So the Battleship movie didn’t exactly turned into the money-printing franchise that studios execs had hoped for. That’s fine, we’ll always have Texas, right Taylor Kitsch? That’s no reason to disown board games, anyway. In fact let us take this time as we mourn the possible end to Tim Riggins’ action star career to check out some great board game apps that you don’t need ripped abs to enjoy.
Battleship Free (Free)
It isn’t the first (Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game comes to mind) but Battleship Free gets the app distinction of being the game based on a movie that was based on a game, which is kind of fun. Other than that bit of silliness, Battleship Free is still battleship as you remember it. You can play against the computer or via Wi-Fi but you’re still tapping out C-3 in an attempt to sink the enemy ships before they sink you. The big twist to Battleship Free is that players can play as either the navy or the aliens trying to destroy Earth, but the change is more cosmetic than an actual difference in the gameplay.
Checkers * (Free)
When people say things like “this is chess, not checkers” to explain the complexity of an issue, I get a little bummed out. I like checkers. Checkers * is about as well as you can probably make a checkers app. It would be a stretch to call Checkers * a great looking game, but the board and pieces have real definition to them and stand out over their comparatively simple peers. The game can be played against human or computer opponents, and people really nuts for the board game can play up to 16 games simultaneously through Game Center.
Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition ($0.99)
If you’ve ever finished a game of Monopoly please write me because I’d like to know if something special happens. I never have, but I still enjoy the game. Monopoly Here & Now brings the classic game to properties scattered throughout the world, so you’re less worried about Park Place and more worried about Athens. Here & Now also features a 3-D environment where the tokens are animated, so you won’t be stuck watching a hand drag the game pieces around slowly. Monopoly can be played with four other players via pass-and-play or Wi-Fi.
Hanging With Friends ($1.99)
Hanging With Friends uses the cozy layout of the Words With Friends app to provide a version of hangman that is surprisingly gentle. Adults who don’t want their children to witness a person (cartoon or otherwise) slowly hung to death have nothing to fear, as Hanging With Friends instead ties the “hangman” in question to balloons until they float up and out of sight, like something out of Disney’s Up. Key features for HWF include lifelines that provide hints to players and the ability to play 20 games simultaneously.
