Today’s apps gone free: ShopIt, Astra, Abducted and more

Craft your entire grocery list in mere minutes with ShopIt. We also have a colorful endless arcade game that has you flying into the silence of space, and an episodic adventure game.

All app prices are subject to change at any time and without notice regardless of stated free duration. Price changes are solely under the control of the developers.

iPhone:

Astra ($0.99 → Free, 1.8 MB): Journey as far as you can into the silence of space in this endless arcade game. Astra’s two-button gameplay makes it ideal for anyone looking for a quick gaming fix.

Astra is a beautifully simple arcade game. You’re put in control of a colorful space ship with four separate fuel tanks. The left side of your ship is powered by the green and blue fuel tanks, while the right is powered by the red and orange. Tap on either side of the screen to fire your engines and aim for more fuel points, because each tap will cost you. You must also try to dodge the fuel voids, as they will syphon fuel off of your tanks. Basically, the game requires you to strategically balance how and when you fire your engines to travel as deep as you can into space.

Astra is available for free for a limited time. It has a 5-star rating with a total of 15 ratings.

ShopIt: grocery shopping list without typing ($1.99 → Free, 14.0 MB): Craft your entire grocery list in a matter of minutes with ShopIt. It’s great for anyone tired of typing out long lists.

With ShopIt, there’s no need to waste time typing out item after item. It includes a large database of built-in items that you’re able to browse through with a vertical swipe. When you find something you want to add to your list, just swipe left to right. You’re also able to add a description to each item by tapping and holding your finger over it. If you can’t find an item in the built-in list, you’re able to add it by typing it out in the search field. Products in your list are categorized by location in the store to make things easier while shopping.

ShopIt: grocery shopping list without typing is available for free today only (09/15). It has a 4.5-star rating with a total of 120 ratings.

Universal:

Character Pad Classic ($0.99 → Free, 1.1 MB): Add some character to your messages and documents with this utility app. Character Pad Classic is the app for you if you’ve always been looking for a fast and simple way to add special characters to your writings.

Character Pad Classic is dead simple. It includes 250 useful special character to choose from. All you have to do is tap on the one you want to copy to your clipboard. The character can then be used in any app that’s capable of basic text editing by pasting it in. The app includes letters from the Greek alphabet, letter-like symbols, math symbols, and much more.

Character Pad Classic is available for free today only (09/15). It has a 4-star rating with a total of 9 ratings.

Smart Words VIP ($2.99 → Free, 18.9 MB): Try to come up with the biggest and best words to defeat your opponents in this word game on steroids. Smart Words is for anyone looking for a more intelligent word game.

This word game is bigger and better than the competition in every way. The board takes up the entire screen, creating so much more room for you to place your tiles. Speaking of tiles, your tray is filled with a total of nine letter tiles at all times, allowing you to play longer words. But what really sets Smart Words apart is its scoring system. You’re not only rewarded for the creating longer words but also those with more syllables. Random board tiles will also provide you with up to 100 bonus points.

Smart Words VIP is available for free today only (09/15). It has a 4-star rating with a total of 120 ratings.

Abducted ($2.99 → Free, 256.1 MB): An episodic adventure game that has you trying to escape from an alien environment. Abducted is suited for fans of the adventure and puzzle game genres.

Abducted comes highly recommend due to its visual flare and unique environments. The game features dynamic lighting, shadows, volumetric fog, and other fantastic effects to provide you with a console-quality gaming experience. Explore the breathtaking 3-D alien environments with a tap and search for clues that will lead you home. You’re able to take on puzzles with brute force by hacking them or try to use your whit to solve them.

Abducted is available for free for a limited time. It has a 3-star rating with a total of 98 ratings.

YoWindow Weather ($0.99 → Free, 31.2 MB): Have a look out your window to see what the conditions are like with this fun weather app. YoWindow is ideal for anyone looking for more than just a list of temperatures from their weather app.

YoWindow is all about watching the weather. You’re presented with a quick look at the current time, temperature, and conditions. Slide your finger from left to right across the screen to scroll time forward and watch as the scene changes to reflect what it’ll be like later on in the day. YoWindow also includes a seven-day forecast and five scenes to choose from.

YoWindow Weather is available for free today only (09/15). It has a 4.5-star rating with a total of 1039 ratings.

That concludes today’s issue of Apps Gone Free. If you like staying on top of these daily deals, don’t forget to check out our free AppsGoneFree app. It provides all the deals each day, and even an archive of past deals that are still active.

Developers:

If you are a developer who would like to get your app included in our “Apps Gone Free” daily lists, here’s our basic set of rules:

It must have at least a three-star average rating at the time it goes free.
The app must not have been free numerous times (3+) over the last six months.
The free version of your app must not include ads.

To submit an app, simply send a request to tyler@appadvice.com with the subject “Apps Gone Free.” Please include the name of the app, a link to it in the App Store, when and for how long you intend to offer the app for free, and anything else you would like to share. We will take it from there.