With games on Apple gadgets being very affordable, and often ridiculously low, we’ve decided to piece together a list of everyday items that you could do without in order to purchase such games. From the top couple of hundred current ‘best sellers’ in Australia as our starting point, the cost range for these apps is $1.19 to $15.99. So for all you cheapskates out there who only download free games and demos, here are some products you could consider not spending your money on and in turn will allow you to purchase the ‘real deal’.
Although they're one of the five food groups you should still have the other four covered if you cut out fruit and veg for a week. With apples at approximately $4.00 a kilo and potatoes $2.25 a kilo, that should free up over six bucks you can spend on, dare we say it – Apple games. I’d suggest Fruit Ninja ($1.19), Veggie Samurai ($1.99) and even Plants vs. Zombies ($3.99) as alternatives. Sure they’re not as healthy, but you’ll definitely have much more fun.
Don’t bother getting fuel for your car, motorbike or even your lawn mower. You can save a bunch of ‘moolah’ here and spend it on a bunch of games instead. There’s plenty to choose from in this genre, some of the better ones being Real Racing ($5.99), Need For Speed Undercover ($5.99), 2XL Supercross ($5.99), Asphalt 5 ($5.99) and Jet Car Stunts ($2.49). Oh, and don’t forget Sunday Lawn ($1.19). Yeah, these ones cost a little more but at least we won’t have to put up with your whingeing about the price of petrol.
Seeing that you won’t be using your vehicle or bike for a while, you’re probably thinking train, tram or bus as an alternative? Wrong. Stuff paying to wait around then stand in a overcrowded smelly conveyance, you’ll simply have to walk to your destination, even if it is kilometres long. If it’s trains you're into then check out Train Conductor 2: USA ($1.19), Thomas Tilt and Go ($3.99) and Thomas Game Pack ($3.99). Bundle theses with Flight Control ($1.19), Airport Terminal ($2.49), Jungle Crash Land ($1.19) and Parking Mania ($1.19), and you’ll still have plenty of change from not having to buy tickets for public transport.
Whether it’s fish and chips, pizza or whatever, just resisting it one time only will enable you to pick up Hungry Shark - Part 2 ($1.19), Jaws ($1.19) & Pizza Boy ($2.49) plus a couple of other titles that tickles your fancy. And you won't have that slightly sickly feeling from grease lining your stomach.
It’s difficult at the best of times to part with your money for heavily overpriced food, which is usually cold, old and doesn’t go down all that well. So we suggest going hungry for the afternoon and in return you can purchase a handful of sporting titles from Backbreaker Football ($1.19), MADDEN NFL 11 by EA SPORTS for iPad (World) ($9.99), Tiger Woods PGA TOUR by EA SPORTS ($5.99), as well as titles from the “Flick” line of games – fishing, soccer, rugby. Other potential buys cover table tennis, cricket and basketball. Just think, you could almost get 10 games for the cost of a pie at the footy.
The weather’s still no good, not to mention your swing, so stay home and grab these titles instead - Real Golf 2011 ($8.99), 3D Mini Golf Challenge ($2.49), Let’s Golf! 2 ($5.99). It’s a lot less hassle and your scoecard will look better to boot.
Most of what’s on the 'idiot box' is rubbish, so give it up for a week. The money you save on electricity can be used to purchase TV titles like Deal Or No ($1.19), NCIS: The Game From The TV Show ($5.99), BEN 10 Battle for the Omnitrix ($3.99), Family Guy: Uncensored ($1.19), Dora Saves The Crystal Kingdom – Rainbow Ride ($3.99) or Wheel of Fortune Platinum ($1.19). Plus you won’t have to sit through those blasted commercial breaks.
If you’re a regular cinemagoer it’s time to have a night off. You can still sample movie-flavoured entertainment with these Apple apps - PREDATORS ($1.19), Spider-Man: Total Mayhem ($8.99), Toy Story 3: Operation Camouflage ($2.49), Harry Potter: Spells ($3.99) and James Cameron’s Avatar ($5.99). They'll be no discomfort of having popcorn stuck to the roof of your mouth either.
