"Best Of" iPod Touch and iPhone Games – A 2008 Holiday Guide
posted by arn on December 25th, 2008 3:11 AM EST in Reviews, iPhone games, iPod touch games
The Christmas holiday is always a big one for Apple's iTunes Store. With the influx of new iPod Touch and iPhone owners, we expect there may be a lot of newcomers to this site who are looking for a list of the "best" games available on the iPhone.
Since a single "best" list is such a hard list to come up with due to individual tastes, we've instead compiled a list of games that we consider to an excellent cross section of iPhone gaming and could be seen as "required reading" for iPhone and iPod Touch gamers.
Long time readers will likely be familiar with most of these titles, and for good reason: these are amongst the best the App Store has to offer and we recommend each of these titles.
Clicking on each game title will link you directly to the App Store. Listed in order of ascending price.
Aurora Feint: The Beginning (Free) – Amongst the first games in the App Store, this may have been an eye opener for many iPhone gamers. The game offers a polished match-3 (Bejeweled-like) puzzler in the setting of a role playing game. Progressive accomplishments in the puzzle portion of the game provides you with resources to level up and gain increasing skills. Review/Video
PapiJump (Free) – A ridiculously simple game that will have you frustrated and addicted. Sunflat's Papi games have received a bit of a cult following due to their insultingly simple graphics but compelling gameplay. PapiJump, however, remains Sunflat's best. Review/Video
Dropship ($0.99) – We confidently declared this to be the best shooter in the App Store. Excellent and innovative controls with well balanced gameplay made this one of our most enjoyed games. This is how an iPhone game should play and at $0.99, it's a no brainer. Review/Video
Wurdle ($1.99) – Curiously, we've never covered this game here on TouchArcade. This word game is a variant of Boggle in which you try to find as many words on a tiled board. This is app-store crack for a good segment of the iPhone gameplaying population. The simplicity of its design with easy to use touch screen controls make it one of the best.
Trism ($2.99) – Also one of the early titles available for the iPhone, this is another Match-3 color game but reinvented for the iPhone. It uses triangles (trisms) and tilt controls to influence the direction that the tiles will fall. Surprisingly, the design really worked and resulted in one of the first (and best) iPhone-specific puzzle games. Review/Video
Fastlane Street Racing ($3.99) – There's no shortage of racers for the iPhone, but this one stood out to us as one of the best racing games for the platform. The game had its detractors, however, due to the high starting difficulty of the game. Fortunately, the developers have just released a v1.1 update which introduces an "easy" mode. Review/Video (before easy mode update).
Toy Bot Diaries ($3.99) – Toy Bot was another standout title, not just because of the enjoyable gameplay as a physics platformer, but also the fact that this was one of the first true iPhone games with game design and controls invented specifically for the platform. The right control system really lets you immerse yourself into a game. Review/Video
Fieldrunners ($4.99) – Tower Defense. Heard of it? If you haven't, this is the game for you. Even if you have, this is probably the game for you. Named one of Time Magazine's Top 10 video games of the year, we at TouchArcade feel the title is well deserved. This game has significant cross-over appeal that has introduced countless iPhone users to the genre of Tower Defense (TD). Despite the proliferation of TD games in the App Store, many still consider this one the best. Review/Video
Galcon ($4.99) – The perfect pick-up strategy game? A fast paced arcade strategy game in which you must dominate all the planets. Wonderfully suited for the iPhone with short gaming sessions lasting a few minutes each. Online multi-player really takes this game to the next level. Review/Video
Real Soccer 2009 ($5.99) – For soccer fans, this is the game to get. Sports gaming on the iPhone hasn't seen much that can compare to the massive titles available for traditional consoles, but this game comes closest. Review/Video
Hero of Sparta ($9.99) – This overall package is one of the most impressive games for the iPhone. As a "Hack n' Slasher", you fight your way through hordes of enemies in a 3D environment. For those who have wanted a "console-like" experience in the iPhone, this is the closest yet. Review/Video
Rolando ($9.99) – Rolando was one of the most anticipated iPhone games of the year. Even though Ngmoco is a sponsor of this site, I still feel confident that I can unbiasedly say that the game delivered on much of the hype. The game offers an iPhone-specific platformer that incorporates the iPhone's touch screen and accelerometer into a wonderfully produced game. Review/Video
While our list ends there, that's not to say there aren't a number of other great iPhone games that we've covered in other articles. As a sampling of iPhone gaming, though, we feel this a representative cross-section of the best the App Store has to offer. Meanwhile, we'll continue to try to highlight the best titles for the iPhone and iPod Touch platform in 2009 and beyond.
