10 Best Free iOS Games of the Year | Dramel Notes

When it comes to mobile gaming, Apple is still the king. Game developers generally prefer launching their games on iOS first or exclusively, which makes these year-end “best of” lists for iPhone and iPad really hard. But that’s not stopping us, is it?

This year, we’re dumping paid apps. Much like the best Android games of 2015, there are enough great free games on iOS to make a must-have list. And hey, if you can have a good time for free, why pay?

Keep track of how many of these games you’ve already played, because there’s a question coming at the end of this article!

Does not Commute

Genre: Racing / Driving

Don’t you love it when a video game does something new? Does not Commute, from the makers of the addictive Smash Hit, is a top-down driving game. You start in a suburban neighborhood. A car drives forward automatically, you just have to press left or right to steer it. Once your first car reaches the destination, the level saves the trajectory you just took, and gives you a second objective with a second car. Now when you start driving, your first car will ply along its saved trajectory, so you have to be careful not to crash into it.

Pretty soon, there are 10 or more “saved” cars criss-crossing each other as you try to make your objective.  Does not Commute is not only innovative about this gameplay, but also puts it all in a 60s Suburban Americana visual style, set to soft jazz in the background. It’s an absolute delight, and like Smash Hit, I can’t understand how this is a free game. But hey, I’m not complaining.

Download: Does not Commute for iOS (Free)

Angry Birds Stella Pop

Genre: Puzzle

Look, Angry Birds Stella Pop (read our review) isn’t path-breaking or history-making in any way. But I’d still rank it as one of the must-have games of 2015, and an absolute must-have for parents everywhere. It remakes the classic bubble shooter, where you have to shoot orbs at other orbs hanging from the roof, to form chains of three of the same color.

Developer Rovio takes this successful formula and applies another successful formula: the world of Angry Birds. Stella Pop is well polished, allowing for fine granular control over your bubble shooter, five different types of game modes to keep the gameplay fresh and engrossing, and special powers to get through the more difficult levels. Get it right now. If anyone asks, tell them it’s for the kids—it’ll be our little secret.

Download: Angry Birds Stella Pop for iOS (Free)

Mister Smith & His Adventures

Genre: Text-Based Adventure, Quiz

Can an old-school, text-based adventure really work in the modern world of smartphones? Mister Smith & His Adventures thinks so, and does a marvelous job of convincing us to look for more text games. It’s all about reading, humor and general knowledge here, so if that’s not your thing, move on. But if you give it a shot, I promise you’ll be rewarded.

You will basically be building the character of Mister Smith from the time he was born back in 1970 to now, slowly adding to his personality, and earning points along the way by answering limited-timed quiz questions. The writing is witty and light, making it a breezy read that you will chuckle to while on your daily commute. It’s difficult to truly explain what Mister Smith is like; but given that it’s completely free, I’d recommend going in blind and downloading the game get an entertaining surprise. Heck, it might just inspire you to make your own text adventure games.

Download: Mister Smith & His Adventures for iOS (Free)

Planet Quest

Genre: Rhythm

This article would have probably been written a lot faster if it wasn’t for the ridiculously addictive Planet Quest. So you’re an alien and your aim is to zap living beings into your spaceship. The planet keeps rotating, so when a being appears, tap the screen to zap them up. It’s not that vanilla though. Planet Quest doesn’t look like a rhythm game at first glance, but that’s what it is. So strap on those headphones and crank the volume up.

The tunes are half the fun, getting you to bob your head as you try and zap those beings. Oh yeah, you have three lives; you lose one for each miss, and half if you accidentally zap up a flower. You regain a life if you zap someone up perfectly. The quirky visuals, the foot-tapping music, and the simplistic gameplay makes this one of those games you can pick up to quickly kill 2 minutes or for a longer gaming session.

Download: Planet Quest for iOS (Free)

Hex FRVR

Genre: Puzzle

It’s always fascinating to see a new spin on a classic game. Hex FRVR is a new take on good old Tetris. You have a hexagonal grid of tiles, and three shapes to choose from. Put the shape wherever it fits on blank tiles. The objective is to make a line of filled tiles, gone from anyone side to any other side. Do that and that entire line disappears.

