The coolest thing about strategy games is that they can come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Some are contemplative, lean back style experiences. Others are fast and reflex-y. Some strategy games do a little bit of everything as far as pacing goes. We see a nice mix across the board on the App Store.
In 2012, we saw a lot of killer strategy games across iPhone and iPad. Some of the best didn't just toe genre lines -- they steamrolled them. Fieldrunners 2, for example, is more than just a competent tower defense game. It's a product of a studio that has a mastery of the art and it used its vast knowledge to inform some of the tightest, most well-balanced action we've ever seen in a TD game.
Our top strategy games of the year celebrates the titles we've seen that do a little more than the rest of their competition. Each has a unique hook or a quality that other similar games don't have.
Fieldrunners 2, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - [TA Plays] - Fieldrunners 2 is the ultimate iterative game. It improves upon the original in a lot of smart ways. The action is crisper and more challenging. The look is more polished, much more refined. And the new world map and turret constructs feel perfectly paired with the tower defense action, which, again, is remarkably good. You can't go wrong with this.
The Walking Dead: Assault, $2.99 - [Forum Thread] - [ TA Plays ] - Walking Dead: Assault takes the 3D, turn-based strategy action game model to the next level by dropping the over-used arena model and, instead, using compelling scenarios that have you escorting, scavenging, and eliminating things in the Walking Dead universe. Great use of color, solid touch controls, and neat hooks push this over.
Plague Inc., $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This game has blown up in a way we didn't think it could, but the attention is deserved. Plague Inc. is all about creating a plague that can wipe out the entire planet. Your job is to GM the plague -- to make it stronger, faster, and deadlier as it travels the globe and scientists scramble to cure it. It's a fascinating game with deep systems with a lot of neat perks that you unlock as you play.
Outwitters, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - While looking dangerously simple on the surface, Outwitters is one of the most tactical online asynchronous strategy games around. Every move requires careful thought and foresight, and one wrong move can allow your opponent to bury you. Outwitters also does a good job at realizing it's a game designed for mobile, with a clean interface and relatively small maps which make for quick games while on the go.
Bad Hotel, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - With a strong look and killer sound, Bad Hotel leaves a powerful first impression. The action is what'll hook you, though. This is a tower defense game where you defend your towers as you frantically build turrets to fend off suicidal birds. Neat grid mechanics keep the action simple enough, but smart scenario design keeps you on your toes.
Hero Academy, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Hero Academy takes the whole "one more turn" thing to the next level. It's a brilliant, 2D strategy game perfectly catered for people who love asynchronous games. The balance between the teams is phenomenal considering the scale of the task, and the strategy is wildly diverse.
Hunters 2, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Hunters 2 is everything the original Hunters was, except bigger, badder, and longer. The game's campaign weaves in a good story on top of the turn-based action, while the mobile feature set -- like buying weapons in a real-time market -- keep you coming back for more and more.
Monster Wars, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Liv Games took all the genre-blending of their previous hit Legendary Wars and flipped it around to let you play through the same universe from the bad guys' perspective. I love when games do that. Monster Wars offered up an incredible amount of content and a variety of different gameplay styles, all wrapped up in a cohesive art style that tied together very nicely with Legendary Wars' story and universe.
Brainsss, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - What could have been just another zombie game ended up being one of the fresher takes on a top-down strategy title. Lead a group of zombies around in search of helpless survivors to turn into the undead and add to your numbers. As your zombie horde grows, strategically split them off into smaller groups to search out even more victims.
One of my favorite things about iOS devices are their large touch screens, especially on the iPad. Some developers have really explored this facet by offering great same-device multiplayer modes, or entire games built around just that idea. Normally these offer experiences that are amongst my very favorite in all of gaming. In our increasingly online lives, it's just great to get together with friends in the physical world for some gaming, and sharing a single device is about as personal as it gets.
It's not relegated to just one device though, as more and more people adopt the iOS lifestyle that means that chances are more likely that you'll be together with a group of friends who are equipped with either iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads. The games listed below all exemplified how much fun getting together with friends and playing together can be, and how like board and card games iOS devices are now amongst those considered for passing the time while entertaining groups of friends.
Fingle, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Fingle is a game that's... provocative, to say the least. Right from the icon that alludes to some form of finger dirtiness, Fingle gets real personal with your partner real quick. While simply a game of finger Twister at its core, Fingle doesn't shy away from its sexual undertones. There's lots of groping and rubbing going on, and the game encourages it every step of the way. As long as you aren't playing against your grandmother (ummm, awk-ward) Fingle is sure to bring a smile to everyone's face.
Ring Fling, $1.99 - [Forum Thread] - Ring Fling takes the franticness of something like Hungry Hungry Hippos or Crossfire and digitizes it for iOS devices. Each player up to 4 takes a corner of the screen, and then does exactly what the title suggests: fling rings in an attempt to knock the most stars into the goals of your opponents. It's wildly good fun, especially with a full 4 players where screen real estate gets cramped and hectic, in a good way. As a bonus you can also play against the AI by yourself, which eliminates the difficult task of interacting with other human beings (but isn't nearly as fun).
O., $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This is another ring flinging sort of game, but adds in a novel color-matching combo system to the mix that creates a more subtle, strategic battle against your opponent as opposed to the franticness of Ring Fling. They both have their merits in different ways though, and if you know you're going to be huddling around an iPad with some friends or family this is another good way to spend that time.
Bloop — Tabletop Finger Frenzy, $0.99 - [Forum Thread] - Bloop takes the simple concept of tapping away at blocks on a screen and adds multiple players into the mix. The result is complete chaos as players try frantically to tap the most blocks of their particular color. It's the kind of thing that's easy enough for anybody to grasp when you shove your iOS device in front of their face, making it a fun option to play with people even if they aren't typically into games. This great trailer should show you exactly what you need to know about Bloop.
Spaceteam, Free - [Forum Thread] - Oh wow, Spaceteam, you guys. This might possibly be the biggest hidden gem of the year. It collects up to 4 players, each with their own iOS device, to command a different panel of a spaceship's control deck. The ship is on a collision course and gives you instructions on what buttons to hit and knobs to turn to correct the situation. The catch is that it gives you instructions for your other team members, meaning you'll end up shouting instructions at each other in a panic trying to perform your actions in time. It's insanely fun, and easy enough for anybody to grasp. It's also a free download so there's no reason not to give it a shot if you find yourself in the company of some iOS owning friends. I promise, you won't be disappointed.
