bears-vs.-art_708779888_ipad_02The final batch of April new releases have squeaked onto the App Store just under the wire this week, and there were quite a few of them, so let’s jump right in with the latest offering from Halfbrick Studios, a puzzle game called Bears vs. Art, which has been stuck in soft launch limbo for a little over a year now.

You play as Rory the bear, who, upset that a museum has been built in his once serene forest, is trying to destroy every painting on the walls of the art gallery, but needs to plans his moves carefully so that he doesn’t run out of time before he gets to them all. However, you’ll need to be both careful and cunning as additional obstacles including art admirers, security guards and thieves as well as lasers, spikes and portals will also through a wrench into your plans. The game is free to play with an energy mechanic which limits consecutive free play.

Byte Master is an evolution of the popular Threes! number sliding and joining gameplay, which adopts a cool computer architecture theme and institutes a cool new leveling up mechanic. If you are a fan of Threes! and like geeky computer stuff, I think you are going to really like his one.

Wire Defuser is fast-paced puzzle/memory game where players need to perform actions like pressing and holding buttons and flipping switches in order to defuse bombs. Do you have the reflexes and quick decision-making skills to be a part of the Bomb Squad?

marvel-future-fight_955705796_ipad_02The next two titles are games based on licensed properties, the first of which is MARVEL Future Fight. Perfectly timed for the release of the next MARVEL feature film, this is a free-to-play action RPG set in the Marvel Universe. Players assemble their 3 hero teams and must battle to “keep the dimensions of the multiverse from collapsing upon one other”. They gameplay, while fun, does feels a bit similar to previous games like Marvel Mighty Heroes, though a bit more engaging.

The other licensed game is Jurassic World™: The Game, a new dinosaur collecting / park building / dinosaur battling game from Ludia (the same folks who brought us Jurassic Park™ Builder), but this time based on the upcoming film.

Battledots is another of this week’s fun little surprises. A sort of mix between tower defense and real-time strategy, you go head-to head with either another player or AI trying to quickly spawn and send different types of dots down the lined battlefield to either mount a defense or go on the attack against the enemy’s dots which are headed your way. The gameplay is fast and frantic (at times almost too much so).

microgue_879057314_ipad_02.jpgMicrogue is a super fun little turn-based roguelike published by Crescent Moon Games, in which you are trying to navigate through ten rooms to reach a treasure and then work your way back out with a dragon (literally) hot on your feet. The various enemies you encounter (about 3 per room) each have a unique chess-like moving style, helping you to predict where they might go and for you to plan your attack or run to avoid to reach the exit without dying. This is a fun and charming little game and well worth a pickup.

If you are a fan of the arcade classic Galaga, then you have a couple of fun retro choices this week including Galactic Nemesis and Galaga : TEKKEN 20th Anniversary Edition. A more modern take on Galaga, Galactic Nemesis offers players all the enjoyment of classic gameplay, but with a new ship-leveling system that allows for a deeper and different experience. While BANDAI NAMCO’s official release of Galaga : TEKKEN 20th Anniversary Edition is an absolutely crazy mashup, where players select three TEKKEN characters to act as their ships, with each one having unique fighting…err…shooting styles.

jelly-reef_976393415_ipad_01.jpgOur next title, Jelly Reef, will unfortunately will be Game Oven’s swan song when it comes to mobile game development, but the studio certainly goes out on a high not with this unique water-based roguelike, where you play as the ocean, controlling the current, to help safely guide an ever-growing group of jellyfish through danger-filled underwater levels.

Continuing with the controlling the elements theme, we have Stella’s Journey, a puzzle platformer in which players control the wind, helping to guide a girl who has been magically been transformed into a cardboard box, find her way home safely.

star-wars-pinball-3_594811233_ipad_02ZEN Studios is really knocking out these new tables. Last week they offered up the Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron table and now this week, just in time for the upcoming May The Fourth holiday, they have a cool new table based on their hit animated Star Wars™ Pinball: Star Wars Rebels™ table for $1.99 in the (currently on sale) Star Wars™ Pinball 3 app, as well as the Zen Pinball app. It takes “players on a [seven-mission] journey to a galaxy far, far away, teaming them up with the crew of the starship Ghost, including Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Zeb Orrelios, Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla and the grumpy astromech Droid™ Chopper as they join forces to take on the evil Empire”. There are lots of fun animations, a mini table and more. And if that wasn’t enough, all of their previous 10 Star Wars themed tables are on sale for 99¢ each through May 6th.

How about one for the kids?

my-little-pony-cutie-mark_966896290_ipad_03As I’ve said many times on this site, my daughters are HUGE My Little Pony Fans, and this week we get My Little Pony – Cutie Mark Chronicles, another interactive book app from Egmont Kids Media Digital, the studio that previously brought us My Little Pony – A Canterlot Wedding. This new app recounts how each of the Mane Six got their cutie marks and each story ends with a minigame which unlocks additional cutie marks which can be used in the app’s Pony design tool, where your kids can make their very own ponies, selecting the colors, eyes, tail, mane, cutie mark and can class of pony. My daughters can’t get enough of this app, they love reading through each pony’s origin story and making all sorts of silly looking ponies of their own. This is a wonderful new MLP app, that is sure to offer your child hours of entertainment and repeat play.

Finally onto our most expensive featured new releases…

trulon_957360848_ipad_01.jpgTrulon is a rich-looking steampunk adventure RPG based on a spin-off story from the original Trulon novel, Shadow Gears, which is “set in the enchanting world of Trulon, and follows the adventures of Tripudian prince Neo and his friends”. The game utilizes a “unique card combat system” for battling magical enemies as “you explore the kingdoms of peaceful Tripudia and dangerous Maelon” as you try to help “bring an end to the mysterious disease threatening Tripudia”. With over 6 hours of gameplay and four unique playable characters, this one looks like it offers some nice bang for the buck.

Lastly, a classic Cinemaware title gets a big face lift courtesy of Kalypso Media Group. Wings Remastered is a first and third-person high-flying combat arcade simulation game set during WWI. You are an Ace Allied fighter pilot in the cockpit of your Sopwith Camel, taking part in bombing runs, dogfights and aerial combat. This Amiga classic has been “completely reproduced in stunning HD graphics, high-quality sound effects and a masterful soundtrack re-scored with real instruments”. With over 230 missions, this old classic looks like it has plenty of gameplay left in it.

And that’s all I’ve got for you this week, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty more next week as well.





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

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