iOS gaming continues into the unknown frontier that is 2013 with the mobile port of the fantastic bike game, Joe Danger. It’s a wildly random and fun title, and it’s popular for a reason. We’ve also got the latest incarnation of Zenonia, a wonderful Tiny Wings inspired game from the developers of Bean’s Quest, a mini-golf game that’s a bit more violent than others, and a retro hack and slash side-scroller. Here are the top iPhone games of this week!
Joe Danger ($2.99)
This is a brilliant title from Hello Games that’s been making the rounds in the downloadable console game world. Now, we finally get a touch edition and can see what all the fuss is about. Essentially, this is another precision motocross games, such as the Trials Series or Bike Baron, but it’s much less about the tilting and accurate physics and more about blatantly disregarding physics to hit bounce pads and targets. This is a challenging game, but in a much less frustrating way than those other titles. The world is colorful and cartoony, and kind of has a Toy Story feel going on if you ask me. It’s a seriously great game, and this touch version manages to keep most of what makes it so.
Zenonia 5 (Free)
And behold, we are already on our fifth incarnation of the Zenonia franchise. This one continues Gamevils free to play model, pushing the in-app purchases even more than usual. Aside from that, it’s still a solid game with good production values. The story has taken a huge leap into the future and isn’t quite as concerned with the previous games, so you don’t have to worry about any convoluted continuity to enjoy this one either, which is a huge plus in my book. You should already know if this series is for you or not, but if you still haven’t tried it, there’s no harm in jumping in now.
Time Surfer ($0.99)
Here is a game from a studio that I love. Kumobius, the developers of the excellent platformer Bean’s Quest, have taken some inspiration from Tiny Wings for their latest title, and I honestly mean inspiration. That’s not a snarky way of saying rip-off. Essentially, the momentum forming fun of Tiny Wings hill jumping has transferred over, but the way the game feels and the way it progresses are completely different, even without the new time rewinding mechanic. Essentially, you are some little cosmic surfer dude who seems to be outrunning a supernova or some other galactic event. The art is psychedelic and the music is great, and this is a title you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Death Golf ($0.99)
Mini-golf games have had a surprising amount of success on the App Store, and they’re usually quite charming and fun. Death Golf is no exception, though it’s a bit more brutal than some other golf games. Essentially, you get to free roam the golf courses you play on, which are littered with hazards and enemies. And when I say enemies, I really mean things like man-eating pond-ducks. There are also platforming elements. Basically, golfing is half of the game, and the harrowing journey to find your ball again and again is the other half. It’s an interesting concept which is pretty well executed.
Take My Machete (Free)
Here we have another game a bit more my speed. It’s a retro themed side-scrolling hack and slash. It’s not just the art and music that’s retro though. Even the totally random concept for the game, with you fighting alien hoards with a machete in a bar room and beyond, feels completely old school. The gameplay is tight, and there are plenty of things to unlock as you play. The soundtrack is truly epic and ridiculously catchy too. It’s a real attention grabber. Definitely check this one out if you want some old school violence in your next gaming session.
