iLounge

As huge fans of Sony’s futuristic Wipeout racing games, we nearly burst with excitement before playing former Wipeout co-creator Nick Burcombe’s just-released universal iOS game Table Top Racing ($3). Good news: the graphics are Retina sharp and fluid, the controls and audio are respectable, and there’s a four-player multiplayer mode. Bad news: it’s a toy car take on Mario Kart, with weak weapons and low intensity, set in levels that look like overpopulated tables and desks. Consider grabbing it to support indie developer Playrise Edge/Playrise Digital on the road to the next Wipeout—just realize that Table Top Racing isn’t that game, or at this point, even close.

Originally sold for $3, the note-taking and sketching program Penultimate has been on each of iLounge’s editors’ iPads for years, having justified its asking price long ago with an intuitively simple drawing interface. Following its acquisition by Evernote, Penultimate has just been updated to version 4 while becoming free: now, the UI looks Retina-sharp and polished, pages sync across multiple devices, and can be text-searched with handwriting recognition—assuming you sign up for an Evernote account. If for whatever reason you held off on grabbing this app before, the new features and zero-dollar pricetag make it a must-grab for iPad users, right now.

As Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens approaches, two new Super Bowl apps have hit the App Store. Super Bowl XLVII Guide (Free) is a helpful download for anyone who plans on going to New Orleans during Super Bowl week. The app contains a guide to Super Bowl events, local restaurants, nightlife, and points of interest. Users can also set calendar alerts and bookmarks for anything on the map.

The Super Bowl XLVII Official NFL Game Program ($10) is an iPad-only app. It’s the official souvenir program for the big game, including memories of past Super Bowls, moments from the most recent season, and a look at how the 49ers and Ravens got to this year’s Super Bowl. Exclusive NFL video and other multimedia are also included in the iPad program.

Additional reporting by Jeremy Horwitz.