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FREEday 4/6/12 - "I Wanna be FREE from You"

Posted by Rob Rich on April 6th, 2012

In attempting to avoid falling into any sort of "theme" for this week's list, I've gone and done it anyway. No zombies and (technically) no city-builders, but half of the games featured here share a commonality anyway. I'm referring to their "retro" style, which is to say they're intentionally pixelated. Granted, one of them is a port of an older NES game but still. I suppose I should just embrace themes in the future rather than fight against them, huh?

8bit Ninja - I'm not even sure where to begin. It's like some bizarre combination of avoidance/fruit mangling with RPG elements, multiple characters, various things to buy in a shop, and some sweet retro visuals. Considering all that, how could I not put it up here?

Amoebas Attack - Okay so a side-scrolling twin-stick shooter set inside the human body isn't exactly ground breaking these days. Neither is controlling an antibody fighting off infectious bacteria and the like. However, allowing players to evolve the antibody as they progress (i.e. new abilities and such) along with the clever way they can move vertically between capillaries in order to adjust the difficulty is certainly cool.

Saturday Morning RPG - It's an RPG inspired by Saturday morning cartoons from the 80's. That alone should be more than enough to get people on the App Store and downloading. Assuming it isn't, it's still a stylish JRPG-style romp spanning several episodes. So really, why not?

Parallel Mafia - I'm all for using the iPhone's GPS functionality to create location-based (virtual) warfare. But mixing genres and creating a sort of cyberpunk mafia setting is just all kinds of awesome. That and it's quite possibly the closest we've come to seeing a real new Shadowrun game since the 16-bit era.

Beauty vs Beasts - Simple, cute, and goofy. Never a bad list of features for an iOS game. Players control the titular Beauty as she fends off beasts and smooches princes, all with the tap of a few buttons. It's a simple reflex-based high score kind of game, but that's totally fine by me. Sometimes simple is the way to go.

StarSoldier - I did own an NES back in the day, but I spent more time playing outside than parked in front of the TV with a controller in my hand. For the most part. So I never managed to play this particular 8-bit shooter. Thankfully Hudson has decided to re-release it on iOS devices, a decisions that's bound to make more than a few fans quite happy. Heck, it might even create new ones.

FREEday 3/30/12 - "FREE Your Mind and Feel the Passion, Baby"

Posted by Rob Rich on March 30th, 2012

I'm so proud of myself. This week I managed to compile a sizable list of freebies without resorting to freemium city builders or anything with zombies in it. Well okay, the jury's still out on Monster Factory ENG (there might be zombies in there) but the rest are assuredly zombie free. I think. Yeah. No. Yeah. Definitely maybe.

Dark Meadow: The Pact - I still have fond memories of the original game, but when they toss extra content into the mix I can't help but get excited about the new stuff. The fact that the game is also available in a free-to-play model now sweetens the deal for everybody. It's a bit hefty in size, but it's definitely worth checking out.

Cordy Sky - The original Cordy was a whimsical (and quite well-made) platformer. This little spin-off is more akin to a vertical jumper, but that's no reason to expect any form of diminished quality. Seriously, it's looking great and it's free. Why the heck not?

Tree World - This one's pretty good from what I hear. It might not have much in the way of adult-oriented staying power, but Tiny Tower + Pokemon? Yes. Absolutely yes.

GangHound - Okay, this one's definitely not friendly for all-ages but it offers plenty of action. Upgrades, missions, daily rewards and rivalries, too. It seems tailor-made for those who are getting a little tired of all the G-rated iOS offerings out there and just want to shoot stuff in a gloriously bloody fashion.

Armado HD - Roll a young armadillo around a number of varying environments as he attempts to play the hero. Armado HD also sports some nice visuals and the choice between accelerometer and touch controls. It's everything the original is (literally), but dressed up to make better use of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. In other words, it's prettier. Also free.

Monster Factory ENG - It's hard to get specifics from the poorly translated description, but Monster Factory ENG is a defense-centric game with some fairly interesting looking visuals. And since it's free, no one really loses out on much if they take the time to check it out. "... like a chief" indeed.

