In 2009, our game of the year was Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor [99¢ / HD], a title that perfectly embodied what we loved about iPhone gaming. After weeks of deliberation, lists, email chains, and IM conversations we've settled on the official TouchArcade iPhone game of the year for 2010: Venan Entertainment's Space Miner: Space Ore Bust [$1.99 / Lite / HD].

In our review we called it "one of the best games [we've] played since the App Store went live over a year and a half ago." Looking back on the game releases of 2010 trying to pick what we thought was the best lead to us continually coming back to Space Miner. We loved the classic Asteroids-style gameplay, the clever storytelling, and the degree of customization that kept us coming back for more through multiple play throughs. Depending on how you load your ship out, the game plays much differently. For instance, you can be a glass cannon prioritizing asteroid-pulverizing guns, or take a more slow and steady approach prioritizing shields and cargo space for huge hauls of ore.

Space Miner HD is great on the iPad, and we also really enjoyed Space Miner Blast [Free], a game based on Space Miner with much of the depth of the original game stripped out to instead focus on quick arcade-style gameplay. Also, the original Space Miner has been updated to include some really great looking Retina Display graphics. If you played through the game when it was originally released earlier this year, we hope this serves as a good reminder to reinstall this game and enjoy it again. If this is the first you've heard of Space Miner, it is a game that simply must be part of your game library.

Runner Up: Carcassonne

The Coding Monkeys have two Apple Design Awards under their belt for their two Mac programs, SubEthaEdit and BoinxTV. Taking this in to account, it's no surprise at all that the overall design and presentation of Carcassonne [$9.99] could not possibly be better. Based on the classic board game of the same name, Carcassonne is without a doubt the best adaptation of any board game that we've seen on the App Store. Instead of implementing unnecessary 3D graphics like EA has with their Hasbro classics, The Coding Monkeys focused on how the game plays.

Carcassonne starts with a fantastic completely voiced over tutorial to guide new players in to the game, and game modes that allow you to either play in massive single player games with many types of AI players or a number of different multiplayer modes. These modes include single device hot seat multiplayer, local Bluetooth or WiFi, and even online asynchronous play utilizing push alerts. Honestly, the only thing we could even ask for is that they eventually implement the various Carcassonne expansions as in-app purchase. We've be all over that.

If you've had Carcassonne on your device since it was released, be sure to swing by the thread where people are still looking for others to play with. Otherwise, it recently saw an update which added universal compatibility, making this game a must-have for both iPhone and iPad owners.

While our iPhone game of the year took tons of deliberation, the iPad game was far more clear cut. Since the device's release, we've yet to really see much in the way of killer iPad-exclusive content. Most developers instead have somewhat understandably have chosen to use the iPhone and iPod touch as their target platforms, then either eventually release a universal update or a completely separate "HD" version of the game. 2D Boy really knocked it out of the park in releasing an iPad-exclusive version of their hit indie PC/Mac/Wii game World of Goo [$9.99]

We really couldn't say enough good things about it in our review, as adding a multitouch interface to the game enhanced overall gameplay more than I could ever have imagined. On the PC/Mac, you built up huge towers of goo balls utilizing the mouse pointer, which seems to be impossible to go back to after being able to hold a single goo ball with each finger while panning the camera around with the other hand.

If you own an iPad, this is a game you need to have. If you've played World of Goo on another platform, it's still worth playing through again just because of how much better of an experience it is on the iPad.

Runner Up: Plants vs. Zombies

We had a great time with Popcap's Plants vs. Zombies [$2.99] for the iPhone, but we thought the game was substantially better when played on the iPad with Plants vs. Zombies HD [$6.99]. Very similar to World of Goo, we enjoyed Plants vs. Zombies a ton playing on our computers, but with the multitouch screen of the iPad, the game turns in to something else entirely.

Plants vs. Zombies is an incredibly casual tower defense game that's easy enough for people who have never played a tower defense style game to get in to with any more explanation than the tutorial offers, yet deep enough for even hardcore players to get in to. Progressing further in to the game unlocks additional seeds to use to plant your defenses, and the seeds you choose offer a surprising amount of variation to the game and it's balanced well enough that you can generally focus on using the seeds you like instead of using the seeds that are the "best".

This is a game that everyone with an iPad needs to own, and it's available on so many platforms, if you haven't yet you really need to try Plants vs. Zombies on something.

With nearly 200 free and paid titles available for download on the App Store, Gameloft is quite possibly the most prolific iOS game developer around. Their aim for the majority of their titles is bringing console-like experiences to iOS devices. For better or for worse, the formula that they have arrived at to accomplish this task is to ape the ideas of established console franchises and create their own versions of them. Opinions on this tactic are mostly divided into two different camps, those who like it and those who don't.

Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle. On the one hand, Gameloft provides me the kinds of games that would otherwise not make it onto my preferred mobile gaming platform. But on the other hand it can be hard to swallow just how blatant some of their “inspiration” from other games is, and it's always nicer to see a developer coming up with original ideas for games. Here's a quick rundown of some of Gameloft's most prominent titles from 2010:

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Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus, $6.99 - [Lite / iPad] – Gamelofts' take on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is actually one of the best first-person shooters available. A fun (if cliché) campaign is just icing on the cake for one of the most impressive online suites ever seen in a mobile game.

N.O.V.A. 2 - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, $0.99 - [iPad] – This homage to Bungie's Halo is also one of the most competent FPS games in the App Store, with a lengthy campaign and a meaty online component. The environments, enemies, and weapons will seem all-to-familiar to fans of the legendary Xbox series, but it's pretty neat to have it all in your pocket.

Shadow Guardian, $5.99 - [iPad] – Fans of Nathan Drake can say hello to Jason Call as Shadow Guardian does its best impression of the Uncharted series. This third-person cover-focused shooter is technically competent, but is missing the unforgettable story and characters that made the original Uncharted games so successful.

Eternal Legacy, $4.99 - [iPad] – Overly dramatic storylines, turn-based battling, and bad haircuts can only mean one thing. No, not the latest Final Fantasy game, but rather Gameloft's version of it. Eternal Legacy borrows heavily from the Final Fantasy series, and is a competent gameplay experience but lacks in quality of story and character development which makes it feel a bit lifeless.

