Emerging Top Paid iOS Apps: New Games Galore, Bike Baron and Mage Gauntlet
This week new games were the force to be reckoned with on the paid charts. High profile new releases from Halfbrick, Mountain Sheep, UsTwo Studios and Chillingo all performed strongly for iPhone and iPad. Meanwhile Angry Birds Seasons kept its hold on the iPad charts with an update that added new levels and a new bird, and utilities from Occipital and Ginger Labs were able to break gaming’s domination with sales that dropped their app prices for a limited time.
New Titles on the Top iPhone Paid Apps List
Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots – First up on the iPhone charts is Halfbrick’s brand-new tie-in for Dreamwork’s Puss in Boots. Released on October 20th, Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots combines classic Fruit Ninja gameplay and a big dose of the movie’s titular swashbuckling feline. The core gameplay is unchanged (although it is now called Desperado Mode), but Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots spices things up with a new Bandito mode: a series of randomly generated, timed challenges in locations from the movie. Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots is $0.99 and is currently the #3 paid app for iPhone.
Bike Baron – In the #8 spot this week is another game released on October 20th, Bike Baron. In the game, players must steer a motorcycle and its mustachioed driver to the end of a course while avoiding explosive barrels and traps, a task that requires both creative thinking and quick reactions. Bike Baron was created by two teams of independent developers: Mountain Sheep (art and design) and Qwiboo (programming) and costs $0.99.
Whale Trail – Moving all the way down to the #28 spot we have the iPhone featured game of the week, Whale Trail. In the surreal game, players use Tiny Wings style controls to steer a whale through the skies of a magical rainbow world, collecting bubbles and dodging angry thunderclouds. Whale Trail was created by UK/Swedish developer UsTwo Studios and features Game Center achievements, global leader boards and a soundtrack by Gruff Rhys of UK band Super Furry Animals. The game was released on October 20th and costs $0.99.
360 Panorama – One of the few utilities to make the charts this week is #33 ranked photo app, 360 Panorama. Pushed up the paid charts thanks to a 50% off sale that has dropped the price to $0.99, 360 Panorama gives users the ability to take seamless panorama shots quickly and easily, and share them via Facebook, Twittter or email. The app was created by Boulder Colorado based developers Occipital.
Mage Gauntlet – Last but not least is #45 ranked Mage Gauntlet, a classic RPG in the style of the Super Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda. Credited to Jeremy Orlando, who is one third of independent studio Rocketcat Games, Mage Gauntlet challenges players to make their way through a dangerous and funny fantasy world, collecting powerful artifacts, fighting dangerous monsters and collecting silly hats. The game costs $2.99, but players can also make in-app purchases to get additional weapons and items.
New Titles on the Top iPad Paid Apps List
(Update) Angry Birds Seasons HD – It’s no secret that new content helps keep players happy and Rovio’s Angry Birds Seasons on top of the paid charts, and that mechanic is still very much in play. Updated on October 21st with 30 new Halloween themed levels, the game still centers around killing evil pigs, but Angry Birds Seasons HD now gives players more help in the form of a brand-new bird and the ability to purchase the Mighty Eagle. Rovio was mostly recently in our news when it brought on former Fox executive Andrew Stalbow as general manager for North America. Angry Birds Seasons HD costs $1.99 and is currently the #2 top paid iPad app.
60 Minutes for iPad – The $4.99 companion app for developed by CBS Interactive for investigative news program 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes for iPad gives users access to all the reports, interviews and video content of the 2011-2012 season of the show and also includes access to the 60 Minutes archive, previews of upcoming episodes, a Classics section and the ability to share links to videos via Facebook, Twitter and email. The app was last updated on September 21st and is the #12 app on the iPad charts.
Rope Rescue HD – This week’s #19 app is the latest game from publisher Chillingo and developer Untame Games, Rope Rescue HD. On sale for $0.99 thanks to a limited time launch sale, the game challenges players to free caged birds by dragging a rope through a series of gears, finding the best route to get the cage open while avoiding rope-ruining obstacles like open flames and sharp blades. The game has more than 60 levels and in addition to being a paid app, it is supported by in-app purchases.
Notability – Palo Alto based Ginger Labs’ note taking app Notability makes the list this week thanks to an 80% price drop to celebrate version 4.0 of the app. Currently $0.99 and #24 on the paid charts, Notability gives users the choice to take notes with a word processor or via handwriting and digital ink. Once a note is taken, users can link their notes to audio recordings, insert pictures, clips and figures or export them to Dropbox, iDisk or WebDAV. New features in version 4.0 of the app include PDF annotation support, iOS 5 support, a customizable keyboard bar, themes and more.
Galaxy Pirate Adventure – And finally in the #42 spot we have Galaxy Pirate Adventure. The second game from independent developer Sunfish Studio, Galaxy Pirate Adventure bills itself as a 3D space RPG with a massive 40 hour storyline. In the game, players must battle for space supremacy by becoming the most powerful commodity trader in the galaxy. Players can choose from 37 different kinds of ship to take into strategic 3 on 3 space battles, customizing their ships’ armor and weapons to make the most of of their resources, win battles and gain territory. Galaxy Pirate Adventure was released on October 17th and costs $4.99.
