New Apps & Games

5 new indie iPhone and iPad games worth playing

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 5, 2015

Like any Thursday, last evening the App Store was refreshed with a myriad of new game releases. Rather than highlight juicy games like Real Steel Champions, Warhammer: Snotling Fling and other new arrivals from big name publishers, this time around I've decided to do something entirely different.

Therefore: introducing a list of new game releases by independent publishers that I think deserve additional exposure and your attention.

Without further ado, here are five indie games that I think you should definitely check out and hopefully put on your Home screen.

Imgur releases brand new iPhone client for browsing the fascinating world of animated GIFs

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 5, 2015

After releasing its inaugural iOS app back in 2013 only to remove it from the App Store less than a year later over numerous user complaints, Imgur on Thursday tried its luck again and released a brand new iPhone application.

Unlike the now-defunct app that offered a spartan web view of the mobile Imgur website, the newly released client does feature sleek appearance and native performance.

That it puts the millions of the web’s memes in the palm of your hand (and will soon make it easy to upload your own GIFs to the service) doesn't hurt it either.

Popular golf arcade game ‘Golden Tee’ coming to iOS this summer

Cody Lee ∙ March 3, 2015

Golden Tee fans rejoice, Incredible Technologies is bringing the popular arcade golf game to iOS this year. As noted by TouchArcade, the team has been quietly showing off a demo version of the game at this year's Game Developers Conference (or GDC).

For those of you not familiar with Golden Tee, it's the golf game you've seen in the corner of virtually every bar ever. It's an in-depth golf game with beautiful graphics, easy-to-learn controls and the arcade version utilizes a track ball for swing/ball direction.

Mortal Kombat X is hitting iOS this April

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 3, 2015

More than two decades following its 1992 debut on the the Genesis, SNES and arcades, Mortal Kombat, a video game franchise developed by Midway Games' Chicago studio, is about to go mobile with the impending release of Mortal Kombat X for iOS and Android, as first noted by Eurogamer.

Developed by NetherRealm Studios, the game will be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which acquired the Mortal Kombat development team in 2011 and now owns the rights of the series.

IBM unveils three new ‘MobileFirst for iOS’ apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 2, 2015

Enterprise software giant IBM on Monday announced three new apps in its MobileFirst for iOS lineup, aimed at travel and transportation, retail and banking and financial services industries.

The three new apps join the original software lineup targeted to customers in banking, retail, insurance, financial services, telecommunications, energy and utilities, governments and airlines.

How about an app for 3D printing your selfies?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

If you ever wanted a 3D printed selfie, there’ll soon be an app for that. Developer Dacuda has teamed up with Stockholm, Sweden based Volumental on the world's first mobile application for easily creating printable 3D selfies.

The software works by capturing a video of one's face on a tablet and is being shown off at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, CNBC reported last weekend.

Adonit stylus maker launches Forge, visual thinking app for iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Adonit, the maker of precision styluses for the iPad, released its first iOS application aimed at artists and creative professionals in a need of a digital storyboard to form their thoughts, draw sketches, express their ideas and more.

Available at no cost in the App Store, Forge for iPad works with your finger and fully supports the features of the company's Jot Touch styluses, like pressure sensitivity, palm rejection and custom shortcuts.

Ex-Apple engineers write a killer app for artists that turns iPad into a professional graphics tablet

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2015

Former Apple engineers Matt Ronge and Giovanni Donelli have created an absolutely amazing software solution called Astropad which magically turns your iPad into a professional graphics tablet for your Mac.

The iOS application talks to the Mac client via Wi-Fi or USB which then translates your stylus strokes on the tablet into corresponding actions in virtually any Mac app such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Pixelmator and many more.

Drawing on your Mac with your iPad works with most pressure sensitive styluses on the market. Your stylus strokes are transferred to the Mac in a silky-smooth sixty frames per second, thanks to a proprietary technology called Liquid that provides nearly three times more fluid responsiveness than Apple's AirPlay.

Google launches YouTube Kids in the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2015

The Internet giant Google on Monday announced its dedicated YouTube application for kids. Dubbed YouTube Kids, the app is now available for the iPhone and iPad as a free download from the App Store.

Billed as “the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind,” it's been designed as a safe place for kids to experience YouTube content deemed “kid-appropriate” such as family focused clips.

Because it's focused on children, the software includes a set of options that help parents control the experience for their kids.

Rovio’s new ‘Jolly Jam’ puzzler now available in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Finnish video game developer Rovio released a new game for iOS and Android devices today entitled 'Jolly Jam.' It's a puzzler that looks nothing like the games from the firm's popular bird-flinging 'Angry Birds' franchise, and more like Candy Crush.

Unsurprisingly, Jolly Jam is a freemium title, which tasks you with strategically matching your jelly in a box to battle monsters and advance to the next level. All of this is part of an effort to help Prince Jam save Princess Honey and the Jelly Kingdom.

Review: Alto’s Adventure, an endless snowboarding odyssey unlike any other

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 28, 2015

As promised, developer Snow's much anticipated game called Alto's Adventure has backflipped into the App Store. Two years in the making, Alto's Adventure challenges you to embark on an endless snowboarding odyssey across procedurally generated alpine hills and breathtaking scenery.

You're zipping through neighboring villages, drifting through peaks and valleys, collecting shooting stars, passing through ancient woodlands and long-abandoned ruins while enjoying with simulated night and day, weather conditions, awesome lighting effects and more, courtesy of the Unity graphics engine.

Featuring a somber soundtrack and smooth execution, the game has you rescuing runaway llamas while performing various tricks to progress and unlock new characters, each with its own distinct set of capabilities and snowboarding styles. Best of all, Alto’s Adventure is a premium game with no ads or In-App Purchases.

EA releases ‘The Sims 4’ for Mac after missing 2014 launch

Jake Smith ∙ February 17, 2015

Electronic Arts has finally released the anticipated "The Sims 4" for Mac, as previously announced in January. The Sims 4 was initially available for Windows in September, but it's taken several months for the company to launch a Mac version of the game, and lead to the company missing its original 2014 deadline.