Apps of the week: Tap Delay, Gallery Doctor, Domino Drop, and more

Apps of the week

On some weekends, there is nowhere I’d rather be than sitting in a chair, drinking a cold one around a campfire with my friends. On other weekends, all I want to do is drop out of reality and sink into a good game. This weekend, if you are of the latter group, we have a list of apps and games that might give you something to get into.

Warhammer: Arcane Magic

Warhammer Arcane Magic

Warhammer fans must be having a great time this year. The hugely popular miniatures board game has another new release, this time from Turbo Tape Games. In it, players battle in turn-based single-player campaigns that span 16 different lands covering the Old World and Chaos Wastelands. Fight iconic monsters like Harpies, Cygors, and Exalted Bloodthirsters. Lead a group of arcane wizards into a strategy-based adventure against the enemies of magic. With in-app purchases, you can also add popular Warhammer wizards like Balthasar Gelt and Wurrzag da Great Green Prophet. This game is available for $9.99.

Tap Delay

Tap Delay

It really is incredible what you can do with digital technology when it comes to making, recording, and producing music. You don’t even really need to know how to play an instrument anymore. You can do it all on a keyboard, and I don’t mean a piano keyboard. This app recreates the natural warmth that tape-based echo and delay machines used to do. With a specially coded step-sequencer, you can reconstruct the compression and saturation of a tape machine, complete with his, head bias, flutter, and more. Synth Wave fans are going to have a blast. This app is available for $4.99.

Red Game Without a Great Name

Red Game Without a Great Name

If the thought of a world full of gears and old-timey traps makes you smile, then get ready for a perma-grin in this Steampunk-inspired endless runner. Players control a mechanical bird that is charged with a secret message. You can teleport short distances, but must be prepared to face what is on the other side. This world is filled with all manner of traps to try to stop you from making your delivery. Collect gears along the way and grab a power up or two to increase your chances of survival. This game is available for $2.99.

Stephen Hawking’s Snapshots of the Universe

Stephen Hawkings Snapshots of the Universe

Random House has just launched its popular educational science app on iPhone. If you’ve been waiting for a version that you can read on your device, the wait is over. It includes 10 interactive experiments, interactive solar systems, a mini game that lets you pilot your shop to Mars, and a section where you can grow your own stars. This is not an update that makes the iPad app universal, so if you would prefer to use it on your iPad, make sure you are choosing the correct version. This app is available for $4.99.

Race the Sun

Race the Sun

Solar power’s darkest enemy is… the dark. When the sun goes down, how can solar energy survive? That’s the premise of this racing game. Players race against time toward the sunset in an attempt to keep the energy going for as long as possible and even stop the sun from setting, at least for a little longer. The sun will eventually set and your solar craft will eventually die. However, you can complete objectives before your imminent demise to unlock new upgradable parts and increase your ship’s abilities. You can even customize your flying deathtrap with decals and stunt attachments. This game is available for $4.99.

Gallery Doctor

Gallery Doctor

If you take a lot of pictures, especially in an effort to get the perfect shot, you probably have about a half-dozen of each pose needing to be trashed. That’s how I do it. If you are like me, you might find this app to be of great use. It identifies such bad pictures as blurry shots, dark images, similar photos, and more. Once identified, you can swipe left or right to keep or delete each image. When you’ve gotten rid of the bad pictures, you’ll free up more space and be able to fill your iPhone with more action shots. This app is available for $2.99.

Domino Drop

Domino Drop

If you are feeling a bit nostalgic for the skeuomorphism of pre-iOS 7 days gone by, this tile matching game will bring it all back for you. It is highly detailed with a realistic look and feel that first made the iPhone’s software so popular. Players match colored domino tiles in a Tetris style box. Three different game modes make it more than just a new skin on an old title. Connect matching tiles, remove a specific number of white tiles, or play blind mode for even more difficulty. This game is available for $1.99.

More apps you should check out

These apps have been updated