Hidden Gems of the App Store: Cytus - $1.99

Hidden Gems aims to bring you apps on the App Store that are often overlooked, but provide more than their money's worth when you dive into them.

To me, games are like art. There are different categories of art, such as sculptures, paintings, murals, etc., each with their own unique feel and style. Likewise, games have their own groups: role playing games, action games, rhythm games, and so on. Each game in the group is bound to share some similarities; after all, you can't make a role playing game without involving some form of role play. However, what attracts me as a person to an individual work of art or game is not how well can they master the core fundamentals of their group, but how creative they can get while still maintaining the qualities of their category at heart.

This is a painting.                                           This is also a painting.

That is why when I stumbled upon a game called Cytus, I was instantly hooked. As a rhythm game, the basic premise of the genre is for the user to tap the screen in accordance to a beat or song. However, Cytus was unlike any rhythm game I had seen before. Rather than being your run of the mill music game where you pick a song and tap stationary buttons to the beat, Cytus changes things up by implementing an exciting new system.

It's hard to explain it in words, but the basic gist of the game is tapping the on screen circles when the moving line passes over them. But it gets trickier than that, as the buttons constantly change positions every time. With the introduction of 'hold' notes, where you hold the circle until the line passes the end of the line and 'slide' notes, where you slide your finger along the line of circles in sync with the moving line, the game gets that much more complicated.. and fun. This is what keeps me coming back to this game every time, not because it's easy and I can always do well, but because it keeps challenging me every step of the way.

Cytus also does an amazing job of making you feel as if you're a part of the music itself. Every circle is placed specifically to match with the notes in the song, which makes it feel as if you are physically playing the song itself on something that resembles a wacky piano. However, the one drawback that Cytus has is that it doesn't have tha big of a variety of music to select from. If you're not a fan of pop, jazz, trance, drum & bass, or the occasional theme song, then you may not like the music selection of Cytus.

Another thing that struck me right away when I first started playing this game is the art style. I think it's safe to say that Cytus is not like art, but Cytus in and of itself IS art. From the loading screen to the song backgrounds to the little effects the game makes when you hit a circle, I could simply stare at Cytus all day long and feel fulfilled.

The title screen.

All in all, Cytus remains one of my most favorite games on my iPhone. I'd say its asking price of $1.99 is a bargain considering the quality of gameplay and art you get.

Hidden Gems of the App Store: Cracked.com Reader

Hidden Gems aims to bring you apps on the App Store that are often overlooked, but provide more than their money's worth when you dive into them.

Cracked.com. Some of you may have heard of it. Many of you have not. If you haven't, go look it up. Now. Seriously. You'll probably even forget to finish reading this article due to how many hours it'll take for you to get off of that site. You'll laugh a lot, you'll be surprised a lot, and you'll even gain a few brain cells in the process. Yeah, that's right, it's educational, folks.

Now what's better than a website that keeps you constantly coming back for more? Why, a website that keeps you constantly coming back for more.. that you can access from anywhere!
The Cracked.com Reader App allows users to read the latest articles on Cracked.com, as well as articles featured by the editors, videos, and even Photoplasty and Craptions! If you don’t know what Photoplasty or Craptions are, then you clearly didn’t take my advice and visit Cracked.com. But for those of you who are either too busy, or, too lazy, Photoplasty is Cracked’s version of users submitting funny images that relate to a theme or topic, which then get published. Craptions are funny captions to regular images that provide a good laugh or two, or even change your perspective on the image as a whole.

As someone who’s on his phone a lot, I’d have to say that atleast 50% of my time on my phone has been spent on this app. It provides an endless supply of joy and delight to my otherwise boring life, and more often than not I have opted to read articles on Cracked than socialize with other people. Yes, it’s that good.
For a measly price of $0.00, you can go own the free version of the Cracked Reader, which features the latest articles. Or you can shell out a whopping $.99 to buy the full version, which has everything I listed and so much more. And by ‘or you can’ I really mean ‘And then you’re going to’

Top 5: Apps for the Average High School Student

Ever wondered which app was the best suited for your needs? Top 5 provides a list of apps that are simply the best at doing what they do.

1: Dropbox – Free

Whether you’re at home or on the go, Dropbox provides a perfect solution for keeping all of the files you need in one place. Simply create a dropbox.com account, upload your files, and soon you’ll be able to access them from anywhere around the world with the Dropbox app. Great for that last minute presentation you need to show in class, or even word documents you need to keep in one place.

2: Google Drive – Free

Think Microsoft Word, except free and instantly accessible from anywhere. Google Drive makes creating slide presentations, word documents, and even graphs easy with its online cloud storage that you can access from your computer or your phone. Best part yet, you can invite other people to view or even edit your documents on Google Drive, making working as a team that much easier.

3: HiCalc Pro - $0.99

The one calculator to rule them all. HiCalc Pro has been, and probably will be, one of my most favorite calculators on the iPhone, simply because of the wide range of calculators it offers. From graphing to even the periodic table, HiCalc Pro is one of the most versatile calculators out there. And for a measly $.99, it offers more bang for the buck than calculators that cost 40 times its price. Great for those long math assignments.

4: Spotify – Free

What’s the best way to take your mind off of school and that massive pile of homework you have? Music, of course! With Spotify, downloading songs is no longer an issue. Simply search up the song you want to listen to, or pick from a list of stations, and immerse yourself in free music.

5: theScore Mobile – Free

Missed the big game because you had to stay up all night working on that project? Fear not! TheScore Mobile is here to help! Whether you’re into football or Nascar or even cricket, you can follow your favorite teams every step of the way knowing that you can keep updated with the latest scores and trades. theScore Mobile even allows you to receive notifications on recent developments in your teams!

