Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and twenty fifth in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows in the past seven days.
Microsoft rebranded the two core apps Music and Videos this week and released them as previews for Windows 10 dropping the Xbox branding in the process.
This week saw the release of several high profile apps and games such as the tower defense game Prime World Defenders or the remake of the classic DuckTales game.
As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead.
Discounts This Week
The following applications and games are discounted by at least 50 percent this week.
- Shark Dash! by Gameloft, a physics-based puzzle game for $0.99
- GS Kids! Preschool Numbers, a math learning game for kids age 2 to 5 for $0.99
- IQ Mission, a puzzle game for $1.49
- Scrble, a free-hand note taking app for $1.49
- QR Scanner+, a QR code scanner for $0.99
- Bookviser Reader Premium, an ebook reader for $3.99
App of the week
Prime World Defenders is a well done tower defense game in which you defend your sanctuary from onrushing enemy hordes by building towers along the way.
Cards are used in the game to introduce new enemies and towers. After each level that you complete, a new card is handed to you which adds a tower or magic to your arsenal.
Since you can only take a limited number of towers and magic with you to fight enemies, you face difficult decisions what to take with you to the next battle.
The visual presentation and graphics of the game is excellent and there is lots to explore and discover.
Apart from 26 different towers and 36 types of monsters, you will be facing bosses as well that are hard to beat.
Once you have played through the campaign, try the game's draft and heroic modes or use the mission generator to play custom missions.
Other Apps
Montezuma Blitz is a match-3 type of game that introduces several new game mechanics. First, there is always a 60 second time limit which speeds the game up quite a bit. Related to that is that you may create as many matches as you can as moves are not restricted at all anymore.
Then there is the new totem mechanic which you activate before levels to gain assistance during that level. The fire totem for example shots at gems whenever you make two red matches in a row.
Apart from that, it features tournaments that you can play in provided that you link the game to your Facebook account.
DuckTales Remastered ($9.99, no free trial)
DuckTales Remastered is a remake of the classic 8-bit game DuckTales. The remastered edition has been available for other platforms, PC, Android or PS3 for instance, since 2013 and this Windows version is just another port of that game.
It is a side-scrolling jump and run game at its core that stays true to the classic game for the most part.
While not super-cheap, the Windows version is cheaper than the PC version so that you may want to pick it if you want to play the game on your computer.
StaffPad ($69.99, no free trial)
StaffPad is a music notation application that supports handwriting recognition. It works best with a digital pen to write music which the app will transform automatically to typeset score which you can then edit, play or print.
Please note that Staffpad requires a device with touch capabilities and a connected pen.
This is a Guitar Hero clone for Windows in which you need to tap at the right time to hit the notes of the song that is playing.
The game comes in four difficulty levels which add or remove buttons from it. In easy mode, you concentrate on two buttons only while rockstar mode throws five at you.
The selection of music is limited to 11 songs currently with no option to add custom songs to the game at this point in time.
Applications are provided for Windows Phone, Windows and Android currently with an iOS version on the way.
Kopy provides you with options to copy text from one device to another. To use it, you either need to use a Kopy application on devices you want to use the service on or the web service which provides similar functionality.
The system supports temporary accounts in form of QR codes or permanent accounts which require that you sign up for the service.
Smash Bandits Racing is a fun racing game in which you try to evade the cops for as long as possible.
Similar to other games of its kind, you start with a low wanted level that increases while you evade the police and cause havoc on the street.
Challenges, updates and different cars that you can drive keep you entertained while playing the game. Upgrades improve speed and handling for instance or may puncture proof the car's tires to drive straight through spike strips without taking damage.