Last week, we broke the news that Gameloft's Asphalt Overdrive would soon be launching, which it did just a few days larer. Asphalt Overdrive is a new take on the Asphalt series, with simplified controls and endless races. It's still just as fast and beautiful as you'd expect from an Asphalt game though, with plenty of familiar series touches.

Overdrive is free to play like Asphalt 8, and a much smaller download (though it downloads more data after you launch it). It works on all Windows Phone 8 devices, but it does require a constant internet connection. Read on for some quick impressions and our hands-on video, and then be sure to try it for yourself and join the WPCentral gang!

Three-lane driving

Whereas the mainline Asphalt games are serious arcade racers with big tracks and online multiplayer, Overdrive is a deliberately simplified spin-off. Your car races forward constantly, making this an "endless racer." Swiping left or right switches between the three lanes of the road. It's a fast and easy way to get around, making the game perfect for one-handed play.

You'll want to avoid ramming cars from behind as that will slow you down and make it easier for the cops to bust you. But smashing into cars from the side will knock them off road, filling up your Nitro meter. Just don't try to take down a bus; you won't win that fight. Double-tap the screen to activate your Nitro and zoom away from your lawful pursuers.

Naturally Overdrive also has a stunt system. Whenever you drive over a ramp, you can swipe up, left, or right to do flips and spectacular stunts. These will boost your score like crazy. Oftentimes you'll see floating power-ups that can only be grabbed by performing a mid-air lane change, which is pretty fun to do.

Career

Even though Asphalt Overdrive is patterned after endless runners, it features an extensive event-based career mode (not unlike Spider-Man Unlimited's story mode). Players will select from numerous types of events, such as cop getaways (reach the finish without getting caught), destruction (knock down a target number of cars), stunt runs, and more. The more stars you get, the more events you'll unlock.

Some events require the purchase of specific cars and trucks, probably necessitating some grinding for funds. You can even unlock boss races. With five maps full of events, the Career will take a long time to race through.

Join the WPCentral gang (when room opens up)

Social functions can make or break a free to play game. Asphalt Overdrive's is one you'll definitely want to try. Players can join racing gangs in order to work together towards special rewards. Most importantly, energy refills faster for gang members. We had to name our gang WPCentralCom because some overzealous individual squatted on our name. WPCentralCom is the real one, folks. The gang is currently full, but you can keep up with openings and gang discussion in our Asphalt Overdrive gang forum thread.

Asphalt Overdrive has an energy system. You can store up to ten units of energy at a time, twice as much as in Spider-Man Unlimited. But the energy refills a little slower here, balancing things out. Energy refills cost gold (premium currency). We'll have to play more to see what else you might need gold for.

Ready to race

Like other versions of the game, the Windows Phone version needs to download some extra data when you first launch the game. Curiously, our version also has to download the cars you choose from at the start of the game – not something I experienced on my Android tablet. But that's the last time you'll have to download the cars. It's a very minor inconvenience.

Asphalt Overdrive is a lot of fun so far. I get the feeling that races will get really tough until you upgrade your car and buy better cars. Hopefully free players can have just as much fun as paying players. We'll continue racing and report back with more coverage soon.

• Asphalt Overdrive – Windows Phone 8 – ~500 MB – Free – Store Link
• Asphalt Overdrive – Windows 8 and RT – ~500 MB – Free – Store Link

Gameloft is certainly committed to the Windows and Windows Phone ecosystem, as the publishing house has released numerous games for both platforms over the last few months. Today, this continues with Cars: Fast as Lightning, based off the hit Pixar movie Cars 2 (2011).

Cars: Fast as Lightning is being simultaneously released on the App Store, Google Play, and Windows. As of now, we do not see a Windows Phone version, though it may pop up later.

The game weighs in at 104 MB, is free, and it runs on RT devices as well as x86/x64 Windows 8.1 machines. We did run into a few hiccups running the Windows 10 preview, but our Surface 2 ran the game just fine, albeit with slightly more choppiness.

Cars: Fast as Lightning lets the user race around the track, jumping ramps and dodging various obstacles. The race itself is guided, with the user only controlling acceleration, braking and ramping.

The game boasts the following features:

• Lightning McQueen and Mater are hosting a racing EXTRAVAGANZA and they're going to need some speed!
• The official Disney/Pixar Cars game with 20 characters to race as and customize with paint jobs!
• High-quality acting and animations with Owen Wilson as the voice of Lightning McQueen!
• Acceleration-charged racing with easy-to-learn controls, fast nitro boosts & other speedy surprises!
• Completely customizable racing experience to perform amazing stunts!
• A Radiator Springs building game, featuring over 30 interactive town buildings!

The game is free, but there are optional in-app purchases that can be made to 'cheat' and get ahead early on without collecting the gems and stickers. Still, the game looks to be a lot of fun for the younglings, and we did not mind playing it too much either.

• Download Cars: Fast as Lighting for Windows 8.1 (Free)

Thanks, Zapella T., for the tip!

Cars: Fast as Lightning is now available for Windows Phone. The latest game from mobile developer Gameloft dropped last Friday on Windows 8.1. Now those on Windows Phone can enjoy the game based on the popular Pixar series. And it's free.

Here's what you get with Cars: Fast as Lightning according to the description:

THE OFFICIAL DISNEY PIXAR CARS GAME!

• Dive into a true Cars experience, capturing the personality of the characters that kids and fans have come to love!
• High-quality voice acting and animation cutscenes, including Owen Wilson as the voice of Lightning McQueen!
• From the legendary Lightning McQueen to the exuberant Francesco Bernoulli, race as 20 Cars characters that you can upgrade and customize with quirky paint jobs! Race as the Radiator Springs Cars, Tuner Cars, Spy Cars, or International Racers!

HIGH-OCTANE, CUSTOMIZABLE RACING!

• Are you up to speed? Feel the asphalt under your wheels in an acceleration-charged racing experience with easy-to-learn controls, nitro boosts and other speedy surprises!
• Completely customizable racing experience! From Rocky Loops to Roller Coasters, add track pieces to perform amazing stunts!
• Hit the accelerator! Compete with your friends, see their races, and beat their track times in weekly tournaments!

BUILD YOUR OWN RADIATOR SPRINGS!

• A fun Radiator Springs building experience, featuring over 30 interactive buildings, including Luigi's Casa Della Tires and Fillmore's Taste-In!
• Characters, buildings and landmarks iconic to the Cars movies created in beautiful 3D graphics, all with cute and funny animations!

The game is available for free and works on 512 MB devices! There are in-app purchases, but you probably already knew that. Enjoying this game on your Surface? Then download the Windows Phone version and let us know what you think of it!

• Download Cars: Fast as Lightning for Windows Phone (Free/In-app purchases)
• Download Cars: Fast as Lightning for Windows 8.1 (Free/In-app purchases)

Thanks for the tip everyone!

Spider-Man Unlimited arrived on mobile back in September. The game instantly webbed me with its great graphics, huge array of collectible characters, and overall excellent use of the Spider-Man license. But I also caught many bugs in my review that I hoped would be fixed before long.

Just in time for Halloween, Gameloft has delivered a major update to Spider-Man Unlimited. The update adds a fourth "issue" to the game's story mode starring the Sandman, a limited time holiday event featuring Jack O'Lantern, and a host of changes and bug fixes. Most importantly for Windows Phone users, it now runs on devices with 512 MB of RAM! Read on for our detailed impressions of the new content and changes!

Halloween events

From now through November 1st, players can take on two limited time events: "Halloween Horror" and "Fright Night." The first offers the Scarlett Spider as a grand prize, the second Spider-Man 2099 – both six-star Spideys. Actually coming in first to get those top prizes is really hard – I've only done it two or three times – but always fun to try.

