Gemini Rue certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, but if you long for the good old days where grim dystopias met a graphical style that never really went out of fashion, then you're in for no small treat here.

With its nods to gaming classics of yesteryear, Special Ops really is a blast. It's not a full-blooded action title, and it certainly doesn't have the depth of a traditional RTS, but it does lie somewhere happily between the two, occupying its own little niche. Put simply, it's an awful lot of fun, and that's as much as anyone can ask for.

Killer Bean Studios set out to create a specific type of game and did a fine job, so if all you want is an arcade-style shoot-em-up without the hassle of bothersome dual-stick controls, this freemium effort should satisfy your itchy trigger finger.

For the most part it's very much a game you've played before, but it's also one of the most polished versions you can grab from the App Store. There are some neat upgrades to unlock and keep you plowing through the levels too, along with a neat destructive lightning power if you can keep chains of clusters dropping. In other words, it's a little bit moreish, it's very polished, and it will kill more hours than you think you have left to give to this particular type of game.

Mr. Crab is not just a very competent game for the most part, it's also a refreshingly different take on the platforming genre - one that's long overdue. It's a colorful and often clever game - qualities that overshadow the game's handful of frustrations.

For now, it'll have to settle for being average, and we expect Com2uS to release new updates that will make it a high quality product. That said, if you're in desperate search of an outstanding golf title for your mobile, Gameloft's Let's Golf 3 is still the undisputed king.

Anyone who played the earlier Dungeon Hunter games will need very little convincing to jump straight into Gameloft's fourth installment of the franchise. Those new to the mobile action-RPG may find the premium purchases a little stifling compared to the feast available on more traditional platforms, but there's ample opportunity to find out if the price suits your pockets from the free download alone.

While Run Sheldon may not be perfect in its implementation, nor offer anything truly revolutionary to the genre - in the same way that, say, Polara did - it is fresh enough to deserve the attention of genre fans looking for something that at least tries to break away from the established order of things.

Don't get us wrong. Dream Chaser isn't bad per se. It's just woefully average. Considering the huge amount of competition when it comes to endless runners and Chillingo's pedigree, we expected better.

All things considered, Tekken Card Tournament may not the greatest game in the genre, but it will tickle the fancy of any feverish battler - at least for a short while.

Throw in a very addictive Survival mode, leaderboards, in-game achievements and 3D models of each pistol, machine gun and sniper rifle, and Overkill 2 contains plenty of appealing features that help make it one of the coolest freemium titles.

It's a quality game in its own right, one that deserves more attention throughout the year. If you don't have this on your Apple device, you're missing out on something special.

Aside from that, Mittens is a digital delight. Not the most revolutionary puzzle game, but one that Disney did a great job designing, and similar to Where's My Water?, an app that will continue to evolve throughout the year. If you can't get enough of these types of games, downloading this one is a no brainer.

We could make the argument that extreme grinding to unlock the best goodies somewhat lessens the appeal, or that the developers priced things too high, but neither of these debatable issues ruin Slayin. If anything, it's an ideal game for those of us who grew up mashing buttons on those NES controllers, with a bowl of Teddy Grahams and Ecto-Cooler within reach for much-needed breaks.

And yet, we find ourselves coming back to Rockpocalypse, mostly to unlock items, unravel clues to the mediocre plot and just teach those jabronies a lesson. Is it a great video game? Absolutely not, but if you eat, sleep and breathe WWE, it's a decent way to pass the time leading up to WrestleMania.

Now add colorful retro-inspired visuals and music that would have fit right in with the best games from the 90s, and Nimble Quest is another quality addition to NimbleBit's growing smartphone and tablet library.

In the end, though, the music needs to shine, and HarmoKnight fails to measure up to the best in the genre. We continued playing, not to see how the story unfolded, but in the hope the soundtrack would substantially improve.

There's a staggering amount of content that more than justifies the asking price, and we'd like to think hardcore fans won't have too much of a problem with the graphics. At the same time, and considering the resolution gap between the 3DS screen and competing platforms, this title does more harm than good.

That said, Frontline Commando: D-Day still manages to stand out amongst the mobile game clutter because of its impressive visuals, overly dramatic music and non-stop action. Most importantly, it captures the spirit of World War II. This is one title we hope receives a flood of updates in the months ahead, but for now, it has a well-deserved place in our mobile game rotation.