Zombie Infection, $4.99 - [Lite / iPad] – Zombie Infection is the Gameloft equivalent of Resident Evil 5 on consoles. It gets almost all of the gameplay elements right, and is actually a really fun title to play, but again a lack of quality in story and characters makes the overall experience feel hollow.

Gangstar: Miami Vindication, $6.99 - [Lite / iPad] – Clearly a take on GTA: Vice City, Gangstar: Miami Vindication puts you in a gigantic crime-filled sandbox world and lets you do pretty much whatever you want. Unlike the official GTA game on iOS, Miami Vindication emulates the fully 3D third-person perspective of the console titles, but the visuals suffer somewhat because of it.

Let's Golf!® 2, $4.99 - [Lite / iPad] – This is an arcade-style golf game with wacky characters and over-the-top moves just like Sony's Hot Shots Golf series. The unrealistic style of Let's Golf 2 is complemented with an excellent golfing engine, and this sequel to last year's edition is an improvement in just about every way.

Real Golf 2011, $4.99 - [Lite / iPad] – If Let's Golf is Gameloft's take on the Hot Shots series, then Real Golf 2011 is their version of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise. Strangely, there is already a Tiger Woods game on the App Store, but the newest edition hasn't yet seen the light of day. In lieu of this, Real Golf 2011 offers a solid round of realistic golf when the cartoony nature of Let's Golf 2 won't do.

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It's not all copycat games, as Gameloft does do some pretty solid work with licensed IP's like Spider Man Total Mayhem [99¢/Lite/HD], Splinter Cell Conviction [99¢/Lite/HD], Prince of Persia Warrior Within [99¢/Lite/HD], and Brothers in Arms 2 [$4.99/Lite/HD]. Regardless of how you feel about their methods, there's no denying that Gameloft has contributed a ton towards pushing the iOS platform into a more serious gaming direction. For the most part their games are pretty fun and feature a lot of content for under ten dollars (not to mention the frequent sales they have).

It would be nice to see Gameloft invest in more of their own original ideas, since they are obviously a very capable studio. At the same time, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have a facsimile of Halo that I can tote around in my pocket at all times. It will definitely be interesting to see what avenues Gameloft explores in 2011 after such a productive 2010.

There have been a number of fun and free advergames on the App Store. Firemint did a great job with Real Racing GTI [Free], which was little more than a cleverly disguised lite version of Real Racing [$4.99] with some very heavy Volkswagon branding. VW has also worked with Fish Labs to bring us Volkswagen Think Blue. Challenge [Free], an odd "racing" game of sorts where you're put to the task of driving fuel efficiently instead of as fast as possible.

Today's interesting advergame is CP3K [Free] courtesy of Nike, Chris Paul, and his new set of Jordan shoes which, like every year, look even sillier than last year's iteration. How do you mix shoes and a basketball player from the New Orleans Hornets in to a video game? Well, it has something to do with some kind of futuristic training simulator where Chris Paul himself (apparently equipped with his shoes) runs, jumps, and of course, executes wicked backboard-shattering dunks. This all is accomplished by tapping when you're running over pads that boost your speed, allow you to jump higher, or dunk. Otherwise, tapping just makes you jump.

Like most of these advergames, there's limited depth in the gameplay as the goal of CP3K is to sell you shoes. Still, you can replay the levels to beat your ghost, and there's a 3 star rating system depending on how quickly you're able to run and dunk your way through the 9 included levels. It's surprisingly fun for what it is, and the game is even universal. Virtual Chris Paul is animated quite well, and the soundtrack is this cool post-8-bit electronica with an R&B backbeat that's pretty catchy. It's under 25MB too, so iPhone owners can download it via 3G without issue.

Gaming has grown exponentially over the course of the last 2+ years since the introduction of the App Store. Apple's iOS devices, with their touch screens and accelerometer/gyroscope capabilities, have given developers the opportunity to deliver gaming experiences that are unlike anything available on other platforms. And while there have been an incredible amount of unique games released for these devices, the popularity of the platform also brings a strong desire to see previously successful games ported over from other areas of gaming. Here is a selection of ports from 2010 that have found a new home on the App Store, and in many instances have even proved to be superior to their originals.

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Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, $9.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - It's GTA in your pocket, 'nuff said. Last January when it was released, it was impressive that the entirety of GTA: Chinatown Wars could be crammed into an iOS game, and it still impresses today. Basically it provides endless fun, much like with any GTA game where you can get lost in the thousands of interesting things to do in the huge open world. GTA on iOS isn't quite as pretty as the PSP version, but it's a huge step up from the original DS version and the virtual controls actually work pretty well. Plus, having a gigantic IP like Grant Theft Auto on the App Store was a huge boon for iOS gaming, further legitimizing it as a serious gaming platform.

STREET FIGHTER IV, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This isn't really a direct port, since so many technical changes were made to get it running well on iOS, but it's definitely an impressive version of the console games. Fighting games are meant for physical controls, but the virtual controls here actually work far better than I ever dreamed that they could. If you're expecting the iOS version of Street Fighter IV to be the definitive experience, or the replacement to your console game, then you will be disappointed. If you're just looking to have a highly playable and fun version that can fit in your pocket, then it delivers in spades. The amount of support this title has received, getting numerous feature updates and roster additions, has made it a solid investment during its lifespan on the App Store.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Similar to Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, this title is impressive because it is essentially the entire console experience shrunk down and on your iOS device. Here you'll find all of the same levels, dozens of playable characters, and humorous cutscenes that you would find in Lego Harry Potter on other platforms. The original release had some problems with clunky controls, but it has since been updated with a virtual d-pad and context sensitive buttons that have really improved the experience.

Osmos, $2.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - One of the most critically acclaimed indie titles on Mac and PC in 2009 made its way to the iPad in July of this year. Osmos is one of those titles that feels like it was made for a touch screen, and after owning the Steam version on my laptop, moving to the iOS version felt like an upgrade. The slow paced gameplay and calming atmosphere of Osmos isn't for everyone, but to those that enjoy it the iPad version is quite possibly the definitive experience. Later in the year, the developers ported the game for the iPhone as well, and took great care in subtly tweaking certain aspects to assure it felt good on the smaller screen. Really, no matter which version you play, Osmos is stellar from top to bottom.

