There's always been something satisfying about match-3 mechanics, but after enough years playing them over and over they're bound to start feeling stale. Pixel Defenders Puzzle steps beyond that by taking something from a game that was already an excellent evolution of the genre and moving it forward to another, even-more satisfying level.

Whale Trail contains all the components of a hit iOS game – colorful visuals, catchy music, a cute main character, and gameplay that's easy for anybody to pick up but hard to master. But somehow, it manages to not feel forced or contrived.

I had a ton of fun with Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, and highly recommend any Zelda fan give it a try. You'll have a great idea of whether or not you want to continue by the time you hit the pay wall, and hopefully you're somewhere with connectivity so you can proceed past it.

Each of the controls can be customized further by dragging and dropping them on the screen to the desired location.

So seriously, go download Mage Gauntlet. The time you spent reading this review could've been much better spent playing this incredible game.

Offers yet another stellar entry in CAVE's series of iOS shooters. It's probably the most straight forward and least complex out of them all, which makes it a great starting point for bullet hell newbies, but it does have its share of depth for those looking to master its strategies.

Ok, it's basically the plot from the 1986 film The Fly mashed up with elements of Spiderman, but it works pretty well in setting up the story for Banzai Rabbit.

Simply a stunner in both execution and gameplay, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Mutant Mudds really has it all, and in terms of the slower-paced, exploration-based platforming games it's unmatched by anything else on the App Store.

Great touch controls, fast action, amazing AI, intelligent level design, and an overall simplicity are all the reasons Trigger Fist has caused such a lapse in my productivity as of late.

The actual skating in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 has an absolutely timeless feel to it.

The actual game of Ascension is a somewhat refreshing spin on fantasy-based card games in that instead of building a specific deck that you use in battles, you're building your deck on the fly from game to game.

This is a game with style, substance, and its own great blend of action and strategy, and for now is an iOS exclusive to boot. If you have any love for Sid Meier, strategy games, aviation sims, or just darn good games you'd be crazy to not give this game a shot.

With 40 levels to play, each with StarFruit to collect and ranks to earn, you'll get hours of fun out of Gesundheit!. It's a real charmer.

The control issues mentioned above, while frustrating, don't detract greatly from the rest of the game. Apocalypse Max is still a great hybrid of platforming and shoot-em-up elements.

If you followed along and vanquished every level in the original, you're going to have just as much (if not much more) fun playing through Geared 2.

At its core it is a lightweight port of the exceptional console title, so don't go expecting anything different if you've had your SF4 fill. On the other hand, it is amazing that such a game was ported to the AppStore in the first place and the simple fact that you can now bring Street Fighter 4 around in your pocket should be enough to sway many an eager button masher.

If you're easily frustrated, Fractal may not be for you. But if you're up for the challenge and you aren't looking for your hand to be held, it's an outstanding experience.

It's not the most complex roguelike, or the cleverest. It is, however, just right for a casual dungeon delve on a mobile device. There's just enough meat to keep it compelling, and not so much complexity that you'll ever have trouble recalling your strategy when you come back from a break.

Don't let an unbalanced economy make you shy away from Shark Dash, though. Cracking a level's puzzle-like configuration is a real kick that comes wrapped in a fun theme, vibrant graphics, and, quite likely, the first and only time you'll ever root for a shark.

Spider was an amazing experiment in storytelling; Waking Mars raises the bar on quality in long-form iOS games. Neither should be missed under any circumstances. Get this game. Whether you adore it as I do or not, it's worth experiencing.

It has fantastic production values, amazing graphics, brilliant controls, and a solid set of well designed levels to play through.

Takes iOS platforming and "one button" gaming in a direction I'm amazed no-one tries to do more often in touch screen gaming.

While fans (and superfans… there are plenty in our forum) of Game Dev Story will undoubtedly be thrilled with Hot Springs Story, newbies to the land of Kairosoft will probably cringe a bit at the less than perfect graphics and the initial chaotic nature of the action. There's a lot going on at once, and until you really get the hang of what everything does it can seem daunting.

