Mac Gaming News

• EA announces ‘The Sims 4′ coming to Macs in 2014.
• In other EA news, they now have the exclusive rights to make Star Wars games. How this impacts Mac gamers is uncertain at this time.
• ‘The Showdown’ have released new FREE DLC for the game. Here’s a trailer detailing it.
• Want a first-person horror game for the Mac where you play through the eyes of a child? Support ‘Among the Sleep’ on Kickstarter!
• ‘The Banner Saga’ now has its own Wiki, so never let any question go unanswered.
• ‘Plants vs. Zombies 2′ gets a teaser trailer and summer launch, with a PvZ FPS in the works too?!
• TechnologyTell discusses Mac games at E3. (more…)

Since Aspyr released Company of Heroes for the Mac last year, fans of the game have clamored for Skirmish Mode. They heard you loud and clear, because the Mac App Store version of the game has been updated to include this highly requested feature! Skirmish mode is not always the most challenging mode in a RTS, but in Company of Heroes users will not be disappointed.  Crank up the difficulty and see what your troops are made of!

Features

• Set up matches against computer AI on over 50 maps
• Battle up to 4 vs 4!  (You + 3 friendlies vs 4 enemy AI out for blood)
• Includes the two most popular skirmish modes: “Annihilation” and ”Victory Control Point”  

Right now this update is for the Mac App Store version of the game only, and as a bonus, they’ve discounted the game to $10! Aspyr are looking into ways for non-Mac App Store players to enjoy the challenge of Skirmish Mode as well. 

Are you excited to play Skirmish Mode? Have any tips or strategies to share with your fellow Mac gamers? Let’s hear it in the comments!

We’ve discussed strategy game music, interviewed strategy game makers, and even given away store credit to play strategy games yourself. But which strategy games are worth playing for a strategy newcomer? If you dig strategy games, what’s some other game should play? Today we’ve compiled a list of seven of the greatest strategy games and tell you why we think each game is the cat’s pajamas. Did your favorite make the cut?

Star Wars: Empire at War

What person who’s seen the Star Wars movies hasn’t dreamt of controlling an Imperial Starfleet to crush the Rebels or wanted to devise attack patterns for a squadron of X-Wings to deliver a crippling blow to the Empire? This game took the familiar gameplay of war strategy games and put it in a galaxy far, far away. Strategy buffs got a rich game with complex battle system and Star Wars geeks got to play around in George Lucas’ sandbox, exploring locations mentioned or glimpsed briefly in the movies that could now be explored and conquered at your leisure. As an ultimate fan service, this game even includes locations and characters from the expanded universe novels, which is one of the only times this has happened in a Star Wars game. There’s even a multiplayer feature that allows you and a friend to battle against each other using entire star systems as your battleground. Now you can settle that bet and and see who truly has The Force with them.

“If you are a Star Wars fan and you like strategy games, Empire at War is the perfect combo. It has EVERYTHING…space combat with the Millennium Falcon, ground combat with AT-AT’s. Just think of your favorite Star Wars character to control or scenario to relive and you can play it out in real time in this game. Do you want to destroy the galaxy planet by planet with the Death Star? No problem. Do you dream of having Vader and Obi Wan rematches in any Star Wars local you choose? Done. I bet I have 300 hours in this game, and flying around with Boba Fett tossing out seismic charges at X-Wings NEVER gets old.” – Michael Blair  (more…)

This guest-post is brought to you by Ric Molina (@MacGamerRic). A self-proclaimed Mac gaming fan, he runs MacGamerHQ, the blog where you can find all things Mac Games.   

Time sure flies. 2012 is long gone and I’m left here with this bittersweet feeling. Why? Well, because 2012 brought so many great games that I can’t even decide which one to tackle next! I guess having too many choices can be difficult…. I know, I know, this is a great problem to have . There are several reasons I said 2012 was Mac gaming’s best year yet, but if you need to remember the main one, it’s the games! 2012 brought more high quality games than ever before. Today, I will give you my top 10 games of the year:  

1. Borderlands 2

“I don’t care if I can’t play Black Ops 2 on the Mac as long as I can keep shooting things in the face with my pals in Borderlands 2!”