In 2012, free-to-play continued to be a big deal on the App Store. It might have even been a bigger deal, actually, thanks to a couple of fantastic releases. Regardless of your feelings on free-to-play as a model, it's inarguable that people love these kinds of games. These are simple games that don't require traditional gaming skills, but do require some finesse in areas often left untouched by other genres. Free-to-play games are also super easy to pick up and play and they tickle unique pleasure centers.
Free-to-play games are easy to find. There's a lot in the App Store. And, to be frank, more than a few feel and look the same. In 2012, we kinda saw some change in the market. New free-to-play titles launched with identities -- some had remarkable art styles or a new mechanic or two to share, while others tried to mix up the formula with more non-aggressive schemes.
Our list of the top free-to-play games of 2012 is a reflection of the changes we've been seeing and hope we continue to see down the road. These aren't typical F2P games.
Clash of Clans, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Clash of Clans is THE free-to-play game. You name it, this thing has it. That's a big part of its charm, and it helps that the farming, city management, tower defense, and conventional strategy elements are all packaged coherently together. It's rare that a game that does so much succeeds, but this one does.
Middle Manager of Justice, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - In Middle Manager of Justice, you plays as the GM, VP, and CEO of a hero academy. Your job requires you to sign new heroes, train them, and clean up the streets. Smart timer-based mechanics keep the action flowing without too many starts and stops (as far as F2P goes), while Double Fine's signature whimsy mades it an adorable ride throughout.
Pocket Planes, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - If assigning cargo to planes sounds boring, you haven't tried Pocket Planes yet. It's a simulation game that challenges you to balance out the dizzying problems that come with being an airport tycoon. It's fun to assign flight paths and cargo, evaluate locations, and buy new planes. Notably, Pocket Planes isn't pushy with its model. In fact, it was balanced as a normal game first.
The Simpsons™: Tapped Out, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - [ TA Plays ] - The Simpsons: Tapped Out is the ultimate game for fans. You have to give it up to EA for not just cashing in on an electric property, but instead going the extra mile to make it feel like a natural extension of The Simpsons brand. From the look, to the buildings, to the characters, Tapped Out feels like Springfield. That's pretty awesome.
Gasketball™, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Gasketball is a basketball matching game similar to schoolyard HORSE, except with insane Rube Goldberg-ian constructs. Its free-to-play model is super non-offensive. Basically, you just pay for the content you want. Like the theme of a level? Buy it. It's simple, and the overall game is a blast.
Happy Street, Free - [Forum Thread] - Happy Street is similar to a 2D side-scrolling Animal Crossing, with colorful characters, cool mini-games, and all sorts of personality. It deals with the typical negative connotations of free-to-play games by giving you plenty to do even if you're waiting for some timer to expire, and the sheer breadth of different items and buildings you can place in your world – which is expanding all the time through updates – made Happy Street somewhere fun to visit regularly on my iOS device. It's also far and away one of the most popular games to discuss in our forums.
2012, like the years before it, have been incredible times for iOS gamers. This year was a little strange in that due to the magic of the App Store, a lot of the great games from 2011 continued to shine even brighter via updates throughout the year. Instead of one stand-out title like last year'sSuperbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP [$4.99], we ended the year with a list of fabulous games and ended up splitting hairs over which to socket into which positions. These five games are absolute must have titles that anyone with an iOS device should own.
Keep in mind, all next week during the iTunes freeze we're going to be running various "Best of" lists, so if you don't see a hat tip to a game you love in this particular list, chances are it'll make an appearance somewhere next week as we conclude our 2012 coverage of iOS games and move on to bigger and better things in 2013.
TouchArcade Game of the Year
Waking Mars, $4.99 by Tiger Style Games - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The same studio blew us away with our 2009 Game of the Year pick, Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor [$1.99 / $1.99 (HD)], and only a few years later does it again with Waking Mars. In the game, you play as an explorer who has landed on Mars and through a Metrovania-style adventure you explore the inner depths of the planet.
Numerous things set Waking Mars ahead of the pack, including a great graphical style and fantastic storytelling. What truly gripped us though, is how the game is entirely non-violent. It would've been all too easy for Tiger Style to give your character a gun and have you blasting through Martian caves until you're blue in the face. Instead, you're forced to meld with the ecosystems you discover and overcome challenges and puzzles utilizing the seeds of the various plant life you encounter.
Games these days entirely too often seem to hinge on how many things you can blow up, kill, or otherwise annihilate. Waking Mars provides a remarkably unique experience in that mastery of the game hinges on creation and harmony rather than destruction and mayhem.
TouchArcade Game of the Year Runner Up
10000000, $1.99 by EightyEight Games - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This incredibly deep match three perfectly embodies the promise of the App Store. Here we've got a genre that's beyond saturated in every way imaginable, and then a single developer comes entirely out of the blue and blows our collective minds. Here's the gist- Everything you do in this game matters. On the surface, it's a simple row sliding-based match three, but once you play through the tutorial you begin to realize that it's more about managing the board state over forming any single specific match.
For instance, you'll need sword and stave blocks in an immediate sense, as matching those is how you attack enemies. However, without managing removal of the stone and wood tiles, you quickly run out of available board space for swords and staves. Stone and wood are used for upgrading and repairing your castle, adding a sense of over-arching progression between individual match three dungeon crawling sessions. There's a totally cool story behind the development of the game too, be sure to check out our bonus podcast where we interview the developer.
TouchArcade Game of the Year Honorable Mentions
Devil's Attorney, $2.99 by 1337 Game Design - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The end result of sky-high production values, courtroom comedy, and gameplay that almost seems like a strategic card game, Devil's Attorney absolutely blew us away. As you progress through the game you expand your career as a lawyer, complete with increasingly tacky wardrobe upgrades, heinous apartment tweaks, and so much more. Court battles hinge on defending your own credibility while attacking that of the opposing lawyers, evidence, and witnesses. Depending on your path of upgrades, you gain access to different abilities, which potentially substantially alter your courtroom strategy.
