New ideas and an attractive presentation enables Spirits to conjure the active puzzle play of Lemmings in a new form.

StarDunk is a simple space-themed basketball game that quickly becomes addictive thanks to its short play sessions and competitive online play.

Wise to the ways of tight touch controls, Street Fighter IV knocks out impressive fighting without the features and modes of play to back it up.

In spite of the steep difficulty, Super QuickHook is a charming, fun aerial adventure.

It may not have online multiplayer, yet Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. clutches a superbly designed single-player campaign in its talons.

Trainyard is a quietly beguiling puzzler with an excellent tutorial and a generous supply of levels.

With the right control setting, Vampire Origins is an exciting adventure that has the flavour of vampire folklore without getting bogged down in its mythos.

A snowboarding game like many others, made great by a judicious attention to detail and a permeating quality.

As expressive as its ninja's dashing eyebrows, Parachute Ninja is a great little game that builds on strong tactile physics gameplay with subtle level design.

Thanks to charming presentation, tight rhythmic gameplay, and keen replayability, Tiny Wings is well worth flapping onto the App Store for.

Spires wraps together high production values, a brilliant story and compelling gameplay to create a statisfying and challenging tactical experience.

Straightforward colour-matching mechanics, challenging modes, and excellent replay value make Push Panic highly recommended.

A superior sequel in almost every way, Puzzle Quest 2 offers a combination of role-playing and match-three gameplay that is only let down by some niggling technical issues.

Qbism convincingly makes use of the touchscreen for simple, yet astonishingly addictive puzzle play that will suck you in for hours.

Everything you'd expect from a sequel to a million-selling game, although it doesn't quite have the immediacy of the original.

Combining arcade racing thrills with kart racing spills, Raging Thunder 2's well-featured single player mode and accomplished online multiplayer modes ensure its place among the iPhone racing elite.

Hot Springs Story secures Kairosoft's position as the god of iPhone management gaming. Far too addictive for its own good.

Enhanced graphics and captivating races keep Real Racing HD relevant despite the lack of new content.

Some primping is all that's needed to make this inventive new approach to music gaming a gold hit.

Speedball 2 Evolution isn't a step forward for the old fighter, but it does offer up some enjoyably violent nostalgic action.

Jelly Cars 3 is an addictive combination of driving and physics-based platforming that manages to overcome one or two minor control issues.

Cleverly weaving together action and strategy, Fleeced! - Shear Terror epitomises creative design and competitive fun.

A brightly coloured, cleverly designed platform-puzzler, Kami Retro is recommended for quick doses of challenging fun.

Pokemon Black and White doesn't mess too much with the tried and tested formula, providing an experience we know and love.

Pokemon Black and White doesn't mess too much with the tried and tested formula, providing an experience we know and love.

iStunt 2 is a ferocious mixture of hardcore high score gameplay and fun ragdoll snowboarding physics.

Physics-based action puzzler iBlast Moki provides plenty of explosive fun as well as providing some surprisingly thoughtful challenges.

A pint-sized facsimile of the massively successful home console brawler, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition overcomes its minor interface issues to become one of the finest portable punch-ups we've experienced in years.

Tapper World Tour is a shot of fun arcade gameplay and colourful graphics that will have you asking for a second round.

Tapper World Tour is a shot of fun arcade gameplay and colourful graphics that will have you asking for a second round

Like some of the most iconic platformers all rolled into one, Soosiz's gravity-defying play and smart level design make it a fun and familiar romp.

Battleheart's thrilling concoction of strategy and role-playing will prove spellbinding to any iPhone gamer looking for a quality fantasy action title.

A unique adventure game with an incredible sense of style, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP captivates despite of its abstract approach.

Bird Zapper! is match-three done well with solid gameplay, fun power-ups, and attention to the little details.

It might look a bit dated now, but Final Fantasy IV Advance is a classic gaming experience.

While not for those lacking experience points, Final Fantasy V Advance offers a highly customisable adventure for anyone seeking a role-playing challenge.

Good virtual controls and easy-going gameplay make Final Fantasy III a recommended role-playing adventure.