Much like with Tetris, the objective is to rack up points by fitting shapes and making lines disappear, till you have no more room to fit your shapes any more. It’s so simple, but just so much fun!

Download: Hex FRVR for iOS (Free)

Score! Hero

Genre: Sports

Watch out FIFA, there’s a new challenger for the best soccer game title. Score! Hero would be my pick for the most innovative gameplay I’ve seen this year, and if you like sports games, you can’t go wrong with it. While FIFA is about authentic football gameplay, Score! Hero makes it about passing and shooting. Instead of controlling the game’s course for 90 minutes, each level of Score! Hero shows a paused scenario, and sets a few objectives.

The controls are the cool part. Draw a line from your player to shoot the ball. You can draw a line from player to player to pass; player to player’s head for an aerial pass so that he can score a goal with a header; shoot directly at the net; or shoot in a direction where another of your players will be the first to reach the ball. Each time one of your players connects with the ball, the game is paused and you have to choose your next action. You’re basically strategizing an entire play, and also executing it. Couple this with good graphics and you have a winner on your hands (or feet) here.

Download: Score! Hero for iOS (Free)

Rayman Adventures

Genre: Platform

One of the classic franchises in video games, Rayman and his friends have been entertaining all of us for years in their platform games, making it to our list of best Android games of 2013. The new Rayman Adventures puts everything that’s great about the series into one free-to-play title. The mechanics remain the same as always. Every level starts with you running at full speed, and you have to tap to jump, swipe to change direction, or swipe to break through flimsy obstacles. All the while, collect points, rescue friends, unlock bonuses—all the staples of a great adventure platformer.

As always, one of the highlights of Rayman Adventures is the brilliant soundtrack. While it’s not up to the level of Rayman Fiesta Run‘s exaggerated mariachi band, you’ll still have the background score stuck in your head even after you put your phone away.

Download: Rayman Adventures for iOS (Free)

Blendoku 2

Genre: Puzzle

The sequel to the popular Blendoku is a great example of how to make a free game, while allowing purchases for those who are impatient. The puzzle game has over 500 levels for free. Each level has two colored blocks. Your objective is to connect them with gradients so that one color transitions into another. The number of gradients are limited, so it’s about figuring out the path with the least possible moves.

New in this sequel is a multiplayer mode, where you compete against Facebook friends or random players to finish the puzzle in the best possible moves. If you run out of your five lives or hints, you can buy more, but like most games, you can just wait to replenish too, so that you can safely turn off IAPs for kids and let them keep playing.

Download: Blendoku 2 for iOS (Free)

Afterpulse

Genre: Shooter, Multiplayer

If you ever wanted a demo of the iPad’s graphics processing capabilities, download Afterpulse. Heck, it doesn’t even support some of the older iPhones and iPads any more! It’s a gorgeous third-person shooter that has you doing one thing alone: shoot at enemies. No really, that’s it.

Afterpulse starts with you shooting a few bots, and quickly becomes a multiplayer online game. You play either a free-for-all deathmatch or a team deathmatch. Move around with the left on-screen joystick, aim with the right on-screen joystick, and just keep shooting. It’s simple, it’s intense, it’s spectacular.

Download: Afterpulse for iOS (Free)

Cube Koala

Genre: Puzzle

So there’s a cute koala, shaped like a cube, trapped in a fiendish prison. It’s time to help him escape. Your only tools are two on-screen buttons and the force of gravity. Tap the buttons to rotate the cube. Gravity still acts only from the phone’s bottom though, so the koala will toss around based on that. Using the laws of physics, you need to get the koala to the exit in each of the 75 levels, dodging spikes and other dangers.