World of Goo HD, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Originally a Nintendo Wii game, and later ported to desktops, World of Goo is another critically acclaimed title that feels more at home on a touch screen, even more significantly than Osmos does. Fans had been speculating an iOS port of World of Goo ever since the App Store launched, given how suitable a touch control scheme would be for the game, and it was even officially announced by developer 2D Boy way back in the Fall of last year. It sort of fell off the radar for quite a while, but at long last World of Goo finally hit the iPad this month, and it was even better than anyone could imagine. An iPhone port may still appear someday, but if you're an iPad owner and you don't yet own World of Goo, you're missing out on one of the finest examples of gaming on the platform.

Game Dev Story, $3.99 - [Lite - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This is technically a port of a 1996 PC game, but not very many people outside of Japan would come to know it until its iOS debut this year. The crazy thing is that it's not even that great of a port. The aspect ratio of the screen is wrong for the iOS devices, the graphics haven't been enhanced whatsoever, and the touch screen controls are only minimally optimized. Game Dev Story overcomes all of these hurdles, however, by having some of the most engaging gameplay that I've ever seen. It's an experience that seems better on mobile, as I can't really imagine sitting at my computer playing this game. But on my phone, I almost couldn't stop playing as it was so accessible, and for that reason alone it remains one of the best iOS ports in the App Store.

Plants vs. Zombies, $2.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - PopCap is known for having some of the most successful casual games on Mac and PC, and they have had a great presence on the App Store as well. Earlier this year they brought one of their most popular games to iOS in Plants vs. Zombies, and its already huge fan-base was more than happy to push it into the top of the charts where it has held a steady position ever since. In many ways, this defense game feels more at home on the touch screen, and aside from having to remove the Michael Jackson zombie from the game, PopCap has done an excellent job porting Plants vs. Zombies to iOS.

Robot Unicorn Attack, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - While not the first “running game” by a long shot, Robot Unicorn Attack executes the formula so well that its remained one of the best ones for the better part of 2010. The speed progression feels perfect, the jumping and double-jumping is spot on, and the ability to dash adds a layer of complexity to the gameplay. The visuals that mimic an eight year old girl's wildest fantasy and a soundtrack that loops Erasure's Always are what push Robot Unicorn Attack into the upper stratosphere of excellence. The simple two button control scheme works perfectly on a touch screen, and this is a solid port from Adult Swim's extensive Flash game library.

Solipskier, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - While originally a Flash game, I had never heard of Solipskier until it appeared on iOS. After trying out the Flash version, I realized that once again, Solipskier is a game that is much more appropriate on a touch screen than anywhere else. The concept has you holding down on the screen to draw the slope your tiny skier travels on, and it feels incredibly organic with touch controls. The scoring system is complex without being overwhelming, and creating jumps that launch your skier high in the air while speeding at an incredible clip is exhilarating. Solipskier is the kind of game that seems so simple on the surface, but rewards players that invest the time to discover all of the depth and little details within its gameplay, and the iOS port feels like the way the developers intended it to be played.

Age of Zombies™, $0.99 - [Lite] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Most gamers within our particular realm hadn't heard of Halfbrick Studios until their mega-success Fruit Ninja captured all of our fruit-slicing hearts, but in actuality they have been creating games for various platforms for nearly a decade. After achieving huge download numbers with two original iOS titles, Halfbrick brought their well-received PSP Mini title Age of Zombies to the App Store. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Age of Zombies is yet another title that was actually better on iOS than it was on its original platform. This colorful dual-stick shooter featured improved graphics, slightly tweaked UI and gameplay elements, and most significantly a much more intuitive control scheme. While dual-stick shooters are nothing new to the App Store, the simple ability to use two virtual sticks as opposed to the single analog nub of the PSP made Age of Zombies a better experience on iOS.

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There are many more examples of solid ports, too many to name actually. The list here is filled with mostly contemporary games, but the App Store is also a goldmine of classic titles that have found new life on iOS. There is the wonderfully remastered Monkey Island 2 Special Edition; Riven: The Sequel to Myst; timeless console RPGs Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, and Secret of Mana; and many more. While I'm always excited to see games that utilize iOS devices in new and interesting ways, there is also a lot to be said for having some of my favorite games from other platforms available in my pocket at any time. It's even introduced me to games that I might not otherwise have ever played were it not for their being available on my iPhone. With so many solid ports in 2010, I can't wait to see what other excellent multiplatform games end up residing on the App Store in the coming new year.

Last week we posted about the Indie iPhone Holiday Sale, a joint effort from six developers, each with fantastic indie titles, to raise money for Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity. It really doesn't get more win/win than this. For $6, you get six great games, and some of the proceeds go to helping improve the quality of life of kids in hospitals across America.

The following games are still on sale until the 2nd of January:

• Canabalt, by Semi Secret Software - Review
• Solipskier, by Mikengreg - Review
• Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, by Tiger Style Games - Review
• Osmos, by Hemisphere Games - Review
• Eliss, by Steph Thirion - Review
• Drop7, by Area/Code Inc. - Review

To celebrate raising so much cash for kids in need, Semi Secret Software made a substantial announcement: Canabalt is now totally open source via the MIT license. This is the full latest version of the game that hasn't even been approved yet on the App Store which features some pretty sick OpenGL optimizations I've been told, allowing the game to run at 60fps on recent devices.

If you're a pioneering iOS developer, check out the source here. The license they're using is open enough that you can basically use the game engine for anything you want, provided you're not redistributing the game code, graphics, or sound. This really makes me wonder if we'll see a Canabalt spinoff that features all the unanswered suggestions from our forums.

Either way, this is great news for the developers participating in the sale, developers who are interested in looking under the hood of Canabalt, and most importantly: The kids benefitting from these donations.

It's still incredible to me how far portable devices have come. I clearly remember thinking just how fantastically awesome my original Gameboy was in in 1989, and how I could never look at my old Tiger Electronics LCD and older LED-based handhelds the same ever again. If you would have told me back then that I'd have an all in one device that not only had a pixel density higher than my eye was even capable of seeing, but it was also constantly connected to the Internet, allowing me to download high quality games over the air... Well, I'd probably ask you what "the Internet" is.

