Lately, it's become quite popular amongst App Store developers to do ports of web-based flash games for the iPhone, and Chrome Wars Arena [App Store], playable here on Kongregate, is a continuation of that trend. Chrome Wars, which is described by developers Jaludo Group B.V. as a turn-based fighting game, has deep roots in the RPG genre. Its biggest appeal lies in its upgrade/level up system that allows players to improve and customize their bots as they battle their way through the 50 challengers in the "Chrome Wars Tournament."

After creating a custom bot, players will be begin a path that will take them through six arenas to battle their way (one enemy at a time) to the top. Each victory will earn your robot money and five skill points to spend on increasing total health, attack power, speed, etc. Losing a fight will provide a player with a bit of cash as well, so if players get stuck in a rut, they can always use that spare cash to buy any number of upgraded parts from the well-stocked in-game shop to tilt the odds in their favor.

One word of warning that I should probably give to those interested in the game is that you'll definitely need a comprehensive strategy when distributing those skill points. I spent many of the initial 20 points that come with new robots on upgrading my speed stat, and that really came back to bite me in the butt later when I had barely upgraded my health (called "grit" in the upgrade menu) or power. My robot's attacks were lightning fast but packed about as much punch as my grandma's left hook, so I wasn't very successful in most fights.

When not working their way through the 50 baddies in the arena mode of Chrome Wars, players can take the fight online against random opponents. It's best to fully complete the game's arena mode first (thereby getting all the upgrades you can) if you'd like to have any chance of success online, but it's also possible to play against people you know, if that tickles your fancy.

Fights in Chrome Wars Arena work pretty much exactly like they do in the flash version (albeit with some UI modifications so the game fits the device better), so if you'd like to check out the game for yourself, try it on Kongregate.com first. Slower-paced RPGs like Chrome Wars Arena aren't for everyone, but plenty of people (myself included) can appreciate some good old fashioned turn-based battles, so you don't have anything to lose by at least giving the game a shot and trying out that free flash version.

App Store Link: Chrome Wars Arena, $1.99

Following on the coattails of Skeeball's [99¢] overwhelming success comes another classic arcade machine game from Freeverse. NBA Hotshot [99¢] is a fully NBA licensed game based on the basketball games seen in many bars, bowling alleys, and video arcades. Featuring two gameplay modes, prizes to win, and both local and online scoring via the Plus+ network, NBA Hotshot is a welcome addition to Freeverse's "Flick Sports" lineup.

The game is controlled using flicking gestures to shoot basketballs. In classic mode, you have 40 seconds to score as many points as possible. Initially your shots are worth two points a piece, but 20 seconds in round two starts, the hoop moves farther away in the machine, and each shot is then worth three points. There is also a flashing bonus ball that provides additional points when used.

The second game mode, three strikes, allows you to play until you miss three shots. Regardless of which game mode you choose, as you finish each game a bar slowly fills indicating when you get your next prize. Prizes range from different balls you can play with that feature the NBA team logos and colors, and other less useful prizes like foam fingers and popcorn.

Reactions on our forums have been mixed, but it's safe to say that if you found yourself enjoying the gameplay and controls of Skeeball, NBA Hotshot will likely be a welcome addition to the arcade game collection on your iPhone.

App Store Link: NBA Hotshot, 99¢

Romper Games has recently released an arcade-style block elimination game called ReBounce [App Store] that Peggle fans might just find right up their alley.

ReBounce challenges you to use a golden puck to eliminate screenfuls of marbles of varying colors. Tag a marble with your puck and all surrounding marbles of the same color change to the next color. The color sequence goes: green, yellow/green, and then yellow, with a final hit causing the elimination of all adjoining yellow marbles. Puck control involves tapping the on-screen puck to slow down time, and dragging and releasing in the desired direction to send it where you will. It's an agreeable control method that, along with the puck physics (gravity, inertia), takes little getting used to.

