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5 fantastic iOS games you aren't playing, but should be
Ever since Apple removed the ability to browse apps by how recently they were added to the App Store, it seems as though the only way to discover great content is by browsing through Apple's own recommendations pages. Sure, you can search for whatever app you want by name, but it's harder than ever to find new titles that aren't being promoted, and to revisit older games that never got the chance to shine. Here are five games that you've either never played or forgotten about. They all deserve your attention. Crush the Castle HD ($0.99) Why you aren't playing it: It's old. Like, really old. Before hitting the App Store in 2009 -- over a year before we'd see the very first Angry Birds title -- it was a hit online Flash game. The app was popular for a short while, but quickly fell into the App Store ether. Why you should be playing it: It's still one of the best physics-based puzzle games on the App Store. In many ways, it was the original Angry Birds. You launch a variety of weaponry from a catapult in an attempt to kill your enemies and topple their structures. Long after the game left the top sellers list, additional levels and even a level creator were added. Simply marvelous all around. Cover Orange 2 ($0.99) Why you aren't playing it: The developers supported the original game for far too long. This might sound like a good thing, but by adding more and more levels over the course of several years (there are over 400 levels at this point) the same-y nature of the updates couldn't keep the title in the top sellers list. By the time the proper sequel debuted, nobody remembered the franchise even existed. Why you should be playing it: It's the sequel to a game that sold over 10 million copies, and it's even better than the first. You must protect your oranges from attack by dropping objects onto each level to create safe havens. The environments are more detailed and varied, and the giggly little oranges are just as charming as ever. Motorbike HD ($0.99) Why you aren't playing it: Low production values. In screenshots, the game looks pretty rough, with flat textures, ugly menus, and a general lack of detail in the environments. Anyone comparing stills of the game to something like Trials Frontier won't be impressed. Why you should be playing it: Mechanically, it beats Trials at its own game. Bikes control more like you'd imagine they would, and the game even includes iOS controller support, which even Trials has ignored. Levels are extremely challenging, but instant restarts gives it a very addictive quality. It might not be the prettiest game, but it's still a blast from start to finish. Hungry Cat Dunk ($0.99) Why you aren't playing it: I'm not sure. Infinity Pocket has always been known for its long-time hit Flick Home Run, but it couldn't carry that sales success over to Hungry Cat Dunk. The first section of the game is pretty boring, which might have turned off most players. It's also never been widely promoted, which might be part of the problem, or maybe cats don't have the appeal they once had? Why you should be playing it: Who are you kidding? You love cats, and adding frisky felines to this physics-based puzzler makes it even more fantastic than it would be without them. You launch your cute kitty towards a large barrel, while at the same time collecting stars, coins, and dealing with wind and other environmental hazards. If your cat ball touches the ground, it's game over. The first dozen or so levels are a joke, but once you progress to the harder sections, you'll be hooked. Fruit Plague 3D (Free) Why you aren't playing it: It's brand new, and it looks absolutely insane. From the screenshots and App Store description, I honestly wasn't sure what to make of it, and I think that uncertainty will turn off a lot of casual browsers. It's a military shooter... but there's fruit? Why is there fruit? Why you should be playing it: Because it's a military shooter... and there's fruit. If you're tired of taking out zombies, terrorists, and disgusting creatures in your iOS shooters, this is a huge breath of fresh air. It's up to you to defend the "good fruit" against the "bad fruit," using your trusty machine gun and rocket launcher. You slowly move around the home base automatically, so all you have to worry about it aiming and shooting. You can upgrade you weapons and even call in airstrikes. It's absurd, but it's also absurdly fun.