Simply put, it's a great, fast-paced platformer with excellent balance in terms of level design, controls, and replayability.

A refreshing change from the App Store's barrage of angry avians, physics-based puzzler and match-3 games.

Draw Something is a perfect witch's brew of Facebook integration, word scrambling, and asynchronous two-player Pictionary.

Unfortunately, there's just too much variability in terms of match quality to unequivocally recommend N.O.V.A. 3 based on its multiplayer. The annoying glitches and matchmaking system don't help and the lag is an issue that needs to be addressed. It's a shame because the underlying advancement and build systems are solid with a large potential for customizability.

Angry Birds is the Super Mario Brothers of mobile devices, and Angry Birds Space is so successful in redefining the Angry Birds formula that everyone should give it a try.

While the incremental upgrades probably won't win over gamers that weren't fans of the original, Hunters 2 still offers a compelling turn-based strategy experience.

With plenty of depth, replayability and a great melding of genres, there's plenty to check out and enjoy.

My favorite thing about Ziggurat is that it dismantles the hardcore-casual myth that has so long plagued videogame culture generally, and iOS gaming specifically. An "endless" shooter with Peggle controls doesn't make for good advertising, but Ziggurat is a game that forces its players to pay attention, to process and react to constantly shifting situations, to do the (literally) impossible.

Bad Piggies is awesome, and needs to be a part of your iOS game collection just as much as the rest of the Angry Birds series. Rovio nails the same accessibility of the Angry Birds games while taking the franchise in a direction that feels both totally fresh and entirely appropriate.

It's a smart variation on the dual-stick shooter theme, and one that's strangely reminiscent of my most recent obsession, Diablo III.

The joy of taxonomy may fade in time, but you'll always have the knowledge that you were the one to identify the humble Lob-hog-bit, and that's a memory that will last.

If you buy the game and all four DLC packs, Cogs will run you $4.95 and should take around 10 hours to complete if you try to beat every challenge in the game.

In a time when consumable IAP is king, Polara stands out for its stand-alone offering. If you find yourself asking for more games that are sold complete, then this is most definitely one that deserves-or requires-your love.

If you enjoy weird, wonderful things or have ever wondered what it'd be like if Pug Luv Beats had been more of a game than a musical toy, you seriously need to check out Bad Hotel.

Astronut looks fantastic visually, with charming character designs and Retina Display support for 4th generation devices.

A highly enjoyable, action-packed shooter that offers some of the most intense battle sequences you'll find on the iPhone, making this latest from Gameloft a gaming experience that's rather hard to pass up.

The game may have its flaws, but Gameloft has done a great job in making what could have been a quick and dirty port into a legitimately fun piece of software.

This series is getting better, but since it takes the small development team at least a year to produce an episode, this intriguing mystery may not be resolved for a few more years; but we'll be waiting.

If you remember any of the barrel blasting sequences from the Donkey Kong Country series, Land-a Panda is like an extreme homage to these.

You really shouldn't pass Continuity 2 up if you're a puzzle-game fan. Screenshots don't do it justice – the minimalistic style works beautifully in motion-and both the music and sound effects are great.

Frozen Synapse succeeds at bringing a beloved PC game to iOS.

The thruster physics feel great, the level design is excellent, both in looks and layout, and it all works very well, but it doesn't quite mesh with the story.

Yes, Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes is worth playing. If you have a recent iPad or an iPad mini, it's probably worth playing on iOS, though you might want to hold out for a few bug fixes. With those in hand, this could easily be one of the best puzzle strategy games on the platform. Without them, it's simply not.

There is potentially more gameplay to experience here than in your entire game library, particularly if you're trying to promote a lowly League club to Premiership level.

Sure, Triple Town is just another matching game, but it's deep and surprisingly strategic.

What's really nice about The War of Eustrath is that the UI has been built lovingly around the touch interface.

Casual gamers who are unfamiliar with games of this sort will most likely be turned off by the complexity of the game's inner workings, but those who know what they're getting into and enjoy similar games will probably agree with me when I say that Inotia 2 is one of the best action-RPG's on the App Store.