FREEday 3/23/12 - "We Like the Kind of Living that is FREE for All"

Posted by Rob Rich on March 23rd, 2012

It's a shorter list this week, but I don't think that makes it any less special. Especially since Hunger Games: Girl on Fire is finally available. Why is that exciting? Well, because it's been created by a who's who team of iOS indie developers, that's why. People like Danny Baranowsky (composer for Canabalt, Super Meat Boy), Paul Veer (Super Crate Box), Adam Saltsman (Canabalt, Gravity Hook), Mark Johns (Tap Tap Dance), and Kevin Coulton (Hot Throttle). Now that's one heck of a pedigree. But it's not all about one game, no matter how awesome it may or may not be. There are a few more titles down there that are still worth a look. Especially the one about the girl with the pet mushroom. I mean come on, the concept alone is worth checking out.

Fix-it-up 80s: Meet Kate's Parents - Time management games can be quite addicting. Time management games involving automotive repair might blur the lines between demographics a bit (in a good way). Time management games about auto repair set in the 80s will almost certainly turn a few unexpected heads. I mean come on, we all love the 80s. VH1 said so.

Hunger Games: Girl on Fire - I've already droned on about how excited I am for this one simply based on the (incredible) talent behind it. It's not surprising to see that it's a "runner," but it's a bit more complex than that. It's also much more dextrous. And also free, naturally.

Motorcity: Drive - Tearing around a city in a futuristic car armed to the teeth is a pretty cool idea. So is using said armaments to blow up evil robots. But naming the car "MUTT" is just silly enough to be ingenious. Enough so that I'm willing to look past the Disney XD association.

Touch Detective 2 1/2 - Bizarro gumshoe Mackenzie and her "assistant" (I still think he's a pet) Funghi are back to solve more weird mysteries. Players can nab this reasonably extensive demo of the first two sections for free and see what the fuss (i.e. my fuss) is all about. If nothing else it's got a fantastic art style. Plus it's something of a point-and-click adventure, and we can never have too many of those.

FREEday 3/16/12 - "FREE as a Bird, it's the Next Best Thing to Be"

Posted by Rob Rich on March 17th, 2012

My apologies for the semi-zombie theme for this week. I swear it wasn't intentional. But since it's all said and done anyway, what's the harm in taking a look? Of course, even if it's too difficult to accept the inclusion of the Living Dead there are three more games of a decidedly classic variety to mess around with. Best part is, when they're free we don't lose anything in the looking aside from a little time.

Zombie Jombie - What's this? A collectible (and trade-able) card game with zombies as the good guys? And players can fuse and train their zombies to make more powerful zombies as they attempt to take down the evil humans? Heck yeah!

Samurai vs Zombies Defense - Okay so zombie-themed action defense games are a reasonably common thing these days, but not many of them look this good. Or feature feudal Japan as a setting. But the most alluring aspect by far has to be the ability to play Pachinko to earn rare items. I mean come on, it's Pachinko!

Greedy Bankers: Bailout! - Taking the Arcade Mode of Greedy Bankers and making it into a stand-alone freebie could be seen as some form cop-out, but I'd consider that an unfair label. If anything I'd call it a clever attempt at hooking frugal iOS gamers once they get a toe in the door, then presumably yanking them inside for drinks and possibly a vacation slideshow. Seriously though, puzzle games are virtually synonymous with mobile devices and being able to nab a good one for free is always cool.

Action Mahjong - I'll admit I'm not all that big on Mahjong, but throw in some unnecessarily cute chibi/anime cartoon characters and dress it up with some cheesy special effects and I'll certainly give it a shot. What can I say? I like the idea of taking somewhat mundane analog games and accentuating them with ridiculous things. If nothing else it tends to make the proceedings more interesting.

Gold Rush Classic - It's a familiar puzzle concept that's been replicated throughout the years, but that's because it's pretty much always fun. Players must sort through a bunch of different pieces of train tracks and set up a path from start to finish. If the tracks aren't lined up right (i.e. there are dead ends) in a timely manner, the train crashes. Simple, but a proven formula. With trains, no less.

