The iOS games discussion thread

[Kaido]

There are sooooo many amazing games out there for iOS - it can be hard to find the really good ones sometimes! So in this thread, write about one game per post and what makes it cool. This includes both free and pay-for games. I think we've all had a struggle justifying iOS purchases due to the nature of the devices, but when compare it to say a $59 Xbox or Playstation game, a few bucks doesn't seem so bad haha. I'll start out:

************************

Monument Valley: ($4) This is an elegant puzzle game in the vein of M.C. Escher, where you guide a silent princess through 3D optical illusions. Great moody atmospheric music & gorgeous, clean artwork. Parts of the puzzles react with musical notes as well. If you appreciate thoughtfulness & minimalism, you'll love this game. It's similar to games like Limbo or Oscura, but without the dark overtones & with an added third dimension of gameplay as a puzzler instead of more of a side-scroller.

It's also a really great game to fall asleep to on the nights you're having insomnia, because the music & the thinking required will help you drift off to sleep. In-app purchases include Forgotten Shores ($2 for 8 additional chapters and Ida's (RED) Dream ($1 for a special final chapter, 100% of the purchase goes to fighting AIDS), so $7 for everything total. The game includes ten levels, so that gives you a total of 19 levels with all of the DLC.

Official website

Teaser trailer

 

[bigrash]

Been playing a lot of Madden 15. Really like the gameplay.

 

[Rakehellion]

I've been playin the new Kingdom Rush game.

Has anyone actually tried out Bioshock?

 

[suklee]

Currently addicted to World of Tanks Blitz. I haven't played the PC version but Blitz is easy to pick up and play. Sunk way too much $ into this game already. D:

And just started SimCity BuildIt (got it from the Canada store) - F2P, the game mechanics are reminiscent of Hay Day/Farmville, but still quite fun.

 

[Kaido]

Leo's Fortune: ($3) This is a side-scrolling platformer. You play a Russian popple named Leo. It's kind of like Sega's Sonic, but you can also puff out to float around, kind of like Kirby. This game has two things going for it: first, the graphics are really incredibly good, and second, the touch controls are one of the BEST I've ever used on an iPhone. One of the reasons I still like things like the Nintendo DS is that it has native, physical buttons built-in. This game does a marvelous job with the touch controls...really accurate & easy to control the character. It's not a super heavy game to get into at all, either - it's challenging, but fun-challenging rather than I-hate-this challenging. Just a great "play whenever" game. 24 levels of gameplay.

Official website

Teaser trailer

 

[Kaido]

Thomas Was Alone: ($6) This is a really interesting narrated game. It has simple blocky graphics, but with a really nice aesthetic & animation style (I like well-done simple graphics). It's a bit hard to explain why it's so good without experiencing it; if you're a person who appreciates things, then you'll really like this game's blend of voiceover & music. It's fairly simple to play with some basic maze puzzles to solve.

The history of the game is interesting, too: it was originally a Flash-based browser game, then got ported to Windows & Mac, then the PS3 & Vita, as well as Linux, then an iPad version, followed by other iOS devices & Android, and finally PS4, Wii U, and Xbone. In a nutshell, however, it's pretty much a basic jumping platformer. It can be a bit tedious & annoying at times, but the narration of the story helps. The story more than anything is what drew me into this game. 100 levels.

Official website

Teaser trailer

 

[Ichinisan]

The Act!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Act_(video_game)

[edit]
What the hell?! I tried searching the App Store on my iPad and it doesn't come up anymore

Glad I got it when it was available. iPad works best because this game has beautiful hand animation from former Disney animators and you want the biggest screen you can get.

 

[Rakehellion]

I started playing Vainglory. Lane defender game. Excellent artwork.

 

[QueBert]

Hard Time, you get put in jail for 37 days and have to survive. It's got really weird graphics and odd animation. It doesn't make much sense really but for some reason I like it. It's hard to explain, you walk around jail and can fight and pick up stuff and suplex people. I wouldn't say it has a good story or is really a good game but something about it I can't stop playing.

 

[Fingolfin269]

This isn't iOS specific but I really enjoyed The Room. Anyone know of other games like this one?

 

[stlcardinals]

This isn't iOS specific but I really enjoyed The Room. Anyone know of other games like this one?

The sequel, The Room Two.

 

[Fingolfin269]

The sequel, The Room Two.

Yeah yeah, played that one as well.

 

[Kaido]

This isn't iOS specific but I really enjoyed The Room. Anyone know of other games like this one?

Is that kind of like Myst? Looks interesting.

 

[dud]

Auralux (free):

http://www.cnet.com/products/auralux/

 

[HN]

Duet Game is currently free; normally $2.99 i think. helluva game

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duet-game/id634235735?mt=8

 

[purbeast0]

if you guys find this inappropriate for here, then feel free to let me know and i'll remove it.

i made my first ios (and android) game last year during the flappy bird craze. my name is similar to it, but the gameplay is nothing like it.

tappy penguins

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tappy-penguins/id826839915?mt=8

it's free and hasn't gotten many downloads in general, but it was a fun project to work on and to learn about game development. i'm working on another game right now that is a turn based online multiplayer game using the unity3d engine. i hope to have that one finished in 2 months or so, but with a baby due in april, i don't know how much time i'll have to put towards it. i'd like to finish it before but i'm not sure if that will happen.

 

[lykaon78]

I've been playin the new Kingdom Rush game.

Has anyone actually tried out Bioshock?

Kingdom Rush 2?!? [heads to the App Store to download]

I've been playing FIFA 15. Gameplay is pretty good and you can make an American team for free. Collecting the major european players takes some major coin or just dumb luck.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Is that kind of like Myst? Looks interesting.

It's basically a puzzle game where you're trying to get into a box sitting in "The Room". Sounds simple in that description I guess but really is a fun game. Definitely worth the price imo.

Just finished up another one called "A Dark Room". Good time killer for $1. Just bought the prequel called "The Ensign" as well but can't say much about it as I haven't had time to get into it yet.