The Room Pocket, Free / The Room for iPad, $1.99 by Fireproof Games - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Few games succeed at providing the level of immersion of The Room. Play it on your iPad if you can, but otherwise, grab your headphones, turn down the lights, and dive in. As a player you're put to the task of unraveling the riddles of a curious mechanical box. Secrets are everywhere to discover, and each "layer" of the box reveals an increasingly detailed puzzle to solve. The only real down-side to The Room is that it ends shockingly abruptly, leaving you remarkably hungry for more. Fingers crossed for The Room 2 in 2013.
Super Hexagon, $2.99 by Terry Cavanagh - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Perfectly playing on the need to play "just one more," games in Super Hexagon can last mere seconds. All you need to do is avoid the incoming hexagon. Sounds easy, right? See if you can last longer than ten seconds. Keep playing and suddenly you'll be able to last 20, then 30, then much more. The sense of progression is incredible when you consider your typical game session (unless you're just really, really good) often lasts less than a minute.
Hey everybody, here's the best games we reviewed in the month of November. Keep in mind you can view all of our 5 star and 4.5 star games via category sorting. Similarly, you can see all of these "best of" roundups by clicking the Best iPhone Games category. You'll find tons of good stuff in there, especially if you dig back into the archives a bit.
Additionally, if you haven't already, give the TouchArcade app [Free] a download. It's free, and you'll get push alerts when we post articles like these and other things related to five star games. Cool, right?
5 Stars
ARC Squadron, $2.99 / Lite - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - While "on rails" might be a bad word(s) for some members of our community, ARC Squadron totally nails the formula of an on-rails space shooter. Players join up as a pilot in the ARC Squadron to fight off the Guardians, an evil alien race who will stop at nothing to destroy everything. A four star rating system and a surprisingly complicated score multiplier system adds loads of replay value, especially if you're the kind of person who gets into Game Center leaderboard competition.
If you've been looking for a good way to scratch your Star Fox (or similar) itch on your iOS device, give ARC Squadron a shot.
Angry Birds Star Wars, $0.99 / HD - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The best part about Rovio's recent releases, between both this game and Bad Piggies is they could totally just ride on the coattails of the series, do nothing new, and just slap "Star Wars" on the proverbial box and people would've bought it. Instead, we get an incredibly awesome mashup of Angry Birds gameplay that's deeply, deeply entrenched in the Star Wars universe.
If you're a fan of Angry Birds, Star Wars, or Angry Birdsand Star Wars, you need this game.
Walking Dead: The Game, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This game has made an appearance on quite a few of these best game roundups as they've released new episodes, and now that the series has concluded we can say with confidence that if you have a device capable of playing this game, you need to do it- Regardless of whether you're playing it on an iOS device, a home console, or your PC. Everyone needs to play this game.
The storytelling is incredible, the atmosphere is second to none, and it's amazing how it even feels like you as a player evolve in line with the story- Changing how you react to situations based on horrifying experiences you've gone through to survive.
Hey everybody, here's the best games we reviewed in the month of October. Keep in mind you can view all of our 5 star and 4.5 star games via category sorting. Similarly, you can see all of these "best of" roundups by clicking the Best iPhone Games category. You'll find tons of good stuff in there, especially if you dig back into the archives a bit.
Additionally, if you haven't already, give the TouchArcade app [Free] a download. It's free, and you'll get push alerts when we post articles like these and other things related to five star games. Cool, right?
These games are all universal too, so if you're looking for something to figure up on your new iPad that's recent, look no further:
5 Stars
Girls Like Robots, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Puzzle games are a dime a dozen on the App Store, but few are as masterfully executed as Adult Swim's Girls Like Robots. As its core, the game revolves around positioning tiles on a grid. The challenge comes from making everyone happy, as girls like robots but hate nerds. Nerds prefer to sit next to robots, and robots are OK with everything, being robots and all.
It sounds simple, and it is, to start. However, thing quickly ramp up with different scenarios, challenges, and even pie. Girls Like Robots is full of that signature Adult Swim humor as well, if you need another reason to push you over the edge of downloading it.
Need for Speed™ Most Wanted, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - An absolutely fantastic arcade racer that checks nearly every box in what I'm looking for out of a quick pick up and play arcade racing experience. The sensation of speed is great, the graphics are unreal, and the whole thing really shines on the widescreen of the iPhone 5.
There's 35 cars in all to unlock, some additional tweaks to work towards, varied event types, and tons of licensed music. If your tastes lie on the more simulation-oriented side of the street, hold tight for Real Racing 3. Otherwise, Need For Speed Most Wanted is a solid purchase.
Punch Quest, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Rocketcat and Madgarden are responsible for more than a few of my all-time favorite iOS games, so it's not really shocking that Punch Quest is as great as it is. It's a free to play game that, much to its financial detriment, is a little too free to play, but all that means is you're getting a seriously awesome game for free.
Punch Quest is an endless puncher, and the name of the game is seeing how far you can go and how many bad guys you can kill. There's tons of stuff to unlock between actual abilities you can use and superflous hats you can wear, so the "one more run" nature of the game has a greater purpose. Download this now.
Hey everybody, here's the best games we reviewed in the month of September. Keep in mind you can view all of our 5 star and 4.5 star games via category sorting. Similarly, you can see all of these "best of" roundups by clicking the Best iPhone Games category. You'll find tons of good stuff in there, especially if you dig back into the archives a bit.
Additionally, if you haven't already, give the TouchArcade app [Free] a download. It's free, and you'll get push alerts when we post articles like these and other things related to five star games. Cool, right?
5 Stars
Bad Piggies, $0.99 / HD - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A fantastically fresh spin on the Angry Birds formula, this time you play as the pigs and build various contraptions to reassemble your grand plan for stealing the eggs from the birds. This game is shockingly good, and shouldn't be missed. Sandbox mode, in particular, is incredible.
Super Monsters Ate My Condo!, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The original game was awesome, but this new Bejeweled Blitz-like spin on the formula cranks things up to 11. Two minute long games are hectic from start to finish, and if you're good, you can still pull off those insane scores that people loved bragging about in the original Monsters Ate My Condo.
God of Blades, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - An incredibly unique game with art and sound design that's out of this world. It almost reminds us of Sword & Sworcery in a way in that the game is so artistic that the entire experience is something you don't see very often on the App Store. Definitely dig into our review.