FREEday 3/9/12 - "FREE Time, Let it Happen"

Posted by Rob Rich on March 9th, 2012

This week's list isn't quite as robust as last week's, but that doesn't make it any less important. Or at least relevant. It's got something of a random assortment this time around, including strategy, puzzle, arcade and runner offerings. And, as always, they're totally and completely free. So without further stalling for time, let's kick this pig!

Plants War - If someone were to hear about an RTS/RPG that uses the term "horticultural warriors" and not find themselves instantly curious, I'd be worried about them. And that's exactly what this is billed as. Players get to fend off beast invasions using upgradable plant people. If nothing else, it's an awesome concept.

uPixel - It's hard not to get drawn in when playing one of those "rotate abstract shapes until they make an image" games. They're just so soothing. One with some nifty pixel art and the option to create custom images would certainly be awesome. It'd be even more awesome if it were free. Hah. See what I did there?

Castle Heroes - I recall spending far more time that was healthy playing Donkey Kong Jr. in my youth. Actually I did that with pretty much any game. Anyway, Castle Heroes reminds me a bit of the spin-off to the classic, only players are attempting to toss debris at enemies attempting to scale a wall as opposed to scaling said wall themselves. Okay so it's not exactly the same thing, but it's the same general idea. Only backwards. And free.

Future Runner - iOS users seem to like runners. Lots of people love pixelated retro looks. Combine the two and we have Future Runner. It's a simple game at its core with only a few moves, but it looks cool and doesn't cost anything. And there's the whole not having to pay for it thing.

Hexus! - Match 3 games are always a good time. Especially when they're combined with other things. I know there are more than a few match/RPG hybrids out there but as far as I'm aware there aren't many that incorporate city-building. Hence Hexus!.

FREEday 3/2/12 - "FREE to Ignore the Bore of Authority"

Posted by Rob Rich on March 2nd, 2012

Okay, so this turned out to be a rather large list. Best just skip the formalities and get right to the good stuff.

Arm Wrestling Evolution - AWE - We have every reason to love "extreme" boxing games. It's like an instinctual thing. But take the general concept of over-the-top characters, an awesome art style, special moves, and combine it all with arm wrestling? That's attention-grabbing on a whole new level. Also, my apologies for the pun. I swear it wasn't intentional.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out - A city-building game featuring The Simpsons. Yeah, this totally won't get a ton of attention. Still, I think it's more than worth a mention. I mean we get to build our own Springfield. And interact with characters like Apu, Homer, Bart, etc. I can only imagine how many downloads it's going to get.

Sky Settlers - Okay so it's yet another city-building game (of a sort). That doesn't mean it's not without its charm. I mean, building a floating city in the sky is cool. And it's got a nifty cartoon art style. Plus it's free and all that.

RPS Rumble - Melding puzzle gameplay, Rocks, Paper, Scissors rules, and garish Luchador masks is so ridiculous it's borderline genius. It's not exactly bursting with free content, but what's there is more than solid enough. And it can keep someone busy for quite a while depending on their personal skill level. Plus it's goofy, and goofy is almost always cool.

R-Tech Commander: Galaxy XD - I know I'm a sucker for sci-fi stuff, but this one honestly looks pretty cool. RPG elements, strategy stuff, armada customization via ship classes and equipment, and a nifty visual style? Yeah, I'm totally sold. Which is even more cool because I don't actually have to buy anything.

Zombie Panic in Wonderland - The bizarre WiiWare shmup has officially come to the App Store. And it's free. I think paying absolutely nothing to blast through waves of disfigured Wonderland denizens as any of seven characters with multiple weapons to choose from is a sweet deal. I mean, who wouldn't think that?

Idonia - So help me I love character customization. So the idea of setting up a 3-person team (with 5 classes to choose from), then finding and equipping them with special gear (lewt drops!!!), and powering them up with special skills is quite alluring. Of course it's also got upgradable weapons and armor. And online PvP multiplayer. It's also free, people.

