Top 5 Apps of the Week: Tiny Cafe, Dogo, and More!

Tiny Cafe is a twist on your regular cafe game where cats and not humans, are your customers. Learn to keep them happy and you'll progress! Scarlet's Haunted House is a unique time management game with a twist, where you balance managing a hotel and its guests while trying to uncover a mystery.

Dogo — Puppy and Dog Training helps you get a more structured puppy training program, while Habit Hunter aims to help you form habits in a more disciplined manner. Lastly for Android only, you can check out what the weather is like at a glance with Meteogram.

Our editorial team has carefully reviewed each app in this list, ensuring they do not carry any annoying microtransactions and pesky advertisements. If you're keen on uncovering truly free apps and games, be sure to check out our "Free Apps of the Week" section, which we update twice a week!

Tiny Cafe (Android & iOS)

You know the usual trope where the cat always chases the mouse? Well, in Tiny Cafe, things have changed. The animal kingdom seems to be more civilized, and tiny mice are the ones running a cafe now, with cats as the customers. Their job? To keep the cats happy with their coffee and desserts. 

I would normally find myself dead bored of such games after a while, but Tiny Cafe has managed to hold its own. The art style is something that appeals to me, and I would think it will do the same across a wide demographic. I love how all the little details are shown, depicting just how busy running a cafe can be.

There is a very relaxed feel to the game, allowing me to just leave it running without feeling forced to push forward. Along the way, I can unlock new recipes which in turn will bring in new customers, and hire more workers as things get busier. Overall, the learning curve is not steep at all, and the game is highly accessible to just about anybody.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99 — $9.99) / Account required: Yes

Of course, no game is perfect in this world. I do not like the pay to win model that is found in so many games these days, so I tend to rely heavily more on ads. It would be nice to see whatever machines I've installed help me earn more in-game currency while the game is left alone over time instead of being forced to launch the game and leave it running. Still, it is a cute and pleasant game to enjoy without any sense of urgency.

• Download Tiny Cafe from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Habit Hunter: RPG Goal Tracker (Android & iOS)

There is this longstanding adage that claims doing something for 21 days in a row and you will form a habit. Well, those were the days when distractions were few and far in between. Fast-forward to the present, and we have all kinds of factors vying for our attention from different directions. Habit Hunter gamifies the habit-forming method, helping you create and track your habits and goals effectively.

How does it work its magic? Well, I get to set personal goals before breaking those goals down into manageable tasks or To-Do lists. From there, I am able to track my progress so that I remain motivated to achieve new heights in my self-improvement journey. 

All my goals, habits, and tasks are turned into an RPG game to keep me hooked. In the game, I play the protagonist, a hero who is on a quest to defeat monsters while saving people. Basically, the more real-life tasks I complete, the more powerful my hero grows and in turn, the more mayhem I am able to rain down on the enemies.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99 — $49.99) / Account required: No (but recommended)

I love how Habit Hunter lets me go at it with other people. After all, moving as a cohort is generally more effective in keeping each other accountable. In the end, a group achievement where we encourage one another will allow faster habit formation. 

• Download Habit Hunter: RPG Goal Tracker from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Meteogram Weather Widget (Android)

The weather does feel rather wonky these days, making me refer to my weather app more often lately. However, even the best data cannot accurately predict the weather, but at least it does provide a barometer of things to come. The Meteogram Weather Widget can be rather technical, but it offers a kind of untold riches when it concerns data.

This is a resizable weather widget (which also doubles up as an app, depending on how you would like to use it) that provides a detailed and visually appealing weather forecast. In other words, you can know what's up with the weather at a glance without having to sift through menu after menu.

The simplicity or complexity of the matter depends on your personal preference. What I like most about this app is the high degree of customization options available. Of course, paying to unlock the Platinum status will make even more features available to you, not to mention losing the watermark. With the ability to display government-issued weather alerts charts, you know you are spoiled for choice.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($1.49 — $39.99) / Account required: No

There is a danger of it getting overcomplicated, but again, it boils down to your personality and preference. All in all, this is one of the more comprehensive weather apps I have come across to date.

• Download Meteogram Weather Widget from the Google Play Store.

Dogo — Puppy and Dog Training (Android & iOS)

Training a puppy—from toilet training to obedience—requires time, effort, patience, and love. However, investing in a puppy's first two years pays huge dividends for the years you'll enjoy with your furry friend, and Dogo is here to help you make it happen.

A wildly popular dog training app, it helps change the way dogs are trained and raised. For starters, the library has a comprehensive list of over 100 dog tricks complete with video instructions to help you get started. I love video instructions, it makes it far easier to understand and execute compared to reading about it.

There are also knowledge-based articles for you to read, while a community aspect of the app allows you to share photos with others and connect with different dog owners. Of course, paying to unlock additional training tips and videos makes sense, since the developers have to make a living as well. Still, if you can nail down all the basic training with the free videos, I'd say your dog is already one well-trained buddy!

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes/ In-app purchases: Yes ($3.99 — $99.99) / Account required: Yes

Above all, as a dog owner, I implore you show plenty of love and patience to your furkid. If at first the two of you do not succeed, try again. Sure, some breeds tend to learn faster than others, but most importantly, have fun, challenge your dog's brain, and enjoy the bonding time together.   

• Download Dogo — Puppy and Dog Training from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Scarlet's Haunted Hotel (Android & iOS)

Time management games can be hit or miss for me; sometimes, I feel like a genius for mastering a level, while other times, I feel completely stuck, unable to pull it all together in, well, time. Scarlet's Haunted Hotel is an intriguing time management adventure that challenges players to balance running a hotel while solving clues to uncover a mystery.

There are 60 story-driven levels in total, where each of them have their own tale, twists, and turns. Set in 19th-century America, I liked the game's art direction and how it adds to the atmosphere. The graphics and audio come together brilliantly to deliver an engaging experience. Just in case the current difficulty feels too tough, it is nice to be able to drop it down a notch (or dial it up if it is too easy).

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($14.99 — $89.99) / Account required: Yes

It is also enjoyable to see the developer thrown in mini-games that will help break the monotony of gameplay if you are feeling bored or just need to look at things from a different perspective. With 5 unique locations to explore in this game, you will find it well worth your time checking out all of them.

This game can be played for free, and if you want to sign up for a GameHouse subscription, you will be able to unlock all other games from the developer with unlimited play. Thankfully, the controls were laid out in a mobile-friendly manner for you to enjoy.

• Download Scarlet's Haunted Hotel from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

That's all we have for now! We will return next week with a new Top 5 Apps of the Week list.