It’s time to wrap up an incredible March with some of the latest and greatest App Store games!
Featuring everyone’s favourite birds in space, some RPG goodness, strategy, and even a retro treat, you’re going to want to click through and start playing.
Angry Birds Space
We may as well mention this one first, especially since you’re likely part of the more than ten million people who have already purchased the game. Angry Birds Space takes a strong formula and extends it just enough to feel like a brand new game, without compromising the charm that made it so popular in the first place.
If you’re looking for an in depth examination of this sequel, you’ll find it in Kevin’s excellent full review, but in brief terms the game features the same bird flinging madness with new birds and a completely new environment: outer space. The beauty and genius of the space environment is what makes this sequel such a winner. Gravity is now flexible, and you’ll find yourself challenged not only to find the structural weaknesses in the pig encampments, but also to figure out how best to attack them since you’re able to use the gravity of various space objects to swing around from behind, or above, or below …
As a result, your trajectory is now indicated via some flashing lights, which is greatly appreciated and, while you might think it would reduce the challenge, it actually just ensures that your challenge is figuring out an attack strategy rather than wasting time flinging things inaccurately — just one example of a subtle but obvious mark of good game design. Angry Birds Space is a definitively excellent sequel and will enchant fans and new players alike.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Rovio Mobile, Ltd.
Download: App Store
Swordigo
One of the most beautiful platform adventure games to hit the App Store, Swordigo plays like a beautiful blend of Trine, Super Mario, and perhaps even Rayman. The fluid, 2.5D environment is gorgeously rendered in a colourful art style, and the controls are unobtrusive as you plumb the depths of dungeons and best your foes.
The game world is fairly spacious, and you won’t get bored quickly with the various quests and places to explore. Levelling up occurs as you’d expect it to, and the spread of weapons, skills and magical spells that you come across are distinct and satisfying to use. Everything in Swordigo contributes to a tight and well designed gameplay experience that offers its treasures with a reverence to the games that inspired it.
It’s also up to speed with the times, featuring not only the usual Game Center/OpenFeint achievements, but also iCloud game saves and a universal build so you can play it wherever you are and pick up right where you left off — assuming you can put it down in the first place.
Hunters 2
One of the finest turn-based strategy games the App Store has ever seen was the original Hunters, and now that its sequel is finally out, we’re thrilled to report that it lovingly improves on just about every aspect of the original and retains its seat on the throne of the most compelling example of its genre on the platform.
You and your team of mercenaries will continue to complete missions across the galaxy, and the huge boost of new equipment in the game means you’ll have no trouble outfitting your squad exactly the way you want, not to mention the fact that you can even craft your own items now. The new campaign is satisfying and challenging, and the same daily mission system that made the first game so wildly popular returns now to offer ongoing replay value for those who get through the main campaign.
A brand new visual engine and some polish of the interface also helps tidy up the loose ends in Hunters 2. While the price is fairly steep, the fact that the content is evolving daily justifies the extra investment. If you have any interest in sci-fi turn based strategy, then this is one title you will not want to miss.
Price: $4.99
Developer: Rodeo Games
Download: App Store
Rollerhog
Rollerhog is a dead simple, overwhelmingly cutesy side-scrolling adventure game starring a rolling hog and a cast of unthreatening spiders, flowers and crocodiles.
While rolling through the field, you must swipe obstacles out of the way, bounce to avoid crocodiles and grab candy and jump on the heads of bunnies whack-a-mole style. It’s a gentle and child-friendly experience that gains some momentum when you hit “Hyper Mode” and must keep up with the increased pace. There is a big update planned with more characters, and the potential is there for this to grow into a much larger game.
For your inner or outer child, this is an unpretentious and straightforward good time.
A Little Turbulence
A retro game unlike any we’ve seen before, A Little Turbulence is a cleverly titled game not unlike Osmos but set in the air, where you play as a small cloud.
The goal is to absorb other clouds, get bigger and then destroy or avoid all the various aircraft and objects that crisscross through the screen. Surviving for as long as possible begins to get trickier as you go along, though once you reach maximum mass you’ll enter “Rage Mode” and temporarily become a dangerous maelstrom.
There are power-ups to collect, but otherwise the gameplay is lean and focused, with the pixel graphics offering a fun old-school vibe without seeming forced or gimmicky. A Little Turbulence is a lot of fun, and we highly recommend it!
What Have You Been Playing?
Thanks for reading; we hope you enjoy your gaming time this week and that you’ll keep sending us your tips and recommendations in the comments!