The Show Must Go On will set you back $1 in the App Store, and there is nothing in the game that justifies the price. Cute art style aside, save your dollar for some pool at the local pub and turn off the lights on this game.

In the end, The Lost Shapes provides a solid, competent puzzle game experience. It doesn't quite have the addictiveness of a Tetris, but still provides a good bit of fun that should satisfy any fan of puzzle games.

Even after enjoying the puzzle mode to some extent, I find it baffling that we’ve got an app version a divisive title like Abalone when there are so many great modern abstracts to choose from. Great games like YINSH and Qwirkle would make superb candidates for jumping the digital divide, but instead we’re landed with overly defensive marble jostling.

Wheel of Fortune: Cubed is a bit of a strange take on the Wheel of Fortune franchise, but it does manage to create a playable atmosphere with some honestly challenging puzzles to solve. The controls tend towards the awkward side, but most of the time you'll be too busy wondering what a tree-hugging bear is and how you can spell that in five blank spaces.

This is a disappointing fish tale.

Nitro is good at providing plenty of simple, no-frills fun. That also means it’s not exactly an incredibly deep experience, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s fun, silly, and full of upgradeable cars.

I want to explore other islands and see the rest of this charming world that developer Hand Circus has created. It’s possible that there’s more here, just beyond the next construction, there will be a spectacular change and everything will open up. But after six long days, it hasn’t happened. I’m still just fishing, and selling fish, and waiting.

The questions are great and the social aspect charming, but at the end of the day, Quiz Climber is little more than a basic trivia app at best.

Synesthetic is a game any music lover should pick up. When I played my first round, all I could do was smile. It looks good, it feels good. It's a trip. This game won't be leaving my iPad anytime soon.

It's an innovative title with cute, expressive mascots and it really tries its best to please its audience, but any game that requires you to perform for stars requires controls that go beyond "just okay."

It’s super polished though, and there’s a decent chunk of game here to have a nibble at. But in the end it’s a little too throwaway, a little too lacking in the clout that the very best multiplayer games need to tie you down and ensure you’re in for the long haul. Still, it’s worth a crack, and it won’t cost you anything to pick it up. Just don’t expect it to become the new go-to app in your games folder and you should get along with it just fine.

In any case there’s ultimately just enough here for us to recommend Papa’s Quiz as a budget priced trivia-focused multiplayer experience. Just don’t expect to be playing it all night.

There are plenty of other games that are cheaper, or free, that can deliver a much more polished and rewarding experience. But if you’re in the market for a game that is absurd in every way imaginable, you can’t go wrong with Goat Simulator.

I really did enjoy Mass Effect: Infiltrator and is serves as a wonder companion to the just released Mass Effect 3. I do wish it tied in story wise a little closer to that game, since I'd wager that most of us are playing the two concurrently. Despite this, it's given me a way to enjoy the world while away from home, and more Mass Effect is always a welcome sight.

I applaud Gameloft for continuing to tinker with this series so it doesn’t get too stale, but the combination of less characters classes, little control over your gear and an uninspiring PvP element combine to knock Dungeon Hunter 5 down a peg.

It’s certainly fun to shoot at aliens, but eventually you’ll find things turning too repetitive. You’ll feel as if you’re not gaining a substantial edge in combat. The kind of edge that would make you want to play more. That leaves Galaga Wars as the kind of game you’ll enjoy fleetingly, before inevitably seeking out a weightier frantic shooter.

Manages to get a lot of things right, like the story, style, and basic gameplay mechanics, though the game's high amount of difficulty will probably turn off some players. Now that Red Wasp Design has released an update, this is arguably one of the best turn-based strategy titles on the App Store. Fans of horror and turn-based strategy alike, consider this one a must buy.

In my opinion, the original BioShock is a nearly flawless experience. It’s lacking only in a few gameplay elements that were later introduced in BioShock 2, such as dual-wielding. But in being translated to iOS and touchscreens, it loses a lot more. I

A rare spinoff that might outlast the movie's theatrical run. Even if you're inclined to wait for the film's release on DVD, you should pick up the fun little free app today.

Greedy Dwarf is a compelling amalgam of quality game mechanics that doesn’t take the lazy endless runner route and doesn’t waste the player’s time with chaff. Drag it out into the harsh light of day that Tiny Wings occupies and you’ll find that it looks like, well... a dwarf, but you’ll be content to stay underground with this one for a while.

Grow Away isn't especially revolutionary, but it's surprisingly good, solid fun that will keep you busy for a while, coming back for just a bit more.

Dig! is an intriguing little arcade game that takes a seemingly "boring" idea and spins it into a decent little platformer/digging adventure that requires intelligent tactics and planning for success. If you're a Dig Dug or Qix fan, you'll find plenty to like here.

