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Best iPhone and iPad Games of February 2014

TouchArcade Rating:

appthumbEven though February is the shortest month of the year, it sure was home to some big iOS game releases. Final Fantasy VI after what feels like years of waiting, an Eliss re-release and tons more were among our best rated games of the month. Again, these are not necessarily games that were released in February, but rather, merely the best games we reviewed in February. Also, our scoring system isn’t representative of any traditional metric where you combine scores of graphics, sound, fun-factor, replayability, and other elements. Rather, we just rate games based on how much we recommend you download them.

Here’s the best games we reviewed in February:

5 Stars

Threes!, $5.99 [Review] – It’s clear from the first time you load up Threes! that it’s a special game. Each numerical block is oozing with personality, and the super-simple and approachable gameplay of combining 1’s and 2’s into 3’s, 3’s into 6’s, and so on makes it an effortless recommendation to absolutely everyone. The premise is basic enough for non-gamers, and if you want to power-game Threes! you’ll find a rabbit hold of strategy and analysis in just about any community online discussing the game.

Toast Time, $2.99 [Review] – One of our favorite things about the App Store is the absolutely insane game premises that… just work. In Toast Time, you play as a toaster firing off various bread products while protecting a clock from a seemingly endless supply of enemies who all inexplicably are drawn to said timepiece. There music is great, the touch controls are perfect, and it won’t take long before you’re wildly flying all over the screen shooting baguettes at everything that moves, with your toaster shooting in the complete opposite direction, adding heaps of complexity to the mix.

4.5 Stars

Eliss Infinity, $2.99 [Review] – Originally released in 2009, Eliss was among the first games that really made sense to be played with a touch screen, as instead of simply taking an existing gameplay formula and applying it to touch controls, Eliss could only exist on a touch screen. The re-release is every bit as good as the original, and the new Infinity mode is not only super difficult, but worth re-buying the game for just to see how far you can make it before dying.

FINAL FANTASY VI (Old Ver.), $14.99 [Review] – When Square Enix released the first Final Fantasy game on iOS, everyone wondered how deep the porting would go. Final Fantasy VI is a game we’ve been waiting for forever, and the mobile port is pretty awesome. Yeah, the sprites got re-worked and aren’t as faithful to the original as many would’ve liked, but the amazing iCloud integration and the hint system to keep you from forgetting to go next are a worthy trade off.

Only One, Free [Review] – Who would’ve thought that a scene barely anyone remembers from an action movie you’d probably be better off never seeing would make such a great game? Well, it’s definitely the story of Only One, a action battle game where you fight off loads of dudes on top of a pedestal in the sky. Upgrades are plentiful, and while you start with little more than a sword, it doesn’t take long before you’re an ultimate death blender, slicing guys off the sides like crazy.

R-TYPE II, $1.99 [Review] – It seems like R-Type gets ported like crazy, but the sequel never sees the same treatment. So, it was a pleasant surprise for DotEmu to go to the trouble of bringing R-Type II to the App Store. Sky-high insta-death difficulty and all. iOS 7 controllers are supported, along with a few different virtual control methods (including direct touch). If you liked the original, be sure to check out the sequel.

Rocket Robo, $1.99 [Review] – The gameplay is basic and the controls are simple, but the amount of charm in Rocket Robo makes it hard to miss. Basically, imagine yourself as a rocket powered Wall-E going on a star scavenger hunt in a world that’d be right at home inside of Little Big Planet. I wish there were more objectives, but, there’s more than enough to do for the dollar asking price.

Second Chance Heroes, $0.99 [Review] – This game is really weird, and really fun. Basically, imagine a online co-op version of Dead Rising with a heavy arcade-y twist and… Historical figures as your playable characters. There’s something amazing about slaying zombies online with friends playing as Cleopatra, Abe Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci, and more.

Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey, Free [Review] – It’s easy to look at a game like Spell Quest and say, “Oh yeah, well that’s just like Bookworm Adventures," and I’m fine with that because Bookworm Adventures is great and I think there’s lots of room in the doing-cool-stuff-with-words aisle of the App Store. Definitely give this one a look, it’s not only free to try but is also very generous with its IAP.

SuperPro Snowboarding, Free [Review] – The best skateboarding and snowboarding games have streamline everything so all you need to focus on is pulling off the sickest tricks imaginable, and SuperPro Snowboarding does a great job of that. Flips, tricks, and more are plentiful and each stage is scored via coins awarded that are then spent on even more abilities, cooler boards, and more.

Word Mage, $0.99 [Review] – Joining Spell Quest is Word Mage, the second great word game of the month. They share a lot of Bookworm Adventures-y heritage, but Word Mage adds a sense of urgency to the whole thing with a timer. You can’t look for the best words, because the only way you can stop the timer is by attacking the enemy. The difference in pace makes it feel totally unique, making Word Mage and Spell Quest both worth having on your device.

Additionally, we reviewed a bunch of other games last month. As always, you can dig into all of our reviews by clicking here. Alternatively, you can hit up specific scores by using these links:

  • Twitch: Live Streaming

    Twitch is where thousands of communities come together for our favorite streamers, for the games we love, for the lulz, …
    TA Rating:
    Free
    Buy Now
  • Word Mage

    Word Mage is a fast-paced monster fighting RPG, where you destroy enemies by playing a word game. Fight for more than ju…
    TA Rating:
    $0.99
    Buy Now
  • SuperPro Snowboarding

    NOTE: Compatible with iPhone 4S, iPad 2 / Mini, iPod Touch 5th Gen and up. ------------------------------- #1 SPORTS G…
    TA Rating:
    Free
    Buy Now
  • Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey

    Help the adorable grim reapers Grimm and Rose defeat monsters, ghosts, evil bunnies and more using the power of words! …
    TA Rating:
    Free
    Buy Now
  • Only One

    Pick up a magic sword on the ancient pillar of sacrifice and fight to become the 'Only One' left standing TouchArcade -…
    TA Rating:
    Free
    Buy Now
  • Eliss Infinity

    The "Most Innovative Game" award-winning multitouch puzzler is back! Use your fingers to control all the planets, fuse …
    TA Rating:
    $2.99
    Buy Now
  • FINAL FANTASY VI (Old Ver.)

    **************************************** Due to the release of the pixelated remaster of "FINAL FANTASY VI," this applic…
    TA Rating:
    $14.99
    Buy Now
  • Toast Time

    Hear hear! The best thing since sliced bread. • "Toast Time is for you." 5 / 5 - TouchArcade • "Breakfast-themed di…
    TA Rating:
    $2.99
    Buy Now
  • Second Chance Heroes

    Join your friends in this epic cooperative action adventure where you collect an army of historical clones and fight to …
    TA Rating:
    $0.99
    Buy Now
  • Threes!

    Threes is tiny puzzle that grows on you. This is the buy-once-play-forever version. ³ Apple Game of the Year 2014!! ³…
    TA Rating:
    $5.99
    Buy Now
  • Rocket Robo

    In the middle of space stands a solitary lighthouse. A beacon of light for travellers lost. Inhabited by a little robo…
    TA Rating:
    $1.99
    Buy Now
  • R-TYPE II

    A CLASSIC OLD-SCHOOL GAME R-Type II is a horizontal scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Irem in 19…
    TA Rating:
    $1.99
    Buy Now