LG ups its game with Game World, a digital video game marketplace and network for its line of Smart TVs. Will it help LG overtake Samsung?

When it became clear a couple of years ago that 3D television wasn’t going to pan out for Sony, Panasonic, and the other television manufacturers watching their businesses wither due to an indifferent consumer base, they started to switch focus from tech to content. Smart TVs, with access to streaming video like Netflix, social networking tools like Facebook, and other connected content built into the television without needing a set top box at all, would renew industry vigor. Video games have naturally been a part of this plan. Korea’s LG opened its own video game network, Game World, on its Smart TVs on Monday. LG’s hope is that the service will even get people buying those pesky 3D televisions it invested so heavily in developing.

“Game World is a wonderful source of games—especially 3D games—which are suitable for everyone,” LG president Havia Kwon told Venture Beat, “Many popular titles will be available along with games developed exclusively for LG Cinema 3D Smart TVs. By making the most of LG 3D TVs, Game Wolrd will allow us to push the boundaries of 3D gaming and expand the market.”

That market expansion is the real juice LG is looking to squeeze in introducing the Game World service to its consumers. It’s aggressively pursued the Smart TV market looking to maintain its second place standing in the world television market. LG trails Samsung with a 13 percent share of the global market. Partnerships with Google to develop early Google TV-equipped televisions and set top boxes failed to help LG grow.

Game World is promising but right now it doesn’t have much to distinguish itself from existing digital gaming retailers like Apple’s iTunes or Microsoft’s Xbox Live. Electronic Arts properties like Plants vs. Zombies and Chilingo’s Cut the Rope are front and center on Game World, but those games can be purchased on anything. Right now Game World is little more than added value for LG’s televisions, not a draw in and of itself.

Services like Game World are only going to proliferate. Rovio is already supporting the world’s leading television manufacturer, Samsung, with its games including a motion controlled version of Angry Birds. Since casual games will be ubiquitous in most televisions, the real question is how that will impact console makers reliant on televisions being game free. Why would anyone buy Plants vs. Zombies on their PlayStation 4 if it’s already in their Samsung TV. Why would people buy an Ouya when Android games are already built into Google TV-ready LG TVs? 

Some games serve a greater purpose than just entertainment. We interview the creator of GoSum, a game that turns math into a competition.

Have you ever picked up a game and started playing only to stop midway through the experience to think, “Wait a second, am I learning something from this?” That’s the goal of GoSum, a math-centric mental challenge that hit iOS devices this month. The game was developed by Colin Thompson as a way to help tutor his sons in the early 90s. 20 years later and the title is being brought back to life on Retina screens.

After sitting down and digging into GoSum, a few things are clear: The game does a good job of making you really think and occasionally shaming you for math knowledge you clearly should possess, and Colin’s kids are probably very smart. The board will conjure up thoughts of Scrabble, but there are no triple word scores here–though there are triple numbers. This game is based solely off math equations. 

You start out the game by creating a simple equation, eventually branching off across the board. The more intricate the numerical sentences you create, the more points you’ll net. It’s a game that mathletes the world over will sure to find appreciation for. The game can be purchased from the App Store for $1 on the iPhone or $3 on the iPad. You can even give it a shot for free, which is less than $3 for those of you who aren’t strong with numbers.

We sat down with Colin Thompson, the game’s creator, to talk about the release of his long-time tutoring game on to iOS devices.

Question: How long did the actual board game take to reach the form that we see today?

Colin Thompson: The board game was first created in the late 80′s to help teach my 2 young children math and times tables. It then took two more years to make it the app that it is today. 

What was the reason you decided to turn the game into an app?

To be honest, I didn’t know what an app was when I first heard about them a few years ago. After becoming more familiar with them, I saw the potential for GoSum as an app. Math transcends language barriers, making it the perfect fit for the mobile world. We now have players in China with no English language skills, already expertly playing others around the globe, which is truly amazing.

Was creating the app a completely hands-on project for you, bringing your game to life on iOS?

It certainly was an amazing learning experience. Fortunately, my skills as a Tool designer along with my fastidious attention to detail stood me in good stead. 27,000 lines of programming with 14+ million permeatations was not without its headaches.

GoSum is obviously a game, but a learning tool as well. Do you think apps like GoSum have a future in educational settings like class rooms?

I have had tons of comments regarding its educational benefits, and I think the following Apple reviewer sums it up quite well:

“Never thought I would see the day my 10yr old was wanting to do sums. Brilliant app!!!” -Apple review by Liam on Aug 09 – 2012

You also have a physical board game version of GoSum coming out. Is there a different experience that is had on the the board as opposed to on the screen?

