With Cupid closing in on us, I’m certain that many of you have been perusing the flood of Valentine’s updates to many of the major games like Angry Birds, Cut The Rope, etc. so rather than bore you with the obvious selections this week, we’ve gathered a few new titles that may have flown under the radar.
If you’ve caught some others then get in touch and let us know, but in the meantime, have a look at this week’s roundup!
Chocolate Tycoon
Chocolate Tycoon
Nothing says love like chocolates, so we’ll start things off with an interesting new business simulation game from Com2uS called Chocolate Tycoon in which your goal is to man a small chocolate shop by day and develop and expand the business by night.
It’s an interesting setup with a great deal of charm, all portrayed with adorable graphics and good sound design. The gameplay is varied and includes feeding “Choki” creatures to have them produce chocolate for you, selling the prepared chocolates to customers, investing your earnings, buying new equipment, and even designing your own chocolates.
If you’re into this kind of simulation game then you’ll find a lot to love in Chocolate Tycoon as it’s one of the most finely tuned we’ve encountered. Well worth the relatively steep price point.
Price: $2.99
Developer: Com2uS Inc.
Download: App Store
Sticky
Sticky
Next up is a side scrolling game that presents a quirky and enjoyable game mechanic that takes some inspiration from previous gravity flipping titles and implements it in a new way.
Specifically, you play as a little goo ball called Sticky in a quest to save the scientist who created you from evil black sludge goo balls. To do so, you will progress through levels in which the goal is to attack the black goo by slamming its head a la Super Mario, except rather than controlling Sticky directly, you stretch the ground beneath him to catapult him around the map, up to the ceiling, etc. It’s a lot of fun and handles very smoothly.
There are a good number of levels and achievements to unlock, and no doubt there will be updates with more. Nice and simple entertainment here.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Gamistry Games
Download: App Store
Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden
Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden
The world of “blockbuster” iOS action RPGs has a new contender in the form of Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, recently released by Gameloft. While it’s structurally very similar to most other fantasy RPGs you’re likely familiar with, Sacred Odyssey brings some interesting new things to the mobile world that set it apart from the pack.
For starters, you have a mount that you can ride through the world (think horseback riding in Zelda). In fact, the game clearly owes a lot of inspiration to the Zelda series, even down to the special items that you’ll collect throughout the quest (a boomerang, grappling hook, special shield…stop me if this sounds familiar). That being said, the homage is beautifully put together and stands well on its own. Several diverse environments, a decent story, and good graphics offer plenty of positives to look forward to.
On the negative side, the app is not actually free, unlike the App Store listing would have you believe. It is in fact a sort of hybrid lite version where you get a brief demo and then must pay the full $6.99 to continue the adventure. It’s not an unfair system but it’s not advertised clearly. In any case, if you have a 3rd or 4th gen iOS device, you’ll almost definitely find something to like in Sacred Odyssey.
Price: Free ($6.99 in-app purchase)
Developer: Gameloft
Download: App Store
TowerUp! Plus
TowerUp! Plus
Not exactly brand new, TowerUp! Plus is a refreshed version of a popular tower building game where you work to build the tallest and most profitable hotel highrise you can.
In addition to building the expected hotel rooms, you’re also encouraged to add exterior decorations, entertainment rooms, and a variety of other elements to create a vibrant tower community. There’s a nice social aspect built in too (though it also means you need to be online to play) and free is hard to beat, so give it a shot and see how high you can build.
Price: Free
Developer: Uken Games
Download: App Store
Sky Combat
Sky Combat
Last up is one of the finest vertical shooters in recent memory. Sky Combat is the latest gem published by Chillingo and developed by Alien Worm over in Poland. It’s a military-themed affair where you control a helicopter, tank, and boat alternately as you navigate the levels.
What stands out about Sky Combat is the quality of the graphics, for one. Just have a look at the water and explosion effects and you’ll get a sense for what we mean. Beyond the presentation though, the gameplay is also streamlined and fun, and there are several difficulty levels to appeal to gamers of all skill levels. We also appreciated the inclusion of extensive customization options for controls and the HUD.
There is a lot of fun gameplay to be had in Sky Combat, so it’s one you definitely want to check out.
Price: $1.29
Developer: Alien Worm
Download: App Store
What Have You Been Playing?
That’s it for this week! Remember, cute games make neat little digital gifts for your sweetheart. They’re not edible though, so you’ll probably still need to stock up on chocolates.
Have a good time and make sure to drop us some comments if you find any neat new games!