FREEday 2/24/12 - "I'm Running FREE, Get Out of My Way"

Posted by Rob Rich on February 24th, 2012

Maybe it's because the month is winding down or perhaps it's just a coincidence, but I found a good deal more interesting-looking freebies this week than usual. Not that I'm complaining. Anyway, here's this week's helping of games that don't require cash to enjoy.

Dark Summoner - Online dark fantasy social games. Typically good stuff. At the very least it tends to be quite popular. So it stands to reason that a free online dark fantasy social game with three different factions to choose between, over 350 kinds of monsters to collect and use, gorgeous artwork, planned monthly events, and free updates (naturally) miiiiiight be worth looking into.

Quantum Legacy - Being able to jump right into an action-heavy 3D space shooter is cool. It looks pretty nifty, claims to have "simple and innovative controls," is free, and overall seems like a decent way to kill time with no cost. But Quantum Legacy really caught my attention because the hero's ship is called the "Omnithias." I mean come on, that's hilarious.

Small Street - Everyone loves to build their own cities; the evidence of which is plastered all over the App Store. With such a saturated market, it's nice to see a game that takes things down to a more intimate level. Say by putting players in charge of a few dozen buildings instead of hundreds. Customizable citizens are a nice touch, too.

Cutout Fighter - I'm usually not big on fighting games, but the ones I do enjoy tend to have some kind of visual gimmick associated with them. Clayfighter had claymation, Killer Instinct used cutting-edge (at the time) CGI, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 had Jill Valentine (*swoon*), and now Cutout Fighter taunts me with its paper-focused presentation. I'd say I'm bothered by the temptation, but the game is free so I really don't care about giving in.

Save the Cubes - Cubeland is in peril after a mishap at the local chemical plant, so players will have to Save the Cubes. Save cubes from "infected" cubes. Yes, it's a physics-based zombie game. With nothing but cubes. Color me intrigued.

HUNT THE MONSTERS - A princess is nuts for monsters. The king wants to make the princess happy. The subjects... well, they're just along for the ride. Catching monsters earns gold, gold buys better weapons which can help nab more monsters, and the whole thing feeds on itself until the monster book is full.

FREEday 2/17/12 - "FREE Feels a Lot Better than I Thought it Would"

Posted by Rob Rich on February 17th, 2012

It's that time of the week again. Time to get ready to enjoy the weekend, collect a paycheck, and kickback with some iOS games that don't cost a dime. I mean, We've all got bills to pay, right? So why not keep them as low as possible with a healthy amount of App Store frugality?

Fairway Solitaire - Big Fish Games - Golf, gophers, and... playing cards? I guess so. Big Fish Games' take on the classic single-player affair has certainly seen its fair share of buzz (no pun in intended). Which isn't too much of a surprise seeing as it's all super-colorful and addictive. The only thing needed to make it "perfect" is an extremely cheap price tag. Oh wait, it has one of those, too.

Clockwork Brain - Insanely Fun - Mini-game challenges are always popular, and people apparently love to "train" their brains. I blame Nintendo for that one. But thanks to them we have games like Clockwork Brain to pass the time and flex the neurons. Plus it's got a robot in it. Robots are cool.

Trigger Knight - Weird/experimental games always intrigue me. Especially when they involve RPG elements and classic JRPG-inspired visual designs. That, and the concept of a "survival RPG" that utilizes split-second decision making and a single-tap interface just sounds neat. And hey, it's free so there's absolutely no harm in checking it out.

Dancescape - Hmmm... A puzzle game where the puzzles are dance moves. And players have to guide a character through the ruins (and traps) of an ancient civilization. With dancing. Why it's just insane enough to work!

Stromfeld - In a world full of shmups, what's the harm in adding one more to the library? Silly of me to ask, I know, because there isn't any harm in doing so. Especially when it's free. Also it looks kinda cool and features "endless gameplay." Not a bad deal.

