Ready to join in the rest of the Xbox Live community to take on a quest for gold and glory? Good, because last week's release of Order and Chaos is still there waiting for you to accept the challenge. And if you've any MMORPG blood in you, you'll feel it calling out to you from your Windows Phone.
It's here. It's finally here. Microsoft's console-saving franchise arrives on Windows Phone. With a tweaked look suitable for mobile, control systems that work on a touchscreen, and the same level of action and adventure as the parent franchise, Halo: Spartan Assault has a weight of expectation on it like no other Xbox Live game on Windows Phone before it, and perhaps even afterwards. After a week of almost non-stop playing, let's lock and load, trooper, and find out if the wait has been worth it.
How do you update the humble bat and ball game for the 21st Century smartphone? Some of the earliest home computer games involved a paddle that could be moved up and down a screen, with a pixelated ball moving between two bats. Forty years or so later, and we have one answer in the Windows Phone game Retron.
Time for one of the heavyweight names in modern gaming to arrive on Windows Phone. Electronic Art's yearly football franchise title, FIFA 13, was released last week on Xbox Live through the usual EA/Nokia exclusive arrangement. If you're able to download it and haven't done so yet, you should, because it's really well done.
Majesty, or to give it its full title, "Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim", is an isometric strategy game that sees you balancing resources to build and equip your own kingdom, while exploring the surrounding area with your knights, wizards, scouts, and other 'heroes' to conduct quests, find treasure, and defeat your enemies. It's got a lot of depth, but while complex, it's never overpowering on your smartphone - which is good going for a port from a PC title.
Mass Effect: Infiltrator is another first person mobile shooter for your Windows Phone, but not everyone can get this title just yet. It's another Lumia exclusive from Nokia and EA, and in a way that's a shame, because it's perfectly suited to a mobile environment.
It's a bit of a blast from the past, but Nokia's Xbox Live exclusive title NBA Jam is going to set many hearts a flutter. This classic standalone arcade game from 1993 started the whole NBA Jam series off, and even today it remains playable and challenging. Yes, even on a Windows Phone device.
Pushing the envelope for Windows Phone gaming is the Xbox Live title N.O.V.A. 3. Along with Modern Combat (also from Gameloft), the title is a fully featured first person shooter. Can the modern smartphone handle something as complex as a home based console? Almost...
So let's talk about Jetpack Joyride. If you've ever picked up a handset, running another smartphone platform, with a handful of games, the chances are you'll have come across Jetpack Joyride. It's an infinite scrolling game, where you fly with your jetpack for as long as possible. Windows Phone is still playing catch-up in terms of the expected mobile games, so Halfbrick's arcade button presser is the latest 'historical' to get the Xbox Live branding.
Dots is addictive, intoxicating, and perhaps one of the weirdest gaming experiences I've personally had during 2013. Earlier in the year the game "Dots" was released on iOS from Nerdy Octopus and Betaworks. It's still horribly addictive. And now it's (kind of) here on Windows Phone.
