McPixel does perhaps the most audacious thing of all: embrace the idea that joy in gaming comes in equal measure from knowing what you're doing and having absolutely no clue. Betting big on the concept that games aren't simple tests of what you can already do, but tests to see how much you're willing to learn. And hey. It doesn't hurt that Sosowski packs every scene with video-game related in jokes, pop culture references, and intertextual nods to earlier characters, improbably crafting a world one twenty second scene at a time.

Playing Blockolicious, a unique match-3 puzzle game for Facebook, will make you want to bite into a big 'ol juicy melon. It's pretty darned fun to play, too.

You're given direct control of the game's speed. Feeling bored? Want to earn more money? Crank up the pit's activity to twice its normal rate. Or four times its normal rate. Feeling frayed? Drop it back down. Managing the pit at top-speed requires a lot of assistants, though, and unlocking the full lot takes a lot of kart points.

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.

I felt like KooZac relied too much on aspects out of my control. No matter how long I played I just couldn't get past the fact that I had no power over 50% of what I needed to score points, and had to bide my time and hope it worked out. It's okay, but it could have been much better.

At this point, I have no problem saying that developer TheCodingMonkeys has me hook, line and sinker.

It's frustrating. Still though, if you want to see something new, I won't stop you from downloading it. It's a good game, it just needs some kinks ironed out.

The Curse is a great game, but again, it's out to taunt and torment you into spending your money to be able to lock The Mannequin away once again. It's just a darn shame we kind of want him to stick around, which seems to work against the entire premise.

A wonderful time sink that hasn't forgotten the principles of giving back to its players. This is a title pared down to precious few actions, but designed so well that nothing ever gets stale. A glowing, beeping slice of pure, simple fun.

Big Fish Casino is a good casino sim on Facebook and an excellent one on iOS devices. Whether our friends across the pond take to it for real money gaming or not, it's going to have plenty of people in the US and elsewhere playing for free before too long.

All that's missing from SlotSpot is a catchy hook, like that song from the first paragraph I don't want to mention again. But it does have that same subtly addictive quality as Carly Rae, and now that it's available online and on the go, you just may be adding it to your rotation of free slots games.

Aside from its lack of any real innovation, the only nagging problem with The Simpsons: Tapped Out is its insistence that you connect to EA's Origin service, even if it's only used for online features such as visiting your friends' parallel Springfields for daily bonuses.

If you find yourself craving a retro 2D side scroller, Random Heroes is definitely worth a try. However, unless you absolutely need another game in your mobile collection, there's little reason to buy it on your device instead of playing it for free online.

I'm still sitting here bleary-eyed, blister on my finger, totally satisfied for having played this game way past the time I should be in bed.

Honestly, the replay value can be forgiven; Disney Fish Hooks succeeds in just about everything it set out to do. It provides a quality product that extends the Disney name, it's faithful to the show, and it's completely free.

Like the conventions it bucks, this one escapes the faux pas of a potentially poor start, and gets exponentially better each time you play.

While the game feels devilishly difficult to the point of nigh-impossibility at times, eeking out your wins always manages to prove a method to Bad Hotel's madness. And despite the occasional crash here and there, Lucky Frame have delivered on too cool a concept for that to matter.

I don't want to sound too overdramatic, but if I were looking to sum up Horn in two words, it would probably sound something like 'mobile masterpiece.'

Critter Escape is what you want out of a mobile puzzle/action game. It has a ton of variation, huge relay value, and a clever concept.

It isn't forgiving, and it forces you to get better, or simply accept your inferiority as a consumer of dirt. The challenge curve will be the direct determinant of whether or not you like the game: either you'll fight through and emerge victorious, or fail often and feel insulted.

If Com2Us is responsible, they'll patch this game up and get it back to fighting in the streets. Pending the fixes, this could be one of the better action games on the iOS platform. Until then, it's held back by its technical flaws.

Has managed to turn the concept into something that's both enjoyable and downright addictive. It's an absurdly hard, unforgiving game, but that's a big part of what makes it so fun.

Drip Drip, if nothing else, is a unique RTS that deserves credit for trying something new.

Ultimately, If there's one thing working against Chimpact, it's just how simple it is. The game gets repetitive after a while, and even with different game modes, it never feels different enough to keep me coming back in my moments of mobile addiction.

Its tilt controls are some of the best I've seen in an endless runner (there are also touch controls, but I found myself preferring tilt), the graphics are as vibrant and charming as we've grown to expect from an [adult swim]-published game, and the inclusion of achievements and sundry unlockables makes the game dangerously addictive.

