While there is no shortage of card games for the iPhone, Lost Token's Durak [$0.99] seems to have distinguished itself over time, generating a loyal following along with a couple of glowing (one, two) TouchArcade user reviews.

Durak is a popular Russian card game typically played between two to six people (two to four in the iPhone version). Each player receives six cards and the objective is to get rid of all your cards. The game is a trump-card based game where players take turns being on the attack. Attacking involves placed a card down face up. The defending player must place a card of higher value with the same suit or a trump card. Attacks can continue if you have additional cards in your hand whose face values that match any of the cards in play. If the defender can't defend, then they must take all the cards into their own hand. If the defender does successfully defend the attacks, all the cards get swept into the "graveyard" and remain out of play. The goal is to get rid of all your cards.

The iPhone implementation of Lost Token's Durak really is top notch, with a natural touch interface, as well as clear efforts to make the game accessible to new players. At any time during a game you can tap on a help icon to tell what you are supposed to do. Durak also offers local multiplayer over Wi-Fi, 3 levels of difficulty, and customizable cards based on your photo library.

In fact, there really only has been one thing that has held us back from really diving into Durak. Like most multiplayer card games, the real fun and challenge tends to come in playing against other people. While Durak does offer local Wi-Fi play, if you don't happen to have iPhone wielding friends nearby willing to play against you, you are left playing against the computer.

Lost Token has let us know they are about to address this and open the game up to worldwide players with an imminent online multiplayer update. The update will feature both online and Bluetooth multiplayer, Facebook integration, buddy lists, and push notifications. Here's a teaser video showing the online feature:

And in anticipation of the release, they've dropped the price of Durak from $2.99 to $0.99.

So, if you're looking for a great card game that's well implemented on the iPhone, Durak is a safe bet, and the upcoming online multiplayer update should guarantee long term replayability.

App Store Link: Durak, $0.99 (On sale)

Everyone loves a freebie! If you don't already own these four games, their respective developers recently released lite versions for you to whet your appetite before jumping in to the full version:

Lion Pride Lite, Free (Lion Pride, 99¢) - A neat spin on line drawing games, Lion Pride has you taking control of lions and chowing down on the various prey of the African wild. Utilizing a Draw Race-like system where the speed of the line you're drawing determines how fast you move, Lion Pride is a great addition to the somewhat crowded line drawing genre. We enjoyed the full game in our review, and Lion Pride Lite is really worth checking out.

Uno Free, Free (Uno, $4.99) - What even needs to be said about this? If you've ever played the XBOX Live Arcade version of the game, the iPhone version is very similar. If you haven't, just imagine the classic game of Uno playable against AI opponents as well as friends or complete strangers online, all without needing to carry around a deck of Uno cards.

Dungeon Defense Lite, Free (Dungeon Defense, 99¢) - Dungeon Defense is similar to a tower defense game, except instead of building towers you position guards in a number of predetermined points on the map. You have a variety of units that can be placed such as swordsmen, archers, or axemen, and you need to fend off waves of attackers. The lite is worth checking out if you're a fan of the tower defense genre.

NFL 2010 Free, Free (NFL 2010, $2.99) - If you're looking to find out how a full-on football game works on the iPhone, give NFL 2010 Lite a try. We thought NFL 2010 was impressive in our review, but since then, Madden NFL 10 has also been released. Gameloft has attempted to make the decision between which game to get a little easier, recently dropping the price of the full version to $2.99.

Gameloft has provided a gameplay video for their new Uno title we reported the other day.

Overall, the iPhone version of Uno is relatively well implemented, but one of its most compelling features is Online Multi-player play. This means that aside from playing over local Wi-Fi, you can reach out to play others on the internet. (Because, let's be realistic, how many of you are sitting out there playing iPhone games with others in the same room.)

There were no players available when we tested this on the first day of its release, but just today were able to play a few games with some random internet players. Note that you must be on a Wi-Fi connection to play online.