Not everyone has or can afford an iPhone or iPad in this world, so we still believe that there is a place for the traditional family board game and will pursue this over the coming year in an effort to have GoSum reach everyone.

Any plans to add a single-player vs. computer element to the game?

As a small independent developer, we had to prioritize our resources, and with the added support from the full version we would like next to release the wifi/bluetooth version. These we hope will proceed the release of a further 3 games, already under design.

A roundup of the best BlackBerry games available in the App World.

It might not be the first device that springs to mind when you think about gaming, but there are some great BlackBerry games worth downloading. If you’re looking for the top picks from the BlackBerry App World then look no further.

Be sure to also check out our list of Best BlackBerry apps and Best BlackBerry Phones.

Bomberman vs Zombies (Free)

The zombie apocalypse is upon us in this addictive blast of action gaming. You need to blow up all the shambling undead or find the key for the escape hatch to progress from each level. You’ll face off against three types of zombies and find a range of power-ups and bombs to help or hinder you. It’s a fun twist on the classic Bomberman-style game.

  

Angry Pigs – Free (Free)

Believe it or not, Angry Birds is not available for BlackBerrys (just the PlayBook tablet). Luckily, you can have similar fun with Angry Pigs. This clone challenges you to catapult pigs at structures containing wolves. You need to dispatch all the wolves to progress and you’ll earn extra points for maximum destruction.

Cut It! ($1)

Another classic mobile game that you can only get on the PlayBook is Cut the Rope, but Cut It! manages to emulate the gameplay and strike a similarly cute visual style. The dog wants his snack and you have to guide it into his waiting jaws by cutting the thread. The simple premise builds to create some serious puzzles and you have the added challenge of collecting the stars.

Brain Cube Reloaded (Free)

Just like the original Brain Cube, your aim is to guide a rectangular character through a grid layout to reach a specific exit point. The simple controls work well on the BB and the sparse levels ramp up in difficulty as you progress. It starts out deceptively simple and turns into a real puzzler.

Dark Galaxy (Free)

Fancy embarking on an intergalactic battle for domination? This is a massively multiplayer online game of sorts which casts you as a space marine. It is text-based, a bit like Mafia Wars, and the focus is on completing missions and destroying enemies by spending your resources wisely. It is surprisingly addictive and the battles and alliances with other players give it an extra edge. There are a lot of variations on this so if you prefer military, modern-day styling, or a fantasy setting, you can find them in the shape of Forces of War and Age of Legends.

 

Guns’n’Glory Free (Free)

This is an addictive twist on the tower defense genre which throws elements of real-time strategy into the mix. Each map features a unique layout and your task is to assemble a gang of varmints and ambush anyone who tries to make it through. You can recruit Mexicans with dynamite, Indians with flaming arrows, and Desperados with six-shooters. Making the right choice and placing them well is crucial if you want to earn big gold which you can use to recruit and upgrade your men. For some reason, the premium version is $8 but all it does is remove the ads.

 

Tiny Bird ($1)

If you’ve heard of or played Tiny Wings then you’ll recognize this as a knock-off straight away. The aim is to keep your bird from getting sucked into the approaching storm and to do that you need to use the hills of each island to your advantage. The one-touch controls make this really accessible and it will hook you immediately. Visually, it has a colorful cartoon style which should appeal to the whole family.

Plumber (Free)

The imaginatively named, Plumber, casts you as a plumber and challenges you to get the water flowing. In order to do that you’ll need to rotate the pieces of pipe to create the right path from one side of the screen to the other. It’s familiar puzzle gameplay, but it still has an addictive hook.

Playtomo (Free)

How about a wee compendium of simple puzzle games for your BlackBerry? Playtomo includes more than 25 games. You’ve got a choice of Tetris clones, Sudoku, word puzzles, solitaire, and a few others that you’ll recognize. There’s easily enough addictive gameplay on offer here to keep you amused for a few hours.

 

Fightin’ Words Free (Free)

Another smash hit game that has yet to make an appearance on the BlackBerry is Words with Friends, but this is the next best thing. It is basically multiplayer Scrabble. You’ve got in-game chat, you can get push notifications or emails when it’s your turn, and you can play against friends or strangers. It even works cross-platform, so you can play against people with Android phones.

That’s it for our BlackBerry game roundup. Got a suggestion for another BB game worth trying? Post a comment and tell us.