In all, the game offers 40 levels divided among three different types of play: Rush, Puzzle and Bonus levels. Rush levels involve eliminating enough marbles to at least reach the indicated goldScore while not letting the puck fall off the screen. It is also important not to let the growing field of marbles, scrolling in from the bottom of the screen, reach the safety line at the top of the screen. Puzzle levels are set against a timer and are completed when either all of the marbles on the screen are eliminated or the special Goal marble is eliminated (in  the case of the latter, the more marbles eliminated before the Goal marble, the higher your score). And Bonus levels are similar to Rush levels, with an expanding field of marbles, but are set against a timer and the risk of losing the puck off the screen is removed. The various level types are intermixed in the standard play mode and can also be selected individually by type, as well.

We discussed ReBounce in our latest podcast (#10) and had mixed, but overall positive, reactions to it. I love the game, finding it to deliver a feel highly reminiscent of Peggle (one of my favorite iPhone games), but with the notable addition of a fast paced, real-time element. Arnold, too, enjoyed the game but felt that the intermixing of the three different board types in the standard play mode can be, at times, awkward. Eli, on the other hand, found the intense, real-time action to be a bit out of place in a game of this sort. A look at the developer's gameplay video should help you decide of ReBounce is for you.

[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]

I just spent the entirety of a two and a half hour flight knocking out marbles with my puck, never finding it turn tedious. Noting that, at a debut sale price of $0.99, ReBounce seems a rather solid bit of iPhone gaming for your dollar. At least, two out of three experts agree…

App Store Link: ReBounce, $0.99 (limited time)

Infinite Dreams has released Sailboat Championship, a free game which we briefly previewed in December.

Sailboat Championship is a clever game in which you must properly steer your boat in order to fully capture the wind in an effective way to propel yourself forward. Three different modes are offered as well as a bonus mode. Each mode needs to be progressively unlocked before you can go on. The content of this free version of the game seems to be a little light, though it does take skill/practice to be able to get through the included levels.

A paid version of the game is expected eventually with additional courses, but the free version is worth a download on its own merits.

App Store Link: Sailboat Championship, Free

In the spirit of games like Lode Runner that use a limited number of ways to interact with an enironment to force players to think creatively, developer Alexander Williams brings us Arctopia [App Store], a puzzle game with a distinctive retro feel.

Arctopia provides players with three simple on-screen buttons: a "move left" button, a "move right" button, and an "ice" button. As the player, you control an unnamed penguin intent on ending the lives of as many angry-looking fireball critters as possible. There are 120 levels, each of which can be played in any order, regardless of how many levels have been completed. This is a method of game design that I really enjoy, as it allows players to skip levels that they think are too easy or too hard.

Each level is 2D with a side-view perspective, and puzzles are solved by knocking ice or iron blocks into the aforementioned fire critters. Pressing the "ice" button will create ice in the space below and to the right (or left, depending on which way you're facing) of where your penguin in standing. If there is already ice in the targeted location, that ice will be destroyed, potentially causing a chain reaction in which other ice pieces fall and cause a ton of destruction.

Despite the simple control scheme, there's a lot of complexity in the game mechanics due to the different elements that must be considered when attempting to solve a level. The penguin can hop up on small steps, but any ledge more than two blocks high cannot be climbed. Other elements (each of which are rolled out over time as the game progresses) like flaming barrels or iron blocks can interact in seemingly unlimited ways to create seriously challenging puzzles in the later levels.

I think that the art style could've used a more creative direction, but the game has a very clean feel to it. The main menu manages to give players options for quick-starting on the last level they played, selecting any of the total 120 levels, fooling with sound settings, or checking out the tutorial, all while providing extra information like the total number of completed levels and some randomly selected fun facts about penguins.

Arctopia keeps track of how many moves it takes players to complete its levels, and encourages players to try to beat them in less moves. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide any information on what the lowest possible number of moves a level can be beaten in, so there's no real baseline number for players' comparison. If there's anything that needs to be changed in an update, it's this.

