The end of the year is closing in, and it’s time to get ready for some New Year’s partying. Today’s leading Fresh Apps might come in handy. Up first, we’ve got VideoCam3D, an app that lets you turn the videos you shoot on your iOS devices into 3-D videos, and Hatch Plans, an app that makes it easy to organize your friends to get out and do something. But there’s still four whole days before New Year’s Eve, so in the meantime, kill some time by playing games. Third-person shooter Shadowgun just got a big update that adds new levels, and Swingworm makes you rethink puzzlers by making you consider how you’ll swing a worm through puzzle-platforming levels.
VideoCam3D (iPhone, iPad) $0.99
Apple’s iOS devices are becoming fairly decent video recording devices, at least for those that are packed into a cell phone or a tablet. VideoCam3D extends the functionality of Apple’s devices and their video capabilities, allowing users to shoot video and convert it into stereoscopic 3-D, meaning you can throw on some 3-D glasses and see your own videos leap off the screen.
VideoCam3D is a post-production app, so you’ll shoot your videos with your iPhone or iPad and then import them into the app from your camera roll. Once you convert your video to 3-D, you can share it with others on Facebook or Twitter. And even if your device doesn’t have a video camera, you can still use the app to convert video loaded to your device through iTunes.
Hatch Plans (iPhone, iPad) Free
New Year’s Eve is only a few days off, but perhaps you probably haven’t cemented any plans for the last night of 2011 just yet. That’s where Hatch Plans comes in. The app accesses your iPhone or iPad’s contacts and uses group chatting to find out who wants to hang out or take part in an activity, quickly and efficiently, allowing you to create a plan as spontaneous or intricate as you want.
Hatch Plans is also pretty democratic. Once you pick the people from your contacts list you want to involve in an activity, you can all suggest things to do and vote as a group. You can also share your plans on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare to bring in more participants, and the app will automatically update your calendar, if you want. It’s the perfect way to get the ball rolling before the ball drops on Dec. 31.
Shadowgun update (iPhone, iPad) $2.99
Shadowgun was already a pretty huge game. A third-person shooter with great production values and awesome 3-D graphics that runs on the Unity engine, the game is an impressive title with a whole lot of action to offer. Since its release, Shadowgun has seen a big price break, and a recent update brings even more content to the experience.
The newest update to Shadowgun extends the story, picking up right where the game originally left off and adding four new levels for players to gun their way through. There are also new enemies and weapons to find, new collectibles to search out and a new soundtrack added to the additional content. The rest of the game has been tweaked with a bunch of fixes to make it run, look and play better, as well. If you haven’t given Shadowgun a go before now, you really should.
Swingworm (iPhone, iPad) $1.99
Puzzler Swingworm has an interesting mechanic behind its premise. You play as a worm with a spiky tail and big teeth, and in order to navigate each of the game’s platform-filled levels, you’ll need to swing one end of your worm or the other to each spot. Hit a platform with the spiky tail or the head and it sticks, allowing you to then swing the other end to grab the berries you need to complete each level.
The goal is collect berries in each stage as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the whole game has you racing the clock in order to earn the best score you can in each stage. There are also enemies and obstacles to avoid that will cost you time, and as time goes on, Swingworm’s stages become more complex and difficult to navigate. The game packs lots of levels and Game Center support, which brings achievements and leaderboards along, as well.
