It's absolutely worth your time, even under the frustrating veneer of free-to-play madness.

New Words with Friends is the same tried and true game. This updated version has a lot of new features, including a single player mode, which might get people back into it.

It can be much more frustrating and unforgiving than the other titles in the series, but in the end it's very much worth your time.

It does accomplish the purpose it set out to, but it needs some work as a game in practice.

Banner Saga is one of the greatest adventure games, mobile or otherwise, that's come around in quite a long time. Not only is it interesting and accessible, but it's clean, ornate, and enjoyable through and through. If you only pick out one adventure game this year on iOS, make it this one.

Kill Shot is a mediocre shooting title. The gameplay is solid and can be a lot of fun, but the in game add-ons and the stamina system hamper the experience.

You can't go wrong with Trap Team on console, but the iPad and Android port is just as good, if not better because of the portability.

Turbo Dismount is a very fun crash simulation game.

Asphalt Overdrive's cool 80s vibe, classic cars and different modes will keep people interested, but its stamina system and in-app purchases hold it back from greatness.

Amazing Thief is a very fun title, but probably not charming or innovative enough to be the next great mobile game. It may look simple and easy, but it takes a while to master the jump physics. Some people may not have that time, and considering the other issues, may pass it by.

This is a quick, simple, and clean way to enjoy a fantastic card game on the go, and while it may be a far cry from the Game Boy Color version released so many years ago, it's a great start and an option that you'll want to choose if you want to reignite your love for the game or simply get started with it -- and besides, it's free!

Plunder Pirates doesn't advance the genre, but it is one of the better base builder games and worth a look if you like this sub genre.

Beach Buggy Racing is a lighthearted and fun racing game. It's very similar to Mario Kart, but its lack of multiplayer holds it back from being great.

Maze Runner is a fun game, but it feels like a Temple Run clone. The gameplay itself is cool for anyone who has never played this type of game, but for Temple Run pros its more of the same.

Fotonica is definitely one game that needs to be installed on your favorite device.

Shoot the Moon is a very simplistic yet addictive game. Anyone will be able to pick up the game and have a blast playing it. They will also get a good laugh at the ridiculousness and quirkiness of the game itself. Suffice to say, it's worth a look.

Gummy Drop is a solid match-three puzzle game. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much to differentiate itself from other titles in the genre. If you've grown tired of these types of games, we doubt this one will reel you in.

While Race Team Manager is a good title for those who enjoy the sport, it is not too exciting. There's a lot of micromanagement, and those looking for a typical racing game will not have enough thrills to keep them entertained long.

Surprisingly, Gameloft's Spider-Man Unlimited is a decent runner with a progression system and narrative tiers that allow it to transcend its status as F2P clone that you've seen millions of times over. In fact, with future updates, it may even continue to improve.

Madden NFL Mobile is a simple and fun game, albeit a little short and outdated.

While not a true sequel, Super Monkey Ball Bounce will provide several hours of fun. Since it's free, all Monkey Ball fans should give it a serious look.

Angry Birds Stella is a good title with solid gameplay and quality cartoon visuals. The problem is that the game is one in a long line of similar entries, and people have come to expect a lot out from the franchise. On its own, Stella is definitely a great pick up, but if you are getting sick of Angry Birds it won't do much to get you back into the series.

The Tower is a very fun and addicting game. The simplistic gameplay makes it easily accessible, but this title needs a few unlockables or extra options to give players more reasons to return.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a great pairing that makes for an addictive game. Once you start, you will be immediately drawn into the story and won't be able to put the 3DS down. Fans of both series will be very satisfied, and should demand a sequel. Well done overall.

Back to Bed is practically oozing with visual charm, but it can't back it up with weak gameplay and a lack of replay value. Perhaps the developers should have slept on it a bit longer.

Awakening Kingdoms is a robust and full-featured mixture of genres, but it still stumbles a bit when it comes to finding its footing in the grand scheme of free-to-play titles. If you're a fan of the Awakening games, you'll find Kingdoms agreeable, however.

This is a beautiful and conscious game that deserves to be played, even if to just take in its message.

We're still a ways off from perfecting mobile controls, it appears, and while the core product is still as engaging as ever, it needs some tweaking as far as its transition to mobile. Still, if this is the only feasible way you can experience the game, take the plunge.