As a Universal release with Retina support, Anodia looks lovely on any device. I'm not sure it actually reinvents the brick breaker, but it's certainly an exciting and beautiful example of the genre.

A smart, simple, and endearing platformer. The core mechanic might sound a little abstract, but don't let that get in your way.

On an iPhone or iPad, the 2-D, side-scrolling block-based sandbox is a winning formula, and The Blockheads is the most well-executed, true-to-Minecraft game I've had the pleasure to experience on iOS.

I'm satisfied with my time with Early Bird, and it's more than just another also-ran bird game. I just don't know if we'll see it soaring up the charts for long.

The whole package is a visual treat with a real knack for design, and it's also a fun, fresh game.

This isn't the scariest game on the planet, nor is it the best put together. The combat in particular is a black eye. But there's a lot in Dead Space to keep you engaged and there's some points of great design that I think you'll appreciate - especially if you're daring enough to play this on your sofa with the lights off and some great headphones on.

Eliminate is a great game, and I've really got to hand it to ngmoco for not only creating such an action packed multiplayer experience on the iPhone, but also doing it in a way that can be enjoyable for casual players who just want to dabble in the game for free along with hardcore players who have made Eliminate part of their daily routine.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed playing, and there is a strong "one more try" factor when aiming to get the most equal segment proportions possible.

Slingshot Racing is a fresh take on racing games and is a shining example of a game that's well-suited to the touch screen and the mobile nature of iOS devices.

I would have unequivocally recommended Darkside if it cost any reasonable amount. However, considering you can download it for free, you have no excuse not to check out this most excellent arcade shooter.

If you ever felt intimidated by Rocketcat's previous hooking games, or you're already an established hooker looking for a new fix, then you'll want to give Hook Worlds a shot.

An amazingly creative game, and thanks to the multiple difficulty levels should be approachable enough for kids and challenging enough for adults.

If you remember any of the barrel blasting sequences from the Donkey Kong Country series, Land-a Panda is like an extreme homage to these.

It's hard to shake the feeling the game is missing something - it's a well-executed genre game, but it lacks character. It's not going to fundamentally change what we expect from the genre, it's not going to shift mountains or alter the collective consciousness, but it will give tower defense nuts a deep and nicely packaged experience– And really, what more can you ask for?

But looks aren't everything, and thankfully Kard Combat makes up for its weak points with a great personality.

A solid buy and one that will keep you smiling at your phone or iPad for hours.

With some elbow grease and a good once over, Spellsword could easily earn a permanent spot on my iPhone. It's really that good.

Graphically, the game is pretty incredible.

I know it's not the same sort of game, but if you like Angry Birds and its ilk, I think Cover Orange will be worth your while - there's just a spiritual similarity of sorts going on there.

Run Roo Run isn't the most original game ever, but it takes the best out of a lot of worlds, and then owns that stuff. Its entertaining in big or small chunks, and those challenge levels are a whole new world of hurt. Give it a shot.

I just can't recommend Dynamite Jack enough. It isn't the prettiest game on the platform, but it's a shining example of a port done right.

I'm having an absolutely fabulous time playing Need For Speed Most Wanted. It's not the deepest racer in the world, but I've never felt that arcade racers need to come with loads of depth as they're all about just driving cars you'll never be able to afford, going fast as you can, and rapid-firing "that was awesome" moments: Three things Most Wanted totally nails in my book.

Alive 4-Ever RETURNS is easily recommended for dual-stick shooter fans, and a must-have for fans of the original game.

Asphalt 5 definitely delivers on the fun meter. The controls and content really makes this a racer accessible to everyone.

It's amusing, varied, highly entertaining and excellent value for a dollar.

Above all else though, The Hacker does a great job at making you feel like a bad ass international hacker, which is what it should really all be about anyway.

