MonsterUp version 1.7 update brings plenty of new features

Indie developer Karios Games' MonsterUp is a jumping game, much like DoodleJump. Unlike DoodleJump, though, MonsterUp is a Windows Phone 7 exclusive. Our review praises its controls, grapheme designs, and cheerful atmosphere. The dashing, eloquent reviewer merely wished for more environments to jump through. With MonsterUp's version 1.seven update, his pleas for variety take been answered.

Game designer Marios Karagiannis claims that version 1.7 is "the most important and feature rich" revision so far. He's not lying!

Dynamic Mode

Showtime off, the new update adds something no other jumping game (not even DoodleJump) has seen then far: the Dynamic game mode. Traditionally in these games, when the player graphic symbol jumps off one side of the screen, it comes out the other side, much like Pac-Man or Asteroids. Dynamic Mode mixes things upwards by centering the camera firmly on the player's monster. Instead of jumping off one side and coming out the other, the game's platforms simply loop effectually the player. Gameplay does non fundamentally change – the same difficulty and game logic remain. Yet information technology does add a drop of flair that I quite enjoy. Standard and Dynamic Modes are selectable before each game, and they also share the same Leaderboard.

Fresh and tasty environments

The platform arrangements in jumping games are randomly generated, so each playthrough is different than the i before it. Yet, without the visual variety of dissimilar environments, information technology can feel like you lot're only playing the same level over and over. MonsterUp at present has two brand themes (environments) to bounce effectually. Lemonade Madness drops the monsters into a behemothic lemonade glass, while Sweet-o-mania contains a colorful array of cupcakes, cookies, and lollipops. Both stages retain MonsterUp's signature bright and gleeful aesthetic, plus they just taste keen. The original theme, Countryside, is also selectable. I recommend against eating the countryside.

Hop by the interruption for more details on the update and a video of Dynamic Style.

Run into the new guy

Speaking of things to cull, how about a new monster? Siil is a little brownish, walrus-looking dude. Each brute in MonsterUp has a unique special ability. Siil's power – Wings – may be the most useful one of the agglomeration, granting him a burst of flying (of course). The add-on of a new monster further extends the game's playtime, considering you'll have to earn stars with another monster earlier unlocking Siil.

And another matter…

Load times have now been optimized, non that they were bad before. Allow's just say that if the game loaded any faster, it would be over before you lot started playing. Rounding out version i.7's changelog are tweaks to the game engine (to avert problems with concrete platforms), fixes to some resuming bugs, and the elimination of an online high score tabular array bug.

More to come

MonsterUp has received 8 updates since its initial release back in January. Karios Games shows an impressive dedication to its signature jumping game. At that place's more to come from the loveable squad of monsters – WPCentral recently broke the news of a spin-off game that will have the franchise in a whole new direction.

MonsterUp can be purchased for a reasonable $1.99. A free trial is also available. Grab it hither (opens upwardly a link to your Zune software) in the Marketplace.

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update will give gamers more control

Xbox Insiders Update

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update will give gamers more than command

Microsoft is adding a new feature to Xbox consoles, allowing you lot to permanently store up to 2 games in a Quick Resume state at all times. The characteristic is heading out first to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha testing band before hitting the general public.