App Store Link: UNO, $7.99

Gameloft has just released UNO [App Store] through the iTunes App Store, an iPhone adaptation of Mattel's highly popular Crazy Eights-style card game.

Play the classic card game that's #1 for fun with friends and family. In single or multiplayer, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, thanks to a brand new gameplay system! Simply drag & drop cards using your finger on the screen for intuitive control, and be the first to get rid of all your cards.

• All your favorite Action Cards are here: Wild, Reverse, Draw 2 and more!
• Customize your game with 9 different rules including 7-0 and Jump-in.
• Play against the AI or your friends: use only one iPhone or play with multiple devices through a WiFi connection
• Take on increasingly hard challenges in Tournament Mode.

App Store Link: UNO, $7.99

Freeverse, one of our sponsors, has provided us with gameplay video for their newly released Burning Monkey Casino [App Store].

The $0.99 game offers seven different casino games in one package:

App Store Link: Burning Monkey Casino, $0.99

Freeverse has released their latest iPhone and iPod touch game called Burning Monkey Casino [App Store].

This $0.99 game brings seven different casino games in one stylish package:

• Slots
• Blackjack
• Video Poker
• Money Wheel
• Pachinko
• Scratch-N-Win Lotto
• 3 Card Monty

Additional Screenshots:

App Store Link: Burning Monkey Casino, $0.99

MotionX has dropped the price of their popular dice poker game from $4.99 to $0.99 [App Store].

Motion-X Poker was one of the early standout iPhone applications from the July 11th launch of the App Store. We reviewed the game and found it to be surprisingly addictive.

MotionX Poker is a dice poker game based on FullPower technology which is a motion recognition technology platform. For this iPhone game, it provides realistic dice rolling physics to provide an impressive package.

The game itself is easy to pick up and play at any time and easily worth $0.99.

Here's the video of the game in action from our original review:

For those who are just interested in the dice-rolling technology from Motion-X, they do offer a free dice application called Motion-X Dice [App Store].

If you recently watched 21 (Movie) and became interested in the game of Blackjack or just want to learn how to play a little better before your next casino trip, Avalinx's 21 Pro: Blackjack provides a great iPhone tool for you.

21 Pro: Blackjack is a remarkably well implemented version of Blackjack that takes the game quite seriously. It provides an excellent tool for casual Blackjack play that could also translate into improved casino performance. With plenty of documentation, dealer tips, card counting stats, and numerous gameplay options, 21 Pro: Blackjack truly is well-suited for both beginners and experts.

The game of Blackjack is a traditional casino game in which you are initially dealt two cards by the dealer. The basic gameplay involves deciding whether or not to "hit" (get dealt another card) or "stand" (end your turn). The goal is to get closest to a total value of 21 without "busting" (going over). While the basic game is well known by most as early as grade school, there are a number of added intricacies when playing in a casino environment.

The game provides the following features which are very helpful when perfecting your Blackjack game:

Card counting instructions and optional real-time stats

Basic strategy card, and on-demand dealer recommendations

Explanation of rules, terminology and game variations

Customize the number of decks in the shoe

The game comes in both a free ad-sponsored version [App Store] and a $4.99 pay version [App Store]. But the ads in the ad-sponsored version are relatively unintrusive, so I'm not sure if there's much incentive to upgrade.

Game Details Name: 21 Pro: Blackjack (v1.0.1) Price: Free [Get] or $4.99 [Buy] Developer: Avalinx Size: 5.0 MB In Brief: A remarkably good version of Blackjack for the iPhone that offers plenty of documentation, dealer tips, card counting stats and gameplay options. With a free ad-sponsored version available, there's no reason not to try this game if you have any interest in Blackjack.

For those of you still deciding on which solitaire game to buy in the App Store, Ambrosia Software has released a slimmed down version of their Mondo Solitaire ($9.99) game called Mondo Top 5 Solitaire [App Store] for $2.99.