Let's Bowl 2 - Set 'em up and knock 'em down using a number of unique balls, each with their own unique performance, through all manner of wacky and colorful alleys. Throw in upgrades that can be purchased with "bowling bucks" and it's a pretty cool freebie we have here. Just don't judge it by the catch-phrase. It's kinda... yeah...

FREEday 2/10/2012 - "None of us are FREE if One of us is Chained"

Posted by Rob Rich on February 10th, 2012

Shooting and strategy seem to be the two key themes in this weeks FREEday. I honestly didn't plan it that way, it just sort of happened. Although I suppose it's not that bad. They are two incredibly popular kinds of games for iOS devices these days. Then again, just about anything that lends itself to quick bursts of playtime do quite well for themselves, too. No matter the intention, here's a list of free games. Enjoy.

Farmkill - Zombie survival games. Yessir. But before writing off Farmkill as just another shambler slaughter consider this: players can raise volatile (literally) animals to fight off the horde. In addition to the expected defenses and numerous firearms. I have to admit, it's an interesting idea. Although now I keep thinking about chicken nuggets for some reason...

Battlefield 3: Aftershock - iOS users seem to enjoy multiplayer first-person shooters, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise that EA decided to bring what is arguably their biggest FPS of 2011 to Apple devices. What does come as a surprise is that it's a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter. Allow me to repeat that: it's a free multiplayer first-person shooter derived from one of EA's largest 2011 releases. Let the downloading commence.

Robot Troopers - Robot Troopers takes the idea of task-management and robots it up a notch. Or two. Players will be taking control of an assembly line, cranking out an army of autonomous forces while simultaneously training the new recruits. A robot foreman's work is never done.

Suitor Shooter - Protect the princess from the unworthy while getting the prince(s) to the castle. In essence, players are bombarding a horde of "evil," flower-toting fiends with delusions of dating from a dirigible. While not bombarding the good guys, of course. It's an unorthodox approach to dating to be sure, but it sure makes for an interesting game.

FREEday 2/3/12 - "Give Me the Beat Boys to FREE My Soul"

Posted by Rob Rich on February 3rd, 2012

Call me crazy, but I felt compelled to make this week's list of freebies a little bigger than usual. Maybe it's because there were more to pick from. Maybe there was a larger number of legitimately interesting titles. Or maybe I was just on a roll and went with it. No matter the reason, there's a nice big list of iOS games down there that can all be acquired without the use of money. Why not take a look?

GHOST TRICK: Phantom Detective - It seems like Capcom has started to compulsively port their DS games to iOS. Not that I mind, because most of their DS games are utterly fantastic. GHOST TRICK: Phantom Detective is most likely no exception. The dead private eye who continues to solve cases as a spirit while possessing various items in order to freak out nearby living folks might be a tad eccentric for some, but it's right up my alley. I can only assume it's right up other peoples' alleys as well.

Rock the Vegas for iPhone - People love to build their own cities in a virtual environment. A lot of people also love to gamble. Rock the Vegas offers both of those things. For free! With no broken thumbs!

Brand Name Space Game - Okay, so there's no shortage of top-down SHMUPs on the App Store. But how many of them feature semi-satirical names? And look pretty? And are free? Yeah, okay. I kind of backed myself into a corner with this one. Still, it's free so why not take a look?

Range - Range might be a game. Then again it might not. Either way, it's intriguing: it attempts to subconsciously teach players another language through the use of audio cues and platformer-style gameplay. I don't know if it really works or not, but it's a pretty cool idea. And I've always wanted to start learning Japanese...

Epic Tic Tac Toe Pro - I like to think that anyone who's been reading my stuff since I've started at 148apps is aware of my natural inclination towards completely weird stuff. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that I've managed to find a game that makes tic-tac-toe look like an 8-bit empire building sim. Admit it, this sounds interesting.

Spice Invaders - I'd be ashamed if I failed to mention what I'd consider this week's best free-to-play release. Sure the multiplayer is rather borked, but that can be fixed. Besides, this tower defense game is totally worth the free download for the campaign. And it's got a ton of unlockable content to keep players occupied.