Of course, the odds of accessing Wi-Fi at some point are pretty high, especially if you download games on a regular basis. That being the case, Nitro is a fun racer that'll hopefully continue to give throughout the year, so long as Z2Live pumps out free updates. Considering the best entries in this crowded genre, you shouldn't worry about more content.

As with most newly released games, there's room for improvement, and with more content on its way, we can only hope Scopely tweaks the experience. For now, Mini Gold MatchUp is an addictive effort you don't want to miss, especially if you love the sport, to which we have to ask, who hates miniature golf?

Regardless of whether you played Luigi's Mansion, this sequel stands on its own merits, and in the process, became another fine entry in the growing 3DS library of quality titles in need of enthusiastic owners. Relish the experience.

It's perhaps the most polished example of the genre we've played since last year's magnificent Magic 2013 - although newcomers to TCG tablet gaming will almost certainly want to exhaust that particular title first.

Thankfully, Tecmo Koei rises above that with an addictive beat-em-up that's bound to become a personal favorite, especially if you grew up playing the original on PSOne, moved on to DOA 2 on Dreamcast and the sequels that followed. Of course, if you're a newcomer, there's plenty to like about this pulverizing brawler.

It's all about traveling from one side of the stage to the other, slashing bad guys, avoiding hazards and gathering collectibles, which you then give to the blacksmith to create different swords that as far as we can tell are just for show.

The fact that Mayday! Emergency Landing doesn't live up to its name disappoints us more than the in-app nonsense. We can deal with shelling out $7 so long as the game delivers an intense Denzel Washington Flight kind of experience, but it simply plods along without suspense. On that note, your captain advises you to spend your money and free time elsewhere.

There's a spark of something brilliant in Castle Champions, but between a clumsy and frustrating interface and a lackluster tutorial, we suspect many will give up before coming close to unearthing its charms.

Our only complaint involves pausing and then restarting the game, with zero time in between to regain one's bearings; fixable in an update perhaps. Aside from that relatively small issue, Bobbing is one of the most challenging games we've played. It would have felt right at home on classic consoles. That being said, it's a great fit for iOS and Android devices.

We're stilling waiting for someone to deliver the next true Battleheart, and do so without a freemium structure underpinning everything, but until that time comes Heroes of Destiny makes for a great stop-gap.

In The Croods, there's very little to do except draw yourself inevitably towards the murky world of in-app purchases, and given the current climate and presumed audience for the game, that may not turn out to be the wisest move for Disney or Rovio.

Fans of the previous game won't need a review - they'll already have grabbed the game at launch. For those entirely new to the series though, know that while Super Stickman Golf 2 is fiendishly addictive, and stuffed to the brim with content and challenges, there are just a few inelegant fumbles when it comes to dipping deeper into your pockets.

When you factor in the stylish visuals, unlocked goodies and the orchestration that ensues with each play, Le Vamp is one of the freshest, most entertaining runners to hit the mobile scene in months. As corny as this is to say, it's a bloody good time.

It's been a long and frustrating journey for Vlambeer to bring Ridiculous Fishing to the market, but for gamers it's certainly been well worth the wait. Let's hope the reward for the developers is success on the App Store, and that this particular fisherman's tale has a very happy ending.

At the end of the day, though, Outland Games is the same old runner we've played over the last few years. On the positive side, it is both polished and fun, making it a worthwhile download regardless of whether or not you played Monday Night Combat. That said, you don't need to know anything about that Xbox Live Arcade shooter to enjoy what this quality game has to offer.

Smart, mysterious and layered beneath a very welcome dose of otherworldly eeriness, The Silent Age will delight any adventure gamer who feels that the genre's revival, welcome though it is, is just a little too light-hearted in the 21st century.

This would be OK had Journey to Hell delivered high quality action, but sloppy execution ultimately derailed what could have been one of the finest shoot-em-ups on the App Store. There's hope for an update, but for now, this game transports users to virtual Hell of a different kind.

How long you spend with the game will be a question of personal preference, but we think everyone will get a kick from this surprisingly strategic sequel for at least a while.

In the end, it all comes down to whether you're OK with spending another four bucks to download Metal Slug 2.5. If so, then Metal Slug X will do a fine job putting your shooting skills to the test.

If you really have an inexhaustible appetite for both kittens and auto-runners, you'll get a lot more out of the game than most, although we still feel that the pricing is too step given the gameplay on offer, as well as the additional currency in-app purchase store. It's a blast for a time, just don't expect it to set your world on fire.

