Super Sharp is a superb puzzler that really nails the difficulty curve, gently introducing new ideas and getting you to think in different ways over and over. It can be a tiny bit frustrating later on, but the vast majority of the levels are perfectly solvable if you just stop and think a bit.

The strong presentation ensures that The Doom Beneath has a little something over the average gamebook, but that's really all it has.

Ratings War is a compelling piece of interactive fiction, with an unusual premise and a fun plot that's ripe for the different available personality types to riff off of. While it's a little on the short side, that element of the game keeps the pace lively and, if nothing else, helps avoid the problem of the concept spreading itself too thinly.

If you ever wanted to play a ruthlessly social AND tactical strategy game on iOS, this is it.

Put simply, Downwell is a game you need on your iPhone. The gameplay is incredible, the effort that went into faithfully reproducing a retro feel is unmatched, and it serves as the perfect rebuttal to any idiot trying to make an argument that pixel art is "lazy."

Patient players with swift reflexes and tenacity to burn will want to give this a look for sure, though.

The developer clearly took the needs of the platform into account, providing all kinds of options that make sense for mobile players, but without compromising an inch on the gameplay.

Like other games of this type, once you've exhausted Soda Dungeon, you probably won't be inclined to come back to it anytime soon. The road to said exhaustion is packed with a lot of enjoyment, however, and it's also longer than you might expect.

The level designs are a little loose at times, and if you're not interested in clearing every difficulty level or unlocking extras, it's over a bit quickly, but overall, I think it's a pretty enjoyable romp.

Wormarium Arcade could use a better look (and name, for that matter), but it's a decent action-puzzle game to look to if you're itching for a challenge.

At the end of it all, Asuria Awakens is still a very traditional gamebook in terms of form and function. It just happens to be an exceptionally-crafted traditional gamebook, and indeed one of my very favorites so far.

There are no leaderboards, timers, extra modes, characters, or any of that stuff. Heck, there’s hardly even any color. But there’s still something to be said for a game so focused on one single, brilliant idea, and Hocus is a fine example of that.

So, I'm sure the very perceptive among you have figured out how disappointed I am with FIFA 16 UT. EA has turned the best football series on the App Store into a game about menus with the occasional basic ball-kicking.

If you loved the Mikey games, you owe it to yourself to check this out, especially since the original Mos Speedrun [$0.99] was a fantastic game that heavily inspired that franchise.

Sage's Sky isn't a bad game, it's collection and reward method is just noticeably unbalanced.

The Sequence is a rather unassuming game overall, but I came away pleasantly surprised. If you're a fan of SpaceChem or other similar apps, this one is worth checking out.

So, should you download Need For Speed: No Limits? Well, it’s fun, and free, so I say go for it. Just be prepared to switch back to Horizon Chase while your energy refills.

In the end, I'd say Songs Of The Mystics is probably most likely to appeal to gamebook veterans who are willing to put up with its somewhat messy design and appreciate what it's trying to do, even if it doesn't quite pull it off.

And really, where Sage Solitaire succeeds is that it does feel so great as a game that you can just pick up and play.

From the visual wit of the short cartoons to the clever moving puzzles themselves, the entire experience is just pure delight. And, I suppose, if you’ve got a few kids running around it’ll be nice for them, too.

And really, what Land Sliders does best is that the game is something you really can play for a minute or for an hour. The sliding mechanic is so good to play with, it makes any session with this game feel satisfying.

Hopiko isn't perfect, but this game aims really high in trying to be this really challenging, mobile-friendly speedrun game, and it succeeds far more than it ever fails at what it sets out to do. Definitely check this out.

Raceline CC is a fun game, and while it does only one thing, it does it quite well.

What the game does well (the visuals, the way it tells the story, and the challenging and satisfying nature of most puzzles) it does really well.

Judging by the screenshots, the game looks like it's simply a fun, modern take on Lunar Lander that's been tailor-made for mobile. I suppose it is that to a degree, but it's also surprisingly deep and stressful at times.

Starseed: Origin has a faithful Atari veneer and intriguing game play elements that will keep you engaged and trying to beat your previous best even on early levels. If you don't dig the pixel scene, you can probably safely avoid this but anyone that wants a quick shot of nostalgic action, you can't go wrong here.

If you enjoy digging into a nice, twisty story, and don't mind that the overwhelming majority of your time with the game will be spent reading, I think you'll have a good time cobbling your memories back together with Amnesia.

Even if there is no big secret reward, the enjoyment of this fantastic game is reward enough.

If you like artistic games, definitely don’t pass on this one.

If you are even mildly curious, pick the game up and enjoy the story mode and free visual novel. If you're a Lovecraft maniac, you'd have to be absolutely eye-bulgingly skin-scratchingly insane not to give this a download.

Stranded: Mars One offers up a blend of fun and frustration that's conflicting, to say the least. Upgrades help alleviate the less pleasant aspects of the game, though collecting them requires you to gather a lot of nuts (which you can also buy via the in-game store).

