One of the first must-have iPhone games to appear in the App Store was PapiJump.  Not long after, Doodle Jump took the simple, accelerometer-controlled concept of ascending a wall of platforms to the next level.  Since then, many other takes on this addictive play mechanic have appeared in the App Store, the vast majority of which are really not worth your time.  Happily for fans of these games, another such title has just appeared in the App Store, and this one brings a twist.

GTProduction's Spring Fling [App Store] is a jump-up-the-platform-wall game where you take on the role of a spring.  Being a spring, it's not just a matter of tap to jump straight upward — you can compress the string and set the angle of your jump by way of a tap and drag mechanic.  And the integrated PhysX engine makes the experience rather convincing.  Choose an angle to shallow or severe and it's a platform miss with a plummet to your end.

Each jump uses up a supply of Power that doesn't get recharged until the next checkpoint. So, the game is a more deliberate physics/power management game than the fast paced action of other platform jumping titles.

Along the way rockets, balloons, parachutes, and pogo sticks help you scale the wall. The game includes five different worlds, some static and some downward scrolling. And achievements, online leaderboards, and Facebook / Twitter integration provide incentive to reach the highest height.

See the developer's gameplay trailer for a look at the action.

App Store Link: SpringFling, $0.99

Two Lives Left have been posting regular updates in a thread on our forums about their upcoming game, Wheeler's Treasure. I recently got my hands on a copy of the game, and so far I'm extremely impressed. Not only did they seemingly create an entire game inspired by the Orlando Bloom water wheel fight scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, but they've really managed to nail the difficulty curve.

One of the things we've discussed at length during our podcasts is how much we enjoy games that foster the feeling of if you could only have managed to not make that last mistake you could have gone even farther, almost forcing you to play again to see if you could beat your previous attempt. Games like Flight Control and its associated spinoffs, Doodle Jump, and the recently discovered Boost 3D all provide this experience, and so far Wheeler's Treasure is giving me a similar vibe.

The goal of the game is to see how many yarrds (get it?) you can accompany a wheel through a sidescrolling environment filled with all kinds of obstacles. Your character is moved using simple swiping gestures, and buttons in the bottom corner of the screen control the use of your items– Another clever feature of Wheeler's Treasure.

The game includes achievements, such as picking up a certain number of jewels or stomping on a certain number of bats in one run. Each achievement unlocks a map that gives you a hint for where you can find items that your character can equip. During the tutorial you're awarded boots that allow you to double jump, and a hook that you can use to grab on to the wheel for a brief period of time. Meeting the goal of the jewels achievement tips you off to where you can find the loot magnet, making picking up coins easier.

The entire game is wrapped in a whimsical hand drawn art style with music that matches perfectly with the look and feel of the game. Wheeler's Treasure features complete OpenFeint integration, so when your game is finally over either from your death or your wheel's destruction you can submit your score to the online leaderboards before starting again. These scores appear in-game as tombstones, providing an excellent indication of how you're stacking up next to your friends' performance.

The game world is procedurally generated, so no two games will ever be the same, and obviously the farther you go the harder the game becomes. As you progress in game, you also will unlock additional 3D scenes to reveal the story behind Wheeler's Treasure.

Two Lives Left recently released this gameplay trailer, along with a few other gameplay videos and control demonstrations in their thread for the game:

Wheeler's Treasure has already been submitted to Apple for approval and is expected to appear on the App Store sometime soon.

Touch Arcade forum member Rozgo has been posting for around a month now on the progress of his currently untitled 2.5D sidescroller that already shows a lot of promise. In the two videos he has posted we see multiple weapons, using missiles to break things, a grappling hook to solve physics puzzles, and many other amazing things that have come out of this one-man wolfpack of iPhone development.

This game looked impressive in screenshots, but seeing it in motion is something else. As a huge fan of both MegaMan and Metroid, these videos have me amazingly excited to have the game in my hands.

Alex Rozgo's game is still in development, which you can follow in his thread on our forums. According to his posts, he's optimistic to have the game submitted in early November to hopefully see it released on the App Store a few weeks later.

This weekend is "crazy Donut Games weekend," folks.  Why the craziness?  Donut Games is giving away three of their popular iPhone titles for free.  Have a look.

Spikey's Bounce Around (normally $2.99)

Bounce with SPIKEY through the magic gardens on a quest to free all his friends.

The sacred butterflies have all been trapped inside glass jars, and it's up to Spikey to smash them open using his wild bouncing skills!

