Mines of Mars puts a cool building and crafting spin on the side-scrolling action genre, though its fun is whittled down a bit by control issues and minor bugs.

Smash Hit turns the simple pleasure of shattering glass into an enjoyable arcade-style cruise through abstract terrain.

Autumn Dynasty Warlords does a great job of translating 4X strategy for mobile play, although its simplicity threatens the appeal of its combat.

With atmosphere and story driving the slow-burning adventure, Out There is decidedly light on action and excitement. That said, it's the game's personality and surprises that will keep you pushing deeper into the stars.

Calculords inventively combines math with collectible card gaming and old-school aesthetics to offer a deeply enjoyable experience that’s more than the sum of its parts.

Another Case Solved is enjoyable enough to warrant the free download, but it lacks a strong enough hook to carry you through the eventual tedium and repetition.

Trolls vs Vikings proves incredibly derivative of Plants vs. Zombies 2, which may hit enough of a sweet spot for die-hards — but the few elements Megapop changed or added tend to throw off the balance in unexpected ways.

Bug Heroes 2 builds on the fine foundation of its predecessor to assemble a strong and varied MOBA-style game, which only stumbles on a few minor points.

Rigid in spots and light on impact, Tengami still feels like the ideal kind of App Store curio: it’s short, sweet, intimate, and handcrafted, with dreamy environs and meditative, low-key puzzles.

Oquonie is a puzzle-based adventure full of contradictions, notably in being both simple and complex. Soothing to noodle around with but also hard work to understand, it’s tricky to say how much actual fun’s on offer, but Oquonie’s an easy game to be quietly impressed by.

Despite the strangeness of some of its surface-level changes, Final Fantasy VI has aged surprisingly well, and holds up beautifully on iOS.

Its combat system may be simple, but Fright Fight offers plenty of ways to have fun with its Smash Bros-like online matches. Just expect to spend money if you crave variety or quick progress.

Second Chance Heroes calls on some big-name historical figures to kick ass in the zombie apocalypse, with just enough style, variety, and depth to keep you engaged.

Word Puttz is a solid free-to-play puzzler, though it won’t scratch the itch of advanced word nerds.

Adventure Time: Card Wars is an impeccably designed card-battler with the show’s signature humor generously slathered over it. Don’t be turned off by the energy mechanics — this is one game that makes that minor annoyance worth tolerating.

Minor technical issues aside, Kahuna is a flavorful reintroduction to a 16-year-old game of Hawaiian-themed stratagem.

Toast Time perfectly captures the chaos of a rushed breakfast; similarly, it doesn’t always sit well and it’s tough to fully digest.

We’ve been dreaming of an Eliss update for years, and Eliss Infinity proves dreams can sometimes come true. More importantly, what was innovative in 2009 remains fresh, tactile, and truly terrific today.

Threes!' engaging mechanics add up to iOS puzzle perfection.

Bloodstroke pays lip service to John Woo’s bloody brand of action, but it lacks any grace, efficiency, or flair. Cool art style notwithstanding, Bloodstroke’s clumsy controls doom it from the start.

Marvel Run Jump Smash! contains everything promised in its title, but leaves out the fun and excitement.

Dawn of the Plow’s no-frills retro style gels perfectly with its simple snow-plowing mechanic, which provides a light-hearted distraction that can easily become a chaotic battle to stave off the inevitable.

Dungeon Keeper’s pared-down reboot is fun on its own right, even if it's not quite the same creature as the excellent classic games it’s based on.

Tales of Phantasia's crass cash-in on nostalgia — via brutal gameplay tweaks and a heavy focus on in-app purchases — comes at the cost of its own magic and value. Keep your beloved memories intact and dodge this damaged port.

In Fear I Trust is a well-made thriller with some clever puzzles, but its tendency towards tired horror clichés makes it feel generic and aimless.

Baldur's Gate II is a great slice of RPG gaming history, though it’s geared towards serious fans of old-school role-playing — and the tricky touch interface, punishing difficulty, and unintuitive design elements tend to get in the way of fun at times.

There’s a quirky kind of fun in dunking on UFOs, dribbling around explosions, and jumping into outer space for extra coins — but theme aside, NBA Rush brings little new to the saturated endless runner genre, and it’s too shallow to hold much long-term interest.

Lost Yeti’s throwback aesthetic and charming puzzles are a Super Nintendo-lover’s sugarcoated dream come true.