FREEday 1/27/12 - "FREE is the Way, I Got to Be"

Posted by Rob Rich on January 27th, 2012

With all the freebies that have been flying around each week, it's a wonder we haven't run out. Then again, how many hundreds of apps and games are released each week? Yeah, I suppose when I think about it that way it's no wonder we're still going strong. Strong with savings!

... I'm sorry. Just ignore me and take a look at this week's list. I'll be sitting over here. In the corner.

Baseball Superstars 2012 - People love baseball. At least, that's what I've heard. So yeah, here's a baseball game. But what about the rest of us who aren't nuts for "America's Favorite Pastime?" Well we have this, too. Because it's absolutely insane, anime-style baseball. Like with unnatural pitching abilities and totally wacky players. That, and the last one was pretty cool, too.

Derby Days - Now I know there are a lot of free-to-play "build X" games around these days, but none to my knowledge combine the concept with horse care. It's usually either or as far as I know. So why not get excited about being able to build and run a horse ranch, while also caring for and breeding horses? If it were possible to trade the diminutive equines with friends than I'd say this is a sure-fire thing. Wait a second, we can do that already? Well then I guess there's no point in holding off on downloading it.

Zombie Battle - Zombies staggering in from the right side of the screen across several "lanes." Seems a tad familiar. This isn't a strategy game, however. It's more of an action defense thing. Sure, zombies have been done to death (har-har) these days but that's no reason to discount this upgradable blast-em-up. Besides, vaporizing the living dead is almost always tons of fun.

2XL MX Offroad - Some people out there might argue about the superiority of dirt bikes versus ATVs. People like that can now have tons of fun with various what-if scenarios thanks to 2XL MX Offroad. People unlike that who don't care much either way can also have plenty of fun with 2XL MX Offroad because it's a crazy motocross-style racer with lots of stuff to do and stunts to (hopefully) perform.

FREEday 1/20/12 - "FREE like a Summer Breeze"

Posted by Rob Rich on January 20th, 2012

Now that the holidays are well and truly over (for now), the App Store seems to have gotten back into full swing. It was a little tough choosing what to mention here because there's been somewhat of a flood of free games released this past week, but I'd consider that a good problem to have. So here it is, a small list of zero-cost iOS games that will hopefully make for a pleasant end of the week. If nothing else they should at least make for a decent distraction, anyway.

LEGO® App4+ - It's probably (read: definitely) not the most complicated game on this list, but LEGO® App4+ is still worth a look. Especially in a household with a young person or two. Hauling LEGOs around a-la Doodle Truck is a fun way to pass the time in itself, however the added ability to "build" stuff with virtual LEGOs is a nice touch.

Niko - Who doesn't love a colorful puzzle/platformer... thing? No one, that's who! Which is exactly why checking out this freebie is worth doing. Access is limited to the first six levels, but I'm thinking that's more than enough to suffice when it comes to having fun. Plus it unlocks special rewards that can be redeemed for Habbo Hotel, for what that's worth.

Order Up!! To Go - The comparisons to Cooking Mama are unavoidable, but I don't really think that's a bad thing. In fact, I'd call it great. Greater still is the way it reminds me of a Japanese PlayStation game called I am the Chef that was amazing (and never released in the states, of course). Regardless of what it's like or what it reminds anyone of, it's a nifty little free-to-play that includes cooking mini-games and restaurant management. Can we say "sweet?" Yeah, I thought so.

Snark Busters - I'll admit I've never been a huge fan of "find the hidden object" games, but I'm more than aware that it's a reasonably successful genre. So it's not hard for me to imagine that there are plenty of people out there who will flock to Snark Busters. I mean it's free, and it features a steampunk setting. About 90% of the world's population loves both those things. It's not guess-work, it's science!

FREEday 1/13/12 - "I'm FREE, to do what I want"

Posted by Rob Rich on January 13th, 2012

Uh-oh. Know what day today is? Yeah... *gulp*

Well I for one won't let superstition get the best of me. In fact, it's scientifically proven that getting games for free is the best way to change bad luck into good. Lucky (ha-ha!) thing I just so happen to have a list of a few of these zero-cost gems right here. Be sure to check them all out right after the break.