The events differ from normal ones in several ways. They take place at dusk, creating a suitably spooky atmosphere. One of the events tasks Spider-man with collectible jack-o-lanterns that have been spread throughout the city (a fun task).

Most excitingly, both Halloween missions star an all-new boss named Jack O'Lantern. You might not recognize him, but Jack O'Lantern is a genuine Spider-man villain created in 1981. He looks like you'd expect, being a pumpkin-headed guy. He floats on a UFO-like glider and tosses pumpkin bombs, not unlike Green Goblin.

I'll miss fighting him when the events end!

Easier rank ups

The new story levels require characters of level 60 and higher to play – five star or higher characters, in other words. Actually raising a hero up to that many stars was quite difficult prior to the update since you needed to sacrifice not only a double of that exact character but also two more cards of similar level.

Thankfully, the update has made ranking up Spideys much easier than before. Now players only need one double of the character whose rank they wish to raise, without the requirement of two extra characters. If you have two of the same hero, you can rank him up right then and there with no strings attached.

While rank ups are less difficult, actually leveling up characters has gotten harder. Before the update, you could get rid of unwanted Spideys by using them to level up another character. The cost for leveling up was a flat 500 vials (practically nothing).

The update boosts the cost of leveling up a hero significantly. Each character you sacrifice adds about 4,000 vials to the cost, making for a very expensive proposition. You'd have to grind a bunch just to earn the soft currency needed to get rid of unwanted characters.

Fret not, because Gameloft has added a new way to get rid of unwanted Spider-Dudes. You can now sell them from the "My Team" screen by tapping a button at the top-left corner. Spideys don't sell for a lot, but at least you gain vials by cashing them out instead of going broke as you would from leveling them up.

Enter the Sandman

This update also boosts Spider-man Unlimited's story content significantly thanks to the addition of "Issue 4: Against the Grain." Yes, they named it after one of the best Bad Religion songs ever… I like to think so, anyway.

Issues are maps containing unique, non-endless story missions. Issue 4 holds 25 such missions, which will take a few hours for skilled web slingers to work through. A new NPC (non-player character) shows up in some of these missions: Carlie Cooper. In the comics, Carlie is a police officer who befriends Peter Parker and eventually dates him. Nice to see a newer, somewhat lesser-known character join the story.

"Against the Grain" also brings in a new environment for Peter Parker and friends to run and swing through. The new area contains a train station with lots of elevated tracks and signs to dodge. Portions of it require Spider-Man to run along a moving train, which proves quite challenging. Be sure to slide under the floating mine when you first land on the train.

The most exciting part of Issue 4 has to be the new villain: Sandman. One of Spider-man Unlimited's gimmicks is that Spider-man must face not only familiar villains, but also alternate versions of those villains. And so Sandman brings along four of his variations, making for a total of five Sandmen to battle.

The new bosses are Sandman, Pure Sand Sandman, Classic Sandman, Noir Sandman, and Dark Sandman. Regular Sandman and Classic Sandman are mostly identical except for Classic Sandman's lighter shirt stripes though, making the 'Classic' variant essentially a waste of a variant.

Then again, nearly every genuine comic version of Sandman looks just like the original version. Noir Sandman and 1602 Sandman are the only notably different versions of the character. Perhaps Gameloft couldn't use the 1602 version in the game. If they simply chose not to include him, what a missed opportunity.

When you actually fight Sandman, he spends the entire battle with his legs turned into a stream of sand. This allows him to effectively "fly" across the level just like the genuine flying bosses. He attacks with gigantic sand fists and spiked sand balls.

When I fought Sandman for the final time in the train station, the camera inexplicably changed its angle, making obstacles difficult to see. Normally he's fun to fight though.

Squash the spiders, I mean bugs

This update also brings with it the promise of bug fixes! One bug that seems to have been squashed used to occur on the Social menu. Prior to the update, the option to gift energy to my friends nearly always failed to appear. Today I managed to send the energy without issues. Well, the social menu scrolling is still horribly slow and erratic. Baby steps!

The big question is whether the update fixes the "Energy refill" bug. At launch, some users experienced an issue in which their energy would not refills for several days. Quite a bummer, and more than a few of the affected left the game for greener pastures.

We understand that Gameloft is aware of the bug, but the publisher couldn't confirm whether it had been fixed in this update or not. My gut says it has. Have any of you guys run into since installing the Issue 4 update?

More to come

Another big addition promised by his update involves a fairly new comic character named Spider-Gwen. First introduced in the Spider-Verse book earlier this year, Spider-Gwen is an alternate reality version of Gwen Stacy who was bitten by a radioactive spider, gaining Spider-Man's traditional powers. The character is so popular that she will receive her own series next year.

Gameloft promises more female characters to come, including Spider-Girl, a favorite of mine. Like Spider-Gwen she is an alternate reality character, this time the daughter of a retired Peter Parker. Another female character that was not mentioned but could be introduced is Silk(pictured on right), a girl bitten by the very same spider that gave Peter his powers.

Gwen and Spider-Girl will be introduced to the game within the next few weeks, likely as prizes for completing limited time events. Again, these grand prizes are tough to get, so don't expect to earn them right away. But they also get added into the mix when you buy characters with ISO-8, so you're bound to get them if you stick with the game long enough.

Spider-Man Unlimited was already a great endless runner prior to the latest update. Now that it boasts even more content and one or two fewer bugs, it's just that much better. Give it a chance, read our strategy guide for tips, and you just might get hooked on the game's nearly unlimited fun factor.

• Download Spider-man Unlimited for Windows Phone (Free)

You may remember that back at CES 2014 in January, we got a live demo of Brothers In Arms 3: Sons of War from the folks at Gameloft. At the time, the World War II-themed game was supposed to be released later that quarter. That date came and went with no such launch but this week Gameloft has confirmed that Brothers In Arms 3 will finally be released later in December for Windows Phone and other platforms.

Gameloft has also released a new trailer for the game, based on the popular Gearbox Software franchise. Originally, Brothers In Arms 3 was supposed to be an on-rails, third-person squad shooter but now it will allow the player to freely move their character, which might explain the delay in the game's launch. There will be 12 "brothers" to pick from in the game, each with their own special abilities.

The trailer looks very cool so hopefully the long wait will be worth it.

Source: Gameloft (YouTube)

Last year, Gameloft unleashed the first and only Xbox-enabled MMORPG on Windows Phone: Order & Chaos Online. While Order & Chaos Online is basically a World of Warcraft clone, it's also an utterly massive and compelling game – especially for a phone game. If we had a game like that on Xbox consoles, I'd never leave the house (and now we kind of do, thanks to Onigiri).

Unfortunately, Order & Chaos Online suffered from a few frustrating bugs like uncompletable dungeons and unpurchasable pets, not to mention graphical glitches on the Lumia 1520. Gameloft last updated the game in August 2013, just before deciding to drop Xbox support on its Windows Phone and Windows 8 titles.

Don't despair! Windows Central is proud to announce that Order & Chaos Online is not only going to be updated next week, it's also launching on Windows 8 and RT – with Xbox support. Read on for exclusive details on the update and Gameloft's future plans for Windows Phone and Windows 8.

Update or new version?

When I learned that Order & Chaos Online would be making a comeback on Windows Phone, my first question was whether Gameloft would simply publish the updated version as a new game. We've seen developers who struggled with updating their Xbox Windows Phone titles in the past do just that, delisting the Xbox version and releasing a non-Xbox version with new features. Carcassonne and Doodle Jump are a couple of examples of games that got better after they dropped the Xbox branding.

