Welcome to November, everyone!
Hope you’ve had a spooky end of October. This week, alongside unhealthy amounts of candy, we’ve been enjoying the following app store games. Take a look, give them a try, and let us know if we’ve missed any good ones!
Treasure Jones
Treasure Jones
Welcome to the Mysterious Island! This exploration side-scroller is a surprisingly deep and engaging experience, with plenty of gameplay packed into richly detailed levels.
In the game, you control “Jones” (as opposed to the Indiana variety) and his sidekick puppy (presumably in lieu of Shia LaBeouf?) as they traverse the side-scrolling levels collecting treasure and fighting off various creatures. The game’s 35 different stages offer plenty to keep you busy, with nearly 50 unique treasures to collect in addition to more major “antiquities”. These items are waiting for you to dig up, or have your pet sniff out.
Perhaps the greatest asset to the title’s replay value is the Game Center integration and ability to upgrade Jones’ abilities and collect more items that he can use to interact with the environment. That and the fact that it looks very slick and plays smoothly adds up to an easy pick-up-and-play game with some lasting appeal.
Price: $0.99 (Introductory Price)
Developer: Meridian Digital Entertainment Ltd.
Download: App Store
Galaxy on Fire 2
Galaxy on Fire 2
If you’re into exploration on a more cosmic scale then you’re no doubt familiar with the original Galaxy on Fire, which was heralded as one of the major showcase titles of the platform’s abilities. The sequel, fresh from Fishlabs, offers more space-y goodness with an almost unbelievable amount of content and polish.
First of all, there are 20 different inhabited solar systems, 30 customizable ship types, and 100 different space stations that you can visit and interact with as part of the ten-hour story. Or depart from the storyline at any time to pursue your whims; perhaps trading some of the 170 different commodities while listening to the lush audio presentation that includes full voice acting. This is all on your iPhone, just as a reminder.
If you’re familiar with titles like EVE Online or Freelancer (both of which have offered obvious inspiration here), then you’ll feel right at home in Galaxy on Fire 2. The dogfight-style gameplay of Freelancer with the epic scope of EVE has come together amazingly well in a more polished and robust game than the original. It’s certainly not the cheapest game on the app store, but considering the vast scope of the project it’s justified.
We Rule Quests
We Rule Quests
Updating one of the titles that started the SimCity-style management game craze, ngmoco recently put out We Rule Quests, which adds an extra layer of friendly interactivity to the wildly popular community game.
As with other titles in the genre, your task is to build up a bustling metropolis (a medieval one, of course) and engage as many of your friends as possible through the Plus+ network. The twist is that now you get to participate in quests that call upon your friends to manufacture and provide various items for you. You, in turn, ought to do the same for them.
We Rule Quests offers quite a bustling community and the plethora of interesting structures and decorations make it hard to resist. The best part is that it’s free, so if you’ve got friends and want to get involved in another game that keeps on giving, then go start up a kingdom!
Price: Free
Developer: ngmoco, Inc.
Download: App Store
Age of Zombies
Age of Zombies
Age of Zombies is one of the most entertaining games I’ve played on my iPhone. There, I’ve said it. Halfbrick studios is no stranger to creative and amazing games, with Fruit Ninja and Monster Dash being among their spawn. Age of Zombies is nevertheless one of their finest works, combining excellent presentation with sheer hilarity.
The plucky protagonist from Monster Dash is back, this time tackling zombies across different time periods. As Barry Steakfries, your job is pretty simple: shoot everything that moves and doesn’t breathe (i.e. zombies). Equipped with shotguns, grenades, and all other manner of weaponry, Age of Zombies offers a wonderfully satisfying dual stick shooter gameplay experience as you gleefully mulch zombies while laughing at the amusing dialogue.
It goes without saying that the game plays like a charm, so it’s easy to lose an hour of your day without realizing it. Time portals and zombies, man…what are you waiting for?
Price: $2.99
Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Download: App Store
Gun Bros
Gun Bros
Rounding off this week’s collection is another shooter, this time a co-op experience featuring the brothers Gun.
Percy and Francis Gun work for an organization called F.R.A.G.G.E.D. (Freakishly Rugged Advanced Genetics Galactic Enforcement Division) as super-human agents of justice responsible for protecting the universe from the onslaught of T.O.O.L. (Tyrannical Oppressors of Life). The setup and gameplay is familiar except that you control just one of the brothers and can use your friends’ “brothers” to help you out via the Game Center. Doing this allows you to train your bros, upgrade their weapons and armor, and otherwise strengthen your chances against the increasingly difficult hordes of T.O.O.L. operatives.
Some gorgeous art design and a very sleek UI make it hard to believe that this game is free. With more levels and guns promised in coming updates, now’s a great time to enlist with F.R.A.G.G.E.D. and start training your bros.
Price: Free
Developer: Glu Mobile
Download: App Store
What Have You Been Playing?
That wraps it up for this week’s collection, so drop us a line in the comments and let us know what you think of them. Are there any other fresh gems you’ve been enjoying?