Arctopia is a fun little game that will appeal greatly to those with fond memories of similar '80s classics. For most people, the game is a really enjoyable pick-up-and-play little app that will likely give those who download it something to do for a long time. Those who aren't interested in slower-paced, thinking games should probably avoid this one, but if you're like me and have an unexplainable love for Lode Runner, this game is worth a look.

App Store Link: Arctopia: A Puzzle Game, $1.99 – Arctopia: A Puzzle Intro, Free

New from Kristanix Studios is Zamby [App Store], an adventure-puzzle game in a vein similar to Adventures of Lolo for the NES. With graphics that look something like a high resolution 8-bit game, Zamby sports a nice retro feel. After some extensive time with the game, I can report with confidence that not only does Zamby get the feel of old-school retro puzzlers right, but it also backs up its classic visuals with puzzle designs and gameplay that can entertain for hours.

Zamby is a slighty creepy little creature called a "Qwonk." Qwonks depend on a special type of crystal to light up the caverns that serve as their homes, and the crystal stash is starting to get quite low. Zamby has volunteered to brave the dangers of the outside world in a quest for crystals, and this is where the player comes in. In each of the 40 included levels Zamby's goal is to collect all of the shiny blue crystals scattered about. There are three level packs total which sell for 99¢ each, when you buy the "full" version of Zamby, the first level pack is included. Alternatively, you can try Zamby Free [App Store] and if you decide you like it, add the level pack from the "full" version for 99¢ and optionally purchase the other two.

While Zamby has a very similar look and feel to an 8-bit top-down adventure game, it actually falls more closely in line with the puzzle genre. There are numerous threats to Zamby in each level, the most common and basic of which being the wizard. Wizards will shoot a deadly fireball at our one-eyed hero the moment he steps into their line of sight (which is horizontal and vertical only), so there is no way to outrun their attacks. Crafty players will quickly discover that they can push boxes in between themselves and the wizards, effectively stopping the wizards from ever seeing Zamby and attacking.

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I've personally never wished for a puzzle game hosted by the ghost of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, and I'm fairly confident that most people could say the same thing. In spite of this, the good people at Fuzzi Tail Software have delivered that exact experience in Mondrian, a challenging and visually pleasing puzzler brought to you by Piet Mondrian, who needs you to unscramble his masterpieces so he can enjoy the afterlife in peace.

While the puzzles in Mondrian are similar in design to the artwork of Piet Mondrian, they are not identical, as some concessions had to be made to make the game playable (they don't have the same grid-like black lines that Piet used in his art). Your goal is to duplicate each image provided in as few moves as possible. The target image can be checked as often as a player needs by touching the "solution" button in the bottom-left of the screen, and Piet Mondrian can be summoned to provide tips should a player get stuck.

The game board is populated with various tiles which can be moved about freely. Tiles are moved across the screen by a swipe, but their movement can only be stopped by another tile or wall. Basic, colored tiles can be used to block each other's path, black tiles can't be moved, numbered tiles must be moved precisely the same number of times as the number displayed on the tile itself, grey tiles adapt the color of the tiles they touch, and "merge" tiles can occupy the same space as indentically colored tiles.

Mondrian takes players on a mission to solve puzzles through numerous countries and continents around the world (beginning in Canada and ending in the USA). Each time one of the aforementioned game elements is introduced for the first time, Piet will come out and give a short lesson on how things work, so players won't ever be completely lost so long as they pay attention to the famous painter. If you're like me, that won't be hard to do, as the game's depiction of its namesake is pretty charming; Piet's dialogue made me chuckle on more than one occasion.

Although there aren't a massive number of levels in Mondrian (69 total) the levels that are included are so challenging that anyone who downloads the game is in for quite a few hours of brain-tingling puzzles. Also adding on to the total number of hours that players can get from the title, levels feature a par that indicates the minimum number of moves needed to complete so those interested can redo them later if they wish to improve their scores.

