Getting ready for some travel this week? Grab Gowalla for some social networking recommendations of where to go and what to check out. It just went through a big update, with all kinds of new features available. Speaking of social networking, managers and coworkers alike might want to check out Rypple for iPhone, a network that’s all about getting feedback on your work and congratulating or thanking one another. Do Do EGG!, a take on the match-three concept using line-drawing controls, leads today’s games offerings, followed by Elemites, a “real-time scrolling strategy” game in which you summon monsters to fight for you.
Gowalla update (iPhone, iPad) Free
Social networking travel guide app Gowalla has received a big update, packing more than 60 new travel guides available to app users. The app allows users to share travel information, showing where you’ve been and where your friends have been complete with photos, as well as allowing users to recommend places to visit.
Gowalla now includes park guides created by National Geographic and Disney, and you can see recommended points of interest marked as “Hot” or “Loved.” You can add favorite spots to lists as you’re visiting a place and quickly upload photos with new improvements, as well.
Rypple for iPhone (iPhone, iPad) Free
There are plenty of social networking platforms out there that let users share their lives with each other. Rypple takes a more useful approach. It’s a social network that lets managers and coworkers interact with one another, leaving feedback, expressing thanks and giving one another pats on the back for their work.
Rypple lets people publicly recognize one another among coworkers, with custom badges that show accomplishments and are saved on public profiles. Users can also leave real-time feedback for one another, allowing you to quickly understand how well you’re doing at work. The app also lets users track their goals and priorities and stay organized.
Do Do EGG! (iPhone, iPad) $0.99
Do Do EGG! is a good deal like many other match-three type games in the App Store, and most players will recognize the general premise. In practice, however, it’s a little different from other games. Instead of matching three of a certain color object (in this case, eggs), players have to draw a line from one color egg to another, with two eggs in between, to clear them and score points. A group of four eggs like this is called a chain; putting chains together scores more points. It’s as easy as that.
Each round of Do Do EGG! is on a timer, with more time being earned by scoring big points and “ranking up.” You can also play a 1-minute mode, or try to achieve certain goals known as missions. There is also a multiplayer mode, which includes the ability play a turn-based game against your friends, or attempt to grab the highest score before the timer runs out. Do Do EGG! offers Game Center support for achievements and leaderboards.
Elemites (iPhone, iPad) Free
As an incompetent and slighted wizard named Relph, you’ve found yourself pretty upset at the treatment the local medieval villagers have given you. So it’s time to take some vengeance on them by summoning elemental monsters called Elemites to ravage their villages, beat up the townsfolk, and kill all the pigs in the area in this strategy title.
With touch controls, you’ll summon Elemites to fight for you in this defense game, while you guide Relph around the battlefield to avoid obstacles and pick up power-ups. You’ll also unlock new skills and spells that you can use to throw Elemites at your enemies, set them on fire for boosted damage, or shoot lightning. Game Center support provides leaderboards and achievements for the game as well.
