The most recent iPhone game craze has been Flappy Bird, which has been selling for thousands of pounds on Ebay since its creator decided to delete it. Those who still have old Nokias or Blackberries are deprived of the beauty and simplicity of games such as this. For a mere few pounds, iPhone games can provide you with endless of hours of fun and procrastination. Here are our five favourite iPhone games.
Flappy Bird
Where can I get it?
Nowhere! Although it was formerly free to download from Google Play and the App Store. However there are poor imitations around, and a pretty buggy flash version online. Or you could by a phone with it pre-installed on eBay for a couple of grand.
What’s it about?
In the simplest terms, it is one bird’s quest to navigate an endless maze of pipes, without braining itself. However, in practice it is a lot more difficult than it sounds. Don’t let the Super Mario-esque graphics and sound effects fool you, this game will destroy your life.
Why should I get it?
Well if you haven’t already got it, you’re too late! It was taken down from both the App Store and Google Play on February 9. For those of you still in the dark about Flappy Bird, let me explain the magic. Its enticingly simple premise and aesthetic will lure you into its clutches. Initially you will be unaware of the power that it has over you, until you try to escape. By the time you have realised it’s taking over your life, you will be far too attached to it to ever let go, even if selling your phone with Flappy Bird pre-installed will have you set up for life.
Where can I get it?
Although it was originally released as a Facebook game, for the past year and a half it has been available for free from the App Store and Google Play. It also offers in-game purchases.
What’s it about?
As all the most addictive games do, Candy Crush Saga also has a pretty simple premise. It is a basic ‘three-in-a-row’ puzzler, with an incredibly steep difficulty curve and a large reliance on luck, especially in the later levels.
Why should I get it?
If you haven’t already been put off by family members endlessly requesting extra lives on Facebook, it is actually a pretty neat little game. It is a pleasant way to pass time on the bus or in a particularly boring lecture and fortunately the life system puts a limit on how long you can play for in one go, so it doesn’t interfere with your life too much. However, you will inevitably become very frustrated in later levels and may end up avoiding it as a result.
Where can I get it?
It’s available for free on iOS and Android devices.
What’s it about?
Based on a viral video released by Metro Trains Melbourne in 2012, featuring cute characters getting themselves killed in increasingly stupid ways, Dumb Ways to Die is a fast-paced arcade style game which tasks you with helping the colourful blobs avoid a gruesome demise. You are given three lives, and a numerical score is given once these lives have been expended.
Why should I get it?
If you’re already a fan of the video, this fun little game is an absolute must have. The soundtrack features an 8-bit version of the catchy song from the video. The difficulty curve is also fairly shallow, so you won’t feel out of your depth too quickly. You will also find that there are certain levels which you are completely unable to complete, regardless of the difficulty (for me it’s stopping the character who ate a tube of superglue from tipping over). Plus, despite its appearance, the novelty doesn’t really wear off. You will find yourself catching a glimpse of its icon on your home screen several months down the line and give it another play for old time’s sake.
Where can I get it?
It’s available to download for the very reasonable price of £2.99 from the App Store (no Android I’m afraid).
What’s it about?
It’s a mobile version of the very popular Lego Harry Potter video game, with controls optimised for a touch screen and only a few simplifications to set it apart from the console versions. You take Harry through his first four years at Hogwarts, with an emphasis placed on collection little Lego pieces, exploring the levels and solving the puzzles within them.
Why should I get it?
With Lego Harry Potter, it’s more of a case of why shouldn’t you get it? By having it on iOS, you are able to pay a big named game for a fraction of the price that you would have it on other gaming platforms. The minor simplifications are a small price to pay. Of course, in order for the game to be possible (as there is no dialogue in the cut scenes), some jumps in the plots of the books and films are made, but most people are so familiar with the storyline that these probably don’t matter; instead you can just let yourself enjoy this fun mini version of a much bigger game.
Where can I get it?
Spiral Episode I is available for £2.49 from the App Store (iOS only)
What’s it about?
Spiral is a console-like RPG in a futuristic setting, which is powered by Unreal Engine. It follows Tempus Azure, an eternally youthful investigator who is plagued by strange dreams, as he tries to figure out what the deadly ‘Spiral’ virus is, an affliction that turns its victims into aggressive beings made entirely of energy.
Why Should I Get It?
Spiral is the first iOS game I have come across that feels like a real console RPG, despite its pretty short playtime. You often get the feeling when playing games such as this, that the controls have been clumsily adapted from a console, but this isn’t the case with Spiral. While the combat system is so called ‘one touch’, it is incredibly intuitive, switching between weapons based on your distance from the opponent and responding to the length and direction of the tap. Admittedly, this can be tricky on a screen as small as the iPhone’s, but works perfectly on the iPad and iPad mini. The storyline is also pretty great, and the city of Soleil is engaging; you will finish this game eagerly looking forward to the next (as of yet unreleased) installment.
Brigette Phillips
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