Still, killing the original Xbox version of Order & Chaos Online would be a shame for a few reasons. One, existing players already paid for the game. Two: players who don't have all of the game's Xbox Achievements would never be able to complete them. And three: people who put many hours into their characters and accounts on the old version would be extremely disappointed if they lost those characters in the new version.

Lucky for all of us, Gameloft has decided to put in the extra effort associated with the Xbox certification process, and will be updating the existing Xbox version of Order & Chaos Online. People who bought the game over a year ago will finally have access to all the new features that have come to the iOS and Android versions since then. Nobody will lose their characters, and now they will have lots of new quests and areas with which to develop them further.

New price and Windows 8 version

Massively multiplayer online games live or die by their player bases. Because Gameloft never updated Order & Chaos Online on Windows Phone or fixed the things that were wrong with it, people who had bought the game stopped playing it. Potential new players had little reason to pick the game up, knowing that it had been abandoned and become a ghost town. A viscious cycle.

Luckily, several new factors will help keep the relaunched game populated and thriving. Besides the new content, the Windows Phone version will also be getting a new price: free! Yes, our version of Order & Chaos Online will go free to play when the update hits, just like the iOS and Android versions have done. The game previously cost $6.99, making it inaccessible to cheapskates. But as a free to play title, there will be no barrier to entry and everybody will have a chance to join in the fun.

What's more, Order & Chaos Online will also be launching on Windows 8 and RT either on the same day as the Windows Phone update or shortly thereafter. The tablet and PC versions should share the same servers as the phone game, meaning the potential player base will actually double! Not only will the game look better than ever when played on the larger screens of Windows 8 devices, it might even support Xbox controllers. We're still verifying controller support with Gameloft.

Update features

• Competitive Multiplayer:
  • Battlefields (PvP)
  • Capture the Flag
  • 2v2 or 4v4 challenges
  • League of Champions: join a league of legendary warriors and earn Honor Points based on your team performance. Rise to the top of your League leaderboard and redeem Honor Points for special weapons and equipment.
  • Leaderboards
• New Dungeons & Regions:
  • Caves of Tear Coast
  • Ruin of Vliya Temple
  • Fate of Collapse
  • Arcadian Forest
  • Under Realm
  • Frostlund
• New Items:
  • Black Market: secret auction full of rare and unique items
• New Quests
  • New Challenges: daily and weekly quests for rewards
• New Mounts & Pets
• Revamped interface
• Overall bug fixes and system optimizations

Dungeon Hunter 4

Coming back into the Xbox fold

Gameloft's decision to bring the Windows Phone version of Order & Chaos Online up to speed, as well as releasing Windows 8 and RT versions, signals a dramatic change of heart for the publisher. The company officially dropped Xbox support November of last year, ceasing to update its Xbox titles and releasing new games like Asphalt 8 and Dungeon Hunter 4 without Xbox features. Many tears were shed, some feet were stamped, and everyone's cats continued to do cute things like hide in boxes.

This year though, the company has decided to soften its stance on Xbox support for Windows platforms. Gameloft wouldn't go into much detail about it, but they did reveal that some technical hurdles that had previously caused them to move away from Xbox support have been removed. This coincides with what seems to be a fresh trickle of Xbox titles, such as Bad Piggies and ExZeus2. Perhaps Microsoft really has eased up on its draconian certification process.

Does that mean that Xbox for Windows Phone and Windows 8 is back from the dead? No, no. Unless Microsoft has reduced the Xbox certification process to the same level of unobtrusiveness as Google Play and Game Center, most developers will avoid bothering with Xbox for Windows Phone. But Gameloft, Microsoft, and the occasional random developer like ExZeus2's HyperDevBox will put out an Xbox game now and then. Nobody should limit themselves to only Xbox games, but at least we'll all have a few more Xbox games now that Gameloft has come back on-board.

Asphalt Overdrive

More Xbox updates and games coming

Speaking of Gameloft, the publisher has updates in store for more than just Order & Chaos Online. I'm told that UNO & Friends will also be getting an update. Gameloft didn't specify, but presumably the update will add the House feature that arrived on other platforms last month. Houses are UNO's equivalent of clans, allowing players to team up and earn greater rewards. With a game as simplistic as UNO, every little bit helps.

More excitingly, some of Gameloft's non-Xbox games will get the Xbox treatment. The only one that we know for sure will become Xbox-enabled is Asphalt Overdrive. The game was updated on other platforms last week, so we can expect the Xbox features will come when Windows Phone gets that update. Look forward to new cars, new race types, and more.

Will Gameloft update its other big game Spider-man Unlimited with Xbox Achievements? We can only hope so! Then again, we also have to cross our fingers that the Xbox certification process won't cause any more undue delays with title updates for whatever games Gameloft gives the Xbox treatment. Some people just need their Achievements, but wise gamers want feature parity with other platforms most of all – and then Achievements!

Order & Chaos Online could be updated on Windows Phone and launched on Windows 8 and RT as early as Monday, December 15th. We'll let you know as soon as it happens!

Last week we broke the news that Gameloft would be updating Order & Chaos Online for Windows Phone at long last. In the same story, I mentioned that the publisher also has plans to update some of its non-Xbox titles to include Xbox features. We named Asphalt Overdrive as one game that will be switching to Xbox-enabled, but also promised there would be more.

Today the first game in the "more" category has become an Xbox Windows Phone title: World at Arms! A military-themed city building game with a strong player-versus-player focus, World at Arms is even more enjoyable with Xbox Achievements. It's free to play and compatible with 512 MB RAM devices, to boot. Read on for our detailed impressions of the newly-enhanced game.

Build and conquer

In World at Arms, your nation is embroiled in a war against the villainous Sony hackers, I mean KRA. To stop their advances, you'll have to build a thriving military empire. But before you can form alliances with friendlies and take down enemy players, you'll have to establish and grow your home base.

The base has several types of buildings to construct:

• Housing (income): These ostensibly keep the rain off your soldiers' heads, but more importantly, they generate gold (soft currency) over time. Cheap ones pump out tiny quantities of gold quickly; expensive ones pay more but take longer to dish it out.
• Energy: As with Game Insight's My Country series, each building you construct has an energy cost. Buy power plants (which are relatively expensive) in order to increase your building capacity.
• Military: Different types of buildings generate different units. At first you can only build infantry and land-based vehicles like tanks and APCs. Eventually you'll unlock the ability to create air and sea vehicles as well.
• Oil Supply: Attacking enemies (AI or human) costs oil, Build oil wells and gas stations to mine and store this precious resource.

Everything takes varying amounts of time to build, and varying amounts of time to produce whatever they make. That's mobile city builders for you.

Attack the block

World at Arms has a single-player campaign in which you fight battles against AI opponents and progress through a simple story. More campaign missions will unlock as players level up and complete specific quests.

Battles are simple. Manually choose units or auto-assign them to your team, start the fight, and both sides will blast away at each other. There is some interaction during fights though, as you can pick up crates that appear or tap exploding barrels to damage your enemies. Sometimes you'll have to swipe a missile down from the sky as well. They're fast and fun little skirmishes.

The game has a big PVP component, so you'll be asynchronously attacking other players much of the time. Players can place bounties on each other (there's an Achievement for it), so defeating a player with a bounty will get you big rewards. You can then invade the downed opponent's base, getting a peak at it, and earning a tiny bit of gold and hearts (social currency).

In-app purchases

Being a free to play game, World at Arms has several types of currencies and resources to manage. Gold is the main one, which you can mine easily enough. Then there's oil and energy, which we discussed before. Hearts earned from social interactions and invasions can be spent on special units.

