Though Death Golf shows early promise, the lack of variety, repetitive mechanics and frustrating movement controls hold it back from reaching its aspirations.

Crucially, though, Little Amazon's main offense is that it just isn't interesting enough. It's the perfect definition of average and nothing more. Something that really doesn't cut it any more in the Endless Runner genre, even for free.

It's hard to give Space Settlers a full recommendation. The base building sections are so good and strangely relaxing that it may be worth suffering through the combat. For some though, it may just be insufferable.

This isn't a title for adrenaline junkies, but Underground Kingdom is ideal for adventure fans. I'm hopeful to see future titles from Choose Your Own Adventure covered on the App Store.

The art and parodied characters are probably the best thing about the game since the gameplay seems a little too familiar.

I know the iPad's screen probably wouldn't be able to accommodate 3-5 players very well, but the two player limit is still kind of a shame. Other than that, though, it's an absolutely stellar port of an absolutely stellar board game. One that fans of the genre (and obviously the original) shouldn't miss.

Thanks to microtransactions that hog the spotlight, Dropple may very well be one of the most generous free offerings released in this New Year. When the barrier to entry is this low, there is no excuse not to put the game through its paces.

Swarm! sometimes feels like it's straining against its own limitations but it is hard to fault a game too much for just trying too hard. It's a meaty, quality adventure with balls to spare.

While Time Surfer will not win any awards for uniqueness, it is a great example of how a fun idea can be iterated upon by blending in concepts from other games to create something that feels at least somewhat new.

I don't believe this is a "bad" game per se, but it just feels like something built to let the player do as little as possible, and there's just not much fun to really be had from it because of that.

I love The Blockheads for much the same reason I love baseball, I suppose. I can watch baseball while doing something else, and The Blockheads is a perfect game to fill my time. Check it out.

Anyone who enjoys thinking hard will enjoy Rails, but people who want a really easy to play casual game should probably look somewhere else.

While there is some room for improvement, I still enjoyed the clever dialogue and intriguing gameplay. Those who aren't quite sold on the platformer can check out Crash Dummy Lite for free to get a feel for it first.

For a lo-fi indie production of examining Legend of Zelda, Mazes & Monsters goes quite far. It tweaks the formula, adds a few new weapons (so that the default does not have to be sword), and yet keeps true to many of the mini-games and general sense of progression.

Amazing Ants is a fun game with great levels, controls, and graphics. Unfortunately, the gameplay suffers from the amount of ads and the constant need to accumulate enough coins. I really wish this app was a couple of buck and had no ads, with cheaper items in the store. However, I still recommend this app since the levels and gameplay are so good.

Noble Nutlings is the kind of casual iOS game that's over way too soon. Not because it's lacking in content but because it's so easy to plow through everything in big chunks thanks to all the wacky fun.

As much as we would love to say Trial Xtreme 3 is the rebirth of the genre, it proves to be the exact opposite. Absurd spikes in difficulty don't do much to help matters along the way either. Downloader beware, this is not the Trials you should be looking for.

With 60 levels and 180 stars to gain, I suspect Wake the Cat will be a pretty long lasting experience. With its ridiculously cute exterior and an intelligent selection of puzzles, it should satisfy anyone looking for a quick puzzle fix.

Ignoring the bizarre internet quirks and slightly disappointing fifth consecutive series of minor missteps, Zenonia 5 easily does the series proud.

Virtual buttons are a nuisance, yes, but sometimes they're just the better way to do things. Or at least with Joe Danger Touch, while touch-optimized controls were clearly important, they were not perfected before shipping, and they're a large part of why this one crashes and burns too much for me.

Rocket Warrior is a fun game that is very similar game play to other games, but stands out for the content it includes. The controls take a little while to get used to, but the levels and many obstacles keep it interesting.

This game is a no brainer for any fan of the physics puzzler genre, especially at a price of just $0.99 for a universal app.

Lost Treasures of Infocom is a delightful tribute to a fascinating time of gaming history. More impressively, the games still maintain an ageless quality to them.

Despite the game's lack of mechanics that are overly groundbreaking or compelling, Catch The Ark manages to provide a polished, family-friendly experience that is second to none.

It's difficult to say that it will be of interest to everyone who may otherwise be amused by the well-done graphics and cute asides muttered by Stan as he plummets.

The Cyrus Chronicles is like a fancy wrapper on a bland piece of candy. It seeks to be an avant-garde darling like flOw, but that game understood that unique isn't enough. Games have to be enjoyable too.

It's very shallow and some more structure would have been appreciated. While there are some basic missions to work towards, it lacks focus, but there is still some enjoyment, especially for those who have suffered from a long day. For free, that's not a bad offering but I'd struggle to be tempted to spend real money on items.

While Nemo's Reef may not be revolutionary, it's hard to ignore the eye popping graphics and the familiar character appearances like Dory and Marlin.