4.5 Stars
Lili™, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This Unreal engine powered game has a look at feel that is by far the most Nintendo-like I've seen on the App Store. Add a sword fighting mechanic and a Triforce, and it might pass for Zelda. The flower picking mechanic is a little weird, but it's easy to get into.
Rayman Jungle Run, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - When I first heard of this game, I rolled my eyes expecting another Temple Run clone. Instead, we got a platformer that is not only totally awesome but feels perfect on the iPhone.
Plight of the Zombie, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A really slick line drawing stealth game that puts the player in charge of moving zombies around various levels. If you're tired of zombie games, give this one a try, it feels really fresh compared to most mindless zombie games.
Super Hexagon, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This game has taken the TouchArcade crew by storm, with Jared and Arn fiercely competing on leaderboards with a few of our mutual Twitter followers. I'm not good enough at video games to make a good effort, but if you like very short very fast paced games, you need this one.
Splice : Tree of Life, $3.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Cipher Prime nails it again with an oddly obscure cellular puzzler. It started its life on the PC, but like all of their games, the iPad almost feels like Splice's natural home.
So you've got your new iPhone 5, you shot your unboxing video, and are looking for something to do while it uploads to YouTube (or Vimeo if it's an artsy unboxing video). Why not check out some of our previous "Game of the Year" titles? We review tons of games on a daily / weekly basis, but there can only be oneGame of the Year. Dialing things back a bit, every month we'll do a "Best iOS Games" roundup post that bundles up all the best games that we reviewed in a particular month. These articles are the best place to get started if you want a quick glance at all the best games that have come out, accessible via the Best iPhone Games category link in the far right column. (Or by clicking that link I just dropped.)
We've also done more substantial "best of" roundups at the end of each year, as well as when new devices are released, much like this post. Here's a list of those:
Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, $1.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - We choose Tiger Style Games' Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor for our 2009 Game of the Year first and foremost because it's a great game, but also because it perfectly represented the promise of iPhone gaming. Spider is an original concept built specifically for the iPhone by a small self funded team. It's this low barrier to entry which provides customers with a huge selection of games including unique and polished gems like Spider. You really should experience this one.
2010 Game of the Year
Space Miner™, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad] - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - 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.
2010 Runner Up
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.
2011 Game of the Year
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Our minds were blown at GDC 2010 when we first got our hands on Sword & Sworcery. The initial experience of playing the game is so powerful that it gave me chills. I really can't think of any other mobile game that has invoked a similar emotional response that I've played in my entire life. Sworcery is an absolute flawless combination of an entirely original soundtrack by Jim Guthrie, pixel art that is easily among the best I've ever seen by Craig D. Adams, and the creative genius of Kris Piotrowski along with the proverbial behind-the-scenes glue provided by Capybara Games to bring the whole project together.
2011 Runner Up
Anomaly Warzone Earth HD, $3.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Tower defense games have always been an App Store staple. It just seems to be a genre that perfectly meshes with both the touch controls of iOS devices, as well as providing an overall gameplay experience that works really well for playing on the go. Unfortunately, it seems there's only so much you can do in a tower defense game, and even though the past few years have brought some great entries into the genre, they all felt sort of the same. Then, from out of nowhere, comes Anomaly Warzone Earth. In essence, 11 bit studios took the traditional tower defense formula, and flipped it around, offering a whole new take on an otherwise stale section of the App Store.
2011 Honorable Mentions
Infinity Blade II, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - A great sequel to Infinity Blade [$5.99] by Chair Entertainment, Infinity Blade II expands upon the original in every way possible. It's by far the best looking game on the App Store, and we suspect it will likely serve as the graphical benchmark of what iOS devices are capable of throughout 2012. If you want to stretch the legs of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and see what its truly capable of, Infinity Blade II is the game to do it with.
Mage Gauntlet, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Rocketcat Games has had a fabulous track record for releasing phenomenal iOS titles with its Hook series of games, and Mage Gauntlet continues that tradition by being its best game yet. Flawless controls combine with all the retro trimmings to make us warm with nostalgia while feeling modern enough that even people who weren't around for the great action RPGs of the 16-bit era can appreciate it. Recent updates have improved gameplay even further, and have added universal compatibility. We can't wait to see what Rocketcat does in 2012.
SpellTower, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The App Store is home to a plethora of clever puzzle games, and Zach Gage'sSpellTower is our favorite of the year. Gage elegantly combines the simplicity of a word game with the complexity of a strategy game, and its multiple game modes provide something for everyone regardless of whether you like to take your time and hunt for the best words, or be on the clock and racking up points as quickly as possible. We prefer SpellTower on our iPads, but it's just as much fun on the iPhone and iPod touch as well.
Our monthly review roundups had been on hiatus since we started scoring games on the fly, as the purpose they served previously was to assign scores to all the games we had reviewed that month in a fairly complicated scoring scheme that totally made sense at the time. I swear. Regardless, here's the best games we reviewed in the month of August. Keep in mind you can view all of our 5 star and 4.5 star games via category sorting. Similarly, you can see all of these "best of" roundups by clicking the Best iPhone Games category. Eventually, I also plan on filling in the backlog of months we missed, so that particular category should get way more useful in the not too distant future.
Additionally, if you haven't already, give the TouchArcade app [Free] a download. It's free, and you'll get push alerts when we post articles like these and other things related to five star games. Cool, right?
5 Stars
Bastion, $4.99
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - The universally loved XBLA/PC action RPG Bastion shocked us with a surprise iPad release. This game is absolutely amazing for multiple reasons, but my favorite has to be the near-constant narration that sets an incredible mood for the game that is nearly unrivaled on the App Store.
The World Ends with You: Solo Remix, $17.99 / HD
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - A fantastic single-screen port of the Nintendo DS game The World Ends With You. You play as the amnesiac Neku, a boy with a hatred for the masses and an unusual predicament. Unlike others, who come and go as they please, you're trapped in Shibuya, a pawn in the Reaper's Game. It's a game you're going to have to play. Failure to do so will result in erasure. This isn't the quick 99¢ iOS game you're used to, this is a serious full-length game with incredible depth.