While I like the challenge that Mondrian offers, I think that the difficulty level might ramp up a little bit too quickly for most players. Levels do start out simply, but from about the second world location on to the end, puzzles are REALLY hard. This makes the puzzles much more satisfying to complete, but simultaneously could alienate less deft players.

The worst part about the difficulty is that all the levels in a world location must be completed before players can move on to any other level in the game. This is the sort of design mistake that can really cause problems, bottlenecking players on one or two levels that they just don't understand when the game should simply allow players to move on and come back to a particularly difficult level later if they so wish.

Mondrian offers up a hearty challenge for anyone who enjoys a good brain-teaser. The difficulty is a tad high on this one, so if you're not often in the mood to get the brain juices flowing, it might not be for you.

Update: I've learned from the developer that an update for Mondrian that addresses my complaints about the level progression has already been submitted and approved. Here is the official description of the update, directly from Jef Armstrong of Fuzzi Tail Software:

"Now any location/level can be unlocked. Simply touch the icon on the map and choose to unlock. Of course, the ghost of Mondrian may not be happy with your choice to skip ahead and will tell you so, but there is no penalty and once a location is unlocked it stays that way. Also, the timer is now optional and is turned off my default."

App Store Link: Mondrian, $2.99

Moyo Studios' latest game Zlider [App Store] is an interesting concept in that you're assisting a meteoroid down a track in space to a black hole at the end of each level. In order to accomplish this goal, players must manage red and blue lines dubbed "star-belts" to provide a clear path for the meteoroid on its journey.

These star-belts have different sized gaps in them, and the only control you have of the game is moving the red belts up and down the screen by sliding your thumb along the left side and doing the same with the blue on the right. The early levels where you only need to deal with a single meteroid are fairly easy, but things get crazy as soon as your meteoroid splits in two (or more).

The grey line it travels down in later levels often forks in to several different tracks, spawning a new meteoroid on each. As these separate tracks lead up or down the screen, meteoroids will be in entirely different positions making managing the openings in the star belts even more challenging as the meteoroid on the top might be a half a second ahead of the meteoroid on the bottom.

The developer released the following gameplay video:

Zlider is another game with a single free version that is upgraded via in-game microtransactions. Initially included are four free levels to give you a taste of the game, then there is a "Andromedia" pack of 20 easy levels and a "Milky Way" pack of 20 medium levels– Each level pack sells for 99¢, and the iTunes description mentions even more level packs being released within the game.

If this game sounds at all interesting to you, you should at least give the free levels a spin. I've had a lot of fun with it so far, and really like that the level packs are segregated in to difficulty, so if you found the included four levels to be too easy you can just jump directly to the medium difficulty levels without even needing to bother with the easy level pack.

App Store Link: Zlider, Free
(Two level packs available as in-game purchases for 99¢ each.)

There may be rhythm games on the App Store already where you can pretend you're singing, playing a guitar, rocking out on the drums, or even spinning turntables, but all those pale in comparison to beat matching to slay an endless supply of zombies. In Zombeat [App Store] you play as Zeke who according to the in-game character bio has given up a life as a biker to start a new career in zombie mass murder.

The game comes loaded with tunes from APM Music, and while it doesn't include any tracks that I was able to recognize, with the optional 99¢ holiday song pack there are 22 total songs available. Gameplay consists of standard beat matching with blocks that must be tapped as they come flying down the screen. The unique twist in Zombeat is that with each beat you match, Zeke shoots a gun, swings a chainsaw, or uses one of many other attacks.

Depending on your performance, bombs that clear the whole screen when tapped and weapons that can be equipped appear on conveyor belts. The game is over when you miss enough beats for Zeke to get overwhelmed by zombies, but if you succeed in surviving through a song your score is uploaded to an online leaderboard.

