An exacting simulation and management game that has you controlling most every aspect of your minions' lives.

Unrelentingly difficult, Mad Skills BMX doesn't offer up enough fun-shaped rewards to make the slog through its levels worthwhile.

A physics-based puzzler that attempts to capture the magic of Portal, but that simply doesn't feel like being anything near a finished product.

The Return of the Heroes is plagued by bad controls, a bad translation, and a suggestion that you're supposed to spend money if you really want to get ahead.

A platform-puzzler featuring a couple of unique ideas that don't quite translate into memorable gameplay mechanics.

A little too money-grabbing for most tastes, Smurf Life might look brilliant, but its slow pace and approach to its payment model remove a lot of the fun.

A dull, by-the-numbers twin-stick shooter, Total Recoil does nothing to lift itself above the crowd.

A finely-tuned port from Xbox to iPad, but Mutant Storm feels flat and unsatisfying in comparison to far better blasters on the App Store.

The Dark side of the Force unleashed: unresponsive controls, plain combat, and rudimentary graphics choke an electrifying story.

Add this to the increasingly large pile of iOS games marked 'sort of like Pokemon, but not nearly as good'. Aside from the stupendously good soundtrack, there's little to get excited about here.

The Sims 3 for 3DS is simplified down to match the platform, but in turn loses most of its original appeal.

A competent if uninspired endless climber with pleasant tilty controls.

Old before its time, Hunger Calls's disjointed approach to time management doesn't call for second servings.

A convoluted selection of puzzle mini-games with lots of surface variety, but not a lot of substance beneath

An effective gimmick and an entertaining reaction test, but Killer Snake barely has enough to it to warrant the 'game' label.

A generic target shooter in funky retro clothing, Fist Face Fight talks the talk and dances around the ring well enough, but it lacks the killer punch to knock you for six.

Need for Speed Undercover should be a thrilling no-holds-barred ride but the wheels fall off early on.

The lineage of lacklustre Superman games continues with this curiously dull and lifeless effort. The gameplay feels stale and lacks variety, making this a release that you should avoid like Kryptonite.

Despite extensive character customisation options and an intuitive control system, Monkey Boxing lacks the depth to truly go the distance.

Bounty Arms is flashy and fluid, but this platform-shooter is a hollow experience, blighted by hackneyed ideas and poor design.

Bloodmasque is a truly odd mish-mash of swipe-based action, social, and JRPG elements, but only its historical vampire lore is executed with any great conviction.

There's nothing wrong with Swoopy Space, but there's nothing here that'll make you stick around for more than a few minutes.

An action game that doesn't snap in the right way, and that's a real shame.

Cute cartoon looks and compulsive high score-chasing can't hide the meagre modes and wonky tap controls in this budget range plank-'em-up.

A competent and minimalistic endless climber that simply doesn't feel as fresh as it needs to be.

There's some shooting to be done here, but it's not very exciting, so you probably won't do much of it.

With an over-reliance on what ultimately proves to be a gimmick, Piclings platform play is all looks and no substance.

A scrappy and maddeningly intrusive underwater explore-'em-up that seems more intent on plundering your own hidden treasure than revealing its own.