While we finalize our game of the year picks, we thought it was important to mention the games that pushed the technical limits of the iOS platform even further. We've covered these games at length before, but all of them clearly stick out as the titles that we'll remember for pushing the boundaries of our iPhones in 2010, and are worth picking up if you want to see what your device is capable of:

Graphics: Infinity Blade, $5.99 & RAGE HD, $1.99 - "Console quality graphics" is a phrase often thrown around on our forums, and it wasn't until Rage and Infinity Blade that I could ever really got behind describing anything that way. Both games flat out look incredible, and we cannot wait to see what comes of both Epic's Unreal Engine and Id's IdTech engine on the iOS platform in 2011. This seems like the tip of the iceberg, as the potential both engines have once developers really start getting the hang of them is out of this world.

Game World: Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD - There have been many RPGs released since the inception of the App Store, but none have this level of depth and complexity. Before we found ourselves immersed in Aralon, we thought game worlds this expansive were going to be reserved for the PC and home consoles. Being able to take the whole universe of Aralon with you in your pocket is awesome, and now that Crescent Moon has upped the ante this far, we're extremely excited of what other developers release to up it even further in 2011.

Multiplayer: Real Racing 2, $9.99 - I still remember just how blown away I was when I played my first online game of Mario Kart on the Nintendo DS in 2005, and the crazy WiFi setup it required. (No WPA, still!) Fast forward five years, and we're playing 16 player online races via 3G networks anywhere that you've got cellular service and enough battery left to play. The matchmaking in Real Racing 2 works well, and is fast enough to be able to play a quick race whenever you have a few minutes to spare.

Similarly, games like Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus [$6.99 / Lite / HD] and N.O.V.A. 2 [$6.99 / HD] bring familiar console-like FPS multiplayer experiences with increasing player limits and game types with each iteration. The advent of Game Center and how developers are pushing both the complexity of multiplayer games and the number of players playing at once upward, 2011 should be incredible.

What's even more amazing is considering that we're basically in the middle of the fourth generation iPod touch, iPhone 4, and iPad product cycles. There's so much more these devices are capable of, and it's hard to even imagine what their successors will be able to do. 2010 was filled with advancements both in iOS hardware and software, I can't wait to see what happens next year.

Rovio has put us in an interesting predicament with our end of the year coverage. It's impossible to not somehow mention Angry Birds [99¢ / Lite / HD], but strictly speaking, it is a game released in 2009. December 10th, 2009, to be exact. The game's appearance on the App Store was without much fanfare, as it was (and still is) published under Chillingo's Clickgamer brand. Established in late May of 2009, Clickgamer is Chillingo's secondary brand to offload casual titles and other games they wouldn't label as an "AAA title" like iDracula [99¢], and other top games of the time.

From the original press release:

“This moves allows Chillingo to focus the Chillingo brand on AAA titles, and at the same time allow us to leverage our marketing resources to promote clickgamer.com to support the publishing of high quality titles across various genres in the App Store” said Joe Wee, Director and co-founder of Chillingo.

Chillingo's decision to relegate Angry Birds to the Clickgamer brand seems to be a clear indication that they had few expectations of the game which has since become their flagship title, and likely played a major role as a bargaining chip when EA acquired Chillingo for $20m. Looking back at the original thread on our forums and our own review, Angry Birds was unanimously loved, but many mentioned there "only" being 63 levels and the lack of any kind of online leaderboards as things that detracted from the game.

Obviously, Rovio didn't give up on Angry Birds, they stuck to their guns and released a constant stream of updates through 2010. Angry Birds charted in one way or another since its release, but it wasn't until late February that it got a foothold on the top of the charts-- A position it's more or less held on to since then. A HD iPad version later appeared, as did a new self-published seasonal game, Angry Birds Seasons [99¢ / HD] which has enjoyed similar success.

Graph courtesy of AppAnnie

Rovio has basically rewritten the definition of success both on the App Store and in the world of Android. Earlier this month they announced that they've reached 50 million downloads, and in a recent interview with Tech n' Marketing mentioned that over 80% of people keep the game installed. Some other amazing statistics are mentioned in the same interview. 200 million minutes of Angry Birds is played every day which compares favorably to basically every other form of visual entertainment including primetime television.

Next year Rovio has plans to bring Angry Birds to home consoles, and in a interview with the BBC, they even confirmed a sequel was in the works. While Rovio remains guarded with their exact plans for 2011, the fact remains: With a pool of millions of Angry Birds fans, anything they release will likely also rocket to the top of the charts.

The App Store mouse seems to have hopped back on its wheel after the recent holiday freeze of iTunes Connect, and we're starting to once again see new games, updates, and price drops becoming available. Right off the bat there is a noteworthy sale that caught my eye, so if you still have a dollar left over after gorging on the massive list of holiday sales that we posted last week (many of which are still going on, by the way), you'll definitely want to pick up Game Dev Story [99¢/Lite] while it's at its lowest price ever.

Chances are pretty good that you've heard of Game Dev Story by now. This port of Kairosoft's 1996 PC game puts you in the role the manager of a brand new game development studio. You'll need to hire staff, come up with game ideas, and then bring those ideas to fruition all while staying within your budget and available resources. Then you market and sell your games, hopefully getting positive reviews from critics and bringing in a profit so your studio can expand and work on future titles. We were quite taken with Game Dev Story when we reviewed it, and it turns out we weren't alone as it subsequently went on to create quite a buzz across the gaming blogosphere.

In the App Store world, anything more than a dollar can be a hard sell to some gamers. After seeing the nearly 15 year old graphics that are used in Game Dev Story, I imagine that there were a lot of people that found it hard to part with the $3.99 that the game originally cost, despite the mountains of praise it received. Even with the recently launched lite version, I'm willing to bet that there are gamers that were steadfast in their willingness to wait for a 99¢ sale. To these people, your time has come! Game Dev Story is now just a buck, and you'll be hard-pressed to find more bang for that buck in practically the entire App Store. So stock up on food, buy a few cases of Red Bull, and get sucked into the divine addiction that is Game Dev Story, which will give you a chance to hone your skills for the upcoming Game Dev Story 2.

