Some great new games hit the iTunes App Store this week, with several titles taking players into side-scrolling 2-D worlds. Gene Effect leads the pack, bringing gamers into the deep and mysterious caverns of Mars, where they’re tasked with mining for important substances, discovering hidden objects, and conducting a rescue mission to locate a missing vehicle. With its fascinating story, it’ll keep you entertained, but we’ve got a few other great titles for you to check out below as well.
Gene Effect (iPhone, iPad) $4.99
Managing to combine the intrigue and adventure of exploration with the simpler elements of a game about mining, Gene Effect is a great-looking side-scroller in which players fly around in a special shuttle, exploring the interlocking cave systems of Mars. You go in search of a mining vessel that has disappeared, grabbing special minerals along the way by blowing open walls and clearing rocks. The game mixes an intriguing sci-fi story with lots of searching for hidden objects, making it an addictive action-adventure game to work through.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (iPhone, iPad) $6.99
The latest episode of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II brings players back into the side-scrolling universe of classic Sonic. Developer Sega has reworked the game’s engine to make the physics of Sonic more responsive and the graphics a little slicker, but the biggest and best new element is the addition of Sonic’s sidekick Tails. Sega has thrown in cooperative multiplayer that allows players to team up as both Sonic and Tails using Bluetooth capabilities. That way, you can join up with your friends and blast through levels to fight off the evil Dr. Eggman.
Wawa Land (iPhone, iPad) $0.99
There isn’t going to be a Super Mario Bros. game on the iPhone anytime soon, nor will there be any of the offshoot platformers that Nintendo’s franchise spawned. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great platformers in the style of those old favorites, and Wawa Land is one. It feels a lot like Nintendo’s Wario Land title on Game Boy, complete with great side-scrolling platformer action and special powers players can gain for their character through the procurement of special hats. Wawa Land also has a lot of content on offer. The developers claim it has four hours of gameplay, with more coming in free content updates.
Monster Shooter: The Lost Levels (iPhone, iPad) $0.99
There are squid monster aliens to liquefy in Monster Shooter: The Lost Levels, a twin-stick shooter that puts players up against waves of monsters with lots of upgrades to gather. Blasting bad guys allows players to upgrade their characters by choosing different perks to add to their character and providing money to purchase and upgrade new weapons. Monster Shooter includes more than 60 levels to play through, plus Game Center support for achievements and leaderboards to let you track your scores against players all over the world.
Juggernaut: Revenge of Sovering (iPhone, iPad) Free
A free role-playing title with lots of content, Juggernaut sends players into a world with lots of enemies to smash and something like 30 hours of gameplay to work through. At the start, you’ll choose one of six characters, all of which have different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Once you’re set, you’ll head into battle to fight off monsters using magic and gesture mechanics to slice away at the bad guys. Winning battles earns new loot and new abilities, allowing you to grow stronger and fight off more bad guys. Plus, there’s Game Center support to help you track your progress with tons of achievements.
Find more great games for iOS here