Mikey Shorts, $0.99
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - BeaverTap Games knocked it out of the park with their first game ever, Mikey Shorts. Great virtual controls combine with a game that feels "just right" for obsessive speed runs and time sharing. Created by two hardcore gamers, Mikey Shorts ticks every checkbox a good iOS platformer needs to have and shouldn't be missed.
4.5 Stars
Walking Dead: The Game, Free
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - Telltale's latest point and click adventure game may be its strongest yet. Set in the fantastic Walking Dead universe and filled with tons of choices that can have a drastic impact on the game, it's something everyone needs to try. Also, check out our review, we're updating it as new episodes launch, and the second episode just hit today.
Supermagical, Free
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - The latest game from the Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team is every bit as radical as their studio name. It's a neat spin on the Bust-a-Move formula with super magical (as the name might hint) spells you can execute as well as a whole host of light RPG elements.
One Tap Hero™, $0.99
[Review] - [Forum Thread] - A clever platformer from Chillingo that centralizes around a single button control scheme, as the title hints. It has some heavy influences from the endless runner genre while feeling fresh enough to stand on its own. Overall, it's really cool how they packed such a "complete" feeling platformer into such a simple package.
Super Mole Escape, Free
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - Another awesome title from Adult Swim, this one puts you in charge of helping a mole (and more unlockable moles) escape prison. Its gameplay is fairly standard for a endless vertical (insert action here) game, but the integration of multiplayer races via Game Center really puts Super Mole Escape ahead of the pack.
Trigger Fist, Free
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - Although the whole modern military shooter thing has been done to death on consoles, few quality entries in that particular aisle of the App Store exist. Trigger Fist does a fantastic job of feeling like the "right fit" for the iPhone with an interesting camera angle and a control scheme that makes aiming and shooting in massive online fire fights substantially easier.
Organ Trail: Director's Cut, $2.99
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - An incredibly creative zombie-centric spin on the classic versions of Oregon Trail. We really enjoyed the whole atmosphere of the game, the strangely cinematic opening, and putting down members of our party that manage to catch a wicked case of the zombification.
Gasketball™, Free
[Review] - [TA Plays] - [Forum Thread] - The awesome combination of the incredibly popular see-if-you-can-get-three-stars physics game genre and... Basketball! The game comes with enough free content to choke a horse, much to the detriment of sales. We outlined what you get for your $2.99 unlock to make things a little more clear regarding just what Gasketball has to offer.
Bitless, $0.99
[Review] - [Forum Thread] - A delightfully blocky chiptune-laden retro-ish platformer that comes packed with a brutal difficulty level. Nissa nailed it in our review of the game: "This is a precision platformer perfectly tuned for its platform—it can't help that I'm not tuned for it. You'll either need to be very skilled, up for a good challenge or a bit of a masochist to enjoy this game, but hey, that covers a lot of people."
Our ratings for games we reviewed in January are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a three-star or higher is considered a "good" rating.
Our final scores are not the product of any traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others. Keep in mind, this listing is comprised of games we reviewed in January, and not necessarily games that were specifically released in January.
We're about to lean back in our chairs, puff our proverbial pipes, dust off our hands, and put 2011 to a close. It's been a heck of a year for iOS gaming, and we've gone totally overboard with year end coverage, listing the greatest games the App Store had to offer.
TouchArcade has gotten even more awesome over the year, and our community has grown to be an even better place for iOS gamers to chillax, find out about new games, and discuss their favorites. We're super-excited for 2012, and I can't wait to see what new iOS devices will be released, what games will surprise us, and everything else that comes with being totally immersed in the world of iOS.
Here's a list of our various year end coverage in case you missed any of it:
After getting together to pick our official best games of 2011, we also had our writers take a look back at the last year and compile lists of their personal favorites along with their reasons why.
All of us here at TouchArcade joke about how rare a thing it is to actually sit down with an iOS game that we really enjoy and play it -- just for fun -- given the number of titles we evaluate week-to-week for our readers.
I've been writing for Touch Arcade since the beginning, but for much of this year I've been pretty heavily involved with more of the other aspects of the website: work on backend tools, HTML theming, and pieces of our coming iOS app. For the moment, I pretty much only cover the retro games and news that crosses the desk. As such, I've actually had more time (and inclination) to sit down and play some of the iOS games I like best -- for fun -- and it's been enjoyable.
This year I've definitely been spending time and having fun with more games than I've listed here, but the five titles below (since the other folks all kept it to five) are the games I've spent the most time with, of those that landed sometime this year. I am not calling these the "best" or "most significant" titles from 2011 that I've enjoyed, but they are the ones I've spent the most time with. So, without further ado...
Forget-Me-Not, $1.99 [Review] About an hour after I first discovered Forget-Me-Not, I tweeted that it was the best game I'd ever played, in my entire life. A little heat-of-the-moment excitement may have exaggerated the matter -- but not much. For a lover of both retro and modern games, like myself, Forget-Me-Not is a dream come true. It was outstanding when I first played it, and its gameplay has since evolved through updates (the latest of which brought iCade support), and it has even made its way to the desktop.
In my March review, I called Forget-Me-Not the "retrolicious lovechild of PAC-MAN and Rogue," and there's really no better way to describe the game. It sports an amazing scoring system, fantastic retro graphics, and frantic action as the game progresses. If the thought of PAC-MAN combined with dungeon crawling at all piques your interest -- hell, even if it doesn't -- you can't call yourself a Gamer (note the capital 'G') unless you have Forget-Me-Not on one of your devices.
Tiny Wings, $0.99 [Review] Designer Andreas Illiger discovered an itch that most of us carry around with us deep down in our souls, and with his February release, Tiny Wings, he has enabled us to scratch it...or try. The itch that I speak of is a deep, deep craving to land an object on a parabolic trajectory into a series of parabolic crests and troughs, perfectly. That's what Tiny Wings is all about. It requires perfect timing and immense precession, but the reward -- on every perfectly executed landing -- is something like a tiny little mind-orgasm. And it's all wrapped up in a lovely pastel paper-craft rendering. Some people find the music maddening but, to me, it sounds like possibility. This is a game not to be missed.
