By Megan Keefer

To those with iTouches and smart phones, game apps have become almost as addicting as   Facebook.

Games such as “Amateur Surgeon 2,” “Angry Birds,” and “Doodle Balance” are some of the most popular games to date.

What makes these games so addicting?  Most Cal students like the competitive aspect, and the chance to get the highest score, giving them bragging rights with all their friends. Not to mention it is a great way to waste time in class.

“I play ‘Amateur Surgeon 2’ because it’s gory but funny at the same time,” said senior Katelyn Schwartz, “You get to operate on a pig.”

In this particular game, the player levels up by successfully operating on increasingly crazy patients.

The game starts with a user having to use torches, healing salves, and knitting needles to fix a patient in a nursing home.

The tool kit for this particular game includes a rusty pizza cutter, a rusty pair of tongs, a car battery, a dirty chain saw, and a bloody hand vacuum, among other things.

The scenarios and patients become more and more ridiculous as the user levels up, making it hard to put down.  Users want to see the next patient, which keeps them coming back to the game.

“‘Angry Birds’ is one of my favorite games because there are tons of new levels,” said sophomore Kyle Oldham.

In this immensely popular game there are seven different birds a player can play through the entire story line.

In an effort to get their stolen eggs back from the evil green pigs, the birds fly through the air to knock down the pigs’ protection.

While the idea for the game seems slightly childish at first, that is exactly what keeps it interesting. The child-like mentality of the birds is funny and endearing.

Gamers continue to play, especially when they are  constantly updating themselves, which adds to the games appeal.

“What makes ‘Angry Birds’ so addicting is that you are always trying to perfect your score,” said Katelyn.

In the game “Doodle Balance,” players are challenged to keep playing until the 40 second mark.

Using only one finger to balance a ball on a tilting platform,  the users test their hand-eye coordination in a unique way.

Not only is the player keeping this ball balanced on the platform, there’s another ball they have to keep in the air at the same time.

“In ‘Doodle Balance,’ you’re trying to get the most time, so it’s like you can’t stop until you get a high score,” said freshman Alicia Mickley.

It is clear how incredibly popular gaming apps have become at Cal.  Students are obsessed, and it seems like this new trend is here to stay.