Update 1: It seems the price has been increased back to $2.99.

Update 2: For whatever reason, the price seems to be fluctuating from $2.99 to 99¢.

Coming next month, developer Turborilla and Racer X Online will be bringing the popular Mac and PC title Mad Skills Motocross to iOS. This arcade-style motocross game has the soul of Excitebike at the core of its gameplay, but practically everything else has been updated for a more modern feel. There is no shortage of motocross or dirt bike games in the App Store, but after spending a good deal of time playing the desktop demo of Mad Skills Motocross, I'm definitely excited about the potential of the game on iOS.

There aren't too many specific details about the iOS version at the moment, but it will at least include the 50+ tracks from the desktop version's career mode as well as friend challenges through OpenFeint. Also, adding a unique twist to the typical gameplay of these kinds of games is the use of special power-ups for your bike, like a pogo stick-type jump that propels your bike straight up in the air to clear obstacles while driving. One of the biggest draws in Mad Skills Motocross though is the track editor that lets you make your own courses. It isn't known if the iOS version will have a track editor, and if it does whether or not there will be some sort of sharing functionality, but the prospect sure is enticing.

You can watch this short video of a beta version of the game running on iOS (note the UI graphics have changed for the final release), but for the full effect check out this trailer for the desktop version of Mad Skills Motocross:

The iOS version of Mad Skills Motocross is scheduled to launch on January 10^th. The Racer X website clearly shows the game running on both an iPhone and iPad, but currently we don't know if this means it will be universal or if there are two separate versions planned. We'll be looking to get our hands on the game, as well as a lot more details, in the next week or so. Until then you can check out the upcoming thread in our forums, and you can download the demo version of Mad Skills Motocross for your desktop here and give the game a try for yourself.

While we weren't too crazy about Dungeon Defenders: First Wave [$2.99] in our review, we have no problem getting behind any developer committed to continually supporting their games. We've already posted about Trendy Entertainment's intentions to add completely cross-platform multiplayer, and on Christmas Eve, they released this teaser trailer for Dungeon Defenders: Arena.

Trendy is referring to the arena as a "PvP expansion", so we're not really sure quite yet whether this is going to be a free update, a whole new app, or some kind of DLC. We hope with all of these feature additions they have time to address some of the control issues, as once all of these Dungeon Defenders updates hit, we're going to have an iOS game on our hands with an insane feature set.

For more information on Dungeon Defenders, check out the game's thread in our forum. Alternatively, if you've already got the game and are just looking for people to play with, we've got a thread for that too.

We'd like to extend our thanks to TouchArcade forum user Crex who worked tirelessly over the holidays to put together an epic thread. Originally asking everyone to list their top games of 2010, Crex went through and compiled the top ten games in to a poll which closed last night.

Epic Games' Infinity Blade [$5.99] put up a fight, but in the end, the unofficial TouchArcade Forums Game Of The Year award goes to Crescent Moons' ambitious and expansive open-world RPG Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD [$6.99] for the iPhone and iPad.

Aralon grabbed the award with 22.8 percent of our user votes in the unofficial message board poll. Infinity Blade came in second with 20.15 percent, while Real Racing 2 [$9.99] was third with 14.6 percent.

In our review, we noted that Aralon is unlike any other experience you'll have on the iOS so far. In brief, the game is wicked big and boasts tons of customization, quests, and areas of interest. Solid character movement, helpful quest logs, and the game's combat are just some of its other positive features that our forum readers have come to love.

Aralon is a Galoobeth Games joint, but back in May, Crescent Moon stepped in and gave the RPG a well-document makeover, helping generate even more interest in our upcoming games thread, as it reached more views than any other thread in TA forums history. Now that it's out, the threads on Aralon continue to grow.

Crescent Moon is still working on Aralon, by the way, and our message board is undoubtedly proving vital. The studio is implementing forum suggestions and is obviously dedicated to listening to what you guys have to say. Keep it up! Also, congrats to Aralon and Crescent Moon!

Pixelocity Software is a development team of two brothers who have previous experience in the game industry working on big name console titles. They decided to branch out and form their own studio in an effort to create smaller, more fun-focused titles. Based on their first iOS offering Disc Drivin' [$2.99/Free], they're off to a pretty fantastic start.

Disc Drivin' is a turn-based racing game that can be played locally or online with up to 4 players in each race. If “turn-based racing game” sounds weird to you, you're not alone, as I had trouble envisioning how something like that could work or even be fun when I first heard of the game. However, once I actually tried Disc Drivin' it quickly became clear just how brilliant an idea it is. If you've ever played the board game Pitch Car, this is essentially the video game equivalent. It's missing a couple of online features that keep it from realizing its full potential, but the foundation is solidly in place for what I can only describe as Words With Friends [99¢/Lite/HD] meets racing.

In Disc Drivin', cars are replaced with tiny discs that are advanced down a race track one flick at a time. Choose what direction to aim your disc, and the power and angle of your flick determines the course the disc will take. Physics play a role as your disc will slide along the ground like a shuffleboard puck and bounce off of walls and other objects along the track. Once you've flicked your disc and it finally comes to rest, it's the next player's turn, and play continues like this as you each make your way around 3 laps of a track to complete a race.

Various special move can also be used to spice up the racing. Sliding your disc along the track or bumping into other players' discs fills up a power gauge, and once this gauge is full you can unleash one of the 6 special moves in the game. These include a speed burst, the ability to stop on a dime (handy if you're about to fly off a track), and a jump for leaping over obstacles or taking shortcuts, among other moves. Also, each of the 12 different tracks are filled with obstacles, like speed boost pads, pinball-like bumpers, and ramps.

The way that players each take turns moving is what makes Disc Drivin' a perfect fit for the asynchronous online play it contains. You'll take your turn, close out of the app and go about your business, and once the other players have taken their turns you'll receive a push notification that it's your turn again. In addition to online play, there is also local play over WiFi or Bluetooth and a single-device pass-and-play mode for up to 8 players. Sadly, there is no single-player component with computer AI to race against, and Disc Drivin' is strictly a multiplayer-focused game at the moment.

