Wave Trip carries on Lucky Frame's tradition of producing experimental music games that still manage to deliver a satisfying traditional gaming experience.

One of the finest strategy puzzle games you can find on the App Store.

A fun running game that'll keep you entertained through life's more boring moments. We would have released it free-of-charge, but for $0.99, it still represents a fine value.

Another solid retro homage, made even more appealing by the fact that it's free. That said, the high level of frustration makes it a bit too polarizing. You'll either relish the challenge, or delete the game out of anger.

It may only set you back a dollar, but when you consider the feast of gaming available on the App Store for the same price, it's just a little too opportunistic for our tastes.

Ghostbusters is a surprisingly entertaining romp through our childhood, and a great way to pass the time. More so than ever, busting makes us feel good.

We found the game's performance stuttered a little on our second-generation iPad, but it has its charms nevertheless - just don't expect to take on the global leaderboards without buying yourself a competitive edge.

Satisfying though these bonus objectives are, we can't help but feel they've been wedged into the game in order to artificially extend its longevity. But while that's a shame, it takes nothing away from the sublime eccentricity of Momonga Pinball Adventures.

It's one more endless-runner that we have no issue adding to our collection.

While the bulk of the game is simple, it never stops being entertaining, and we think you'll also be won over by the clean visuals and 70s-sitcom jazz that noodles away in the background - very catchy.

Gunslugs is a fun throwback that joins the already impressive Orangepixel lineup. Regardless of which iOS or Android-powered device you own, there's quite a bit to love about this twitchy blast-a-thon.

As a solo affair, Heroes and Castles works surprisingly well. Having to constantly launch units and keep an eye on the castle becomes overwhelming, but it doesn't take long to get a handle on the game's intricacies, and with new modes coming in the near future, there's room for aggressive expansion. Might as well get in on the ground floor.

If you don't mind a rather steep learning curve, and are prepared to experiment with the default controls, you'll get plenty of mileage out of this tricky title.

If you're happy to treat the game as something you'll play through once then likely move on, then there's bags of entertainment to be had from Tin Can Man.

While certain elements of Kingdom Conquest 2 may be stronger than others, combined they result in one of the most intriguing strategy games to be released on the App Store. It's packed full of content, offers plenty of variety in its gameplay, and the real story of the game - the impact of player interactions - is something we'll only discover in time.

In 2013, as publishers finally begin to tread the waters of micro-transactions a little more carefully, and with a sensitive eye on the balance between player experience and profitability, this is how Square Enix chooses to reward that devotion, commitment and support of a franchise over all of these years. Depressing is a word too.

Despite a handful of niggles, we can't say we weren't charmed by Halfpixel's new mobile game, and we're always pleased to see something different in the ever-present three-star, physics puzzle genre.

While Temple Run 2 is a quality product, it falls short of being groundbreaking.

A Little War isn't a particularly deep or challenging game in its own right, but there is a lot of fun to be had from this free title - and it's one that doesn't push you too hard to hit up the coin store either. If you're looking for something to kill a few commutes to work or school, this micro-strategy title should be just the ticket.

The game has its faults and frustrations, but it also has its moments of enjoyment too, and there's undoubtedly the building blocks of a far more enjoyable game that we hope either an update, or a sequel, can introduce.

By and large, Amazing Ants is a solid puzzler. At the same time, we can't help but feel déjà vu each time we fire it up, largely because we've seen and played titles like this before on touchscreen devices.

The Blockheads might lean just a little too heavily on the grandfather of sandbox world-building for its own mechanics, but it's also got enough charm and obsessiveness of its own to make it an essential download.

While Zenonia 5 may not be the most original RPG to demand your attention, it is an exceptionally competent one that's packed with a surprising amount of content.

When you consider the handful of character blocks you can unlock, Legends of Chima: Speedorz has some value, but there's simply not enough digital meat on this game's bones to hold our collective interest.

If you're a die-hard fan of Flow Free, and the follow-up Flow Free Bridges, you can do an awful lot worse then get stuck into this new puzzler from Pocket PlayLab. Don't expect originality in spades, but do expect a huge number of levels, expertly designed and delivered in a very slick overall package.

Factor in some catchy music, and Time Surfer is one heck of a satisfying package. These are the types of simple and addictive games we play for hours on end throughout any given year, and that being the case, we hope it finds a hungry audience that can't resist one more slice.

