Madagascar Math Ops takes the gameplay of Angry Birds and throws in educational content. It might not make your kid a math whiz, but it’s better than flash cards.

Kingdom Rush Frontiers is another excellent – albeit now familiar – tower defense entry for strategy fans seeking a potent mix of brains and brawn.

If you’re looking for a very solid mobile MOBA, Solstice Arena is compact but robust enough for quick bursts of fun on the go.

Casual fans might balk at the huge download or $20 price tag, but for serious gamers and strategy fans, the lure of a near-perfect portable XCOM may be irresistible.

Man of Steel offers decent Infinity Blade-style fighting, but not even Superman can save its shallow depth, pathetic plot, lazy repetition, and unoriginal gameplay from certain destruction.

Gangstar Vegas may not be "Grand," but it’s sure to satisfy your hunger for a good open-world game on your iPhone or iPad.

Quadropus Rampage would benefit from more exact directional controls, but the action pacing and amusing tone carry themselves well on iOS devices.

While perhaps enough to satisfy the most dedicated of Marvel fans, Avengers Alliance's high points are marred by some pretty notable flaws.

Scurvy Scallywags erects a grand scaffolding of curious creativity on a well-worn puzzle formula, resulting in a familiar experience with lots of fun new twists.

Stickets looks deceptively simple, but, well, there’s the rub. Brilliant.

World War Z is an entertaining film-inspired game, even if its combat system could use some polish.

Ace Attorney is one of the best series to come out of Japan in the past decade. Despite some issues, this compilation is recommended whether you’re a dedicated fan or a newcomer to the franchise.

Even if you're not much of a poker fan, Poker Night 2 is crammed with enough entertaining banter and silliness to keep things fun — and the poker's pretty good, too.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best games of the 2000s, and the iPad version is an uncompromisingly faithful port.

Bam Fu’s hectic same-device multiplayer is finger-bashing fun, but the shallow gameplay ultimately taps itself out of contention for anything other than a short bout.

Blip Blup is a very good puzzler for abstract visual thinkers, even if the difficulty spikes can be tough.

An intuitive control scheme and loads of cartoonish charm make Combo Crew's brawling action a real treat for your fingertips.

While stunning to look at, Fast & Furious 6: The Game loses its luster after a short time.

Karateka Classic is a superb port of an excellent (if ancient) fighting game, and is a great way to rekindle old memories or to simply see what all the fuss is about.

This great indie port flops turn-based strategy on its head with delightful asynchronous chaos and intense multiplayer matches.

Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is a deceptively deep, highly polished and surprisingly addictive look at the strategy behind old-school dogfights.

Breezy and pleasantly presented, Go Home Dinosaurs may not be a hardcore tower defense option, but it's still an enjoyable tweak on the genre.

Impossible Road stands alongside Super Hexagon as one of the top tests of skill, reaction, and sheer pluck on the App Store.

Haunted Hollow is an uncomplicated, charming, and fun strategy game that's particularly potent with pals.

Some of The Yoda Chronicles may work as an extremely gentle initiation into the strategy genre, but the adorable cut-scenes don’t override the problems present in a short, awkwardly paced, and frequently dull adventure.

Angry Birds Friends brings the Facebook favorite to iOS, but while the new angle is interesting, the competitive balance seems muddled.

Star Command's violent romp through the galaxy is equal parts challenging and clever, making it a must-play for sci-fi strategy fans.

The Lost Reels is a pale shadow of the original, but it does a decent job with what little it's been given.