Assassin's Creed Memories tries to piggyback off of the success of the main Assassin's Creed franchise. Unfortunately, it's too confusing and boring to enjoy.

The Ensign is a fantastically weird and wonderful RPG that has plenty going for it, but only if you have the time and patience to peel away the several layers. You'll find that it's delightfully bizarre in many ways, especially if you were a previous fan of A Dark Room.

While the Star Wars license is a tempting one to buy into, Star Wars: Commander isn't exactly up to snuff, especially if you're looking to play on the cheap. Perhaps future updates can lessen the price-gouging and it can blossom into a truly rewarding F2P experience.

Panda Pandamonium is a fluffy yet substantial update to the classic game of mahjong, and worth a try, especially if you've got the extra income to keep going even when you fail. Big Fish does it again.

The Walking Dead Pinball is one of the best additions to Zen Pinball 2's stable of specialized tables, and if you haven't tried out any of the rest of them, this would be a great place to start -- especially if you're looking to play something a little different when it comes to the shambling undead.

Spellfall is a unique and addicting puzzle game. Its only downside are the in-game purchases. If you can look past that, and have some patience, you'll have a great time.

Swing Copters is just about what you'd expect from the creator of Flappy Bird, but you'll still be playing it for weeks to come. Objectively, it's nothing to write home about, but see if you'll be able to put it down if you haven't even reached a score of 1 before you get hit with the dreaded Game Over screen.

Crazy Taxi: City Rush is a strange riff on the classic game, but it does come into its own as a pleasing alternative to the original. Unfortunately, its reliance on free-to-play currency does end up making it more frustrating than it should be.

Micromon is one of the slickest and best examples of what you can do with this kind of premise, and much closer to the idealized Pokemon games we've all clamored for over the heads.

80 Days is a colorful and stylized look at a classic tome that places a new twist on an otherwise familiar game type. It's well worth your time, especially if you're looking for something a little more "out of the box" when it comes to mobile gaming.

While it lacks a plot, it's a fun title that you can pick up and start playing immediately.

Zombie High Dive can be fun and easy to play, but there's too much blocking your path.

Godus is a fun simulation game. For a free download, it gives you a lot of value and is a very deep experience. Its slow pace and premium add-ons might turn some people off, but it is still a very solid title.

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is another fantastic release from Square Enix that works just as well as a mobile RPG as it does as a DS release.

Format release concerns aside, Dual Destinies is a smartly-crafted, fantastic-looking Phoenix Wright game that you'd do well to pick up, especially since the first episode is free.

Corpse Party is excellent all-around, despite dated visuals and a high price tag. If you're a fan of Japanese horror or visual novels (Saya no Uta comes to mind) you should find plenty to love here.

Pako is a unique and exciting car chase simulator that you'll pick up and play and forget to put down until you're proficient. Yes, it can be hard to get the hang of, and there simply isn't much to it, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more addictive game out there right now -- of course, beyond the likes of Timberman.

WWE SuperCard is a fun and addicting game that is easy to pick up and play. It's so addictive that you can't play just one match, and you will want to keep playing until you find your favorite superstar(s). Hopefully, 2K Games releases a versus mode in a future update.

Tap Sports Baseball is a fun game for casual and hardcore fans of the sport. The game is very simple to play and has great stat tracking. Unfortunately, the lack of pitching holds the game back from being great.

Although it's too familiar for its own good, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is a fine conclusion for the series, at least for the time being. With a fresh story, solid presentation and plenty of puzzles and challenges, this is one mystery that doesn't wear out its welcome.

If you own a PS Vita, you owe it to yourself to get this game, especially if you like action RPGs.

Marvel Run Jump Smash! is a pretty good running action game, and has plenty to offer to comic book fans. Unfortunately, it can't overcome the villainy of a rather unfair freemium model. It's worth a try, at the very least.

For a wonderfully structured free-to-play endless runner, Moby's Revenge fares well in the final analysis. There are occasional glitches and gameplay issues to get over, but everything's good overall and this is a fun game for all ages to enjoy.

Silent Scope it ain't, but Clear Vision 3 is an accomplished sniping action game that provides a satisfying does of gunplay, provided you can accept its freemium settings. It certainly doesn't hurt to give it a try.

Razor Run provides a fresh take on the endless runner genre by introducing fun space shooting elements. Its graphics are great and the gameplay works very well, and the freemium model is more than fair. Despite the small flaws - mainly with the upgrades menu - this Razor is sharp.

