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TUAW's Daily App: PipeRush
PipeRush is a fun little title that we haven't yet seen the likes of (as far as I know) on the iPhone. I remember this kind of game as Pipe Dream, though you may know it by a number of different names. The idea is that you're given a queue of pieces, and then your job is to assemble them in such a way that they all match up and allow water to flow within a certain time period. PipeRush doesn't add too much to this formula (though there are some power-ups to play with as you go through the levels), but what it does bring is a nice bit of polish. There's a cute lead character in Pippa, the pipe-laying plumber, and the graphics are simple and sparkly as you go along. Achievements and scoreboards are handled by Crystal, but with star ratings to chase across the game's 15 or so levels, I found plenty to do. PipeRush is only US 99 cents on the App Store right now, and if this kind of gameplay appeals to you at all, I highly recommend you pick it up.
TUAW's Daily App: Aftermath
I'll be honest -- I heard that Aftermath was a zombie game and almost gave up on it. I wouldn't be offended if you did the same, since lots of developers (especially iPhone developers) are depending a little too much on zombies for their gameplay. Yes, it's fun to fight the walking undead, but they're used over and over again because a) they're easy to program, and b) they let you make a "shooting humans" game without getting involved in the whole morality thing. But Aftermath is still worth a look. While a lot of zombie games on the store go abstract or silly, this one sticks pretty close to realistic, and it has some serious quality and interesting gameplay behind it. You're fighting zombies and moving through levels, but instead of aiming and shooting a gun, you're actually aiming a flashlight, and your gun automatically fires for you. The projected light makes the whole affair very atmospheric; the game's just dark enough that it actually feels a little spooky trying to navigate the shuffling brain-eaters to your next objective. Particularly if you're a fan of Left 4 Dead or that ilk, Aftermath is probably worth a look -- it's US$1.99 on the App Store right now. And please, developers, unless they're as inventive and well-done as this one, let's keep the zombie games to a minimum. Maybe we could fight werewolves instead? Or angry robots?
TUAW's Daily App: Awesome Solitaire
Awesome Solitaire is (surprise!) an awesome solitaire game. The usual card game is so simple by now that presentation is everything, and Awesome Solitaire has presentation in spades. If you play in Awesome mode, the graphics are flashy, you get rewarded with points for combos, and the animation looks smooth and professional. Heck, the background is even animated with the accelerometer. My one argument is that there's no sound on the app at all -- as flashy and smooth as the graphics are, you'd think there would be some sparkling sounds to accompany them. But then again, I often turn the sounds on my phone down (especially in public), so the lack of sound on a pick up and play game like this doesn't hurt too much. This is the absolute coolest version of solitaire you will ever play on your iPhone. There aren't a lot of actual game options (there are lots of other versions if you want a little variety), but if you just want to sit back and move solitaire cards around, this is the way to do it. Oh, and one more thing: the app is free through the weekend. You really have no excuses at all -- go on over to the App Store and download this one.
TUAW's Daily App: Glee Karaoke
Smule has reinvented its official Glee app as Glee Karaoke, specially for the new season of the musical show. Our own Mike Rose enjoyed the first app earlier this year, but this release adds a little competition to the mix -- you can now compete on high score boards for every song, and complete missions in the game to unlock new content and move up the charts. You can also improve your singing by playing with the app -- there's "a touch of pitch correction" in there, and you can get feedback as you sing on just how well you're doing. The app is cheaper than before, too (just US $0.99 for the original purchase). Songs still have to be purchased separately, but every week, Smule is adding new songs into the mix, so you can keep up with the show during the season. I have to admit, Smule has been pretty innovative with music on the App Store, and this latest app revamp is no exception. For Glee fans, it's a must, but anyone who enjoys belting out their favorite lyrics should definitely check this one out.