While the controls needed some more work and the tutorials could have been delivered differently, I enjoyed sending my critters to their doom.

It may seem like a fairly basic package overall, and I suppose it is, but what’s there is really damn good--and easily worth the current two dollar asking price.

This is a decent game, good enough to be worth a JRPG fan's time if not necessarily anyone else's.

That said, it’s free, and you’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a download and seeing if it clicks… err, swipes.

It's a good thing that the game's core mechanics are so fun and relatively unique, too, because the rest of the package just isn't. That's probably okay, though, because the gameplay is really what matters most in neat little time-wasters like Super Bounce Back.

If you are looking for a fine strategy sim game with enough depth to challenge but not too much to irritate, look no further than Rebuild 3.

What's baffling is that this game is so tilted against being fun and accessible, and that's the polar opposite of what Radiangames' games do.

I am a sucker for ARPG games, and I really was hoping Uprising would be able to evoke some of the feeling I get when playing my favorites. I think with some updates it has the potential to improve but until then Uprising is going to be in the 'miss' column for me.

I guess this is really just a long way of saying that if you've played more than a few Ravenous titles over the years, you know pretty much what to expect with Gravity Duck Islands. Again, that’s not bad. Just… a bit of a letdown.

Stuck somewhere in the middle, it feels more like a filler step on the way to its best features landing in Arcane Quest 3.

While Sketch Breaker is colorful and charming, I wish it was more of a premium experience.

Beat da Beat doesn't break any conventions, though it does attempt some rather neat things with its musical focus. While I would have preferred a full-on Bit.trip-esque commitment to the rhythm aspect, most shooter fans will find a lot to like here.

Overall, there's some good and some bad, but--as I said--it's still Worms.

In the here and now, it's hard to come up with any compelling reasons to play this instead of just running through a better game once more.

Oraia Rift is an ambitious game that suffers from a handful of technical flaws and a fair few questionable design choices. It's one of those games that is probably too big for its own good, making for a terribly uneven experience over the course of the game.

It took a lot of re-adjustment, experimentation, and practice, but I finally feel like I've got Power Ping Pong cracked. And you know what? It was well worth it. When everything clicked into place I could finally see why everyone was raving about it.

Given how many iOS golf games work from a side perspective, MiniGolf's overhead view is almost as refreshing as it is nostalgic.

Blocky Highway is a surprisingly engaging racing game that happens to be mashed up with an endless format. It's easy to just go and take a whimsical ride with no energy involved, and if I get a reward -- great -- otherwise I'm just having fun.

That's really what Dungeon Of The Endless comes down to: time. It's a matter of how much time you're willing to invest in the game in order to get the most out of it.

There's something truly special at the core of The Deer God, but it's doled out in moments of sublime pleasure surrounded by long stretches of frustration and disappointment.

Seashine is a game with a lot of spirit, great artistic direction, and a clever blend of wonder and terror.

Lightning Duru has some basic shooter mechanics going for it, but beyond that, I'd only recommend it to someone who has played everything in the genre, and then some.

Ace Maverick looks great, controls well, and is pretty fun in the beginning. Unfortunately, the difficulty juts up incredibly fast and left me feeling a bit of whiplash.

Still, minus any flaws and struggles, Dice Mage's core gameplay is interesting enough that you should download this.

I love platformers; they are what originally introduced me to gaming as a kid. There is some genuine fun to be had with MoBu.

If you're in the mood for a thinking man's game that doesn't rely on twitch action, Sputnik Eyes will probably be up your alley.

If you thought Race the Sun looked too minimalist for your tastes or you didn’t like the tilt controls in Kayos [$1.99], maybe give Breakneck a try.

The addition of tricks, a neat little camera mode, and local multiplayer are also pretty welcome, and for only two dollars I see this as an easy recommend--especially if you never played the first one.

Minus any little issues, Lara Croft Go is another winner from Square Enix Montreal.

On the surface it seems like a game with modest goals, but I think what it does is actually a lot harder than it looks. And, I’m happy to say, it pulls it off beautifully.

With a decent quantity of levels and pretty tough difficulty curve, I had an enjoyable time with Tiny Empire. It’s probably not going to reach the high approachability or even enjoyability levels as an Angry Birds, but it’s good within its niche.

While Demon's Rise is probably lacking the balance, challenge, and polish to satisfy some players, I enjoyed the game quite a bit. That's saying something, given the presence of bugs that ruined at least a few good runs.

Wefiends Inc. really did a great job with Dandy, and all the thought and work they put into it resulted in a fresh and clever shoot 'em up that will offer hours of fun.

It's unfortunate that a crossover that seemed so odd when it was announced ended up being so very ordinary.

If you have a child or an open mind for a edutainment, Zoombinis is worth checking out -- just know that time doesn't heal all wounds.