GoatUp, $1.99 [Review] "Climb up, tryst with amorous billy goats, eat grass, give birth." That's a brief description offered by Jeff Minter of Llamasoft regarding his ungulawesome game, GoatUp. What more could a boy want out of a retro-styled iOS title? The graphics are crude (by design), the sound sounds are all bleeps, bloops and barnyard, and the oldschool classic visual nods are quite blunt. But, GoatUp is just an insane amount of fun -- and I've personally seen non-retro-oriented folks (that is to say, "normal folks") call it incredible. Minter is a veteran game designer that has always marched to the bleat of a different drummer, and GoatUp is not evidence to the contrary. It's a platformer of the endless climber sort, inspired by several oldschool classics, including the Atari 2600 title Man Goes Down, Nebulus, and Rainbow Island. It's awesome.
Minotaur Rescue, $0.99 [Review] Look -- another Jeff Minter title! What can I say? The guy has a true knack for quickly knocking out games that deliver pure, simple gameplay that's loads of fun and highly appropriate for the mobile platform that is iOS. All of his titles have an intense retro look and feel, and I can't imagine them any other way, given that it was on home computers of the early '80s that he learned the formula to making lean games that don't lose track of the fact that gameplay is king. Minotaur Rescue puts you in control of a ship orbiting a star amid a psychedelic spacescape filled with encroaching asteroids. Game the gravity, blast the asteroids, release and grab the minotaurs, repeat. There are saucers too, and an Atari Combat mode. Actually, you'd better just watch the video -- and grab the game.
Jetpack Joyride, Free [Review] There are lots of side-scrolling, endless running obstacle avoidance games in the App Store. It's a genre that became popular on early feature phones with the simple, one button, "keep your flying dot from hitting the sides" game Copter, or thereabouts. Over the years, titles have come along, improving on the formula, adding in elements, and bringing with them greater appeal. But not one of them brought with them real innovation combined with perfect balancing to deliver a truly exceptional game experience, until Jetpack Joyride. This game gets it all right. There's the core gameplay mechanic, the temporary vehicular change-ups that keep things from getting dull at any point, and the slot machine at the end that brings with it the easy potential for prizes after death. Jetpack Joyride is one of the rare games that I consider perfect. I could never tire of this one.
And, so, there you have it, my 2011 list of five. Anyone out there who likes this mix, have a look at my 2010 TouchArcade Staff Favorites post from a year ago. And, Happy New Year, everybody!
After getting together to pick our official best games of 2011, we also had our writers take a look back at the last year and compile lists of their personal favorites along with their reasons why.
2011. What a year. The App Store has been online for over three years now, and it still feels like the future to me most days. Looking back on my life of gaming, it's just crazy how far we've come, and not only in terms of the quantity and quality of iOS releases. When I was begging my mother to take polaroids of me as proof that I beat NES games, the very existence of devices like iPhones and iPads would've seemed like some sort of unattainable future eternally found only in science fiction. But, here we are, almost to the point that we're taking being able to download ridiculously great games, wirelessly, from anywhere, often for a fiftieth (or less) of the price for granted. That's crazy.
My responsibilities as Editor in Chief of TouchArcade here has me cycling a silly amount of games through my iOS devices, as I make sure to at least try every game we review to make sure I agree with what we post. I usually just don't have the time to get incredibly invested in too many of these games, as serving as the gatekeeper for TouchArcade content really just doesn't allow for it. There just aren't enough hours in the day, as badly as I wish there were.
So, the games I end up playing for extended periods of time are an eclectic mix of titles that may have larger over-arching goals, but are totally conducive to quick pick up and play sessions. I'm not sure I'd call any of these games the best games of the year, but they ended up being my favorites, and the ones I spent the most time with:
Dungeon Raid, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Even though Dungeon Raid was technically released very late in 2010, it didn't hit its stride until a few updates later in 2011. No other video game (including consoles) released this year even comes close to the amount of time I've invested in Dungeon Raid. I loved Puzzle Quest, but the way Dungeon Raid boils down that formula its core essence is pure genius. Unlockable classes, random abilities, and game balance that makes any strategy viable with some work has created not only one of my favorite iOS games, but one of my favorite video games in general. I can't believe I'm saying that about a match three.
King of Dragon Pass, $9.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Since completely abandoning PC gaming at some point in the last ten years and becoming a full-fledged "Mac guy" I've missed out on so many of these obscure PC titles. At first glance, King of Dragon Pass might not seem that friendly to iOS style pick up and play gaming since it's a shockingly involved game of managing a tribe that can go on for months (assuming you're good enough, of course). Where KoDP wins me over is that it's the perfect game to load up, make a few management decisions, close the game, and come back to it later. I'm in the midst of a game that I've been playing for close to three weeks total now, and while I'm not sure I'll ever ascend to position of King of Dragon Pass itself, each game is random enough that it feels totally fresh. A universal update is coming too, which I'm beyond excited for.
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The only series of sports games that comes with more nostalgia for me is the Mutant League games. I couldn't even guess how much of my life I've spent playing NBA Jam between the ancient console versions, the four player arcade machines, and subsequent ports and re-releases. 18 years after NBA Jam's original release, I still smile like an complete idiot as I shatter backboards, dunk on fire from a hundred feet in the air, and as the announcer exclaims, "BOOM SHAKA LAKA." The iOS port is absolutely fabulous, although I really wish it had online multiplayer. I'll keep my fingers crossed on that.
The Last Rocket, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I'm all about games that feel like they offer a totally complete package that all meshes together in perfect harmony. It was this reason why I loved Sword & Sworcery so much, and I feel like The Last Rocket comes packed with similar magic. Too many games hinge on retro tropes, but don't go "all the way" (for lack of a better way to put it). Pixel art and/or chip tunes with modern gameplay can feel a little disjointed at times, but The Last Rocket nails the whole thing to the point that you could load it on to a NES cartridge and blast it back through some wormhole to 1985 and it'd fit in perfectly on a shelf at Funco Land. The appropriately barebones story, the graphics, the music, the gameplay… Flawlessly nostalgic.
Battleheart, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Without a doubt my favorite iPad game of the year. Battleheart is one of the few games that seems to really just click on the iPad, as the touch interface allows you to control four characters at once to have these surprisingly intense battle sequences that feel like you're micromanaging an entire party of players in an MMORPG. I really wish there was more to it, as I feel the end-game is a little lacking, but I've had a silly amount of fun over the year just re-starting the game over and over to level up a new party, relying on a vastly different class composition each time. I've really really got my fingers crossed for sequel treatment, similar to what Zombieville USA saw, as more than anything else Battleheart feels like the foundation for a game that could be beyond incredible.
