Category: Game Releases

Apple Arcade launched with a huge pile of games and very little pre-release hype surrounding the individual titles. It’s obviously a good value if you do a lot of mobile gaming, at only the price of about one premium iOS game per month. But which titles are worth your time?

In addition to these micro-reviews, we’ve already settled on a list of Apple Arcade games we think are pretty great.

It’s hard to know when a hundred games launch at the same time. That’s what this feature is all about. I’ve chosen five random games from Arcade and played them for an hour or so each. If this feature takes off we’ll choose another five, and so on until we run out of games or run out of a willingness to keep living.

The question is, can we dig up any hidden gems before that happens?

What the Golf? (Puzzle) (3-Stars)

This goofy physics based puzzler has its best jokes in the first few minutes of gameplay, and wears its schtick thin at just about the same time it turns into a real game. You can approach it as a silly timekiller or as a serious Angry Birds-style slingshot challenge.

Give it a try for something fun that requires little attention, have a good laugh at the first few levels, and then play as long as it continues to be amusing – if it grabs you, there’s a surprising amount of depth to the gameplay later on.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ehC96ytKNI?controls=0]

Over the Alps (Narrative) (4-Stars)

This choose-your-own-adventure game comes from writer Jon Ingold of 80 Days fame. The story here doesn’t work quite as well, because it is much less flexible. Your character is an English spy in Switzerland at the lead-up to World War II. Your mission is unclear, but you quickly meet several characters with mysterious objectives. Gameplay has you choosing dialogue responses that correspond to certain spy archetypes: aloof, aggressive, debonair, noble, etc.

You also have some control over your route, and your choices determine how close the police get to catching you in each city. The story is interesting enough, with lots of double-crosses and opportunities to make meaningful choices. The mechanics are a little obscure at first, but it’s easy enough to figure out, even though it can feel somewhat arbitrary.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAhLZmHqD34?controls=0]

Stellar Commanders (RTS) (3-Stars)

This is a micro-RTS that is online multiplayer only. In a lot of ways, it’s very similar to Element RTS I reviewed last year. It also takes place on a spherical map with two factions vying for resources. Stellar Commanders has a much more dramatic ending, however, since the planet actually collapses under you about two thirds of the way through. Also, like just about every game these days, it uses a card mechanic, with new cards unlocking after more matches.

Your new units require resources, but also need to be drawn into your hand. This means your strategy has to adapt to both what your opponent is up to and what you have available at the moment. This can be frustrating when the card you need to counter their move just doesn’t come up, but it works well to keep things tense within the super-tight timelines of each match (only a few minutes).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKsDQNW5wd8?controls=0]

Don’t Bug Me! (Tower Defence) (2-Stars)

This lane-based tower-defence game has a pretty animated aesthetic, but shallow gameplay, at least in the first hour. The game’s main innovation is letting you blast stray mobs yourself in a corridor-shooter minigame. Otherwise, you’re placing basic shooty towers, walls and landmines in preset spots.

It’s easy and glacially paced. I could see the gameplay becoming more challenging later on: Don’t Bug Me requires constant action since your towers quickly decay and you always have to jump into the fray yourself. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it TD game. For now, though, it takes too long to unlock new towers and enemies and the early levels are quite dull.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xny2tVxlbwU?controls=0]

Speed Demons (Racing) (2/3-Stars)

Nominally a racing game, Speed Demons is actually an arcade driving title in the lineage of Spy Hunter. It’s a good casual choice that can be played one handed in portrait mode, with your thumb simply weaving your car through traffic. There are a wide variety of modes within this basic gameplay–you could be chasing someone, running away, or racing against a timer–but they all amount to either avoiding or hitting certain other cars.