The premium currency is medals. Each type of building you can buy with coins also has a premium version that costs medals. Buy a premium housing building and it will generate more money than a regular one, etc. Players can even buy a mech, but only with medals.

It's a mostly fair system. Spend a little money if you want to move through the game faster, or just play for free at a slower pace.

Facebook Integration and social features

World at Arms supports Facebook integration, which serves a few purposes. One: it enables cloud saving, which means your save file will transfer between devices. Very important in mobile games.

Two, the game's social features use Facebook. In other words, to add someone to your friends list who you haven't met through normal battles or chat, you'll have to invite them through Facebook. As far as I can tell, the game doesn't use your Xbox Live friends list at all. A missed opportunity.

Unlike most city building games, this one also supports global chat! By default, the chat window occupies the bottom of the screen. You can watch as your fellow players trade strategies and chat away. The game has an overzealous auto-censor function, so like half of what everybody says is blocked out by asterisks. Still, the ability to chat with each other is a nice way to pass the time while you're waiting for your units to complete and such!

Xbox Live Achievements

The big new feature in this update is Xbox Live integration. You'll know if you got the update because there's now an Xbox button on the right side of the screen during gameplay. Tap the button and you'll be taken to the Achievement list.

The Achievement list offers a wide array of Achievements, only some of which are Xbox Live Achievements. These are indicated by an Xbox symbol, naturally. A few of the Achievements will unlock quickly, but most of them are quite time consuming. Some even have multiple stages, indicated by bars to the left of their names. Generally, you can also track how far along you are (such as how many units you've produced), which is quite handy.

A handful of Achievements involve doing things like attacking players who have attacked you one thousand times. That will take just about forever, even if you boost it with a friend or two. It's a shame that Gameloft would add Achievements only to make some of them PITAs. But I suppose they want us to keep playing and being tempted to buy medals!

Join the Windows Central faction!

Once you reach level 10, you'll unlock the ability to create or join factions. These are World at Arms' version of clans. Up to 50 people can join in a faction – quite a lot more than Royal Revolt 2's skimpy alliance member limits!

We've already raced to level 10 and created an official Windows Central faction for you to join. The faction name is WCentral (due to character limits). Once you unlock the ability, please head to our World at Arms faction forum thread and team up with us in-game!

The war is just beginning

World at Arms is one of many, many city builders. Gameloft already has a similar Xbox-enabled game on Windows platforms: Kingdoms & Lords. So far, the combat system, chat support, and factions make World at Arms more engaging than Kingdoms & Lords.

It's great that Gameloft has taken an existing game and given it a new lease on life with Xbox support. Now that we can earn Gamerscore from it, a whole new group of players will be engaging in World at Arms. I doubt most will stick around for the eternity that a few of those Achievements will take to earn, but they'll probably enjoy it for at least a while.

Let's hope that Gameloft gives the Xbox treatment to more of their best games, especially Spider-Man Unlimited and Dungeon Hunter 4!

• Download World at Arms for Windows Phone (Free)

Thanks to David Silva and Usama Jawad for letting us know about the Xbox update!

Order & Chaos Online has received an update, it's first since August 2013. As we reported last week the title, formerly $6.99, is now free to play on Windows Phone.

Players can now look to enjoy all of the new features found in the iOS and Android versions of the game. These include new competitive multiplayer features, brand new dungeons and regions, and new quests. The new features are available as an update to the existing game, so if you have Order & Chaos Online already installed, then all you need to do is update.

Download Order & Chaos Online from the Windows Phone Store

Gameloft continues to update a number of its games for the Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 platforms. Today, it released a major update for its free-to-play historical strategy game Total Conquest that adds Xbox Live support along with some other new content, features and improvements.

Gameloft previously told Windows Central that many of its non-Xbox Live games for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 would soon be updated to include Xbox Live features, and this is certainly an example of this support. But there's much more for fans of Total Conquest to check out today. Here's the changelog:

CONQUEST MODE

• The ultimate test of strategy & teamwork
• Battle rival factions across a map of the Empire

THE PHOENIX RISES

• A new unit only available as a Conquest Mode reward
• Explodes upon death & returns to the fight once per battle

MORE COOL STUFF

• Graphics Upgrade: Environments that are more vibrant & stylized
• Request reinforcements via chat for the exact troops you need

We will post up news when more Gameloft titles gain Xbox Live support.

• Download Total Conquest from the Windows Phone Store
• Download Total Conquest from the Windows Store

Thanks to Sachinmeet for the tip!

Do you feel changes in the wind? That may because terrifying, yet super-cute beasts have been let loose on Microsoft's mobile platform. Dragon Mania Legends is the latest freemium game by Gameloft, now ready for download on the store. The title puts players in charge of breeding hatchlings, training powerful dragons and... cuddling them.

Here are highlighted features on the Windows Phone Store listing:

• Build a variety of habitats on your own Dragon Island
• Have your most powerful dragons breed to make strong hatchlings
• Feed, cuddle and train your baby dragons in an interactive experience
• Collect and discover all kinds of different dragons!
• Master a never-before-seen, engaging and dynamic 3-on-3 battle system
• Unleash Dragon Fury and thrash your way to victory!
• Teach your dragons special skills
• Choose your own path and explore a vast world with over 100 points of interest
• Visit and send gifts to other players around Dragolandia
• Face off against other players in the Arena and win exclusive prizes!

The game contains over 100 species of unique dragons to discover as you travel on your road to become the ultimate Dragon Lord, boasting your collection of terrifying beasts. Breed, explore, train and battle. If you're a fan of freemium games by Gameloft, you may wish to give this a try.

• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows Phone
• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows

Thanks, Yahia M., for the tip!

UNO & Friends, the Windows Phone version of the classic family card game, received an update today that adds a new game mode, UNO Dare, for a limited time, along with some other features.

Here's what's new in the 1.9.0.18 update:

• Enjoy a new twist with a NEW MODE: UNO Dare! Available for a limited time only! Skip drawing cards whenever a Draw 2 card is played -- but only if you accept the Dare!
• Collect wacky NEW AVATARS in UNO Dare to receive special bonuses whenever you have them equipped, in any mode!
• Get the chance to multiply your rewards or WIN EXCLUSIVE REWARDS by spinning the UNO Dare wheel at the end of each UNO Dare game!

There's no word on how long the new UNO Dare mode will last. Be sure to give us your opinion on this mode in the comments.

• Download UNO & Friends from the Windows Phone Store

Thanks to Dwane for the tip!

Puzzle Pets is the latest hit from Gameloft to arrive on Windows Phone. This new match-3 game will task players with entering a colorful and vibrant world to interact with pets and special abilities for some unpredictable gameplay. If you're a fan of these games, you'll definitely want to save some space for Puzzle Pets.

Not only are there pets with helpful abilities, but players also have access to unique boosters that will aid the adventurer as he (or she) traverses across the different islands, totaling 126 levels.

Here's a list of highlighted features from the store listing:

• Match up to 6 pets & create over 10 colourful combos!
• Watch these pets turn into Helpers during your adventure, unveiling stunning new tricks!
• Train and master these Helpers to clear the island of its threats: ice, iron, poison plants...
• Progress through snowy mountains, lush forests and 5 other uniquely themed islands packed with enchanting scenery thanks to 126 exciting levels.
• Find your favourite strategy with 7 boosters from the spectacular Tornado to the curious Chameleon's Tongue!
• Join exciting in-game events and help the community unlock precious rewards, including extra cool and rare Helpers during breathtaking boss battles!
• See what your friends are up to and what special events are happening directly from the World Map & Leaderboards.

