March 1, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 5)
Rating:
Strong Points: Learn about cell organelles as you play
Weak Points: Low-quality animation, annoying advertisements (in free version)
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
For those of you out there who enjoy an injection of educational content into your time-wasting (cough, cough) phone/tablet games, Cell Explorer: The Animal Cell may be of interest to you. Sure, the animation isn’t that great, but it is a nice concept of a game: you must thwart Dr. Vial’s plan to destroy cells by first learning about different organelles and then selectively protecting them as you fight off enemy ships in the cytoplasm. This game isn’t really made for on-the-go, one-handed play (such as when standing on the subway or holding a cup of coffee), as the controls to move your ship and fire weapons are located across the screen and require the use of both hands. The advertisements in the free version are also located in very inconvenient places, so the $0.99 ad-free upgrade may be warranted if you plan to play the game a lot.
