With the Apple TV App Store continuing to provide some interesting new options for apps, we decided it’s time for another roundup of the Apple TV apps we’ve seen lately, from the typical and popular game options through to the slightly more eclectic.
Alto’s Adventure ($3) — The popular snowboarding odyssey comes to the Apple TV, and best of all it’s a universal app, so if you’ve already been enjoying it on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can grab the Apple TV version at no extra cost. The same physical-based gameplay is here as on the iOS version, but somehow it’s even more enjoyable on the big screen.
Labyrinth (free) — Discovering Labyrinth was available for the Apple TV shows the value in looking at your purchase history from time to time. This 2008 digital edition of the classic rolling-ball-in-a-tilting-maze game has had new life breathed into it in the form of an Apple TV version, after having received its last update over three years ago. The Apple TV version cleverly uses the Siri Remote accelerometer to tilt the maze and includes 20 free levels with 60fps gameplay, shadows, realistic ball physics and easy starting levels for new players. The full game is available via a $3 in-app purchase, but as a universal app if you bought them on your iPhone or iPad – even years ago – you can simply use the “Restore Purchases” option to bring them into the Apple TV version at no cost.
Rayman Adventures (free) — Another port of a popular iOS game, Rayman Adventures brings the action and exploration adventure to the big screen, letting you embark upon your mission to rescue the Incrediballs and breathe new life into the sacred tree. While it’s not a universal app, the Apple TV version is free anyway.
Aquarium HD ($2) — It’s almost inevitable that we’ll see a plethora of classic “screensaver apps” for the new Apple TV – we’ve already noticed more fireplaces than any sane person should ever need – but fishtank apps have remained a bit more elusive. Aquarium HD closes this gap, bringing the iOS app to the Apple TV with 26 different aquariums that can be shuffled or repeated indefinitely, in quality HD resolution. There’s not much else to it, but it’s visually appealing and if you like the idea of making your big screen look alive with aquatic life, it’s worth a look.
CARROT Weather ($4) — We’ve written about Carrot Weather before in its iOS and Mac incarnations, so there’s not much more to say about it here other than that it’s now available for Apple TV users who prefer their weather with a side of snark. Sadly, unlike some of the other apps we’ve looked at, this one isn’t universal, so even if you already have the iOS and Mac versions, you’ll need to buy it again if you want it on your Apple TV. We can only imagine what snide comments Carrot Weather might have about that.
PCalc ($2) — PCalc remains one of our favourites among calculator apps for iOS, especially if you’re a power user, but we sort of question the need for it on an Apple TV, particularly with a lack of keyboard support – which means you’ll be stuck swiping around the on-screen calculator keypad to perform even the most basic calculations. However, in one of the odder pairings we’ve seen, it gets better if you have a Game Controller, where you can use the joystick to bring up a quick entry circle. While it seems out of place on the big screen, if you really need or want a calculator on your Apple TV, PCalc is worth a look. Unfortunately, this is another one that isn’t universal, although the $2 price tag isn’t too unreasonable compared to what the iOS and Mac versions cost.