If you're in the mood for a quality shooter at a budget price and one appropriate for all ages, you can't go wrong with this imaginative blast-a-thon.

Joe Danger Touch represents everything about mobile gaming at its best. It's faithful to an established franchise, yet it strikes out on its own to provide a game that's as slick as its console counterpart, remains challenging but fair, and is always entertaining thanks to a deep system of replayability.

Irreverent, eccentric, and with enough challenge to keep even the most accomplished Angry Bird expert on their toes, Swing King's 90-plus levels represent a dollar very well spent.

One of the more humorous and enjoyable endless-running zombie games we've played. Granted, it's short on options. It won't take long to plow through each stage, and beyond that, there's an unlockable Survival Mode, but for $0.99, ShaqDown is a basketball-whipping, mutant-punching riot.

All of the playable characters possess unique abilities, in addition to the many power-ups you can activate during play. The Twins, for example, can run underneath obstructions without having to slide, while the Troll just smashes things to pieces.

So it's interesting, intricate and original, but is the game just a little too clever for its own good? Quite possibly, and that punishing feeling isn't helped much by the paper-thin tutorial content.

Where others have merely replicated, Pixelbite has managed to innovate with its polarity boost mechanics, and it's a game that deserves a place on any racing fan's phone.

The game doesn't quite represent perfection as we found the difficulty level a little spiky, and the shuriken elements sit awkwardly with the gentler strategy found elsewhere. Nevertheless, Hundreds is a must-have title for anyone who craves something fresh from the App Store, and represents a fine start for puzzle gaming in 2013.

If you can tolerate the ever-so-slightly weird experience of playing this jingling, festively tuned game in the New Year, then Bubble Season will give you a pretty satisfying mental workout once you've progressed past the early stages.

The Grading Game is a welcome change of pace and a solid fit for touchscreen devices. After suffering through numerous classes years ago, it's refreshing to play a game that makes learning fun. That said, grab your virtual pen and let the red ink flow.

A cool homage to the glory days of gaming, when true skill was required to defeat insurmountable odds. If you have fond memories of tackling bosses and other creeps on NES and Genesis, download this game.

A brisk, beautiful, fluid, and entertaining endless-runner.

RAD Soldiers is a very well executed touchscreen game, and will do a good job of scratching that turn-based itch while you're away from the meatier console and PC games in the genre. That said, we did find the objectives and locations just a little bit too repetitive.

A fairly basic but still entertaining adventure that provides a wonderful glimpse at the future of smartphone and tablet games.

One of the finest iOS games of the year. Not only does it offer impossible-to-resist gameplay, but Disney and Get Set Games also did a phenomenal job taking the Mega Run formula and applying it to a beloved film.

It's something a little bit different, it's beautifully crafted, and unquestionably entertaining for a time.

Yet another outstanding addition to the iPhone and iPad, and the old school presentation and enjoyable gameplay more than justifies the $0.99 asking price.

A perfect fit for smartphones and tablets. The user-friendly touch controls make movement and shooting easy enough, and after getting killed, players only have to wait a few seconds to rejoin.

MyDinos fails to innovate, but if you love the concept of training monsters and decorating a virtual space, this freemium game checks the right boxes.

We've been fairly gushing in our appraisal of The Snowman and the Snowdog so far, and that's because it's injected us with a bit of genuine Christmas magic as we inch closer to the festive season. On the downside, it's a simplistic game that won't necessarily challenge or provide long-term entertainment and so is more of an interactive movie than a game.

Taking this into account, Man in a Maze is superb regardless of which platform you play it on, and play it you most definitely should. Meanwhile, cross your fingers for even more levels, contestants, and prizes in the months ahead. Yup, it's a winner.

Speed and control niggles aside, it's an incredibly imaginative title that might lean on an old staple of gaming for its core gameplay, but also freshens the experience up enough to make a corner of that genre its own.

Capcom delivered the usual free-to-play experience, and fans of the Smurfs will get a kick out of seeing a handful of familiar characters, Papa Smurf included.

Even though we had a few problems with the controls, we also had a lot of fun with Smash Cops Heat. It's a fine throwaway arcade game with some decent variety in mission types, and the television helicam and funky menu music make this a very entertaining experience.

One could make the argument that Minigore 2: Zombies has little complexity and not enough weapons, but considering the $1.99 asking price, we think it's full of head-chopping, limb-blasting goodness. Play it to waste time. Play it to beat your high score, or just play it to let off some steam. Just make sure, above all else, that you play it.