Hit the download link below to be taken into a world of pets, bosses and matching stuff. The Windows 8 version should be going live shortly too.

Download Puzzle Pets for Windows Phone (87MB - free)

Thanks, Aman B., for the tip!

During my recent trip to PAX South, I had the pleasure of meeting up with some fine folks from Gameloft and playing their current tablet build of Dungeon Hunter 5. The latest in the popular action-RPG series, Dungeon Hunter 5 promises better graphics, an improved system, and much more. It will be coming to Windows Phone, Windows 8, Android, and iOS later this year.

Since playing Dungeon Hunter 5 I've been dying to tell you more about it, and at last I'm free to do just that. Read on for my impressions, an in-depth look at some of the new systems and improvements it, and an update on potential Xbox Live features!

Multiple types of missions and goals

Dungeon Hunter 5 will feature an epic campaign, not unlike Dungeon Hunter 4. I played through an early portion of the campaign on a tablet and was quite impressed with the scale that Gameloft has achieved in the new game.

After creating your own unique character (I chose an archer), you're thrust right into the thick of things during a demonic invasion. An evil force has wrecked the local castle, creating an impressive sense of destruction.

Gameloft touts the increased environmental detail in this game. The environments really do look better and feel larger, with tons of detail not just at ground level but in walls, archways, and other structures. The level I played had a sense of verticality to it that you might not expect from a dungeon crawler.

Daily dungeons and weekly events

Every day of the week offers a different type of dungeon. Each daily dungeon type offers different Evo Materials as rewards. Provided these dungeons don't get too repetitive, I can see at least running through the dailies even when my time is limited.

In addition to daily dungeons, Gameloft plans weekly events for players to join. Whether these are specific levels or just optional objectives and goals associated with the campaign and other missions, we're not sure yet.

Naturally, each event will have a leaderboard. Players will earn prizes based on their leaderboard rank, not unlike the time-based events in World at Arms.

Multiplayer

In addition to single-player campaign and missions, Dungeon Hunter 5 supports both ascyncronous cooperative play and competitive play.

Since co-op seems to be strictly asynchronous (not real-time), you'll want to build up a friends list with which to recruit partners for missions. Most free to play games with asynchronous social mechanics only let you call on a friend's help once per day, so it wouldn't surprise me if that applies to Dungeon Hunter 5 as well.

When you take a friend's character along during campaign missions, both players will receive Bounty Tickets. Presumably Bounty Tickets can only be earned through co-op. These can be used to open Bounty Chests that contain unique rewards.

Strongholds and raiding

The all-new stronghold system basically brings Clash of Clans-style PvP raiding to the normally cooperative-focused Diablo-style action-RPGs.

Each player can create his or her own dungeon, placing minions and traps to defend it. Your minions will generate gold (likely based on defeating invading players) that you can spend on further defenses. You'll also be able to purchase shields for your stronghold, which will almost certainly cost premium currency. place minions, collect gold the minions generate, and optionally purchase shields for the stronghold

Raiding other players' strongholds asynchronously works like Cloud Raiders and similar games, except you'll directly control your character and fight through it like a dungeon. The final portion of a raid ends with you battling an AI version of the player who created the stronghold.

Players might be able to choose between several targets to raid rather than just being thrown into a specific match. By successfully raiding someone's stronghold, you'll earn rewards like gold, Quartz (premium currency?), and League Points.

All the loot

Seeing as how the Dungeon Hunter series is essentially Gameloft's take on Diablo, "loot" (weapons, armor, and other items) plays a huge role in the game. Players will earn loots as they progress through the campaign itself, join in online co-op, participate in various events, and raid other players' strongholds.

Gameloft has greatly expanded Dungeon Hunter 5's loot system. Each weapon and armor can be leveled up to increase it stats, and they'll often have elemental strengths and weaknesses as well. But the really big change comes from item fusion/evolution.

Gear fusion and super fusions

Players always tend to outgrow their equipment in games like this; it's the nature of the beast. But you can keep using weapons and armor a lot longer in Dungeon Hunter 5 thanks to the gear fusion system.

Fusing your gear together requires items that are already at max level, plus fusion resources called Evo Materials ((earned from Daily Dungeons). It will probably take a little time to complete fusions as well. Every piece of gear has a tier (depicted as a number of stars) indicating both its rarity and max level. The higher the tier and level, the higher its stats can go.

Combining four items of the same type will add fusion points to the resulting item. Fusion points are separate from the item's tier and level. These points increase the power of the item, such as greatly boosting a sword's attack power. Fusion points can also be transferred to other items of the same type.

Improved monetization

Although Dungeon Hunter 4 was a large and well-made free to play game, it suffered from an overabundance of in-app purchase hooks.

Free games with in-app purchases are by far the most popular type of mobile game, and developers depend on those in-app purchases to make a profit and continue adding new content and improvements to their games.

Still, there is a line at which point the IAP hooks become too annoying or prevent a game from being as fun as it should be – and many players would say that Dungeon Hunter 4's potion timers crossed that line. Potions are used to heal you character during combat, a vital mechanic in games like this. Unfortunately, once used, potions took several hours to become available once more unless a gamer ponied up real money for more. The end result is probably that some players used their potions, couldn't play anymore, and moved on to other games.

Gameloft couldn't go into full specifics about Dungeon Hunter 5's IAPs just yet, but they did promise one important thing. The new game will either not have potion timers or they will be much shorter. The idea is to keep you engaged with the game whether or not you feel like spending money. There will likely still be timers associated with other mechanics like the new gear fusion system, but nothing that will keep you from being able to play outright.

Xbox Live support: yay or nay?

Gameloft made a splash recently when it updated several Windows Phone and Windows 8 games like World at Arms to include Xbox Live support. Achievement fans hoped that Gameloft would release all of its future titles with Xbox support as well. It turns out that won't be the case.

Dungeon Hunter 5 will launch without Xbox Live features, much like the recently released Dragon Mania Legends. Still, this one is a good candidate for a future Xbox update, so players who grab it at launch will be ahead of the game compared to the crankypants who sit it out.

Regardless of Achievement systems, Dungeon Hunter 5 is looking like another killer mobile action-RPG so far. As long as this one doesn't go too overboard with IAPs or make players sit things out when their potions run dry, this should be one of the largest and deepest mobile Windows games of the year.

Paul Acevedo with Gameloft's Mandy and Ryan at the San Antonio Riverwalk

Dungeon Hunter 5 doesn't have a solid release date yet, but it should launch within the next few months. We'll have more exclusive coverage before then!

Dragon Mania Legends is a city building styled Windows Phone game where you rebuild he kingdom of Dragolandia where you breed dragons and fight off neighboring Vikings and their dragons.

Dragon Mania Legends includes over one hundred species of dragons to discover and plenty of side missions to tackle. Combat sequences are turned based pitting your dragons against the Vikings. The game is available for low-memory Windows Phones, as well as Windows 8 devices, and after spending a few days with the game, Dragon Mania Legends is a fun way to pass the time.

Plenty of Guidance

One thing is for certain with Dragon Mania Legends, the game provides you with plenty of guidance as you play. A host of characters will guide you through the various tasks involved with game play from helping you with the combat sequences to breeding your dragons to creating new buildings in your city.

Even the new tasks or missions that become available as you play Dragon Mania Legends are very user friendly. The task list is pulled up from the control button in the lower left corner of the city view. New tasks will have an exclamation mark flashing besides the icon and they include missions such building kingdom structures, battling Vikings, breeding dragons and more. At the successful completion of a task you will be rewarded with a variety of items that include (but not always limited to) gold, gems and food.