It’s still very much incomplete as a football game, but it’s better in nearly every area than its predecessor, and there’s something to be said for incremental improvement.

Rhythm Thief & The Paris Caper brings some cool ideas to the card/battle system, but ultimately Phantom R's bold antics and swaying rhythm feels like a mediocre fit for the genre at best.

Hoa looks to offer up a relaxing experience first and foremost though, and because of its amazing aesthetics it largely succeeds in this aim – but it’s still hard to overlook its lack of ambition in the gameplay department.

With no real competition in the free-to-play solitaire market, and plenty of existing love for the Fairway Solitaire franchise, the company has a real chance to dominate the mobile charts with this one.

Many won’t be able to adjust to the sometimes unfair difficulty spikes of course, but if you’re an FPS fan you owe it to yourself to at least give this a try.

The collection component may leave conventional CCG fans cold but the strategy aspect, while simple, works well and can result in some very intense and exciting battles. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that calling it a CCG is a bit unfair. It's a strategy game, plain and simple, and a pretty good one, too.

Volcano Escape is certainly cute, but it's also clunky and frustrating at times. It's good, but not great. This is one of those titles that feels like it's on the verge of realizing its potential, but it isn't quite there yet.

These features are the pull to keep playing Sound Ride. They don’t completely make up for the frustrating physics and unavoidably frequent deaths, but their presence promises more good things may be yet to come when developer OutOfTheBit releases additional—and free—stages.

Speed Limit is somehow more than the sum of its parts, and has an undeniably endearing and addictive quality that makes it – for most of the time – pretty irresistible.

Mega Man Battle Fighters is a serviceable collection, but one with too many issues to make it an easy recommendation.

If you just want to spend a few hours smashing monsters with a hammer and unleashing rune magic, Wraithborne can definitely help you out with that. Just keep in mind that it's probably going to be more a fling than a long term relationship.

One of those games that is far from bad. It just never manages to rise above being pleasantly mediocre.

And aside from its extremely derivative nature, this is an excellent collectible card battle game, particularly for gamers who have a taste for superheroes in general and the Marvel Universe in particular.

Gear Jack has its moments, but you might not even be able to enjoy its strengths unless you really enjoy getting booted back to "Go" every time you mess up. If that sounds like the kind of challenge you've been lusting for, though, Jacky will be happy to be your new robot pal.

When Amazing Ants works, it works well, but these types of hang-ups can grate on one's nerves a little bit. Some can be surpassed, although it requires a certain level of patience with the game; whether you'll have that much patience with its inconsistencies and nuisances is another matter entirely.

Maybe staking out the middle ground between arcade simplicity and stats-based realism leaves out baseball fans on the fringes, but for a free mobile take on baseball, everyone in the middle is going to find something to like.

There are a ridiculous amount of gameplay quirks and twists to keep you engaged from start to finish.

Ultimately, Grimm just doesn't deliver the quality in terms of gameplay that its visual style promises, making it just as odd a package as its premise might suggest, albeit for entirely different reasons.

With lots to do, plenty of unlockables, and tons of explosive destruction, Smash Bandits represents the fundamental reasons why gamers love games. It’s an incredibly solid driver with spot-on physics, flawless controls, and the exhilaration that comes with outrageous destruction.

Annoying Orange Kitchen Carnage may be a bit of a cash-in while the YouTube show is still hot, it's at least a cash-in that gamers can have a lot of fun with.

Monster Mouth has all the components of a top-notch title, but lacks the quantity to match the quality.

MinoMonsters is good as an introductory game, but for anyone that's ever played a Pokemon game before it will feel very lacking.

Heroes Call isn't quite in the same class as Diablo, yet it manages to capture much of the same spirit in a freemium mobile package. That's a pretty impressive feat, and it should be enough to keep you hacking and slashing for a while.

You're not going to find a lot of innovation in the core gameplay if you're already committed to another city builder; it's still the same type of game we've seen many times before, but with a charming space theme.

It’s got upside, no doubt, but like that highly drafted rookie that tests fans’ patience, the question is how many people will stick around waiting for it to pan out.

Midnight Star might feel a tad watered down to the hardcore console FPS gamer, but even those guys will appreciate the basic approach that Industrial Toys has taken in an effort to reduce friction as much as possible.

Despite the game’s familiar nature (especially for Infinity Blade fans), there’s no getting around it: Stormblades is one of the best games we’ve played this year.

All together, Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories succeeds more than it stumbles.

If players take to it, CSR Racing 2 could end up as the rare sequel that improves upon the original in every way. This ride may have taken its sweet old time being delivered, but now that it’s here, don’t be surprised if you have a hard time letting go of the wheel.

Ultimately there’s no escaping the fact that Haven Park simply isn’t as fun or polished as its obvious inspirations. Despite this it never feels like a cash grab or a soulless clone, and is still well worth investigating if you’re after a new relaxed indie experience.

