We’ve already given out our awards for the
top Mac products of 2008
. Now, iPhone software gets its turn in the spotlight.
The iPhone software updates introduced by Apple this year delivered plenty of benefits to iPhone and iPod touch users—so many that the
iPhone 2.1 update captured one of those aforementioned Editors’ Choice Awards
. But easily the greatest benefit delivered by this new generation of software has been the ability to download and install third-party software on your mobile device of choice.
And iPhone and iPod touch users agree. Since Apple’s App Store opened its doors in July 2008, users have rung up more than
300 million downloads
of the games, productivity boosters, and other apps that line the store’s virtual shelves. Clearly, you’re excited about what the App Store has to offer.
And we’re excited, too. We’re continually searching through the more than 10,000 programs available for download from the App Store, trying to find the best tools for being more productive, staying in touch, getting creative, blowing off steam, and more.
All this week, we’re highlighting our favorite App Store offerings. In this first installment, we’re focusing on games. All work and no play makes for a dull iPhone. The 10 games featured below will help you decompress in style.
Read more…
Best use of tilt technology
Read our
Review of Labyrinth
; get more info on
Labyrinth at the App Store
.
Best way to bend it like Beckham
Read our
review of Real Soccer 2009
; get more info on
Real Soccer 2009 at the App Store
.
Best ’70s flashback
Read our
review of LED Football
; get more info on
LED Football at the App Store
.
Best bare-bones game
>Read our
review of Line Rider iRide
; get more info on
Line Ride iRider at the App Store
.
Best way to flex your word power
If you’re a fan of the classic word-building game Boggle, look no further than
Lonely Star Software’s
Quordy
(
). To play, just drag your finger across the letters on the board to form words and score points. The $3 Quordy has an attractive interface and offers network and pass-along play as well as solo play modes. There’s even a comprehensive high-score board so that you can track your progress. It’s a huge amount of fun.—JASON SNELL
Read our
review of Quordy
; get more info on
Quordy at the App Store
.
Best text-based adventure
Read our
review of Frotz
; get more info on
Frotz at the App Store
.
Best view of the friendly skies
Read our
review of X-Plane 9
; get more info on
X-Plane 9 at the App Store
.
Best way to keep your brain on its toes
Find yourself having a spare minute and feeling like giving your brain a short mental workout? Try
Brain Tuner
(
). The object of this free game from
Bridger Maxwell
is to identify a series of mathematical equations as either correct or incorrect as fast as possible. It’s an excellent way to develop or brush up on basic math skills.—ROMAN LOYOLA
Read our
review of Brain Tuner
; get more info on
Brain Tuner at the App Store
.
Best puzzler
Read our
review of Marple
; get more info on
Marple at the App Store
.
Best psychedelic arcade game
Read our
review of Rrootage
; get more info on
Rrootage at the App Store
.
