Smooth and instantly playable, League of Evil 2 takes the template set by the original, then builds a bigger, brighter experience on top of it.

Diggin' Dogs manages to take a simple premise and embellish it with excellent presentation and a surprising level of depth. If you loved Where's My Water? then you'll lap this up like a thirsty pup.

It's an unlikely mix for sure, but Beat Sneak Bandit's smart blend of puzzling and beat-matching proves to be an ingeniously crafted delight.

A cartoon-style romance full of silliness, Boy Loves Girl hides a fiendishly addictive game under a simple premise, then dares you to escape its obsessive trials.

While Fly With Me is playable, dull gameplay and shoddy implementation of in-app purchases prevent it from taking off.

Demonstrating exceptional attention to detail and a clear love for the medium, Pinball Arcade is a wonderful collection of classic tables for a very reasonable price.

A strange little game dressed up like a freemium title, Dragon Keeper suffers from a lack of impetus that inevitably makes it forgettable.

A spirited attempt to do something different with the tower defence genre, though its presentation lets the side down.

Tough, relentless, and very clever, Raid Leader is more about brain power than brute force, but its meshing of RPG with RTS is one to savour.

Smart, slick, and seriously well made. Housemarque does it again.

Some minor multiplayer issues and overly long load times do little to change the fact that WipEout is back in the palm of your hand, and it's better than ever.

ModNation Racers on the Vita is a boring, unfair, and wholly unnecessary release that manages to be worse than its previous handheld outing despite the Vita's technical superiority over the PSP.

A superb golf game that's extremely easy to pick up yet as deep and complex as any 'serious' game, Everybody's Golf is the must-have Vita launch title.

Reality Fighters isn't particularly rewarding and it's a bit shallow, though it's a novel release and a showpiece for the possibilities of integrating cameras into traditional forms of play.

There's no better game to demonstrate the cool new ways to interact with the Vita, but Little Deviants's long-lasting appeal is minimal, relying on too few gameplay ideas over too long a period of time.

Another bullet-dodging thrill ride from the king of crazy shmups. But as a straight port of a 2002 arcade game, it doesn't feel as fresh as its Cave cohorts.

A brilliantly stripped-down and pure racer, Pocket Racing 2 is demanding, precise, and darn addictive - even if the World Tour mode occasionally frustrates.

Shogun manages to combine amazing graphics with demanding and addictive gameplay to create one of the finest 2D shooters available on the iPhone right now. Add in iPad and iCade support, and you've got an epic blaster that is sure to please arcade aficionados.

Tiny Town will literally hold you to ransom: pay up or your town will die. A few interesting features, but there are far better sims on the App Store.

A lovely art style complements solid if derivative gameplay - worth a look if you're after the new Jetpack Joyride.

Awkward controls spoil an original idea in a game that looks better than it plays.

Gorgeous to look at, and a heap of fun to play, Monster Wars is a clever but flawed mash-up of tower defence, RTS, and slash-'em-up.

Whilst it might be another physics endowed puzzler with an anthropomorphic cast, Hank Hazard manages to lift itself above the anonymous crowd with some great design and a lot of fun.

Lumi has the looks, it has the music, and it has the ideas, but it just doesn't have the controls to back them up.

The Lighthouse HD is a visually impressive and much-needed twist on the classic line-drawing genre.

A charming and audacious re-imagining of the tower defence genre. But the pitching for in-app purchases is too obtrusive to be fair.

A generic presentation doesn't do Dungeon Crawlers any favours. Nor does the irritating game camera. But it's a robust tactical RPG with some smart gags.

Order Up!! To Go is a charming, tactile, and fun time-management game that's undermined by a silly freemium structure.

This fantasy epic sets out to be a faithful copy of the 16-bit classics of old, but its poor English script and samey gameplay make it entirely forgettable to anyone but the most dedicated JRPG fan.

Fast and furious, Reckless Racing 2 raises the bar for iOS racing games through a combination of deft handling, gorgeous looks, and addictive gameplay.

A zany adventure with heart, humour, and a truly unique concept. If you missed this peerless cult classic on DS, do not let it pass you by again.

One Epic Game is the Michael Bay of gaming apps. Gaudy explosions and self-referential jokes disguise a simple but robust design.

