Flick Baseball, Iron Man 2, SpongeBob, and more: New iPhone games of the week
Hope you have plenty of free time, because the latest arrivals are sure to keep you tapping happily for hours.
Know what I just realized? I'm on game overload. There are too many great games for the iPhone and iPod Touch and not nearly enough hours in the day.
In fact, I'm concerned about the platform's effect on national productivity. I can't prove it, but I think Apple is responsible for lowering the country's GDP. Thankfully, I was able to resist the siren song of gaming just long enough to write up these five new arrivals:
Chop Chop Tennis So this is what the kids of South Park would look like if they dressed as ninjas and played tennis. The latest in the Chop Chop series lets you play singles or doubles on any of five colorful courts. The gameplay is decidedly Wii-style, but here you're swiping (with your finger) instead of swinging. Alas, for now it's a one-person outing, though developer Gamerizon says local multiplayer is coming soon. (But what it really needs is online multiplayer.) Price: $2.99.
Fast & Furious: Adrenaline Does the iPhone really need another racing game? Hey, if they're good, keep 'em coming. Fast & Furious: Adrenaline (the latest title based loosely on the movie franchise) breaks little new ground in the genre, but it delivers plenty of high-speed, free-wheeling action for those who like arcade-style street racing. Multiplayer is limited to local competition, but at least the price is right: 99 cents.
Flick Baseball Pro There's been a lot of advance buzz about this title, and with good reason: it's without a doubt the best arcade-baseball game to date. You get to pitch, bat, and even field fly balls, all by engaging in various types of timed tapping. The graphics, audio, and presentation are all console-quality, making it all the more surprising that the game is priced at just $2.99.
Iron Man 2 When it comes to crafting action titles, Gameloft knows its stuff. In this movie tie-in, you get to play as either the titular hero or War Machine, upgrading your suit with bigger, badder weaponry as you progress through the levels. Kick butt on the ground and in the air across nine global locations. The iPhone/iPod version costs $6.99; there's also an HD iPad version for $9.99.
SpongeBob's Krusty Komics It's a comic book, yes, but there's also a game in the mix: a basic nine-square sliding puzzle. Obviously the target audience here skews young, and the free app is really just a tease to sell you more SpongeBob comics and games, both of which you can buy inside the app. But for kids and/or SpongeBob fans, it's all good stuff.
Have you seen any new and noteworthy games this week? What titles have been tanking your productivity? Name 'em in the comments.