Carmack: iPhone a serious threat to other hand-helds

In an interview with Chris Morris for CNBC, id Software founder and chief programmer John Carmack said that Apple’s iPhone may be a serious threat to the hand-held gaming market - specifically Nintendo’s DS and DSi.

It’s a pretty interesting comment if you consider that earlier this week a prominent analyst (who I won’t name here) said that the iPhone - in the long term - will not be a viable game platform. Carmack sees it another way - and he should know, he’s been working on the platform and selling his games via Apple’s app store for quite some time.

Earlier this week it was announced that there are now 100,000 apps available on the iPhone, and while not all of those are games, a good portion of them are and many of them sell for anywhere from 99 cents to $9.99 USD.

“I think mid- to long-term it’s a significant threat,” he says. “I don’t carry a DS or a PSP around, but I’ve got my iPhone everywhere. So if it plays good games, I’m less likely to pick one of the others up. … I think the stars could align and it could start to eclipse those other systems in terms of unit sales.”

While Carmack is a PC guy through and through, he has fallen in love with developing games for the iPhone. He describes his time developing games on the system “fun.”

“I wouldn’t be shocked if someone has one in development right now, though they probably don’t realize it will run that high yet,” he told CNBC. “If a title could do well at $9.99, you could put [Nintendo] DS level development expenses into it.”

id Software has made it their goal to release one iPhone game every quarter over the next year. Most recently the company released an iPhone remake of the classic DOOM game called “Doom Classic.” iPhone versions of one of my favorite id Software titles - Quake - and a follow-up to the popular Doom RPG are also in the works. id Software is also planning on having its latest game, RAGE, ready to go for the iPhone when it is released in 2010.

Source: CNBC

Al Lowe cracks wise on your iPhone

Jokemaster and Leisure Suit Larry scribe Al Lowe has released an update for his latest venture, Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000, currently available for download on the iTunes App Store. Comedy fans can listen to over 110 of Al’s jokes, with more updates on the way. In addition to updating the application with new jokes, Al now offers those looking to preview his app with a brand new Lite version. Featuring twenty jokes from the full application, Al gives mobile users a taste of all the edgy content found in Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000.

Developed by The Binary Mill, Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000 Lite is available for download on the iTunes App Store. The full version is available for $1.99. Go Al, go! Learn more about Al Lowe at www.allowe.com.

Fallen Earth MMO getting an iPhone app

FALLEN EARTH and Icarus Studios, developers of the self-titled massively multiplayer online game (MMO), Fallen Earth, announced today the development of a cross-platform iPhone application, which allows players to connect into the live game server and interact with the game remotely via their iPhone.

Through the new iPhone application, players will have access to Fallen Earth, and allow Fallen Earth players to view their in-game character stats, mutations and trade skills as well as provide access to equipped and stored items. Players will also have be able to view maps for each of the three sectors in the 1,000 square kilometers of the game’s landscape.

The app is scheduled for release in Q1 2010, and will feature real-time management of several key in-game systems like players’ crafting queues, recipes, craft items, commerce at the Auction House as well as the ability to interact with friends, Clan members and other online players through multiple chat channels, mail and private messaging.

Find out more about this app and the game by visiting www.fallenearth.com.

Rope Raider for iPhone released

10tons has launched Rope Raider for iPhone and iPod touch today. If you are wondering just what the hell a “Rope Raider” is, apparently it involves swinging through a cityscape like Batman or Spiderman. Rope Raider challenges players to swing through an atmospheric cityscape. Players shoot a rope and then swing forward from building to building. The game features 3 game modes: Free Swingin’, Coin Rush, and Speed Frenzy.

In Free Swingin’ the goal is to travel as far as possible while picking up any coin bonuses on the way. In Coin Rush the player has to collect as many coins as possible within a limited time. In the Speed Frenzy mode the player has to travel as far as possible within a limited time. All the modes come with 3 different difficulty levels. The difficulty level affects the placement and height of the buildings and also the time limits. The game also offers online leaderboards.

Rope Raider is now available from Apple’s App Store on iPhone or iPod touch. The game will be available for $0.99 until Nov. 15th when the price jumps to $1.99. For more info check out www.roperaider.com.

Bird Brain now available for iPod Touch, iPhone

Legacy Interactive has released Bird Brain for iPhone and iPod touch. Bird Brain is a trivia game with an insulting name, because if you’re dumb then someone might call you a bird brain, a dolt, dullard, moron, etc. You get my drift, and if you don’t then you probably are a bird brain.

The challenge of this game is to figure out the order of the trivia questions presented in 20 seconds or less. Trivia questions could be about locations of U.S. landmarks, sizes of dog breeds, ages of the Kardashian sisters (not who has the biggest butt, because everyone knows the answer to that question), and more. Each question requires ranking answers in relation to each other: big to small, newest to oldest, north to south, etc. With 10 rapid-fire questions per round, players must use quick thinking and faster fingers to arrange their list in proper order.

Bird Brain is available for $.99 on iPhone and iPod touch from Apple’s App Store or at www.birdbraingame.com.

This story reminds me of a commercial I saw about getting grilled chicken on a value menu for less than a buck. Word on the street is that you can.

Eliminate now available on iPod Touch, iPhone

ngmoco have released the multiplayer deathmatch-centric action game, Eliminate, to the App Store. In Eliminate players become weapons testers in a first-person shooter experience using exotic and highly experimental gear to take on other combatants in various deadly challenges.

Every shot and move is tracked, measured, and analyzed by Arsenal researchers as they strive to develop the world’s most potent weapons systems. But really none of that matters; your goal is to use the fancy weapons to kill or be killed. The game also features a leveling and upgrade system for six weapons, nine different armor sets and thirteen upgradable characteristics including cloaking, aquatics, rate of fire and zoom magnification.

The Eliminate app is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at appstore.ngmoco.com/eliminate.

Doom Classic hits iPhone, iPod Touch

Fancy some old school, first-person shooter action from the founding fathers of the genre? Well then you might want to visit the App store and download Classic DOOM from id Software. The App recreates the classic game DOOM experience. The iPhone and iPod Touch game includes the first three episodes, along with the additional fourth episode Thy Flesh Consumed. id Software plans to release other Doom related content at a later date that won’t be a separate product from doom; in other words it will kind of be rolled into the game like DLC. Interesting. Other features include multiplayer for up to four players (co-op, deathmatch) , and the ability to use either the original Doom soundtrack or music from your iPod library.

The game is available for right around $7 USD, and weighs in at right around 76.8MB. Download it now from the App Store.