Posted 10/13/2011 at 5:15am | by Andrew Groen If you're unfamiliar with the story of PopCap's relationship with young Owain Weinert then you should probably read our story about it from earlier this year. In short, Owain Weinert has leukemia, and made a wish through the Make-a-Wish Foundation to create his own video game. PopCap stepped up to the plate, made it happen, and now it's a free, universal app. For giving us that incredible story alone, this game should warrant a download on every iOS device on the planet. However, charity doesn't need to be your only excuse for downloading Allied Star Police. It's also really fun. Just click the unit you want, then the lane you want it to drive down and the AI will do the rest! Allied Star Police has a lot in common with App Store favorite Trenches -- you create units to charge forward onto Read More

...most talked about #iPhone app in the last 24hrs was: Allied Star Police http://bit.ly/mQbXCN... Read More

You may remember the story of Owain Weinert, a 9 year-old diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who got invited to PopCap Games via the Make-a-wish foundation to help design and release a brand new iOS game. That title, eventually called Allied Star Police, is available now for free on the App Store. It's available through PopCap's experimental 4th and Battery studio, and I have to say -- it's pretty darn good. The game plays kind of like a more dynamic version of Plants vs. Zombies, where you summon various types of shooter ships to fly down lanes of attackers, eventually fighting their way over to blow up an enemy base. There are some good game design ideas here, too -- as you earn money for destroying enemy ships, you can slowly build up to more and more powerful weaponry, eventually leading an army of destroyers to take out your enemy. I Read More

Browsing the App Store this weekend?  If so, here are ten applications released recently. An innovative, artistic music app created by Icelandic musician Bjork.  It’s as you’d expect really, creative, unusual, ethereal and more than a little bit mad.  It’s universal for the iPhone and iPad and although the app is free, songs must be purchased inside the app.   Free. A really clever app where you can share pictures, contacts and your locations with the person you’re calling, while actually making the call!  You’ll need a simultaneous data connection though.  Free. A touch-enhanced version of Sid Meier’s classic pirate adventure game, with great new graphics and all the swash-buckling you remember.  Game Center support and iPad only.  $3.99/£ The latest from PopCap and 4th and Battery, made in conjunction with Make-a-Wish and Owain Weinert, is a side-scrolling shooter with some great iTunes reviews.  Go download it!  Free. A social game Read More

Another batch of free games, just like we do EVERY week! Woohoo! Allied Star Police If you are not familiar with the Allied Star Police then you are not familiar with the story of Owain Weinert.  This brave child was paired up with PopCap through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the company helped turn his game concept into a full iOS title.  Looking at the production values alone it would be impossible to determine that this was the brainchild of a 9 year old.  It looks and plays amazingly well, proving that you don’t have to be a industry veteran to have a great concept for a game. FREE! + Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Released: 2011-07-21 :: Category: Games Deadlock: Online Let’s face it, dual stick shooters are nothing truly revolutionary to the iOS.  On the other hand, not that many of these games feature anything that would Read More

Image: PopCap Those Make-A-Wish stories are always a bit tough to read. It’s both heart-warming and heart-wrenching to read the story of a terminally child being given the opporotunity to do that one thing he or she has always wanted to do in life. Either way, Make-A-Wish is awesome. PopCap is also awesome. 10-year-old Owain was diagnosed with pre-B acute lymphomatic leukemia last year, and has been going through treatment since. He’s always wanted to see what it’s like to work with game developers, and PopCap decided to bring him along for the ride and make a game during PopCamp. What’s actually very neat about all this is that even the designers were impressed when the kid showed up with a powerpoint presentation detailing his ideas for the game. As PopCap shows, the kid had a backstory already written: “You are a military genius who has just been released from cryo-sleep. Read More

By Chris Oldroyd, Friday, Jul 22, 2011 | A nine year old boy has developed his own iPhone game and it is now available in the App Store. Owain Weinert has pre-B Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia and one of his wishes was to develop his own iPhone game. He asked the Make-a-Wish Foundation, who did what they do best and made his dream a reality. The game he developed with 4th & Battery is called Allied Star Police. It was released yesterday and already has a few 5 star ratings. You take command of the Allied Star Police and it is your responsibility to blast your enemies in the side scrolling all action shooter! Read More