tiny-space-adventure_805497452_ipad_02.jpgAnd now for the new paid apps of the week…

We’ve got quite a number of interesting new paid titles this week starting with Tiny Space Adventure. It is tap-based adventure / puzzle game in a similar style to Tiny Thief. You need to help your spaceman make it through each level safely avoiding traps and collecting various hidden objects for maximum completeness. A free lite version is also available if you want to try before you buy.

Minimalist design seems to be a popular choice this week, with a number of new games adopting this choice of aesthetics.

oO is a minimalistic dodging arcade game that appears to employ a very similar mechanic to Ring Run Circus. 0-SNAKE [EXTREME] is a mobile phone classic reborn with simple single-touch controls and three game modes in a leaderboard hungry game of collection and avoidance from Evil Indie Games.

On sale for 50% off to celebrate its global launch, Sniffers is a game with a social message. You must help the sniffers “fight for fresh air” by utilizing each member’s special abilities, ie Kickers can set up ramps and Tibos can set up time bombs, etc. Now through April, 10% of the revenue of every copy of Sniffers sold, will be donated to the WWF and other charitable organizations to support animals which are rare, endangered or near to extinction.

sometimes-you-die_822701037_ipad_02.jpgPerhaps the most intriguing title in this round-up, Sometimes You Die challenges usual gaming conventions. With this game you must die to win. The only way to complete levels is by utilizing the remains of your former self, left behind when you died. This dark, minimalist, morbid blocky puzzle platformer looks like a possible stand out title of the week.

And let’s do a complete 180 and look at something fun for the kids…

Unlike the last few weeks, Oceanhouse Media only has one new title for us this week and that’s a new interactive book in their Smithsonian’s Prehistoric Pals line. Is Apatosaurus Okay? lets your child join up with a mighty Apatosaurus as he becomes surrounded by a pack of Ceratosaurus, who follow him while he slowly lumbers toward the stream to eat. Will he get away from the Ceratosaurus and be okay? (SPOILER ALERT: since this is for kids, I’m guessing the answer is yes.) The app is available at an introductory price of $1.99.

ravensburger-puzzle_657342303_ipad_03Ravensburger has already released some stand out iOS board game apps, but if you are someone who likes to do jigsaw puzzles, then you probably know that Ravensburger is equally known for their expertise in jigsaw puzzles as well.
They are the European leading manufacturer of high-quality jigsaw puzzles in all shapes, sizes and subject matter. Now they are bringing over 100 years of puzzle know-how to the iPad in what looks like will be the only jigsaw puzzle app you’ll ever need again. Ravensburger Puzzle offers access to more than 150 new puzzles (as in-app purchases) each with the option of 20 pieces up to 500 pieces. The app comes with 6 puzzles and a starting supply of coins to purchase more. There are all sorts of tools to make your solving easier, timers to challenge yourself and super intuitive controls. They’ve certainly set the new gold standard for jigsaw puzzle apps with this one!

The Queen Bee is ill and the little bee Maya needs to lead a squad of worker ants to find the ingredients needed to make the cure. Maya The Bee: The Ant’s Quest is cute looking, sprawling 3D puzzle / platforming / exploration game from Bulkypix. Recruit different types of ants to perform specific tasks and complete challenges in what looks a bit like Nintendo’s Pikmin series.

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Jujubee is back with FLASHOUT 2, the sequel to their futuristic racing game featuring “a redesigned and enhanced Career Mode with story elements” as well as “massive improvements in matter of steering, physics, opponent’s AI, and other gameplay elements”. It also has new online multiplayer game modes, improved graphics and more. So if you enjoyed the first one it sounds like this is going to be even better. Or if you were like me and didn’t really care for the controls on the first one, it sounds like a lot has been improved, so maybe it’s time to give it another chance.

Firework Apprentice is a 3D puzzle adventure game revolving around (you guessed it) fireworks. You must help a young Firework apprentice get to the Emperor’s Palace for the annual firework contest. Explore 12 floating islands, collect magic powder, solve puzzles, interact with other characters, destroy your environment (on purpose or accidentally), build rockets and complete challenges.

DotEmu has ported the popular 1994 PC action RPG Little Big Adventure to iOS with specially adapted controls. “You play as Twinsen, a young hero living on Citadel Island on a world under the heel of the dictator Dr. FunFrock.” While I don’t recall ever playing the original game, DotEmu generally does a very nice job with these titles, so you can trust that it was handled with care.

clarc_767608803_ipad_02.jpgFinally, CLARC is a gorgeous looking action puzzle game featuring drunk robots. Yeah, you read that correctly. Nerdy janitor robot Clarc encounters partying robots, attractive nuclear missiles and intoxicated supercomputers as he “sets out to repair his production facility on Mars and fights to rescue his friends from the intruding spaceship M.O.T.H.E.R. who threatens to disarm the factory”. With over 100+ puzzles and 12 hours of gameplay, this game packs a lot of content for $3.99. If you’d like to try it out before buying the full game, there is a FREE lite version available as well.




Go to the second page of this post to watch the trailers for these games.