The Gods: Rebellion is no God of War killer. It’s quite linear, its controls need some touching-up, and the suggestions for in-app purchases (which are doled out whenever you die) are sure to cheese some players off. That said, the game looks fantastic and it still manages to offer a button-mashing good time—at least until all that button-mashing misfires and you start executing the wrong attacks.

Even all the cookies and 3D fruit in the world couldn’t satisfy my appetite of just wanting something more from this one.

For a first effort, Suspect in Sight shows a lot of promise. It successfully puts to use every feature that an iOS gaming enthusiast would want from a title while delivering a unique game. The stylistic theme that is carried throughout the game is spot on, and it makes the experience pretty immersive. That said, the game tries to coast a little on that uniqueness and doesn't put a ton of time into varying the gameplay.

It's ambitious to say the least. But I think to a large extent the game's engine gets in its own way far too often. There were numerous times I saw characters get stuck or fall through the ground, or mission objectives simply not appear.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wasn’t the worst several hours I’ve spent with a game by a long stretch, but I found it disappointingly lacking.

Attempting to blend wordplay with other genres is a risky effort, and in AbraWORDabrA it just doesn't pay off. If you're a fan of mobile wordplay, don't be drawn in by the cute characters and promise of something fresh and original. There are plenty of better options out there.

Chocolate Tycoon is certainly a charmer, and the combination of both running and managing a chocolate shop ensures there's always something to do.

Beyond the combat though, Total War Battles: Kingdom is a little too familiar for me to give it a hearty recommendation.

It's true these old games have a limited appeal, but simply slapping them on the latest devices does them nothing but a disservice. It's a shame.

In navigating the tension between reverence for something old in a new package, Disney have done a wonderful job at delivering an experience that deftly straddles nostalgia and novelty. Next time you're in the mood for some great pint-sized play, save your bag of quarters. You only need four.

Stands out as one of the better controlling platformers to hit mobile devices. Sadly, that might not be enough to let it stand out among the forest of mobile games released each day.

It’s not too hardcore and not too casual, so just like that girl in the bears’ house said, it’s just right.

An important step forward in terms of inclusive gaming, though it’s only a stumbling, zombie-sized shuffle rather than a giant leap.

Paradise Bay isn’t extremely special excepting its rarity in this new age of mobile gaming, but even if it isn’t paradise, it’s a pleasant island to pass the time on.

Incidence will not enrapture everyone who gives it a try – it’s probably more of a love it or hate it kind of game. Additionally, the premium price point might prove a barrier to entry for some, as it’s the sort of game you’re more likely to devote a few hours to completing rather than making it a permanent fixture on the precious home screen. But, with the prospect of additional levels and new challenges with future updates, it’s best to consider Incidence a low-maintenance long-term investment.

Overall, Street Fighter IV Champion Edition is definitely a contender when it comes to great games, but it isn’t exactly a champion. If it sorts out the multiplayer issue it’ll likely earn a place on many a homescreen. Until then, it’s a beautiful but sometimes lonely journey into your own nostalgia.

Despite the wavering longevity of Fish Out of Water, the cutesy fish-hopper is still a very welcomed addition to Halbrick’s impressive roster of casual arcade games, and I can see Olympus the goldfish and all the rest of his fishy friends making a real splash on the App Store for some time to come. Just don’t try and skip a fish across the water in real life!

CSR Racing is more than worth a look if you're looking for a racing game that doesn't require you to set aside five minutes to get the most out of it.

There’s a massive sense of reward in eking out every resource and collectible from a given region before turning to raze the next, and there's plenty of opportunity to do it. An unfortunate lack of freedom just makes that return on your time a diminishing one.

You could say worse things about the game than "I wish there were more of it," and that means the base game is pretty darn entertaining. But the fact remains I worry about how long the one mode will hold a player's interest.

So even though the game might be a little too easy at times with a score system that greatly favors your melee attacks over your weapon-based ones, Bloodstroke is still a bloody and beautiful good time.

Although it’s an amusing tale it’s not sharp or slick enough to work in that very one-dimensional way. The slightly high price-tag also prohibits us from recommending this as just a 2 hour throwaway experience. Why the main concept couldn’t be explored with some actual gameplay we don’t know, and you’re left with a title that simply never gets close to fulfilling its potential.

It can never just get out in front of the very things it's poking fun at, and just ends up getting mired in it. It's fun, but it's a limited kind of enjoyment. Once finished, you'll have no reason to ever go back.

Catch the Candy often fails to hit the mark even when it comes to the most basic elements of level design, and the game as a whole feels like a something of a rush job – a concept that was far too plain to begin with, shackled by a series of equally tepid stages that do nothing to paper over its already sizeable cracks.

