Emerging Top Grossing Apps: Halloween Updates, Education and Drag Racing

There wasn’t much change on the top grossing charts this week, thanks to Halloween updates from Zynga, Beeline Interactive, TinyCo and Backflip Studios, which kept their apps firmly ensconced in the upper reaches of the charts. That said, while older games easily held onto the top spots, new games from Creative Mobile and Big Fish Games performed well upon their release, and apps from other genres like education and music managed to infiltrate the charts as well. New Titles on the iPhone Top Grossing Apps List: (Update) Poker by Zynga - First up this week is #4 ranked Poker by Zynga. A repeat visitor to the top grossing charts, Zynga’s Texas Hold ‘em Poker game was updated on October 24th with lots of new features and a subtle name change. In the latest version of the game, players can now earn experience points while playing, meaning they can level up and earn chips as a reward for doing so. There are also new stats, a new ranking system and new table gifts as well. While the game does not yet support avatars or achievements, both those features are coming soon, according the update notes. Poker by Zynga is free and supported by purchases of chips and gifts. (Update) Smurfs’ Village - Freshly spruced up with new Halloween content, Beeline Interactive’s perennially popular game Smurfs’ Village makes the top grossing list again this week, taking the #10 spot. The game was updated on October 20th to add Halloween themed decorative items, Halloween candy friend gifts, a new quest and a new Smurf. Smurfs’ Village is still free-to-play and supported by in-app purchases. Drag Racing Free - The last time we mentioned Creative Mobile’s popular drag racing game it was on the Android charts. Due to the runaway success of the app for that platform, an iOS version of the game was inevitable. Released on October 17th and already the #28 top grossing app for iPhone, Drag Racing Free is just like the Android version of the game; players can choose from over 50 models of real cars, create a customized racer and then compete against other players for domination of the leaderboards. The iOS version of the game supports Game Center achievements and features a Pro League for hardcore racing aficionados. Drag Racing Free is a free-to-play game supported by in-game advertising and purchases. Bike Baron - After performing well on the paid iOS charts this week, it’s no surprise to see Bike Baron in the #33 spot on the top grossing chart. A combination platformer and physics puzzler, Bike Baron challenges players to safely guide a motorcycle and rider over 40 different tracks studded with obstacles. The game supports Game Center achievements, global leader boards and allows users to create and share their own levels for an extra challenge. Bike Baron was developed by Mountain Sheep (creators of Minigore and Death Rally) and Qwiboo (Aqua Globs) and costs $0.99. KORG iKaossilator - Moving all the way down to the #43 spot we find Korg’s iKaossilator, a virtual version of the popular touch controlled music hardware. As with the real unit, users of iKaossilator can play sounds, trigger loops, create drumbeats and change the scale of the music played by stroking, tapping and rubbing the screen of the iKaossilator and manipulating the visual X-Y interface. The music app was released on October 13th and is currently $9.99 due to a 50% off sale that ends November 30th. New Titles on the iPad Top Grossing Apps List: Proloquo2Go - It may not be cheap, but thanks to a feature on CBS’ 60 Minutes, educational app Proloquo2Go has seen a sharp uptick in popularity, jumping all the way up the #5 spot on the top grossing charts. The $189.99 app is designed for parents with special needs children whose disabilities affect their communication skills. The app contains a library of more than 7000 items that are explained with simple words and symbols, allowing users with autism, apraxia or cerebral palsy to tell others what they want more easily. Proloquo2Go was created by Dutch developers AssistiveWare. (Update) DragonVale - The Smurfs aren’t the only franchise getting into the Halloween spirit this week. Backflip’s DragonVale has held on to the #8 spot on the top grossing iPad charts thanks to an October 18th update that added new Halloween themed decorations, quests and a new breed of dragon. The update also refined the Colosseum system, upping the rewards and adding gems (the app’s in-game currency) as rewards. DragonVale is free to play and monetizes via in-app purchases. Men’s Health Magazine - This week’s #21 top grossing iPad app is Men’s Health Magazine, newly redesigned and re-released for Apple’s Newsstand app on October 19th. The iPad only app is free but requires users to either purchase single issues for $4.99 each or one year subscriptions for $23.99. In November the iPad edition will be free for print subscribers to the magazine. The Men’s Health Magazine app was developed by Pennsylvania based magazine publisher Rodale Inc. (Update) Tiny Zoo Friends - TinyCo’s Tiny Zoo Friends is yet another game that’s tapped into the popularity of Halloween with an October 18th update that added new Halloween themed animals and decorations. Like many other animal collecting games, the goal of Tiny Zoo Friends is to collect and care for an ever growing menagerie of animals. Players must create new breeds and types of animals and manage a successful zoo, but they can also recruit their Facebook friends to help them by using TinyCo’s Tiny Social interface. Tiny Zoo Friends is free-to-play a monetizes through in-app purchases. It is currently the #26 top grossing app for iPad. Mirror Mysteries HD - Concluding our roundup of top grossing apps this week is the latest offering from Big Fish Games, Mirror Mysteries HD. Released on October 20th and currently the #31 top grossing app for iPad, the game is a point and click adventure game that follows the story of a mother on a quest to rescue her children from a mirror that has trapped them in a magical, yet dangerous world. The game is free to download but the complete game must be purchased through an in-app purchase of $6.99, which is 30% off regular price thanks to a launch sale.

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Emerging Top Grossing Apps: Halloween Updates, Education and Drag Racing

New Titles on the iPhone Top Grossing Apps List:

Kathleen De Vere

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Kathleen De Vere