What's funny about Disc Drivin' is that it has actually been out for a couple of weeks, but I didn't start to notice it until practically everybody in my Twitter feed was talking about the game and setting up matches with each other. And this brings me to my biggest complaint about Disc Drivin', which is that there is no built-in way to find new players or match up with random people. You have to know the username of who you'd like to add to an online race beforehand, and there's no friend list to keep track of who you play with. Both of these problems could be handled with the use of Game Center, but for now you'll need to rely on reaching out to your fellow Man using social networks and the like for exchanging usernames.

There are a couple of really nice features included in the online games, though. First there is a simple text chat that is easily accessible anytime during a game, and while in my experience it's mostly used for trash talk it can occasionally come in handy to compliment an opponent on a particularly nice move as well. The other great feature is the ability to watch a replay of each opponent's previous move, which is extremely helpful to get you up to speed when jumping into a game after a period of time. Also worth mentioning is that while the graphics are fairly simple, they're actually quite attractive. The tracks and landscapes are colorful and support the Retina Display, and the game runs at an incredibly smooth frame rate.

Even with the somewhat limited matchmaking, Disc Drivin' is a total blast to play. The flicking mechanic works well and the physics in the game are floaty and fun. The special moves and the extensive number of well-designed tracks adds a lot of variety to the gameplay, and you'll no doubt experience a lot of epic moments during races, like blasting into the lead with a speed boost, knocking an opponent off a track, or nailing a perfect shortcut jump to take a huge lead. Something about the gameplay is just so satisfying, and the turn-based nature fits into a busy lifestyle. In fact, I've been playing almost the entire time while I've been writing this review, and you can have up to 20 games going at once if you wish.

If Pixelocity can find a way to streamline matchmaking and add a friends list, and possibly even a single-player component for offline play, then Disc Drivin' could be really huge. For now, you can check out the game's thread in our forums to pick up some usernames and start up some matches. Even in its current form, Disc Drivin' is still a fun and unique experience, and the free version is actually the full game supported with ads, so there's no reason not to download it and take these discs for a spin.

TouchArcade Rating:

I know what you're thinking, but despite the name, Big Blue Bubble's newest iOS game Burn the Rope [99¢] has nothing to do with the popular title Cut the Rope [99¢/Lite]. It's actually a completely unique kind of puzzle game that tasks you with burning a design made out of rope by igniting just one point of the picture and guiding the flame, earning a medal based on the percentage of the entire picture that you burn. Various insects and spiders affect how you're able to burn the rope, and the 80 levels contained in the game get increasingly more difficult and complex as you go. There are a couple minor annoyances about Burn the Rope, but the core gameplay is engaging and there's enough content in the game to keep you busy for some time.

The basics of Burn the Rope involve touching a single point of the rope design to start a flame burning. The flames that ignite will only burn upwards, so you must spin your device around as the rope burns to keep the flame always moving up. It's possible to have multiple flames burning the picture at once if you can keep them all pointing upwards, but once a flame sits stagnant sideways or downwards for too long it will burn out. Torching at least 60% of a puzzle will net you a bronze medal, 80% for a silver, and the entire 100% will land you a gold medal.

As you progress in the game, bugs will begin to appear in the levels crawling along the rope. Different colored ants will change the color of your flame if you burn them up. Some levels contain pictures with portions made out of colored rope, so you have to strategically burn the correct colored ant to change your flame to the same color as the rope you're trying to burn. There can also be colored beetles crawling in some levels that add to your level completion percentage when burned, but again your flame must match their color in order for it to count. Finally there are spiders that will shoot out a string of web when burned, enabling you to reach portions of the rope picture that would normally be inaccessible as they aren't connected to the rest of the picture.

I don't normally like having to twist and turn my device around to play a game, but it doesn't bother me in Burn the Rope because the motions are mostly subtle, and there's an almost hypnotic feeling to slowly turning your device in your hands as you follow the flame along the rope. In this way, Burn the Rope has more in common with the Zen Bound series than any other game I can think of. The levels get fiendishly clever and complex the farther you go, and it will be a real challenge for anyone to attain gold medals on all 80 of them.

While the gameplay is interesting and fun, there are a few small things I feel could be better about Burn the Rope. It has a really cute art style, but it would definitely benefit from being enhanced with Retina Display support to make it stand out more. Also, I'd like to see Game Center integration with some neat achievements tied to the game's progression. The developers have stated in our forums that both of these features are already planned for the first two updates, and I think that once those hit it will add a lot to the overall package. One small problem I noticed was that the way the rope burns can sometimes be odd, leaving a very tiny chunk of rope unburnt when it shouldn't be. This forces you to replay a level if you're going for 100% completion, and although it happens infrequently it can be pretty annoying.

Despite any minor issues, Burn the Rope is a pretty great experience. I came very close to just glossing over the game because I assumed it was some sort of Cut the Rope ripoff, but I'm really glad that I checked out the trailer and gave the game a shot. There's plenty of content to play through, with 80 levels currently in the game and more coming in updates. Burn the Rope is definitely worth a look if you're interested in a unique puzzle game, and if you aren't afraid to spin your device around in public.

TouchArcade Rating:

The App Store has continued to grow in leaps and bounds in 2010. The number of apps in the App Store soared past 300,000 with hundreds of new games being released every day.

We sat down trying to figure out the best iPhone games of 2010 and found the task of narrowing down the list to a select few to be near impossible. Instead, we've organized our year in review into categories with what we feel is an excellent cross section of games from 2010. If you just got an iPhone or iPod Touch for Christmas, this list is an excellent starting place to catch you up. Note that many of the games also have iPad versions which are also linked.

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Casual

Cut the Rope, $0.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Proving that a cute main character, clever level designs, and simple touch screen controls are a formula for success, Cut the Rope has ridden the top of the charts practically since it was first released. The goal is to navigate a dangling bit of candy into the mouth of the adorable and hungry Om Nom by cutting the correct ropes to set it free. Just feeding the lil' guy isn't so hard, but getting 3 stars and a high score on each level can be, and is what has brought people back to Cut the Rope time and time again.

Fruit Ninja, $0.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - When Fruit Ninja was first released, it was novel for using a simple swiping mechanic to slice fruit out of the air. It was hard to explain the appeal, but it was an oddly satisfying experience and quickly shot up to the top of the charts. Since then it's gained new modes, unlockable items, and online multiplayer, and has become a mainstay on my device. Who would have though slicing fruit could be so much fun?