A by-the-numbers addition to the App Store, Zombie Bunnies does nothing to make itself stand out, and ends up another also-ran.

A portable horror like no other - Resident Evil Revelations is as sure to frighten newcomers as it is to leave fans both pleased and hungry for more.

A feast for dragons, but a pitiable spread for the rest of us. Tasty visuals and concept let down by poor implementation.

Short but sweet, Scramble With Friends is a game designed exclusively for the socially-enabled wordplay fan. That said, Zynga With Friends has delivered an addictive puzzler for those willing to engage with friends and randoms alike.

A little light on content and design, Demolicious is an interesting first step for a talented team, but one that doesn't quite live up to its billing.

An engaging and enthralling turn-based strategy title, Time of Heroes hits more than it misses, and with a few updates could be a classic.

Dodging and weaving through World War II, My Army is an exciting and frantic addition to a genre that's already got its fair share of classics.

A clever and challenging spin on the tower defence genre, overlaid with an elaborate science fiction schtick which doesn't outstay its welcome.

The Jurassic Park games have always been disappointing, but with less action and virtually no puzzles, episode three is the worst one yet.

RayForce delivers coin-op shooting action straight out of 1993, but technical niggles and a ridiculously high asking price mean that it's unlikely to find a wide audience on the iPhone.

Paper Monsters is a beautiful, imaginative, and charming, and technically proficient platformers that's only let down by less than stellar gameplay.

An open-world battle racer with more crash-bang-wallop than a brass band in a bar-room brawl. It just needs a smidgen more dev to realise its full potential.

Sploosh is (too) short and (too) sweet. If you've completed Where's My Water? and are looking for a temporary fix, this should float your water physics-puzzling boat.

A wonderful, articulate meander through the birth of a musical style, Jazz: Trump's Journey shows just how important and innovative iOS games have the power to be.

Soul Calibur is a fantastic fighting game, which is harder to recommend than it should be thanks to a high price tag and the omission of any multiplayer modes.

While it's unlikely to ensnare new players due to its plodding pace and labyrinthine rules, Caylus is a faithful adaptation of an award-winning boardgame that fans will adore.

A fun and diverting puzzler, Puzzlejuice offers a new style of play, but doesn't quite have the chops to back up its brain-punching claims.

A simple pleasure for an hour or so, but lacks the longevity of its iOS peers.

While it doesn't commit any serious gaming crimes, Streetbike is half-baked and deeply pedestrian.

The eccentric Jeff Minter presents a clever retro shooter than blends together the best elements of various Atari classics. But his eccentricity can prove too much, often droning out the best bits with his baaaarmy sense of humour.

CrimsonHeart offers the same tried-and-tested action-RPG gameplay, but its improved controls and excellent visuals help to elevate it slightly above its peers - of which there are many.

It ain't pretty, but, by gosh, is it clever. Crush 3D's use of perspective is rare and intelligent, providing ages of synapse-teasing, neuron-firing fun.

Got a 3DS? Get VVVVVV. Essential indie gaming, now on the go.

Take a break from plumbers, swordsmen, and bounty hunters and set some time aside to discover a classic worthy of that title.

With some of the best tilt controls we've encountered, Crazy Hedgy is an entertaining and surprisingly substantial platformer.

A demonstration of how brilliant design can enliven the simplest of ideas, Azarashi is a terrific test of your reflexes.

A solid game and an astonishing achievement in mimicry. Play Cut the Rope again instead.

Zen Studios knows video game pinball and this release is no exception, though a few rough edges go a long way to dull the shine of the steel.

Hero Academy is light on strategy, but provides smooth pick-up-and-play fun.

Woody Woodpecker combines the gameplay of Tiny Wings and Mario Kart to fairly good effect, but perfunctory execution clips its feathers.

Whilst it's not a bad game, Zombie Wonderland 2: Outta Time! fails to learn from the mistakes of its prequel, and that condemns it to the same near-mediocrity.

A lack of new ideas isn't always a bad thing, but Combat Arms: Zombies couples its undead fetish with broken controls and poor design.

