Mortal Kombat X
The popular game, in app form
Retro game fans, rejoice. The latest version of Mortal Kombat is now in app form, so you can take the arena with you. That’s good news for anyone who used to haunt the arcade or enjoyed soda-fueled nights playing “friendly” tournaments fighting to the death. In this latest port to the small screen, developers have retained much of the atmosphere of the game. The graphics are impressive. And while you’re tapping and swiping rather than mashing buttons, it still requires quick reflexes.
Mortal Kombat, as a franchise, is famous for over-the-top violence. Parents should know that this is not an app for small children — or for anyone who’s sensitive about depictions of violence. This is also a large app, so downloading it is a bit of a commitment. But if you’re a fan of the series — or fighting games in general — it’s worth the space. Free, for iOS and Android
Earthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Much like a collectible card game
Players draw cards from a deck and select which cards to send into battle from their hand. Each turn, players are allocated a certain amount of “mana” or points to spend to take actions. This is where strategy comes into play — you can spend all your points on a heavy hitter, for example, but it may be wiser to lay down defenses or go with many light attacks instead. As you win battles, you unlock more cards and capabilities.
The violence is strictly card-on-card, with no gore. But players need to create an account to progress past the introduction level.
This app also takes up a hefty amount of space on your device, so you may have to do some selective deleting. Free, for iOS and Android.