Liberation Maiden may be a little expensive for its content, then, but this is frankly an outstanding port. Those mobile gamers who look upon the release schedule for traditional handheld consoles with envious eyes will be very pleased to see this title make such a grand appearance on the App Store, and that the controls can be ported so effortlessly to touchscreens bodes very well for the future of the platform.

To be fair, though, Roll: Boulder Smash! provides enjoyment in short doses.

Yes, Mini Ninjas wasn't the game we expected, but it's still a quality effort that compliments its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterpart. If you're in search of a runner that offers something different, this is $0.99 well spent.

We certainly had fun playing Rivals At War, and you really should see the battleground action for yourself to understand how short-changed mobile deck-building gamers have been over the last year or so. Whether it has enough meat to sustain itself in the long-term, is something that only time will tell.

The FPS component of the game may not be thrilling in the early stages of the game, but the scope for experimentation in defenses make this a very compelling purchase from the very start.

Taking that into account, ATV Wild Ride 3D was clearly designed as a quick-play arcade-style game, and while the visuals do very little with the hardware, you'll probably come back to this title more than you originally thought. Just don't go into it with high expectations.

It's an enjoyable enough game though, and if you crave something different from the App Store this week, Fury of the Gods does a fine job of striking out in a new direction. It's not perfect by any means, but what it does get right is extremely polished and well worth checking out.

To be fair, the power-ups (magnet to attract rings, head starts) are quite lazy, considering most running games use similar items. That said, Sonic Dash is a quality experience that no hardcore Sega fan should miss.

Sure, the objective remains mostly the same, so expect repetition, but with eight playable zombies, a slew of enemies and over 200 characters onscreen during certain moments, Infect Them All 2: Zombies is a welcome change of pace from those third and first person shooters. On that note, won't you reach out and bite someone?

These complaints ultimately make Castlevania: Lords of Shadow- Mirror of Fate disposable and just short of being considered a classic, but so long as you except the game for what it is, you'll most likely have a zombie-whipping good time.

The ball and table physics are outstanding, there's plenty of variety in the tables, and match-making is swift and plentiful.

For the most part, though, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is a welcome throwback.

Temple Run: Oz isn't a revolutionary entry in the gaming series, but it is the most polished Temple Run experience to date.

For the most part, though, the game excels in taking mundane tasks and making these activities fun. At the same time, having to unlock everything (along with the required Devilish Calculations demo) is an awkward way to introduce players to the experience. Nintendo would be wise to remember this before releasing a sequel.

It may not be the deepest strategy game on the App Store, but fans of other card-battling heavyweights such as Rage of Bahamut will feel right at home in Spellstorm's world. There's a huge variety of creature cards to collect and evolve, a generous campaign to work through, and a far more engaging world to explore in comparison to the competition. It won't convert any genre naysayers, but card strategy fans are in for an unusually high quality treat here.

Those minor complaints aside, Star Wars Pinball is a wonderful extension of Zen Studios' outstanding games, and even non-fans will enjoy everything it has to offer.

That said, two things mar the experience. First, there's a considerable lack of depth with so few areas to explore. Second, unless you feel charitable, it will take a lot of grinding to unlock everything, so expect to visit the U.S. and South America (and stare at the same scenery) quite a few times. Of course, Killer Snake is free, so what did you expect? Will you play it months from now? Probably not, but it's the sort of guilty pleasure that'll entertain you a few minutes each day.

Performance aside, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus is a razor-sharp sequel that delivers over-the-top cut scenes, special moves and pulverizing attacks. Final verdict: A quality on-the-go beat-em-up that should find its way into your Vita library.

There's a bothersome crashing issue that seems to occur during random fatalities and the camera will occasionally spaz out, but otherwise, AVP: Evolution is a well designed franchise tribute and a blueprint for how to do a kickass Alien versus Predator experience on mobile.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to download Toy Story: Smash It!, from the head-scratching puzzles to the welcome fan service. Appropriate for all ages, Disney has once again provided an iOS title that does the respective license proud, and with more levels on the way via update, we expect to keep this game on our devices throughout the year.

In its current state, the game fails to thrill, but if you're in search of a bloody beat-em-up, this average title satisfies on the most basic level.

The fact that you'll often see the worm a section or two above the character adds to the adrenaline rush you'll experience, and the constant need to stuff your pockets with Grubies adds a welcome mini-game of sorts, but despite all of that, you'll probably curse the controls at some point. Heck, we'd even take an old-school NES controller. Instead, we'll just have to settle for Worm Run being flawed, but good.

