If you find yourself pushing into the new year having completed most of the games on your phone, then you’ll be happy to hear that the flood of exciting new titles has begun — and we’re on top of it.
This week we have a tremendous selection of fresh games for you to try out, so hop in and get gaming!
Pocket League Story
Let’s start things off with a Kairosoft title, shall we? One day, there will probably be a condition named for the addictive nature of these games. If you’ve been playing their previous releases (Game Dev Story, Venture Towns, Grand Prix Story, Pocket Academy, etc.) then you’ll be able to jump right into this latest soccer themed title.
As is their custom, the folks at Kairosoft are masters of revealing the inner micromanagement in day-to-day life, and encouraging us to become experts at it. You’re in charge of a soccer team this time around, and will struggle to build the best roster while balancing sales, building structures and hunting for top sponsors. If this is your first game from these people and you’re wondering how any of this could be fun, well, grab it while it’s on sale and try it — you won’t be disappointed.
More of the same? Yes, but when the same happens to be a tried and true formula for rewarding, engrossing and clever gameplay, then that’s exactly what the doctor ordered. Don’t fix what ain’t broke, right?
Price: $2.99
Developer: Kairosoft Co., Ltd
Download: App Store
Super Crate Box
For our weekly dose of retro arcade action, we turn to Super Crate Box from Vlambeer. This incredibly fun title swept through the indie gaming scene when it came out for PC/Mac in 2010, and now that it’s made the natural jump to iOS, you’ll be able to take the frantic excitement with you wherever you go.
At first, the game appears to be little more than a manic platformer with some old fashioned spirit, but what comes to light as you sit down and play it (with a possible break, four hours later, when you remember to eat) is that it’s not just emulating the old school: it’s totally recapturing it. This is a 100-percent authentic retro platformer. You’ll spend your time clambering about several levels, destroying endless waves of enemies while seeking out the titular crate boxes.
It’s difficult, it’s very fast paced and it’s worth every cent. Check out the leaderboards if you want to be depressed at how much better others are than you, and then struggle to match them. This one’s a keeper.
Tiki Kart 3D
Everyone loves a good kart racer, and Tiki Kart 3D is one of relatively few good ones that have made it to the App Store. The tiki theme fits perfectly with the kart racing atmosphere, and the 3D graphics capture much of the Mario Kart feel without being too derivative.
Over the course of 15 tracks, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to test out the various karts, each of which has its own characteristics. You will also enjoy the crazy power-ups and environmental hazards — all of which you’ll need to use to your advantage to best your opponents.
While the app is free, be aware that in-app purchases are required to unlock some of the karts and content — you can get everything for neat $4, which is reasonable given the quality of the game. This is light-hearted racing at its finest, and you can take it with you wherever you go, so there’s no reason not to take it out for a spin.
Price: Free
Developer: Arb Studios LLC
Download: App Store
Azarashi
Cave Story developers Studio Pixel have made their first foray into a dedicated iOS title with the brief, beautiful Azarashi. What is it? It involves seals, darts and keychains!
Specifically, your job is to save seals (on keychains) from dropping by tapping them when they fall — not before! It’s a reflex game, and it’s incredibly tense. As is best for this kind of title, everything is as streamlined and concise as possible, and the one-touch gameplay means it’s dead simple to pick up and get into.
Don’t expect complexity, but do expect the same level of polish, care, and charm that you would hope for from the developers of Cave Story.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Studio Pixel
Download: App Store
Hero Academy
It’s a safe bet that people who worked on Halo Wars and Age of Empires are probably well equipped to make a turn-based strategy game, and this becomes evident in Hero Academy, a sleek online strategy title that’s very social, very friendly, and very fun.
Controlling one of several teams (available via IAP), you will challenge friends or random opponents online on chessboard-like grid stages, making use of the unique powers and abilities of your units. Teams can be customized, and you can challenge followers via Twitter if you’re feeling social.
The game currently lacks an offline mode vs. AI opponents, so be aware that you’ll need to have access to the internet to play, and turns can sometimes take a while to get across. But since being connected is nearly always the case for many of us, you’ll be drawn in by this excellent genre piece.
Price: Free
Developer: Robot Entertainment
Download: App Store
What Have You Been Playing?
Quite the haul this week — tell us which your favourites were and what other amazing games you’ve been spending time with in the comments, your feedback makes us happy.