The new "Top 5" version of Mondo offers users the five most popular variations of Solitaire in a cheaper package:

mondo Top 5 Solitaire takes the five most popular solitaire games from our massive "mondo Solitaire" game for the iPhone, and makes them available to you at a very affordable price! mondo Top 5 Solitaire uses the fantastic solitaire gaming engine in "mondo Solitaire" to bring you FreeCell, Golf, Klondike, Pyramid, and Spider.

The full version of Mondo Solitaire was one of the top solitaire picks in a recent roundup and contains over 100 different games.

The following video shows the full $9.99 version in action, but the "Top 5" version should play the same but with only 5 game choices:

The folks over at iLounge have taken on the daunting task of reviewing every Solitaire game on the App Store to come up with the following list.

There are 19 games of solitaire in the App Store from 12 different developers. Apps prices link to the App Store:

• Acid Solitaire Collection ($9.99, B-) - 3 games, good gameplay
• Cookie Bonus Solitaire ($2.99, B-) - cutesy interface, online mode
• Cookie Bonus Solitaire - Free (Free, B+) - same game but ad supported
• Demon Solitaire ($0.99, D) - very plain
• Las Vegas Solitaire ($2.99, D) - very plain
• MobilityWare Freecell ($1.99, D) - mediocre, limited single game
• MobilityWare Pyramid ($0.99, D) - mediocre, limited single game
• MobilityWare Solitaire ($1.99, D) - mediocre, limited single game
• Mondo Solitaire ($9.99, B+) - one of the best, over 100 types of solitaire, lots of play
• Platinum Solitaire ($3.99, B) - interface and depth are only so-so compared to others
• Pyramid Solitaire ($4.99, C) - simple pyramid solitaire game
• Pyramid Solitaire Lite (Free, D) - a few less options
• Solebon Solitaire ($9.99, C-) - 20 games, limited audio
• Wee Spider Solitaire ($4.99, C-) - 7 games
• Sol Free Solitaire (Free, B) - 3 games, very nice for free game
• Solitaire CAO ($4.99, D) - Klondike, demo-quality
• Solitaire City ($9.99, B) - impressive, online leaderboard, 13 games
• Solitaire Forever ($5.99, A-) - slick, 3D engine, over 150 games
• Solitaire Top 3 ($3.99, D-) - 3 games, simple

iLounge picks Mondo Solitaire ($9.99) and Solitaire Forever ($5.99, pictured above) as their top paid picks and Cookie Bonus Solitaire - Free (Free) and Sol Free Solitaire (Free) as their top free picks.

Solitaire City ($9.99) should get an honorable mention, however, due to its unique inclusion of an online leaderboard.

iLounge gets into far more detail and provides screenshots of every game in their extensive roundup.

It doesn't surprise me that Stinkbot's Sumo [App Store] game has been seemingly ignored in the iTunes Store.

The title of the game likely attracts those looking for an action packed Sumo-wrestling game when in actuality Sumo is a card-based strategy game.

Unlike the numerous puzzle game clones out there, this one is an original game concept that was birthed as a Shockwave game in 1997. The Shockwave game reportedly gained a bit of a following and was later ported to the Palm. Fortunately for us, the developers have ported the game to the iPhone and priced it at a fair $2.99.

I suspect that card players (Hearts, Bridge) will take to the game most quickly. In essence, Sumo is a card game with a specialized deck of tiles. Tiles are numbed 0 through 5 and there are 5 of each numbered tile in the deck. This gives you a total of 30 tiles.

Each player (you vs. the computer) gets dealt a 5 tile hand. You are each also represented by a Sumo wrestler on the screen. Each player alternates taking turns by selecting a tile and choosing to move forward or backward. Your Sumo wrestler will move forward the corresponding number of steps and you can't move past the other Sumo wrestler.

If you wish to "attack" the other Sumo wrestler, you simply play a tile that will move you to the exact same spot as the other Sumo wrestler. When "attacking" you can select multiple tiles of the same value to strengthen your attack. The defending Sumo wrestler can successfully hold his position only if he is holding the same tiles used, otherwise he will be thrown back.