It's a real shame that the generally high polish of the visuals, and the fun handful of gameplay types hasn't been extended to the core engine powering everything underneath. By all means dip into this free game to kill a few minutes on the way to work or school, but don't expect anything truly worthy of the real thing.

It's because of those gameplay limitations that ZEZ is a rather short-lived affair, although you'll undoubtedly have a blast for whatever amount of time you spend with this generously free game.

The game's influences are pretty clear, but it's also got a few twists that make it very much its own game. Combine this fun gameplay with some of the neatest artwork and audio we've seen in a free-to-play game for some time, and you suspect the developers at No Monkeys are about to land themselves a pretty good haul.

Get Set Games would've fared better by toning down the game's speed a notch and perfecting its controls, but as it stands, Mega Jump 2 is still a generally good addition to the endless jumper genre. If you liked the original - or you just want to see what Mega Mode can do for you - hop on in.

Fans of Ted Ginn - or those that admire punt returners - may be tempted to give this game a run-through, but Kick Return never really expands its role far enough to make it worthwhile. It's worth a try, then, but it won't stay with you in the long run.

While inspired in its design, this Hot Wheels racer is fundamentally flawed in its execution, and it's really not fun to play at all. Leave this in the garage and play with the original toy cars instead.

What it lacks in long-term replay value, Simian.Interface more than makes up for in inventiveness.

Even if it isn't entirely original - and could really benefit from dropping the freemium elements - Castle Doombad is a terrific way to kick off 2014's mobile gaming season. Tower defense fans won't want to miss it, and casual fans will find a lot to like as well.

For a dollar, it's hard to go wrong with this new themed take on Ski Safari. If you've played the original to death, and you're not a big fan of the cartoon series, there's not a lot to tempt you back into paying again, but for everyone else this is a welcome fresh take on a much-loved mobile classic.

Robocop is hardly the best representation of the cybernetic officer we've seen - the classic Data East arcade game still can't be beat - but Glu Games did better than expected with the movie adaptation, providing plenty of shooting frills and good-looking graphics. When it comes to shoot-em-up goodness, we'd buy that for a dollar.

Joe Danger Infinity may not be the touchscreen revolution that the first game was, but it's still a marvelous one nevertheless.

It's fair to say we've seen this sort of gameplay before in Candy Crush, but King has done a great job of modifying things to ensure that Farm Heroes Saga isn't as greedy a money-making machine. You'll get quite a bit of gameplay from it for no charge whatsoever, and the additional boosters and other goodies might just encourage you to stick around a little longer.

Even with its short length, Can You Escape 2 has plenty of smarts going for it. The puzzle design is ingenious, the interface is easy to use, and the solutions will put a smile on your face. Not bad for a game that can be played without spending a cent.

Because of its high difficulty bar, Jet Car Stunts 2 certainly isn't for everyone. If you're a racing fan up for a real challenge though - or you don't mind spending a few hours perfecting runs on the trickiest levels - this one's well worth taking for a spin.

Eternity Warriors 3 isn't just the best game in Glu Mobile's action series, it's also one of the better free-to-play games on the market.

Had Sega simply bumped up the price and included everything in one shot, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed would've been just as well received as its console counterpart. Instead, due to an unfair currency system and technical hiccups, it loses control.

While not as in-depth as the duo's platforming adventures, Ratchet and Clank: Before the Nexus is an enjoyable endless runner with fun visuals and plenty of stuff to collect. It only makes you wonder if Sony might consider doing the same for other franchises - Sly Cooper, perhaps?

Ridge Racer Slipstream is flat in a few areas, particularly with the strenuous earning system and the lack of online multiplayer. However, if you're a fan of the series or looking for an ideal racer for the holidays, this one will rev your engine.

If it had a lower difficulty and an easier way to acquire power-ups, Colossatron would be an instant classic alongside Halfbrick's other releases. For now, it's still a monstrously good time, and a novel way to let loose on some of that built-up holiday stress.

Endless Boss Fight is a decent brawling game, one with an interesting approach to multiplayer and plenty of opportunities to clean up cash. However, its stale, repetitive nature and "freemium" grind make it lose some of its appeal. That said, we still had fun with the game.

