Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. We’re now in that weird zone between holidays where the games have to find their own ideas for events, with some just flat out taking time off. Nevertheless, I have found a decent selection of fresh updates to dig into while you ponder the potential opportunities of the week ahead. Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!
Spire Blast, Let’s get things started with a look at one of Apple Arcade’s many puzzlers. This update introduces the new world of Al-Madari, with a new obstacle to contend with: laser shields. That sounds suitably rad. Anyway, you get a bunch of new levels set in that world, with the remainder of the update focused on performance improvements, bug fixes, and other bits and bobs.
Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis, There’s always at least one holiday-themed update that misses the holiday, and this time it falls to Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis. The egg hunt event offers up a bunch of rewards for those who can rack up the wins, with a brand new unlockable character coming with it. Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys arrives with some special abilities of her own. There’s a themed court to go with her, and some extra outfits as well. You might also be able to get your hands on some new rackets. Setting aside it being a little late, it seems like a nice update.
Hungry Shark World, Free Time for another shark attack because Splash Pass Season 2 is now underway. Whether you’re playing for free or have sprung for the premium, you’ll find plenty of rewards on offer. There are several new pets including a Space Worm, some Mantas, and more. I didn’t even know sharks kept pets. Especially Space Worm pets. Learn something new every day, I suppose. There’s also a new event that I think might be connected to Earth Day as it has a strong ecological theme to it. The Coral Reef event sees you trying to restore the reefs and is being held in conjunction with Green Game Jam and Glowing Glowing Gone.
NEW STATE : NEW ERA OF BR, Free Oh, a geography game. How nice. And it’s a very popular game, too! It’s great to see the younger generation taking a keen interest in their studies and… what? Oh, it’s not a geography game. Well… I guess that’s fine, too. In hindsight, it would have been more than a little odd for a geography game to have an update with a bunch of new weapons, an Among Us collaboration event, and a new game mode. It would probably just have, like, maps and stuff. Maybe some quizzes. I’m glad we were able clear all that up on this wonderful paragraph-long journey we took together.
Bloons TD 6, $6.99 This update applies to both the regular paid version and the Apple Arcade + version, but I decided to use the normal one for variety’s sake. In this update, there’s a new hero on the scene. Geraldo the Mystic Shopkeeper doesn’t have any disappointing Titanic-related TV specials for you, but he does have a selection of Bloon-popping goods. His strength may come in handy against the new boss, Vortex. This update also features a new Beginner map, some new Trophy Store items, and more. I think I’m going to give this the coveted UMMSotW award for this week. It just feels right.
Homescapes, Free Sure, let’s go ahead with our obligatory free-to-play matching puzzle game update for the week. We’re sliding into the Austinverse again with Homescapes, and it’s got quite a lot as usual. Wedding bells are ringing, and you need to save Emma’s wedding by helping out with just about every aspect. Assist with the bride’s look and play through levels to earn decorations for the big event. Meanwhile, William wants to join the Knight Club. The first rule of Knight Club is thou dost not speak of Knight Club. Toss some medieval decorations around the yard and you’ll be ready to go. There’s even a new main story chapter that involves Betty and… a robot butler? Is Austin being rendered obsolete?! Only one way to find out.
Zen Pinball Party, The selection of Williams tables in Zen Pinball Party expands with this latest version of the game. Champion Pub is now among the available tables to play, bringing the total up to seventeen. It’s a bit of a quirky one as Williams tables go, but it certainly has its fans. And hey, if you’ve got an Apple Arcade subscription, there’s really no reason not to try it out and see if you might become one of them. After a somewhat sparse launch, this app is building up quite the nice little selection as time goes on.
Need for Speed No Limits, Free Time to see what’s going on in the world of Need for Speed No Limits. It’s been a hot minute or three since we’ve looked in on this one. It always comes around to new cars when it comes to racing game updates, and that’s just what is going on here. By playing various events, you have a chance to get your hands on the BMW M3 G80, the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, and the McLaren Artura. Some fresh events have been added to the Vault, giving you plenty of challenges to chew on. You can also get an Earth Day wrap, apparently by catching air in the game. Head on out and face those new rivals, or maybe invite them for some juice and cookies. Not everything has to be settled in dangerous races. Except in this game, I guess. No choice really. This too is an important life lesson.
AFK Arena, Free Here’s a familiar face. AFK Arena has what I would call a very usual update, which means a new hero, a new Bountiful Trials event to go with them, and some new skins, events, and adventures to enjoy. The hero in question is the Wilder Hero Oku – Ironfist, and I’m sure they pack quite the punch. In addition to the new content, there are also some balancing adjustments, UI improvements, and an assortment of bug fixes. This game is very reliable with its updates, I’ll give it that.
The King of Fighters ALLSTAR, Free We’ll finish things up this week with The King of Fighters AllStar, Netmarble’s free-to-play take on SNK’s flagship franchise. The latest version is all about SS Chizuru Kagura, allowing you to upgrade her via Change Up. If you don’t have her yet, you can try your luck at getting her through the aptly-named Lucky Chance Event. Hm, a bit of a bland way to close the list out, but that’s how it goes some weeks.
That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!