If you’re a regular gambler at your “local”, then it’s high time you get control of your compulsions to waving goodbye to a few coins you’ll never see again. You could always download Egyptian Dreams 4 Slots ($2.49), Dragon Dollars Slots ($2.49), Pyramid Power Reelslot ($2.49), Dolphins Dice Slots ($2.49), Mega Hearts 2 Slots ($2.49), Monkey Money Slots ($2.49) or Gallop for Gold Slots ($2.49) to fill the void. I know you can’t win any ‘real’ money here, but at least you can’t lose any.
Vidoe arcades become more redundant as the gaming world evolves, but that doesn’t stop some die hards from attending these venues. This might however. You can grab Pinball HD 4 iPhone ($1.19)), Skee-Ball ($1.19), STREET FIGHTER IV ($12.99) and The Simpsons Arcade (International) ($3.99) for you iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. And if you don’t have one of these on which to play, maybe you would have had you not spent so many hours at Timezone.
It’s time to put off that haircut you've needed for ages for another week. No one can really tell with the styles these days anyway, guys. And for the females, you really don’t need to get your hair coloured for the fifteenth time this month. Pick up Sally’s Salon ($1.19) and Sally’s Spa ($3.99) instead, along with Pimple Popper ($1.19) and Amateur Surgeon ($1.19). The leftover’s can go towards some scissors so you can cut your hair yourself.
Don't worry about a healthy, home prepared school lunch for your kids, just send them on their way with last night’s leftovers. They’re likely to have thrown it out anyway. Then you can purchase the five-games-in-one Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($1.19) for them with what you’ve saved. Too easy.
For those out there who often find themselves wagering their 'hard-earned', we advise you to take a look at World Series of Poker Hold‘em Legend ($1.19), World Poker Tour Texas Hold ‘Em! ($1.19), Virtual Horse Racing 3D ($3.99) and Blackjack ($1.19) instead. They're a much safer investment and you won’t end up living on the streets asking passer-by’s “You got 50 cents, mate?”
The Royal Melbourne Show is starting this week. It’s a pity the kids will be so disappointed that you’re not going. Buy them Carnival Games for iPhone ($4.99) instead and they’ll have just as much fun (well….not really). Think of the savings you’ll make and the crappy plastic toys you won’t be bringing home.
Try and hold out as long as possible before going to the toilet. You then won’t require as much toilet paper. To distract yourself from the fact that you’re lower torso is about to explode, you can fire off different types of torpedos in BATTLESHIP (International) ($1.19) or have crack at Unblock Me ($1.19) (although the name of this one could lead to a 'nasty accident'). You could also save on tissues by not wiping or blowing your nose and buy Sneezies ($1.19) instead.
Having a pet can be an expensive business, but there are ways around this. I’m pretty sure they can survive a couple of nights without a decent meal. Just let your dog or cat rummage through the neighbours bin for ‘din-dins’, let your pet bird peck at that smelly old cuttlefish and drop your pet monkey (and I know there’s plenty of them out there) off at an emergency shelter. Animal or human, it doesn't matter. You can then pick up titles such as Angry Birds ($1.19), Cat Physics ($1.19), Rat On The Run ($1.19), Monkey Flight ($1.19), Old McDonald - by Duck Duck Moose ($2.49) and Pigeon Squadron ($1.19). Sweet as.
If your brother’s birthday is coming up, show him your love by purchasing Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front ($5.99). For yourself. And give him a go (just one). Alternatively if you’re going to a wedding, wrap the gift yourself in newspaper (the ‘announcements’ section of course) and you can have Wedding Dash ($3.99) on your Apple.
If you don’t wanna pay the full price for the console or PC editions of a game, then you’ve got to check out the Apple equivalents of these rippers - Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge ($1.19), Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars ($12.99) and Mirror’s Edge (World) ($5.99). They may not be as big and bold, but they will satisfy nonetheless.
That's all there is to it, some simple sacrifices to enable you to get stacks of fun little apps for your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. You’ll probably be doing yourself and the environment a favour at the same time. So get up, get out there and get gaming. If all you tightwads out there actually began purchasing games, the prices of these apps might drop even lower.