Rat on the Run (normally $0.99)

Help Ratty get FATTENED UP for the winter in this hilarious platform game!

Ratty has just found the house of his dreams – a house full of cheese blocks and doodles.
There's just one big problem. All floors are full of slimey blobs, mean spiders and other baddies who try to stop Ratty from getting the goodies.

Includes the bonus game: RAT ON A SCOOTER

Lucky Coins (normaly $1.99)

LUCKY COINS is a bumping fun mix of the best elements of Pinball, Pachinko and casino style games!

Feelin' lucky? Drop the golden coin and watch it bounce off bumpers, pins and moving gizmos. Magnets will trap the coin and allow you to aim and blast the coin in new directions to grab more bonus items than you can think of.

Combine your skill and luck to rack up loads of points in this updated version of LUCKY COINS.

Based on the crazy Donut Games weekend forum post, readers are having a great time with these limited-time freebies.  Grab 'em for free while you've got the chance.

Earthworm Jim [App Store] is a game that should need no introduction if you are old enough to have been around to enjoy the golden age of 16 bit gaming. Originally released in 1994 for the Sega Genesis, and quickly ported to several other platforms shortly thereafter including the Super Nintendo and a "Special Edition" on the Sega CD. Recently this Sega CD version of the game made it to the Wii Virtual Console, and as of this evening Earthworm Jim has yet another new home– The iPhone.

So what's Earthworm Jim all about? Well, you play as an earth worm (named Jim) who was powered up by a super suit that crashed down to Earth. Like all good video games, your quest involves saving a princess from her evil captor, in this case, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt. Along the way you'll jump, whip, and shoot yourself through different obstacles and bosses in pure-16 bit platforming bliss.

The best thing about Gameloft's Earthworm Jim for the iPhone is that it's Earthworm Jim for the iPhone. Consequently, this is also the worst thing about the game as Earthworm Jim shares some of the relative control imprecision that is unavoidable when mapping traditional joysticks to on-screen virtual controls.

A virtual D-Pad (or joystick, configurable in the game's options) controls your movement, and a set of three buttons in the opposite corner of the screen handle jumping and attacking. The controls work well enough for the game to still be fun, but if you remember playing the game on previous consoles, you will likely have a awkward adjustment period as you bumble through the first level.

If this is your first foray into the Earthworm Jimiverse, just be aware the game has numerous tiny platforms to jump on and airborne monsters to shoot. So, depending on how good you are with virtual D-Pads, this can either be very fun or very frustrating.

Between levels, Jim will take out his pocket rocket and you will race Psycrow (another one of the in-game baddies) to the next level. These levels play exactly like the tunnel racing games that have become so popular on the App Store. Tilting the iPhone moves your rocket right or left and you complete the level by beating Psycrow to the finish.

The odd part about these levels is they feel remarkably natural on the iPhone. Tilting right or left to move your rocket works just as well as all the other games on the platform with a similar racing gameplay mechanic. This provides a stark contrast between the regular levels of the game, which work, but feel just as out of place as most other games with virtual controls.

So do I recommend picking up Earthworm Jim? How could I say no? Earthworm Jim is a classic, and the iPhone port has completely remastered art and sound, making it quite possibly one of the best looking and sounding versions of the game. (Note that Jim does have different voice acting, so fair warning for you Earthworm Jim purists.) The controls are as good as can be expected, and the game only saves your progress as you complete each level, but Earthworm Jim for the iPhone can still be a lot of fun.

[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

If you played the original release of the game, Earthworm Jim will stoke the coals of nostalgia in to a blazing inferno of worm whipping and rocket riding. If this is the first you've heard of the series, it still may be worth navigating the virtual control scheme to enjoy Gameloft's refined version of one of the best platformers of the 90's.

App Store Link: Earthworm Jim, $4.99

A few weeks ago, TouchFoo teased us with a gravity defying trailer promising a fun, innovative, and action-packed platformer game for the iPhone. They have since fully delivered on that promise with the release of Soosiz [App Store].

The basic gameplay found in Soosiz is that of a traditional platformer, where you run and jump your way past obstacles and enemies while collecting coins and rescuing your buddies along the way. Some enemies can be dispatched by simply jumping on their heads, while others need to be avoided completely. As is typical in platformers, timing and dodging become important skills in later levels. Rescuing buddies can give you additional powers (jumping higher, running faster) and once you have 100 coins, you can trigger a brief indestructible power-up allowing you to easily plow through enemies. Soosiz is very easily controlled with simple left/right virtual buttons and a jump button. Holding the jump button longer makes you jump higher.

