Last week we reported that, thanks to Apple recently relaxing its iOS SDK agreement, Manomio submitted a major 2.0 update of Commodore 64, their C64 emulator / game system, to the App Store with BASIC reenabled (and fingers crossed). We're happy to report that the app has been approved and is now available for download [link].

I had a chat with developer Stuart Carnie yesterday, shortly after he received word from Apple that Commodore 64 v2.0 was approved, during which he shared further details concerning this notable update.

With BASIC back, so too is the full C64 keyboard. Carnie is excited about the prospect of users having full and complete access to every game presented, which, in some games, can only happen when a full keyboard is available. And, while it's here in v2.0, the keyboard hasn't gotten any attention since it was removed back in November and, as such, a near-term update will address the absence of a few missing keys (semi-colon, colon) as well as a lock mode for the RUNSTOP, C=, and SHIFT keys, to use in conjunction with others.

A bit further out will come cycle-exact emulation on newer hardware (ARMv7), to resolve digital sound issues with Space Taxi and enable a few free games from Beam Software, such as Exploding Fist.

We've seen a lot of anticipation from readers for an iPad version of C64, and Carnie tells us that it's big on the roadmap. Thanks to Apple allowing BASIC, he really wants to create a great experience for iPad users wanting to experiment with the language, including a finely tuned keyboard and even Bluetooth support. "Think 'full' C64 experience," says Carnie. Due to Manomio's work on the upcoming Amiga classic titles, these more significant upgrades are slated for release next year — and we can't wait.

As for additional games on the horizon, Carnie was able to reveal that they're in the progress of bringing several more Thalamus titles on-board: Creatures I and II and Retrograde. Also on the way is MYTH: History in the Making from System 3, which requires emulated 1541 floppy drive support and a disk-swapping user interface (which is already in the system).

Thanks to Apple for their relaxed stance on the SDK agreement and thanks to the folks at Manomio for giving retro fans like myself so much sweet candy to enjoy.

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If the Sims is your thing, EA has just launched the latest Sims sequel onto the App Store. Sims 3 Ambitions offers a number of long requested new Sim-capabilities to the App Store game. The latest version actually lets you build your own house or business as well as have babies.

The new features, as listed by EA, include:

• Career mode – For the first time ever on iPhone & iPod touch, turn your Sims’ hobbies into fulfilling jobs. Will your Sim become a Firefighter? Rock Star? Artist? Teacher? Chef? Sports Star? Get down to business with new career-oriented goals, mini-games, outfits, and locations. Follow your Sims to work and see them get happier as they make their dreams come true.
• Build Mode – Think big with the improved and expanded Build Mode feature. Resize, add, or delete rooms, floors, walls, doors, and windows as you make a new home for your success-driven Sim. Buy and sell furniture and objects. And now you can also build workplaces like a Bistro, a Preschool, or a Night Club for your musical Sim to rock.
  

• Babies – Your most requested feature is here! For the first time on iPhone & iPod touch, your Sims can have babies! Feed them, play with them, and put them to bed! Watch Sims babies become Sims toddlers. Take them to the park, play hide-and-seek, or give them a little cuddle. Having Sims children changes everything!
• Import and Export – Bring in your favorite Sims from The Sims™ 3 and The Sims™ 3 World Adventures for iPhone & iPod touch. Give them the chance to pursue their dreams, too!

Here's an early gameplay video:

Meanwhile, impressions are beginning to be collected in the forums.

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I’ve never heard of the old folk tale(s) that The Pedlar Lady originated from, but the notion of reading this story in an enhanced ebook format was an opportunity I could not resist. Since the iPad appeared, the device has been hailed as the harbinger of a new age in publishing, but most of that has been in the form of periodicals and traditional print ebooks like those available for the Kindle and for Apple’s iBook store. A few experimental books have appeared, like Elements or Alice, and these push the boundaries of what books can and should do. The Pedlar Lady is another example of this sort of book app.

I won’t say much about the story of The Pedlar Lady except to say that it has a rustic charm that is fairly irresistible. The story is plainly and simply told, but it carries with it the aura of ancient legend. Credit goes to developer Moving Tales for not trying to make the story more than what it is, and instead focusing on accompanying the story with visuals that are deceptively complex.

The graphics are sophisticated 3D, but the color pallette is kept so limited it allows even these high-tech images to seem old and worn in a way. Color in general is limited to only a few objects (except for two gorgeously rendered traveling scenes that look like moving paintings), so the words take precedence over everything else.

Those selfsame words are wonderfully read by a narrator who affects a convincing and gentle Irish dialect (one version of The Pedlar Lady story originated in Ireland). You can turn off the narration if you wish, but I was charmed by it. Still, it might be interesting to read it aloud yourself, particularly to a young child.

If there’s a weakness to be found with The Pedlar Lady, it’s that it is not as interactive as I had expected. It is very much a moving book – nothing less and nothing more. Touching objects on the screen yields nothing (except occasional mistaken page turns) and the most interactive the app gets is when you turn the iPad from portrait to landscape mode – the narration stops and the letters tumble convincingly across the page.

This is a minor quibble, however, as a book is not the same thing as a game, and interactivity can also interfere with the flow of the story. Accept The Pedlar Lady for what it is – a beautifully conceived and designed childrens book that is bound to charm anyone of any age.

[ The Pedlar Lady for iPad Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia reminds me of Streets of Rage with some basic RPG elements. This is in no way a bad thing as I adored Streets of Rage back in the day, but it is a shame that Hybrid 2 doesn’t have as much depth as I was hoping for.

Pitched as a hack n slash RPG game, Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia has a ridiculously convoluted storyline about time travel and parallel dimensions. It’s so bizarre, in fact, that you’ll probably never bother remembering more than the above summation. It’s a similar case with the dialogue, except that all characters go on and on and on and…well you get the picture. I’m all for long story explanations; heck, I’m a big advocate of Final Fantasy XIII, and you know how endless those cutscenes are. Hybrid 2’s story, on the other hand, just isn’t interesting enough to keep me entertained.

Fortunately, everything else about it is rather more exciting even if it can get a tad repetive after a while. You spend the vast majority of your time running round glorious looking 2d scenes while attacking anything that moves. Combos are fairly easy to build up, making it all the more satisfying. The anime style to the game suits it to a tee and animation on the whole is fast and furious. The only true annoyance is that while the virtual d-pad controls are mostly very responsive, every once in a while I found my attacks not registering. It’s not a huge problem but it was quite irritating at times, especially when up against a large number of foes at once.

A basic levelling up system and plenty of new weaponry and armour to collect on your quest gives Hybrid 2 the kind of satisfaction you expect from the likes of Diablo and Torchlight. It can get repetitive, as you find yourself doing the same thing over and over again – picking up quests from villages, running outside, killing lots of foes to acquire an item for the quest, ad infinitum. I can forgive that for the most part, as Hybrid 2 is good fun in short doses. It’s like any hack n slasher: too much will get dull but keep it to just the right level, and it’s good, attractive fun.

[ Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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