TUAW's Daily App: Undercroft
Undercroft is an iPhone RPG that's reminiscent of the old Elder Scrolls games; it's turn based, and seen from a first-person perspective (even though you actually play a party of adventurers). This is strictly fantasy fare, and it doesn't do a lot that's new. For the first few quests, you're fighting rats and spiders, and you'll need to level up, deal with loot, and do lots and lots of exploring and quest completing before getting anywhere. But as traditional as it is, it's actually a lot of fun, and the retro format translates well to the iPhone's touchscreen. We've seen elsewhere that the iPhone can do next-gen games, but it's nice to see older forms like this finding a tidy home on the App Store. And what the heck, ... it won't cost you anything. The game is sponsored by developer Jagex's Runescape at the moment, so you can download and play the whole thing for free. With that news in the equation, there's really no reason not to try this one out. Make a party, go kill some monsters, and see if it doesn't take you right back to a much simpler fantasy RPG time.
TUAW's Daily App: Phases
Phases is one of those apps that has a lot of information you wouldn't really think of or need -- until you actually have an app available to give it to you. Basically, Phases tells you everything you need to know about the moon, from when it wanes and waxes, rises and sets, and when and where it appears in the sky. Sure, it might not be the most pressing information to have, but it's kind of fun to check and see if it really is a full moon out, or find out just when the moon will be up in the evening. And you don't even need an Internet connection -- the app has a database of over 20,000 cities, so even if you can't hook up to the 'net, you can still get information from the app. It's just 99 cents in the store right now, so if the clean design and surprising amount of data available in this one appeals to you, definitely give it a download.
TUAW's Daily App: Cartolina
Cartolina is an app that I noticed over on the great Drawn! illustration blog. While you might not want to get it yourself (it's the thought that counts with greeting cards, and I think that, with both cards and letters, the real thing is still better), you can't disagree that the art of this one is pretty incredible. Cartolina is originally a stationery company, printing cards and letterheads with elaborate and elegant designs on them, but they've also released an iPhone app. For US$2.99, you get access to nine different artistic templates, which can then be made into beautiful email or text messages. It's not a big deal (and it's no substitute for actually writing someone a letter -- something I already don't do enough of), but for classing up the standard congratulatory or simply nice email or text message, it'll work wonders. The app also has a built-in calendar with reminders of major events, and the app promises even more designs and features coming soon. Again, if you already have a schedule and a plan for sending greeting cards, the app probably won't interest you that much. But it's always nice to send someone a reminder that you're thinking of them, and having Cartolina around might help you do just that.
TUAW's Daily App: Unearthed
Honestly, I spent all day yesterday playing Pocket Frogs, so go try that if you haven't yet. But since we covered that one earlier this week, I'll tell you about Unearthed. To be honest, I don't exactly know how it all works. The app is complicated, and getting it to do what you want it to do is half the fun. It's designed to be like a government security app, except there's no five-inch thick manual binder to go along with it. The idea is that the app turns your iPhone into an "anomaly scanner," and with augmented reality, you're tasked with scanning various alien beings in the world around you. It's a little hard to explain, but once you play around with it, it's pretty trippy. You use the iPhone's camera (3GS or better required) to look around the actual space you're in, and aliens of various kinds appear on the screen as if they were actually there. Scan them in, and you earn points towards leaderboards and get recognized with bonuses and upgrades. Unfortunately, as a game, Unearthed leaves something to be desired. It's a little clumsy, and as I said, it's not entirely clear what is happening, even when you figure out what all of the little buttons and lights do. A tutorial mode would be quite helpful, if the idea wasn't to engage the conspiracy theorist side of your mind. But as an experience, Unearthed is definitely worth checking out. Fortunately, it's a free app that's supported by some in-game purchases for access to the highest levels. If nothing else, give it a download and see for yourself just how freaky augmented reality games can be.