The big twist to the game is its gravity-changing mechanic. When jumping to a platform above you, the entire world spins around and up becomes down. While this all seems like it might just be a novel gimmick, Touch Foo manages to utilize it fully across Soosiz's 7 worlds and 65 levels. The gravity experience is truly an integral part of the game, and not simply a tacked on afterthought. Triggering this gravity manipulation simply requires you to jump onto another platform, and becomes second nature very quickly.

The game was in development for 6 months, and it really shows in Soosiz's excellent level designs. Soosiz manages to constantly introduce new elements and obstacles to keep the game fresh and interesting across its 7 worlds. Each world carries its own themes (space, underwater, snow, etc…) as well as unique elements. Boss battles at the end of each world are also varied throughout.

You are given 3 lives at the beginning of each level, and can replay any level you've already unlocked. For me, the game managed to be stay progressively challenging, interesting, and fun without being frustrating, even though many of the levels took multiple attempts. Fortunately, your running coin count is not lost when you die, allowing you to continue to build up coins for the indestructible power-up if you find yourself struggling with a particular level. Meanwhile, gold, silver and bronze achievements per level, as well as the many secret areas should offer plenty of challenge for overachievers.

Graphically, the game carries a rather simple cartoon style but still retains its own charm. The game's music, however, feels strangely out of place throughout (additional music in this video). There's also an inexplicable use of the Up on the Housetop Christmas carol for the level win screens. While the music certainly isn't a deal breaker, it does reduce some of the game's immersion.

Regardless, the game is incredibly well executed with excellent controls, has a ton of content and is a lot of fun. We highly recommend it.

App Store Link: Soosiz, $1.99 (Intro sale, Ends Monday)

Touch Foo's Soosiz platformer has arrived in the App Store for an introductory sale price of $1.99.

Soosiz is a great looking 2D platformer that we previewed a few weeks ago. Aside from the usual running/jumping mechanic, Soosiz also introduces gravity flipping jumping, allowing you to jump onto platforms directly above you. The gameplay mechanic is reminiscent of Gomi but packaged in a more traditional platformer title running at a faster pace. The game comes with 7 worlds and 65 levels, each with bronze, silver, and gold achievements.

See this developer provided video of the game in action:

The game includes left/right virtual buttons for movement and a jump button for jumping. Additional on screen controls allow you to zoom out for an overview of the map. Holding the jump button down further lets you jump a little higher. Some enemies can be dispatched by jumping on them Mario-style.

Even with our brief time with the game, we've been very impressed with the total package. The controls are responsive and the gravity turning gameplay design works well and is very fun. The game also appears to incorporate a lot of different gameplay elements, enemies and obstacles.

A few of the more advanced obstacles and enemies are shown in this video:

Other early impressions are being collected in our forums, and we plan on taking a closer look, but even at this early stage, this looks like it's a winner.

App Store Link: Soosiz, $1.99 (Intro price)

After a very long and dramatic legal battle between Mobigame and Tim Langdell over a trademark dispute over the name "Edge", the game has once again appeared on the App Store. EDGE [App Store] is a game where you control a colorful cube through a series of 3D isometric maze-like levels packed with puzzles to solve and obstacles to overcome.

Featuring both touch and accelerometer controls, EDGE requires both quick thinking and fast reactions to progress past the first few levels.

We enjoyed EDGE, and recommend picking the game up now — both because it's a great game and also in case it gets pulled again as it's unclear whether or not EDGE is here to stay. An official statement from Mobigame is said to be coming soon.

If you haven't kept up with the "Edge" dispute which has caused quite a stir on the Internet, EA recently petitioned to get the "Edge" trademark thrown out, and Langdell responded calling the petition a "desperate attempt by EA". For a complete background on the dispute, check out the summary provided by TIGSource. Needless to say, the whole situation is unfortunate, and it's sad to see such a great iPhone game caught in the legal crossfire.

App Store Link: EDGE, $4.99

I've been slowly playing through Dr. Fun Fun's Hi, How Are You [App Store] since it came out nearly two weeks ago now, completely unaware of the phenomenon that is Daniel Johnston. I originally intended on writing about this game because I hadn't seen another cell shaded platformer on the App Store. However, after doing some research on the history of Hi, How Are You's development, I got turned on to the world of Daniel Johnston and quickly became aware that this is Johnston's life of art and music distilled into a iPhone game.

The premise of Hi, How Are You follows the theme of most of Johnston's music in that you're battling the forces of Satan to find love. Playing as Jeremiah the Innocent, you will make your way through over 25 levels to remove the curse of Satan. As the game progresses, you slowly change from a frog, to a block, to a ball, and finally back to human form.

