“Twitch” puzzle games have really been getting better over the years, and one series in particular that has managed to flourish is MumboJumbo’s Luxor franchise.  What started as just another marble shooting game has since grown into a staple for the publisher, thanks to addictive gameplay, ever-changing stages and new gimmicks to keep players drawn in.  And now the team may have stumbled upon its most brilliant entry to date with the retro-powered Luxor Evolved HD.

Epic Games went to the UK to connect with gamers at the public gaming and technology show, Gadget Show Live. During the six-day show, Epic assembled a team of game developers to discuss the future of videogames. Click on the videos below to see the panels discuss what’s on the horizon of game development.

Rovio could probably sit around and talk for hours on end about how much cash they’ve raked in with their Angry Birds franchise.  Between the games, the stuffed toys, the upcoming movie, the advertising tie-ins, the candy…yes, there’s Angry Birds candy…there’s literally no end to this cash cow.  But that doesn’t mean the team has forgotten how to make the games special.  And on March 22, it takes the next logical step in the series, by launching the Angry Birds into…well, outer space.

Remember the old Midway Arcade Treasures releases?  Or for that matter, Midway’s Greatest Hits on the PS One?  I sure do.  I spent hours on end reliving the games of my youth thanks to these compilations, and I couldn’t get enough of them.  But ever since the company was scuttled a couple of years ago, I always wondered if they would come back in some form.  And while I would’ve preferred a release on a console over an iOS-enabled device, I’ll definitely take what I can get from Midway Arcade.  This is a collection of arcade bliss that everyone should experience.

 

Wow, it’s amazing how just now the folks at Cave have become a household name when it comes to quality games.  This development team has been around for years, crafting the kind of “bullet hell” shooters that fans simply can’t get enough of.  Oh, well, take whatever fame you can get, I always say.  And that level of fame continues with yet another release from its extensive shoot-em-up – or “shmup” – collection with Dodonpachi Blissful Death, which acts as a prequel to the previously released Dodonpachi Resurrection.

 

When UTV Ignition introduced Quarrel to the App Store a few months back, it brought a successful -- and somewhat addictive -- mix of Risk and Scrabble, with folks putting together words in a limited amount of time and dominating pieces of a map to eventually overcome their opponent.  Pleased with how the game turned out, they then opted to introduce it to a different market, this time on Xbox Live Marketplace.  And the war of words continues to play out as expected, despite some hitches.

Last month, Atari came roaring back to the iOS scene with the superb revitalization of an 80's favorite, Asteroids Gunner.  Blending the fly-and-shoot tactics of the original with plenty of innovative new elements, it became one of our favorite apps for the fall season.  Now the company is at it again, bringing the classic ball and paddle game Breakout Boost to the App Store.  Can lightning strike twice?

Today, Rockstar Games announced that Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition will be hitting the iOS and Android Marketplace on December 15th for 4.99. The game that put sandbox gaming on the map goes back to its roots as it takes over portable devices for the first time ever! Who's up for a romp in Liberty City?

 

When developers put some effort into making an iPad game, some try to pull out all the stops and replicate the same kind of experience you’d get from a game console.  The Apple tablet is a respectable game machine, after all, especially if you’re playing something along the lines of Dead Space or the awesome Infinity Blade.  But sometimes you can try to pile on too much, and as a result, it mars the experience.  That’s exactly what happens with 2K Sports’ NBA 2K12.  The company shoots for a quality simulation, right up there with the console versions, but it comes up short in key areas.  It’s like the thrill of seeing someone go for a fast break and then miff the dunk at the end.

Electronic Arts is once again hosting an E3 press conference, called Gamechangers: EA 2011, before the official video game convention opens its doors. At both the press conference and the big show, EA’s lineup this year consists of games spanning a multitude of popular genres, including immersive shooters and role-playing games for hardcore players, revolutionary sports titles for sports fans, as well as mobile and casual games for the whole family. Games like Battlefield 3, Need for Speed The Run, Madden NFL 12, FIFA Soccer 12, SSX, Mass Effect 3; and the highly anticipated new MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, will be featured.

Three days before its launch CNN posted their video review of the Nintendo 3DS titled 3DS: No Match For iPhone. The review was done by Fortune tech writer JP Mangalindan and contained numerous, hilarious and sometimes frustrating blunders such as the “graphics not being up to the par with the PS3” and being a “hardcore gamer because [he] played Halo.” You can watch the review below.

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- The Independent Games Festival (IGF) has announced the Main Competition finalists for the thirteenth annual presentation of its awards, celebrating the brightest and most influential creations to come out of the independent video game development community in the past year.  All of the IGF finalists will be playable on the Expo show floor at the historic 25th Game Developers Conference (GDC), to be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center February 28-March 4, 2011.  In addition, nearly $50,000 of prizes in various categories, including the $20,000 Seumas McNally Grand Prize will be awarded to these games at the Independent Games Festival Awards on the evening of March 2 immediately preceding the acclaimed Game Developers Choice Awards.