The game’s puzzle designs are some of the most challenging I’ve played, and since there are no checkpoints, it becomes that much more frustrating when you make a small mistake and have to start over. My strategy? Zoom out, figure out the big traps, concentrate, and then just pray. I’ve only got to level 44 though, so you might want a better strategy…

Download: Cube Koala for iOS (Free)

BONUS: Lara Croft GO ($4.99)

Genre: Puzzle

Just like in our best Android games of 2015 roundup, I can’t resist this one exception. Lara Croft GO is ours and Apple’s mobile game of the year, and you’d be a fool not to get it. This mobile interpretation of the Tomb Raider series is just about perfect. Tackle mini-puzzles and enemies, figure out how to get past snakes and defeat the big bad dragon, and do it all in one of the best-designed games of all time.

Since our glowing review, developer Square Enix even released an additional pack of levels for free, so that price is not as steep as it looks. Just pay and download this, you’ll regret it if you don’t.

Download: Lara Croft GO for iOS ($4.99)

How Many Did You Play?

At the start of this article, we asked you to count how many of these games you have played. Tell us your number in the comments below! We’d love to see how many iOS users actually download and play free games, since that’s what these developers seem to be counting on.

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The Ultimate List of Gift Ideas Under $100 for PC Gamers | Dramel Notes

So you have a friend or family member who loves PC gaming and it’s up to you to find a gift they’ll think is awesome? Not only that, but you’re limited to a $100 budget? No problem! There are so many potential gifts that fit the bill.

For each gift category below, we’ll do our best to present options ranging from cheap to expensive, so you can be sure that you’ll see something worth getting no matter your budget.

Gaming Mice

A good mouse is essential for a PC gamer because the mouse is something that’s used 24/7. It has to be comfortable in the hand and it has to be robust because it’s going to endure a lot of punishment over the years.

Which is why something like the Logitech G502 Proteus Core is so nice. Not only can the optical sensor be tuned, but the weight and balance can be adjusted by removing internal weights, plus it has 11 programmable buttons and 5 DPI settings.

For something a little cheaper, you could get the Logitech G600, which is designed more for MMO games. It has 20 programmable buttons plus a shift trigger that allows each button to also have an alternate function. Read our full review of the Logitech G600 for more details.

But at the end of the day, PC gamers don’t need fancy mice, so you could save even more money with something like the Logitech M500 (wired) or the Logitech M510 (wireless). Both are very good for the price and will last a long time without issue.

And what good is a great mouse without an equally great mouse pad? While most mouse pads get the job done, nothing beats the quality and flexibility of a SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad. The combination of cloth surface and rubber base makes it perfectly comfortable.

Plus, it can be thrown in the washer for easy cleaning. The QcK should be big enough for most gamers, but if it isn’t, you can alternatively get the SteelSeries QcK+ Gaming Mouse Pad for just a little bit more.

Gaming Keyboards

As far as gaming keyboards are concerned, nothing beats a mechanical keyboard: they’re durable, tactile, and often provide functionality that’s unavailable on a normal membrane-based keyboard. Needless to say, buying a mechanical keyboard isn’t easy.

But don’t worry! We’ll help you find a good one. There’s no need to go out and dump all your money on heavy duty gaming mechanical keyboards that cost hundreds of dollars when you can get something like the Logitech G710 Cherry MX Blue for half the price of a more trendy brand.

If the size of a traditional “gaming keyboard” is too big, you can opt for a compact model instead, such as the CM Storm QuickFire TK Cherry MX Blue. It has all of the goodness of a mechanical keyboard without wasting precious desktop space.

To save even more money, you’ll have to get a non-mechanical keyboard — which is fine for gaming, but won’t provide as luxurious an experience. In that case, you would do well with a Razer DeathStalker Gaming Keyboard.

And if you seriously need a budget gift, the Redragon Karura K502 Gaming Keyboard is about as cheap as you should go. It’s great for the price, but don’t expect it to be awesome or durable.

Gaming Controllers

Even on a PC, some games are simply better when played with a controller (also known as a gamepad). That’s why every serious gamer should have at least one controller in their arsenal.

Both the Xbox 360 Wired Controller and the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller work flawlessly on Windows XP, 7, 8.1, and 10. Just be aware that these controllers will only work with games that use XInput as opposed to DirectInput.