A 2D platformer in the traditional sense, Terra Noctis borrows elements from Sonic and Mario to create one of the best examples of the genre yet seen on the iPhone. Physical controls would have made it a near-perfect game, but it's still a highly recommended download.

A marvellous idea that hasn't been executed as well as it deserves. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

Addictive and quick fire, Run Roo Run is a perfect example of tailored iOS design, although it'll be over a little too quickly for some.

A bafflingly overpraised auto-runner that looks good but soon becomes tiresome.

A clever puzzle game with smart mechanics and a satisfying structure. Recommended.

A triple-A title that you can carry in your pocket, mobile gaming doesn't get any better than this.

An impressive if slightly lacking debut that delivers high-octane thrills by the bucketful.

Very much a case of style over substance, Legendary Heroes looks like an exciting action-RTS game, but plays like a freemium PowerPoint presentation.

A nice trip down memory lane, Kaptain Brawe: Brawe New World doesn't bring any of its own ideas to the party, but it's an enjoyable diversion all the same.

Super Crate Box is a stark and challenging indie game shot through with humour and care.

Genres and synapses collide in this glossy confection that conceals an infinite-match-flightpath arcade-puzzler. Hard to believe it's being given away for nothing.

In spite of some really great ideas, Lunar Racer doesn't quite manage to hold the attention for long enough, although it's still worth a look.

Infantile visuals and a few issues where the game mishandles information detract from an otherwise decent brainteaser collection for grown-ups.

Lander Hero may prove too tough for the more casual gamer, but it's a supremely polished and playable game that deserves to be played.

Mighty Switch Force is clever, charming, and fun, but feels more like a prototype than a full game.

When you're following the narrow path the designers expect you to walk down, Corpse Party is one of the scariest portable games you can buy. Yet, failure to do so demands you re-play massive chunks of content you've already seen, significantly diminishing its appeal.

The classic original shines through in places, but its greatness is mostly clouded by a poor-quality port.

Zenonia 4 doesn't add anything to the template its predecessors have laid down, but that doesn't stop if from being an entertaining and engaging action-RPG.

The central premise of Mad Tracks works fine and once unlocked the races are varied, but getting to them takes ages, requiring you to re-play the same courses with the same monotonous AI too many times.

As enormously flawed as ever, yet curiously enjoyable with it, Mad Dog McCree feels oddly at home on the App Store.

If you can get past the old-fashioned first chunk of the game, Toy Shot has plenty of interesting new ideas to keep you entertained.

M.U.S.E. tries to layer run-and-gun gameplay on a control system better suited to tactically shooting from cover. The result is a bit of a mess.

Brilliantly combining as stiff a task as you're likely to encounter with a perfectly pitched sense of fun, Kingdom Rush breathes new life into the tower defence genre, and has a whole lot of laughs doing it.

The Dungeon Hunter series has always been a bit of a blunt object, and this third instalment is no different. In spite of its controversial move to a freemium model, Dungeon Hunter 3 is still an entertaining, violent romp.

Wonky mechanics and no multiplayer support at launch mean that this boardgame may end up gathering dust in the cupboard until an update is deployed.

Despite being comprehensive in terms of content, Chuck's Challenge is too dated to really stand out.

A poor-quality port of a game that has aged terribly.

While episode two has some better puzzles than before, Jurassic Park is still a barely-interactive rollercoaster ride that's more about watching pretty cutscenes than actually playing a game. With its premium price tag, it's very tough to recommend it.

Forget the freemium fluff: Real Football 2012's big problem is that its attempt to simulate the beautiful game is left sorely wanting, with jagged and jerky matches undermining all the social slop Gameloft's slapped on top.

As tough as it is fun, and with a brilliant soundtrack, CheeseMan is a fine slice of iOS platforming at its best.

If only a little more budget was invested in the development of Breakout Boost, it'd play more like an arcade titan and less like a nostalgic cash-in.

LostWinds is a wonderful treat, brimming with clever ideas and imaginative sights. It's just a massive shame that the controls took a big hit in the transition from Wii to iOS.

Visually speaking, Catball Eats it All is an interesting mashup of surreal and expressionist art styles. Unfortunately, the all-important gameplay doesn't do the graphics justice.

A misjudged sequel that mistakes quantity for quality.