Best Apps: Games

Games: Intro GraphicThe App Store offers a wide variety of paid and free iPhone game apps—so many, in fact, that it's divided into 19 subcategories to help you find what you're looking for. Apple showcases the best in sections titled New and Noteworthy, What's Hot, Made For iOS4, What We're Playing, Five Minute Fixes, Top Paid Apps, and Top Free Apps. Generally, paid games have more complex graphics, more levels, and longer playing time. Many of the best games are frequently updated by the developers, incorporating new levels, better graphics, and, sometimes, new modes of gameplay. The free games are still a lot of fun, but they tend to be a bit simpler. Some of the free games are "Lite" versions of paid games, designed to give you a taste of what you can expect if you decide to buy the full version. Most of the games will keep track of your high scores and some will even let you post your scores to your favorite social networks or enter them in a central database so you can see how you stack up against the competition.

Best of the Best

Angry Birds ($0.99, lite and iPad ver. avail., app2.me/2749) Hours of challenging, physics-based, castle demolition. Requires logic and skill, has great graphics and lots of replay value.

Fieldrunners ($2.99, iPad version available, app2.me/372) Our favorite tower-defense-style game. Install different types of defense towers across the battlefield to keep enemy soldiers from infiltrating your base.

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Spider: The Secrets of Bryce Manor ($2.99, iPad version available, app2.me/350) A great puzzle and mystery game with a beautiful storybook-illustrated style and a very intuitive control scheme.

Travelers Quest ($2.99, app2.me/161) Combines a real world treasure hunt, with virtual treasures.

Osmos ($2.99, iPad version available, app2.me/2729) A unique, beautifully designed game.

Zen Bound ($2.99, lite version available, app2.me/349) A calm and meditative puzzle game about wrapping wooden sculptures with rope. A high score is not the goal—enjoy at your own relaxed pace.

Free Games

Bounce Down (Free, app2.me/2752) Same addictive feel as Doodle Jump. Hours of platform jump fun.

Lemonade Tycoon (Free, app2.me/2750) Remake of the classic, highly addictive computer game.

Paper Toss (Free, app2.me/2751) Sometimes the simplest games are the most entertaining.

Touch Hockey: FS5 (Free, app2.me/2753) Air hockey for iOS. Play against the computer or against your friends via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

World Series of Poker Hold'em Legend (Free, app2.me/411) Helps you hone your poker skills.

Board Games

Catan (4.99, app2.me/403) Adaptation of the popular board game: great graphics, great gameplay.

Conquest ($1.99, app2.me/2754) One of the best adaptations of Risk for iOS.

Monopoly ($2.99, app2.me/399) Has all the same features as the popular board game.

The Game of Life ($2.99, app2.me/435) A new spin on the classic board game with great 3D graphics.

Trivial Pursuit ($2.99, app2.me/493) The classic game takes on new life with this iOS app.

RPG Games

Chaos Rings ($9.99, app2.me/2745) Turn-based fighting game with excellent graphics and controls from the makers of Final Fantasy.

Fastar! ($0.99, app2.me/2746) Distills the fun of RPG's into an addictive app that is equally good at poking fun at itself and captivating players.

Inotia 2: A Wanderer of Luone ($4.99, app2.me/467) Has an enormous story mode, numerous possibilities for customization, and good online play options.

The War of Eustrath ($5.99, iPad version avail., app2.me/2747) Multiple storylines with several endings. The results of battles and choices you make affect the story and even the ending.

Vay ($4.99, app2.me/2748) 1994 cult classic RPG now on iOS platform with updated widescreen graphics and touchscreen controls.Most Addictive

BubbleFREE (Free, app2.me/2757) Pop as many bubbles as you can before the time runs out.

Doodle Jump ($0.99, app2.me/134) Insanely addictive platform jumper, great hand drawn graphics.

geoFighter ($2.99, lite version avail., app2.me/2756) Excellent survival shooter experience.

The Moron Test ($0.99, app2.me/2755) Great graphics and charming gameplay makes you work to prove you're not a "complete idiot."

Angry Birds: A top Games app (See "Best of the Best")

Multiplayer

Armada–Galactic War ($5.99, app2.me/2760) A terrific four player online 3D Real Time Strategy game.

Galcon ($2.99, app2.me/2759) Galactic action-strategy game, just like space Risk in real time.

Lux DLX 2 ($4.99, app2.me/2758) Epic game of strategy, risk, conquest, world domination.

MiniSquadron ($2.99, app2.me/107) Shoot down enemy planes, bombers, UFOs, ducks, collect a plethora of power-ups, and unlock over 50 types of planes.

Real Racing ($4.99, iPad version available, app2.me/105) Has stunning, realistic graphics and intuitive controls along with an abundance of game modes and customizable features.

Card Games

Euchre 3D ($0.99; lite version, app2.me/2744) The classic strategy game with great graphics.

Solitaire ($0.99; app2.me/2743) No-frills solitaire. Sometimes you can't beat the classics.

Solitaire City ($5.99; lite version available, app2.me/413) Offers over 60 solitaire variations.

Uno ($4.99; free version available, app2.me/408) A great adaptation of the classic game.

Word Games

Bookworm ($2.99, app2.me/2761) Link letters left, right, up and down to build words and keep Lex the Bookworm sated and smiling.

Moxie ($1.99, free version available, app2.me/2763) A wonderfully unique word game. No time pressure and easy to learn.

Word Scramble 2 (Free, app2.me/2762) A fast and fun game of finding words in a jumbled grid. Compete with friends or play live with fellow word game fans.

Sudoku Games

Enjoy Sudoku ($2.99; app2.me/2986) With unlimited play at sixteen difficulty levels, novices and experienced players alike will appreciate Enjoy Sudoku.

Sudoku ($2.99; app2.me/2997) will give you many hours of fun and puzzle solving.

Amazing Sudoku ($1.99; app2.me/3012) Cool graphics and game experience will keep you playing this game over and over again!

Arcade Games

Fruit Ninja ($0.99; app2.me/3013) Swipe your finger across the screen to deliciously slash and splatter fruit like a true ninja warrior.

Labyrinth 2 ($4.99; free version available, app2.me/104) is an addictive take on the classic marble game.

Minisquadron ($1.99; free version available, app2.me/107) Frantic shooter involving lots of little planes, all vying for supremacy of the skies!

Skee-Ball ($0.99; app2.me/357) has all the fun of the boardwalk with 3D graphics, great physics, and awesome prizes.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ($5.99; app2.me/3015) has classic Sonic gameplay; spin, dash, and jump your way through 19 acts across 11 fun-filled zones.

Puzzle Games

Bejeweled 2 + Blitz ($2.99; app2.me/3016) is one of the top paid apps of all time. Match multiple gems for dazzling, high carat fun.

Cross Fingers ($1.99; app2.me/454) challenges you to combine solid pieces in a gigantic tangram puzzle.

Plants vs. Zombies ($2.99; app2.me/2730) Use your arsenal of zombie-zapping plants to mulchify zombies before they break down your door.

Tetris ($2.99; app2.me/2343) The touchscreen brings new life to the classic game.

Trixel ($2.99; lite version available, app2.me/434) is a 100-puzzle brain teaser that's easy to play and tough to master.

Issue: 
NovDec2010_BuyersGuide
Department/Section: 
Apps
TOC Weight: 
39