In the end, this is a game of position. The game ends when a Sumo wrestler is pushed out of bounds or has the best (most advanced) position after the 30 tiles are dealt.

While the game sounds rather simple, once you start keeping track of which tiles have been played, it becomes clear how your strategy may change depending on the outstanding tiles.

I found myself playing this game again and again and highly recommend it. My only real disappointment with the game is the inability to play against other people. At present, this is an entertaining and addictive game of solitaire.

In the future, however, I could easily see this becoming a very popular online tournament game. While Stinkbot has revealed to us that a multiplayer version is in the plans, it will have to wait until Apple releases background/push notifications which is due in September. While a few other minor issues remain (awkward dialog boxes, for example), these are expected to be addressed in a future release and don't detract significantly from the gameplay.

This video shows a full match (first player to 80 points):

Game Details Name: Sumo (v1.0.1) Price: 2.99 [Buy] Developer: Stinkbot, LLC. Size: 0.8MB In Brief: Sumo is an original and addictive strategy game played against the computer. Card players, in particular, will likely take to this highly recommended game.

The list of games available in the iTunes App Store is growing daily, and among these are various free titles that are worth a look.  We thought we'd share a few of the free games we've been wasting spending time with lately.

Apache Lander

Apache Lander [App Store] from PosiMotion is an accelerometer controlled, simplified take on the classic Lunar Lander formula.  The goal is to land the helicopter safely on the heli-pad before the fuel stores are depleted.  Tilt the iPhone left or right to maneuver towards the heli-pad and control lift by tilting forward or back.  The helicopter consumes fuel at an alarming rate and requires an extremely delicate touch-down to avoid crashing (which you'll do a lot).

Fire Drop

Fire Drop [App Store] from xCube Labs is another take on the popular "matching tile elimination" formula.  The game presents a play grid of simmering cauldrons of varying colors that advance upwards row by row.  Gameplay involves tapping on groups of three or more like cauldrons, causing them to burst into flame and disappear.  There are 15 levels in each of the game's three stages, and at the end of each level a cheerful looking monk quips various words of wisdom.  After completing all three stages, the player will have apparently gained "full wisdom."

BubbleWrap

Few things in life are as satisfying as sitting down with a fresh sheet of bubble wrap and popping to your heart's content.  If you are no stranger to this truth, then have a look at Orsome's free iPhone offering that may eliminate the need to run out and purchase your own block of electronic bubble wrap.  BubbleWrap [App Store] is virtual bubble wrap for the iPhone that not only delivers that satisfying POP!, but is a game as well.  Race against the clock and pop as many bubbles as you can--but watch out--the bubbles reinflate.  The more bubbles popped, the higher the score.  Simple fun for the obsessive-compulsive among us.

Cookie Bonus Solitaire - Free

Cookie Bonus Solitaire - Free [App Store] from Amplified Games is a version of the company's $2.99 title Cookie Bonus Solitaire [App Store] that contains all of the features of the for-purchase original, but in a free, ad-sponsored format.  It's also the only free take on standard Klondike solitaire available in the App Store.

Cookie Bonus features fairly standard solitaire gameplay with some nice bonuses.  Aside from one-person play, there is an online play mode that allows chat with other players during the game, high score comparison, badges and achievements, as well as an online profile that can be shared with others.  The game also features various built in cheats that can be called upon when in a pinch.

Tunnels

Tunnels [App Store] from TunnelsApp.com is a maze game in which you pilot a fast-moving ship through a narrow tunnel full of twist and turns with the goal of progressing as far as possible before crashing into a wall.  It's rather simple gameplay, but even at the "Easy" level it's quite difficult to keep avoid a crash for more than a few seconds.  (This author can not be held responsible for iPhones crashing into actual walls as a result of the challenging gameplay.)

