AppAdvice

As a huge fan of puzzle games, Shadowmatic is one of the best you can grab so far this year. I am in love with the pragmatic visuals, the exclusive environments, ambient tunes, and simple controls. The progress bar works well in telling me if I’m close to solving it, though at times it just feels like I’m randomly spinning it around to light up the dots. Still, this is a puzzle game that is worth checking out this weekend if you want something special and relaxing.

The graphics and music are top notch, and the controls are pretty good, though I do wish you can customize the positioning to reduce the spacing between buttons. Still, I recommend giving Venture Kid a try if you’re looking for a classic, Mega Man-like platformer to check out over the weekend.

Captain Cowboy is a good time waster, and the best part is the fact that there are no in-app purchases or annoying tutorials,, so it’s just you and the game.

I love the retro style of Punch Club, the chiptune soundtrack is a joy to hear, and the depth of strategy and training involved to go from nothing to a hero makes for a fun, addictive, and challenging fighting simulation RPG. If there is one game that you must pick up this week, make it Punch Club, even if you aren’t normally a fan of sport simulations, like me.

I’m always a fan of these types of games, and Gunbrick is just the fix I need this week. The levels are cleverly designed, and you really have to think about the Gunbrick’s positioning when you’re trying to get past a gap or obstacle. Plus, the graphics are top notch, the chiptunes are awesome to listen to, and the controls work well. It’s a fresh new take on puzzle platformers, and enjoyable for fans of the genre.

he only flaw of the game that I noticed is the fact that it can freeze up if you have background audio playing, as it consistently kept freezing on the second battle of a stage when I was listening to podcasts in Overcast. Not sure why this is, but I hope the developer can fix it. I highly recommend picking up Hero Emblems if you are a fan of match-three puzzle games and JRPGs.

Aside from that, I’m still enjoying BattleHand. The game looks great, the battle system is fairly straightforward but requires strategy, and there’s a lot of content for free. The rewards are fairly generous, but I’m just not a huge fan of the dungeon key system and the pushes for in-app purchases. But if you can get past that, then the game is still worth checking out if you want a way to pass the time.

So far, I’m highly impressed with Drop Wizard. The visuals are top-notch, the music is awesome, the controls are straightforward and responsive, and the gameplay mechanic is certainly a special one, making the game challenging. It’s not like anything I’ve played before on iOS, though there are a few similarities, but it manages to retain its own sense of individuality among a sea of thousands. I highly recommend checking out Drop Wizard if you love a fun retro arcade game.

I still recommend giving Cut the Rope: Magic a try, but beware of the underhanded tactics that the developers have gone through to try and get even more money from you. If you’re forced to use a hint, just force quit and restart — that’s what I did.

I’ve only just started with Power Hover, but I’m enjoying the game a lot so far. The game itself is gorgeous with various environments, the music is upbeat and fun, the controls are intuitive and responsive, and the gameplay itself is challenging. I recommend this game for anyone who is looking for a futuristic action game that tests your skill level.