What's really a shame is that Kingdoms & Lords would be an easy recommendation if it was a complete game with a $4.99 price tag. The genre mash-up makes for a playful and memorable game. If you have the patience to endure long waits and panhandling for diamonds, go ahead and pick this one up. Otherwise, leave it in the Dark Ages.

Strange Loves: Vampire Boyfriends calls itself a send-up, but doesn't present its case convincingly. In place of clever commentary on the supernatural romance genre, we get self-conscious references to romance novels and other pop culture phenomena that's simultaneously unsuitable for kids and too childish for adults.

As far as the iOS implementation, I actually found San Juan to be a nicer experience over its board game brethren Puerto Rico. While both games hinge on a similar mechanic and identical theme, I found the simplicity of the cards to help immensely with the UI.

A quirky little tool, and it's nice to see more people attempt to utilize the iOS cameras in gameplay, but this is far from the supreme ghost fighting experience that many of us have been waiting for our entire lives. It's a fun gimmick to show your friends, but the novelty disappears faster than a Slimer in broad daylight.

What Agent Dash lacks in originality, it makes up for in solid design. Its controls are responsive, the graphics are some of the best I've seen in an endless runner, and the gameplay doesn't pull any sort of punches.

If you're looking for a 3D runner with a distinctive visual style and thrilling level design, Pitfall! will more than satisfy. However, with an upgrades system that proves to be more frustrating than fun, I can't help but feel that Activision missed a huge opportunity to place itself as the absolute "best 3D runner on the App Store".

I'm still addicted to the game. I fire it up several times a day, each time just as excited by the prospect of building an awesome street.

A simple game, but that's more of a strength than a weakness. It's simple enough to provide quick, painless matches on an iPhone in an idle moment, and there are enough different units to choose from in the battle mode to make playing against other players endlessly rewarding. Best of all, the option to fight against NPC goblins gives Clash of Clans a small edge over similar strategy games that rely almost entirely on player-versus-player combat.

If cruising through wave after wave of similar disposable baddies in order to reach a challenging boss sounds repetitive to you, than the game might not feel so super. But if you've grown up on arcade classics and are looking for a cheap way to relive the thrill of incredible combos, then this is a must buy.

It maintains some excellent tower defense action while adding a new aspect that keeps things interesting enough to deserve attention. It's enough familiarity mixed with some freshness that is definitely worth experiencing.

I failed many times and let down many clients, but it was a lot of fun dabbling and seeing what themes and decisions resonated best with the various demographics.

All in all, Monster Life might not revolutionize monster farming, but it definitely doesn't do anything wrong, either. The new elements, while welcome, might not make the game as deep as you'd think, but the gorgeous display makes it a must-have for established fans of the genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Dreamer's take on the endless runner genre. It could have tried to rest on the loins of its charming graphics, music, and premise, but instead it went the full mile and offered up a unique style of gameplay.

All in all, Shellrazer provides one heck of an experience.

Flight! isn't a bad game by any means. It functions as advertised and the game works perfectly. It's just not that interesting.

If bringing the law to the denizens of an ultra-violent future city isn't your thing, Countdown Sector 106 probably isn't the gamebook for you. For everyone else, this is an absolute blast to read. With their latest release, Tin Man Games have proven that they can handle existing characters just as well as they do heroes of their own creation.

Bolstered with such immersive social features, Galaxy Life: Pocket Adventures outdoes games with deeper combat and strategy far.

If you're getting a little burned out on the idea of match-3 mixing with role playing, 10000000 probably won't do much to change your mind. Then again, if you're a little burned out on the idea of match-3 mixing with role-playing, you're probably not very much fun, and I don't want to talk to you. For the rest of us though, 10000000 offers up another great example of genre mashups done right. Congratulations – we've just found your next month-long addiction.

Unfortunately, Car Toons! shares the biggest shortcoming of the previously mentioned title – too often it's too easy. The chain reactions are fun to watch, but they're all over too quickly.

It holds up incredibly well as a multiplayer experience, and the inclusion of enhanced graphics, additional levels and online play makes the game feel like so much more than just a simple port of a classic. And as a bonus, nostalgia goggles are far from required here; a love of explosions and humor, on the other hand, most certainly are.

It takes the basic little line clearing puzzle set-up and tweaks it just enough to give it a fresh feeling to make it feel new all over again. Not going to set the world on fire but definitely worth a look for friends of the genre.

It's funny how fitting an analogy the main characters of this title are for the game itself. There's too much to do here and not enough of a reason to do it. Pocket Minions is one of the rare occasions where ambition works against a game.

Being a jack-of-all-trades usually makes you a master of none, but 9 Innings Pro Baseball 2013 manages to make this approach work. If you aren't intimidated by the sheer number of options, it's worth a free download (for the ad-supported version) to dive in and explore.

