GameClub Plans to Resurrect iOS Games Abandoned in the Wake of Apple's Hardware and Software Advances

[jimac]

32-bit apps were not removed from the App Store.

Apps that lack 64-bit support aren't listed in the App Store outside of the Purchased section (nor can they be installed) on iOS 11 and later.

There is a BIG difference between the two, and I feel that the ignorance of this, after all these years, is pretty sad.

I've still got a first generation iPad mini and a fifth generation iPod touch that can only run iOS 9.3.5, and I owned many 32-bit apps that I had been using on my newer iPads. Apps like the game "Sparkz" (which I played for decades, a great time-waster) and the gamified educational apps "Mercury Math", "Mercury Division" and "Trachtenberg". The latter three apps, which weren't perfect to begin with, taught the Trachtenberg speed math system, which I played around with learning for years. Extremely useful fun, but it needs constant practice. I think every child should learn some form of speed math, but there are no longer any App Store apps that teach it.

Unfortunately those apps are now on my newer iOS devices all running the latest iOS, where they are incompatible and will not run. I've tried to load those apps onto my iPod touch and iPad mini 1 without success. I am still running older macOSs on a couple of my Macs, but they were running newer versions of iTunes that no longer could manage iOS apps. I tried installing an older iTunes version to install the 32-bit apps onto my iOS 9 devices from old iTunes backups on that Mac, but it didn't work -- my only accomplishment was to temporarily lose access to my iTunes music and video library on that computer. And those 32-bit apps are no longer listed anywhere in the iOS 9 App Store app that I can find. I can't find a "Purchased" area in the App Store. There is a "Purchased" section in the iOS 9 iTunes app, but it only contains Music, Movies and TV Shows.

Do you know of any other way I could try to install those apps on my devices running iOS 9?

 

[Janichsan]

We need something like this for Mac games, especially considering the impending 64-bit apocalypse.

 

[gevalt]

Pole Position. originally a coin op in the 70's. done for ios and now gone. i still love that silly game. i keep a ipad mini 1 to play it on.

 

[dampfnudel]

Bridgy Jones updated to 64-bit/larger displays. I also wish the original developer would deliver the new levels they originally promised in 2013, but that’s probably asking for too much. Maybe Flight Control too.

 

[ipedro]

I actually still have an iPhone 3GS in active duty that plays all my old iOS games from the 2008-2012ish timeline. Things like TapTap Revenge or Zombieville USA etc. Things history has passed by but are still very much enjoyable.

I have a 3GS as well. Can you still download the games from the App Store or are they gone forever if you don’t have them already installed?

I used to love playing Dizzy Bee and Rolando. Accelerometer games were brand new back then and actually a lot of fun.