With a steep entry price of $9.99, this probably isn't the game for anyone unsure about whether an unashamedly hardcore, old-school RPG is the right fit for them. If, on the other hand, you played and loved Baldur's Gate back in the day then you already know what to do, and let's be honest you've probably already had your money's worth from the last weekend alone.

We have nothing but positive things to say about the spectacle. Having such a graphically-rich title on iPhone and iPad screens is remarkable. At the same time, and if we expect video games to grow up, publishers need to invest the same effort into the other components, especially when dealing with the fourth entry of a popular franchise.

Into the Dead is a gem, a shining example of a title that flourishes on the App Store. Both hardcore and casual, this thoroughly addictive effort manages to stand out in the crowded endless running genre.

If Disney ever decides to create a more full-featured effort, it has a decent foundation with which to build.

Your early moments with Flashout 3D are likely to involve a little frustration as you tease at the controls to find an acceptably smooth response. Persevere though, and you'll ultimately be rewarded with some of the most thrilling racing gameplay that mobiles have to offer.

It's a shame, because aside from Pocket Gems' money grubbing, Paradise Cove: Holiday Adventure is decent enough.

Fans of Spacetime Studios' previous mobile games won't need any convincing to pick up this latest epic cooperative RPG, and they can rest assured that Arcane Legends packs in all of the features they've come to expect. For everyone else, this represents the most accessible game from the studio to date, and you may find themselves drawn in far deeper than you'd have expected.

Truly is a unique game. It deserves each and every one of the plaudits that have been showered upon it over the last week or so, and we're very happy to add our hearty recommendation to the pile.

Taken as a whole, The Walking Dead: Assault provides a welcome change of pace from the usual first and third person zombie shooters, with smartly designed squad-based mechanics. With more chapters due for release in the coming months, it's a game worth hanging on to, especially if you love the comics and/or TV show.

If you want to explore every last upgrade in this free game, you'll probably need to invest some of your real money at some point, but there's more than enough content up front to keep you busy and amused for at least a few hours this weekend.

Contract Killer Zombies 2 Origins is a fun zombie shooter with plenty of gore and content to keep you firing for days. It presents nothing we haven't seen before (admittedly, the mission screen displayed as a map, complete with flashlight, is a nice touch), but who cares? You should pay more attention to the creatures trying to rip Evelyn's face off.

Not exactly content rich, but that's the point. Ultimately, you get to play this expansion free of charge, and if you like what's here (and you should), a dollar gets you the full shebang. Offroad Legends Sahara doesn't pack enough content to last even a weekend, but for a couple hours, it satisfies.

OREO has a neat little gimmick that's executed very well but that's really all it is, and the bulk of the game is exactly what you'd imagine it to be: marketing. You'll certainly get a quick blast of fun from this entirely free download, but you'll soon be left feeling hungry for something just a little more substantial.

Skylanders Battlegrounds manages to maintain a high level of appeal, though, simply because it contains so many different characters, daily bonuses tied into specific elements and a leveling system that takes into account the entire roster, instead of forcing players to level Skylanders individually.

You'll want to love Bladeslinger, but that love will go unrequited for the most part. Let's hope any future installments give a little more back.

An immensely charming, clever and (despite the obvious influence of Lemmings) original game. Neat mechanics, simplistic yet pretty artwork and a fine, stirring chiptune make this a very easy recommendation for fans of puzzle and platform games alike.

There's a fairly even spread of pretty obvious, painfully esoteric, and satisfyingly logical puzzles, all mixed together without much consideration for a delicate learning curve. With that said, there are more than enough high points to make this worthy of attention for any room escape puzzle addict.

Although it's more difficult than its predecessor, there's plenty to love about Crashmo, from its wealth of puzzles to its cheery graphics and near limitless editing potential. A satisfying follow-up, this game belongs on every 3DS owner's system.

It's unashamedly targeted at the hardened puzzle gamer who fancies themselves a cut above the rest, and who tires of trudging through hand-holding levels in order to get at the meat of a game. If you're up for that challenge, one of your favorite games of 2012 awaits you.

Whether or not it's worth downloading heavily depends on how much you're into the whole Gangnam craze. At its best, this game provides a brief distraction, but considering the wealth of endless runners on the App Store, you can do better.

Quite frankly, this game won't win any awards for originality, but that doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary, Littlest Pet Shop does the franchise proud, and will definitely please fans eager to populate their towns with cuddly friends.