After getting together to pick our official best games of 2011, we also had our writers take a look back at the last year and compile lists of their personal favorites along with their reasons why.
Among the many things that changed around here this year at TouchArcade was massively ramping up our writing staff with freelancers from quite literally all over the world. We now have writers in four of the seven continents, checking out games and writing reviews around the clock. Maybe in 2012 we'll pick up some people to review games in Africa and Asia, but I'm really not sure how we're going to swing Antarctica.
Our content output is through the roof compared to previous years, which has allowed us to broaden our focus to include games that we normally would have passed on just because of not having the bandwidth to review anything but the absolute best games. I think it's made TouchArcade a much more varied, and better daily read, along with giving a bunch more games some exposure. 2012 should be even better, as ramping up even further along with releasing the TouchArcade app!
Anyway, Eric, Nissa, and Troy were our most active freelance writers in 2012, so I asked them to join the party in compiling lists of their top five games. Check it out:
Eric
Avadon: The Black Fortress HD, $9.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I've been a big fan of Spiderweb Software since the days of playing Exile on my Performa, so I was intrigued when I first heard that they would be releasing a classic style, isometric RPG. Avadon does not disappoint as it not only succeeded in taking me back to the glory days of 1990s-era Mac RPGs but it also made the entire genre accessible to a whole new generation of gamers. All I can say is that after this fulfilling nostalgic experience, I'm hungry for more.
Jetpack Joyride, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Jetpack Joyride has the honor of being the first endless runner to successfully capture me in its grasp for a very long time. Its
presentation, style, and approachable gameplay are top notch making the game appealing to even the most reluctant of gamers. Most importantly, it has that rare quality of making each run feel new and unique - something that so many other similar games try to achieve and fail.
Dungeon Raid, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I'm not the biggest fan of match three games. Yet, out of all the games on my list, Dungeon Raid has probably gotten the most hours played than any other. Maybe it had something to do with the way its RPG elements meshed seamlessly with the standard match three gameplay. Or maybe it was the huge amount of unlockable classes, spells, and equipment making each play through different. Regardless, Dungeon Raid has continued to be my de facto option for quick gaming sessions on the go. If you're one of the few that haven't played this by now, hurry up and grab it.
Battleheart, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Battleheart gets a lot of elements right, but in my opinion it's really all about two things: versatility and multitasking. With so many different classes, equipment, and spells, I spent a lot of time playing this real time strategy action-RPG simply to discover various combinations and styles of play that worked. Add in the fact that the game successfully implemented a control scheme that had you simultaneously control four different characters, each with their own abilities and class roles, and it's not hard to see why Battleheart is one of the better strategy games of the year.
Mega Mall Story, $3.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - You really can't go wrong with any Kairosoft game, but Mega Mall Story was by far my favorite release from them this year. Taking a more concrete approach than some of the other 'Story' games, Mega Mall had more short and long term goals littered throughout the game while still giving you enough leeway to build mostly anything however you wanted. I also loved the wonderful pacing that the game set; providing countless rewards and incentives to continue playing while making them just rare enough that they continued to be meaningful throughout the playtime. Also, how could you not love building your own tower?
Nissa
Async Corp., $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This is the one game that can cheer me up in nearly any situation. It has smiling blocks, bright colors, and cheerful music, which is pretty much the perfect recipe for a good mood. Add the constant positive reinforcement you get for being a productive worker and there's just no way to be down when playing this game - unless you think about what happened to the team who made it. But layoffs aside, Async Corp is by far my favorite matching game. I appreciate the variety of modes it has on offer, but what really gets me is that it's just so relentlessly cheerful.
Wind-up Knight, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - At some point in the past year or two, I went from hating difficult platformers to craving them. Wind-up Knight is the cream of the crop of that genre. It's gorgeous, runs smoothly and is unfailingly punishing. But it's never unfair, and that's why I love it. That, and the terribly clever storytelling conceit that's tucked away in its loading screens.
Mighty Fin, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I'm a huge sucker for endless-whatever games. Runners, climbers, cave fliers, you name it and I can probably name five I adore. Mighty Fin topped the pack this year with something like nineteen endless levels to obsess over, and an equal number of more traditional arcade levels. It also has an adorable protagonist, high production values and dozens of unlockable costumes.The one thing that really makes it stand out from the crowd, though, is that it's updated regularly and still manages to stay entirely IAP free.
Elder Sign: Omens, $3.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This one goes out to all my fellow tabletop nerds. In its tabletop form, Elder Sign is one of those overly complex card and dice games that I hate to love - they're just so messy. On iPhone, the experience is streamlined and still tons of fun. I've rolled a lot of dice in my time, and Elder Sign makes it a particularly compelling activity. It's a little bit RPG, a little bit board game, and a whole lot of Elder Gods devouring your face. I hope this is a sign of more great things coming to iOS from Fantasy Flight.
Poker Pals, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - As Words With Friends becomes increasingly bloated, I've moved away from it as my asynchronous game of choice. Poker Pals has taken its place. It's not an incredibly deep game, but it is super accessible, so I can play with just about anyone I know. Seriously, if you've somehow managed to avoid learning how to form poker hands, it's a skill you can pick up in under a minute. The game's progression system is also pretty cool. But when you get right down to the heart of it, what I really adore about Poker Pals is that it (almost) fulfills my long-standing wish to play Sword & Poker online with friends.That game gave me a serious love of poker puzzling, and Poker Pals brings it right back.
Troy
AeroDrift, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - This fantastic game gave me so much pleasure - I know this because I happily re-played the same tracks hundreds of times, searching for the optimum routes. I loved memorizing each crazy track and searching for new gravity-defying jumps, or short-cuts to shave a second off my times. It was especially fun to compete with the skilled TouchArcade forum members, who dominated the jAggy Race leaderboards, because each time someone else achieved a top score, I knew my own strategy needed some adjustments. The blend of fast-paced cart-racing, memorization and strategy made jAggy Race a personal favorite.