Daily iPad App: Cannon Crasha offers nostalgic medieval combat
Your goal in Cannon Crasha is simple: Destroy the castle on the right side of the screen while protecting the castle on the left side of the screen. There's a relatively disposable story that is designed to push you on, destroying castles and leaving rubble in your wake, but in the end it's Crasha's fantastic medieval combat and old-school aesthetic that will keep you playing. Equal parts Angry Birds and a lesser known classic, Crush The Castle, Cannon Crasha gives you one weapon to start with: a massive cannon. With each successfully aimed shot, your opponent's castle takes damage until it eventually crumbles. Of course, your computer-controlled adversary returns fire as well, and if you're not careful you could end up on the losing end. The battles start off simple, but after a while you are introduced to various cannon upgrades, additional bonus attacks like soldiers and airborne bombers, and defensive tools like customizable barriers. Your gold level controls this micro economy, with your monetary level rising each time you strike your enemy's stronghold. Cannon Crasha's old-school 16-bit design style works great on the iPad, and everything from your castle to the background environments feel both retro and extremely crisp. The same goes for the sound effects, which are basic but fit in well with the nostalgic vibe. The only real complaint I have is that at times there is almost too much stuff going on to be able to pay attention to. With bombs going off, planes and dragons filling the sky, and ground units attacking both sides it can be rather easy to forget to launch your cannon as soon as it's ready to fire. When precious seconds count, missing a well-timed cannonball can cost you a round, but managing every aspect of the battle can be very distracting. Still, this doesn't take away from the fact that Cannon Crasha is a great addition to any iPad game library and a must-have for fans of games like Angry Birds. Just be warned: You may need to grow and additional hand to keep up.
Crush the Castle for iPhone free today only
I'm not much of a gamer but I adore Crush the Castle. It's a medieval themed game where you use a trebuchet to knock down your enemies who inhabit an increasingly difficult arrangement of fortifications. It's a good test of skill and your knowledge of the physics of heavy airborne objects. Today only, the full featured game is free, and in Uncle Mel's view it is definitely worth grabbing. It's great for passing the time in an airport, and can help you conquer your daily build-up of frustrations. The sound effects are super, from the screams of your victims to the subtle environmental sounds that match the locale in which a particular round takes place. My only regret is that there is not yet an iPad version, but it doesn't scale up too badly and is still fun to play. If you haven't played this game, I recommend trying it. If you have only been using the 'lite' version, here's a chance to upgrade at no cost. Thanks to Bill for the tip!
Got some time? Crush the Castle
I admit it. I am iPadded out. I am iTired. I am suffering from iBurnout. So it was with pleasure that I found an addicting little game for the iPhone and iPod touch called Crush the Castle [iTunes link]. It's a free medieval game where you use an ancient trebuchet to smash a variety of castles and the inhabitants standing nearby. Crush the Castle is physics based, so you have to swing a heavy projectile in the air and release at just the right point to flatten the castle off to the right of the trebuchet. After a few tries it gets damned addictive. You have more than a dozen castles to crush in two different kingdoms. If you do well, you get some medals. If not, you are rebuked by the king. The animation is good, the physics seem accurate, and the sounds of castles coming down and soldiers screaming adds to the fun. At each new level, the distance to the castles from your siege machine increases, so you really have to get the release point for the projectile just right. Crush the Castle is a port of a Flash-based game which you can play for free online. If you really get into the mild mayhem, I'd suggest you look at the US$1.99 version [iTunes link] which has 90 levels, 10 types of ammo, and an editor so you can design your own castles before you knock them down. Both versions get great reviews from users, and I'm in agreement. It's helping me forget all the endless iDebates over the iPad and work my iAggressions out on my iPhone. The free version is no risk, except for the time you are sure to lose. Let me know if you get hooked too. Check out more screen shots below: %Gallery-84288%
iPhone It In: Crush the Castle
We talk about a wide variety of iPhone games in this feature, but we're increasingly in support of games like Canabalt which require just a single touch to play. Call us lazy, but one-thumb tapping seems to be the exact amount of interaction we need on our phones, and Crush the Castle, our latest iPhone addiction, delivers on just that. You play as a sentient trebuchet attacking an increasingly intricate and fortified series of castles filled to the brim with royalty and their servants. With a single touch, you'll start the firing arc, with a second tap to choose the exact moment to release your (increasingly potent) ammunition. The fewer shots it takes you to bring down the castle, the greater the reward, in the form of bronze, silver and gold medals. %Gallery-84161%
