Winners – Reader’s App Awards 2012!

This is a post by Reader’s Apps Reviewer Ryan Poolos, an iOS Developer and founder of Frozen Fire Studios. Check out his latest game, Cyborg Livestock.

It’s that moment you’ve all been waiting for – we’ve tallied the votes for this year’s Reader’s App Awards!

A team of five judges took a look at all of the apps submitted by readers of this web site over the past year, and picked out the best of the best in the following categories:

• Most Addicting: The app we just couldn’t put down!
• Most Hilarious Idea: The app that made us just LOL!
• Most Surprisingly Good: The app that was better than expected!
• Most Technically Impressive: The app with the coolest tech!
• Most Visually Impressive: The app that just looked great!

As well as two grand prize winners, who will walk away with an epic prize pack of over $450 in value:

• Best Reader’s Game: The overall best game by our readers in 2012!
• Best Reader’s App: The overall best app (non-game) by our readers in 2012!

Drum roll please… keep reading to see the best reader’s apps of 2012!

Most Addicting

Sliding Sam

Sliding Sam has been a mainstay on my personal iPhone since I reviewed it months ago. Sliding Sam is a top notch game that easily stands along side Angry Birds, Tiny Wings, and Cut the Rope.

Its gameplay is something all together new and exciting. You don’t just interact with the levels, you help define them by drawing lines for the cute penguin to slide along. The artwork looks great and the level design makes for plenty of hour long binges.

“Fits right in with games like Cut the Rope and Tiny Wings. Challenging enough to make it fun, but not so much I wanted to stop playing.” – Andy Pereira

“Hands down my favorite game. I played it for hours and it was just the right mix of challenging and fun.” – Brandon Lassiter

• Author: Samuel Marin @samuelm77
• Most useful tutorial: How To Create A Game Like Tiny Wings Part 2
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Most Hilarious Idea

Killer Whales

Killer Whales is a brilliant idea executed perfectly. It also happens to be a hilarious idea executed perfectly. :]

You operate this game by humming into your iPhone’s microphone. That’s right, its entirely sound driven!

The game itself is fun and packs some sweet graphics with a hilarious storyline set in the distant future. It’s soundtrack was even recorded by the “Killer Whale Orca-stra”!

“Take the warning at the beginning very seriously. You will look ridiculous playing Killer Whales, but will have a blast.” – Andy Pereira

“Warning: don’t make the same mistake I did and play (or should I say sing) this game late at night – you might wake up a very angry wife! ;]” – Ray Wenderlich

• Author: Filip Trönnberg
• Most useful tutorial: How To Make a Space Shooter iPhone Game
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Most Surprisingly Good

Gravity Pop

Gravity Pop has a familiar style and tempo, but with a unique twist and game modes that bring it to a new level. Its easy to write this game off as another color matching gem game, but until you play that first round you have no idea the addiction level you’re about to get yourself into!

The game is very easy to pick up, and hard to put down. Something I think all game developers try very hard to balance. Gravity Pop was so well received, I had to get a copy for my mom and sister who wouldn’t give up my own phone!

“At first I thought this was a simple Bejeweled clone, and I’d just play one round. And then just one more. And then just one more… ;]” – Ray Wenderlich

“This game really shocked me. I found myself playing it way more than I thought I would and after starting a marathon mode game I would realize that my phone was dying and it had been an hour.” – Brandon Lassiter

• Author: Jonathan Sibley @jonsibley
• Most useful tutorial: Beginning Turn-Based Gaming with iOS 5
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Most Technically Impressive

Box the Bag

Box the Bag is one of those apps you see and immediately know you have to try it. You could say it’s a law, like water or dinosaurs.

Box the Bag takes advantage of the front facing camera on most new devices and allows you to through punches at a virtual punching bag that responds to where you punch it. That’s right – you’ll be punching at your expensive iOS device – just hope you don’t get too carried away and punch too far! :]

The app is certainly a technical feat. In a well lit room and distance enough between your iPad and certain destruction from flying roundhouse kicks, this app will bring the workout you crave.

“Need a portable punching bag? There’s an app for that!” – Ray Wenderlich

“I love it when people think outside the box, and in this case, outside the phone.” – Andy Pereira

“Bring on rocky!” – Brandon Lassiter

• Author: Shadow Boxer @BoxTheBag
• Most useful tutorial: Memory Management in Objective-C Tutorial
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Most Visually Impressive

Gifts HD 2

Gifts HD 2 is a beautiful app that is also very powerful. Its an excellent accessory for the seasons to keep things organized and make sure you don’t forget anyone.

Gifts HD 2 is for more than the holidays – it works year round with its custom event tracking and built in birthday notifications. But the real show stopper is the graphics. The custom interface is polished to the edge with no detail left ignored.

“Gifts HD 2 is a good looking iPhone app. The developer clearly spent a lot of time implementing a polished user interface and it shows.” – Dustin Bruzenak

“Great looking app, from the icon to the UI!” – Ray Wenderlich

• Author: Jason Jardim @jayjardim
• Most useful tutorial: My App Crashed, Now What? Part 1/2
• App Store Link: Check it out!