TVSquad

Since we've already covered one television-based iPhone and iPod Touch game with Dexter, I thought I'd try my hand at a different one: the recently-released South Park Mega Millionaire.

The game plays like a missing episode from the television show. Unlike the last game South Park Imaginationland, this one is not based on a pre-existing episode (unless it's one of the upcoming ones). The plot is that the boys appear on a Japanese game show in an effort to win money. Each boy then goes through various mazes on roller skates with embarrassing obstacles along the way.

The funniest bit is the dialogue between the Japanese game show host and the boys. While the game has no sounds (which is my only complaint about the game as I would love to hear Matt Stone and Trey Parker speak the lines), it does have word balloons. From that, you get a sense of how the lines would sound. It wouldn't surprise me if Trey and Matt themselves had a hand in this game. The app also allows you to listen to any audio track on the iPod while playing the game.

The characterizations of the Japanese in the game could be perceived as racist, but anybody who watches the program knows that such crass characterization is in the spirit of the show. Some of the prizes awarded include references to the show such as Chinpokomon. The game itself plays like such classics as Sonic the Hedgehog or one of the Super Mario Bros. games. It's simplistic but fun.

Currently the game is on sale for $1.99 (down from $4.99), possibly in anticipation of the new upcoming episodes. If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch and like South Park, I recommend it.

You can call it the beginning of a beautiful relationship, or it may seem like a license to print money, but any way you view it, today's announcement that Apple will be the signature sponsor for Fox's American Idol -- that Apple will have exclusive audio and video performance download rights for AI -- is huge. The deal, effective immediately, ensures that all Idol performance downloads will now only be available on Apple's iTunes store. In addition, iTunes will sponsor online streaming of contestant performances on the official American Idol web site. Each and every time you click on the AI site, you'll see links for iPods and iTouches and iPhones, all the cool players and gadgets that Apple sells. And every time you click on the Apple site, you'll see links to Idol.