Despite its few deficiencies, ORC: Vengeance is a great game. Controls are solid, story/ambiance is no worse than its competitors, and the graphics are top notch. I was continually impressed by the draw distance, and at no point did my first generation iPad experience any slowdown.

All problems aside, though, Manos was a pretty addicting experience. It felt just like a game out of my childhood, and continued to call me back for another playthrough after running out of lives.

Bucketz is everything that a physics puzzler should be: unique, full of personality, and plenty addicting.

Like Draw Something, Can't Say That! is incredibly simple to pick up and learn, even if you haven't played two seconds of Taboo. The game moves extremely quickly, which is nice: you can challenge one opponent after another, and solving a word usually doesn't take up more than twenty seconds of your time (because you're a sharp little cookie, right?).

Zombie Highway is the superior game and Mutant Roadkill is a rip off with just enough tweaks to the gameplay to keep it from being blatant. And these tweaks to the gameplay result in a game that's significantly less fun to play than its inspiration.

The Dark Knight Rises, like The Amazing Spider-Man, is a game that I desperately want to love, but I'd be fooling myself if I didn't say it could be a good deal better. Add in additional hand-to-hand combat options, debug the crashes, and diversify the missions and you'd have a perfect game.

If you're interested in Dédale, our advice would be to grab it for iPhone or iPad - it's far better as a quick toy to play around with on the work commute each morning. If you're planning to play it on PC, however, we'd suggest grabbing the demo first, as you may find it's not all that interesting.

Jurassic Park Builder's core gameplay certainly doesn't break new ground, but it builds a solid experience with its old materials. Even if you master dinosaur wrangling, however, don't get too confident: life finds a way (to eat you alive).

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.

Things like the game's staggering variety of levels (endless wave, time challenge, maze-making), total lack of in-app payments, massive scope, and sense of whimsy... you'll experience all of that when you pick up the game.

Follow the Rabbit is one of the best physics puzzler games I've played in a good long time and, as a fan of the genre, it hit pretty much every note I could want it to. The catharsis that comes with finishing that last puzzle is palpable, and the means that lead to that end are a whole lot of fun. Just try not to drive yourself crazy in an effort to nab every single coin.

Great Big War Game is also fairly unstable, which is never a good thing. Playing on a first generation iPad, it crashed dozens of times. Fortunately a reliable autosave system meant I never lost any progress. Still, this instability is an unnecessary hassle.

It's just a shame the actual game aspect is nearly unplayable.

A fun little game and hey, it's free!

To be completely honest, Tap Tap Revenge Tour isn't tearing down any new walls. The game mechanics got tweaked, as did the graphics, and a pretty basic tour mode was added to extend playtime. This isn't so much a new game as it is an update of the same game that has been around since 2008.

It may have lost a little bit of its personal touch, but for better or worse, Casey's Contraptions is Amazing Alex now. And with the same great gameplay, a dauntingly endless set of custom levels, and a company behind that has the resources to churn out tons of free content? I'd say that's better. Amazing, even.

If you're okay with making in-app purchases, or if you're okay with going nutty for fifteen minutes and then hanging around for hours while the game recharges your supply of free cards, then Bingo Rush should keep you happy for a time. Give it a try, and don't forget: let every day be a Bingo in your heart.

Some mobile games just feel like they could have used more time to work out all the kinks before going live, and maybe that's the case here. SoulCraft looks the part of a winner, but it's going to take some updates for it to truly live up to the potential inherent in its name.

Bubble Mania is an app that I want to keep on my phone and my iPad. When you play video games for a living and flit between games as frequently as other people move from meal to meal, that's saying a lot.

As a highly competent two-stick shooter, there is no reason not to recommend it. If you have fun with it for an hour and never play it again, it will have been worth your money. Chances are you will have fun with it for at least that long. But will you be playing Darkside two weeks from now? I doubt it.

Knights of the Round Cable is a charming game with a unique mechanic, and it's well worth your time and money. Just be warned: if you get it, you might start questioning where all of your free time has gone.

It's these gameplay and programming issues that keep Pocket Heroes from being an amazing game, but every problem that I've listed seems easily fixable in future updates. Even if it isn't perfect in its current form, Pocket Heroesis a fun experience that is both unique and nostalgic. With a few gameplay tweaks, it could easily become a must-have for all RPG gamers alike.

There's nothing revolutionary enough in Heroes in Time to think it will become an all-time classic RPG, but it's a very good addition to the genre, even without considering the limitations of the iOS platform or its low price tag. Don't be hesitant to put on your rose-colored glasses and try out this particular throwback.

