Apple Games has unveiled a new feature, this one examining the recently released musika for iPod. Designed by Masaya Matsuura, creator of PaRappa the Rapper, musika plays a song from an iPod library and challenges players to press a button when they recognize a number or letter from the song's title. The feature also includes the usual list of helpful tips and tricks.

If you’d rather just enjoy musika’s ethereal graphics, you can select the Visualizer option in the main menu and listen to your music while letters and numbers flit by. Either way, you have the perfect way to pass a few minutes of downtime during your hectic day.

We’ll leave you with some thoughts offered by Matsuura when musika launched: “The iPod is a device that revolutionized music and it is now poised to be a progressive gaming platform. Many years ago, Apple’s tools first opened my eyes to the power of music and multimedia, so it’s exciting to release my first game for this device.”

Apple Games: Musika

Unfun Games has released an internet version of their squad-based RPG, Heroes of First Star. The internet edition links directly to the game's servers and is a way to play the game without having to download the standalone application.

Heroes of First Star is free to play, however there is a 25 percent chance for the experience from a monster kill to not be counted if you do not register. In order to try the web edition, follow the handy link below.

Unfun Games

HoFS

Heroes of First Star: Web Edition

A new article from Macworld discusses game pirates making use of Transgaming's Cider technology to play pirated PC games on their Macs. By replacing some of the package contents in an existing Ciderized game with the another game the pirates are able to run the game with limited functionality. The article includes comments from Transgaming's Vikas Gupta.

“Enough Cider based titles will soon be out in retail stores that I think people will have enough of a comparison to show that legitimate Cider games offer a really great Mac gaming experience. Consumers really have to look at this objectively,” said Gupta added.

As Cider requires an Intel-based Mac to run, it’s also possible to install those same “cracked” games in Windows running on the Mac, through Apple’s Boot Camp software, for example. That might provide pirates with a more complete experience, but the advantage here is that Cider doesn’t require a copy of Windows to play.

“You’re not even close to the properly packaged [Cider] product,” said Gupta. “They may be successful in getting the game to run, but that doesn’t mean the game is nearly where it should be.”

Macworld: Cider Gains Use A Game Piracy Tool

TransGaming

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The iPodObserver has posted a new review of Bejeweled for Apple's iPhone. Created by PopCap Games, Bejeweled's classic match three action challenges players to match as many gems as possible. The iPodObserver called Bejeweled "Fun, easy to learn, addictive, free."

From the review:

Gameplay is exactly the same as with Diamenty--your goal is to arrange three or more matching gems in a line either horizontally or vertically. To arrange the gems, you tap one, then tap any adjacent gem to swap their places and form a line of three or more matching gems. When you make a line of three or more gems, those gems disappear and all the gems above them slide downward to fill the holes. You receive points for each gem that disappears and the green thermometer fills up accordingly, New gems fall onto the board from the top to replace the ones that have disappeared. The more lines of three or more gems you make, the higher your score. When the green thermometer fills all the way up you get a bonus. The game ends when no more lines of three or more matching gems can be created.

Bejeweled plays even better than Diamenty on my iPhone but I have the same minor gripes I had about Diamenty. First, the gems are a bit small and my fingers are not, so I find myself missing the gem I was aiming for more often than I'd like. Second, unlike some versions of Bejeweled (see the next paragraph), this version doesn't offer a timer. That's a mixed blessing. It takes the pressure off and lets you switch to another task on your phone without ending your game. But the pressure and the timer are part of what makes other versions so addicting. So I wish there were an option for timed play. Finally, playing Bejeweled seems to run down my iPhone battery somewhat faster than many other activities. That's probably not Bejeweled's fault but I thought it was worth mentioning.

iPod Observer: Bejeweled Review

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Blizzard Entertainment has released the first two chapters of a short story set in the World of Warcraft universe. The Curse of Ner'zhul will tell the tale of events leading up to those surrounding the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack. Blizzard also announced that players can now use PayPal to pay for their subscription to the popular MMORPG.

From The Curse of Ner'zhul:

The prince then dedicated himself to stopping the Scourge at all costs. In time he traced the source of the plague to Northrend. With a heavy heart and steadfast determination, the prince set out for the snowy roof of the world. In Northrend Arthas was surprised to find an old friend, the dwarf Muradin Bronzebeard. Muradin had been searching for a blade renowned to have legendary powers: the blade called Frostmourne. Arthas resolved to seek out the enchanted blade and wield it against the Scourge. However, at Uther's urging, King Terenas soon recalled Arthas and his troops. Before the expedition could set sail for home, Arthas secretly hired indigenous mercenaries to burn the ships. Leading his troops to the ships, Arthas feigned surprise and ordered his bitterly disappointed soldiers to hunt down and kill the mercenaries.

Arthas then scoured the desolate wastes for what he believed was the key to his people's salvation. In time Muradin and Arthas discovered Frostmourne and read the foreboding inscription on its pedestal. The inscription warned that Frostmourne's wielder would indeed gain power eternal, but at a cost: "Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit." Despite the warning and Muradin's protests, Arthas swore that he would pay any price to possess the blade.

We're pleased to announce that we're now able to accept PayPal payments for World of Warcraft subscriptions. Both current and new subscribers can now assign their PayPal account as their automatic payment method on the Account Management page. If you wish to open a PayPal account or want to learn more about the popular online payment system, the PayPal website has the details.

WoW: The Curse of Ner'zhul

WoW: Account Management

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Blizzard Entertainment

World of Warcraft

Buy World of Warcraft

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