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CONSIDERING HOW PREVALENT they are in our lives, it’s probably no surprise that kids are using smartphones more nowadays.
For one, they’re incredibly handy at passing the time during long journeys or while you’re waiting for something and what better way to pass the time than to play games.
Yet while it’s a handy option, you want to make sure that the games they’re playing are appropriate and fun, whether they’re using your phone or tablet or their own. If you’re unsure what games are a good fit, these will get you started.
(Note: some of the games below contain in-app purchases which you should be wary of. If you’re unsure how to turn them off, this will explain them in greater detail.)
Angry Birds
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: €0.89/Free/€0.99
The franchise might be beginning to show signs of slowdown, but the original is still great fun to play. Simple to play, easy to learn and toppling structure and destroying them is still as satisfying as ever.
Dots
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Dots is an incredibly simple game yet manages to pack a lot of charm into it from the sounds each dot makes to the bright colours makes it both a joy and absolutely addictive.
There is a sequel called TwoDots (iOS only), which is just as fiendishly difficult and addictive as the original, but it encourages you to pay for powerups and lives, meaning it’s probably not the best game for your child to play.
Pet Bingo
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €1.79/€1.51
One for the younger kids (4 – 10), Pet Bingo helps children learn about maths such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It combines this with cute animal mascots which helps learning.
Cut the Rope
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: €2.69/Free/€0.99
Another simple premise but hard to master game, helping On-Nom get the piece of candy in each level starts off simple, but is quickly complicated by the inclusion of spiders, balloons, gravity and other obstacles that want to stop you.
Tiny Wings
For: iOS
Cost: €0.89
While it’s a lot of fun, it’s feels a little reductive to describe Tiny Wings a just a game. Instead, it’s a relaxing experience that anyone can enjoy. The bright visuals, simple mechanics, soft music and easygoing tone blends together to create a soothing experience.
Clumsy Ninja
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
The tamagotchi-style game has you train your ninja and improve his skills as she looks for her lost friend. It’s slow-moving but the real fun is interacting with your ninja, giving him high-fives, picking him up and flinging him around the training area or even just tickling him (The latter is guaranteed to leave a massive smile on your face).
Flow Free
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
If you ever played the lay the pipes games, then you will already know the drill with Flow Free. Connect the same colour dots without crossing different pipes and make sure you’re covering the entire board.
Minecraft – Pocket Edition
For: iOS, Android (Windows Phone coming soon)
Cost: €5.99/€5.49
The game might be a few years old but the magic that surrounds Minecraft hasn’t diminished. If you already own the console or PC/Mac version, then it’s likely you already have this but if not, this is a great way for them to become engrossed with the Lego-style mechanics as they survive the wilderness.
Threes!
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €1.79/€1.48
Chances are you’re familiar with 2048 but if that’s the only one you’ve played, then you’re missing out on the game that inspired it. Not only is Threes! a marvellous puzzler, but it’s a game that’s full of heart. There are so many neat little touches in the game that it shows up 2048 for the cheap imitation that it really is.
Plants Vs Zombies
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: €0.89/€2.99
The tower-defence game pits your garden against the hoards of zombies that want to invade your house. Harvest sunlight, place different plants and fungi down and defend your house from a bizarre collection of the undead.
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Imagine the furore if it was Ryanair.
Pilots p45 would be in the post if it were Ryanair
And some major questions to answer regarding why they are flying 747s in Jo’Burg
Why wouldn’t they? It says he took the wrong runway in error.
*taxiway
Ha ha! Very clever… Although too clever it appears for some…
Major questions if RYANAIR were flying 747s in Jo’burg….
Re-read red thumbers!
It reminds me of the scene from the spoof movie Airplane.
I still don’t get it, would somebody mind explaining the joke to me? I don’t see what would be so funny about Ryanair flying 747s in Johannesburg.
Original source for the photo seems to be this tweet. I’d much rather she got the credit than Sky News. https://twitter.com/HarrietTolputt/status/414884728605405184
Take the one on the left.
Right, the left.
Yes left
Right turning left.
No left
I am turning left.
No you are turning right
No I am turning left.
No you are turning right
Oh you mean your left
Right
What
Bang.
all of the above while using opposite hand gestures!
Being signed by the Mandela signer!
Was it a woman pilot :)
The pilot was a Liverpool supporter.
A woman Liverpool supporter pilot guided in by a male man utd table tennis bat person controlled by a transgendered Arsenal fan in the tower.
Aircraft obviously had too little fuel/too much fuel/inexperienced pilot/too old a pilot/tired pilot/shoddy maintenance record/radar not working………… Oh, wait, it was a BA aircraft not Ryanair, so it’s just a silly little mistake. Could happen to anyone, hardly worth a comment.
Collides into?
It clipped the building. The headline is a bit dramatic.
From the pic it looks like they ripped the first 20 feet off the front of the building. A destructive clip. Assume a pilot visual is fairly limited in that situation.
Grammar alert! Things collide with each other, not into each other.
It looks like more than clip from the pic.
Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit amphetamines.
No claims bonus, gone!
Imagine the phone call to the F B D claimes dept, and find out only the left wing was covered , because you didn’t pay the excess.
Took a wrong taxiway. Not runway..
No one hurt is the important thing. The pilot and ground handler will be lucky to keep there jobs.
BA gonna get some bill from the airport and aviation authority there…. New wing won’t be cheap either…
Collides into building, it says it in the heading
Luckily the pilot didn’t make a wrong turn and enter a runway where a plane was landing or taking off
Now that’s what I’d call a wedgie.
Wait for the world traveler to appear, only dying to shorten Johannesburg to Jo- blah. Wow you must have been there before??? You are an inspiration to us all.
Guess the pilot was on the mobile or texting when this happened
Neither was using the iPhone Maps.
Simple workaround here people. Position parking sensors on the wing tips. With the amount of advance avionics technology these days I’m surprised it’s not done yet. By the way…I bags patient pending on this!
Holy sh1t ! Lucky to get away with that, could have ended a whole lot worse.
Wondering what protection a pilot has? Is there cover or do you get sacked right out
Generally the pilots are told which taxiway to take, so it’s not really their fault
Well let’s say pilot error. Is airline gonna sake him over the million pounds of damage?
have your say