It’s time to get your game on, folks! It’s Friday, and that means there’s another crop of fresh App Store diversions to browse through, courtesy of your friendly curators here at AppStorm.
Come on in and prepare to play …
Saving Yello
If you’re a fan of playing “spot the hit” on the App Store, then you’ve probably already noticed this one. Saving Yello is a terrific addition to the healthy flinging-of-animals genre of physics puzzlers, and the fact that its goal is positive — to return a fish to his bowl — is a nice change.
As you’d expect, you spend a lot of time tugging Yello’s tail to launch him in the direction of his bowl. But there’s a lot more to it than simple flinging of fish; to earn the three star rating for each level, you’ll need to not only get Yello into his bowl, but also destroy the toy structures in the level. You’ll get extra points for combos, and earning enough points wins you the third star.
Where the game really shines though is its powerups. Yello will brave flames, ice, explosives, spikes and all manner of other elements. He can use them to his advantage to cause more damage to the levels, and the strategies add a lot of dimension for those who want to go beyond the basic goal of getting the fish back to his home. Saving Yello is adorable, addictive and a definite recommendation!
Minecraft – Pocket Edition
It had to happen, right? The world’s newest cult gaming phenomenon has finally made its way, legitimately, to the App Store. Minecraft – Pocket Edition brings the spirit of the distinctive sandbox creation game to the palm of your hand.
As with the desktop version, Minecraft is a world in which you make your own goals and have the freedom to build, explore, and wander as you see fit. Worlds you create can be saved, and they can also be shared with friends (As long as you’re on the same Wi-Fi network) so you don’t have to play alone. It is worth noting that for all its charm and potential, this initial release of the port is actually quite barebones; fans of the desktop game will miss time passing, animals, resources and especially crafting — all of which are crucial elements for the full experience.
It is just an alpha at this stage, so updates are expected to come swiftly and regularly, but be aware that it’s not yet everything it should be. That being said, it’s still Minecraft. On your phone. Enough said, right?
Age of Zombies Anniversary
Isn’t this out already? Yes, sort of. You see, the folks at Halfbrick Studios (responsible for Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride, Monster Dash, etc.) have been going through their catalogue and updating their games to take advantage of the gorgeous HD graphics capabilities of the newer iOS devices.
Those new to this title are in for a treat: it’s one of the best games on the App Store, boasting a hilarious sense of humour, tight gameplay, and — especially in light of this update — amazing graphics. You play as Barry Steakfries, a vigilante traveling through time to kill the evil Professor Brains, whose army of undead has begun invading earth throughout time. There are zombies, there are bosses, there are guns, there are sarcastic quips…what’s not to like?
Besides the graphical boost, fans of the game will notice an entirely new level in this Anniversary edition, and there are other exclusive goodies scattered around too. All in all this is a welcome excuse to return to the jaunty exploits of Mr. Steakfries in his best adventure ever.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Download: App Store
Anthill: Tactical Trail Defense
This is perhaps the most clever take on strategic tower defense we’ve seen in a while. Rather than place units and direct them individually, Anthill encourages you to adopt the mentality of actual ants and think in terms of a hive mind.
You use your touch to lay down pheromone trails for your troops to follow into battle against invading insects. This becomes increasingly tricky, and the different troops and abilities are distinct and upgradeable, giving you plenty of incentive to play for a while. Honing your ant army isn’t just about attack though — when you make a kill, you’ll have to draw a trail for your workers so they can come pick up the resources from the fallen enemy.
Anthill is a game about strategy that teaches you not to be wasteful and rewards patient playing. It’s very easy to get into, and looks great to boot, so there’s no excuse not to grab this one.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Image & Form International AB
Download: App Store
Zombie Gunship
Wait wait, it’s not another typical zombie game! Prepare to be surprised. Zombie Gunship is an utterly fresh take on the zombie killing craze, and shows that innovative developers can make even the most familiar subjects interesting again.
As the name implies, you’re taking on the horde from the skies in this game. As the gunner in a heavily armed ground attack aircraft, you’ll command powerful weaponry and advanced technology and use them to decimate the undead far below. It plays a bit like the aircraft sequences in your favourite console FPS, but more focused, more competitive, and … well, they’re zombies you’re shooting.
With a healthy stream of updates, this game keeps improving, and the fact that it manages to make zombies feel new again makes it worthy of praise.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Limbic Software
Download: App Store
What Have You Been Playing?
There’s your selection for this week, everyone! Have a blast playing them and enjoy a cheerful Thanksgiving (if you’re in the states). See you next week!