To be fair, Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno isn't a bad game per se. The artwork sets it apart from the competition, and scoring three stars for each level will take a while. At the same time, there's little to distinguish the game from the numerous runners readily available, and we can't help but wish Sega would have just ported Wrath of the Dead Rabbit to iOS instead of publishing a companion title that for the most part is a mere shadow of its console counterpart. Worth $0.99, but let's face it, you've probably experienced a game like this before.

It's a lot of fun, it's very pretty to look at, and a huge amount of attention has been paid to the upgrades, weapons and environment.

Where the game falters (and it's minor, really) is the repetition that comes from grinding and the somewhat lengthy load times between missions. But if you cut your virtual teeth on the likes of Smash TV and Total Carnage, Gun Bros 2 should find its way onto your favorite device, maybe longer than expected, considering Glu plans to add more MODS and vehicles in future updates.

Don't let Cyto get lost in the noise of the brasher physics puzzlers on the App Store. It may have its moments of frustration, ones where you feel the game is working against you just a little more than is strictly fair, but this is still one of the finest new games you can get for your mobile this week, and we want to see more of its kind in 2013.

So Year Walk is much more than a single riddle, wrapped in a single, mysterious enigma. It's an intricately blended experience of puzzles and exploration, with seemingly forgotten clues returning to the surface later on. That those puzzles often unravel in a somewhat illogical order is the only real complaint we have about the game - it's more of a journey through a developer's imagination than a traditional game, and it's a relatively brief experience too.

Stardom: Hollywood looks great, has an occasionally wicked sense of humor, and it knows how to crack a few barbed quips at celebrity culture. But ultimately it fluffs its lines in the only area that really matters - the gameplay.

We don't condone abusing animals, but we still recommend Hackycat for its intense touchscreen play, power-ups (rainbows are a godsend) and lighthearted presentation.

The dreadful soundtrack is by and large the game's worst feature, and you'll probably want to nix the audio. This aside, Relic Rush provides a fun bite-sized mobile experience that, while falling short of greatness, definitely justifies its price. More levels please.

In fairness to Die Hard, the game does - awkward character modeling and animation aside - at least function and do what it sets out to do. It's not the best runner though, and it's certainly not the best shooter, and the combination of the two in this instance is rather slow and dull. But it works for however much time you're prepared to give to it.

The developers aren't kidding when they say the game is suitable for those 17 years and over, but Clear Vision 2 isn't the feast of gratuitous violence for violence's sake that you might be expecting. Instead it's a fascinating gaming experience, one that's expertly crafted and told with a very keen eye for black humor rather than outright offense.

Fionna Fights certainly has its moments, although the game's a very short-lived affair when all's said and done. Having grabbed a few power-ups and run a dozen or so games, you'll have seen everything the game has to offer, but fans of the cartoon series will certainly get more mileage out of this particular adventure.

Ideally, an endless mode would have topped off the game nicely, but for now, Rock Runners is a smart mix of old and new school design, wrapped in a joyful platforming experience iOS users will dig for weeks. Kudos to everyone involved.

All that's required though is a little willingness to teach yourself, along with the patience to dig deeper into the game's surprising charms. Puzzle Restorer won't be to everyone's tastes, but if you're ready for a stiff challenge this is one puzzle game you won't want to miss out on.

Whether the exact implementation of Real Racing 3's show-stopping freemium model is a question of greed or inexperience, we can't know - but we want to believe the latter. We also want to believe that between now and the game's global release on February 28th, greater consideration will be given to the long-term supporters of the series, and that a timer-free premium edition of the game will be released alongside this current incarnation. If that happens, we'll revisit our opinion of Real Racing 3 - and give it the accolades it would otherwise unquestionably deserve.

Line Runner 2 isn't perfect - while the challenge is a menacing yet satisfying one to overcome, there's a distinct lack of variety in the obstacle types, and there's more that could have been done to spice up that challenge and keep it fresh. But it is something very different and unashamedly tough in the runner genre, and for those reasons alone we encourage you to both try, and persevere, with this fiendish game.

While the Valentine's connection to this mini-collection may be rather tenuous - and the experience is certainly brief - those who've never sampled the delights of Where's My Water? before may find that this taster pot prompts an irresistable purchase. For those who have somehow managed to burn through the hundreds of levels released for the full versions, it's a slice of extra content for the price of nothing.