If you're a fan of board games, you kinda owe it to yourself to pick this one up. I'm usually adverse to the idea of playing a board game on my iPhone but this actually went swimmingly well. It's a solid package and one that will keep your inner entrepreneur happy for hours on end.

Tiny Tower is another great, free game from the guys at NimbleBit, and you should definitely check it out. Just try not to get too caught up in the lives of your little Bitizens – it's important to put the game down once in a while.

While the PC version game has been available for free over the years, the iPhone version is a worthy conversion for fans and newcomers to the series.

I was surprised by just how much I immediately enjoyed the game.

I'd recommend Greed Corp -- flaws and all. It's a strategy board game that feels right at home on iPad, and it outdoes much of its competition on the platform.

Tower Of Fortune may not have the progression elements, compelling story, or depth of its meatier RPG brethren, but it has all the stats, levels, loot, triumph, and tragedy a RPG fan needs for on-the-go gaming.

A big improvement over the original iOS version, but it doesn't feel a whole lot different gameplay-wise. The swipe mechanic for swinging works beautifully, just as it did before.

The game has a fast and exciting pace, with wave after wave of vector-graphics style enemies.

Cave Bowling is a fun physics game that comes packed with everything we've come to expect of Donut Games. My only real nitpick is I wish it came loaded with Game Center, as Donut Games' web-based scoring system leaves much to be desired.

Sigma is a brilliant looking match 3 game of top notch quality.

But for those willing, Pocket Legends is an extremely rewarding experience that has easily provided me with some of the best online gameplay on the iPhone to date.

I'll fully admit that I'm a total sucker for anything that vaguely follows the Metroidvania formula. Something deep inside of my genetic code just loves navigating a maze-like mixture of corridors and platforms with more areas becoming unlocked as I collect new skills, weapons, and abilities. Robot Wants Kitty plays in to this perfectly, even integrating my love for cats.

The game draws me in because it lets me be creative. It's freeing to play a puzzle game that lets the player decide when a piece is finished.

On the face of the game is a simple looking castle defense game, but peel that back and you'll find more of a gallery shooter than the flicking frenzy of other castle defenders.

Solely for diehard fans of Chaos Rings and with the first game currently on sale, you'll be better of starting there if you're just a curious passerby. It's not bad by any means, but it doesn't even pretend to offer anything different or new.

All of these elements come together really well in Axe in Face providing a simple concept with just enough depth and strategy to keep things interesting.

Foursaken's Heroes and Castles does a great job of not only successfully melding third-person combat with tower/castle defense, but also creating a game with a great deal of replaybility via its heroes, upgrade system and online multiplay.

The touch screen controls really do work remarkably well and To-Fu: The Trials of Chi does a great job of working with the touch screen, not against it. The depth of challenges here works well, but it would be nice to have some type of meta-game or leaderboards so you could track your progress against others.

Burn it All is an easy recommendation, especially if you liked Burn the Rope. Similarly, if you download and enjoy Burn it All, you'll ned to give Burn the Rope a try.

It's immersive, it's expansive (I've been playing it for a week), it's simple, it's something you can teach to your grandparents and your three-year old niece. As long as you're OK with some minor quirks, Battleloot Adventure is one that you don't want to miss.

With so few competent dog fighting games on the App Store, both H.A.W.X. and Ace Combat Xi are worth considering.

Suffice to say, Tiny Troopers 2 is just as enjoyable as its predecessor and comes highly recommended as a simplified RTS that just gets it done right.

Of course, Bobbing isn't for everyone—you need to have the patience and mild masochism that constant failure and repetition requires—but if you can dig its viciousness, don't be surprised if you start forgetting to put it down for less important stuff, like breaks. And meals.

But by and large, everything plays quite well. The game also looks good, with a nicely designed vault-cracking theme for each puzzle - although I'm not quite sure how the zen garden stylings of the Sudoko-like puzzles relate to cracking vaults.

While some may complain about the lack of significant improvements, I'm willing to be satisfied with the fact that Gameloft has taken a successful series and preserved the single player campaign with small changes and improvements to an otherwise well-done formula.

