Back when I was a young pup, I dropped more quarters than I care to admit into an arcade game called Super Off Road. It was a top-down dirt-track racer--and one of my all-time favorite coin-ops.

EA's Reckless Racing just rekindled my love affair. It's a top-down dirt-track racer that delivers all the same freewheeling fun--with vastly superior graphics and online multiplayer!

Seriously, I can't remember the last time I fell in love with a game so quickly. Reckless Racing (which should really be called "Redneck" Racing, as that's the clear motif here) is crazy fun, to the point where I keep interrupting my review so I can go back for just one more race.

The game delivers on two major counts: graphics and controls. Reckless Racing is absolutely dazzling, with vibrantly colored cars and tracks that are just shy of photorealistic. And you get to choose from five different control schemes--everything from basic left/right-gas/brake buttons to an onscreen steering wheel ("half" or "full") to accelerometer steering. I'm partial to the buttons, but I am also enamored with "tank" mode (in which your car just goes flat-out the entire time--all you do is steer).

Whatever control option you choose, you'll find absolutely perfect arcade physics. Cars skid and slide and screech around corners (in varying amounts depending on whether you're on gravel or asphalt). If you like drift, you'll love RR.

The game's half-dozen vehicle options include Otis' flame-adorned pickup, Cletus' old army jeep, Floyd's cab truck--you get the idea. As far as I can tell, each car is identical in terms of handling and performance, which makes for a level playing field and a better game--you're battling the track and your driving skills, not the car.

RR offers just five tracks, which does seem a bit limited, though as you progress, you unlock reverse versions of each one. That more or less brings the total to 10, but I'd still love to see EA add some new tracks in a future update. Heck, I'd pay another buck for a track pack.

Single-player options include Dirt Rally (your basic championship mode) and Hot Lap (in which you race for the best single-lap time). Then there's Delivery, which is just like it sounds: you pick up and deliver as many packages as you can in a fixed amount of time (3, 5, or 8 minutes). This takes place on a larger, more open track--and it's a blast.

Of course, any single-player racer gets boring after a while, which is why I'm tickled that RR offers online multiplayer races for up to four players.

A game like this all but begs for a larger screen. Great as Reckless Racing is on the iPhone and iPod ($2.99), it's even better on the iPad ($4.99). You get three extra tracks and the chance to paint your vehicle in custom colors. A tip of my hat to EA for adding extra value to the HD version of the game, instead of just the usual "better graphics."

I'm just going to come out and say it: Reckless Racing is my favorite iOS racing game to date. (It's also available for Android.)

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

The Apple event on Wednesday was largely about the next iteration of Mac OS X (appropriately named Lion). But an interesting development came when Steve Jobs introduced the new Mac App Store, which will become available to Snow Leopard users in about 90 days.

Much like the iTunes App Store, the Mac App Store will let you purchase Mac apps and install them quickly on your computers. And as it does with the iTunes App Store, Apple will take a 30-percent cut of the sale price, leaving developers 70 percent. But Jobs was careful to point out that the Mac App Store will not mimic the closed system of the iTunes App Store--it will simply be another option to bring apps to your Mac. But do we really believe him?

It seems to me that creating the Mac App Store is Apple's way of testing whether the market will tolerate Apple getting a piece of the action on software developed for the Mac, just like it does with iPhone apps. We can be pretty sure that several developers will submit their apps right off the bat, if for no other reason than for the exposure that an iTunes-like experience can provide. But what Apple might be banking on is that once the software submissions gain momentum, the larger players may no longer have a choice but to submit their software to the new system. Am I just being paranoid?

While we certainly can't be sure what Apple hopes to achieve with the Mac App Store, this sort of soft launch makes me think there's something more going on here. Let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include a 3D third-person soccer game and a new arcade space flier with a fun single-player mode.

Bonecruncher Soccer (99 cents) mimics the 3D gameplay mechanic of the popular Backbreaker Football, but challenges you to dribble a soccer ball down field and then score goals with a flick of your finger. Just like with BackBreaker Football, you'll use tilt controls to direct your player. But instead of onscreen buttons for moves and dodges, you'll need to swipe your finger onscreen for special moves--each of which will be described onscreen as you play. Once you've dribbled and dodged your way downfield, the action freezes so you can flick to shoot the ball into the goal. Some levels have targets in place for added bonus points, so controlled flicks become a necessary part of the game.

