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This week we have a sustainable smartphone browser, a mahjong variant with a special spin, a feel-good hidden object game, and a cute brownie as the hero in his own action-adventure game.
As is so often the case, some apps contain in-app purchases or advertising. However, we test all apps manually to make sure that everything is fair and that you don’t fall into any unexpected cost traps. Our main focus is to find apps that improve your smartphone experience and offer you added value.
If you’re looking for app bargains, then be sure to check out our free apps of the week! Here you’ll find a twice-weekly collection of apps that normally cost money but are currently free as part of a promotion. But let’s get down to business and see which mobile games and apps have made it into this week’s selection of the top 5 apps!
Ecosia (Android & iOS)
Chrome has a market share of 65 percent among smartphone browsers—followed by Safari with just under 25 percent. And then nothing for a very long time. There are a whole range of interesting alternatives, such as Ecosia, for example, which didn’t even make it into the top 21 of the previously linked Statista report.
Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: No / Account required: No
Ecosia is all about sustainability. The developer promises that 100% of its revenue goes to projects that focus on reforestation and climate protection. For example, 200 million trees have already been planted in over 30 countries. There is even a link in the browser to Ecosia’s financial report, which explains how the revenue goes towards environmental protection.
The Ecosia browser looks stylish and offers all the features you would expect from a modern smartphone browser. / © nextpit
Of course, the browser based on Mozilla Firefox also has the usual convenience features, including an ad blocker, a dark and incognito mode and—since it is 2024—an integrated AI assistant. Speaking of Incognito: While the provider generates most of its revenue through advertising, Ecosia promises not to create any user profiles or sell any data to advertisers.
Vita Mahjong (Android & iOS)
Casi serves on both editorial and elder councils at nextpit. Perhaps that’s why he stumbled across this Mahjongg variant, which is explicitly aimed at senior citizens. Mahjongg is one of the oldest casual games in the world, so we probably don’t need to explain the rules to you. In this 4.9-star rated game, you either play through the levels or solve a new Daily Challenge every day.
What’s interesting here is the focus on older people, which is reflected in the game’s particularly large tiles, easily recognizable writing, and levels. Although you have the option of choosing different game designs and backgrounds, the default set is a classic and therefore particularly easy to read.
Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes (€7.99) / Account required: No
As with many other mahjongg games, the game automatically zooms in when there are only a few tiles left. / © nextpit
So you don’t have to deal with fancy designs or game modes, you can get started straight away without an account and free of charge. Ads appear every two or three games, which you can click away after a few seconds. If you want, you can also pay to get rid of the ads forever.
This is accompanied by chilled music, so that seniors, but also people like Casi, who are simply in the eye department, can relax wonderfully with a few Mahjongg levels.
krispee Street (Android & iOS)
In the words of the Apple App Store, krispee Street is a “feel-good hidden object game”. Well, personally I’m not any the wiser. At least the game principle is quickly explained: you have to find weird cartoon characters. Sounds like a game for toddlers to stop the endless screaming, doesn’t it? Believe me, my desperation rose so rapidly that I felt like screaming myself.
Bloody hell! Where are the characters, do you see the culprits? / © nextpit
Price: No (Netflix plan required) / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: Netflix subscription
You earn stickers and cards with characters that will most likely drive you crazy over time, just like me. Don’t get me wrong, krispee Street is a fun Netflix game that is surprisingly addictive. The daily tasks give you even more opportunities to despair. Until you get to the difficult levels, you’ll have your first beginner tasks, in which arrows even show you where the cartoon characters you’re looking for are hiding.
Impulse (Android & iOS)
Feeling a bit rusty after the long winter, not only physically but also mentally? Then Impulse – Brain Training Games will get your gray cells back in shape. The app contains a colorful bunch of mini-games to train your logical thinking, spatial imagination, memory, and concentration.
In the mini-games, for example, you have to memorize the position of ghosts and then reproduce it again. / © nextpit
Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: Yes (€32.99 / year) / Account required: No
This works with the typical memory training games that clearly go beyond “Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.” go beyond that. You have to memorize the positions of ghosts on a grid, click on numbers in ascending order for time, identify pairs of pictures, and sort sweets.
The app also has a few mini-games to offer in the area of mindfulness, which are designed to help you relax or overcome fears, for example. There is also a personality test that assigns you to one of twelve archetypes.
Impulse offers numerous tests and games in many different categories. / © nextpit
You can try Impulse – Brain Training Games completely free of charge for three days. The paid full version costs $30 per year or the equivalent of 62 cents per week.
The Legend of Jaffa Brownie (Android)
When you think of action-adventure games, which game comes to mind first? The Legend of Zelda? Assassin’s Creed? Then think again, because The Legend of Jaffa Brownie is a new contender entering the field. You find yourself in the colorful world of the little brownie and must try to find the heart of the factory in order to discover the meaning of your existence.
At the beginning, you learn the story through a cinematic and are then thrown into the factory. / © nextpit
Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: No / Account required: No
The controls are very simple. With your left finger, you move the cute hero and on the right side, you can either jump or fight your opponents with your sword. There are always quests to complete on your adventure, through which you can earn additional coins, which you can then spend on new cosmetic equipment.
If you defeat your opponents, you can exchange your hard-earned coins for cosmetic items in the store. / © nextpit
If you are a fan of 3D platformers or like action-adventure games, you should definitely take a look at the game. In the German Google Play Store, however, the game is called Legenda o Jaffinom Brauniju, which is due to the novelty of the game and the lack of translation. There is currently only an English and Russian language version. The game is not yet listed in the Apple App Store.
Have you discovered an exciting new app this week—and if so, which one? Or maybe you have a great insider tip for the nextpit community? Either way, let us know in the comments!
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