TUAW's Daily App: Rocketeer
Nope, this isn't a movie adaptation (though I'd like to play that game, too). Instead, it's a physics puzzler that has you tossing little rocket-riding guys around planets of various sizes, with gravitational effects to match. The graphics are simple but effective, and the game is surprisingly forgiving -- you get as many chances to try and throw the little guys around as you need, but fewer tries means a better score. There are 80 levels to go through, but play will go pretty quickly. This game has "just one more try" written all over it. It's only 99 cents on the App Store, and for a cheap, physics-based thrill, it delivers. There's also an iPad version available (also for 99 cents) if you'd rather play it there. It could probably be a little more polished (there were times when I thought the puzzle solving was more about random placement rather than actual trial and error), but when you do finally figure out the solution of where to throw your little guy in between the planets, it always ends up being very satisfying.
TUAW's Daily App: Auditorium
Auditorium is that rare kind of game that's a must-play no matter what kind of gamer you are. It's a puzzle game, a music game, and a piece of art at various times. It's out now on the iPhone courtesy of EA (and the main download is absolutely free), but even if you don't want to take up space on your mobile device, just head over to the website and play the Flash demo for a little bit. My guess is that you'll be taken by the beauty and originality, at least enough to pop over to the App Store and download the main game. The idea is that there is a stream of music flowing through each level, and it's your job to use the various widgets you've been given to shape and paint the music into certain spots on the board. As you move through the levels, you'll get more and more adept at sending the flow where you need it to go. Fortunately, the puzzles get harder and harder as you play, creating a great curve of both learning and adjusting your mind enough to find the right solution. The main game is free, and then you can purchase all of the levels in three different packs, at 99 cents each. But even for the whole three bucks, this is quite an experience; it's more than worth the price. Again, if you're doubtful, give the demo a try, and see if you're not convinced to try the whole thing in order to see where it goes.
TUAW's Daily App: Skies of Glory
I actually picked up Skies of Glory a while back, but it wasn't until I finally nabbed my iPhone 4 this weekend that I got to see it running in its full, well, glory. Skies of Glory is a World War II air combat simulator -- it walks a nice line between simulation and arcade, as you don't need to worry too much about controlling the plane (the iPhone's accelerometer is used to great effect), but you'll still need to keep your bearings to take out enemies. It's challenging, but spending the time to get your plane lined up is actually pretty rewarding, not to mention that it's awesome to see a fully implemented air combat sim on the iPhone. The game's model will probably rub some folks the wrong way, but there's actually plenty of content for free. The game itself is a free download, and includes a tutorial mission, a first combat mission, and a set of dogfights, along with the ability to play multiplayer over WiFi. After that (and it will take you a good evening to finish that content), you can buy extra planes and mission packs with in-app purchases, just a couple of bucks each. Or if you want to go a more traditional route, you can buy a Battle of Britain app for US $6.99, which has planes and mission packs already included. Either way, Skies of Glory is worth checking out. I wouldn't say it rivals flight sims on other platforms -- it doesn't have the graphical glitz of a game like HAWX on consoles, and it definitely doesn't match up to super professional flight sims on the PC. But on the iPhone, especially running at full speed on an iPhone 4, it's pretty impressive.
TUAW's Daily App: Texto SMS Favorites
There are a lot of weird texting applications for the iPhone, and some of them are pretty hinky in terms of design or function. But Texto is probably the best looking SMS app I've seen -- it doesn't do any weird non-SMS text messaging or have all kinds of neon graphics running around. All it does is hook up with your iPhone's standard texting service to let you get quick shortcuts to your most commonly used people and messages. Thanks to LA traffic, I'm often running just a little late for meetings, and with Texto, I can just tap a few buttons to send an "I'll be there soon" to my friends and colleagues rather than trying to type the whole thing out as I frantically drive across town. The app's only 99 cents, but I'll admit it's not for everybody. If you don't text a whole lot already, you probably don't need a whole other app to handle your most frequently-sent messages. And obviously, sending a pre-written message is a little impersonal. Your significant other might realize you're blowing them off the fifth time you send a "Sorry, I'm busy, call you soon," message to them. There's one other caveat: you can only use this one in iOS 4.0, due to the way it interacts with the SMS app. For the right user, Texto can be really helpful, and it's got the bonus of having a great and simple interface that's free of ads and clutter.