With the Maple World accessible in so many ways, MapleStory Live might work as a good introduction to spur people to check out the more robust features in its sister titles. Otherwise, it feels destined to be a temporary fix for players who don't want to leave that setting behind when all they have handy are their phones or tablets.

I also had some issues with the controls. There were points when I found myself frustrated with my block laying fairy -- moments where I felt the poor blind hero took damage not because I reacted too slowly, but because the controls were a little sloppy. But I won't go as far to say they were so sloppy as to ruin the experience. Blind Man's Dungeon isn't bad, and, whatever the case, with a zero dollar price tag, there is no reason not to download it and judge for yourself. It's certainly pretty.

Captain Antarctica is not the most original game, but it presents the content in a way that makes it feel fresh. With specific start and stop points in place, it makes it easier to pick up and play for brief periods.

Traffic Panic London knows exactly what kind of title it is, and it isn't ashamed of it. Extremely simple in its design, the game doesn't even bother with a tutorial--perhaps because there's almost nothing to explain. It is the definition of a simple but fun game.

Any gamer who enjoys platformers should not miss this one. Anyone who appreciates a good story should play as well. Despite the few nicks in Nihilumbra's armor, I'm happy to give it five stars. It is an earnest experience. It might not be perfect, but it's a fine example of artists using a medium to tell a story. And it's tons of fun too.

And if it weren't enough that their game was spectacular, One Man Left have gone and proven to be some of the most classy designers out there, integrating a seamless chat system and game center friend request button alongside easy-to-navigate menus.

The End also shoots itself in the foot by tying challenges and duct tape rewards quite tightly to payment hoops or forced social broadcasting.

The first fifty word puzzles are free, and you can purchase hundreds more for a low fee. More free puzzles are coming in August, so if you decide to hold on to your cash, you can be assured that an update is on the way. You can't lose-unless you neglect to remember that a goblin is actually a malevolent spirit and not a pony-gobbling under-dweller.

Starting with 80 levels (and the promise of more to come), Where's My Perry? is a triumph in every sense of the word. It tactfully weaves the humor and appeal of the show into the Where's My Water? formula, all the while providing content that won't have fans of the first game crying copycat. Developers tasked with creating tie-in games, take note: This is how it's done.

Overall, this game is a gem and a steal for being available in the App Store for free. If you're a fan of simulation games, Hay Day is visually pleasing and will definitely keep your inner agriculturalist giddy for hours.

A game that I want to enjoy, but simply couldn't get into.

If you want an open-world Spider-Man title, The Amazing Spider-Man delivers a decent experience along with a slew of flaws. However, if you're simply looking for a smooth Spidey adventure, stick with Total Mayhem.

Granted, a hardcore baseball sim is a niche product, but it's hard to see iOOTP 12 having any real challengers in its corner of the mobile gaming world. Fans of the grand old game are going to want this on their iPhones or iPads for all those times they can't be at the ballpark.

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.

Polished, easy to dive into, addictive and easy to learn.

Dead Trigger feels much more House of Dead than it does Left4Dead. A generic zombie shooter that may as well be on rails, if perhaps the most gorgeous one I've ever seen on a mobile device.

There's a lot of depth to Vampire Season; more than you'd expect from a game that wheels and deals so heavily in comedy.

The end result is a playing field that makes the control scheme feel less like a gimmick and more like a strong platform to test your reflexes and concentration. Losses never felt unfair, and when they did, it was in that satisfyingly frustrating way where I wanted to dive right back in. Oh, the puns! The humanity!

In a perverse way I learned to embrace the "unfairness" as part of the game's arcade charm, but more casual players will certainly find these balancing issues to be small slaps in the face.

It's not the most original of trivia games, but it's certainly one of the most polished ones I've encountered.

This game could sell for $35 on the 3DS and it wouldn't be out of place next to the other pieces of software available for the system.

Centipede Origins is true to the arcade classic in pretty much every way that one could want, while adding enough features to keep a new generation of gamer interested.

It's not a game I'd recommend to everyone, but Quizboard is something I could see resonating with a lot of people. It's also free to play, meaning you've no excuse to avoid giving it a chance.

If you like Rage of Bahamut but would prefer something with a kinder, gentler, perhaps more kid-friendly style (and you don't mind forking over a few bucks now and then, or lagging well behind those who do), then Monster Paradise is probably just what you're looking for.

It's actually a very fun and addictive game, so long as you don't mind not having any idea of what's going on and just throwing things until something works.

I suppose what I like most about Asphalt 7 is the fact that it doesn't go out of its way to grab your money beyond the 0.99 cent pricetag.

It's a must-download for anyone who enjoys games that require fast reflexes and quick thinking, or just wants to have a blast while making sure humanity sticks around for a while.