You may get the sense that Little Inferno walks a fine line between satirizing our gaming habits and revelling in them. If you take it lightly, it works. Give it serious thought and you might find a bit of hypocrisy buried between the lines, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a game that sticks with you.

I get something new and different from playing Time Surfer, a rush that proves there was untapped potential in the formula. The game is vicious, it's ridiculous, and it looks like something that came off a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper.

I'm not usually a big fan of tilt-only games, but Air Penguin definitely does it right. The tilting is extremely accurate, so it makes completing acrobatic leaps of faith a joy rather than frustrating.

The game feels slower than it should. Each time you open the app you have to wait for your games to update, and then you have wait to load your game.

Pinball Arcade is simply one of the best pinball games I've ever played, and should be put at the top of the class with other iOS pinball elites.

The simplicity of Shoot The Zombirds is definitely key in making it such an appealing pick-up-and-play title.

Funky Smugglers is a stylish game that's a lot of fun to play, and absolutely miserable to compete in. If that doesn't concern you, you'll be in great hands.

A creative, entertaining, and nice looking game which requires strategic decision making, but still has an arcade feel to it. It's almost like playing an insect-based tower defense game, where the tower is your anthill, so it's appropriate that the title includes the words "Trail Defense".

It's a brainless sort of fun, the kind you can easily waste many unsuspecting hours on. So, if you've been aiming for something new to keep you occupied during a particularly laborious stretch of the day or during your daily pilgramage to the Porcelain God, you should really give Major Mayhem a shot.

Cordy doesn't bring a whole lot of innovation to the table, but, even with some slightly off physics, it's a game that makes a lasting visual impression first and plays well-enough second.

Fans of turn-based strategies from Military Madness to Mecho Wars owe it to themselves a treat like this. At $4.99, with the amount of game you're getting Rogue Planet is a no-brainer.

I'm not the biggest platformer fan in the world, but I'm in love with this one anyway. Though I could have done with a few more collectibles and a deeper story, there's not much to complain about here.

ZombieSmash really does stand head and shoulders above its competition.

It successfully scratches the MMORPG itch of party-based combat while being a completely pick up and play game single player game.

A big improvement over the original iOS version, but it doesn't feel a whole lot different gameplay-wise. The swipe mechanic for swinging works beautifully, just as it did before.

An easy recommendation. The campaign comprises 10 levels spanning a few screens each, and an unlockable Hard and Survival mode, as well as a number of 'secret' cheat modes that are unlocked on accumulating 5, 10 and 15 master ranks; will ensure that even the most die-hard ninjas will have both their blades and appetites whet by OMG Pirates!.

The art style is what drew me to the game, and it looks as good as I could have hoped. The whole thing has a layered paper craft aesthetic that's simply adorable. Everything looks hand-made: the backdrops, the monsters, the levels and even most of the interface elements.

The water physics in this game look wonderful and are definitely the main attraction.

All too often do we see games like this too afraid to create a real challenge, yet Eager Beaver does that and does it well.

None of those marks detract from Plight of the Zombie's satisfying and strategic experience that offers a fresh take on the zombie formula. Puzzle fans shouldn't hesitate to devour this one.

For anyone kvetching, Heads Up! Hot Dogs's chiptunes soundtrack alone is worth the price of entry, and it happens to come packaged with a sharp, charming, and funny game about putting beef franks on people's domes.

Suffice to say, LEGO fans have little reason not to check out DC Super Heroes, while anyone else interested in a light-hearted adventure should take the plunge.

Any platformer fan - retro or no - might just find this one worth some space on their home screen.

Both smart and fun, making it a worthy successor to the Cubis titles of old. It also fits in nicely amongst its modern peers, with Game Center support, lovely art, and a cheery soundtrack-the whole package when it comes to top-notch presentation.

It's deeply absorbing, and a strategy treat that fans of the genre should not miss.

As a strategy game, Transformers G1 Awakening offers up enough twists to help it stand out in a sea of similar games.

A fresh take on two classic formulas with hours of content that should please the puzzle fans out there.