A comprehensive Who's Who of Final Fantasy, DDFF manages to transpose the core elements of Square Enix's long running franchise into a highly polished fighter with depth.

A predictably solid new instalment, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 balances a lack of online multiplayer and other problem areas with great swing mechanics and courses.

Not in the slightest bit sketchy, Max and the Magic Marker gives you a light hand in level design that results in something of a platforming gem.

Not in the slightest bit sketchy, Max and the Magic Marker gives you a light hand in level design that results in something of a platforming gem.

Land-a Panda boasts excellent visuals, a long-term challenge and engaging physics-based gameplay, only slightly undone by some minor control grievances.

Land-a Panda boasts excellent visuals, a long-term challenge and engaging physics-based gameplay, only slightly undone by some minor control grievances

Simple but smart, Collision Effect offers striking visuals and a setup that remains uncomplicated but challenging throughout.

In a genre as packed to the gills as the match-three puzzler, Piyo Blocks 2 stands out by doing the simple things extraordinarily well.

With more tricks than your average magician, Snowboard Hero offers frenetic fun on the slopes, held together by an intuitive career mode that keeps you on track from start to finish.

Mos Speedrun is a fun old skool platformer with tight controls and some neat tricks that help make it stand out from the crowd.

Streets of Rage 2 is a well-crafted iPhone port, capturing the original gameplay well and offering Bluetooth multiplayer to boot.

While it won't win any awards for innovation, Pac'N Jump is a faithful replication of the Doodle Jump formula with an added scoop of nostalgia.

Air Penguin is a charming arcade game with solid controls and plenty of replay value.

Bejeweled finally comes to the Nintendo DS, providing the addictive match-three gameplay we've become accustomed to.

A wonderfully formed block-breaker, Mad Blocker Alpha should be a constant presence on your PSP if you have even the slightest interest in puzzlers.

GemCraft is an unusual tower defence game with a wealth of content and some clever twists to the usual formula.

Putting a new spin on a combination of Pachinko and Peggle, Full Fat's Coin Drop is a bright, breezy, and enjoyable arcade game mixing elements of luck and skill.

Par Out Golf's line-drawing gameplay is unlikely to appeal to the members of St Andrews or Augusta, but it's still a testing alternative golf game that will frustrate and entertain in equal measure.

A massive, beautifully collected, exceptional value for money anthology of the Final Fantasy IV universe, yet one that will do nothing to convert non-FF fans.

Plants vs Zombies DSi prunes away some of the game modes, but still provides one of the best DSi experiences you can find.

With strong visuals and a tight touch, Vampire Rush is a successful marriage of the tower defence and hack and slash genres.

Stunning to look at and play, but viciously tough to beat, Pulse: Volume One's relative lack of content and replay incentive is the only dissonance in an otherwise perfect cadence.

Gears is a tough, expansive, and fun ball-rolling game with some excellent level design.

It's a beautiful chaos that will feel great to hardcore gamers, but casual folks may put it down after a few minutes. Who's That Flying?! is an excellent choice for gamers who like to sweat.

Though not as deep as many of its rivals, Army of Darkness: Defense makes sheer playability its focus and serves up an addictive castle defence battler.

With plenty of levels and items to collect, Frisbee Fever is an enjoyable arcade title with surprisingly high production values.

Brilliantly paced and even more addictive than Angry Birds, Siege Hero is the rightful new owner of the physics puzzler crown.

While Bumpy Road is thin on content, it makes up for that with buckets of occasionally touching indie charm.

Dead or Alive: Dimensions has a fighting style that fits the system its running on, and some excellent graphics.

Tower Defense: Lost Earth lives up to its official status and gives the App Store a well-presented and enjoyable tower defence experience.

A polished, entertaining, and varied assortment of brainteasers that's a must have for any iPhone puzzle fan.

If you're looking to grab a DSiWare title in preparation for the upcoming 3DS eShop, Mighty Milky Way would be a mighty good choice, providing plenty of fun and intrigue.

Pretty to look at and fun to play, Nuts! is a competent 3D alternative to Doodle Jump.

While offering nothing radically new or different, House of Mice is an entertaining and charismatic physics based puzzle game.