Bonecruncher Soccer is a fairly solid game overall, but lacks the polish of the older and more-refined Backbreaker franchise. The games are made by different developers, but we hope Bonecruncher Soccer has updates on the horizon to smooth out the graphics and control system to be more like Backbreaker Football. The swipe controls are adequate for the job, but particularly when you use the spin-move dodge, you'll often get caught in the middle of a spin if you don't time it exactly right. With a little practice, I was able to make my way up field pretty well, but mostly because I avoided doing the slow-to-complete spin moves.

Even with some minor control issues, Bonecruncher Soccer manages to be both fun and challenging. Tons of clothing customization options means you'll most likely be able to recreate your favorite player down to the uniform and number. If you like soccer and want a great pick-up-and-play game, Bonecruncher Soccer is an excellent choice.

Star Battalion ($6.99) is an arcade shoot-'em-up flying game with great action and visuals, and a solid single-player campaign that keeps you interested as you blow away bad guys. Choose from several characters, each with unique skills, and take to the skies flying support missions and engaging in chaotic dog fights. Before every level you'll have the chance to calibrate your iPhone so you can get the most out of the tilt and touch-screen controls. Tilt to steer your ship and use the slider on the right for throttle. More advanced maneuvers, like a barrel roll for example, require you to swipe your finger onscreen and the game will give you directions when you need to pull off the trickier maneuvers.

The graphics in Star Battalion on the iPhone 4 are excellent and optimized for the Retina Display. Complex ship models and beautiful maps make the game extremely immersive and, though some of the voice acting is less than perfect, the overall ambiance keeps you focused on the task at hand.

The single-player campaign is well laid out, with a solid storyline that mixes up your gameplay between support missions and dogfights. Some quests will have you blowing away air units, whereas others will require that you take out tanks to protect a convoy. You'll also get to sample new ship types based on the mission at hand. None of the missions feel tedious as you play, even though some are traditional RPG quests ("kill 10 of these"). Mostly, the single-player game provides just enough variation in enemies and quests to keep you on your toes and wondering what you're next challenge will be.

Once you've mastered the controls, you can test your skills online playing cooperative missions locally or on the Web, but you won't be engaging in multiplayer dog fights. Though we might have liked the ability to engage in dogfights against other players, the co-op missions are fun, with the winner being the one who blows away the most targets.

Overall, if you're looking for a solid air combat game with great controls, smooth graphics, and plenty of gameplay variation, you should definitely check out this game--even at the $6.99 price tag.

What's your favorite iPhone app? Are you happy with Bonecruncher Soccer or does it need a bit more polish? What do you think of Star Battalion? Let me know in the comments!

We've known for quite some time that RIM would update its BlackBerry App World storefront online to provide Web-to-phone downloads. That day is today. RIM has implemented BlackBerry App World 2.0, which lets you purchase and download apps from the computer.

But before you dive in, you'll need to go through a setup process to register your BlackBerry ID (if you don't already have one) and install a browser plug-in to facilitate the PC-to-phone transfer. You'll also need to plug your phone into the computer during setup and make sure you have the most recent version of App World on your BlackBerry. After that, pressing the Download button on a product page in the App World online storefront should trigger a download.

In addition to purchasing apps online for BlackBerry download, the App World 2.0 catalog lets you access reviews and recommendations and gives you a My World management page that's linked to your account.

Previously, the online App World catalog brokered downloads on your BlackBerry in a roundabout way that helped little. Clicking the "Download" button triggered a text message that contained a link for the app's page in the App World App on your BlackBerry.

RIM isn't the first to dream up remote PC-to-phone downloads. Google had that honor when it announced in May that the company is working on an update for its Android Market, but so far the only fruit of that labor has been the Chrome to Phone browser plug-in that can send snippets from Web sites to your Android phone.

Originally posted at Dialed In

As a partner manager, I try to bring our readers some of the better deals from our developer community that are useful and may not be easily found elsewhere.

Since Trend Micro recently released a major update that is designed to be stronger, faster, and easier to use, I reached out to Trend Micro to see if the company would give our users a special offer.

So, today, we have a 50 percent off deal for just $19.97 (normally $39.95).

The 2011 version of Trend Micro Titanium AntiVirus+ provides a security solution that uses cloud technology to automatically stop viruses and spyware before they reach your computer. It's light on system resources, allowing you to multitask without slowing down your computer. It's a new way to protect your PC--via the cloud--so check it out and feel free to share your thoughts.

This offer is good for a limited time only, so grab your copy before time runs out. As always, please send me a note with any other future promotions you would like to see.

Go here to grab your copy.