Last year was huge for Apple, thanks in no small part to the release of two devices: the iPhone 4 and the iPad. Steve Jobs’ mega-empire became the most valuable technology company in the world, with a market capitalisation of US$227.1 billion. That’s US$800 million more than Microsoft.

While both devices have their detractors, most will agree that they are both highly desirable pieces of tech. Both devices present high-end mobile hardware, backed up by excellent build quality and fantastic design principles. However, the real star of the show is the App Store.

The App Store, along with iTunes, grants users access to a ridiculously broad selection of consumable media. You will have access to podcasts, music, TV shows, applications and movies – the list is virtually endless. However, the question of greatest importance to many readers of this website is: are games available on the South African App Store?

Put simply, the App Store is teaming with thousands of games, all begging to be bought and played. Many go for as little as US$0.99, while some ask a relatively steep US$9.99. From casual classics, to lesser known sim gems such as Game Dev Story, there is a lot on offer for gamers. 

Sadly, many South Africans have no idea of their device’s potential because we have been lumped with a stripped down App Store that is barely a shadow of its US counterpart. You won’t even find a games section in the SA App Store. 

Thankfully though, it is pretty easy to get around this limitation.

How to create a US iTunes account 

Firstly, credit has to go to Gerhard at iGeek, as his walkthrough was what initially led me through the process.

Step 1

First things first; open iTunes on your PC or iPhone/iPad. You will have to be connected to the internet. 

Step 2

If you are logged into your existing South African iTunes account, logout.

You can navigate to the logout menu by clicking on your email address found in the top right of the screen.

Step 3

Once logged out and now viewing the iTunes home screen, check the bottom right corner and make sure that the flag rendered is an American flag, not a South African flag. If it is already an American flag, proceed to step 4. If it is a South African flag, click on it. You will be taken to a window which will allow you to select a country. Select the US flag.

This will take you to the US iTunes store main menu.

Step 4

Scroll to the top of the iTunes page, and select the App Store tab. Browse the App Store for any free App that strikes your fancy. Angry Birds Lite is a good choice, and you can find it by entering the name in the search bar in the top right.

Next to the app image, you will see a tab which says ‘Free’ – click it. 

You will now be prompted to either sign in, or create an iTunes account. Select create an iTunes account.

Important

You have to select a free app when creating a US account from SA. If you simply try create an account from the main menu, you will be asked to enter your US credit card details, which will have to be registered to a US address. 

Step 5

Proceed through the first page in the sign-up process by entering the required details. You may enter your real name and birthday, and you must enter a working email address that you have access to. 

The second page will ask you for your credit card details. Because you opted to purchase a free app, you will also have the option to choose ‘none.’ Select ‘none’ as your credit card choice.

Next, you will have to enter a valid US physical address. You can get one of these over at fakenamegenerator.com. Enter the remaining details, but don’t worry, Apple will not send mail to the provided address. 

Once all the information is correctly entered, you may proceed. 

Your US iTunes account should now be created. You will be prompted to confirm the account by clicking on a link in an email which will be sent to the email address you supplied. Once you have done this, you will be ready to browse and download from the App store, as well as the broader US iTunes store at will.

Payment

Most of the really cool stuff on iTunes and the App Store costs money. Since you don’t have a US credit card, you will have to buy vouchers from a third party iTunes reseller. iTunesUSA is reliable, efficient, and based in SA.

Once payment has been received, your voucher code will be sent directly to your email address. You can then enter this code in iTunes and your account will be credited with cash.  

There are many other resellers of US iTunes vouchers which you can find with a quick Google search, however we can only vouch for iTunesUSA. There are scammers out there, so buyer beware.

iTunes vouchers allow you to buy apps, games, albums, TV show and movies. It is also possible to rent movies and TV shows from the iTunes store.

Congratulations, you just unlocked the true potential of your Apple device.

Some great games to get you started include Angry Birds ($0.99), Burn the Rope ($0.99), Plants vs. Zombies ($2.99), Call of Duty: Zombies ($4.99), Infinity Blade ($5.99), iMobsters (free), Rock Band ($4.99), Secrets of Mana ($8.99), GTA: Chinatown Wars ($9.99), 100 Rogues (free), Lara Croft and the Guardian of the Light ($6.99), N.O.V.A. 2 ($6.99) and RAGE HD ($1.99). 

Remember, many full games have free versions which essentially act as a demo, so try before you buy.

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