The Secret Tree of Life will give your brain a real workout, with challenging puzzles and plenty of intrigue.

Good-looking and instantly accessible, Icebreaker Hockey will be another smash hit for NaturalMotion.

While differing from the main series, ANNO: The Harbor explores a new style of gameplay that proves franchises can have exciting new life on iPhone and iPod touch.

Proof that four wheels aren't necessarily better than two, Ducati Challenge boasts slick visuals, realistic controls, and solid gameplay. Online multiplayer would have taken it to the top step, but it's a solid podium finish regardless.

Polished, addictive, and disarmingly sweet, Joining Hands is the perfect puzzling pick-me-up.

Solid, simple, and effective controls are the basis for an entertaining one-touch experience.

A gloriously inventive combination of Nokia's Snake and Tron's light cycles, Hard Lines includes a dazzling variety of modes and provides weeks of entertainment for short-burst gamers and dedicated score-chasers alike.

With a host of new features and visual improvements, Galaga 30th Collection is an essential package for arcade fans, while the inclusion of Galaxian for free means that there is no excuse not to try it.

With charming cartoon visuals and pin-sharp controls, Rocket Bunnies is addictive, planet-tapping fun.

While it sounds bare, Zynga's Hanging With Friends is a well-featured casual game that takes Hangman to new heights.

With its endearing visuals, finger-friendly gameplay and stern challenge, Monster Soup proves to be an excellent iPhone puzzler. Only the lack of play options and that all-important multiplayer mode hold it back.

Charm and challenge in a neat 22MB file that will sit on your PSP for a lifetime. While it's an unforgiving game in places, it largely overcomes this with a vibrant and intelligent design ethos.

A retro platformer that stands out from the crowds with its evocative presentation, exploration, and firm-but-fair controls.

Frustrating in all the right ways, this sophisticated head-scratcher is a must for puzzle nuts.

An innovative take on the slice-'em-up genre whose new ideas and simple controls will endear it to fans of the Chop Chop series and newcomers alike.

Slow to start, and surprisingly easy to fail at first, give Pocket Academy time and it'll grip just as hard as Kairosoft's previous management games.

Funny and surreal, Puzzle Agent 2 is a case well worth reopening.

A fun and easy to play strategy game that entertains with its great graphics and wide variety of troops and missions.

Block Breaker 3 Unlimited's great visuals, effective controls, and multitude of modes and features make this an essential purchase for block-breaking fans.

Despite its cartoon art style and arcadey gameplay, Shake Spears! scores thanks to the surprising tactical intelligence it requires.

Until Magic: The Gathering comes to iPhone, Kard Combat will rule the dark magic roost, with hours of single-player card battling action and wonderful multiplayer options.

Twin-stick blasting goes online with this excellent and highly addictive title. If you can stomach the large amount of time required to unlock the best weapons, you'll find a long-lasting challenge awaits.

While it lasts, this wonderfully relaxing physics-puzzler makes an ideal antidote to Angry Birds rage.

A mammoth package indeed, Jet Set Go takes the 'greatest hits' approach, and manages to deliver a fair yet fiercely addictive time-management sim.

Cut the Rope: Experiments adds lots of kooky contraptions to the original hit.

Clever, polished, and perfectly tuned to keep you hooked, Zombie Gunship is another iPhone time-destroyer.

Dream Track Nation is an old skool racing blast with great multiplayer options.

Kairosoft continues its management game dominance with Mega Mall Story: our addiction levels beg for mercy.

Both easy to learn and challenging, Paper Munchers is an addictive puzzler.

Laughing Jackal's latest offers challenge and depth in its mechanics, bottling the chaos of a zombie outbreak in a smartly designed puzzler.

Familiar and fresh at the same time, Spy Mouse takes an existing formula and expands it into something quite special.

Attractive and addictive, Cubes vs. Spheres is a geometric war worth waging.

Hector Ep2 is more welcoming for newcomers, without losing the sharp wit, funny jokes, and tough puzzles that marked it out in the first place.

Hector Ep2 is more welcoming for newcomers, without losing the sharp wit, funny jokes, and tough puzzles that marked it out in the first place.