You also get different vehicles that handle somewhat differently, and a number of tracks with minor variations. As a casual game, it didn’t grab me, but it might be worth checking out if an arcade racer appeals to you.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9KUOPcKgxQ?controls=0]

So far, the Arcade games I’ve played have been universally polished and pretty fun, so if the game is in a genre that appeals to you, you’ll probably like it. You aren’t likely to run into any true duds. Arcade still seems best for people who like a lot of different kinds of games and play and switch titles frequently, without minding if the games are the best of the best. We’ll keep spinning that wheel, though!

Mario Kart Tour raced onto mobile on last week and is bringing a new twist to the beloved kart racing series. With tons of different characters, courses, and karts to unlock, there is plenty of content in the game to keep players entertained for hours. Like most games these days, there is even a set of timed Mario Kart Tour challenges that players can complete to earn extra Grand Stars. 

Below is a list of all of the Mario Kart Tour Challenges that are currently in the game. Additionally, in parentheses next to each challenge is the number of stars earned for completing the objective. 

• Land 3 hits with Red Shells (1)
• Land 10 hits with Bananas (1)
• Do 100 Jump Boosts (1)
• Get 1st place 3 times in a row in races 100cc or above (2)
• Activate Frenzy mode 5 times (2)
• Collect 30 coins in a single race (2)
• Land 3 hits with Green Shells in a single race using a driver wearing a shell (2)
• Take out 3 pipes (2)
• Earn a score of 6,000 or higher using a driver with a mustache (2)

Some of these Mario Kart Tour challenges are self-explanatory, while others are a little bit confusing. If you continue reading, you’ll find some tips to help you complete some of the more difficult objectives in the Tour Challenges 1 set.

Mario Kart Tour Challenges | How to Jump Boost 

While it may sound like you have to do something special, performing a Jump Boost in Mario Kart Tour is actually pretty simple. The truth is, all you need to do is play the game and Jump Boosts will be completed naturally.

Almost every time a player goes airborne, a Jump Boost will be performed. This means any ramps, logs, sewer tops, or other obstacle that will send a player into the air will likely result in a Jump Boost. You’ll know that you have performed a Jump Boost because your player will do some type of trick in the air and when they hit the ground, you will get a short speed boost.

Mario Kart Tour Challenges | How to Activate Frenzy Mode

Players can activate Frenzy Mode by getting three of the same items from an Item Box. During Frenzy mode, you’ll be able to use the item that you obtained as many times as you want by tapping the screen repeatedly. Even better, once you have activated Frenzy Mode, you’ll be invincible during the Frenzy. 

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do to have a chance at activating Frenzy Mode in Mario Kart Tour is to choose a racer that favors a specific course. You can find out a driver’s favorite courses by going into the settings and selecting Drivers. From there, you can hold your finger down a specific driver to see which courses they favor. 

When you’re looking through a Drivers preferences, look for the section that says, “Get three items per Item Box.” Racing on any of these courses with that specific driver will give you a chance at activating Frenzy Mode. 

Mario Kart Tour Challenges | How to Take Out Pipes

Perhaps one of the most confusing Mario Kart Tour challenges will require players to know how to take out pipes. This is referring to the green pipes that appear on some courses, which often end up slowing players down.

Turns out, there is a way to destroy these green pipes, which will be required to complete the Tour Challenges 1 set. There are a couple of different items that can be used to take out pipes, like a Bowser Shell or the Mega Mushroom. If you want the Bowser Shell and don’t have Bowser unlocked, you’ll need some Rubies to try to unlock him from the prize pipe.

However, we prefer the Mega Mushroom, simply because it seem easier to get than a Bowser Shell. We also suggest racing on Mario Circuit 1, as there are tons of green pipes in the course. In our experience, it’s easier to get the Mega Mushroom when you are in 6th-8th place. If you’re serious about completing this Mario Kart Tour challenge, slow down a bit and let everyone else get in front of you, and odds are you’ll find yourself with a Mega Mushroom, which you can use to take out the green pipes.

We’ll try to keep this guide updated as the game matures. If you have any other tips or questions, let us know in the comments!