Inside Review: Temple Run 2 - Free

Worried about whether a ‘5 star’ app really is as good as the rating claims it to be? Inside Review aims to provide comprehensive reviews of apps – for users, by users.

We have all been there. Sitting at home on our sofas, in our beds right before we fall asleep, or even the occasional ‘I can’t resist, JUST this once’ at work or school. We have all then proceeded to break out our apple devices, telling ourselves that “One game couldn’t hurt,” and then proceeded to… play exactly more than one game of Temple Run.

As one of the most downloaded apps on the Apple Store, Temple Run has always been a hit with people of any age and ethnicity, interest and tech-savviness. It comes to no surprise that the recent launch of Temple Run 2 has attained similar popularity, if not even greater, as people become readdicted to frantically flicking their thumbs across the screen and sitting on the edge of their seats as they narrowly miss falling into crevices or being eaten by a giant monkey monster.

Gameplay:

Temple Run 2 keeps much of the same formula that the first Temple Run does. Try to keep your distance from the giant monster chasing you by jumping over gaps and turning around sharp corners, while tilting your device to pick up coins and power ups as you go. However, Temple Run 2 also introduces quite a bit of new features, with the most noticeable one being that the road curves as you run now. Rather than running in a straight line, you will constantly have to look ahead now to determine whether the road curves, or there really is a sharp turn there. This adds a bit of a challenge to runs, especially when you reach a higher and higher score and the game begins to pick up the pace. Another new feature added is the introduction of zip lines, where users must jump and grasp the zip line. However, the zip line portions are often very short, and are merely the same as running normally.

However, the biggest addition to Temple Run 2 is the introduction of the mine cart section. In this portion, users are not allowed to jump or swipe, save for the occasional downward swipe for ducking. Instead, the gameplay of this part revolves around tilting your device to select a path at an intersection, collect coins, and survive broken tracks. Getting used to the mine cart controls may seem difficult at first, but overall this section provides a nice change from the usual running. Despite the mine cart section being a good addition, it would have been nice to see more varied gameplay, or even an elaboration on the zip lining.

Mine carts and snaking paths, oh my!

Rating: 4/5 – Although Temple Run 2 features new improvements such as zip lines or mine carts, gameplay felt more or less the same as the first Temple Run and thus felt somewhat limited.

Visuals:

Oh, the visuals. If the visuals in Temple Run were like that chocolate chip cookie that you couldn’t resist eating, then the graphics in Temple Run 2 are like a chocolate chip cookie dough sundae with chocolate and caramel drizzle on top. The scenery in Temple Run 2 is absolutely beautiful – from the floating islands to the lush jungles to the ruins and waterfalls, Temple Run 2 is a feast for your eyes. Every visual aspect has been improved from the last game, including the main menu and even the look of the power ups. I’d say it’s even on par with apps like Infinity Blade 2 or Soul Caliber, some of the best looking apps on the market.

Temple Run 1.0

Temple Run 2.0

Rating: 5/5 – Simply stunning surroundings and a visual upgrade that leaves the original Temple Run in the dust, Temple Run 2’s graphics are a sight to behold.

Replayability:

Temple Run 2 is seriously, very addicting. I’ve already played fifty games and I’ve only had the app for a week. That’s all that needs to be said.

Rating: 5/5 – Soon, you’ll also be saying “just one more run,” like it was your motto.

Overall:

Temple Run 2 provides a nice upgrade from the original, while still keeping true to the Temple Run theme that we have come to love so much.  However, that being said, it wouldn’t have hurt to introduce a few more new concepts, taking into consideration how long it took for the company to produce the second game.

Rating: 4.5/5 – Although Temple Run 2 features new improvements such as zip lines or mine carts, gameplay felt more or less the same as the first Temple Run and thus felt somewhat limited. All in all, an amazing app if you’re looking for hours of fun.

Trending Now

Trending Now aims to showcase some of the most popular apps being currently used. Whether you’re looking to keep up with the trend, or would like to dive in for the first time, these apps are sure to keep you in the loop!

Games:

Fun Run: – Free

What’s more fun than running around as a cute little fox, bear, turtle, rabbit, or deer? Running around as a cute little fox, bear, turtle, rabbit, or deer with your friends while they try and take you down with buzz saws, lightning, and snap traps as everyone makes a mad dash for the finish line! Fun Run is a great app to pick up for social gaming with your friends, or even if you simply are just looking for a non-complicated game to pass the time.

Temple Run 2: – Free

The original Temple Run can probably be considered as one of the most popular apps of all time. It comes to no surprise that Temple Run 2 has quickly become the #1 free app on the app store pretty much after the day of it’s release. Featuring the Temple Run formula we know and love so much, along with a host of new gameplay and visual upgrades, Temple Run 2 is an app worth checking out for people of every age.

Entertainment:

Snapchat: – Free

Snapchat is essentially texting, but with pictures and video. What makes it so addicting to send a funny photo or even have entire conversations with your friends using just images, we may never know. However, as one of the most downloaded apps on the app store this year, clearly the creators of Snapchat have got a great idea going for them. The only drawback to sending Snapchats (or one of the greatest benefits, depending on what you use it for) is that the pictures are only available for viewing for a maximum of 10 seconds before they are deleted.

Utility:

Wood Camera: – $0.99

Tired of using just the boring, old camera that comes on your Apple device? Want to take shots that rival even the work of some of the best photographers? Then Wood Camera is for you. With an array of effects that you can apply after you take your photo, as well as a variety of filters that you can use when taking your photo Wood Camera provides a wide selection that the user can pick from to add that extra ‘flare’ to their photos.