It worked so well clever coders have worked out a way to bring it back to iOS users outside of the App Store.
With Tapjoy announcing its consumer exchange program in early November and now Fiksu in the US - a user acquisition service - have launched a similar service called Credit swaps.
Only available for iPhone and iPad for people with US iTunes accounts, all you have to do is check out www.FreeMyApps.com in Safari on your iOS device.
You have to download a piece of code to check what you've installed then you can download from a list of selected free apps from sponsors of the service.
Each one you download, install and use for 30 seconds you'll receive credits which can then be used to 'buy' paid games.
Last week there were 2,450 credits available to be downloaded via 12 apps.
Games available to 'buy' include the likes of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope and Tiny Wings for 390 credits, while N.O.V.A. 2 is 1,640 credits and Risk 865 credits.
The check out system works using a gift code which is automatically inserted into your iTunes redeem box, but, at this time, it's limited to US iTunes accounts only.
It's expected the service will be rolled out to different countries, as well as Android during 2012.
You can check it out via www.FreeMyApps.com, but remember although non-US users will gain credit for downloading apps, you can't 'buy' games unless you're logged into a US iTunes account.
