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Check out these 5 games that are a lot like Minecraft for mobile

Posted by Harry Slater on February 19th, 2018

Minecraft screenshot

So you're in love with Minecraft, but you're looking for something else to play as well? You've come to the right place then, because this list is all about games that are a bit like Minecraft. Some of them, more than others.

I've included download links, and links to our reviews if we've got them. If you've got your own suggestions though, feel free to stick them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Easter Comes to Junk Jack X - Bringing New Crafts, Chemistry, and More

Posted by Rob Rich on April 17th, 2014
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: :: Read Review »

Junk Jack X has just been updated in time for Easter, but it's not just pastel colors and bunny ears. The list of additions is actually rather obscene, but you can check it out below if you're really interested in reading all of that.

The bigger changes include a chemistry lab for creating potions with almost 100 different effects, tamable dogs/cats/birds/rabbits, new mobs like deer and ducks, new trees, new flowers, and a craftable beer mug. Cheers!

You can grab Junk Jack X off the App Store now for $4.99.

- New craftable Chemistry Lab block
- You can now create potions by mixing reagents with the Chemistry Lab
- Roughly 100 different potion effects (with a supported maximum of 1024 effect for the future)
- Almost all potion effects can have different duration and effect strength for a total amount of ~6000 potions
- Potions combinations will be discovered and saved in your craftbook
- New craftable Cottage Bricks and the relative half block and sloped blocks
-Added a life leech effect (base 0.0) which heals the player when delivering damage to a mob
- Added both melee and ranged critical chance to player attacks (with a base of 5% chance)
- Added an option (enabled by default) which skips saving world when battery is <= 1% to avoid potential data corruption
- Added an option which enables an extended player stats panel that shows more information
- 4 new iaps
- 5 new tamable dog breeds
- 5 new tamable cat breeds
- 5 new tamable bird breeds
- 3 new tamable rabbit breeds
- All new pet breeds are spreaded around the planets, collect and breed them
- You can now summon a pocket animal by placing its item in the trinket slot: it will follow you around!
- 16 new rare pocket companions that will follow you in your adventure if put in the trinket slot
- New cat house block
- New kennel block
- New bird perch block
- New rabbit hutch block
- New terra mobs including: deer, ground hog, duck.
- New cork oak tree which grows acorns
- New white wood type and crafts, make new cool creations with it!
- Cork oak drops bark material
- New craftable cork chunk block
- Terra is now spring and Easter themed
- New apricot spring tree with its relative fruit
- New plum tree with its relative fruit
- New vimini basket that drops Easter goodies
- Easter block ribbons, place it on blocks
- New recraftable beehives can now be found in spring biomes, craft honey recipes with them
- New replantable tulip and daisy flower
- New craftable beer mug
- 20 new fresh cooking crafts
- 12 new rare paintings have been added
- Added a rare toy as a tribute to Flappy Bird

Junk Jack X Update Will Fix, Add, and Enhance Multiple Features, and Help You Hold on to Your Precious Items

Posted by Andrew Stevens on November 21st, 2013
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: :: Read Review »

Junk Jack X is getting a big update. So big that I don't know where to begin! Ok, so I do know where to begin, it just took a while. The point is, the next time you play the game it could feel a bit different with all the little tweaks and additions.

Once the update (which Pixbits submitted to Apple very recently) is live you'll be able to see the last tile where you died, helping you find whatever items you may have dropped. There will also be a new cooldown feature of 60 seconds that will prevent you from losing any items when dying immediately after entering a world. A save reminder feature is also coming so that you'll never forget to save your game, and also a new customize feature that will let you rename and edit the gender, skin, and hair style of your character.

Junk Jack and Junk Jack X Soundtrack Hits iTunes, Spotify, and Bandcamp

Posted by Andrew Stevens on September 17th, 2013

If you enjoyed the music in Junk Jack and Junk Jack X, you'll be happy to know that the soundtrack is now available for you to listen to any time you wish! The album is available on Bandcamp, with iTunes and Spotify to follow, featuring 27 tracks by James Primate, the composer for both games.

Head on over to your music platform of choice and begin listening to tracks that contain the original 5 launch worlds, such as Terra, Seth, Alba, Xeno, and Magmar.

Favorite Four: Games for Super Short, Stop And Start Play Sessions

Posted by Rob Rich on February 6th, 2013

I play games on my iPhone a lot, as I’m sure many of you reading this do. The thing is, while many iOS games are great in their own right and function well for gaming in small bursts or extended sessions, there aren’t a whole heck of a lot that can be picked up, played, and stopped at the drop of a hat. Oh sure most can be suspended but I’m talking about games that actually allow you to quit entirely and come right back to where you left off no matter how long that may take. Games that auto-save constantly, can be saved at any time with a single button press, stuff like that. Here are our picks for four of the best.

Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers vs. Evil
Most of Playdek’s card games fall into this category but I’ve chosen this one because it’s the most recent. And because I happen to really like it. Gamers vs. Evil tracks progress in each match, however many there might be at once spread out over single and multiplayer modes. This means you can play a single hand or even stop in the middle of one, quit for whatever reason, and then start it right back up again from wherever it left off. It’s as perfect for micro-gaming sessions as it is for lengthy ones.

Junk Jack
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this 2D Minecraft-like since its release for many reasons, but it’s the save system that’s always impressed me the most. Pausing the game at any point will save progress automatically, so stopping at a moment’s notice is never a problem. Even more impressive is the way Jack’s inventory can be saved and transferred between worlds, so even if you get tired of your current game you can always start a new one and keep all your cool stuff.

Game Dev Story
Kairosoft’s first iOS release continues to be their greatest as far as I’m concerned, but really all of their games are perfect for quick starts and stops of game time. That big Save button sitting on the main screen for every single one of their titles that saves progress instantly makes it incredibly easy to stop what you’re doing and get back to actual work. Not that I’m condoning that sort of behavior, of course.

Zenonia 5
Much like Kairosoft, GAMEVIL also has the handy Save button down pat. Their action RPG series is plenty of fun and this most recent release is absolutely packed with features, and yet they’ve (thankfully) kept the one that makes it the easiest to play whenever and wherever. It’s comforting to know I can tap once to save and then bolt off of my train without having to worry about losing all that progress.

The Portable Podcast, Episode 166

Posted by Carter Dotson on December 4th, 2012
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Get this train back on the tracks!

On This Episode:

  • Carter and co-host Rob Rich discuss a pair of upcoming Minecraft-inspired 2D sandbox crafting and building games: Deepworld and The Blockheads that they’ve gotten their hands on.

  • Carter talks to Scott White of Aspyr Media about his studio’s followup to Poker Pals, called Sushi Mushi.
  • Episode Cast:

  • Host: Carter Dotson
  • Co-Host: Rob Rich


  • Guest: Scott White, Aspyr Media
  • Music:

    How to Listen:

    Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

    Favorite 4: Games that can Save Anywhere

    Posted by Rob Rich on October 11th, 2012

    Anyone who takes the bus, train, or subway to work has had this problem at least a few times: You’re in the middle of a game and before you know it you’ve arrived at your stop. You hurriedly close out the game, turn off the screen, stuff the iPhone into your pocket and bolt out the door. Once you have a moment to start it back up you realize that your progress has been wiped. Bummer. If only there were some iOS games that allowed players to save whenever they wanted!

    Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer
    Ascension was quite honestly the first deck-building game I’d ever played, and it totally made me fall in love with the concept. I also fell in love with the way it saves all the time. No prompts and no menus to browse. The game automatically saves progress at the start of each hand, and it can do so for multiple games whether they’re solo or against other players.

    Solitaire by Backflip
    I’ll admit that most solitaire iOS games will keep track of a player’s progress at all times, but I like Backflip’s offering so that’s what I’ve decided to go with. Again, there’s no need to do anything in order to save a game and come back to it later. Simply exit the game and the next time it’s started up things will be just as you left them; most likely a step or two away from failure and needing to start another round.

    Aliens Versus Humans
    It’s an homage to one of the greatest strategy games of all time, and it faithfully reproduces many of the mechanics that even the new contemporary remake has done away with. But more important than that - and the sheer enjoyment of fending off an alien attack without losing a single soldier - it allows players to save their game at any time. Whether they’re in the middle of a mission or on the Geoscape, opening up the options menu and quickly saving progress is always an option. Reloading after getting a soldier named after loved one killed is also just as fast.

    Junk Jack
    Aside from the fantastic art style and clever adaptation of the block/world-building ideas popularized by Minecraft, Junk Jack also brings constant saving to the table. Pausing the game saves progress. Quitting the game saves progress. It does prevent reloading after losing some favored items or getting killed, but it also makes hopping off the bus or train in a hurry far less detrimental.

    Huge Update For Addictive Sandbox Adventure Junk Jack

    Posted by Jennifer Allen on April 30th, 2012
    + Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
    Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: SO NOT JUNK :: Read Review »

    We loved Junk Jack at the end of last year. Its rather cute take on the Minecraft formula ensured its place in many gamers' hearts. That's how much fun it was.

    As Rob greedily but understandably stated, it could have done with "more stuff to mess around" with. Fortunately, developers Pixbits has acknowledged this with a new and huge update that has just been released.

    The update is big enough that we haven't got the room to discuss every single improvement. However, key points to take in are that it's now an Universal build, has new rare weapon drops and new mobs in the form of Stone Golems, Mummy Pharaohs, Carnivore Plants, Blue Scarabs, Frogs, Headless Zombies and Zombie Head.

    That's not all, though, with the addition of new color dyes, new recipes and a cooking pot and cooking ware craftable addon, also included. Farming fans can enjoy the option of plantable fruit, vegetables and trees, also.

