And so we've reached our final round-up of promotions and deals for 2013, as the App Store prepares to shut down for the Christmas break. That means that from the 21st of until the 27th of December, no prices will change and no new apps will arrive on the App Store.
Before 2013 is out, everyone and their dog is spreading the festive spirit by giving their wares away for (virtually) nothing. It's arguably the biggest sale of the year, with many of the App Store's best titles on offer. Spend a few bucks today, and you'll be occupied well into the new year!
Apps
FiLMiC Pro ($4.99, now $3.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwnT-Z8Iiw0
If you want to capture Christmas on your iPhone, but aren't content with the quality on offer in the default camera app, FiLMiC pro is the next logical step. There are a wealth of options for fixing focus, exposure, white balance and setting a much higher bitrate, for a higher quality video.
djay 2 for iPad [No Longer Available] / iPhone [No Longer Available] ($9.99/$1.99, now $4.99/$0.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSsXrPxJ2rc
Suddenly in need of a DJ for your Christmas get-together? Well if you've got an iPad (or even an iPhone) why not take djay 2 for a spin. It allows you to cue, scratch and mix your way through your music library, complete with effects and third party cables and accessories to take your hobby to the next level.
vjay [No Longer Available] / vjay for iPhone [No Longer Available] ($9.99/$2.99, now free)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZNDH-NlrOs
Currently completely free to promote djay 2, above, vjay takes the premise of mixing music and applies it to video. Complete with a few samples to get you started, vjay is a blast for anyone who fancies themselves as the next DJ Yoda.
ARGUS Motion & Fitness Tracker ($1.99, now free)
Considering buying an expensive activity tracker bracelet, but not sure if you're really that bothered? Why not take a punt on an app instead – like ARGUS, a motion and fitness tracker. It tries to do most of the things that products from FitBit and Jawbone do, except it's much cheaper (especially at the moment).
Games
Angry Birds Star Wars II ($0.99, now free)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB9Jb2o79Pk
The latest release in the "traditional" Angry Birds saga (so that means I'm specifically ignoring free-to-play racer Angry Birds Go!), Angry Birds Star Wars II is currently free for the festive period. One for your new iPad, then.
Yesterday ($6.99, now $0.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iagH3W2vlx8
A visually stunning, adult-themed thriller "point and tap" game from the creators of the iOS "Runaway" saga, Yesterday is a game for those of you who feel like the industry doesn't produce enough dark and gritty narrative-driven "adult" games any more. I bought this last night and didn't put it down for hours.
Frozen Synapse ($2.99, now $0.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVGu_ydmwm8
Celebrated for its cross-platform multiplayer, sharp visuals and addictive gameplay, Frozen Synapse is a turn-based strategy game in which you must eliminate the opposing team using a combination of tactics and good fortune.
Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers vs. Evil [No Longer Available]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6xBeotoZI4
Penny Arcade fans rejoice, Gamers vs. Evil is on sale. The digital card collecting (and battling) game is playable on one iPad by up to four players for pass and play fun, or take your battle online and manage multiple matches with ease.
Small World 2 ($9.99, now $4.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOXKEGg5EKU
If you're looking for a brand new game to play on Christmas afternoon, Small World 2 may be it! The sequel to the original hit game which sold over half a million units. With pass and play multiplayer, an online mode, new maps to conquer and an exhaustive encyclopedia of in-game rules, races and other intricacies, Small World 2 is a snip at this price.
Bastion ($4.99, now $0.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4D78ppDZXQ
Bastion is a bit like Limbo in that it is immediately recognisable, has won a trailer load of awards and it's another title that made the jump to iOS with ease. The game features an ever-present voice that guides the player, known as the narrator, and reacts to on-screen happenings for a novel twist.
Anomaly Korea / Anomaly 2 [No Longer Available]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gFjy6kGgtY
Sick of tower defense? Try tower offense, as that's exactly how Anomaly Korea and Anomaly 2 describe themselves. From the original developers of Anomaly Warzone Earth. Tactic-rich gameplay is the order of the day, with a juicy slice of campaign to work through and multiplayer play beyond that.
Warner Bros' LEGO Sale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Df8FV6WUo
Warner Bros are currently having a bumper sale on a lot of titles, not least the LEGO saga in which much-loved franchises get the plastic brick treatment. You can grab your favourites (or all of them) for a song using the links below:
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (free)
- LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 and Years 5-7 [No Longer Available]
- LEGO Batman: DC Super Heroes ($0.99)
SQUARE ENIX / Final Fantasy Sale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzWQ0_zTd3I
While it feels like there's always one Final Fantasy game on sale, today there are many more than that. SQUARE ENIX is having a massive sale until January 5th, so grab 'em while they're cheap:
- Final Fantasy I / II / III / III for iPad / IV / V / Tactics / Tactics for iPad (from $3.99)
- Chaos Rings / Chaos Rings for iPad / Chaos Rings ? / Chaos Rings ? for iPad / Chaos Rings II / Chaos Rings II for iPad (from $2.99)
Pssst... most of these will run over Christmas due to the App Store shut down. We'll see you in 2014 for many more app sales!