Apps of the Week: Orbsorb, Beats Music, Ninja Village, and more…

Remember when I told you last week that California was on the verge of experiencing a drought? Well, the Governor actually had already declared a drought emergency earlier in the week. My contribution to reducing water consumption: I’ve stopped taking showers.

If you are stinking up your house with your unwashed feat, bundled up to battle the freeze (is it really snowing on the East Coast?), or taking this weird winter weather with ease, we’ve got a list of apps and games to make the sun shine on your insides…

Orbsorb

If you are in the mood for an abstract arcade style game, this will satisfy you. The mechanics are based on a centralized defense where you protect an orb from oncoming fire from other orbs. Earn points for keeping the orbs out, and letting them in. If the outer orbs are the same color as yours, they belong on the inside. The game features a catchy techno soundtrack that you’ll be dancing along to. Maybe that’s just what you do to keep warm. This game is available for free for a limited time.

Beats Music

If you were one of the lucky few to get a new membership before the temporary suspension on Beats Music, you are probably listening to some great soundtrack or playlist right now. I know I am. While I’m still not totally sure this will be a replacement for a premium Spotify account, I can say it has a lot of interesting features. You can create and listen to curated playlists, search for specific artists and albums, and discover new music that is similar to what you are currently listening to. I just hope they add a non-stop radio feature so you can hit play and walk away. This app is available for free.

Musi

This has been a great week for streaming music apps. I know Musi is not new, but I’ve only just discovered it, so it is new to me and on my list. Users can create playlists of YouTube clips to listen to for hours and hours. If you know how to search for the right kind of stuff, you can stream entire albums from your favorite artists. Create a different playlist for every day of the week and every mood. You can also share YouTube links with others directly through the app, or to Facebook and Twitter. This app is available for free.

Behance

You’ve probably already heard of Behance. It is a social networking site for browsing and showcasing works based on fashion, illustration, industrial, design, architecture, and more. The app has recently been completely redesigned for iOS 7 support. Additionally, it is now available on the iPad. You can create and publish new project, search through millions of submissions from other artists, and follow collections so you will never miss a piece. This Adobe Family-based app will get your creative juices flowing so you can be part of the Behance community. This app is available for free.

Ninja Village

What do you get when you mix retro-style pixelated graphics, battle-heavy warfare, and empire building? Well, if there are any ninjas hanging around, you’ve got yourself a pretty exciting game. As the leader of a group of ninjas, it will be your job to train them, feed them, and send them into battle. Be sure to give them a helpful advantage by teaching them how to use matchlock guns. In between all of the fighting and training, your ninjas will earn their keep by farming, crafting, and selling their wares to passersby. This game is available for $4.99.

TowerMadness 2

This week, the long-awaited sequel to the epic TowerMadness game finally made it to the App Store. This follow-up title features 40 new levels, improved graphics, and 16 different alien enemies, each with different strengths and weaknesses. One of the new defenders of Earth is Bo the ram. He, alongside Xen the shopkeeper, will show the alien menace where the exit door is. The game also includes new towers, like Stun Gun, Shrink Tower, and more. These sheep won’t be giving away their wool once you’ve secured the parameter with dozens of well-equipped towers. This game is available for $4.99.

Shifter: Interactive Graphic Novel

Did someone say Will Weaton? Yes, I believe someone did. None other than the O.G. Wesley Crusher himself narrates this exciting new sci-fi murder mystery. Readers are taken to a new world, where it is possible to “shift” into animal form and become whatever creature you like. The new world of interactive digital media has made it possible for you to find out the story of this unusual being as you read along with the voice acting talents of eight different characters. The first four chapters are free. The entire book consists of hundreds of fully painted pages with dozens of interactive touch points and more than 2.5 hours of audio. This app is available for free.