Even allowing for these niggles, this is nevertheless a highly original and entertaining take on the endless-runner genre.

The loading is so bad our iPhones eventually went to sleep, only to be awoken and display the same load screen.

It's light-hearted but captivating, and there a difficulty setting for everyone, whether you're the committed tower-defense nut, the kind of person who likes to think they're better at these games than they really are, or the younger game who'll get a few hours of entertainment from assaulting the balloons with ease.

Thankfully, the game runs decently enough most of the time, and that being the case, Sushi Mushi is one of the surprise gems of the App Store, an attention-grabbing match-three puzzler that'll provide hours of enjoyment, while making users the slightest bit hungry in the process. Recommended.

Hill Climb Racing isn't going to win any hearts in the looks or sound departments, but if you can look beyond this surface simplicity you'll find a furiously addictive little racing game that will keep you hooked long after you've grown tired of the more visually bombastic titles on the App Store.

Sleepwalker's Journey is that rare game that manages to combine a frightening challenge with a huge amount of accessibility, so that those less obsessed with gathering every last mark of success can still enjoy its delights.

A respectable first attempt that we hope evolves over time, with new locations, enemies and weapons. Even with its faults, though, this is yet another cool superhero game. Consider giving it a spin.

It borrows very heavily from the likes of Joe Danger, yet it doesn't come close to the polish, fun or charming delights of that popular series.

Quite frankly, we didn't expect to fall in love with this game. Excellent stuff.

We cannot understate this: had Nintendo published Dream of Pixels in the 90s as some follow-up to Tetris, the publisher would have sold at least a million more Game Boys. It's that phenomenal.

Skylanders Lost Islands is very much a gentle combination of familiar empire-building with the deliciously addictive finger-tapping of The Simpsons: Tapped Out, but it brings both of these elements together so wonderfully, and in such a perfectly polished package, that we couldn't help but fall in love with it.

It lacks the bells and whistles we expect these days, but when it comes to monster-blasting thrills, the game delivers the pulse-pounding arcade goodness fans crave.

If you've savored and exhausted all of the content in the original game, then you'll already know that this is a dollar very well spent.

Pocket Climber delivers a surprisingly fun experience that's great for just a few minutes or hours per day.

Outlaw provides a couple hours of fun, depending on how much time and/or money you invest. The artwork is disappointingly low-res, but considering the game's free, it's a cool shoot-em-up that provides a welcome escape. The lack of a wow factor notwithstanding, we'd rather play this over its predecessor.

Wraithborne is a very solid combat action game that will give no small amount of satisfaction to fans of the dungeon-crawling genre.

From the wealth of stickers to the challenging levels and creatures, it's one of the 3DS' more enjoyable RPGs, with adorable characters, catchy music and subtle yet effective 3D graphics. Our advice? "Stick" with it.

It may not be the most sophisticated game you can get for your mobile, but it is one of the most entertaining and original, and you can't really ask for much more than that.

Bottom line, Madden NFL 13 Social wants to satisfy two groups and winds up disappointing both. It lacks the strategic element people love about the annual football sim, but also the high-speed, high scoring thrills of NFL Blitz.

It's a challenging but fair game, it's packed full of incredibly satisfying stunts, and only the most obsessive completionist will feel hard done-by in the cash store.

Pixld's a puzzle game that ticks all of our boxes and we think it will tick yours too. It's a tightly designed, breathtaking simple but addictive design concept, and it will challenge and entertain even the keenest of puzzle addicts for a long time to come.

Throw in some of the worst dual-stick controls we've seen in a mobile game, and Slenderman: Unknown Chronicles joins a growing list of poor iOS horror games.

These small complaints aside, ARC Squadron satisfies with a combination of gorgeous imagery and intense, arcade-style gameplay.

It'll more than likely take you a fair bit of grinding coins to open up all of the content Nutty Fluffies has to offer, but it's also one of those games you'll have so much fun playing that it will never feel like work.

Gizmonauts doesn't reinvent this particular genre wheel of gaming. It unashamedly offers up something you're likely already familiar with, but it does so in a package that's surprisingly refreshing, charming and loveable.

Given its accessibility and breadth of appeal, Ragdoll Blaster 3: Deluxe is in many ways the perfect mobile game. Once you've cottoned on to the core mechanic of each set though, the difficulty does dissipate rather quickly, and you're left with no more challenge than simply executing the solution.