Best new games of the week: Sunburn! and Space Expedition: Classic Adventure
Every week, our staff will handpick a game from the past two weeks that we believe is a must-have download for your iPhone or iPad. These games will always be from a wide variety of genres, but they are chosen because our own staff members love it and can’t quite put it down. So here are this week’s picks! Enjoy, and happy gaming!
Sunburn!
You don’t have to die alone in our Game of the Week.
Do you enjoy a good physics-based puzzle game but looking for something a little…darker? Then you should check out our Game of the Week, Sunburn! by Secret Crush.
In this gorgeous game, you’ll find beautiful pixel art representing various planets, space, and cute character sprites, all of whom are part of a space crew who just had their ship hit and destroyed by a comet. In short, they are all screwed and death in inevitable. However, they don’t have to die alone! Players take control of the ship’s captain, jumping from planet-to-planet gathering up all 14 different types of crew members with rope, and then jumping into the sun together to die.
Yes, the concept of the game is pretty morbid, but it still creates a fun puzzle experience. The controls are simple and intuitive, just having players tap on the side of the screen to move clockwise or counterclockwise. To jump, all you need to do is tap-and-hold both sides of the screen — the longer you hold down, the farther you jump or fly with the jetpack. Physics plays a major role in this game, as planets have their own gravitational field, but other objects like asteroids and comets don’t, and will obstruct your path.
The game has over 50 levels total, so there is plenty of content to go through. It looks gorgeous, has an atmospheric soundtrack, and all of the crew members are charming and quirky with their own personalities, though their lives are short-lived. There is also a nice dash of humor involved, which is great to see in a gloomy concept.
We’ve been enjoying Sunburn! over the last week, so if you are a fan of physics-based puzzle games, make sure to give this one a go. You can get it on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99.
For a more in-depth look at Sunburn!, make sure to check my full review.
Honorable Mention
Space Expedition: Classic Adventure
Solve puzzles and fight to survive in this classic Metroidvania-style game.
In the mood for a classic Metroidvania-style game instead? Then you have to try out our Honorable Mention this week, Space Expedition: Classic Adventure by Mobirate Studio.
This retro game features a lovely 16-bit art style that is a nice homage to the classic adventure platformer games from yesteryear. The game world is detailed even though it’s pixelated, and everything is bright and colorful. The atmospheric soundtrack is captivating and a delight to listen to, so make sure to grab your best earbuds.
Controls are simple, involving buttons for moving horizontally, interacting with items, and jumping. Players control an astronaut character who will explore the space setting by advancing from room-to-room, solving puzzles with items in order to advance. You’ll come across dangerous alien creatures too, so there is also fun combat mixed in.
We always love a good Metroidvania-style game, so Space Expedition was right up our alley. If you are in the mood for a nice little adventure in space, make sure to check out Space Expedition: Classic Adventure for yourself. It’s available on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99.
For more information on Space Expedition: Classic Adventure, don’t miss my original review.
