| Cult of Mac

iPhone and iPad hop on Sid Meier’s Railroads! gaming train

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Ready to build an empire by rail?
Ready to build an empire by rail?
Photo: Feral Interactive

Here’s your chance to build an empire of rail — and even beat notorious railroad barons of yesteryear at their own game. Take that, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The classic strategy game Sid Meier’s Railroads! arrives April 5 on mobile devices including iPhone and iPad. And you can preorder now via the App Store thanks to Feral Interactive.

5 fun reasons you should be playing Spire Blast

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5 reasons you should be playing 'Spire Blast'
Spire Blast is a mix of challenging puzzles and the simple joy of blowing stuff up.
Screenshot: Orbital Knight

Spire Blast is one of the best casual games on Apple Arcade. It’s a physics-based match puzzler that involves plenty of fun destruction.

With more than 200 titles on Apple’s gaming service, it’s not easy finding the best. Here are five reasons Spire Blast is worth trying today.

A great new game, camera controls and a better budget app [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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Awesome Apps of the Week with iPhone in middle of desk
Whether you're interested in a fun iPhone game, a better way to budget, or want to master your camera controls, this week's Awesome Apps has something for you.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The last time we published an Awesome Apps of the Week roundup, I asked for you (or your friends) to email me or tweet at me with new apps (or app updates) worth checking out. And, as evidenced here, some of you came through. Also, it seems like there have actually been some cool/interesting new apps coming out lately. Thanks to the combination of those two things, we’re back with a great camera app, a super-fun new game, and an app that’s helping me budget better!

New Pokémon card game hits iOS and macOS in beta next week

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Pokémon Trading Card Game Live
But only for those who live in Canada.
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, the newest game from The Pokémon Company, enters beta testing on iOS and macOS next week before it makes its official debut. But there is a rather large catch (excuse the pun).

If you want to be one of the first to play Pokémon TCG Live, you must be Canadian.

Pascal’s Wager brings mouse and keyboard gaming to iPad

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Pascal's wager
The best looking game on iPad just got better.
Photo: TipWorks/Giant Network

Want to take iPadOS 14’s keyboard and mouse support for a gaming spin? Pascal’s Wager has you covered.

The dark fantasy action RPG, showcased at Apple’s 2019 iPhone event, is reportedly the first iPad game to benefit from this treatment. Apple said it would bring keyboard and mouse support to iOS devices at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

These new apps will bring you some holiday cheer [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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We could all use a little Christmas cheer right about now, couldn't we?
We could all use a little Christmas cheer right about now, couldn't we?
Image: Cult of Mac

So far, 2020 has been a total Grinch. Find a little fun with these new and recently updated apps, which will guide you to Christmas light shows, plunge you into Marvel superhero brawls and even boost your darts game.

Plus, Canadian CBD connoisseurs can gain access to all the latest info on what’s available and where. And iPhone 12 Pro/Max owners can see in the dark.

Evergreen smash hit Pokémon Go rakes in $1 billion this year alone

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birthday
Still raking in the cash more than four years later.
Photo: Niantic

When it comes to people’s spare dollars, Pokémon Go really is taking that “gotta catch ’em all” mantra seriously!

According to a new report by app analytics firm Sensor Tower, Niantic’s still-ultra-popular AR game, which launched in July 2016, has raked in $1 billion in the first 10 months of 2020 alone. Lifetime spending, meanwhile, hit $4.2 billion globally.

Pokémon Café Mix lets you form teams, download Snorlax costume Pikachu

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Pokemon
D'awwwww! Isn't he cute?
Photo: Pokémon Café Mix

Poké-hit Pokémon Café Mix just got an update that will let you join other players to form teams, as well as get your hands (virtually, that is) on a range of items, including a Snorlax costume Pikachu.

The team feature lets you to share an ID with a buddy to hook up for special events. The teams you form can be both public and private. The feature promises to add a new dynamic to the popular food-serving game.

How to fix ‘805’ error codes in Mario Kart Tour for iOS

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Fix '805' errors in Mario Kart Tour
There are some simple fixes that should get you back in the game.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Many Mario Kart Tour players continue to experience mysterious “805” error codes almost a year after the game’s release. They typically appear when attempting to download new game data.

If you’re experiencing one of these yourself, you’ll be pleased to know you’re not alone — and that there are some simple workarounds that should allow you to jump back into the action in no time at all.

Try these fixes first.