Structures include farms where you grow and harvest to feed your dragons, dragon habitats to raise and house your dragons (cannot have them just wandering about) and temples to help train your dragons. New structures, renovating old, harvesting food for your dragons and training your dragons will cost you some gold that can be earned through combat or generated by your dragon stock. Some items and tasks will require gems that are also earned in battle and accomplishing various tasks. You do have in-app purchase opportunities to buy gold and gems (along with other items) but I have to say that earning gold and gems isn't very difficult with Dragon Mania. It won't take you long before you have a dozen gems and tens of thousands in gold.

Game Play

Game play is somewhat casually paced. You pick and choose your missions and manage your dragons as you see fit. Several tasks require time to complete but you can always speed up time by using gems.

Dragon Mania Legends has a few forms of currency that include gold and gems. These can be earned by completing missions, petting your dragons and through in-app purchases. You also have energy units that are required for battles. These units will replenish over time (about one unit per 15 minutes) or you can replenish things through in-app purchase.

I'm still not a big fan of requiring energy units to battle but Dragon Mania Legends has plenty of things to keep you busy as you wait for things to recharge.

Dragon Combat

Battles are turned based that pits your dragons against your Viking opponent's dragons. The battles involve up to three of your dragons and prior to the fight, you can pick/choose which dragons will be waging battle. You can enter battles by accepting missions from the task button or simply roam the islands to pick a fight. Battles are scored from one to three stars and can be re-played to increase your overall scoring.

Dragons specialize in specific, singular element (fire, wind, earth, etc.) with a few of the species being dual elemental dragons. You also have boss dragons that will become available that will produce more gold and help train the other dragons. Dragon eggs can be purchased using your gems and gold or you can breed your dragons to raise your own.

The mechanics of combat is simple. When it is your dragons turn to attack, tap/hold on the elemental symbol and drag it to the dragon you want to attack. Keep in mind that some dragons are more susceptible to certain elements than others. Green sword icons will appear beneath dragons where the attack will be the most effective. A red sword means the attack will not have much effect and a yellow sword will mean the attack is along the normal levels.

Once you've selected a dragon to attack, an attack strength meter will appear with an arrow that will move up the meter. Tap the screen before the arrow hits the red shaded portion of the meter. If the arrow makes it to the red shaded area, your attack will miss. If you tap the screen while the arrow is in the green shaded area, the attack strength will be perfect and inflict more damage.

You do have a dragon fury attack that will build as you do battle or you can activate it by spending your gems. The dragon fury attack will send you to another screen where you swipe at the enemy dragons as fast as you can for a few seconds. Those swipes translate into powerful attacks and more times than not, destroy the enemy dragons.

Life in the Kingdom

While dragon battles is a strong draw to the game, you also have to maintain and manage your Kingdom.

You'll need to make sure your farms are maintained to keep a strong supply of food on hand to help your dragons level up. All the structures can be upgraded to increase productivity or house more dragons. When not engaging in battle, you can train your dragons with target practice or through the Dragon Academy when you have earned a few scrolls (awarded through battle).

Again, each task requires time. The larger the task, the more time is needed. For example, planting the most basic crop will only take thirty seconds for the crops to be ready for harvest. Upgrading a habitat, on the other hand, will take five minutes. If you are the impatient type, you can spend a few gems to skip the wait and have things happen instantly.

Overall Impression

I have to admit, city builders aren't exactly my cup of tea but I did enjoy playing Dragon Mania Legends mainly for the dragon breeding and battles. Having to wait for things to build, grow or hatch does get a little tiring but on the plus side, Dragon Mania will generate toast notifications when things are done if you don't care to hang around the game and wait.

There is a bit of strategy to combat with the elemental influences. You do get the benefit of seeing what type of dragons you are about face off against but even then, these fights can be challenging.

I really cannot think of any downside to Dragon Mania, unless you just do not like this gaming genre. The dragon battles can be a fun way to pass short bits of time while managing and growing your kingdom gives the game longevity. Dragon Mania Legends comes across as an entertaining Windows and Windows Phone title capable of meeting a wide range of gaming needs.

If I had to put my finger on one negative is that for the Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions to be in sync, you have to connect to Facebook. Not everyone is a Facebook fan but it is better than not being able to synchronize the two. Facebook makes synchronizing convenient but it would be nice if Gameloft could have their own cloud or find a way to use OneDrive to sync the two versions.

All in all, we have to agree with the 4.5 Star rating Dragon Mania Legends pulls down in the Windows Phone Store. It is an enjoyable game for your Windows Phone or Windows 8 device. It is a free game with plenty of in-app purchases available.

• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows Phone (Free)
• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows 8 (Free)

Age of Sparta, the newest free-to-play strategy game from publisher Gameloft, has made its debut today in the Windows Phone Store and Windows Store. As the title suggests, the game is set in the time of the ancient Greek Empire, with players asked to build their city, form their army and lead that force to victory against their enemies.

Gameloft says:

"Whether you play as Alexander, Archimedes or Helodora, you need an impressive set of soldiers to back you up – so training, managing and deploying them is all in a day's work. You can even battle with your friends, conquer rival armies together or join powerful allegiances to climb the leaderboards. Start by planning and designing your unique Greek city and produce what it takes to fuel and fund your battles, even invoke the mighty gods in your fight, for upgraded abilities."

Be aware that while you can download and play the game for free, there are in-app purchases as well.

Thanks to joyson for the tip!

• Download Age of Sparta for Windows Phone (free)
• Download Age of Sparta for Windows 8.1 (free)

Update: The stream has ended. Continue reading for the full replay video and list of contest winners!

Last weekend we streamed Gameloft's gorgeous Windows Phone and Windows 8 racing game Asphalt 8 on Twitch and gave out some sweet prizes. This weekend we return with another great mobile Xbox  game, and we'll once again be joined on the microphone by Gameloft Community manager Ryan Changes, also known as "Gameloft" Ryan.

Tonight at 8pm Central (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific, 2am GMT), we'll be playing Order & Chaos Online from Gameloft. Order & Chaos Online is the first and only mobile MMORPG with Xbox Achievements, and like Asphalt 8 it's a free to play game with fair monetization. Stick around after the Order & Chaos Online stream for a bonus SCHAR: Blue Shield Alliance stream with more prizes!

Watch live video from EastXTwitch on Twitch

Order & Chaos Online

First released on Windows Phone in July 2013, Order & Chaos Online received a massive content update last December. The game switched from  a relatively high $7 price tag to free to play, and it also debuted on Windows 8 at the same time.

Now Windows Phone and Windows 8 players can share the same servers and share their saves between both versions, making it easier than ever to join your friends in this amazing mobile role-playing game.

Yes, Order & Chaos Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game in which players create a character and complete quests alone or with other players. You can join a guild, complete raid dungeons, engage in PvP, auction items, and just about everything you'd expect from a full-sized MMO.

For more information on Order & Chaos Online, check out these articles:

• Our original Order & Chaos Online review
• Order & Chaos Online Beginner's Guide Part 1
• Order & Chaos Online Beginner's Guide Part 2

Once you're ready to join the adventure, grab the game for your platform of choice.