I enjoyed the majority of my time with Versus - The Lost Ones, but a weak beginning and an ending that satisfies little of one's curiosity definitely hurt the game overall.

If you love classic sci-fi, can enjoy light strategy games, and don't mind dealing with a somewhat unbalanced skill system, there's a good chance you'll really enjoy Sentinel Command.

Any puzzle fan owes it to themselves to try out The Path to Luma, because even if you completely ignore the thematic elements involved, it's still a fun little experience.

Horizon Chase is not just a fun racing game, it's also a template for how other developers need to do retro-inspired games.

RCT 3 is a great strategy simulation game that gives you plenty of freedom to build the park of your dreams (and of your visitors' nightmares).

Mobius Of Magic makes a great first impression with its attractive visuals and exciting combat, but beyond that charming introduction, there isn't much else to chew on.

It's an interesting game, but one whose structure is decidedly up for debate. But it is worth a download, if only because it has the greatest victory song ever. It is glorious and you have to hear it for yourself.

Mazecraft is a game that has a ton of great stuff going for it. It takes the streamlined community creation aspect of something like DrawQuest (RIP) and combines it with a pretty decent dungeon crawling/puzzle game.

As for the game itself, you can love it, you can hate it, and I've certainly done both over the last 18 years, but however you rank it in the overall series, I feel like it's hard to argue against it being a really good JRPG.

Sling Kong's core mechanic is fun because slinging feels good, and Protostar puts in all the work they can into their games to make them look and feel as good as possible.

The biggest compliment I can give Tactile Wars is that it's really fun to play.

In the end, Apocalypse Meow does a lot right, and I think fans of Sky Force will dig it, even if it doesn't do everything quite as well.

It may not be the Loudest iOS Game in the World or the fastest horse, but this Manowar definitely has a sting to it.

Some parts of Blocky Raider are a little too similar to Crossy Road, but for the most part, it's an enjoyable game that has a lot going for it. Having said that, I fully expect to go back to my Crossy addiction in a week.

It's probably enough to temporarily satisfy the hunger of JRPG fans, though it's unlikely to do much for anyone else.

Sure, the game lacks the polish of its parents. And sure, you can find games with more visual variety, features, and assets for around half the price. But the game on offer here is definitely solid for what it is.

Galactic Keep is an obvious labor of love. Anyone who has followed its development probably doesn't need to be told that.

If you love Pac-Man, Crossy Road, or just good games in general, play Pac-Man 256. It sounded like a great idea when it was first announced, and it's as great as it possibly could have been.

You might say that 7 dollars is a lot for an app lacking multiplayer, but it is cheaper than the actual board game, so if you already have an iPhone or iPad (Why are you even on this site if you don’t? You silly Billy) it’s definitely worth it. If you are new to deck builders entirely, I’d try some of the free ones or cheaper ones roaming around the app store first, like my main squeeze Ascension, just to get a taste of the general mechanics.

Remix, follow-up, sequel, or whichever word you want to use, .Decluster Zero - Bullet Nocturne builds impressively on the original game.

Optimally, Paradise Bay is something to fill in time where little else might fit. It's not particularly engaging, but there's a certain amount of enjoyment to be derived from watching your little settlement slowly grow.

It feels like the perfect fit for a tablet and feels well designed and quite polished.

In my view, a good game entertains, while a great game creates a lasting impression of being entertained. This War of Mine goes beyond that by also impacting how I feel about certain decisions within the game and causing self-reflection. It goes without saying that such emotions would not be possible without the game actually being good to start with.

As such, if you enjoyed the first game, I'd strongly recommend getting in on Doom & Destiny Advanced even in the rough state that it's in. It still has a long ways to go, but I'm feeling confident about its chances of being better than the original in the long run.

Angel Stone definitely provides more than bargained for in a free app. The care and detail of the game developers is etched into every blade of grass and tongue of flame.

When you get Battle Golf going with a friend, it's fun to play. But those moments are often fleeting, and that enjoyment will likely plummet once you're alone with it.

While the game is flawed, and I'd admittedly love to see a multiplayer version of the game, this is a solid match-3 RPG title.

If you are super into metal bands or crazy machines fighting each other, you could do a lot worse than Engines of Vengeance.

Any shmup fan owes it to themselves to check out Operation Dracula. Yes the setup is silly, but the visuals are top notch, and the core concepts are worth exploring for multiple playthroughs.

I’m talking about A Small Game’s Hanger World [Free], and it’s packed full of all kinds of Spider-Mans slinging themselves this way and that. As it turns out, it’s also a really, really fun game.

If you're in the mood for an unpolished stealth game with a weird sense of humor that's hit or miss, Agent Awesome is a decent flawed experience that's good for a rainy day. Just don't expect a whole lot from it and you'll be fine.

I personally found it more satisfying tangling with Springtrap in the third game from a gameplay point of view, and I was really disappointed about the lack of mini-games, especially for a game that has been hyped as a final chapter of sorts.