Borderlands 2 was without a doubt my favourite game of the year. Combining a highly polished First-person shooter with addictive RPG elements such as looting, experience and levelling up, Gearbox Software found the perfect formula for an awesome game. The story, world and characters blend perfectly, creating a great atmosphere. Did I mention the game gets even better when playing co-op with a friend? Aspyr did a great job too, bringing a gorgeous and demanding game to the Mac without a hitch. Borderlands 2 got an 89 Metascore, meaning I’m not alone with this one.   (more…)

This past Sunday was Veteran’s Day. With their heroic actions and noble sacrifices for the safety of our country firmly in our minds, GameAgent wanted to offer an appropriate title for our Tuesday’s 20% this week.  Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition seemed like the most appropriate. Get it for just $23.99.

Company of Heroes redefines real time strategy gaming by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. Beginning with the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, players lead squads of Allied soldiers into battle against the German war machine through some of the most pivotal battles of WWII. Through a rich single player campaign, players experience the cinematic intensity and bravery of ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events.

Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition for the Mac includes the fully-featured single player campaign from the original Company of Heroes as well as the additional campaigns and content from the expansions Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor, delivering hours upon hours of tactical and strategic gameplay.

Features

• Immerse yourself in battle, controlling 3 seperate armies through 6 world-changing campaigns. Over 50 hours of gameplay!
• A Cinematic Single Player Experience that captures the turmoil of WWII as never before.
• Advanced squad AI brings your soldiers to life as they interact with the changing environment, take cover, and execute advanced squad tactics to eliminate all enemy opposition.
• Stunning Visuals – Relic’s cutting-edge engine provides graphic quality and a physics driven world that is unprecedented in an RTS.
• Environmental Strategy – Real-time physics and a completely destructible environment guarantee no two battles ever play ut in the same way. Destroy anything and re-shape the battlefield! Use buildings and terrain to your advantage, or deny them to the enemy.

Don’t wait, because this deal is only for today. You have until Midnight on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 to get this fantastic experience for $6 off the usual price! Buy it today and join the Company of Heroes.

Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter if you want the latest deals and Mac gaming news!

For many gamers this is one of the few fleeting weeks of summer vacation left. Take heart, you can still count on your Tuesday’s 20% sale to cheer you up! This week enjoy savings on the incredible World War II strategy game Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition.Get it for just $24.99!

Company of Heroes redefines real time strategy gaming by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. Beginning with the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, players lead squads of Allied soldiers into battle against the German war machine through some of the most pivotal battles of WWII. Through a rich single player campaign, players experience the cinematic intensity and bravery of ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events.

Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition for the Mac includes the fully-featured single player campaign from the original Company of Heroes as well as the additional campaigns and content from the expansions Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor, delivering hours upon hours of tactical and strategic gameplay.

Features

• Immerse yourself in battle, controlling 3 seperate armies through 6 world-changing campaigns. Over 50 hours of gameplay!
• A Cinematic Single Player Experience that captures the turmoil of WWII as never before.
• Advanced squad AI brings your soldiers to life as they interact with the changing environment, take cover, and execute advanced squad tactics to eliminate all enemy opposition.
• Stunning Visuals – Relic’s cutting-edge engine provides graphic quality and a physics driven world that is unprecedented in an RTS.
• Environmental Strategy – Real-time physics and a completely destructible environment guarantee no two battles ever play out in the same way. Destroy anything and re-shape the battlefield! Use buildings and terrain to your advantage, or deny them to the enemy.

Better act fast, because this deal is going faster than summer vacation! You only have until Midnight on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 to get this fantastic experience for $6 off the usual price! Buy it today and join the Company of Heroes.

Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter if you want the latest deals and Mac gaming news!

WWDC 2012 brought many exciting announcements to the world of Apple products. Everyone expected an updated MacBook Pro, some even predicted a retina screen, but few were prepared for just how incredible the screen would look. It’s actually the highest resolution laptop created yet. Images, icons and everything else should look sharper than ever.

However, that’s not the end of the story. Not many applications or games support this resolution natively so developers are in a position to react to how they can support Retina on catalog products while maintaining focus on new releases, a constant juggle with evolving operating systems and new hardware. The issues faced in supporting Retina includes needed UI changes, needed resolution changes, and product performance. A side-effect of supporting Retina resolutions is that there are other consequences. There will be trade-offs with performance (depending on the game) and potentially other resolution support issues in order to support this new feature.

As with a handful of other companies, Aspyr has added retina display to some of their most popular games, and some were fortunate enough to support the resolution natively. Below are a rundown of the games and any necessary details in regards to their performance in retina resolution mode.

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