Reader's Choice
Snail Mail ($1.99) – One of our readers' (and our) favorites. Take a cute, loudmouth, cel-shaded snail, mix with a spot-on control system and a challenging, smoothly-animated set of tracks, and you get this great iPhone gem. Review/Video
Now, who said that iPhone games sucks?
Really, looking forward to more reviews on Touch Arcade in 2009 and beyond!
My wish for 2009 is for more real FPS on the iPhone!!
Happy New Year and happy gaming to everyone!
a great first person shooter is terminator
My wish for 2009 is for Apple to step in and clear out the bad apps!
BTW: Great article arn
I know that probably a lot of users on Toucharcade will now tell you that you forgot about their favourite game. A best of is always difficult to write. I know that.
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Still I think "Snailmail" should be on the list as the best pick up 'n' play game for the iphone with exemplary accelerometer implementation. I even remember that you reviewed it as one of the best games available on the iphone/ipod touch back then.
Nice round up/explanation Arn. Happy Holidays to yourself and Blake.
Alien Mangle.Alien Mangle! Alien Mangle• Best Developer of 2008: Phart Games(ie. Perry Hart)!
Virtual Villagers should also be on the list!
But overall I'm happy that you don't put any stupid franchise 'games' like StarWars, Silent Hill, Lego Batman, etc.
Great roundup Arn.
Merry Xmas all!
Great list! Considering that it's been (well) less than a year for iPod gaming, 2009 should rock!
Merry X'mas & Hanukah
This is a pretty good list. I agree Snail Mail should probably be on the list as a Mario-like kart racer, but then Crash Bandicoot would also deserve some sort of mention?
The game I kept hoping to see make an appearance was Dizzy Bee 1 or 2. I guess Rolando gets the nod over those, and deservedly so it's an awesome game but Dizzy Bee has a longer play life and is cheaper. Perhaps some honorable mentions in each of the categories?
No Snail Mail!
Still a good list…
Snail mail is kind of boring….unless your a toddler & even then it's hard to keep interest
Good list!!!!
I too dream of an fps with a smooth engine & a more realalistic plot
Alien mangle runs great but the plot is rather queer, leaving it almost repetative to the point of……well pointless-ness
Finally! A round-up list!
Thanks, Arn!
@Marc:
Snail Mail a "Mario-like Kart racer"? It's not even a racer! XD
No time limit, no other snails… And of course no kart.
It's an obstacle course game.
And it deserves a mention in this best of!
I'm pretty sure I bought every game mentioned here xD
@ RedSt★R
Don't think so. I am 32, I love that game and it's a very challenging (very difficult to beat at the end). Did you even play it?
7 Cities TD should deserve a mention here too. I've been playing since I've got it and haven't put it down.
merry christmas touch arcaders
i agree snail mail is simply a must on a top games list
probably dizzy bee as well
these games make great use of the accelerometer
and have that charm and x factor
Snail Mail is fantastic. I'm hardly a toddler (35 here) and it is my favourite game. Levels are quick so you can just pick up and play, there are the 3 different game modes and most of all it is a lot of fun. Not too mention that it is the best use of the accelerometer I've had on my iPhone.
Good list. I would've included Super Monkey Ball though.
Also, it would be cool if on january 1st you put up a list of the 'top games to look forward to in 2009'. There are so many teaser articles, it is hard to remember when/if they will be coming out this year.
no snail mail, and no orions? o_o
Oh my, where is Snail Mail indeed? It seems you guys only selected games difficult to play. Fastlane? Real Football? These are tech demo's TouchArcade, they don't last very long.
Where is Snail Mail? Without a doubt the most complete, challenging, fun and greatly designed iPhone-exclusive, along with Rolando.
Shame Orions isn't in there as well. And about the word games: where's Scrambino?
Happy new year.
Snail Mail is one of the best and was on a version of the list. I think the list was originally 20 long or so. But seems like Snail Mail is a reader favorite so I added it.
@Bartig. Disagree that Fastlane and Real Football are "tech demos". See Space Deadbeef for what a "tech demo" is. Both of those titles may have more depth/playability than the most of the games on the list.
Nice list, but no Blue Defense or Reversi? I'm compiling a list of the hundred best on my site too. (jv21.com)
Sure fieldrunners is great, but where's tap defense? It's massively popular, and free!
Call me crazy, but even with half the screen taken up by the control, I think the best TD is FF Crystal Defense. I like how the "towers"… or people, move with the enemies, and since there's touch control as well as the control on the bottom, it doesn't really bother me.
I felt Tower Defense a bit bland to me… maybe it was the lack of music and such, or the bland graphics. It just felt like it had no personality.
