Top 10 Windows 8 touch apps

The Windows 8 Release Preview has been available since the beginning of the month, so by now you've probably played around with it a little and started to get used to the way everything works in the new Metro environment.

As we've learnt from mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS, the OS is only half the story. For Windows 8 to be successful, it needs some great third-party apps to go with its touchscreen-friendly interface. Fortunately for Microsoft, there are already a lot of really good touchscreen titles in its Windows 8 store. Here's 10 you should definitely try out.

1. Cookbook

If you plan on taking your Windows 8 tablet into the kitchen, then you'll want to get Cookbook. It has a stunning interface and is powered by BigOven, so you'll have access to over 200,000 recipes in the palm of your hand.

2. Cut the Rope

Cut the Rope is a popular mobile game that has finally made its way over to Windows, and the graphics look absolutely fantastic. Catch stars, feed Om Nom, progress through all the levels… you'll soon know the drill!

3. Sky News

Sky News is one of the first news vendors to make it onto Windows 8. The layout of the app is very similar to their iPad version, so if you've used it before then you'll be comfortable navigating through the stories and categories.

4. Kindle

There's a Kindle app on every major platform, so to see it on Windows 8 is hardly a surprise. The library interface looks great and the app allows you to store books locally and pin them to the Start screen for easy access. But it does highlight a few issues with the Metro UI as there's no way to read your book in portrait mode.

5. Evernote

Whether you're a student or office-bound, Evernote can be used to take and organise notes. Currently, the app doesn't offer much new when it comes to creating and editing notes, but the interface is sleek and easy to navigate, allowing you to find and read your existing notes easily.

6. Fit Ball

Fit Ball is ideal for people looking to get fit in their own living room. Simply stand in front of your screen and Fit Ball will use your webcam to track you, allowing you to punch your way through levels as you take out objects on the screen. It's like a cheap version of Kinect and it's a lot of fun.

7. Tweetro

Tweetro is one of a few Twitter apps available on Windows 8. In my opinion, it's the best. You can post status updates, follow your timeline and view recent photos, all on one screen, thanks to Metro's side-scrolling interface. There's no live tile option to view incoming tweets yet though.

8. Fruit Ninja

Fruit Ninja is slightly underwhelming with a mouse, but it's hard to beat this game when you have a touchscreen at your disposal. On Windows 8, it looks and feels the same as the iPad version.

9. AccuWeather

AccuWeather has the potential to look incredible on Windows 8, with large images showing you the current climate conditions where you are. Unfortunately, it's tailored for 1,366x768-pixel displays, so if your screen has a higher resolution, you'll have to put up with an unsightly box effect. You can view live weather information through a tile on your Start screen so you don't need to open the app itself.

10. National Rail

If you regularly use trains to get from A to B, then you should definitely take a look at National Rail's enquiries app. You can set a home and work station for easy access and get train times nearest to your current location using GPS. You're also able to pin certain stations to your Start screen, although specific routes can't be pinned just yet.