There is an ongoing debate in the world of gaming over whether or not the medium can be considered art. Those who think it should be point to games like Braid, Flower, and even Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP as proof of gaming’s artistic merit. However, based on the look of Woolly Robot’s new experimental game Flight of the Fireflies, it might be time to add a new game to that list.

The game describes itself as “an interactive artwork” or “an interactive musical poem” so naturally its more about the experience than the gameplay. Players use touch to move a group of fireflies across the night sky and through various environments while each firefly produces its own unique tone. Throughout their journey, players can discover more fireflies and add them to the musical collective.

This symphony of the night is only available for iPad owners. Flight of the Fireflies is available now on the App Store.

$3.99

Flight of the Fireflies

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2012-01-31 :: Category: Games

The year is 2150. The Earth’s resources have been completely drained, so humanity is forced to seek out a suitable replacement in the vast emptiness of space. It’s a song and dance any sci-fi fans is familiar with, but one that’s often overlooked as a backdrop for a video game. Space Frontier takes that backdrop and turns it into the game’s entire basis for existence.

Thirty different planets are out there to colonize, with a total of forty stages to complete. Each habitable world has its own special circumstances and conditions, so what might make for a successful settling on one may not work on another. Factoring in the various missions and scoring that’s based on a player’s speed of completion, and we have ourselves one consistently playable little space adventure.

Anyone anxious to start their own space-age real estate business can give Space Frontier a look right now. $3.99 is all it’ll take to get the ball rolling.

$1.99

$3.99

Space Frontier:스페이스 프론티어

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-12-03 :: Category: Games

I won’t pretend to be a legitimate guitarist, because I’m most certainly not, but Perfect Guitar Song Book seems like a very useful app for those that are. It’s got all of the usefulness of an entire library of tablature, but none of the mess or back-breaking physical requirements that come with lugging it around. Of course, that’s what roadies are for, right?

It’s not all about portability, though. Perfect Guitar Song Book can also be used to grab and format notes and lyrics from any number of websites directly through the app. The text and fonts can also be tweaked to allow for easier reading, then saved for later use. Favorites can be exported into various formats (.PDF, Chord Pro, etc…), which I can see being a big deal for potential song writers.

The app also offers the useful hands-free option of scrolling via shaking. So if someone’s presumably in the middle of playing they don’t have to stop in order to “turn the page” as it were. The app also supports TV-Out, so with the proper cables a user could easily put the song up on a big screen for the rest of their band-mates/friends to use as a guide.

If Perfect Guitar Song Book sounds like a great idea, then feel free to go and grab it off of the App Store. It’s available right now for $3.99 for all major iOS devices.

$3.99

Perfect Guitar Song Book

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-09-12 :: Category: Music

It’s tough to find new and exciting ways of educating children. Bringing subjects alive can make all the difference which is precisely where technology and, more precisely, the iPad can help. Courtesy of Emantras comes Frog Dissection and Cell and Cell Structure to make science that bit more interesting for middle school children.

Frog Dissection is a less messy and kinder to frogs alternative to the age old way of learning biology: dissecting a frog. The app offers vivid 3D imaging an helpful step by step instructions which help ensure that the app is an accurate simulation of the real thing. Interactive quizzes and plenty of information on the frog’s organs and an anatomical comparison with humans makes this an ideal tool for science fans.

Cell and Cell Structure continues the biology theme by teaching everything possible about cells, their structure and their functions. Attractive graphics keep things interesting and interactive flashcards and quizzes reinforce the knowledge.

They’re both out now. Frog Dissection is priced at $3.99 while Cell and Cell Structure is $1.99.

$3.99

Frog Dissection

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-06-22 :: Category: Education

$2.99

Cell and Cell Structure

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-08-03 :: Category: Education

When it comes to bizarre gaming experiences from the last decade, it would be hard to not mention the joyfully growing ball of garbage that is the Katamari series.  Originally released as Katamari Damacy on the PlayStation 2 back in 2004, the brand has now become synonymous with ridiculous music, insane visuals and an insane color scheme that would make Stevie Wonder squint.  The game was a surprise runaway hit that caught North American audiences completely off-guard.  One thing was without a doubt: it was Japanese to the core.

After several successful spin-offs over the few years, the absurd world of Katamari finally made its way to iOS, in the form of i Love Katamari. Not only was the title fairly successful on the platform, but it also managed to snag four and a half stars in its official 148Apps Review. Not too shabby for a puzzle game that revolves around the concept of, well, revolving!  Virtually every aspect of the game was looked upon positively then, so just imagine what a Katamari game would be like with the advances in technology over the past two and a half years.

Don’t fret though, because a new iOS installment in the franchise is coming sooner rather than later.  In fact, the release date of the new Katamari Amore is just around the corner.  Starting today, hardcore rollers should be able to get their mitts on twenty four new missions of brain racking craziness, all for the low price of $3.99, which is much cheaper than the original’s $6.99 sticker price.

