New iPhone apps worth downloading: Fancred and TrintMe updates, Give My Ball Back

We’ve got a pair of social networking apps to take you into the weekend in today’s Apps Worth Downloading haul. First is Fancred, a social network devoted entirely to sports and sports fans that can help you connect with other fans over your favorite teams. Second is TrintMe, an app that lets you determine if your social network friends want your relationship to be something more – but only if the feeling is mutual. Finally, Give My Ball Back is a touch-based puzzler with simple mechanics, in which two boys from alternate dimensions have to sneak into each other’s rooms to steal back a ball from one another.

Fancred update (Free)

What’s it about? Connect with other sports fans about your favorite teams and upcoming games with Fancred, a social network that’s wholly about sports.

What’s cool? Ever wish you could separate out your sports fan friends on Facebook or Twitter from the other stuff, like baby photos and weird quizzes? Fancred provides a space to make that happen – it’s a social network that’s geared toward not just sports fans, but sports discussions. The app lets you choose your favorite teams and connect with other users over them, and brings you a news feed that’s dedicated to discussions of sports and sharing related articles and the like. You can make friends, upvote and downvote different updates, and send messages, and read the latest news on your teams. The app also lets you check into stadiums. Fancred just launched its version 2.0 redesign, with a whole new layout that’s optimized for iOS 7.

Who’s it for? If you would love to have a social network that’s all sports, all the time, Fancred is for you.

What’s it like? You might also want to check out the social networking opportunities in PlayUp and SportsYapper.

TrintMe: Take the Next Step update (Free)

What’s it about? Another social networking app, TrintMe lets you connect with friends with whom you’d like to have a deeper relationship in a safe way, and helps you find out if the feeling is mutual.

What’s cool? There are those times when you’d like to take the next step with a friend, but are afraid to put yourself out there and be embarrassed if the other person doesn’t feel the same way. In the age of Facebook, that can be even more awkward, so TrintMe looks to help users figure out if the person they “like-like” might “like-like” them back. You can use the app to set your “true intentions” (or “trints”) for other users, and the app keeps them secret – unless they match the trints of the other person, in which case, both are notified. The app protects your identity if there’s no match, though, and you’re able to send anonymous “hints” to other users as well. TrintMe’s latest update brings in some major enhancements to make the app run better, and squashes some bugs along the way, as well.

Who’s it for? Users struggling to figure out whether the feeling is mutual with others, especially through the ambiguity of social networks, should try TrintMe.

What’s it like? More help meeting a special someone is available with Zoosk and OkCupid Dating.

Give My Ball Back ($0.99)

What’s it about? Puzzler Give My Ball Back is all about figuring out how to get your ball back from the room of the person who took it while they’re asleep, by removing things that could wake them up.

What’s cool? Young boy Tobias lost his ball in another dimension, where Moco thinks its his. Now, the two characters – one a human boy and one a monster boy – keep sneaking into each other’s room at night to steal back the ball. Your job is to help them do it by solving tap-based puzzles in each level to get rid of the things that might wake up whichever boy is sleeping. Solutions are simply executed and generally a matter of finding the things on the screen you can interact with, and tapping them in the right order. Each level also includes a hidden star that you’ll need to track down for full points. Give My Ball Back includes 40 levels to play through, and despite being relatively simple to play, brings some challenge to its puzzles as well.

Who’s it for? Give My Ball Back is one of those games that’s great for puzzle fans, whether they’re kids or adults.

What’s it like? You’ll find similar touch-based puzzle mechanics in Tiny Thief

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