• Download Order & Chaos Online for Windows Phone (Free)
• Download Order & Chaos Online for Windows 8 (Free)

Tonight's Contests

We'll be streaming Order & Chaos Online for 90 minutes tonight, starting at 8pm Central (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific). During that time, we'll be giving out a total of five codes:

• 1 Grand prize: $50 Xbox gift card
• 4 $10 Xbox gift cards

Next, we'll follow up with a bonus stream, SCHAR: Blue Shield Alliance (from BA Productions), starting at 9:30pm Central (11:30pm Eastern, 7:30pm Pacific). Stay up late with us and you might win one of the following prizes:

• 3 SCHAR Steam codes

To enter, just follow me at Twitch.tv/Eastxtwitch (making sure to enable email notifications!) and tune in during the stream. You can watch the stream right here in this post, but you need to actually participate in the stream chat to have a chance at winning. We'll deliver codes to the winners via Twitch message (PM) during the stream. No code begging!

I'll be available for a few minutes before and after the stream if you have any questions or just want to say hi. If you enjoy the stream, be sure to check our schedule and come back for more!

How to watch Twitch livestreams

What's the best way to experience Twitch? The Twitch website on your PC or Mac web browser. If you don't have or prefer not to use a computer, you can get the Xbox One, Playstation 4, or Xbox 360 Twitch apps and watch from the comfort of your couch. Android and iOS both have official and unofficial Twitch apps to choose from as well.

On Windows Phone, you'll have to grab an unofficial app. There are several to choose from, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Only one app lets you search directly for our channel, though. If you use the others you'll have to find and follow us from a web browser first. Read the roundup to learn more!

Streaming schedule

Want to know what's next for Windows Central's weekly Twitch streaming contests? Here's our upcoming schedule. The stream always starts at the same time: 8pm Central (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific).

• Saturday, March 14: Forza Horizon 2 from Microsoft
• Saturday, March 21: Costume Quest 2 from DoubleFine and Midnight City
• Saturday, March 28: Divekick: Addition Edition from Iron Galaxy

In addition to our Saturday contest streams, we also livestream a variety of different games throughout the week. These streams don't have contests, but they still offer a great chance to see more exciting games while enjoying our live commentary and stream chat.

• Mondays: This Monday we have a first look at Ori & the Blind Forest for Xbox One, plus a preview of Flame Over for Steam and PlayStation systems!
• Tuesdays:The Witcher 2 for Xbox 360. Catch up on The Witcher saga before The Witcher 3 launches in May!
• Wednesdays: Xbox One games. This week's game TBA!
• Thursdays:Dragon Age: Inquisition for Xbox One. Chosen by our loyal viewers!

We hope you'll tune in as often as you can! Set a recurring alarm on your phone so you'll always know when it's time for the stream to start.

Winners

Everybody's a winner. Especially these dudes and dudettes!

$50 Xbox gift card

• Bria5544

$10 Xbox gift cards

• Surrealsonicus
• ucfknighthood
• Tamtaur
• Lightcycle45

SCHAR: Blue Shield Alliance Steam codes

• pure_pretzel
• brownmeister2
• mongbox

Thanks to Gameloft and BA Productions for providing tonight's prizes. Thanks also to our Twitch stream co-hosts and moderators!

Back in December, Windows Central broke the news that mobile publishing giant Gameloft would be updating Order & Chaos Online for Windows Phone to make it current with other platforms – as well as releasing a Windows 8 version. We also shared advanced word that they'd be adding Xbox Live support to World at Arms and several other games.

Since those updates hit, Gameloft has released several new Windows Phone games without Xbox Live support. As "Gameloft Ryan" explained to us during our Order & Chaos Online weekend Twitch broadcast, the publisher will be updating some of its Windows games with Xbox Live status post-release. And now we're back with the exclusive word on which titles will be getting the Xbox upgrade next, plus more Gameloft update details!

Update details

Before we talk Xbox Live upgrades, here are details on three huge updates coming to three Gameloft games for Windows Phone and Windows 8. In addition to the specific features listed, all will contain bug fixes and performance tweaks as well.

Ice Age Adventures

The second Ice Age game that Gameloft has released for Windows Phone is another free to play city builder. But this one breaks up the monotony of collecting coins from your buildings with two big side activities: exploration and minigames! Read my detailed review to learn all about it.

This big update will bring updates 4, 5, and 6 from other versions to Windows platforms at last. New features include:

• The Volcanic Environment
• Rescuing the community voted animals (Pink Troodon, Parasoaurolophus, Dimetrodon, Iguanodon)
• Sailing to Time Limited archipelagos & rescuing exclusive animals

To prepare for the big update, grab Ice Age Adventures now.

• Download Ice Age Adventures for Windows Phone (free)
• Download Ice Age Adventures for Windows 8 and RT (free)

Despicable Me: Minion Rush

Based on the Despicable Me animated films, Minion Rush is a 3D endless runner starring the Cheeto-like minions that serve their former supervillain master Gru. One day they discover Gru has implemented a Minion of the Week program, complete with shiny trophy for the star minion. Soon the minions set out to win the award – by outrunning their peers in a series of obstacle courses.

This sizable update will bring updates 14, 15, and 16 from other versions to Windows platforms at last. New features include:

• New character: Jerry, with an ability to use Power-Ups longer than other Minions
• New character: Carl, who has a faster running speed from the start
• New environments & mini-games like Eduardo's House & the BMX mini-game
• Complete sub-objectives for each Milestone to earn Perks or Tokens

To prepare for the big update, grab Despicable Me: Minion Rush now.

• Download Despicable Me: Minion Rush in the Windows Phone Store (Free)
• Download Despicable Me: Minion Rush in the Windows Store (Free)

Modern Combat 5: Blackout

The latest in Gameloft's Call of Duty-esque series of first-person shooters, Modern Combat 5 sees protagonist Cayden Phoenix desperately fighting against a rogue private military contractor with plans to unleash nerve gas against civilians.

Modern Combat 5 features both a big budget (for mobile) single-player campaign and a robust competitive multiplayer mode. Controversially, both modes require a constant online connection to work. Hopefully the big update will improve online server performance!

This single update will bring updates one and two to Windows platforms. These include some big changes, such as:

The switch to free-to-play

• The all-new Support class
• Brand new weapon class, the Light Machine Gun (LMG), for the Support class
• 6th weapon tier for all weapon classes
• New multiplayer mode: Zone Control
• Two beloved multiplayer maps from Modern Combat 3 & 4: Overtime & Scramble
• Map voting between matches
• Multiplayer leagues for solo & squad battles
• New Area of Effect skill for each soldier class
• Increased level cap for Solider classes from 100 to 120

I'd say to grab the game now, but you'll probably want to wait for it to become free to play if you haven't already purchased the premium version.

• Download Modern Combat 5: Blackout for Windows Phone
• Download Modern Combat 5: Blackout for Windows 8

More Xbox games coming

Content updates are exciting – in fact, they should be the most exciting part of this story. Gameplay is king! But some people need their Achievement fix, otherwise their hands start to shake and all that stuff. I kid. The addition of Xbox Live Achievements gives players more objectives to work towards, and should reinvigorate several of Gameloft's established titles.

The following games will soon be updated to include Xbox Live Achievements. Your existing progress and purchases should carry over once updated. Gameloft expects the updates to roll out in June or as late as July.

Modern Combat 5

Here's one more reason to anticipate the Modern Combat 5 update – Xbox Live support! The game's predecessor Modern Combat 4 launched as an Xbox Live title, so it's great to see that functionality reach Zero Hour as well.

Age of Sparta

Not to be confused with Microsoft's Halo: Spartan Strike, Age of Sparta is a competitive city building game set within Ancient Greece. Players must build up their city's defenses and construct an army with which to defend Greece from the forces of the evil Xerxes.