A faithful conversion from page to screen in almost every way. While the journey is troubled at times by a brutally unforgiving role playing philosophy, it's still one you'll want to take time and time again.

An addictive and alluring action platformer with a unique hook and lots to unlock, Muffin Knight comes highly recommended.

Both visually strong and effortlessly old skool, NFL Rivals is an addictive arcade take on American football.

Like Doodle Jump on absinthe, GoatUp is another welcome dose of Minter madness.

Old skool as heck, Flick Champions HD is simple, fun, and addictive.

Bit.Trip Saga is a game you could crawl into and live inside of comfortably for a good few weeks.

A wholly unique adventure that has no equal on the iPhone, King of Dragon Pass makes up for in depth what it lacks in accessibility.

A unique puzzle game that adds regular twists to keep itself thoroughly entertaining and playable.

Kirby Mass Attack is one of the most innovative and varied platformers in Kirby's long, diverse repertoire, making it a fitting swan song for the aging DS.

Giving the impression of an interactive cartoon, Where's My Water's physics-heavy puzzling should appeal to everyone, despite its childish exterior and some control irritations.

The best Adult Swim title to date, and a squeak away from classic status.

The best third-person action game available on mobiles, with stunning graphics and tight controls.

Aliens: Infestation is the side-scrolling Metroid you've been waiting for, and will especially excite fans of the original movie.

Commander Pixman takes good old-fashioned gameplay and wraps it up in an appealing retro package which will keep adrenaline junkies sated for quite some time. The steep challenge may be a little too much for some players, however.

Pixel Ranger's presentation can't be faulted, and it offers a stern arcade challenge for those who are skilful enough to master its occasionally taxing control system.

A finely crafted RPG-lite of the simple life, set against the backdrop of an idyllic rural world.

Like a bowl of deep-fried calamari with sliced lemon and mayonaise, every bite is a delight. It's just a shame about the pricing model.

One of the most addictive racers on the market, only freemium grumbles stop Forever Drive being an instant classic.

An atmospheric zombie shooter whose annoyances are outweighed by production values which put full-price games to shame.

The controls take some getting used to, but the effort is worth it as Sky Gamblers provides hours of excellent dog-fighting fun – both in solo and multiplayer form.

A charming confection that's impossible not to like, with stellar production values and solid gameplay.

A well-crafted platformer with a neat central hook, Bring Me Sandwiches!! is another Adult Swim cracker.

A remarkably generous offering from Team17. Fun, playable, and stuffed to bursting point with content.

Simple but well-tuned fighting gameplay, combined with some great humour, make Mage Gauntlet worth conjuring onto your iPhone.

It owes much to Trials HD, but Bike Baron is one of the most addictive iOS games around.

One of the best film tie-ins for a long time, and one of Gameloft's strongest games this year, both fans and newcomers to the boy reporter's travels will find plenty to enjoy with this stylish adventure.

A terrific port for this substantial side-scroller that comes highly recommended if you haven't played the DS original.

Poker Pals is an unusual, simple, and fun multiplayer title that hides a surprising amount of depth.

A beautiful underwater adventure - the four-year wait was worth it.

Attractive and slick strategy game with a huge single-player campaign and competitive gameplay.

A unique take on the third-person action genre with satisfyingly different touchscreen controls.

Still pining for some Tetris after all these years? Tetris 3DS is yet another great addition to the franchise, with tons of modes and exciting multiplayer action.

With polished presentation, responsive controls, and an entire universe of upgrades to explore, Asteroids Gunner successfully updates the classic concept and establishes itself as one of the finest twin-stick shooters on the App Store.

Slick and polished action-shooter. A little repetitive, but great fun when the different elements fit together.

Stylish battles and profoundly smart single-player content make BlazBlue a solid fighting experience, though people wanting to show off their skills may be served better elsewhere.

A brilliantly built piece of platforming action, Raccoon Rising is definitely worth a look, even if you've never felt the need to fling an animal up a tree.

Tales of the Abyss 3DS takes the original release and betters it, with great RPG action on-the-go.

A brash, bright shooter, Major Mayhem is a brilliant way to waste an hour. It's just a shame there isn't more to get your teeth into.