In the end, I found myself trying to slow down and simply enjoy being in the game's atmosphere. I really didn't want the game to end, and I suppose that's the best compliment I can give anything I play.

If you love platformers, you have to pick this beauty up. It really is a standout in all categories. The only possible turn off I can see is the difficulty, but maybe that's just a fine excuse to bone up on your skills. Get that itchy trigger finger ready and come out of the gate with guns blazing, and you should do just fine.

Throwing Chuck into danger is a great pastime, even if we're the ones that suffer when he fails. As the game deepens in difficulty, there's a real satisfaction to be found in slipping around the opposition, taking them out when they're not looking.

If you're interested in classic games, especially fantasy and/or strategy games, Lords of Midnight is a must-have. On the other hand, if you are an action gamer whose idea of "old school" is Goldeneye 64, you'll want to give this one a pass.

A great game to pick up if you are bored of other match three games but don't want to give up on the genre.

Definitely one of the best virtual pet games I've played, largely in part due to how much it utilizes Plus+ for building relationships between dogs. It adds a completely unexpected level of depth and complexity to the game that will likely keep me playing it for quite some time.

It might sound a bit like this is a case of style over substance, but while House of Mice's wrapper is certainly its most delicious part, the gameplay inside still gets by as an enjoyable, easy to grasp concept that offers enough of a challenge to keep it interesting.

If you're willing to roll the dice on Bean's Quest and the developers following through with their update plans, Bean's Quest is an effortless recommendation.

Whether you have reason to be nostalgic for Gridrunner or not, it's worth checking out. It's a best-of-both-worlds sort of remake: faithful to its forebearers but filled with clever modern enhancements. If you're dead-set on believing that the original is best, you can go ahead and play that instead.

Amoebattle succeeds wonderfully at creating a touch-based RTS for iOS. When you take into account the deep gameplay, beautiful visuals (iPad-retina compatible, no less) and approachable control scheme, Amoebattle is a title well worth checking out and joins the short list of great iOS RTS titles.

Hairy Tales is still an enjoyable puzzler and a great example of how to integrate a variety of puzzle elements with real-time action, all in a title wrapped in a fantastical weird shell. Suffice to say, puzzle fans should take heed at this latest addition, as I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This unique sphere-tossing game has awesome cube-explosions, and that's always worth paying for.

This isn't a game for the easily defeated, but if you're willing to persevere then Stardash will leave you well rewarded.

Playing this game may even tell you something about your own character. How confident and greedy are you – will you gamble for the high score, or flip?

Sword & Soldiers might be shackled to side-scrolling RTS convention, but it's smart and vibrant where it counts.

An excellent arcade shooter.

Push-Cars' stylized maps add a lot of charm. You get a sense of looking down at the actual cities, but they fit in nicely with the game's cartoonish art.

Tapper World Tour contains a ton of content, with more than 40 levels in Story mode and an additional 50+ expert levels when Story is completed.

It's a great looking, quick-paced game that is perfectly suited to the App Store, and shouldn't require much thought to pick up for those interested in strategic and competitive multiplayer puzzlers.

Notching up the intensity of the virtual battlefield carnage are the encouraging quips of your in-game crew, consisting of the voices of both Jon St. John (the voice of Duke Nukem) and Jeff Straub.

Add tight and responsive touch controls to a list that includes fabulous art design, awesome music, a new twist on an old mechanic, and the ability to bring in your own tracks and you end up with an experience easily worth your time and money.

Rebuild probably won't satisfy fans of intensely deep strategy, but for anyone interested in a few hours of light strategy fun, it's quite the catch.

Magnetic Billiards' free-to-play model is pretty much perfect.

Solomon's Boneyard doesn't claim to be anything but what it is, an endless survival-style version of Solomon's Keep.

The storytelling, customization, and sheer amount of content make this RPG a true powerhouse on iOS.

Getting through Another World is not a cakewalk; it's a difficult and challenging game.

All that's missing is a good story.

Pacific offers nearly everything you need for an enjoyable and deep tower defense game.

