January is probably one of the hardest months to release a game in – people are skint from Christmas, and nobody really wants to put down their favourite game when they just got it from Saint Nick. But we’re well into 2012 now, and somebody has to bite the bullet. Today, we’re looking at some of the bravest iOS games to be released in the last week.
Will it ever stop? Probably not.
Nyan Cat! (Free, Marc Ellis) Universal
Yes, it will annoy the hell out of you, but I have to be honest: Nyan Cat! is a pretty fun game. There are a bunch of players to chose from, from the traditional Nyan Cat to Fiesta Dog and Tac Nayn, all of which you can direct using the touch screen around the sky. There are also a bunch of pretty cool modes, including free fly, but also others where you have to dodge icicles and the like. Yes, it’s annoying, and it will be in your head once you start playing, but really, that’s just clever advertising.
Bubble Annihilator (Free, Igor Samtsevich) Universal
On the App Store, this game hasn’t been getting the best press. It’s understandable to see why at a first glance – Bubble Annihilator isn’t particularly different from many arcade games, plus its design has a few minor flaws. It doesn’t look like it took much time to put together. But once you start playing, that’s all in the past – pop bubbles by combining them with those of the same colour, and go for that high score. Bubble Annihilator has fun gameplay, a deceptively cool style, and, most importantly, it’s darn good fun. If you’re willing to take a small risk (it is free, after all) then this is well worth a download.
Penguin Patrol (Free, Grab Games) Universal
Remember that Pokemon Gym where you had to step on the ice as it broke behind you? That’s effectively the essence of Penguin Patrol. You guide a happy little Eskimo around as he tries to rescue as many penguins as he can. You can’t go back once you’ve stepped over the ice, but you are rewarded if you save all the penguins and break all the ice. It’s a very fun and very engrossing game, with a lovely design and musical accompaniment; it has everything a game needs for puzzling success!
Hatchi (£0.69/$0.99, Portable Pixels) iPhone
What's inside? There's only one way to find out...
It’s like being a kid again. Hatchi is like a Tamagotchi for your iOS device – feed your hatchling, keep them clean, let them do their … y’know, business, and everything else you’d expect from the little pixellated pal. And, of course, he evolves into various shapes and sizes depending on how you’ve looked after him. It’s a total blast from the past, and it replicates all the charm of the original craze. Definitely worth the small price.
Extraction: Project Outbreak (£0.69/$0.99, Chillingo) Universal
Despite the fact that you’re blasting through waves of zombies and/or rabid humans, Extraction is a pretty simple and relaxing game to play. Chillingo have made interesting use of the touch screen in this shooter – you only need to use a single finger. Move around, shoot the enemy, reload and get health, all by touching the right command. This may seem like it’s toned down to the point of being inconvenient, but it’s really not – the game is well designed. Unfortunately, the graphics aren’t a very good standard – they’re nothing worth crying over, but for a big mobile publisher like Chillingo to slap their name on a game, I was honestly expecting more. Extraction, for its fun, is worth the price though.
Come back next Thursday for the best and worst iOS games of the week.