There will be four different single player modes to enjoy, so it is safe to say that it should keep players busy for quite a while.  Plus, I hear a certain pellet and ghost munching icon makes a secret cameo in the game, so keep an eye out!

FREE!

KATAMARI Amore

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Our Rating: :: A FLEETING LOVE
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-09-30 :: Category: Games

It’s all go for Capcom and beat em up fans the world over at the moment with two new releases and a new update for Street Fighter IV: Volt.

First up is the much anticipated release of Final Fight bring classic side scrolling beat em up action to the iPhone. As it was upon its original release in the arcades, Final Fight allows its players to choose from one of three characters: Guy, Cody or Haggar. It’s then down to that character to rescue a kidnapped woman, Jessica, from a ruthless street gang. With each character offering their own fighting style and abilities, there’s plenty to hook beat em up fans. The iOS version includes a finishing move button which allows the player to blow up enemies at any given time, much like the special move seen in games like the Streets of Rage series. Added functionality exists with the ability to join up with a friend for co-op play thanks to the game’s Bluetooth network support. Final Fight will be regularly priced at $2.99 but it’s currently on offer priced at $0.99 until September 21st as part of Capcom’s Super Sale.

$2.99

Final Fight

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: STOP FIGHTING
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-09-15 :: Category: Games

Another new release comes in the form of Street Fighter II Collection which for a mere $3.99 offers three Street Fighter II games in one, namely Street Fighter II, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. We all know and love this title. For many it was their first taste of beat em up wonder. It’s all here in an iOS format with a button command system that fits into the touch screen nature of the system. There’s also the addition of a finishing move button and of course there’s competitive play via Bluetooth.

$3.99

STREET FIGHTER II COLLECTION

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: STREET FIGHTING, MAN
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-09-15 :: Category: Games

Finally, Capcom has updated Street Fighter IV: Volt and added two new characters to the roster: Fei Long and Yun. Due to this update and Capcom’s Super Sale, Street Fighter IV: Volt is currently priced at only $2.99 rather than the usual $6.99 price tag. This offer lasts until September 19th so get in there fast.

$6.99

STREET FIGHTER IV VOLT

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Our Rating: :: STATIC SHOCK
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-06-30 :: Category: Games

Beat em up fans rejoice and have a great weekend of fighting!

Keeping track of health data and checkup information for all the family can be pretty tedious. After all, who wants to focus on their ailments all the time? Potentially knowing that knowledge or, more importantly, having that information on hand at all times, could save the life of a much loved family member. As an example, I’m allergic to paracetomol so what happens if I fall unconcious and wind up in hospital in need of painkillers urgently? An app like medAssist will ensure that such allergy information is readily available for any medical professional.

The app offers a place to store simple information such as date of birth as well as more complex and involved knowledge such as allergies, family disease history, blood group, even when the user had surgery or an X-Ray last. Chronic ailments such as joint problems or disease can be stored along with contact details for the family doctor making it easy to check in.

medAssist is one of few apps that could genuinely save lives. At $3.99 that’s a small price to pay.

$3.99

medAssist

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-09-06 :: Category: Healthcare & Fitness

Ahh Snow White. A memorable tale for all, originally part of the Brothers Grimm’s collection and, years later, subsequently translated to the animated screen courtesy of Disney. It’s a tale that children of all ages know well. So how best to revitalize it for a modern era? By adding an anime spin to proceedings of course.

Momonga’s Snow White is the story we all know and love but illustrated in what is known as the Moé style, a slang term used by anime fans to describe the style of making each character adorable to look at. This app offers the book of Snow White with not just an anime twist in terms of looks but also music with the soundtrack composed by Kumi Tanioka, of Final Fantasy fame. As the screenshots show, the app looks glorious and the music is similarly of a high quality.

The entire package should make for an excellent re-envisioning of the classic fairy tale and will hopefully enthral anime and fairy tale fans alike.

Momonga’s Snow White is out now as an Universal app and is priced at $3.99.

$3.99

白雪姫

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-07-29 :: Category: Entertainment

I never get to visit zoos as often as I like as my nearest zoo is over an hour’s drive away. Throw in the expense of visiting and it’s just not as frequent as I’d like.

It’s a similar problem for the likes of my young cousins who don’t get to see animals anywhere often enough other than through the internet or books. Pocket Zoo HD won’t whisk anyone physically to a zoo but it does the next best thing by offering over 30+ live animal cams so that users can see creatures from all over the world.

Animals available to view include amongst others the cuddly penguin, the majestic tiger, the quirky meerkat and the fearsome killer whale. Pocket Zoo isn’t just about live cameras either with over 200 wildlife videos included as well as a virtual zoo with series of original animal illustrations. A string of facts are also included to educate young animal fans as well as real animal sounds.

Pocket Zoo HD looks like an ideal app to while away some time alongside younger relatives. It’s out now for the iPad, priced at $3.99.

$1.99

Pocket Zoo HD ™ with Live Animal Cams

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-07-18 :: Category: Education