It's a beautiful, challenging experience.

It's hard not to love Lili. Like the character, the game can be obnoxious at times. But it's so pretty, so well-written, so cleverly designed on the whole that complaining feels a lot like nitpicking.

If you enjoy games like Angry Birds or Crush The Castle, but want something slightly different, Siege Hero is for you. The first person perspective is a neat change, and seeing how they differentiate themselves from the competition in future updates will be interesting to see.

Personally, I'm completely hooked on 1-bit Ninja, and if you think you're able to accept some of the design decisions in the game and you're a fan of its retro aesthetics, then I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

There's also the simple fact that Vice City is an amazing game in most regards. In this regard, the high points far outweigh the control issues, making Vice City for iOS a no brainer for most gamers.

Learning to move your ship accurately is a bit of a challenge, but in that "gotta try one more time" kind of way.

It's Grand Theft Auto III on your iPhone (or iPad), and given both the overall quality and depth of the actual gameplay content of GTA3, it's really easy to get over the clunky controls.

Angry Birds successfully captures the spirit of Boom Blox using a 2D viewpoint, a compliment that should make this game an automatic purchase for many.

I have long counted Jeff Minter's Minotaur Rescue and Minotron: 2011 as two of the very best games in the App Store, and I can tell you that GoatUp solidly lives up to the greatness of those titles. It's quite a different sort of game, but the pieces come together just as nicely.

The one minor gripe that I have with Rat On A Skateboard, and with all Donut games actually, is that accessing the online high scores pulls you out of the game and opens up the leaderboards in Safari. In an age where Game Center is readily available to developers, this sort of action doesn't quite fly anymore, and I'd love to see their entire catalog updated with proper in-game leaderboards in the future.

It boasts a tutorial that is incredibly approachable, making the game appropriate for even the most casual of puzzle gamers, while offering a top-end that's full of strategy, a bit of luck, and an entire trail of character development decisions.

Still – with so few complaints, Doom II RPG is a game I enjoyed from beginning to end.

The original was fun, but the sequel goes well beyond, feeling notably more "fleshed out," with a good deal more eye-candy.

The fishing works as expected, and is decidedly more fun and interactive than other available titles.

With a tremendous amount of gameplay in the main game and a free play mode for those who master what the challenge mode has to offer, Freaking Inkies is more than just a unique and fun experience – it's a great value too.

Overall, X2 Soccer 2010 is one of the top soccer game experiences right now on the App Store.

Infinight is not a fast-paced game - so much so that likely some gamers will find frustration - but it is evocative and challenging. Puzzle fans who like a slice of atmosphere to go with their quest for the goal should enjoy what Infinight has to offer.

It's hard to shake the feeling the game is missing something - it's a well-executed genre game, but it lacks character. It's not going to fundamentally change what we expect from the genre, it's not going to shift mountains or alter the collective consciousness, but it will give tower defense nuts a deep and nicely packaged experience– And really, what more can you ask for?

A well-visualized game that's a ton of fun with a skill curve that will keep you playing for ages.

An original game that's worth a try.

I'm a bit of a sucker for cute art styles, but Joining Hands marries its cute art and sound design with solid, original gameplay.

I know the matching-game pool is crowded, but Monster Soup distinguishes itself with style and original matching mechanics.

Since this is pretty much a shiny, cleaned up version of last year's game, whether it will catch the fancy of existing Baseball Superstars fans depends on whether 7 months is a long enough gap to leave you wanting to start fresh.

A solid tower defense game which rewards intelligent play, has a lot of depth and improves on the aesthetics of its earlier version.

This is a stupid-fun game with some sharp features and systems that'll keep you invested and having a good time.

A game that instantly drew me in with its visuals, and then backed it up with a ton of solid action.

For iPhone and iPod touch owners though, Diggin' Dogs is as entertaining as Where's My Water?, which is a pretty big compliment.

100 Trials is still a good mission-based puzzler and worth checking out. Just don't expect anything particularly groundbreaking with it.