Griffin Technology, a well known maker of iPhone and iPod accessories, announced today that they had released their first game for the iPhone and iPod Touch: 5 Card Touch [App Store]. The game is described as a "Vegas-style" video poker game and is the first in a series of applications coming from Griffin.

"We are thrilled to roll out an even greater selection of offerings for iPhone and iPod owners" said Paul Griffin, founder of Griffin Technology. "Now Apple fans can get everything they need for their iPhone and iPod collection from Griffin, including cases and accessories, interactive games and more"

Griffin Technology? Making an iPhone game? My curiosity piqued, I immediately went to download the $1.99 game.

Overall, I was disappointed, even at $1.99. I mean, it is what was advertised: video poker (specifically Jacks or Better). The game provides you with an initial $1000 bankroll and the ability to add money at any time, but the game is as basic as can be. It also goes against the video poker convention with which I am familiar where you select which cards you would like to keep (or hold). Instead, you are expected to tap on the cards you wish to discard. This may seem like a minor point but uncomfortable to play if you are used to the other method.

While I'm encouraged that the iPhone is attracting more developers, I'm hoping to see more substantial offerings from Griffin in the future.

Game Details

Name: 5 Card Touch
Developer: Griffin Technology
App Store Link: Buy
Price: $1.99
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch

Once you hear about a game enough times, you start to wonder if you're missing something. That's what happened to me with MotionX Poker [App Store] and so I bought it ($4.99) to see what the fuss was about.

MotionX Poker is a dice poker game based on FullPower technology which is a motion recognition technology platform. For this iPhone game, it provides realistic dice rolling physics to provide an impressive package.

Based on dice poker, the game allows you to play against the computer by rolling the dice to make your best poker hand. You get 3 rolls and are allowed to keep whichever pieces you want with each roll. After three rolls, whoever has the best hand, wins. (One caveat for card poker players, due to the decreased probability of a straight, a straight actually has a higher value than a full house in dice poker.)

What really gives this game an edge, however, is the impressive use of the iPhone's technologies to deliver the game to you. Shaking the iPhone itself is what triggers the roll of the dice. The dice bounce so realistically and with such wonderful graphics and sound effects, it gives you the impression you are actually rolling real dice. The game also taps into the iPhone's vibration mode to give you some force feedback while the dice are bouncing around.

In order to keep things interesting, the game offers a number of "Gem" achievements when you accomplish certain goals. These include simple tasks, such as winning 10 hands, and winning with the same hand twice in a row, to long term tasks, such as earning a 2.5 million coin bankroll. In addition, higher stake tables are unlocked as your bankroll grows.

Without considering the game itself, MotionX Poker is remarkable technology demonstration and could earn its place on your iPhone just to show interested passers-by. And to be honest, when I first started playing with it, I thought that's all it was. The game was a bit slow to draw me in, and I wondered if I would ever play it again.

But, once you start playing for an extended session and accomplishing some achievements, it becomes easy to get sucked in and hypnotized by the gameplay. Playing another round is just a shake of your iPhone away. With such quick gameplay, I could see this being a "goto" game for many when they are standing in line or otherwise in need for a short distraction. I don't think this game is necessarily for everyone, however, as some may bore of it, but for many, it will be a fun diversion.

Game Details

Name: MotionX Poker
Developer: MotionX
App Store Link: Buy
Price: $4.99
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch

Independent game studio Sea Lion Games will soon be bringing Picnic Poker to the iTunes App Store.

Picnic Poker is a rather unique poker-inspired puzzle arcade game for the iPhone and iPod touch.  As the YouTube video shows, Picnic Poker involves timed gameplay where the player swipes a path among an array of shuffled cards in order to pick up their hand.  The game features various achievement that are gained based on success, along with a corresponding increase in play speed.

Picnic Poker will be available for purchase through the iTunes App Store for $4.99.

Sea Lion Games tells us they have a second iPhone game in the works that's nearly complete and will be offering details on that title shortly.