Robot Unicorn Attack, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The iOS port of this popular Flash game from Adult Swim meant you could have all the rainbows, fairies, unicorns, and as much Erasure's Always in your pocket with you at all times. This endless running game adds additional moves like double jumps and dashes to the formula, wrapping everything in a sugary sweet graphical package that is the epitome of “ironically cool” and also a ton of fun.

Tilt to Live, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - In its intial release, the game was based around a simple but fun formula of frantically avoiding red dots and using various power-ups to dispatch them. Since then, several updates have been released adding great new power-ups, game modes, and more.

Solipskier, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A universal game where you draw the slope for a skier to ski down. To make him speed up, you draw a downward slope, and to make him jump you simply draw a ramp. It works incredibly well both on the iPhone and iPad.

Platformer

Bounce On 2: Drallo's Demise, $3.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Bounce On 2: Drallo's Demise succeeds in delivering highly enjoyable platform gameplay to the iPhone. The original was fun, but the sequel goes well beyond, feeling notably more "fleshed out," with a good deal more eye-candy. While there's certainly room for more quality platformers in the App Store, Bounce On 2 is among the best.

Fastar!, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Fight angry squares in this action RPG. The name of the game is speed runs, and the goal of Fastar is to play the game faster and faster. There's a cool magic system, online leaderboards, and squares that explode coins when they die. What's not to love?

Dark Nebula - Episode Two, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - We loved the first installment, and the second is even better. You control a disc-like object by tilting, but to call this game a simple ball roller hardly seems to do it justice. The level design is amazing, and there's even a new combat system to allow for boss fights.

Babylonian Twins Premium, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Sixteen years in the making, Babylonian Twins delivers an amazingly challenging yet satisfying iPhone and iPad puzzle platformer. In many modern platformers, I've felt like I'm just mindlessly going through the motions to make it to the end of each level. Babylonian Twins, however, really keeps you enthralled throughout.

Hook Worlds, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Developer Rocketcat Games practically perfected the “hooking game” genre with their previous two App Store releases, and Hook Worlds is a culmination of that expertise. Offering 3 (soon to be 4) endless running games injected with the hooking mechanic, Hook Worlds manages to make each one feel unique despite using the same core gameplay. This is topped off with tight controls, charming pixel art, and the humorous tidings that Rocketcat is known for.

Retro

Pix'n Love Rush, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Like a platforming game with ADD, Pix'n Love Rush offers bite sized levels with constantly changing themes. The themes run the gamut of retro consoles, including the greyscale screen of the Game Boy and headache inducing red of the Virtual Boy. The jumping, shooting, and coin collecting is complemented with solid virtual controls, and every facet of the visuals just ooze style. On top of that Pix'n Love Rush is just a frantically fun good time.

The Incident, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This curious tilt-based game has you climbing a seemingly never-ending pile of junk all the way in to space. It's packed with some really great pixel art, and is even universal with some cool interaction between devices allowing you to do things like use an iPhone to control the iPad game via Bluetooth.

Vector Tanks EXTREME!, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - We're not entirely sure it's possible to pack more retro charm in to this game. As the title may hint, you compete in battles against other tanks, and the whole game is drawn in glorious vector graphics. If you were around during the 80's to play Battlezone, you need this game.

FINAL FANTASY, $8.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A great port of the classic NES title that started it all. Final Fantasy II is also available, but this is the game you should start with. If you were around for the original release of the game, hearing the opening theme again will likely be worth the price of admission alone.

Secret of Mana, $8.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - One of the timeless role-playing games from the bygone SNES era, Secret of Mana is a huge fan favorite among RPG gamers and has finally arrived on iOS. Practically everything you remember about Secret of Mana is intact in this new version, both the good and the bad, and has been reworked effectively for virtual touch screen controls. If you loved this classic title nearly two decades ago, then it's practically essential to have in your iOS library.

Role Playing

Infinity Blade, $5.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - ChAIR's amazing gesture-based swordfighter which utilizes the Unreal Engine to provide the best graphics we've seen so far on the platform. Sadly, you'll need a 3rd generation iPod, iPhone 3GS, or later to enjoy them. If you've got a recent device, this is not a game to miss.

Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - There have been many RPGs released on the App Store, but none with the depth and scope of Aralon. The game is home to an epic game world complete with multiple races, classes, mounts to ride, crafting recipes to master, and quests to complete.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A fantastic port of Years 1-4. It's universal, has Retina Display support, and just as much content and depth as the full console counterparts. Unfortunately, since it's a port it also retains the console-style save system which isn't as mobile friendly as we'd like it to be.

CHAOS RINGS, $12.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - One of the most ambitious RPG games we've seen so far for the iPhone. The graphics and gameplay are exactly what you'd expect out of a Square Enix RPG. Battle in parties of two in classic turn-based battles as you make your way through a story that's just as ridiculous as any other Japanese RPG.

Strategy / Sim

Sword & Poker, $2.99 - [Lite] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - At the core Sword & Poker is a card-based strategy/adventure game where battles take place by making poker hands on a 5×5 grid. The "Sword" portion of Sword & Poker comes from the roleplaying game layered on top of these poker battles. The strange blend of genres works quite well and is a game we really loved.

Warpgate, $4.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A space conquest game with an amazing sense of scope. Warpgate has cool graphics, an interesting faction system to get involved in, and a dynamic in-game economy that can keep you busy for as long as you remain interested in the game.

Plants vs. Zombies, $2.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Popcap's casual tower defense game hardly needs an introduction. Plants vs Zombies is a game that's easy enough to appeal to everyone, yet fun enough to warrant multiple play throughs without issue.

Game Dev Story, $3.99 - [Lite] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - At first glance this appears to be an abysmal port of a J2ME game... Then you play it. A few hours later you will be looking for your charger to keep playing. In the game you run your own game studio, managing staff, making games, and even releasing your own console. Once Game Dev Story sucks you in, it's impossible to put down.

Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Few games inspire more heartfelt nostalgia than the classic LucasArts adventure games of the late 80's and early 90's. The improved iOS control scheme in the sequel which works like many other iPhone adventures games where you just touch areas in the game world that you want to move to, or objects you want to interact with. Fans of the series are in for a treat with this installment.