If there's any part of you that craves those drop and match combo chains and the increasingly ecstatic chirps and score-splashes that accompany them, this is where you'll want to look.

Captures something fun that has been left fallow elsewhere, one that turns a small spark of inspiration into a solid, well-rounded new form.

Light the Flower has a cheerful, cartoon-inspired look, and it does present some replayability if you want to try to snag all the stars in every level or improve your time.

Webbies might be casual-friendly, but it's got plenty of potential for those of us looking for more of a challenge.

Wizorb's control issues may sound dire, but in reality they're more annoying than game-breaking. Outside of that shortfall, Wizorb is an excellent puzzle title that does a great job integrating a classic brick-breaking experience with a fantastical 8-bit world.

Granny Smith is a fun, high-speed platformer. It's nice to take a break from the endless types and still keep up the inertia that goes with them.

There are better auto-running platformers out there, but Totem Runner does a good job of keeping up. The experience is well-balanced between twitchy button handling and careful planning-it's just a touch cerebral, and never too frustrating.

I'm looking forward to the forthcoming chapters of the series, but my ultimate judgment of the series will depend on how Skygoblin handles the larger themes in the world and the continued development of the characters, especially Lina, a confident and intellectual woman who is clearly central to the plot, but who spends this game waiting for Bwana and Kito to get their act together.

Of course retro junkies will no doubt find room for subtle strategy, and use patience to their advantage in the climb to maddeningly high tallies. Even then, in the hands of less committed players, you'd be hard pressed not to get at least 1001 fun-filled attempts out of this one. I'd buy that for a dollar - and so should you.

Ragdoll Blaster 3 is more inviting than the series has ever been before, and it's filled with fun physics challenges at the cost of relatively little frustration.

It really is just what you would expect - another solid Cave release. However, as good as all of their ports are, I can't help but wish that Cave would come up with another built-for-iOS experience like Bug Panic!

This game type in particular really is a lot of fun, but all the different game variations work well and add welcome variety to the beat 'em up style genre.

The highly anticipated online multiplayer isn't quite up to par technically, but it can still provide some pretty entertaining moments.

It sells itself as a game with a unique and engaging story, and that's something it simply doesn't have. Setting aside the translation, the message of the game is still iffy at best and you'll only find parallels to Louis Armstrong if you squint really hard. But it is, for the most part, a solid, fun platformer.

It's a great experience, but I think you need to be in the proper state of mind to enjoy it, and even then I'd lean more towards describing the game as "this is really neat" rather than "this is really fun."

Monster Trucks Nitro 2 has impressive graphics, loads of content to play through, and an over the top fun factor that makes it a recommended purchase.

The high production values and ridiculously in-depth history, bestiary and other reading material alone is enough to make Dofus: Battles an easy recommendation, so it's nice the game itself is actually enjoyable.

But it's hard to dismiss what a fantastic game Castlevania Puzzle actually is, and most importantly how much fun it is. My only real complaint about the game is that the controls during battle can be overly sensitive.

There are endless defense, side scrolling, and survival game modes which can be unlocked which add replay value to the game, and the campaign mode itself is pretty massive.

If you're prepared to deal with some of the old-school RPG trappings contained in Final Fantasy III, then you'll likely find it one of the best role-playing experiences in the App Store. But if you're mostly used to newer RPGs and the advancements that have come with them over the years, then Final Fantasy III may be too retro for your taste.

Knights of the Round Cable brings aspects of Dancing Dots' former IGF finalist but re-works the gameplay to work in a more casual tone. It pays off for the better, allowing for an experience that feels better on a mobile platform.

Simply put, Bullet Time gets a lot of things right when it comes to dual stick shooters. The controls, presentation, customization and replayability are all well done.

Here's the rub: simoleons and lifestyle points are expensive. The smallest simoleon packs you can buy are $4.99, and give you about enough cash to buy one shop in town. You can do it all yourself instead, but it's going to be a long grind to buy homes to unlock all 16 Sims, open all the shops and build all the workplaces.