5 Games You Should Play This Weekend

1. 1. Gesundheit

   Gesundheit, Apple's App of the Week, is an adorable puzzle game Gesundheit, and it's absolutely worth picking up while it's free for a week.

   This mobile gem was originally in the App Store in 2011, but was pulled because of conflicts with the original publisher, Konami. It's a good thing Gesundheit is back, so even more people can enjoy the charming nature of this game. You play a sick pig using his snot, yes, his snot, to clear the world from evil monsters and save his friends.

   The biggest charm of this game is the hand-drawn art and adorable characters. The gameplay is no slouch either, and you'll easily find yourself addicted to solving its puzzles. Snag Gesunheit this week while it's free. [iTunes link]

   

2. 2. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

   Studio Ghibli's films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro are some of the most breathtaking and imaginative animated features of our time. Now those films' magic is captured in a video game: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.

   Ni No Kuni was a Japanese-released RPG that made it to North American soil this week. You play a young boy named Oliver whose mother tragically dies; you encounter a fairy that promises you that you can save her if you save his world from the evil magic overtaking it.

   You'll spend hours traversing the vast world, encountering unique characters that could have only been created by the minds at Studio Ghibli.

   To succeed, you'll need to master wizard spells, team up with allies and use familiars to win battles (a gameplay element fans of Pokemon will love).

   Ni No Kuni is quite a journey, but will certainly capture the minds of die-hard RPG fans. It's available this week for PlayStation 3.

   

3. 3. The Unfinished Swan

   Keeping on with the theme of artistic games, The Unfinished Swan embodies abstract art come to life. This PlayStation 3-exclusive indie title has players exploring the world and thinking about space in a way that's completely unlike any other game.

   The Unfinished Swan centers on throwing paint. You'll find yourself dropped in a completely white world, and the only way to explore it is by lobbing blobs of black paint to explore its edges. The puzzles progress in complexity from there, each deviating from that mechanic as you learn the mysteries of this world.

   The Unfinished Swan is on sale right now is part of Sony's "13 for 13" sale, where it and 12 other titles are deeply discounted on the PlayStation Store. The whole list is included in the link.

   

4. 4. Joe Danger Touch

   Joe Danger Touch is a super-solid racer for iOS. While it's been available for more than a week, we think this game is definitely not worth missing.

   In Joe Danger Touch, you play the titularly named stunt biker, navigating obstacle courses. You'll have to grab coins, perform tricks and try to earn a high score on each map. The courses are short, but have a lot of replayability as you try to top your previous score. The cute art and cheeky humor add even more to this charming game.

   Joe Danger Touch is $2.99 on iOS. [>a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/joe-danger/id573859785?mt=8">iTunes link]

   

5. 5. Dust 514

   EVE Online is one of the biggest and longest-running massively multiplayer online games around, set in a futuristic universe where your spaceship is your most prized possession. Its creators weren't content with just one game, and had to tie a first-person shooter into the action, with Dust 514.

   Dust 514 is a free-to-play FPS completely tied in with the EVE universe. Its players take contracts for on-the-ground assaults from EVE players, and carry out missions to earn in-game currency.

   It's in open beta now for the PlayStation 3, and players can download their copy from the PlayStation Store.

   

While the nation is under a bracing cold snap, it's the perfect time to relax on your couch and game.

If you aren't sure what to pick up and play, we've got you covered. PlayStation 3 owners, it's a good week for you: there are some great console-exclusive titles and sales that will keep you busy for a while. We've also included some great mobile titles, too.

SEE ALSO: Finally, A First-Person Shooter You Can Play on a Tablet

What are you playing this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

Image courtesy Revolutionary Concepts.