Each week, Apple chooses an "App of the Week" to highlight in the App Store, making it free to download for seven days. This week's pick is pinball app INKS, which is normally priced at $2.99. INKS was first released in May of 2016 and has never been available for free before. INKS was also a 2016 Apple Design Award winner.

INKS is a modern interpretation of pinball, combining the fun of a pinball game with tactical skill-based challenges and art creation. As you play, the ball sends bursts of ink across the game board, so it's a different experience each time.


The game features more than 100 unique pinball tables to conquer, balanced gameplay, the ability to share high scores and favorite canvases, and, best of all, no in-app purchases. Apple's Editors' Notes:

Pinball meets paintball in this gorgeous Apple Design Award winner from the team behind Lumino City. Inks ditches the stressful not-so-fun parts of pinball, focusing instead on a breathtaking experience that's part puzzle-solving, part artistic explosions of color. We seriously want to frame our best levels--inks is that beautiful.

In a review, our sister site TouchArcade gave INKS four and a half stars and called it a "clever spin on one of the oldest concepts in electronic gaming" with superb level design and visuals.

inks
INKS can be downloaded for free for the next seven days, and after that, a new App of the Week will be chosen. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Michael Scrip Avatar
109 months ago
I used to be able to open iTunes from my computer (where I'm reading this page now) and quickly download the app and have it appear on my phone.

But they've taken that away....
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brauntj Avatar
109 months ago
So where are these "free app of the weeks" now in the iOS 11 App Store?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
109 months ago
Looks like blood splatter. :cool:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
simonmet Avatar
109 months ago
Thanks for continuing to highlight these. I’m not in the market for any Apple products so I don’t tend to browse the Apple Store app and I otherwise miss them.

As for (unlimited) IAP, yes I’m not a fan of that but I downloaded anyway and can’t see it being in any way obnoxious in the first few levels at least.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JackieInCo Avatar
108 months ago
So they switched it to IAP now since it's App of the Week? That sucks.
Not going to fall for this. I was about ready to download the game but not now. I don't do IAP no matter what the app is.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...