A brutal, cyclical action RPG that builds on the foundations of its predecessor, Infinity Blade II is a showcase for everything that's right about sequels, but it's not the big leap forward that some might have been hoping for.

Homerun Battle 2 strips baseball down to its essence and makes it fun for even non-sports fans.

Some niggles with the controls and pricing aside, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Zombies is a fine port of the entertaining survival mode.

Recollection's rules are smart, sharp, and pleasingly unique. The Creed-themed campaign is very enjoyable, but prepare to pay out for booster packs if you want to compete online.

Though it comes with a new subscription service, in truth Tetris is as addictive now as it ever was, and EA's latest manages to fuse old with new in what proves to be a welcome update.

This funny and entertaining take on the fantasy-RPG genre isn't without fault, but it manages to win you over regardless. A few hours in the hilarious company of The Bard is enough to make you question everything you know about RPG titles.

How do you like your eggs? We like 'em gently poached, with a side-order of platform action and lateral puzzles.

Clever, inventive, and moving, this short but sweet puzzler is not soon forgotten.

Despite Square Enix's slovenly porting skills, none of Chrono Trigger's brilliance has been obscured in this rather lazy iOS port. Hours of riveting RPG entertainment await those of you willing to look past the fuzzy graphics and occasionally awkward controls.

A manic game that requires performance enhancing drugs to keep up with it. We suspect it's an audition piece for The Last Starfighter.

Offering the right kind of ludic lunacy, Time Ducks is a wacky winner.

As well-constructed as it is good-looking, Tongue Tied! takes a wonderfully strange idea and turns it into a brilliantly playable platformer.

Kairosoft throws out another stonking management title, with Venture Towns satisfying our hunger for creativity, expansion, and depth.

Genres and synapses collide in this glossy confection that conceals an infinite-match-flightpath arcade-puzzler. Hard to believe it's being given away for nothing.

Super Crate Box is a stark and challenging indie game shot through with humour and care.

Addictive and quick fire, Run Roo Run is a perfect example of tailored iOS design, although it'll be over a little too quickly for some.

A 2D platformer in the traditional sense, Terra Noctis borrows elements from Sonic and Mario to create one of the best examples of the genre yet seen on the iPhone. Physical controls would have made it a near-perfect game, but it's still a highly recommended download.

With some of the best tilt controls we've encountered, Crazy Hedgy is an entertaining and surprisingly substantial platformer.

Take a break from plumbers, swordsmen, and bounty hunters and set some time aside to discover a classic worthy of that title.

It ain't pretty, but, by gosh, is it clever. Crush 3D's use of perspective is rare and intelligent, providing ages of synapse-teasing, neuron-firing fun.

An open-world battle racer with more crash-bang-wallop than a brass band in a bar-room brawl. It just needs a smidgen more dev to realise its full potential.

Dodging and weaving through World War II, My Army is an exciting and frantic addition to a genre that's already got its fair share of classics.

A portable horror like no other - Resident Evil Revelations is as sure to frighten newcomers as it is to leave fans both pleased and hungry for more.

A charming and audacious re-imagining of the tower defence genre. But the pitching for in-app purchases is too obtrusive to be fair.

Whilst it might be another physics endowed puzzler with an anthropomorphic cast, Hank Hazard manages to lift itself above the anonymous crowd with some great design and a lot of fun.

Another bullet-dodging thrill ride from the king of crazy shmups. But as a straight port of a 2002 arcade game, it doesn't feel as fresh as its Cave cohorts.

Some minor multiplayer issues and overly long load times do little to change the fact that WipEout is back in the palm of your hand, and it's better than ever.

Smart, slick, and seriously well made. Housemarque does it again.

Tough, relentless, and very clever, Raid Leader is more about brain power than brute force, but its meshing of RPG with RTS is one to savour.

Demonstrating exceptional attention to detail and a clear love for the medium, Pinball Arcade is a wonderful collection of classic tables for a very reasonable price.

A cartoon-style romance full of silliness, Boy Loves Girl hides a fiendishly addictive game under a simple premise, then dares you to escape its obsessive trials.