Whereas Gameloft's Total Conquest is a clone of Clash of Clans, Age of Sparta much more closely resembles World at Arms and Kingdoms & Lords. You don't attack other players' bases; both sides' forces just duke it out in simple RPG-like battles. But the ancient Greek setting with a dash of mythology should certainly catch Achievement hunters' eyes.

• Download Age of Sparta for Windows Phone (Free)
• Download Age of Sparta for Windows 8 (Free)

Dragon Mania Legends

Gameloft sure loves its city building games! This one involves building a city of dragons. Players collect a wide variety of the magical reptiles, breeding them and training them to fight. You'll then send them out to battle against the dragon forces of invading dragons. It works a lot like Age of Sparta, but with a focus on the younger set. Check out George Ponder's review for more details.

Dragon Mania Legends received an update back in March that made the game harder to play without spending money on in-app purchases. Hopefully this Xbox Live update will meet a warmer welcome from mobile Windows gamers.

• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows Phone (Free)
• Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows 8 (Free)

Dungeon Hunter 5

Last but certainly not least, Gameloft's biggest game of the year so far will soon be graduating to Xbox Live status! Dungeon Hunter 5 is the latest in Gameloft's Diablo-like series of action-RPGs. Players select a character from several classes and then set out on an epic campaign filled with monster killing and loot collecting.

The big new feature in Dungeon Hunter 5 is its stronghold system, which basically adds Clash of Clans-style PvP raids to the game. Each player can create his or her own dungeon, placing minions and traps to defend it. Raiding other players' strongholds asynchronously works like Cloud Raiders and similar games, except you'll directly control your character and fight through it like a dungeon. The final portion of a raid ends with you battling an AI version of the player who created the stronghold.

• Download Dungeon Hunter 5 for Windows Phone (Free)
• Download Dungeon Hunter 5 for Windows 8 (Free)

We'll let you know as these updates roll out within the next month or two. And stay tuned for more exciting Gameloft news from E3 in June!

Fans of puzzle games like Candy Crush Saga might find something new to play with Gameloft's just-launched Ice Age Avalanche for Windows Phone. It's a free-to-play "match 3" puzzle game that's based on the popular animated movie series.

The game features the movie's main characters like Sid, the constantly talking sloth, Manny, the "ordinary guy" mammoth, Diego, the wise-cracking sabretooth tiger, and Scrat, the squirrel who just love to collect nuts. Here's what players can expect:

• In a new match-3 twist, slide fruit in any direction!
• Conquer puzzling challenges including Stockpile, Acorn Avalanche and Fruit Sculptor
• Use incredible boosters to turn any stage to slush!
• Experience an ALL-NEW, hilarious story featuring your favorite Ice Age characters
• Explore new lands including the Prehistoric Jungle, vast Grasslands and gargantuan Glacier
• Overcome obstacles by completing unique Scrat levels
• Compete against Ice Age characters in epic boss battles in a race to reach the treasure!
• Show your nice side and send gifts to other players...
• ...then beat them in real-time head-to-head ""snowdowns""!
• Rise to the top of the leaderboards!
• Participate in fun daily and weekly events!

Gameloft is launching the Windows Phone version of Ice Age Avalanche at the same time as the iOS and Android versions, which shows that the publisher is still a big support of Microsoft's mobile OS. The game is also compatible with 512MB devices. The game is slated to be released for Windows 8.1 but a link has yet to be published.

Download Ice Age Avalanche from the Windows Phone Store (Free)

If you have an older Nokia or Lumia smartphone that you will want to update to a newer model, such as the recent Lumia 640, you will also be able to get some free stuff from Gameloft. Microsoft has just announced a new promotion that will give current Nokia or Lumia owners $90 of in-game credits to three Gameloft games when they upgrade to a new Lumia smartphone.

Here's the breakdown of how the free credits will be handled:

"In "Asphalt Overdrive," you'll be rewarded with a "Safe of Gold" valued at $19.99 while "Pastry Paradise" will give aspiring chefs a yummy "Pot of Medals" also valued at $19.99. And "Rival Knights" fans can enjoy a "Barrel of 1,350 Gems" valued at $49.99!"

After you buy your new Lumia phone, you can get the free credits by downloading and installing the Switch Gift app from the Windows Phone Store on that device. Microsoft says:

• Once the app validates your new phone, enter the 15-digit IMEI number from your old device. It can be found in the "About" section of your phone's settings.
• Following successful validation of your old Nokia or Lumia, you'll be asked to enter your email address.
• The app will email you with activation codes and instructions for your Gameloft gift pack.
• Activate your codes and start gaming!

This offer appears to just be for people who currently own a Nokia or Lumia phone, so if you have an iPhone, Android or BlackBerry device, this deal may not work. The good news is that this offer lasts until November 30, so it's possible that Microsoft could release their rumored Windows 10 Mobile flagship phones before it expires.

Download Switch Gift from the Windows Phone Store (Free)

Source: Microsoft; Thanks to Todd for the tip!

Clash of Clans has been one of the most popular mobile games in the world for the last couple of years. Seeing as how Windows Phone still doesn't have Clash after all this time, it's up to other game publishers to pick up the slack. Gameloft, one of the largest publishers of Windows Phone games, already has a fair Clash clone called Age of Sparta.

Today, Gameloft has released another game in that mold called Siegefall. This one tasks players with building a fantasy kingdom, training armies, and doing battle across a campaign and against other players. Siegefall mixes things up a bit by giving players direct control of their powerful hero characters during battle.

Read on for quick Siegefall impressions and our exclusive hands-on video with Mandy Paez from Gameloft!

Preparing for the fall

The Siegefall tutorial starts players right in the thick of battle. Your first goal is to destroy an enemy fortress. You've got several groups of troops with which to do it.

One big difference between Siegefall and other Clash-style games is how you control your troops. Instead of spawning dozens of troops individually, players start out with several clusters of troops already on the map. These soldiers stay clustered together, making them relatively easy to direct and track. You don't have a ton of control over them – just point them in the direction you want to attack and they'll head off to cause mischief.

It doesn't take long before you get a hero under your command. Siegefall currently offers three distinct heroes to unlock, including a brave knight and a towering troll. Unlike regular units, players get to control these hero units directly. Throughout the battle, you can send your hero wherever you want him to go. If your troops need support, pull the big guy away from what he's doing and send him to help.

In most Clash-likes, players can't do anything but watch after sending their units into the fray. Siegefall's heroes add a fair bit of strategy (and entertainment) by keeping the player engaged throughout the entire battle.

Another twist is the food system. As your units destroy structures, they'll discover food. You can spend this food during that same battle to summon reinforcements. The better the unit, the more food it costs to call more of them into battle.

Will Siegefall ever get Xbox Achievements?

Although Siegefall has launched as a non-Xbox title, it remains a strong contender for an Xbox Live update in the future. If you want that upgrade to happen, be sure to support the game with downloads and maybe even in-app purchases. The Xbox Live certification process for Windows Phone remains relatively time consuming and expensive. Gameloft decides which titles to upgrade based on their popularity, so not playing Siegefall won't help anybody.

Build your kingdom and conquer

Between fights, players will build up their bases. You can erect walls, defense towers, and barracks – all the standard stuff. Everything takes time to build. But Siegefall does have a nice little mechanic in which building times of one minute or less can be skipped at no cost.

Multiplayer raiding games have become fairly common on Windows Phone, even if the one that started it all remains elusive. Siegefall makes a name for itself by adding more dynamic and interactive combat. Plus the production values can't be beat. Stay tuned for the Windows 8 and RT versions, which should be arriving soon as well.

How does Siegefall compare to your favorite raiding games? Give it a try and let us know!

• Get Siegefall for Windows Phone (Free)