With the petrol price at record highs and everyone having to tighten their belts, we thought a round-up of some of the best free game apps would be appropriate.
3D Bowling (Android)
Developer: Italy Games
Genre: Sports Games
4 out of 5 stars
Even if you think bowling is something only pensioners do on immaculate lawns, this little gem will give you hours of fun. You’ll quickly get the hang of the clever but simple bowling mechanism and will soon be chasing that perfect 300 score. You may even find yourself using bowling terminology in conversations with mystified friends.
Tetris Blitz (for iPhone and iPad)
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Puzzle
4 out of 5 stars
Who hasn’t spent more hours than is healthy rearranging the falling shapes in Tetris to clear lines and rack up high scores? The game has, however, never quite translated onto tablets in a form that appeased the purist in me. Tetris Blitz’s innovative controls, explosive graphics and race-against-the-clock format have officially won me over and I live for the day I’ll see my name at the top of the Facebook leaderboards!
Pool Billiards Pro (Android)
Developer: TerranDroid
Genre: Sports Games
5 out of 5 stars
There are a lot of freebie pool games to choose from but there’s a reason this is the number one downloaded pool game for Android, and not just because it’s free. It’s perfect whether you’re looking for something casual to while away the occasional spare 10 minutes, or you’re a pool hall junkie looking for a serious digital challenge to enhance your real-world play. Play against the clock, the computer or hit arcade mode to claim your place as the one to beat.
Fresh Tracks Snowboarding (for iPhone and iPad)
Developer: First Touch
Genre: Sports
4 out of 5 stars
With the Winter Olympics on the go, every one of us is day dreaming of climbing the podium to claim gold. And what better way to do so than with the coolest winter sport of them all? Snowboarding! The controls take some getting used to but you’ll soon be immersed in a world of Poptarts, Bloody Draculas and McTwists as you dominate the slopes.
Mahjong Solitaire (Android)
Developer: CanadaDroid
Genre: Brain & Puzzle
4 out of 5 stars
It was my wife who introduced me to this traditional Chinese tile game and she’s definitely regretting it as I’m thoroughly hooked. As a Mahjong beginner I was grateful to the shuffle, highlight and hint cheats which helped me out when the going got tough, even, I’m ashamed to admit, on the Easy level. But now I’m flying through the levels and beginning to dream of heading to Chinatown to play the real thing for real money and, of course, the glory of victory!
Crossword Free (for iPhone and iPad)
Developer: Benjamin Lochmann
Genre: Education
5 out of 5 stars
It’s hard to believe that such a comprehensive crossword game is actually free and provides you with almost 250 crosswords at different levels of difficulty. As someone who considers himself a wordsmith, I was surprised at the challenging quality of the crosswords and impressed by the straightforward, easy mechanics of the game. If crosswords are your thing then this is definitely your game.
QuizUp (for iPhone and iPad)
Developer: Plain Vanilla Corp
Genre: Trivia
4 out of 5 stars
Who among us doesn’t love showing off our general knowledge and shouting answers at the quiz shows on TV? Now you can join millions of players who are testing their knowledge across 376 topics and over 150 000 questions, ranging from Quentin Tarantino’s latest movies to pretty much anything else you can think of. But be warned: QuizUp is as addictive as trivia apps get, especially if you’re challenging your friends!
