I go through app phases. Sometimes I can go months without downloading, or even considering, a new app, while some weeks I’m downloading them like iTunes is about to go outta business. I’m in a downloading-like-a-madwoman phase at the moment.
It started a few weeks ago while shopping with a girlfriend and our daughters. She had downloaded a kids’ haircut game (yes, a game involving cutting hair) on her iPhone, and my daughter wouldn’t give her the phone back. Because I needed Zoe to sit in her stroller at that point, I downloaded the game on my phone, and stuck it right into the aptly named “Mommy Needs 5 Minutes” folder. Over the next few weeks a few different apps have caught my eye. Additionally there have been some new releases to old favorites. So iPhone lovers, check out some of my new favorites:
That haircut game mentioned above was from the magical app creator for kids, Toca Boca. With games for boys and girls, Toca Boca prides itself on producing beautiful interactive games that are non-competitive, have no rules or stress, no in-app purchases and no 3rd party ads. Nothing but fun, imaginative, digital play.
My daughter can’t get enough of these games. She’s could spend hours bouncing back in forth between Toca Hair Salon, Paint My Wings and Toca Doctor. Somehow she discovered a YouTube link that brings up a video about the latest release “Toca Kitchen” ($1.99, released today, 12/15/11) and has been watching the video clip daily while counting down the days until it’s available.
Also new this Holiday Season is Toca Hair Salon – Holiday Gift. This free app lets the kids cut and style Santa’s hair or decorate a little Christmas tree. One note about the hair salon game – some of the noises are a bit strange (the sound of the “re-gro” gel is almost nauseating for adults) and it does have the ability to save the design as a picture in your photo albums. So remember to delete those pictures after your kids play the game.
I have a bizarre story: about 10 years ago I was working for an agency whose entire San Diego office was centered around one large client. When the agency lost that client’s business, they were not sure really what to do with us. Instead of letting us go, they had us just sit there for a few weeks while they tried to figure out our fates. The only thing that we needed to do to get paid was to show up by 9 and be in the office until 5. While at first it was wonderful, after a few weeks it became downright painful. And this was 10 years ago – before the variety of internet time-sucks like blogs, Facebook and Twitter to keep us occupied. This was when I first discovered, and became addicted to, the puzzle game Bejeweled.
Last week Pop Cap, the makers of Bejeweled came out with a standalone Bejeweled Blitz game. According to Pop Cap, with over 40 million mobile units sold, Bejeweled is the second best-selling mobile game of all time (ranked only behind Tetris). While the new “freemium” standalone blitz game is nothing more than just the blitz part of the old game (with the Facebook integration), they have restyled the game to look brighter and crisper, added a chance for bonus coins and in-game tutorials to help the user up the leader-board. If you need a break from word games, and angry birds makes you too angry, this is the perfect 60-second escape game.
This is so digital world meta. I was perusing Pinterest when I saw someone pinned an image from this app. It’s a quick and easy card/invite sending app with super stylish designs, fonts and picture options. It integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Email and Text for delivery of your note and it even connects with Instagram allowing you to pull your images directly from there into your virtual card. The designs and fonts are similar to those like you would find on Tiny Prints or Minted. And? It’s free.
While I still DEEPLY believe in the mailed Holiday card (hint, hint to the 55 or so people I sent cards to who haven’t sent me one in return) this is a great way to create emailable invites or last minute birthday cards.
I would also like to congratulate Instagram as being award Apple’s iPhone App of the Year title! As you know, we’ve been a huge Instagram fans around here for months, and with approximately 15 million downloads in 2011, we’re not the only ones!
About HipMamaB
we are HUGE Toca Boca fans here! The Doctor Game??? Our Fave!