Osmos, $2.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - In this award winning indie game, you control a tiny organism called a "mote". By tapping in a direction, you expel mass towards where you tapped, and your mote goes zooming off the other direction. With each tap you lose a little bit of your mass, so it doesn't take long before you're making extremely calculated taps to get exactly where you want to go with minimal loss of size. Your mote can absorb any mote that it smaller than it, but it also can be absorbed by any mote that is larger than it. The gameplay translates beautifully on both the iPad and iPhone and is a great great experience.

Action / Shooter

STREET FIGHTER IV, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - We were incredibly skeptical of how Street Fighter would work with touch screen controls, but have been pleasantly surprised. Also, since the original release, Capcom has consistently updated the game with new characters to play as. Also, if you've got a friend nearby who also owns the game you can play against each other using Bluetooth.

Chopper 2, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The long-awaited sequel of one of the most popular action games of the original App Store launch. It also has all kinds of crazy control options utilizing its universal nature on both the iPhone and iPad, and it's everything a great sequel should be. It expands on everything that made the original great, with some new things thrown in to the mix.

Archetype, $0.99 - [iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Five on five online deathmatch, capture the flag, and more. Archetype has Retina Display graphics, and the HD version looks great on the iPad. If online FPS games are your thing, this isn't one you should miss.

Dodonpachi Resurrection, $8.99 - [Lite] – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – When it comes to bullet hell shooters, it doesn't get much better than Dodonpachi Resurrection. There is so much going on at once in this game that it can be entirely overwhelming at times (in a good way), but this also prevents it from running on devices older than the iPhone 3GS and 3rd generation iPod touch.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, $9.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is by far the best open world crime game available on the platform. The sheer amount of content, the amazing graphics, and gameplay that will keep you coming back for more whether you choose to follow the story or rampage through Liberty City on your own is absolutely fantastic.

Space Miner™, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Combining classic Asteroids style gameplay wrapped in a clever story and a surprisingly extensive RPG-style ship upgrade system, Space Miner isn't a game you should miss. It recently was updated with Retina Display graphics, and the iPad version is great as well.

Racing

Real Racing 2, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A marvelous sequel to Firemint's original Real Racing, which improves upon the first in every way imaginable. A career mode, licensed cars, and 16 player online multiplayer are just a few of the new features. It also will run on any device, even the first generation iPod touch.

Cubed Rally Racer, $1.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A wonderful homage to isometric racing games, Cubed Rally Racer is completely randomized, so you'll never play the same track twice. Similarly, if a particular track is too difficult, you can simply generate a new one to play. The iPad version features split screen single-device multiplayer which is a ton of fun.

Reckless Racing, $0.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - An incredibly enjoyable top-down arcade racer with multiple cars, game modes, and even online multiplayer. Retina Display graphics and an excellent physics system heighten the experience, although we wish there were more tracks to race on as Deliverace is one of those games you never want to end.

Puzzle / Board

Carcassonne, $9.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - There are many board games that have made their way to the App Store, but Carcassonne is by far the finest. Online asynchronous multiplayer, Retina Display graphics, universal compatibility, and classic gameplay. It doesn't get much better than this.

Trainyard, $0.99 - [Lite] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A puzzle game based on laying train tracks to route multi-colored trains around the game board. Solutions can be shared online, and after you beat a level it's even more fun to see the zillion other ways that everyone else solved it.

Zen Bound® 2 Universal, $2.99 [Forum Thread] - Zen Bound 2 is filled with relaxing gameplay supplemented by one of the best (if not the best) soundtrack I've heard in an iPhone game, and the gameplay mechanic of rotating string around a 3D object to cover it in paint works phenomenally with the multi-touch controls of iOS devices– and even more so when you throw the gyroscope of the iPhone 4 in to the mix.

Helsing's Fire, $0.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Helsing's Fire sends you on a quest to destroy Dracula, placing you in 90 randomly generated, dungeon-like levels across three different worlds. The challenge is to eliminate said beasties by moving your torch about the screen, which casts brilliant beams of light and dark shadows about the play area. It's one of the most unique games I've ever played and is a true App Store gem.

Sports

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A surprisingly competent port of the classic skateboarding game. Everything is included from the original, and once you get used to the virtual controls, you'll be performing endless combos in no time in the many included skating locations.

MADDEN NFL 11 by EA SPORTS™, $2.99 - [iPad]- [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The Madden series hardly needs an introduction, as football player turned coach turned commentator John Madden has had his name on football games for the better part of 20 years now. EA introduced a new featured called GameFlow this year which will intelligently chooses plays for you. It is absolutely insane how much this changes both the feel and the pace of the game. Using GameFlow, endless submenus of plays are a thing of the past. Instead, you just play football.

X2 Soccer 10/11, $4.99 - [iPad]- [Review] - [Forum Thread] - X2 Soccer 2010 brings improvements to graphics, controls, computer AI, new game modes and more teams. X2 Soccer 2010 has over 150 club teams to choose from in 10 different leagues, plus international teams from all over the world. X2 Soccer 2010 is one of the top soccer game experiences right now on the App Store.

X2 Snowboarding, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad]- [Review] - [Forum Thread] - X2 Snowboarding from Exient is a highly enjoyable romp on the slopes that sets itself apart from the crowd in a number of ways. All of the aspects of X2 Snowboarding come together to deliver a highly enjoyable game with a surprising sense of speed and immersion.

Odds and Ends

Sketch Nation Shooter, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - While it isn't that great of a game in itself, Sketch Nation Shooter is one of the most creative uses of the iPhone camera we've seen yet. You sketch a doodle on a piece of paper, take a photo of it, and then import it in to little mini games you create. Gameplay is a little limited, but does it really matter if you turn a drawing of your cat in to an end boss?

Godville, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Godville is a "zero-player game" in that it requires absolutely no interaction from the player at all. Your character in Godville plays himself, all by himself, and you take the role of an omnipotent god and can either encourage or punish your hero, or do nothing at all. It's surprisingly amusing to just be able to load up your Godville character and vicariously live through his randomized adventures without needing to actually do anything at all.