Today’s apps worth downloading haul starts with an item that might help you find some cool places to hang out this week. It’s Citymaps, a social networking app that lets you share “maps” to your favorite places, and to check out cool things other users recommend in your area. Up next is Music Matching with Lisa Loeb, an educational app in which kids play a memory matching game using music rather than images. Finally, Cannon Crasha is an arcade title that mixes in some strategy elements, requiring players to destroy an enemy castle by carefully aiming a cannon.
Citymaps (Free)
What’s it about? Share your favorite places to eat, drink, hang out and shop with your friends and other users with Citymaps, a social networking app designed around sharing your own maps.
What’s cool? There are lots of map applications that can get you to any given place, and there are social networks in which you can share the things you do at your favorite places. Citymaps bridges those two ideas, allowing users to create maps to the locations they love to visit, and share them with friends and other users. You can share your favorite maps to show others where you like to go in your area, and follow other users and their maps to discover new great places to eat, shop, and so on. You can also see other information, like real-time photos from a location or the menu that’s available there.
Who’s it for? If you like helping others find cool places to hang out, and discovering new places to try yourself, check out Citymaps.
What’s it like? Share more cool places to be in your area with foursquare.
Music Matching with Lisa Loeb (Free)
What’s it about? Memory matching game Music Matching helps kids improve their memories while also teaching them about musical instruments.
What’s cool? Music Matching is an educational game that looks to help bring kids into the world of music. At its simplest, it’s the game “Memory” – players flip cards on the screen, looking for two that match, and trying to remember which ones they’ve already flipped so they can make matches further down the line. With Music Matching, of course, you’re not seeing images on each of the flipped card, but hearing a musical instrument. The app features music from Lisa Loeb, ‘Jabo’ Bihlman and Dog and Pony Show.
Who’s it for? Younger kids are the target audience for Music Matching.
What’s it like? Check out Preschool Memory Match and Learn and Kids Can Match for a couple more educational memory games.
Cannon Crasha ($0.99)
What’s it about? Bring down enemy castles with well-placed cannon shots in Cannon Crasha.
What’s cool? Enemies are invading your kingdom and erecting castles to challenge your authority. Obviously, the only thing to do is man the giant cannon on top of your castle and start lobbing cannon balls. Cannon Crasha is a side-scrolling action-strategy game in which you face off against an opponent and each of you has to carefully gauge how powerful your cannon shot needs to be to score a successful hit. You’ll have to deal with things like changing winds, as well as flying and marching enemies that you’ll need to deal with, as well. Luckily, you can erect magical defenses and dispatch troops to mess with your enemies. There’s also a multiplayer mode for iPad users that lets you take on real opponents, as opposed to the game’s single-player campaign mode.
Who’s it for? Fans of strategy type games that are easy to pick up but hard to master should pick up Cannon Crasha.
What’s it like? You might also enjoy Siege Hero and Siegecraft for more strategic, medieval action.