However, you may actually like the Steam Controller by Valve better than all other options. It’s a bit pricey, but it works well on Windows, Mac, Linux, and SteamOS, plus it has an ergonomic design and looks very cool.

For the more budget-conscious buyers, the Logitech F310 Gamepad is pretty darn good for its absurdly low price point. It works out of the box on Windows XP, 7, 8.1, and 10, plus there’s a switch on the back to toggle between XInput and DirectInput.

Gaming Headsets

Headsets are critical for a top-notch gaming experience. Even though you can get better audio quality from dedicated headphones, the headset combination of headphones and microphone in one device is super convenient when worn and for transport.

In the $100 price range, there are few choices as strong as the HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset, which is recommended by many gamers and for good reason: it’s noise-cancelling, echo-cancelling, and capable of virtual 7.1 surround sound. The detachable microphone is a bonus.

A more budget-friendly option is its predecessor, the HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset, which you can get for about two-thirds the price. It lacks the noise-cancelling, the echo-cancelling, and the virtual 7.1 surround sound, but it’s very comfortable and has the detachable microphone.

If you go much cheaper than that, you risk buying a headset that will break within a year However, there are some great budget gaming headsets out there, and if you really can’t afford to go higher, then we recommend the Creative Fatal1ty Gaming Headset. It’s unbeatable for the price.

Webcams

For PC gamers who want to stream their play sessions, a quality webcam is a must-have. The good thing is that a webcam can be used for so many things, so this is one of the most practical purchases you can make.

Under $100, there’s nothing that has more bang-for-the-buck than the Logitech HD Pro C920. This webcam has been first in its class year after year with its 1080p video, integrated H.264 compression, dual microphones, and light correction even in low-light situations.

We highly recommend the C920, and if you can’t afford it, we recommend saving up until you can. It’s that good. But if you absolutely need something right now, you could settle for the Logitech HD C310 instead.

This webcam is only capable of 720p video, only has one microphone, and can’t handle low-light situations as well. We’re only listing it here because it’s the best available at its price, but seriously, if you can, just get the C920 instead. You won’t regret it.

Microphones

We covered headsets above, but some PC gamers prefer to use a standalone microphone to a headset microphone — mainly because the quality of the former is way better.

A professional condenser microphone can cost a few hundred dollars, which is far outside the limits of this article, but there’s one product that can deliver similar results for much less: the Yeti USB Microphone by Blue Microphones, which works out of the box on Windows and Mac.

By going cheaper, you sacrifice a bit of quality — both audio quality and build quality — but if you think it’s worth it, there’s nothing wrong with buying something like the Samson Meteor USB Studio Mic or Samson Meteorite USB Condenser Mic.

But more recently there’s been a trend towards clip-on microphones as alternatives to standalone microphones. The Korg Clip-On Microphone, for example, can be attached to a headphone cable or shirt lapel. Quite handy and flexible.

The Korg is so cheap that it really isn’t worth going even cheaper, but just for completion’s sake, you could also consider the Zalman ZM-Mic1 Clip-On Microphone, which arguably started the clip-on microphone trend among gamers.

Cable Management

As you might imagine, a gamer who’s fully decked out in peripherals and gear will have to contend with a lot of loose cords. You’d be surprised how far a little cable management can go towards organization and cleanliness.

For example, headphones and headsets can take up a lot of space when laid astrewn, which is when something like the Turtle Beach Universal Headset Stand comes in handy. It looks great and fits any kind of headphone from any brand, whether wired or wireless.

Mouse cords are another big bother for many PC gamers, which makes the Razer Mouse Bungee an awesome buy. It completely eliminates the issue of the mouse cord getting caught on random things.

In general, though, cable management is made easier with the Quirky Cordies Cable Manager and the OmniMount Neoprene Cable Manager — two products that anyone who frets over disorganized cables should have.

What Are Your PC Gift Ideas?

All in all, there are plenty of options if you need a gift for a PC gamer. Some are expensive while others could pass as stocking stuffers, but there’s no denying the fact that all of the above products are extremely practical.

