“If you eat it… Popo… Then you can fly!” That’s the premise of this new import from Japan, sporting all the usual jumping game trappings wrapped in retina-popping graphics, powered by hamburgers and… spider barks.This week also brought a lovingly-updated version of an old Atari classic, Rally-X, plus a flight-worthy Apache helicopter simulator and hot air balloon-powered adventure that will keep you coming back for more. It all adds up to our iPad Games of the Week.
PopoJumpHD ($1.99)
The Japanese have a new passion – hamburgers. So it was only a matter of time before a native developer merged their love for the American creation with another U.S. passion: mobile games that have us jumping ever-higher into the sky. In Popo time, the top chef (also named Popo) and his dream girl, Miss Momo, are tooling around the ‘burbs in a magical Hamburger Car, selling their beloved meat sandwiches. A single bite gives customers the power to fly on the power of their flatulence, which is good because Miss Momo has been kidnapped and Evil Doctor Soso has rendered gravity moot and thrown coins, hamburgers, and everything else in the town into the sky. Journey ever-higher through story mode or try the unlimited gameplay option to see how high you can go over time. The graphics are retina-quality, the music and sound effects spot-on, and the jumping action pitch-perfect. Froggy Jump, your days are numbered. There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Popo!
Rally-X Rumble ($1.99)
Old 8-bit games never die, they just get lovingly updated to bring in new sources of revenue for their developers. Thankfully, that wasn’t all NAMCO was after in their Rally-X release this week. Rumble is an all-new, neon-updated version of this beloved Atari classic, and it doesn’t disappoint. Sure, it’s still all about tooling around a maze, avoiding enemies, walls, and other baddies, while grabbing as many flags as you can. You’ll still need to keep your eye on the radar, making your best moves to capture the yellow flags along the way, while making good use of your smoke screens to keep the enemies from getting too close. There’s four game modes to choose from: Classic, Rally-X S, Point Battle, and Paint the Town. The latter pair are multiplayer modes, using either Game Center or Bluetooth to link iOS devices. Who can drive the furthest and collect the most flags, or beat the game without losing a car?
Apache SIM HD ($2.99)
Living in Central North Carolina affords me an excellent view of Apaches based in nearby Raleigh, flying overhead several times a month, usually in a group, practicing for their next deployment overseas. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to fly one of these beasts. That’s where Apache SIM HD comes in. Grab the virtual controls of an AH-64 and take to the skies, learning how to take off and land, shoot, steer, and stay in the sky. Night and day missions await you post-training, with the game’s top-notch physics engine rewarding you for good flying. Don’t slow down too fast or ignore your elevation, fuel level, or turning radius. With a full 12 missions to beat, you’ll be a pro in no time. Fans of flight sims will feel right at home in this instant classic, with just the right amount of detail in both the rendering of the chopper and its controls to make the game realistic. My favorite? Night missions with infrared tracking. Death from above, indeed.
Rogue Sky HD ($1.99)
I’ve always found hot air balloons to be a little creepy. That’s why Rogue Sky HD’s balloon baddies, with their painted-on sharp teeth and angry eyes, instantly made sense to me. In this newcomer, you’ll need nimble fingers and sky-high patience to navigate Pumpkin the Balloon through each level, holding down two buttons to ascend, then just the left or right to steer. Let up on the controls to slowly descend. As the levels progress, the stakes are higher, demanding laser-sharp focus and perfect finger taps to keep you out of trouble. Chillingo has another hit on the their hands, but only for those with nerves of steel and limitless patience. So hop in the basket and start soaring!
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