision or not, you've got to be impressed by a man who lives by his principles to that degree.
When Flappy Bird creator Dong Ngyuen pulled the game from sale earlier this week, the race was on to see which clone would replace its 'inspiration' and take the throne in the #1 slot. After all, nature abhors a vacuum. That's probably why the top three games on the App Store right now all look and play somewhat similar to Flappy Bird.And the game in third place? It looks awfully familiar. And I think I know why.We've all somehow accepted that game concepts are going to be copied on the App Store - especially when they're proven to work. And to a certain degree, you've got to wonder where the line between "copycat" and "inspired by" can really be drawn. I've made the argument before that if we didn't allow similar games, first-person shooters would have stopped at Wolfenstein 3-D. Platformers would have stopped at Super Mario Bros. So on some weird level, we can forgive Flappy Bee for being a slimy "me too" entry in the race to mimic Flappy Bird. What we can't forgive, however, is using somebody else's assets without their permission. And the bee in Flappy Bee's marketing? It would be hard to deny that it's also the bee from Bee Leader. I see it. You see it. And the developer of Bee Leader, Flightless, definitely sees it.