This has been another great week for apps and games. We got to have some fun with great ports of some of our favorite games and find out about new apps that make our lives a lot better. There were also quite a few fantastic updates that really made our preexisting apps take on a whole new life.
Whether you are hoping to play god, want a little culture, or have a hankering to explore the deep ocean, we have a list of apps and games for you to check out this weekend…
Godus
This fun “God game” has been keeping me busy for hours. Players build a society and then help its people grow into fully civilized beings. Your job, as god of this world, is to sculpt the land so that your little dudes can move around, build houses, and plow fields. You can drag the land outward to create more places for them to explore, or dig away at the layers in order to reveal flat lands for building. The more you do for them, the more they believe in you. Belief is like money in this place. You need it to perform those miracles they love so much. This game is available for free.
Zombie High Dive
Get ready for some serious high-dive action as you flip, pike, and soar from great heights as a brain dead athlete. Players aim their zombies and jump from all manner of platforms into all manner of pools. Aim the correct trajectory in order to make it into the liquid without losing a limb. Tap the “spin” button to perform tricks that will earn you extra points. If you do it right, you’ll earn a high score. If you don’t, well… you might lose your head. This game is available for free.
82nd & Fifth from the Met
The 82nd & Fifth project was started by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Throughout 2013, the Met invited 100 museum curators to talk about 100 works of art. This app features all 100 of those two-minute talks. The video includes dozens of photographs of the subject matter, overlaid with audio from the curator speaking about his or her impression of the work of art. You can learn more in 200 minutes from this app than you could learn from a lifetime of visiting museums around the world. You can also explore a photographic rendering of the artwork, view a linear, chronological outline of the selected piece, and see a spatial geographical outline of works of art selected for this series. This app is available for free.
Crash and Burn Racing
Racing games are so boring, right? You know what can make them fun? Weapons. Explosions. Maniacs. This game features all of that, and more. Players get behind the wheel of the craziest car they can find and outfit it with the most powerful weapons they can get. Then, take to the streets for an all-out assault on the other drivers. Sure, some unsuspecting spectators might get splattered by a car bomb, but they shouldn’t have been out on the street, anyway. You can upgrade your car with faster wheels and better handling, purchase bigger and badder weapons, and even get a custom paint job that reflects your personality. This game is available for free.
Time Tangle – Adventure Time
I’ve said it before: I love Adventure Time. Any time a game comes out starring my favorite heroes, I’m down for the count. In this game, players get to punch stuff. Yeah. Battle bad guys like Lemongrab, Maja the Sky Witch, Giant Goo Skulls, and more. Rescue Jake and Finn’s friends with the help of Lady Rainicorn, LSP, and more. Run and punch is the name of this game. Grab coins and sandwiches as you run through mathematical obstacle courses while holding terrified residents of the Land of Ooo. Yes, those voices are from the actual voice actors for Jake and Finn. This game is available for $2.99.
Alter
When you are in a hurry, why should you waste time actually typing a to-do list? Instead let this app create a list for you from your messages and emails. If your wife asks you to pick up some cat food on the way home from work, you can copy and paste the text and it will automatically populate a list for you. You can start the list from a specific point in the conversation, and add the info to a list that you can check off as you go along. If you need to remember to get a card for your anniversary, as well as make reservations and pick up your dry cleaning, you won’t have to worry about accidentally forgetting to put an item on your list. This app is available for $0.99.
National Geographic’s DEEPSEA CHALLENGE
James Cameron is known for being a bit of a deep see buff. He made an incredible documentary in 2012 where he took the world’s deepest diving manned submersible down to one of the lowest depths anyone has been. This game lets you pilot your own DEEPSEA CHALLENGER to explore the ocean’s trenches and dive to the deepest parts that humans can reach. Steer through mazes of whales and jellyfish and capture exotic sea creatures for scientific study. You’ll also learn a bit of knowledge about the vast underwater world of the deep ocean while on your adventures. This game is available for $2.99.
More apps you should check out
- WidgetMemo lets you create memos you can pin to Notification Center
- The best apps for shooting and editing videos
- PHHHOTO lets you take moving pictures you can share with all your friends
- Original BioShock transitioning to iPhone and iPad later this summer
- PackPoint takes the stress out of packing for a trip
- In Celleste, protecting the cows is your top priority
- Chalenge time and space in Primitives Puzzle in Time
- Blood Bowl review: ‘Fantasy Football’ takes on a whole new meaning
- Blend Music Player brings a new music listening experience to the iPhone
- Classic RPG ‘Dragon Quest IV’ lands in the App Store
- NFL Now hits iPhone, iPad and Apple TV with rich video library, personalized streams and more
- Crystals turns geometric art into 3D wallpaper
- Peter Molyneux’s newest God game is now available for iOS
- 1Password news: iOS and Mac apps discounted, free iOS 8 update
- The Sims 2: Super Collection is available now in the Mac App Store
- Rules! is a twitch game that challenges your memory skills
These apps have been updated
- Vine updated with redesigned navigation, new sharing options and more
- Yahoo Mail now lets you filter search results by emails, photos or files
- Now free in the Apple Store app: Rise Alarm Clock
- Foursquare revamps mobile app around Yelp-like features and focus on location discovery
- Notifyr app goes free: receive iOS notifications on your Mac
- Pinterest brings messaging to iOS app
- United Airlines app gains handy new passport scanning feature
- FX Photo Studio 6.0 for iPhone brings iOS 7 overhaul, new filters and sharing options and more
- Google Shopping Express 2.0: deliveries in more cities, enhanced search, new products and more
- Autodesk’s SketchBook apps go free for the first time in Apple’s Free App of the Week promo
- Several productivity apps on sale for a limited time
- Fantastical 2 for iPad gains Dolphin browser integration, list/reminder improvements and more
- Yelp app updated with new Bing Translator feature for foreign reviews