TUAW's Daily App: TiltShift Generator Free
I finally picked up an iPhone 4 last Friday, and one of the best things about the new handset is the beautiful shots I've taken with the camera. I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch, and people who have actually done tilt-shift photography might have a whole lot of bones to pick with the "'shopped" version of the technique, but I've already had plenty of enjoyment from TiltShift Generator Free. It's one of a few apps on the store that will edit taken pictures to give them the short depth of field and selective focus that creates the effect. The aptly named TiltShift and Tilt Shift Focus are two other (slightly more expensive) options, but TiltShift Generator Free worked great for just messing around, and it has the added bonus of being completely free. With the free app, you get options to blur or "vignette" (that's the shadow effect seen around the outside frame) the images, as well as adjust the saturation, brightness, and contrast. Once you save the image, you can put it back on your photo reel or export it out to email, Twitter, or Facebook. Getting the paid version for 99 cents allows a higher resolution for output, but as an amateur just having fun, I had no issues with the free version. Again, if you're a photographer who knows his or her way around Photoshop, something like this probably isn't what you need; you already know how to dive in and edit pictures, and your best shots probably aren't taken with an iPhone anyway. But as a super casual photographer who likes the tilt-shift look and playing around with the iPhone 4's great camera, I really enjoyed this free app. It's definitely worth a download.
TUAW's Daily App: Mirror's Edge
Usually, we like to use this space to highlight developers and apps that could use a little more exposure, not call out big-budget titles from developers like Electronic Arts. But this one's worth it -- Mirror's Edge is a pretty terrific, completely original translation of the plaforming game that arrived on consoles last year. It was out on the iPad at launch earlier this year, and now the game has made its way to the iPhone, bringing Retina Display graphics and the same well done gameplay. Out of all of the "major" game publishers, EA has shown Apple quite a bit of love in the past, and this is probably the company's best original (in mechanics, if not actually name or premise) title for the iOS platform. It's a real shame that it took so long for this one to make it around to the handheld, but now that it's here, it is worth the $4.99 purchase price for those looking for a premium iPhone experience. And heck, if that's too much, just be patient another eight months or so and you'll probably see the game on sale. If you're interested in this gameplay at all -- basically a complicated Canabalt, with heroine Faith running, sliding and shooting her way across rooftops -- definitely give it a look.
TUAW's Daily App: Super Mega Worm
Sometimes you roll along, having a pretty good day... and sometimes, you just want a giant worm to rise up out of the ground and destroy everything. Super Mega Worm is for that second type of day. (You'll have to find something else for the first -- Doodle Jump, perhaps?) It's a game where you control a gigantic worm on a 2D field. You use a slider (or the accelerometer) to direct it through the soil and up onto the surface of the Earth, where puny little humans await their inevitable destruction. The game is funny in a morbid way; you end up cheering for the little worm as it grows (and learns new abilities) over time, and eventually, you'll find yourself reveling in the destruction of the human race. Quality pixelated graphics and excellent sounds help immersion a lot, and the control scheme is surprisingly fitting for the kind of movement that the worm does. There's even a little mini-game in jumping off of various vehicles into the atmosphere and exploring the game field in both directions. Super Mega Worm isn't really a title for the faint of heart; even though the graphics are pretty retro, things get gory fast. But if you've ever found yourself laughing at or cheering for the monster in a horror movie, Super Mega Worm will probably dig its way into your free time. The game is US$2.99 on the App Store right now.
TUAW's Daily App: Star Fighter X2
Star Fighter X2 is a brand new App Store release that actually started development way back at the 360iDev Game Jam that I attended in April. Developer Dan Byers originally began the game as a tank combat title, but with the help of some other programmers and artist Mike Berg of We Heart Games, it's become Star Fighter X2, a two-player iPad space combat game that has you trying to shoot down real-life opponents with the help of power-ups and health drops. You can check out the video above to see how it works. You just use one touch to control your ship (two, if you turn on the manual aiming), and then it's just a matter of maneuvering in and out of the way to try and grab goodies and/or avoid opposing fire for as long as you can. The first ship to run out of health loses the battle. The game is simple, but the cool graphics and smooth, intuitive gameplay make it worth a look if you've got some ready and willing players around. Plus, it's pretty interesting that the foundation for the title came from that all-night party a few months ago. If you have an iPad and an opponent to shoot at, the game is on the App Store right now for US$1.99.