Your movement in the game is controlled using the accelerometer and the two stop signs in both lower corners of the screen instantly stops your character from moving. Initially this seemed like such an odd set of buttons to have cluttering the screen, but it didn't take long for this seemingly strange control element to really grow on me as you never need to worry about finding the exact center of where you calibrated the accelerometer to in order to stay in place.

Instead, you hold the stop button, tilt the direction you want to move, let go, and you're off. This control method allows you to navigate the different obstacles in game with ease. The camera can be panned right of left by pressing either side of the screen, and to zoom out you press both sides at once.

Completing the levels in game involves hopping over every tile, turning them green, then finding the exit. It's not that easy though, as you quickly come across all kinds of obstacles, moving platforms, and other puzzles. The bottom of the screen displays your life, along with the time, the number of tiles left to turn green, and the number of bonus tiles on the level to be turned red. While each level is timed, you can keep playing and complete each level even if you run out of time, you just won't be awarded for beating the clock.

Hi, How Are You has a soundtrack featuring several of Daniel Johnston's songs, and an art style matching Johnston's drawings. The difficulty ramps up nicely, and with each achievement you unlock a unique piece of artwork to view. I had fun playing the game, but after doing some reading on the life of Daniel Johnston, Hi, How Are You has taken on a whole new layer of awesome. Dr. Fun Fun not only created a game with a neat style that's fun to play for people who have never heard of Johnston, but also an amazing piece of fan service for those who have.

If you'd like to know more about the world of Daniel Johnston, he has his own Wikipedia article, and his life is detailed in the 2005 documentary, The Devil and Daniel Johnston which is available on iTunes along with all of his music and several music videos.

Hi, How Are You is a fun platform puzzle game with a unique art style. If you're not a fan of Daniel Johnston, playing through this game might just make you become one.

App Store Link: Hi, How Are You, $2.99

Here are some games that have come out recently that are worth a look, but with all the excitement this week between the Eliminate and TouchPets Dogs previews and the 360iDev Game Jam they sort of fell between the cracks of front page coverage.

Bloons Tower Defense

Last month we posted an early trailer for Bloons Tower Defense [$2.99], an iPhone port of the Bloons spinoff tower defense flash games, all playable on the Ninja Kiwi site. Bloons [99¢ / Free] was a wildly popular game on the App Store, and if the positive reactions in our forums are any indication, Bloons Tower Defense may be another hit.

Bloons Tower Defense comes with 50 levels over 15 different tracks with multiple difficulty levels and unlockable medals for each. The game has the same touch controls of other tower defense games on the platform, along with oodles of different towers, upgrades, and tons of balloons for your monkeys to pop.

Mr. Mahjong Touch

FDG Entertainment, most famously known for Parachute Panic [99¢ / Free] and Bobby Carrot [$3.99] recently released Mr. Mahjong Touch [$4.99] based on the popular Mr. Mahjong series of mobile games.

Mr. Mahjong Touch features 100 layouts, 4 tilesets, tons of unlockables, and even a shop system where you can buy power ups. Big Albie posted a review of the game on our forums, and according to him, the game is "easily one of the best mahjong games on the platform."

Galcon Labs

Galcon Labs [99¢] is an evolution on the original Galcon [$2.99 / Free], providing the same basic gameplay with four new game modes not found in the original.

• Billiards – The the planets that make up the battlefield are in constant motion.
• Stealth – Enemy ships are only briefly visible after launching from a planet.
• Crash – Ships collide with each other, so instead of just going after planets you can run in to the enemy to win.
• Assassin – Players start with assigned planetary targets, the first player to capture their targets wins.

Reactions on our forums have been mixed as some people feel there hasn't been enough change to justify an entirely new game, while fans of the original are greatly enjoying Galcon Labs. If you haven't played a Galcon game, I recommend trying Galcon Lite.

Toy Bot Mini Missions

IUGO seems to be pumping out additions to the Toy Bot series like crazy lately. Toy Bot Mini Missions [$3.99] is based in the Toy Bot universe and comes packed with 100 mini games and 12 unlockable playable characters. These ultrashort levels are a bit of a departure from the other Toy Bot games which feature an extended level structure.

Fans of the Toy Bot series may want to consider Mini Missions, but if you're new to the Toy Bot world, you might want to try some of the other games or even the free version first. Take your pick of the seven different Toy Bot games on the IUGO App Store listing.