Apps We Love – March 2021: Games

We know you don’t work 24/7, even though sometimes it seems like it. When you take off your work hat, do you put your phone aside, or do you wind down by playing a few games? This “Apps We Love” article focuses on games, and the members of the CPA Practice Advisor community have generously agreed to share their favorite games that they play on their phones. We all need a little respite from busy season and bad weather!

Jackie Meyer, CPA, CTS, CTC, founder at Meyer Tax, said, “A guilty pleasure of mine, and many colleagues I know, is Two Dots. Keeps your mind busy and shows how you stack up to your Facebook friends!”

Samantha Mansfield, founder at Samantha Mansfield LLC, recommends, “Sudoku and Unblock Me – I have always liked puzzles, so these 2 apps are fun when I have a couple free minutes. Unblock Me has a multi-player option, but I like the relax mode.”

Jeremias Ramos, CPA, tax manager at Withum and editor-in-chief of The Daily CPA, opts for using his free time for learning: “Not sure if it counts but I use Duolingo to practice my Spanish.”

Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, managing director, IntrapriseTechKnowlogies, LLC confessed, “Humm, ok I guess this my ‘coming out’ as a gamer. 😊  I am a regular player of Mobile Legends Bang Bang. It’s a multi-player online battle arena (MOBA) where two teams of 5 people battle against each other across a broad map. You can choose from an assortment of heroes to play and each hero has specific skills or powers. I like it because the games will generally be between 8 to 20 minutes, so for a break, I can play one or two games for a mental break and then go back to what I was going. Every game is different because you get paired with different people using different heroes so I never get tired of it.”

Liz Mason, CPA, CEO and founder, High Rock Accounting, told us, “My favorite phone game app is PEAK. Mostly because it’s based in science. It’s definitely fun and keeps my brain off of work.”

David Almonte, CPA, CGMA, financial reporting and analysis manager at Amica Insurance, said, “This will sound pretty nerdy but my favorite apps I utilize for fun outside of work are Fidelity and Yahoo Finance as investing and the stock market are huge passions of mine since I was a little kid. Games specific, I am usually playing WSOP (World Series of Poker), Hoop Stack or using the new Oculus app and headset with the kids (amazing if you have never used virtual reality).”

Caleb Jenkins, EA, CQP, leader of client accounting services at RLJ Financial Services, Inc., said, “I love to play games to wind down – my favorite is Sudoku but I’m also learning to love Spades.”

Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner, CPA.CITP, CGMA, DTM, vice president of finance and human resources at International Legal Technology Association, told us, “I like to play Words with Friends to connect with family and friends in a fun and competitive way.”

Roslyn Banks, EA, founder of Adelaide Rose LLC, said, “I have two – my old faithful is Spiderette on the Solitaire App (a version of Spider Solitaire). New since the pandemic is Fishdom. I am addicted to the pearl tournament challenges and holiday themed upgrades each month. I also love the themed fish tanks in the game, I let my children spend the prize winnings picking out different fish and decorations in the app.”

Randy Johnston, CEO and co-founder of Network Management Group, Inc., and executive vice president at K2 Enterprise, looks at information for fun, “I’m pretty boring with this. My ‘games’ are apps that let me look at flights, plants, and wind: Flightradar24, iPlants, and Ventusky.”

Jeff Wilson II, CPA, PFS, CFE, CGMA, CDFA, principal at The W2 Group, LLC, told us, “Favorite Online games to wind down… Uno with my son.. or Spades.”

Marjorie Adams, CEO at Fourlane, Inc., said, “I love Ramsay Dash or Cooking Craze. They make me work my memory skills while also fine motor skills so it really helps me wind down my brain. The other is Lumosity for brain teasers. This makes me feel less like I’m playing a game and more like I’m exercising my brain!”

Blake Oliver, CPA, marketing director for Jirav, said, “Amidst the existential dread of busy season, nothing is more appropriate than the 8-bit retro arcade classic, Crossy Road (crossyroad.com). When it feels like everything is coming at you all at once, it’s nice to take control of your destiny as the fabled chicken crossing the road.”

Nikki Winston, CPA, senior finance controller for Modern Life, gaming and consumer support at Microsoft, CPA exam instructor and coach, and host of the WERKin’ Mommas podcast, shared her favorite brain games: Boggle, Spades, Words with Friends, Elevate, Angry Birds 2.

Stacy Kildal, founder of Kildal Services LLC, shared this: “Upwords! I usually have games going with 4-5 people, and Gail Perry beats me every time 🙂 My sister, Kristen, and I play GamePigeon pool all day, every day. At least once a day one of us is texting the other: ‘It’s your turn.’ “

Kari Hipsak, CPA, CGMA, senior manager at Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said, “I typically haven’t used my phone to play games, but COVID has changed that! One game I like to play from time to time is called Logo Quiz. It shows logos with identifying words removed and the player has to correctly identify the logo. I probably never gave marketing enough credit based on how many I can identify without even realizing I was aware of the company or product.”

John Higgins, CPA.CITP, strategic technology advisor, owner and co-founder at CPA Crossings LLC, confessed, “I don’t typically play games on my phone. I am more of  a YouTube junkie 😊. I have started exploring FanDuel recently because online gambling is now legal in Michigan. You can bet on virtually any aspect of any sporting event for as little as $1. I am not promoting it, but I am finding it very interesting. The amount of advertising they are doing for this on TV during sporting events is incredible.”

Mark Brooks, investment manager at Syngenta Corporate Ventures, shared his favorites:

• Lemmings – I used to play this game on a x86 computer when I was younger, and now it’s on iOS!  A fun, quick, and relatively low level puzzle solving game.
• Chess – there are several of these on iOS. Humbling to get beat often by a phone.
• Mini Metro – another puzzle/strategy game where the player designs a subway system to move passengers. Levels get challenging quickly.

Gail Perry, CPA, editor-in-chief at CPA Practice Advisor, added, “Yours truly has a few favorites as well. I’m hooked on Upwords and Words with Friends, and I’ve evolved to Killer Sudoku. I also enjoy Boggle, Hearts, and (because I’m from Indiana) Euchre.”