With all the sales in the iTunes App Store lately, you’d almost think this was customer appreciation week — or game developers simply trying to cash in on the release of the iPhone 4. Regardless of the reason, gamers can delight in games such as Assassin’s Creed – Altair’s Chronicles, Diner Dash and Madden NFL 10 (among many, many others) all having their price dropped to 99 cents at some time this week.
But that’s the past, and if there’s one thing the Games of the Week list is about is the future. And while you should check out some of the aforementioned classics if you get a chance, this week also saw a release of some potential classics that deserve your attention as well.
1. Battle Bears -1
SkyVu Pictures’ Battle Bears series has been one of the more successful ones on the iPhone and this week saw the release of a prequel, Battle Bears -1 (99 cents). While much of the game is the same as the others – you’re still shooting teddy bears and rainbows are still coming up from their decapitated heads – there’s a huge change in this latest title: Instead of being a simple shooting gallery, this version allows you to move around different environments. The game is controlled like many other first-person shooters, as you’ve got a joystick to control your character and a fire button. There are also plenty of humorous cut scenes to guide you through the storyline, a must-have in a game that – while somewhat challenging – can also get very repetitive. Most action fans will enjoy this title, and if you’re one of the few who hasn’t yet experienced the game, you should at the very least get Battle Bears Free.
2. Bar Oasis
As often as we see game ideas repeated over and over again, it’s always nice to see a developer think outside of the box and bring something new to the table. While I am not at all sure that Aurora Games’ Bar Oasis (99 cents) is the first game that tests your bartending skills, I am sure that there aren’t many. In all, the game has nearly 100 drink recipes, which you make in-game by selecting the proper liquor and tilting your iPhone to pour the correct amount. As the game progresses, you gain access to more drinks and are faced with serving more customers, whose moods may turn sour if you don’t get to them quick enough. But the real game is in the app’s story mode, which essentially consists of talking to plenty of people while making drinks for them. At the very least, you should be intrigued by Bar Oasis; fortunately, there’s a lite version (Bar Oasis Lite) that guides you through a tutorial and will give you a good idea if this bartending game is right for you.
3. Trainyard
Don’t let the name and icon fool you — Trainyard ($1.99) has little to do with actual trains. Instead, this is a color-based puzzle game in which you draw train tracks to connect colored trains to like colored stations. It may sound simple enough, but some trains split while others have to be combined to complete puzzles, though fortunately these challenges don’t come until a little later in the game. Even better, there are multiple solutions to each puzzle and the track drawing is surprisingly versatile, so you need not worry about replay value. Trainyard has more than 100 puzzles and a good (but not great) presentation, making it one of the better puzzle games you’ll find in the iTunes App Store. And don’t worry if you don’t know the first thing about trains; instead, you may want to study the color wheel.
4. Super QuickHook
A sequel to the Rocketcat Games release Hook Champ, Super QuickHook ($1.99) is a side-scrolling platformer in which you guide your character through levels using a grappling hook. The game does include plenty of changes from its predecessor; most notably redone graphics that, while nicer, still have a vintage feel to them. There are also new specials, such as slick pants, and there seems to be more of a focus on secret passages that will reward the most exploratory gamers. The controls, though, have been left untouched; you still tap the screen to launch your hook and release it to let go, and it’s still a logical but fun setup. The current version of Super QuickHook has 18 levels with the promise of more on the way, and it must be said there’s little to complain about in this game.
5. Pix’n Love Rush
With apologies to Super QuickHook, few games get as retro as Pix’n Love Rush (99 cents), a game from Pastagames and Bulkypix that looks like it’s straight from the ’80s. This vintage platformer includes 125 levels that look are small and reminiscent of something out of Bubble Bobble, and a simple three-button control scheme (a left/right button, jump and shoot) to go along with it. The game has seven skins that are unlocked by filling a combo meter, with each one getting more and more retro. Did I mention this is a retro game? All kidding aside, Pix’n Love Rush is a simple but addictive game that casual gamers will eat up, and the perfect app for someone who enjoys playing games in short bursts.