Dungeon Raid, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Dungeon Raid is one of my favorite games to play on the smaller iPod screen, which is unusual as I generally prefer playing match-3 games on the iPad. Initially I loved it's simple appearance, the way it's so responsive to rapid swipes, the excellent sound effects and it's ability to reverse out of the lines you're drawing (which is handled better than any other line-drawing game I've seen). But mostly, it's the deepness of the RPG elements which gave it a longer lasting appeal and for that reason it's staying on my iPod.
Vetica, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I love innovative games which are relatively unknown, because it gives me a smug satisfaction, as if I've discovered something that other people have missed. Vetica is one of my favorite shmups of the year, mostly because it creatively constructs animated enemies using the helevetica font (which I totally dig), but also because it's also entertaining to play, not just a gimmick. It's hard enough to be challenging, without being too difficult to complete.
Perfect Cell, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I'm a sucker for platform games in general, but Perfect Cell was particularly fun because it added a line-drawing mechanic for rapid dashes. I never tired of decapitating multiple guards in a murderous high-speed dash, or taking them down by knocking their legs out. The ability to split in two (or three) for stealth ambushes or for puzzle-solving was a neat feature. Technically it came out at the very end of December 2010, but I'm listing it here because it came out just after our annual round-up last year… and because it's awesome.
Tiny Wings, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Tiny Wings is a cute and lovable gaming experience that manages to be both soothing and challenging at the same time. I loved the way it was packaged to perfection with a likable soaring bird, unique procedural graphics for the islands, perfect one-touch controls and a totally chilled out sound-track. I usually spot areas for improvement within most games, but Tiny Wings ticked all of my boxes and made me smile each time the bird chirped. It also felt like a special success story because it came from an indie developer (ie: I was willingly caught up in the buzz of popularity it generated).
Yes, I realize we included Dungeon Raid twice in these lists. The game is that good.
After getting together to pick our official best games of 2011, we also had our writers take a look back at the last year and compile lists of their personal favorites along with their reasons why.
(Image via lauren mh)
Here is a moment I’ve been dreading all year: coming up with my own personal top games of 2011. I am horrible about picking my favorites in anything, be it movies, music, food, whatever. I always just want to take the easy way out, and just pick ALL my favorites with no compromise. But that’s not what this list is about. It’s about the top 5 games that rose above the rest, and in the year of stellar releases that was 2011, distilling my favorite games from the year into such a short list has been a task more difficult than I had anticipated.
That said, I present to you the top 5 games that I felt had to be included. My criteria was mostly which games I continued to play the most even after all the previews, reviews, and update posts had been written. In other words, these are the games I began playing to fulfill my job duties, but continued playing for myself.
The caveat, of course, is that there are plenty of games that I really wanted on my list but just flat out didn’t have room for. As such, some of the ones that I was really going back and forth with ended up not being included because they have already been featured in our overall Game of the Year and runners up list or our 2011 Buyers Guide. In fact, almost every game from both of those lists was in my “seriously considering” pile, so be sure to check out both and know that they include a ton of my favorite games from this year too.
At any rate, 2011 was a crazy great year for crazy great games on the App Store. And by the looks of things, 2012 is already shaping up to be even crazier.
Sonic CD, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - I never owned a Sega CD, so my experiences with Sonic CD were limited to brief interactions at friends’ houses and a bit of tooling around with the Sonic Gems Collection on consoles. But I never really got hooked on Sonic CD until it hit iOS. And, almost 20 years later, I can finally see what all the fuss was about. The game is sublime, and caters well to those simply looking to race to the end or to those looking to invest some additional time exploring, earning bonus emeralds, or jumping back and forth through time. The fact that the touch screen controls have never once gotten in the way of me enjoying this game really cements Sonic CD as one of the definitive iOS games of 2011.
Bumpy Road, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Bumpy Road initially caught my attention with its unique ground manipulating mechanic, but the final product managed to tap into my mind on an emotional level. The whimsical music and visuals gave me reason to keep playing as I escorted an adorable couple on a Sunday drive in their motorcar. The fact that you don’t control the main characters directly gives them a chance to shine on their own, but the extremely personal and organic way in which you manipulate the environment with your touch inputs made me feel like an integral part of their journey. Similar sentiments could be said for games like Tiny Wings and Whale Trail, which also hit me at that emotional level. But in the end, it was Bumpy Road that captured my heart the most.
Mos Speedrun, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Stellar iOS platformers were plentiful in 2011, but Mos Speedrun is the one that I obsessed over more than any other. Developers finally figured out that precise virtual controls could be possible on a touch screen, and Mos Speedrun indeed has fantastic controls. Its neo-retro visuals and awesome chiptune soundtrack also tickled my fancy in just the right way. But all of these elements are things that several other platformers did just as well this year, and what set Mos Speedrun apart for me were its incredible level designs. Literally built for speedruns, some of the most fun I’ve had in gaming were the late nights spent playing Mos Speedrun levels over and over again trying to find that one special shortcut that let me shave just a fraction of a second off of a completion time.
Touchgrind BMX, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The folks at Illusion Labs don’t release games that often, but when they do, they excel at practically every level. Touchgrind BMX is no exception. It brings impressive visuals and unique multitouch controls to the world of BMX, much like the original Touchgrind did for skateboarding. Touchgrind BMX surpasses its predecessor though by offering a great variety of different environments and obstacles to bike on, rather than just a single sandbox-style skatepark. The controls are complex but intuitive, and I’ve spend hours upon hours just trying to sharpen my dexterity to a razor sharp point in order to allow me to pull of some of the insane combos that are possible in the game.
King Cashing: Slots Adventure, $1.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that a slot machine game would be in my top 5 picks for 2011, I would have called you a dirty liar and possibly punched you in the face. I honestly don’t like slot machines much at all in real life, but King Cashing takes just the basic idea of a slot machine and uses it in a fresh way by making it the battle mechanic in an RPG-style setting. With a great character leveling system and tons of interesting weapons and items to collect, King Cashing was the perfect game to pick up for just a spare few minutes or to sink tons of hours into. It made me a fan of slot machines, and proved once again that you can add RPG-style leveling to just about anything and it will be better for it.
The coolest thing about strategy games is that they can come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Some are contemplative, lean back style experiences. Others are fast and reflex-y. Some strategy games do a little bit of everything as far as pacing goes. We see a nice mix across the board on the App Store.