Be Together doesn't so much reinvent the wheel as paint it pink, slap it on a wedding car, and send it roaring off into the distance, but physics-puzzle fans will certainly find plenty to be enamored with here. It doesn't do anything particularly new for the genre, and the constant romantic giggling and burbling of the characters might drive you up the wall, but when all's said and done it's a solid enough puzzler.

For now, though, it's a cute, highly accessibly and downright fun bingo game anyone can enjoy.

Cordy 2 is hands-down one of the finest platform games you can pick up for your mobile or tablet. It looks absolutely stunning, the controls work effortlessly, and those who absolutely must achieve perfection on every level will be kept exploring its incredible depths for weeks to come. Highly recommended.

Really, the worst thing about Metal Slug 2 is the price. At $3.99, it's more expensive than most games on the App Store, but if you have the cash to burn, we feel this title would make a fantastic edition to your iOS library. That being said, jump into the warzone and come out firing.

What we're left with then is a game that looks fantastic, and has a sprinkling of strategy in the wider game, but is unashamedly built around extracting money from players first and foremost. Those with a great deal of patience - or a great deal of money - won't be bothered by these problems, but we found the monetization to be overbearing, turning the game into a spreadsheet that's as expensive as it is pretty. Unless you have deep pockets, there's simply not enough gameplay here.

There's fun to be had, no question, but we doubt After Burner Climax will remain in your must-play list for long unless your goal is to master Score Attack and dominate the leaderboard. Sadly, this port doesn't meet the high standards of its console counterpart.

For some, its physics-based frustrations will be too much to bear, while for others the rewards for mastering the game will be self-evident. We couldn't entirely love it ourselves, but that's not to say there won't be those who will.

With its art, music, originality, and sheer destructive fun, Roar Rampage scores big points with us. It's a little on the easy side, and once you've mastered the core mechanics of the game you shouldn't encounter too many false starts, but every moment you spend with the game is packed with deliciously daft fun. Make this part of your mobile gaming this weekend.

That's really all there is to it, and quite frankly, we can't hate on What's the Word: 4 Pics 1 Word too much. Yes, it's a mirror image of What's the Word?, and we can certainly debate whether this is or is not an issue. At the same time, it's an entertaining game, and App Store reviewers appear satisfied. Considering both titles are free, that only means more puzzles for you.

Ultimately, there's too much nonsense getting in the way of what we wanted to enjoy in the first place, a fun baseball game.

By all means take it for a spin if you enjoy the hypnotic tinkles of the jackpot experience, but we could never recommend giving real money to this or any other casino game.

So it has it frustrations, the premium purchases are certainly optimistic, and it's a very simple game when all's said and done. But that's not to say the free version of Bike Racing Plus isn't without its charms and high notes - at least for those first twenty or so levels.

Zombie Road Trip does a fine job of following in the footsteps of previous App Store success stories in the genre. There's a far fairer sense of progression to be had from this free game than in typical freemium chaser games, there's more polish all round, and the upgrade system is slick and expansive. It's unlikely to convert any unbelievers, but for the faithful it's the next logical game to get stuck into.

All of this makes NFL Quarterback 13 a highly accessible and fun game that provides hours or just minutes of amusement. That said, be sure to download it in time for Super Bowl Sunday.

WipEout and Mario Kart may have inspired it, but the game fails to achieve such excellence. On its own, though, Table Top Racing is a solid addition to the App Store, and a worthwhile purchase for players who grew up zipping toy cars around their homes.

Although it remains to be seen whether western audiences will flock to it, this is Nintendo's best shot at giving the Fire Emblem franchise the widespread attention it so rightfully deserves.

As a toy, rather than a game, there's no denying that Little Inferno's sandbox is a satisfying one that will entertain for a time. But in hammering home its message just a little too forcefully, it also lacks a certain amount of graceful bite, and as a result it doesn't quite touch the greatness it might otherwise have achieved.

As long as you don't mind the waiting game that inevitably accompanies these sorts of expansion-orientated titles, not to mention a rather steep learning curve to citizen creation, you've got one of the best examples of the genre to look forward to.

Turnacle won't be for everyone, and even hardened puzzle gamers may find the game a question of taste. Once you've mastered the underlying strategy, it might also be a rather short-lived experience given the limited number of game modes in this - currently - free title.

There's not enough of that satisfying fun in the game though, and while it looks and sounds fantastic, it's ultimately hampered by gameplay that starts to feel repetitive just at the moment you begin to master it.

We'd like to have seen more than 20 individual levels, and a little more variety in each of those for that matter, but otherwise it's another win for mobile cartoon gaming.