I do want to try out 7 Cities though.. haven't tried that (though it looks like more of the same).
Agree with Orion3G that Crystal Defenders should be up there. To me clearly the best of the genre. Fieldrunners never grabbed me like C.D. Still trying to beat highscores on the first level of W1, can´t get past wave 27. Fieldrunners has none of that think 3-5 waves ahead feeling like C.D. has.
Snail Mail got deleted of my Iphone after 15 minutes, might have to add it again as everyone seem to enjoy it.
Thanks for Snail Mail Arn!
Thanx for snail mail – it deserves it.
@narr:
Of course I played it. That's how I formed my own opinion.
Ad a matter of fact my neice played it for about 2 minutes & asked to play flick fishing instead.
So I guess if enough people cried about that game Arn would put that on that on the list aswell
Bottomline is you made your list why are you adding things there that a couple of people like when there's plenty of other games that are better in a lot of aspects than snail mail.
It's a very juvenille game. Not a bad development.
Oh yeah of course snail mail is way better than brothers in arms (sarcasim)
It's obviouse this list should have been catgoritically
Because then it would have been a voters type of list instead of an add-on list.
So when somone mentions an app Arn likes he'll add it.
This website is the biggest case of fanboyism I've ever seen.
It's like one big pole smoking party,
Complete with over-hype underdevelope news (zombie mansion)
& when they acually do a piece on kick ass apps that are weeks old everyone praises this site for changing there lives because without touch arcade they would have never known about it, when all you have to do is look in the app store itself.
It's clear that I will have to be the antagonist.
& by the way I don't comment on any app I haven't played cause chances are I played them before anyone who questions my opinion anyway.
@Redstar: "all you have to do is look in the app store itself"
Hah. good one. That right there is the reason this site is needed. The App Store is a mess and impossible to find anything.
I found ironman in the appstore and played it for more than a week before touch arcade said anything about it because they were to busy overhyping zombie mansion.
That being said I think they should find more time to write about good games that are available insted of ones that aren't even out yet.
There's plenty of days when I see this site just sit idle with the same post of some crap app when they could do more useful pieces.
@redstar: if you can find games on your own, that's great. For many, this site (and forums) offer a way to find good games without trudging through the app store itself.
Iron Man's not really what I would consider a "hidden" gem, and we posted a review of it 3 nights (over a weekend) after its release. The ratio of games we play to post is probably 20 to 1 (or more). We don't bother drawing attention to unknown games that aren't worth your time.
arn
Well I'd be lying if I said I've never used this site for refferance, I just can't stand misplaced credit.
I forget that others aren't as resourceful as I might be, or just to lazy & need everything spelled out for them.
I also should acknowlage the fact that not everyone is involved with gaming evolution as I am, so just spewing general information to the masses that dont know any better is something I don't care for.
It reminds me of all the people who played cube & bashed it cause they couldn't find the enemy maps. Or my brother who just bought rim's new blackberry storm…..but doesn't know anything about it except for how much it cost.
I always figured this site would be more in depth on a technical level, because I know you guys are gamers, however it seems like your more interested in setting comparisonable trends when reviewing apps because the masses always need to relate an app to somthing thats been already developed & worse on a entirely different platform.
Oh well I guess….it's your site & my opinion.
Hey redstar you big f*cking idiot. If you dont like it here then leave. Actually i would prefer you be banned. There are of course way more that the 15 or so apps that arn posted that are must haves. There are probably 50-60 games that are great and everyone agrees that they are great, but that would obviously take too long to make. This is just a list for say somebody who just got an ipod for christmas and wants to know the first games they should get. Everybody has their own opinion on everything. They are not interested in trends like you say they are. Im pretty sure they had two posts about Zombie Mansion, one showing it in beta saying it was the first fps, and the other saying how bad it sucked. If you dont like it, then leave and make your own crappy site. I would LOVE to see you do that. BTW, Iron Man SUCKS.
@rocketman:
Ok I will make my own site. "If you would love to see that" as you say then realize I've already generated a buzz for my name no matter how bad the stigma.
Understand that this started just because I said "I thought snail mail was boring" & was asked if I played it at all……& of course I did when it was launched.
So maybe if I said I loved snail mail all you guys would be lining up to smoke my pole.
No matter…..I obviousley had enough power to ensnare your feeble mind by the words I've typed here today, because I obviousley offended you but you could never offened me especially In a Internet forum.
As a note to you: if you don't like what I say then don't respond…..isn't that your above mentioned philosophy? Or are you just defending your boyfriends?, so it's ok if your hypocritical.
Everybody hated Hitler aswell but he'll always be remembered.
