Have you had a busy week? Looking forward to some downtime this weekend? We’re happy to see you, and our latest collection of App Store games is eager to occupy your mind and fingers for a while. Become a dark knight, follow a rabbit, battle alien microbes and more after the jump!
The Dark Knight Rises
By now, you’ve most likely seen The Dark Knight Rises if you’re a movie buff, but just in case you haven’t, I won’t discuss the plot of the game — just be warned that it does contain spoilers for the film, so you probably want to watch before you play.
That being said, the game offers a surprisingly robust experience that continues the legacy of strong game counterparts for the Batman franchise. There’s a large and mostly open world for you to complete missions in, and a good sense of variety permeates the level and assignment design so that you won’t get bored quickly.
There are even franchise famous vehicles to pilot, and the console-calibre presentation helps deliver a tie-in experience that may not reach the scale of the film, but certainly does justice to the mobile gaming space’s expectations.
Pocket Minions
Admittedly, there’s no shortage of tower defense games out there, but we still like to highlight the very best of them — there’s a reason they’re so popular, after all! Pocket Minions is a brand new, utterly fantastic addition to the genre pool.
Interestingly enough, you’re managing a literal tower in this game, working to build up your castle and defend it against attacking dragons, thieves and even ghosts. The game’s strength is in its strategic formula; it’s not just about battling. You’ll need to work with a large variety of units to perform tasks that will keep your minions happy and your castle functioning.
It’s a wonderful departure from the narrower scope of many competing games, and special mention has to be made of just how drop-dead spectacular the graphics are in Pocket Minions. Both stylistically and in terms of execution, it’s among the finest we’ve seen in recent memory, and it doesn’t need to resort to anything too flashy to achieve its effect. Highly recommended!
Price: $0.99
Developer: SiuYiu Limited
Download: App Store
Follow the Rabbit
Somewhere between a blocks puzzle and a platforming game, Follow the Rabbit strikes a fine balance between casual fun and tricky brain teasing, and its cutesy art style guarantees it some attention amid the latest crop of premium games.
Helped by a simple swipe-to-move control scheme, Follow the Rabbit is extremely fun to pick up and play, and the active goal of chasing the rabbit and picking up the goodies it leaves behind lends a sense of momentum to your actions. You’ll get to the point where you have to control more than one character at the same time, and the amusing variety of obstacles and tools in your environment keep things fresh throughout the 100 current levels.
Follow the Rabbit deserves all of the acclaim it’s been getting, and if you haven’t had an opportunity to try it out yet, you won’t be disappointed: slick gameplay, challenge, strong presentation — what more could we ask for in a casual game?
Tentacle Wars
FDG Entertainment has really been making a name for itself with a slew of quality games, and its latest outing — Tentacle Wars — is among its finest yet.
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s based on an extremely popular Flash game. This iOS version brings a strong campaign of 40 missions and full multiplayer support via Game Center, allowing you to extend your play. The game itself involves trying to cure an alien organism of its disease by controlling the last of its antibody cells and capturing enemy cells to secure an area and replenish some energy.
The tentacled foes are challenging and unrelenting, and the game isn’t shy about making things hard for you as you progress. Smooth controls and a fair pace make this a strong title for fans of strategy and sci-fi.
Price: $0.99
Developer: FDG Entertainment
Download: App Store
Pocket Army
Though similar in title to another game we took a look at this week, Pocket Army couldn’t be more different in terms of actual gameplay.
This real-time strategy action RPG blend is a great army-based battle game where you and your increasingly powerful band of troops complete online quests and confront your friends over Game Center and even Facebook — all in real-time. Customization is a big part of the experience, with many different options for gear and weapons making themselves available for purchase (including via IAP).
While it isn’t the most unique art style on the App Store (comparisons to Battleheart are inevitable), the game itself packs a lot of punch for a freebie.
Price: Free
Developer: Pine Entertainment
Download: App Store
What Have You Been Playing?
Have a terrific week, and make sure to come back next Friday for another fun roundup — farewell, July!