Infinity Blade ($5.99)
Hot off the presses with a December 9 release, Epic Games and Chair Entertainment’s ambitious action role-playing game Infinity Blade will certainly be one of the most talked about titles of 2011. The sword-fighting game, which is also playable on the iPad and iPod touch, is visually stunning thanks to state-of-the-art Unreal Engine 3 development technology.
Cut the Rope HD for the iPad $1.99.
It may seem odd to label a game that has already been available for two months as a potential breakout hit for next year, but as long as Cut the Rope continues to follow the model established by Angry Birds (released in late 2009) it very well might be just that.
The similarities between the two games are numerous. Each relies on cute graphics and characters, boasts simple pick-up-and-play control schemes and is an excellent example of the ‘just one more try’ phenomenon that will keep you glued to your device. Both titles have also set records in the App Store, with Cut the Rope becoming the fastest iOS game to reach one million sales.
Real Racing 2 ($9.99 - available December 16th)
As is the case with movies, it’s a lot easier to sell a sequel than it is to create a hit title from scratch.
There have been rumblings since November about a Real Racing sequel that will feature real cars and a career mode with more than 10 hours of gameplay. Screenshots and a gameplay trailer have already made it online, and developer Firemint confirmed a December 16th release.
The social gaming giant recently acquired a pair of major iPhone game developers in Bonfire Studios (behind We Farm) and Newtoy (creator of We Rule, Words With Friends). Zynga, which already has FarmVille, Mafia Wars, and Live Poker available on iOS devices, also debuted on the Android earlier this year.
The next Angry Birds could simply be the new Angry Birds. Rovio chief executive Peter Vesterbacka recently told the BBC there were plans for another Angry Birds game that would involve the same characters but be completely different in scope.