    It's a huge update for Junk Jack and that's not including the huge number of enhancements and fixes that come included. Without further ado, get downloading Junk Jack and watch your productivity and free time vanish!

    Favorite Fifty: 148Apps Best Games of 2011: 16 - 25

    Posted by Carter Dotson on December 26th, 2011

    In what was another fantastic year in the world of iOS apps & games, we are here to bring you the fifty titles that we, the staff of 148Apps, thought were the best of the year. Here are the gaming titles 16 - 25 in our Best Games of 2011:

    25. SpellTower: Zach Gage's second iOS release is another smash, as SpellTower proved to be a fun take on the ever-popular word game genre. It comes with some special restrictions to force more creative word usage, and the requirement to make words out of nearby tiles, managing the tile stack as well as trying to form words causes the game to have a deeper dynamic than many word games have.

    24. Hard Lines: I did not know it was possible for lines that are only one pixel wide to have character, but these lines shout out constant witticisms while they try to make them crash into each other. A variety of modes are featured throughout this Tron lightcycles and Snake hybrid, along with the ability to compete against friends' high scores. Nothing like a good old high score battle to get the blood pumping, and to develop a little bit of hatred between friends that keeps the relationship strong!

    23. Mega Mall Story: Kairosoft put out a ton of their simulation games on iOS this year; any one of them probably deserved to be in this slot, but Mega Mall Story gets the nod by taking elements from tower-building titles, with that signature Kairosoft charm to make it an experience that 148Apps writer Rob Rich is on record as saying that it made him squee. He said he squeed on the inside, but I leave it to our audience to judge the accuracy of the claim themselves.

    22. Mission Europa Collector's Edition: iOS games typically shoot for a smaller focus than the other systems do, going for short-term, repeatable experiences. Mission Europa throws that out the window, bringing an original, and expansive first-person shooter with RPG elements to the platform. In the vein of such titles like System Shock (and its more well-known modern spiritual successor BioShock), this iOS original is proud to be big in a small world.

    21. Sonic CD - 2 years ago, a Sonic fan named Christian Whitehead pitched Sega on an idea for an iOS port of Sonic CD using a custom engine he designed for bringing retro games to new platforms. Two years later, the results are about as perfect as they could have possibly been, as the game has been redone in perfect fashion, with new tweaks and extras, including the ability to listen to either the American or Japanese soundtrack. It's about as perfect as it could possibly be, and one can only hope that more Sonic games are brought to iOS in similar fashion.

    20. The Blocks Cometh: This game really grew on me after a while, once the initial control issues were resolved. The climbing gameplay with action elements really shines through - like Mega Man in the middle of a Tetris stack. The update later in the year adding a new Game Boy-inspired mode, new Arcade and Casual modes, along with a landscape control option helped seal this among one of the best titles of the year.

    19. Junk Jack: The most important game of 2011 may be Minecraft; it showed how one indie studio could make a million-seller without any traditional publisher support. Its open-world crafting gameplay was also brought to iOS, but it was alternative interpretations on the platform that may have been stronger overall. Junk Jack brings its own pixel art style to the table with 2D gameplay, but with all the resource harvesting, crafting, and survival intact.

    18. Anomaly Warzone Earth: I'm surprised, frankly, that more games like this haven't been made yet, by which I mean tower offense, controlling the invaders among the winding paths and entrenched turrets that are usually the player's job to lay down. The game wisely tweaks the concept enough to let it feel like it has its own strategy and planning that is truly unique to this kind of game. It would be hard to imagine that any other interpretation of tower offense would fare much better.


    17. The Last Rocket: Shaun Inman, artist of the number one game in the "Sky is Falling" genre, The Incident, developed this little puzzle-platformer that was downright charming. Controlling an anthropomorphic rocket trying to escape from a factory, the levels were often challenging but required thought to complete properly. The 16-bit-esque design aesthetic only added to the game's charm.

    16. Army of Darkness Defense: Here's a dirty little secret: I don't watch a lot of movies. Whenever a friend asks me if I've seen a certain movie, the answer is usually a resounding no. I haven't seen the Evil Dead trilogy at all. That didn't stop me from enjoying this game, which was a castle defense game mixed with side-scrolling action. The simple controls were perfect for mobile, the gameplay laid its hooks into me. I played it for hours on a plane ride in to Chicago, continuing to fight off the Deadite hordes with my boomstick. I was so compelled to write the review for the game that I actually wrote it on my phone while on a commuter train! Is that not motivation?

    Come back on Wednesday to see the titles we ranked 15-6.

    Junk Jack Review

    + Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
    By Rob Rich on November 10th, 2011
    Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: SO NOT JUNK
    Junk Jack is another sandbox game with rather obvious "inspirations," but to simplify it as such would be doing the game (and fans of this somewhat new-ish genre) a HUGE disservice.
    Read The Full Review »