Diggin' Dogs manages to take a simple premise and embellish it with excellent presentation and a surprising level of depth. If you loved Where's My Water? then you'll lap this up like a thirsty pup.

Smooth and instantly playable, League of Evil 2 takes the template set by the original, then builds a bigger, brighter experience on top of it.

A classical schmup with a branching story path and refined controls. Worth the price of admission for the soundtrack alone.

A game whose major selling point isn't actually that important, Beat Hazard Ultra has a strong enough shooting mechanic to avoid any accusations of being a gimmick.

Not just for tennis lovers, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition is an enjoyable, well-rounded game. Easy to pick up for players of all levels, but difficult to master.

Extend hasn't changed much from Continuum Shift II, which means it can be considered a strong 2D fighter. What's new here, though, will delight veterans of the franchise.

The best version of the classic puzzler to date, packing some great music and some interesting new twists for newcomers and experienced players alike.

A lovingly crafted selection of mini-games that will definitely put you in the mood for the real Olympics.

Frobisher Says is an essential PS Vita download that perfectly shows off the console's various functionality.

A great virtual recreation of pool that eases beginners in smoothly and offers up a feature-rich multiplayer mode for the experts.

An excellent first shot on target, FIFA on Vita may not pack as much detail and features as the console players, but the combination of slick touchscreen and button controls make it well worth picking.

A micro-budget racer, with visuals and sound effects to match, yet under the bonnet is a very sophisticated engine.

An incredibly entertaining, oddball twist on the classic solitaire formula.

A compelling, never-ending shooter, ZiGGURAT turns the high score chase into a two dimensional art form.

Housemarque proves what a great home the Vita is for twin-stick shooting thrills with this enduring classic.

What appears to be an early '90s throwback racer is, in actuality, an extremely forward-thinking game in terms of simplicity of play, online connectivity, and pricing.

A fine example of style and substance, AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! (Force = Mass x Acceleration) is as addictive as it is garishly unique.

A tightly paced, furiously addictive endless climber that plunders those arcade classics for more than just rose-tinted window dressing.

Simple, short, but immediately engaging, Hungry Giraffe is a game that will devour your time as readily as its protagonist devours tacos.

An innovative and invigorating twist of Snake's tail, Lightopus is a beautifully conceived and executed adventure.

A distilled version of RedLynx's console formulas, MotoHeroz is a hideously addictive platform-racer that turns shaving half a second off your race time into an all-encompassing compulsion.

A stellar update of an esteemed platform classic, the Prince's latest handheld trip is one that is well worth rediscovering - or discovering for the first time if you're lucky enough to still be considered a youngster.

A few niggling issues stop Uprising from being a heavenly experience, but for a star who's spent over two decades out of the spotlight, Pit's return is nothing short of a triumph.

This 'dodge-and-detonate' action title stands out from similar games on iOS, and while it does get repetitive after a while, it's still unique enough to be given a chance.

One small catapult for a bird, one adequately sized leap for Rovio's world beating series, Angry Birds Space is as much fun as its predecessor, and adds enough new concepts to keep even the hardiest fans entertained.

A pitch-perfect blend of retro nostalgia and blistering, hair-flapping arcade racing.

An engaging, feature-packed match-three puzzler that won't leave you fuming.

A smartly designed, surprisingly taxing puzzler that makes the most of its elegantly simple core.

Whilst it pours the information on pretty thick to start with, once you've flown a few sorties Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy becomes a brilliant airborne battler.

A likeable tribute to a genre now sadly out of vogue, Swordigo provides a welcome helping of enjoyable action RPG brilliance.

A twitchy sprint that nestles on the line between high-speed thrills and spectacular death, Ion Racer is a dangerously compulsive speedster.

A puzzling platformer with its feet firmly on the ground, Rinth Island is a brilliant slice of gaming that almost anyone will enjoy.

Hunters 2 is an almost perfect sequel - it improves on what has gone before without drastically changing too many things. The presence of in-app purchasing is unfortunate, but not enough to sully the good work done elsewhere. Turn-based strategy fans should pick it up.

The start of something magical, Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure will no doubt blossom into the next Professor Layton or Phoenix Wright for 3DS.