Top 5 Apps of the Week: GRID Legends, Kinnu, and More!

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition is a fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping racing game that will surely keep you on the edge of your seats most of the time, but just make sure you have a rather capable handset to fully enjoy it. Musicolet Music Player is a lightweight yet feature-rich offline music app for Android only. Kinnu: Superpower Learning is an innovative educational app that hopes to make learning engaging and effective.

Wake up each morning to a talking alarm clock with, well, Talking Alarm Clock Beyond! Infinity Nikki is an open-world adventure game that merges fashion elements with exploration, talk about a gameplay twist!

Just in case none of these pique your interest, perhaps you might be curious to know that there are paid apps offered that are currently available for free for a limited time only. If so, do check out our "Free Apps of the Week" segment, which is published twice each week.

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition (Android & iOS)

Want to get your adrenaline pumping? GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition is just the game for you to kickstart 2025, where you get to experience high-octane racing in a game that comes with additional content, allowing gamers to enjoy a comprehensive racing package on mobile platforms. 

I like how the game combines arcade-style racing with simulation elements, providing accessible yet challenging gameplay. It wasn't so crazy impossible and yet did not feel like I could steamroller over my opponents. There is a fair amount of replayability in the game to boot, boasting a diverse roster of cars and tracks that cater to various racing preferences.

• Price: $14.99 / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: None / Account required: Yes

Extra vehicles, events, and customization options add further depth to the gameplay. Visually, this game is a delight with detailed car models and dynamic environments. However, these high-quality visuals come with significant hardware demands so you might want to have a flagship or higher-end mid-range smartphone to enjoy this game to the maximum. Do expect lower frame rates or amped-down graphics on less powerful devices.

• Download Grid Legends from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Talking Alarm Clock Beyond (Android only)

Waking up in the mornings is always a chore! Well, what about an alarm clock app that offers you so much more than just a lousy ringtone? Talking Alarm Clock Beyond adds some spice to help you get out of bed. I love how customizable it is, not to mention the easy user interface that makes it a snap to configure the next time you want to wake up or be alerted to something.

Rather than having just the standard repertoire of ringtones to choose from, you can have music (MP3s stored locally on your handset), an entire playlist (which I would not recommend unless you're staying alone), to repeat a random song, tune in to an online radio, or radio stream. Surely any of the options listed above will help you get out of bed quickly!

Other options include a gradual increase of the volume level and my personal favorite, having it speak the time and label assigned to each individual alarm that I set. I can also set how long after the alarm rings before the label and time are spoken. Of course, the Snooze button is huge and difficult to miss for those who love to snooze!

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($2.99 per item) / Account required: No

Oh, there are also timer and stopwatch functions as expected from any clock app. Overall, this is a fun addition to anyone's handset, but if you are already so used to your current alarm clock app, perhaps it might be a bit difficult to adjust to this at first.

• Download Talking Alarm Clock Beyond from the Google Play Store.

Kinnu: Superpower Learning (Android & iOS)

Hey, what's there not to like about the new year apart from trying to improve yourself to be a better 'you'? Enter Kinnu, an app that focuses on cognitive science principles to offer a diverse range of bite-sized courses across various subjects so that you can enhance knowledge retention and foster a daily learning habit.

Kinnu intends to make you a jack-of-all-trades by providing courses in areas such as psychology, life skills, health, science, history, technology, and literature, so that no interest area is left untouched. By proposing what it dubs "Memory Shield Technology", the app's feature was designed to help users retain information more effectively, ensuring that learned material is not easily forgotten.

I found myself picking up some interesting snippets and nuggets of information during my conversations with others after spending time with Kinnu, without looking clueless in social circles being the introvert that I am. Still, I am unable to decipher Gen Z and Gen Alpha language. Ah well, at least Kinnu's game-like elements to make learning sessions engaging and motivating, keeping me wanting to return regularly.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: None / Account required: No

I also like how the app comes with audio versions of all its content, making learning accessible on the move and helping those who prefer auditory learning or have reading difficulties have another avenue. Of course, it is always good to fact-check what you learn here and treat it like Wikipedia.

• Download Kinnu: Superpower Learning for YouTube from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Musicolet Music Player (Android only)

Want an offline music app on your Android smartphone that is ad-free while offering intuitive design, and powerful functionality? Enter the Musicolet Music Player, which is an alternative choice for music enthusiasts who want a no-nonsense music player on their handset. Bear in mind this is meant for offline music playback, so you do not need an Internet connection.

If there is one thing that I love about Musicolet, it is how it remains completely free of ads, delivering a distraction-free listening experience. I also like how it can manage multiple queues without missing a beat. This allows me to create and switch between up to 20 playback queues, making it ideal for curating different playlists for various moods or activities.

The clean and minimalistic interface is yet another plus point in my book, leaving no room for doubt when it comes to navigation. With its seamless integration with gestures, navigation is a straightforward affair, especially when it concerns playback.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: No

If you have a huge music library, the built-in tag editor is more than welcome, letting you edit metadata directly in the app. Folder browsing makes it easy to organize and access songs stored on the device. Apart from that, there is also a built-in equalizer and the app works with external equalizers for users who want more control over their sound quality.

• Download Musicolet Music Player from the Google Play Store.

Infinity Nikki (Android & iOS)

Fashion and gaming? Do these even go together? Apparently so in Infinity Nikki, where I control the protagonist, Nikki, in the fantasy realm of Miraland. This game is heavily based on fashion-centric mechanics, where I go around collecting a vast array of outfits. Each of these outfits grants unique abilities that are essential for navigating the game's world and overcoming challenges.

Sounds like Mario wearing a Tanooki suit to get to difficult-to-reach places, eh? The rich, open-world exploration offers a highly detailed environment for me to explore as I engage in activities such as fishing, interacting with NPCs, and crafting garments. Ah yes, which developer can discount crafting these days? 

Note this is a gacha game, so you might want to think twice before you dive in if you are short on real-world cash. While the game's monetization is minimal, there is still the FOMO feeling when you see others plow in their own money. I found myself being able to enjoy extensive customization without making any significant financial investment. 

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$49.99) / Account required: No

Overall, this is a very comforting and relaxing game that does not require me to poop my pants or leave me on the edge. It does seem to require a more capable handset, so entry-level smartphone owners might want to sit this out.

• Download Infinity Nikki from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Here's to a wonderful 2025! We hope that you had a great start to this year. We will return with a new Top 5 Apps of the Week list next week.