Are there any gift ideas we missed? What would you give to some who loves PC games? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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How to Finally Get Rid of Games From Your Steam Account | Dramel Notes

For the longest time, once you downloaded a game from Steam, you owned it forever. For most people, just ignoring a game is easy enough. You can just go about your gaming schedule and ignore it. But sometimes, you just want a game gone.

If you suffer from having games like this in your library, here’s how to get rid of them for good!

First, go to the game in your Library and click on it. On the right side of the game’s page under the Links section, click the Support link.

This will take you to the game’s support page, where there are all kinds of options for issues with a game. The important one for our needs is on the very bottom.

Click the button labeled I want to permanently remove this game from my account. A page will launch asking you to confirm your choice, and then it will be gone forever.

Just remember, that you’ll need to buy the game again if you change your mind down the road, so really think your choices through!

Do you have any Steam games you want to delete? Tell us what games and why in the comments below!

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How to Figure Out Your Favorite Video Game of All Time | Dramel Notes

GameFAQS is one of the best resources for gaming information, and it just celebrated its 20th anniversary in November. To celebrate, they’re holding a Best Game Ever tournament where users vote on two pairs of games each day until one is declared the best game of all time.

You can view the current bracket here, but more interestingly, you can also hold your own tournament. Someone has created a page where you can compare the 128 games from the GameFAQS tournament yourself and figure out what your top games are.

You’ll see two titles at once. Click the one you like more, and it will be replaced with another title. If you like/hate both or don’t have an opinion, you can click I feel the same way about both to get a new pair. The author warns that this could take between 127 and 448 “battles,” so you might want to set aside an hour to let the tournament run.

Once you’re done, you’ll get a list of games you like in order, based on the results from your little tournament. This is more fun than the GameFAQS one since it’s your own preferences and you don’t have to wait over a month for the results. I was rushing a bit (and felt like I saw the same comparisons several times), so take my results with a grain of salt, but here are my top picks:

Not feeling it? You can use other websites to find out what the best games of all time are.

What games were at the top of your list? What are some of your favorite games and why? I want to hear about your faves, so let me know in a comment!

Image Credit: sondem via Shutterstock.com

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Geek Trivia: When Gear Is Made Less Effective In Video Games, Gamers Say It Has Been? | Dramel Notes

Answer: Nerfed

The advent of online multiplayer gaming introduced an element of game design that designers hadn’t previously had to wrangle with: balancing character abilities and in-game items so that game play was fair and didn’t encourage players to flock to a certain character class or only use a specific weapon or gear combination.

With nearly every multiplayer game, there are updates and revisions over time to rebalance and adjust areas that developers consider problematic such as weapon/armor combinations that stack to give unreasonably powerful bonuses, or character-class skills that prove to be too effective or the like.

When developers make adjustments to weapons, gear, or skills in such a fashion that it decreases the effectiveness of the aforementioned thing, players say that the thing has been “nerfed”. The term, which originated in the Ultima Online community, is a reference to Nerf toys (specifically to how a Nerf football or toy weapon is a softer, less dangerous version of the real thing).

Image courtesy of Nerf.

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Geek Trivia: Which Popular Video Game Was Written Almost Entirely In Assembly Code? | Dramel Notes

Answer: RollerCoaster Tycoon

The 1999 smash-hit simulation game RollerCoaster Tycoon was not only well received by gaming critics, but purchased in droves by simulation fans who couldn’t get enough of the quirky amusement park simulation game.

For the era in which it was created, the game had surprisingly complex simulation algorithms and snappy game play. What many fans may not realize is that the excellent performance of the game was due almost entirely to the game creator, Scottish game developer Chris Sawyer, writing 99 percent of the game in assembly code. Assembly code, for the unfamiliar, is what is known as a low-level programming language that requires a lot more effort to work with than higher-level programming languages because the language has a closer one-to-one association with the actual functions of the computer hardware. The only part of the game that wasn’t written in assembly code was a small bit of code that interfaced the game software with the operating system.

Today it would be unheard of to program a complex video game in assembly language but, at the time, it was the only way for Sawyer to get the performance out of 1990s-era hardware he needed to make the game as enjoyable and complex as he wanted.

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