Crystal Defenders now on PSP go

Crystal Defenders has been released on PSP go this week via the PlayStation Network. The game from Square Enix is based on the job classes and locations from the popular Final Fantasy Tactics game and is being billed as a “defensive simulation.” Does that mean when someone say that it sucks that it somehow gets defensive and storms out of the room or something? I’m not really sure, but it is only $10.00 USD. More likely is that it is a tower defense style game. In it you deploy units to defend crystals of wave after wave of bad guys. The game is based on the WiiWare game of the same name released in Japan at the beginning of this year.

According to Square Enix the game is easy enough to understand: monsters an area in waves until they are defeated or reach an exit; if they make it that far, they steal some crystals. Players have to decide where to deploy various jobs such as Black Mages or Soldiers that will attempt to defend the party’s crystals. Factors such as map terrain, monster strengths and weaknesses, job attributes, and more will play a role in determining what actions a player should take.

Look for the game on the PSP go via PlayStation Network, right now.

Boom Brigade update promises a whole new game

10tons has released what it calls a “huge update” for its top-down tower defense iPhone and iPod Touch game, Boom Brigade. The update promises to almost double the content of the original. So what’s new? The update features a new class called the pyro. The pyro uses a flamethrower to stream fire at the alien hordes. The class comes with five different upgrade levels. Also, the simple trooper update system was replaced with a “BunkerMart” that has a broad selection of supplies, including health packs, repair bots, reinforcements, powerups, and more. The troopers will also travel to a new world where they can observe the behavior of new aliens.

To celebrate the update, the game will be on sale for 48 hours starting on Monday 26th October. The sale price is $0.99 or 0.79€. The update is free for those who have already purchased the previous version of the game. Find out more at www.boombrigade.com.

Hudson announces Creature Defense for PSP

PSP owners will get a taste of something new this fall from Hudson Entertainment: a downloadable strategy title called Creature Defense. Creature Defense combines Tower Defense gameplay with card-based gaming fundamentals to create a different kind of strategy game - allegedly. In the game players defend their land from invading attackers using a deck they create. After creating said deck, players use the cards to defend against a variety of attackers, keeping in mind what its strengths and weaknesses are and using an appropriate card.

Special skills and attacks are added to the player’s arsenal as the game goes folds. The game also offers new levels and attributes to explore, as well as 50 types of Monster Cards available for download. Hudson hopes that Creature Defense is an ongoing adventure for strategic minded gamers.

Look for the game sometimes this fall.

Comet Crash now on PlayStation Network

Comet Crash, the debut title from developer Pelfast is a new take on the popular Tower Defense genre with a twist that lets players turn the tables on their foes and fight back. Currently available in North America for the PlayStation 3 as a PlayStation Store download, Comet Crash will make its debut in Europe on the PlayStation Store on October 8, 2009.

In Comet Crash, players must use everything at their disposal, including high-tech weaponry and defense to stop the rush of enemies from destroying their base. Unlike traditional tower defense games, players must rally their own forces and launch offensive strikes against the alien threat, using a number of different mobile units, such as the Scout or specialized Thief, which can turn enemy units into powerful allies. The game offers a Campaign Mode with 28 stages, as well as various multiplayer and co-op modes.

Comet Crash is available now in North America as a PlayStation Store download. Comet Crash makes its European debut on the PlayStation Store on October 8, 2009.

Defense Grid: The Awakening now on Xbox Live Arcade

Hidden Path Entertainment’s Defense Grid: The Awakening is finally available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and can be downloaded at a special price of 800 MS points ($10). This popular tower defense game already available on the PC is selling at a special price of 800 MS points ($10) for a limited time.

Built using Gamebryo (the same engine used for Oblivion, Warhammer Online, Civilization IV), Defense Grid: The Awakening’s features frenetic gameplay, where players need to defeat hordes of invading enemies by strategically building fortification towers around their base. Each base has a number of valuable power cores that players must defend at all costs. Enemies invade your bases in waves, intent on stealing all your cores and escaping. The player can stop them only by strategically selecting and placing defensive towers as resources allow.

The Xbox LIVE Arcade version of Defense Grid: The Awakening includes the new Borderlands mission pack, which has four new advanced levels and 12 challenge modes; a combination of fixed and open maps that encourage different strategies every time you play; 24 maps; 100 unlockable challenge modes; 10 different tower types, including Infernos, Teslas, Cannons and more complete with upgrades; 15 different types of enemies; and 10 hours of story and campaign play.

For more information, check out www.hiddenpath.com.

Plants vs. Zombies confirmed for iPhone

Some great news for iPhone users from PopCap Games today: the wonderful Plants Vs. Zombies is coming to iPhone and iPod Touch by the end of the year. I have said in the past that this game would work on any platform, so i’m glad to see it making its way to the app store later this year.

If you don’t know what it is, Plants vs. Zombies is a unique take on the tower defense genre where players use a variety of plants and specialty units and objects to keep a never-ending onslaught of zombies from getting into your house. The game was originally released for PC and Mac to much acclaim.

The original game included a survival mode, a puzzle mode, and a set of PopCap game-themed mini-games. We do not know at this time if the iPhone version of the game will feature everything from the original, but we hope that it does. More on Plants vs. Zombies when it becomes available. Oh and PopCap - please bring it to PSN and XBLA sooner rather than later. Thank you.

source via Ryan Kuo

Defense Grid for XBLA to debut at Comic-Con

Hidden Path Entertainment’s Defense Grid: The Awakening will soon be released on Xbox LIVE Arcade, but first it will officially debut July 24 at the Microsoft booth at San Diego Comic-Con International. Defense Grid: The Awakening is a more hardcore approach to tower defense gameplay that features beautiful environments, spectacular effects, and a dynamic, engaging soundtrack. The controls are intuitive and the gameplay is deep - the special attacks and properties of each tower work together to provide many ways to succeed. Defense Grid: The Awakening will be available on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this summer.

Defense Grid: The Awakening for Xbox LIVE Arcade features 12 hours of story-driven play, 24 environments across the Awakening campaign and four bonus Borderlands maps, plus over 100 unlockable challenge modes. There are also 10 different tower types that can each be upgraded twice. These towers all have tradeoffs that affect ideal placement, such as line-of-sight attack or ballistic trajectory fire; a large area of effect or damage over time; and minimum and maximum ranges. Over the course of the game, players battle 15 different types of enemies, each with unique capabilities and strategies.

Look for Hidden Path’s game soon on XBLA, but if you’re at Comic-Con this week, visit Mictosoft’s booth on July 24.