Zombeat isn't a particularly amazing game, it just does a good job in combining a rhythm game with zombies– Which likely will be more than enough for some people to slam their mouse down on the "Buy" button in iTunes. Watching the river of zombie blood as you do well in the first few songs you play is highly entertaining, but aside from that, Zombeat doesn't really do anything that Tap Tap Revenge 3 [App Store] isn't already doing for free.

…But, Tap Tap Revenge 3 lacks the killer feature of, well, killing zombies.

App Store Link: Zombeat, $2.99

When I first heard about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010's [App Store] release on the app store, I was admittedly unexcited. Other wrestling games on the platform have underwhelmed, to put things nicely, so I was justifiably skeptical. After spending extended amounts of time with the game, learning the ins-and-outs of the mechanics and exploring all of the various modes, however, I can say this: SvR 2010 may not be the first game to attempt to bring wrestling to the iPhone/iPod Touch, but it is without a doubt the best.

There are several ways to play SvR 2010. Exhibition allows you to select your preferred wrestler, opponent, arena, and difficulty setting, before entering a match, while Quick Match is a faster option that throws players right into the fray. There is a tutorial mode available from the Play menu at any time, and it features three tutorials that separately cover the basics of wrestling and more advanced techniques like picking up a chair and applying it to your strategy to aid in beating the snot out of a big ugly guys. This tutorial is also an optional feature when players first begin a file save in Career mode, the heart of SvR 2010's package.

Career mode starts out by letting players create their own personalized wrestler, and then sets them along the path to WWE stardom. The career mode's story is utterly ridiculous and implausible, but fans of the WWE are likely to have no problem with this sort of thing, as poor writing and over-the-top bravado have become the standard in the wrestling world. In a nutshell, the story involves your created wrestler being betrayed by a friend. Naturally, the only way to achieve vengeance is to beat up a series of goofy characters in a battle for the WWE championship.

You'll unlock more shirts, pants, tattoos, and signature moves for your character as you progress through Career mode, and nearly everything about your character is customizable. I really embraced the ridiculous nature of the story, naming my superstar "ULTIMAHULK" and giving him green skin, so that he might draw energy from the sun to help strike down his enemies with the power of poorly staged piledrivers (that's not in the game, that's just part of my imagined fiction for my character).

When not making progress through Career mode, there are six arenas (including arenas from Summerslam, the Survivor series, and Wrestlemania) and 11 stars from Raw, SmackDown, and ECW to fool around with via Exhibition mode. These 11 wrestlers (Batista, John Cena, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, Triple H, Undertaker, Big Show, Edge, Vladimir Kozlov, and Matt Hardy) can duke it out in 7 different modes of play: Regular, No Disqualification, WWE Extreme Rules, Iron Man, Submission, Ultimate Submission, and Last Man Standing.

What really makes SvR 2010 a great game in my eyes are the controls, which are well thought out for the device. Movement is controlled by swipes, and nearly every other action in the game is relegated to a situationally sensitive "smart button" located near the middle of the screen. After completing the three in-game tutorials and playing only a couple matches, I felt that I had a complete understanding of the controls, and was winning matches with consistency. It would be far too difficult to accurately detail the intricacies of the one-button controls, but I think that anyone who enjoys the console games or any sort of arcade fighting game will enjoy the simple genius of the control scheme.

Otherwise, I was pretty disappointed at the lack of any multiplayer features (not even local play is included), and the game's audio is pretty low-budget. No one, not even the ring announcer, has a voice-actor, so it's a stroll down "text-only" lane for this game. There also seems to be only one song in the game, a generic rock track that gets very old very fast. After seeing the clear signs of the extra effort that went into the intuitive controls and above-par visuals in the game, I'm just not happy with the game's audio.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 is enjoyable, and I say that as a person who isn't blindy in love with such games. In fact, it's been a pretty long time since I've really enjoyed a wrestling video game, so downloading this one was a refreshing experience and a great decision. I feel that SvR2010 could get traction amongst fans of the genre, so it's worth a try if the thought of being able to smash Triple H in the face on the go appeals to you.

App Store Link: WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010, $4.99