Wow. Someone just willingly compared them-self to Hitler? Way to derail the comments.
Personally I think Sim City and Frenzic should be up there. Both extremely polished games that rise above the crud.
Wow, what a tirade against Snail Mail RedStar. May I add it was the one game that went around in a party I had with friends just three weeks ago? All those friends love Gears of War, Call of Duty, Pro Evolution Soccer and other great games such as the first Halo. When Snail Mail gets love and attention from those kind of gamers, it just says something.
All I said was I thought it was boring, and some guy named narr questioned my opinion which I'm fully entitled to.
Some of you guys are way too sensetive.
Fine….. snail mail is the best thing to happen in the world, it's better than the internal combustion enginge, and it totally trumps man walking on the moon….I love snail mail!
Lord take me now
This whole thing just caught my attention…just curious as to why everyone had to tell Redstar why his opinion was not a valid one, and that he was wrong. Shouldn't he be entitled to his own opinion and not have to be swayed by everyone else's thoughts?
However, Redstar, some of those things you previously said maid me laugh under my breath at how…childish…they were.
Anywho, other than these above mentioned games, are there any others that you might think are well worth picking up?
Of course he is entitled to his own opinion. But telling everyone that Snailmail is for toddlers isn't a respectful statement either. It's like he is suggesting that you are childish if you enjoy the game. This is an offensive statement regarding adults like me. And: it is simply not true. "I don't like snailmail, because this is not my type of game" or a statement like that is valid of course. I never said that his is not entitled to his own opinion. I just asked if he really played Snailmail at all. I really wanted to know. It's one thing to try a game and another to play it for weeks.
Why is that so many blogs are ruined because a few entries have been worded or expressed in a bad way? How "childish" can turn to "ban" and "Hitler" is beyond me. Cut the crap and concentrate! – by the way I enjoy Papi…
I would disagree with that list because the best games are not based on if they are cheap or how many people bought it. It should be about the concept of the game and how can it show the true power of the iPhone or iPod Touch. I will have to agree with real soccer, hero of Sparta and toy bot diaries because they seem to show that the iPhone can be better than a PSP or any other console. There are games like crash bandicoot, brothers in arms, guitar rock tour, bomberman, spore, simcity, touchsport tennis, vay & asphalt that should be on this list no matter what but they are pricy and people usually critices them for being pricy. You should just buy it because these are the best games out there and this are the ones that make the iPhone so good as it is. This list sucks!!!!!!!! Mine is better!!!!!!!!
I am a word-nerd and I think that WordsWorth was indeed a fantastic word game too. It is topping the charts and has been nominated as one among the top ten word games by Best App Ever. I also found out that they are distributing promo codes in their blog (http://blog.99games.in) where you can get the game for free.
Here are some games I would recommend:
Crash bandicoot nitro kart 3d
Brother in arms hour of heroes
Labyrinth
Enigmo
I really got into the doapp game "react". React is addictive.
Thank you for putting TBD in there, we are honoured. =)
Thanks for the laugh folks, and thanks to Redstar for the rant…. just remember, if you use the phrase 'pole smoker' more than once it makes you an actual crap toucher….. or a homophobe.
I actually think Shaky Summit deserves to be up there, but I realize I'll be in a small minority on that one. I was really surprised by the game because I'd got such mediocre reviews and so when I bought it for 99 cents I wasn't expecting much, but I found the game to be super fun. Probably more fun then anything else I've played on my iPod touch. Note, however, that I haven't played a number of the games in your top 10.
Wow…. These guys who think Ipod touch is cool… Dont know how Bad a$$ it is to have Jail broken! Theres WAY more!
pocket god?
flick fishing?
need for speed undercover?
assasins creed?
crash bandicoot nitor kart 3d?
airport mania?
seeing as many of those games weren't out in 2008, it doesn't really help.
arn
Hey dont forget crash bandicoot racing super monkey ball and last but definitly the best…the game that was out a few days ago…SIMS 3! If u dont have money for the pc xbox or wii version get it on ipod well worth 7.99!
jailbreaking is illegal lol , it also loses ur warranty so u will lose alot
jailbreaking is ilegal and it loses ur warranty
jailbreaking is illegal and it loses ur warranty
There is all this crap going on about it "being the first of its kind" and then saying that its because of that u must download it. What a loada crap! Just becoz its one of the first doesn't make it the best. So…if a game came out now with all the usual stuff that good games have but made it into something legendary people would be like…"nah its crap becoz its not one of the first these techniques"
actually, by definition, if it is the first of its kind, then yes, it is the best of its kind too (when it came out)
arn
No TapTap Revenge??? Omg it's the end of the world as we
know it