My nine-year-old son is constantly sketching things on every bit of paper he can find. Little monsters, comic characters, and crazy animals are his favorite subjects. So when I showed him Big Boss, it was no surprise that it took more than an hour before I could wrestle our family tablet from his little hands.
Add in a learning game to help your kids identify the birds returning to your locale as Spring arrives, a family-friendly puzzle game featuring a greedy sponge, and a free, testosterone-boosting wrestling app, and you’ve got yourself an eclectic mix of new iPad games to keep you occupied over the ides of March.
Big Boss ($1.99)
Who hasn’t wanted to be a massive giant, laying cartoony waste to a quiet little medieval kingdom? In Big Boss, kids and the young at heart can make their own towering, custom boss who’s looking to take down local towns. Why? Well, the pesky humans have built castles that block your view. It’s time to crush the thoughtless brutes (and their pretty Princesses) to restore your line of sight. Start by tweaking everything from your boss’s eyes to his arms, legs, mouth, armor, weapons, and more. And once he’s ready, set off and crush the many kingdoms of Wackylands. Along the way your boss will pick up new armor, weapons, coins, upgrades, and more. Be sure to visit the menu often to buy and equip the newest, best items. There’s hours of kid-friendly mayhem to be had, a full dozen side-scrolling scenarios to play through, and many “ridiculous” special items to equip. Go forth and maul, Big Boss!
What the Bird!? Lite (Free)
The birds are returning to their spring and summer homes this month, and there’s no better way to welcome them home then to learn more about them. This fun, ad-supported app combines a hangman-like interface tied to a photo puzzle reveal, complete with audio of bird calls, to bring even the most young and/or amateur bird watchers up to speed in a hurry. You start with just the sound of a bird. As you begin typing the letters of their proper name into the on-screen keyboard a small portion of their picture is uncovered. Keep typing and eventually the full correct name is revealed, along with the bird’s image. When you complete each hangman puzzle, basic information about the bird appears, along with a link for more information (connects to Wikipedia entries for the breed). You can get up to six letters wrong before the app simply gives you the answer. A super-helpful free app that’s worth an install to get you and your family ready for the new season.
The Greedy Sponge Free (Free)
“In the beginning… the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep…” But under it, who knew there was a voracious, cartoony Greedy Sponge intent on eating every last primordial creature in sight? It’s your job, time traveler, to feed this beast. You’ll need to quickly disconnect the hapless little sponge food from their clingy hives, and the more you rip away from their warm descending home, the more points you’ll get. Keep your eye on the colorful hive and tap on connected clusters of five or more scrumptious swimmers all bearing the same markings. You can also bring the little bonbons closer together by tapping the sides of the screen. In no time the smiling sponge will gobble up the strays you’ve tapped and your score will multiply. Be sure to work from the bottom up before the little guys swarm the sponge.
Ultimate Arm Wrestling Free (Free)
Well, it’s finally happened. I’ve found the perfect iPad drinking game, and its name is Ultimate Arm Wrestling. The premise is simple: play against the computer or a friend on the same iPad, tapping the dots on your side of the screen to help your virtual arm wrestler triumph over your opponent. The faster you tap, the more leverage your avatar will have, and the further his arm will move to win the match. No big biceps are necessary, but a keen eye and a quick tapping finger are a must. Once you get by the in-your-face ads, there’s tons of fun to be had in this bar-friendly app. Here’s hoping my full-tablet case and screen protector will keep the errant beer splashes and deep rfried food crumbs from damaging my device.
