If you are in the market for some good, cheap games, you’ve come to the right place. As the USA celebrates its Independence Day, many App Store developers have decided to join the celebrations by throwing cheap games your way in the hopes that all that eating and drinking will make you susceptible, and I believe they are correct in their assumption. So, take a look at the list below and use it as a guide for your shopping, but be sure to check back because I have a hunch that we’ll see many more sales before the weekend is over.
Infinity Blade ($5.99) – When this game came out in 2011, it awed many with its fantastic (for the time) graphics and became the center of discussions on the future possibilities of iOS games. While Infinity Blade has spawned two sequels already, it still holds up well, and, best of all, you can have it at the lovely price of zero dollars.
Fearless Fantasy ($3.99) – Certifiably the weirdest RPG you’ll play all year, this game sets you against the world’s weirdest creatures (seriously, not exaggerating) in a quest to save a girl from an awful marriage. The game boasts high production values, with interesting cutscenes and good voice-overs, and a fantastic battle system that’s perfect for the touch screen.
Spoiler Alert ($0.99) – This clever take on a platformer has gone free for the first time ever, and now you too can reverse time and relive your adventure. Spoiler Alert, as the title hints at, does the platformer a bit differently by having you start at the end of the adventure and move backwards, uncollecting coins, reviving dead enemies, and so on.
King Oddball ($2.99) – Another peculiar game on sale today, as in this one you play a King who swings boulders back and forth with his tongue and releases them on his enemies below. As I said, peculiar indeed, but the game plays well and the art style definitely makes King Oddball stand out. This is one of those games where you can mindlessly single-tap the screen and have fun doing it.
Super Hexagon ($2.99) – This one’s a certifiable App Store classic that definitely belongs in your collection. Super Hexagon is a spectacularly-difficult game that plays so well that you never get frustrated at the game when you lose, just at your own incompetence (and then you lament your fleeting reflexes and fleeting youth). Great game, and one that will simultaneously entertain you and frustrate you.
Implosion: Never Lose Hope ($1.99) – This one got 5 out of 5 in our review, and it really is a must-have. Stunning graphics and animation, excellent campaign, and overall a game that actually can call itself a “console experience" on your mobile. The game’s half off for the first time to celebrate 3 million downloads, so don’t miss this one.
The Trace: Murder Mystery Game ($3.99) – If you like detective games, you should pick this one up while it’s on sale because it’s a really pretty game that uses a clever system for finding clues and solving crimes. While some complained that the game was on the short side, at this price you’ll get more than enough content for your money.
Republique (Free)- An interesting take on stealth games, in Republique you control the surveillance network of a totalitarian state in your attempt to help a woman, Hope, escape. Republique consists of five chapters, three of which are already on iOS (but not part of the sale). Many have praised the game for its strong puzzles and great voice-overs that help strengthen its storytelling.
Lifeline ($2.99) – When was the last time you played a text-based adventure game? Never? Well, here’s your chance. Lifeline puts you at the other end of a distress call from a marooned astronaut, who desperately needs your help to survive. The story runs in real-time, which elevates the game’s feeling of realism, and has many possible outcomes, not all of them positive. The game incorporates the mobile platform’s notification system in its storytelling, and while it doesn’t offer that much replay value, the first playthrough is worth the price of admission.
Thomas Was Alone ($4.99) – This award-winning, memorable platformer has gained many accolades and fans in every platform it has visited. The game is all about the journey of four blocky characters, each with his or her own personality and abilities. The game weaves a lovely narrative around your actions that raises this clever platformer to a truly fantastic iOS game.
Halo: Spartan Strike ($2.99) – When we first saw this one run on a Surface tablet, we thought it would never cross the frontier to the world of iOS; fortunately, we were mistaken. Halo: Spartan Strike brings the Halo universe on your tablets in the form of a sleek, twin stick shooter. The game offers some great environments and some crazy action, so I think you’ll enjoy being Masterchief.
