Happy Friday, game fans! We’ve missed bringing you your weekly dose of fresh fun from the App Store, so it’s time to dive back in with a new batch of titles — and as an added bonus, almost all of this week’s selection are universal!
Click through and let’s get our game on.
Pocket RPG
Since levelling up is a good way to start any day, we’ll begin with Pocket RPG. This 3D fantasy adventure has a lot of amazing features going for it, and many of our favourite features from other titles have been incorporated as well, making for a deep and rewarding gameplay experience.
Making use of the dual-stick control scheme, you’ll control one of 3 character classes through randomly generated dungeon quests that will pit you against legions of enemies, bosses and traps. Oh, and loot. There’s always loot! Particular attention has been paid to the item system, ensuring that the things you pick up have actual gameplay value and can turn the tide in a battle. This is a hack-and-slash game, but if you want to play it smart you most certainly can.
The pace is quick, with refinements like automatic stat progression (based on how you play and what items you use) ensuring that you never have to waste time elbow-deep in menus and character sheets. It’s not the cheapest thing in the App Store, but the amount of content and its quality justifies the premium price tag for those serious about their mobile gaming. If you grab it, make sure you have some time on your hands, because you won’t want to put it down.
Price: $4.99
Developer: Crescent Moon Games
Download: App Store
To-Fu 2
It seems like just the other day we were talking about the original To-Fu: The Trials of Chi, an original and entertaining puzzle game developed by HotGen. They recently surprised fans with the sequel, hot on the heels of the original, and it’s clear that they’ve still got the spark. To-Fu 2 may be familiar, but it pushes the envelope and offers more than just a new set of levels.
For starters, there are a bunch of new traps and platforms (including really fun new diagonal rebound blocks), and a new game mode to enjoy. The time trial mode is a race to collect as much Chi as possible before the time runs out, and it opens up another avenue of Game Center competition. In the new shop, you’re now able to purchase costumes and Dojo themes as well, though these have no effect on gameplay so you’re welcome to avoid them if you’re not interested.
Whether or not To-Fu 2 deserves to be a fully independent sequel is open for debate, though the amount of new content and polish certainly seems to justify its status — and perhaps HotGen is onto something, marketing-wise, with releasing sequels instead of level packs? Fans of the original will hardly need to think twice though.
Price: $0.99
Developer: HotGen Ltd.
Download: App Store
Grand Prix Story
Speaking of unexpectedly quick follow-ups, everyone’s favourite pixelated micromanagement gurus — the folks at Kairosoft — have put out a brand new “Story” for us to enjoy. This time, you’re responsible for managing a racing team and developing your drivers and staff until you can win.
Anyone familiar with Kairosoft’s previous titles (Game Dev Story, Mega Mall Story, etc.) will feel right at home with the cute graphics, tiny UI elements and unexpectedly addictive gameplay. As with their previous games, the developers have managed to ensure that one doesn’t require any actual knowledge of these businesses in order to play the game successfully — you’ll learn everything you need to along the way, and the learning is perfectly paced so as to disappear into the gameplay itself.
Unfortunately, the game is still iPhone-only, so while it’s terrific that new titles keep emerging, those who were hoping for HD updates of older ones continue to be patiently disappointed. Regardless, this is another winner — it almost goes without saying — and the racing environment offers plenty of twists on the established formula to help keep things from getting stale. Well worth a look.
Price: $2.99
Developer: Kairosoft Co., Ltd
Download: App Store
Warp Dash
The world of arcade racing also saw a shining new entry in the form of Warp Dash, a truly beautiful and madly engaging title where it’s just you, your ship and an endless track filled with increasingly tricky-to-avoid obstacles.
Having an endless (and randomly generated) track not only means that each time you play you get something different, it also means that your true goal isn’t to “reach the end” or to “beat the level.” Instead, your goal becomes to simply improve your skill and become an expert so that you can survive longer, race faster and get more impressive air as you collect triangles. The accelerometer controls are responsive and the design remains easy on the eyes even at breakneck speeds, so you never feel like you’re dashing through a blurry landscape.
This is a challenging game, but it’s also one of the most rewarding and compelling that we’ve played in a long time and those who enjoy old school arcade racing, or just a legitimate skill-based challenge, will find Warp Dash worth a play.
Fruity Jelly
Rounding off this week’s picks is one final universal title, this time a platformer. Fruity Jelly is a comfortable, colourful and tricky entry in the genre that uses its accelerometer controls to make you not only tilt, but also rotate your iPhone to collect all the fruit.
This 3D motion control works well and introduces more challenge into an otherwise familiar sort of platforming environment. Slick artwork and smooth performance help keep the experience feeling tight and immersive, and it’s easy to find yourself uttering those “just one more level” sentiments as you get the hang of the controls.
It may not be the largest or the more innovative title in the platforming genre, but with its interesting new controls and solid presentation values, Fruity Jelly is an easy game to like.
What Have You Been Playing?
Enjoy this week’s titles and come back next week too as we resume our regular schedule. And since you’ve had a few weeks of solo gaming, drop us a comment below and tell us what fun stuff you’ve found!