TUAW's Daily App: No, Human
No, Human is an intriguing little morsel of gameplay for both the iPhone and the iPad. The clever premise is that humans are planning to go out and explore the Universe, and the Universe, in turn, has decided that's not a good idea. So, you're actually playing against humans, lobbing fiery meteors out into space to destroy human-created objects like space stations and rockets. The gameplay is simple but fun, and the graphics are minimalistic but quite stylish. There are 50 levels to go through, and while they're pretty quick plays, there is a high score board element. The developer also promises that there are more levels on the way. (Knowing humans as I do, I'm guessing that they won't get the lesson.) All in all, No, Human is an inventive title that's worth the US$1.99 on the App Store. It's not really innovative in any specific way, but as a whole package, it's a pleasure to play through and figure out.
TUAW's Daily App: Zentomino HD
There are lots of frantic action games available on the App Store, but sometimes all you want to do is get home, sit down with your iPad, and relax with a fun puzzle. Zentomino is a game that lets you do exactly that. It's a very zen take on the "pentomino" puzzle game, requiring you to fit a certain set of shapes into a specific outline. The game's about as relaxing as it gets. While the music is somewhat repetitive, you're free to move as many pieces around as much as you want, and just pushing the big, colorful shapes around can be almost as entertaining as actually completing the puzzle. There's not a lot of flair, but what's there is intuitive and fun, and when you just want to sit on the couch and relax, that's what you need. Zentomino HD is the brand new iPad version of the game, and it's available as an ad-supported app. The first set of puzzles is completely free, with others available through in-app purchase. The game's also available for iPhone (either as a US$1.99 paid version, or a lite version with ads).
TUAW's Daily App: Chapters
Chapters (US$3.99 on the iPad) looks like a terrific app for your various notetaking enterprises. I haven't yet been completely sold on the iPad as a blogging or writing device; so far, I've stuck with my MacBook rather than an iPad when I need to be out remotely somewhere keeping notes or writing things down. But Chapters is exactly the kind of app that could change that. With a simple and powerful interface and a set of features that steps aside and lets you write in whatever fashion you want, it could easily help your iPad replace a more powerful notebook computer. The ability to add photos, edit text formatting, and quickly find and export text you've written into the app is all icing on the cake. Whatever your implementation would be (the reviews in iTunes have a teacher keeping notes, a photographer tracking trips, and a journal writer just documenting random thoughts), Chapters seems like a great app to keep notes, large or small, on the iPad. And that introductory price of $3.99 makes it pretty easy to check out, too.
TUAW's Daily App: Project Sanctuary
Project Sanctuary is one of the best dual-stick shooters I've seen on the App Store yet. It's quick and responsive, and it's got a surprisingly solid back-end, which includes four different characters to choose from, multiple game modes and settings, and even an in-game talent tree where you can specialize your characters and weapons as necessary in order to bring the best fight that you can. The game has a serviceable storyline, but the action here is all about shooting, moving, and using power-ups and weapons to take down as many enemies as possible. If the game has an issue, it's that the view isn't quite as big as it could be. That kind of helps the intensity (as enemies can jump up on you quickly), but it'd be nice to see a little bit more of the field as you run around. It doesn't hurt the core gameplay, though; if you're a dual-stick shooter fan, you'll find some terrific hardcore action here for sure. Achievements and the ability to replay maps will help you keep playing, too. I wasn't able to try co-op, but the game reportedly has four player co-op available, which seems like it would make for a good time. At US$2.99, this is probably one for the genre veterans. If you've never played a dual-stick shooter before, I'd go with something a little more polished (Minigore is a good, traditional place to start). But if you're a dual-stick veteran seeking a little more depth, check out Project Sanctuary on the App Store now.
