App Store Analysis: Chillingo gets highest new entry for second week

Once again, it hasn't been a quiet week on the US App Store Top 100, which has seen a quarter of last week's inhabitants kicked off of the chart.

In terms of big movers, Cartoon Wars (99c) drove up from number 20 to the top spot, which neatly had been vacated by PopCap's Bookworm, as it reverted from 99c to $2.99. It remains in the Top 10 though.

The highest new entry was Chillingo's Touch KO ($2.99) at 13, which combined with the re-entry of Defender Chronicles (99c) - thanks to an update - gave the publisher five games in the Top 100 (including two via its ClickGamer label).

The most expensive game to enter the Top 100 at number 41 was Gameloft's NFL 2010 at $7.99.

Other notable developments included two game from adult swim: the new Vending Machine Champ (99c) and the re-entry of Amateur Surgeon following a price cut to $2.99.

And significantly, considering their price, EA's Scrabble ($4.99) jumped 21 places to number 6, while Gameloft's The Oregon Trail ($4.99) leapt 60 places to number 7.

There were plenty of 99c games making their debuts.

These ranged from IUGO's Spy Bot Chronicles in 51 on an introductory price, to more 'throwaway' games such as BackFlip Studio's Paper Toss: World Tour (no.21), Spiralstorm Games' FlyLoop: Butterfly Looping Fun (no.30), and Occamy's Moto X Mayhem (no.19).

Digital Chocolate's 20Q Mind Reader ($2.99) also made its debut at number 14.

And for some reason, Cartoon Network's Flight of Hamsters (99c) decided to make a re-entry at number 9.

Last week's big-hitting game licences - Taito's Space Invaders Infinity Gene ($4.99) climbed to number 28, while Capcom's Resident Evil 4 ($4.99) was at 37.

As for those titles on the way down, LucasArts' The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition ($7.99) dropped 33 places to 63, while NimbleBit's Moon Drop (99c) went from 37 straight out of the Top 100.

The average price of games within the Top 100 remained broadly static, up 3c to $2.70, but as per usual, in terms of the more expensive games, this is heavily weighted towards titles outside the Top 50.

The average price of the Top 10 is higher than in previous weeks though due to Scrabble and The Oregon Trail (both $4.99) - $2.09 versus $1.29 on August 2, 2009.

The most expensive average price for games is found between positions 61-70, thanks to the likes of Tiger Woods PGA Tour ($6.99), The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition ($7.99) and Apple's old favourite Texas Hold'em ($4.99).

The distribution of games and pricepoints remains much the same as last week. Over half of the games in the Top 100 are priced at 99c.

Last week UK publisher Chillingo had the highest new entry on the chart with Minigore (99c), and this week, it's done the same with Touch K.O. ($2.99).

Combined with re-entry of Defender Chronicles (99c), and The Wars and Zombies vs. Sheep - the latter two via its ClickGamer brand - it has five games in the Top 100. However, the average price is fairly low; $1.39.

EA and Gameloft are vying for the top spot again with 10 games apiece, and both have increased their average price since last week, due to the up-pricing of Tiger Woods PGA Tour to $6.99 and the release of NFL 2010 ($7.99) respectively.

Another new entrant publisher with three games in the Top 100 is I-play with Turbo Subs (99c) joining Deal or No Deal (99c) and Fast & Furious The Game ($1.99). Like Chillingo however its success comes at the cost of low pricing.

And the balancing act between price and chart position is sure to be something we return to in next week's chart rundown.