I really did like Woody Woodpecker, which probably has a lot to do with how much I love Tiny Wings. I don't think this game surpasses or meets Wings, but it's a lot of fun on its own.

Playing Midway Arcade left me wishing that it supported either the iCade or the Atari Pro Duo controllers. No matter how well-implemented the control schemes are, these games were built with a joystick and buttons in mind. At the end of the day, that's the only true way to enjoy them for all they're worth. Still, Midway Arcade is a solid collection given the price.

Bookworm Heroes is a worthy extension of the Bookworm universe. It’s just a blasted shame that Popcap decided to make it free-to-play, since almost all of its failings can be traced back to the divisive gameplay model. Does Lex cry softly to himself when the game is turned off? He’s well within his rights to do so.

But in the end, that just isn’t enough to save NinJump Rooftops from what could have been a great little game a handful of years ago. While the game is technically a big step up from its predecessor NinJump, it becomes painfully obvious after only a few minutes of playing that this particular mobile formula has become incredibly dated.

The concept is good fun, and when it works, it’s great… but that’s when it works. Some might find it repetitive, and it is – but that’s not always a bad thing, so long as the controls are able to keep up with the player.

With its bright visuals, extremely catchy soundtrack, and simple one-touch controls, Tin Man Can proudly displays itself as an exciting arcade game.

Cubemen 2 doesn't really do anything all that exciting with the original concept, and the game ends up feeling quite underwhelming as a result.

The iOS version of Nuclear Outrun is loud, violent, and packed with nonstop action—all of which may actually be a turn-off if you’re a fan of the original game’s eerie minimalistic presentation. The steep price for in-app purchases certainly robs you of the sense of progress that’s granted in the original Nuclear Outrun, which is disappointing.

It’s fun and satisfying playing what is there, even if the players you go up against aren’t exactly that tough to contend with. But it immediately feels like a game that you’d be better off waiting for a few updates later to check out. Hopefully by then, the community will have matured and there’ll be additional maps and objective types to delve into. For now, it’s a little too half baked.

With more control over the characters, Ring Run Circus could claim the title of ringmaster; for now, it’s just a really good show.

Need for Speed: No Limits is a faithful mobile rendition of the long-running franchise. There are a few issues that prevented me from fulling enjoying the title, especially with the controls. However, for those searching for a way to take racing on the go, this title might just be the one you’ve been looking for.

On the one hand, I was taken by the concept of leveling up cute-animal critters, the simple and mostly enjoyable mini-games, as well as an art style that is exceptionally cheerful. But there's something inherently wrong with the type of peddling that's found here.

I think the biggest problem this game faces is the appeal factor for folks who aren't already interested in the Serious Sam world. If you aren't already familiar with the franchise, the game doesn't do anything to tell you why you should be.

Raid Leader feels like it had the groundwork laid for a much better game laid until the developers got bored partway through the development process. It's not exactly bad, but it's just not really deep or exciting enough to recommend wholeheartedly. That said, based on the solid fundamentals, I'll be very interested in seeing what else Red Zebra Games puts out in the future.

Regardless, if you've found yourself infected the concept of taking over the entire world in a matter of days, then Pandemic 2.5 is the best way to pursue global destruction on the fly.

What's more, some players might find the game runs choppily on any iOS device that's not equipped with up-to-the-second hardware. It runs well on the iPhone 5, but there have been complaints of choppiness on the iPad 2, and it won't run at all on any iPhone that's older than a 4S. None of this is very surprising, as Karateka is one fine-looking game thanks to its smooth animations and gorgeous backgrounds.

Unfortunately, the new additions to Diner Dash Rush can’t save the game from being so overly redundant and sometimes boring.

Game of War: Fire Age takes some important steps toward something truly revolutionary, but it lacks the gameplay advances to make it all the way there. It's likely to appeal to the same players who enjoyed the games that preceded it, yet it feels like a missed opportunity for everyone else.

With a little more detective work and a little less store-bought justice, Another Case Solved would truly be the cat’s pajamas.

So well camouflaged, in fact, that the free game is a good way to spend an hour or two until F2P fatigue sets in, and by that stage you’ll know whether or not Blood Brothers 2 is a game you want to drop real money on.

Maybe it would’ve fared better as a park-builder or a dinosaur-themed fighting game instead of a mix of the two.

Sadly it still feels a little too slight at times, with the controls in the main race segments being so floaty they’re never particularly satisfying. This arguably helps the game’s chaotic nature – something not entirely unwelcome in a multiplayer title – but it also means it likely won’t keep you coming back for more helpings. So Dream Buffet is a game it’s hard to love – the fact Kirby feels copy and pasted in definitely doesn’t help matters – but it offers just enough presentational pizzaz to mean it’s not an entirely wasted cause.