Had it come with a better gameplay system, richer graphics and an easier way to acquire weaponry, Cabela's Big Game Hunter could've easily hit the mark. For now, only dedicated hunters will be interested. Everyone else should find a more enjoyable sport to conquer.

Even with its questionable payment structure and lacking touch controls, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga is a fun space romp that kids and die-hard fans will enjoy. Better yet, it costs you nothing to try.

Despite the fact it's almost a decade old, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is still a gritty yet refreshing open-world experience that fans of mobile action games owe it upon themselves to check out.

We like Rovio's game, but would've gladly paid for a more full-featured product.

Even with a slightly flawed freemium purchase system, and a rigid adherence to its primitive shooter roots, Lawless is a great-looking game that'll suck you right in, especially if you have fellow Mobage players to team up with.

As a message, Nightmare: Malaria succeeds commendably well, but as a gameplay experience it's a clunky platformer that few will have the patience to finish.

Those looking for some fresh blood without putting too much of a dent in their wallet will want to give it a look though.

While Band Stars has an interesting concept and some fun characters, its glitches, lack of entertainment, and sheer lack of music make it less than enjoyable. Think carefully before taking this band on the road.

Even taking those issues into account, KingHunt represents excellent value for money. It's clearly been a huge labor of love for all those involved, and it's about as good as we've come to expect from this niche genre of mobile gaming. Perhaps a future update will bring just a little more variety in combat.

Despite its repetitive nature and free-to-play purchase system, OMG: TD! Is nevertheless a great addition to the genre, and a fun time-waster to boot. It sure beats going to a second-rate toga party.

Because of its precision gameplay, not everyone will get into Fire Escape as easily as other free-climbing games, but it's definitely got some appeal behind it, especially in the later levels. Have a swing at it.

While Super Bobby's unlikely to win any honors, it won't cost you a cent to try it out, and you could certainly do a lot worse in the platforming genre. Give it a try.

Doctor Who strikes a solid blow against the cynics who expect every film and TV tie-in to be a souless cash-grab. Instead, it's a very smart match-three game that offers up a surprising amount of content for a low price indeed.

Pocket Avenger isn't the worst zombie-killing game we've ever seen by a long shot, but the plain presentation and lack of tangible controls don't exactly make it the best of its kind either. As a free-to-play title though, it's worth having at least a quick blast with.

Papa Pear Saga is a very different kind of game for the Saga brand. Without having to wrack one's brain over puzzles, it might appeal to those looking for a more relaxing experience. The control freaks out there might just find that lack of direction a frustration though.

While by no means perfect, Castle of Illusion is a good enough platformer that pays worthy homage to the Genesis classic. That said, its high cost makes it too expensive to be an impulse buy, and we can only suggest waiting for the inevitable price drop.

In the face of so much delightfully clever level design, it's easy enough to brush aside any niggles about the game. Icycle's colorful, clever and a great example of just how far a little imagination can go in the world of indie mobile development.

Even put up against the likes of Animal Crossing and Pokémon X & Y , The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is easily the best 3DS game of 2013. It's quite simply a work of art that deserves to be part of your private collection.

Mario Party: Island Tour feels like a step backwards for the series, thanks to an uninspiring mini-game collection and an often grating single player experience. Fans of the series may want to check it out, but others can easily let this tour boat pass them by.

Even allowing for these ad hiccoughs, Monsta Brick Breaker is still an enjoyable addition to the ball-and-paddle genre. Let's just hope the developers can come up with a patch that doesn't make these minor problems more monstrous.

An awful lot of new runners have hit the App Store over the last month or so, and it's hard not to view the arrival of Panem Run with a certain amount of jaded weariness. Still it's a solid enough - if rather slow and uninspiring - addition to the genre that will certainly please fans of the books and films.

Given the safe ground it treads, Evolution Highway isn't exactly a game that lives up to its name, but as far as endless running goes, you could certainly do a lot worse.

Considering the far better platformers that are available on the market, you really shouldn't waste your time with Dafox. It's rather dull, often broken, and it lacks any sort of replay value.

Let Me Loose wouldn't be our first recommendation to anyone who'd yet to set eyes on a mobile physics puzzler, but if you think you're up for a serious challenge then you might want to check the game out.

If you don't mind stumping up for a comparatively steep unlimited lives unlock (and we really don't think you will, once you've sampled the delights of Letris 3), what you're left with is one of the most enjoyable word games you'll play all year.