(NOTE: Free games are most certainly not scientifically proven to fix bad luck. However, they will kill time while sitting in the emergency room after that "unfortunate incident" with the cat and the Thighmaster.)

FREEday 1/6/12 - "The Best Things in Life are FREE"

Posted by Rob Rich on January 6th, 2012

Just like that, we find ourselves in 2012. I'm going to side-step the expected talk of apocalypse and instead focus on resolutions. Those promises people make to themselves in an attempt to break nasty habits or set major changes in motion. We all make 'em and we all tend to break 'em. Sometimes. Okay, most of the time. What can I say? Healthy food usually tastes like cardboard. Although I have to admit I've finally managed to develop a taste for yogurt after roughly 28 years of trying. Anyway, before the inevitable failures start to set in I've got a small list of games that will keep the "spend less money" hopefuls on-track. At least for a little while.

Battle Legend Infinity - I'm fairly certain that this is a new thing. Combining old-school turn-based RPG battles with endless wave survival, I mean. At least, I think it is. Whether or not that's true, it's a neat idea. The classic video game character "knock-offs" are a nice touch, too.

Legendary Heroes - Two teams. Three heroes. Four unique abilities apiece. Legendary Heroes isn't just another castle defense iOS game. It's the same basic idea, but this time the emphasis is on managing hero units and building complimentary teams of three instead of strategically churning out cannon fodder.

Turtle Isles - Guiding wayward turtles around a beach a-la ChuChu Rocket. By tapping starfish. Heck of a concept. Sure it's missing the bizarre space mice but that doesn't mean it's not worth checking out. So, who's going to help these slowpokes pair up?

Scramble With Friends Free - Remember Boggle? Of course. I mean, who doesn't, right? Well now we can play a facsimile, complete with special power-ups (freeze time, etc...) on-the-go. Anytime, anywhere. Methinks a certain other multiplayer word game is going to find itself facing some unexpected competition.

Fluff Friends Rescue - I have to give The Humane Society credit, I never would have expected them to find a way to incorporate their usual dealings into a genuinely interesting game. But that's exactly what's been done with Fluff Friends Rescue. Think "town-building freemium" game, only instead of constructing stores and homes players will be setting up their own animal shelter. Also, it's super-adorable.

FREEday 12/23/11 - "I've Got to Break FREE"

Posted by Rob Rich on December 23rd, 2011

The holiday season is barreling down upon us. At this point I imagine a good many peoples' funds have been completely tapped out thanks to all that gift buying. No more cash for personal goodies. If only there were some way... wait! There is! A handy (and weekly) article about free games ought to do the trick!

DISCLAIMER: 148apps is not responsible for angry husbands, wives, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins or friends as a result of being ignored in favor of digital entertainment. If problems persist, 148apps suggests putting the iOS device down and spending time with the family. There's always next week.

iMAME - It's probably a Christmas miracle that it hasn't been taken off the App Store yet, but the virtual arcade machine that can be manually loaded with more games is indeed still up there. If, for some odd reason, it still hasn't been downloaded, now is the time to jump on it. There's always the possibility that this gift that keeps on giving will stick around for some miraculous reason, but why take that chance?

Dungeon Hunter 3 - Gameloft's latest dungeon crawler shakes up the series something fierce. It features four new character classes (Astromancer, Warlord, Shaman, Trickster), the option to play as a male or female character and a price tag of zero dollars. Interest has been piqued, yes?

The Sims FreePlay - The Sims has gone free-to-play, and while this might mean things such as tasks being completed in real-time it doesn't mean an end to the fun. With a price this nonexistent, it'd be a shame not to give it a look-see.

ZENONIA 4 - Gamevil's action/rpg series has just received it's most refined iteration yet. It looks prettier, plays better and is bound to give long-time fans of the series spontaneous fits of the giggles thanks to the inclusion of notable characters from past ZENONIA games.